Your 2015 Colorado Springs Sky Sox

[Mass Haas]

[Mass Haas]

Link includes Taylor Jungmann video interview

 

Change in era for Sky Sox not as significant for the players, staff as it is for team, city

By Brent Briggeman, Colorado Springs Gazette

 

Taylor Jungmann will deliver the first pitch of a new era of Sky Sox baseball on Thursday night.

 

It's a big moment for the club, marking its first action as an affiliate of a team other than the Colorado Rockies in 22 years, but it's not quite as significant for the staff's ace.

 

Jungmann has started every season since his final year at Texas at a different stop, so new surroundings are just a way of life as he has reached the final rung of the Milwaukee Brewers' minor league system.

 

"I know it will be new to the fans, they'll have to learn some new names," Jungmann said. "But we're all learning together here."

 

In Jungmann, who will deliver that first pitch against Nashville at about 6:35 PM Thursday (7:35 Central), local fans will get their first glimpse of a top Brewers prospect. And by all accounts, he's a good one.

 

The 6-foot-6, 220-pound right-hander has won at least 10 games in each of his three minor league seasons and held Pacific Coast League hitters to a .235 batting average in 101 2/3 innings with Nashville - the team that has since relocated to Colorado Springs.

 

"He's an animal," manager Rick Sweet said. "He's a horse on the mound. He'll work you inside and his change-up has really improved."

 

Jungmann and Sweet teamed together for much of last year, but the same can't be said for much of the roster. Of the 28 players announced on the official roster, 13 belonged to a different organization last season - including all four outfielders.

 

The team has spent much of the past seven weeks together in spring training, so the initial meet-and-greet phase is finished. Now it is time to do that all again with a Colorado Springs community used to tracking the progress of Rockies farmhands that now must shift the attention to a new organization.

 

"It's exciting for us because it's a new club, a new facility, a new place; but it's probably not as big a change as it is for the people here," Sweet said.

 

Added Jungmann, "It is exciting to go to a new city. None of the guys on the team have experience here, so it's something new for us to look forward to."

[Mass Haas]

Sky Sox keeping up with baseball's new trend of dominant relievers with defined roles

By Brent Briggeman, Colorado Springs Gazette

 

The Colorado Springs Sky Sox are keeping up with the times when it comes to the latest fad in baseball - a dominant back end of the bullpen with well-defined roles.

 

With touted prospects David Goforth and Corey Knebel likely to man the closer's role and eighth inning, respectively, and proven big-league closer Chris Perez among the candidates to take the seventh, the Triple-A team is well positioned to protect late leads and ease the burden of starters.

 

That was a big part of the formula that sent the Kansas City Royals to the World Series last year and has become a blueprint teams around baseball are scrambling to replicate.

 

It used to be the closer was the bullpen's ace and spare parts could fill the rest. Now, teams are trying to load up with essentially three closers, one for each of the final three innings.

 

"Baseball is very trendy, isn't it?" Sky Sox manager Rick Sweet said Wednesday. "That's what we've done. They'll all have roles and they'll know them. I've always believed that's the way it should be."

 

Goforth, who saved 27 games in Double-A last year in his first full season in the bullpen, loves the idea of defined roles in the bullpen. This way of constructing the bullpen isn't necessarily a given at this level as some managers will downplay game situations to make sure certain players get their work in as planned. Since closers generally only work in save situations, a closer might not see the mound for a week if his team is struggling and that could stunt his development.

 

"If for seven games in a row we have a two-run lead, I want to pitch in every game," said the 26-year-old right-hander who is rated by Baseball America as the No. 12 prospect in Milwaukee's system. "That's just my competitive nature. I want to be in the game at that point. As a closer, if the roles are defined, it helps you."

 

Knebel, acquired by Milwaukee in the offseason in a deal for pitcher Yovani Gallardo, has never played under Sweet but from all he has heard the way the game will be handled will mirror what happens in Milwaukee.

 

"He'll treat you like a big leaguer," Knebel said. "If he sees a need in the big leagues, he knows how to get somebody ready to fill that need."

