Link Report for Tuesday 4/14

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Tuesday's Daily Menu:

 

All times are Central

 

Colorado Springs: RHP Taylor Jungmann at home vs. Round Rock (Rangers), 7:05 PM pre-game, 7:35 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

We welcome Dan Karcher, who is the longtime play-by-play voice of the Sky Sox; follow him on Twitter @SkySoxKarch

 

MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; all Colorado Springs 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. The video of each game is archived online, which is a nice feature. All MiLB.TV details available at the link.

 

NOTE: Notice that on MiLB.TV's page, you can click on "Filter", then "Milwaukee Brewers", and you'll see just the Crew's organizational TV lineup.

 

**********

 

Biloxi: Idle

 

**********

 

Brevard County: RHP Hiram Burgos at home vs. St. Lucie (Mets), 5:05 PM pre-game, 5:35 gametime

 

Free Live Audio Link

 

Dave Walkovic returns as the play-by-play voice of the 'Tees; follow the Brevard broadcast booth staff on Twitter @BCManateesRadio, as all games are scheduled to be broadcast in 2015.

 

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

 

**********

 

Wisconsin: RHP Orlando Torrez at home vs. Peoria (Cardinals), 11:45 AM pre-game, 12:05 PM gametime; RHP Victor Diaz will pitch in a tandem role

 

Free Live Audio Link - 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.

 

NOTE: Forty-two (!) of the Rattlers' 70 home games will be broadcast on TV this season. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (9) and WACY-TV My NEW32 (34) 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.

 

***

 

So, for the $49.95 season-long package, fans in Brewer Nation can watch all Sky Sox games, most Shuckers games, and all Timber Rattlers home games and some road games.

[Mass Haas]

NOTE: Forty-two (!) of the Rattlers' 70 home games will be broadcast on TV this season. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (9) and WACY-TV My NEW32 (34) 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.

 

DVR ALERT!

 

Click that link above and you'll see that four more Wisconsin games are on local TV this week, today through Friday, three night games on My NEW32 and today's matinee on TWC. Plan accordingly.

[Mass Haas]

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

 

Colorado Springs

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

MiLB.com feature -- organizational scoreboard, Brewers

[Mass Haas]

Look for these just prior to the respective game times --

 

Colorado Springs Media Notes - It's a unique link each day, but look for it under the "Multimedia" banner on the Sky Sox' site.

 

Brevard County Media Notes - It's a unique link each day, but look for it under the "Multimedia" banner on the Manatees' site.

 

Wisconsin Media Notes - Linked on the Rattler Radio blog

 

***

 

STANDINGS:

 

AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division

 

AA - Southern League South Division

 

High-A - Florida State League North Division

 

A - Midwest League Western Division

 

***

 

Sortable individual stat pages:

 

Colorado Springs

 

Biloxi

 

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

 

***

 

Weather.com:

 

Colorado Springs, CO

 

Viera, FL

 

Grand Chute, WI

[Mass Haas]

Busy birthday date for current Brewer farmhands --

 

Wisconsin Timber Rattler OF Brandon Diaz turns 20

 

Fellow Rattler and today's starting pitcher RHP Orlando Torrez turns 23

 

SP Jacob Barnes will enjoy his 25th birthday with the Shuckers at their Meet-and-Greet in Biloxi

 

Colorado Springs RHP Chris Leroux is 31 years old today

[Mass Haas]

NOTE: Forty-two (!) of the Rattlers' 70 home games will be broadcast on TV this season. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (9) and WACY-TV My NEW32 (34) 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.

 

DVR ALERT!

 

Click that link above and you'll see that four more Wisconsin games are on local TV this week, today through Friday, three night games on My NEW32 and today's matinee on TWC. Plan accordingly.

 

This tweet reminds us that TWC also has a full half-hour pregame show.

[Mass Haas]

From Monday --

 

VIDEO: Colorado Springs' Jason Rogers hits a two-run double in the first inning of a 9-2 win over Round Rock

 

***

 

AUDIO: Pitching coach Dave Chavarria joins Jerry Durney of the Manatees Radio Network.

 

***

 

AUDIO, Game Highlights: Brevard County pitching dominates in a 2-1 victory.

 

***

 

VIDEO: Wisconsin's Elvis Rubio hits a leadoff double in the second inning of a 3-0 loss to visiting Peoria

[TheCrew07]

This TRat team needs an offensive explosion the worst way.

[And That]

The Rattlers have scattered 7 hits through 6, including a double and triple by Leal, but have nothing to show for it. They're down 4-0, so it's not looking good for the first win.

