Link Report for Games of Sunday, August 27th

[PrimeTime955]

Quote:

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and he's your avatar, you trickster!

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Speaking of avatar's, can you explain yours?

[pogokat]

Speaking of avatar's, can you explain yours?

 

1. I like having an absurd one.

 

2. It makes it really easy to find my posts in long threads...it used to be neon dna, just green, a cartoon racoon, etc...

[saget]

Yo seriously is batting a .381 clip?

 

I want a poster of him on my wall pronto.

[colbyjack]

and he's your avatar, you trickster!

 

Yeah, you got me, but I just like spreading the love http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .

 

Seriously though, Chapman has the counting stats that often makes or breaks an MVP candiate. Gillespie just recently qualified for the batting title, and his recent power surge has definitely made him a MVP candidate. If anything, the trio of Gillespie, Errecart and Chapman cancels each other out and allows someone else to win.

 

My point is that you can't bring up the other two in MVP conversation without bringing up Chapman, who is the youngest of the 3 despite playing his third year in rookie ball. If they get bumped up together a la Brantley, Ford & Cain, you should have quite the OF trio to watch next year in WV (assuming the Brewers hold onto that affilaite).

[pogokat]

My point is that you can't bring up the other two in MVP conversation without bringing up Chapman, who is the youngest of the 3 despite playing his third year in rookie ball. If they get bumped up together a la Brantley, Ford & Cain, you should have quite the OF trio to watch next year in WV (assuming the Brewers hold onto that affilaite).

 

I intentionally did not mention Chapman because I think he's been getting too much attention...especially when Cole is carrying a 1.000 OPS and Errecart has 11 Hr's..

 

Those guys look very good..as much as i think cole and errecar deserve to be in High A next year, i hope they are in WV just so i can see them play

[colbyjack]

I intentionally did not mention Chapman because I think he's been getting too much attention...

 

Too much attention? From who? Mass and I are the only two talking about the guy.

 

You know I dig Gillespie, and I'm pretty excited about Errecart too, but Chapman isn't getting much love at all from anyone. I agree that he needs to worth his worth at A-ball, and I also agree that both Gillespie and Errecart deserve to be at high-A next year.

 

However, on that note, who out of Brantley, Ford and Cain repeats WV for Errecart and/or Gillespie to be bumped to high-A? Or, does one of those guys gets the jump to AA?

 

It's a good problem to have of course, and as I've commented on before the most interesting one to watch for next spring.

[Katuluu]

I wouldn't mind seeing if Cain could handle Huntsville. That guy is a machine.

[pogokat]

However, on that note, who out of Brantley, Ford and Cain repeats WV for Errecart and/or Gillespie to be bumped to high-A? Or, does one of those guys gets the jump to AA?

 

Brantley should repeat...he's only 18---and he needs to get a chance to play CF if he's going to have any value...cain and ford are certainly ready to be promoted...

 

A+ Cain-Ford-Gillespie

A Chapman-Brantley-Errecart

 

I think that works absolutely...with Errecart going to High A when Gillespie moves up at the break...or you could just have 4 "regular outfielders in High A and let them get work on non outfield days at 1b or DH...

 

I suspect that a High A team will look like this next year:

 

LF: Cain

CF: Ford

RF: Gillespie

1B: Yost

2b: Bell

SS: Crew

3b: Gamel

C: Salome

 

Bench:

Holmberg

Brad Wilcutt

Tony Festa

 

Add in a guy like Errecart, and the only people that stand to lose playing time are Kenny Holmberg and Ned Yost...

 

It wouldn't hurt to get one of these guys some time at 1b anyway considering the logjam at AA and AAA will reach epic proportions in the outfield sometime in 2008..

 

just my take...this is fun though..

 

edit: Wonder if Alcides could repeat...as much as the Brewers want to keep those guys together, it sure wouldn't hurt anything to push an older player like crew while letting a younger, less successful player (escobar) get some more reps at High a

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Brewers 7, Arizona Giants 4

 

Arizona Brewer Box Score and Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_brrrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Because the Rockies have a team in the short-season Class A Northwest League, their Pioneer League team (Casper) is their lowest rung rookie squad. That's brutal for those kids.

