Link Report for Games of Thursday, July 14th

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu:

 

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

 

Nashville: RHP Rick Helling at home vs. Albuquerque (Dodgers), 6:40 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Nashville Site Gamecast Feed:

www.nashvillesounds.com/live/xlive.htm

 

Huntsville: Idle for the All-Star Break

 

Brevard County: TBD at Dunedin (Blue Jays), 6:00 PM; no audio for this series

 

West Virginia: RHP Josh Baker at Lakewood (Phillies), 6:05 PM

 

Audio link:

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

 

Helena: TBD at home vs. Ogden (Dodgers), 8:05 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.relia.net/raptors/

 

Arizona: TBD at the Padres complex, 11:30 AM local time in the Arizona sun; never any audio for this league...

[Mass Haas]

Links to follow Thursday's action as it happens:

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_dunafx_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lwdafx_1

 

Helena:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

 

Arizona:

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

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_pdrrok_1

[Mass Haas]

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Nashville 51 40 .560 - 25-19 26-21 W1[/b] Memphis 47 43 .522 3.5 24-19 23-24 L1 Iowa 41 47 .466 8.5 26-22 15-25 W1 Omaha 41 50 .451 10.0 16-23 25-27 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern League (AA) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carolina 10 8 .556 - 8-7 2-1 W1 [b]Huntsville 11 9 .550 - 3-5 8-4 W1[/b] West Tenn 10 9 .526 0.5 4-4 6-5 L1 Tennessee 9 10 .474 1.5 5-6 4-4 W1 Chattanooga 8 12 .400 3.0 3-5 5-7 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Florida State League (A+) - East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Brevard County 13 6 .684 - 3-1 10-5 W1[/b] St. Lucie 11 8 .579 2.0 4-5 8-3 W3 Palm Beach 12 9 .571 2.0 6-5 6-4 W1 Vero Beach 10 9 .526 3.0 5-5 5-4 L1 Jupiter 8 10 .444 4.5 7-3 1-7 W1 Daytona 5 14 .263 8.0 4-8 1-6 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Atlantic League (A) - Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delmarva 13 6 .684 - 9-1 5-5 W1 Hickory 11 7 .611 1.5 6-4 5-3 L1 Lexington 11 8 .579 2.0 8-4 3-5 L1 Lake County 9 10 .474 4.0 6-7 3-3 L3 Lakewood 9 10 .474 4.0 6-4 3-6 W1 [b]West Virginia 8 11 .421 5.0 5-2 3-9 L1[/b] Hagerstown 7 12 .368 6.0 2-4 5-8 W2 Greensboro 6 11 .353 6.0 1-6 5-5 L4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pioneer League (R+) - North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Helena 16 5 .762 - 7-2 9-3 W2[/b] Billings 12 9 .571 4.0 4-5 8-4 W1 Great Falls 8 13 .381 8.0 6-6 2-7 W1 Missoula 5 16 .238 11.0 2-10 3-6 L2

Arizona League Standings:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...mp;lid=121

 

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

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes for Thursday (PDF format):

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.tennessean.com/apps/p...328/SPORTS

 

Revamped Sounds are still shining

In first place at All-Star break after losing some of top players

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

It wasn't an extreme makeover, but the Nashville Sounds that open the second half of the Pacific Coast League season tonight aren't the same Sounds that began the year in April.

 

Gone are top prospect Rickie Weeks, veterans Pat Borders, Trent Durrington and Kevin Orie, outfielder Brad Nelson, and relievers Chad Paronto and Julio Santana. Still, the Sounds have surged to the top of the PCL American Conference Northern Division standings despite the changes ? most of which took place over a three-week span in June.

 

"You've got to give the players credit for pulling together and the staff credit for not throwing in the towel," said Reid Nichols, director of player development for the Milwaukee Brewers, the parent club.

 

"They stayed on it and have done a good job."

 

Despite all the movement, the team has performed consistently. The Sounds haven't won more than four games in a row and have accomplished that only once ? a series sweep of visiting New Orleans in late May ? but avoided long losing slides. Nashville dropped five in a row just before sweeping New Orleans, and was swept by visiting Omaha to open June.

 

"We're doing OK," Manager Frank Kremblas said. "I'm not that surprised ? maybe a little over how much offense we've been able to generate. But the guys we've replaced some of the other guys with can play."

 

Plugging in veteran (and former Sound) Warren Morris for Weeks, calling up veteran Tony Zuniga for Orie and swapping Nelson for Nelson Cruz kept the punch going. Meanwhile, the team defense solidified and the pitching has improved from top to bottom.

