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Your 2016 Biloxi Shuckers

Mass Haas

By Mass Haas,
in Brewers Minor League Talk

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Mass Haas

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Hometown feature --

 

Danvers' Peterson earns all-star nod in Double-A Southern League

By Matt Williams, Salem (MA) News Staff writer

 

Photo of the Shuckers' at the All-Star Game at the link

 

When Stephen Peterson hit Logan Airport in February to depart for his fifth spring training as a professional baseball player, he was determined to prove that he was ready to take the next step in his career.

 

Four months later, the southpaw from St. John's Prep and Danvers hasn't just survived his first season of Double-A ball — he's thrived.

 

Peterson was selected for the Southern League's All-Star Game (pitching a scoreless inning for the winning side, no less) two weeks ago. It was his first all-star nod as a pro and it was a nice sign of how far the 28-year-old reliever has come in the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

 

"It's an honor and it was a really exciting thing," Peterson said, speaking from the clubhouse of the Biloxi Shuckers in Mississippi. "The game itself was such a fun time, and then when its your turn to pitch all you can think is 'I gotta perform and show why I'm here.' Feeling like I've showed why I'm here was one of the best parts of it."

 

The Brewers signed Peterson as an undrafted free agent from the University of Rhode Island back in 2011. Just one season removed from Tommy John surgery at that point, Peterson showed enough in the short-season Arizona League for the Brewers to bring him back.

 

After a full season in Wisconsin, he spent three years in high-A ball in Brevard County, Florida. He loved living on the 'Space Coast' but going into the 2016 season he felt it was time for his career to lift off.

 

"Everything had gone pretty well in Brevard and I did feel like I deserved a shot. I thought this could be the year I started in Double-A," Peterson said. "I wanted to prove that I belonged there and I think I've done that so far. I got off to a strong start and that helped me trust myself and my ability."

 

In Biloxi, Peterson carries a 2.70 earned run average that's the lowest of his career so far. He's made more appearances (38) than any other pitcher in the Southern League and his seven wins both lead the Shuckers and rank fourth in the league.

 

Being in Double-A has helped the lefthander learn about himself as a pitcher. Bullpens at that level tend to have more defined roles, and he's put himself in position to flourish in tight games and in lefthanded matchups.

 

"I've been in some big situations in big games and I look forward to that. One of the things I really try to be is a guy that can fill any role," said Peterson. "I've been a long relief guy at lower levels and this year I've been a set-up guy and a specialist. I think the more roles you can fill, the more valuable you are."

 

Peterson, who threw two no-hitters while helping St. John's reach the 2006 Division 1 state final and still wears Pete Frates gear when he can, has six holds on the season. For him, pitching is as much mental as it is physical.

 

NOTE: Frates, former BC baseball player and victim of Lou Gehrig's Disease, is credited as the creator of the Ice Bucket Challenge.

 

"What's that Yogi Berra quote, half of baseball is 90 percent mental," he said. "If you go to the mound with a plan, you're going to be successful. Baseball is between the ears, especially in the life of a reliever.

 

"Part of being in different situations teaches you how to pitch. Against a lefty, maybe the secondary pitch and throwing that for a strike is the focus. With guys on base, you want to pound that zone. The most important thing is to make your pitch and make the hitter do what you want them to do with the ball."

 

Peterson went to the Southern League All-Star Game with four of his Shuckers teammates. The team's had a successful year so far, finishing second in its division in the first half. The all-star experience was an unforgettable one.

 

"My inning was kind of a blur," said Peterson, who threw the seventh frame. "The last two after that I was in the dugout just soaking it all in. My family was watching on the computer back in Massachusetts and I think they were even more excited than I was."

 

Peterson's fiance works in the Boston area and the couple is expecting their first child in the fall. Support from her and his family has meant the world as he's chased his dream of playing pro baseball and he says "They're the reason why I'm here, why I can do that."

 

Having made a living in baseball for the better part of six years, Peterson continues to rise through the ranks. He's as focused as he's ever been.

 

"I was undrafted. A lot of people might tell you I'm not supposed to be here and I do carry that chip with me. I'm beyond thankful for the Brewers for giving me the shot and every time they say 'Play ball' I'm trying to show I belong," Peterson said. "During the day you do think about how much fun this is and being a kid dreaming about this; Then when 7:05 or 7:10 comes around, that competitor takes over and it's all business."

 

Peterson knows he might not blow hitters away with his velocity, but mentally he's got the type of resolve that won't allow him to give in and throw a cookie when he's on the hill. With another few months left in the Double-A season, he's happy to be recognized but he's also far from satisfied.

