Link Report for Mon. 6/18 -- Bring on the H-Crew!

[Mass Haas]

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Monday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: Idle

 

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Huntsville: Idle for the Southern League All-Star Break; game is Tuesday evening, details Tue. AM

 

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Brevard County: RHP Taylor Jungmann at Lakeland (Tigers), 5:30 PM gametime

 

Sorry, no audio available for this series...

 

Once again this season, Brevard does not have its own audio coverage. It appears two teams in the Manatees North Division (within which the majority of games are played) have audio, and all six teams in the South Division have audio (at least for their home games), so there will be opportunities to listen to approx. 70% or Brevard's games this season, just all from the opponent's perspective. There are no Florida State League games on MiLB.TV this year.

 

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Wisconsin: Idle for the Midwest League All-Star Break; game is Tuesday evening, details Tue. AM

 

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Helena: LHP Will West at home vs. Great Falls (White Sox), 7:50 PM pre-game, 8:05 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Helena feed from the MiLB main audio page

 

We're lucky to have Steve Wendt back on board for another H-Crew season.

 

**********

 

DSL Brewers: Idle

[Mass Haas]

Follow Monday's action as it happens with box score / game log links:

 

Brevard County

 

Helena

[Mass Haas]

STANDINGS:

 

AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division

 

AA - Southern League North Division

 

High-A - Florida State League North Division 2nd Half Standings

 

A - Midwest League Western Division

 

Pioneer League North Division

 

DSL - Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris Division

[Mass Haas]

To see tweets as to when the Link Report has been technically "completed" with available links, as well as to know when the new day's Report has been posted, please follow @Mass_Haas on Twitter.

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Stars' first-half rollercoaster ends with 35-35 record

By Mark McCarter, The Huntsville Times

 

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Fresh from having been reprieved after a nine-game losing streak, Stars manager Darnell Coles sat behind the laptop computer in his office, pulled the reading glasses from his nose and leaned back in his chair.

 

"It's been up and down," Coles said. "That's for sure."

 

It's been a 70-game ride of improvements and disappointments, successes and frustrations.

 

The Stars' 3-1 victory over the Montgomery Biscuits Sunday afternoon enabled them to finish the first half at 35-35. There is some consolation in salvaging the .500 record, yet it's a letdown in some ways brought on by a nine-game losing streak that ended on Friday.

 

Josh Prince led off with a homer and Tommy Manzella had a two-run single in the first inning. Hiram Burgos picked up the win, allowing only three hits in six innings.

 

While Coles wants his players to enjoy the three-day Southern League All-Star break, five of his players won't have the time off.

 

First baseman Hunter Morris, second baseman Scooter Gennett and pitchers Evan Anundsen, Jesus Sanchez and Tyler Thornburg have been selected for the North squad. Anundsen is on the disabled list but will still make the trip. Morris will also compete in the Home Run Derby.

 

The Stars open the second half of play on Thursday at Jackson. The Generals were the first-half North champs.

 

"You're never as good as you think you are, and you're never as bad," Coles said, when asked about his greatest lesson of the first half.

 

"In the big picture you've got to understand this is a process," he continued. "There's going to be great. There's going to be good. There's going to be bad. And there's sometimes going to be ugly. But along the way, there are teachable moments. You've got to understand that and not get on the rollercoaster."

 

The good moments have been plentiful. Morris has improved on offense and defense. Thornburg won his first eight decisions. Gennett leads the league in hits and has been a popular personality. Prince is emerging as an offensive force.

 

The Stars have hit well as a team, but don't have the production to show for it. Too often, men have been left on base in key situations. The pitching has been solid. The defense hasn't been error-plagued, but at times just hasn't made the routine play.

 

"It's not from the lack of trying," Coles said. "It's not from the lack of effort. Sometimes it's trying too hard to make a play, or make a tough play instead of making it routine.

 

"To put it in a nutshell, the guys have played well. But we still have to play better."

 

First half highlights

 

-- Attendance is on an upswing. Saturday's announced crowd of 6,389 has the Stars ahead of last year's pace and has them eighth in the league, ahead of Mobile and Jackson.

