Your 2014 Huntsville Stars

[Mass Haas]

Indications are that we will begin to see some formal minor league roster announcements as early as Monday 3/31 or Tuesday 4/1. The formal announcement will come directly from the Stars, not the Brewers. All four minor league affiliates will likely send out their press releases within an hour or so of each other once the Brewers have given them the official go-ahead to do so.

 

Feel free to link to any formal notices you see here.

 

As you might know, we use the "Your 2014" threads to post and link to feature stories that are outside the scope of game activity covered in the Daily Link Report.

 

These threads have become among the most popular for viewing here, and we look forward to kicking them off formally.

[Mass Haas]

Brewers Release Stars Tentative Roster

 

(Huntsville, AL) – The Milwaukee Brewers have released the tentative 2014 Opening Day roster for Double-A affiliate Huntsville Stars.

 

A pair of third year players highlights the arrivals. Outfielder Mitch Haniger, the Brewers’ #5 top prospect, will begin the season in Huntsville after splitting time with Single-A Wisconsin and High- A Brevard County in 2013. Brewers #9 top prospect Taylor Jungmann is back in Huntsville after winning 10 games as a starting pitcher in the 2013 season.

 

2013 Minor League Player of the Year Jason Rogers returns to the Stars after hitting .270 and driving in 87 runs at first base. Outfielder Brock Kjeldgaard, who led the Southern League with 24 home runs in 2013, rejoins the team along with infielder Josh Prince, who played for Huntsville in 2012 and brings major league experience to the roster. They join pitchers and other Brewers’ Top 20 Prospects David Goforth and Drew Gagnon as notable returnees.

 

The Stars will open their 2014 season against the Jacksonville Suns in Jacksonville, Florida with a five game series before returning home for the home opener on April 9th.

 

For more information on the Huntsville Stars, visit huntsvillestars.com or call (256) 882-2562. You can keep up with the Stars on Facebook, Twitter, or sign up for the team's official newsletter!

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville roster in online PDF format

[Mass Haas]

Six 2013 Manatees move up to AA -- LHP Brent Suter, RHP Tyler Cravy, 1B Nick Ramirez, IF Greg Hopkins, and OF's Mitch Haniger and D'Vontrey Richardson.

 

Versatile players Josh Prince and Hainley Statia move down from AAA.

 

Otherwise, your 2014 Stars look an awful lot like your 2013 Stars...

[Mass Haas]

Just as the Sounds announced they have three moves pending to get down to a roster of 25, the Stars will also need to make three moves before Thursday's opener (legitimate DL's, phantom Dl's, transfers, or releases).

 

Currently listed are 14 pitchers, 14 position players.

[TheCrew07]

Otherwise, your 2014 Stars look an awful lot like your 2013 Stars...

 

I didn't want to jump the gun after looking at Nashville's roster, but now this all makes sense. The over abundance of 28+ year old relievers in AAA has stalled the development of every other relief prospect in the organization... how is that logical?

 

I would absolutely keep Hand, Wooten, and Blazek, no problems there... but I would cut the rest without a thought, move Fiers to the BP, and at least promote Jungmann out of AA.

 

This is one year I'd really like to have been a fly on the wall when decisions were being made, I have no idea why some youngsters with promising enough upside, stats, and/or improvement were let go for this backlog of guys who likely don't have a MLB future? I like Brock Kjeldgaard but let's be honest, this is his 9th season with the organization, none above AA, but we cut someone like Jenkins and kept him (from the prospect worthy perspective, not positional). Usually this stuff is pretty self explanatory but I don't understand what the Brewers are trying to do here with Nashville and Huntsville beyond lining up as many guys with MLB experience as possible.

 

There's a difference between depth and then quality depth.

[brewmann04]

maybe they are trying to field teams so that that the affiliates want to keep them when they open their new stadiums.

[Mass Haas]

Stars' 2014 roster loaded with experience

by Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times

 

This just killed scorecard sales for the Huntsville Stars.

 

Typically, there's a need for fans to buy a program to learn about the new players. This year, Huntsville seems to be part of a recycling plan by the Milwaukee Brewers. The Stars will open their 2014 season this week with one of the most experienced teams in the three decades of franchise history.

