Link Report for Fri. 4/5 -- Stars Open with Victory

[Mass Haas]

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[Mass Haas]

Friday's Daily Menu: TGIF!

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: RHP Hiram Burgos at home vs. New Orleans (Marlins), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

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

 

Jeff Hem is the 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). 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 Chattanooga (Dodgers), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:15 gametime

 

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

 

Alex Cohen is the play-by-play voice of the Stars; follow him on Twitter @alexmcohen. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be broadcast. It appears four Southern League teams air their home games on MiLB.TV, and we'll let you know when those dates pop up on the schedule.

 

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Brevard County: RHP Drew Gagnon at home vs. Daytona (Cubs), 5:05 PM pre-game, 5:35 PM gametime

 

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

 

Manatees audio, hooray! Dave Walkovic is the first play-by-play voice of the 'Tees since 2007, he's joined by Andy Towne; follow the Brevard broadcast booth staff on Twitter @BCManateesRadio. All home games and road games in Daytona and St. Lucie, are scheduled to be broadcast. When road games are only available via the opponents' audio feed, we'll let you know that.

 

NOTE: Dave indicates that he hopes to include a pre-game interview prior to each game; it's a 30-minute pre-game! We'll fill you in if Brevard masters archiving a la Nashville and/or Helena.

 

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Wisconsin: RHP Damien Magnifico at Peoria (Cardinals), 6:10 PM pre-game, 6:30 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 four Midwest League clubs that have all their home games available via MiLB.TV.

 

So for the $39.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sounds games, Stars' road games from four Southern League locales, and all Timber Rattlers home games and some road games.

 

NOTE: 32 of the Rattlers' 70 home games will be broadcast on TV this season. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel has seventeen games scheduled and WACY-TV My NEW32 plans to show fifteen games. We'll let you know when, but won't be providing day-before DVR reminders, so regularly check for proper channel and time planning (scroll to the bottom of this link).

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Nashville

 

Huntsville

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

New MiLB.com feature -- organizational scoreboard, 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

[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]

Look for Nashville and Wisconsin media notes at the links just prior to their game times.

 

Once we're aware of the new online location for Huntsville's Media Notes this season, we'll let you know.

 

New this season: Brevard County has media notes; as of now, it's a unique link each day (we'll post when available), we've asked for a consistent posted link like Nashville uses, we'll see...

[Mass Haas]

NEW FEATURE!

 

Weather.com:

 

Nashville

 

Chattanooga

 

Melbourne (Brevard County)

 

Peoria

[Mass Haas]

'Versatile' Huntsville Stars open Southern League season at Chattanooga tonight

Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times

 

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Darnell Coles can't tell you the Huntsville Stars' regular starting lineup. Like Lady Gaga and the weather, it'll have a different look every day.

 

Coles opens his second season as Stars' manager tonight as his team plays at Chattanooga (where Coles played in Double-A ball three decades ago) at 6:15 CDT. It's the first of a five-game series before the Stars return to Huntsville and open their home schedule April 10.

 

"It's interchangeable," Coles said, noting that half of his everyday players are so versatile that "we have multiple things going on."

 

To wit:

 

T.J. Mittelstaedt can play first, second, third and the outfield.

 

Shea Vucinich can play short, second or third.

 

Mike Walker can play third and first.

 

Jason Rogers can play first and left field.

 

Nick Shaw plays second and short.

 

Ozzie Chavez plays second and short.

 

The versatility helps in building a balanced lineup that might otherwise lean a little too much to one side. Two of the three players officially listed as outfielders bat lefthanded, as does Walker, the best hitter at Class A Brevard County last year.

 

They're also awaiting the arrival of Hector Gomez, who was ticketed to be the everyday shortstop but suffered a pulled oblique muscle and is rehabbing in extended spring training in Arizona. His presence might settle some of the shifting around.

 

It's not a team blessed with great power, "but we've got some speed ... and guys who hit for average. We're going to put a little more emphasis on hitting and running," Coles said.

 

However, "Pitching-wise, we should be strong," Coles said.

