Alumni Update: Latest -- Dana Eveland, Matt Mieske

[Mass Haas]

Eight years a Brewer, and I had forgotten about his big league cup of coffee -- catcher Robinson Cancel plucked from indy league ball by the Mets:

 

www.edinburgcoyotes.com/news/?id=8500

[Mass Haas]

Another former Brewer catcher, Raul Casanova, Devil Rays - minor league deal.

[Mass Haas]

Here are the latest signees from Baseball America -- they will be combined in to the master a list a few posts up later this week.

 

Arizona Diamondbacks signed 2B Matt Erickson

 

Cincinnati Reds signed C J.C. Boscan

 

Cleveland Indians signed 3B Keith Ginter

 

Colorado Rockies signed LHP Matt Ford

 

Houston Astros signed SS Danny Klassen

 

Philadelphia Phillies signed OF Lou Collier

 

San Francisco Giants signed RHP Gerry Oakes

 

Seattle Mariners signed RHP Carlo Alvarado

[Mass Haas]

You'll notice in that prior post that RHP Gerry Oakes (7th round, 2000) was signed by San Francisco.

 

He really struggled in 2002 with Beloit, but was only 20 years old, and was included with since re-acquired Matt Yeatman in the Matt Kinney / Javier Valentin trade with Minnesota that offseason.

 

More struggles with the Twins, then a brief and non-glorious stint in indy ball, and the Braves, Rangers, and now Giants see something there to keep getting him affiliated contracts.

 

It must be the raw stuff, because we see pitchers with much better numbers released by the Crew every fall and spring.

 

Oakes' career numbers are so horrifically bad they really deserve your attention at least once -- check out the stats, including those walk per nine inning numbers:

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...akes.shtml

[Mass Haas]

Outfielder Noochie Varner signs with the Astros' organization. Varner recently turned 26.

[mls4]

Ronnie Belliard- minor league deal with Washington. Is he better than Cristian Guzman? Lopez could end up moving back to SS.

 

Kelly Stinnett- minor league deal with the Dodgers.

[Mass Haas]

Recently released infielder Lenny Leclercq (Arizona Rookie League '04-'06) has signed with the independent Frontier League's Rockford (Ill.) Riverhawks.

[DHonks]

David Krynzel update--someone I'd long supported. And it's interesting to hear him take some responsibility, but also blame the Brewers' coaches.

 

Krynzel happy to be here despite no guarantee

Nick Piecoro

The Arizona Republic

Feb. 25, 2007 12:00 AM

 

TUCSON - One day in December Dave Krynzel got a text message from Dana Eveland that read: "I'm a D-Back."

 

"Being selfish," Krynzel recalled Saturday morning, "I didn't text him back and congratulate him. I said, 'What about me?' "

 

Turned out Krynzel was shipped to Arizona, too, as part of the six-player trade that sent left-handers Doug Davis and Eveland from Milwaukee to the Diamondbacks. advertisement

 

 

 

 

Krynzel says he couldn't be happier, even though he's no guarantee to make the Diamondbacks out of spring training.

 

While saying he has no complaints about Milwaukee, where he wasn't able to stick in the majors, the 25-year-old outfielder sounds re-energized by his change of scenery.

 

"Now's the time for me to be able to be on my own feet and really figure out how I'm going to make this career worthwhile," he said. "It's all starting now."

 

Long coveted by scouts for his athleticism, Krynzel hasn't been able to parlay his talents into production, at least not with consistency.

 

"I think I was selfish as a hitter," he said. "I didn't really want to listen. Maybe it was the fact that they weren't coming across to me the right way and I didn't understand them fully, with the hitting coaches in the past."

 

He's been working out with new Arizona hitting coach Kevin Seitzer since Jan. 3 and has noticed a big difference.

 

"I've already seen a lot of improvement in my swing," he said, "and I understand a lot more about how to hit in the big leagues just from him."

 

Krynzel, who is out of options, says he isn't focusing on his roster chances but on trying to improve every

[dadofandrew]

He isn't even a decent AAA player...he's light years away from being anything but a 5th OF who can't hit...needless to say, they're a dime a dozen.

[logan82]

I see Zach Sorensen is with the Marlins. I think he was signed last year around January to be a backup in case one of our infielders got hurt, but he ended up getting hurt.