 

Some 19 players on the roster spent part of the season in Huntsville last year and only six are being promoted from Class A for their first Double-A season.

 

Jason Rogers, the organization's minor league player of the year, will return to Huntsville because of a log-jam at first base and Josh Prince, a standout in 2012 who had some playing time in the majors with Milwaukee last season, are among the veterans on manager Carlos Subero's roster.

 

The Stars fly east from their Phoenix-area spring training headquarters on Monday, going to Brevard County, Fla., where they'll work out and play against the Brewers' Class A team before the season opener in Jacksonville on Thursday.

 

Outfielders Kentrail Davis and Brock Kjeldgaard will also be back in a Huntsville uniform, as will pitcher Taylor Jungmann, a 10-game winner for the Stars last year, one of 11 pitchers on the staff who were in Huntsville last year.

 

The roster is subject to change pretty much up until the time the flight leaves, but here is the tentative roster as release by Stars on Sunday afternoon.

 

Same link as posted above

[dacbrewers]

From what I have heard...Rogers will be at 3rd base...not exactly excited about that. I don't think Double A is a good place to experiment with a new position. Guess that's what happens when there's a log jam at one position.

[And That]

maybe they are trying to field teams so that that the affiliates want to keep them when they open their new stadiums.

 

Even as cart-leading-the-horse as that is, I wouldn't be surprised if it's true to some degree.

[Mass Haas]

Veteran Huntsville Stars club rides four-game win streak into Wednesday's home opener

Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times

 

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - The Huntsville Stars are finally here, fresh from spring training and riding a four-game win streak from their season-opening series in Jacksonville.

 

Quite frankly, not all are thrilled to be here.

 

And that's a good thing.

 

The 2014 Stars, who host Pensacola at 6:30 Wednesday at Joe W. Davis Stadium in the home debut and opener of a five-game home stand, are the most veteran-laden team since the club that manager Frank Kremblas steered to the Southern League championship series in 2003.

 

A number of players who have already proven themselves at the Double-A level were assigned to Huntsville this season because of the proverbial "numbers game." There are players ahead of them at Triple-A Nashville that the parent Milwaukee club is unwilling or unable to part with.

 

The Stars, as individuals and a team, must cope with that fine line between "disappointed" and "disgruntled." The right approach can mean a pennant, the wrong one can be acidic.

 

"If it doesn't bother you to repeat a league, you're doing this for the wrong reason," new manager Carlos Subero acknowledged. "They all want to play in the big leagues. It's our job to make sure they know why they're back and know their roles and hopefully to get them go compete and succeed."

 

For a manager, experienced players can be a gift.

 

"I like the character. I like having kids in this league that know the expectations," said Subero, himself with a breadth of Southern League experience. The 41-year-old native of Venezuela managed at Birmingham in 2008 and in Chattanooga from 2010 through 2012.

 

Perhaps the most eye-catching returnee is Josh Prince, the versatile and affable Louisianan who spent a brief portion of 2013 in the majors. The Brewers don't seem able to settle on a position they want Prince to play. He was an all-star caliber player in Huntsville in 2012 as a centerfielder, went to the Arizona Fall League and batted .404 last season, but the one-time college shortstop is now being transformed into a second baseman.

 

Jason Rogers, who had 22 homers and a league-high 87 RBIs last year for the Stars, is back at first base. Brock Kjeldgaard, with 244 games and 128 RBIs in a Stars uniform, is back in the outfield. Ditto Kentrail Davis, who has batted .275 in 213 Double-A games and spent much of 2013 at Triple-A Nashville.

 

The Stars, 4-1, lost the opener in Jacksonville while managing only three hits. In the four games since, they averaged 10 hits and nearly six runs per game. They are hitting .277 as a team. Meanwhile, the pitching staff has a league-best 0.93 WHIP and second-best ERA of 2.03.

 

"We've pitched well and we've had timely hitting," Subero said. "We do have a good offensive club. And we're playing solid on defense, making routine plays."

 

Exactly what would be expected from a veteran team.