[Outlander]

What is the deal with Carlos Leal? Pitched last year not so well in limited time and this year is hitting 700 so far?

[igor67]

On the positive side DeMuth seems to have found his high batting average stroke again.

[fondybrewfan]

Gatewood gets his first HR; that's at least something.

[Mass Haas]

Through six games, Wisconsin is 37-for-187 (.198). If you remove Carlos Leal and his .643 average (9-for-14), the rest of the team is 28-for-173 (.162).

 

As the sample size gets bigger, those numbers are going to get more difficult to raise from a team perspective, so we can only harp on them so much, and will effort not to be repetitive.

 

The team has actually had a decent number of runners in scoring position, they're just not bunching hits together at all.

 

One nice crooked number inning would indeed make a difference to these kids right now, just as a confidence builder.

 

Lake County (Indians) is hitting .159 through four games.

[Mass Haas]

[Mass Haas]

The Shuck Dynasty Blog from today includes some nice photos and views from the players' tour of the construction site.

[WV Brew]

Brevard County 1, St. Lucie 0

 

Burgos Blanks Mets

Manatees Beat St. Lucie, 1-0

By Dave Walkovic / Brevard County Manatees

04/14/2015 11:01 PM ET

 

 

 

Viera, Fla. - Hiram Burgos dominated for the Brevard County Manatees (3-2) in a 1-0 victory over the St. Lucie Mets (3-3) on Tuesday night at Space Coast Stadium.

 

In his second start of the season, Burgos (1-1, 2.25 ERA) allowed just one hit in seven shutout innings. He walked one and struck out eight men total. Burgos, who missed a majority of the 2014 season with a right shoulder strain, retired the final 13 batters he faced, and fanned Maikis De La Cruz and Dominic Smith to end his outing. The lone hit against Burgos came with two outs in the first inning, when Michael Conforto hit a ground-rule double to right field.

 

Victor Roache provided the only score of the game when he stepped to the plate with one out in the bottom of the second. With MLB rehabber Vic Black (0-1, 9.00) on the hill, Roache deposited a fastball over the right field fence for a solo home run. It was Roache's first homer of the season. He hit 18 long balls for Brevard County last year, third most in the Florida State League.

 

After Burgos departed, manager Joe Ayrault called on Trevor Seidenberger for the eighth inning. After he allowed a leadoff single to Victor Cruzado, Seidenberger whiffed the next two batters. Yeixon Ruiz then reached on an error to put men on first and second. Seidenberger struck out Champ Stuart to preserve the Brevard County lead.

 

Casey Medlen, who earned the save in last night's win, entered to start the ninth. Conforto drew a one-out walk, but Medlen struck out De La Cruz and retired Smith on a fly ball to notch his second consecutive save.

 

St. Lucie right-handed pitcher Miller Diaz, who was the scheduled starter for the Mets before MLB rehabber Bobby Parnell was added to the roster, pitched five shutout innings in relief. He struck out six and walked three.

 

The series continues tomorrow night in Vero Beach at Historic Dodgertown as the teams will play in the Jackie Robinson Celebration Game. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Holman Stadium. Wei-Chung Wang (1-0, 0.00) will start for the 'Tees. He will opposed by Robert Gsellman (1-0, 1.69)

 

Brevard County Box Score

 

Brevard County Game Log

 

This was the Hiram Burgos show. 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 8 K, 1 W

 

Trevor Seidenberger and Casey Medlen closed it out.

 

Victor Roache HR provided the only run of the game. Victor hit the HR off rehabbing Met Vic Black.

Chris McFarland 1-4

Clint Coulter 1-3, W

 

Odd 3rd inning:

 

 

St. Lucie Top of the 3rd

 

Yeixon Ruiz hit by pitch.

With Champ Stuart batting, Rafael Neda picks off Yeixon Ruiz at 1st on throw to Garrett Cooper.

Champ Stuart walks.

With Jeff McNeil batting, Champ Stuart caught stealing 2nd base, catcher Rafael Neda to shortstop Angel Ortega.

Jeff McNeil grounds out, catcher Rafael Neda to first baseman Garrett Cooper.

 

3 assists for Rafael Neda, all made in a different way.

[TheCrew07]

Wisconsin falls 7-1 to Peoria

Gatewood homers for Timber Rattlers

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/3/9/4/118243394/cuts/Gatewood_Article_Photo_tyx2ekmd_2j5v76pg.jpg

Jake Gatewood rounds third in the fifth inning of Tuesday's game against the Peoria Chiefs at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. (Wisconsin Timber Rattlers/Ann Mollica)

 

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Peoria Chiefs completed a three-game sweep of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium with a 7-1 win on Tuesday afternoon. Will Anderson scattered seven hits and struck out six over six shutout innings for the victory.

