Your 2004 Helena Brewers -- Latest, Pioneer League Top 20

[MassBrew]

Obviously this isn't your official Helena roster preview, but it kicks off our coverage of feature profiles from around the web on the 2004 team members.

 

RHP Robbie Wooley was the Brewers sixth round pick in 2003, and the first pitcher drafted by the Brewers last year. Within this article, there is a subtle mention of a recent thread here at Brewerfan, which I've linked here:

 

p082.ezboard.com/fbrewers...2113.topic

 

Wooley sets his sights on Helena

By BRYAN GASKINS

Kokomo Tribune sportswriter

 

The Milwaukee Brewers have told Robbie Wooley they love his potential. But the Brewers don't want to rush the former Taylor High School standout early in his professional career.

 

Wooley has worked with the Brewers' extended spring training team in Phoenix for three months. He will leave June 10 for Helena, Mont., where he will join the Helena Brewers team that competes in the Pioneer Rookie League.

 

"I totally understand it," Wooley said of the Brewers' decision to bring him along slowly. "Right now, I am just concentrating on learning all I can from my coaches and the other pitchers out here."

 

Wooley, 19, said the Brewers are giving older pitchers the first cracks at promotions to their Class A team in Beloit, Wis. The Brewers are playing it safe with their younger pitchers by keeping their pitch counts down.

 

Wooley is taking advantage of his time in extended spring training to work on all areas of his game. He credits pitching coach Mark Littell for helping him become a more effective pitcher. Littell pitched in the bigs for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals from 1973-82.

 

"He has taught me a totally different standpoint when it comes to pitching," Wooley said, noting Littell knows his stuff. "Now I am using the good qualities of my arm instead of anything bad that might lead to elbow surgery. So many young pitchers have elbow surgery, it's almost ridiculous. He is really helping me out. I know I am in good hands."

 

Wooley said the Brewers keep all their pitchers on a regular schedule. After pitching in a game or a simulated game, a pitcher will take part in a workout that focuses on his rotator cuff. The following day, he will participate in conditioning and a workout that focuses on his lower body. The following day, he will throw batting practice or in the bullpen. Finally, he will have the next two days off before returning to the mound.

 

Wooley said given the choice between batting practice and the bullpen, he prefers batting practice.

 

"I've been going the b.p. route, which requires just taking the ball and throwing it to the hitters. I don't go through the mechanics," he said. "You get about 25 to 35 pitches when you throw b.p.; in the bullpen, you get about 45. Basically, you're just throwing fastballs and changeups, and it saves your arm so much. A lot of guys don't like b.p. for some reason, I guess because they don't get a chance to throw a curveball. But I am confident in my curveball, so I don't need to throw it too much."

 

Wooley, who last pitched in a game situation Thursday against a Chicago Cubs team, said he likes the Brewers' pitching schedule.

 

"My dad [Ted] said a lot of people have been complaining on the Internet that the kids out here are throwing too much. That is not the case at all," he said. "In fact, a lot of kids feel like we're not throwing enough. But everyone is maintaining a good speed out here, and everyone is healthy out here.

 

"They have a very good program out here -- I am really proud to be with the Brewers."

 

Wooley said he likely will stay with a host family in Helena.

The Brewers open June 18 at Billings, Mont.

 

MILWAUKEE FARMHAND: Robbie Wooley sets up to throw a pitch during an offseason workout Feb. 13 at Reel?s Alignment. The Milwaukee Brewers are sending Wooley to their rookie team in Helena, Mont., next month. (Kokomo Tribune photo by Shawn Knapp)

 

Great photo -- the link to it should be valid here for at least ten days or so, hopefully longer -- MB

 

http://www.kokomotribune.com/photos/5-16-2004wooley0516.jpg

[MassBrew]

We'll place this here, even though draft-and-follow signee RHP Robert Hinton could be assigned to the Arizona Rookie League...

 

From the Sarasota (FL) Herald Tribune:

 

Hinton joining Brewers

BY CHAD BROCKHOFF CORRESPONDENT

 

SARASOTA -- Charles Aliano, the Milwaukee Brewers' scouting supervisor for the Central Florida region, landed a player that he feels will be a future major leaguer.

 

Riverview High grad and Manatee Community College right-hander Robert Hinton became the first player signed by Aliano for the Brewers' organization when he inked a contract on Tuesday. Hinton was selected in the 40th round of the 2003 draft by Milwaukee, which would have held his rights until this year's draft on June 7-8.

