Your 2005 B.C. Manatees - Latest: Front Office Looks to 2006

[MassBrew]

No player news, just needed something to kick off the yearly "team" thread to complete the set.

 

You'll be able to check out Space Coast Stadium, home of the Manatees, on Wednesday, March 2nd, Noon Central, when ESPN broadcasts the very first exhibition game of the Washington Nationals, as they take on the New York Mets.

[MassBrew]

Just a bump reminder for those curious to see Space Coast Stadium on Wednesday -- just picture a lot of teal Manatees instead of red, white, and blue Nationals http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[MassBrew]

My note to Manatees management:

 

Hi folks.

 

Hey, we know you're knee-deep in spring training with the Nationals, but your banner on the website indicates the Manatees are the single-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals.

 

Are you sure about that?

 

Jim Goulart

www.brewerfan.net

 

Looking forward to working with you folks all summer...

 

www.manateesbaseball.com/index.cfm

[clancyphile]

Hey, if the Potomac Nationals are REALLY affiliated with the Crew, then I got the wrong ticket plan!!!!

[MassBrew]

To be fair to Manatees management, here's their reply:

 

We know about it and are working to have it changed. The web provider made the change as part of several other changes but mistakenly changed that as well.

 

Cool -- just was having some fun with the oversight earlier...

[MassBrew]

Here's the bulk of your 2005 Manatees (high-A) roster (at least we believe, official confirmations should be available by Monday):

 

RHP Luis Pena, 22 years old to start the season, the 6'5" Venezuelan was added to the 40-man roster this past off-season; Beloit in 2004

 

RHP Ben Diggins, 25; no longer on the 40-man; threw only six innings (Arizona Rookie) in 2004; what will be his role here?

 

LHP Ryan Costello, 25, the former minor league portion Rule 5 pick from the Blue Jays; this can't be a pleasant assignment for Ryan, who posted a 3.89 ERA in 125 innings in AA Huntsville in 2004

 

RHP Carlos Villanueva, just 21, the Dominican acquired along with RHP Glenn Woolard in the Franklin / Estrella deal last spring, was impressive at Beloit in 2004

 

RHP Kenny Durost, 23, 116 K's in 104 IP at Beloit last year

 

RHP Bo Hall, 24 of his 27 2004 appearances for High Desert were starts; he'll look to post better numbers in a different locale

 

RHP Ty Taubenheim, 22; big reliever with 106 K's in 92.1 2004 innings at Beloit

 

RHP Nick Slack, 22; repeats high-A, but had skipped Beloit previously -- will likely share closing duties with Taubenheim

 

RHP Tim Dillard, 21, 43 appearances, all but one in relief, for Beloit in 2004

 

RHP Kevin Rival, 25; reliever made 13 Beloit appearances after being signed from the independent ranks

 

RHP Dan Grybash, 24; 40 relief appearances at Beloit last season for the 2003 34th round pick out of Carthage College

 

We're probably missing one pitcher here -- hope to add that name soon.

 

Position players in next post...

 

UPDATE:

 

LHP Jeremy Lewis, 24, signed as a minor league free agent this off-season -- a Tiger prospect through 2002, he's had successful independent league seasons the last two years

 

That completes the staff, we believe...

[MassBrew]

Unfortunately, we're waiting on as many as three names here, folks. But here are ten position players we believe we can confirm. We're trying to show patience here and will wait until Monday before politely going directly to the Brewers for confirmations.