 

Josh Prince was a fan favorite with the Stars in 2012 and he's back again. Huntsville Times File Photo

 

http://media.al.com/sports_impact/photo/14652459-large.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Meet the newest Huntsville Stars

Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times

 

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - The Huntsville Stars of 2014 bear a strong resemblance, roster-wise, to Stars of past seasons.

 

The active roster has only six players who weren't in Huntsville in 2012 or 2013. Here's what you need to know about the new faces:

 

RHP Tyler Cravy

 

2013 numbers: 4-2, 2.04 ERA in 25 games, nine as starter. 59 Ks in 79.1 innings.

 

Manager Carlos Subero says: "He attacks the zone. He can be a reliever or he can be in the starting rotation as he will be this week."

 

Coach Chris Hook says: "Cravy is an athletic guy. He can be a swing guy, out of the bullpen or start. He's got a good downhill fastball, really attacks batters."

 

***

 

OF Mitch Haniger

 

Background: Age 23 from Santa Clara, Calif. First round pick in 2012 from Cal Tech-San Luis Obispo. No. 6 prospect in the Brewers' organization.

 

2013 numbers: 11 HR, 68 RBI, .264 at Low-A Wisconsin and High-A Brevard County.

 

Manager Carlos Subero says: "A kid who is blessed with tools. He hit, he can run and swing it, line drive hitter. Very strong arm from the outfield."

 

Coach Sandy Guerrero says: "He coming from only his first full year, so he's being challenged by this type of baseball. His numbers are deceiving on how hard he's hit the ball. He's got to concentrate on his approach and not swing at balls out of the zone. He's got gap-to-gap and he's got the strongest arm we have."

 

***

 

IF Greg Hopkins

 

Background: Age 25, from Mansfield, Mass. 24th-round pick of the Brewers in 2010 out of St. John's University.

 

2013 numbers: 6 HR, 63 RBI, .237 in 129 games at Brevard County

 

Manager Carlos Subero says: "Hopkins can be a utility guy, playing second, third and first. He's been a good RBI producer and he gives you flexibility in the (batting) lineup. He puts the ball in play."

 

Coach Sandy Guerrero says: "Hopkins is an RBI type of guy, a solid defender at third and second. He sprays the ball all over the field. He rises to the occasion when it comes to an RBI, to getting a guy in. That's where he's valuable for us. Any time you've got a guy on the bench like that, he's a value."

 

***

 

1B Nick Ramirez

 

Background: Age 24 from Anaheim, Calif. Fourth-round pick at Cal State-Fullerton in 2011.

 

2013 numbers: 19 HR, 81 RBIs, .258 in 134 games at Brevard County

 

Manager Carlos Subero says: "Ramirez is a kid who can drive in runs. That's going to be his game. He's going to be an RBI producer. He'd definitely embraced that. He's a kid that one day will be able to do something special with his glove defensively."

 

Coach Sandy Guerrero says: "His plan is being consistent in his approach. He's got tremendous hitting ability. He's really good with the glove. He's as good as you've seen picking balls out of the dirt at first."

 

***

 

OF D'Vontrey Richardson

 

Background: Age 25, from Leesburg, Ga. Fifth round pick of the Brewers in 2009 out of Florida State. Former Florida State quarterback. Sat out the 2012 season but Brewers let him return to baseball last season.

 

2013 numbers: .322 in 57 games with 13 stolen bases.

 

Manager Carlos Subero says: "Richardson is capable of turning a game around in every different area. The kid can run, has a strong arm, has good power, a line drive hitter, he can bunt, covers a tremendous amount of area in the outfield. He can impact the game in any area."

 

Coach Sandy Guerrero says: "De-vo is a really low maintenance kid. He's got a short stroke, as long as he stays middle of the field, he's fine. He makes a lot of contact and doesn't strike out much. Baseball is more competitive at Double-A so we're trying to simplify things for him here."

 

***

 

LHP Brent Suter

 

2013 numbers: 7-9, 3.63 ERA, 20 starts, 97 Ks in 124 innings.

 

Manager Carlos Subero says: "He's a strike machine. He's one of the hardest working kids in camp this spring training. He's a one-speed guy, he gives all he's got every single time. He has three or four pitches for strikes at any count."

