The inevitable "First Big League Camp" story

Eric Arnett, First Round Pick, All-Big Ten, Top Prospect...low man on the totem pole. But, he's soaking in it.

For years, Eric Arnett was a top dog, a stud at the top of the pile because of talent and hard work.

Now, he's just another face among others in the clubhouse who have been at the top at some point in their careers.

Despite being the Milwaukee Brewers' first-round pick in last year's draft, the 6-foot-5 right-hander from Indiana University is just a wide-eyed first-timer in major-league camp.

"Once I'm here, I'm back at the bottom," Arnett said. "I have to work my way back up. It doesn't matter here (where you're drafted). I'm just going to learn and take everything in and learn from these veterans that have been here."

Arnett was the 26th pick last June and received a $1.2 million signing bonus. Included in his contract was the invitation to big-league spring training, where he received the jersey number of a newcomer not expected to make the team - No. 67 - and a locker in an area away from most of the regulars. Not that it matters much to the 22-year-old.

"I'm still taking it all in," said Arnett, an Ohio native. "I'll see a guy walk by and say, 'Hey, I watched him as a kid.' It's going to be an awesome experience and I'm looking forward to it."

No word in the article about where Arnett might start his season.

A little something on which to chew

Jim Breen and Ryan Topp at the newly relocated Bernie's Crew have their list of Top 30 Brewers prospects as the organization heads into the 2010 season.

There are a lot of familiar names on the list so click over for the whole thing. I'll just excerpt the potential -- and I will stress the word potential -- Timber Rattlers. Some, who have been mentioned before, will just be the names and rankings. You'll have to click over to see what the scouting report is on them (Sorry, Kid. I'm going to make you work for info about the Vol on the list). Others will have that information.

4. RHP Eric Arnett

7. OF Kentrail Davis

8. RHP Jake Odorizzi

14. RHP Kyle Heckathorn

19. LHP Del Howell (statistics)

The junior southpaw from the University of Alabama fell to the 15th round of the 2009 draft after struggling in his junior season due to succumbing to mono. He ended up signing just before the deadline for well over the slot recommendation. Howell was able to appear in five games after signing, splitting time between both rookie levels -- posting solid, if unspectacular numbers in those appearances. He has three solid offerings at this point and can reach the mid 90's with his fastball. That suggests mid-rotation upside if he can continue to develop and stay healthy. Howell could develop into one of the steals of the draft.

21. RHP Maverick Lasker (statistics)

Lasker, a favorite of the old Between the Green Pillars blogging crew, was taken the the 5th round of the 2008 draft out of an Arizona High School. He did not pitch in 2008, but posted very solid numbers in the Arizona Rookie League and established himself as a legitimate prospect. The organization rewarded his fine play with a late season call up Wisconsin that resulted in one great start and one very forgettable one. Lasker throws in the low to mid 90's and compliments his fastball with a spike slurve and a good (and developing) changeup. He even has room to add some velocity as he matures. Lasker certainly has mid-to-top of the rotation ability, but is a long, long way from the majors.

22. RHP Nic Bucci (statistics)

The 18th round pick from the 2008 draft burst onto the scene last year with a solid showing at Rookie Helena. He even managed to get a few innings in at AA. While his fastball sits in the high 80's to low 90's, he induces a lot of strikeouts with his overall mix of pitches, including a decent curve and a change with good sink. The important question is how his stuff will translate at the higher echelons of the system, but he will not turn 20 until this July so he has plenty of time to develop.

26. OF D'Vontrey Richardson

30. SS Ryan "Scooter" Gennett

Drafted by the Brewers in the 16th round of the 2009 draft, Gennett signed for roughly 4th or 5th round money. The diminutive SS/RHP was named to the USA Today All-USA High School Baseball Team in his senior year, but his future is with the bat. Though only 5'9" and 165 LBS, he possesses plus pull power and also has the ability to drive the other way. He draws raves for his speed, makeup and leadership abilites and has been called a true five-tool prospect. Milwaukee will give him every chance to stick at shortstop, but some scouts believe Gennett profiles better at second base. He figures to make his professional debut later this year in rookie ball.

