Link Report for Mon 6/25: PERFECT PARRA! 27 up, 27 down!

[badgerfan.tgf]

Can we ship Parra and another prospect to Chicago for Buerhle before Manny has another injury?

[JoeHova]

Quote:

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Here's hoping Parra doesn't follow the career path of Halama or Wasdin, and that we see him in our bullpen come August or September!

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Wasdin was 30, Halama was 29. Both were already ML vets, I think this is more impressive.

[billyhallfan]

sweet, Parra tosses a perfect game, I'm still concerned about his health though.

[Never Outhustled]

Now that Parra is finally healthy and getting in a groove with regular work, his command seems to be back. With control, a 6 pitch mix, and velocity returning to the mid 90s, he's a dynamite prospect again.

 

Also, his full recovery from shoulder surgury gives me hope that Mark Rogers can do the same.

[DHonks]

With control, a 6 pitch mix, and velocity returning to the mid 90s, he's a dynamite prospect again.

 

exactly. He's done fine, but I was skeptical as long as I didn't hear radar gun readings. In the last few weeks we've heard those are good. I don't know how many pitches he throws, but I know that it was rumored to be 6-8 originally. So it's nice to know he has velocity, at least one strikeout pitch, and others, too.

 

As for the comment about hope for Rogers...I also hold out hope for Jones. I'd like to see him signed to a AAA deal, and next year he comes out in May/June as a reliever. By September, they'll have an idea if he's going to regain velocity and then they can part with him or put him on the 40-man.

[The Big Cheese]

I think Parra's performance tonight cements the fact that he should be given every chance to become a starting pitcher with the big league club down the line (I have no problem using him out of the pen in September, and the playoffs, this year though).

 

I have read a lot of BF.netters saying they like him in the bullpen, but like colby mentioned on the previous page, there have been reports of Parra's return to dominance (both with his velocity and command). To me he has the talent of a #2 to #3 arm in a playoff rotation.

 

This guy is a starter IMO if he stays healthy...

 

2008 rotation...?

Sheets

Suppan

Capuano

Gallardo

Parra

[Mass Haas]

Written prior to last night's Sounds game, remember that Nashville was on the road Monday night --

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=56859

 

Kremblas looks to distribute at-bats

By Nate Rau, Nashville City Paper Sports Correspondent

 

The Nashville Sounds are 2-3 since Tony Gwynn was optioned down by Milwaukee last week. They had the best record in the Pacific Coast League at the time, but thanks in part to losing two of three against Iowa, the Sounds are now in second place.

 

Gwynn talked about not wanting to ?mess things up,? when he joined the Nashville roster. The Sounds were 13-4 before he arrived.

 

?Things are working here and I don?t want to get in the way,? Gwynn said.

 

The Brewers said after sending Gwynn down, they?d like to see if he can play all three outfield positions effectively. He?s primarily been a center fielder.

 

So far, Gwynn has started at all three different positions during his five games since returning. He?s hitting .314 as well.

 

?I know there are some things I need to work on ? being more patient at the plate,? Gwynn said. ?I mainly just want to get out there and play every day.?

 

Since the Brewers optioned down Gwynn specifically so he could get more at-bats, it stands to reason other players will suffer in exchange. Outfielder Drew Anderson and utility man Vinny Rottino are among those who could see less at-bats since Gwynn joined a crowded outfield.

 

Anderson has started just twice since Gwynn came back.

 

It will only be more difficult for Sounds manager Frank Kremblas to evenly distribute at-bats once infielder Andy Abad full recovers from his wrist injury and returns off the disabled list.

 

?There will always be at-bats for guys,? Kremblas said. ?I always think I do a pretty good job of making sure everybody gets to play.?

 

ALL-STAR ANNOUNCEMENT: Media voting for the 20th Triple A All-Star game, which will take place July 11 in Albuquerque, is complete.

 

The Sounds? two most-deserving candidates for the team, third baseman Ryan Braun and starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo, have been promoted and are currently playing in Milwaukee.

