JJ speaks

Larry Stone of the Seattle Times gets a few thoughts from JJ Putz ('00) on the differences between the Seattle Mariners last year and the New York Mets so far.

Loosening up a clubhouse is a role that J.J. Putz takes seriously — and he has the whipped-cream pies to prove it.

Putz, however, sees a markedly different attitude with the Mets than on the downtrodden Mariners team he left behind. Putz, in fact, painted a grim picture of a house divided last year in Seattle, contributing to the historic flameout that ensued.

Putz has had nearly two weeks to soak up the Mets' atmosphere, having showed up in Port St. Lucie in early February to work out at the team facility and get acclimated.

"It's different. Big time," he said Sunday. "It's almost like there's a more relaxed feeling. They just know they're going to win. Where in Seattle, a lot of times, it was expectations, and a lot of times we didn't really know how to deal with that. Here, it's a given. We will win. Not 'we're supposed to win this year,' but: We will win."

There is a bit about injuries, his own included. Then,

But Putz also made it clear that he felt there was more to their collapse than just injuries. The Angels, for instance, had far more players get hurt than the Mariners and still won 100 games.

A poorly constructed roster and a long list of underperforming players would seem to be two major culprits. That's just me. But add Putz to the chorus of those who point to a dysfunctional clubhouse as tearing apart the Seattle ballclub. John McLaren and Bill Bavasi, you might recall, both alluded to the exact same thing upon their firing last June.

I started by asking Putz if all that was overblown. He shook his head and said no, and noted that there was an undercurrent of internal tension all season.

"There were just some guys that just aren't really team guys," he said. "There's a lot of guys that are team guys in there. There was definitely some butting heads on certain things. What the hell can you do? Some guys are just stubborn."

He refused to name any names. But his inference was strong.

Read the article for that rest of that last part.

It's not Putz's problem any more, of course. He's delighted to be with a Mets team that is legitimately built to win. Oh, he was initially a little taken aback by fact that the Mets, barely 24 hours before his acquisition, had signed Francisco Rodriguez, the single-season saves leader, and to realize that he was no longer going to be a closer.

"If there was anything that pissed me off about the whole thing, it was the fact they did trade me somewhere knowing I wasn't going to close," he said. "That was the only thing that didn't sit well with me from their [the Mariners] standpoint."

But Putz quickly concluded that setting up for a contender was something he could live with.

"I'm just closing the game in the eighth," he said. "That's the way I'm looking at it. To have a chance to come to a contending team and win, it's not that big a deal.

There's more. Go read it.

He's ready

The Grand Rapids Press talks with West Michigan Whitecaps manager Joe DePastino.

A sure sign spring is right around the corner: major league pitchers and catchers reported to their respective spring training camp sites last week.

It will be another couple of weeks before West Michigan Whitecaps manager Joe DePastino, who guided the Detroit Tigers' Class A minor league team to the Midwest League playoffs last season in his first year on the job, reports to camp, though.

Entering his second season, DePastino will be more familiar with how the Tigers do things and he's excited about getting back to work.

"I can't wait," DePastino said from his home in Sarasota, Fla. last week. "The biggest thing for me last season was learning and knowing exactly how many pitchers each pitcher can throw that day and learning how to use the bullpen.

A profile on the Timber Rattler announcer...

...the TV announcer. From the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram:

Of all the TV stations in Wisconsin that have carried Bob Brainerd's voice and image during professional and prep sporting events, Eau Claire's WEAU was the first.

His broadcasting career spans about 25 years, including calling Milwaukee Brewers games for Fox Sports Wisconsin and minor league games throughout the state for Time Warner Cable.

But he credits his first job reporting on local sports in Eau Claire as a time when he learned that people demand coverage for local teams, just as they would for the majors.

"After a while I got to see the passion everyone had for it, and I figured it out," he said during a phone interview from his Delafield home.

Brainerd spent the first 8 1/2 years of his career working for WEAU, which has been the longest he stayed at one job.