 

"Everything I've gone through these past couple seasons and battling to this point does make it extra special," he said. "You never lose that drive to take the ball and go get it. I'm excited to show I belong here but my ultimate goal is still the big leagues."

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Mass Haas GOAT

Mass Haas

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The Blue Wahoos added on four more runs against Brett Lee in the seventh to break the game open to a nine-run advantage.

 

Tough for the southpaw to have a miserable outing in front of the home crowd, and he had this feature written about him --

 

Several PHOTOS at this gallery link

 

***

 

Submarine style pitching coming around for WF grad

Brian Achatz, Pensacola News Journal

 

Much has changed for Brett Lee - West Florida High grad (2009) and current relief pitcher for the Biloxi Shuckers - since his high school days.

 

Aside from physical development and baseball IQ growth, the pitcher's most notable change came recently when he began throwing submarine style less than one month ago.

 

Lee and the Shuckers (Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers in the Southern League) are amidst a five-game series (July 9-13) vs. Pensacola, hosted at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

 

"It (submarine-style pitching) has taken a bit to get used to, but it is progressively getting better," said Lee, who was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 10th round of the 2011 MLB draft. "It's tough throwing one way your whole life and then having that change ... you almost have no idea where the pitch is going at first.

 

"But once you can figure out submarine style, the ball moves an incredible amount. Velocity is a little less, but my fastball moves so much more. It gets batters to hit into ground balls."

 

To aid Lee in the transition and bolster team chemistry, fellow Biloxi pitchers have helped Lee along the way with learning the unorthodox throwing style.

 

"We have two other submarine pitchers on this team and my coaches have just wanted me to watch them," said Lee, who was born and raised in Perdido Key. "Gage Smith and Tyler Spurlin ... I try to mirror them. Tyler Spurlin has been named my permanent catch coach."

 

Lee said that mastering the new style is his next short-term goal, while his major goal is reaching the MLB.

 

After being selected in the draft in 2011, Lee continued to work at his craft and was called up to the Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A Twins affiliate) in 2015 and appeared in six games for the Lookouts this year.

 

On May 12 Lee made his first appearance with the Shuckers, staying in Double-A.

 

"I like it a lot being with the Brewers (organization), they really work with you and give you time to figure things out," said Lee, who allowed just two-hits in three innings of work in his most recent appearance on July 7. "The Brewers gave me another chance and that's something I am very grateful for."

 

Lee also expressed gratitude for his experience at West Florida High, showing his prep baseball memories aren't too far behind.

 

"They were all great coaches (at West Florida High)," Lee said. "It was all business on the field. There was no playing around. But those coaches taught us how to get work done and have fun at the same time. It was a good atmosphere that kept baseball fun."

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Mass Haas

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Archer continuing up Brewers' ranks

Craig Delk, Upper Cumberland (TN) Herald-Citizen

 

http://herald-citizen.com/uploads/large/20160718100456-8e89-KH_TristanArcher_7_18_16.jpg

 

Former Tennessee Tech pitcher Tristan Archer delivers for the Biloxi Shuckers during a game against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos in Pensacola, FL. Kevin Hayes photo

 

Tristan Archer’s professional baseball career has been marked by consistency, not only in terms of his progression through the ranks, but also by his production.

 

The former Tennessee Tech pitcher who was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 21st round of the 2013 draft has moved up a level every year, and he’s put up similar numbers at each stop.

 

This year as a member of the Class AA Biloxi (Miss.) Shuckers, the 25-year-old righty is 3-3 with a 3.32 earned-run average in 34 appearances. He has 53 strikeouts in 57 innings pitched, and an impressive 1.09 WHIP (walks+hits/innings pitched) average while appearing largely out of the bullpen.

 

Those numbers are strikingly close to last year, when he finished 3-4 with a 3.42 ERA, and 63 strikeouts in 71 innings for the High-A Brevard County (Fla.) Manatees.

 

As a rookie in 2013, he was 2-1 with a 3.08 ERA, with 25 punchouts in 38 innings for the rookie level Helena (Wyo.) Brewers. True to his consistency, he followed up with a 7-6 mark, a 3.42 ERA, and 88 strikeouts in 113 innings for the Low-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in 2014.

 

“I feel good about my progression,” Archer said. “I told myself that was a goal when I started playing, to progress by at least one level per year, and so far I have been able to do that. I will definitely say that it’s been tough and a grind. I know that every year coming in to spring training, I have to be at my best because I know I am competing for a job.”

 

Archer’s 2016 performance has not gone unnoticed, as he was recently named a Southern League all-star.

 

“I was surprised when I found out that I had made the all-star team,” Archer admitted. “I thought my first half was pretty good, but not my best. But it is definitely an honor to be named to an all-star team.”