 

"We think that he has the makeup to make it and that's the most important thing," said Aliano, who previously worked for the Toronto Blue Jays. "The inside part of him is something that we really want to take into our organization and make this guy special. This is a good one."

 

Hinton was originally scouted by Fernando Arango, who now serves as the Brewers' Latin America scouting coordinator, during his senior season at Riverview when he compiled a 6-4 record with a 2.30 earned run average and struck out 88 batters in 64 innings.

 

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Hinton was 7-4 with an ERA of 3.21 this past season for MCC. He recorded 96 strikeouts in 90 innings of work and helped lead the Lancers to the Suncoast Conference championship.

 

"What we see now is good," Aliano said. "Coach (Tim) Hill has done a good job and (Hinton's) family is wonderful. Now, we're up to the next level and we think he's going to get a lot better.

 

"We think there's some improvement left. We think he's going to get bigger and stronger, and we might be looking at a Darryl Kile-type pitcher."

 

Hinton will leave Sarasota on Thursday to head to the Brewers' training facility in Phoenix. Following this year's draft, he will be assigned to either Milwaukee's Arizona Rookie League team or the Helena (Mont.) Brewers of the Pioneer League.

 

"When I got drafted last year, I was a totally different pitcher than I am now," Hinton said. "I knew what I could be, which is one reason I decided to go to MCC. Good pitching coach, good team. I've gained about 20 pounds over the last season."

 

Aliano said that Hinton will work closely with Milwaukee minor league pitching coordinator Jim Rooney. Young pitchers typically throw between 50-70 pitches a game and the organization emphasizes building arm strength and establishing the fastball.

 

Hinton's father Rich played nine seasons in the major leagues as a left-handed pitcher with the White Sox, Yankees, Rangers, Reds and Mariners.

 

Photo (can't seem to paste it directly here):

 

imgsrv.heraldtribune.com/...80&title=1

[wiscrules99]

Man, if that Hinton pic is after he gained 20 lbs, I shudder to think what he looked like previous to that. He still looks pretty thin, at least in that picture.

[MassBrew]

Keeping a watchful eye on things from Helena:

Players report this Friday the 11th, games begin a week later on the 18th -- Link Report goes into overdrive with rookie ball (sleep is so overrated http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif )...

 

Linkage:

www.helenair.com/articles...804_04.txt

[MassBrew]

More draft talk in Helena -- they're waiting on their roster:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...904_02.txt

[MassBrew]

From the Helena Independent Republic:

 

Brewers have plenty of pitching potential

By IR Staff - 06/12/04

 

Returning players will join a mix of brand-new draft picks, free agents and ex-rookie leaguers to form the 2004 Helena Brewers.

 

The team released a partial list of prospective players Friday as they arrived in town for a mini-camp that starts today.

 

At a glance, Helena's club, an advanced rookie affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, appears to have a solid corps of pitchers to build around, including:

 

- Jared Theodorakos, a left-handed hurler from Baylor, was drafted in the 25th round last year. It will be the first professional season for the 6-foot-3, 240-pounder.

 

- Garrett Berger, originally a second-round pick by the Florida Marlins in 2001, will get a fresh start in Helena after three injury-plagued seasons. The righty is just 1-2 lifetime with a 9.15 ERA and 24 walks against 14 strikeouts.

 

- Justin Barnes is familiar to Brewers fans after playing third base in Helena last season, appearing in 56 games and hitting .241 with 34 RBI. He is expected to move to the mound as a right-handed pitcher.

 

- Righty Robbie Wooley, a sixth-round pick last year, moves up from the Arizona rookie league, where he was 2-0 with a 2.49 ERA, seven walks and 18 strikeouts.

 

- Edwin Walker, a left-handed pitcher drafted in the ninth round in 2002, also comes up from Arizona where he was 0-2 with a 5.54 ERA last year. He had 22 strikeouts against nine walks in 2003.

 

- William Marion, an eighth-round pick in 2003, posted a 2-1 mark and a 4.55 ERA in nine games in Arizona last season. The righty fanned 29 and walked nine.

 

Among the position players, outfielder Hasan Rasheed, drafted in the 26th round last year, will enter his first pro season after stealing 34 bases in his final college season at Lake City (Fla.) Community College.

 

Rasheed could be joined by Charlie Fermaint in the outfield. A fourth-round pick in 2003, Fermaint batted .300 with nine RBI in Arizona last season.

 

Outfielder Adam Mannon also had a solid Arizona season in 2003, hitting .274 with 37 RBI in 47 games.

