Link Report Tue. 6/7: WV Walk-Off; Money, Kremblas Furious

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Tuesday's Daily Menu: Draft, what draft? There's daytime baseball today, folks!

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Justin Lehr at home vs. Omaha (Royals), 11:40 AM pre-game; 12:00 PM gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Nashville Site Gamecast Feed:

www.nashvillesounds.com/live/xlive.htm

 

Huntsville: RHP Glenn Woolard at home vs. Mississippi (Braves), 11:50 AM pre-game, 12:05 PM gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

If that link is down for bandwidth, use:

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

 

Brevard County: LHP Ryan Anderson at home vs. Jupiter (Marlins), 7:00 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.live365.com/cgi-bin/m...2747300015

 

West Virginia: RHP Mark Rogers at home vs. Lexington (Astros), 6:05 PM

 

Audio link:

www.wlxg.com/WLXG.asx

[Mass Haas]

Links to follow Tuesday's action as it happens:

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_breafx_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Heading into Tuesday's activity:

 AM-NORTH DIVISION W L PCT GB [b]NASHVILLE SOUNDS (MILWAUKEE) 30 29 .508[/b] MEMPHIS REDBIRDS (ST.LOUIS) 29 29 .500 .5 OMAHA ROYALS (KANSAS CITY) 26 33 .441 4.0 IOWA CUBS (CHICAGO CUBS) 25 34 .424 5.0

 NORTH DIVISION W L PCT GB CAROLINA MUDCATS (FLORIDA) 39 18 .684 WEST TENN DIAMOND JAXX (CHICAGO CUBS) 38 20 .655 1.5 TENNESSEE SMOKIES (ARIZONA) 23 34 .404 16.0 [b]HUNTSVILLE STARS (MILWAUKEE) 23 35 .397 16.5[/b] CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS (CINCINNATI) 22 36 .379 17.5

 EAST DIVISION W L PCT GB VERO BEACH DODGERS (LOS ANGELES DODGERS) 32 23 .582 JUPITER HAMMERHEADS (FLORIDA) 31 25 .554 1.5 DAYTONA CUBS (CHICAGO CUBS) 27 26 .509 4.0 PALM BEACH CARDINALS (ST.LOUIS) 27 29 .482 5.5 [b]BREVARD COUNTY MANATEES (MILWAUKEE) 22 35 .386 11.0[/b] ST. LUCIE METS (NEW YORK METS) 20 33 .377 11.0

 NORTHERN DIVISION W L PCT GB LEXINGTON LEGENDS (HOUSTON) 35 22 .614 HAGERSTOWN SUNS (NEW YORK METS) 34 22 .607 .5 LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS (CLEVELAND) 33 25 .569 2.5 KANNAPOLIS INTIMIDATORS (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) 29 29 .500 6.5 DELMARVA SHOREBIRDS (BALTIMORE) 25 33 .431 10.5 HICKORY CRAWDADS (PITTSBURGH) 21 34 .382 13.0 LAKEWOOD BLUECLAWS (PHILADELPHIA) 19 38 .333 16.0 [b]WEST VIRGINIA POWER (MILWAUKEE) 19 38 .333 16.0[/b]

[DHonks]

Is Lehr really considered as a starter, or is he just doing this until one of the AA kids gets promoted?

[madbad2000]

Lehr could be getting stretched out like the Brewers did with Adams.

[DHonks]

it could be that because he was struggling, they want him to face as many batters as he can to make the necessary adjustments

[Ando Calrissian]

any of you fellas know why escobar hasn't been in the lineup for WV the last few games?

[Mass Haas]

any of you fellas know why escobar hasn't been in the lineup for WV the last few games?

 

We should get a report in Wednesday's Charleston newspapers now that the Power is back home; he left the game for a pinch-runner the other night after hitting a double.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes for Tuesday:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

[Mass Haas]

Pre-Game Nashville Audio Chat with Mike Adams:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%206-7.mp3

 

Final: Omaha (Royals) 7, Nashville 3

What an ugly series at home for the Sounds...

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

 

NASHVILLE ? The Omaha Royals completed a four-game sweep of the Nashville Sounds with a 7-3 victory on Tuesday afternoon at Greer Stadium in the finale of a four-game series. The sweep was the first suffered this season by the Sounds, who dropped their fourth consecutive game.

 

With the loss, Nashville (30-30) drops back to .500 and falls into a temporary tie for the PCL American Conference Northern Division lead with Memphis, pending later league action.