 

The bullpen options don't end with Perez, who saved 123 games with the Cleveland Indians between 2010-13. Ariel Pena struck out 140 batters in 128 1/3 innings in Triple-A last year and is switching to a relief role. Brandon Kintzler appeared in 135 games for the Brewers over the past two seasons, posting a 2.93 ERA in that time.

 

There's a reason Sweet is calling this the best bullpen he's had in nearly 30 years in the minor leagues.

 

"I like our chances to shorten up games," Goforth said. "We look good on paper. We just have to go out there and focus on the pitching and let things take care of themselves."

[bork]

Hellweg, Martin and Roenicke to the DL.

 

Diaz, Dillard and Leroux off the roster. They aren't on the Helena roster like the others who have been dropped.

[Mass Haas]

Fun with headshots

[wildcat2237]

I actually think the SkySox are going to be pretty good. The bullpen is nasty and they have a good lineup. I think Centeno has a good chance of supplanting Maldonado at some point in MKE.

[Mass Haas]

Colorado Springs first baseman Matt Clark has game that might land him with Brewers soon

By Joe Paisley, Colorado Springs Gazette

 

Sky Sox fans may want to get out to Security Service Field soon, because first baseman Matt Clark's stay in Colorado Springs may not be long.

 

The veteran infielder opened his Triple-A stint by becoming only the 14th batter to homer in his first at-bat in a Sky Sox uniform. He is off to a good start by batting .278 with that homer and four RBIs.

 

Those include an RBI single in the fifth inning for a short-lived Sky Sox lead in Sunday's 16-11 loss to Nashville before 3,865 fans.

 

The 3-1 Sounds pulled ahead for good with back-to-back homers by Joey Wendle and former Sky Sox slugger Kent Matthes during a nine-run sixth. The teams combined for 10 home runs, for a total distance of 4,089 feet, including five by the Sky Sox (1-3). The record is 13 in 1988 vs. Phoenix at Spurgeon Field in Memorial Park.

 

Sky Sox manager Rick Sweet would not be surprised to see Clark move on to Milwaukee.

 

"There is no area where he needs to improve to move up," Sweet said. "He hits with power, draws walks and does everything a veteran hitter does. He is in his prime right now."

 

Clark, 28, is used to waiting after his first four seasons in the Padres organization. He made a bid to play in San Diego after a combined 50 home runs and 160 RBIs in his past two Triple-A seasons in Tucson.

 

But three general managers were hired over that span and they had their own player in mind. Each time, his chance at the bigs was pushed back.

 

The 2008 12th-round pick by the Padres played in Japan in 2013, where he hit 25 home runs. His performance garnered him a two-year contract renewal with the Chunichi Dragons.

 

But their new owner was not interested. In January, the security of a two-year deal was dashed when he was released.

 

"Suddenly I was scrambling to find a job," said Clark, whose father, Terry, pitched in the majors from 1988-97. "It is not a good feeling, but it's just how my career has gone. You just work hard and be ready for when your time comes."

 

He landed with the Brewers, who soon recognized his readiness to contribute.

 

"He is just a pure hitter," Sky Sox left-hander Brent Leach said. "I am happy the Brewers found a home for him."

 

He made his MLB debut Sept. 2, 2014 when he clubbed his first home run against the Miami Marlins. He appeared in 16 games with three home runs and seven RBIs in 27 at-bats.

 

He was one of the last sent down to the Sky Sox after spring training. He has a chance to be the 17th player to start at first base since Prince Fielder left Milwaukee in 2011.

 

"Sometimes it is just a personnel thing because there are so many elements to consider when putting together a team," Clark said. "I am confident in my ability to contribute and happy to do whatever they ask of me here."

 

That could be getting on a plane to Milwaukee, soon.

[Mass Haas]

Sitting down with Sky Sox and Brewers first baseman Matt Clark

Kevin Henry, Colorado Springs Sky Sox Examiner

 

Matt Clark watches his Opening Night home run leave Security Service Field. (Photo by Paat Kelly/Colorado Springs Sky Sox)

 

After clubbing the first home run of the Milwaukee Brewers affiliation era with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, I had the chance to sit down with Sky Sox first baseman Matt Clark. Clark’s first-inning blast started Colorado Springs off on the right foot on its way to a 7-5 season-opening win over the Nashville Sounds.

