Link Report for Wed. 5/28 - aka the Tom Wilhelmsen Lovefest

[MassBrew]

In progress: Birmingham (White Sox) 6, Huntsville 2, after two innings

 

Needed to kick off the Link Report, so here goes.

 

Six runs on seven hits for the Barons off of Luis Martinez, and not dinks and dunks, either.

 

Must be a tough week to be a stud LH starter in the system this week (see Manny Parra). The exception, of course, is Beloit's Jeff Housman, who, as Toby will tell you, is a god. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Catcher Mike Kremblas doubled in a run for the Stars, and scored when he advanced to third on the throw home, scoring on that same throw, which got away.

 

It's still early, so here's to a Huntsville comeback and a good night all around the system.

[MassBrew]

Rochester (Twins) at Indianapolis, postponed, rain

Indy Site Tells Us More...

 

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Indians game against the Rochester Red Wings scheduled for Wednesday night, May 28, has been postponed due to rain. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader Thursday at 6:00 p.m.

 

Righthander David Manning, who ranks third in the International League with a 1.88 ERA, will pitch game one for Indianapolis. He will be followed by righthander Pasqual Coco (4-4, 5.24) in game two.

 

Rochester will counter with lefthander Brent Hoard (2-3, 7.41) and righthander Matt Carnes (0-0, 2.89).

[MassBrew]

Beloit 7, Battle Creek (Yankees) 1

Tom Wilhelmsen, oh my!

 

Game Summary from the Battle Creek site:

 

Tom Wilhelmsen pitched a complete-game five-hitter to lead the Beloit Snappers past the Battle Creek Yankees 7-1 Wednesday night in a Midwest League baseball game at C.O. Brown Stadium. The final game of the four-game series is Thursday night.

 

It was the first complete game for Wilhelmsen, a 19-year-old right-hander. The first-year pro struck out five and walked just one to snap a two-game skid and improve to 5-2 on the season.

 

The Yankees had pounded out 16 hits the night before in a 16-4 rout, but got just five singles ? and never two in the same inning. Erold Andrus led Battle Creek with two hits.

 

Beloit took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning on a two-run homer by John Vanden Berg. Prince Fielder led off the inning with a double, and Vander Berg homered with one out.

 

The Yankees scored in the fifth, loading the bases on a single by Eric Verbryke, an error and a bunt single by Andrus. Verbryke scored on a double-play grounder.

 

The Snappers padded their lead to 4-1 on a two-run single by Callix Crabbe with two outs in the sixth. In the night, a two-run single by Jeff Eure and a sacrifice fly by Fielder made it 7-1.

 

The Yankees (25-27) are two games under .500 for the eighth time this season.

 

Battle Creek starter Jeremy King (4-5) was tagged with the loss.

 

BATTLE CREEK vs. BELOIT

Thu ? RHP Jose Valdez (5-2, 3.38) vs. RHP Dennis Sarfate (3-2, 2.06)

[MassBrew]

Beloit Box Score:

Not often you see Midwest League pitchers economize pitches to get nine-inning complete games -- and no earned runs!

