Link Report for Sunday 8/14 - AZ Box Score Now Available

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Sunday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central except for Arizona Rookie; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Wes Obermueller at Memphis (Cardinals), 1:45 PM pre-game, 2:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: RHP Dennis Sarfate at Birmingham (White Sox), 5:45 PM pre-game, 6:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

If that link is down for bandwidth, use:

specs.eyecentric.com/pres...opup.shtml

 

Brevard County: TBD at home vs. St. Lucie (Mets), 12:00 PM; no audio for this series

 

West Virginia: RHP Kevin Roberts at home vs. Lexington (Astros), 1:05 PM

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: TBD at home vs. Idaho Falls (Royals), 8:05 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.ifchukars.com/home/default.asp

 

Arizona: TBD at home in the Maryvale complex vs. the rookie Kansas City kids, 7:00 PM local time; never any web audio for Arizona Rookie ball...

[Mass Haas]

Links to follow Sunday's action as it happens:

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_mrbaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_biraax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

 

Arizona:

Not updated live, but usually later during the overnight...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_brrrok_1

[Mass Haas]

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 68 53 .562 - 31-29 37-24 L1[/b] Memphis 59 61 .492 8.5 31-31 28-30 W1 Omaha 59 62 .488 9.0 27-30 32-32 W3 Iowa 55 62 .470 11.0 36-27 19-35 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carolina 30 16 .652 - 17-10 13-6 W1 West Tenn 26 22 .542 5.0 12-10 14-12 L5 Tennessee 21 27 .438 10.0 11-12 10-15 L1 [b]Huntsville 20 28 .417 11.0 8-15 12-13 L3[/b] Chattanooga 17 31 .354 14.0 10-17 7-14 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vero Beach 31 17 .646 - 17-9 14-8 L1 Palm Beach 29 21 .580 3.0 13-12 16-9 W1 [b]Brevard County 28 21 .571 3.5 12-13 16-8 W1[/b] St. Lucie 26 23 .531 5.5 11-12 15-11 L1 Daytona 21 27 .438 10.0 13-12 8-15 L2 Jupiter 18 29 .383 12.5 13-11 5-18 W4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delmarva 30 16 .652 - 17-3 13-13 W1 Hickory 27 20 .574 3.5 15-10 12-10 L1 [b]West Virginia 26 21 .553 4.5 14-10 12-11 W2[/b] Lexington 25 22 .532 5.5 16-11 9-11 L2 Lake County 21 24 .467 8.5 10-12 11-12 W1 Lakewood 22 26 .458 9.0 14-12 8-14 W2 Greensboro 21 27 .438 10.0 9-13 12-14 W1 Hagerstown 14 30 .318 15.0 5-12 9-18 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Helena 11 2 .846 - 5-2 6-0 W1[/b] Billings 6 8 .429 5.5 1-3 5-5 W2 Great Falls 5 8 .385 6.0 2-4 3-4 W1 Missoula 5 8 .385 6.0 4-5 1-3 W2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Giants 8 4 .667 - 3-3 5-1 L2 AZL Mariners 8 4 .667 - 4-2 4-2 W1 AZL Athletics 8 6 .571 1.0 6-2 2-4 L2 AZL Rangers 8 6 .571 1.0 5-3 3-3 W3 [b]AZL Brewers 6 5 .545 1.5 2-4 4-1 W1[/b] AZL Royals 6 5 .545 1.5 4-2 2-3 W4 AZL Angels 5 8 .385 3.5 1-1 4-7 L1 AZL Padres 4 8 .333 4.0 1-6 3-2 L2 AZL Cubs 3 10 .231 5.5 1-6 2-4 L2

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

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

A home field disadvantage

City pro teams hurt by outdated aspects of VBC, ballpark

By MARK McCARTER

Huntsville Times Sports Staff markcolumn@aol.com

 

From heaven, from the cornfield, maybe just from his own tormented soul, Ray Kinsella heard the words.

 

"If you build it, they will come.''

 

Those words inspired the Kevin Costner character in "Field of Dreams" to construct a majestic diamond in the middle of the Iowa cornfields to help him reconnect with his past.