[Boy Jeenius]

Krynzel? Like every kid, he won't grow up until he's tossed out of the house.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.azcentral.com/sports/...s0226.html

 

Even-keeled approach aids D-Backs' Eveland

Nick Piecoro

The Arizona Republic

 

TUCSON - The tattoo stretches from shoulder to shoulder across Diamondbacks pitcher Dana Eveland's chest, a colorful rendering of an angel on one side and a devil on the other. It's a yin-yang type representation of Eveland's ability to keep his emotions in check, a character trait that comes in handy on a pitching mound.

 

"Not a lot of things bother him," Doug Davis says.

 

He would know. Davis, a fellow left-hander who came over from Milwaukee with Eveland in an off-season trade, seems to throw a lot of things Eveland's way for the sole purpose of seeing if anything will bother him.

 

Take, for instance, Davis' eagerness to share Eveland's nickname - "The Big Sweat" - and the story behind it.

 

Apparently, after a game with the Brewers two years ago, Eveland got finished working out, put on a light green shirt and a blazer before going out to the bus.

 

"He takes the blazer off," Davis said, "and he's got the shape of his blazer in sweat just everywhere. All dark green everywhere.

 

"Then the next time, he wore a white shirt and you could see his tattoos coming out through his shirt. Now he wears an undershirt.

 

"That's how he got the name 'The Big Sweat.' "

 

When told that Davis had shared the story, Eveland just shrugged as if to say: No big deal.

 

"We can give him grief like that and it just bounces right off him," Davis said.

 

Eveland is trying to bounce back from an up-and-down 2006 season, and he's hoping a fresh start in Arizona, where he's in the running for a rotation spot, will help. Last season began with a miserable spring training in which he "tried to be something that I wasn't."

 

"I was trying to light up the radar guns and everything," he said. "That's not my style. I throw a little sinker and try to get ground balls."

 

He wound up starting in the minors and was terrific in Triple-A Nashville, earning a promotion. But he struggled badly, again trying to do too much, he says, and was sent back down. It's been a trend throughout his career - strong in the minor leagues (2.69 career ERA), not so much in the majors (6.98).

 

"Every time I went to the big leagues I was scared to death I was going to be sent back down," he said. "So I went there and tried to throw like the best pitcher in the world. I know I'm not that. I just need to go out there and be myself."

 

Davis said he did the same thing for three years.

 

"It's just something that you get over," Davis said. "You finally say to yourself, 'What's the worst that could happen?' "

 

Eveland has impressed teammates and coaches so far in spring training, including in a live batting practice session on Sunday, during which pitching coach Bryan Price mentioned that Eveland's fastball "jumps."

 

He throws a low-90s fastball, a slider, curve and change-up. His repertoire, live arm and track record make him a strong candidate to start the season in the majors, in either the rotation or the bullpen.

 

"I just want to be out there on the mound," he said. "I don't really care what situation it's in."

 

Yet another thing that doesn't seem to bother him.

 

Photo by David Wallace/The Arizona Republic

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/pics/0225evelandbig.jpg

[thumperden]

Eveland still looks 30+ pounds overweight in that picture. Good luck with stamina. As far as Krynzel is concerned, he's said what people have wanted to hear before. They were both moved because they were too head strong. It happens. I do wish them well however.

[dadofandrew]

He does look mighty heavy. Of course, so does Dave Wells. If you pitch ok, he'll be called "stocky".

[Mass Haas]

RHP Robbie Wooley, the Brewers' 6th round draft pick in 2003 (and the first pitcher Milwaukee drafted that year), will try to work his way back to affiliated ball via the independent league route.

 

Wooley has signed with the Southern Illinois Miners (Marion, IL) of the Frontier League.

[Mass Haas]

Italics represent additions since the last update:

 

Boston Red Sox:

Signed OF Alex Ochoa

 

Cleveland Indians:

Signed 3B Keith Ginter

Signed 2B Trent Durrington

 

Chicago White Sox:

Signed 2B Junior Spivey

 

Detroit Tigers:

Signed OF Jackson Melian

 

Kansas City Royals:

Signed RHP Leo Estrella (thanks for Carlos V.!)