 GAME DATE: 5/28/03 BELOIT 7 AT BATTLE CREEK 1 YTD YTD BELOIT AB R H BI AVG BATTLE CREEK AB R H BI AVG K.Bibbs LF 5 1 1 0 .268 G.Lopez 2B 4 0 1 0 .257 C.Terni SS 4 0 2 0 .268 J.Arias SS 4 0 0 0 .229 J.Eure 3B 5 1 2 2 .245 J.Drobiak 1B 4 0 1 0 .294 P.Fielder 1B 3 1 1 1 .291 M.Carson RF 3 0 0 0 .288 T.Hinton DH 5 0 0 0 .177 E.Verbryke DH 4 1 1 0 .229 J.VandenBrg CAT 4 2 2 2 .254 R.Guillen CF 3 0 0 0 .278 S.Moss CF 4 0 0 0 .237 E.Andrus LF 3 0 2 0 .444 N.Carter RF 3 1 1 0 .133 T.Rojas CAT 2 0 0 0 .210 C.Crabbe 2B 4 1 3 2 .194 W.Vasquez 3B 3 0 0 0 .239 T.Wilhelmsen PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.King PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Acosta PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 37 7 12 7 TOTALS 30 1 5 0 BELOIT 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 3- 7 12 1 BATTLE CREEK 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0- 1 5 0 E--C.Terni. DP--BELOIT 3, BATTLE CREEK 0. LOB--BELOIT 7, BATTLE CREEK 4. 2B--P.Fielder (9), C.Crabbe (11). HR--J.VandenBrg (2). SB--J.Eure (11), G.Lopez (4). HBP--P.Fielder, T.Rojas. SF--P.Fielder. SH--C.Terni. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA BELOIT T.Wilhelmsen (W,5-2) 9.0 5 1 0 1 5 0 1.73 BATTLE CREEK J.King (L,4-5) 6.0 8 4 4 1 2 1 3.66 M.Acosta 3.0 4 3 3 0 2 0 6.75 HB--T.Wilhelmsen, J.King. WP--M.Acosta. SO--T.Hinton 2, S.Moss 2, G.Lopez, M.Carson 2, E.Andrus, W.Vasquez. BB--N.Carter, M.Carson. T--2:18. A--706

[MassBrew]

Final: Birmingham (White Sox) 7, Huntsville 5

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Nice to see the seven walks taken; Matt Childers flawless in relief; catcher Mike Kremblas left the game early, will have to wait for word there...

 GAME DATE: 5/28/03 HUNTSVILLE 5 AT BIRMINGHAM 7 YTD YTD HUNTSVILLE AB R H BI AVG BIRMINGHAM AB R H BI AVG R.Knox RF 4 0 0 0 .251 C.Durham CF 4 2 2 1 .278 D.Krynzel CF 3 0 0 0 .310 J.Piniella LF 4 1 2 1 .243 J.Hardy SS 5 1 1 0 .327 R.Hankins 2B 3 0 1 2 .271 C.Hart 3B 2 2 1 1 .303 D.Ingram RF 4 1 1 1 .217 B.Gemoll 1B 3 0 1 0 .250 C.Saunders 3B 3 0 0 0 .217 K.Johnson CAT 2 0 0 0 .111 G.Alvarez 1B 4 1 1 0 .324 K.Johnson DH 2 0 0 0 .111 C.Maldonado DH 4 2 3 0 .298 D.Clark LF 4 1 1 0 .255 J.Acevas CAT 3 0 1 1 .280 M.Kremblas CAT 1 1 1 1 .147 D.Sandoval SS 3 0 0 1 .250 C.Cosbey PH 0 0 0 0 .182 B.West PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Gripp PH 1 0 0 0 .235 J.Bullard PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Childers PIT 1 0 1 2 .286 M.Wylie PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Barnwell 2B 4 0 0 0 .234 R.Ring PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 L.Martinez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 32 5 6 4 TOTALS 32 7 11 7 HUNTSVILLE 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 2 0- 5 6 1 BIRMINGHAM 2 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 X- 7 11 1 E--D.Clark, G.Alvarez. DP--HUNTSVILLE 1, BIRMINGHAM 1. LOB--HUNTSVILLE 7, BIRMINGHAM 5. 2B--M.Kremblas (5), C.Durham (6), J.Piniella (6), R.Hankins (15), J.Acevas (5). HR--C.Hart (6), D.Ingram (6). SB-- D.Krynzel 2 (21), C.Hart (9), J.Piniella (3). SF--D.Sandoval. SH-- J.Acevas. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA HUNTSVILLE L.Martinez (L,4-3) 5.0 11 7 7 2 5 1 2.10 M.Childers 3.0 0 0 0 0 4 0 1.88 BIRMINGHAM B.West 4.2 4 3 2 5 2 1 5.56 J.Bullard 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 5.12 M.Wylie (W,1-0) 2.2 1 2 2 2 4 0 6.75 R.Ring (S,13) 1.1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0.39 WP--L.Martinez 2, B.West. SO--R.Knox, D.Krynzel 2, K.Johnson 2, D.Clark, C.Barnwell 2, J.Piniella 2, D.Ingram, C.Saunders, G.Alvarez 2, J.Acevas 2, D.Sandoval. BB--R.Knox, D.Krynzel 2, C.Hart 2, B.Gemoll, C.Cosbey, R.Hankins, C.Saunders. T--2:58. A--3882

Matt Childers was forced to bat (and got a base hit) becasue the Stars' had lost the DH spot earlier in the game when Kade Johnson went from DH to catcher, replacing Mike Kremblas. Earlier, PH's Chris Cosbey and Ryan Gripp hit in the DH spot.