 

Huntsville, itself a gem that was constructed from the middle of Alabama cotton fields, can faintly hear the same mantra. But it's more much challenging. It's much less about reconnecting with a glorious past - and surely there are ghost-like memories - and more about somehow assuring a future in pro sports that seems fragile.

 

The city has two primary professional sports facilities:

 

The Von Braun Center was opened in 1975. It serves as home to the Huntsville Havoc ice hockey team (as well as UAH's nationally known college program). It also was home this season to the Huntsville Flight basketball team and the Tennessee Valley Raptors, an indoor professional football team.

 

Joe W. Davis Stadium, named for the Huntsville mayor who guided the building of the multi-purpose ballpark, was opened in 1985 and has since served as home to the Huntsville Stars. It is the oldest stadium among 10 in the Southern League.

 

"They're facilities that don't meet today's standards and don't provide the atmosphere that families look for when they go to a sporting event,'' says former Stars general manager Bryan Dingo.

 

Both structures are outdated, like Model T's lined up at a stoplight next to a Ferrari, when compared to others in their leagues and in this area.

 

Or, for an even better analogy, listen to Greg Patterson, executive director of the Huntsville Sports Commission.

 

"Huntsville was a progressive city in the '60s and '70s, so we jumped ahead of our competition (in facility construction),'' Patterson says. "Now it's difficult to re-do some of those facilities. Not impossible, but difficult.

 

"It's sort of like whoever has the first computer, has the oldest computer, has the most outdated computer,'' Patterson says, "and you can't afford to catch up. For years, you didn't buy another one.''

 

Oldest ballpark

 

Joe Davis Stadium, with its listed 10,200-seat capacity, is not only the oldest stadium in the Southern League, but also the third largest; Jacksonville built its 11,000-seat park with an eye toward Triple-A and Birmingham hosts the annual Southeastern Conference baseball tournament as well as high school football at its 10,800-seat park.

 

"New stadiums are very attractive, but they're very costly,'' says Don Mincher, president of the Southern League and former owner of the Stars.

 

"But Joe Davis Stadium is still very workable. All the bells and whistles that come with a new stadium, it doesn't have that. But in my thinking, it's still the best park I've been in to watch a baseball game. There's not a bad seat in the house.''

 

Montgomery invested $26 million in its new stadium. Pearl, Miss., to which the Atlanta organization moved its Double-A team when Greenville, S.C., balked on building a new park, spent $25 million for the park it opened this season.

 

Miles Prentice, a New York attorney who is the Stars' principal owner, enlisted the famed HOK group, which has designed countless gorgeous stadiums, to visit two years ago and generate a plan to renovate Joe Davis Stadium. However, nothing has emerged from those plans. Prentice did not return telephone calls requesting comments.

 

There is $300,000 planned for improvements in this offseason. That will go, according to Stars general manager Tom Van Schaack, toward building a walk-in souvenir store and other fan amenities. Long-term, the Stars hope to add outdoor seating to the now-enclosed skyboxes.

 

"You're driving down the Parkway, you've got a 21-year-old stadium, it's hard to convince taxpayers you need a new stadium,'' says Patterson. "But if you don't have one at all, you could build a new one and get away with it. Just like you can't justify building a new Von Braun Center.''

 

So, in this cutting edge, high-tech town, apparently pro sports is destined to be working on, to use Patterson's analogy, the oldest computers.

 

"We're running on DOS,'' says the Havoc's Jeffries, stretching the theme, "and everybody else is on Windows."

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Outside owners keep sports market uncertain

Transplanted ideas don't always work, as example shows

By MARK McCARTER

Times Sports Staff markcolumn@aol.com

 

It took an influx of newcomers a half-century ago to launch Huntsville as a city of importance.

 

Ironically, outsiders have seemed to sink Huntsville's sports fortunes.

 

"When you have others coming from outside the market,'' says Ron Evans, executive director of the Von Braun Center, "they think they can transplant an idea from somewhere else to here. You can't always do that."

 

Perhaps most egregious was the Huntsville Fire soccer team that was moved to the city in 1997 from Daytona Beach, Fla. The Fire blazed about as long as a candle on a 6-year-old's birthday cake.

 

Though Nashville's Larry Schmittou brought baseball to the city, it took a major effort by local owners to keep the Stars here in 1994. Sold in 2001 to a syndicate of absentee owners, headed by New York lawyer Miles Prentice, the team has lost some of its luster among fans and sponsors.

