Link Report for Games of Friday, August 19th

[Mass Haas]

Nothing in yet on the Arizona doubleheader...

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS

 

Obermueller unable to pick up Sounds

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Wes Obermueller had not allowed a run in the first three innings of any of his first three starts for the Nashville Sounds ? before last night's outing against visiting Round Rock.

 

The right-hander, optioned from Milwaukee on July 22, gave up four first-inning runs on five hits ? including three doubles ? but the Sounds rallied to tie before falling 6-4 in the final game of the four-game series.

 

It marked the third Nashville loss in the series. Omaha defeated New Orleans, cutting the Sounds' lead in the Pacific Coast League American North to five games.

 

"It's not going to be easy," Nashville Manager Frank Kremblas said after his team lost its third consecutive homefield series and lost for the sixth time in its last seven games. "We're playing teams still in (postseason contention)."

 

Down 4-0, the Sounds picked up three runs when they opened the fourth with consecutive extra-base hits by Dave Krynzel, Jeff Cirillo and Nelson Cruz and a Warren Morris sacrifice fly. Steve Scarborough scored the game-tying run in the seventh on Corey D. Hart's pinch-hit double.

 

In the eighth, former Sounds first baseman Carlos Rivera got the best of a lefty-lefty confrontation with Nashville reliever Mitch Stetter, hammering the first pitch into right-center for a two-run double.

 

"We brought in our lefty to face their lefty, and he left a pitch up in the middle of the plate," Kremblas said. "(Rivera) did what you're supposed to do."

 

The Sounds got the game-tying run to the plate in the ninth as Ryan Knox singled in a pinch-hitting role with two outs. However, Trent Durrington flied out to right field to end the game.

 

"We've gotten down early (throughout) the whole series," Hart said. "We've been a team that didn't have to worry about that; we had the ability to come back. But we've come up short the last couple of nights."

 

Great eight: Obermueller executed the fake-to-third, turn-to-first pickoff play during the sixth inning of last night's game.

 

With Round Rock's Barry Wesson at first and Luke Scott at third, Obermueller faked toward Scott. Wesson broke to second on the fake, so Obermueller ran at him, then threw to shortstop Scarborough at second. Scott then broke to the plate, so Scarborough threw home and catcher Julio Mosquera ran Scott back to third before throwing to Chris Barnwell for the putout.

 

It was the eighth time this season a Sounds pitcher has successfully executed the normally rare play. Justin Lehr did it five times, with Rick Helling and Mike Meyers accomplishing the feat once each.

 

Spinning turnstiles: Last night's announced crowd of 10,537 was the sixth sellout crowd of the season.

 

National exposure: A crew from ABC's World News Tonight was shooting footage from last night's Faith Night festivities for an upcoming show.

 

Hotter than August: Nashville infielder Tony Zuniga was hitting .363 (45-for-124) over his last 34 games heading into last night but went 0-for-3.

 

Scoring difficulties: Over their previous seven games, the Sounds were just 10-for-54 (.185) with runners in scoring position. Last night, they were 3-for-8, with all three of the hits coming in the three-run fourth inning.

 

Ringing up the Ks: The Nashville pitching staff went into last night with 970 strikeouts, second in the Pacific Coast League behind Sacramento's 1,004, then added 13 last night. The Sounds are on pace to eclipse the franchise record of 1,080 strikeouts set in 2002.

 

What they said: "Round Rock's good, and they've been playing much better lately than they were early in the year. We're still in good shape." ? Kremblas.

 

Maurice Patton covers the Nashville Sounds for The Tennessean. He can be reached at mopatton@tennessean.com.

[SheetsCyYoung04]

re Rogers, I am glad I was one of the critics... not of him, but of high school pitching drafted high up.

 

So many college pitchers get drafted and perform quickly and even become stars... it seems to me to be a complete waste of money and then followup resources to pour down the drain.

 

What I do not understand is this: we drafted a guy who cannot throw a strike. Don't you think if we WERE to draft high school pitchers, we would draft the ones that could throw a ball straight.