 

C Lou Palmisano, 22; the Fort Lauderdale resident gets to play in his home state; .293 at Beloit last season

 

C C.J. Medlin, 23; former Cub farmhand mainly toiled in independent ball in 2004

 

1B Josh Brady, 24; bypassing Beloit was a must for the 2004 19th round pick, who dominated at Helena

 

2B Steve Sollman, 23; same comments as for Brady for the 2004 10th round pick out of Notre Dame

 

SS Ozzie Chavez, 21; most of 2004 struggling in AA -- Ozzie's still young enough that this assignment shouldn't be that disappointing for the Dominican product

 

3B Adam Heether, 23; 17 HR, 72 RBI at Beloit, 2004

 

OF Drew Anderson, 23; .307 at Beloit, 2004

 

OF Travis Ezi, 23; just acquired in the Mark Johnson trade -- speed demon

 

IF / OF Jeff Eure, 24; repeating high-A, 37 extra-base hits, 88 hits overall (.240) last season

 

OF / 3B Carlos de la Cruz, 23; Dominican who hit .343 in Helena last year -- joins Brady and Sollman by skipping over West Virginia

 

As noted, we owe you most likely one pitcher and three position players for this squad...

 

UPDATES:

 

OF Steve Moss, still just 21; but in need of a bounce-back season after a .235 2004 in Beloit

 

OF Robby Deevers, 24, nearly half of his 2004 Beloit hits (27 of 56) went for extra-bases

 

Seems to indicate another Beloit OF, Terry Trofholz, will replace the released Chris Morris for speed in Huntsville.

[MassBrew]

With the updates above, that's 24 players named for what we believe is a 25-man roster limit league...

[dadofandrew]

Deevers looked lost when I saw him last year. I thought he'd top out at low A...athleticism?

[MassBrew]

New look for the Manatees site coming soon -- again, expect multiple tie-ins to the new milb.com site:

 

www.manateesbaseball.com/

 

To remind everybody who's commented on the Manatees situation thus far, a reminder that the Florida State League is extremely laid-back in terms of attendance and media coverage. Very minimal webcasting, and I'm not holding out much hope for newspaper coverage anywhere near approaching High Desert's, which, like Huntsville's, spoiled us rotten.

 

If you're a friend or family member of a Manatee this year, stick with us -- we'll find what we can, but don't set your standards high.

 

The FSL has had its season high-point already -- it's called spring training.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.floridatoday.com/apps...70354/1002

 

Manatees hit field tonight with new players, colors

BY SCOTT BROWN

FLORIDA TODAY

 

Buck Rogers made a surprise announcement last Saturday. At around lunchtime, he told the people on his staff to go home and not return to work until Monday.

 

"Everybody looked at each like 'Wow,' " said Rogers, who oversees operations at Space Coast Stadium in Viera and the adjacent Carl Barger Complex.

 

That reaction showed just how hectic this time of year is for the folks who work in baseball at both the major-league and minor-league levels.

 

Even before the Washington Nationals left their spring-training home, the staff at Space Coast Stadium was preparing for the second season, which is actually as much their time as it is the players and coaches who will don Brevard County Manatees uniforms in 2005.

 

That season starts tonight when the Manatees host the Daytona Cubs at 7 p.m. in the Florida State League opener for both teams. It will bring an array of promotions and giveaways designed to get fans out to the ballpark and keep them interested in the games.

 

There are, however, a number of significant changes to the Manatees this year.

 

First and foremost, the team is a Milwaukee Brewers' farm club for at least the next two seasons.

 

Since the Brevard County Manatees began play in 1994, they had been affiliated with the major-league team that trained or had reached an agreement to train in Viera.

 

But the Nationals decided to have their high Class-A minor league team play closer to Washington, D.C., in Woodbridge, Va. That led to an agreement between the Brewers and the group that owns the Barger Complex and is responsible for the lease at Space Coast Stadium.

 

The one downside is the Manatees who advance through the minor leagues may eventually play for a big-league team (Milwaukee) that has no other tie to the area.

 

"It would be kind of nice if the Manatees had been a farm team for the Nationals," said Melbourne resident Oak O'Hara, "but we'll still go to the games. My wife and I are big fans of the stadium."

 

Such arrangements, like the one between the Brewers and John Henry's group, are not all that uncommon in baseball, and Rogers doesn't expect it to have any effect on the season. Henry is the former owner of the Florida Marlins, who spent spring training at Space Coast Stadium from 1994-2002.

