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Timber Rattlers outfielder Johnny Davis beats odds to start pro career

by Mike Woods, Post-Crescent Media

 

GRAND CHUTE — No one could outrun Johnny Davis. Nobody.

 

But for years, the fastest man in town lived in fear of being caught. The culture, the violence, the despair had dragged down many a man, and Johnny Davis wondered if he would be next.

 

“Always as a kid I wondered, ‘Am I going to be here for the rest of my life?’ ” said Davis. “Things like that you always wonder. Every little kid from Compton wonders that.”

 

Compton, Calif., has been a regular on the FBI’s list of most dangerous cities. It is a most difficult place to grow up, where children are routinely forced into adulthood long before their time.

 

“It either makes you or breaks you. Seriously,” said Davis. “It makes you a better man or it breaks you down. It’s like the movies are true. You might not make it to 21. You might not make it to 18. I did, I made it out.”

 

The gift

 

Davis is not the most heralded prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers organization, but he is the most intriguing. He is a 23-year-old center fielder playing his first full season of professional baseball with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

 

Prior to being drafted in the 22nd round of the 2013 First Year Player Draft, Davis played only two years of organized baseball. One came as a 13-year-old little leaguer and the other at West Los Angeles Community College where, after roughly seven years out of baseball, the natural switch hitter finished with a .336 batting average in 29 games, along with 22 stolen bases.

 

But it’s his uncanny, drag-strip speed that has given him this opportunity. No one in the Brewers organization can outrun Johnny Davis. Nobody.

 

“I’ve never seen someone in a Brewers uniform run that fast,” said Timber Rattlers manager Matt Erickson. “And that’s been proven now with our time trials in spring training. He’s got a faster time than (Brewers center fielder Carlos) Gomez in the 30. I don’t know what the time was, but it was a couple of clicks faster than Gomey I’m told.”

 

The odds of getting drafted are long. The odds of getting drafted with only two years of organized baseball behind you are astronomical. The odds of escaping a perilous environment, nobody knows. But all anybody ever asks for is a chance. And Johnny Davis now has his.

 

“To be completely honest, if his tools weren’t off the charts, I don’t think he’d have a chance,” said Brewers scout Dan Huston, who discovered Davis through the help of a friend. “But that running speed will give him a chance to learn how to play the game for a little while because it’s just extraordinary.

 

“He has that gift, and it’s a big one.”

 

A rough start

 

You’ve heard the story of Johnny Davis’ family life before. His father was in and out of jail. He tip-toed the line between right and wrong. He was raised by his mother and older brother, he said, “most of the time.”

 

“When I was younger, I was a bad kid,” he said. “Well, I wasn’t a bad kid. I don’t know. I couldn’t find a home, really. It’s hard to explain.”

 

He attended three different high schools. His grades suffered, as did his world.

 

“I’ve lost a lot of friends,” he said. “People from our middle school didn’t make it to graduate high school. Lots of people. Basically, our people from our middle school were just killing each other.”

 

He said he was a tough kid. But even tough kids become afraid.

 

“You get scared with stuff that happens,” he said. “Like shootings, and I’ve been in the mix of all of that. It’s scary, it is. I don’t care how tough you are.”

 

There were two adults in his life that kept tabs on him and never let him wander too far off course.

 

The first was his Little League coach, Gerald Pickens, an iconic Southern California baseball coach who operates the Compton Academy Baseball Teams, a program noted as much for changing lives as teaching baseball. The second was his high school track coach, Derek Knight.

 

“Those two were my mentors and they kept me off the streets and made sure I kept my head straight,” said Davis.

 

He didn’t play any sports his first two years of high school. His junior year he went out for football, then track, where his specialty —- as a 5-foot-10, 170-pounder — was the high hurdles.

 

Baseball was never an option because he wanted to play for Pickens, who also is the Centennial High School coach. But Centennial was one high school he didn’t attend.

 

“Definitely my dad wouldn’t let me go there,” said Davis. “I don’t know why. I still don’t understand why.”

 

Pickens says he does.

 

“I show the kids more love than their parents,” he said. “And the parents get jealous.”

 

Outside of baseball there are fishing trips and camping trips, usually in small groups, that Pickens uses as tools to keep his kids off the streets and away from gangs. He is a no-nonsense, strict disciplinarian who never shies from telling his kids what they need to hear, not what they wish to hear.

 

The majority of his success stories you’ve never heard about, but some you have, including James Lofton, Eric Davis, Coco Crisp and Darryl Strawberry.

