Link Report for Tue. 4/11 -- Sheets Dominates

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Tuesday's Daily Menu: Lunch with audio from Iowa and/or Greensboro!

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Ben Sheets at Iowa (Cubs), 11:45 AM pre-game, 12:05 PM gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Nashville Game Day Feature from MILB.com:

Please note that GameDay links will not become active until approximately 1-2 hours before game time

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_iowaaa_1

 

Huntsville: RHP Carlos Villanueva at home vs. Birmingham (White Sox), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime; Stars' home opener...

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

Brevard County: LHP Steve Hammond at home vs. Palm Beach (Cardinals), 6:00 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.palmbeachcardinals.com/

 

West Virginia: RHP Kevin Roberts at Greensboro (Marlins), 11:30 AM

 

Audio link:

www.sportsjuice.com/provi...e=wvpower.

[Mass Haas]

Follow Tuesday's action as it happens:

Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Activate the Nashville Gameday. For the other links, choose "Log". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often. It's sweet!

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_iowaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_gboafx_1

[Mass Haas]

This link will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds and/or Huntsville Stars are scheduled to play. Normally it is updated an hour or two prior to gametime:

 

Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format):

All set for Monday already!

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

 

Following Nashville's lead, Huntsville now makes its media notes available as well, nice:

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/i...eNotes.pdf

[Mass Haas]

Through Monday's action:

 

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iowa 4 1 .800 - 4-1 0-0 W4 Omaha 4 1 .800 - 4-1 0-0 W1 [b]Nashville 1 4 .200 3.0 0-0 1-4 L1[/b] Memphis 0 5 .000 4.0 0-0 0-5 L5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Tenn 4 1 .800 - 0-0 4-1 W2 Carolina 3 2 .600 1.0 0-0 3-2 W3 Chattanooga 3 2 .600 1.0 0-0 3-2 L1 [b]Huntsville 3 2 .600 1.0 0-0 3-2 W1[/b] Tennessee 1 4 .200 3.0 0-0 1-4 L4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Brevard County 5 0 1.000 - 1-0 4-0 W5[/b] St. Lucie 3 1 .750 1.5 2-0 1-1 L1 Palm Beach 3 2 .600 2.0 1-1 2-1 L1 Jupiter 1 3 .250 3.5 0-2 1-1 L1 Vero Beach 1 3 .250 3.5 1-1 0-2 W1 Daytona 0 4 .000 4.5 0-4 0-0 L4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lexington 5 0 1.000 - 5-0 0-0 W5 Greensboro 4 1 .800 1.0 4-1 0-0 L1 Lake County 4 1 .800 1.0 0-0 4-1 W1 Delmarva 3 2 .600 2.0 0-1 3-1 L1 [b]West Virginia 2 3 .400 3.0 1-3 1-0 W1[/b] Hagerstown 1 4 .200 4.0 1-0 0-4 W1 Hickory 1 4 .200 4.0 1-3 0-1 L1 Lakewood 0 5 .000 5.0 0-0 0-5 L5

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

desmoinesregister.com/app...10381/1053

 

Brewers' ace Sheets in town

RANDY PETERSON

DES MOINES REGISTER STAFF WRITER

 

Memo to people planning to a attend today's Iowa Cubs Pacific Coast League baseball game at Principal Park: Don't be late.

 

The bottom of the first inning could be interesting ? with Iowa leadoff batter Felix Pie, a triple-A rookie with a .458 batting average, facing major league veteran pitcher Ben Sheets.

 

Pie hit a grand slam home run in the second inning, then drove in the winning run with a single in the 11th as Iowa's winning streak improved to four games with a 7-6 victory against Nashville before an announced crowd of 4,187 at Principal Park Monday.

 

He had two triples on Sunday. He has 11 RBIs and eight hits in the past three games.

 

At 12:05 today, Pie faces a former first-round draft choice who pitched the United States to a gold medal in the 2000 Olympics.

 

"Nasty is the word I would use to describe (Sheets)," said Iowa Cubs outfielder Michael Restovich, a former Minnesota Twin, Colorado Rockie and Pittsburgh Pirate, "and that's just from watching guys come back to the dugout after facing him."

 

Sheets is recovering from a torn muscle behind his pitching shoulder that sidelined him for the final month last season. He aggravated the injury during spring training.

 

"He's got a good curveball, a good changeup and an overpowering fastball," said Iowa shortstop Augie Ojeda, who played for the Chicago Cubs between 2000 and "03. "He's definitely one of the top pitchers in the major leagues."

 

Sheets is expected to throw between 75 and 80 pitches.