A little employment history is followed by either a typo or a mistake.

Occasionally, Brainerd gets back to Eau Claire when the Express baseball team plays the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of Appleton or the Green Bay Bullfrogs.

I'm feeling generous based on the amount of mistakes I'm making around here lately...But, when did the Midwest League add Eau Claire?

A decision has been made

Ryan Rowland-Smith made about the only choice he could make.

Ryan Rowland-Smith chose his livelihood over his country.

As expected, the Seattle Mariners' promising left-hander decided Sunday to stay in spring training rather than play for his native Australia in the World Baseball Classic.

He said Australia's manager, Jon Deeble, was disappointed but understood that Rowland-Smith didn't want to risk a major league job by missing at least 10 days of camp beginning March 2. He told Deeble he definitely wants to play for Australia in the next WBC four years from now.

"I'm better served here," said the brawny 26-year-old, one of seven candidates for five spots in Seattle's rotation. "I didn't want to derail what I'd worked for all offseason.

"It was a tough, tough, tough decision, but this is what's more important."

Food for thought from RRS.

"If I want to do something, I should do it 100 percent. I want to be in this rotation. All or nothing."

Season Preview

MinorLeagueNotebook.com has a Midwest League preview. This consists of a Prospect to watch and Other prospects to watch...

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Milwaukee Brewers)

Prospect to watch for in 2009
Brett Lawrie has a ton of power in his swing and that was something he showed off with a wooden bat last spring on a trip to the Dominican Republic where he had 114 extra base hits in 30 at bats against DSL teams. He is raw defensively at catcher, but has the tools to stick behind the plate with some work.

Other prospects to watch for in 2009
Jake Odorizzi (RHP) and Cutter Dykstra (OF).

Just out of curiosity....

Clinton Lumberkings (Seattle Mariners)

Prospect to watch for in 2009
Jharmidy DeJesus split time between the Arizona League Mariners and Everett where he hit .309/.376/.530. DeJesus signed a $1,000,000 out of the Dominican Republic and hasn’t looked back yet. Expect him to be an offensive force in the Clinton line up.

Other prospects to watch for in 2009
Mario Martinez (3B), Tyson Gillies (OF) and Brandon Maurer (RHP).

Keep in mind all rosters are not final for Low-A ball until the teams leave their Spring Training sites. And even then it may have some changes before Opening Day.

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Rattlers in the World Baseball Classic news

Here are a couple of stories involving ex-Rattlers and the WBC.

First up, Ryan Rowland-Smith ('02, '03) from USA Today.

Ichiro Suzuki is chilling out at home. Ryan Rowland-Smith is 8,000 miles from his home, sweating out a thankless choice between his country and his employer.
Just another difference between baseball's elite and those craving a job.

Suzuki is in Japan preparing to play again in the World Baseball Classic. Seattle's All-Star and franchise cornerstone doesn't have to report to spring training until after the tournament ends. Given Japan is one of the favorites, that may not be until March 25.

Rowland-Smith, a brawny 26-year-old pitcher hoping to start for Seattle this season, is in Arizona. Saturday he completed his first bullpen session of camp. He'd love to play for his native Australia in the WBC. He just doesn't think he can afford to.

RRS is one of seven pitchers competing for five spots in the rotation and leaving camp for 10 days would not help his get one of those five spots. But, there is the opportunity to pitch for his country.

"To be honest, I wish people would make the decision for me. I wish they would have said, 'No, you're staying here."'

That's what Tampa Bay apparently did to one of Rowland-Smith's countrymen. MLB.com reported that Grant Balfour won't be in the WBC because he said the Rays told him last month when he signed a new contract that they didn't want him playing in it.

When asked if he understood that by leaving the decision up to Rowland-Smith the team was putting the pitcher in a box, Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu cackled.

"I don't know what box you are talking about," Wakamatsu said.

Much more at the link.

This is not a problem for Felix Hernandez ('03).

A smile crossed the lips of Felix Hernandez as he labored for breath after a series of nauseating wind sprints.