 

Imagine if the Brewers Arizona club were representing the organization against Billings, Orem, and the other Pioneer League powers -- ouch.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_brrrok_1

 

Math favors Stars after win

Gallardo's pitching helps pad North lead to 3 1/2 games

By MARK McCARTER

Huntsville Times Sports Staff, markcolumn@aol.com

 

Outside looking in, a 3 1/2-game lead with eight games remaining looks pretty comfortable for the Huntsville Stars.

 

Inside, that lead has all the comfort of a cactus couch. Don't dare suggest, even in the aftermath Sunday's 4-2 victory over Mississippi, led by the wondrous pitching of the 20-year-old prodigy, Yovani Gallardo, that it's time to order up a case of cheap champagne and plan the pennant party.

 

"We've got to take care of our business and play 'em one at a time," said manager Don Money. And, oh yeah, the fat lady hasn't yet sung and it ain't over 'til it's over.

 

But it gets closer to over every day. The Stars (37-25) stretched their win streak to six and padded their Southern League North lead to 3 1/2 games over Chattanooga and Tennessee (both 34-29 on the half after losing Sunday afternoon), the two teams in their rearview mirror. The best the Lookouts or Smokies could do is win 41 games.

 

In terms of a baseball's familiar "magic number," it's five - the needed combination of wins by Huntsville and losses by the two pursuers. The Stars have eight games on their schedule, including tonight's 7:05 date with the Braves.

 

Or, in terms of Money's Magic Number, "42 will win it."

 

Gallardo was in total command for eight innings, allowing only a pair of Ray Serrano singles and striking out eight. "Just outstanding," said pitching coach Rich Sauveur. "He was aggressive. He went right at them."

 

What was working? Before Gallardo could respond, catcher Lou Palmisano chimed in, "Everything!"

 

The last outing, everything wasn't working for Gallardo. He got through only four innings in a game at West Tenn.

 

"I had a rough one last outing and I made adjustments. I was rushing to the plate a little bit, flying open," he said.

 

Ryan Braun began the Stars' assault with a first-inning homer, clearing the center field wall 405 feet from home. It was his 13th of the season, putting him 13th in the league despite having played only 53 Southern League games.

 

Brad Nelson walked to open the fourth, took second on a wild pitch and scored on an Ozzie Chavez sacrifice fly. Steve Moss drove home Palmisano and Gallardo (who had two hits) with a double for the 4-zip lead.

 

The Braves nicked Gallardo for a pair of runs in the ninth, but Travis Phelps doused the threat for his fifth save.

 

"We just need to worry about ourselves," Money said. "We got pretty good hitting tonight, just enough, and it was a great outing for Gallardo. If we win five more, we're in. That's the way you have to look at it."

[molitor fan]

Nice to see Jesse Harper throw a second inning of scoreless ball yesterday - now up to 4 scoreless in his Arizona showing this year.

[biedergb]

The pitching lines from our starters last night was pretty impressive. Count me in as one of Steve Garrison's fans, and is Roque Mercedes proving Toby's faith was not misplaced (or is he going Mark Rogers on us?)

 

Villanueva (L, 7-1) 6.0 5 2 2 2 5

Gallardo (W, 5-2) 8.0 5 2 2 1 8

Garrison (W, 7-6) 6.0 2 0 0 1 4

Mercedes (W, 4-4) 6.0 4 2 0 0 2

 

TOTAL, 3W, 1L 26.0IP 16H 6R 4ER 4BB 19SO

[bork]

I noticed that Huntsville is 9 games under 500 for the season, with 7 games left to play. Quite a run after being 21 games under in the first half.

[colbyjack]

Brantley should repeat...he's only 18---and he needs to get a chance to play CF if he's going to have any value...cain and ford are certainly ready to be promoted...

 

I think Brantley is just as deserving of a promotion as Ford is to open next year, if not more so. His batting average and strikeout to walk ratio is pretty impressive for an 18-year old. I think he's more than proven that he can handle low A-ball pitching, and I wouldn't hold him back just because he's more valuable playing CF. I agree that ideally Ford and Brantley play at two different levels so both can play CF, but I can't see slowing one's progress down to make that happen, and you can't rush either one with Fermaint ahead of them.

