Hi. I'm Eric. I'm new around here, so be nice to me.

These are the users in our most glorious league:

battlekow
drezdn
npetrashek
pjlizard
deks
cwolf20
olyknows
intemporal
airfigaro
b3nihana
twoshoesmcgooze
ryansmith

Invites just went out. Let me know if you're on that list and did not receive one.

Scoring is head-to-head, each category weighted the same. The categories are R, RBI, OBP, SLG, and SBN (net stolen bases) for hitters and ERA, K, WHIP, SV, and QS for pitchers. These categories are up for discussion, in particular the pitching ones. I considered K/9 in place of straight Ks, but I think K/9 would make relievers overvalued. The most likely change, I think, is substituting K/BB for WHIP, so let me know how you feel about that. There was, alas, no option for FIP or anything like that beyond ERA.

Rosters--I took away the default MI and CI positions and two of the OF positions, and changed one of the three remaining OFs to CF. I prefer the closer resemblance to an actual starting lineup this way. I also changed it from 9 to 6 active pitchers, increasing the bench size to 6; I think this encourages more daily managing and tinkering--I don't want people to set it and forget it. Add it up, and the total roster size is 21 (plus one DL spot). As with the categories, I am open to changing the roster settings if you guys come at me with pitchforks (if you ask nicely I will of course simply ignore you).

The most important thing right now: the draft is currently set for next Friday, the 23rd, at 8 PM Central. I live in Connecticut, so I can't have it much later, but there is some wiggle room. Let me know ASAP if that date and/or time do not work for you. We're doing a snake draft in honor of Daron Sutton.

Bolded players have signed. I'll try to keep this updated as the season progresses; the signing deadline is August 17th. Links go to the player's Brewerfan.net scouting report. For more scouting reports and resources, check out my draft recap.

1. RHP Eric Arnett, Indiana University


1. OF Kentrail Davis, University of Tennessee


1. RHP Kyle Heckathorn, Kennesaw State University


2. OF Maxwell Walla, Albuquerque Academy (NM) HS


2. C Cameron Garfield, Murrieta Valley (CA) HS


3. SS Josh Prince, Tulane University


4. RHP Brooks Hall, Hanna (SC) HS


5. OF D'Vontrey Richardson, Florida State University


6. RHP Hiram Burgos, Bethune-Cookman University


7. OF Khris Davis, Cal State Fullerton


8. OF Chad Stang, Midland (TX) CC


9. LHP Jon Pokorny, Kent State University


10. C Tyler Roberts, Jones County (GA) HS


11. RHP Andre Lamontagne, Oral Roberts University


12. RHP Rob Currie, Tusculum College


13. 1B Sean Halton, Lewis-Clark State College


14. 2B Mike Brownstein, University of New Mexico


15. LHP Del Howell, University of Alabama


16. SS Scooter Gennett, Sarasota (FL) HS


17. RHP Tyler Cravy, Napa Valley (CA) CC


18. LHP Caleb Thielbar, South Dakota State University


19. OF Scott Krieger, George Mason University


20. OF Franklin Romero, Cerro Coso (CA) CC


21. SS Brian Vigo-Suarez, Fossil Ridge (TX) HS


22. RHP Mike Fiers, Nova Southeastern University


23. RHP Austin Pressley, Franklin-Monroe (OH) HS


24. 2B Peter Fatse, University of Connecticut


25. OF Demetrius McKelvie, East Columbus (NC) HS


26. LHP Lex Rutledge, Tupelo (MS) HS


27. RHP Ryan Platt, UC Riverside


28. C Geno Escalante, Rodriguez (CA) HS


29. OF Chandler McLaren, Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute (ON) HS


30. 2B Brandon Sizemore, College of Charleston


31. RHP Jose Oviedo, Miami Dade (FL) CC


32. OF Chris Ellington, Texas Christian University


33. 3B Jacobbi McDaniel, Madison County (FL) HS


34. RHP Mike Ojala, Rice University


35. LHP Matt Costello, Valdosta State University


36. LHP Josh Turley, Texas (TX) HS


37. RHP Cullen Sexton, University of Minnesota


38. 2B Casey Stevenson, UC Irvine


39. RHP Brady Rodgers, Lamar Consolidated (TX) HS


40. RHP Kyle Hansen, St. Dominic (NY) HS


41. OF Steven Sultzbaugh, Rice University


42. RHP Brad Schreiber, Kimberly (WI) HS


43. 3B Kyle Dhanani, Thompson Rivers University


44. RHP Andrew Morris, Gulf Coast CC


45. C Richard Stock, Agoura (CA) HS


46. RHP Jordan Wong, Vauxhall (AB) HS


47. OF Trevor Kirk, Southern Nevada (NV) CC


48. RHP Reynaldo Cotilla, Miami Dade (FL) CC


49. SS J.J. Altobelli, Woodbridge (CA) HS


50. C Darren Farmer, West Lauderdale (MS) HS

---

---

It's the second half--numerically, if not ceremonially. We can play the "multiply everything by two" game in the comments.

Lineups:

BREWERS
Hart RF
Hardy SS
Braun LF
Fielder 1B
McGehee 2B
Cameron CF
Kendall C
Hall 3B
Burns P

CUBS
Fukudome CF
Theriot SS
Lee 1B
Bradley RF
Fox 3B
Soriano LF
Soto C
Fontenot 2B
Lilly P

Bullpen:

Trevor Hoffman has not pitched since Monday.
Mitch Stetter threw 1.1 innings (15 pitches) on Friday.
Todd Coffey threw an inning (nine pitches) yesterday.
Chris Narveson threw an inning (14 pitches) yesterday and another (11 pitches) on Thursday.
Mark DiFelice used 29 pitches to get two outs on Friday.
Carlos Villanueva threw one inning (seven pitches) yesterday and got two outs (16 pitches) on Friday.
Chris Smith threw 2.2 innings (50 pitches) on Thursday.