 

Archer has been especially effective over the last month. After seeing his ERA creep up to 4.58 on June 14, he has given up just one earned run in his last 17 2/3 innings, spanning nine total appearances.

 

Archer isn’t the only former Golden Eagle who plays for a Southern League team. Outfielder Chad Oberacker a 2011 draft pick is now a member of the Mobile (Ala.) Bay Bears of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.

 

“We played against each other early in the year,” Archer said, “but he was injured during that time so we never got a chance to face each other.”

 

Regardless of where his next stop is, Archer says his pro career so far has been quite memorable.

 

“(My favorite part has been) the team,” he said. “I have had the opportunity to make a lot of new friends from all over, and I think that is pretty awesome.”

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TheCrew07 Carolina Mudcats

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Video at the link, interesting AB as he had a slight problem putting the hitter away.

 

Woodruff posting zeros again for Shuckers

Righty rebounds from off outings by allowing two hits in eight frames

By Josh Jackson / MiLB.com

 

Brandon Woodruff made the longest start of his pro career Wednesday, but the other half of his battery made sure his arm got quick treatment.

 

Woodruff's catcher, Jacob Nottingham, promptly gave him an ice bath, dousing him with the water cooler during an on-field interview after the game.

 

"'Notty' took care of me," Milwaukee's No. 25 prospect said. "That was my first time ever and it took my breath away. Notty did a great job behind the plate."

 

And Woodruff (8-8) wasn't so bad on the mound. The 23-year-old right-hander allowed two hits and two walks while striking out seven over eight innings in Double-A Biloxi's 5-0 win over visiting Mississippi.

 

"It was awesome, especially this late in the season," he said. "It felt good to get out there and work a lot of quick innings and keep my team in the game."

 

The dominant outing represented a return to form for the 2014 11th-rounder, whose Southern League ERA stands at 3.34. Through July, while dealing with the mid-month loss of his brother, Woodruff allowed two runs -- one earned -- over 30 2/3 innings across five starts.

 

"Just having a great support system ... the Brewers organization has been unbelievable to me and my family. They were great and that made the process a lot easier," he said.

 

"Getting back with the team and on the field, nobody changed their attitude toward me, and that made it seem like it was back to normal. The guys in the clubhouse are like one big family and that made coming back a lot easier to try not to think about what had happened and be focused on the team."

 

Woodruff kept rolling through his first two turns in August, allowing a run over 13 innings, but in his next two, he gave up 11 runs over 10 frames.

 

"That's part of baseball. I had a great month of July and I tried to keep building on that, but sometimes you stumble a little bit," the Mississippi State product said. "This week, I really wanted to get back to attacking the zone -- getting strike one and getting weak contact. I did a good job of that tonight."

 

Neither of the two knocks he surrendered -- a bloop single by Joey Meneses in the second frame and a successful bunt by Johan Camargo in the sixth -- were hit hard.

 

"There were a couple guys who made some hard contact, [though]," Woodruff said. "I had a little trouble with guys on first, but we got quick double plays and erased everything. There were a couple hard-hit balls, but for the most part, I was able to keep hitters off balance, and I worked ahead and got soft contact."

 

He helped provide some run support in the fifth with one out and three men on, bouncing out to second baseman and second-ranked Braves prospect Ozzie Albies. That allowed Nick Ramirez to score from third.

 

"When I came up to bat with the bases loaded," he said, "all I could think about was putting the ball in play, and I didn't want to hit into a double play and ruin the whole inning. I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit and stay out of a double play."

 

After a leadoff walk to Jacob Schrader in the seventh, Woodruff retired six straight to end his night. He threw 102 pitches -- 76 for strikes -- but even before Nottingham's ice treatment, he didn't feel any fatigue in his arm.

 

"That's something I try not to think about it," he said. "I was taking it pitch by pitch, trying to keep my team engaged. They made some really good plays behind me -- [shortstop] Angel Ortega made a great diving play behind me -- and when things are going like that, you don't feel anything."

 

The great start came a night after Taylor Jungmann tossed eight scoreless frames for the Shuckers.

 

"That's the thing with starters -- you always want to outdo the guy before you," Woodruff said. "Taylor did a terrific job last night, so that was going to be hard to follow up."

 

Ramirez smacked a three-RBI double in Biloxi's four-run eighth.

 

Michael Mader, acquired by Atlanta on Aug. 6, allowed a run on two hits and a walk while striking out five over seven innings, but he fell to 0-1 with a 0.90 ERA through two Double-A starts and his first two outings in the new organization.

"You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation."

- Plato

"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something."

- Plato

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