 

The Stars will go with the rotation of Jimmy Nelson, Taylor Jungmann, Ariel Pena, Andy Moye and Arcenio Leon; Nelson, Pena and Leon have Class AA experience.

 

Casey Medlen -- no relation to the Braves' Kris Medlen -- and Alan Williams are the strongest candidates for a closer role, though finding the night-in, night-out guy isn't a priority.

 

"It'll be like last year when we had six different guys with five or more saves," said pitching coach Chris Hook. "The big key for us is developing multi-inning relievers so when they go to the big leagues they can do that."

 

The Stars have had two busy days after their arrival from spring training, with a 4-1 exhibition win over Alabama A&M Tuesday (the Stars provided the pitching for both teams), then a media day session on Wednesday. That was followed by a series of several meetings typical to preseason, including one with a police officer, a banker who offered assistance in establishing local accounts and Coles reviewing various policies from Minor League Baseball and the Brewers on gambling, alcohol, social media and other team rules.

[Mass Haas]

Tonight's starter --

 

Sounds pitcher maintains 2012 momentum with strong showing at WBC

By Jerome Boettcher, Nashville City Paper

 

Hiram Burgos hasn’t pitched in a Major League Baseball game. He has, however, already faced a big league lineup.

 

Pitching for his native Puerto Rico, Burgos entered the second inning of the championship game of the World Baseball Classic last month. The 25-year-old glared at home plate and found a modern day murderers’ row staring back at him – Jose Reyes, Erick Aybar, Robinson Cano, Edwin Encarnacion, Hanley Ramirez, Nelson Cruz and Carlos Santana.

 

“That was the biggest stage I have been through,” Burgos said. “Facing the Dominican Republic, I bet you that is a better lineup than any team right now in the big leagues. You can’t pitch around any guys. You got Robinson Cano, Encarnacion, Aybar, Nelson Cruz. You have to go at it and get people out. No matter how you do it, just get people out.”

 

And for the most part, that’s exactly what Burgos did.

 

A successful run in the WBC, coupled with a strong 2012 season has the right-hander feeling good about his future as the Nashville Sounds open their season on Thursday against New Orleans at Greer Stadium. Burgos is expected to start on Friday.

 

He was named the top pitcher in the Milwaukee Brewers’ organization last year and received the Robin Yount Performance Award. Spending time with three different affiliates, Burgos ranked third in the minor leagues with a 1.95 ERA in 28 games. The 5-foot-11, 208-pounder went 10-4 and fired 153 strikeouts in 171 innings.

 

“He can command all his pitches in the strike zone and has the ability to work quick and put hitters away,” Sounds manager Mike Guerrero said.

 

His confidence increased after three outings in the WBC. In relief appearances against Spain, Italy and the Dominican Republic, Burgos allowed just one run, scattered 12 hits and struck out 12 in 13 innings. The lone run came in 4.2 innings against the Dominican Republic, which won 3-0 to capture the championship.

 

In addition to facing some of the best competition in the world, he learned from some of the biggest names. Behind the plate at catcher was five-time Gold Glove winner Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals. Burgos also heeded advice from Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Nelson Figueroa and former big-league starter Javier Vazquez.

 

“When you are younger you see all the stars and playing for your country is always an honor,” Burgos said. “It was a great, great experience for me. It was an honor to pitch in the WBC. I think that prepared me a lot for this upcoming season.”

 

Burgos enters his fifth season after being drafted by the Brewers in the sixth round of the 2009 draft.

 

He has gradually moved up the minor leagues but made huge leaps last year. He started last season in Advanced-A Brevard County, went 6-1 in 13 starts at Double-A Huntsville and spent the last eight games in Triple-A Nashville after moving up in late July.

 

Though he says he lacks an over-powering fastball, Burgos relies on mix pitches, including a changeup Baseball America called the best in the Brewers’ system.

 

“I was confident in it,” Burgos said. “I have thrown it more often and I use it on both sides of the plate. So the changeup has been very good and the same thing with other pitches. You have to command your fastball first so your changeup works better for you as a pitcher. If you get people out you’re going to stay in this game for a long time.”