 

We should be drafting the high school pitchers lower down and overpaying a little slot money so they sign. Since it is a lottery, why dont we buy more tickets -and cheaper

 

Yes and there are also college pitchers who do not make it. It is still way to early to call Rogers a failure. He is what 19. He has been facing Maine high school batter up until this point. He still needs to learn how to pitch. In Maine, Im sure it does not matter where a 97 MPH fastball is thrown; however, pros are going to hit it. I am not ready to jump off the bandwagon; however a repeat of West Virginia is painful and looming for Mark.

 

Billy Inman has been lights out. If it were not for the little 4 HR 6 ER inning his ERA would be what .4?

[bjamesw22]

This was Rogers second start since he missed with the blister problem. He started last Sat(8-13) against Lexington, but didn't factor in the decision. Here are his stats.

 

Well those stats still produced:

 

1.50 WHIP

4.29 ERA

 

It basically showed again that he can't control his pitches. 4 walks in not even 5 innings? 7 strikeouts over that period doesn't impress me because we are talking about a guy throwing 98 MPH in A ball. I would hope he would strike out that many.

 

I would even argue that that game you listed was one of his better outtings of the year too. Not very good. For a #5 pick overall, I would expect MUCH more from him. Heck, I'd expect more from a 20th round pick than what we've gotten out of Mark so far. I would expect some struggles in AA, but Rookie League and Low A?

 

Like I've said before, there hasn't been one box score out of Mark that any of us could have looked at and said "WOW".

 

The more and more he pitches the more and more my predictions for him since he was drafted are coming true.

[Never Outhustled]

Kerry Wood and Randy Johnson were just as bad in A ball. His stats mean nothing. He still projects as a dominant big league starter, as he still is a great athlete with great work ethic and an unreal fastball. When it finally all clicks for Rogers, he'll move up faster than most would ever dream.

[bjamesw22]

Those are two of the best pitchers in the game. There are hundreds of pitchers in the same situation who have flamed out. The ratio is probably close to 50:1. So many people have blind faith in potential. It's good to see players succeed in the low levels of the minors, but until they start doing something in AA then I'll start paying attention. And right now Mark isn't even doing that.

 

Until then, the #5 pick overall in the 2004 draft, Mark Rogers, has been a HUGE disappointment so far.

[Basebalfanatic]

It seems funny that for the middle of the season your personal attack on Mark seemed to go away. Is that because he was pitching ok? Granted his career hasn't started the way everyone hoped. You bring up 50:1 isn't that any pick? I feel the adjustments to his mechanics are what is making him a little wild. They will work on that in fall ball and he will be fine. Why don't you name a hard thrower for me who came up young and had great control. Fireballers predominately take time to learn control because they haven't had to "pitch". I am glad the Brewers have more common sense and are taking their time and not throwing a hard throwing 19 yr old on the scrap heap.

[bjamesw22]

It seems funny that for the middle of the season your personal attack on Mark seemed to go away. Is that because he was pitching ok?

 

He was pitching ok? I guess it depends on how loose your term "ok" is? If it means putting up a 5-6 ERA during that time then yes, he pitched ok. I don't understand why you are questioning me. Do you want me to come on here every single time he pitches and say how bad he pitched? You can look through his performances but you're going to find exactly what I have...that he hasn't pitched good all year long.

 

You bring up 50:1 isn't that any pick?

 

No it isn't. 1st rounders have a much higher chance than 30th rounders. And we're not talking about every first rounder, we are talking about pitchers. And we're not just talking about any pitcher, we are talking about pitchers who throw 97+. If anything my 50:1 ratio is probably high.

 

I am glad the Brewers have more common sense and are taking their time and not throwing a hard throwing 19 yr old on the scrap heap.

 

First of all, I never said they should throw him on the scrap heap. I said he has been a major disappointment so far.

 

Secondly, of course they are taking their time. What are they going to do, move him up to AA the way he is pitching?

 

Why don't you name a hard thrower for me who came up young and had great control. Fireballers predominately take time to learn control because they haven't had to "pitch".

 

Any kid who is throwing 90+ would be considered a hard thrower at the high school level. I had a good friend who pitched for UWM and was gunned at 89-90 when we were in HS and he never had to learn another pitch either. I mean, he threw a dinky curve and a devestating 85 MPH change (yeah, I know it isn't much different from his fastball, that's the point), but 90% of his pitches were fastballs. And he dominated.

