Link Report for Thurs. 8/2 -- Stars no-hitter unconventional, but hey -- NO-HITTER!

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: RHP Tyler Thornburg at Fresno (Giants), 8:50 PM pre-game, 9:05 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

Jeff Hem is the new play-by-play voice of the Sounds; follow him on Twitter @jeffhempbp; we'll link to his blog updates at On the Air…and Off

 

MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; all Nashville games, home and away, will be available to watch via MiLB.TV's $39.99 season-long package ($9.99 to pay for a single month). We imagine the audio feed is from the home team. All MiLB.TV details available at the link.

 

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Huntsville: RHP Jimmy Nelson at home vs. Chattanooga (Dodgers), 6:28 PM pre-game, 6:43 gametime

 

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

 

Alex Cohen is the new play-by-play voice of the Stars; follow him on Twitter @alexmcohen. It's fantastic that Huntsville is returning to what will be a traditional broadcast format this year. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be broadcast.

 

MiLB.TV subsciption note: Huntsville road games in four locales (Mississippi, Tennessee, Jacksonville and Pensacola) will be broadcast.

 

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Brevard County: RHP Andy Moye at home vs. Jupiter (Marlins), 5:35 PM gametime

 

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

 

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: RHP Eric Semmelhack at home vs. Burlington (Athletics), 11:45 AM pre-game, 12:05 PM gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link - 1280 AM WNAM

 

Chris Mehring is back to do his customary fantastic work as the Voice of the Rattlers. Follow him on Twitter @CMehring; we'll link to Chris' infamous blog often -- Rattler Radio.

 

MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; Wisconsin is one of only two (Great Lakes) Midwest League clubs that have all their home games available via MiLB.TV; Chris' call provides the audio. So for the $39.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sounds games, all Timber Rattlers home games, and Stars' road games from four Southern League locales, plus one July Helena series (11th-13th).

 

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Helena: LHP Taylor Wall at home vs. Billings (Reds), 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.

 

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Arizona Rookie (Maryvale): at the Athletics' complex in Phoenix; 9:00 PM gametime; never audio for games in this league

 

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DSL Brewers: at the DSL Tigers, 9:30 AM, although game data won't be available until late afternoon at the earliest

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Nashville

 

Huntsville

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

Helena

 

Maryvale

 

DSL Brewers

[Mass Haas]

STANDINGS:

 

AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division

 

AA - Southern League North Division

 

High-A - Florida State League North Division

 

A - Midwest League Western Division

 

Rookie Advanced - Pioneer League North Division

 

Rookie - Arizona Summer League

 

DSL - Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris Division

 

***

 

NOTE: AAA Nashville does not play a split schedule. The other leagues, including the rookie leagues, do. When you click on a standings link for Huntsville, Brevard County or Wisconsin, you'll then be able to choose 1st half and/or overall standings in addition to the current 2nd half standings.

[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]

Media Notes:

 

Nashville

 

Wisconsin

[Mass Haas]

The Rattlers game was delayed briefly by rain, looks like an approximate 12:30 local time start.

[Mass Haas]

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton is playing for Jupiter against Manatees at Space Coast Stadium.

[Mass Haas]

Here's Jeff Hem audio from last night's exciting Nashville win -- how strong is Khris Davis? Home run apprently looked to be "popped up" off the bat.

 

Eric Farris Solo HR

 

Khris Davis RBI Double

 

Farris Go-Ahead Single

 

Davis 11th-Inning HR

 

Sean Halton RBI Single

[Mass Haas]

Catching up on AA video highlights:

 

Khris Davis (then with Huntsville) hits a solo homer in the Stars' 3-2 win over Pensacola on July 26th

 

Huntsville's Scooter Gennett hits a two-out double in the first inning of the Stars' 7-5 loss to Pensacola July 27th

 

Hunter Morris hits a two-run homer in the fourth inning of the Stars' 6-4 loss to Pensacola July 28th

[TooLiveBrew]

Man, both of those HRs were absolutely destroyed. Hat tip to Khrush Davis for sporting the sweet stirrups.