 

"From my vantage point, things are fine,'' Stars general manager Tom Van Schaack says. "Could there always be more people? Sure. A lot of that is our fault because of our staff size: We don't have the manpower to send three, four, five people out 9-to-5 every day to sell group tickets, which is where we could pick up 50,000 people.''

 

Van Schaack's "wish list" from Prentice includes having a larger staff. The Stars have 10 employees listed on their Web site; the Double-A Midland (Texas) Rockhounds, also owned by Prentice, have 23 employees listed.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Add terrace to the Joe, and that's just a start

Makeover also could add office building, outdoor seats for skyboxes

By MARK McCARTER

Times Sports Staff markcolumn@aol.com

 

You've seen the TV shows, where designers and builders are given a limited budget and challenged to turn a woeful dungeon of a bedroom into something that looks like the Presidential Suite at the Waldorf-Astoria.

 

All for, like, $1,000.

 

Welcome, then, to "Extreme Joe Makeover.''

 

The city of Huntsville has $300,000 budgeted for improvements to Joe Davis Stadium.

 

To be honest, our plan is going to need more than that. But our plan encompasses an office that needs to be built anyway and a restaurant that can return the investment. It will also draw more people, so the city will reap the benefits of that through its parking revenue and sales tax.

 

Fact is, the city poohbahs are not going to fork over enough for a new stadium. Taxpayers won't stand for it. But a few million in a makeover to a piece of city property, on which there is some return for the investment, isn't unreasonable.

 

Especially if, as in our makeover, there are revenue streams for the city.

 

The field

 

Joe Davis Stadium has a wonderful new scoreboard. It has a crisp, clear video screen. But it needs to be uprooted and moved about 20 to 25 feet closer to the stands. Replant it so it is actually in play. Give us an extra weird angle.

 

There is no more high school football played at The Joe, so move the whole fence in left field in. Fans want home runs. Players need a more fair target.

 

The fence should be a one-level, clear fence. Behind it, build a landscaped terrace where fans can sit.

 

The terrace should continue around to right field, and a kids' area built there. Tear down one tier of the fence, but advertising signage can still go here. Cut some spaces in some of the signs through which kids can watch the game, creating that old style "Knothole Gang" feel.

 

The building

 

Knock down the left field corner of the stadium and construct a four-story, city-owned building.

 

The building will have access to the stadium concourse on the left field end, and to the berm. It should be angled into that corner where it actually comes into play.

 

First floor: Stars' clubhouse, training room, weight room and storage.

 

Second floor: Stars' team offices.

 

Third floor: Office space for the Huntsville Sports Commission. Other offices for lease. Museum/display area for Huntsville/Madison County Sports Hall of Fame, with area for rotating sports-related exhibits.

 

Fourth floor: Year-'round restaurant, with windows overlooking stadium.

 

Part of the cost: A nice sign that proclaims it the Don Mincher Building, a tribute to the man inexorably linked with the Stars from their outset.

 

The stadium

 

Create a fresh revenue stream with improved skyboxes. Put a door and some steps in the front of each, and two rows of box seats outside each box. Watch the Stars in air conditioning or outside. Your choice.

 

Build an appealing picnic area on the first-base side.

 

Are there not enough home-improvement stores who'd give enough lumber and nails to build a deck-looking area, then get their corporate logo slapped on the side?

 

The small existing clubhouses can be the auxiliary locker rooms that'll be needed when the stadium is used to bid - as it should and will - to host college tournaments and the state high school tournament.

 

At the top of the first-base stands, builders left a wide-open area for other skyboxes. After 20 years, it's time to fill in that blank. Put a floor there, maybe a spot just for kids' birthday parties. Hang a net to protect them from foul balls.

 

And, we're a little selfish here: knock out these press box windows. Put some windows on a track that we can slide off to the side.

 

We're looking through windows up there with 20 years of gunk - but they're still not so cloudy and scuffed that we can't see a bright future for the stadium with a little imagination and a little money.

[Mass Haas]

What they've got that Huntsville doesn't

 

Each of the other nine ballparks in the Southern League has something that sets it apart from Huntsville's Joe Davis Stadium. Here's a list.