 

-- Morris has been superb in his double role as offensive leader and the face of the club. The first Huntsville native to play for the Stars has juggled family life, public appearances and media obligations with grace and maturity.

 

-- This is the best Stars team in many years in terms of accesibility, fan relations and off-the-field representation of the organization.

 

-- The Stars lead the league in team batting at .264.

 

-- Several players are at the top of the league statistically: Morris is first in doubles (23), second in extra-base hits (32) and total bases (119), third in RBI (45). Gennett leads the league in hits (83) and games played (70). Prince is first in sacrifice flies (8), stolen bases (23) and runs scored (40). Thornburg is tied for the lead in wins (8), second in WHIP (1.08) and fourth in opponents' batting average (.212).

 

First half lowlights

 

-- A nine-game losing streak, the longest since 2009, dulled the first-half finish and knocked the Stars out of the pennant chase.

 

-- Brock Kjeldgaard, the slugging outfielder, suffered a broken hand April 21 and won't return until mid-July. Speedy outfielder Khris Davis has had only 71 at-bats because of a nagging leg injury.

 

-- Injuries at the major league level bled the Stars, who lost key, experienced players to promotions to fill spots in Triple-A.

 

-- There were some ill-tempered moments. Thornburg was ejected for twice hitting the same Mobile hitter, leading to a three-game suspension; it was his second ejection in three starts. In the ensuing brawl, Matt Cline and Juan Sanchez were also tossed and suspended. Coles served a three-game suspension previously.

 

-- The Stars may lead the league in hitting, but the hits haven't been productive or timely. They're third in most men left on base and are sixth in RBIs.

[Mass Haas]

Because Chris worked so hard on this...

 

Timber Rattlers Walkoff Heroes 2005-present

[TooLiveBrew]

I almost feel like if you asked Chris what he does on his days off during the season, he'd just start laughing.

 

Great stuff, Chris!

[Tedaldtada]

Chris McFarland at 2B tonight for Helena. The man at SS, Alfredo Rodriguez, has 2 throwing errors early.

 

Raul Mondesi Jr. leading off.

 

DHonks had me worried about rain, but baseball is being played at this point.

[DHonks]

Good to hear theyre getting it in. in northwest Mt it has rained like crazy this month and rained all day

[Tedaldtada]

Brevard falls late to Lakeland, 4-3

06/18/2012 10:10 PM ET

By Frank Longobardo / Brevard County Manatees

 

LAKELAND, Fla. - The Brevard County Manatees dropped their first game after the All-Star Break as they fell 4-3 on Monday night to the Lakeland Flying Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium.

 

With the game tied 3-3 going into the bottom of the seventh, the Flying Tigers led the inning off with a double by Marcus Lemon off of the new Manatees (29-38) pitcher Thomas Keeling. After a sacrifice bunt by Adolfo Reina moved Lemon to second, a sacrifice fly by Luis Castillo plated Lemon in what would turn out to be the winning run for Lakeland (35-29).

 

Taylor Jungmann (5-4, 3.83) got the start on the mound for the 'Tees and he went six innings and allowed three runs. The 2011 first round draft pick yielded six hits and a walk to Lakeland, while striking out five.

 

Lakeland scored its three runs off of Jungmann in the first three innings, including a two-run, two-out, inside-the-park homer by Wade Gaynor in the third. In his last three innings of work, Jungmann settled down and retired ten of the last 12 hitters he faced.

 

Down 3-1 after three, Brevard scored one run in the fourth and another in the fifth to tie the game at 3-3. Cody Hawn scored on a balk in the fourth and Reggie Keen doubled in Nick Shaw to even the game in the fifth. Keen was 3-for-4 with two RBI on the night.

 

After hitting just .221 in the month of April, Keen has hit .318 since and is hitting .500 (11-for-22) in his last five games.

 

Overall offensively, the Manatees had plenty of chances but failed to capitalize as they went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

 

Brevard County will look to get back on track in the second game of their three-game set at Lakeland with a 10:35 a.m. Tuesday matinee game.