 

It's a little different than a kid in the warmer states where the competition is much tougher than in Wisconsin. But any pitcher throwing 94+ is going to blow it by pretty much everyone in HS no matter where you are. And there are plenty of prospects drafted every year throwing 94+. You can't tell me that none of them have control.

[colbyjack]

Look, I think everyone would agree that Rogers' success has been disappointing so far, but bjames, you really seemed to have made it your personal quest to point that out over and over again.

[bjamesw22]

I'm being accused by one person of doing this:

 

It seems funny that for the middle of the season your personal attack on Mark seemed to go away. Is that because he was pitching ok?

 

And now I'm being accused of this by another:

 

you really seemed to have made it your personal quest to point that out over and over again.

 

I can't win either way. Throughout the season I have commented in the Link Report, on 3 or 4 of his starts including this one. And we all know he has had many more bad ones than that. I think it's ok for me to express my displeasure of him. Heck, people discuss and bash Magruder and Santos and whoever else they want in the major league forum all they want to, but I can't make a couple comments on minor leaguers? I'm not doing anything different. And it's not like I'm not being cruelly unfair or demeaning to Mark either. And I'm not singling him out either, I've made comments and even started two seperate threads on Salome's defense and nobody said anything.

[madbad2000]

Also isn't it true that Rogers has been "forced" to work on other pitches other then his fastball? I mean if he wanted straight success he could throw fastballs the majority of the time. I believe I read that Mark was distinctly being asked to work on his secondary pitches at the expense of throwing more fastballs. So if you are throwing mostly changeups and curves and learning on the job....do you think the results will be very good? Not to mention that he's very young for the league.

 

I'm not worried about Rogers yet. Lets see how he does with a year or two more of development and once me moves up to where successful numbers actually matter.

 

Also I agree with Patrick that this is a dead horse for some posters.

[colbyjack]

Heck, people discuss and bash Magruder and Santos and whoever else they want in the major league forum all they want to, but I can't make a couple comments on minor leaguers? I'm not doing anything different.

 

I'm not trying to roast you bjames, because I do agree with the basis of what you're saying.

 

However, I do think there is a difference between bashing big leaguers and bashing minor leaguers. Mass Haas puts it a lot better than I do when it comes to this, but I think our minor leaguers, particularly those in the lower levels of the system, should be cut more slack than the big leaguers.

 

I'll leave it at that.

[bjamesw22]

Me too...but don't you think top draft picks are under and should be under more scrutiny than say a 20th rounder? Like I said before, it's not like there is a new thread out there every week or even every month where I am bashing him. It has come up a couple times this year and that is all. I don't think saying he is a disappointment so far and commenting on a couple starts a year is unfair or should be considered bashing him. I could understand if every time he pitched bad I came on here and spouted off, but I'm not nor am I even close to doing that.

 

Like I said in my very first post...the season couldn't come soon enough for Mark. He needs to put this season behind him and come out next year with a chip on his shoulder.

 

Would a guy that has a personal vendetta say something like that?

[Mass Haas]

Final, Game One: Arizona Padres 12, Arizona Brewers 3

 

Weather: 108 degrees, clear.

Wind: 0 mph, None.

T: 1:47.

Att: 20.

 

Arizona Game One Box Score:

Canadian 14th round pick Mark James just turned 18 years old last month -- rough outing here in the night-time heat; 12th round first baseman John Alonso sighting -- he's seemed to miss significant time to apparent injury on two occasions this year; 2004 11th round pick Lenny Leclercq has played just about everywhere on the diamond but pitcher and catcher...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_brrrok_1

 

Arizona Game One Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_brrrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Final, Game Two: Arizona Padres 5, Arizona Brewers 1, eight innings (scheduled for seven)

 

Arizona Game Two Box Score:

RHP Alirio Ledezma, 18 years old this past April, with most likely the best outing for an A-Crew pitcher this season; not so for RHP Jose Garcia, who just turned 17 in May -- talk about young pups! Still 17-year-old SS Harold Mejia, pretty much the starter at that spot all season long, has really hit the wall....

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_brrrok_2

 

Arizona Game Two Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_brrrok_2