Link Report for Thurs. 4/3 - Play Ball! (Except Nashville)

[Mass Haas]

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu: How convenient, the big boys are idle, en route to Boston!

 

All times are Central

 

Nashville: RHP Johnny Hellweg at Omaha (Royals), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

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 $49.99 season-long package ($12.99 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 Brooks Hall at Jacksonville (Marlins), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

Steve Jarnicki is the new play-by-play voice of the Stars - welcome aboard! Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveJarnicki. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be broadcast.

 

MiLB.TV - It appears seven of the ten Southern League teams telecast their home games (not the Stars). Jacksonville does host MiLB.TV broadcasts - I'll be among those hoping Steve's audio link synchs up nicely with my MiLB.TV investment.

 

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

 

Free Live Audio Link -- Select the proper link based on listed schedule

 

Dave Walkovic returns as the play-by-play voice of the 'Tees; follow the Brevard broadcast booth staff on Twitter @BCManateesRadio. All home games and many road games are scheduled to be broadcast. When road games are only available via the opponents' audio feed (or not at all), we'll let you know that.

 

No Florida State League games are available via MiLB.TV.

 

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Wisconsin: RHP Taylor Williams (with LHP Tyler Alexander in tandem) at home vs. Peoria (Cardinals), 6:15 PM pre-game, 6:35 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 $49.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sounds games, Stars' road games from seven Southern League locales, and all Timber Rattlers home games and some road games.

 

NOTE: Thirty-nine (!) of the Rattlers' 70 home games will be broadcast on TV this season. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (9) and WACY-TV My NEW32 (30) will split duties. We'll let you know when and who, and remember to refer to the Rattlers' full TV schedule so you can coordinate your DVR activity.

[Mass Haas]

DVR Alert!

 

For you locals, Thursday's Wisconsin game will be broadcast on Time Warner Cable Sports 32 at 7:00 PM.

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Nashville

 

Huntsville

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

MiLB.com feature -- organizational scoreboard, Brewers

[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.

 

Brevard County also has media notes; as of now, it's a unique link each day, but look for it just prior to game time within the "Stats and Scores" banner here.

 

We'll learn soon about Huntsville's availability.

[Mass Haas]

STANDINGS:

 

AAA - Pacific Coast League American Southern Division

 

AA - Southern League North Division

 

High-A - Florida State League North Division

 

A - Midwest League Western Division

[Mass Haas]

Weather.com:

 

Omaha, NE

 

Jacksonville, FL

 

Viera, FL (Melbourne)

 

Grand Chute, WI (Appleton)

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Sounds geared up for road opener

 

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Tough task facing Stars' batters--

 

Four of the Suns’ starting pitchers are ranked among the top seven prospects in the Miami Marlins' organization, according to Baseball America. Included in that group are Andrew Heaney (1st), Justin Nicolino (4th), Anthony DeSclafani (5th) and Jose Urena (7th). The fifth starter, Angel Sanchez was named the Marlins’ No. 16 prospect by MLB.com. All of the players’ rankings are as of the start of the season.

 

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Jed Bradley battling to earn his keep

 

This is the type of story we post in our "Your 2014 _____" team threads, be sure to follow those threads here in our Minor League forum, not just within the Link Report.

 

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Tim Froberg of the Appleton Post-Crescent has an Opening Day article that includes a video interview with Manager Matt Erickson, quotes from starting RHP Taylor Williams, and more.

[Mass Haas]

Omaha.com text -- Veteran Falu makes return to Omaha with Nashville Sounds

 

Fan favorite Irving Falu, third in Omaha franchise history in games (578), at-bats (2,232) and runs (309), second in hits (631) and triples (29), and fourth in stolen bases (89), can't get away from Werner Park.

 

He's scheduled to open the 2014 season as a member of the Nashville Sounds, Milwaukee's Class AAA affiliate. It will the first time in his 12-year pro career he's worn the uniform of anything other than a Kansas City Royals affiliate in a regular-season game. Falu, who played briefly for Omaha in 2004 and then again every year from 2009 through 2013, hit .361 in spring training for the Brewers.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Sports Talk Radio 1025 The Game - Full audio interview archive with new Manager Rick Sweet

 

Lots of Jimmy Nelson love...

