Milwaukee Brewers Blog - Bernie's Crew : Interviews

Interview: Chris Mehring

Jim Breen — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, I had the privilege to sit down with Chris Mehring, the voice of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and author of Rattler Radio. He was extremely congenial, and we chatted about the Timber Rattlers and the new partnership between the two clubs.

BC: So how did you get into the business in general?

Chris Mehring: It's what I've always wanted to do. Ever since I was a kid growing up, I loved sports, wanted to stay in it. Broadcasting is something that always fascinated me from the time of watching the bowling game on Channel 18 with Lee Roth. It was something else. And going to games with my headsets on and turning around and looking up into the radio booth, and things like that. It was something that always interested me.

I was fortunate enough to go to UW-Platteville, with a very good broadcasting major. I got right into the radio station there as a freshman, started doing sports reports, dj shifts, and news. Then, I started doing stats for football and basketball. By my sophomore year, I started doing color and then I started doing play-by-play. It was a great time to be there for play-by-play because the football team wasn't really a power, but it was still pretty good, and I was fortunate enough to be there when Bo Ryan was at Platteville. My senior year was the first year Platteville won a Division III champtionship game, and I got to call the championship game down in Ohio against Franklin and Marshall. It was really something. Robbie Jeter was on that on that team as a senior. Really a special group of guys that year.

Then, I went into radio in Sheboygan. That station went under after nine months, so I learned the see-me side of radio. Then, I went into graduate school at UW-Superior and got into doing hockey for them. UW-S had a great hockey team the four years I was there, and it kind of snowballed up to where I am right now.

BC: How long have you been doing this?

Chris: I have been the radio voice of the Timber Rattlers since 2000.

When I started, I was just doing radio during the summer. I worked full-time for the Green Bay Gamblers, the hockey team up in Green Bay, so I was doing Gambler games in the winter and Timber Rattler games in the summer. The Gamblers were playing about a 60 game season, and the Timber Rattlers are about 140 games. So it's about 200 days out of the year.

Then, at the end of the 02-03 season for the Gamblers, the Timber Rattlers made an offer for me to come on board to work full-time as the radio announcer and salesman. I decided that I would do that. I miss hockey every once in a while, but this has just worked out really well.

BC: I noticed that you do most of your blogging during the morning. How long are your days, normally?

Chris: Well, in the offseason, I get up and I do the blog. I try to blog from about six-thirty to eight o' clock, and then I get into the office. Up until about January, it's nine to five, but now you're starting to get in at eight-thirty, maybe leave about a quarter to six, a quarter to seven, somewhere in there.

And then, once the season starts, I'll get here at...I'll try to get here at about seven in the morning because I handle the stat-packs for the team and I try to do some game notes and things like that. I also have to worry about my sales part of things and helping out with set-up for the game. And then the game starts, and you're here until...it wasn't unusual last season for me to get here at seven in the morning, leave at about midnight or one o' clock, and come back at seven the next morning and do the whole process all over again.

It comes with the territory. The long hours, they don't get to you because you're doing something that you love.

BC: Before this season, it was the Mariners, correct?

Chris: From 1993 until this past September, the Timber Rattlers were a Mariners affiliate, yes.

BC: Well, how has the community embraced the change to the Milwaukee organization?

Chris: It's been outstanding, Jim. It's been...our ticket sales are up, our season package tickets are up over last year, groups are up over last year. Even in this economy, we have seen people want to come out and spend money on advertising with us. Merchandise sales are up. We've done some neat little co-branded stuff, like hats and t-shirts and various sweatshirts. We're looking to do even more. Sales in the team store are up.

It's been interesting because we have had people come up to us ever since the announcement, and they have said, "We never wanted to come to these games when you guys were part of the Mariners because we didn't have an investment in those guys." I mean, it's great to come out and support the community, but why?

That's changed. People now see us with the Brewers. They see the relationship, and they see some of our guys perhaps playing at Miller Park. They want to come out. They want to be a part of that again.

Just a quick story.

You know, when the announcement was made back in September, I think everybody knew that it was going to happen, but nothing is sure until it does. We sent out a press release on a Monday at like five o' clock, saying there's a press conference at Time Warner Cable field at home plate at eleven o' clock on Tuesday morning, regarding the Timber Rattlers' new parent club. We didn't say anything about who it was or anything like that.

The next morning, we all got in at about a quarter to nine, eight-thirty to get set up and start the day. The phone was already ringing. Fans were already ordering tickets and buying ticket packages.

