Wednesday's Crystal Callix

by battlekow on Jul 2, 2008 9:58 AM CDT in News

First off, All-Star balloting ends at 11 PM CT tonight, so vote for Ryan Braun (and Jason Kendall!) if you are so inclined.

Wondering what Greg Vaughn is up to? The guy I sat behind in Vaughn's Valley in 1993 who screamed "HIT IT GONE, VAUGHN!" for the. entire. game. is, I'm sure. Check out a short video clip of him helping out with his son Cory's summer league team, the La Crosse Loggers (hat tip to Mass Haas at brewerfan.net). I didn't realize this, but Cory Vaughn plays at San Diego State, coached by Tony Gwynn. Kind of neat.

Mound Talk just put up their new Top 50 Prospects list, and four Brewers made the cut. LaPorta is #2 overall (up from 5), Mat Gamel is #13 (from 16), and Angel Salome and Jeremy Jeffress make their debuts on the list at #46 and #49, respectively.

It seems like everyone's talking about LaPorta and Gamel these days, and with good reason: According to Al, according to another guy, according to Peter Gammons, some other guy says that Huntsville is the best prospect team he's ever seen. Marc Hulet at FanGraphs joins the fun, even ripping off my comment about their defensive abilities.

The same Marc Hulet, this time at Baseball Analysts, is putting together an All-Star team made up of AAA players not considered among their team's top 20 prospects, and our own M. "Ike" DiFelice made the team. In a world where David Riske can earn $4M a year on the open market, how much is DiFelice not walking anyone (literally) out of the bullpen worth? What do you mean, no "in a world"?

In other minor league news, catcher Mike Roberts, the Brewers' 38th-round pick out of VMI in the draft last month, had a hell of a professional debut for Helena, hitting a three-run homer on the first pitch he saw, and adding a two-run double and two runs later (listen to the audio). You can read the interview I did with him here.

Finally, I'm breaking the moratorium on linking to the JS for these gems:

How hot is J.J. Hardy?

and

Have I mentioned lately how hot Hardy is?

I'm sure he'd warm up with you anytime, Tom.

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We didn't get a post-game thread up last night

But any of these photos would have been awesome choices:

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 2, 2008 10:10 AM CDT 0 recs

Did Hall make Baseball Tonight with his two plays last night?

Anyone watch?

The designated hitter rule is like letting someone else take Wilt Chamberlain's free throws.

by Kyguy922 on Jul 2, 2008 10:20 AM CDT 0 recs

He made both the #3 and #1 web gems

by oconnobe on Jul 2, 2008 1:10 PM CDT up 0 recs

~~Hansel~~ Hardy.

He is so hot right now.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Jul 2, 2008 10:21 AM CDT 0 recs

That Hardy is as hot as a firecracker.

by Rawiswar on Jul 2, 2008 11:41 AM CDT up 0 recs

Michael Roberts

He now has an MLS page.

I’m concerned about his performance against lefties so far. He also seems to suck in the clutch.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Jul 2, 2008 10:22 AM CDT 0 recs

We should trade him for Sabathia before anyone else catches on

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 2, 2008 10:23 AM CDT up 0 recs

Yet another guy that can't hit relievers

Ugh!

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Jul 2, 2008 10:33 AM CDT up 0 recs

Sucks in the clutch?

A 1.000 AVG with two outs.
.667 with men on base compared to .000 with nobody on.
1.000 AVG with RISP
1.000 AVG when trailing.

The guy is a beast in clutch situations. Call him up right now.

by NoahJ on Jul 2, 2008 11:05 AM CDT up 0 recs

how depressing...

my first thought was “why the heck does Major League Soccer cares about our prospects?”

by Zeyes on Jul 2, 2008 2:06 PM CDT up 0 recs

well, thanks to my tireless promotional efforts

Minor League Splits is nearly as popular as everyone’s home page, majorleaguesoccer-reference.com.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Jul 2, 2008 2:18 PM CDT up 0 recs

No, actually we're all distracted and kept busy

by this.

by Zeyes on Jul 2, 2008 2:21 PM CDT up 0 recs

damn

delete comment below:P

by PagsBrewCrew on Jul 2, 2008 2:45 PM CDT up 0 recs

MLS =

major league soccer?

by PagsBrewCrew on Jul 2, 2008 2:44 PM CDT up 0 recs

Top 50 Prospects

No cubs on the list. SMILE=:-)

by 1BCOACH on Jul 2, 2008 11:02 AM CDT 0 recs

Will Inman at 23.