We'll know how many of the guys on this list will be in a Timber Rattlers uniform to open the season in less than seven weeks. Seven Weeks!

Top Five Third Basemen

Jim Breen of Bernie's Crew has unveiled Top Five Third Base prospects in the Brewers organization.

Here's the list. Click the link for Jim's thoughts on the players.

1.) Mat Gamel
2.) Taylor Green
3.) Adam Heether
4.) Zelous Wheeler
5.) Juan Sanchez

Honorable mentions: Edgar Trejo, Joseph Paciorek, and Wayne Dedrick

The Rattler alumni have been highlighted.

Peruse these

Tom Haudricourt posted his Baseball America Chat and his Baseball America story on his blog. The chat is him taking questions about the Top 30 list that he put together. A lot...and I mean a lot of questions about Cody Scarpetta in the chat. Here is the fourth question about the former Rattler pitcher.

Mike (Milwaukee): How in the world does Cody Scarpetta not make the top 10 when the team puts him on the 40 man roster last year and goes out and is the #9 prospect in the Midwest league? Thats horrific!!!!

Tom Haudricourt: I'll answer one more Scarpetta question (it seems like every other one is about him). Being ranked No. 13 is no insult. And, as noted earlier, a signing technicality forced the Brewers to put him on the 40-man roster a few years earlier than otherwise would have happened (his original contract was voided because of a finger injury). Everybody, settle down. Scarpetta's a fine prospect and the Brewers really like him. And, as for why being No. 9 in a low Class A League would put you in the top 10 automatically, I don't understand your thinking. We considered potential impact in the majors in ranking prospects. Again, lucky No. 13 is no insult.

And here is a bit about some maybe, possibly, potential Rattlers...

Patrick (Milwaukee): Which prospects do the Brewers intend to fast-track in 2010? I'm assuming Eric Arnett and Kentrail Davis would seem to be the most likely candidates. Any chance Del Howell might be given an aggressive placement to open 2010, and could Scooter Gennett open the spring with Wisconsin? Will Lawrie be given the chance to stick at AA Huntsville after skipping Brevard County late last year?

Tom Haudricourt: I'd say yes to most of your questions because they are all talented players. But Lawrie might go to Brevard because of his young age. Players can always be elevated in season. One of the reasons the Brewers drafted advanced pitchers in '09 was with the hope of getting them to the majors ASAP. Gennett signed too late to play so he might have some rookie ball in his future.

If you haven't already seen it, go read the whole thing.

On to the pitching question...There is a lot of the recent history of bad luck, bad breaks, and various other bad things in the set up of the article.

Then, there is this

Ash wants to learn if the Brewers are doing anything fundamentally wrong that has slowed the progress of pitching prospects. One tactic on the agenda is the use of young starters in tandem, with each pitching half a game to limit their pitches.

“We had one of these symposiums about four years ago," said Ash. “From that one, we came up with the idea of tandems in the lower levels.

“Now that we've had some history with tandems, we want to review that. Is it a good thing? Not a good thing?"

Ash said a novel thought by Melvin will be batted around.

“Doug has this idea that starters never get the feel of what it's like to pitch in the eighth and ninth innings (in the minors)," said Ash.

“He's had this long-held idea that it might be a good idea to start (games) with the bullpen and have the starter come in, in the fourth inning and having him pitch four through nine.”

With input from farm director Reid Nichols and minor-league pitching coordinator Lee Tunnell, who replaced Jim Rooney last year, each pitching coach in the system will be evaluated.

“What you can't forget is that a big part of the equation is the player himself," said Ash. “I think you have to be satisfied that (instructors) work hard, that they are intensive in their approach.

“If you're sitting in the clubhouse playing cards or watching TV, you're not working at it. Beyond throwing bullpens and sides, there's video work and enough research from games where you can print out the guy's game and see where was he in the strike zone and things like that.