 

Clark is on Milwaukee’s 40-man roster after making a big impression on the Brewers last season, hitting homers in three consecutive games in September. Overall, Clark was with the Brewers for 16 games, posting a .185 average with three homers and seven RBIs.

 

He has hit 20 or more homers in his last five professional seasons, including a career-high 29 round-trippers between Double-A Binghamton, Triple-A Nashville, and the Brewers last season.

 

This season, through the first two games in Colorado Springs, Clark is hitting .444 with a homer and three RBIs.

 

Kevin Henry: After tasting the big leagues last season, talk about your mentality heading into spring training and Opening Night.

 

Clark: I knew once the Brewers signed (former Toronto Blue Jay Adam) Lind, I knew my spot with the Brewers was probably going to be on the bench. I told the front office that I knew that and that I just wanted a chance to compete for the job. I wanted them to know that I wanted to win the job. All that I’ve ever asked is a chance to swing the bat and earn my position.

 

Henry: When you knew you were coming to Colorado Springs, what was your mindset and your focus?

 

Clark: I want to play well and I want to play good defense. Hopefully, the Brewers will want me up there at some point soon. I want to make an impact and be ready when the time comes. It’s a matter of biding my time and getting my work in while I am here.

 

Henry: You spent 16 games with the Brewers at the end of last season. Does that make you even hungrier to get to the majors this season?

 

Clark: Definitely. I want to be there. Last year, I was there in September and performed when it mattered. I was able to perform in a pressure situation and that gave me a lot of confidence. Playing well and doing it during a push for the playoffs gives me a lot of internal confidence heading into this season.

 

Henry: You came over to the Brewers last season after being released by the New York Mets organization. How did the change in affiliations help you?

 

Clark: I always just wanted the opportunity to play. Honestly, I was stuck in a bad place with the Mets. When I was signed by the Brewers, I knew I’d have a chance to get on the field and play. For me, it’s always about getting the chance to swing the bat and show what I can do. I feel like I have that chance with the Brewers.

 

Henry: You spent the 2013 season in Japan. What was that experience like and how did that help you grow as a player?

 

Clark: When you play in Japan, you have to learn how to hit. It was amazing to play in front of 50,000 fans every night. I signed a two-year deal and I really wasn’t sure if I would ever play anywhere else other than Japan. After my first season there, the ownership changed and my contract changed as well. Suddenly, I was searching for a job in January. It was really a wakeup call for me and put a lot of things in perspective. I believe things work for a reason and I know now that if that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t get the chance to play for the Brewers.

[Mass Haas]

Via Miller Park Prospects -- Brewers Got Something In Knebel, Sardinas

 

Nice write-up from Colorado Springs (with quotes)...

[Mass Haas]

Two trades in the past year jarring for young Sky Sox reliever Corey Knebel

By Brent Briggeman, Colorado Springs Gazette

 

Corey Knebel went to the Detroit Tigers with the 39th pick in the 2013 draft. He was pitching in Comerica Park 11 months later.

 

Two months after that, he was traded.

 

"I kind of felt like, 'Man, the Tigers don't want me. What is that? What's going on?'" said the 23-year-old right-hander, now pitching out of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox bullpen.

 

If major league teams are looking for short-term rentals, like Detroit was when it shipped Knebel to Texas as part of a deal for veteran Joakim Soria, the most commonly accepted form of payment is a prospect.

 

For one of those prospects on the move, however, it can be a scary proposition to leave the team that scouted you, drafted you and, in the case of Knebel, set you on a quick path to the major leagues.

 

It was veteran second baseman Ian Kinsler who pulled Knebel aside on his way out of Detroit to offer some assurance that would prove valuable again a few months later when he was dealt again as part of a prospect package sent to Milwaukee from Texas in exchange for Yovani Gallardo.

 

"I remember he said, 'Don't think of this as they don't want you, think of it as the team that got you does want you. So you're still wanted,'" Knebel said. "Ever since then I've kept that in mind."

 

He's not alone in his situation. Luis Sardinas, the Sky Sox infielder who was among the youngest players in the majors last year when he debuted at age 20, came over from Texas with Knebel in the Gallardo deal.