 

Agustin Septimo returns to the infield after batting .214 in 56 games with the Brewers last season.

 

Recent draft pick Grant Richardson of Washington State could figure into the mix as well.

 

There will be some familiar faces behind the plate, led by Alberto Segura, who helped the Brewers to a second-half title after Pioneer League MVP Lou Palmisano broke his ankle. Seguro hit .325 in 28 games, knocking in 11 runs.

 

Catcher Charlie Lozada returns to Helena after appearing in eight games for the Brewers last season.

 

Left-handed batting catcher Clay Blevins shattered his seventh vertebra in a home-plate collision in high school, but went on to become a top junior college player in Kansas. He is a 46th-round pick from 2003.

 

The Brewers open the season Friday in Billings. Their home opener is June 21 against Missoula at 7 p.m.

[biedergb]

A couple of players not profiled, either by ommision or demotion (hopefully) or injury (please, no!)

 

Bryan Opdyke - starting in Az?

Ty Morrison - repeat Az stint?

I know that Carlos Ramirez is gone for the year. But any other Rookie league injury news? BrewCru, Taylor01, Toby, Patrick?

[taylor07]

Unoffically right now Opdyke and Morrison will start out in Arizona. No injuries.

[biedergb]

Thanks again Taylor07. (Reason #309 why this site is the best fan site on the web!)

 

I'm looking forward to following the Helena club this summer, we've got a handful of interesting prospects.

[MassBrew]

Brewerfan poster J.R. Radcliffe with two just outstanding features on recent signees Josh Wahpepah and Josh Baker. Awesome job, man!

 

brewers.mlb.com/NASApp/ml...;fext=.jsp

 

and

 

milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com...;fext=.jsp

[MassBrew]

From the fine work done each year by the Helena Independent Republic newspaper:

 

Just like starting over

By TOM COTTON - IR Sports Editor - 06/17/04

 

It was in an instructional league game in 2001 that Garrett Berger heard a sound that no pitcher wants to hear. It wasn't the crack of a well-hit ball that he heard, but it was a crack in his arm after he threw the ball. Berger was a highly-regarded prospect in the Florida Marlins organization and he was pitching against former St. Louis Cardinals phenom Rick Ankiel.

 

He even remembers the exact day of the game ? Oct. 4.

 

"I threw a pitch and felt the elbow snap," he said. "The catcher even heard it."

 

Despite the twinge he felt in the elbow, Berger believed that he could still throw. He tried one more pitch before feeling what he describes as "the most excruciating pain I have ever felt."

 

Berger had snapped the ligament in his right elbow and the bone at the joint was also broken.

 

He required Tommy John surgery and it was a slow road to recovery. The procedure, invented in 1974 to repair the elbow of the ex-Dodgers pitcher, requires transplanting a ligament from the player's healthy arm to repair the damaged ulnar collateral ligament.

 

It took him all of 2002 to rehab his arm and the pitcher who had thrown 98 mph in high school at Carmel, Ind., now only was able to throw 83 mph to 85 mph.

 

"It was a very humbling experience," Berger said.

 

He was able to show enough to pitch for the Gulf Coast League Marlins, where he pitched 19 innings and appeared in 14 games.

 

Berger, however, suffered a setback and in January the Marlins cut loose the player they took with the first pick in the second round of the 2001 amateur draft.

 

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound right-hander put together hard work and a little luck and made it back into professional baseball after a short hiatus.

 

He began working out at Round Tripper Baseball Academy in Indiana where he caught the attention of Brewers scout Mike Farrell.

 

Farrell saw Berger had good arm speed and he felt that he could still be a viable pitcher in professional baseball. Farrell signed him to a three-year deal.

 

"Of course being released from a team is not the best feeling, but being picked up by an organization like this one is overwhelming," he said.

 

Berger gets to restart his baseball career in Helena.

 

He has increased his speed to 93 mph on the radar gun and he has been working with Helena pitching coach Mark Littell on smoothing out his mechanics.

 

He, like all pitchers will be on strict pitch counts, something that he wasn't on in high school.

 

He started nine games in his senior season at Carmel High School, and in seven of those he threw 120 pitches. In one start, he threw 155.

 

He said that work load might have contributed to his injury in the professional ranks.

 

However, now he is just glad to be in Helena throwing again in a game he loves.

 

"It's a great opportunity for me and it is a great opportunity to get my career started," he said.