 

"In the beginning, we didn't pitch as well as we would have expected," Kremblas said. "But lately we have. The difference has probably been the ability to command the fastball more than anything.

 

"We've improved defensively, and I'm sure that helps the pitchers feel a little more comfortable. I think our outfield play has gotten better."

 

Although Nashville hasn't been overwhelming offensively ? averaging 5.5 runs per game ? the runs have come at the right times. The Sounds have won 18 games in their final at-bat.

 

"Our pitching is better, and we're getting timely hitting," outfielder Corey Hart said. "I think we'll definitely be in the playoffs and go deep in the playoffs. I think we're going to be a tough matchup."

 

Nichols said that while the pitching has improved, that would be the aspect that he'd like to shore up if possible.

 

"Pitching has been the strong suit," he said. "They've got a lot of good arms down there. We're still trying to help them out. They're one under, roster-wise. We're trying to help the pitching if we can."

 

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

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.al.com/stars/huntsvil...amp;coll=1

 

Huntsville hurlers sizzle vs. South

North wins 12-5 in SouthernLeague All-Star Game

By TOMMY HICKS

Special to the Times

 

MOBILE - All-time home run king Hank Aaron threw out the ceremonial first pitch for Wednesday's Southern League All-Star Game at the stadium that bears his name. The North Division All-Stars took it from there, and they weren't very ceremonial about the task, but were certainly effective and continuous.

 

Armed by a pitching staff that threw six inning of no-hit baseball, including scoreless innings by Huntsville Stars David Bradley and Dana Eveland, and the hitting of Most Valuable Player Jeremy Hermida of the Carolina Mudcats, the North team rolled to a 12-5 victory over the South.

 

Eveland earned the starting spot for the North when scheduled starter Ricky Nolasco of West Tenn was pulled just prior to gametime. It was an unexpected move, but one Eveland was happy to accept. He started off the six no-hit innings of work by North pitchers by throwing a perfect first inning.

 

"It was real exciting,'' Eveland said of the no-hit stretch and his start. "I thought we had a chance to get the first no-hitter ever in an all-star game. It's not something you think will happen and we didn't really talk about it because the game doesn't count, so it wasn't that important. But it was a lot of fun.

 

"We got a lot of run support, too. The guys were really hitting the ball. This whole time was a blast. Everything worked out the way I hoped it would.''

 

Certainly that was true for the North team in general, which collected 12 runs on 15 hits.

 

"We had a real good night,'' Huntsville's Tony Gwynn Jr., who was 1-for-5 with a run batted in and two runs scored, said. "We got started early. After going through the lineup once everyone started getting comfortable and put some good swings on the ball. ... Definitely, it was a lot of fun for me. It was good to get some at-bats against some good pitching. I've been struggling a bit and this will help my confidence.''

 

Hermida was the start of stars. The Mudcats outfielder was 3-for-5 on the night with four RBIs and two runs scored. It seemed every time the North needed to get something going, Hermida was at the plate and delivering a key hit. He and Gwynn produced RBI singles in the third inning for the North's first two runs. In the fifth, Hermida slapped a three-run double that gave the North a 5-0 lead.

 

The South finally got a hit in the seventh when Birmingham's Chris Stewart led off with a triple. He scored on a ground ball error by Delwyn Young. Stewart would finish the night with a 2-for-2 performance. Casey Rogowski, also of Birmingham, added a two-run home run to left to close the gap a bit.

 

The North finished with a flurry, including a five-run ninth inning provided by a Jesus Cota two-run double and a three-run homer by West Tenn's Casey McGehee.

 

The South added a run in the bottom of the ninth on a Rico Washington RBI single.

 

Huntsville's Vinny Rottino also played in the game, but was hitless in one official at-bat.

 

Washington had two hits, meaning he and Stewart accounted for two-thirds of the South offense.

[tyguy20204]

Has anyone seen Heether play? I'd be interested in knowing what type of approach he has and also how he handles third. He's starting to compile some impressive numbers.

[SheetsCyYoung04]

Can Josh Baker and Derek Miller switch places yet?

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site Update:

 

Tonight?s series opener between the Nashville Sounds and Albuquerque Isotopes, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., has been postponed due to unplayable field conditions at Greer Stadium stemming from tropical storm rains throughout the Middle Tennessee area this week.

 

The game will be made up as part of a 6 p.m. doubleheader on Friday evening. The teams will play two seven-inning games.

 

In Friday's twinbill, Nashville right-hander Rick Helling (7-3, 4.38) will start the opener and face Albuquerque right-hander Frank Castillo (7-5, 4.81). Right-hander Ben Hendrickson (4-6, 4.63) will start the nightcap for the Sounds and face right-hander Travis Smith (2-4, 6.32).