 

Starter Chris Oxspring (6-4, 3.14 ERA) has Nashville?s best chance of making the team. Relievers Steve Bray (4-1, 1.85 ERA) and Luther Hackman (11 saves, 2.70 ERA) are also options.

 

EX-SOUNDS SHINING: The aforementioned Gallardo and Braun have performed well since being promoted by Milwaukee. Entering Monday?s games, Braun was hitting .321 with five homers and has been inserted as the No. 3 hitter in the first-place Brewers? lineup.

 

In two starts, Gallardo is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA and is making Brewers manager Ned Yost have to think long and hard about how to re-organize the pitching staff when starter Chris Capuano comes off the disabled list. Yost told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that moving Gallardo to the bullpen was an option.

 

Besides those two 2007 Sounds, former Nashville star Corey Hart is hitting .317 with ten homers as the Milwaukee leadoff man. And of course there?s slugger Prince Fielder, who leads the National League with 26 home runs.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS

 

Sounds win with perfect game

Parra strikes out career-high 11 for historic win

 

ROUND ROCK, Texas ? There have been only three nine-inning perfect games thrown in Pacific Coast League history.

 

The Nashville Sounds now own two of them.

 

Left-hander Manny Parra threw a perfect game in his second Triple-A start as the Sounds beat the Round Rock Express 3-0 on Monday.

 

Parra (1-1) set a career high with 11 strikeouts. He threw 107 pitches ? including 77 strikes ? and did not face a three-ball count against any batter until the seventh inning.

 

Parra had full counts on Jason Lane and Cody Ransom in the eighth before retiring them on a groundball out and a pop out in foul territory.

 

"Honestly, I didn't get nervous at all," Parra told the Austin (Texas) American Statesman. "As far as I was concerned it was a 1-0 ballgame in the eighth inning and I fell behind a couple of guys.

 

"There's no denying it, I knew (what was going on) the whole time. You don't expect it. Crazy things happen in baseball. I have no idea what to do."

 

In the ninth inning, Parra struck out Humberto Quintero and pinch-hitter Barry Wesson. Jesse Garcia then popped up to first base to end the game.

 

The closest hit of the night came when Wesson chopped a high ground ball toward third, but it rolled foul.

 

"This is amazing. I was never really nervous with our defense," center fielder Tony Gwynn said. "If there was anything coming my way I was going to catch it, no doubt."

 

The Nashville victory, combined with a loss by Iowa, thrust the Sounds (45-32) back into first place in the American Conference Northern Division.

 

Nashville took the lead in the first inning when Callix Crabbe bowled over catcher Quintero to score on Joe Dillon's single. Mike Rivera added a two-run double in the eighth inning.

 

Tacoma's John Halama threw the first PCL perfect game on July 8, 2001. The Sounds' John Wasdin duplicated the feat on April 7, 2003 at Greer Stadium.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.statesman.com/sports/...amp;urcm=y

 

Parra perfect against Express

By William Wilkerson

AMERICAN-STATESMAN CORRESPONDENT

 

ROUND ROCK ? The shaving cream pie waited on the table inside Nashville's clubhouse.

 

So did Manny Parra's teammates ? beer in hand ? as they prepared to douse the pitcher who had just thrown the eighth perfect game in the 104-year history of the Pacific Coast League, a 3-0 victory over the Round Rock Express.

 

There was only one problem with his antsy teammates: Parra couldn't get away from autograph seekers quickly enough. They hounded him before he even retrieved his equipment from the dugout.

 

"Is he going to sign every one of them?" one teammate said.

 

Parra got there in due time, and the celebration unfolded ? perfectly, if you will.

 

The 24-year-old southpaw got Round Rock's Jesse Garcia to pop out to end the game, securing Parra's first Triple-A victory in only his second career Triple-A start.