 

Birmingham: Major league-sized clubhouses

 

Carolina: Full-service, year-round restaurant

 

Chattanooga: Spectacular view of river and downtown

 

Jacksonville: Grassy berm and terraces beyond outfield fence

 

Mississippi: Luxury boxes that are major revenue stream

 

Mobile: Banquet hall/clubroom down right field line

 

Montgomery: $1 million video screen

 

Tennessee: Spacious walk-in souvenir store

 

West Tenn: Wide, open concourse gives view of game to fans in concession line

 

Compiled by Mark McCarter

[Mass Haas]

In progress: St.Lucie (Mets) 5, Brevard County 0, after three innings

"TBD" was RHP Forrest Martin, who couldn't escape the first inning...

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes for Sunday (PDF format):

Sounds undefeated with Wes Obermueller on the mound...

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

[Mass Haas]

Final: St. Lucie (Mets) 5, Brevard County 0, five inning game, rain

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Carlos de la Cruz and Steve Moss had two-out opportunities in the 2nd and 5th innings, respectively, but for naught; we'd like to think there are, let's say, 20 top-end starting pitchers for each of the levels above rookie ball, but that just can't be the case -- guys like Forrest Martin get a chance to prove themselves, but it wasn't happening today...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

[Mass Haas]

In progress: Lexington (Astros) 4, West Virginia 2, after five innings

Alcides Escobar back in the lineup; Legend batter reaches on a strikeout (Angel Salome passed ball) -- a throwing error by Salome later in the inning leads to two unearned runs...

[Mass Haas]

In progress: Nashville 0, Memphis 0, after four innings

RHP Anthony Reyes beat Milwaukee this week, now he has a no-hitter through four; unconventional Sounds lineup with Steve Scarborough batting in the 3-spot...

[lithium75]

Reyes, straight from beating the Brewers, came back for more. His line in Nashville? 7 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, and 15, (yes I said 15) strikeouts

[ja002h]

Wowzas.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Memphis (Cardinals) 1, Nashville 0

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

 

MEMPHIS ? Redbirds (and former Milwaukee Brewer) catcher Robinson Cancel ripped a two-out RBI single to left field off Sounds reliever Brett Evert in the bottom of the eighth inning to plate Reggie Taylor with the only run that Memphis needed, securing a 1-0 victory over Nashville on Sunday afternoon at Auto Zone Park.

 

Taylor, who pinch-hit for Redbirds pitcher Brian Falkenborg to open the eighth, walked, then advanced two bases on a pair of Evert wild pitches before scoring his game-winner.

 

Falkenborg (4-4) earned the victory for the Redbirds after tossing a scoreless eighth inning. Evert (0-1) drew the loss after allowing the game-winning run in his lone inning of work. Ricky Stone worked a scoreless top of the ninth to secure his ninth save of the year and sixth for Memphis.

 

The 1-0 loss was the Sounds? first by that score since falling to Oklahoma on August 24, 2004 and was the club's third shutout defeat of the season. Nashville batters matched a franchise record by striking out 17 times in the contest, the third such occurrence in the club?s 28-year history.

 

With the win, Memphis pulled back to within 7 ½ games of Nashville (68-54) in the PCL American Conference Northern Division.

 

Memphis starter Anthony Reyes and Sounds starter Wes Obermueller engaged in quite the pitchers? duel for the majority of the afternoon, combining to allow six hits through seven scoreless innings apiece. Neither hurler received a decision in the contest.

 

Reyes tallied 15 strikeouts on the afternoon, setting a new Redbirds? franchise record and equaling his career-high. He retired the first 12 Nashville batters in order before Prince Fielder led off the fifth inning with a flare single to left-center to break up his perfect game.

 

The 24-year-old right-hander became the first opposing pitcher to fan 12 or more Sounds batters in a contest in over five years, dating back to a 12-punchout Doug Linton effort for Colorado Springs on May 14, 2000 at Greer Stadium.

 

Obermueller matched Reyes? effort virtually every step of the way, matching his season high with six strikeouts through seven scoreless frames. The solid outing, his longest with Nashville, lowered the right-hander?s ERA to 1.82.