Mention the World Baseball Classic to Hernandez, and the Mariners pitcher's mood brightens instantly. Hernandez's team has long kept him from pitching winter ball in front of his native Venezuelans, so the WBC is his one chance to shine for his homeland on an international scale.

And unlike the team's prior stances with Hernandez and winter ball, not wanting him to tax his arm, the Mariners are taking a hands-off approach this spring with the WBC. Despite the disruption to their spring-training camp, which opened here Saturday for pitchers and catchers, the Mariners are allowing anyone who wants to participate in the March tournament to do so.

"For me, I'll be very proud to play," Hernandez said. "The major leagues are the ultimate experience, but a tournament like this is unique. You don't get to do this very often."

The Mariners have 16 players from their organization selected to WBC provisional rosters, and 10 of the players hail from Seattle's 40-man roster — the third-highest total in baseball.

This spring training promises to be one of the more challenging and unusual in their history. But Howard Lincoln, the team's chief executive officer, insisted the Mariners won't stand in anyone's way if they want to play.

Because it's important:

Major League Baseball used a plethora of new ballparks, subsidized largely with public money, to boost sagging revenue streams in the 1990s. This past decade has seen the growth of online media ventures add to MLB's coffers at a time when the novelty of retro-style ballparks was fading.

And as it looks to the decade ahead MLB hopes new ventures in other countries — encompassing everything from merchandise sales to television rights — will be the next oil well from which to tap profits. Lincoln is cautious of speculating about just how far the WBC could go toward opening new marketplaces for the sport.

"Ultimately, the more fans that you have interested in the sport, the better for the health of the sport," Lincoln said. "Certainly, financially that's the case. I don't think anybody's expecting that this is a panacea or anything. We're in the middle of a very severe recession and every business is hurting, including baseball. So everything helps."

There is some news about another ex-Rattler in the story:

Canadian pitcher Phillippe Aumont, a No. 1 draft pick from 2007, pull himself out of the WBC to focus on his season.

"We make a commitment and we keep it."

That's from Frank Ward, on of the the new owners of the Nashville Sounds. Here is the story.

With 53 days left until opening day for Greer Stadium, construction crews are refurbishing and replacing seats, painting and working on accessibility issues, all part of a $1.5 million renovation to get the ballpark ready.

"We make a commitment and we keep it," said Frank Ward, one of the owners of the Nashville Sounds, the Milwaukee Brewers' triple-A minor league team.

The new owners — New York-based MFP Baseball — agreed to invest in improvements this year. Those include fixing bathrooms and others areas to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The building permit for work at the Chestnut Street stadium was issued earlier this month. On Friday, work crews stopped for Belmont University's practice. Roy Turner sat in the stands watching his son play in an intrasquad game under overcast skies. The paint on the facade is chipping, the ballpark signs are worn, and the 30-year-old stadium looks older than it is.

"It's definitely in need of repair," Turner said. "It's good that they are doing this. It's such a nice place to watch a ballgame."

A few more scenes for Baseball on TV

Apparently, Will Ferrell is going to be part of an HBO series called Eastbound & Down. It's apparently about a former baseball star named Kenny Powers who is know a gym teacher or substitute gym teacher or Will Ferrell doing a Ric Flair as a car dealer impression...Here is a quick behind the scenes:



Let's see...random yelling....sports...awkward question from child...even more awkwarder answer to child...yep. It's a Will Ferrell production.

Tonight on HBO. Wednesday on Baseball on TV...Maybe.

Sinatra Saturday (2/14)

Forgot it last week so a two-fer this week...





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Prospects, prospects, prospect (UPDATE)

MLB.com has Prospects to watch for both the American League and the National League.

Apparently, there are only three players in the Milwaukee system on their list, one of whom just got into the system. None of whom are likely to be in a Timber Rattler uniform anytime soon.