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 10, Dunedin (Blue Jays) 3

 

Brevard County Box Score:

Five Manatees with multiple base hits -- where was this offense in the first half? Drew Anderson, Adam Heether, and Travis Ezi go deep - certainly among the very few games the 'Tees have homered thrice or more; seven of the ten RBI came with two out; when did second baseman Steve Sollman jump to 15 errors -- yikes; Tim Dillard has walked only 23 in 126.1 innings -- he's been so stable...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_dunafx_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_dunafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 5, Lakewood (Phillies) 3

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

BRAUN HITS FIRST POWER HOMER IN WIN OVER LAKEWOOD

Lakewood, NJ ? Ryan Braun, the first round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2005 draft, hit a pair of home runs in his short tenure with the Helena Brewers of the Pioneer League and on Thursday night he hit his first home run as a member of the West Virginia Power in a 5-3 victory over the Lakewood BlueClaws at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood, New Jersey.

 

The Power scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning when Braun reached on a fielder?s choice and brought in Alcides Escobar in the process. The BlueClaws tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning when Jason Jaramillo scored on a wild pitch.

 

The Power took their second lead of the game in the top of the fifth inning when Braun drove in Nestor Corredor on a sacrifice fly. The Power added to their lead in the top of the sixth inning when Carlos Corporan drove in Hasan Rasheed on an RBI single and Corporan scored later in the inning on a wild pitch to give the Power a 4-1 advantage. The Power scored their final run of the game in the top of the seventh inning on Braun?s solo shot.

 

Doug Gredvig brought the BlueClaws within two runs of the Power in the bottom of the eighth inning when he hit a two-run homer to make it a 5-3 game. Gredvig had a chance to be a hero when he stepped into the batter?s box with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Robert Hinton struck him out on three pitches to end the game.

 

Steve Hammond (1-0) earned the victory, Hinton (7) earned the save and Maximo De La Cruz (4-8) obtained the loss. The Power are 9-11 in the second half after the win and the BlueClaws move to 9-11 with the loss.

 

The Power will conclude the four game series with the BlueClaws in Lakewood on Friday night. The Power will throw RHP Josh Wahpepah (4-4, 3.46) and the BlueClaws will counter with RHP Matt Sweeney (1-1, 2.08). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

On those occasions when they do have a late lead, the Power have a dynamic closing duo in Hinton and Ben Stanczyk; 6th round lefty Hammond has been studly; Grant Richardson draws two walks on a day when his hot bat is otherwise quiet -- that's a nice sign...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lwdafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

Errors are like turnovers in football -- you win that battle, like the Power did here, 4-0, and you'll do well; both Hammond and Hinton stranded two inherited runners -- that's impressive 9th inning strikeout stuff for the still 20-year-old Hinton...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_lwdafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Brewers 6, Arizona Padres 4, ten innings

 

Weather: 101 degrees, sunny.

Wind: 1 mph, Varies.

T: 2:40

 

Arizona Box Score:

Maybe this Jose Jimenez kid will be a player, now with six extra base hits among 20 total hits -- we mentioned last week how only a handful of these players will reach high-A, if recent history holds true...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_pdrrok_1

 

Arizona Game Log:

17-year-old SS Harold Mejia with ten errors, but he's seeing plenty of action -- the Brewers like him; the boys nearly lost this one in the bottom of the 9th, barely hanging on to the tie...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_pdrrok_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Ogden (Dodgers) 8, Helena 4

Almost an undefeated organizational day (minus a AAA rainout and an idle AA team http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif )...

 

Helena Box Score:

RHP Josh Louis' pitching line shines among weaker ones tonight; 4th round third baseman Matt Gamel heating up...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

Brewers loaded the bases in the 9th to bring up the tying run -- sorry, no heroics...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...k_helrok_1

[molitor fan]

Katin has quite literally been a man amongst boys.....that average is higher than any time at Miami - I guess he is making an ok adjustment to wood bats.

[H0FFY]

We do have some big time prospects here there and everywhere. re Katin, I can only reiterate that the scouting report on Miami (Braun) mentioned that Katin is a monster that can really hit.

 

I am liking Jack Z.'s approach of drafting big time guys. The poor Oakland A's may only ever be a good ball club. But with guys like Weeks and Fielder (and can I guess Braun and Katin) we may end up with a big-time, great ball club one day in Milwaukee.

 

And Milwaukee deserves it.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...405_01.txt

 

Brewers downed by Ogden

By KEVIN SHIVELY - IR Sports Writer

 

On Wednesday night the Brewers showed Ogden why they lead the Northern Division. On Thursday, the Raptors reminded Helena why they lead the south.