 

“Compton is not a bad place,” he said. “But I always tell the boys, ‘Don’t be stuck in Compton. Be here because you want to be here. But if you get trapped here, it’ll be bad.’ ”

 

Day of discovery

 

Tyree Davis was supposed to be the star of this show. Tyree, the younger brother of Johnny, was at a baseball tryout camp with the Minnesota Twins. Awestruck by Tyree’s speed, a scout began to ask him about his family.

 

Tyree told him his older brother, Johnny, was faster than him. Since Johnny was hanging around watching, the scout asked him to run a 60-yard dash. Johnny did, in 6.1 seconds. The average major leaguer will run a 6.9.

 

The secret was out.

 

“His high school coach (Pickens) is a friend of mine and he came to me and said, ‘Dan, I’ve got this kid. He’s older but, man, he might be the fastest guy I’ve ever seen,’ ” said Huston, who has been scouting for 28 years. “I kind of laughed it off at first. Honestly, I’ve seen some pretty fast ballplayers.”

 

Huston told Pickens to put Davis on one of his rec teams and call when Pickens thought he was ready.

 

“I expected him to be picked off, throw to the wrong base, the fundamental things that I thought would be tough for him,” said Pickens. “But he never forgot them.”

 

After three games, Huston got the call.

 

“We were in Pasadena and he went out and hadn’t played in a baseball game in five years,” said Huston. “And this kid was amazing. He hit from both sides of the plate, hit line drives, was stealing bases at will. And I’m looking at these tools going, ‘Oh my gosh, this is something else.’ ”

 

Davis is the quintessential raw talent. He’s rough, but he could become a diamond.

 

“I have high hopes for him only because after getting to know the kid, physically and mentally, I think he could play the game at the highest level,” said Huston. “And he’s willing to get after it and you can see that in the way he goes about playing the game. He’s not scared to go out there and put it all out there. This is Johnny. And even if he fails a few times, he’ll just get up and keep moving. You’ve got to respect that about him.”

 

The future

 

Erickson vividly recalls the first time he laid eyes on Davis.

 

“Well, the first thing I thought was, ‘That kid can really move,’ ” he said. “The second thing was, ‘It’s tough. It’s raw.’ ”

 

Though he has been with him just a couple of months, Erickson said Davis has displayed traits nearly as important as speed.

 

“There are certain parts of the game on a daily basis that you can teach him,” Erickson said. “The great thing about it is he is very eager to learn. In the last 40 to 50 days, his baseball feel is probably 10-fold from when we started. So if he can get that kind of development over the course of five, six months, I’m excited about what he could be.

 

“And he’s a guy that’s always smiling, bouncing around. He’s a competitor, too. When you have that attitude and those tools, you have a chance to learn quickly.”

 

Davis understands there is much to learn, and is thankful he has an able and willing teacher.

 

“I love Matt,” Davis said. “Matt explains everything. He explains it all. If I don’t know something, he’ll break it down. And if it looks like I don’t know something, he’ll break it down. And if I look like I know something, he’ll come quiz me and ask me questions, ‘Why did you do that in that situation?’ And I’ll have to explain it. He just makes sure I know everything. He’s a very good teacher.”

 

When Pickens hears of Davis’ progress, digests what his manager says about him, dials in on Davis’ attitude, he stops you in mid-sentence.

 

“His situation almost brings tears to my eyes,” said Pickens. “Johnny Davis personifies what we’re trying to do here in Compton. I build dreams, then watch over the kids and help them try and fulfill them.”

 

Davis’ dream is to one day become a major leaguer. The odds are long. But he figures he has already been in this position. And won. That alone makes him a believer.

 

But even if his story ended here, he knows it’s worth telling.

 

“Just me being able to make it to the big leagues and influence another kid that comes where I came from,” he said. “That it’s never over.

 

“It means a lot because of where I came from. Just knowing, like when I talk to my friends back home, they always tell me, ‘You made it. Against all odds.’ And I did.”

 

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers outfielder Johnny Davis attempts to bunt in a game against the Peoria Chiefs earlier this month. Davis is the fastest player in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. / Photo by Adam Wesley/Post-Crescent Media

 

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Mass Haas

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Timber Rattlers profile: David Denson brings big power to field

by Mike Woods, Post-Crescent Media

 

David Denson signs an autograph before a Timber Rattlers game earlier this season. Wm. Glasheen Photo / Post-Crescent Media

 

http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20140426&Category=APC020602&ArtNo=304270215&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Timber-Rattlers-profile-David-Denson-brings-big-power-field

 

David Denson was committed to the University of Hawaii before being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 15th round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft. He won the Home Run Derby at the 7th annual Power Showcase at Marlins Park in 2013, hitting four home runs longer than 500 feet, including a record 515-foot blast. All were with a metal bat. He is currently batting .171 with one home run and three RBI for the Timber Rattlers.