 

That's interesting about the three-year deal aspect of this signing. Because Berger had previously been signed by an affiliated team but released, he would be able to choose free agency after the season if signed to just a one-year deal. Nice planning by the Brewers there -- MB

 

Here's a link to a previously posted article by Rob Neyer of ESPN on Berger, a great read:

 

sports.espn.go.com/mlb/co...id=1792897

 

Photo by Eliza Wiley Independent Republic Staff - Garrett Berger came to the Milwaukee Brewers' organization and Helena after being the first pick in the second round by the Florida Marlins in the 2001 draft.

 

http://www.helenair.com/content/articles/2004/06/17/sports_top/b01061704_01.jpg

[MassBrew]

Keep in mind, this roster is from the Sports Network, known to be less than flawless in its accuracy...

 

By far the youngest Brewer Pioneer League squad I can remember in some time, especially among position players. Hopefully the recent college infield draftees (Richardson, Sollman, Festa) will provide some pop and leadership there, while the outfielders are all new to Helena.

 

In fact, the only Helena repeaters are infielder Agustin Septimo and two of the catchers, Alberto Segura and Charlie Lozada. This is definitely the first time I can remember a pitching staff with zero Pioneer League repeaters, very unusual.

 

I don't have a problem with Bryan Opdyke in Arizona. He'll be the primary catcher there, and the four catchers in Helena are all older, even if only by a few months. He would have likely had to scratch for time there.

 

RHP Tommy Hawk may have some injury concerns, thus he's not currently listed on the Helena roster.

 

RHP Alvaro Martinez is 6'7", 18 years old, and probably still growing.

 

Infielder Alcides Escobar is young, but not 15 years old as listed. His listed birthday is off by two years exactly.

 

The Brewers' Pioneer League teams have normally done well because of a solid core of college players coming off the most recent draft. This appears to be a slightly different mix -- so hard to predict at this level, but a guess says fewer team wins than we've seen in the past but with some pleasant surprises among younger players, which should be exciting.

 

The roster limit allows for as many as 35 active Helena players, this certainly appears manageable at 26 currently.

 

Friday's Helena newspaper coverage will provide more info as far as a starting rotation, piggyback plan, etc., is concerned.

 

Between myself, Toby, and the staff here, we'll work towards synching up the Brewerfan Player Index to jive with these assignments.

 

No official word on an Arizona Rookie League roster yet. Play begins there next Tuesday, June 22nd.

 

OK, here's your link:

 

milb.sportsnetwork.com/me...x?team=M66

[biedergb]

Mass-

 

I wonder if Tommy Hawk's omission is a result of his recent demotion from Beloit. Hopefully not an injury, just a delay in being assigned officially. I'm sure we'll hear (probably from you) soon on that.

 

And by the way, what is our 2003 RHP Marion's first name? I've seen Ryan, William and now ?Robert.

 

Plus Joel Needham appears to be absent from that list. Wasn't signed last week and reporte by MLB.com to be assigned to Helena?

[colbyjack]

Plus Joel Needham appears to be absent from that list. Wasn't signed last week and reporte by MLB.com to be assigned to Helena?

 

As MB mentioned, Sports Network's reports shouldn't be relied on 100%. I too would expect Needham in Helena, possibly as their closer. There's no reason to send a guy like that to Arizona.

 

I'm looking forward to following that pitching staff, although I would be mildly surprised to see Justin Wilson start his pro career there. While he's a JC signee, he hasn't pitched much since HS. He's definitely a player that could be considered about just as advanced as any other recent prep draftee.

[brewcrewkid14]

For those that really know the lower levals really well, who are considered the STUD prospects and who has potential to do well. Also, I know of some of the good pitchers, but who really stands out, out of all of them.

[colbyjack]

Wooley & Fermaint are probably the 2 biggest players to watch. Tommy Hawk would be the 3rd if he joins them.

 

Recently signed college/JC pitchers in Baker, Theodorakos & Wahpepah could enjoy immediate success at the rookie level, and they're all capable of putting up impressive lines, although I would expect all of them will be kept to a strict pitch count.

 

Ryan Marion, Robert Hinton & Edwin Walker all have impressive size + stuff combos, while Hasan Rasheed could be a very dangerous leadoff hitter.

 

Grant Richardson, Steve Sollmann, Tony Festa & Clay Blevins could all put up big numbers at the plate similar to their college/JC pitching counterparts. All of these guys in a way are almost expected to enjoy success at this level, as the true test for them likely won't come in a couple of years when they start to play at the high-A or AA levels.