 

Coach Chris Hook says: "Suter is John Tudor, Jamie Moyer-esque. If he's going to compete in this league he's going to have to command the baseball. He's an aggressive, strike-throwing attacking guy. He has command of all three pitches. He works really quick. That's a big part of his game, the tempo."

[Mass Haas]

Well, this is certainly an encouraging review of Taylor Jungmann via RotoGraphs (h/t to @BrewerNation for the link)

[HiAndTight]

Well, this is certainly an encouraging review of Taylor Jungmann via RotoGraphs (h/t to @BrewerNation for the link)

 

 

Man I hope Jungman can get it figured out. It's one thing to miss on a pitcher in the draft. It's another to miss on two early-mid 1st round picks and have 2 guys become stars when they were available.

 

It's foolish, but I can't help but wonder what this team would look like had they picked Fernandez, Gray and then had the Yankees not signed Tex and we drafted Trout with what should have been our pick at #27 for Sabathia. About 40 million less in salary, the best young pitcher in baseball, another #2 pitcher, and perhaps the best young position player we've seen since Arod....or...ever.

 

Back to reality. Lets hope Jungman can develop.

[Mass Haas]

PHOTOS at LINK

 

Former Ole Miss hurler Goforth settling in as Stars' closer

By Patrick Magee, Biloxi Sun-Herald

 

David Goforth has filled a variety of roles in his baseball career, but it appears he may have settled into the job he's meant to do.

 

The former Ole Miss pitcher is leading the Southern League in saves this season with six for the Double-A Huntsville, Ala., Stars.

 

For a Huntsville team destined to move to Biloxi for the 2015 season, Goforth is improving his chances of making the jump to Triple-A before the Stars land in his home state.

 

Goforth is a native of Philadelphia, Miss., where he played high school baseball at Neshoba Central before signing with the Rebels.

 

At Ole Miss, Goforth worked out of the bullpen exclusively in his first season with a 2.80 ERA and three saves in 25 appearances.

 

His sophomore season was a struggle with a 9.43 ERA, but Goforth bounced back in 2011 with better numbers when he made 14 appearances, all starts, and featured a 4.88 ERA.

 

"I told (Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco) when I was there that whenever he needed me to pitch, I'd pitch," Goforth said. "If he needed me to start, close, pitch in the middle of the game, whatever. Just whenever they handed me the ball, I'd go in and pitch. That's kind of the way it's been (in the minors) as well."

 

He showed enough in his junior season that the Milwaukee Brewers drafted him in the seventh round of the 2011 Major League Draft.

 

Once Goforth landed in the Brewers organization, his roles again began to change with each season.

 

He was a reliever in his first season at the Rookie level with a 4.43 ERA in Helena, Montana.

 

Since then, he has shifted between reliever and starter. He made 46 starts in the minors before moving back to the bullpen when he was promoted to Huntsville last year.

 

The 2013 season was his best as a professional with an 11-8 record, 3.17 ERA and five saves.

 

Goforth's numbers have improved with each season, and he credits that progression to a new focus in his approach.

 

"Just being more consistent is the biggest thing," Goforth said. "There were things in place, stuff-wise, that I've always had. It was just getting those things more consistent, and being able to come in here and do it every day.

 

"One of biggest things too was learning how to get guys out and how to compete and win when you don't have your best stuff. I've learned that throughout my two or three years in the minor leagues. It's something I continue to work on."

 

Goforth projects well as a closer because of his cut fastball, the same pitch that made Mariano Rivera a legendary closer for the New York Yankees.

 

"He has that power arm you like to see from a closer," Stars manager Carlos Subero said. "He has a good secondary pitch and a good demeanor. He gave up a home run against Pensacola and we lose the ball game and he bounces back the next game with men in scoring position. His mindset is right for it."

[Mass Haas]

Mitch Haniger's springtime taste of major leagues helps fuel desire to progress

By Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times

 

Mitch Haniger sat in the darkness of a cluttered Huntsville Stars' dugout after a recent game, drawn into a conversation about the "learning curve" of baseball, something that for Haniger in recent times has seemed more a subtle bend than a curve.

 

He had just finished a 3-for-4 game, which, tacked onto a 2-for-4 game on the previous night, gave him a .407 batting average for the first seven games of the new month. It matches the division-leading Stars' recent hot streak, with seven wins in their last eight games.

