Link Report for Games of Wednesday, August 31st

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Wednesday's Daily Menu:

Congratulations and best wishes to Dennis Sarfate as he makes his AAA debut this evening. It's a day game for the big-league Brewers, so pick your favorite game and tune in. Three doubleheaders today, so plenty of minor league baseball to choose from.

 

All starts Central Time; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP's Gary Glover and Dennis Sarfate in a twinbill at Memphis (Cardinals), 5:40 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: Josh Habel and Carlos Villanueva in a doubleheader at Tennessee (Diamondbacks), 4:15 PM pre-game, 4:30 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

Brevard County: Bo Hall and TBD in a doubleheader at Vero Beach (Dodgers), 3:00 PM; no audio for this series

 

West Virginia: Greg Kloosterman at home vs. Delmarva (Orioles), 6:05 PM

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: TBD at Great Falls (White Sox), 8:00 PM; no audio for this series

[Mass Haas]

Follow Wednesday's action as it happens:

 

Nashville Game One:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_mrbaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Two:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_mrbaaa_2

 

Huntsville Game One:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Two:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_2

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_vbdafx_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_grfrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Standings, Stats and League Leaders, USA Today (or go to MILB.com):

 

www.usatoday.com/sports/b.../index.htm

[colbyjack]

A fun little story to read on the Stars' bullpen from Baseball America. Interesting that this doesn't even occur at the Stars' home stadium.

 

Baseball America's Daily Dish

August 31, 2005

 

Of all the stories to come out of relievers with too much time on their hands, the Huntsville Stars deserve credit for originality.

 

Members of the Stars' bullpen started digging a hole. They ended up building a garden behind the right-field wall at Pringles Park in Jackson, Tenn., home of the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx. But not just any garden. It's a Zen garden, a sanctuary for pitchers and a memorial to baseball, says Alec Zumwalt, the Brewers righthander who has acted as the bullpen's de facto spokesman.

 

"It all started with a hole that Jerome Gamble dug, then we lined it with plastic and filled it up with water," Zumwalt wrote in an email. "One thing led to another and ideas started to fly. The next thing we knew, we had something special on our hands.

 

The West Tenn grounds crew helped maintain the garden between the Stars' visits, and provided the tools for them to build it in the first place. The pitchers added to the mood by writing quotations from books or movies on the rocks that form the garden's boundary. Perhaps the strangest quote was added by Jeff Winchester quoting Ivan Drago from Rocky IV in a very non-Zen-like moment: "If he dies, he dies."

 

Soon, the Stars came up with rules for entering, such as taking off your hat inside the ring of rocks; no tobacco or spitting; and show respect for the garden by helping keep and maintain it.

 

"It became a place to sit down and gather your thoughts before you pitch," Zumwalt said. "We joked around, wrote rules up there, throw a penny in for good luck, get ready and then go."

 

While Zumwalt refers to it as a Zen garden, he says there's no religious connotation, instead calling the area a shrine to baseball. "It's something not normal that you see at a baseball field," he said. "We thought it was hilarious and we got positive feedback on it and that's why we contacted people."

 

Sadly, Zumwalt has had to leave the garden behind. He?s been promoted to Triple-A Nashville, where he?s posted a 4.35 ERA in 10 innings. West Tenn has four more home games, against Mobile, for opposing pitchers to enjoy the garden.

 

The relievers involved have included Gamble, Winchester, Zumwalt, Matt DeWitt, Brett Evert, Andy Pratt, Gerrit Simpson, Keith Stamler, Mitch Stetter and Glenn Woolard, as well as reserve catcher John Vanden Berg.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/images2005/zengarden450300.jpg

The Stars bullpen stands around their achievement in gardening

[bjamesw22]

Has anyone else noticed that Tony Gwynn Jr. has quitely drawn 72 walks this year so far and has an OBP of .371?

 

His OPS is over .700 in the Southern League, not good, but not horrible I guess. If he could only find the gaps a litte more...

[H0FFY]

Actually, I LOVED the thread that proved a .400 + .400 OPS guy was a LOT LOT better than a .350 + .450 OPS guys (OBP + SLUGGING).