[Mass Haas]

Getting To Know The 2012 Sounds: Broadcaster Jeff Hem

[Mass Haas]

At the link, click on Stars Lookouts under "Sports" -- guessing this will only be available until some time Thursday night:

 

Check out the Kentrail Davis "in-and-out-and-back-in-his-glove" catch in this video highlight package from Tuesday's 5-3 Huntsville loss

 

More from Wed. night if you click on "Car Survivor with Ronnie Duncan", including Johnny Hellweg.

[TooLiveBrew]

Wow! What a play. Every time I see really good video highlights like you've linked for Huntsville today, Mass Haas, it just makes me wish there were higher-quality broadcasts of MiLB games. These highlights are great.

[TheCrew07]

I'm going to take credit for Rivera's HR, as his last HR also came in the last game I had listened to prior to this one, way back in mid July. Since I transitioned to Nashville I make it a point to listen to those games when I can.

 

As I'm typing this Stang goes yard to extend his hitting streak.

 

edit. Chris has been pretty entertaining today, "we strive for the most awkward sentence construction possible...", I can relate Chris.

[Mass Haas]

Brewers honor Hiram Burgos and Khris Davis with monthly honors for July.

 

Talk about well-deserved...

[Mass Haas]

Two former Fresno City standouts in town to face Grizzlies

By Bryant-Jon Anteola - The Fresno Bee

 

From the moment that the Nashville Sounds got off the airplane Wednesday, most groaned as they were introduced to the furnace-like Fresno weather.

 

But not Sean Halton and Dayton Buller, who grew up playing in the heat.

 

"You feel that?" Halton asked a teammate. "You see that sky? That's a completely different kind of blue sky right there.

 

"This is home. I'm happy to be back."

 

Halton, the former Fresno High and Fresno City College standout, is playing for the first time at Chukchansi Park as Nashville arrived for a four-game series against the Fresno Grizzlies. It was a successful return, as the Sounds scored twice in the 11th and won 7-5.

 

Halton, a 25-year-old in the Milwaukee Brewers organization, had been to the downtown ballpark before -- but only as a fan. He got off to a rough start as a player, hitless in five at-bats before an RBI single accounted for an add-on run in the 11th.

 

Buller, a 31-year-old who starred at Yosemite High and Fresno City, played at Chukchansi in 2008 with the Grizzlies. But he only gets to watch on this trip after landing on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain a week ago.

 

"It's not my first time back like Halton as a pro so it's not as exciting," said Buller, who is hitting .253 in 75 at-bats.

 

"But it feels good to be back for a little bit. Maybe some friends will show up, and I'll visit with them. I know Sean's excited."

 

Halton is enjoying another solid season, his fourth as a pro. Since being selected in the 13th round out of Lewis-Clark State in the 2009 draft, he's moved up each season.

 

He is not a top-10 prospect in the Brewers system, but the 6-foot-5, 265-pounder has been consistent.

 

He is hitting .270 with 11 homers and 40 RBIs in 91 games for Nashville. Last season at Double-A Huntsville, Halton hit .298 with seven homers and 65 RBIs. At two Class-A stops in 2010, he hit .280 with 10 homers and 88 RBIs.

 

"What worked for you yesterday might not work for you today," Halton said of adjustments he's made along the way. "Triple-A is about facing guys with experience. You're playing with and against guys who've played for a while. So you try to learn as much as you can."

 

Buller might be Halton's biggest mentor. The two are roommates in Nashville. They have known each other since Halton played at Fresno City in 2006 and Buller would come back as a volunteer.

 

Though Buller is a long shot to get a major league call-up at this point in his career, Halton still figures to have a shot.

 

"I'm just trying to take care of the task at hand and let things take care of itself," Halton said. "When you get drafted, you envision the big-league life. The road there isn't as glamorous."

 

Photo by ERIC PAUL ZAMORA/THE FRESNO BEE

Nashville Sounds first baseman Sean Halton -- a former Fresno High and Fresno City College standout -- can't corral an errant throw as Fresno's Ryan Lollis gets to the bag during Wednesday evening's game at Chukchansi Park.