 

Q&A

 

Q: You originally committed to go to Hawaii. Did you go on a recruiting trip there?

 

A: “Yes. It was amazing, absolutely amazing. The University of Hawaii is an absolutely beautiful campus. The coaches were amazing and it’s 10 minutes away from the beach. That was a jaw dropper for me. And their stadium is all turfed out. I went to one of their games, and it feels like a big family atmosphere out there. Everybody is straight for the team. They always bring food for the players. They treat their team like a professional team. It was amazing to me.”

 

Q: You were drafted by the Brewers and decided to go the pro route. Why now?

 

A: “I weighed my pros and cons. I was looking at the fact I wouldn’t be eligible for the draft for another three years. People were telling me if you wait another three years, you’ll get this kind of money. I wasn’t looking at the money aspect at all. I just wanted to play.

 

“If I go to the pros now, I’m going to get the best coaching that there is. I’m going to get as much experience as I can. Being 19, I’m starting off young. I’m still getting my degree, still going to school online when I get home. I felt like I have the best, top-of-the-line coaching you can get and that I thought it would better my craft at the plate. I didn’t care about only getting this much money or that much money. I didn’t care about that. I just wanted to play.”

 

Q: How were you invited to the Power Showcase?

 

A: “Funny story. I was invited to the Power Showcase by one of my good friends, who was part of the Power Showcase in 2010. In 2011, he told the head manager of the event, Brian Domenico. He told him that, ‘Hey, a friend of mine can hit the ball.’ So he said, ‘OK, bring him out.’ And the first year, in 2011, I remember going out and hitting three home runs. It’s all I hit, three home runs. I was happy with that. I was upset because I wanted to win but at the same time I hit three home runs my first year. I made it a goal to make sure I get back. I told Brian, ‘I’m going to win this. Next year is going to be my year.’ ”

 

Q: And?

 

A: “So I came back the following year and everything you could possibly think could go wrong, was going wrong. The day I woke up (to go to Florida) we couldn’t find the car keys. We got to the airport late. We couldn’t get through security as fast as we thought we could. As we get to the gate, they’re closing the door and we said, ‘Wait, no, don’t close the door.’ So we get on the flight, we get out to Florida and they lost our reservation for our (rental) car. So we have to wait to get another car. We get to the hotel and the hotel lost our reservation for the room. We had to wait two hours for them to find it. We get up to our room, our TV doesn’t work.

 

“We finally get to the field and my BP was off, my infield/outfield was off; everything was off until the very moment I had to go up and hit. So I went up and hit, and I took all my anger out on the ball.”

 

Q: So what’s it like to be a YouTube sensation, with over 1.2 million views of your 515-foot home run?

 

A: “Honestly, I just feel like a regular 19-year-old kid. I like for people to see me as David Denson, and not as David Denson this big slugger. Today, even when I’m back at home, I love that I’m a role model to kids. They run up to me and go, ‘You’re David Denson.’ I just say, ‘Yes, I am.’ It’s still a shock to me and I’m still not used to it because I don’t see myself that way. I just see myself as a regular person.”

 

Q: So what’s it like to know you hit a ball 500 feet, and beat the record of Bryce Harper?

 

A: “Honestly and truthfully, wow, that part was amazing. I remember before I went up to bat I said a prayer. I got down and said a prayer to God and thanked him for the gift that he gave me but then also said, ‘Just work through me. Let me show everybody what gift you gave me and how much it means to me.’ That kind of power that came from that, that’s not ordinary. That came from a place higher above. So when that happened, I was in awe.

 

“When they announced it, all I could do is yell. I wasn’t screaming because I broke the record. I was screaming because I knew at that point something was working. I asked in a prayer and I got what I asked for.”

 

Q: What was the coolest thing that happened to you in the aftermath?

 

A: “The coolest thing that got me, it wasn’t the whole aspect of being on MLB Network or ESPN or the news. I would say the coolest thing for me is that I was a role model for kids. That was the coolest thing to me because in my area there are kids who fall off the tracks sometimes. And when I get to see kids coming up to me and saying you’re my role model, and I look up to you and this and that, it touches me in my heart. It makes me feel like I’m setting an example for these kids.”

 

Q: Why didn’t you ever play football in high school?

 

A: “Every day I was asked by our football coach, ‘When are you coming to see me? When are you coming down to the field? When are you going to play?’ I’m like, ‘Coach, I want to.’ I remember I used to beg my dad, day after day, to let me play. I just wanted to play. My dad was just set in stone. He said no. My dad just kept saying, ‘It takes just one hit, one wrong hit, and your baseball career is done. And you have a lot more riding on baseball than you do anything else.’ Now that I look back at it, I’m glad I didn’t.”