I cried a little.

by Braunstalker on Jul 2, 2008 11:06 AM CDT 0 recs

I wonder

When will people let an AA guy go? Yeah, they traded him, boo hoo. It’s not like he was the extent of the farm system though.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Jul 2, 2008 11:08 AM CDT up 0 recs

I bet fundamentalist Mormons cry when one of their wives die

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 2, 2008 11:10 AM CDT up 0 recs

What I don't get

I’m sure the Brewers could’ve drafted a bunch of guys on that list before they were drafted. Should we be upset about that, too?

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Jul 2, 2008 11:11 AM CDT up 0 recs

Yes.

Especially the guys who were drafted after LaPorta.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Jul 2, 2008 11:12 AM CDT up 0 recs

That's the point, really

LaPorta looks like a great draft pick, so should we regret not having picked Madison Bumgarner or Phillippe Aumont? No. But even at the time, a lot of people hated the Linebrink trade and thought it was a waste of resources, so I don’t have a problem at all with mourning the loss of Inman.

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 2, 2008 11:16 AM CDT up 0 recs

When does it end?

Six years from Inman’s major league debut? If/when the Linebrink draft picks make the majors or maybe just top prospects lists?

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Jul 2, 2008 11:22 AM CDT up 0 recs

What do you mean, when does it end?

If he becomes a quality major leaguer, it validates the concern. Doesn’t mean people have to whine about it, but what’s wrong with having a tinge of regret when he pops up on a top prospects list, or (down the line) leaderboards?

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 2, 2008 11:28 AM CDT up 0 recs

Also

I don’t think it’s as easy as calling Frederickson and Dysktra “Linebrink’s draft picks” because having less picks would have altered the entire draft, though the Brewers’ clear-cut Best Player Available philosophy helps clear that up somewhat.

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 2, 2008 11:30 AM CDT up 0 recs

A few years after Inman's HOF induction ceremony.

by NoahJ on Jul 2, 2008 11:42 AM CDT up 0 recs

In 1987...

I was a Tigers fan. I was a Tigers fan until they fired my favorite player, Alan Trammell (not that I can really criticize the move from a performance perspective). Anyway, the 87 Alexander for Smoltz trade provides more mixed feelings for me than any other move I can think of. Doyle Alexander went 7-0 down the stretch, the Tigers made the playoffs but lost to the Twins, but Smoltz is still playing 21 years later for the same team.

I think if Alexander had turned in a Linebreink-esque performance and the Tigers had not made the playoffs, I would still be pissed.

by Rawiswar on Jul 2, 2008 11:52 AM CDT up 0 recs

Sorry, Dude.

If Inman puts up half the wins, saves, OR k’s Smoltz has racked up over his career, I will cut my left testicle off and mail it to you.

I don’t see why we’re getting worked up over Yusmeiro Petit Plus.

I'll warm up with you anytime

by ufoboy90 on Jul 2, 2008 1:12 PM CDT up 0 recs

My only point with that story....

Was how long the feelings from a trade can stay with you. I have absolutely no idea how good Inman will be. I know he had good numbers in the minors this year and last, and is pretty highly rated, but I am not in any place to even pretend to have any knowledge about Inman.

I refuse your testicle offer in advance on the off-chance Inman pans out better than you thought.

by Rawiswar on Jul 2, 2008 3:23 PM CDT up 0 recs

I root for the minors guys pretty hard.

Goes to show, I am saddened when a good one gets away.

by Braunstalker on Jul 2, 2008 1:19 PM CDT up 0 recs

First base

Just noticed this, but the team has had four different starting first basemen in the last five games.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Jul 2, 2008 11:07 AM CDT 0 recs

...and our starting first baseman is the worst defender out of all of them.

by brewfan2 on Jul 2, 2008 11:25 AM CDT up 0 recs

I dunno

Dillon didn’t do anything special.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Jul 2, 2008 11:26 AM CDT up 0 recs

I've never seen Prince do anything special.

Can’t scoop, no range, not tall enough for the position.