 

It would be nice to see Adam Mannon have a productive year. He was signed out of Chandler-Gilbert CC last year more as a project, but he's extremely athletic with intriguing power potential.

 

And don't forget about the conversion of Justin Barnes, who got moved to the mound this year. While he signed him last year as a DFE as a 3B, he has always had a good fastball and a very good curveball. We actually originally drafted him as a RHP from Manatee CC after the Mets did the same out of HS.

[brewcrewkid14]

Thanks Colbyjack! Appreciate it. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[MassBrew]

Link while active, text follows for our archives:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...804_01.txt

 

Been on the big stage

By TOM COTTON - IR Sports Editor - 06/18/04

 

Pressure, what pressure? Helena Brewer Josh Baker certainly won't be intimidated by pitching to a slugger from Billings or Provo this season. Baker pitched on the biggest stage in college baseball ? going to Omaha for the College World Series. He has been part of a national championship team in 2003 and was part of a pitching staff that is considered one of the best in college baseball history.

 

Baker was a fourth-round pick from Rice this year and the 6-foot-3 220-pound right hander was part of the Owls' first national championship in any sport ever.

 

While the team didn't reach the same lofty heights in 2004, individually several Owls were highly regarded by major league scouts.

 

Rice pitchers were picked with the third, fourth and eighth picks in the June draft, before the Brewers tabbed Baker.

 

Cincinatti also picked a Rice product, shortstop Paul Janish in the fifth round. They sent him to Billings where he will face his former teammate in Pioneer League games this season.

 

"I am excited about what the future holds," Baker said. "It was a lot of fun to be part of that staff and part of that team."

 

Baker will have a little help this season adjusting to the professional game. His brother-in-law is Houston Astros superstar Lance Berkman.

 

"I'll sit there and pick his mind all the time about what it takes to succeed at that level," Baker said in an article on MLB.com "He's awesome, we're really good friends on top of being relatives. It's been great having professional athletes ahead of me, so there's not that suspense of what it's going to be like. I kind of have a little bit more of a heads up."

 

Baker is a Houston native, but before he pitched for his hometown college of Rice he got a taste of Southeastern Conference baseball, signing with Alabama. After one season, Baker decided he didn't want to roll with the Tide and moved back home.

 

His first season Baker went 8-0 and had the opportunity to pitch in two games in the College World Series.

 

Those games were against two of the most storied programs in college baseball ? Texas and Stanford. The Longhorns and Owls are bitter rivals and 26,000 fans were on hand to see him take the mound in the fourth inning in the CWS.

 

Baker pitched into the eighth inning and gave up just one run in a 5-4 Rice victory

 

"In midst of all the excitement you have to let the game slow down," he said.

 

In his appearance against the Cardinal, Baker came in for an inning as Rice suffered its only defeat of the tournament.

 

Baker has been able to develop a fastball, slider and changeup to strike out 71 batters in 95 innings as a sophomore and 94 in 100 innings as a junior.

 

"Every time I get the ball, I want to be a pitcher that the defense can count on and the offense can count on," he said.

 

Photo by Eliza Wiley, Independent Republic Staff - A native of Houston Texas, Josh Baker has been pitching a baseball since he was in junior high school but is now throwing for the Helena Brewers. He was part of a national championship team at Rice University.

 

http://www.helenair.com/content/articles/2004/06/18/sports/b05061804_01.jpg

[MassBrew]

Keep it coming! Opening Day coverage rolls on...

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...804_02.txt

 

Teammates once again

By TOM COTTON - IR Sports Editor - 06/18/04

 

Josh Wahpepah and Clay Blevins have steadily moved north during the course of their baseball careers.

 

The pair have moved as high school teammates in Dale, Okla. and then they moved on to Cowley Community College in Kansas.

 

Now the pair is in Helena to play professional baseball for the Brewers.

 

"It's pretty neat," Blevins said. "I enjoy having somebody familiar here."

 

Blevins and Wahpepah have have been teammates since they were sophomores in high school at Dale High School and both were integral parts in a powerhouse program.

 

Wahpepah was an all-state pitcher and Blevins was a top catcher on a team that won five state championships during their time at Dale High. (Baseball is played during the fall and spring in Oklahoma.)

 

Blevins caught Wahpepah often during their senior seasons and they went out on top winning the state title during the spring season.

 

"We looked forward to redeeming ourselves because we won so many in the past," Wahpepah said.

 

After high school, both went to Cowley Community College. Blevins signed right out of high school, but originally Wahpepah had bigger plans.