“We'll exchange ideas and come up with what our game plan is going to be. I don't expect it to be revolutionary. I just want to refine it and make sure we're all on the same page, even to the point of recruitment."

In hiring new pitching coach Rick Peterson after the season, the Brewers also committed to his somewhat unique system based on biomechanics that will be used throughout the organization. Peterson breaks down a pitcher’s mechanics into minute detail with the aim of assessing his chance of injury while also improving performance.

Here is an SI article from December of 2003 about Peterson's philosophy and techniques.

The Rick Peterson experience opens next month for New York Mets pitchers. A few weeks before the start of spring training Peterson, the pitching coach who signed a three-year contract with the Mets in November after six seasons with the Oakland A's, will shepherd many of his new charges into the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI), a biomechanics lab in Birmingham. Peterson will ask them to don unflattering spandex suits. He'll attach computer sensors to various body parts. Then he'll tell them to relax and go through their regular bullpen routines while six high-tech cameras, each snapping 240 frames per second, record every motion and muscle twitch.

...

Peterson, 49, has been opening minds and eyes since the A's hired him in 1998. He might be the prototypical 21st-century pitching coach. He's an information junkie whose oft-repeated motto is, In God we trust; all others must have data. But he balances that obsession with New Age visualization techniques, yoga and sermons about the importance of the mind-body union. "Any controlled movement takes skill, physical conditioning, and mental and emotional strength," says Peterson. "You need all three sides of the triangle to succeed."

Peterson's program isn't for everyone—Oakland lefthander Mark Mulder, for one, was less than enamored with some of the coach's techniques—but it has proved effective. The A's had the American League's lowest team ERA in each of the last two seasons and didn't rank lower than third during Peterson's tenure. More impressive is his track record for keeping pitchers healthy. Under his watch no A's pitcher suffered a major elbow or shoulder injury.

Something to think about, eh?

Rating shortstops

Jim at Bernie's Crew ranks his top 5 prospects in the Brewers organization.

1.) Alcides Escobar
2.) Josh Prince ('09)
3.) Brent Brewer
4.) Carlos Geroge
5.) Yohannis Perez

Jim notes that if Scooter Gennett sticks at short, he would be #2. I am guessing that moves everyone else down a slot. Michael Marseco ('09) gets honorable mention.

I'll just pull a quote out of the Prince and George reviews. Prince because he was with the team last season and George because he may be with the team at some point in the near future.

Prince:

Josh found the Midwest League much tougher with a .221 average, partially due to a .260 BABIP -- which is impressively low considering his speed. He maintained a plus approach at the plate, however. That is encouraging for a player in his first year in professional baseball. The Brewers also see him as a true shortstop. Many prospects are drafted as shortstops, but eventually have to move to either second or third due to defensive issues. Prince profiles as a shortstop throughout his professional career, due to his range and (according to his scouting report) his glove.

George:

His fielding at shortstop is well below-average, but his bat seems to have some potential. At only 20-years old, Carlos George hit .285 with 10 doubles and 3 triples in 45 games. That correlates to a .089 ISO, which is encouraging for a prep-shortstop in only his second professional season. The young man also swiped 20 bases in 26 attempts.

At the same time, a 4.5% walk rate and a 19.6% strikeout rate reflect a "hacktastic" approach.

"Hacktastic". Now there's a word!

The Top 30

Tom Haudricourt has his entire list of Top 30 Brewers Prospects here.

I have pulled Rattler Alumni and possible Rattlers from 11-30.

13. RHP Cody Scarpetta ('09)
14. RHP Wily Peralta ('09)
18. OF D’Vontrey Richardson
20. 3B Taylor Green ('09)
22. LHP Del Howell
25. RHP Alex Periard ('09)
27. RHP Brooks Hall
28. OF Max Walla
29. RHP Nick Bucci
30. RHP Maverick Lasker ('09)

He is chatting today at BaseballAmerica.com this afternoon. He will post that chat at the JSOnline.com Brewers Blog after that.