 

Since that thread I have been watching Tony... he seems a bit streaky; he can go 8 for 10, then follow with 0 for 10. But I have hope, like Al stay, for him to be a great reserve outfielder (supposedly his D is good) and his baserunning can be good.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Quote:

---

as well as reserve catcher John Vanden Berg.

---

 

I guess he's putting that grounds crew experience to good use. If he doesn't make it in organized ball, at least he can fall back on going to work for Pops.

 

Although there always does seem to be a need for catchers that can hit above .250, provide some pop and are durable. If Johnny keeps his head up, he could be the next Chris Coste or Kelly Stinnett.

[Never Outhustled]

Tony Gwynn and Kennard Bibbs realized they didn't have much more time to hit there 1st homer of the season, so both went out and did so tonight. What were the odds of that?

[H0FFY]

hmmm, Villanueva threw a no hitter (not complete game, though) and picked up a loss.

[ja002h]

What was the point of Obie throwing the first inning? In-game bullpen session?

[SheetsCyYoung04]

Is it insane to think that Josh Habel could become a Matt Wise-esq fastball-changeup two pitch reliever?

[bork]

Rodriguez is quietly putting together a nice year in limited action. It seemed like a head-scratcher when he was skipped from West Virginia to Huntsville, but he has certainly made the most of it. His playing time has increased recently and he seems to be part of the reason for Huntsville's turnaround (along with Heether).

[DHonks]

Soon, the Stars came up with rules for entering, such as taking off your hat inside the ring of rocks; no tobacco or spitting; and show respect for the garden by helping keep and maintain it.

 

interesting to note the tobacco or spitting aspect, since technically those carry a fine for minor leaguers. I believe the AAA/Fall League fine was $500 per incident last year (a lot when you make like $1500 a month!), and AA was only slightly lower

[colbyjack]

Nashville Site Game Summary

 

Sounds Blanked Twice By Redbirds, 3-0 & 1-0

Date Posted: 8/31/2005

MEMPHIS ? The Nashville Sounds continued their freefall on Wednesday evening at AutoZone Park, suffering a pair of shutout losses, 3-0 and 1-0, at the hands of the cross-state rival Memphis Redbirds in a doubleheader that made up Monday?s rainout.

 

The Sounds (71-67) have lost 12 of their last 14 games and currently lead the PCL American Conference Northern Division by only 1 ½ games over Omaha, their smallest lead since June 18.

 

The back-to-back shutout losses are the first suffered by Nashville since May 23-24, 2004 during a West Coast trip to Sacramento and Fresno. The Sounds have not scored in their last 17 innings of action.

 

Right-hander Wes Obermueller worked one scheduled inning for Nashville in the nightcap and hurled a scoreless frame, allowing one run, two walks, and recording one strikeout.

 

Dennis Sarfate (0-1) took over in the second for the Sounds, making his Triple-A debut, and took a hard-luck loss after allowing the game?s only run on just one hit, a single, in his five innings of work.

 

Bo Hart gave the Redbirds all the offensive support they would need in the nightcap when he drove in Memphis starting pitcher Jeremy Cummings with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, giving Memphis its 1-0 advantage.

 

Cummings (7-1) tossed 5 2/3 scoreless frames to earn the victory for the Redbirds and combined with reliever Tyler Johnson, who picked up his seventh save, on the three-hit shutout.

 

In the evening?s opener, Memphis starting pitcher Adam Wainwright (9-10) held Nashville to only three hits over six innings of work to lead the Redbirds to a 3-0 victory. Brian Falkenborg came on to record the final three outs and earn his second save of the season.

 

Redbirds third baseman Tim Hummel gave the home team a 1-0 lead when his RBI single off Gary Glover in the bottom of the second inning scored Chris Duncan. Hart gave Memphis some breathing room in the sixth with a two-out, two-run single to shortstop off Glover that brought in Hummel and John Nelson to up the advantage to 3-0.

 

Glover (6-4) worked all six innings of the opener for the Sounds, giving Nashville its first complete game of the season, but took the loss after allowing three runs on eight hits.

 

Trent Durrington stole his 26th base in the first contest to pull into a tie for sixth in the PCL.