 

http://media.fresnobee.com/smedia/2012/08/01/21/17/jg2oe.St.8.jpeg

[Mass Haas]

Fresno Bee tidbit:

 

Nashville's last visit to Chukchansi (the park in Fresno) was in 2010 when current San Francisco Giants lefty Madison Bumgarner opposed now-Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Chris Capuano.

[TooLiveBrew]

Just noticed this while perusing MLBTR. Not exactly breaking news, but it had apparently gone overlooked by national pundits until recently. This sounds like a big loss for the Cardinals, which I always fully support.

 

http://i.imgur.com/ZXIYh.jpg

"Deal with Cards signee Andres Serrano Voided"

In early February, it was disclosed that the now-18-year-old right-handed pitcher from Santiago, Dominican Republic had agreed to terms with the Cardinals back in October. As is always the case, the deal was pending approval by Major League Baseball.

 

That approval is not coming as disclosed on Monday by Cardinals director of international operations Moises Rodriguez.

 

“Serrano failed his MLB investigation and is ineligible to sign with anyone for one year,” Rodriguez explained. “We’ll continue being active and looking for more opportunities as always.”

 

Rodriguez declined to provide specifics as to the reason for the action, but it is age/identity-related, not a failed test for PEDs. The latter would have meant a 50-game suspension, not one year.

 

Serrano caught scouts’ attention with a fastball that reportedly reaches 96 mph, a good curve, developing slider and the makings of a changeup. Last spring, the right-hander pitched in El Torneo Supremo (the Great Tournament), a talent showcase organized by MLB in the Dominican Republic for unsigned prospects.

...

 

His $750,000 bonus would have been the third-highest ever paid to a Cardinals Latin American signing after Serrano's countrymen Carlos Martinez ($1.5 million) and Roberto De La Cruz ($1.1 million).

 

Baseball America: Andres Serrano’s $750,000 Deal With Cardinals Terminated Over Age, Identity Issues

Righthander Andres Serrano's $750,000 bonus deal with the Cardinals would have been the biggest deal for a Dominican amateur pitcher signed last year, but Major League Baseball has terminated his contract, according to multiple sources.

 

Serrano, who signed with the Cardinals in October, failed both the age and identity sections of his investigation, according to a league source. Serrano had signed using a May 29, 1994 date of birth, which would have made him 17 at the time of his signing and 18 now. Baseball America could not verify whether the league had made a determination about Serrano's true age or identity.

[TooLiveBrew]

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Huntsville: RHP Jimmy Nelson at home vs. Chattanooga (Dodgers), 6:28 PM pre-game, 6:43 gametime

Nelson was removed in his last outing (July 28th) after 46 pitches, and poster X-TAI commented in that day's Link Report that it was simply a pitch count issue. So if the pitch count was 50 or so for his last outing, what's a reasonable guess to see him stretched out to tonight? 75?

[TheCrew07]

Maybe 5IP or 75 pitches, but I honestly have no idea. Pitch counts have been all over place even for the same pitchers this season. Sometimes a pitcher in AA will go 100, then in his next outing 85... it's chaos!

 

I'd say based on what they did with Rizzo that's a reasonable guess.

 

There has to be some rhyme or reason to the low pitch counts especially in the upper levels, like if a pitcher hits 100 in one start he's capped at 85 his next 2, but I haven't figured out the pattern yet.

[TooLiveBrew]

Per the Stars' Twitter account:

Nelson will be on a "low pitch count" tonight. He's still rehabbing.

So maybe more like 50-60 pitches tonight. Just a guess on my part.

[TooLiveBrew]

Nelson was pulled after the 4th due to pitch count (64). He didn't allow a hit, walked 4 & struck out 4 (3 swinging Ks).

[Mass Haas]

Audio from Fresno — “Going Way Back with Eric Farris”

 

Tonight’s interview is with Sounds second baseman Eric Farris (@eRoc86), who went 4-for-6 with a homer, three RBIs and two runs scored in the Sounds’ extra-inning marathon last night in Fresno. Farris, a Sacramento native, discusses his return to California, his season to this point (103 games played of the team’s 112), his recent power surge at the plate (5 Hrs on season, 3 in last couple weeks), what it takes to get through a long season and his unique, entertaining relationship with pitcher Brian Baker (@TheBakeShow14).

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Media Notes