 

Catcher Juan Centeno was among the New York Mets top prospects through last season and appeared in the majors in 2013 and '14, yet he was left available on waivers and acquired by Milwaukee.

 

Nearly half the Sky Sox roster played for other franchises last year, but there's a distinct difference when comparing the paths of prospects under club control and veterans who can - at least to some degree - pick and choose their best path.

 

But in the case of Knebel, Centeno and Sardinas - they are still considered prospects and they are on the Brewers' 40-man roster. In short, they are with an organization that clearly wants them.

[Mass Haas]

David Goforth's quiet demeanor masks the fiery mentality of a closer for Sky Sox

By Brent Briggeman, Colorado Springs Gazette

 

In an age of big-bearded, big-bodied, larger-than-life closers, David Goforth in a sense resembles the position's generic brand.

 

The ingredients are ultimately the same, but the no-frills packaging might lead you to suspect otherwise.

 

The Sky Sox closer stands about 5-foot-11 and talks with a deliberate pace that reveals a laid-back personality. If you want the bullpen gates to swing open to a fire-breather, this isn't your guy.

 

"I'm calm. I'm not John Rocker out there, I'm just not that guy," Goforth said. "But you may not be able to see it on the mound, but inside that fire is there and I want to go right after guys. If I can blow a fastball by you, I'm going to try to blow that by you."

 

Goforth's lack of flair hasn't impacted his status as an up-and-coming contributor - possibly closer - at the big-league level. He is rated by Baseball America as the No. 12 prospect in Milwaukee's organization and the publication projects him as the Brewers' top rookie this season.

 

But for now, he's in Colorado Springs, battling the conditions that have made for a windy, chilly opening homestand and has made the on-field results tricky to analyze. Entering Wednesday he had appeared in three games, but none of those appearances have been in save situations. The Sky Sox haven't had a chance to protect a close late lead. He has given up three runs in 3 2/3 innings, giving up six hits with two walks and a strikeout.

 

The low strikeout total is in keeping with another aspect of his makeup that goes contrary to the prototypical closer, as he has struck out 6.5 hitters per nine innings in his minor league career despite velocity that routinely reaches the upper 90s.

 

Part of the low strikeout rate can be attributed to shifting roles. From his time at Mississippi, where he was a seventh-round pick in 2011, through his early years in the minors he has gone back and forth between the rotation and bullpen. He carved out a niche in 2013, saving five games and limiting hitters to a .192 average in his first stint at Double-A, then continued that with 27 saves last year.

 

"As a starter I would try to save my bullets and get deeper in ballgames," Goforth said. "I can go a little more all out now."

 

And it's that all-out mentality that his manager, Rick Sweet, sees. To him, that trumps anything that might be lacking in outward bravado.

 

"He is mellow, but when the stuff comes out of his hand he's not quiet," Sweet said.

[Mass Haas]

Sky Sox shortstop Luis Sardinas armed to follow his idol's path

By Brent Briggeman, Colorado Springs Gazette

 

http://cdn.csgazette.biz/cache/r620-c_0ca3ef7b56f24620fa67649ac539a1b5.jpg

 

Sky Sox shortstop Luis Sardinas plays second as Iowa Cubs Matt Szczur steals during a game against the Iowa Cubs on Saturday. (Photo by Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette)

 

Luis Sardinas grew up idolizing Omar Vizquel, because in Venezuela that's just what baseball players do.

 

He left home at 14 to prepare for his pro career, because that's just what players of his caliber are expected to do.

 

But when it came to making himself into a ballplayer who, at 21, has already logged big-league time, Sardinas accomplished it by going beyond what is typically expected.

 

Now, Sardinas is batting third in the order and playing shortstop for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, looking to get back to the majors.

 

"What impresses me most is that he's about to turn 22 and he's probably one of the most focused players that we have on the club," Colorado Springs manager Rick Sweet said. "When it comes to practice and his routine, he's really, really focused on his game. You don't always get young guys that like to practice. I don't know if he likes it, but he knows it definitely leads to results in his game. He wants to get back to the big leagues, and the way he's going to do it is play the way he's playing."

 

Sardinas was ranked as the No. 6 international product when he signed with the Texas Rangers in 2009 at the age of 16. By that point he had already spent two years at a baseball academy two hours from his home in Upata, Venezuela. When he signed he spent two months in the Dominican Republic in a summer league and has spent the majority of his time since then in the United States.