I love prince, but I think an argument could be made that if DLee was playing first for the brewers, Ryan Braun would still be at third. DLee saves 20 errors a year from the throws of Ramirez.

by brewfan2 on Jul 2, 2008 12:06 PM CDT up 0 recs

Try not to just blatantly make stuff up

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 2, 2008 12:15 PM CDT up 0 recs

Sorry, I'll phrase it better

Aramis Ramirez throws a lot of errant balls to first base. Thanks to Derek Lee, people have a slanted viewpoint on how well Ramirez actually plays third base.

by brewfan2 on Jul 2, 2008 12:19 PM CDT up 0 recs

I agree with the idea that Lee saves a lot of errors

I don’t agree that Prince doesn’t make special plays. I think he makes quite a few, but he does have a clunker sometimes and he is short.

by ol Pete on Jul 2, 2008 12:45 PM CDT up 0 recs

Paul Lo Duca is starting at his third different position in the Nats' three-game series with the Marlins

LF, C, and 1B.

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 2, 2008 11:31 AM CDT up 0 recs

man

some of these teams are just competing to see who can field the worst offensive left fielder.

as if to rub in the fact that no one will sign Barry.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Jul 2, 2008 11:32 AM CDT up 0 recs

We dodged a bullet

The Reds almost signed Michael Inoa, the “once in a generation” Dominican pitching prospect. They offered him $5M (as did the Rangers), but he stuck with the A’s and their $4.25M bid.

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 2, 2008 11:39 AM CDT 0 recs

How come no one is talking about Zach (sic) Greinke?

Haha.

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 2, 2008 11:39 AM CDT 0 recs

Hey that is a touchy subject

You see it as Zach all over the interweb.

Visit my baseball blog ...or else!

by dixieflatline on Jul 2, 2008 12:54 PM CDT up 0 recs

I just thought it was funny:

Since we’ve been talking about (Zack) Greinke over here for a long time, the idea of some hypothetical blogger searching in vain for Greinke scuttlebutt and missing it because they don’t know how to spell his name.

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 2, 2008 1:02 PM CDT up 0 recs

He should have searched for Zach Grienke.

by Zeyes on Jul 2, 2008 2:19 PM CDT up 0 recs

I knew a guy

who made money by searching on ebay for misspellings of camera equipment.

by ol Pete on Jul 2, 2008 2:39 PM CDT up 0 recs

um...how does that work?

I have a genuine Ro1ex watch that I’d love to sell you.

by PagsBrewCrew on Jul 2, 2008 2:51 PM CDT up 0 recs

Put it on ebay and use that spelling.

The guy had a list of 50 or so misspellings that he would routinely search for and was able to bid on equipment without the same competition. Buy below market and sell at market.

by ol Pete on Jul 2, 2008 5:09 PM CDT up 0 recs

Auction Speller

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 2, 2008 5:18 PM CDT up 0 recs

Reynolds pretty banged up

thanks to Hart and Rivera: Azcentral

by ol Pete on Jul 2, 2008 12:48 PM CDT 0 recs

Looks like it will be Pettit tonight

So McClung doesn’t have to worry about Owning bat at least. Here is the link. Petit has only 7 2/3 IP this year in 6 outings so he probably isn’t going to last long. He hasn’t pitched in a while though. Maybe another bullpen day for the snakes. It would be nice to get this one than have to worry about winning tomorrow against Webb for the split.

Visit my baseball blog ...or else!

by dixieflatline on Jul 2, 2008 12:58 PM CDT 0 recs

Good timing

Petit was Will Inman before Inman, only even better: 130/18 K/BB in 117.7 IP.

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 2, 2008 1:04 PM CDT up 0 recs

WHY DID THE METS EVER TRADE PETIT FOR A QUALITY FIRST BASEMAN

I MOURN THE DAY

I'll warm up with you anytime

by ufoboy90 on Jul 2, 2008 1:13 PM CDT up 0 recs

*That was at AA at age 20

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 2, 2008 1:17 PM CDT up 0 recs

he's been in the minors

he’s off the five-day schedule, now, but has regularly been going 5 or 6 innings. link

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Jul 2, 2008 1:07 PM CDT up 0 recs

Ah I see

I must have missed that. Tuscon is a nice place to hit so maybe that ERA is a bit deceiving. He has a nice K/BB ratio. Maybe I should lower my expectations a bit.

Visit my baseball blog ...or else!

by dixieflatline on Jul 2, 2008 1:23 PM CDT up 0 recs