The Brewers' 4th-round pick in 2006 out of Columbine High School in Colorado, Evan Anundsen had definitely flown under the radar in his pro career before this year, but not anymore; throwing a no-hitter tends to do that for you. He's also bumped his strikeout rate up from 6.5 to 8.8 per nine innings while maintaining his excellent walk rate and as a result has posted a shiny 2.03 ERA at High-A Brevard County. The Manatees were supposed to have a game on Tuesday night, but as happens so often in Florida, the rain had other ideas, and Evan was kind enough to spend of bunch of his new-found free time talking to me.

BCB: You guys got rained out tonight. Big surprise, eh?

EA: Yeah I know, this weather has been terrible. But maybe it’s what we need as a team to kind of jumpstart this second half.

BCB: Is it hard getting rained out so much? They say starting pitchers thrive on routine.

EA: [laughs] That’s actually a great question. This year, I’ve been tested with it plenty because I don’t think I’ve pitched on a normal rotation for over a month now. I think it depends, though. Sometimes its great to have an extra day off, and sometimes you wanna stay in a groove and keep it that way. Generally, I think if you’re struggling, a day off is the best thing possible, and if you’re hot you wanna keep everything the same.

BCB: You've been hot a lot more than you've been struggling this year.

EA: Well, I guess things have just been going my way this year more than in the past, and even though I’ve strung together a few good starts, any pitcher could tell you when you just have that feeling where you’re either unstoppable or cold. Sometimes it gets masked in this game, because you can go out there with your best stuff and get shelled or your worst and no one can touch you.

BCB: So has anything significant changed for you this year that's allowed your numbers to take the big step forward they have?

EA: I‘d probably have to say just experience from last year, mostly. Like, I haven’t noticed a huge difference in competition, just that knowing that your focus can’t change whether you’re dominating a team or when you’re losing. Just that every pitch you throw can either hurt the game or end the inning.

BCB: The Florida State League in general and Space Coast Stadium specifically are notoriously pitcher-friendly. How much do you think the environment has helped you?

EA: I mean, obviously it helps all pitchers, I think, and there have definitely been times where the large field and sea level have assisted in getting me out of jams and stuff, but I’m a ground ball guy, so if I’m giving up line drives and fly balls then I’m in trouble regardless. Just because I’m not giving up home runs doesn’t mean they aren’t hitting in the gaps and whatnot. So I’d say that I like pitching here, but I don’t think it affects me as much as it affects other guys.

BCB: Yeah, I was going to say, you've always been a ground-ball pitcher, so the heavy, humid air and whatnot probably don't help you as much as they would a fly-ball pitcher.

EA: Yeah, but there’ve been times where guys have hit the ball well and it just dies, so I can’t say it hasn’t helped me out. I’d say that the games where I’ve given up most of my runs are the days where it helps out most versus most other days, because that’s when I’m leaving the ball up.

BCB: That makes sense, and it’s a great point. I was wondering how much of your grounder-oriented approach has to do with going to high school high up in Colorado.

EA: [laughs] Honestly, it really has nothing to do with it, as strange as it sounds. My arm took a beating in high school, and ever since I signed I’ve yet to get that velocity back. So when I was in Helena in ’07, I decided I needed to change something until my velocity came back, so I decided to pick up a sinker. I used to have plenty of tail on my fastball but I had never had much depth to it, so I started fiddling around with grips and next thing led to another and my sinker became a reality.

BCB: You had tail on your four-seamer, you mean?

EA: Yeah, back in high school I had tail on my four-seamer. Never had a need to throw a two-seamer back then.

BCB: How hard were you throwing back in high school and then as a pro?

EA: Let’s see, my senior year I sat 90 to 93, and now I’m throwing 85 to 88. I’m in the process of finding a better offseason routine specifically to increase my velocity.

BCB: That 90 to 93 vs. 85 to 88 is four-seamer vs. two-seamer, though, right?

EA: No, not entirely. I mean, when I pull out my four-seamer now, I get it up to 88, 89 usually. And back then, I’m not sure whether my arm was in better condition or just the easy schedule of starting once a week and the season only lasting two months. That, and I also just threw in high school. I mean, I had a general idea of where I was throwing it, but not nearly the kind of control I’ve obtained over the past few years.

BCB: The fact that you said your arm took a beating in high school, you feel like there's some sort of physical cause behind your velocity loss too?

EA: Well, I’ve pretty much looked back at everything to try and figure out why my velocity dropped. All I can really think of is either throwing 85 innings in about 12 starts, with no care on how many pitches I threw per game, or just I realized that I needed to learn how to pitch and I have just lost some of those quick-twitch muscles that I need to build up again.

BCB: Do you have any bitterness when you look back at those 85 innings in 12 starts?

EA: Well, I’m not a hundred percent sure if that is in fact the direct reason as to why it’s dropped, but back then I didn’t care. My arm never really felt bad, and I was throwing harder than I had ever thrown in my life. So I now know it was reckless and stupid, but I can’t say I regret it at all. It was the best time in my baseball career at the time, and it was also the most fun time.

BCB: Do you ever just rear back and throw like you were then to see how high you can dial it up?

EA: I did a bit last year, and I got it back up around 90 to 91. But I truly think I need to start focusing on it at the beginning of winter workouts. I mean, you can’t just throw one way for six months and then all of a sudden add seven miles an hour to your fastball just by hurling it. I mean, I’m confident that I’ll figure it out. I just seem to have tried all the wrong programs to fix it so far, so it’s now just finding the right one.