 

Sounds designated hitter Prince Fielder provided all the offense on the afternoon, driving in all three Nashville runs and belting his co-team-leading 12th home run of the season.

 

The visitors struck first, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning against Nashville starter Justin Lehr. Former Sound Adrian Brown opened the game with an infield single and later scored on Aaron Guiel?s RBI double. With two outs, Royals catcher Scott Walter belted his third home run of the season, a two-run shot down the left field line off Lehr.

 

Nashville answered quickly, plating a pair of runs against Omaha starter Chris George in the bottom of the frame. With runners on second and third and one out, Fielder grounded out to second to plate Trent Durrington and Steve Scarborough, who hustled home from second on the play.

 

Omaha pulled ahead 6-2 with a three-run fourth against Lehr. Justin Gemoll started the scoring with an RBI single, Alejandro Prieto added a two-out RBI double, and Brown contributed a two-out, run-scoring single.

 

Fielder pulled into a tie with Rickie Weeks for the Nashville team lead with he crushed his 12th home run of the season off George in the bottom of the seventh inning. The leadoff solo shot to right pulled the Sounds within 6-3.

 

Audio Link for Prince Fielder's Blast:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...%206-7.mp3

 

Walter struck again for the Royals in the eighth, ripping an RBI double to center to score Ken Harvey and stretch the lead to 7-3.

 

George (4-3) improved to 7-1 in nine career starts against the Sounds, picking up the win after allowing three runs over his seven innings of work. After giving up a pair of runs in the first, the left-hander allowed only one hit over the next five frames until Fielder's seventh-inning blast. Lehr (5-5) surrendered six runs on seven hits in four frames to absorb the loss.

 

The Sounds join the entire Pacific Coast League for an off day tomorrow before traveling to Iowa for to open a four-game series against the division-rival Cubs on Thursday evening in Des Moines. Nashville right-hander Jose Capellan (4-2, 4.39) will start the 7:05 p.m. CT series opener and face Iowa right-hander Raul Valdez (3-2, 3.41).

 

Nashville Box Score:

Andy Pratt's best showing this season...

 YTD YTD OMAHA AB R H BI AVG NASHVILLE AB R H BI AVG A.Brown CF 5 1 2 1 .261 T.Durrington LF 3 1 1 0 .260 D.Hocking DH 4 0 0 0 .301 S.Scarboroug SS 4 1 1 0 .250 A.Guiel RF 3 1 1 1 .276 R.Weeks 2B 4 0 0 0 .315 K.Harvey 1B 4 1 1 0 .357 P.Fielder DH 4 1 1 3 .257 S.Walter CAT 4 1 2 3 .338 K.Orie 1B 3 0 1 0 .304 C.Santos LF 4 1 1 0 .262 C.Hart RF 3 0 0 0 .267 J.Gemoll 3B 4 1 1 1 .312 M.Rivera CAT 2 0 0 0 .231 L.Ugueto 2B 4 0 0 0 .210 R.Knox CF 3 0 0 0 .220 A.Prieto SS 4 1 1 1 .279 C.Barnwell 3B 3 0 1 0 .239 C.George PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Lehr PIT 0 0 0 0 .750 J.Cerda PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 A.Pratt PIT 0 0 0 0 .333 S.Ramirez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Meyers PIT 0 0 0 0 .500 K.Davis PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 36 7 9 7 TOTALS 29 3 5 3 OMAHA 3 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 0- 7 9 0 NASHVILLE 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0- 3 5 1 E--C.Barnwell. DP--OMAHA 2, NASHVILLE 0. LOB--OMAHA 4, NASHVILLE 1. 2B--A.Guiel (18), S.Walter (7), C.Santos (13), A.Prieto (9), T.Durrington (8). HR--S.Walter (3), P.Fielder (12). SB--A.Guiel (3), J.Gemoll (3). SH--D.Hocking, T.Durrington. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA OMAHA C.George (W,4-3) 7.0 5 3 3 1 2 1 5.74 J.Cerda 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17.47 S.Ramirez 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 5.40 NASHVILLE J.Lehr (L,5-5) 4.0 7 6 6 0 4 1 6.53 A.Pratt 3.0 0 0 0 1 6 0 8.23 M.Meyers 1.0 2 1 1 0 0 0 6.23 K.Davis 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2.67 WP--C.George. SO--D.Hocking 4, A.Guiel, K.Harvey 2, C.Santos, L.Ugueto 2, A.Prieto 2, R.Weeks, P.Fielder, C.Hart. BB--A.Guiel, M.Rivera. T--2:37. A--3317

Nashville Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Mississippi (Braves) 10, Huntsville 8

Deja vu -- yet another five-run inning put up against the Stars bullpen...