 

"Honestly, I didn't get nervous at all," said Parra. "As far as I was concerned it was a 1-0 ballgame in the eighth inning and I fell behind a couple of guys. I wasn't thinking no-hitter."

 

Several of the 8,611 fans at Dell Diamond stood and clapped for Parra when he batted in the ninth inning, then again as he walked to the mound for the final time. He got Humberto Quintero to pop out for the first out in the ninth and struck out pinch hitter Barry Wesson before inducing a popup from Garcia, also a pinch hitter.

 

The scare of the night for Nashville came when Wesson chopped a high ground ball toward third base. Luckily for Parra, the ball rolled foul.

 

Coincidentally, Nashville's John Wasdin was the last PCL pitcher to throw a perfect game before Monday. It came against Albuquerque on April 7, 2003. Three Sacramento pitchers combined to throw a seven-inning perfect game last season against Portland.

 

Monday was the first time the Express has been no-hit or had a perfect game thrown against the team.

 

Nashville center fielder Tony Gwynn said his team's players were easygoing in the dugout during the game.

 

"It was as usual. Everybody was sitting next to him, everybody was talking to him. I think it relaxed him that it was only his second" Triple-A start, Gwynn said.

 

Mike Rivera gave Parra some breathing room with a two-run double off Paul Estrada in the eighth inning. Parra hurled full counts to Jason Lane and Cody Ransom in the eighth inning before getting a groundout and a popout in foul territory.

 

Express pitcher Matt Albers ran his string of consecutive quality starts during the month to five, pitching seven innings, allowing eight hits and striking out six, which all came through four innings. Understandably enough, Parra stole his thunder.

 

Nashville took the lead early in the first when Callix Crabbe bowled over catcher Humberto Quintero on a Joe Dillon single. Nashville hit three straight singles in the seventh but couldn't bring a run across on two quirky plays, including Parra's failed attempt at a suicide squeeze that got Drew Anderson tagged out in a hot box.

 

It's obvious now that Nashville didn't need any more run support. The only worry of the night for Parra may have been his attempt to catch the bus back to the team hotel.

 

With the first bus scheduled to leave at 10:16 p.m., a teammate left this message on the board: Manny Parra, second bus, 10:30 p.m.

 

It was 10:20 p.m. and he was still wiping the shaving cream off his face.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.al.com/sports/huntsvi...amp;coll=1

 

Stars fall 10-0 to Chattanooga

By BRAD SHEPARD

For The Huntsville Times

 

On a night like Monday, the Stars were grasping for any good news.

 

Despite being clobbered 10-0 by Chattanooga and getting soaked to the bone after a ninth-inning downpour, Huntsville players were abuzz with some positive news in the clubhouse after the game.

 

Former teammate Manny Parra pitched a perfect game game in his second start for Triple-A Nashville, going nine spotless innings against Round Rock with a career-high 11 strikeouts.

 

"Yeah," Stars manager Don Money said with a thin grin, "we're in Huntsville, though."

 

Still, anything to brighten the mood, right? Especially after Huntsville was three-hit and the Brewers' top prospect still in the minors, Will Inman, was roughed up for seven earned runs in two innings.

 

"We're very happy for Manny," first baseman Steve Sollmann said. "We wish we could've played as well as he did tonight."

 

They were never really close, losing badly on a day that started so kind as Money was officially named the North Division's manager in the upcoming All-Star game.

 

Inman - Milwaukee's No. 3 prospect, according to Baseball America - has had a rough go of it in his three starts since being promoted.

 

Monday night only exacerbated Inman's struggles. He worked two dreadful innings, but could have been bailed out of the first if Ruben Mateo wouldn't have misplayed a ball that ended up being a two-run triple.

 

It kind of snowballed from there as 1,150 fans at Joe Davis Stadium watched.

 

"Today, his fastball was up, and his breaking ball was down," Money said of Inman. "I asked a couple of the opposing hitters if they could see the ball well, and they said yes.

 

"He's facing much better hitters up here."