 

"Everyone is like, 'How's Double-A? How's the jump?" Haniger said. "Honestly, pitching is similar to the Florida State League, but everybody's a year better. The pitchers are a year better. The hitters are a year better. It's not like (a pitcher's) fastball or slider gained five miles an hour."

 

For Haniger, "It's been a steady thing. Numbers-wise, I don't think I had a great April (.193, .615 OPS). But I felt good. I hit the ball hard. I was unlucky at times and I swung at some bat pitches, but overall I don't think my performance was as bad as the numbers showed."

 

"There's a natural learning curve when you come from High A to Double-A," said Huntsville manager Carlos Subero. "The kid works hard and I have no doubt he'll figure it out. He's very analytical at times. He has a good thought process how to go about stuff."

 

On a relatively experienced Stars' roster, Haniger is both one of the mostly highly touted prospects - No. 3 on the Brewers' list according to Baseball America -- and less-seasoned players. The Huntsville centerfielder had but 143 games' professional experience before being assigned to the Stars' roster for 2014.

 

He played only 14 games at low-A in 2012 before tearing a knee ligament, then divided last season between low-A Wisconsin and Brevard County in high-A.

 

"It made me respect the times I'm healthy and not take anything for granted," Haniger said.

 

Haniger was a 2012 first-round draft pick out of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, alma mater of another Stars' centerfielder, Logan Schafer (2011), where he drew the attention of an opposing outfielder named Lance Roenicke. Later, after the Brewers selected Haniger, Roenicke shared a positive scouting report with his father, who happens to be Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke.

 

As fate would have it, Haniger and the younger Roenicke would become roommates when they made their pro debuts in 2012 and again last season at Brevard County. Then the elder Roenicke got a first-hand look when the Brewers invited Haniger to their big league camp for a short stay this past spring.

 

He merely went 8-for-16 with two homers and seven RBIs in 10 games.

 

"The whole idea is when you come into camp and you're not a guy who has a legitimate chance to make the team, you try to impress somebody," said Ron Roenicke told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "I told him, 'You impressed everybody here.' That's perfect for a guy coming in like he did."

 

"The mental side is really good, and he's a really well-rounded player. He's a good defender, great arm. Offensively, he's a guy that makes adjustments and puts the ball in play when he has to. But he also drives the ball pretty well."

 

"It was good. It was fun," Haniger said. "It was just getting one step closer to the dream. You watch TV and think, 'That's cool to play on TV in the big leagues.' And then I was in big league camp with all the guys I watched on TV.

 

"It was a cool experience," he said, "but I felt like I kept a level head and felt like I can be here soon."

 

http://imgick.al.com/home/bama-media/width620/img/sports_impact/photo/14911575-mmmain.jpg

[Mr Southpaw]

I went to the game last night and was quite impressed with a few exceptions.

 

D'Vo can play defense, a deer in the outfield. When he hits the ball he hits it hard. He reminds me of a poor mans Mike Cameron.

 

Ramirez can play defense, a big cat who picks everything at 1B. He can also hit the ball hard. Between Hunter Morris and Nick we will have a MLB first baseman.

 

Rogers can not play 3B. He backs up consistently and does not attack balls. He is worse than Ryan Braun at 3B. I would move him off 3B immediately and move up Nick Delmonico from A+.

 

Cravy can really pitch. Nice overhand delivery with a nice breaking ball. Chattanooga is really bad at striking out or Tyler is really good at striking out batters.

 

Nick Shaw is tiny.

[Mass Haas]

Southern notes: Cravy well-suited to start

Brewers' under-the-radar righty flourishing following move to rotation

By Guy Curtright / Special to MiLB.com

 

Tyler Cravy is used to sneaking up on people. In fact, the Huntsville right-hander's baseball journey has been all about seemingly coming out of nowhere.

 

The Southern League's top pitcher with a 7-1 record thought his career on the diamond was over after high school and apparently wasn't all that concerned about it.

 

"I hadn't really planned to play baseball," said Cravy, who spent his freshman year solely as a student in his native California. But that changed after he transferred community colleges and got back on the mound. He set a Napa Valley school record with 110 strikeouts in 90 1/3 innings and had the baseball bug again.

