Link Report for Tue. 6/19 -- Latest: Nice updates from Southern League All-Star Game

[Mass Haas]

Watch Helena's Chris McFarland's triple among the game highlights here.

[TheCrew07]

struggling Shelby Miller with candid interview at bottom of the main story link, it's worth it to watch if you have the time

Memphis treats: BBQ nachos, Miller

Crowds love Redbirds' dry rub, but Miller still warming to town

By Benjamin Hill / MLB.com

 

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Memphis' signature barbecue nachos have inspired other local restaurants. (Benjamin Hill/MiLB.com)

 

In most Minor League ballparks, the thought of nachos outselling hot dogs would be patently absurd. It sounds like some sort of alternate reality scenario, taking place in a world in which the Cubs have 27 world championships and Howard the Duck is the highest-grossing movie of all-time.

 

But that's just the situation at AutoZone Park, the home of the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds. Barbecue nachos are the team's signature concession item, one so popular that it does indeed outsell the iconic hot dog. The barbecue nachos can be traced back to the team's days at old Tim McCarver Park (where they were known as "Pig Nachos"), and they were re-christened with their current name when the team moved to AutoZone Park in 2000. From there, an enthusiastic cult following soon blossomed into full-on mainstream adoration.

 

They are a relatively simple concoction -- consisting of tortilla chips topped with pulled pork, nacho cheese, barbecue sauce and dry rub -- but the details are crucial. The latter two ingredients are supplied by Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous, a downtown Memphis barbecue institution located just a few minutes walk from the ballpark, and it's the dry rub in particular that gives the nachos a memorable kick.

 

When I visited AutoZone Park last week, Ovations concessions general manager Mike Brulatour placed an order of the nachos in front of me, pointed out the copious amounts of dry rub sprinkled on top, and asked, "Do you like Old Bay Seasoning? Well, this is better."

 

Better is in the eye of the beholder, and I am still pondering whether the Rendezvous rub is indeed superior to Maryland's No. 1 seafood enhancer. The two are certainly comparable (Rendezvous has more of a kick to it), and there's no doubt that the Redbirds have hit upon the right recipe. Brulatour notes with pride that the Redbirds sparked a trend throughout Memphis, with established barbecue joints throughout the area copying the team.

 

"We were the first place that had barbecue nachos," he said. "And now, almost every restaurant has them on the menu."

 

Growing pains

 

Though food may be the first order of business for many Memphis fans, there are also those whose top priority is seeing the future of the St. Louis Cardinals organization in an intimate environment. And this season, there is no greater prospect on the Redbirds' roster than 21-year-old right-hander Shelby Miller.

 

The Cardinals' first-round Draft pick in 2009, Miller possesses the sort of innate talent that had led to smooth sailing in his professional baseball career. He was named the Cardinals' Minor League Pitcher of the Year in each of the past two seasons and, in 2011, compiled a stellar 2.77 ERA while pitching in the usually challenging environs of the Double-A Texas League.

 

And then came Memphis.

 

Miller is currently sporting an unsightly 6.00 ERA, opponents are batting .306 against him, and he is averaging fewer than five innings per start. Most unsettlingly, he has surrendered 15 home runs over 66 innings pitched (for perspective, he entered the season having yielded 13 home runs over 247 career innings).

 

I requested an interview with Miller the day after his dispiriting start against the Nashville Sounds on June 11 (he took the loss, allowing six runs over four innings), and considering the circumstances I would have understood if he declined or, at the very least, kept himself at a safe remove. Instead, he sat down in the home dugout and spoke candidly about his struggles in a largely unprompted and refreshingly unguarded manner.

 

"There has been a lot of adversity for me this year. I think it's travel stuff, waking up at four o'clock, and you might have a start that day," he said. "The hitters are better; the parks play different -- they play weird. You can't really make excuses for it. A lot of people will say it's a fair league, but it's tough to pitch here, that's for sure. It's the biggest jump for me so far."

 

Nonetheless, Miller is doing his best to find silver linings amidst the clouds.

 

"[A positive attitude] is something I'm working on, actually, because I haven't really dealt with adversity and having to deal with bad numbers," Miller said. "Through my Minor League career, I've done really well. The story of my life right now is I'm giving up big innings, and it's due to home runs. Once I finally cut that out and eliminate the long ball -- just bear down in the fourth and fifth or whenever that long inning presents itself -- it's gonna be a way better season then it's been looking like so far."

[TheCrew07]

Marauders' Taillon snaps out of funk

Bucs prospect yields one hit over career-high seven innings

By Robert Emrich / Special to MLB.com

 

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Jameson Taillon had allowed 20 earned runs in his previous four starts. (Cliff Welch/MiLB.com)

 

Jameson Taillon felt like he earned the right to pitch on Tuesday. Then he went out and proved it.

 

The Pirates' top prospect allowed one hit over seven innings in his longest outing as a pro, pitching Class A Advanced Bradenton to a 7-0 blanking of St. Lucie.

 

Taillon (4-6), who struck out five and walked three, allowed only a fifth-inning single to Blake Forsythe. He threw 47 of 78 pitches for strikes and faced only four over the minimum in his 14th start for the Marauders.

 

"It's one of those days where I felt like I had all three pitches working for me," Taillon said. "I had good command of my fastball, in and out and up and down. I worked it inside early, that was the key. I was trying to make them uncomfortable. After that, it was three-pitch mix."

 

Taillon, who pitched six innings on June 2 against Brevard County to match his longest previous outing, had struggled in his six starts. Over 31 innings, he surrendered 28 earned runs on 41 hits while striking out 26. The biggest difference Tuesday was mental, not physical.

 

"I'd say it was attitude," Taillon said. "My attitude tonight was that I deserved to be there and I've been working hard -- have some fun, play the game and have a positive outlook. Honestly, it's a lot more fun when you throw well. We've started off the second half really well."

 

The second overall pick in the 2010 Draft was excited to make his way past the sixth for the first time. Despite walking two in the inning, it was a great experience.

 

"I was pumped to see the seventh," Taillon said. "You have to earn it at this level. It's all about the pitch count and how efficient you can be. Whenever you can see the seventh at this level, you know you've done something right."

 

MLB.com's No. 5 overall prospect lowered his ERA to 4.10 in his second season as a pro. He ranks seventh in the Florida State League with 67 strikeouts over 74 2/3 innings and opponents are batting .234 against him.

 

The 20-year-old right-hander began the season in the rotation with Gerrit Cole, who will make his Double-A debut Wednesday. Taillon hopes to follow the top overall pick in last year's Draft but understands he has to earn a promotion.

 

"It was awesome that [Cole] got to move up, it's always good to see a good friend get moved up one step closer," Taillon said. "It's one of those things that I can't really control and I have to keep going out there and doing my thing.

 

"I'd say [i have to] show consistency and not have as many ups and downs. Just string together good starts. You don't have to be great every time, just show you can be good on a consistent basis."

 

Kenn Kasparek allowed a hit and walk in the eighth and Zach Foster tossed a hitless ninth to wrap up Bradenton's fifth shutout.

 

Mel Rojas was 3-for-5 with an RBI and Kirk Singer plated a pair of runs for the Marauders.