 

His family travels to watch him play once a year, but otherwise they must follow his career via the Internet.

 

So far, that career has been fast-paced. He was assigned by the Rangers to Low-A before his 19th birthday and batted .291 with 32 stolen bases. He then spent 2013 in High-A and Double-A.

 

He made his major-league debut with Texas on April 20, 2014, reaching on an infield single in his first at-bat. Only two players were younger than him in the majors last year.

 

He played 43 games, batting .261 for the Rangers. But it was the wrong organization for him, as he was blocked by Elvis Andrus at shortstop, Rougned Odor at second base and Jurickson Profar as the top backup at either spot. So Texas packaged him with two prospects - including Sky Sox reliever Corey Knebel - and sent him to Milwaukee for ace Yovani Gallardo over the winter.

 

Sardinas has spent the early part of the season as the everyday shortstop for the Sky Sox. The Brewers' organization has touted young shortstops in Orlando Arcia and Yadiel Rivera, who are both in Double-A, so they want to evaluate Sardinas quickly.

 

"We want to find out just how good a shortstop he's going to be," Sweet said. "I think we as an organization want to find that out the sooner the better to know if he's going to be a big-league shortstop, because we've got a couple of young kids who are pretty good shortstops, also."

 

Sardinas has the defensive flexibility to settle in as a utility infielder, Sweet sees more in him than that. And though Baseball America, in ranking him as a top 100 prospect last year and No. 7 for the Rangers after last season, pegs him as a "defensive-oriented regular who hits at the bottom of the order," Sweet sees something completely different in the young switch hitter.

 

"One thing about Sardy is he's going to hit," Sweet said. "He's an offensive player. He's going to hit both ways.

 

"I think he's going to be a guy who's going to hit .280-plus. He's going to hit 15 home runs and drive in 60 and he's going to score 80. He's got speed, he can steal bases. There's just so many intangibles to his game. He's going to be an offensive-type player."

 

Through 16 games, Sardinas is batting .286 and is tied for second on the team with nine RBIs. He has drawn just three walks, but no Sky Sox batter has been more difficult to strike out.

 

Sardinas, whose English is spotty, said he didn't care where the organization ended up playing him. He grew up playing on rough fields in his hometown and appreciates the little things like true hops on perfectly manicured diamonds, so he's not going to concern himself with details that he can't control. He'd be happy to remain at the position that made his idol, Vizquel, a star, but he said he'd be content anywhere in the field.

 

He said for now his goal is the help the Sky Sox recover from a slow start and, most of all, stay focused.

 

That's been an effective plan for this youngster, so he'll stick with it. That's just what ballplayers do.

[Mass Haas]

Sitting with Colorado Springs Sky Sox utility player Brandon Macias

Kevin Henry, Examiner.com

 

http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/01/d0/01d013ed62b1244c8896f43b509d32c4.jpg?itok=_FiJ7NA6

 

Brandon Macias made an impact with his first Triple-A hit, ripping his eighth career triple. Photo by Robert David/Colorado Springs Sky Sox

 

Prior to the start of the series against the Iowa Cubs, I had the chance to sit down with new Colorado Springs Sky Sox third baseman Brandon Macias. Earlier this month, Macias made the jump directly from Advanced Class A to Triple-A by hitting .357 for the Brevard County Manatees in the Florida State League.

 

His best professional season thus far came in 2012, when he hit .288 with eight homers and 63 RBIs for Wisconsin in the Class A Midwest League.

 

Kevin Henry: How has Triple-A been for you so far?

 

Macias: It’s been fun. Being here was a little unexpected for me, but I’ve always said that wherever and whenever I’m needed, I will be there. When I was being called up to Triple-A, I knew I was needed there and I’ll be ready to do whatever I can here.

 

Henry: So you said the call-up was a little unexpected. Tell me about that.

 

Macias: Yeah, it was a little bit of a surprise, but I’ve been preparing for it all year. I knew when I was called up that I would be needed, so I’m ready to do whatever I can for this team.

 

Henry: And what’s the adjustment to Triple-A pitching been like for you?