 

If a lengthy career is in Burgos’ future he hopes that includes a trip – and possibly an extended stay – in the big leagues.

 

Now that he has gotten a taste for the talent level, Burgos is eager to fulfill another lifelong dream.

 

“It is something as a player you kind of feel you can play on the big league level right now,” Burgos said. “I’m ready for it. I just need to get my opportunity and get my chance to make my debut in the big leagues. I feel very confident right now.”

[TheCrew07]

An interest piece, unfortunately it is subscriber content, but the Rangers certainly continue to be a progressive organization.

 

Several Teams Asking More Of Their Shortstop Prospects

[TheCrew07]

How guys like Cingrani and Odorizzi were so low in top 100 is beyond me.

 

Cingrani fans 14 in Triple-A debut for Bats

[trwi7]

How guys like Cingrani and Odorizzi were so low in top 100 is beyond me.

 

Cingrani fans 14 in Triple-A debut for Bats

 

Yeah, but he walked a guy so he's a scrub.

[bork]

I'm really interested to see how the Huntsville lineup shakes out. So many options. Do Davis or Kjeldgaard see time in center?

[TheCrew07]

MLB Suspends Angels, Reds Minor Leaguers

[TheCrew07]

I love these top 10 features between MiLB and BA. Lots of divisional mentions, I'm not going to break them all out. From a Brewer perspective Segura makes the NL list at #10 and Arcia makes the MWL list at #4.

 

The Top 10 Youngest Players In Each League On Opening Day

[TheCrew07]

It's no secret Arcia is one my favorites since he was in my top 10 as a 16 year old, I'm digging the buzz he's starting to generate.

 

Minor League Opening Day Roster Analysis: Milwaukee Brewers

 

 

For your information here's the rest of the division:

Cardinals

Cubs

Pirates

Reds

[TooLiveBrew]

I tried to stay very grounded wrt my hopes on Arcia. But I agree, it's really cool to see that he's starting to get mentioned in ways that mesh with the great DSL performance he turned in as a 16-yo.

[Minigoon]

All right, Mother Nature cooperating tonight. Huntsville about to begin their season. Join the fun with Alex Cohen and listen in. One of the cool features with the Huntsville broadcasts is the link to listen in with your iPhone/iPad.

 

Chattanooga has Cuban defector and top prospect Yasiel Puig in their outfield for now.

[Minigoon]

After some defensive woes cost him 2 unearned runs in the bottom of the 1st, Starts pitcher Jimmy Nelson took care of the Lookouts by himself in the bottom of the 2nd.

 

Chattanooga Bottom of the 2nd

 

Chris Jacobs strikes out swinging.

Miguel Rojas called out on strikes.

Zach Lee strikes out swinging.

[Noche]

Josh Prince playing SS tonight.

[Noche]

Peoria has 4 guys with a W last name and 3 with a V last name in their starting lineup.

 

"Whaddaya know, the Cardinals can string 3 W's together." -Chris Mehring

[TheCrew07]

That got a chuckle out of me as well.

 

The other fun fact he mentioned was that every OF for the young Cards is a LHB.

[TooLiveBrew]

Scoreless through 4 innings in Nashville. Hiram Burgos pitched around a leadoff triple in the 1st, & has induced a couple of double plays already.

[Minigoon]

Josh Prince playing SS tonight.

 

Good to see the organization giving Prince time at SS again. The more positons he can play, the more chance he will have to help the big team in the future.

[TooLiveBrew]

The Sounds almost broke the deadlock, but not quite:

 

Nashville Bottom of the 5th

-Stephen Parker strikes out swinging.

-Dayton Buller singles on a ground ball to left fielder Matt Diaz.

-Offensive Substitution: Pinch-hitter Anderson De La Rosa replaces Hiram Burgos.

-Anderson De La Rosa walks. Dayton Buller to 2nd.

-Josh Prince called out on strikes.

-Scooter Gennett singles on a line drive to center fielder Kevin Mattison. Dayton Buller out at home on the throw, center fielder Kevin Mattison to catcher Koyie Hill.