Faster than the internet

BaseballAmerica.com will be posting their list of the Top 10 Milwaukee Brewers Prospects on their website on Monday.

But, if you are subscriber like we are at the stadium, you would have that list now.

So, I'll share it here:

1.) Alcides Escobar
2.) Brett Lawrie
3.) Mat Gamel
4.) Eric Arnett
5.) Jonathon Lucroy
6.) Kentrail Davis
7.) Zach Braddock
8.) Lorenzo Cain
9.) Jake Odorizzi
10.) Kyle Heckathorn

Ex-Rattlers on that list are Lawrie (#2) and Cain (#8). Potential future Rattlers are Arnett (#4), Davis (#6), Odorizzi (#9), and Heckathorn (#10).

BA has only Odorizzi and Heckathorn coming to the Timber Rattlers in 2010. According to them Arnett and Davis could start the next year at Brevard County. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Quick note on the strengths -- according to BA -- on the possible future Rattlers:

Arnett: After battling command problems earlier in his collefe career, Arnett put it all together as a junior. He threw his fastball at 91-94 mph and touched 97, and he tightened a mid-80's slider to give him a second out pitch.

Davis: Davis' combination of hitting ability, power, and speed, not to mention his stocky frame, have drawn comparisons to a lefthanded-hitting Kirby Puckett. He has a short swing with plenty of bat speed. He has a short swing with plenty of bat speed. He has plus speed and the potential to become at least a 20-20 player.

Odorizzi: Milwaukee believes Odorizzi will fill out and gain velocity as he matures. He currently pitches at 88-91 mph and touches 93 with his fastball, maintaining that zip throughout his outings. His free and easy delivery and good extension allow his heater to get in on hitters quickly, and it features good sink and armside run. He also features a curveball that's a plus pitch at times. He throws strikes and shows good poise and competitiveness.

Heckathorn: His raw stuff is outstanding and rivaled anyone's in the 2009 draft. His fastball sits at 91-94 mph and peaks at 98. His slider also can be devastating, registering in the high 80's. Even with his live arm and big frame, Heckathorn doesn't have any problems throwing strikes.

Will link to what isn't behind the subscriber wall on Monday.

Ranking Brewers 2B prospects

Jim Breen over at Bernie's Crew ranks his top five second base prospects in the Brewers system.

Click over for details, but here's the list:

#1 Brett Lawrie
#2 Eric Farris
#3 Hernan Iribarren
#4 Scooter Gennett
#5 Brandon Sizemore

Lawrie and Sizemore both played for the Timber Rattlers in 2009. Rattler fans should be familiar with them. I will steal a little bit of Jim's thoughts on Gennett, a 16th round pick in the '09 draft.

Although I wanted to rank Scooter Gennett ahead of Hernan Iribarren, ranking a player who has not seen the field as a professional too high is irresponsible. His scouting reports rave about his advanced approach at the plate, especially for a prepster just out of high school. I am concerned that his 5'9" frame will limit his home run potential down the road, but the gap power should allow him to rack up plenty of doubles and triples.

Thoughts on Catchers

Jim over at Bernie's Crew had ranked his top five catching prospects in the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

In order they are:
1.) Jonathon Lucroy
2.) Angel Salome
3.) Cameron Garfield
4.) Shawn Zarraga
5.) Tyler Roberts

Click on the link for his explanations and reasonings.

Rising Stars in Arizona

The rosters for the All-Star Game in the Arizona Fall League, which is known as The Rising Stars Showcase, have been released.

The only ex-Rattler to be named to the game -- so far -- is Phillippe Aumont ('08) for the Western Division. Mark Rogers, who will also play for the Western Division, is the only Brewer farmhand scheduled for the game -- so far.

Here is a link to the story.

Three Rattlers make the Baseball America Top 20 list for the MWL

Complete list is here.