 

He wanted to pitch for Arkansas, but Razorbacks coach Dave Van Horn said he should hone his game at the community college level.

 

Cowley won junior college national championships in 1997 and 1998 and they had produced current major leaguers Junior Spivey and Travis Hafner. However, not playing at the Division I level rankled Wahpepah a little.

 

"I was a little upset about it at first, but then I just got over it and went out to kind of prove some people wrong," Wahpepah said in an interview on MLB.com.

 

He did just that.

 

Wahpepah went on to strike out 94 batters in 95 innings at Cowley. His fastball is clocked from 91-94 mph and has topped out at 96 mph.

 

"I can throw by some people and change speeds well," he said.

 

Blevins hit .341 at Cowley this season and drove in 45 runs.

 

He characterizes himself as a contact hitter and a solid defensive catcher.

 

He also gives the Brewers a left-handed bat which will be useful among the four talented catchers who dot Helena's roster.

 

"He gives us an option with a left-handed bat, which I like a lot," Helena manager Johnny Narron said.

 

Both Blevins and Wahpepah are happy to start their professional careers in Helena and both are just wanting to help the Brewers make the Pioneer League playoffs for the second-straight season.

 

"I hope to go out, throw well and give us a chance to win," Wahpepah said.

 

Photo by Eliza Wiley Independent Republic Staff - Catcher Clay Blevins, left and pitcher Josh Wahpepah have been playing together since their sophomore year in high school back in Oklahoma.

 

http://www.helenair.com/content/articles/2004/06/18/sports/b05061804_02.jpg

[MassBrew]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...804_01.txt

 

Brew Crew ready to roll

By TOM COTTON - IR Sports Editor - 06/18/04

 

There is a little saying that is going around the Milwaukee Brewers organization. "It's the way we play," symbolizes the Brewers' commitment to hard, hustling play. The Helena version of the Brewers should fit in just fine with that mantra.

 

The Brewers' first-year manager, Johnny Narron, said that his team will play hard on every pitch, and he added that the squad that made the Pioneer League playoffs in 2003 has a good shot to do it again.

 

"It's a challenge, but we are up to it," he said. "I don't think we will be up to it, we will be up to it."

 

The Brewers, who are in their second year here after a two-year hiatus, are loaded with some top arms this season and have strong, young offensive talent.

 

Pitchers Josh Baker and Josh Wahpepah come to Helena after impressive college careers.

 

Baker was 17-2 in two seasons at Rice and was part of one of the better rotations in college baseball history.

 

Wahpepah struck out 95 in 94 innings last season at Cowley County (Kan.) Community College.

 

Alvaro Martinez is a 6-foot-7 right-hander and has a fastball that can hit in the mid 90's on the radar gun. Narron said William Marion, Justin Wilson and Robert Hinton will also be counted on to provide quality innings for Helena.

 

Marion last pitched in the Arizona League. Wilson and Hinton played previously for junior college programs.

 

"We have a lot of potential on the pitching staff and we will make sure these kids utilize their opportunity," Narron said.

 

Another familiar name on the pitching staff will be Justin Barnes.

 

Barnes played third base last year, but he showed equal promise as a pitcher when he left Manatee (Fla.) Community College and will be converted into a pitcher this year.

 

Offensively, the Brewers will be similar to last year, with situational hitting being extremely important ? as will be stolen bases.

 

"We will be aggressive on the bases," Narron said. "Our approach is, we won't stop until the other team stops us."

 

The Brewers led the Pioneer League in stolen bases last year with 142, and they have plenty of speed this year. They have four players who ran the 60-yard dash in less than 6.4 seconds ? Alcides Escobar, Charlie Fermaint, Agustin Septimo and Hasan Rasheed.

 

Septimo was on the team last year and had eight stolen bases to his credit. He will play second, third and shortstop this season.

 

Fermaint and Escobar both played in the Arizona League last season.

 

Steven Sollman, who was drafted in the 10th round this season from Notre Dame, will solidify the middle infield and Grant Richardson, a 14th round pick from Washington State, has plenty of pop in his bat.

 

Their were four catchers assigned to the club this season and all four should be strong. Charlie Lozada and Alberto Segura both played with Helena last season.

 

Clay Blevins hit .341 at Cowley Community College and was a teammate of Wahpepah's in high school and college. Nestor Corredor drove in 31 runs in the Dominican League in 2003.

 

Narron will be assisted by pitching coach Mark Littell and bench coach Norberto Martin.

 

The Brewers will start the season with a three-game series in Billings, before their home opener Monday against Missoula.