[MassBrew]

Stockton (Rangers) 7, High Desert 4

 

STOCKTON, CA ? The Stockton Ports held the Mavs to a season-low two hits, as they grabbed the third and final game of the series, winning Wednesday night by a final score of 7-4.

 

A single by Johnny Raburn in the fourth and a single by Ralph Santana in the ninth were the only base hits off Stockon?s pitching staff. The Mavs were able to score four runs, taking advantage of seven walks and two defensive miscues that led to three unearned runs.

 

On the other hand, High Desert?s pitching staff issued nine walks and committed three errors which contributed to two unearned runs for the Ports.

 

The Mavs took the early lead in the second as Todd West?s ground ball between the legs of Jason Bourgeios, scored Chris Morris and Brian Foster, who both walked earlier in the inning.

 

Mavs starter Dan Hall walked two men in the second inning, allowing Rashad Eldridge to score on a single by Jason Moore to make it 2-1 in the second.

 

The Mavs got a run in the fourth, as Morris walked and scored on Foster?s sacrifice fly. They added a run in the fifth as Joel Alvarado walked to lead off the inning and scored on Jason Belcher?s fielder?s choice to make it 4-1.

 

Stockon scored the final six runs though, picking up two in the fifth and chasing Hall, who didn?t retire anyone in the fifth. Aaron Dean came on and worked out of the jam in the fifth to preserve the lead, but gave up a run to tie the game at 4-4 in the sixth, as Christopher Stringfellow scored on a sacrifice fly from G.J. Raymundo.

 

The Ports took the lead in the seventh, as Justin Backsmeyer (1-2) allowed an RBI double to Jason Bourgeios, scoring Jason Moore. Bougeios scored on Stringfellow?s RBI single to make it 6-4.

 

In the eighth, the Ports made it 7-4 as Rashad Eldridge doubled and scored on a Scott Heard single.

 

In the ninth, the Mavs brought the tying run to the plate after Foster walked and Santana singled. Raburn?s ground ball to second ended the threat though, as Steven Rowe collected his fifth save of the year.

 

Kiki Bengochea (4-3) tossed three scoreless innings in relief to earn the win.

 

The Mavs will have a day off on Thursday and will return to action on Friday against the San Jose Giants. Brian Mazone (0-5) looks for his first win of the year, as he throws for the Mavs. Game time from San Jose on Friday is 7:00.

 

High Desert Box Score:

 