Signed 1B Graham Koonce

Signed LHP Wayne Franklin

Signed RHP Roberto Giron

 

Los Angeles Angels:

Signed RHP Chris Saenz

Signed RHP Pedro Liriano

Signed RHP Eric Thomas

 

Minnesota Twins:

Claimed INF Alejandro Machado from Washington in the Rule 5 Draft (Major League)

Signed INF Jeff Cirillo (Major League)

 

New York Yankees:

Signed LHP Ron Villone

 

Seattle Mariners:

Signed RHP Justin Lehr

Signed RHP Carlo Alvarado

 

Tampa Bay Devil Rays:

Signed RHP Gary Glover

Signed RHP Al Reyes

Signed C Raul Casanova

 

Texas Rangers:

Signed RHP Jamey Wright

 

Toronto Blue Jays:

Signed 1B Kevin Barker

Signed RHP Jeremi Gonzalez

Signed RHP Brian Wolfe

Signed OF Matt Stairs

Signed C Sal Fasano

 

Arizona Diamondbacks:

Signed C Mark Johnson

Signed INF Matt Erickson

 

Atlanta Braves:

Signed RHP Jeff Bennett

Signed RHP Joe Winkelsas

 

Chicago Cubs:

Signed 3B Mike Kinkade

 

Cincinnati Reds:

Signed C Chad Moeller (Major League)

Signed INF Enrique Cruz

Signed RHP Victor Santos

Signed LHP Jason Kershner

Signed C J.C. Boscan

 

Colorado Rockies:

Signed RHP Jon Huizinga

Signed C Bryan Opdyke

Signed LHP Matt Ford

 

Florida Marlins:

Signed SS John Raburn

Signed INF Zach Sorensen

Signed OF Alex Sanchez

Signed RHP Wes Obermueller

Signed 3B Scott Seabol

 

Houston Astros:

Signed RHP Travis Phelps

Signed SS Danny Klassen

Signed OF Noochie Varner

Signed LHP Kelly Wunsch

 

Los Angeles Dodgers:

Signed RHP Travis Smith

Signed C Kelly Stinnett

 

New York Mets:

Signed C Robinson Cancel

 

Philadelphia Phillies:

Signed LHP Brian Mazone

Signed OF Jim Rushford

Signed 3B Wes Helms (Major League)

Signed RHP Kane Davis

Signed INF Andrew Beattie

Signed RHP Jeff Farnsworth

Signed C Dusty Wathan

Signed INF Brent Abernathy

Signed OF Lou Collier

Signed RHP Matt Childers

 

Pittsburgh Pirates:

Signed RHP Allan Simpson

Signed INF Jose Hernandez

Signed RHP Dan Kolb

 

San Diego Padres:

Signed SS Manny Alexander

 

San Francisco Giants:

Signed RHP Brian Bowles

Signed INF Luis Figueroa

Signed RHP Gerry Oakes

 

Washington Nationals:

Signed LHP Chris Michalak

Signed LHP Luis Martinez

Signed 2B Ronnie Belliard

Signed LHP Ray King

 

Hiroshima Carp (Japan):

Signed RHP Jared Fernandez

[Mass Haas]

How about 2002 3rd round RHP Eric "Mega" Thomas, landing with the Angels; speaking of the Angels, RHP Pedro Liriano returns to the organization that traded him to the Brewers; RHP Matt Childers signs with the Phillies, who seemingly are always inheriting former Brewer property -- many more additions in italics in the previous post.

[Mass Haas]

RHP Brett Evert (2005-06), takes an independent league assignment with the Lancaster (PA) Barnstormers of the Atlantic League.

 

Still just 26, Evert's career numbers suggest he should still be in affiliated ball:

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...vert.shtml

[mls4]

John Vukovich, long time Phillies coach, recently passed away. He hit 5 of his 6 career homeruns with the Brewers in 1973 and 1974, playing in 93 games at all 4 infield positions.

[Mass Haas]

Nice story on Johnny Narron, whom the Brewers gave permission to join the big league club in Cincinnati with younger brother Jerry (Johnny was scheduled to manage in Helena in 2007):

 

news.enquirer.com/apps/pb...0/1062/SPT

[Mass Haas]

LHP Andy Pratt has retired and become a scout for the Texas Rangers; he signed a pitcher out of the independent South Coast League for Texas this week.