Mat Gamel: He dropped off during the second half of 2008 but still posted solid Minor League offensive numbers: a .329 average, 19 home runs and 96 RBIs in 127 games at Double-A Huntsville. He shared the organization's Minor League Player of the Year Award with Alcides Escobar. Gamel still needs to improve defensively, and he didn't win any fans in the front office when he was slow to reveal an elbow injury last September.

Alcides Escobar: The slick-fielding, free-swinging shortstop has passed Gamel on many prospect lists. He only turned 22 in December and is coming off a season in which he hit .328 with eight homers, 76 RBIs and 34 stolen bases in 131 games at Huntsville. An injury to Hardy might mean an instant promotion for Escobar.

Chase Wright: Acquired in an early February trade with the Yankees, Wright provides some depth at Triple-A Nashville. Wright spent all of 2008 in the Minors, going 10-3 with a 2.72 ERA for three of New York's affiliates. His season included two early-season appearances at rookie-level Tampa after he developed a tired arm, but he called that a minor setback and said that it didn't affect the rest of his season.

Just looking at the Seattle prospects for ex-Rattlers:

Mike Wilson: The power-hitting Wilson belted 27 home runs for Double-A West Tennessee last season, but he also struck out 117 times in 406 at-bats. The former second-round Draft choice (in 2001) ranked third in the Southern League with a .549 slugging percentage and was named to the All-Star and post-season All-Star teams.

Matt Tuiasosopo: The former three-sport star in high school made his MLB debut last September and held his own for the most part, rarely looking overmatched. His first career hit, off Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte, came in his first career start. How well he plays at Triple-A Tacoma this season could determine how hard the organization tries to re-sign third baseman Adrian Beltre.

Greg Halman: The organization named Halman its Minor League Player of the Year in 2008 after he hit 29 home runs and drove in 83 runs for Class A High Desert and West Tennessee. The 21-year-old outfielder from The Netherlands figures to start the '09 season at either West Tennessee or Triple-A Tacoma.

Adam Moore: Rated by Baseball America as the Mariners' sixth-best prospect, Moore will get plenty of catching duty during Spring Training. He could be the best overall catcher in the organization, combining good defense with a productive bat. His likely destination coming out of camp is Triple-A Tacoma.

Yep. All four are ex-Rattlers.

Anyone else with an Appleton tie-in? Baltimore? Ah, of course:

Chris Tillman: The 20-year-old righty, who came over in the Erik Bedard trade, had an excellent first season in Baltimore's organization. The hard-throwing Tillman thrived at Bowie despite being one of the youngest players in the league, and if he continues his success, he'll likely be in line for his big league debut sometime after the All-Star break.

Good to see them drop that trade thing in there. Not too many people know about that.

Cleveland? Yep.

IF Luis Valbuena: Acquired from the Mariners, Valbuena will likely begin the season at second base at Triple-A Columbus, though he could be with the big league club by season's end. As a left-handed hitter, he's a nice complement to the Indians' infield.

At second, though, Valbuena is stuck behind Cleveland's current second baseman, former Timber Rattler Asdrubal Cabrera..

EDIT: As Jay pointed out in the comments, Asdrubal Cabrera is the second baseman for the Indians...Not Oswaldo Navarro as I originally posted. Navarro is still with the Mariners.

There was a second phase?

The Quad Cities River Bandits have apparently reached phase two of their Name the Promotion thing-a-ma-bob. That link will take you to a place you can vote on the following choices:

Bandit wedding - One lucky couple that will have the wedding of a lifetime - on the Modern Woodmen Park diamond right before a River Bandits game!

Beverage Batter - If the River Bandits player selected pre-game delivers a base hit during the contest, everybody in attendance benefits from beverage discounts for the remainder of the inning!

Elvis Night - A full-blown promotional night dedicated to The King himself!

Rascal Kids Hat Giveaway - What more exciting of a giveaway item can we plan then one with a kids hat featuring our lovable mascot, Rascal?

Van Down By the River - A few lucky fans each night would have the opportunity to take in a ballgame from a River Bandits van parked on the right field berm!

Before getting to the part of part of the post where I have a little fun with the promotions, how about a little game based on the choices above...You know the one...

