Go, Midwest, Young Man

Horace Greeley once said, "Go West, young man! And grow up with the country."

This article from California mentions that a group of ballplayers - including Rattler Cutter Dykstra - are going Midwest and growing up in the game.

Former Agoura High teammates Robert Stock and Jason Novak play for the Quad Cities River Bandits. They’re joined by ex-Calabasas Coyote Chris Notti.

They’re not alone.

Matt Magill, who starred at Royal, pitches for the Great Lakes Loons, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Cutter Dykstra of Westlake is a menace at the plate for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

Mike Gilmartin, a Moorpark resident, patrols shortstop for the Kane County Cougars.

Corey Jones of Camarillo is an infielder with the West Michigan Whitecaps.

The stuff on Cutter:

Dykstra batted .299 with four homers, 20 RBI and 36 runs scored in his first 197 at-bats. He struggled with the Milwaukee Brewers’ affiliate team in 2009, hitting .212 in a 29-game stint.

“I’m playing with a lot of confidence now,” Dykstra said. “I’ve just got to finish strong.”

Dykstra started his professional career patrolling center field, and spent sometime at second base last year. He’s operated out of third base every day this season.

“I never played third until this year,” he said. “It took a little getting used to. I feel real comfortable over there. I still have a lot to work on, but I like the position more and more.”

The Timber Rattlers are based in Grand Chute, Wis.

Dykstra hopes to continue developing so he can one day reach the major leagues.

“It’s about confidence and getting a routine down,” he said.

Profiling Cutter Dykstra

Cutter Dykstra is profiled at the Post-Crescent.

Q: So you're a hockey fan as well?

A: I love hockey. Hockey is actually the sport I respect the most. I think it's amazing what those guys do. I go to Kings games a lot in the offseason.

Go read it all.

Notes on Cutter

The once and future beat writer caught up with Cutter Dykstra after the doubleheader.

"I'm feeling great," Dykstra said, even after suffering through a doubleheader sweep against the Beloit Snappers on Friday at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. "Just confidence. I feel a lot more confident at the plate. Just feeling good."

And looking good. Really good, actually.

Dykstra followed a two-hit game in a 5-3 loss in the opener by reaching safely in all four trips to the plate in a 2-1, 10-inning setback in the nightcap, sandwiching a fourth-inning leadoff single with three walks.

The article mentions that Cutter has been taking grounders at third base.

It does not mention that he will be starting at first base today...Because that would have been impossible for Brett to know.

It also does not mention Cutter's at bat music...No...seriously...that's it.

Whatever works, Cutter.

Tough as nails

Tom Haudricourt has a bit more on Cutter Dykstra in the Journal-Sentinel today.

It often is said that the true measure of a man is how he reacts to adversity.

Cutter Dykstra is being measured in every way possible.

And then some.

"My toughness was challenged a little bit," conceded Dykstra, now playing second base for the Milwaukee Brewers' Class A Wisconsin affiliate. "People have told me a weaker person would have collapsed."

Imagine being 19 years old - the age at which Dykstra played half of the 2009 season - and having your personal and professional problems play out in the public eye. When selected in the second round of the 2008 June draft out of Westlake (Calif.) High School, Dykstra seemed to have the world by the tail.

At that juncture, being the son of former big-leaguer Lenny Dykstra was considered a good thing.

Go. Read.

Dykstra & Arnett

Brett Christopherson of the Post-Crescent has a column that features Cutter Dykstra.

The text message consists of nine words, yet they have come to mean a great deal to Wisconsin Timber Rattlers second baseman Cutter Dykstra.

" 'Don't ever lose the faith you have in yourself,' " he said, repeating the message. "I saved it, actually. I look at it all the time."

Good stuff.

Tom Haudricourt has an article in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that features Eric Arnett.

In conversations with Timber Rattlers pitching coach Chris Hook, agent Joe Speed and Mike Farrell, the Brewers' scout who signed him, Arnett kept getting the same advice. Be yourself, they told him. Go out there with expectation of success, not failure.

"It was all mind-set," said Arnett. "I talked to a bunch of people and they said I have to go out with the mentality that you're better than everyone else. Have that fire in your eyes.

"When you have a bad outing, it gets in your head. You try to make perfect pitches instead of just letting it go and doing what you've done best your whole life. I got sidetracked, trying to be too perfect. 'I don't want to give up another home run.' That kind of thing. I just went out (against Quad Cities) and used my stuff. 'Hit it if you can.' 

Good stuff here, too.

Sunday reading

A little something from the Prodigal Beat Writer on the recent moves.

Dykstra took turns on Saturday fielding grounders with Rattlers second baseman Brett Lawrie during the team's infield practice.

Afterward, he admitted some disappointment in being shipped to Helena but vowed to "bust my tail" in working to refine his infield skills following the layoff.

"It's motivation for me to get back up here," said Dykstra, son of former big leaguer Lenny Dykstra. "I'm going to go down there and work hard. That's where they like me now, and I'm going to show them what I can do."