 

Peoria (4-2) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Collin Radack singled with one out, went to second on a wild pitch, and took third on a single by Steve Bean. Blake Drake's sacrifice fly to left knocked in Radack for a 1-0 lead.

 

The Chiefs added to their lead in the fourth inning with an unearned run. Danny Diekroeger reached on an error to start the frame. Radack singled with one out to put runners on first and second and to chase Wisconsin starting pitcher Orlando Torrez from the game.

 

Rattlers reliever Brock Hudgens entered the game and Diekroeger and Radack pulled a double steal to move up to third and second at that point. A walk to Bean loaded the bases. Hudgens got the second out on a popup, but a single to left by Darren Seferina drove in Diekroeger for a 2-0 lead. A strong throw by Jose Pena cut down Radack at the plate on the plat for the final out of the inning.

 

The Chiefs added two more runs against Hudgens in the fifth inning and three off Victor Diaz, the Rattlers third pitcher of the game, in the top if the seventh.

 

Wisconsin (0-6) got on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning. Jake Gatewood lined an 0-1 pitch from reliever Robby Rowland over the wall in left for a solo home run. The dinger was the first for Gatewood in the Midwest League.

 

Wisconsin had eight hits in the game, but went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven runners in the game.

 

Designated hitter Carlos Leal went 2-for-4 for the Rattlers and is now 9-for-14 on the season. Dustin DeMuth extended his current hitting streak to five games with a third inning single. DeMuth was 2-for-4 on Tuesday.

 

 

 

The Timber Rattlers begin a series with the Burlington Bees on Wednesday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Angel Ventura (0-0, 3.00) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers. Burlington has scheduled Michael Bolaski (0-0, 1.80) as their starting pitcher. Game time is 6:35pm.

 

It's the first WIXX Bang for Your Buck Night of 2015 on Wednesday and fans may enjoy Cher-Make hotdogs, Pepsi products, and Miller beer for $1 during the game!

 

If you can't make it out to the ballpark, there are many ways to follow the action.

 

MyNEW 32's Sports Showdown will televise the game beginning at 6:30pm.

 

The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:15pm. The game is also available on the internet through TuneIn Radio and MiLB.TV.

 

HOME RUN:

WIS:

Jake Gatewood (1st, 0 on in 7th inning off Robby Rowland, 1 out)

 

WP: Will Anderson (1-0)

LP: Orlando Torrez (0-1)

 

TIME: 2:39

ATTN: 573

 

Rattler Radio Postgame & Highlights.

 

Wisconsin Boxscore

 

Those of you who listen to radio broadcasts will know what I mean here because the crowd mics are a much larger part of that kind of broadcast. However, on Jake Gatewood's HR you could hear that special sound of the crack of the bat even on TV, he did admire the shot for a while, the only thing he left out was the Gomez bat flip, and of course since Peoria is a Cards' affiliate they took exception and there was jawing near home plate after he crossed and was heading to the dugout. Cooler heads prevailed and there was no incident, and while I'm not into showing up opponents, Peoria was still up by 6 runs and was obviously going to sweep, so I'm not sure what the point of that whole fiasco was from either side.

 

The good news offensively is that SO total dropped for the 3rd straight game, and since more balls are being put in play, more good things are happening. Unfortunately good things aren't happening in bunches and the Rattlers aren't scoring many runs.

 

The lack of runs isn't the only issue right now, the young pitching has struggled mightily as well. Wisconsin has played all 6 games while other teams have had some rainouts but the TRats have given up the most runs in the league so far this season (39). For comparison sake Peoria has also played the full compliment of games and has only given up 11 runs, they would be will leaders if everyone had played 6 games so far.

 

So the long and short of it is that this is just a young team trying to find it's bearings in the early going.

 

After watching the game on the DVR none of the pitching was impressive in the least, Victor Diaz was all over the place and curve was loopy and he left it up quite a bit. Peoria hitters hit every pitch in his arsenal hard at one point or another during his 4 innings. I was hoping he might take a significant jump this year but so far he's been pretty much the same guy. Between the 3 pitchers they managed just 3 strike outs against 14 hits and 2 walks.

 

Wisconsin Recap

[Jenkins5]

Through six games, Wisconsin is 37-for-187 (.198). If you remove Carlos Leal and his .643 average (9-for-14), the rest of the team is 28-for-173 (.162).

 

As the sample size gets bigger, those numbers are going to get more difficult to raise from a team perspective, so we can only harp on them so much, and will effort not to be repetitive.