The Rattlers on the list are:

4. Brett Lawrie
9. Cody Scarpetta
14. Wily Peralta

Down in the comments below I had guessed that Lawrie and Peralta would make it, but Scarpetta would miss the Top 20. Glad I'm wrong on that.

The main bits about each of the Rattlers as written by Jim Callis:

Lawrie:

Most of Lawrie's value comes from his offense. He has strong hands and exceptional bat speed, and while his swing is a bit long, his bat stays in the zone for a long time. Using an open stance and diving into pitches, he drives the ball to all fields. He's a more disciplined hitter than most teenagers, and he has average speed and some instincts on the bases.

There is also something in there about if he works at his defense, he could be a second baseman "in the style of Dan Uggla".

Scarpetta:

In addition to his hard downer curve, Scarpetta also maintains the velocity on his heavy 90-94 mph fastball into the late innings and has unveiled a vastly improved changeup. His pitches all need more consistency and command, but they all could develop into plus offerings.

Scarpetta's biggest need is to tone up his soft body...

That isn't just Scarpetta's biggest need. There is a radio announcer/blogger I'm thinking of who could stand to do this, too.

Peralta:

Working at 92-94 mph and peaking at 96, Peralta had one of the best fastballs in the MWL, and it also features some cutting and tailing action. His low-80s slider has good tilt, though he gets under it at times but doesn't always throw it for strikes.

To remain a starter as he advances, Peralta will have to improve his changeup and his command. He's thick-bodied and must watch his conditioning.

Is Jim getting into the personal training business, too?

Also in the comment, I had predicted that Dee Gordon of the Great Lakes Looooons would be the #1 prospect in the MWL based on...you know, the managers of the MWL selecting him as the Top Prospect in the MWL.

But, BA goes with Aaron Hicks of Beloit. Gordon was placed second and Josh Vitters of Peoria was third on the list.

The chat with Jim for BA subscribers on the MWL list is at 2:00pm CDT today. Follow the link from the front page.

Baseball America's Pioneer League Top 20 Prospects for 2009

Entire list may be found here. The Helena Brewers to make the list are all pitchers. They may also be in Appleton next year:

2. Jake Odorizzi, rhp, Helena (Brewers)
10. Eric Arnett, rhp, Helena (Brewers)
17. Nick Bucci, rhp, Helena (Brewers)

The scouting reports on those players:

Odorizzi:

The 32nd overall pick in 2008, Odorizzi has spent his first two pro seasons in Rookie ball. That's not a reflection on his ability, because he has everything desired in a high school pitcher: a plus fastball, a chance for two average secondary pitches and a free and easy delivery. A natural athlete who also excelled in football as an amateur, he has room to fill out his lean 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame and add velocity.

Odorizzi works downhill from a three-quarters arm slot, with his fastball ranging from 87-91 mph and touching 93 with sink and life to his arm side. He maintains his velocity deep into starts. Because he stays balanced and gets nice extension in his delivery, his heater gets on batters quickly.

Odorizzi flashes a plus curveball, featuring occasional tight, late break, but it backs up on him too often at this stage. He mixes in a few sliders for variety and has inconsistent feel for his changeup.

Arnett:

The Brewers brought Arnett along slowly after making him just the second first-round pick ever from Indiana University. He completed five innings in only one of his 14 appearances, showing inconsistent velocity and command.

Arnett's arm strength is intriguing. A physical 6-foot-5, 230-pound righthander, he showed a 90-94 mph fastball with plus sink—but later in games he dipped into the high-80s. He works quickly, and his arm action is clean.

Arnett's mid-80s slider, his go-to strikeout pitch in college, showed tight rotation and bite, but he couldn't locate it consistently. It's a true plus offering when it's working, but he needs to maintain his arm slot. He also needs to refine his below-average changeup and his feel for pitching.

Bucci:

An 18th-round pick in 2008, Bucci entered the Pioneer League with little fanfare but made a name for himself. He ranked second in the league in wins (6-3), fourth in strikeouts (66 in 69 innings) and fifth in ERA (4.41). He also raised his profile by throwing five shutout innings to beat Korea in Canada's opener at the World Cup in September.