 

Southpaw Jed Bradley (4-5, 4.36) will toe the rubber for the 'Tees. In two starts against the Flying Tigers this season, Bradley is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA.

 

Lakeland will counter with a lefty of their own, Shawn Teufel (3-4, 5.61). In three June starts, Teufel is 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA.

 

Box Score

 

Taylor Jungmann pitched much better than his line indicates. Who knows what the heck happened on the 2-out 2-run inside the park homer in the 3rd. He finished: 6 IP 6 H 3 R 3 ER 1 BB 5 K 1 HR 10:1 GO:FO 1 Balk 1 HBP. The balk also seems weird, after all 4 were called in the game, which is about 4 more than you normally see. Taylor left with the game tied. Wild Thomas Keeling, a lefty reliever with a major league arm, gave up the go-ahead runs.

 

Reggie Keen (3-4 2B CS) lead the Sea Cow march. Shea Vucinich went 1-2 with 2 BB. Michael Reed may not be to thrilled that the all-star break interrupted his hot hitting as he went 0-4 with a K tonight. At any rate, it appears the kid is here to stay. He played LF tonight.

 

T.J. Mittelstaedt (1-4) made is 7th error in this one.

 

Game Log

 

2-out Jungmann runs.

 

Lakeland Bottom of the 1st

 

Luis Castillo grounds out, second baseman Shea Vucinich to first baseman Cody Hawn.

Dixon Machado flies out to left fielder Michael Reed.

Tyler Collins singles on a line drive to center fielder Reggie Keen.

Wade Gaynor hit by pitch. Tyler Collins to 2nd.

Avisail Garcia singles on a line drive to right fielder Franklin Romero Jr. Tyler Collins scores. Wade Gaynor to 3rd.

With James Robbins batting, Avisail Garcia caught stealing 2nd base, catcher Parker Berberet to shortstop Nick Shaw.

 

Lakeland Bottom of the 3rd

 

Luis Castillo strikes out swinging.

Dixon Machado called out on strikes.

Tyler Collins singles on a line drive to right fielder Franklin Romero Jr.

With Wade Gaynor batting, Tyler Collins steals (8) 2nd base.

Wade Gaynor hits an inside-the-park home run (5) on a fly ball to left field. Tyler Collins scores.

Avisail Garcia strikes out swinging.

 

Balk, WP, Balk, K

 

Brevard County Top of the 4th

 

Shea Vucinich flies out to center fielder Luis Castillo.

Cody Hawn singles on a line drive to center fielder Luis Castillo.

Parker Berberet strikes out swinging.

With Michael Reed batting, Cody Hawn advances to 2nd on a balk.

With Michael Reed batting, wild pitch by Luis Angel Sanz, Cody Hawn to 3rd.

With Michael Reed batting, Cody Hawn scores on a balk.

Michael Reed strikes out swinging.

 

Prolly should have tied it here.

 

Brevard County Top of the 9th

 

Pitcher Change: Bruce Rondon replaces Matt Crouse.

Parker Berberet reaches on fielding error by third baseman Wade Gaynor. Parker Berberet to 2nd.

Michael Reed reaches on a fielder's choice out, shortstop Dixon Machado to third baseman Wade Gaynor. Parker Berberet out at 3rd.

Franklin Romero Jr. called out on strikes.

Nick Shaw strikes out swinging.

[TheCrew07]

IL notes: Soto hoping to heat up

Reds prospect has a history of getting off to slow starts

By John Wagner / Special to MLB.com

 

http://www.milb.com/images/2012/06/17/QkUQE3mc.jpg

Neftali Soto leads Louisville with eight homers, 31 RBIs and 25 runs scored. (Kevin Hill/MiLB.com)

 

Louisville manager David Bell has seen Neftali Soto get hot before. Last season, as a matter of fact.

 

"He was hurt for about a month in April and May," said Bell, Soto's manager at Double-A Carolina in 2011. "But when he came back, it didn't take long until he got really hot."

 

Soto played in only 20 games the first two months of last year due to a broken bone in his wrist. He was hitting .243 in mid-June before a spurt of five homers in six games jump-started his season.