BCB: Reid Nichols was quoted in the Milwaukee paper the other day saying about you: "He wasn't a very good athlete when we drafted him. He learned how to work out, got stronger and in better shape."

EA: Yeah, in that regard I've gotten better. I’ve gained weight and pretty much advanced in every other category except my velocity. It’s just one of those things that I don’t know exactly what I need to do, whether it be a new offseason throwing program or different long toss schedule. I’m not quite sure as to what I have to do, but this offseason I’ll be trying everything possible to bring it back up.

BCB: Does the team design the workouts for you or tell you which programs they want you to do?

EA: Yeah, they give us workout schedules and whatnot, but I like to mix it up with my own personal trainer back home to possibly give me an edge, and I don’t think that it’s my lifting that has hurt my velocity. I think it’s more the actual throwing side of it.

BCB: Well, we've talked a lot about your fastball. Can you describe the rest of your stuff?

EA: As in what I’m throwing now, or what I’m working on?

BCB: How about both?

EA: Let’s see, well, I’m throwing both a curve and a slider, and a changeup. I just picked up the slider this year. I’ve been juggling with my changeup grip for the past few years, but I think I have finally found a quality grip, so I’m happy about that.

BCB: Which grip are you using now?

EA: Well, it’s always been a circle change, but just finger placement and how much pressure I put on the ball from each finger has changed.

BCB: And what are you tinkering with?

EA: Well, it’s really just my slider and my changeup. Like, I know how to throw them both, but there are so many different ways to throw them, like where you can get bigger break but less depth or a harder and tighter spin with later movement and less break. It’s been interesting to try them all out.

BCB: You’ve picked up a lot of strikeouts this year while keeping your walk rate static, which is a pretty rare thing--is that because of the slider?

EA: I would definitely have to give it a lot of credit, for sure. It’s become my first out pitch I’ve ever had, and it’s turning into my best pitch. The exciting part about it is that I just picked it up, and I can’t wait to see it in a year or two. On top of that though, I think all of my pitches have advanced since last year, and that’s allowed me to set up hitters in different ways because I can rely on not just my fastball control.

BCB: Do you feel like you can get a strikeout or a ground ball, depending on what you need? Are you actively trying to strike guys out more?

EA: Well, I mean, all pitchers love strikeouts, so I’ve always tried to strike people out. But now it seems that if I’m in a situation where I need a K, I feel confident that I can get one. And this year I’m focusing on my pitch count more than anything, so I’m trying to get through innings as quickly and easily as possible. But yeah, I feel I can get a groundball when I need it.

BCB: Your slider must be pretty damn good then if you're actively trying to keep your pitch count down and you're still getting so many more strikeouts.

EA: It’s definitely added some power to my stuff, but overall it’s been the combination of everything that’s helped me this year.

BCB: How do you use your stuff differently depending on the handedness of the batter?

EA: Generally I stick with fastballs and sliders to righties, as of late, and changes and curves to lefties. I use my change to both sides when needed, but I haven’t used it as much because it’s my hardest pitch to control right now, but it’s getting better.

BCB: We haven't touched on your no-hitter yet. Can you tell me about it?

EA: Well, the game was a 10:30 commuter, so we got the wonderful 6 A.M. bus time for that morning. Honestly, it was really like every other game, except I seemed to be able to throw whatever I wanted wherever I wanted and they all hit it right at people. It was really just funny how you really do need everyone’s help, mostly the other team’s hitters’, to get you into that kind of position. Anyways, during the game I tried to keep everything the same. Like, I’m a pretty outgoing guy, and I didn’t want that scene where everyone is sitting on the other side of the dugout from me. So I really just hung out in between innings, and I think the best help was the fact that the game was so early that I was too tired to think about how big the situation really was.

BCB: Yeah, the milb.com article said you were pretty depressed about the early start.

EA: [laughs] Well, with our schedule it’s pretty routine to be going to bed around three every night, so when you go from a night game to an early morning game, it’s really difficult to adjust for one day.

BCB: What was going through your head when Brent Brewer dropped the pop-up with two outs in the 9th?

EA: Really, it didn’t bother me so much that I might give up a hit to the next guy. What bothered me was that now the tying run was on second, and I was not going to blow this game with two outs. I just wanted to win. That’s really all I ever want to do--whatever it takes, you know?

BCB: You said you were going to take a nap and then cook out after the game. Best burgers you ever tasted?

EA: [laughs] Well, actually we went fishing, and yeah, it was a great afternoon, apart from being on the phone for about six hours solid after the game [laughs].

BCB: [laughs] Well, that's about it. Any interesting non-baseball trivia, hobbies, or skills?

EA: [laughs] No, not really anymore. Baseball has taken away a lot of my old hobbies. It really is a full-time job. Weird to think, since they give us a whole offseason, but you really have to work at it every day.

BCB: Well, whatever you're doing, keep it up. We hope to see you in Milwaukee soon. We have fewer rainouts here.

EA: [laughs] Thanks a lot.

BP's Kiley McDaniel is reporting that the Brewers are, along with the Giants and Indians, favorites to sign the 6'4"/195 Pena. He's being compared to Jermaine Dye and Juan Gonzalez and wowed the scouts last month in a showcase against the Canadian Junior National Team when he homered off Jake Eliopoulos (a top-three rounds draft talent). McDaniel has Pena as the sixth-best international prospect this year and says that Pena's expected bonus has increased from $500K to $1M-$1.5M in the last couple weeks. Happily, McDaniel has video of Pena hitting. Baseball America's Ben Badler also has a scouting report:

Jose Pena, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound right fielder has flashed some power in game situations from the right side of the plate, showing average speed and a plus arm. Pena has shown well in front of some teams, including a workout in front of the Dodgers' brass and at a showcase last month in the Dominican Republic where he hit a home run off Canadian lefthander Jake Eliopoulos, the Blue Jays' second-round pick. "He's grown bigger and stronger," said one scout. "He's the kind of guy who you might get out the first time, but he adjusts and finds a way to figure it out."