 

Q: Finish this sentence. Wisconsin weather in April is best suited for …

 

A: “Testing your mental ability as a player.”

 

Q: You played at the same high school (South Hills) as Jason and Jeremy Giambi. How are they thought of there?

 

A: “They have their jerseys up in the outfield. Actually, I didn’t know that when I transferred into that school. I didn’t find out until I started playing baseball for my school and I thought it was cool that I got to play on the same field that they got to play on.”

 

Q: You’re not off to the start you wanted. How hard is it to keep in mind the bigger picture?

 

A: “I would say I deal with it in the aspect that, there are times that I do get frustrated, but I’ve got to take it to the bigger picture as that I’m here. When something doesn’t go my way, it’s baseball. You’re going to have thousands of at-bats, and you’re going to make errors, you’re going to strike out, it’s part of the game. Some of the best players in the bigs right now have struck out thousands of times but look where they’re at.

 

“Because you have to have that mentality and that persistence to say, ‘You know what, I didn’t get it this time, but I still have next time.’ So come at in next time ready to go. Whatever happened in the past, it’s in the past. When you’re on the field you have to separate your offense from your defense and whatever happens on the field is on the field. Once you leave the field, if you want to be mad off the field then you’re mad off the field. But once you’re on the field, you can’t drag that on the field through every inning, because things aren’t going to go the way you want it to. I just go out there with as much of a positive attitude as I can and go from there, and have fun.’’

 

http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20140426&Category=APC020602&ArtNo=304270215&Ref=V1&MaxW=300&Border=0&Timber-Rattlers-profile-David-Denson-brings-big-power-field

 

DAVID DENSON FILE

 

Age: 19.

 

Residence: La Puente, Calif.

 

Height/weight: 6-3, 254

 

Bats/Throws: Left/right

 

FAVORITES

 

MLB team growing up: “I would have to say my favorite team is the Dodgers.”

 

MLB player: “Prince Fielder. The way a lot of people perceived me when I was younger, I was a big guy. But being big I kind of proved some people wrong. I was quick on my feet, still had power and he was just a role model to me the way he stepped out there and everybody was saying, ‘He’s too big, he’s too this and that.’ And he would just go out and prove them wrong.”

 

Food: “My dad’s homemade spaghetti; three cheese, two meat.”

 

Job you dreamed of as a kid: “I always wanted to do something with law enforcement. My uncle Danny was a sheriff, so I thought that was really cool. I looked up to that. But also one of my hobbies I like to do is dance. I’ve been part of dance ever since I was little. My sister is a professional dancer. So it was either with law enforcement or something in entertainment with dancing.”

 

TV show: “Criminal Minds.”

 

Movie: “Hardball.”

 

High school memory: “It would have to be my very first game I played in high school. I didn’t play high school baseball until my senior year. The guys I played with in high school, we all grew up together. The high school I transferred in to, all the guys that I played with growing up they were all on the team. So it was like a big family reunion.”

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Now that he's healthy, Coulter can concentrate on improving

by Tim Froberg, Post-Crescent Media

 

Clint Coulter File

 

Age: 20.

 

Residence: Camas, Wash.

 

Height/weight: 6-3, 230.

 

Bats/throws: Right/right.

 

FAVORITES

 

MLB team growing up: “Boston Red Sox. My parents were Mariners fans and just about everyone in Washington was a Mariner fan. I had to be a little different. My favorite player, Mike Napoli, played for them and I guess I just liked the underdog. Back then, they hadn’t won the World Series for so long. I think I was in the fourth grade when they won it. It was pretty cool.”

 

MLB player: “Napoli. He just takes hacks. He swings as hard as he can every time, but he gets the job done.”

 

Food: “Meat. Any kind of meat.”

 

Musical group/artist: “I listen to a lot of people. I like 90s rock, no one in particular.”

 

Hobbies outside of baseball: “Lifting weights. Doing anything outside, hiking, biking, just getting out in the sun.”

 

Job as a kid: “The only job I had was working at the pool, where I was a life guard and taught some swim lessons. It was a pretty good summer job.”

 

Place to go in Appleton: “Chipotle (Mexican Grill). I eat there a lot. Can’t beat it.”