 

In his three Stars starts, Inman has allowed 16 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings for a jagged 13.46 earned run average.

 

To put his numbers into perspective, he already has allowed one more earned run in his three starts than he did in 13 starts at Single-A Brevard County, where he was 4-3 with a 1.72 ERA.

 

This experience is something new for a right-hander who baffled hitters his entire first season in the pros last year, going 10-2 with a 1.71 ERA for West Virginia.

 

Still, he's only 20, and he did strike out the side in the first inning. In between, however, the Lookouts (6-2) had four hits and three runs. After getting a quick out to start the second, Inman allowed six consecutive baserunners.

 

The big blow was a three-run, opposite-field homer by Jay Bruce, who added an RBI single in the third and another monster home run that cleared the star in left-center field gap in the eighth.

 

Bruce - the Reds' No. 2 prospect by the same publication - was called up at the break, and he looked the part Monday, going 4-for-6 with two home runs and five RBIs.

 

"This is our first series against him, and everything I've seen so far looks like he's living up to the hype," Sollmann said.

 

Even down by 10, the Stars (3-5) couldn't buy a break. After an eighth-inning double by Adam Heether, reliever Bo Hall sent what looked to be an RBI single up the middle, but Paul Janish dove and threw him out.

 

Then the rains came, turning the infield into a puddle and making playing conditions dangerous in the ninth.

 

"It definitely wasn't fun hitting in that," said Sollmann, who made the last out. "I was trying to hit it anywhere except back to the pitcher, and sure enough, I hit it back to the pitcher."

 

It was that kind of night for Huntsville, who never gave the fans at Joe Davis Stadium anything to cheer about. At least a former Star gave his old teammates something to cherish.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.helenair.com/articles...607_02.txt

 

Brewers capture first home victory

By CURT SYNNESS, Helena Independent Record Sports Writer

 

The Helena Brewers scored more runs Monday night than in their previous four contests combined.

 

The home team defeated the Missoula Osprey 9-2 at Kindrick Legion Field and halted a three-game losing streak.

 

The Brewers? offense pounded out 15 hits in the victory, led by the multi-hit efforts of Eric Newton, Jonathan Lucroy, Caleb Gindl, Zealous Wheeler and Kurt Crowell.

 

But just as impressive as the performances at the plate was the stellar work of the pitching staff. R.J. Seidel, Casey Baron and Nick Tyson collaborated to hurl a one-hitter, striking out nine Garden City batsmen and walking only three in the process.

 

Seidel started and went five innings for the win, holding Missoula hitless until two outs into the fourth inning, when Sean Coughlin hit an RBI double.

 

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Seidel is regarded by some to have the best change-up in the Milwaukee organization. His fastball was popping the catcher?s mitt in the low 90s as he fanned five of the first seven men he faced and finished with six Ks.

 

The Brewers led 2-0 after two frames and 5-0 after three stanzas. In the three-run third, designated hitter Newton jacked a towering two-run homer well over the left-center field fence.

 

He just missed another tater in the sixth, driving a blast high off the wall at the 400-foot mark in center.

 

However, in a bizarre turn of events, Newton wound up with only a single, as the base runner in front of him thought the ball was caught and was tagged out after rounding second base and returning to first.

 

On the night, Newton went 3-for-4, with a homer and three RBI. He scored three times.

 

Lucroy laced three hits with a double, Crowell stroked two singles and drove in a pair of runs, and Wheeler ripped a two-bagger and a single.

 

Right fielder Caleb Gindl, who leads the team with a robust .423 batting average, was 2-for-4, with a double, two runs and an RBI.

 

Reliever Casey Baron took over for Seidel in the sixth, spinning three scoreless innings while whiffing two. Tyson worked the ninth to nail down the victory.

 

Missoula?s Santo Baez was tabbed with the loss.

 

The Brewers and Osprey now stand with identical 3-4 records.

 

The two teams meet again tonight at Kindrick Field at 7:05 Pm (8:05 Central).

