Your 2013 Helena / Maryvale Brewers -- Latest: RHP Scott Lieser feature article

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It's a girl!

 

Congratulations to the Voice of the Helena Brewers Steve Wendt and his wife Emma, their first child!

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Uhen set to return to field

Former Oshkosh North star prepares for first spring training

by Steve Clark, Oshkosh Northwestern Media

 

2013 5th round pick out of UW-Milwaukee...

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Audio via WSSP:

 

Infielder Tucker Neuhaus

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From last October 29th --

 

The Brewers announced these releases via their Player Development Twitter account.

 

By far the highest drafted player in this group, 21-year-old RHP Danny Keller was the Brewers' 6th round draft pick in 2011 out of a California high school, spurning Cal-State Northridge for a $150,000 signing bonus. After posting two very hittable seasons in Maryvale, Keller was given an opportunity to be a big part of 2013's Helena rotation, but as the linked numbers show, it didn't work out. Steve Wendt spoke in August with Keller

 

Baseball America noted that the Dodgers have signed Keller, who won't turn 22 until June 30th.

 

EDIT: Keller was signed via the Dodgers' annual Open Tryout camp at their spring training complex in February.

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Via Miller Park Prospects and Brad's current stay in Maryvale --

 

Michael Turay Hopes To Catch On In Wisconsin

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Via Brad Krause in Maryvale --

 

Giacalone swinging for more power in 2014

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Former St. Cloud (MN) State pitcher Scott Lieser is going through extended spring training with the Milwaukee Brewers organization, hoping he'll get his turn to be called up

by Andy Rennecke, St. Cloud Times

 

PHOENIX – There was good news and bad news for former St. Cloud State pitcher Scott Lieser (2013 Maryvale stats) on Thursday night.

 

Lieser found out he would be staying in extended spring training with the Milwaukee Brewers after only throwing three innings in minor league camp.

 

The good news for the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Browerville High School graduate is that he wasn't released like many other players were.

 

"My initial reaction was indifference, to be honest. I'm an optimistic guy and I look at the glass as half-full. They signed me as a free agent and they could have cut me, but I'm staying in the organization," Lieser said. "I'm not on a team yet, that's the part that stinks."

 

Lieser signed with the Brewers as a free agent last summer after he wasn't drafted. He played rookie ball in Arizona and threw 18 innings in 11 games out of the bullpen. He finished with an ERA of 3.38 and had 19 strikeouts and three walks.

 

Lieser's always been known for impeccable control and that continued in his first experience in professional baseball. Experiencing his first spring training was a bit overwhelming for him at first, but he settled into a routine after a while at the Brewers' complex in Phoenix.

 

"I've had a blast down here," Lieser said. "It's a lot different than I thought it would be. It's eye-opening. I was shocked at the amount of guys down here. We had two locker rooms full of minor-league players. There were guys sharing lockers. The Brewers brought in a lot of guys this year.

 

"They're trying to rebuild and they wanted us to come in and compete. I certainly wasn't the only free agent they signed last summer."

 

Lieser is throwing between 88-90 mph this spring. He got up to 92 at the end of last season. He's still throwing a fastball, change-up and slider, but he's started to incorporate a split-finger fastball.

 

"I needed a strikeout pitch," Lieser said. "The split is coming along. I threw it during my senior year. I'm trying to get more consistent with it. That's a big deal for me. I'm hoping that and my slider can be my punch-out pitches."

 

Getting hitters out at the minor-league level is a lot more challenging than what Lieser faced in the NSIC. He always thought teams like Minnesota State-Mankato, Winona State and Augustana were solid programs, but there aren't any players from Minot State or Minnesota-Crookston in the minors.

 

"Everybody is solid, one through nine, down here," he said. "In the bottom two-thirds of the NSIC, the six-through-nine hitters weren't very good. All of these guys were mostly Division I players and they all hit in the 2-3-4 holes for their college teams."

 

The Brewers also signed Minnesota State-Mankato pitcher Harvey Martin last summer. The former All-American for the Mavericks became a good friend of Lieser's this spring. Martin was assigned to Class A Appleton (Wis.) on Thursday.

 

"We've hung out and reminisced a lot about the NSIC. He's a great guy," Lieser said. "One day he's your enemy and the next day he's your best friend. I'm not surprised he made a team right away. He's had decent numbers since he signed. I know how good he is. You can't not like that guy. He'll go in there, throw strikes and compete."

 

Lieser's just happy to be playing baseball. Extended spring training isn't exactly paradise, but being in Arizona is. He knows he still has a lot to learn about the professional level. If an injury pops up at Class A, Double-A or Triple-A, he could get a call-up.

 

"It happens all the time if they need somebody right away," Lieser said. "I'm just waiting my turn. I'm just happy to be playing pro baseball. My goal coming out of college was to get drafted and that didn't happen. My goal this spring was to get assigned to a team and that didn't happen.

 

"I might have my back against the wall my entire career. I just have to keep pushing forward."

 

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FYI reminder - Scott's the leg kick guy.