 

"Everything indicates that after this start, he'll probably be ready to go back to the big leagues," said Nashville pitching coach Stan Kyles.

 

Sheets struck out five in 2 2/3 innings while pitching for double-A Huntsville last Thursday against Mississippi.

 

He has a 55-62 record in five major league seasons, all with the Brewers, and watching with interest from the press box today will be Nate Teut - this time as a member of the Iowa Cubs radio team.

 

On May 4, 2002, they met competitively at Miller Park in Milwaukee - Sheets making his normal start for the Brewers, and Teut in his major-league debut.

 

"I didn't find out I was pitching against Ben Sheets until I got to the park," said Teut, a former Florida Marlin, "and the first thing that came to mind was his Olympic gold medal."

 

Sheets was the winning pitcher for the United States against Cuba in the gold medal game.

 

"That's impressive," said Teut, who, by the way, lost against Sheets in his major league debut. "The guy averages 11 or 12 wins a season for the Brewers. Put him on a contending team, and he might be a consistent 20-game winner."

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.al.com/sports/huntsvi...amp;coll=1

 

Reply hazy - for now

Answers worthy of a Magic 8 Ball reveal Huntsville's outlook

Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times

 

Well, wouldn't you know it? Stars manager Don Money was urged to shake up the Magic 8 Ball he's holding in and come up with an answer.

 

Whatever invisible genies are in charge of the 8 Ball must have been out to lunch. The gizmo inside refused to cooperate. It simply bobbed to the surface with two edges showing.

 

That demonstrates how confounding it is for any of us, using any manner possible, to get accurate predictions before a baseball season begins, or even if it's five games old, as it is for the Stars headed into tonight's home opener with Birmingham.

 

At first, Money took the symbolism as "being behind the 8-ball'' instead of it being a mystic toy. Coming off a 60-79 record that was second-worst in franchise history, it's not an entirely inappropriate sentiment.

 

That does, however, lead us to our first of eight questions for the 8 Ball.

 

1 Will the Stars be better than they were last year?

 

"I sure hope so,'' Money said.

 

The Stars have 40-watt power. Only one player has ever hit more than 17 homers in a season. They'll need speed and timely, contagious hitting.

 

Half of the starting lineup is in its first full Double-A season, so there will be major adjustments ahead. There doesn't seem to be anyone who will pick up this team on his shoulders and carry it.

 

The starting rotation looks solid, there are good candidates for closer and the middle relievers are experienced. But with modest run support, their margin for error is slight.

 

2 What's this team's personality?

 

Loose, funny and happy, according to early returns.

 

"The camaraderie between players is better,'' said Money. "For the most part, everybody is happy to be here. And if they don't think they belong here, show us.''

 

There are no highly publicized prospects around which the team must revolve, as in recent years. There are no obvious malcontents. They seem to get along and love a good laugh.

 

To wit: On Sunday, there was some good-natured teasing of a bat boy in Mississippi, with a pronounced drawl and gritty attitude.

 

"What's your nationality?'' one of the Stars asked him.

 

"Baptist,'' the kid replied.

 

3 Is there some new philosophy?

 

It's all about playing defense and being smarter. Last year, the Stars at times seemed to have the combined IQ of the cast of "Napoleon Dynamite." They ran bases poorly, threw to the wrong bases, had poor plans of attack at the plate and pretty much made twice as many mental errors as physical.

 

In the post-steroid era, baseball is reverting back to pitching and defense. For all their athleticism, some of the Brewers' best prospects haven't been fundamentally sound or skilled defensively, and that's something the organization is out to change.

 

4 Who should we root for?

 

Some of the players have had a taste of the big leagues, and it'd be nice to see them get a mulligan.

 

Among them, you'll find yourself most intrigued by animated pitcher Corey Thurman. He spent two seasons with the Blue Jays, then had a shoulder go out on him and spent last year in independent ball, trying to keep his career alive.

 

A 2002 story from The Toronto Sun reported how Thurman, upon walking in a winning run on a borderline pitch, "squatted on the ... mound for at least 20 seconds ... part anguish in letting his team down, part shock and part disbelief.''

 

"If only,'' the story concluded "every player in the uniform cared as much.''

 

He cares still.

 

And we think you will, too.

 

5 What is it that looks so funny about Greg Sain?

 

Oh, it's his barenaked hands.

 

The first baseman doesn't wear batting gloves.

 

"I may be the last one who doesn't,'' he said.

 

Sain can even remember the last time he tried them, when he was a ninth-grader and wore "those white and neon-green Rickey Henderson batting gloves.''

 

They may have looked cool - for a brief time - but didn't feel right.

