If you have been reading this site for a while, you know that I have been fortunate to interview a couple of the play-by-play announcers of various minor league teams in Milwaukee's system.

This time, Steve Wendt, the radio announcer for the Helena Brewers, was kind enough to answer a few questions about the young Brewers in rookie ball.  It's a fantastic interview and a joy to read.  Here's what Steve had to say.

Bernie's Crew:  What made you want to get into broadcasting and being a baseball radio personality? 

Steve Wendt:  I got into broadcasting simply because I can talk about baseball much better than I could play baseball. I truly love talking about the game and what better avenue is there than to try to get into broadcasting and get paid to do it. As for being a radio personality, I’ll leave that for the morning disc jockeys with their prank calls and flatulent jokes. I broadcast baseball on the radio but am not a radio personality.

BC:  What are your goals as a radio announcer?  Do you aspire to calling games in the big leagues someday?

SW:  My ultimate goal is to broadcast major league baseball (how novel). But in the meantime, my goal is to continue to get better, try to make a livable wage in the process and be ready when an opportunity presents itself. Health insurance would be nice though.

BC:  Let's get down to business concerning the Helena Brewers.  What's been your overall feel of the team this season?

SW:  My overall feel of the team this year is that this was that it was a very young team in spots and it wasn’t as deep as in years past due to injury and promotions. As a group of guys however, they were a pleasure to deal with. One after the next, they were terrific to work around.

BC:  What is it like watching a bunch of recent draftees and other young players try to adjust to professional baseball in an extremely short amount of time?  It has to be a joy watching prospects blossom right before your eyes over a period of a couple months.

SW:  I love watching these guys go from scared kids fresh off the plane to risk-taking ballplayers. It’s is a treat to observe players take instruction and turn it into practice. The most fun for me is watching what playing every day can do for the kids. By working every single day, you see a lot of rough edges get smoothed out and their talent, what the scouts saw in them, starts bubbling to the surface.

BC:  What do you think is the hardest part about adjusting from the collegiate game to the professional game?  Is it the wooden bats?  The grueling schedule?  The travel?

SW:  The thing that I always hear is that the guys’ bodies are tired. The college season is pretty lengthy but it isn’t geared for a long haul. They go maximum effort and then get one or two full days off a week without even going to the yard. Then they come here and are in a throwing program every day, batting practice every day not to mention the running for the pitchers and their side work and infield/outfield. Then you go to work and have the game. They do this every day and it wears them out because they have no coping strategies yet. This is where they learn what it takes.

BC:  There has been a lot of love surrounding Erik Komatsu and his mammoth start to his professional career.  You have been watching him all season.  What can you tell us about him?  What are his strengths and his weaknesses?

SW:  There is a lot to like about Erik Komatsu. He had an extremely well-balanced season blending power with average as well as strong defense. When you talk to him you recognize that he is exceptionally confident in his abilities. He is an aggressive hitter and understands what he is doing at the plate. For me, I enjoy that he is going up there to do damage. He wants to drive the ball every swing. As for weaknesses, we saw his very nice swing get a little long towards the end of the season, but that was mostly fatigue in my opinion. I will say that he has the ability to hit the ball to all fields and he will need to concentrate on that more as he will no longer be hitting at Kindrick Field in Helena.

BC:  Who is the best offensive player on the squad not named Erik Komatsu, in your opinion?

SW:  To me, the guy with the most big league potential and tools is Brock Kjeldgaard. This is a player that pitched the last two seasons and made the Pioneer League All-Star team as a position player. He was in the top three in doubles, homers and RBI and played the best first base in the league on top of that. He did strike out a lot and I think that he probably will continue to be one that does swing and miss a fair amount but I think with more ab’s they will tone down. He is a great runner and athlete and will work. He played every day (75 out of 76 games), which is pretty unheard of in rookie-ball. As far as power goes, he’s off the charts and I think he’s just scratching the surface of what he can do. It might be as simple as him having an advocate in the upper-echelons to remain patient with him.

BC:  Wily Peralta spent quite a bit of time with Helena this season, but has recently been called up to West Virginia.  His stats certainly make the call-up seem deserved.  Was it?  What pitches are in Wily's arsenal?

SW:  Wily’s promotion for me was certainly well-deserved. For my money, he was the best pitcher in the league. His stuff is filthy and he has a demeanor on the mound that can be down right scary for opponents. He has a look about him that he couldn’t care less if the hitter lives or dies, as long as he makes an out first. He has a fastball that was sitting at 97 with command. He also featured a jelly-legging slider that was nearly unhittable at this level. He throws a change too, but didn’t throw it too much. If you are talking about a promotion, this is a guy that I would throw at a higher or maybe the highest level in the spring and see where the chips fall.

BC:  One of the most notable call-ups this season has been that of Cody Scarpetta.  After watching him this season, how has he been throwing the ball?  That strikeout rate to walk ratio is ridiculous.

SW:  Cody was a pleasant shot of adrenaline in the rotation when he was promoted. He threw the ball really well. He has a bulldog mentality and attacks aggressively in the zone. He really is a power pitcher with an ability to pitch inside and features a heavy fastball and overhand curve. I also liked that after an initial bout of uncertainty, he began to trust his stuff and recognize that guys weren’t going to hit him if he pitched his game. He understands the game, his father played for nine years in the minors as a Brewers’ farmhand, and has great feel when he is out there.

BC:  Give Brewers fans a pitcher to look out for in the coming years that has played in Helena this season.

SW:  I think there are a number of guys to keep an eye out for. You noticed that Lucas Luetge got promoted; I think he was a steal in the draft. Efrain Nieves is just 18 and poised beyond his years. 18 with two years of pro ball under his belt is a huge head start. Trey Watten and Cody Adams are solid and are expected to be so. There is a guy who intrigues m,e and that is Garrett Sherrill. His record was awful but I believe a lot of events conspired against him on that. He had a ton of strikeouts compared to innings pitched. He can get strikeouts and ground balls and just turned 21. Sherrill will get stronger and I think could be a sleeper. He is tall and lean and seems focused on succeeding. Just a hunch.