The answer is Rascal Kids Hat Giveaway. It is the only choice to end with a '?' instead of a '!'

The choice that was most popular in the office yesterday was the Down by the River. But, I didn't know that we had so many CSNY fans. Plus, it's not one of their most well-known songs. Plus, I don't see how you can build a promotion around this song:


I guess you could give a dollar off to anyone with a Neil Young haircut or a David Crosby leather jacket with all the fringes or a sarape like what either Graham Nash or Stephen Stills is wearing....what? Oh, Van Down by the River? What's that?

Okay.

What? Oh.

I think my choice would be:

But that's just me.

And this is all well and good, but the windows in the press box at Modern Woodmen Park still don't open.

Down in Dayton

Terry Reynolds was in Dayton with a purpose earlier this week.

Reds player development director Terry Reynolds made no promises on what kind of ballclub the Dayton Dragons would have this summer, but said with a new field staff, "we'll have a well-managed team."

Reynolds officially introduced new Dragons manager Todd Benzinger as well as pitching coach Rigo Beltran and hitting coach Tony Jaramillo to the media at Fifth Third Field on Thursday, Feb. 12.

While Reynolds said he intends to have a good team in Dayton, "if Edwin Encarnacion gets hurt and Adam Rosales goes to the big leagues (from Class AAA), the (Class) AA guy goes (up) and the (Class) A guy goes (up) and the Dayton guy goes (up).

"We don't sit down and say, 'On May 15, we're going to take guys from Dayton.' At the same time, this is our first step in A-ball. When something happens at a higher level, we're going to take guys from Dayton."

About Benzinger:

Benzinger made no promises either, except he expected to be a better manager than a broadcaster. He initially visited Fifth Third Field as a celebrity broadcaster, and when then Reds roving instructor Chris Sabo heard him, Benzinger said his former teammate quipped, 'Marty Brenneman doesn't have anything to worry about.'"

Benzinger also said he wasn't a great player, either, "But I spent three years in A-ball and I know what it's about," he said.

Hey! There's room for only one comedian in this league....So, I guess you're fine, Mr. Benzinger.

Win some tickets

Individual tickets for Timber Rattler games are not on sale yet, but you have a chance to win some over at Brew Crew Ball.

It is simple. Just go over to this post and comment on it. There are four sets of undated ticket vouchers and a co-branded (Rattler & Brewer) cap up for grabs.

Of course, judging which website is sending most of the traffic over here this week, most of you already know about this contest.

Consider this a friendly reminder.

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Back up the Mayflowers

It's moving day in Fort Wayne.

The Fort Wayne TinCaps front office staff will be moving from their offices at Memorial Stadium to their newly finished offices at Parkview Field this Friday, February 13th.

“We are thrilled to be able to move into our new space at Parkview Field,” said TinCaps Team President, Mike Nutter. “It is a tribute to Weigand Construction and all of the sub-contractors involved with the development of Parkview Field that our staff will be able to be on-site in beautiful and fully functional office space two months before Opening Day.” The entrance to the TinCaps office is located at 1301 Ewing Street, on the west side of Parkview Field.

Not only will the move provide staff members with the added benefit of being on-site during the final stages of construction, the increased square footage is a necessity. “We have added 15 full-time employees and have completely out-grown our current offices,” said Nutter. “There are only so many spaces you can squeeze people.”

I've been in the offices at Memorial Stadium. Sardines in a can would be an appropriate term.

All Aboard!

Alternative title...There's something about a train, that's magic.

Old School. It isn't just a funny movie.

Beginning the morning of Feb. 20, the day individual tickets go on sale at Wrigley Field, the first 100 fans that bring their ticket for the Sept. 17 game at Wrigley Field to the Miller Park box office will receive a voucher for a free roundtrip ride on the Amtrak Hiawatha train to that game.