And then, at about a quarter to eleven...you know, we didn't say that the public was welcome, but we didn't keep them out. We didn't really expect anyone to show up. People were already coming in because they wanted to see the press conference. They wanted to be a part of it. Even from day one, we knew it was going to be a different situation than it had been in the past.

BC: I know that the Mariners have had some good teams up here in the past, but the last couple years they have struggled a bit with some turnover and the trades that have been happening. I'm sure a lot of people around here are excited that the Brewers are going to be bringing a quality baseball team here.

Chris: Well, we did have some great teams with Seattle. J.J. Putz was here. Rafael Soriano was here. A lot of major leaguers. I mean, the team made the playoffs every hear from 1996 until 2002. So we had really good baseball here.

The team has lost 80 games the last three years. People were a little down on that, even though we did have some great talent here. You know, we're going to see guys from those three teams with the Mariners go on and play in the major leagues and be successful in the major leagues.

But people are excited because in their mind, these are our guys. These are the guys we are going to be rooting for. The Mariners start there games at nine o' clock every night central time, but with the Brewers, it's two hours down the road. They just have to turn on the television to see the team play at a regular hour.

BC: Who are you most excited to see play this season?

Chris: I think Lawrie, Brett Lawrie, is most interesting. The Canadian Olympic guy making the switch from behind the plate to second base. I think that will be really neat to see. Cutter Dykstra, Lenny Dykstra's kid. Also, Cody Scarpetta, the pitcher. Those are...I know you only asked for one...but those are the three guys that I think Brewers fans are most interested in seeing.

BC: I agree. Though, Jake Odorizzi might have an outside chance coming in, but it is going to be pretty crowded up here with quality arms.

Chris: Yeah. I haven't really had time, with all of the sales stuff, to take a look. I saw your projected roster and I saw a couple of others, but it will be interesting to see what happens. The interesting thing is the depth of the Brewers system right now because they had a lot of good guys at Helena and down in Arizona last year.

I think you'll see Jake Odorizzi at some point, but maybe not right away. I mean, I'm not a mind-reader, but I think, based on his limited innings last year, he might stay down at extended and might join the team somewhere around the All-Star Break for us -- which is in June. I think we'll see him, and I think we will see a lot of those guys come through here.

BC: Can you tell the readers something about a couple promotional things you have going on here?

Chris: We've got the same old...well, I shouldn't say same old...but we have the very popular "Bang For Your Buck" nights, which is the dollar soda, dollar hotdog, dollar beer night on Tuesdays. Thirsty Thursdays, which is dollar sodas, dollar beers on Thursday games. Friday nights and Saturday nights starting in June will be fireworks nights, and all the Friday nights are Family Nights. Kids eat free. Kids also run the bases after the game.

We just added this one to take advantage of the Brewers affiliation, Brewers Sunday. The Timber Rattlers are going to be wearing Timber Rattlers jerseys, but they will be Brewers themed. They will have Brewers colors. They will wear those jerseys on Sunday. We're looking at maybe bringing up some former Brewers for some autograph signings on Sundays throughout the year and make Sunday a real event to take advantage with the affiliation with Milwaukee.

BC: You said you've been doing this for a few years now. What has been your favorite or most memorable moment in broadcasting?

Chris: Oh, there's been a lot.

With the Timber Rattlers it would have to be, it would have to be 2005 when they made it to the Midwest League Championship Series. They played Beloit in the first round, and this was Beloit's first year as a Twins affiliate. We went down to Beloit and lost the first game, came back and won the second game, and the third game went extra innings. Mike Wilson, who is in the Mariners' big league camp, hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th to win it and send the team to the championship series.

There was a pitcher, Derrick Van Dusen, back in 2001. We were down in Cedar Rapids. It was the second to last game at the old Veteran's Memorial Stadium, and he threw a no-hitter.

J.J. Putz, who I mentioned earlier, threw a no-hitter in a seven-inning game here against Kane County back in 2000. He walked five guys and gave up a run, but he threw a no-hitter.

Overall, it's just meeting different players. Walk-off wins and big strikeouts always stick in your mind, but it's the relationships with the players. Some of the best guys that I've met on the team are maybe guys that got released that year or a year later. It's meeting some of the people that I've gotten the chance to work with.

BC: Do you have anything else that you would like to add?

Chris: Well, Opening Day is April 9th against Quad Cities. The game starts at 6:35.

There is a whole week of events leading up to it. We have Fan Fest, which is and Open House for the fans. That is the Tuesday, April 7th. It starts at noon. We'll have free pizza from Palermo's. We'll have some samples. We'll have popcorn, some soda vouchers as well. The team will be practicing and doing an autograph signing, and plus, we will probably be scrimmaging one of the local colleges. The last couple of years, it has been Lakeland. It might be Oshkosh this year, although I don't think that's been finalized yet.