 

"Just because it's a Brewers team, we don't do anything different," said Rogers, who is the Nationals' director of Florida operations. "We're the Manatees and we belong to the community."

 

The Manatees will sport a look that Rogers said is more of a reflection of the community.

 

In a nod to Patrick Air Force Base, Kennedy Space Center and the number of retired veterans living in the area, the Manatees changed their colors to red, white and blue with some gray and gold added to the mix.

 

As much change as the Manatees have undergone, the season still will feature its share of promotions and gimmicks.

 

During spring training, the folks at Space Coast Stadium act as caretakers as much as anything, making sure the big-league team has what it needs to get ready for the start of the season.

 

But with the Nationals gone, Rogers and his staff can turn their creative sides loose.

 

"We've got a lot of good stuff brewing," Rogers said, presumably no pun intended. "Now it's the staff's time to have some fun."

 

Some of the promotions that have been concocted include kicking field goals for buckets of fried chicken, while the dizzy bat will have a new twist this season.

 

After participants are spun round and round they'll have to roll a beer keg to the finish line.

 

"We're just itching to go," Rogers said.

[Mass Haas]

We've been informed that RHP Ty Taubenheim will be in the Manatees' starting rotation, freeing up closing duties for RHP Nick Slack.

[950opsLHcatcher]

Bless you, Reid Nichols.

 

I've been pimping move for Taubenheim this for some time, and while it probably only means they want to extend him out to work on his offspeed stuff, it would be a nice surprise if he could remain a starter. If he does become a legit starting prospect, he's instantly one of the more polished/valuable rotation prospects in the system.

[Mass Haas]

IF Wandel Campana, who we "wondered about" among those unaccounted for in a separate post in the Transactions thread, is the name we were missing earlier from the Brevard County roster.

[Mass Haas]

Scott Brown of Florida Today:

 

'Tees manager a good fit.

 

He may not have the playing credentials as the man who preceded him (Tim Raines) as manager of the Brevard County Manatees. But John Tamargo does have his share of big-league experience.

 

He played parts of five seasons in the major leagues from 1976-80 and spent the previous six years as a coach for the Houston Astros, including three as the team's bench coach.

 

Tamargo stayed with the Astros after manager Jimy Williams got fired during the 2004 season. But the Tampa resident found himself looking for work when Phil Garner, who took over for Williams, decided to go with another bench coach.

 

Tamargo is back in the Florida State League for the fourth time as a manager, and the chance to stay close to home played a significant factor in his taking the job.

 

Ultimately, he would like to get back to the big leagues.

 

"I think everybody that puts the uniform on and manages in the minor leagues and coaches in the big leagues aspires to manage in the big leagues," the 53-year-old Tamargo said. "There's only 30 of those jobs in the world."

 

He is happy in his newest job in baseball and has been pleasantly surprised with his players' approach the game.

 

"It's going to be a very good, competitive club," Tamargo said Friday before the Manatees dropped their season opener, 2-1, to the Daytona Cubs at Space Coast Stadium. "I was very impressed during spring training as far as guys getting after it and going about their business as professionals."

 

One player to watch is 6-foot-7 starting pitcher Ben Diggins, who started five games for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2002.

 

A first-round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2000 -- the Brewers acquired him in a trade -- Diggins missed most of last season after having reconstructive elbow surgery in 2003. Still considered a good prospect in an organization loaded with them, Diggins doesn't figure to stay in Brevard County long if he is healthy.

 

"He's got a powerful arm," Tamargo said. "If he can put it together, he can be dominant, not just at this level but higher."

[Mass Haas]

Hey, we have press coverage from Melbourne!

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.flatoday.com/apps/pbc...90329/1002

 

You definitely want to check out the link for the photo you can enlarge. Unfortunately, we can't link to the image from their site for this post, even if we give the newspaper full credit for the photo.

 

Manatees stand tall

Five pitchers are at least 6-foot-5 on team's roster

BY SCOTT BROWN

FLORIDA TODAY

 

VIERA - He draws curious looks if not downright stares in the grocery store, at a restaurant, most places really. They are usually followed by one of two questions.