 

The Ogden Raptors played the kind of offensive game they saw from the Brewers the night before, beating Helena 8-4 and finishing the four game series at two apiece.

 

"They executed well and we didn't, it's that simple," said Helena skipper Ed Sedar. "We had an off night. It happens sometimes."

 

Only three of the Brewer's four runs were earned Thursday. All three were scored on solo homeruns.

 

Brad Willcutt hit his third of the season to lead off the second inning, and then Brendan Katin and Matt Gamel hit back to back shots in the fifth to pull Helena within one.

 

Gamel also drove in Charlie Fermaint in the third after Fermaint reached on an error.

 

Helena left 12 runners on base.

 

"We just didn't do the stuff that we've been working on every day," said Sedar. "The team has been doing well with that all year but we just had an off night."

 

It didn't help that Ogden's centerfielder D.J. Jackson made several all out diving catches to rob the Brewers of extra base hits.

 

The Raptors lead off batter Juan Rivera scored on an error to start the game, and Jason Mooneyham sent a two-run dinger over the leftfield wall in the second, giving Ogden an early 3-0 lead.

 

They also loaded the bases and scored twice in the fourth on a pair of RBI singles from Kengshill Pujols and Jackson.

 

"Our pitching was sub-par," said Sedar. "Our last two relievers did well, but other than that we struggled tonight."

 

Rafael Luberes picked up his first loss of the season, pitching into the third and giving up five runs.

 

Wilfrido Laureano took the mound in the eighth and got out of the inning stranding three on base and allowed only one hit during the ninth.

 

For Ogden, Cory Wade pitched into the fifth, but it was Jordan Pratt who relieved Wade and got the win. Pratt pitched 2 2/3 innings and struck out six.

 

Eliza Wiley IR Staff Photographer - Helena Brewer Charlie Fermaint looks back to see how the umpire will call the play as he steals second base from Odgen Raptor Jesus Soto during Thursday night's game.

 

http://www.helenair.com/content/articles/2005/07/15/sports/b01071405_01.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Lakewood Press Coverage of the West Virginia win includes a Hernan Iribarren photo:

 

www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll...012/SPORTS

[madbad2000]

Has anyone seen Heether play? I'd be interested in knowing what type of approach he has and also how he handles third. He's starting to compile some impressive numbers.

 

I have seen him play a lot and he is very fun to watch at third base. One of the better defensive third basemen I've seen in person. His approach at the plate is pretty good too. While in Beloit, he would have bad stretches where he seemed to be pushing too hard and would strikeout a lot. He has pretty good power but not great power. He's more of a doubles with occasional dingers kind of hitter. I like him quite a bit, but he's not going to be a star. He could be very useful and has a decent shot at making the majors. Which is better then 90% of all minor leaguers.

[homer]

Madbad,

What kind of ceiling do you think he has? Would Corey Koskie numbers be asking too much? He's doing really well in a pitcher's league. It will be interesting to see what the former Dirtbag does in AA.

[LouisEly]

One of the better defensive third basemen I've seen in person. His approach at the plate is pretty good too. While in Beloit, he would have bad stretches where he seemed to be pushing too hard and would strikeout a lot. He has pretty good power but not great power. He's more of a doubles with occasional dingers kind of hitter.

 

Based on that description, is a Jeff Cirillo comparison somewhat accurate?

[madbad2000]

That's a tough call on the ceiling. I might be tempted to say his ceiling would be somewhere between. With more power then Cirillo but not quite Koskie power. That is ceiling alone and I'm not saying he'll turn into those players, but possibly could. I'm not sure how good Koskie is at defense, but Heether is good. He won't be a liability there.

[CaliBrewer]

We watched Adam Heether play alot of games at Long Beach.He was always one of the first to get to the park and the first to be in the cage hitting. I heard him tell a fan that he watches the great major hitters swings over and over. We also seen him at spring training. Playing with the major leaguers didnt faze him at all. His approach would be all out. He must of dove for 10 balls during warm-ups. Then the coach would yell at him. He looked really solid at 3rd. Very nice person.. Was great with the small kids signing autographs, Laughed alot and really looked like he was enjoying the whole experience.

[madbad2000]

CaliBrewer hit it on the head. Adam's best asset is his personality. He was not fazed at all by fans coming up and asking questions and for autographs. Top notch guy and hands down one of the top 2 or 3 players I have met in person. Class act.

[Brian the Automator]

The only way Salome's going to learn how to catch is if he, you know, plays catcher once in a while.