 

UPDATE: McDaniel tweeted yesterday that he expects Pena to sign with the Padres for $900K-$1M, but ESPN's Jorge Arangure says the Brewers will still make a play for Pena. Today, McDaniel is saying that he now expects Pena to go to someone other than San Diego and sign about a week after the July 2nd period begins, but yesterday Arangure said Pena would probably make his decision by tomorrow. The Yankees worked out Pena today but might not be as interested in him as others.

McDaniel also has the Brewers, along with the Rangers and Pirates, as favorites to sign 6'5"/210 1B Jacob Beltre, the 16th-rated prospect, who is expected to command a $400K-$600K bonus.

UPDATE: Lots from Arangure today on Beltre. A converted third baseman who was talked about as a first baseman, Beltre actually wants to be a catcher, though McDaniel says no teams believe he can stick there; Arangure appears to agree but thinks teams will allow him to sign as a catcher and play his way off the position. McDaniel has upped Beltre's anticipated bonus slightly to $400K-$700K, and like Pena, Beltre may wait a bit to sign. The Rangers and Pirates appear to have dropped out of the running for him, but the Brewers are now joined by the Cardinals, Cubs, Giants, and Dodgers.

UPDATE:Finally, there are a couple other names tied to Milwaukee. The Brewers may be "all over" shortstop Damian Arredondo, according to Arangure. Badler says of Arredondo: "Plus-plus runner, plus hands, plus arm. Bat needs a little work, but has tools." McDaniel says Arredondo will command at least $500K; both he and Arangure have heard the Yankees are very interested in Arredondo.

Also, McDaniel mentioned in the comments of his most recent international prospects article that the Brewers may also be interested in Venezuelan RHP Daniel Sanchez; however, there may be complications, as his scouting report mentions:

Sanchez has quite a range of possible bonuses. He opened the eyes of the 20-plus teams that attended an open workout in Maracay, as his fastball sat in the low 90s and touched 95, and he also flashed an above-average slider and feel for a changeup; he also showed advanced pitchability. Every scout there had one of two immediate reactions: he's a potential $2 million bonus baby, but also "there's no way this guy is 16." After digging on this one for over a month, I still don't know what to make of it. The vast majority of teams say that they've known he was older than 16 for months, but a few teams contend that they have documentation proving that he's 16. There has been unconfirmed talk about the US consulate in Venezuela reaching a decision on a travel visa and/or passport, but the bottom line is that there hasn't been a concrete announcement that I'm aware of regarding Sanchez's age. The rumor on what his age might be is that Sanchez is 19, and I have him ranked here because, in that event, he would presumably be suspended for a year, then sign for a bonus in the low six-figure range, because his talent is very real. That being said, don't mistake Sanchez having a ranking with me having any idea what's going on here.

Arangure isn't sure that Sanchez fits in the Brewers' budget, but the Brewers may have an ace in the hole, at least in determining Sanchez's age: he's the brother-in-law of Milwaukee's Venezula scout.

For perspective on the numbers being thrown around, the (thus far wasted) $710K the Brewers gave Rolando Pascual in 2005 remains the highest bonus for an international player in club history. The $450K to Wily Peralta was better-spent, and Jose Garcia and Hitaniel Arias are promising. If you're wondering, Alcides Escobar was signed for a paltry $33,000 in 2003.

When you've said "Jeff Suppan", you've said it all.

Nashville Sounds (Triple-A) - 43-33
Won 11-5 vs Oklahoma City RedHawks (TEX) (box / pbp)

Huntsville Stars (Double-A) - 42-33
Lost 4-1 vs Chattanooga Lookouts (LAD) (box / pbp)

Brevard County Manatees (High-A) - 41-26
Lost 8-3 vs Palm Beach Cardinals (ST.) (box / pbp)

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Low-A) - 37-36
Won 2-1 (14 innings) vs Peoria Chiefs (CHC) (box / pbp)

Helena Brewers (Rookie) - 2-3
Lost 16-7 at Missoula Osprey (ARI) (box / pbp)

AZL Brewers (Rookie) - 3-3
Won 10-5 vs AZL Angels (LAA) (box / pbp)

DSL Orioles/Brewers (Rookie) - 10-14
Lost 19-8 vs DSL Angels (LAA) (box / pbp)

Top Prospects:

Batter	Team	Pos	AB	R	H	RBI	W	K	E	AVG	Notes
Escobar, Alcides	Nashville	SS	5	1	3	1	0	0	0	.302
Salome, Angel	Nashville	C	4	2	3	1	0	0	0	.291
Lawrie, Brett	Wisconsin	2B	6	1	2	0	0	1	1	.263	2 2B
Lucroy, Jonathan	Huntsville	PH	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.257
Garfield, Cameron	Helena	C	3	1	3	4	1	0	2	.526	2B, HR, SB

Pitcher	Team	IP	H	R	ER	W	K	HR	ERA	Dec	Notes
Scarpetta, Cody	Wisconsin	5.0	4	0	0	0	6	0	3.61		Game Score: 65
Nieves, Efrain	Wisconsin	4.0	2	1	1	2	3	1	5.63

Top Performers:

Batter	Team	Pos	AB	R	H	RBI	W	K	E	AVG	Notes
Katin, Brendan	Nashville	RF	3	2	2	3	0	0	0	.268	HR
Errecart, Christopher	Brevard	DH	3	1	2	2	1	0	0	.244	HR
Roberts, Michael	Helena	CF	4	2	2	1	0	2	0	.250	2B, HR
Halton, Sean	AZL Brewers	1B	4	2	3	2	0	0	0	.333	2B
Iribarren, Hernan	Nashville	2B	5	2	2	3	0	1	0	.302	HR, GDP

Pitcher	Team	IP	H	R	ER	W	K	HR	ERA	Dec	Notes
Meadows, Dan	Wisconsin	4.0	3	0	0	2	3	0	3.32
Pascual, Rolando	DSL Brewers	3.3	4	1	1	0	9	0	7.78		Game Score: 57
Ginter, Matt	Nashville	2.0	1	0	0	0	3	0	3.31
Tyson, Nicholas	Wisconsin	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00	(W, 2-0)
Sandoval, Juan	Huntsville	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	5.25

Follow the jump for full results!

Continue reading this post »

MVP: Prince Fielder (+.571)
LVP: Trevor Hoffman (-.403)

Win Expectancy graph

This is maybe the fifth different opening paragraph this recap has had. The Brewers didn't make it easy on me, rallying, almost blowing the game, rallying again but falling short, actually blowing the game, and then finally rallying a third time to put the monster to bed.

Down 6-4 in the bottom of the 9th, the Brewers put runners on first and second with one out before Corey Hart put together a great at-bat, spitting on a bunch of nasty 90+ MPH Brian Wilson sliders before rapping out an RBI single. J.J. Hardy followed by banging a fastball back up the middle to tie the game, abetted by an excellent slide at home plate from Mat Gamel. Ryan Braun struck out on four pitches, kindly allowing Prince Fielder to walk 'em off. Fielder's double tallied his fourth two-out RBI of the night; that WPA MVP is well-earned.

The game began, many moons ago, with Seth McClung's first start of the year. Irish Coffey allowed eight baserunners and three runs over four innings, but hey, it could have been worse. Exacerbating the problem, though, was Barry Zito's surprising dominance of the Brewers--just two hits and a walk through five shutout innings for His Flakiness. Chris Smith didn't help when he allowed Pablo Sandoval's second solo homer of the game to lead off the 5th inning.

Finally, though, the Brewers' bats came alive in the 6th inning--or rather, Zito's control came undone, as he walked Corey Hart on four pitches and Ryan Braun on five to bring Prince Fielder to the plate with two outs, and we all know that the big dog's gotta eat. Fielder's three-run bomb knocked Zito out of the game, and Casey McGehee greeted reliever Brandon Medders' first-pitch spinner with a homer of his own to knot the game at four apiece.

Mike Cameron would play a crucial role in the next two innings. Coming off the dramatic 6th, handing the lead right back would have been crushing, but Todd Coffey did exactly that in the 7th--except Cameron had other ideas, robbing Nate Schierholtz of a go-ahead homer with a beautiful catch, the best I can remember. Cam's fortunes turned in the 8th, however, as he grounded into a double play with the bases loaded and one out to kill a Brewers rally and set the stage for Trevor Hoffman.

Flashes of the White Sox series: the Brewers rallied from behind to tie the game and brought in Hoffman in the top of the 9th, only to see him get hit hard and untie it. This time, Bells allowed three straight singles to open the frame and then two sac flies to give the Giants the lead and set the stage for the Brewers' dramatic final rally.

Look at this ridiculousness:

Earlier this month, the Brewers drafted outfielder Trevor Kirk in the 47th round out of the College of Southern Nevada. At CSN this year, Kirk hit .366/.425/.466, while playing right field. I talked to him on Friday and discovered that he had a lot of interesting things to say. Hopefully you enjoy the interview as much as I did.

BCB: Where are your negotiations with the Brewers at?

TK: Well, I haven’t signed yet. They sent me a contract a few days ago, but I’m not sure where we’re going from here. We just keep in touch every week or so trying to make a deal out.

BCB: Do you want more money than they're currently offering?

TK: That’s the thing--I haven’t got offered anything. They’re trying to find out how much [money] they’ll have, because I was [a] very late [pick], so they’re trying to get the people in front of me before they throw anything out there, I’m guessing.

BCB: Oh, okay. So they sent you a contract, but it's blank? Or what?

TK: Yeah, they sent a contract explaining everything and how much I get a month and all that. But the bonus has yet to be decided.

BCB: Right, okay. Is there a dollar amount you have in your head that you'd need to be offered to sign?

TK: Honestly, I really don’t know. I would have to figure it out with my family, but I’m sure it’s not going to be outrageous to where I’m just gonna drop everything and go. I mean, I’m only gonna be a sophomore in college. I still have a long time to go, you know?

BCB: Do you have a preference, though? It sounds like you're pretty interested in staying in school.

TK: I’d love to go and play, but I have a few friends playing now that have been struggling pretty bad. So I like the idea of staying in school and getting the rest of my education, but if the time comes, whenever that is, that they throw a bunch of money out there, I will definitely be on my way. [laughs]

BCB: Which friends?

TK: Chad Robinson, you might know him, he plays for the Brewers, right-handed pitcher. He’s been hurt, though.

BCB: Yeah, I do, he had shoulder surgery. He got a bunch of money as a draft-and-follow.

TK: Yeah, see, if I was like that I would be gone playing. What I’m really looking to do is to get bigger, try to get up to about 195, 200 [pounds], have a big year, and hopefully the Brewers pick me up again next year pretty high, ‘cause I’m not sure about D-I. Going back to the metal [bats] I don’t think would be good, so next year I’m sorta looking to go, hopefully.