 

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' Clint Coulter was a first-round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2012 first-year player draft. / Adam Wesley/Post-Crescent Media

 

http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20140503&Category=APC020602&ArtNo=305030493&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Now-he-s-healthy-Coulter-can-concentrate-improving

 

Prince Fielder is nothing but a Miller Park memory, but the Milwaukee Brewers hope his free agent departure will eventually give the team another big-time slugger.

 

Catcher Clint Coulter, taken with one of two first-round compensatory picks (No. 27 overall) awarded to the Brewers in the 2012 first-year player draft for the loss of Fielder, has the raw power to become a fixture in Milwaukee.

 

Coulter had a tough start in Grand Chute last season, hitting just .207 with three home runs and 13 RBI in 116 at bats. But Coulter has been a different player in 2014. He is hitting a robust .313 and ranks among the Midwest League’s top hitters in home runs (five), RBI (18) and slugging percentage (.608). Coulter has also shown improvement behind the plate.

 

Q: You struggled here last year, but have been killing it this season. What’s been the difference?

 

A: “I wouldn’t consider last year to be a huge struggle. It just seemed like I was battling injuries all year. I’d just start to get hot and then I’d get injured. I had an oblique injury and a knee injury that put me on the DL. And I was battling a wrist injury all year that needed surgery in the offseason. The main thing in baseball is to just stay healthy and to keep getting better. This year, I’m good to go health-wise. You’re never completely 100 percent, but as long as you can get out on the field and be able to play, it’s all good.”

 

Q: What adjustments have you made at the plate?

 

A: “I’m swinging at good pitches and I’ve been able to stay back and really see the pitch. It’s all about seeing the ball and letting your eyes tell your body what to do and then letting your athleticism take over. In the offseason, I worked with guys like Jeremy Reed, Tony Diggs, Sandy Guerrero and now Chuckie Caufield. All those guys have really helped me with my approach and have got me to stay back and let my swing work. The big difference, though, is that I’m just getting a lot of reps, as opposed to last year when I kept getting injured.”

 

Q: How are you coming along as a catcher?

 

A: “Good. It’s just like hitting. You have to get your reps back there and you learn something every day. There’s no replacement for reps.”

 

Q: Since the Brewers drafted you, there has been some talk about whether you should remain a catcher, or be switched to the outfield or first base. Where do you think your future lies?

 

A: “Catcher. Definitely. In pro ball, I’ve never played another position besides catcher and I don’t plan to. If there’s a change, it would be a surprise to me.”

 

Q: How tough is catching on the body?

 

A: “Well, you get a tweak here and a tweak there, and it can turn into something serious, because you’re aggravating it every day with all the squatting and having to come up and throw. But you have to be a grinder. You have to push through those things and be available.”

 

Q: How difficult is it playing pro ball directly out of high school?

 

A: “Oh, it’s unreal. In high school, you’re seeing pitches 80-to-85 (mph). In pro ball, it’s 90-to-95 (mph). Your eyes have to adjust and you need a certain amount of at bats before you can get your timing down. Guys like Mike Trout and Bryce Harper who can come out of high school and get to the majors in a short time and dominate so quickly just amaze me. There’s only a couple guys in the world who can do that. It’s a huge adjustment.”

 

Q: You were a Washington state wrestling champion your sophomore year, but gave up the sport to focus on baseball. How tough of a decision was that?

 

A: “Really tough. I had done it for 12 years. Finishing up as a state champ made it a lot easier. If I had gotten second, I would have been on the mat the next year. I felt bad because I was a team captain as a sophomore, and we had a really good team. I think we finished third the next season and had I stayed, well, you never know. But I don’t like to do things halfheartedly. Had I done both, it would have taken away something from both baseball and wrestling. I felt I needed to focus on baseball for my last few years and try and get a scholarship and maybe even get drafted.”

 

Q: As a first-round pick of the Brewers, you received a $1.675 million signing bonus. Any interesting purchases?

 

A: “I haven’t even bought a car yet. I’m just focusing on baseball. I did buy a house (in Arizona) close to where spring training is, just as sort of an investment.”

 

Q: That’s a ton of money for a teenager coming out of high school. How surreal was that?

 

A: “In high school, I didn’t have a job, so if I wanted to go to a movie, I’d have to ask my parents for money. Once I got money, it still felt like I was spending my parent’s money. I didn’t spend a lot at first, even on food. Instead of going to a restaurant, I’d still be thinking, ‘Aw, I can eat at home.’ Even now, if I go to Chipotle, I feel like I’m really spoiling myself.”

 

Q: Do you feel any added pressure being a first-round pick?

 

A: “I think pressure is kind of self-given. The expectations are there, but whether you meet them or not is sometimes out of your control. In some cases, the expectations aren’t realistic, especially for a player coming out of high school. My expectations are to keep getting better. As long as you keep getting better, I think they’re happy with that.”