 

Cravy was the Most Valuable Player in the Bay Valley Conference and received All-American recognition. Milwaukee took interest, selecting him in the 17th round of the 2009 Draft.

 

Then Cravy fell off the baseball radar again, spending most of five seasons without getting any traction in his career.

 

"It was an uphill battle," he said.

 

Thing began to change late last season, though.

 

With Brevard County short of starters, Cravy was moved out of the bullpen and flourished for the first time in the minors. He posted a 1.29 ERA in nine Florida State League starts and was recognized as the Brewers' Minor League Pitcher of the Month for August.

 

Cravy was rewarded with a spot in the Arizona Fall League. The 24-year-old was back in the bullpen but posted a 2.76 ERA as the Surprise Saguaros won the AFL title.

 

The Brewers wanted to give Cravy another shot in the rotation, but they didn't have a spot at Huntsville to start the season. That changed, though, after Andy Moye had to go on the disabled list.

 

Cravy took a loss in his first start but then went on a roll.

 

While winning six straight outings, Cravy allowed just four runs and 18 hits over 34 innings.

 

For the season, he had a 1.87 overall ERA to go with his 7-1 record and had 42 strikeouts to eight walks in 43 1/3 innings. Opponents were batting .170 and he had a WHIP of 0.78.

 

It was impossible to overlook Cravy anymore.

 

"I pitch best when I'm challenged," he said.

 

A sinker-slider-type pitcher, Cravy still may find his best route to Milwaukee out of the bullpen.

 

"I've done both my entire career, so I'm comfortable in either role," he said. "But I enjoy starting."

 

Cravy said it isn't hard adjusting and that he doesn't change much.

 

"In the bullpen, I'm fastball, slider, cutter," he said. "As a starter, I add a changeup and two-seamer."

 

That repertoire has certainly worked.

 

The impressive Huntsville rotation includes the Brewers prospects ranked No. 8 (Taylor Jungmann) and No. 16 (Drew Gagnon) as well as a Harvard graduate (Brent Suter). But it's a former community college baseball dropout who has shined the brightest so far.

 

Tyler Cravy has won his last six starts for the Stars and is third in the Southern League with a 1.87 ERA. (Photo via Huntsville Stars)

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/1/6/8/76026168/cuts/stars3_2_amk873rn_2ljpos3c.jpg

[Mass Haas]

LINK INCLUDES THE ULTIMATE JASON ROGERS PHOTO GALLERY

 

Stars' Jason Rogers making strides in transformation to third base

by Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times

 

The first of what would be three consecutive walk-off victories for the Huntsville Stars, and Jason Rogers was somewhere between hero and victim on the infield of Joe Davis Stadium.

 

Rogers had delivered a game-winning double and was being doused with water by Mitch Haniger. His jersey was being tugged and stretched like Silly Putty. Somehow, catcher Shawn Zarraga grabbed his shoe and yanked it off, leaving it parked on pitcher's mound.

 

"Everybody beating me up and having a good time" is how Rogers described it the following day, hours before a game in which he'd homer in the ninth to force extra innings. That would lead to the bases-loaded walk to Joey Paciorek in the 10th to bring in the winning run; the encore would be Adam Weisenburger's pinch-hit RBI single in the 11th on the following night.

 

"There is great chemistry on the team this year. A lot of great guys. We're goofballs off the field," Rogers said.

 

And, he added, "they all love picking on me."

 

By all rights, Rogers shouldn't even be here. And, he confessed, "At first, I was a little upset." Understandably so.

 

He led the Southern League with 87 RBIs a year ago, batted .270 and played splendid first base. The trouble was, Rogers was down on the depth chart at first base. The old Numbers Game.

 

The Brewers have Hunter Morris (batting .296 and leading the team in homers and RBIs) at Class AAA Nashville and Sounds outfielder Sean Halton can also play first.

 

Meanwhile, third base is the more direct route to the big leagues. The Brewers third baseman (until a recent injury) is Aramis Ramirez, with a lot of miles on the odometer. Taylor Green and Pete Orr, a pair of guys with big league experience but who haven't been able to stick around after their promotions, are playing third at Nashville.

