Fri. 4/15 - Will it be a "Good Friday"?

[Mass Haas]

Thread will be utilized for any minor league news Wednesday, lineup updates (when damuelle is available, which is often), etc.

Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores

[Mass Haas]

Thank you, damuelle and Julio Machado!

 

[Joseph Zarr]

5 hours ago, Mass Haas said:

Thank you, damuelle and Julio Machado!

 

Thanks for the shout outs, Jim. You set the bar extremely high over the many many years - I, personally, guiltily devoured your reports hoping one day I could pay it forward.

I've actually been, for whatever inexplicable and unnecessarily lofty reason, thinking of this quote by Thoreau (after all, you reside in the great Northeast):

Quote

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.

There's a lot of directions that quote takes me - the air is swirling in my mountain valley as per usual.

The lower levels coverage is obviously a labor of love for all of us. And, that, in my humble opinion is what baseball 'should' be at its core: a labor of love. It looks like we have an incredibly interesting minor league season ahead. Here's hoping this fantastic early start has legs and doesn't fade into the wistful thoughts of: "Remember that incredible first week of organizational action?".

 

[damuelle]

RHP Tyler Herb makes his first start of the season for the 6-0 Biloxi Shuckers, who face difficult RHP Darius Vines of the Mississippi Braves. Yesterday's homer trio of RF Joey Wiemer, DH Brent Diaz and 2B Felix Valerio are back in the starting line-up:

[damuelle]

20-year old RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez (6th round 2021 pick) makes his first official start as a Brewer minor leaguer, after throwing 3 shutout innings and picking up a win last week. Down 2-1 in the series against Fredericksburg, the offense is again paced by LF Micah Bello (1.399 OPS), SS Eduardo Garcia (.991 OPS) and DH Jeferson Quero (.991 OPS):

[damuelle]

The AAA Nashville Sounds aim for a 3rd straight victory in Gwinnett, with RHP Josh Lindblom trying to win his 2nd start of the year. There are 6 line-up changes from yesterday, but 2B Pablo Reyes is atop the line-up again to lead the way. Where o where is OF Jonathan Davis?

[damuelle]

High-A Wisconsin seeks a 5th straight win, with RHP Max Lazar starting his 2nd game this year. Yesterday's doubleheader heroes (DH Darrien Miller Game 1 winning solo shot, RF Joe Gray Jr. Game 2 winning 3-run homer) look for continued success in Beloit:

1 - Sal Frelick - CF
2 - Carlos D. Rodriguez - LF
3 - Joe Gray Jr. - RF
4 - Wes Clarke - C
5 - Zavier Warren - 3B
6 - Darrien Miller - C
7 - Ernesto Martinez - 1B
8 - Ethan Murray - SS
9 - Yeison Coca - 2B
X - Max Lazar - P

[Joseph Zarr]

Carolina appears to have given up two touchdowns. Well that’s a darn shame.

The Timber Rattlers strike again and Biloxi moves to 7-0 (!!) as Tyler Herb fills in admirably in the spot start going 4 and allowing one earned. Diaz stays ripping hot as well in the DH spot. Nashville loses a nail biter 2-1.

 

 

[Joseph Zarr]

I think it is fair to say this is not how Jakob Brustoski envisioned his Low-A career beginning. After scuffling badly in his first outing with several walks, and allowing runs in both outings to date, here is his line tonight:

0 ip 2 hits 5 bb 1 HR and 6 earned runs

He has his work cut out for him, given what I’ve seen early. I wish him the best and a speedy turnaround to better days on the mound ahead.

 

[Joseph Zarr]

A tip of the cap is in order for TJ Shook’s 5 innings of shutout relief for the Timber Rattlers featuring 10 k’s - a career high! At one point, he had retired 5 in a row to strikeout in a stretch spanning the 6th-8th innings, helping the Wisconsin lads pull out a 2-0 victory.

Darrien Miller stays hot in the meaningful hits department knocking in Joe Gray, who had walked to open the 9th and then stolen 2nd and advanced to 3rd on a fly out to right. Huge insurance run to allow TJ a wee bit more room to seal the deal. Max Lazar, it is worth noting, started the game and went 4 scoreless with 4 k’s.

This is the Timber Rattlers’ best start to a season since 2005. Quite impressive.

[Joseph Zarr]

How about LA Tech’s Brent Diaz homering in back-to-back games including this Grand Salami tonight to open the lead to 6-0:

He finishes the evening 3 of 4 with 2 runs and all 4 RBI’s in this blast. Well done, Brent! Stay hot!

[CheeseheadInQC]

I really liked the idea of the Brustoski and Smith signings last year (target players who likely would have been drafted if they hadn't gotten hurt), but the rust seems to go pretty deep so far for Brustoski. That being said, with this young of a pitching staff, there are going to be games like this. Hopefully Rodriguez comes out better next week, and hopefully Puello and Jimenez, presuming they are the pair for tomorrow, do better.

The Wisconsin staff, on the other hand, is plenty experienced and pitching like it. Hopefully this is the return of the 2019 Max Lazar.

[Mass Haas]

Here's your final Link Report from Friday 4/15