 

Photo by Eliza Wiley IR Staff - Agustin Septimo of the Dominican Republic lays down a bunt during Helena Brewers practice Wednesday at Kindrick Legion Field. Septimo is one of a handful of players returning to Helena after spending the 2003 season with the Brewers. The infielder hit .214 in 56 games last season. Helena is at Billings tonight.

 

http://www.helenair.com/content/articles/2004/06/18/sports_top/b01061804_01.jpg

[MassBrew]

The IR's Pioneer League preview for you Big Sky diehards:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...804_01.txt

 

Should be a great experience for these players, finally away from Maryvale (after three full months!), and riding those buses in what must be one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Hopefully there won't be any tales of danger, as when the Brewers' Ogden team bus hit that bull in the middle of the night a couple of seasons ago, stranding the team, and thankfully, just avoiding disaster.

 

On a somber note, I should point out this article from today's Helena newspaper as well. Many of you will remember the tragic coverage we linked to from Helena's Legion Ball last summer:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...804_03.txt

[MassBrew]

From the Helena Independent Republic (includes some trivia for the Huntsville historians):

 

Sollmann is Brewers' every man

By TOM COTTON - IR Sports Editor

 

Steve Sollmann can hit. He can run. He can throw. He can field. But if you ask him, he doesn't do any of those things in spectacular fashion. "I don't do anything awesome, but I do everything decently," the Helena Brewers' second baseman said.

 

He has been spectacular enough, however, this season for the Brewers.

 

He is hitting .306, which is second on the team among batters with at least 100 at-bats.

 

He has enough speed to have stolen seven bases in eleven tries and he has a fielding percentage that hovers around the .990 mark.

 

Sollmann was expected to be a big part of Helena's success this season coming out of college as he was a 10th-round draft pick in 2004 from Notre Dame.

 

While playing for the Fighting Irish, he was an all-American pick in 2003 and he also was an academic all-American. He graduated with a cumulative GPA of 3.44 with a degree in business marketing. He was only the 11th player in any sport in Notre Dame history to achieve both All American and Academic All American status.

 

While individual accolades came in for Sollmann, the Irish also were successful during his stint in South Bend. In 2002, Sollmann's sophomore season, they made the trip to Omaha for the College World Series.

 

"That was as fun as it gets playing baseball in college," he said about the experience.

 

While he didn't come away with a national championship, Sollmann said the road to the CWS had one memory that he will always cherish.

 

In 2002, Notre Dame eliminated perennial power Florida State in a Super Regional contest, winning 2-of-3 games in Tallahassee, Fla. Sollmann went 7-for-12 in the series.

 

"It was an amazing crowd," Sollmann said. "They were in the game the whole time. There is nothing better than beating Florida State at their place."

 

Sollmann's prowess on the baseball diamond is largely due to a family that was immersed in sports.

 

His father, Rick, was a standout football player and also ran track. His sister Stacey was a soccer player for the University of West Virginia. Sollmann claims his mother Kathy is the most athletic person in the family despite the fact that she never played any organized sports.

 

His brother Scott, however, provided much of the spark Sollmann needed to play baseball at a high level.

 

"Everything he does, he does all out," Sollmann said about his brother.

 

Scott was drafted by the Detroit Tigers and bounced around in the Arizona and Cincinnati Reds organization. He even spent time in the Milwaukee chain, playing for Class AA Huntsville, Ala.

 

Steve, who played football, basketball and baseball for St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, decided to take to the diamond, in part due to his brother's success.

 

"I saw what a great player he is and it drew me into the sport," he said.

 

The Brewers are glad he decided to play baseball this season as Sollmann has become a fixture in the second spot in the Helena lineup.

 

He has exhibited a knack for timely hitting, collecting a game-winning RBI against Billings one week ago. He has also played well defensively and at times has made the spectacular defensive stop.

 

Earlier this season against the Mustangs he made the long run from second base to chase down a fly ball in foul territory.

 

"I take pride in my defense and it is something I am going to keep trying to improve on," he said.

 

He said that having nimble feet has helped him become a formidable defensive second baseman.

 

"If you have good footwork, you put yourself in good position to field ground balls," he said.

 

He has done enough defensively to impress his manager.

 

"He is like a coach on the field," Brewers manager Johnny Narron said. "He is just a baseball player who understand the game."

 

Most of all, Sollmann said he is just trying to enjoy himself whenever he takes the field.

 

"I am just trying to have fun," he said. "If you are not having fun, you are not in the game for the right reasons."