 

"They'll ask me if I play basketball or they'll ask me how tall I am," Ty Taubenheim said.

 

The answers are no -- well, Taubenheim did play basketball in high school -- and 6-foot-6.

 

Curiously enough, the home locker room at Space Coast Stadium is one of the few places where Taubenheim blends in.

 

Five of the 12 pitchers on the Manatees staff are 6-foot-5 or taller. Only one of the hurlers -- 5-10 Nic Slack -- is under 6 feet. That, ironically, makes the normal guy, who could walk through a grocery store or restaurant without attracting attention to his height, stand out when lined up with his fellow pitchers.

 

Baseball may not be associated with height as basketball is, but the Manatees' pitchers offer proof that the national pastime places importance on it.

 

"It seems like the last 10 years or so they're getting bigger and bigger and stronger and stronger," said Brevard County manager John Tamargo, who is 5-10. "It feels like I'm shrinking."

 

Reid Nichols, who oversees minor-league development for the Milwaukee Brewers (parent club of the Manatees), said it is a "coincidence" that Brevard County has so many tall pitchers on its roster.

 

It does, however, reflect a trend in professional baseball.

 

Consider the Florida Marlins.

 

Josh Beckett, A.J. Burnett and Dontrelle Willis comprise what has arguably been the top starting pitching trio in the big leagues through the first month of the season.

 

Beckett, a former Brevard County Manatee, stands 6-5, while Burnett and Willis are each 6-4.

 

That is not to say there is no longer a place in the game for smaller pitchers. Tim Hudson is 6-1, three-time Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez is 5-11 and flamethrowing closer Billy Wagner is listed at 5-10.

 

But those players are increasingly becoming anomalies in a sport where bigger is generally considered better, especially when it comes to pitchers.

 

To wit, four of the top six finishers in National League Cy Young Award voting in 2004 stand at least 6-5 (the winner, Roger Clemens, is 6-4).

 

"It's always an advantage," Tamargo, a former catcher who played parts of five seasons in the majors, said of having tall pitchers. "That's why small pitchers are a rarity now in the big leagues."

 

Taller pitchers take several advantages to the mound with them, one of which is purely psychological.

 

"I've hit before," said Manatees right-hander Tim Dillard, who stands 6-5. "When you're in the box and you've got a big guy out there, it looks like he's standing right in front of you. There's something about that that gets in your head whether you want it to or not."

 

Even if a tall pitcher doesn't intimate hitters, his height often makes him tougher to hit for several reasons.

 

Already standing on an elevated mound, taller pitchers often throw on what is called a downward plane. Simply put, those pitchers are almost throwing down on the hitters, which makes the ball harder to pick up than if it were coming in on a straight line.

 

Taller pitchers have another advantage: Their sheer length gives them a longer stride. That allows them to release the ball closer to home plate than shorter pitchers.

 

That release point can give them added velocity or simply make their pitches seem faster since, as Tamargo said, "the ball gets in on you quicker."

 

"It's definitely deceptive," said Taubenheim, who has won all six of his starts this season and sports a 1.47 ERA. "If you're closer to the plate than a guy throwing 90 (miles per hour), all of the sudden you move him up to the front of the dirt and (the ball) looks like it's coming in at about 95."

 

The one downside to taller pitchers is they are generally more susceptible to mechanical problems. More things can go wrong in their deliveries because they are not as compact as shorter pitchers.

 

That patron saint of tall pitchers, Randy Johnson, is evidence of this. Early in his career, the future Hall of Famer was the definition of wild. The 6-10 left-hander led the American League in walks from 1990-92.

 

"More moving parts, longer arm action, longer stride," Tamargo said on why taller pitchers may have more control problems. "It's tougher for them to keep themselves gathered. Big guys really need to watch themselves as far as mechanics."

 

Brevard County has enough of those that if the Florida State League staged a basketball tournament, Tamargo would like his team's chances of winning it.