 

Also, by keeping Brantley at low-A you have him playing with Chapman, whose value is also greater in CF.

 

For Gillespie to get past low A to open next year I think he either starts at AA or Cain does as Kat suggested, and I don't think Gillespie and Cain will be in the same outfield together next year.

 

Also, in your proposed high-A lineup, why do you have Cain in LF & Gillespie in RF? From what I understand, Cain is being groomed for right and Gillespie's arm limits him to left & center. A typo I'm assuming.

 

The outfield situation is really turning into an exciting problem to have.

[SE Brew]

I agree. If you just look at 1 year stats the picture is not pretty (sometimes behind the stats you get the bigger picture including injuries and poor luck). The games against

delmarva he hit the ball as hard as anyone but never caught a break. But the stats are what the stats are and they tend to drive this game and obviously are one of the best ways to evaluate talent. As to what was briefly referenced, if you have been around the team it is easy to see that Yoho is well liked and is highly respected by his teamates for his tools, character, and work ethic. It depends on what an organization wants in a 4th outfielder. Do they make room for more youth or do they take another chance on a role player comming off a disappointing statistical season knowing what he bring relative to tools and team chemistry? Besides the questions about this particular player this is intended to be a honest and hopefully interesting minor league question relative to support/role players in general.

[pogokat]

Also, in your proposed high-A lineup, why do you have Cain in LF & Gillespie in RF? From what I understand, Cain is being groomed for right and Gillespie's arm limits him to left & center. A typo I'm assuming.

 

yes it was...it was pretty late...and cain's got a cannon, so he should definitely be in right..

 

I understand what you are saying about brantley...

 

but i think Errecart is a better prospect...and if i had to choose one to advance next year, i would choose the older college guy over the younger brantley...who i think will be harmed less by being held back..

 

do you think brantley should stay in front of errecart? or Gillespie? It seems to me that Gillespie and Errecart could be in AA by the end of the year, and there's little reason to think that Brantley could do the same...just my take though..

 

again, this is fun...

[SoCalBrewfan]

Too much attention? From who? Mass and I are the only two talking about the guy.

 

Maybe it's cuz I hassled Toby about putting Chapman at #54 on the Power 50 in the most recent P50 thread. Pogo's so discreet...he didn't want to say "I don't want to incite that hothead SoCal again."

[colbyjack]

do you think brantley should stay in front of errecart? or Gillespie? It seems to me that Gillespie and Errecart could be in AA by the end of the year, and there's little reason to think that Brantley could do the same...just my take though..

 

I personally don't think it's a matter of who should be ahead of who. Brantley deserves a promotion the way he has performed, and is a legitimate enough of a prospect that you don't want to stall him just to let a couple of other guys get ahead of him. I agree, Errecart and Gillespie if they keep up their recent production could (or should) be in AA by the end of next year, and I've been thinking out loud about ways to get Gillespie up a level or two this summer even. That isn't happening with the current OF at WV, unless you bump Gillespie and/or Errecart to BC, which may not be a bad idea, although a little late for that now.

 

Now, if it's a situation like Ryan Braun vs. Adam Heether, then yes, I would "stall" the progress of someone like Heether to keep pushing a player that is clearly the better prospect in Braun.

 

I think the easiest solution is to bump up Cain a level given how well he handled A-ball pitching this year. Just a guess at the OF squads from AA to low-A (from left to right):

 

AA: Katin-Fermaint-Cain

A+: Gillespie-Ford-Brantley

A: Errecart-Chapman-Caufield

 

Errecart needs to improve his K:BB ratio despite putting up big power numbers at Helena before I promote him too quickly.

 

And sorry SoCal, I forgot you were on the Chapman bandwagon as well.

[And That]

I agree with Kat and Patrick - Cain seems like a likely jump to AA. All it may take is a good spring.

 

And sticking Brantley back in WV is not a message you want to send to your players - Brantley has earned and exceeded a promotion to High Class-A next year (wherever that is). Keep Brantley in WV and you tell guys that if you're young, you may not get promoted whatever you do.