BCB: Are you playing in a summer league or anything?

TK: No, I’m not playing summer ball anywhere. I was supposed to go to South Carolina, but we decided I needed to stay home, get in good shape, and get up to that weight.

BCB: Do you think that will hurt your chances of getting offered good money this year, the Brewers not being able to scout you over the summer?

TK: No, not really. Their plan was to come watch me at the end of the summer/start of fall, when I’ll be getting back into [playing], but I don’t think it’ll make a big difference. I think I might be doing some workouts with them in the fall, but I think they’ll come during the regular season again, and plus my high school coach is good friends with the Brewers guy, so he can get them to come out for me. He did this year, and look what happened. [laughs]

BCB: Chad Robinson went to your high school, right? Silverado?

TK: Yeah, our coach is some Brewers guy. I’m not sure how he’s linked, though.

BCB: And you said something about metal bats--does CSN not use metal?

TK: Nah, we use wood. We use metal about two weekends a year: going to Florida for a tournament and then we have a bunch of California teams come down.

BCB: Oh, i didn't realize that. Is that common for jucos?

TK: No, not at all. There are only a few schools that do it. But I like the idea, I think it’s more fun with wood. You can’t get those little bloop shots to get a hit; you have to hit it well.

BCB: And it makes your performance more impressive. That's why you're hesitant to go back to metal?

TK: Yeah. I mean, don’t get me wrong, the games are exciting ‘cause there is lot more hitting going on, but a lot of those extra hits aren’t true, so I’d rather just stick with wood. I’ve always liked to play with wood, though, even when I was younger.

BCB: Be honest: How much of wanting to stay at CSN is so you can play with Bryce Harper?

TK: I don’t think it’s the whole idea of playing with him, ‘cause I’ve played with and against him since we were younger ,but I really want to stay for what we’re supposed to be. We had a few holes and we’re bringing in a bunch of good players and a bunch of good pitching. I’m excited to see how good we can be, but yeah, a little bit of it is getting the chance to play with the "chosen one". [laughs]

BCB: So you know him a little bit?

TK: Yeah, I mean, I don’t hang out with the kid on a regular basis, but I see him around the ball field a bunch.

BCB: Is he as good as they say?

TK: I don’t know if he’s as good, but he’s by far the best player from around here that I’ve seen. I went to a game for the playoffs when he played Silverado, and he hit like two or three homeruns. It was unreal, and they were absolute bombs. And he has a cannon from his knees behind the plate. But I don’t think he'll get up to the big leagues and be like LeBron in the NBA. But I think he'll make it.

BCB: Well, how about you? What's your game like?

TK: What do you mean?

BCB: Like, what are your strengths and weaknesses?

TK: Well, it was my first time ever being in the outfield this year, so I would have to say that my breaks weren’t very good, but I made it up with my speed. I’m pretty quick. And I like to think I have a pretty good arm. I think I hit about 86 to 88 from the outfield, 90 once. But I think what I really need to work on is hitting for power. I didn’t hit many home run. I hit for a lot of singles and doubles. I felt like leadoff hitter hitting in the three hole. [laughs] But I can improve every aspect. I need the power and to gain some more speed and get a little bit better arm.

BCB: Did you play in center this year?

TK: Nah, I played right. I think I might play center next year; that’s what my coach’s plan is. We had a kid in center that had a cannon, throwing 94 from the outfield and can fly, he just couldn’t really hit. I mean, he got his jobs done and could be a good hitter but was just up and down this year.

BCB: You said this was your first year in the outfield--where did you play before?

TK: I played up the middle, switching off from short to second. But I wasn’t cutting it in there so they sent me to the outfield ‘cause of my speed.

BCB: So even though you have good speed and a good arm, you think you need to improve them?

TK: Yeah, you can always get better, I think. That’s why I’m lifting at 5:30 every day, trying to push my body to its max to get all I can get.

BCB: So you think hitting for more power is a matter of just getting stronger? I know some players retool their swing to get more loft.

TK: Yeah, I’m not a very big kid. In high school I had lots of power, but that was with a metal, but with wood it’s a big difference. I mean, I had warning track power this year, hit the fence a lot, so I don’t think it’s anything with my swing, just strength.

BCB: That makes sense. Did you get any draft consideration from other teams?

TK: Last year I talked to the White Sox a little, but this year just the Brewers and maybe Mets, and then an Angels scout sent my name in, but not really anything big.

BCB: So would it be safe to summarize your position as willing to sign if you're pleasantly surprised by the offer, but mostly expecting to go back to CSN next year and work on your game and hopefully get drafted higher next year?

TK: Yeah, that’s exactly right. I mean, I don’t want to say I’m not gonna sign, but I don’t think the chances of signing are very high.

BCB: Right, because the team has so many other guys above you priority-wise.

TK: Yeah, you got it exactly right.

BCB: Well, it sounds like the team knows you pretty well at least, so hopefully if you don't sign this year we'll be talking again next year after you're drafted much higher--by the Brewers, I mean. [laughs]

TK: [laughs] Yeah, I hope I get taken by the Brewers again. But then again, I have no say in who’ll pick me up if I were to get picked up again.

BCB: Well, best of luck to you in the future, regardless of what team you end up with. Put in a good word with Bryce Harper for us in case Boras figures out how to make him a free agent.

TK: You got it, man.