 

A couple of other numbers bring a sense of urgency for Rogers. He is 26 - only a year younger than Green - and he was a 32nd-round draft choice. The patience an organization demonstrates is inversely proportionate to the draft position.

 

Rogers, whom the Brewers also auditioned in the outfield, worked extensively this spring with Bob Miscik, the organization's infield coordinator, and Don Money, a former big league third baseman who'd have a shelf full of Gold Gloves if he hadn't been a peer of Brooks Robinson.

 

The return to Class AA was tempered "knowing I was playing a position I hadn't played in a while and I'd work my butt off to get better. ... I was a little down. I had a good year last year but things happen for a reason."

 

Rogers is a little more beefy than a typical third baseman and is working to improve his shape. His arm strength has improved greatly. As with any neophyte third baseman, the slow roller he must charge and follow with an off-balance throw is the greatest challenge.

 

"He's worked hard at it," manager Carlos Subero said. "He's very smart. He has intangibles. When you evaluate what he's doing at third base, you've got to like it. He's making the progress and taking the steps forward you would like after 51 games. He's put himself in position to succeed with all the work he does. We're very happy to see what he's done so far."

 

He has made nine errors in his first 46 games, and some of have come in a recent epidemic. In fact, on Monday, he made a throwing error with two out in the ninth, leading to a go-ahead run for Tennessee before his game-winning double.

 

"I wanted to make up for that," Rogers said. "I hoped to get a chance at the end and I took advantage of it."

 

With a chance at a new position, Rogers is taking advantage of that, too.

[Mass Haas]

Eight Stars Grace All-Star Roster

 

(Huntsville, AL) - The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs has announced the North Division roster for the 2014 Southern League All-Star Game, which is scheduled for June 17 at AT&T Field in Chattanooga.

 

Eight players from the first place Stars will be present on the roster, the most of any team in the division.

 

Six pitchers (four starters) are represented from the Huntsville staff which helped accumulate the league's best WHIP (1.18), second best ERA (3.06), and the second most shutouts (seven).

 

Starter Tyler Cravy (8-1) leads the Southern League in ERA (1.76), WHIP, and wins. His WHIP of 0.86 ranks seventh in all of Minor League Baseball. Cravy has gone nine straight starts without a loss since his lone setback on April 13. He has compiled 52 strikeouts to just 13 walks on the season and earned Southern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of May 5th-11th.

 

Fellow starters Drew Gagnon (4-2, 2.50 ERA), Taylor Jungmann (4-4, 2.77), and Brent Suter (6-4, 3.25) join Cravy on the roster. Gagnon has not allowed more than three earned runs in a game all season. He also won Pitcher of the Week for the week of May 12th-18th. Jungmann, who also made the 2013 team, was promoted to Triple-A Nashville on May 23 and is now in their rotation in his third year of professional ball. Suter is tied for third in league wins, innings pitched (72), and strikeouts (59), and fourth in WHIP (1.10).

 

Stars closer David Goforth (2-2, 2.86) will also grace the roster. Goforth's 12 saves lead the division and are second in the league. His 19 games finished are tied for the league lead, and the reliever also has one hold on the year. Arcenio Leon (2-0, 2.18) has four holds in 24 appearances after a successful conversion from starter to reliever for the 2014 campaign. The Venezuelan native sports a 0.94 WHIP and a 29:8 strikeout to walk ratio.

 

During his first year of Double-A ball, first baseman Nick Ramirez is tied for fourth in the league with 10 homeruns and 40 RBI and sits at third with 108 total bases and 35 runs. Ramirez is joined by converted third baseman Jason Rogers. Rogers has driven in 31 runs and makes a midseason All-Star team for the third consecutive year. The 2013 Brewers Minor League Player of the Year was selected last year as a Southern League first baseman and also made the 2012 Midwest League All-Star roster.

 

Players were selected by a vote of Southern League field managers, radio broadcasters, general managers and print media. All players on Southern League rosters as of May 15 were eligible in the voting.

[Mass Haas]

Stars' Tyler Cravy named starting pitcher for Southern League All-Star Game

 

The Huntsville Stars' Tyler Cravy, an eight-game winner and owner of the league's best ERA, will be the starting pitcher for the Northern Division team in the Southern League All-Star Game on June 17 in Chattanooga.