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Khalid Ballouli was rolling along with a stellar relief effort until the first four Braves reached in the 8th; Brandon Gemoll with two of the three Stars' errors, Glenn Woolard the other...

 YTD YTD MISSISSIPPI AB R H BI AVG HUNTSVILLE AB R H BI AVG G.Blanco CF 5 2 2 2 .220 K.Bibbs LF 5 1 1 1 .281 O.Joseph LF 5 1 3 2 .251 A.Gwynn CF 3 1 0 0 .286 J.Francoeur RF 5 0 1 0 .265 N.Cruz RF 5 1 2 1 .295 S.Thorman 1B 4 0 1 1 .316 B.Gemoll 1B 5 2 3 1 .232 B.McCann CAT 4 2 1 1 .265 V.Rottino 3B 5 1 3 4 .280 J.Velazquez 3B 4 2 1 0 .214 J.Vandn Berg CAT 3 0 0 0 .250 J.Schuerholz 2B 5 2 2 1 .275 C.Crabbe 2B 4 1 1 0 .236 L.Hernandez SS 5 1 2 2 .222 M.Dewitt PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Wright PIT 1 0 0 0 .091 D.Bradley PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Basner PIT 1 0 1 0 .200 E.Cruz SS 4 1 3 1 .287 S.Kent PIT 0 0 0 0 1.000 G.Woolard PIT 1 0 0 0 .059 G.Tucker PIT 0 0 0 0 .500 B.Vn Idrstne PH 1 0 0 0 .267 W.Timmons PH 0 0 0 1 .310 K.Ballouli PIT 1 0 0 0 .200 J.Vasquez PIT 0 0 0 0 .250 G.Rodriguez 2B 1 0 1 0 .240 TOTALS 39 10 14 10 TOTALS 38 8 14 8 MISSISSIPPI 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 5 0-10 14 0 HUNTSVILLE 0 3 0 0 3 2 0 0 0- 8 14 3 E--B.Gemoll 2, G.Woolard. DP--MISSISSIPPI 2, HUNTSVILLE 0. LOB-- MISSISSIPPI 7, HUNTSVILLE 6. 2B--J.Velazquez (6), B.Gemoll 2 (8), E.Cruz 2 (12). HR--G.Blanco (4), V.Rottino (3). SB--G.Blanco (10), O.Joseph (8), K.Bibbs (11), A.Gwynn (23), E.Cruz (9). SF--B.McCann. SH--M.Wright. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA MISSISSIPPI M.Wright 4.1 9 6 6 2 5 1 6.31 R.Basner 1.1 2 2 2 0 0 0 4.14 S.Kent 0.1 1 0 0 1 1 0 4.26 G.Tucker (W,2-2) 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2.96 J.Vasquez (S,10) 2.0 1 0 0 0 3 0 1.15 HUNTSVILLE G.Woolard 4.0 7 5 2 1 7 1 5.34 K.Ballouli (L,2-5) 3.0 4 4 4 1 3 0 5.60 M.Dewitt 1.0 3 1 0 1 1 0 4.45 D.Bradley 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1.47 SO--G.Blanco 2, O.Joseph, J.Francoeur 3, S.Thorman 2, B.McCann, J.Velazquez 2, M.Wright, N.Cruz 3, B.Gemoll, V.Rottino 2, J.Vandn Berg, E.Cruz, G.Woolard. BB--S.Thorman, J.Velazquez, W.Timmons, A.Gwynn 2, J.Vandn Berg. T--2:48. A--1345

Huntsville Game Log:

Gee, the team that played errorless ball won -- what a surprise; runners on 1st and 2nd -- how does Enrique Cruz get picked off first in the 4th? Stars ground into two big double plays...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Braves Burst Through in Eighth to Down Stars

Onil Joseph singled in the tying and go-ahead runs in a five-run ninth inning rally to lift Mississippi to a 10-8 comeback victory over Huntsville Tuesday afternoon at Joe Davis Stadium. The Braves took three out four in Huntsville and seven of the eight games played between the teams over the last eight days to improve to 31-28, while the Stars slumped to 23-36 and lost for a 14th time in their last 17 games at home. The Braves have won 10 out of 11 overall and 10 of the last 11 against the Stars to take an 11-3 lead in the season series.