 

"Yeah," he said, smiling. "We've got some pitchers that are pretty big."

[Mass Haas]

Baseball America's Daily Dish:

 

Entering the season, 6-foot-5 lefty Ty Taubenheim was a little-known 19th-round pick of the Brewers in 2003 who had a 3.09 ERA in 61 pro games, all in relief. Moved into the rotation at high Class A Brevard County, he is one of just two 6-0 pitchers in the minor leagues after firing a one-hitter in Saturday night's 1-0 win against Dunedin, allowing only a second-inning single to catcher Robinzon Diaz. Taubenheim has gone at least six innings in all six of his starts, compiling an ERA of 1.47 and allowing just 25 hits in 43 innings.

 

Well, Ty is right-handed, but at least it's some pub...

[Mass Haas]

Thanks for the heads-up from someone who was visiting in Iowa last week:

 

Habel starting again

Brewers move Hempstead grad to high Class A

by JIM LEITNER, Dubuque Telegraph Herald

 

Josh Habel hopes to take a step in the right direction, even after the Milwaukee Brewers moved him one step back in their organization.

 

Last week, the Brewers dropped the 6-foot-1, 210-pound left-handed pitcher from Double-A Huntsville, Ala., to high Class A Brevard County, Fla. The move enables Habel to return to the more comfortable role of a starting pitcher after Huntsville used him exclusively in relief.

 

"I was a little upset when the manager called me into the office to tell me about it, because I looked at it as a demotion," said Habel, a former standout at Dubuque Hempstead and the University of Northern Iowa. "But, after talking to a few people, they told me to make the most of this. Hey, I still have a uniform, and that's always a good thing.

 

"I'd rather be a starter. When it's your day to start, it's all your day. Relieving is fun, too, because you're always in pressure situations, but I'd much rather know when I'm going to pitch than get sporadic innings."

 

Habel recorded a 1-1 record and 2.93 ERA in 10 appearances with Huntsville. He struck out 18 and walked only five in 15 1/3 innings of work against Southern League hitters.

 

On Friday, Habel made his Brevard County debut and struck out five, walked two and allowed no runs in four innings against Clearwater. He did not factor in the decision, and the Manatees eventually lost the Florida State League game.

 

The San Francisco Giants selected Habel in the 14th round of the 2002 draft, and he earned a promotion after each season until reaching Double-A Norwich, Conn. He worked primarily as a starter while in the organization.

 

San Francisco dealt Habel to the Brewers for veteran relief pitcher Dave Burba at the end of last season. He reported to Huntsville in early September but did not see any action in the final week of the season.

 

"This is obviously a big year for Josh," said UNI coach Rick Heller, who visited with Habel during the offseason. "Any time you go to a new organization, you have to prove yourself all over again. You have to prove to the organization that you belong there.

 

"Josh wanted to make a good impression, so he worked pretty hard during the winter."

 

So far, Habel seems to be fitting in with his new organization.

 

"I've only been to one spring training with the Brewers, and I've had to make a lot of new friends," Habel said, "but so far everything seems pretty much the same."

 

The Brewers boast one of the strongest organizations in Major League Baseball, hinting at a bright future. Their farm teams include such prized prospects as Tony Gwynn Jr., Dave Krynzel, Corey Hart, Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, Ben Hendrickson and Jose Capellan.

 

Habel played alongside Gwynn at Huntsville, who have former big leaguer Don Money as a manager.

 

"It's pretty cool to be a part of an organization with guys like that," Habel said. "Everybody's excited. There's something in the air. I think everybody knows that the Brewers are going to be a really good team in a couple of years."

[Mass Haas]

Link while active (for photo), text follows:

 

www.floridatoday.com/apps...00353/1002

 

Eure providing the pop

BY SCOTT BROWN

FLORIDA TODAY

 

VIERA - His grip is strong, stronger even than the smell of sardines that permeated a section of Space Coast Stadium on Thursday night.