Fans will receive one round-trip Amtrak voucher for each game ticket that they bring to the box office, up to a maximum of four per person, for travel on specific Amtrak trains on Sept. 17, departing from Amtrak stations in Downtown Milwaukee or Mitchell Field and returning from Amtrak's Union Station in Chicago.

There is more at the link.

Thursday Motivation (2/12)

56 is about all the motivation I need right now.

UPDATE: I know you're going to find this hard to believe, but I was wrong. Just got back from a speaking engagment at a Kiwanis Breakfast. They sing before the meeting begins. They changed around the words to a ballpark standard and it was pretty motivating...

To the tune of Take Me Out to the Ballgame

56 days till it opens

56 days and it starts

Bring me a Bratzooka or an ole Fang's hat

Timber Rattlers will soon be back

Let us root, root, root for the Rattlers

And watch out for flying brats

It's one, two, three brats you catch

at the Rattlers game!

Great to get out and see everyone so excited for Opening Day! Even if they are a little fixated on the Bratzooka.

College Try

Modern Woodmen Park will host a Division I game in April.

On April 21, Modern Woodmen Park will play host to an NCAA clash between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Western Illinois Leathernecks. The 6:30 p.m. ballgame will take place while the River Bandits are on the road, giving the Big 10 and Summit League opponents a neutral playing field between Iowa City and Macomb.

"We are proud to give our fans yet another new and exciting event to attend at Modern Woodmen Park," said River Bandits' owner Dave Heller. "Even though the River Bandits will be on the road, there will be exciting baseball in the Quad Cities featuring two local teams that both have strong local alumni bases. This is going to be a great ballgame featuring all of the fun in-game entertainment, superior quality of service and exceptional value that fans have come to expect from an event at Modern Woodmen Park."

That seems fair seeing as how the Hawkeyes hosted a River Bandit game last year. But, the windows in the press box at Modern Woodmen Park still don't open.

The Kind of New Guy

"New" radio guy in West Michigan. Oh, and if you want to why radio guys are a little odd look at these numbers:

Thirty-five people inquired about the vacant West Michigan Whitecaps play-by-play radio position for the 2009 Midwest League season.

Although four of the resumes stood out, only one person was interviewed.

That person was Steve Lloyd-Jones, 35, who today was named play-by-play radio announcer for the Whitecaps.

Lloyd-Jones is no stranger to the Whitecaps' radio booth. He was the color commentator from 2002-04 and worked with Rick Berkey, who was the play-by-play voice in West Michigan's first 11 seasons.

Berkey currently is the radio voice for Michigan State women's basketball.

Lloyd-Jones will replace Dave Skoczen, who was West Michigan's radio voice the past four seasons. He resigned after the 2008 season.

35 play-by-play guys going after one opening. Steve is understandably happy:

"I'm thrilled about this opportunity," said Lloyd-Jones, who has been the play-by-play radio announcer for Grand Valley State men's and women's basketball since 2005. He also has been GVSU football's color commentator. Plus, he has provided the play-by-play for Lakers' baseball the past two seasons.

"I got a first-hand look at how unique Whitecap games provide a special time, and I see my role as providing that enjoyment to the listeners," Lloyd-Jones said.

Enjoyment to the listeners? I'll have to try that this year.

Baseball on TV (2/11)

The Baseball Bunch was a television show from the 1980's that taught kids about baseball. How to run, how to pitch, how to hit, how to field, how to fight back against a potato-peel flinging mascot....

Potato to the groin! Now THAT'S comedy!

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Bobblehead explained

Ben Hill over at Ben's Biz Blog did a quick writeup on the Bernie & Fang Bobblehead yesterday. I sense a little deconstructionism in his background.

For those who aren't visually oriented, let me explain -- The hearty blonde man on the left is Bernie, the Brewers' mascot. He symbolizes Milwaukee's Major League franchise. On the right is Fang, the Timber Rattlers' mascot. He symbolizes the Midwest League team of Appleton, WI. The handshake symbolizes the new relationship between the clubs, with the dual thumbs up indicating that both entities are truly happy with the arrangement.

Win-win, Ben. Win-win.