Your 2015 Colorado Springs Sky Sox

[Mass Haas]

Indications are that we will begin to see some formal minor league roster announcements as early as Friday 4/3. The formal announcement will come directly from the Sky Sox, 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.

 

Opening Night is Thursday 4/9!

 

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

 

Often we learn via farmhand tweets, who has been assigned where, prior to the formal affiliate announcements. We'll link to any of those posts in this thread as they come out.

 

As you might know, we use the "Your 2015" 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.

 

Please don't speculate here at this time, this is an anxious time for many on the farm, and unfortunately we're also going to learn about several player releases in the next few days, in addition to those players excited about their assignments.

[Mass Haas]

Via tweets from the beat guys (Haudricourt, Rosiak and/or McCalvy):

 

Triple-A starters: Jungmann, Cravy, Additon (L), Gagnon, TBD.

 

Perez, Wooten, Kintzler, Goforth, Knebel, Pena, Bradley (L). Will carry eight relievers so one more.

[brewmann04]

going to need a lot of relievers in Colorado Springs.

[fondybrewfan]

Funny enough is I could see each and every one of those relievers being successful in MLB. Lots of good arms.

[Outlander]

Funny enough is I could see each and every one of those relievers being successful in MLB. Lots of good arms.

I could see each and every one of those guys play for the Brewers this year.

[reillymcshane]

Funny enough is I could see each and every one of those relievers being successful in MLB. Lots of good arms.

I could see each and every one of those guys play for the Brewers this year.

I think I read that the average team uses 14-15 relievers in the course of a season. So seeing each of these guys isn't out of the question.

[bork]

Funny enough is I could see each and every one of those relievers being successful in MLB. Lots of good arms.

I could see each and every one of those guys play for the Brewers this year.

I think I read that the average team uses 14-15 relievers in the course of a season. So seeing each of these guys isn't out of the question.

 

Yes, especially considering that these relievers will likely get called up when a starter goes down in Milwaukee, since starters 6 and 7 are likely in the Milwaukee bullpen right now.

[Mass Haas]

Via Adam McCalvy:

 

Johnny Hellweg has been shut down with thoracic strain, but feeling better & progressing to throwing, per Gord. Hope is Brevard by late April.

 

***

 

Coming off Tommy John surgery, as many of you know...

[Mass Haas]

AUDIO 3/30: The Voice of the Colorado Sky Sox, Dan Karcher, interviewed from Arizona, via Ryan Kaufman of 1300 the Animal Radio in Colorado Springs

 

Here is the second audio interview with Dan (4/2), in what will be a three-part series this week.

 

Dan notes that eight of the first twelve Sky Sox games are against Nashville, and that the Brewers organizational leaders would love to get off to a quick start vs. that club, now with the Athletics.

[Mass Haas]

Haudricourt tweet:

 

(Gord) Ash said Josh Roenicke, nephew of manager, will stay in AZ and stretch out as possible No. 5 starter in AAA.

 

***

 

McCalvy tweet:

 

Taylor Green is going to Biloxi, so Triple-A infield will be 1B Matt Clark, 2B Elian Herrera, 3B Jason Rogers, SS Luis Sardinas. Juan Centeno will catch 100-110 games.

 

***

 

McCalvy tweet:

 

Brewers' Triple-A OF will be LF Bryan Petersen, CF Ben Guez, RF Shane Peterson, with Matt Long filling in everywhere.

 

Guez is the lone RH bat among that foursome.

[Mass Haas]

Haudricourt tweet --

 

Pitchers Chris Leroux and Tim Dillard will break camp with AAA Colorado Springs but will be on inactive roster at start.

 

***

 

MiLB sure has eased up on "taxi squad" and "phantom reserve lists" in recent seasons. No harm, to organizational benefits...

[SoupTown]

1B Matt Clark, 2B Elian Herrera, 3B Jason Rogers, SS Luis Sardinas. Juan Centeno

LF Bryan Petersen, CF Ben Guez, RF Shane Peterson, with Matt Long filling in everywhere

 

Following spring training, one must assume that above lineup will win a lot of games in AAA. Or... we have over estimated our players. Almost all of those guys seem to be on the up, or at their peak, and had/have/will have MLB roster aspirations.