 

Q: In high school, you played at Wrigley Field in the Under Armour All-America Baseball game? How cool was that?

 

A: “It was unbelievable. They treat you like a big leaguer. They really take care of you. And just walking down the tunnel where guys like Babe Ruth once walked is unreal. For a high school kid, there’s nothing like it.”

 

Q: What was it like growing up in Camas, Wash.?

 

A: “It’s a really good community. Great people. There’s not a lot of crime and there’s some really good athletic rivalries.”

 

Q: Speaking of rivalries, your current Timber Rattlers teammate, (pitcher) Taylor Williams, also grew up in Camas. Did you play with, or against him in high school?

 

A: “He played at Camas High, where my parents went to school. I went to Union High, which is a cross-town rival. We had some heated battles. In addition to pitching, he was a really good position player. I remember pitching against them. As a pitcher, I had no idea what I was doing. I could throw hard, about 93 (mph). But that was my only pitch, a fastball. It was kind of funny seeing him get drafted by the Brewers, because Camas isn’t that big. And now I get to catch him. In spring training, both his parents and my parents would come to the ballpark, which was pretty cool.”

 

Q: Having grown up in Washington state, you are probably better prepared than your teammates for Wisconsin’s cool, rainy spring. How does the baseball weather back home compare to that of Wisconsin?

 

A: “It’s actually a lot rainier in Washington. In high school, we’d play in the rain and the mud all the time. It was wild. You would be sliding. and water would just come flying up. You’d see outfielders stepping into these huge puddles. It was crazy. The winters aren’t as cold as they are here, but there’s definitely more rain.”

 

Q: With the awful spring weather wreaking havoc on the schedule, has it been tough for you and your teammates to fall into a groove?

 

A: “Definitely. As as team, we’ll start to get on a roll, then we’ll get two days where you’re not even on the field because of the weather. As a hitter, your eyes need to see pitching consistently. To me, guys that are able to be pinch hit are unreal, because it’s hard to recognize pitches when you come in cold like that. Once the weather warms up, I think we’re going to be a hard team to beat.”

 

***

 

And yes, the Mike Napoli answer is very confusing, as he only joined the Red Sox in 2013. You just stay focused on the baseball diamond you're playing on, Clint :) -- Jim (Mass Haas)

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Timber Rattlers profile: Michael Ratterree

by Mike Woods, Post-Crescent Media

 

Age: 23.

 

Residence: Houston.

 

Height/weight: 6-1, 220.

 

Bats/Throws: Right.

 

Acquired: Selected by Milwaukee in the 10th round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft.

 

Miscellaneous: Named the 2013 Pioneer League Most Valuable Player … Had a 16-game hitting streak with Helena Brewers … Helped lead Rice University to the 2013 NCAA Super Regionals … Named the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association Player of the Year at Memorial High School … Named a three-time all-district defensive back in high school … Currently hitting .189 with four homers and 15 RBI.

 

Favorites

 

MLB team growing up: “I’d have to say the Astros. I’m from Houston; born there.”

 

MLB player: “Probably Craig Biggio. I thought he was a phenomenal player and the effort he showed on the field, I always kind of looked up to him.”

 

Food: “Chipotle.”

 

Job as a kid: “I really didn’t like any of my jobs. To answer that question, I’d probably say I enjoyed working for my mom, around the house and stuff.”

 

TV show: “Lost.”

 

Movie: “Wedding Crashers.”

 

Musical artist: “Right now, Eric Church.”

 

Q&A

 

Q: Let’s get this out of the way. What’s your funniest story about your last name?

 

A: “We had some rats running around at my college, in the locker room. So there were a bunch of guys who would hide them in my locker because everyone called me Rat.”

 

Q: Dead or alive?

 

A: “Oh, they were dead by then.”

 

Q: Did you make them clean them up?

 

A: “Oh yeah.”

 

Q: You were drafted by the Nationals after being named Texas High School Player of the Year but decided not to sign, why?

 

A: “I just felt I needed to get an education and it was a better opportunity for me to go to Rice, get a great education and also grow as a baseball player.”

 

Q: You were a good high school football player as well, and we all know how popular that is in Texas. Any temptation to go that route?

 

A: “I don’t think so. I loved playing high school football. It was one of the best times of my life. But I always knew baseball was for me.”

 

Q: So why Rice?

 

A: “First of all, I got offered early from them. A nice scholarship. So that right away attracted me. And then just their baseball program and how much success they’ve had with coach Wayne Graham.”

 

Q: Last year you were a Pioneer League all-star and the MVP of the league. Why were you were so successful?

