Link Report for Wed. 8/8

[Mass Haas]

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[Mass Haas]

Wednesday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: RHP Hiram Burgos at Sacramento (Athletics), 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 Johnnie Lowe at Tennessee (Cubs), 6:00 PM pre-game, 6:15 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 Brandon Williamson at home vs. Dunedin (Blue Jays), 5:35 PM gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link -- Select the Tampa 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 Jacob Barnes at home vs. Cedar Rapids (Angels), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 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: RHP Ryan Gibbard at home vs. Missoula (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 home vs. the mini-Diamondbacks; 9:00 PM gametime; never audio for games in this league

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Follow Wednesday'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, Rookie Maryvale and the DSL do not play a split schedule. When you click on a standings link for Huntsville, Brevard County, Wisconsin, and/or Helena, 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]

DVR ALERT!

 

As we like to do, here's some notice for you.

 

This Thursday August 9th, Time Warner Cable Sports 32 TV will broadcast the Rattlers home game vs. Cedar Rapids (Athletics) at 7:05 PM. Shaun Marcum (rehab stint) is the scheduled starter.

 

The big leaguers are idle Thursday.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes are already up for the Sounds' matinee

[Mass Haas]

Visual from Sacramento — Photos of Raley Field

 

Jeff Hem's note -- Here’s a look at Raley Field, home of the Sacramento River Cats, which has hosted the Sounds the past four days. It’s a great facility that this year is averaging about 7,800 fans per game (3rd in the PCL behind Round Rock and Albuquerque)…

[Mass Haas]

Josh Flickinger, an old friend of Brewerfan, was the latest to profile Lance Roenicke, and did so for the Beloit Daily News Tuesday --

 

Namesake doesn’t faze Roenicke

Manager’s son off to solid start with Timber Rattlers

[Mass Haas]

Here is quite the video report / photo gallery on aging Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville.

 

While this report also focuses on the dedicated group who sit in the section known as "the Den" (and kudos to them), several of the photos within the gallery of the rusted ("rustic"?) sections of the ballpark are a bit scary. And while attendance has been better in 2012, the visitor was obviously there on a "sparse crowd" night.

[Mass Haas]

WSSP does a nice job with their On-Deck show, love how they also carry Ron Roenicke's home pre-game interviews, which we're normally only referenced to in print highlights.

 

Here's their Tuesday pre-game inteview with SS Jean Segura (go to the 26:00 minute mark).

[Mass Haas]

Reminder -- Huntsville family, friends, and fans:

 

The series against Tennessee is available for viewing on MiLB.TV ($9.99 for all of August, live and archived games, plus all Nashville games).

 

There is another Stars' series (at Mississippi) later this month that will also be available.

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO: Nashville's Jordan Brown homers in the fourth inning of the Sounds' 5-3 Monday win over Sacramento

[Mass Haas]

Another great job by Jim Owczarski of OnMilwaukee.com --

 

Brewers reliever Henderson has had a long road to the majors

[Mass Haas]

Speaking of MiLB.TV, Alec put it to good use to put together this detailed Tyler Thornburg report

[Mass Haas]

More Jean Segura audio -- this one with Joe Block on Tuesday's Brewers pre-game

[TheCrew07]

The DSL game was postponed.

[TheCrew07]

2012 Minor League Best Tools

 

Unfortunately for some this is a subscriber only piece.

 

Lots of divisional mentions however Hunter Morris was listed as the SL best hitting prospect and best defensive 1B. Scooter Gennet was listed as the SL best defensive 2B, which actually surprised me some.

 

No other Brewer prospects made the list.

 

edit. Perhaps I should clarify that just like when scouts grade players hitting and power are 2 different categories, Morris was not the best power prospect, that was Matt Davidson from Mobile. Still it's nice the consensus is that he has the best potential to hit for a high average.

[TheCrew07]

a self scout piece on Cubs prospect Trey McNutt

 

Prospect Pitch: McNutt makes best of it

Double-A Tennessee's power-armed righty bumped to bullpen

[TheCrew07]

Bradley notes at the bottom in bold.

FSL notes: Ramsey ready for challenge

Palm Beach outfielder seeking consistency in debut season

By Guy Curtright / Special to MLB.com

 

http://www.milb.com/images/2012/08/07/TVqVsJHM.jpg

James Ramsey is batting .252 with 37 strikeouts in his first 32 games. (Mark LoMoglio/MiLB.com)

 

After a storybook senior season at Florida State University, it's been back to baseball reality for James Ramsey. The Palm Beach center fielder wouldn't have it any other way, though.

 

"There's joy for me in the challenge," Ramsey said. "I never thought it would be easy. My numbers aren't what I'm used to, but I'm not disappointed. I know it's a process. I'm learning every day. This is a tough league, and I appreciate the opportunity to start off here."

 

Ramsey, taken by the St. Louis Cardinals with the 23rd overall pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft, had three hits in his debut July 2. But he's had as many downs as ups since against Florida State League pitching.