 

Khalid Ballouli, who had tossed three scoreless innings in relief of starter Glenn Woolard, allowed a leadoff single in the eighth to Brian McCann, walked Juan Velasquez and allowed a single to Jon Schuerholz to load the bases. Luis Hernandez singled to right field to plate McCann to trim the Stars lead to 8-6 and knock Ballouli out of the game.

 

Matt DeWitt, who had surrendered five runs in the ninth inning and suffered the loss on Sunday, took over and faced pinch-hitter Wes Timmons, who hit a high pop up on a 2-1 pitch that landed uncaught after first baseman Brandon Gemoll came down the line and could not make the play while battling the sun. Timmons walked to force in a run to make it 8-7 before Gregor Blanco popped up for the first out of the frame. Joseph then singled into right field on a 3-2 pitch to score Velasquez and Hernandez to put the visitors on top 9-8. Jeff Francoeur followed with a base hit and Scott Thorman capped the rally with a single to right field to chase home Joseph and knock in his 51st run of the season and 16th against the Stars. The Braves have put together a five-run rally in each of the last three games, matching the total of five run frames the Stars had allowed in their first 56 games.

 

Jorge Vasquez, the Braves fifth pitcher of the game, took over in the eighth inning. He allowed an infield single to Guilder Rodriguez with one out in the eighth before setting down the next five hitters to end the game and record his ninth save of the year and fourth during the eight-game stretch between the two teams.

 

The Stars scored three runs in the second inning, two on a home run by Vinny Rottino, to take a 3-1 lead only to see the Braves come back to post four runs in the fourth to move out to a 5-3 lead. Rottino?s two-run single finished off a three-run fifth inning rally that put the home team back on top 6-5. The Stars third baseman matched a season-best with four runs driven in and collected three hits in a game for the sixth time.

 

Huntsville tacked on two runs in the sixth inning on run-scoring singles by Kennard Bibbs and Nelson Cruz to increase its lead to 8-5. Nelson Cruz has hit safely in 10 of the last 11 games and has knocked in a run in six of the last seven games and 10 of the last 12. Enrique Cruz doubled twice and singled, scored a run and knocked in a run and tallied three hits in a game for the sixth time this season.

 

The Stars open a two-game series in Chattanooga Wednesday night with left-hander Ryan Costello getting the starting assignment against Lookouts left-hander Ben Kozlowski. Coverage of the game gets underway at 7:00 p.m. central time on ESPN 1450 AM and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

[huntsvillefan]

Brandon Gemoll with two of the three Stars' errors, Glenn Woolard the other;

 

Tony Gwynn Jnr & Nelson Cruz with the other 3 - only they were too asleep to actually get a glove to them, so they don't count officially.

 

how does Enrique Cruz get picked off first in the 4th?

 

A combination of the total lack of baseball basics, that is this team's trademark, and one of the worst umpiring crews in the Southern League.

 

I occasionally read a whole Brewer's game thread and watch the interesting mood swings. I can assure you if the typical contributor to those threads had watched Stars games recently, there would have been murder, suicide and alcoholic poisoning in Milwaukee. The worst of the comments heaped on Moeller, Spivey, Jenkins and even early Helms, would be as the milk of human kindness compared to those made about any single position player or 80% of the bullpen.

This has got to be one of the sorriest excuses for a ball team ever - not because of lack of talent (though it is spread thin), but because of the total inability to apply themselves with anything resembling enthusiasm to the basics of the game. Most of the stuff they do would get a 10 year old in little league benched.

[Mass Haas]

DHonks linked to this on the Major League Forum:

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.azcentral.com/arizona...t0606.html

 

Local draftees still trying to hit it big

Jose E. Garcia

The Arizona Republic

 

If there's a glamorous side to playing professional baseball, 14 former Arizona high school stars still are waiting to see it.

 

Injuries, slumps and the daily grind of playing in the minor leagues define this group, selected in the first five rounds of the previous eight major league drafts. This group's journeys highlight the difficult climb that future Arizona draftees may experience once they get drafted this week during the annual major league draft.

 

The only Arizona high school player drafted in the first five rounds in the past 11 years who is prospering in the majors is the Chicago White Sox's Paul Konerko. The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Konerko with the 13th pick in the 1994 draft out of Scottsdale Chaparral.

 

J.J. Hardy, the only other Arizona high school star drafted in the first five rounds in the past decade who is on a major league team, is struggling at the plate as a rookie for the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

"(High school) players think if you're not drafted in the top 10 rounds that you'll get pushed aside," said Shane Loux, drafted in the second round out of Gilbert Highland in 1997. "You may get a few more chances to make it if you're drafted in the first rounds, but once you get (to the minor leagues), you get a jersey with a number. On the first day it doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter where you get drafted."

