Link Report for Games of Thursday, April 8th

[Never Outhustled]

The Indy boxscore shows Matt Childers with the save, but the article credits Jason Childers. Anyone know the real Childers?

[MassBrew]

Finally in:

 

Huntsville Box:

 

www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=11948

 

Huntsville Game Log:

 

www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=11948

[tyguy20204]

lend d Money you are becoming almost clancyphile-like in your constant bashing of Tony Gwynn Jr. Give him a chance at least.

[batman]

Those game logs are such a blessing... I'm really stoked about having access to those this year. I just hope that everything is archived at the SportsNetwork site... it was nice having everything in one place on the Link Report but copying and re-formatting the HTML boxes would be brutal. It'll be a bit of a hassle in the beginning but I'm sure we'll get used to it... and the game logs definitely make up for the hassle!

 

Anyway, just wanted to chime in and thank MassBrew for his awesome Link Reports... like Nomaaah, you are wicked awesome! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

~Bill

[lend d money]

tyguy, I am actually glad you called me out on the carpet. It gave me a chance to re-evaluate the situation. I truly wish the organization would have drafted a POWER hitting corner outfielder with the second pick last year. We already have enough of the speed types. But, they didn't. Is that TG Jr's fault? No. He showed very little last year(and I have others in my corner on this) to merit a two-step jump to AA. Is that his fault? No. Even though Ryan Knox hit a three-run homer on Thursday and went 2-2 last night and has 3 SB's, Gwynn will unjustifiably start in his place once Nelson returns. Is that Tony's fault? No. Given the people we have playing the outfield at HD, there is no reason he couldn't have started there, allow Knox to play full-time, wait for a major league injury or some other happening before reshuffling the deck. Is that Tony's fault? No.

 

Which begs the obvious question. Who's fault is it? Clearly, that falls on management. I mean, what, is he going to do cry if he is temporarily in HD on a losing team away from Prince and Rickie? That sounds like an enabling mother who says it is OK to knock all the candy off the racks as you are checking out of the store(and I'm not saying that's the case, but I think you get my point).

 

My biggest beef with this whole situation is he is playing in place of someone who is more deserving. I went over this in the "high draft pick cuts" thread. IMHO, once the checks are in the mail and the contracts are signed, everyone should be considered equal. If the higher draft pick can play at least as well as the low round guy, I have no problem with it. When he can't, it raises my eyebrows.

 

When I first graduated from college and started in the workfield, a wise sage twice my age told me about the "Golden Rule." His explanation was "he who has the gold, rules." Being the naive youngster I was, I didn't believe him. Now that I am unfortunately much older, I see what he means. It plays out in baseball, in much the same way in life in general. I still don't think it is right.

 

tyguy, I am going to try real hard to place at least a two week moratorium on such statements about Gwynn. But, when he is playing and possibly failing, and Knox is riding pine, I am going to say something about it. Maybe, I will just need to direct my disgust away from Tony and toward the boys in suits.

[gregmag]

Lend, that's a very thoughtful and thorough defense of your take on the Gwynn situation, and I can't argue with most of it. But I disagree with one of your basic assumptions, which is that minor league playing time should be about who is more deserving. I think minor league playing time is about the Brewers' needs, not the players' performances.

 

Tony Gwynn is starting at Huntsville because the Brewers think he's that good, and if he isn't, they want to find out sooner rather than later. That sucks for guys who have proved more than Gwynn has, but I'm sorry, I don't care about them. This is where your actual proximity to the guys gives you a different perspective, and I respect that. But it isn't just about money, in the sense of the team's covering its butt. They wouldn't have spent the money on Gwynn -- less than a year ago -- if they didn't love his chances to succeed. They're just pushing him to see what they have.

 

Greg.

[colbyjack]

From the pitching side, Eveland didn't appear to be the type who would knock the bat out of your hand, but threw fairly consistent strikes with movement.

 

If Eveland was pitching in the mid to high-80s its obvious he hasn't warmed up to the Wisconsin climate yet. He reportedly was in the low to mid-90s last year, where he pitched consistently at College of the Canyons. He is at his best changing speeds & keeping hitters honest, but he is far from a soft tosser that solely relies on his pitch selection & placement.

 

All in all, I think the Snappers will be very dependent upon their pitching this year if they are to have any success at all. However, we have to remember our first two picks from last year are already in AA(one not deserving, but I will digress for now). When you take that into consideration, perhaps we should not have great expectations for this team.