 

Vinny Rottino started the opener at first base for Nashville, the utility player?s fourth starting position in five games with the Sounds this season. He previously appeared at catcher, third base, and left field.

 

The teams play a second consecutive doubleheader at 6:05 p.m. CT on Thursday evening to wrap up the four-game series at AutoZone Park.

 

The Sounds will send right-hander Mike Meyers (6-4, 5.424) to the mound in the opener to face former Sounds right-hander Kevin Jarvis (10-6, 3.50), who will start for Memphis. Right-hander Ben Hendrickson (6-11, 5.11) mans the bump for Nashville in the nightcap opposite a yet-to-be-named Redbirds hurler.

 

Final, Game One: Nashville 0, Memphis (Cardinals) 3

 

Nashville Box Score, Game One

4 hits and 2 walks by the Sounds, not many offensive highlights to find in this one. Gary Glover goes the distance in a 7-inning game despite walking 5.

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_mrbaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log, Game One

Top pitching prospect Adam Wainwright was dealing all game.

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_mrbaaa_1

 

Final, Game Two: Nashville 0, Memphis (Cardinals) 1

 

Nashville Box Score, Game Two:

No offense to speak of in this one. Dennis Sarfate pitches very well in his AAA debut despite picking up the loss: 5 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 5 K, 2 BB. Wes Obermueller only goes 1 inning...please don't tell us he's heading back to Milwaukee to start...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_mrbaaa_2

 

Nashville Game Log, Game Two:

The game logs are even more indicative of how ineffective the offenses have been recently at all levels.

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_mrbaaa_2

[clancyphile]

John Vanden Berg had a .363 OBP entering the doubleheader.

[colbyjack]

Huntsville Site Game Summaries:

 

Stars and Smokies Split Twin Bill

Clint Goocher and Casey Daigle combined on a three-hit shutout in Tennessee?s 3-0 victory in the second game of a doubleheader Wednesday night at Smokies Park. The Smokies stopped a seven-game slide and improved to 27-38 in the second half, while the Stars slipped to 29-36 in the second half after taking game one, 5-4. Huntsville lost a six-game win streak and a three-game road winning streak, matching season-highs in both categories.

 

Jarred Ball led off the home first inning with a walk, stole second base, stayed there as Dan Uggla walked with one out before the two pulled off a double steal and then scored the first run of the game on a ground ball out by Chris Carter. Huntsville starter Carlos Villanueva struck out Stephen Drew to end the inning and retired the next 12 hitters he faced before exiting after five no-hit innings. The right-hander suffered the loss to drop to 1-2 after yielding a lone run on two walks with three strikeouts. Tennessee tacked on two runs in the sixth inning against Keith Stamler on a Carter sacrifice fly and a run-scoring single by Drew.

 

Villanueva singled with one out in the third and was thrown out at the plate for the final out of the inning trying to score on a Nelson Castro double. Smokies? starter Clint Goocher, who broke up the no-hitter with a leadoff double in the sixth, did not give up a hit the rest of the way and went 6 1/3 innings to grab his eighth win of the season. The southpaw struck out five, walked one and beat the Stars for the first time since May 7. Huntsville?s only other threat occurred in the sixth inning when Guilder Rodriguez walked as a pinch-hitter, moved to second on a Callix Crabbe sacrifice bunt, advanced to third on a Castro ground out and was left there when Adam Heether flied out. Daigle earned his 19th save by getting two outs with two pitches. The Stars had tagged Goocher for 19 runs on 28 hits over 11 innings in his last three outings against them.

 

Gerrit Simpson opened the seventh inning on the hill for Huntsville in game one and promptly surrendered a leadoff double to Marland Williams and a single to Jarred Ball that sliced the Stars lead to 5-4. However, Simpson struck out Noochie Varner, retired Adam Haley on a ground ball out and got Dan Uggla to fly out to end the game and earn his fourth save with Huntsville. Josh Habel went six innings, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks to pick up his third win of the year. The southpaw won for the first time in nine starts with the Stars and has registered all three of his wins over the Smokies.