A live-bodied 6-foot-2, 180-pound righthander, Bucci throws downhill and gets good extension on a four-seam fastball that ranges from 88-92 mph and touches 93. He'll mix in a two-seamer occasionally. He works fast and aggressively attacks the strike zone, hiding the ball well in his delivery.

His hard 76-79 mph curveball is an average pitch, and his changeup has nice sink. Bucci has all the ingredients, including composure, needed to mature into a rotation candidate, most likely as a No. 4 or 5 starter.

The chat about the Pioneer League list is scheduled to start at 2:00pm CDT.

The Midwest League list is scheduled for release on October 1.

Baseball America's AZL Top 20 Prospect List for 2009

Here is the article with the list.

Two Brewers farmhands are in the Top 20.

Pitcher Maverick Lasker checks in at #11 and outfielder Max Walla is at #20

Here are their scouting reports

Lasker

A fifth-round pick in 2008, Lasker missed all of his first pro season with a back injury but was impressive when he finally got on the mound this year. He had an easy time in his native Arizona and drew a late-season promotion to low Class A Wisconsin after the AZL season ended, pitching seven scoreless innings in his first start.

Lasker's best pitch is a natural sinking fastball that ranges from 88-92 mph. He's making progress with his slider, getting more depth and tilt with it. His changeup has the makings of a quality pitch, but he's reluctant to throw it.

Walla

The Brewers' top pick (second round) in the 2009 draft, Walla hit just .199/.283/.280 in the AZL but scouts and Brewers officials still are encouraged by his bat. He has very strong hands and wrists to go with short, compact swing, but he needs to learn the strike zone. The ball jumps off his bat when he makes contact.

"Once he learns to slow everything down and trust those talents more," Brewers manager Tony Diggs said, "he's going to be fine."

Walla's bat will have to carry him, but his other tools aren't terrible. He has slightly below-average speed and won't steal bases, but he gets good jumps and reads in left field and has an accurate arm.

Walla was also the topic of...something in the Chat

Warren (New London): This isn't a question so much as a statement that I'd like your reaction to. Maxwell Walla was supposed to be one of the best high school hitters in the draft, yet he had a terrible season in the AZL. The same thing happened some years ago with another high school hitter from New Mexico, John Roskos, who did eventually become a good minor league hitter although he never got much of a chance in the majors. Is the competition in New Mexico that weak? Or can you suggest another explanation? I assume you still think Walla has a good chance to be a hitter.

Bill Mitchell: I can't speak for the talent level in New Mexico. I did extra footwork on Walla because he looked so talented yet his numbers were not good. Overall, managers and scouts still believe in the talent. One opposing manager said that Walla killed them at the plate early in the season before he started to struggle, so the talent is obviously there. The biggest concern is that he becomes more of a tweener with not enough power for a corner outfield position but not enough speed to play centerfield. For what it's worth, I saw him in Instructs the other day and he was taking some nice swings against older pitchers. He'll be okay.

The Pioneer League Top 20 with any Helena Brewers will be released on Monday. The Midwest League Top 20 is scheduled for release on October 1.

As an FYI

Top prospect Lorenzo Cain joins Rattlers tonight

Lorenzo Cain is the latest Milwaukee Brewers top prospect to don a Timber Rattlers uniform. Cain, rated as the #6 prospect in the Milwaukee organization by Baseball America, has just completed a rehab assignment with the Brewers Arizona League affiliate and been placed on the Wisconsin roster. He will be in uniform for the Rattlers game against the Clinton LumberKings tonight.

Hurry. Tickets still available, but going fast.

Prodigal Beat Writer Delivers...Again!

I was waiting for the right time to put this one up on the blog. The last post of the day seemed like a good place.

It's a little something about Taylor Green.

Not familiar with the third baseman? Well, he was only Milwaukee's minor league player of the year in 2007, when he hit .327 with 14 homers and 86 RBI at Class A West Virginia.