Wednesday is going to be the Welcome Home Banquet at the Wave, which is right behind the parking lot here at the stadium. Gord Ash is going to be here. It is kind of a neat thing. The leadoff experience is something different. For several years, we called it the Welcome Home Banquet, and we basically just brought in a speaker to talk. You know, Milt Pappas came in. Jay Johnstone has come in, and a few other big names have come in like Tug McGraw have come in to give a speech.

That's great, but it's almost too traditional for what we're kinda going for, so we changed it up to a more interactive thing last year. We introduced the players and the coaching staff to the fans, and then the fans can ask questions of the players and coaches. The capper this year is Gord Ash of the Brewers front office. He's going to be joining us on stage for that.

That's coming up on the 8th. Opening Day is the 9th.

I guess the big news today is that the Timber Rattlers are going to be playing the Peoria Chiefs, which is the Chicago Cubs affiliate, at Miller Park on April 24th at 7:05. It will be our third time playing at Miller Park, but it will be our first time as the host. We played the Snappers in '03 and '04 down there.

It's something that the Brewers are excited about, we're excited about. The Chiefs played at Wrigley Field last year and had something like 38,000 fans, so we're going to play at Miller Park and we're hoping that we outdraw them for that.

One other thing is that our single-game tickets go on sale on Saturday, March 14th at ten o' clock in the morning. We've got a rummage sale, kinda clearing out the decks of some of the old gear. There's a chance to win some stuff for the Brewers and a suite for the stadium.

There's a lot of stuff going on, and we hope everyone comes out this year.

BC: Alright. Well, thank you very much. I really appreciate it.

Chris: Thanks, Jim.

Interview with David Pinto (Baseball Musings)

Jim Breen — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:00:00 GMT

I realize that I have been lacking a bit on the interviews as of late, but today brings you a brand new interview. David Pinto of Baseball Musings was nice enough to answer a few questions for Bernie's Crew about Milwaukee's offseason plans. Here is a bit about Mr. Pinto (straight from his website):

In college, I discovered both Strat-O-Matic and Bill James, both helped me think anew about the game. Through the Abstracts, I started scoring games for Project Scoresheet and STATS, Inc. The latter led me to joining STATS in 1990 as their liason to ESPN, where I served for 10 years as the chief researcher for Baseball Tonight.

In 2001, I hosted Baseball Tonight Online for ESPN. When that was not renewed, I joined the blogging revolution and started Baseball Musings. I now blog full time and love every minute of it.

Let's get to the interview.

Bernie's Crew: What is Doug Melvin's plan this offseason?

David Pinto: Melvin’s plan is not clear to me. His pursuit of Sabathia indicated he wanted to keep the team competitive, but attempt to trade Mike Cameron indicated he might be cutting salary.

The Brewers are in a difficult position. Their push to the playoffs should bring in more fans for next season. That’s what usually happens when a team wins. The team, however, faces two challenges in that regard, the faltering economy and a team that is clearly not improving with the loss of Sheets and Sabathia. So it seems to me the Brewers are in a holding pattern, seeing how much money they can spend and how much other teams and free agents are going to demand.

BC: Name a couple pitchers you believe to be on the Brewers radar. Which do you believe Milwaukee should target?

D. Pinto: Ben Sheets should be on the Brewers radar. Of course, they know him better than any other team, but if they think he’s healthy, they should be able to get him at a relatively low price, much cheaper than Sabathia. The market for Derek Lowe is developing slowly as well. The Brewers put together a pretty good defense in 2008, which is what you want behind Derek. Again, they can get him for much less per year than they offered CC.

Jake Peavy is obviously available. The Brewers own young talent, so I would think a trade would be possible, unless of course Jake put Milwaukee on his no-trade list.

BC: Will Mike Cameron be patrolling center field for the Crew in 2009?

D. Pinto: I think so. He’s a better option for a year than Melky Cabrera. I do, however, see why the Brewers would want to try out Melky. He’s still young and might develop into a useful player.

BC: In your opinion, should the Brewers try to move one of Corey Hart, J.J. Hardy, or Prince Fielder this winter? Who could they get?

D. Pinto: Is there really much of a market this year for first basemen and corner outfielders? All these players are in or approaching arbitration, which is good since the team acquiring them would be able to control them for a few years. But if my choice is Dunn or Burrell for a couple of years without giving up anything, I’ll take the free agents. The Padres are looking for a shortstop, however, so Hardy to the Padres might work. Also, if the Angels fail to sign Teixeira, they’ll be looking for a first baseman.