 

He's gone without since - and averaged a homer every six games, with a career batting average of .260 and slugging average of .463.

 

6 Who are this year's famous family connections?

 

Pitcher Tim Dillard's dad, Steve, played in the majors and is coaching in the Cardinals' system. Andy Pratt's dad, Tom, was drafted by the Royals and is the Cubs' Single-A pitching coach. Sain's dad, Tom, also played in the minors. Khalid Ballouli's grandfather, Dick Fowler, pitched 10 years in the majors.

 

And, "My brother (Kenny) has bowled two 300 games. You need to put that in there,'' said reliever Joe Winkelsas. So obliged.

 

7 What about the rest of the Southern League?

 

It's not loaded with the mega-prospects of last season like Delmon Young, Jeff Francoeur, Jeremy Hermida et al., but it's certainly not barren.

 

Birmingham's pitching makes it a contender for a seventh consecutive playoff appearance, and Mobile has outstanding pitching as well.

 

Tennessee, Jacksonville and Florida should benefit from affiliation with the top three (as ranked by Baseball America) farm systems in baseball.

 

8 What does the new five-year lease agreement mean for the future of the franchise?

 

Compared to the other parks in the Southern League, Joe Davis Stadium is a john-boat docked at the yacht club. The city is spending $1 million for improvements, but that's just to spackle the place. Until an attendance spike merits it and the team draws more interest, why spend the $10 million it would take to make it comparable to the others?

 

Stars owner Miles Prentice is expected for opening night, so perhaps he'll shed further light on this. For now, the lease question is truly is one the Magic 8 Ball can answer.

 

"Reply Hazy. Try Again.''

 

Like in another four years, when this lease nears its end.

[pogokat]

I'm headed to the Wv/GSO game, and I'm gonna keep a close eye on Michael Brantley and Lorenzo Cain today...

 

I can say this...Lorenzo is a pretty big guy....while brantley was more of skinny dude...both are young, but that may be why Cain is viewed as more of a power guy than brantley

[brettac1]

Well, there's a two-run bomb for Nelson Cruz. Some run support for Sheeter.

[Mass Haas]

The Sheets game is available live online for free -- video:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../video.jsp

[djoctagone]

sheets can rake!

[Mass Haas]

In progress: Greensboro (Marlins) 4, West Virginia 0, bottom of the 4th in Greensboro

Of the 12 Power outs, ten have been groundouts; RHP Kevin Roberts has surrendered three home runs thus far, including one to former Power member Agustin Septimo, his 2nd of the season -- Septimo may become one that the Brewers "let slip away". You protect 21-year-old tools guys from the Minor League phase of Rule 5...

[brettac1]

96 MPH heater followed by a nice curve. Things are good.

 

EDIT: So far, 2 IP, 1 H, 3 K, 1 WP, and 30 pitches

[bsglorydays]

Sheets thru 3 innings scoreless. 3.0 IP, 1 hit, 0 walks, 5 K's. 38 pitches (26 strikes).

[bork]

Sheets looks filthy. Welcome back!

[Blazer25]

Not to mention he's 1-2 at the plate...I smell a bust out year with the bat for Big Benhttp://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[bsglorydays]

54 pitches thru 4 innings. Hopefully he can get thru one more inning before he hits his 70 pitch limit.

[bork]

One more inning for Big Ben, then do we see Little Ben finish it out?

[brettac1]

On the radio broadcast, they are saying his count is 80-85. The article at the Brewers site says 70. We'll see, I guess.

[bsglorydays]

On the radio broadcast, they are saying his count is 80-85. The article at the Brewers site says 70. We'll see, I guess.

 

80-85 would make more sense IMO, if the Brewers are expecting him to start the game against the Mets on the 16th. I would think you would want him "stretched out" to a reasonable pitch count where you could conceivably get 6+ innings out of him on the 16th.

[Blazer25]

8 K's thru 5 with 2 hits and no runs...

 

I think it's time for Ben to face some MLB hitters http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[JohnBriggs12]

Through 5 innings, he's at 69 pitches. That will probably be it I would guess. 8 K's, 0 BB, 2 harmless singles.

 

Should be ready to go 85-90 on Sunday vs. the Mets assuming he feels no ill effects from today.

 

He's back out for the 6th! Bullpen is going.

[bsglorydays]

Sheets back out there for the 6th. Looks like 80-85 is the number today.

[Athens Badger]

WOW...Sheets is really dealing in the 6th. I know he works fast, but he is ridiculous right now.

[bork]

Ben's done after 75 pitches. Great outing. See ya Sunday!