And he waltzed into 2009 rated by Baseball America as the eighth-best prospect in the Brewers system after hitting .289 with 15 jacks and 73 RBI last season at high-Class A Brevard County.

So far, so good in his four-game stint with the Rattlers, too. The 22-year-old third baseman, selected by the Brewers in the 25th round of the 2005 June draft, has seven hits in 14 at-bats, five runs scored, one memorable bomb that seemed to graze the sky and five RBI.

In baseball terms, that's what you call raking.

In Brewers terms, that's what you call a free pass to Double-A Huntsville — soon.

I just got a chance to talk with Taylor for Timber Rattler Field Pass. Stay tuned to Sports 32 for the episode that will probably air next week. I asked him how much longer he would be with the club. It sounds like he may start the road trip with us in Kane County, but that may change a bit with the injury to Rickie Weeks and all of the movement in the system right now.

Awards for the Week (4/27)

MiLB.com announced the Pitchers and Batters of the Week for the various leagues yesterday.

Midwest League
Matt Fairel, Dayton
1-0, 1.38 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 13 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 20 SO
Matt Fairel was dominant in two starts for the Dayton Dragons last week. Facing Great Lakes, the Reds' 35th-round selection struck out 12 batters in his third career start. He then picked up his first pro win against South Bend on April 26, allowing one run on five hits and a walk while fanning eight in seven innings. He leads the Midwest League with 20 2/3 innings pitched and is second with 24 strikeouts.

Johermyn Chavez, Lansing
.421 (8-19), 7 R, 1 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 2 BB, 5 SO, 0 SB, 1.158 SLG
Johermyn Chavez started the week with a homer in three consecutive games, followed by a 3-for-5 performance in which he fell a homer short of the cycle and plated four runs. The Blue Jays prospect leads the Midwest League with four homers and nine extra-base hits. The Venezuelan native had an eight-game hitting streak snapped on April 26.

BREWER FARMHANDS:
Southern League
Chris Cody, Huntsville
2-0, 0.75 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 12 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO
Brewers prospect Chris Cody opened his two-start week by holding Carolina to an unearned run in six innings on April 21. He capped it off with six more dominant innings against Chattanooga, holding the Lookouts to a run on just two hits. The lefty didn't allow a walk in either outing and lowered his ERA to 1.29, tied for fifth in the Southern League.

Florida State League
Caleb Gindl, Brevard County
.522 (12-23), 6 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 3 BB, 2 SO, 1 SB, .783 SLG
The Brewers' Caleb Gindl cleaned up at the plate this week for Brevard County. The '07 fifth-round pick started the week going 4-for-4 with three RBIs on April 21 and capped it off with a homer, three runs scored and two RBIs on April 26. He broke out against Dunedin on April 24 with a homer and four RBIs, while going 3-for-4 at the plate. The shortstop prospect leads the FSL with a .397 average and 23 hits.

Ex-Brewer farmhands:
International League
Matt LaPorta , Columbus
.520 (13-25), 10 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 6 BB, 1 SO, 0 SB, .840 SLG
Indians top prospect Matt LaPorta swung a hot bat this week, collecting a hit in every game to extend his hitting streak to seven games. The outfielder homered in back-to-back games against Indianapolis on April 24 and 25. He also had four multi-hit games, including a 3-for-3 effort on April 25. LaPorta, a 2008 Southern League All-Star, leads the International League with 19 runs scored and a .767 slugging percentage.

Ex-Rattler:
California League
Kuo Hui Lo, High Desert
.429 (9-21), 7 R, 0 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0 SB, 1.190 SLG
Taiwan native Kuo Hui Lo ripped apart Cal League pitchers this week, with four homers in five games -- including a pair of roundtrippers to cap off the week on April 26. The Mariners prospect hit safely and had at least one RBI in each game this week. He currently leads the circuit with six triples and an .811 slugging percentage. Lo is riding a six-game hitting streak into the third week of the season.