 

Tony Gwynn, jr. hit the fourth pitch of the game for a home run, his first of the season and just the fourth of his career, to give the visitors the early lead. Kennard Bibbs hit a two-out, solo home run in the second inning, his first of the year and just his third career long ball, to make it 2-0 Huntsville. Stephen Drew got the game tied in the home second with a two-run home run, his third since joining the Smokies and second against the Stars.

 

The Stars regained the lead for good in the third inning on a bases loaded single by Enrique Cruz that scored Guider Rodriguez and added two more runs on a two-out single later in the frame by Jeff Winchester, who knocked in his 28th and 29th runs of the season. Uggla clubbed a solo home run in third to pull the home team within 5-3 and knock in his league-leading 87th run.

 

The series wraps up Thursday night with Huntsville right-hander Glenn Woolard taking the hill, while the Smokies will counter with right-hander Enrique Gonzalez. Coverage gets underway at 6:00 p.m. central time on ESPN 1450 AM and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Final, Game One: Huntsville 5, Tennessee (D-Backs) 4

 

Huntsville Box Score, Game One:

Tony Gwynn Jr. and Kennard Bibbs with their first home runs of the season, in the same game? Say it ain't so...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log, Game One:

Gwynn Jr. leads the game off with his dinger, Bibbs follows in the 2nd with his.

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_1

 

Final, Game Two: Huntsville 0, Tennesse (D-Backs) 3

 

Huntsville Box Score, Game Two:

Carlos Villanueva with a no-hitter through 5 but he still picks up the loss. Three hits, two of which go for extra bases, and a walk makes up the offense for the Stars this evening.

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_2

 

Huntsville Game Log, Game Two:

The Stars were mowed down all night in both games tonight.

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_tenaax_2

[DHonks]

I've been on the Vandenberg and Gwynn bandwagons since they were drafted, so it's good to hear there's a few others besides clancy or Al

[jvrocksaz]

Sarfate goes the final 6 innings (Obie pitched the 1st) in the Stars 1-0 defeat in game two...

Sarfate gave up only 1 run and allowed 2 hits(both singles)...

This is obviously some very good news!!!http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/happy.gif

[colbyjack]

Final: Delmarva (Orioles) 3, West Virginia 0

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

Power shutout by Shorebirds

Charleston, WV (August 31, 2005) ? The Delmarva Shorebirds scored three runs in the top of the first inning of Wednesday?s game against the West Virginia Power and never looked back, beating the Power 3-0 at Appalachian Power Park.

 

Quincy Ascencion laid down a sacrifice bunt and got to first base on a throwing error committed by Power pitcher Greg Kloosterman and the errant throw allowed Paco Figueroa to score. Jason Fransz drove in Gary Cates during the next at bat on an RBI single to give the Shorebirds a 2-0 lead. With runners on first and third base Arturo Rivas grounded into a 6-4-3 double play allowing Quincy Ascencion to score the final run of the game.

 

Josh Potter (4-3) earned the victory, Justin Hennington (15) earned the save and Greg Kloosterman (4-19) obtained the loss. The Power are 31-32 in the second half after the loss and the Shorebirds move to 40-24 with the win.

 

The Power will conclude the final four game series of the season at Appalachian Power Park with the Delmarva Shorebirds on Wednesday night. The Power will throw left-handed pitcher Derek Miller (2-1, 4.21) and the Shorebirds will counter with left-handed pitcher Carlos Perez (11-7, 4.20). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.

 

West Virginia Box Score:

The big-league Brewers big win must have meant that the lil' Brewers were meant to pay on this day. Again, not much offense, while Kloosterman picks up his 19th loss. I can't even imagine any other minor league pitcher being within 5 losses of 19.

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

Kloosterman with an ugly first before mowing down batters in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Kloos' is replaced in the fifth after retiring the first two batters in the inning. Despite hanigng in there, the Power never give him any help. No wonder he has 19 losses.

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[colbyjack]

Final: Helena 4, Great Falls (White Sox) 7

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...105_03.txt

 

Brewers fall to White Sox

IR Staff - 09/01/05

 

The Helena Brewers didn't find a warm welcome in Great Falls on Wednesday, falling 7-4 to the White Sox.