 

Tony Zuniga had his season-best nine-game hitting streak snapped with a pinch-hit strikeout. Catcher Mike Rivera and shortstop Steve Scarborough each went 0-for-3 to snap each player?s season-high hit streak at six games.

 

The teams wrap up the four-game series with a 7:05 p.m. finale on Monday evening. Right-hander Gary Glover (5-2, 2.81) takes the mound for the Sounds to face Redbirds right-hander Adam Wainwright (7-9, 4.74).

 

Nashville Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_mrbaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_mrbaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Audio Plays of the Week:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...208-14.mp3

[ja002h]

How can Wes be so good in AAA and so bad for the Brewers?

[Mass Haas]

Final: Lexington (Astros) 7, West Virginia 3

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

Power drop final Sunday home game

Charleston, WV ? The West Virginia Power took a record of 8-3 on Sunday home games into their final Sunday afternoon game at Appalachian Power Park against the Lexington Legends. The Power scored first, but Lexington scored more, and beat the Power 7-3.

 

In the first inning Charlie Fermaint scored on an errant throw from third baseman Bryan Triplett and Grant Richardson knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly to give the Power a 2-0 lead.

 

In the second inning Mitch Einertson scored on an errant throw from catcher Angel Salome and J.R. Towles tied the game at 2-2 on an RBI groundout. Ole Sheldon gave the Legends the lead in the third inning on an RBI double and Sheldon scored later in the inning on Mitch Einertson?s RBI single to make it 4-2 Legends. Chris Clark chipped in with an RBI single in the sixth inning and Ole Sheldon hit a two-run homer in the seventh to give Lexington a 7-2 lead.

 

The Power scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the ninth inning when Richie Cormier hit a fly ball to right field which was dropped by Ryan Reed, allowing Ryan Braun to score.

 

Richardson went 1 for 2 in the game, marking the 32nd straight game that he has reached base safely.

 

(Not to nitpick, but I don't believe this type of streak includes games when a batter only reaches base via an error, as was the case the other night -- Mass Haas.)

 

Juan Gutierrez (9-4) earned the victory, and Kevin Roberts (1-2) obtained the loss. The Power are 26-22 in the second half after the loss and the Legends move to 26-22 with the win.

 

The Power are off on Monday but they will begin a three game series with the Lakewood BlueClaws on Tuesday night at Appalachian Power Park. The Power will throw LHP Greg Kloosterman (4-16, 5.15) and Lakewood has not announced their starter. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Dennisfrancis]

Well not good news from Huntsville. Dennis just called me, he felt something in his elbow in the first inning. He was taken out in the second. They are icing it for now and will evaluate it tomorrow. Nothing to do, but wait. I'll keep my fingers crossed. I'll let you know if I hear anything before it's posted.

[Mass Haas]

In progress: Birmingham (White Sox) 7, Huntsville 0, bottom of the fourth in Birmingham

Dennis Sarfate surrendered five runs in the first inning, faced one batter in the second, and left with an undisclosed injury at that point...

[batman]

That's terrible news. Did Dennis try to pitch through the pain? I hope the trainer didn't tell him to go back out there if he felt like he injured his elbow. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif

 

Best wishes to him and I hope the MRI turns up negative!

 

Keep your head up,

~Bill

[Mass Haas]

Well, I guess by the matter of a couple of minutes, the injury is "disclosed".

 

Thanks for the update and our best to Dennis, he's been the true Brewer horse in recent seasons -- no offense to Carlos Lee.

[Mass Haas]

Based on "thread read" counts and other insights, it's pretty clear that some folks are coming straight to the Link Report via the home page link and perhaps aren't visiting other Minor League threads. Just a reminder that just in the past day or so, there have been new feature articles linked to on Tim Dillard and Carlos Villanueva of Brevard County, the newest Brewer -- Richie Cormier of the Power, and even a Helena film update, including a link to the original trailer for this now apparently-forsaken project. Be sure to poke around a bit...

[molitor fan]

Wow, Helena down 16-0 after 3 innings, ends up with more hits than their opponent, but still loses 18-10...Holmberg with his 9th homer and my guy Chapman with a dinger too...

 

I feel bad for the pitcher that had to come out after 4 and 2/3 innings with a 16-1 lead due to pitch count....