BC: What's an under-the-radar name Milwaukee could see in Brewers blue next season?

BC: The Brewers have issues at the back-end of the rotation. Will the Brewers attempt to fill the closer's role in-house with Carlos Villanueva or Seth McClung, or will Doug Melvin and company look elsewhere?

(Note, I’m combining 5 & 6 here)

D. Pinto: Brian Fuentes. The closer market is very soft. This is a chance to Milwaukee to improve a trouble spot without breaking the bank.

BC: As things currently stand, do the Brewers have a legitimate chance at winning the NL Central next season?

D. Pinto: I haven’t see a lot of improvement by NL Central teams this winter. The Brewers, however, took a step back with the loss of both Sabathia and Sheets. They have a chance to contend simply because they’re still likely the second or third best team in the division. It will take either a spate of injuries to the Cubs or a collective falloff from some of their older players to get the Brewers into contention for the top spot at this point.

David Pinto does great work at his site, Baseball Musings. Stop by the site, say hi and thank him for the interview.

BC Interview with Tim Dierkes (from MLBTR)

Jim Breen — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:24:17 GMT

Tim Dierkes, the founder and main contributor of MLB Trade Rumors, was nice enough to answer some questions about the Brewers upcoming offseason moves. If you have the chance, stop on over to his site and thank him for his time.

Bernie's Crew: As it's on the forefront of many Brewers fans' minds, what are the chances that Milwaukee is able to resign CC Sabathia? Do you think it would be a beneficial move for Doug Melvin?

Tim Dierkes: I would put the chances at less than 5%. I don't think it'd be a good move for the franchise, putting over 25% of payroll in one pitcher.

BC: Which free agents do you see on Milwaukee's radar this winter?

Dierkes: It seems that Sabathia and Sheets will be gone, giving Melvin some cash for a solid veteran free agent pitcher. A front-rotation guy like Burnett could make sense. It'd also make sense to bring Durham back or find another veteran 2B to challenge Weeks. They could be in the Brian Fuentes mix as well, or pursue a trade for a closer.

BC: Which of those players has the best chance of wearing Brewers blue next April?

Dierkes: Well, those names are just speculation on my part so I really can't say. An affordable 2B will be the easy part, so I'd be surprised if that doesn't happen.

BC: Rumors have been flying around about Prince Fielder and J.J. Hardy. What are the chances that one of those two are traded this offseason?

Dierkes: Seems pretty good that one is traded, I'll put it at a one in three shot.

BC: Which team matches up best with the Brewers for a trade? What would be the return in a deal with Fielder or Hardy?

Dierkes: I looked at some possible Fielder suitors here:

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/10/where-could-pri.html

I could see the Yankees getting into the mix for Prince if they don't sign Teixeira. Hardy I don't expect to be traded, but the Orioles, Jays, Tigers, Royals, Twins, Giants, and Dodgers could match up. It'd make sense to target pitching or third base help...the team would be getting three years of Fielder, two of Hardy. But since Hardy plays shortstop he might draw a bounty just as big.

BC: What do you feel Milwaukee has to do this winter to have a competitive team in 2009?

Dierkes: Probably import a #2 and a #3 starter. An upgrade at third base would not hurt, unless Hardy is moved there.

BC: In the past month or so, some have criticized the job Doug Melvin has done while in Milwaukee. Is that too harsh, or is that criticism warranted?

Dierkes: I am surprised to hear that, I have mostly read praise for Melvin in the wake of the Sabathia deal. That was an excellent win-now move. In general I have liked the vast majority of Melvin's moves...only the Suppan signing jumps to mind as a clearly bad one.

BC: Give Brewers fan a sleeper that could be playing for Milwaukee next season.

Dierkes: Randy Wolf, Curt Schilling maybe?

BC Interview: Helena's Steve Wendt

Jim Breen — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:37:21 GMT

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.

BC Interview: Andy Barch

Jim Breen — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:01:00 GMT

Andy Barch is West Virginia's play-by-play radio announcer and was kind enough to answer some questions about the first-place West Virginia Power. He has been with the team all season and has witnessed first-hand the blossoming of many prospects this season. If you haven't already, listen to Andy call the games on MiLB.com. They are a joy to listen to.

Be sure to check out today's Round 'em Up, Sunday's game review, and the minor league boxscores if you haven't already.

Let's get to the interview.

Bernie's Crew: How is it calling games for perhaps the hottest team in the minor leagues right now? It has to be a blast announcing for a first place team.