Nashville Sounds (Triple-A) - 42-33
Lost 2-0 at Albuquerque Isotopes (LAD) (box / pbp)

Huntsville Stars (Double-A) - 42-32
Won 9-3 vs Chattanooga Lookouts (LAD) (box / pbp)

Brevard County Manatees (High-A) - 41-25
Won 4-3 vs Palm Beach Cardinals (ST.) (box / pbp)

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Low-A) - 36-36
Won 3-2 vs Peoria Chiefs (CHC) (box / pbp)

Helena Brewers (Rookie) - 2-2
Lost 4-1 at Missoula Osprey (ARI) (box / pbp)

AZL Brewers (Rookie) - 2-3
Won 8-1 at AZL Giants (SFG) (box / pbp)

Top Prospects:

Batter	Team	Pos	AB	R	H	RBI	W	K	E	AVG	Notes
Escobar, Alcides	Nashville	SS	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	.297
Lawrie, Brett	Wisconsin	2B	5	0	1	0	0	1	0	.261
Lucroy, Jonathan	Huntsville	C	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	.258
Garfield, Cameron	Helena	DH	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	.438
Gillespie, Cole	Nashville	LF	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	.225

Pitcher	Team	IP	H	R	ER	W	K	HR	ERA	Dec	Notes
Aguilar, Omar	Brevard	2.0	0	0	0	1	2	0	0.00	(W, 1-0)
Frederickson, Evan	Wisconsin	2.0	3	0	0	2	0	0	4.64
Anundsen, Evan	Brevard	7.0	5	3	3	2	9	0	2.03		Game Score: 62

Top Performers:

Batter	Team	Pos	AB	R	H	RBI	W	K	E	AVG	Notes
Raburn, John	Huntsville	SS	3	2	3	3	1	0	0	.235	SB
Cequea, Allixon	AZL Brewers	1B	4	2	3	0	1	1	0	.417	2B
Schafer, Logan	Brevard	CF	3	0	2	1	2	0	0	.288	2B, SB
Justis, Shane	Huntsville	2B	3	1	2	1	2	1	0	.312
Melillo, Kevin	Huntsville	3B	4	2	1	2	1	1	1	.273	HR

Pitcher	Team	IP	H	R	ER	W	K	HR	ERA	Dec	Notes
Peralta, Wily	Wisconsin	6.0	5	2	2	1	10	1	3.58		Game Score: 63
Gulin, Lindsay	Nashville	7.0	4	2	2	3	5	0	5.09	(L, 3-4)	Game Score: 63
Wawrzasek, Stosh	AZL Brewers	4.0	2	0	0	0	4	0	0.00	(W, 2-0)
Holliman, Mark	Huntsville	6.7	4	3	2	0	3	1	4.44	(W, 6-2)	Game Score: 59
Hinton, Robert	Huntsville	2.0	1	0	0	0	3	0	3.27

Follow the jump for full results!

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Right-hander Jeremy Jeffress, rated by many as the top pitching prospect in the Brewers' farm system, has drawn a 100-game suspension for testing positive for a second time for a "substance of abuse."

The penalty leaves Jeffress, 21, one positive test away from a lifetime ban under the Minor League Drug Treatment and Prevention program.

Substances are not revealed under the minor league drug program but Jeffress admitted in the past to testing positive for marijuana near the end of the 2007 season, while pitching for Class A West Virginia. He received a 50-game suspension at the time, which carried over to the 2008 season.

Later that year, Jeffress tested positive for marijuana in a club-administered test that did not come with a suspension penalty. Under baseball’s minor league program, players receive 50-game suspensions for a first offense, 100 games for the second and a lifetime ban for the third, for both performance-enhancing drugs and "substances of abuse."

The Brewers could not confirm the positive test because the official announcment must come first from the commissioner's office.

"We can't talk about it yet," said assistant general manager Gord Ash, "not until the commissioner's office puts out a release and they are not prepared to do that yet."

Jeffress, a first-round draft pick in 2006, was pitching for the Brewers’ high Class A Brevard County (Fla.) affiliate at the time of the positive test. He began the season at Class AA Huntsville but was demoted because of control problems after eight starts.

Jeffress was 2-1 with a 2.18 ERA in six games (five starts) at Brevard. He went 1-3 with a 7.57 ERA in eight starts at Huntsville, with 33 walks in 27 1/3 innings.

Players who have tested positive in the past are subjected to more frequent tests, so Jeffress had to know he stood a good chance of being caught if he smoked marijuana again.

Realizing Jeffress needed professional help, the Brewers helped place him in a Phoenix-area rehabilitation program in November 2007 during the first session of their winter development program for minor league prospects. The next spring, in an interview with the Journal Sentinel, Jeffress admitted to his marijuana problem and vowed to stay clean.

The Brewers gave Jeffress a $1.55 million signing bonus after taking him with the 16th overall pick in the first round of the 2006 draft.

Jeffress is ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the Brewers' system and the top pitcher by Baseball America magazine.

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Even though they took the first series of the year from the Brewers, I certainly did not expect the Giants to have the better record at nearly the halfway point of the season. It's not like they aren't who we thought they were, either--they have the worst offense in the National League. They're being carried by a pitching staff that is, on an aggregate basis, the best in the league, but it's really only two guys propping those numbers up, wunderkind Tim Lincecum and tonight's starter (and frequent focus of BCB lust) Matt Cain.

Cain actually has a better ERA than Lincecum, though his peripherals don't match that, being merely good as opposed to otherworldly. Suffice to say, though, he's a hell of a #2 starter. "Hell of a #2 starter" is how most optimistic projections of Yovani Gallardo's career went, too, but the Mexicutioner (sorry, Joakim) has consistently teased us with his true ace upside this year. The Giants' Lilliputian offense will help him out, but he'll need to tap into that ace potential tonight to to break Cain.