[Mass Haas]

Twitter updates:

 

Looks like Tyler Alexander may be the front end of tonight's Rattlers' tandem, and Omaha weather is foreboding.

[WV Brew]

Thanks in advance to all link reporters. It's much appreciated. Looking forward to the minor league season.

[Mass Haas]

We are waiting on confirmation as to the status of the players mentioned below before posting anything in our Transaction thread, as we knew the affiliates were going to have to narrow down rosters prior to tonight's openers.

 

Nashville has to trim by three players today (DL or otherwise) - they are carrying 15 position players and 13 pitchers.

 

Huntsville also had to reduce by three. One move that is official is that infielder Shea Vucinich has been placed on the 7-day DL with an undisclosed injury. RHP's Johnny Lowe and Greg Holle did not make the final 25-man roster, but we wait for word as to their status. Hopefully the Brewers are able to creatively stash them away.

 

Brevard County needed to reduce their roster by one. RHP Chad Pierce was dropped from the preliminary roster, and like Lowe and Holle, hopefully a new temporary home within the system can be found.

 

Wisconsin needs to make two moves prior to Thursday's game. They are at 13 position players and 14 pitchers as of this AM.

[Mass Haas]

The guys at Miller Park Prospects, including my Link Report "co-worker" Brad, with a fun Opening Night post on their predictions for Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year, Breakout Prospect, Bounceback Player, and Most Exciting 2014 Affiliate.

[bkrause2]

The Manatees have a new blog. Here is their second post, a "Throwback Thursday" with notes on Ryan Braun, Scooter Gennett and former 'Tees starting the season in Huntsville.

[bkrause2]

Brevard County Game Notes

[Mass Haas]

As per the Manatees media notes, the Brevard rotation to start the season is:

 

RHP Tyler Wagner

RHP Damien Magnifico

LHP Jed Bradley

RHP Jorge Lopez

LHP Hobbs Johnson

 

Nothing personal, other affiliates, but the Brevard squad just gets more intriguing by the minute...

[Mass Haas]

We are waiting on confirmation as to the status of the players mentioned below before posting anything in our Transaction thread, as we knew the affiliates were going to have to narrow down rosters prior to tonight's openers.

 

Nashville has to trim by three players today (DL or otherwise) - they are carrying 15 position players and 13 pitchers.

 

The three players not listed within the Nashville media notes are RHP Kyle Heckathorn, C Lucas May, and 3B Stephen Parker.

 

We'll await word on their status before jumping to any conclusions -- injury (real or phantom), or otherwise.

[TheCrew07]

Just a quick FYI for those curious.

 

Where The Top 100 Prospects Are

[Mass Haas]

Manatees Opening Night Lineup as per @BCManateesRadio tweet

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattlers Lineup & Game Notes for April 3, 2014

 

As always, via the Rattler Radio blog...

[Mass Haas]

Via the Sounds --

 

The Sounds 2014 season will have to wait one more day to begin. Tonight's game in Omaha has been postponed due to inclement weather. The season will now begin on Friday, April 4 at 7:05 p.m. in Omaha with a doubleheader scheduled for Saturday at 2:05 p.m.

[TheCrew07]

Looking at Mehring's picture of the ground neuroscience group field just looks weird... behind home plate... not that Time Warner Cable was a better sponsor and I'll get used to the name change. Mostly it's just like last year when half the MWL changed affiliations, it seems wrong even though it's correct.

[Mass Haas]

We are waiting on confirmation as to the status of the players mentioned below before posting anything in our Transaction thread, as we knew the affiliates were going to have to narrow down rosters prior to tonight's openers.

 

Wisconsin needs to make two moves prior to Thursday's game. They are at 13 position players and 14 pitchers as of this AM.

 

The Rattlers final roster shows that RHP Rodolfo Fernandez and C Paul Eshleman are the two players now in roster limbo. We'll see if the Brewers Player Development Staff provides any info over the next couple of days and on them and the AAA, AA, and High-A players in similar situations listed earlier in today's Link Report.