 

It was the Brewers' second straight loss and fifth in seven games. Helena's lead over Billings and Missoula is just three games.

 

Helena (19-11) took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning but the White Sox broke through for five runs in their half of the frame to get the win.

 

Brad Willcutt hit a two-run home run to left field in the top of the sixth inning to give the Brewers a 3-2 lead.

 

Helena added to that in the seventh when Jose Jimenez scored from third on a bases-loaded walk by Freddy Parejo.

 

Great Falls answered with five runs, including a three-run home run by Rolando Acosta with one out.

 

Helena starter Rafael Lluberes pitched four and two-thirds innings, giving up four hits and two runs, but the White Sox got to reliever Josh Louis for four runs in one and two-thirds innings to get the win.

 

Helena Box Score:

Newsflash: Michael Brantley failed to reach base. Bradley Wilcutt's 2-run HR in the 6th provides half of the offense in this one. Lorenzo Cain's name appears in the box score, as his success at Arizona garners him a promotion to Helena to end the season.

 

I do have to ask...where is Bell, Holmberg and Chapman? All three have been hitting the ball well lately, and shouldn't sit despite any roster crunches.

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_grfrok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

The H-Crew went quielty almost every inning this evening.

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_grfrok_1

[colbyjack]

Final, Game One: Brevard County 8, Vero Beach (Dodgers) 5

 

From the Vero Beach Dodgers Site:

 

Dodgers Complete One - Sort of...

08/31/05 - The Vero Beach Dodgers were able to finish the sixth innings - and thereby complete - the suspended game from Tuesday, but rain cancelled the nightcap. The Dodgers lost to the Brevard County Manatees 8-5 for the team's 12th loss in the last 15 games. However, Blake Dewitt delivered his second straight 3-hit game and Jamie Hoffman hit his first home run for Vero Beach. The Dodgers play at Tradition Field in St. Lucie Thursday and Friday before returning home Saturday night at 7:00 PM.

 

Tuesday's game was suspended in the second inning with Vero trailing 7-0. Jarod Plummer relieved Julio Pimentel to start the action in today's game and excelled in 4 1/3 innings. He allowed just three hits and one run to keep Vero Beach in the game.

 

Hoffman's home run came in the third for the Dodgers' first run of the game. Vero closed the gap in the fifth when Hoffman tripled with one out. DeWitt doubled him home and Matt Kemp walked. One out later Athony Raglani sinlged in both baserunners to pull the Dodgers within 8-4.

 

In the bottom of the sixth, Edwin Bellorin led off with a single and Mayke Cabrera's pinch hit moved him to third. Hoffman beat out a fielder's choice that scored Bellorin and DeWitt singled him to second. That brought up Kemp and that's when the rain began. Despite a downpour, play continued until Kemp bounced out to third base, ending the inning and, as it turned out, the game.

[Raul Duke]

I do have to ask...where is Bell, Holmberg and Chapman? All three have been hitting the ball well lately, and shouldn't sit despite any roster crunches.

 

Bell has a broken finger, Kenny was hit on the hand yesterday and Chappy probably had the day off.

[H0FFY]

Let me con myself into believing that Nashville will be OK. They are at home to end the year against the third place side in the other division.

 

The team chasing them, Omaha, need to go to the leader of the other divsion. And that leader is fighting for its life with only a 1/2 game lead.

 

So, Nashville at home agains weaker opposition. Omaha away against stronger opposition.

 

But, really, the Brewers need to send Fielder and Hart back down immediately. They do the Brewers no good on the bench. And they do themselves no good sitting on the bench.

 

C'mon Crew send these guys to AAA for two weeks.

[colbyjack]

Bell has a broken finger, Kenny was hit on the hand yesterday and Chappy probably had the day off.

 

Thanks Raul Duke. Although it seems like Chappy gets a lot of days off. He seems to be swinging somewhat of a hot bat, and if there is nothing wrong with him physically I would like to see him in the H-Crew's lineup more often.

 

I apologize for no box score on the Manatees game that was finished from the night before. It is nowhere to be found, and no details from Brevard County's or Vero Beach's web-site about when the 2nd game may be made up.