 YTD YTD HIGH DESERT AB R H BI AVG STOCKTON AB R H BI AVG R.Santana 2B 1 0 0 0 .313 J.Bourgeois SS 5 1 2 1 .327 R.Santana 3B 3 0 1 0 .313 C.Strngfelow RF 3 1 1 1 .287 J.Raburn LF 4 0 1 0 .286 J.Botts 1B 4 1 1 0 .317 F.Villanueva 1B 1 0 0 0 .309 G.Raymundo 3B 3 1 1 1 .331 O.Chavez SS 3 0 0 0 .179 P.Boyd CF 4 0 0 0 .250 J.Belcher RF 4 0 0 1 .330 J.Dill DH 4 0 0 1 .242 M.Ernster 1B 3 0 0 0 .278 R.Eldridge LF 4 2 2 0 .291 M.Ernster 3B 0 0 0 0 .278 S.Heard CAT 3 0 1 2 .260 C.Morris CF 2 2 0 0 .245 J.Moore 2B 3 1 1 1 .163 B.Foster DH 1 1 0 1 .223 J.Echols PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 T.West 2B 4 0 0 0 .257 D.Mead PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 T.West SS 0 0 0 0 .257 K.Bengochea PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Alvarado CAT 3 1 0 0 .140 S.Rowe PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 D.Hall PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 A.Dean PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Backsmeyer PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 29 4 2 2 TOTALS 33 7 9 7 HIGH DESERT 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0- 4 2 3 STOCKTON 0 1 0 0 2 1 2 1 X- 7 9 2 E--R.Santana, O.Chavez, J.Alvarado, J.Bourgeois, S.Heard. DP--HIGH DESERT 0, STOCKTON 0. LOB--HIGH DESERT 7, STOCKTON 14. 2B--J.Bourgeois (12), R.Eldridge 2 (9). SB--J.Belcher (4), C.Morris (30), C.Strngfelow (4), P.Boyd (7), J.Dill (1), R.Eldridge (9). HBP--J.Alvarado, J.Moore. SF--B.Foster, G.Raymundo, S.Heard. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA HIGH DESERT D.Hall 4.0 5 3 1 4 2 0 6.12 A.Dean 1.2 0 1 1 5 2 0 7.67 J.Backsmeyer (L,1-2) 2.1 4 3 3 0 2 0 4.13 STOCKTON J.Echols 4.0 0 3 0 4 1 0 3.64 D.Mead 1.0 1 1 1 1 1 0 9.00 K.Bengochea (W,4-3) 3.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 9.00 S.Rowe (S,5) 1.0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2.30 HB--J.Backsmeyer, D.Mead. WP--A.Dean, J.Echols. BALKS--J.Echols. PB--J.Alvarado 2. SO--O.Chavez 2, M.Ernster, J.Bourgeois, J.Botts, J.Dill, R.Eldridge, S.Heard 2. BB--R.Santana, J.Raburn, M.Ernster, C.Morris 2, B.Foster 2, C.Strngfelow 2, J.Botts, G.Raymundo, P.Boyd, J.Dill, R.Eldridge, S.Heard, J.Moore. T--2:59. A--504

[MassBrew]

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/n...?newsid=79

[igor67]

Some nice things on the minor league front. Corey seems to be settling in and taking his offensive game up a little bit lately. Flashing some more of that power and a little more patience. Krynzel is on a track of about 80 walks in a full season as a leadoff hitter, a nice figure. You'd definitely like to see him make more contact, but hitting over .300 without any HRs and that strikeout total is fairly impressive.

[MassBrew]

David Weiser's Huntsville Update:

 

LUIS SMOKED IN ROUND 2

Ding! Round two.

 

On tonight's card, two pitchers who can deal a blow, but both hiding glass jaws........ In this corner, the Barons' 230-lb. right-hander Brian West. West, 2-1 with a 2.28 ERA against the Stars last season --- hiding that 8 of his last 10 runs yielded have been unearned. He's coming back from an April 20 pounding....... In the other corner, wearing the gray outfit, Luis Martinez, the Stars' heavyweight ace whose deceptive 1.21 ERA has also been hiding a bothersome ineffectiveness. After his first five spectacular bouts, he's given up nearly twice as many hits this month as he had in April, even though his May ERA was still a low 2.08........ And here come the boys.

 

While the Stars failed to land a punch in the 1st inning, the Barons struck Looie with a leadoff double from Chad Durham........ Undaunted, Martinez struck out Juan Piniella and got Ryan Hankins on a grounder, but on a 2-2 pitch, he hit the canvas on Darron Ingram's opposite-field home run to nearly the same spot Brandon Gemoll had hit the previous night..........

 

The Stars came back with their trusty hit-and-run battle plan in the 2nd. Daryl Clark led off with a single up the middle off West, then lightly regarded Mike Kremblas, batting .135, doubled down the left field line. Chris Saunders' relay home to get Clark sailed about 10 rows deep into the stands and Kremblas rounded third and scored to tie the game..........

 

The judges weren't uncertain about this outcome for long. The Barons seized control starting with two cheap hits off Martinez, a leadoff dribbler by former Star, Gabe Alvarez and a bloop hit over the head of J.J. Hardy by designated hitter Carlos Maldonado....... Both moved to scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Jon Acevas......... Danny Sandoval punched a sac fly to left, then the Barons started pummeling Martinez, who had never given up more than two earned runs in a game this season. Three straight Barons delievered loud, punishing two-out hits: First, Chad Durham's double down the left field line. Then, Juan Piniella's crackling single to left-center brought home Durham. When Daryl Clark overran the ball for his first error as a Huntsville Star, Piniella took second........ Finally, Ryan Hankins nailed Martinez with a bomb to left-center for a double, and Birmingham's lead was 6-2.........Martinez staggered through three more rounds with enough strength left to get the Barons in order in the 3rd, but they put him down for the count in the 5th inning on a 2-out double by Maldonado...........