 

Hardy made his major league debut with the Brewers with a lot of fanfare.

 

The Tucson Sabino star became the Brewers' first rookie to start at shortstop on Opening Day since Hall of Famer Paul Molitor did it in 1978. Hardy's glove work helped him reach the big time, and he led the major leagues in fielding percentage as recently as May 23. It took Hardy four seasons to reach the majors after getting drafted in the second round as the 56th overall pick.

 

Hardy was scheduled to become a Brewers starter last year as a 21-year-old, but a shoulder injury sidelined him. As he rehabilitated, Hardy lived with his older brother, Logan, at their Valley home.

 

Logan, an Army veteran, suffered post-traumatic stress disorder after returning from the war in Iraq. The Hardys helped each other cope through their downtime.

 

"(Logan) is doing well," Hardy said.

 

Hardy returned from his injury in time to record a successful Opening Day major league start in April.

 

He collected his first major league hit (a bases-loaded single) and RBIs in his third at-bat. Since then, Hardy has struggled. He's hitting .182 with only three multihit games after two months.

 

"I have to keep a positive attitude even though I'm struggling," Hardy said before a recent game. "It gets old when you get asked why you're struggling. What's the deal? Are you not seeing the pitches?

 

"This is dream come true for me. When you're here, you want to work harder because you want to stay longer."

 

Bumps in the road

 

Two pitchers in the Brewers organization would like to be where Hardy, their former minor league teammate, is.

 

Instead, former first-round draft picks Mike Jones and Ben Diggins are in the Valley recovering from arm surgeries. Jones, the 12th overall pick out of Thunderbird High in 2001, is seven weeks removed from his second right shoulder surgery in nine months.

 

"It's tough to put it in words what I'm going through," Jones said. "It's frustrating, disappointing. There are a lot of things I think about. Am I good enough to come back? Am I ever going to play baseball again?

 

"I ran into an obstacle, but you haven't heard the end of me. This makes for a great comeback story."

 

Luckily for Jones, 22, he's back home rehabilitating at Maryvale Baseball Park.

 

Jones received a $2.075 million signing bonus out of high school, but the money hasn't changed the affable Jones. He still has the same cellphone number he had in high school.

 

"Don't let the business end get in the way of why you love the game," is Jones' advice for players who will get drafted this week.

 

Helping the former Double-A All-Star cope with his injury is another Arizona product and friend, Diggins, who is recovering at Maryvale from Tommy John surgery.

 

The St. Louis Cardinals drafted Diggins with the No. 32 pick out of Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain in 1998, but Diggins decided to attend the University of Arizona for two seasons.

 

"They were the best two years of my life," Diggins said, when asked whether he had any regrets of going to UA instead of signing out of high school. "The college experience was very valuable."

 

The Dodgers drafted Diggins as the 17th overall pick in 2000 before Diggings was traded to Milwaukee in 2002.

 

Diggins made his major league debut with the Brewers, pitching 24 innings in 2002 with a 0-4 record and an 8.63 ERA. The 6-foot-7 Diggins is working on his mechanics as he prepares for his comeback.

 

"They always say it's harder to stay in the big leagues," Diggins said.

 

Bryan Opdyke, Catalina Foothills

Fifth-round pick, Brewers

Fact: Is moving to Helena (Mont.) Brewers from Arizona Brewers.

Quotable: "I'm where God wants me to be."

 

Ex-Thunderbird pitcher Mike Jones, drafted by the Brewers in 2001, is rehabilitating after a second shoulder surgery.

Catherine J. Jun/The Arizona Republic

 

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/preps/pics/0606prepbig.jpg

[LV Brewer Fan]

Rogers with a 2-inning outing tonight, does anyone know if something happened. I realize that young pitchers need to be on pitch counts, but has Rogers worked more than 4 innings since we drafted him? I don't want him to be out there throwing 110 pitches in an A-ball game, but is it to much for him to be on an 80-85 pitch limit. At some point these guys have to be stretched out a little don't they?

[NastyTwig]

From listening to the game, he went through the first easy (two K's). Then when covering first the announcer said he slipped off the bag covering for the out. He then walked the next two hitters, and got out of the inning. I didn't hear why he was out, but it might be a minor ankle thing (only precautionary is my guess).