 

The team has actually had a decent number of runners in scoring position, they're just not bunching hits together at all.

 

One nice crooked number inning would indeed make a difference to these kids right now, just as a confidence builder.

 

Lake County (Indians) is hitting .159 through four games.

 

It is always a tough adjustment in April for these kids. I bet that many of them are just pressing right now too much. I rather have them aggressive and pushing these kids than going back too the days where they held them all back in extended spring training while filling the team of all 23-25 year old guys. Winning doesn't matter at all as long as they are growing and improving. Struggles will happen and if they can't snap out of it they go down to Helena in June. Like Mass said, I think if they can just put together one big outing with the bats that could relax them and get them going. I hope not to many people had high expectations that after the first week or two all these kids would be thriving already. Erickson is a great manager, he'll coach these kids up.

[molitor fan]

Sardinas got pulled...not sure if there has been an injury or trade to Padres as I am not listening to call

[Mass Haas]

Reminder about the significance of Wednesday's Manatees game --

 

Manatees to play in Jackie Robinson game at Dodgertown

Tim Walters, FLORIDA TODAY

 

http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/92d69c3dcc6a5878ca9d308a1a8f5d4ab4172fc7/c=0-3-525-397&r=x404&c=534x401/local/-/media/Brevard/2015/04/04/B9316810798Z.1_20150404170019_000_GOGACLGCV.1-0.jpg

 

An aerial view of the Dodgertown barracks in Vero Beach in 1948. The integrated barracks and dining room of Dodgertown are located in the buildings toward the center of the photos and Dodgertown Field No. 1 is located just west of the buildings.

(Photo: For FLORIDA TODAY)

 

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier when the Brooklyn Dodgers started him at first base against the Boston Braves.

 

Since 2004, Major League Baseball has honored that historic day by having every player on every team wear Robinson's jersey No. 42 on April 15.

 

And for the second year in a row, Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach will honor Robinson by hosting the Jackie Robinson Celebration game on April 15, which will pit the host St. Lucie Mets against the Brevard County Manatees.

 

"The Florida State League took a lot of pride in holding the game last year," said Brady Ballard, vice president of Historic Dodgertown. "We hope it becomes a signature game in the Florida State League."

 

The game was the brainchild of Brevard County Manatees general manager Kyle Smith.

 

Smith and Ballard are friends going back to when Ballard was the GM for the Daytona Cubs.

 

When Ballard took over as vice president of Dodgertown, he missed being a part of professional baseball, which had left Vero Beach in 2008.

 

After some deep conversations, Smith came up with the idea to hold a game at the place where Robinson held all of his spring trainings after being called up to the Major Leagues — and that was Historic Dodgertown.

 

"We (the Manatees) had always struggled to find a good way to have a Jackie Robinson Day," Smith said. "We felt we were lacking something in getting people excited about. We kicked that around and we decided Dodgertown was the place to do it."

 

Smith and Ballard had wanted the inaugural Jackie Robinson game to be played between the Mets and the Manatees because Dodgertown is a mid-point between the two clubs. But since the 2014 schedule was already made, the Manatees worked out a deal with the Lakeland Tigers to hold their previously scheduled game at Dodgertown.

 

The crowd and excitement exceeded expectations.

 

"We got 5,000 people to come out to Vero on a Tuesday in April," Smith said. "We got people there excited about baseball again. We created a traffic jam in Vero, which is hard to do."

 

Prior to being called up in 1947, Robinson prepared at a spring training facility in Havana, Cuba.

 

Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey had wanted to hide the fact he was planning to call up an African-American player, and Cuba provided the perfect spot to do that.

 

It was around this time Vero Beach businessman and airport manager Bud Holman approached Rickey about consolidating the Dodgers' spring training and minor league operations to Vero.

 

It took some convincing, but Rickey agreed, and Dodgertown held its first spring training in 1948 at a converted World War II Naval base.

 

"They had all Dodgers from all organizations there, which is the first time that had been done," said Fred Augenstein, a board member for the United Way of Indian River County, which benefits from proceeds of the Jackie Robinson Celebration game. "They made a deal with Vero that the Dodgertown complex could have black players along with foreign-born players without violating any laws. They were able to integrate all their players and look at all talent at one time. No team had ever done that until then."

 

Robinson homered in the field's inaugural major league game on March 31, 1948. The Dodgers defeated the Montreal Royals 5-4.

 

The baseball stadium at Dodgertown was named after Holman, and spring training was held there through 2008.

 

Dodgertown has not been the home of professional baseball since. The Dodgers played their last spring training game there on March 17, 2008, and the minor league Vero Beach Devil Rays played their final game there six months later.