 

After hitting three homers the first two months of 2011, Soto belted seven in June, then had 10 in both July and August to tie for the Southern League lead with 30 while adding 76 RBIs in 102 games.

 

So it's understandable that Reds officials aren't overly concerned about the start of this season, Soto's first with Louisville. The 23-year-old has batted .238 in his first 62 games, although he leads the Bats with eight homers and 31 RBIs.

 

While Soto may not be worried, he is far from satisfied with his first full season at the Triple-A level.

 

"It's been tough," he told the Louisville Courier-Journal. "This is not what I was expecting. I thought it would be better.

 

"I feel like guys in Double-A are nasty, throwing harder. But here, they work more around you. They know how to pitch here."

 

That experience shows in the 65 times Soto has struck out to go with only 17 walks that contribute to a .289 on-base percentage.

 

"He's getting at-bats and, at this point in his career, that's the key," Bell said. "He's making adjustments day-to-day, and that's something that will happen for the rest of his career."

 

It helps that the Reds seem to have settled on first base as Soto's position. Originally drafted as a shortstop, the native of Puerto Rico moved to third base, then spent part of 2010 as a catcher before switching to first base full-time last year.

 

Bell said Soto seems to be following a track similar to the one he experienced last season in Carolina.

 

"He's a young player and young players just play better as they gain experience," Bell said. "Once he got some at-bats last year, he gained experience and played better. The more you play, the better you get."

 

Bell added that Soto, who has missed time recently due to mild back spasms, added to his value because of his fast finish in 2011.

 

"Players who are good over the second half of the season are more valuable," Bell said. "If a guy plays well down the stretch, when his team is fighting for a pennant, people tend to notice that."

 

In brief

 

Night and day: It has been an up-and-down season for Gwinnett RHP Jair Jurrjens. He was 2-0 with a 2.05 ERA after his first three starts but has gone 1-4 with a 7.34 ERA since. Things have gone especially bad in night games: In six starts under the lights, Jurrjens is 1-4 with a 8.10 ERA, while his three starts in matinees have produced a 2-0 record and 1.17 ERA. For the season, he's 3-4 with a 5.27 ERA.

 

Pitching in: Indianapolis has ridden the best pitching staff in the IL to first place in the West Division. The Indians were 19-11 in May, thanks in large part to a 2.52 team ERA for the month. The Tribe has only one pitcher among the IL leaders in ERA -- LHP Rudy Owens, who's second with a 2.34 mark -- but leads the league with nine shutouts. For the season, Indianapolis has a 3.02 ERA.

 

He said it: "You just never know what's going to happen. When you think you're in, you're out; when you think you're out, you're in. Baseball has a way to work itself out eventually." -- Columbus OF Trevor Crowe to the Columbus Dispatch. Crowe, who missed more than a month with a strained right oblique, is batting .307 in 21 games.

 

He said, Part II: "I've been struggling at the plate a little bit. So I was just trying to make good contact and got a fastball up and hit it out." -- Syracuse RHP Mitch Atkins to the Syracuse Post-Standard on June 10. In a win over Louisville, he hit the first homer by a Chiefs pitcher since Ed Ricks on June 15, 1975 at Pawtucket.

[Tedaldtada]

Great Falls (White Sox) 6 Helena 4

 

Box Score

 

It was exciting to get the Pioneer league going. Steve Wendt was enjoyable to listen to as usual. Throughout the contest, he reminisced about past opening days with good stories about Joey Paciorek and Mike Walker among others.

 

Steve had many very interesting things to say about some of our youngest farmhands.

 

He seemed very impressed with what lead off man Raul Mondesi Jr. has to offer on the diamond. Mondesi absolutely roped an RBI single in one at bat. Then, he threw out a guy at home with an absolute rope to end an inning. He also helped kick start a mini 9th inning rally with a booming RBI 2B. He finished 2-5 with the 2B.