[Mass Haas]

Miller Park Prospects -- 2015 Preview: Colorado Springs Sky Sox (AAA)

[JohnBriggs12]

1B Matt Clark, 2B Elian Herrera, 3B Jason Rogers, SS Luis Sardinas. Juan Centeno

LF Bryan Petersen, CF Ben Guez, RF Shane Peterson, with Matt Long filling in everywhere

 

Following spring training, one must assume that above lineup will win a lot of games in AAA. Or... we have over estimated our players. Almost all of those guys seem to be on the up, or at their peak, and had/have/will have MLB roster aspirations.

 

The OF is nothing special. They just replaced Hermida, Mattison, Gindl, and Halton with 4 different AAA nomads. The lineup looks vulnerable to LH pitching.

[brewmann04]

have a feeling it be 2 years and out with the Sky Sox

[Mass Haas]

SidearmNation.com: Tim Dillard Q&A

[Mass Haas]

Haudricourt tweet --

 

Pitchers Chris Leroux and Tim Dillard will break camp with AAA Colorado Springs but will be on inactive roster at start.

 

***

 

MiLB sure has eased up on "taxi squad" and "phantom reserve lists" in recent seasons. No harm, to organizational benefits...

 

Check out the Sky Sox twitter timeline as of Monday afternoon, 28 players listed.

 

The roster as is, is also currently up-to-date on MiLB.com.

[bork]

I'm sure we'll see an epidemic of third-string catcheritis throughout the organization.

[CheezWizHed]

Wow. Jungmann, Cravy, Sardinas and a handful of BP arms. Not much to follow on this team this year.

[Mass Haas]

Glass ceiling?

 

All of three (!) players from AA Huntsville were rewarded with AAA assignments to start 2015 -- 40-man roster RHP David Goforth, RHP Drew Gagnon, and LHP Jed Bradley.

 

The glut of AAAA veterans and recent big leaguers in Colorado Springs bullpen (not saying that's a bad thing) keeps deserving AAA bullpen arms like Eric Marzec and Austin Ross (others, based on your opinion) in Biloxi, and has an effect on some of the arms repeating at Brevard.

[Jenkins5]

Our bullpen is outstanding, I'll echo that I can see all those guys being successful MLB RP pitchers. Rotation is alright, Jungmann, Gagnon, Cravy all need to take the next step this year to deserve/earn their next step. Jungmann doesn't really have a choice at all since he is first on the list if the Brewers need a SP. Our position players are filled of career bench type guys. Outside of Sardinas I don't see an everyday type guy on the roster. The OF is a bunch of waiver wire guys who at best may be #5 OF's or a #4 if depth is really shady. In the infield, Clark could possible someday find himself as a starter in the MLB, jury is still out on him. Sardinas I think is the best prospect on the team. Rogers is solid but not a guy of the future.

 

Overall this is a team that should dominate competition and win a lot of games. A lot of AAAA and MLB bench guys who will hit. Pitching is a strength. Get it to the bullpen with a lead in the 7th and this team will be tough to beat.

[bork]

It seems like every member of the bullpen has been a closer at some point.

[Jenkins5]

When judging prospects I like to look at age. For AAA I think 24-25 year old season is the median age for a prospect. I like prospects to be between 22-24 at this level to rate them higher. Once you get to that 25-27 level, your getting pretty old for prospect status. Ideally you think a MLB player should enter the league by 24-26 on average. Looking at the age for Colorado Springs players:

 

Pitching

1991

Knebel - November (23 all)

 

1990

Gagnon - June (24-25)

Bradley - June (24-25)

 

1989

Jungmann -December (25 all)

Cravy - July (25 most)

Pena - May (26 most)

 

Position Prospects

1993

Sardinas - May (22 most)

 

1989

Centeno - November (25 all)

 

So prospect wise Sardinas and Knebel are most impressive at 22 and 23. After that Bradley & Gagnon will be 24 for half the season with Cravy, Jungmann, Centeno being 25 all season. This is a pretty old team without much young promising talent. For a college player like Jungmann, Bradley, Gagnon....25 is an average age, just means you took your journey at a steady, 1 year at a time type pace.

[Mass Haas]

The Sky Sox 2015 Media Guide, all 172 pages of it, is available online.

[Mass Haas]

Colorado Springs Media Day interviews via the flagship 1300 the Animal --

 

Manager Rick Sweet

 

Taylor Jungmann

 

Corey Knebel

 

Jason Rogers