[JonnyLungs]

The Little Unit with 5 K's in 2 2/3 IP. Nice outing. Hopefully his arm can hold up but I wonder if he might be best as a reliever.

[dadofandrew]

I would say if Anderson makes the bigs, it will almost surely be as a reliever. He will not ever be 150 inning man.

[PrimetimeHater]

NT...I need to read more carefully.

[Danagger]

in order to be consistent with the past fortunes of HS RHP's in the organization. Milwaukee has decided that ROgers will be on the following schedule.

 

2005: A-13--16 outings, no more than 50 innings pitched.

2006: (20) A+ 15-20 outings no more than 55 innings pitched

2007: (21) A+ 18-22 outings no more than 60 innings pitched

2008: (22) AA 15-18 outings (needs to be scaled back, as he is from Maine and he is used to pitching in cold climates 6 years ago) no more than 28 innings.

2009: (23) AA he is only to pitch when the tempature is in the high 80's with a barometric reading favorable to not getting hurt. Maybe he'll finally crack that 60 inning barrier?

2009: (24) AA they freak out as the tempature reaches a Maine like 60 in May while playing for Huntsville--he is immediately sent to the Brewers complex in Maryvale. He will be resting for 3 months as he recovers from having his arm in cold, damp weather.

2010: (25) AAA finally his big break! He is now a starting pitcher who is averaging 1.1 innings per start. He threw a personal high 4.1 innings in a July start, weather forced them to scale back. Actually faced one Omaha batter to the tune of an 0-2 count and was pulled when management got nervous about the brat cannon.

2011: (26) Management checks into the Pat Nixon center as they have become totally neurotic. New management comes in and allows Rogers to unleash his arm to the tune of 190 innings...he does very well at AAA and figures in the Brewers plans in 012--when he is a ripe old 27.

[pogokat]

you guys do realize that Mark just came off the dl, right?

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 2, Lexington (Astros) 1, 11 innings

Hasan Rasheed leads off the 11th with a walk-off blast -- insert jumping up and down and banging on Hasan's helmet here)...

 

West Virginia Box Score:

How about UW-Milwaukee's Ben Stanczyk -- stranding three inherited runners and later getting the win; the Hurricane's two-out game-tying triple in the 9th must have been just as exciting as Rasheed's gamewinner...

 YTD YTD LEXINGTON AB R H BI AVG WEST VIRGINIA AB R H BI AVG J.Ash 2B 5 0 0 0 .333 W.Lewis CF 3 1 0 0 .285 B.Triplett 3B 5 0 3 0 .246 H.Iribarren 2B 4 0 1 1 .311 H.Pence CF 5 0 1 0 .343 J.Brady DH 4 0 0 0 .254 B.Zobrist SS 5 1 1 0 .291 C.Corporan CAT 4 0 1 0 .240 M.Einertson LF 4 0 1 0 .220 A.Festa SS 4 0 0 0 .000 K.Vital DH 4 0 1 1 .188 G.Richardson 1B 4 0 0 0 .242 O.Sheldon 1B 4 0 1 0 .286 H.Rasheed LF 4 1 2 1 .297 F.Caraballo RF 4 0 0 0 .279 J.Murray 3B 2 0 0 0 .185 L.Santangelo CAT 3 0 1 0 .234 F.Parejo RF 3 0 0 0 .232 J.Barthmaier PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Rogers PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 G.Murdy PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Barnes PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Thompson PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 Y.Gallardo PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Stanczyk PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 39 1 9 1 TOTALS 32 2 4 2 LEXINGTON 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0- 1 9 0 WEST VIRGINIA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1- 2 4 0 DP--LEXINGTON 1, WEST VIRGINIA 1. LOB--LEXINGTON 10, WEST VIRGINIA 2. 2B--O.Sheldon (1). 3B--H.Iribarren (5). HR--H.Rasheed (1). SB-- K.Vital (1), H.Rasheed (2). CS--B.Triplett. SH--J.Murray. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA LEXINGTON J.Barthmaier 7.0 2 0 0 0 6 0 1.93 G.Murdy 1.2 1 1 1 1 3 0 3.38 R.Thompson (L,1-2) 1.1 1 1 1 0 0 1 3.10 WEST VIRGINIA M.Rogers 2.0 0 0 0 2 3 0 4.65 J.Barnes 2.0 1 0 0 1 1 0 3.09 Y.Gallardo 4.2 6 1 1 2 4 0 3.57 B.Stanczyk (W,2-1) 2.1 2 0 0 0 2 0 2.59 PB--C.Corporan. SO--J.Ash, H.Pence 2, B.Zobrist, M.Einertson 2, K.Vital, O.Sheldon, F.Caraballo, L.Santangelo, H.Iribarren, J.Brady 2, A.Festa, G.Richardson 2, H.Rasheed, J.Murray, F.Parejo. BB--M.Einertson, K.Vital, O.Sheldon, F.Caraballo, L.Santangelo, W.Lewis. T--2:55. A--3575