 

A: “First of all, the coach gave me an every-day opportunity. Threw me in the lineup every day. I’d just have to say my coaches and teammates helped me out through the season.”

 

Q: You played in seven games in AA Huntsville this season. What was that jump like?

 

A: “It was tough. I enjoyed it. I felt lucky enough to go up there and play with all those guys and coaches. It was a good time for me and got to learn a few things. The pitching is quite a bit better than here. Not necessarily stuff-wise, but those pitchers have three good pitches that they can control. That’s the biggest difference I saw.”

 

Q: You were on the Brewers’ roster for the exhibition games at Miller Park against Kansas City just prior to the season. Did you expect to get in either of those games?

 

A: “Well, I didn’t play the first night. So I had a feeling I wasn’t going to play the second day either. But they let me know before the trip that I was probably going to get in, so I had a little bit of an idea.”

 

Q: So when you’re up facing Jeremy Guthrie, were you more nervous or excited?

 

A: “I think excited. Just stepping up to the plate in front of a good number of fans. It wasn’t packed up. And playing in front of the (Brewers) team and coaches. So, I was more excited.”

 

Q: So as the ball is going over the fence you’re thinking …?

 

A: “I can’t believe I just hit the ball like that. I was super-excited. I could barely hold in my smile.”

 

Q: Things haven’t gone as well thus far as they did last year. What’s been the hardest thing playing in Appleton?

 

A: “Just the weather, starting off. It’s freezing cold outside. Not too many hitters wanted to take big hacks at the plate. I think that’s the biggest difference.”

 

Q: Was playing in the cold even more difficult than you imagined?

 

A: “Yeah, because I’ve never really played baseball in the cold before. I’ve always been down south. So I come up here and the first day we got here it’s snowing. I really didn’t know what to expect and I kind of caught myself up (at the plate) not wanting to swing the bat too hard. It was difficult.”

 

Q: What about now?

 

A: “I’m definitely not where I wanted to be at this point of the season. But I’m starting to feel better.”

 

Q: What’s your impressions of J.J. Watt?

 

A: “He’s the man. Just a really strong, physical player. And he’s done some good things around the community of Houston, too. Everybody has a great impression of him right now.”

 

Q: What’s your favorite thing about Houston?

 

A: “I’d have to say the food there is pretty good. I really enjoy the food there. That’s the first thing that came to my mind. Big Tex-Mex fan.”

 

Q: Who’s the most famous person you’ve met?

 

A: “Well, I did meet Ryan Braun. Also, I’ve kind of worked with Lance Berkman a little bit.”

 

Q: Best advice you’ve received?

 

A: Probably from Lance Berkman. He told me just don’t worry about what the pitcher’s going to do, worry about what you’re going to do.”

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Mass Haas GOAT

Mass Haas

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VIDEO Report: Rattlers' Johnny Davis Takes Unconventional Path to Pro Baseball

 

Enjoy the video, which covers ground from an earlier Post-Crescent article.

 

Side note rant: How silly is it that the graphic of the young lady who introduces the clip actually says "wife of Packers OL Brian Bulaga"? Seriously? If her career progresses, will that go with her everywhere?

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Mass Haas

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Former 1st round pick Clint Coulter has overcome the injuries that claimed his first professional season in the Brewers organization --

 

VIDEO: (WFRV-TV) - Clint Coulter's first season in the Brewers organization was ravaged by a number of injuries, but now that he's healthy he's putting up some of the top offensive numbers in the Midwest League. The Timber Rattlers catcher is tied for first in HRs with 8, and all alone at the top in RBI with 35.

 

Local 5's Ryan Rodig caught up with the 2012 Brewers first round pick to talk about overcoming injuries, how his wrestling background has helped him mentally and physically, and much more.

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Pugger First Round Pick

Pugger

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If any of you are going to the game tonight in Appleton my old Sweet Adeline chorus - Fox Valley - will be singing the National Anthem. I hope to be there too. Games there are a lot of fun. I haven't been there in a couple of years because I am only in WI for a few weeks in the summer.
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Mass Haas GOAT

Mass Haas

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Rattlers represent West squad: Coulter, Brennan Midwest League all-star starters

by Tim Froberg, Post-Crescent Media

 

http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20140616&Category=APC020602&ArtNo=306160407&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Rattlers-represent-West-squad-Coulter-Brennan-Midwest-League-all-star-starters

 

Clint Coulter of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers is one of the Western Division starters for today's Midwest League All-Star Game in Comstock Park, Mich. / Dan Powers photo/Post-Crescent Media

 

Clint Coulter and Taylor Brennan were selected 36 rounds apart by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2012 first-year player draft.