 

The most interesting tidbit for me was when Steve threw out a few comps for Chris McFarland. He said he swings a little like AAA 2B Eric Farris but also said he say some Marlon Byrd in him. I guess it is good to keep expectations on the low side, but I am hoping for more from the kid termed as "premium offensive" talent by PG per-draft 2011. McFarland finished 1-5 and was CS.

 

Ruben Ozuna also had a big game going 2-4 with a 2B. His double was off the very top of the wall, narrowly missing a homer. In Ruben's 2nd AB, he was called out for stepping on the plate during a bunt attempt.

 

Steve also discussed Adam Giacolone's "tremendous power". Adam hit 3rd and went 0-4 with 3 K tonight. Expect big things from him moving forward.

 

Georgetown SS Michael Garza (2-4 2B) hit cleanup and played 3B. He was basically among the best hitters in the Big East the past 2 seasons. Emmanuel Quiles (2-4 2B) and Alfredo Rodriguez (1-3 BB) rounded out the lineup in style.

 

Will West started for the Brewers and was not in top form. 6 IP 10 H 5 R 4 ER 2 BB 6 K 7:2 GO:FO. 48th round 2011 draft pick, Mike Francisco finished the game with 3 IP 4 H 1 ER 1 R ) BB 1 K 3:3 GO:FO. So, for those keeping score, and undrafted FA and a 48th round pick were your opening day tandem for Helena.

 

In the field, Rodriquez was commended for several nice plays. He made the two errors, but he can pick it a little by the sound of it. Michael Garza also leaped high to snatch a liner at 3B. How fun would a run producing third baseman with a good glove be? Mike Walker is the closest thing we have currently. Maybe Jalen Harris will be that guy?

 

Game Log

 

Enjoy.

[TheCrew07]

Pitchers of the Week For the week ending June 17

 

International League

Justin Wilson, Indianapolis

(1-0, 0.69 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 13 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 3 BB, 11 K)

Part of Indianapolis' no-hitter against Durham on April 29, Wilson suffered a groin injury in mid-May. Though he missed no starts, he didn't pitch effectively, allowing 15 runs on 23 hits and 13 walks in 18 2/3 innings over his next four games. The Pirates' No. 9 prospect was back on form this week, however, holding Rochester to four hits -- without walking a batter -- over seven scoreless frames Monday before kicking off the Indians' one-hit win at Charlotte on Sunday afternoon.

 

Southern League

Daniel Corcino, Pensacola

(1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 8 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 3 BB, 9 K)

Corcino, who jumped straight to Double-A this season after fanning 156 batters in 139 1/3 Midwest League innings last season, put it all together against Mobile on Saturday night. MLB.com's No. 98 prospect held the first-half South Division champion BayBears hitless while striking out nine over eight frames. Wilkin De La Rosa struck out the side in the ninth to complete the Blue Wahoos' first no-hitter. Corcino tossed a season-high 110 pitches to notch his first victory since May 3 -- as well as singling in the third for his second career hit.

[TheCrew07]

Reds’ Daniel Corcino Throws Eight Innings Of Double-A No-Hitter

[TheCrew07]

Top Pitching Performances Over The Weekend, June 15-17

 

• Reds righthander Daniel Corcino tossed eight no-hit innings against Mobile on Saturday, and reliever Wilkin de la Rosa finished the job in the ninth to give Double-A Pensacola the eighth no-hitter of the minor league season (the link above contains a chart listing all eight). Corcino appears none the worse for wear after skipping the high Class A level on his way to the Southern League.

[Mass Haas]

Several Brewers will have photos for friends / family from their first pro game -- Helena Independent Record photo gallery

[Mass Haas]

Brewers fall behind early, drop opener

Brewers fall behind early, drop opener

By AMBER KUEHN, Helena Independent Record

 

The Great Falls Voyagers started 2012 the same way they ended 2011 — with a win.

 

Powered by six doubles and aided by some early miscues by Helena, the defending Pioneer League champions beat the Brewers 6-4 Monday at Kindrick Legion Field, spoiling manager Jeff Isom’s return to the Capital City.