 

The left-handed hitter from the Atlanta area ended July on a strikeout binge, fanning 17 times in his final nine games. He whiffed four times in one game and three times in another.

 

"The one frustrating thing is that I'm getting myself out more than I ever have," Ramsey said. "I haven't felt overpowered, but there are a lot of more polished pitchers at this level and I'm helping them out right now."

 

Ramsey went 3-for-18 in the first five games of August to drop his average to .252 in 32 games. He had an on-base percentage of .342 thanks to 17 walks, however, and was 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts.

 

There was no question that Ramsey was holding his own. He just wasn't excelling the way he did in his final season at FSU.

 

Ramsey hit .378 and led the Seminoles to the ACC championship and College World Series while being named ACC Player of the Year and a first-team All-American.

 

But the onetime infielder was hardly a can't-miss Major League prospect entering college, even after leading his high school to Georgia's Class AA state title.

 

Ramsey started just nine games as a freshman at FSU and wasn't taken by Minnesota until the 22nd round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, despite hitting .364 as a junior with the Seminoles.

 

After a stellar summer in the Cape Cod League, Ramsey returned to FSU and improved his Draft stock dramatically while captaining the Seminoles to the College World Series. His father, Craig, had done the same in 1980.

 

An honor student with strong Christian beliefs, Ramsey was the face of the Seminoles and some likened his charisma and conviction to quarterback Tim Tebow.

 

Ramsey was the second of two first-round Draft picks by St. Louis, going three spots behind Texas A&M pitcher and Palm Beach teammate Michael Wacha.

 

Ramsey signed for a bonus of $1.6 million and headed out to start his Minor League career. But it's a long way from the spotlight of the College World Series to the semi-privacy of Roger Dean Stadium during the long Florida State League season.

 

"The lack of so much attention is a nice change," said Ramsey, who lives about a mile from the ballpark with a couple of teammates.

 

But regularly playing before less than 1,000 is quite a change from the packed houses at Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee and the College World Series in Omaha.

 

"The atmosphere certainly isn't the same," Ramsey said. "I knew that would be the case. But you still have to be ready to play every game and go all out."

 

Unlike college, winning isn't the ultimate goal, either. The Minor Leagues are about player development.

 

"I'm used to everything being result-oriented," Ramsey said. "Here it's the process that counts. That's an adjustment. I have to remember not to get too caught up in one at-bat or one game."

 

On Monday, Palm Beach got just its second scheduled day off since Ramsey joined the team.

 

"It's definitely been a grind," Ramsey said. "It's different getting used to playing every day. But it's fun any time you can be out on the field. It's a blessing to be playing baseball and getting a chance to work toward your goal."

 

In brief

 

Scoreless streak: Jupiter's Jose Fernandez has given up just six hits over three straight five-inning scoreless outings since July 26. The last was Sunday against Charlotte, when he allowed a hit and a walk while striking out five. Fernandez, the Marlins' first-round pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, is 4-1 with a 2.57 ERA in seven starts for Jupiter after going 7-0 with a 1.59 ERA for Greensboro of the Class A South Atlantic League. The 20-year-old Cuban is the Marlins' No. 3 prospect and ranked No. 91 on MLB.com's Top 100 list.

 

On-base machine: Palm Beach outfielder Mike O'Neill leads the Florida State League batting race by a large margin with a .341 average and is closing in on the franchise record for hits in a season. Juan Lucena had 141 hits in 2006 and O'Neill had 125 in 107 games through Sunday. O'Neill had also drawn 68 walks, and his .442 on-base percentage was by far the best in the league.

More struggles: Brevard County left-hander Jed Bradley fell to 5-10 after giving up six runs over less than five innings in consecutive starts. The first-round choice by Milwaukee in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Georgia Tech has enjoyed little success since starting the season pitching 23 innings without allowing an earned run. Bradley has a 5.53 ERA for the year and opponents are batting .311 against him. He's the Brewers' No. 3 prospect and ranked No. 80 on MLB.com's Top 100 list.

 

Turnaround: Daytona second baseman Ronald Torreyes finished May batting .184, but he's hit .318 since to raise his average to .271. He was 14-for-25 over a recent six-game stretch. The 19-year-old from Venezuela has 19 doubles, four triples, six homers and 42 RBIs for the season and had also stolen 13 bases in 17 attempts. He was signed by Cincinnati and came to the Chicago Cubs in the trade for Sean Marshall.

 

edit. fixed link

[TheCrew07]

MiLB.com set up a page just for Billy Hamilton's pursuit of the stolen base record.

 

Plenty of video at the bottom of the link if you are so inclined.

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO: Highlights from Tuesday's 7-0 Helena win

[Mass Haas]

Media Notes:

 

Huntsville

[Mass Haas]

Completing the Media Notes trifecta:

 

Wisconsin

[Mass Haas]

Every so often somebody deserves an in-progress Link Report post:

 

Hunter Morris three-run 1st inning jack-jackety-jack!