 

All-stars, though, are determined by production and not draft position.

 

That’s why the two Wisconsin Timber Rattlers will be on the same field tonight representing the best of the Western Division in the 50th annual Midwest League All-Star Game.

 

Coulter (designated hitter) and Brennan (third base) will be among the Western Division starters in the 6 p.m. contest at Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park, Mich., the home of the West Michigan Whitecaps.

 

Wisconsin pitchers Barrett Astin, Preston Gainey and Taylor Williams are also members of the Western Division all-stars.

 

Coulter, a first-round draft pick, has emerged as one of the premier sluggers in the Midwest League. He is tied for second in the league in home runs (11) and is third in RBI (47), while hitting .282. He also leads Wisconsin hitters with a slugging percentage of .468.

 

“It’s something I’m really looking forward to,” said the 20-year-old Coulter. “What makes it even better is that I have four of my teammates going with me. We’re going to have a good time.”

 

Brennan, a mere 37th-round draft selection, is hitting .239, but is second on the team in both slugging percentage (.407) and on-base percentage (.377), and third in homers (seven). He has collected 33 RBI, been solid defensively and has been a clutch hitter with a team-leading three walk-off hits.

 

“It means quite a bit to me,” Brennan said. “It’s an accomplishment, a blessing and an honor.”

 

Astin, Gainey and Williams are right-handers and have been starting pitchers for the Rattlers.

 

Astin — a third-round pick out of the University of Arkansas in the 2013 draft — has a 5-3 record and a 4.52 earned run average with 47 strikeouts in 67 2⁄3 innings.

 

“He’s an even-keel guy that doesn’t get too high or too low,” said Wisconsin manager Matt Erickson. “Fastball command is a priority here at low A ball and he’s been pretty good in that area. Once you can control the fastball, you have a chance to work on some other pitches and he has a number of ways he can get hitters out.”

 

Williams has a 4-1 record and a 3.18 ERA with 55 Ks in 62 1⁄3 innings. He was a fourth-round pick by the Brewers in the 2013 draft.

 

“He’s probably our best arm,” said Erickson. “He’s a little guy, strong and compact. He has great competitiveness. He’s probably got the most grit of anyone on our team. He’s got the live fastball, but there’s been days when his stuff hasn’t been great, but he’s found ways to pitch through that and get better as the game goes on.

 

“To me, that’s a little more about mental toughness than overall stuff. Each time he goes out he gives us a great chance to win.”

 

Gainey — an 11th-round draft pick in 2012 — is 2-3 with a 3.27 ERA and 42 Ks in 55 innings.

 

“He was a guy, who to be very honest with you, had to come into spring training and excite some people,” said Erickson. “Otherwise, he may have been jobless. And he did a tremendous job in the offseason of taking care of himself. He came into spring training in great shape and there was a little more velo (velocity) to his fastball. He’s a guy we’ve counted on since the beginning of the year to eat up some innings, and he’s done an OK job of that.”

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Noche College Ball

Noche

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Hey guys, seeing how our system is really breaking out, I thought it would be fun to rank prospects by current affiliate. Doing it this way sure makes it easier! It also helps me start building my tiers for our community lists.

 

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Top 10

 

1. Clint Coulter - C: 1.5 years younger than MWL average with a 133 OPS+. Great kid. Great prospect.

 

2. David Denson – 1B: Eye-opening assignment this spring followed by a solid showing. Was on the Scooter Gennett path before injury.

 

3. Taylor Williams - RHP: Getting good reports with a low-90’s two-seamer. Tough guy to hit. Throws strikes.

 

4. Victor Diaz - RHP: Made the jump from DSL to A- in 2014 with great success. Projectable guy.

 

5. Barrett Astin - RHP: Good arsenal no doubt. Will he be more Jimmy Nelson or David Goforth? I see an impact bullpen arm.

 

6. Michael Ratteree - OF: Power shows up in games. Improved walk rate. 121 OPS+ despite extended slump in 1st half.

 

7. Chris McFarland – 2B: Career .270/.329/.411 over 203 games with 65 XBH’s and 37 SB’s. Now back, primed for big 2nd half.

 

8. Jose Pena - OF: Career .248/.319/.415. Adjusting to full season ball. Imagine how that WI April felt to some of these guys. MLB batspeed.

 

9. Omar Garcia - OF: Compares favorably to Johnny Davis but 4 years younger. Slap guy with big wheels and an idea at the plate.

 

10. Tyler Alexander - LHP: 2013 26th rounder averaging well over 1k/IP thus far. Loogy.

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