West Virginia Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[hsvstarsfan]

Foiled by the Five Spot... Again

The amateur baseball draft was held today...... Past #1 picks by the Brewers have included Ben Sheets, Dave Krynzel, Mike Jones, Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, and last year, Maine high school right-hander Mark Rogers...... Today, the Brewers chose from the college ranks and made Miami 3rd baseman Ryan Braun their first selection....... Braun was projected by Baseball America as a #14 pick for Cleveland, but Braun didn't have to wait that long. The Brewers drafted in the 5th round. Baseball America believed North Carolina high-schooler Cameron Maybin would be the one, but the Tigers got him in the 10th..... Braun broke Pat Burrell?s record for RBIs as a freshman, and after struggling with a rib-cage strain in 2004, led the Hurricanes in HRs, stolen bases and RBIs, as he ranked among the top 10 in the country in on-base plus slugging percentage and RBIs..... Scouts say he needs work on his swing, but his hands are quick enough to overcome his faults for now, and he?s athletic enough to drive pitches to all parts of the field...... He came to Miami as a shortstop and now plays third, but he has struggled with errors at both spots. Some scouts say he'll have to move to an outfield corner, where his plus arm and speed would be at a better advantage.

The Brewers took RHP Will Inman, a high school pitcher from Dry Fork, Va. in the 2nd round, and 3rd baseman Matt Gamel, a JUCO player from Florida in the 3rd....... They picked another Weeks in the 8th --- Jemile Weeks, a shortstop from Altamonte Springs, Florida.

For the third straight game going into the late innings, the Mississippi Braves put up five runs to turn a close game into another defeat....... Sunday, it came in the 9th, erasing a 5-3 Stars lead. Monday, it came in the 7th, turning a 2-1 deficit into a final 7-1 rout, and today, the M'Braves erased an 8-5 Stars lead to win, 10-8. A very discouraging loss. "Hate to be in that clubhouse." said Bryan Neece after the game....... The Stars played gamely, and although it doesn't look it from the box score, Khalid Ballouli really pitched well in relief of Glenn Woolard....... Through the 5th, 6th, and 7th, Ballouli retired 9 of 10 batters to face him, giving up just a 2-out slap single by pitcher Ryan Basner in the 6th, but Ballouli could not get out of a bases-loaded, none-out situation in the 8th...... As the sun started to peek out of the clouds on this humid and cloudy 79° afternoon on the last so-called Businessman's Special of the year, Luis Hernandez hit Ballouli's 92 mph fastball off the base of the wall in right field, knocking in Brian McCann from third, loading the bases again, thus starting a new chain of defeat.

Matt DeWitt was called in to put out the fire, but wound up getting burned, and once again, the finger-pointing is directed at the bullpen, and I must digress for a moment....... I must be exclusionary when talking about the ineffective relief since May 1st. David Bradley stands alone, although Mitch Stetter has had some good games, as the one reliable arm that I have witnessed or heard from, yet this season, he has no record and no saves, and few opportunites to speak of....... Why hasn't Don Money gone to Bradley more, instead of DeWitt, who had a good May, but was 1-3 with a 5.56 ERA in April, and has given up 6 runs on 7 hits in his last two innings in relief, or Stetter, who after a 0.68 ERA in April, sunk to a 4.11 ERA from the pen since?...... One answer may not be obvious, but is. The Stars are shorthanded. Ryan Miller, Jerome Gamble, and Alec Zumwalt are on the DL, and Matt Ford was released, and all that remains is Ballouli, who pitched three innings today, and Brett Evert, who was shelled Monday. But why not go with Bradley when the Stars have a lead? It would surprise you to see how he's been used...... With still one vacancy on the roster, the Stars need another arm, but let's look at how Don Money has used Bradley since May.