 

Macias: It’s been a little bit of an adjustment. I haven’t seen as many fastballs here as I have in the past. It’s forcing me to make some adjustments and I’m starting to get there.

 

Henry: Your first Triple-A hit was a triple. Tell me about it.

 

Macias: It felt really good. It always feels good when you have that first hit at a different level. I don’t really consider myself to be a “speed” guy so I was really surprised it turned into a triple. The ball just went into the corner and I saw the coach waving me on to third. Honestly, I felt like I kind of ran out of gas when I got to second. I need to get used to the altitude here.

 

Henry: What was the biggest thing you worked on in the offseason?

 

Macias: The last couple of years, I’ve really been trying to focus on hitting the ball the other way. Hitting the ball to the opposite field is a big focus for me right now and I think it’s coming along.

 

Henry: The Sky Sox have you listed as a third baseman right now, but you’re playing multiple positions. Is that something that comes naturally to you?

 

Macias: Absolutely. I’ve played right field, shortstop, third base, and even first base in spring training. My defense has always been one of the strongest parts of my game. Being able to play multiple positions is one of the things I can bring to the team and help out where needed.

 

Henry: Where do you feel the most comfortable?

 

Macias: I’ve moved around for a couple of years so I’m pretty comfortable anywhere. It keeps things interesting when you don’t know where you’re going to be playing from night to night. I’ve spent most of my career at third base but played shortstop growing up. There are a lot of darn good shortstops in this system so I’m glad to play wherever I am needed. I do like playing third because everything comes at you fast and you always need to be ready.

[Mass Haas]

Sitting down with Sky Sox reliever Corey Knebel

Kevin Henry, Examiner.com

 

I recently had the chance to sit down with Colorado Springs Sky Sox reliever Corey Knebel. Now in his third professional season, the right-hander is 1-1 with a 5.00 ERA and two saves in nine appearances (through games of May 1) for Colorado Springs.

 

Overall, Knebel has compiled 20 saves and an 8-3 record with a 2.00 ERA in his minor league career for the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, and Milwaukee Brewers organizations. He also appeared in eight games last season for the Tigers, recording a 6.23 ERA.

 

Knebel is currently on the Brewers' 40-man roster.

 

Kevin Henry: How would you evaluate the season through the first month?

 

Knebel: I think it’s going pretty well. So far, I’ve really been working on getting ahead early in the count and staying ahead. I’ve been focusing on throwing first-pitch strikes and it’s been working. I think I have a feel for my role on the team and have settled into a routine. Now I’m just trying to put it all together, bear down, and execute.

 

Henry: What were some of the things you focused on heading into the season?

 

Knebel: My changeup and my fastball. I knew I had the curveball so I wanted to focus on my other pitches. In spring training, I worked on throwing strikes with those two pitches.

 

Henry: When you knew you were coming to the Triple-A Sky Sox instead of the majors, what was your mindset?

 

Knebel: I needed to focus on being here. I knew I was going to be somewhere where I could work on my pitches so that became my focus.

 

Henry: Was there any thought about coming to Colorado Springs and the altitude?

 

Knebel: It’s not really something I think about except when I’m doing conditioning. If a ball is going to get hit, it’s not about the altitude. It’s about the pitch. I can’t worry about the altitude. I have to focus on my pitches.

 

Henry: After pitching in the majors, does that make you hungrier to get back to that level?

 

Knebel: Absolutely. I think everyone feels that way, but it’s also not something you think about. You have to focus on what you can do wherever you are and that’s what I am doing.

 

Henry: You’ve been traded twice in the last year. Have you looked at those trades as new opportunities or just part of the business of baseball?

 

Knebel: When I was traded to the Brewers in the offseason, I knew there were plenty of good pitchers on the roster so I wanted to figure out how I could contribute. When I was traded from Detroit to Texas, it was a shock. I didn’t know what was going on or really how I should react to it. When I was traded from Texas to the Brewers, it took me about 3 minutes to react. My first thought was that I was going to miss pitching in Round Rock and for the Rangers organization, but I was and am very glad to be a Brewer.