 

Photo by Jon Ebelt IR Staff - Steve Sollmann of the Helena Brewers keeps his eyes on the action while running the bases. Sollmann has seven stolen bases to his credit this season.

 

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[EdgarDiazRocks]

Sollmann reminds me a lot of Jack Wilson (9th rd pick) at this point. It will be interesting to watch him develop.

 

http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/nd/sports/m-basebl/auto_action/a-sollmann051802.jpg

[MassBrew]

Helena: Alberto Segura, Tony Festa, Adam Mannon, Charlie Fermaint, Alvaro Martinez, Robert Wooley, Grant Richardson, Johnny Narron.

 

Honorable mention only for the above -- no Brewers on the Pioneer League All-Star Team:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...r/?id=2184

[MassBrew]

Helena Independent Republic:

 

Brewers up and down in 2004

By TOM COTTON - IR Sports Editor

 

There was plenty to like about the 2004 season if you were a fan of the Helena Brewers.

 

The Capital City's Pioneer League franchise had a talented team that was in contention for a playoff berth from the outset of the season.

 

According to Brewers general manager Paul Fetz the franchise is stable and financially sound.

 

The Brew Crew also had a fan base that was both loyal and vocal throughout the entire season.

 

Everything, however, wasn't peaches and cream for the Brewers. Despite having talent, the Brewers weren't able to catch Billings in the first half or Great Falls in the second half to earn a second-straight berth in the playoffs.

 

Despite having a loyal fan base, the attendance wasn't comparable to other cities around the Pioneer League. Helena averaged 1,013 fans per game, which was worst in the league.

 

Despite the good and the bad this season, the 2004 campaign can be considered a success for the Helena franchise, particularly on the field.

 

"Overall I think we did a great job," said Brewers second baseman Steve Sollmann. "I'm sure that a lot of guys learned a lot this summer and I think that's the biggest part of playing your first year."

 

The Brewers had a nice mix of young talent and experienced players from the college ranks.

 

Eighteen-year-old Charlie Fermaint was a wizard on defense, many times making spectacular catches in centerfield.

 

"He can play big-league centerfield right now," Brewers broadcaster Steve Wendt said.

 

The only thing holding Fermaint back is offensive production. Despite hitting fastballs effectively, he hit just .233 this season.

 

Alcides Escobar, who is just 17, was also a defensive stopper at shortstop and competent offensively, hitting .282 in 227 at bats.

 

Escobar was part of an infield that Wendt feels was the strength of the team.

 

"I saw a strong infield defensively and everybody in the infield was a key offensive contributor," Wendt said.

 

Sollmann was outstanding offensively hitting .364. He ended the season by getting on base in 36 straight games and he had an 18-game hitting streak.

 

"I think I played pretty good baseball this summer," Sollmann said. "There is always room for improvement."

 

The Brewers also had a pair of talented first basemen this season. Grant Richardson hit .367 which earned him a promotion to Class A Beloit, Wisc.

 

Richardson was one of five players to get promoted this season. Pitchers Justin Barnes and Ben Stancyzk went to Beloit. Outfielder Jake Serfass and pitcher Joel Needham went to High Desert.

 

Josh Brady played first base after Richardson's promotion and the Texas Tech product hit .370 in 28 games.

 

"The competition has been awesome," Brady said. "I came in thinking it wasn't going to be that way after playing in a pretty good conference (Big 12). The game gets faster at every level."

 

Off the field, the Brewers are also doing well.

 

"We finished in the black last year and I know we will do it again this year," Fetz said.

 

He said that they will strive to improve attendance, but he isn't overly concerned about the Brewers fan base. He said that teams in the Pioneer League that are outdrawing the Brewers are not making money.

 

He also said a chilly August could have kept fans from Kindrick-Legion Field.

 

"I feel there is room for growth in terms of attendance and ticket sales," he said. "We are going into 2005 really looking to get more groups (into the stadium)."

 

According to Wendt, 2005 and beyond should be prosperous years for the franchise.

 

"I have worked for a few teams and I have seen baseball be sucessful," he said. "I think Helena has a great opportunity to be successful."

 

IR sports reporter Tom Stuber contributed to this story.

 

Photo by Jon Ebelt IR Staff - Ogden catcher Kengshill Pujols, left, drops the ball while diving forward attempting to tag out Helena Brewer Grant Richardson in third inning action at Kindrick Legion Field. Richardson was a top offensive player for Helena in 2004 and later was called up to Beloit.

 

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