 

Brian West, himself, didn't make it through this match and was deprived of a victory with 2 out in the 5th. Manager Wally Backman decided to bring in left-hander Jim Bullard to face the left-handed hitting Gemoll with runners on 1st and 2nd. Bullard got Gemoll on a grounder to third. The victory went to Mitch Wylie, who the Barons called up from Winston-Salem just two days before.

 

Reliever Matt Childers was unhittable for three innings in relief of Martinez, retiring nine straight hitters........ In the 8th, down 7-3, Childers kept the inning alive with two out...... After the Stars loaded the bases on a single to right by Hardy and two walks courtesy of Wylie, Childers hit a 3-and-2 breaking ball to left for a clean hit to the gap in left, scoring Hardy and Corey Hart, but that was the Stars' last gasp........ Royce Ring, who inherited the closer's job from Baron savemasters Edwin Almonte and Joe Valentine, fanned Chris Barnwell to end the inning and closed out the game in the 9th...... Looie's ERA rose to 2.10, still 5th best in the Southern League....... Tomorrow, the Barons send the next best pitcher in the SL, Neal Cotts (6-2, 2.28) against Pedro Liriano (4-4, 2.82).

 

Dave Krynzel stole his 20th and 21st bases of the season. The latter gives him 34 in his career as a Huntsville Star, putting him in the all-time top 20. He's tied for 18th with Lance Blankenship (Stars '87), Pat Dietrick (Stars 87-'88), and Jesus Azuaje (Stars '99)........ Krynzel walked twice tonight, but his hit streak ended at 10 games.

 

The Milwaukee Brewers traded outfielder Alex Sanchez for a pair of minor leaguers. Tonight, one of them arrived in Birmingham and was watching in uniform from the Stars dugout........ The Stars newest addition is outfielder Gary Varner, primarily known by his nickname "Noochie." Varner was acquired with pitcher Chad Petty, who will be assigned to High Desert....... Varner was the Reds' #24 minor league prospect a year ago. The Tigers acquired him last September in a deal that brought pitcher Brian Moehler to Cincinnati. He was hitting .303 for the Erie Sea Wolves, leading the team in RBIs and 2nd to former Southern Leaguer, Brian Ust in average at the time of the trade........ Fair power. Though he has done a good job cutting down on his strikeouts since coming up to Double-A, he still doesn't draw many walks and was not a base-stealer at Erie....... His biggest flaws early in his career, which started in 2000 at Billings, came with his fielding, but he was moved from 3rd base to left field and his defense apparently has improved. Guess we'll have to see what kind of arm he has. He's from Corey Hart's home state of Kentucky.......

 

Someone had to go to make room, so after the game, the Stars released Matt Hammons, whose last appearance for the Stars was on May 12 vs. Tennessee. He threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings in May, before a shoulder problem surfaced. He was reportedly trying to come back, scheduling throwing sessions on the side, with a return planned at the end of the week. Perhaps there was a setback. I don't know......... Left-hander Chad Petty, the #11 prospect in the Tigers' talent-thin minor league organization, was 3-4 with a 4.40 ERA for Class A - Lakeland (Fla. St.) at the time of the Sanchez deal.

[MassBrew]

Need a summer job? Tough commute for most, I imagine.

 

www.helenair.com/articles...903_06.txt

 

Mascots? Bernie Brewer has kids?