 

“We’ve got a bunch of new guys this year but people around town have been telling us, ‘Do it again, you’ve gotta do it again,’” said Great Falls center fielder Adam Heisler, who was 1 for 3 with a double and three RBIs. “So it’s nice to start the same way it ended. And the way we started that first inning, the big hitting just became contagious.”

 

The Voyagers took advantage of a pair of Helena errors in the first to take a quick, two-run lead. Meanwhile, Helena managed just three hits through the first four innings against Great Falls starter Keegan Linza, who blew fastball after fastball past Brewers batters.

 

“We struck out in some crucial situations,” Isom said. “We had opportunities and we didn’t come up with hits when we needed to. And we ended up making a couple of mistakes early on, but guys are still getting used to pro ball so that’s going to happen.”

 

The hosts got back into the game in the fifth frame, when catcher Emmanuel Quiles stroked an RBI double down the right-field line to score Mike Nemeth from first. Two at-bats later, Raul Mondesi Jr. got his first hit in a Helena uniform — a hard-struck ball to left field that brought Quiles home and made it a one-run game. Mondesi would have the web gem of the game an inning later, fielding the ball deep in right field and making a perfect throw to home plate to beat Kyle Robinson by a good 10 feet.

 

Isom noted Mondesi’s strong defense, and a couple of stellar plays by shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez, were bright spots in the season opener. Rodriguez rebounded from a pair of errors to aid in two double plays.

 

“He had a couple slow rollers that weren’t easy plays and he ends up making it look easy,” Isom said. “He redeemed himself and he’s gonna be just fine. I told him after the game to hang in there … it’s a learning process.”

 

Trailing 6-3 going into the ninth, it looked as though the Brewers might have some late-game heroics in store as they have in past season openers — they came from behind to beat Missoula in each of the last two years. Ruben Ozuna led off the final inning with a high-flying opposite field double that looked as though it had a chance to clear the wall in left field to put a runner in scoring position. But Great Falls reliever Brett Merkley needed just two pitches total to retire the next two batters, and Mondesi’s two-out RBI double would be the last offense of the evening.

 

But it’s not as though Helena didn’t have its chances early — like in the second inning, for instance, when the Brewers failed to bring home a run after loading the bases.

 

“They’ve got to realize if you make a lot of mistakes in professional baseball, good teams are going to find a way to take advantage of those and win games,” Isom said. “We’ve gotta limit our mistakes and put the ball in play a little bit more. I like the effort these guys brought to the field, but we need to get more timely base hits … we swung through too many fastballs tonight.”

 

Micah Johnson and Robinson led the Voyagers (1-0) at the plate with three hits apiece. Linza earned the win, fanning five through five innings, and Merkley allowed just one run in two innings of relief for the save. Zach Toney also pitched well for the visitors, striking out four and allowing just two hits in two innings.

 

Helena’s 19-year-old starter Will West was hung with the loss. Despite giving up 10 hits and four earned runs while walking two through six frames, the southpaw did record six strikeouts. Isom saw a lot to like.

 

“Will West did a nice job,” he said. “Looking at the box score, he gave up four earned runs but he pitched a lot better than that. It’s an outing that I hope he doesn’t hang his head on, because he did a lot of good things and it’s a good outing to build on.”

 

Heisler admitted the Brewers pitchers left some balls over the plate.

 

“We swung the bat real well, though,” he said. “Once one guy got going, we all did.”

 

All but one player in the Great Falls lineup recorded at least one hit.

 

The Brewers (0-1) get to take another crack at the Voyagers tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (8:05 Central), with Michael Schaub set to take the mound for Helena and Thomas Royce slated to start for Great Falls. Isom is anxious for his club to put this one behind them.

 

“That’s the beautiful thing about baseball,” he said. “I always say, sometimes you get too smart of a team out there, they think too much and that’s not good. It’s almost better for them to have a little amnesia and forget about the night before.

 

“That’s part of pro ball is you realize there’s gonna be another game. You go get your sleep and get ready to go again tomorrow.”

[igor67]

I'm pretty excited to see what Mondesi Jr. can do. Given the unanticipated jump to Helena and the pedigree he seems like a guy who could really start making people take notice.