 

Dodgertown has become a destination for amateur sports, but it was nearly six years before the stadium would again host professional baseball when it held the Lakeland-Brevard County game last April.

 

"With what Dodgertown is today — we're going to have over 3,000 games at the facility — but this is the one professional level game," Ballard said. "This is an opportunity for people to come back to their former seats when they were ticket holders, and they can enjoy Dodgerdogs. We had early requests when the game was announced that they would have the official Dodgerdogs."

 

Ballard and Smith hope the game becomes an annual affair between the Mets and Manatees.

 

"The scheduling committee has to juggle some things, but it's good for baseball," Smith said.

 

The game begins at 6:30 p.m., with gates opening at 5. All tickets cost $5 and are general seating. Discounts are granted for groups that buy tickets in multiples of 42. For instance, groups that buy 42 tickets get 10 free. Groups of 21 get five free, and groups of 84 get 20 free.

 

All proceeds from the game go to the United Way of Indian River County.

 

"To think of all these things that took place in the little town of Vero Beach, it was the stimulus point for much of baseball's integration happening," Augenstein said. "It's really something that should be celebrated in what's transpired since then. We've come a far way as a society, even though sometimes it doesn't seem so. We don't give enough credit for what happened here."

[Mass Haas]

PHOTO GALLERY at link

 

Shuckers arrive in Biloxi to meet fans, tour stadium

By Mary Perez, SunHerald.com

 

 

 

BILOXI -- The Biloxi Shuckers' coaches and players on Tuesday got their first indication of what awaits them when they move into the new stadium.

 

Elizabeth Metcalf of Biloxi was with co-workers during lunch at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino when she spotted the team boarding a bus to take them across the street in the rain for their first look at their new stadium. She scored two autographs and although she couldn't read their names, they added their numbers -- 3 (manager Carlos Subero) and 17 (outfielder Michael Reed) -- and made an instant fan.

 

She and her husband went online to buy four season tickets when they went on sale and chose seats right behind home plate.

 

"I was so excited when they announced they were coming here," she said. "We were glad to see the city stepped up."

 

What the Shuckers bring to Biloxi, she said, are new businesses, restaurants, night life and family-oriented attractions. Metcalf said she planned to return Tuesday night for the Meet the Shuckers event at Coast Restaurant at Beau Rivage.

 

George Corchis, CEO of Southern Operations for MGM Resorts International, stepped out of a conference call with the company's boards of director to welcome the team and congratulate them on their 3-1 season-opening series win against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

 

Pensacola has a nice stadium, he said. "You have a more amazing stadium."

 

He then opened his crisp dress shirt to reveal a Biloxi Shuckers T-shirt underneath.

 

Steven Patera, the Shuckers' athletic trainer, said the stadium gives the community something to be excited about. "I think it brings a different aspect to the city -- a little bit of Americana with baseball," he said.

 

For him, Tuesday was about coming home.

 

He was born at Keesler Air Force Base and his father was transferred when Patera was a year old. For an "Air Force brat" growing up and moving a dozen more times, "You really don't feel you have a home," he said.

 

Now Biloxi is home. His father has since retired from the Air Force and his parents, who now live in Virginia, are planning to visit Biloxi. "They're working on trying to get in for Opening Day," he said.

 

So are lots of other people, said Shuckers general manager Buck Rogers. More calls come in every day about those tickets, he said, and when an Opening Day is announced, "Those tickets I imagine will be gone in short order. We're shooting for a day in May right now to start selling tickets."

 

Bringing the team to Biloxi to see their stadium that is still under construction and meet the media and fans was the idea of Scott Martens of the Milwaukee Brewers, the Shuckers' parent club.

 

"You can feel the excitement in the community," he said. "Absolutely," he said, adding that he'll be back for Opening Day.

[Mass Haas]

WXXV: Here is another worthwhile video with several players interviewed on camera from Biloxi

[Mass Haas]

Via Jordan Gorosh of Baseball Prospectus --

 

Jungmann using all four pitches. T94, mostly flat FB, loose command. 75-77 mph CB, 45. Sharp, high 80s SL. Mid 80s straight CH. #5 SP/long RP.

 

Jungmann hasn't commanded the FB in either outing I've seen him. Struggles to get ahead. Getting to 3 ball counts in the majors is a problem

 

and a pot shot (pun intended) at Chris Perez - Dog Backstory from 2013

[ewitkows]

On the positive side DeMuth seems to have found his high batting average stroke again.

 

I really think he'll be our 3b of the future. He'll hit but not for power , could be a really good 2 hole hitter