 

On a completely different note, from the Prospectus guys:

 

Wretched Performer: The pitching staff of the High-A Desert Mavericks. Last year the Mavericks had the worst team ERA in the minor leagues. Not just the Cal League but the entirety of the minor leagues. This year they've gone from worst to worster. Their ERA of 6.65 is a half run worse than in 2002 and again it's last in the minors. The Cal is a hitters' league, but even with context accounted for the staff is mashed potatoes. The team ERA is a run and a half higher than the league's next staff. The 565 hits they have given up are 50 more than any other team. They have allowed 68 home runs; no other staff has given up more than 36. High Desert is a batting cage and any staff pitching there will look superficially worse than it really is, but the Mavericks' ERA and ratio of hits-per-nine innings is even worse on the road than it is at home. Not all is lost: The staff leads the league in strikeouts and has one of the Cal's best strikeout/walk ratios. And since only one Mavericks pitcher made Baseball America's list of Milwaukee's top 30 prospects--J.M. Gold, who was grudgingly included at that--it's not like this has been a calamity for the organization.

 

Nice of them to hold back their opinions a bit. The Mavericks' staff is what it is this year, we know that. You root for the guys to hold their own. It'll be interesting to see what Chad Petty does. By the way, it doesn't appear as though the Mavs will need to make a roster move to make room for Petty. I count 24 non-DL bodies prior to his arrival in a league that allows 25.

[MassBrew]

Battle Creek Newspaper Account, Beloit Game:

Includes this:

Beloit pitching coach Rich Sauveur, one of Randy Johnson's teammates in the minor leagues, said that Wilhelmsen throws just as hard as Johnson did at this age, only with better control.

 

Yikes.

 

Also, a nice picture of Prince to add to your collection...

 

www.battlecreekenquirer.c...82684.html

[Member]

Beloit pitching coach Rich Sauveur, one of Randy Johnson's teammates in the minor leagues, said that Wilhelmsen throws just as hard as Johnson did at this age, only with better control.

 

Given my reputation, is it OK to say I really, really, really like this guy? In a platonic, baseball sorta way.

[Katuluu]

After what you did to Bill Scott, do you really think we will allow you to admit any liking for another Brewer's prospect? You foolish man. I wouldn't be suprised if you were as much at fault as Bando for the past 10 years of futility.

[igor67]

For the record if anybody tells you that Wilhelmsen is lacking in confidence don't believe it. Talking to his dad at Fanfest and he said that Tom was disappointed that he didn't start the year at High Desert. It certainly seems like we were fortunate that so many other teams passed on him. Stuff and control a most dangerous combination

[MassBrew]

Baseball America spotlights RHP Tom Wilhelmsen in their Daily Dish:

 

There might be a few scouting directors out there wondering how righthander Tom Wilhelmsen lasted until the seventh round last year. He's a 6-foot-6, 190-pounder out of the heavily scouted Tucson area. He had plenty of attention pitching in showcases including the Area Code Games, Perfect Game and Team One events.

 

If exposure wasn't the problem, how did the Brewers get so lucky to pop a top-five round talent in the seventh?

 

Wilhelmsen was pitching with an 85-89 mph fastball and unrefined breaking ball in the fall of 2001. His velocity didn't spike to its current 90-94 mph range until last spring, but as a raw and wiry pitcher, his radar gun readings fluctuated. He pitched the final game of his high school career with strep throat, which caused his velocity to dip into the mid-80s and very well may have scared some teams away.

 

On Wednesday, Wilhelmsen tossed the first complete game of his pro career, improving to 5-2, 1.73 for low Class A Beloit. He allowed just five hits, a walk and one unearned run while fanning five over nine innings.

 

He topped out at 94 mph, hit 93 in the ninth inning, and used an economical 96 pitches. His curveball is much improved with good depth to compliment the plus arm-side movement on his fastball.

 

Wilhelmsen, 19, punched out a career-high 10 in his first pro victory April 20 against Fort Wayne. Opponents have managed a .224 average against (50 hits in 62 innings), with 20 walks and 47 strikeouts.

 

Given my reputation, is it OK to say I really, really, really like this guy? In a platonic, baseball sorta way.

 

Must be the long hair....

 

Is it too early to say that Beloit pitching coach Rich Sauveur, picked up from independent Northeast League Brockton late this offseason, was one of the best Brewer signings of the winter? Those kids are pitching unconscious...

[love baseball]

Tom is definately not lacking confidence. All you need to do is talk to him for 2 minutes. He is a very motivated player with an excellent sense of humor. He will talk to anyone and sign anything. He is a class act all the way and deserves more than any other pitcher to be promoted (even though we would really miss him.)