Decisions....Decisions....

According to the MILB.com preview article, it's decision time for the Brewers!

The Milwaukee Brewers already are one of the Major Leagues' poster children for teams that have stocked themselves with young homegrown talent.

With more prospects on the way, especially young hitters, there will be some decisions to be made in the not-too-distant future in terms of who stays, who goes and who moves over.

The Brewers boast three players on MLB.com's preseason Top 50 Prospects list in shortstop Alcides Escobar (eighth), third baseman Mat Gamel (23rd) and flame-throwing right-hander Jeremy Jeffress (44th).

Milwaukee also is faced with the pleasant dilemma of having three young catchers among its own top 10 list, including 2008 first-round pick Brett Lawrie, a Canadian teenager who will make his pro debut this spring.

The prevailing theory within the system is that this nice problem will play itself out over time. For now, you let all of them play full-time at different levels (with the likely scenarios seeing Lawrie at Class A Wisconsin, Angel Salome at Triple-A Nashville and Jonathan Lucroy at Double-A Huntsville) until a decision has to be made.

The part that Rattler fans might find most interesting is in bold.

Click through on the rest of the stories, too.

100

Baseball America released their top 100 prospects for 2009. That link is to the top 20. You can click through to the rest of the list from there.

Let's see where ex-Rattlers wound up on this list.

This guy...he was with the Rattlers in '07...got traded to the Orioles...for Erik Bedard.

Chris Tillman at #22

Greg Halman ('07) is at #57

Michael Saunders ('06) is at #65

Carlos Triunfel ('07) at #89

Phillippe Aumont ('08) at #93

Potential future Rattler Brett Lawrie checks in at #81.

Check the rest of the list to see if I missed anyone. (Ex-Rattlers and potential future Rattlers only, please).

Who wants to be a Timber Rattler?

A poster at BrewerFan.net has, um, posted roster projections for the Brewers and for all of their full season minor league affiliates in the forums.

A.) I don't want to copy and paste the whole Timber Rattler roster. Click the link and scroll down.

B.) I can't copy and paste the whole Timber Rattler roster. The format does not allow that. Well played, And That, well played.

The big news in that projection is that he has Brett Lawrie as the starting second baseman instead of at catcher.

This isn't just a wild guess. There is this.

The starting pitching rotation in this projection?

Cody Scarpetta
Cody Adams
Efrain Nieves
Lucas Luetge
Michael Bowman

Jake Odorizzi is not on this projected Timber Rattler Opening Day roster.

Click that link up top for the rest.

Part III

The chat about the minor league system of the Brewers continues with the writers of Bernie's Crew and Between the Green Pillars chiming in on the catchers....Wonder who they might talk about in here?

Let's see....Salome....Lucroy....Ah, here he is!

Jim: Perhaps no one has been talked about more than Brett Lawrie and his desire to play catcher in the major leagues. No one has really seen him handle a pitching staff or try to block balls in the dirt, however, so he is almost a complete mystery. Part of me believes his bat will be so advanced that Milwaukee may give up on him catching and stick him at either third base or second in an attempt to get his bat in the big leagues. Brett is a wild card, but we will know more after the season.

Aaron: The team needs to stop talking about Lawrie as a backstop and send him right to second base. There is almost no depth in the Brewers’ minor league system and Lawrie's bat, if it goes the way it has been for Canada, puts him in the upper echelon at that position. Furthermore, he'll make it to the majors much, much faster.

Ryan: The Brewers are probably best served by taking a look at him behind the dish this spring, and possibly into the season, and then making up their minds if they want to stick with him back there. I'm not going to rule it out as a possibility that he could stay at catcher, but my guess is that he's a third basemen when it's all said and done. Second base could also be a landing spot, but the scouting stuff I've seen seems to suggest that he'll outgrow the position. Whatever they decide, they need to make a decision quickly and then commit to it 100%

Lawrie has been projected by just about everyone to be with the Timber Rattlers at some point in 2009.