David Bradley has made 12 appearances since May 1. One was a start on May 29 in which he pitched five fine innings, giving up 3 hits and striking out 4, leaving the Stars ahead, 3-1, in a game they lost to Tennessee when Matt Ford blew the lead which resulted in his release........ He was brought in with the Stars ahead in only two of his 11 appearances from the pen. On May 9th, he was called in in the 7th with the Stars ahead, 4-1, a game they eventually won. Bradley pitched two scoreless innings in that one....... Then on May 23, the Stars were ahead, 4-3, when he came on in the 7th against Carolina, walked James Shanks, gave up a single to Frank Moore, and gave the ball to Mitch Stetter with runners on 2nd and 3rd. Good move there. Stetter bailed the Stars out, and they eventually won, 6-3. In Bradley's next appearance, he entered for Dana Eveland who gave up two decisive runs in the 7th, and with two out, struck out Jason Hill, but the Stars lost, 4-3....... In 6 of 12 appearances since May 1, Bradley has come in with the Stars behind in the 8th or 9th, 6-2, 4-3 (as just mentioned), 5-3, 10-5, 7-1, and 10-8. On two other occasions, the Stars were behind 3-0 and 7-0 when he came in....... Only one time, on May 15, did he fail, allowing Montgomery to go ahead 5-2 in the 6th, a game the Stars eventually lost in extra innings, 8-7....... Since May 1, Bradley has logged a 1.77 ERA.

So you see my gripe boils down to this...... Why isn't Bradley brought in more when the Stars are ahead. It's that simple.

Coming back to the 8th inning, DeWitt, inheriting a bases-loaded situtation from Ballouli, walked pinch-hitter Ron Timmons after going 3-and-2, forcing in Velazquez, but only after Timmons, on 1-and-2, sent a fungo straight up...... Brandon Gemoll, standing near the baseline halfway from first base looking skyward, lost sight of the ball and it landed in fair territory just within the chalkline. Gemoll picked up the ball, and was ready to throw, but home plate ump waved it off, causing some confusion........ Some of the fans thought it was a hit and some thought it was ruled an infield fly, meaning Timmons was out........ But Ria Cortesio, the only female ump in Double-A, called it foul....... Timmons wound up going full, walking in Velazquez and it was 8-7........ He went full, too, on Gregor Blanco, but got him to pop up to Guilder Rodriguez on the outfield grass. (Later, official scorer Don Rizzardi charged Gemoll with an error, his second in the game, for not making the catch)....... Onil Joseph then delivered the key blow. After lining a 2-2 pitch foul into the Mississippi bullpen, he grounded a single to right-center field, driving in Jon Schuerholz and Luis Hernandez, putting the Braves in front, 9-8. Joseph is now 16-for-50 (.320) vs. Stars pitching with 11 RBIs......... Scott Thorman, who drove in the final run in the top of the 8th for the Braves, leads the parade with 16 RBIs in 14 games vs. the Stars........ Jorge Vasquez sealed the deal by retiring 6 of the 7 batters he faced in the 8th and 9th innings, striking out three, giving up an infield single to Rodriguez, who came into the game with DeWitt in a double switch. Vasquez has allowed only three hits in 8 innings of relief against the Stars this season.

The Braves took 7 of 8 games in this road-home series...... In the season-series, the Braves hold an 11-3 edge. The last time the Braves won 10 games against the Stars in a season was 1988, when they were 10-6. The 2000 Stars were 1-7 against Greenville, their worst record against this franchise.

The Stars now go to Chattanooga tomorrow for two games, then return Friday for two here. Ryan Costello will face Ben Koziowski (2-1, 3.92) at Bell South Park....... Friday is the first of four Bobblehead giveaways this year and Dave Krynzel, who made his major league debut with the Brewers last Friday, is the Bobblehead...... Later in the season, Ben Sheets and Bucky Jacobsen dolls will be given to the first 1,500 fans to enter the park........ Saturday will be NASCAR day at the Joe. The Stars will wear unis with a NASCAR motif --- black-and-white checker tops rising from the bottom and angling diagonally up to the middle of the shirt. This wacky-looking fashion piece will be auctioned off during the game....... Should be a sight to see on the field.

[colbyjack]

With Barnes going in between Rogers and Gallardo (who went 4+ innings), I wonder if Rogers was scheduled to pitch a lighter workload this evening.

 

I agree with pogo, it's his first game back from coming off the DL. Patience is needed. On strict pitch counts, both he and Gallardo aren't going to have lengthy outings this season.

 

Festa playing SS this evening with Murray at 3B. With Ryan Braun likely signing at some point in the next month or so, it will be interesting to see how they make him fit. I'm sure neither of those guys are blocking him, but I guess I can't see him going to Helena to begin his pro career.