[Mass Haas]

Veteran leader Orr helps steady Sky Sox ship during long season

By Joe Paisley, Colorado Springs Gazette

 

Sky Sox manager Rick Sweet wanted Pete Orr back with the Brewers organization last offseason for good reason.

 

Orr is known as a professional who provides a valuable example in the clubhouse for younger players.

 

"He is the kind of veteran you want in Single-A through the majors," Sweet said. "He leads by example with his play on the field and he says what needs to be said in the clubhouse. He has been a very good everyday player for us. He is a good example for the younger players by how he plays and handles himself."

 

Infielder Brandon Macias, 26, realized that while watching the Toronto area native.

 

"I definitely look up to him and model parts of my game after his, especially the defensive side," Macias said.

 

Orr recognizes that a 35-year-old will be looked to for leadership.

 

"I just try to be myself because if you're not, the others can tell and they won't listen to you," he said. "I just try to do my best every day because that what you do as a professional in whatever job you have. I love this game so I just play as hard as I can. I am still having fun. We have a great group of guys (on the Sky Sox) even if we are off to a slow start."

 

Orr's advice would not be heard without his performance on the field to back it up. He batted .301 in Nashville last season and .298 through 15 games in 2015.

 

"There's nothing quiet about Pete," Sweet said. "He does not get in anyone's faces but he says what needs to be said."

 

That leadership helps the organization develop its players. His off-the-field work ethic and versatility gives the 6-foot-1, 194-pounder a chance to go up to the Brewers. He has played second, third, shortstop, left and right field during his Major League career (443 games with Nationals and Phillies).

 

"He definitely could play in the majors," Sweet said. "Most guys are very knowledgeable at 35 but their physical attributes are on the decline. He has stayed in great shape. He has the knowledge of a 35-year-old and the body of a 28-year-old."

 

"He's 35 and plays as hard as he can every time," Macias said. "He plays everywhere and he is good defensively at each spot. That makes him a good guy to emulate. He just does everything the right way."

[Mass Haas]

Here's another, more extensive feature, this one from the Toronto Sun, on Pete Orr -- wouldn't be surprising to see him join the coaching ranks in the future, perhaps in the Brewers' organization.

[Mass Haas]

Via Ryan Kaufman at Miller Park Prospects -- Feature Profile on Sky Sox 1B Matt Clark

[Mass Haas]

Organization's best defensive infielder, Yadiel Rivera, fitting in nicely with Sky Sox

By Joe Paisley, Colorado Springs Gazette

 

It didn't take Colorado Springs shortstop Yadiel Rivera long to demonstrate why he is rated as the best defensive infielder in the Brewers organization.

 

In his first four games in a Sky Sox uniform, the natural shortstop showed the speed and lateral movement that enables him to make Major League-caliber defensive plays. He fits in nicely onto a roster with an already sound defensive infield.

 

The Puerto Rico native has garnered the notice of Baseball America, which rated him as the best defensive infielder in the organization in all five of his pro seasons.

 

"He has the defensive skills and the athleticism," Sky Sox manager Rick Sweet said of the No. 13-ranked prospect. "The trick is harnessing it and getting consistency. He has done a good job of developing that."

 

The 23-year-old needs to develop more offensively but his speed allows him to bunt to get on base. He is on Milwaukee's MLB 40-man roster and spent a lot of time in the big league and Triple-A spring training camps.

 

"I have been working on my stance and my hands mostly," he said. "I am better defensively, but it's not like you don't keep working on your defense."

 

Rivera is doing his best to learn from the more experienced players.

 

"I am always trying to learn especially from veterans like Pete Orr," he said. "When I got the call, I was excited. I'm not going to lie, I was also nervous but (Biloxi) manager (Carlos Subero) said I was ready. Still, I know I am facing pitchers who have played in the majors so this will be a challenge."

 

An injury to Brewers' everyday shortstop Jean Segura (broken finger, 15-day disabled list) forced the organization to promote Luis Sardinas. Rivera split time at shortstop and second base in Double-A Biloxi alongside another top shortstop prospect, Orlando Arcia, who is rated as the Brewers' No. 1 prospect by Baseball America and mlb.com.

 

Rivera put together a solid 32 games for the Shuckers in 2015 by batting .322 with 13 RBIs, eight doubles, eight stolen bases, seven walks and two triples to become the first Double-A call-up this season. He is batting .294 with a stolen base and double through four PCL games entering Monday's contest.