 

Shaking hands is not the only activity in which Jeff Eure regularly flashes his power these days.

 

The Brevard County Manatees first baseman has hit 10 homers in just 141 at-bats and is among the Florida State League leaders in that category.

 

The Manatees' team record for home runs in a single season is 18 by Jose Santos.

 

"I'm just trying to do my best and drive in runs," Eure said before the Manatees' 4-3 loss in 10 innings to the visiting Sarasota Reds.

 

That statement -- understated as it is businesslike -- is vintage Eure.

 

He hails from a Pennsylvania town that is as quiet as he is, about 40 miles north of Harrisburg, the state capital.

 

There isn't much to do in Pillow, Pa. -- yes, it does exist, Eure has told folks over and over through the years -- what with only a few hundred residents, two restaurants and zero traffic lights.

 

Eure, who grew up on a farm, immersed himself in wrestling and baseball. The former may have been his better sport.

 

He won a pair of state wrestling championships as a 189-pounder and had his pick of any school in the country, had he opted to wrestle in college.

 

The discipline demanded by wrestling has helped him in baseball, Manatees skipper John Tamargo said.

 

If nothing else, his wrestling background makes the 6-foot-1, 220-pound Eure a good person to seek out if the Manatees are ever in a bench-clearing brawl.

 

"I don't want to say that," Eure said, "but I know how to take care of myself."

 

He has always been able to take care of himself at the plate, which is why the Milwaukee Brewers selected Eure in the 18th round of the 2001 amateur draft.

 

Eure, who played three college seasons at Old Dominion, worked his way up to high Single-A last year. But he missed two months after breaking a bone in his hand and played in just 92 games.

 

The Brewers didn't see enough of Eure to know if he was ready for Double-A, which explains why he is toiling in the Florida State League.

 

"I don't think anyone wants to repeat a level," Eure said, "but I've got to prove myself here before I go to the next level."

 

Eure has struggled at the plate recently and his average dipped below .240 after Wednesday.

 

But Eure, who went 1 for 4 against the Reds, has given the Brewers a lot to like about him.

 

He is versatile -- Eure can play third base and also catch -- has good power potential and is nothing if not focused.

 

"Quiet, serious, straight-forward guy," Tamargo said. "That's the kind of kid you want on your team."

[Mass Haas]

Manatees site with a Ryan Anderson profile:

 

www.manateesbaseball.com/...s.cgi?id=1

 

It?s been four years since Ryan Anderson has pitched an inning of competitive baseball. Nicknamed the ?Lil Unit? because of his similarities to Randy Johnson, Anderson has been struggling through major injuries over the last four years in the Seattle Mariners organization. After being released earlier this year by the Mariners, Anderson was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers and assigned here, to the Brevard County Manatees to make his comeback.

 

Thursday night Anderson pitched one inning of perfect ball, striking out two Lakeland Tigers batters. Though this is far from the 162 strikeouts he recorded in 1999 with the New Haven Ravens, it?s a start and that?s all anyone, Anderson included, could ask for.

 

The fireballing left hander was a first round selection in 1997 by the Mariners and was the 19th selection overall. During his senior year of high school Anderson struck out 133 of the 154 batters he faced while picking up three no-hitters in just seven starts all of which he completed. After being selected in the draft by Seattle he started his first full season with single-A Wisconsin.

 

It was during this first full season that his injury problems began to creep up. After starting the first month pitching lights out he landed on the disabled list for a month with a strained left tricep. Even after sitting out from May 12 through June 9 he still finished the year with 152 strikeouts averaging 12.29 per nine innings.

 

In 1999 he earned a promotion to AA-New Haven where he pitched his only full healthy season. He led the Eastern League with 162 strikeouts, though he missed most of July pitching in two All-Star games and then for Team USA.