 

The starting lineup was announced Thursday afternoon by Razor Shines, the Chattanooga manager who'll pilot the Northern team.

 

Cravy will be joined by two Huntsville teammates in the starting lineup. Nick Ramirez will play first base and bat fourth while Jason Rogers will be the designated hitter, batting seventh.

 

Eight Huntsville players were chosen for the team. Joining Cravy, Ramirez and Rogers are pitchers David Goforth, Drew Gagnon, Brent Suter, Arcenio Leon, and Taylor Jungmann. The latter two have been promoted to Class AAA Nashville since the balloting began but will still earn All-Star designation.

 

Here's the North's lineup:

 

1 John Andreoli, OF, Tennessee

 

2 Darnell Sweeney, 2B, Chattanooga

 

3 Kris Bryant, 3B, Tennessee

 

4 Nick Ramirez, 1B, Huntsville

 

5 Scott Schebler, OF, Chattanooga

 

6 Kevan Smith, C, Birmingham

 

7 Jason Rogers, DH, Huntsville

 

8 Trayce Thompson, OF, Birmingham

 

9 Ketel Marte, SS, Jackson

 

SP Tyler Cravy, Huntsville

 

The Stars, who have already clinched the first-half Southern League North division title, open a 10-game home stand tonight, facing the Mobile BayBears, who are atop the South standings.

[Mass Haas]

Via @BrewersPD:

 

Josh Prince and Shawn Zarraga have been added to the Southern League all star game

[JohnBriggs12]

Via @BrewersPD:

 

Josh Prince and Shawn Zarraga have been added to the Southern League all star game

 

 

Zarraga's omission would have been an absolute travesty.

[Mass Haas]

Tyler Cravy leads the way for Huntsville Stars with Southern All-Star Game start

Jane Hammond, al.com

 

http://imgick.al.com/home/bama-media/width620/img/alphotos/photo/2014/06/15147331-mmmain.jpg

 

Huntsville Stars pitcher Tyler Cravy. (Bob Gathany photo)

 

When not on the mound, it's hard to picture Tyler Cravy intensely mowing down batter after batter that he faces.

 

The laid back 25-year-old transforms on the days he starts for the Stars, helping him own an 8-1 record with an impressive 1.72 ERA, the lowest in the Southern League, in 12 starts.

 

For his great work, Cravy was selected to be the starting pitcher for the North in Tuesday's Southern League All-Star Game at AT&T Field in Chattanooga.

 

"He's super aggressive," Stars' pitching coach Chris Hook said. "He comes at you. He's got three solid major league pitches that he just attacks with. He is a grinder, and he does it really well. He embraces that, and he takes the ball like, 'I'm coming to get you.' "

 

Cravy has dazzled in his first season in Huntsville. He's struck out 64 batters while only walking 15 and also owns the lowest WHIP, 0.845, in the league.

 

The 6-foot-3, 195 lb right-hander said the key to his success so far has been focusing on not overthrowing when his competitive side kicks in for starts.

 

"I'm definitely a completely different person on the mound," Cravy said. "I like to be the most competitive guy out there. I try to be."

 

The Stars clinched the first-half season title back on June 2, with almost two weeks' worth of games left to play before the All-Star Game.

 

Huntsville's good play led to nine other Stars being named to the roster -- Nick Ramirez, Jason Rogers, Josh Prince, Shawn Zarraga, Arcenio Leon, David Goforth, Drew Gagnon, Brent Suter and Taylor Jungmann.

 

Ramirez and Rogers will also start for the North, Ramirez at first and batting fourth and Rogers in the seven hole as the designated hitter.

 

Leon and Jungmann will not appear, as each now plays for the AAA Nashville Sounds.

[DoubleSwitch]

ZIPS/steamer projects Shawn Zarranga as the eighth best rookie eligible player by WAR. Doesn't really mean anything, but I'll take any positive mention of a Brewers minor leaguer I can get.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-top-10-prospects-currently-by-projected-war-2/

 

what's his option/minor league free agent situation? any chance he finds his way onto the 40 man and a call up this september?