 

The 6-foot-3, 180-pounder made steady progress through the minors. He started in the Arizona Fall League after signing as a ninth-round pick in 2010. Milwaukee brought him along at a good, measured pace, spending half a season in the short rookie Pioneer League, 1½ in the Class A Midwest League and 1½ in the Advanced A Florida State League.

 

"The good news for the organization is that we now have our best shortstop prospects playing (at that position) every day," Sweet said. "We are happy to have him."

[Boomer5]

I have no idea who or how picked Colorado for our AAA organization. I hated when we had Denver years back, as I cant imagine how you can project performance to the majors playing there.

 

I can see players, especially pitching, skipping AAA. I would assume this has been discussed, but Id like to hear the boards thoughts.

[Mass Haas]

I have no idea who or how picked Colorado for our AAA organization. I hated when we had Denver years back, as I cant imagine how you can project performance to the majors playing there.

 

Certainly nobody in the Brewers organization "picked" Colorado Springs, though they've put on a good game face and been very professional and cordial with the Sky Sox front office. It was the last chair standing in the game of affiliation shuffle musical chairs.

 

If anything, the Brewers should have been more proactive regarding other sites earlier, such as Albuquerque (where the Rockies ended up), though that's no picnic location, either.

 

Simply put, if the Brewers had fielded even fairly competitive AAA clubs in Nashville in recent years, they'd be enjoying the new ballpark in a great stat-evaluating friendly environment in the Music City.

[Boomer5]

I have no idea who or how picked Colorado for our AAA organization. I hated when we had Denver years back, as I cant imagine how you can project performance to the majors playing there.

 

Certainly nobody in the Brewers organization "picked" Colorado Springs, though they've put on a good game face and been very professional and cordial with the Sky Sox front office. It was the last chair standing in the game of affiliation shuffle musical chairs.

 

If anything, the Brewers should have been more proactive regarding other sites earlier, such as Albuquerque (where the Rockies ended up), though that's no picnic location, either.

 

Simply put, if the Brewers had fielded even fairly competitive AAA clubs in Nashville in recent years, they'd be enjoying the new ballpark in a great stat-evaluating friendly environment in the Music City.

 

I am quite ignorant of the affiliate selection process. This seems like a very difficult venue to develop and evaluate talent, almost to the point of being worthless. Wont pitchers alter their approach?

 

Id think pitching would almost have to skip AAA all together. I was never a fan of the 2011 draft but even I feel bad for Bradley and Jungmann.

[brewmann04]

Bradley is going to be a reliever Jungmann still has starter quality.

I really hope the Crew can find a new 3 A Home in 2 years

[Boomer5]

Bradley is going to be a reliever Jungmann still has starter quality.

I really hope the Crew can find a new 3 A Home in 2 years

 

I do think they have a future of sorts but that AAA experience isnt helping. Bradley's 9.87 and Jungmann's 7.68 ERA's hardly give me much comfort.

 

I agree the Brewers need to look for a new home when their deal expires.

[TheCrew07]

In a way, this all ties back to buying MLB players with prospects, there just haven't been exciting prospects to send through Nashville as they were all traded away, our AAA team has been pretty blah since the Mat Gamel days. Even with the "veteran" ball clubs they didn't win much, every year the more prospect laden teams have won the PCL... Omaha, Memphis, etc.

 

You'd think with so many veteran guys those Brewer AAA teams would have had an advantage but it never worked out that way, which of course is why when anyone on the MLB team got hurt our bench was so horrible, there hasn't been much behind the MLB starters for some time now.

[Boomer5]

That is one key point that has seemed to escape many teams; cost of building a quality minor league system vs not. With the rising cost of the major league roster; for the cost of one reliever *cough Broxton cough*, you can build a world class coaching and scouting department.

 

Other than the crazy international player costs, for the most part the draft is all about DD and approach. That doesn't cost a whole lot more that the status quo and the returns are massive.

 

I hate to keep bringing up the Cardinals, but if Im Mark A, Id want some serious answers as to how they succeed in the draft picking so late, when we keep taking guys like Arnett and Bradley, et al.