 

Even after racking up 13 losses in New Haven his pure pitching and strikeouts where enough to garner him another promotion in 2000, this time to AAA-Tacoma. He made 20 starts for Tacoma, though he did once again miss part of the year on the DL with a strained left shoulder. Anderson finished 2000 with 146 strikeouts in just 104.0 innings giving him his best ever ratio of 12.63 strikeouts per nine innings. After the season Baseball America listed Ryan as the top Pacific Coast League prospect.

 

It was after 2000 that the major injuries would begin to plague Anderson. In 2001 he missed the entire season after tearing his rotator cuff in his left shoulder during Spring Training. 2002 saw him recovering from the surgery and then had another surgery in March of ?02 to clean up the injury. The following year was a near repeat of 2002. He spent the early part of the year rehabbing from the rotator cuff injury and then underwent exploratory surgery in June of 2003. He missed his fourth consecutive season in 2004 rehabbing from his surgery.

 

But now it?s 2005 and Anderson looks to put all of his injuries behind him. He is with a new organization, with a new outlook on the game. As one ?Unit? comes to the end of his career we look for the new ?Unit? to try to fill his spot.

[molitor fan]

Does this seem "Mike Jones" similar to anyone?

 

Ryan Anderson will be in the 2007 Brewers rotation.

 

ok, just kidding, I channeled Clancy.

[danzig6767]

Is Anderson going to be used as a relief pitcher or a starter?

[H0FFY]

I would guess if he is a time bomb (I dont say it in a bad way - just a fact way) he should be a reliever. Maybe his body can stand 60-70 one inning fireball appearances each year without disintegrating.

 

It always disappoints me when all pitchers must fit into the 'square hole'. If you get a guy with great stuff, but you need to baby him forever, then just do it. Heck, when I hear pitchers get tired in July or Aug, I always think 'ok, dl the guy for two weeks and bring him back.' You could so easily rotate injury prone guys to the 'rest dl'. But that is outside normal thinking.

[molitor fan]

Actually Hoffy, I think that is a very interesting point you raise, though options remaining certainly have to be considered.....but with the expansion of the last few decades, few teams have the competent middle relief to do that.....somehow, someway, the Brewers may actually have the depth to do what you are suggesting.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...;fext=.jsp

 

Little Unit to start on five years' rest

By Jason Ratliff / MLB.com

 

With nearly five years elapsed since his last official Minor League start, having to wait one more day due to a rainout must seem like nothing to Ryan Anderson.

 

The former Seattle Mariners top prospect will make his first official start since September 4, 2000, when he takes the mound for the Brevard County Manatees in the opener of Thursday night's double header against the Daytona Cubs in Viera, Fla. His scheduled start on Wednesday was postponed due to heavy rain.

 

Anderson was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the first round of the 1997 draft after throwing three no-hitters and striking out 133 of the 154 batters he faced as a senior at Divine Child High School in Dearborn, Mich. The 6-foot-10 left-hander was seen as a near carbon copy of Randy Johnson, who was then the Mariners' ace.

 

Anderson lived up to his "Little Unit" moniker in his first three Minor League seasons, striking out an average of nearly 12 batters per game, before having his career halted by a series of major shoulder surgeries.

 

The overpowering southpaw had been pegged for a late-season call-up from Triple-A Tacoma in 2000, but four days after his 21st birthday, he felt discomfort in his shoulder after striking out a season-high 13 batters against Calgary. After a month on the disabled list, Anderson made a start against Salt Lake City on September 4, but was pulled after two innings, never to return, until now.

 

The Mariners finally released their prized prospect this April after he missed the 2001-2004 seasons. Anderson was pitching for the Surprise Fightin' Falcons of the independent Golden Baseball League when the Milwaukee Brewers signed him to a Minor League contract in May and assigned him to Brevard County in the Florida State League.

 

Anderson, now 25, made his first appearance for the Manatees in a "piggyback" role on May 26 against Lakeland, striking out two in a scoreless first inning before giving way to starter Ryan Costello.

 

Ryan Anderson is trying to overcome shoulder problems that sidelined him for four straight seasons. (Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images)

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2005/06/01/IJ6Gv52k.jpg