Lineups, courtesy of Cash Kruth:

BREWERS
Craig Counsell 2B
J.J. Hardy SS
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
Casey McGehee 3B
Mike Cameron CF
Corey Hart RF
Jason Kendall C
Yovani Gallardo RHP

GIANTS
Aaron Rowand CF
Randy Winn LF
Pablo Sandoval 3B
Bengie Molina C
Travis Ishikawa 1B
Nate Schierholtz RF
Juan Uribe SS
Matt Downs 2B
Matt Cain RHP

The bullpen rest situation:

• Carlos Villanueva pitched an inning (15 pitches) on Tuesday.
• Todd Coffey pitched an inning (10 pitches) on Wednesday.
• Trevor Hoffman pitched an inning (18 pitches) on Wednesday.
• Mark DiFelice got one out (three pitches) yesterday.
• Chris Narveson somehow blew the game yesterday on only 11 pitches.
• Mitch Stetter got two outs (14 pitches) yesterday and pitched an inning (24 pitches) on Wednesday.
• Chris Smith pitched two innings (29 pitches) yesterday.

Surrey, BC native Chad Stang was taken by the Brewers in the 8th round of this year's draft. Stang played at Midland College in Texas, where he hit .370/.471/.601 for the Chaparral (I think he's just the second player in the Brewers system to have played for a team named after a plant). I chatted with him yesterday afternoon.

BCB: What’s the status of your negotiations with the Brewers?

CS: Well, we’re trying to get a deal done by Thursday.

BCB: Oh, that's great. Have you agreed on a dollar value? What remains to be done?

CS: That still remains, but it will be done by tomorrow.

BCB: Well that's good news. Will you head to Arizona or Helena then?

CS: Helena.

BCB: Was the 8th round where you expected to be drafted?

CS: Well, it’s not what they told me. They said about the 5th, but I still got a good offer for the 8th round.

BCB: 5th-round money?

CS: Not quite.

BCB: The Brewers told you they were interested in taking you in the 5th round? Or another team did?

CS: [The Brewers] did. That’s what I was told. Then they called me in the 7th and I didn’t get picked till the 8th.

BCB: Were you disappointed?

CS: A tiny bit, but at the end of the day it comes down to how bad you want to play Major League baseball.

BCB: How seriously did you entertain the idea of going to LSU?

CS: Quite a bit. They’re one of the best college programs around. This decision has been the hardest one of my life, but I feel I’m in a win-win situation though.

BCB: It's got to be hard turning away from them given that they're in the College World Series at the moment.

CS: You got that right. But you just never know what’s going to happen, if I did go there. It could up my value or put it down.

BCB: It's good to sign while you still have a chance to get a couple months of pro ball under your belt, I think, too, rather than waiting until mid-August.

CS: Yeah, we were going to wait it out and see what happens. But my advisor and my family thought we need to stop screwing around, get a deal done, and start playing.

BCB: Well that's good to hear. Can you describe your game a bit?

CS: My best thing I got is my speed. I run a 6.4 60[-yard dash]. I can hit with a bit of power, hit great to both sides of the park. I got an above average arm. I’m the kind of player that goes all-out, hustles everywhere. I just love the game and love to play it right.

BCB: I've seen you compared to Hunter Pence. What do you make of that?

CS: I can see that. I haven’t seen him play very much, to be honest, but he has the same body type as me. And the times I have seen him play, I can see what you’re saying.

BCB: Do you compare yourself to anyone in your mind? Is there anyone you model your game after?

CS: There are two: Eric Byrnes and Torii Hunter.

BCB: So you see yourself sticking in center field?

CS: That’s where I feel I need to be playing. I love to run, and I have great speed. That’s where I feel I would best fit.

BCB: Have you always played center?

CS: No, I played a lot of left. This year was my first full year in center, ‘cause a year ago my arm was just not were it needed to be.

BCB: Did you have an injury?

CS: With my arm, no, never have. The only injury I’ve had was four years ago. Tore my meniscus doing long jump in track.

BCB: So when you say your arm wasn't where it needs to be, you just mean strength-wise?

CS: Yeah. I worked and worked on it over the summer. Changed a few things mechanically, and now I’m throwing better then ever.

BCB: Hitting-wise, I've heard your mechanics are a little unorthodox.

CS: Yeah, a little. I still have room to grow. And no one’s perfect.

BCB: Well, unorthodox isn't necessarily a bad thing. One of the Brewers' best prospects, Angel Salome, no one can figure out how he even hits the ball, but he keeps doing it.

CS: That’s very true. I’m just going to go in there, work my butt off, and get the job done.

BCB: So, getting back to the draft, what other teams were interested in you?

CS: Just mainly the Mets.

BCB: Did they indicate where they were thinking about taking you?

CS: They just said I was on their draft board. Didn’t say much else.

BCB: The Brewers have lots of Canadians in their system. Are you excited to play with many of your countrymen?

CS: It’s going to be good. I know a few of them. Just when I’ll play with them is the question.

BCB: Which ones do you know?

CS: Brett Lawrie and Nick Bucci.

BCB: Bucci pitched really well for Helena last night. He also got called up to AA and suspended for hitting a guy. It's been an eventful year for him.

CS: [laughs] Sounds like it.

BCB: Well, that's about all I've got for you. Any parting shots? Got any hidden talents or good trivia?

CS: Well, I’m a pretty good artist and can cook.

BCB: Oh yeah? What kind of artist?

CS: Drawing.

BCB: Maybe you can make some extra bucks designing a new logo for the Brewers incorporating the old ball-and-glove one.

CS: I could give it a shot, see what I can come up with.

BCB: All right, well that's about it.

CS: Thanks.

BCB: No, thank you!