[TheCrew07]

What's not to like about Gindl at this point? As others have pointed out Colby really liked the kid and thought he might be the steal of the draft. Who can argue with that through the first bunch of games to start the season?

 

More walks than strikeouts, hitting over .400, very good in the outfield from what I've heard on the broadcasts... This is a kid to watch in my opinion.

[clancyphile]

Looks like Parra is back in form... perfect form.

[MTBrew]

I just got back in town and caught Sundays and last nights games.

What a difference, Sunday was "one of those games", it was great to see the team bounce back and play so well last night.

Grindl - looks very good, not a big guy but solid! Big upper body and legs, compact swing and good plate disipline. Plays the field well, tracks the fly balls and can cover some ground, good arm. If I saw one area he needs to work on its cleanly fielding the ground balls.

Seidel - was just plain dominate. Threw the fastball by alot of hitters but also located his pitches very well. Wasnt afraid to mix up his pitches either, he didnt just rear back and throw he definately had a game plan and pitched. Tall lanky guy with an easy delivery.

I am not sure if most of the fans knew it was a 1 hitter but the team must have because the relivers Baron and Tyson came in with a purpose. Threw strikes! Very impressive. The poise exhibited by all 3 pitchers was very impressive, especially at this level.

Newton - what a surprise. He had a cup of coffee with Helena last year and I didnt expect to see him again. Very solid at bats.

Just a very good overall outing by the team, nice to see.

BTW, after listening to the Billings radio broadcasts (we were camping in SE MT) its great to be back with Steve Wendt.

[44Fishy]

obviously a great deal of any perfecto is luck and another component is the skill of the pitcher, but I'm surprised there isn't any mention in any of the articles about Rivera calling the game-

That has to be a major factor, no?

[olliegjw]

Quote:

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The Brewers organization is now 1-1 in no hit games this year. Let's get above .500!

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Actually, the organization is 1-2 in no-hit games this year. I believe Huntsville got no-hit (7 innings) in one of their double header games last week. Does that count?

[Postseason2006]

What's their one hit record besides Helena winning yesterday?

[pogokat]

Can't believe i missed this...freaking amazing...

[gregmag]

I've been among those who isn't so high on TGJ as a prospect, relative to the Brewers' other options, but what a cool guy he seems to be. How many players get sent down to AAA and say they don't want to mess up the AAA club's outfield rotation? Then he volunteers that he has to work on his patience at the plate, and in the next article he's talking up his team's defense and locking in behind the perfect game expert. Gwynn the elder always seemed like one of the classiest people in baseball, and he obviously brought his son up the same way.

 

Greg.

[And That]

I'm sort of shocked this didn't get more national pub. I mean, a good prospect pitching for a really good team pitching a perfect game in AAA? What did it even get in the JS? Three sentences? That's despicable.

 

Caught some of the middle innings, and then switched over to the Brewer game, so I missed the end of it. Of course, Brian and Bill didn't mention it on air so I had no idea until I came back on the site. If they don't mention it on the air tonight during the game, that's as equally ludicrous as the JS snub.

 

With all that out of the way, infinite congrats to my guy Manuel Parra. I've loved this guy since the get-go. Even though shoulder injuries have set him back, I still think he could be a good starter in the bigs. I'm ultra-proud of him. Listening to the end of the game last night on the copy of the radio broadcast Brett made gave me a smile as big as I've had in the past few years.

 

Kudos to Manny Parra, and here's to seeing you in Milwaukee in '07.

[homer]

I don't see why media coverage should have been any bigger than it was. Ueck only mentioned it in the bottom of the ninth. The tv guys are paying attention to the game not the minor league box scores. I would hope it would get some attention tonight but no big deal if it doesn't. Some guy for the Nationals had like a 44 game hit streak and that was only mentioned the day he got called up. The minors never get national exposure unless it's some extrordinary event (like that goofy manager going on a rampage a few weeks ago or some guy running through a wall). Nice job, Manny.