[Mass Haas]

owlsports.cstv.com/sports...07aaa.html

 

Temple pitching coach to manage prestigious summer league team

 

PHILADELPHIA - Justin Gordon, the pitching coach at Temple University, has been named manager of the Little Falls Miners in the New York Collegiate Baseball League, one of the top summer baseball leagues in the country. Gordon, who played six seasons of professional baseball, is in his first season at Temple and spent two seasons as the pitching coach at Western Illinois, helping lead the Leathernecks to the Mid-Continent Conference championship game and a school-record 32 wins in 2006.

 

"I am honored to be offered the managerial position for the Little Falls Miners," Gordon said. "The Little Falls area is a great community with a passion for summer league baseball."

 

Gordon was the pitching coach for the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod League last summer. He coached Temple junior Arshwin Asjes at Harwich and mentored staff ace Dan Merklinger (Seton Hall) to all-Cape Cod League honors.

 

"I would like to thank the players, coaches, and front office of the Harwich Mariners for everything they have done for me and for supporting my decision to manage the Little Falls Miners this summer," Gordon said.

 

"Justin is an outstanding baseball person with a relentless passion to develop his coaching skills," Temple head coach Rob Valli said. "We are excited to have him represent Temple Baseball in such a positive way."

 

The Western Illinois staff tied for the league lead in saves (10) and finished second in the league in team ERA (5.27), strikeouts (360) and opponents' batting average (.287) last spring. Gordon guided junior pitcher Quinn Leath to first team All-Mid-Con honors after leading the league in ERA (2.06) and opponents batting average (.224). He went 8-2 and fanned 54 batters in 78.2 innings.

 

"Justin came to us very highly recommended," Little Falls general manager Hoffman Wolff said. "We've already been impressed by his knowledge of and enthusiasm for the game, and he should be a great fit for us here in Little Falls."

 

Gordon, 27, was drafted in the 32nd round of the 1999 Major League Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers after spending one year at Massasoit (Mass.) CC. He spent five seasons in the Brewers organization, advancing as high Class A-Advanced with the High Desert Mavericks, recording five saves and striking out 72 batters in 83.1 innings in 2003.

 

He went 5-5 with a 4.26 ERA in 2000 for the Ogden Raptors and was named a Pioneer League All-Star. Gordon finished his career with the North Shore Spirit in the independent Northeast League, going 2-2 with a 3.68 ERA, including a 2-0 record with a 0.71 ERA during the playoffs.

 

At Massasoit CC, Gordon hit .393 with nine home runs as a first baseman, earning First Team All-New England honors, and was drafted despite pitching only nine innings. In addition to his playing experience, the Taunton, Mass. native spent three years running an All-Star Baseball Camp for Little League players in his hometown.

 

Justin, oldtimers here will remember, was the very first Brewerfan player interview back in 2001:

 

www.brewerfan.net/ViewArt...ticleId=51

 

http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/tem/sports/m-basebl/auto_action/984021.jpeg

[dadofandrew]

Has anyone else never heard of this league?

[Mass Haas]

The New York Collegiate Baseball League, founded in 1978, is a summer wood bat league sanctioned by the NCAA and partially funded by Major League Baseball. The league gives college players who have not yet signed a professional contract the opportunity to develop their skills at a higher level of play, gain experience with wood bats, and be evaluated by scouts. The NYCBL is located in scenic Upstate New York.

 

Teams play a 44 game regular season schedule with games beginning in June and ending in the last week in July. All games are 9 innings, with most doubleheaders scheduled on the weekends. The All-Star game is played in early July, and the League Championship Series concludes in the first week of August.

 

Much like the New England Collegiate Baseball League -- I've been to Newport (Rhode Island) Gulls games -- these leagues are doing their best to ciphon off talent from the more prestigious Cape Cod League, which luckily is nearby for me as well. There are certainly other leagues in the mix as well...

[Mass Haas]

Travis Hake playing for his hometown independent league team -- link includes background and this:

 

Drafted by the Brewers in 2000, Hake spent parts of two seasons in Milwaukee's farm system. After a disagreement about playing time, he walked away from affiliated baseball in 2001.

 

www.ydr.com/revolution/ci_5432240

 

He took three years off before joining the independent ranks in 2005. He's 30 years old now...