 

I agree with the posters that have pointed out on this thread & another one that it still is early in the season. Palmisano alone should provide a potent bat in the middle of the Snappers lineup. Steve Moss obviously has the talent to heat up, as I don't expect him to go 0-5 very often. While I'm not a big fan of strikeouts looking, this could be a sign of the organization's hitting philosophy, working pitchers deep into counts to draw walks, and getting in hitters counts that will also lead to more strikeouts. Of course, that's just speculation on my part, but as we saw last year to begin the season with the big league Brewers, it's not the easiest philosophy to get used to, and it's probably even harder for younger players that likely are more accustomed to the "see ball, hit ball" philosophy. I do like several of the Snappers hitters, and while they won't be as potent as the team was last year courtesy of Prince's big bat in the middle among others, I think they could/should finish in the middle of the pack in the MWL in run production.

 

I do agree that pitching will be the key for them this season, but that may have to do more with several of the promising arms that have been assigned to that level that the perceived pressure of picking up for the lack of offense.

 

Tony Gwynn is starting at Huntsville because the Brewers think he's that good, and if he isn't, they want to find out sooner rather than later. That sucks for guys who have proved more than Gwynn has, but I'm sorry, I don't care about them. This is where your actual proximity to the guys gives you a different perspective, and I respect that. But it isn't just about money, in the sense of the team's covering its butt. They wouldn't have spent the money on Gwynn -- less than a year ago -- if they didn't love his chances to succeed. They're just pushing him to see what they have.

 

Well put Greg. It's one thing to question the pick, which SoCal, lend & a few others have recently done. I too was a little surprised that Gwynn was our second rounder, but we're not the only team that thought he was worthy of the selection. And even if we were, like Greg stated, the Brewers obviously think very highly of Gwynn's abilities, and while I too believe he should have started at High Desert, if he is at Huntsville to begin the year he should start.

 

And money does play into the decision, as well as it should. How many baseball decisions are based on money? Even if you don't like it, it's a fact. Baseball is a business. If the Brewers invested the kind of money they did on Gwynn then he should get the starting nod. Let's be realistic, Knox is going to be lucky to ever sniff the big leagues, and I think it's clear that he's more of an organizational solider than not. Plus, he's had his fair share of troubles hitting above the A+ level. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed watching him at Beloit a few years ago, and feel he's the scrappy type of player Ned Yost loves, but when it comes down to Knox vs. Gwynn, even if you don't agree with where Gwynn is starting the season while noting he doesn't have much power, you have to give Gwynn the nod.

[lend d money]

Greg, I gotta admit you have me somewhat confused. The minor leagues aren't about performance, but the Brewers needs?? Then you go on to say it isn't about the Brewers covering their butts financially. Wouldn't the players performances supply and dictate their player and monetary needs? Therefore, wouldn't it behoove the Brewers to play the superior individuals? Therefore, wouldn't it behoove you, presumably as a Brewer fan, to care about the other minor league players. I think the organization has already made some statements to that degree by cutting such dead wood as Carter, Carpenter and Gold. It's not just the high rounders that shape the team's future and fortunes. Does the name Mike Piazza(56th round) ring a bell at all?

 

Then it was brought up that others wanted Gwynn, therefore he is presumably good. Dare I remind you Packer fans plenty of people also wanted Tony Mandarich at one time. Perhaps, Jamal Reynolds should play since he is a first-round pick.

 

I fully realize I am using football as my basis of comparison, but if the Patriots used your guys thinking they wouldn't have won two Super Bowls and Tom Brady wouldn't have been a two-time MVP of the game. Remember, Bledsoe was the first-round pick and long-time starter. However, Belichek, realizing there is a discernible difference between pay and production, stayed with the people who got him there. He realizes once contracts are signed that some will get paid more to do/produce less. When you go to work tomorrow, you will see at least one example of that rest assured.

 

I believe Ryan Knox will someday don a major league uniform, just not for the Brewers. Why? He is absolute force on the base paths(you internet savvy people find me a small list of people who were more efficient stealing bases), tremendous bunter and go-getter in the outfield. He will never start, but will play as a 5th outfielder for some NL contender that realizes that his skills can win you late inning, one-run games that can make the difference between making or not making the playoffs. The Oakland A's of years past used an individual by the name of Herb Washington in much the same fashion.