Andy Barch: Its been a lot of fun. Obviously, this job is much easier when the team is winning, and more people listen when the team wins. Their style of play has been very exciting. They may fall behind early, but they usually finish strong. Getting the chance to call games for a team like this is truly an honor.

BC: There are tons of burgeoning stars on this Power team. Which player has been the most impressive in your estimation?

AB: This team is full of great players, but if I had to choose one guy who has been the most impressive this season, it would be Eric Fryer. He started the season in extended spring, and now he has a chance to win the league batting title. He has worked his tail off the entire season, and his numbers didnt dive when he assumed the every day catching duties. You have to admire a guy who works his tail off to prove the organization wrong. He has been an unbelievable surprise and he's a big reason why this team has done as well as it has.

BC: What can you tell us about Eric Fryer? He has burst on the scene in 2008, but was relatively unknown previously. How do his swing and offensive abilities project? Is his defense up to snuff?

AB: As mentioned above, he's an incredible worker. He puts in a great deal of work and does a great job of taking care of himself. An opposing manager once told me that he loves Fryer's game, and he believe's that Fryer's got major league bat speed. He takes a lot of pitches, he's got a great approach, he hits well to all fields and he takes what pitchers give him. His defense has been just fine. He made the transition into left field better than I thought, and he hasnt missed a beat behind the plate. This year, you're beginning to see why he was a 10th round pick. Although he's played more like a first rounder this season.

BC: Which pitcher has shown you the most this season?

AB: Amaury Rivas was really awesome when he was here at the beginning of the year. His four seam fastball was routinely in the mid-90's and his two-seam fastball was an incredible pitch that a lot of batters had trouble with at this level. Its going to be fun to see how he progresses the next few seasons. Mike Ramlow and Roque Mercedes, who were both here last year, have also improved drastically. Ramlow's fastball has more life this year and he's been one of the finest relievers in the league.
He works quickly, he's smart, he's aggressive and very simply, he gets guys out. Mercedes didnt do so well when the year began, but he's been extremely impressive coming out of the pen. He's throwing more strikes, getting himself in more favorable counts and most importantly, these guys are a lot more confident than they were a year ago.

BC: There have been varying reports on Milwaukee's supplemental round pick, Evan Frederickson. He dominated in Rookie ball, but has spun his wheels a bit in WV. Is his velocity in the mid-to-high 90s like reported after the draft? I hear he has a pretty nasty slider.

AB: He's got the tools to be a very good pitcher. His fastball can reach the mid-90's, but its been very erratic. I love his off speed stuff and his slider. That slider is filthy. He's been a little inconsistent, but we can't lose sight of the fact that this is his first professional season. I think they will have to change his delivery in the off-season. Its going to be a work in progress, thats for sure. He was in the rotation, but he's been moved into the bullpen. He's been wild, but again, I think Milwaukee will be able to tweak his mechanics and get him under control. It may take a year or two for it all to click, but when it does, I think he's going to be a great player.

BC: What has been the highlight of the year for the Power in your mind?

AB: They were down 8-0 on Saturday, August 2nd. They scored their first run in the fifth and they blew up for nine runs in the seventh. They went on to win the game 12-8. It was one of the most remarkable come from behind victories I've ever seen. It was also played on a day where they arrived around 9:00 AM (10 hours before the game started) after spending the previous night on the bus driving back from Lakewood, NJ. That game, in a nutshell, described this team. You can knock em down, you just cant knock em out.

BC: Some of the biggest news surrounding the Power has been the possible move out of West Virginia after the season. What are you hearing? What are the fans saying?

AB: The fans are just curious as to whats going to happen. They've loved having the Brewers in town because they've sent tons of great prospects our way. Its not just the talent on the field, but they've sent us incredible individuals who have helped us create a place that has ultimately become "the place to be" in Charleston. The players, coaches, rovers, administrators, etc. have all been very coopertive and very helpful. I wish I had more news for you on this, but unfortunately, I've got nothing for right now. As far as I know, the two sides will wait until the season is over to talk about the future.

BC: In your opinion, which player on the current Power roster has the best chance at making the big leagues?

AB: Thats a very good question. At this level, its so hard to tell because most of these guys are still a few years away. Jonathan Lucroy, who was with the team in the first half, I think has a chance. He calls a good game, there arent many pitches he cant get to, and he can rake. Zelous Wheeler has exceptionally quick hands, a great attitude and his versatility I think will help him go a long ways in this game. Caleb Gindl is a guy that sometimes goes overlooked. He's shaped kind of like Brian Giles, but he can move very well in the outfield and he's got one of the best outfield arms in this league. He's also a very good hitter. He's got a great approach, hits to all fields and he's a go-getter.