Audio from Round Rock — “What Wily (Peralta) Thinks”

Tonight’s interview is with Sounds right-hander Wily Peralta, thought by many to be the Brewers’ top prospect. He discusses his outing and win on Wednesday night in Round Rock when he left due to leg cramping, his up-and-down season so far, what he’s been working on between starts and the emotions during his major league debut in April for Milwaukee.

June 29 – What Wily Peralta Thinks

Photo courtesy of Mike Strasinger / Nashville Sounds

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Jeff

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Audio from Round Rock — “Hear It from (Jim) Henderson”

Tonight’s interview is with Sounds reliever Jim Henderson, who Thursday was named as the Sounds’ representative for the upcoming Triple-A All-Star Game on July 11 in Buffalo, NY.  Henderson’s statistics are solid across the board, and this will be his second all-star game as a pro (2009, Midwest League with Low-A Wisconsin). In the interview Henderson talks about his season so far, the honor of being an all-star, his favorite ballparks and mounds around the Pacific Coast League and pitching in 100-degree heat like he did last night in Round Rouck, Texas.

June 28 – Interview With All-Star Reliever Jim Henderson

Photo courtesy of Nashville Sounds

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Jeff

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Audio from Round Rock — “A Tip of the (Mike) Capps”

Tonight’s pregame interview is with the radio voice of the Round Rock Express (Rangers), Mike Capps, a former Nashville announcer and, in my opinion, one of the nicest, most honest guys you’ll come across. We discuss the changes for Round Rock the last couple years (going from Astros to Rangers affiliations), the rehab start on Wednesday for Rangers lefty Derek Holland, the effect the Rangers’ recent injuries have had on the Express and the seasons so far former Sounds Brad Nelson and Zach Jackson and Vandy alum Matt Kata.

June 27 – A Tip Of The (Mike) Capps

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Jeff

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Visual from Albuquerque — Photos of Isotopes Park

Here’s a look at the very impressive home of the Albuquerque (NM) Isotopes…Isotopes Park. It opened in ’03, and the team name stems from an episode of The Simpsons. 

At the mic in Albuquerque with the Sandia Mountains in the backdrop

The University of New Mexico football stadium is right out the backdoor of Isotopes Park

The different-colored windows in the stairwell add a nice touch…and make it feel like an old church?

One of the largest, steepest lawn areas I’ve seen in baseball

A la Minute Maid Park in Houston, Isotopes Park has an uphill slope in center between the warning track and wall.

Looking back at home plate from right-center field

With the ball the carries at this ballpark, I’m not out of home run range here…

A view from the picnic pavilion beyond the bullpens in left field

The Sounds’ bullpen is in the background with the Isotopes’ ‘pen in the foreground

As previously mentioned, the Isotopes team nickname stems, at least in part, to an episode of the “The Simpsons.” So, Homer Simpson attends every Isotopes game…

Photos from notable events in the ballpark’s history are all over the Press Box and Front Office areas, including a shot from the franchise’s inaugural game.

I think this is a cool way to help decorate the Press Box. How far away is Nashville from Albuquerque? Several early-morning flights…

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Jeff

If you want to follow me on Twitter: jeffhempbp
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Audio from Albuquerque — “Mondays with Mike (Guerrero)”

Here is this week’s “Mondays with Mike” with Sounds manager Mike Guerrero, who discusses the Sounds’ power surge on Saturday, the status of what has been an illness-ridden Sounds clubhouse, when prospect Tyler Thornburg will take the mound in a game, the return of shortstop Edwin Maysonet from Milwaukee and what that means for the infield and the decision to bring in Donovan Hand in relief on Saturday instead of having him make a spot start on Sunday.

June 25 – Mondays With Manager Mike Guerrero

Photo courtesy of Mike Strasinger / Nashville Sounds

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Jeff

If you want to follow me on Twitter: jeffhempbp
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Audio from Albuquerque — “Roaming the Outfield with Schafer”

Tonight’s pregame interview is with Sounds outfielder Logan Schafer, who discusses his two-homer game and near-cycle Friday in Nashville, his hot hitting in June, the improvement in the home run department (7 already this year, 5 last year) and roaming the expansive outfield at hitter-friendly Isotopes Park.

June 24 – Roaming The Outfield With Logan Schafer

Photo courtesy of Mike Strasinger / Nashville Sounds

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Jeff

If you want to follow me on Twitter: jeffhempbp
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Audio from Nashville — “(Dayton) Buller’s Beliefs”

Tonight’s interview is with Sounds catcher Dayton Buller, who got to celebrate his 31st birthday today by joining me for a chat. Not much of a present for him, unfortunately! One of the great things about interviewing players in baseball is that while I go into the interview with some notes and potential questions prepared, I can never say for sure how and where the interview is going to go. I can say this for certain: I didn’t go into today’s interview with Buller knowing that he was in rehabbing Brewers infielder and current Sound Travis Ishikawa’s wedding a few years ago, let alone that Ishikawa and Buller readily admit they’re horrible dancers.  Buller originally came up with the Giants and played with Ishikawa for several years and also has caught pitchers like Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain.

June 22 – Dayton Buller Beliefs

Pregame interview with Mike Strasinger / Nashville Sounds

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Jeff

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News and Notes from Nashville

Some Sounds news and notes for you on this warm, sunny Thursday in Music City…

• Former Sound (’10) Marco Estrada of the Brewers makes his second of two scheduled rehab appearances for the Sounds tonight. He tossed three shutout innings (59 pitches) last Saturday in Game 1 of a doubleheader and is expected to throw 75 pitches tonight. If that goes according to plan, the Brewers are slotting him to start their game Tuesday in Cincinnati.
• First baseman Travis Ishikawa has played in four games (though none yet for all 9 innings) with the Sounds on his official rehab assignment and is expected to play tonight and tomorrow with them as well. If that goes according to plan, the Brewers are slotting him to join their active roster on Saturday in Chicago against the White Sox.
• Cesar Izturis played in four games for the Sounds on a rehab assignment and is expected to be added to the Brewers’ active roster on Friday (the Brewers are idle Thursday).
• Right-hander Tyler Thornburg, one of the Brewers’ top pitching prospects, has been optioned to the Sounds from Milwaukee and is slated to make his Sounds and Triple-A debut Sunday night (7:05 CT first pitch) in Albuquerque, which is in the mountain time zone.
• Best of luck to infielder Brooks Conrad, who hit over .400 with 10 home runs as a Sound and was claimed off waivers today by the Tampa Bay Rays. Typically a player claimed off waivers goes right to the major league team’s 25-man roster, but Conrad has options remaining and could report to the Ray’s Triple-A affiliate, Durham (NC). Conrad was designated for assignment by the Brewers, for whom he went 3-for-40 at the plate. Had he gone unclaimed, Conrad would have had to decide whether to accept an assignment to the Sounds or become a free agent.
• Rosters were announced today for the upcoming 2012 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in Kansas City (Sunday, July 8), and the Brewers’ lone representative is second baseman (and future Sound?) Scooter Gennett. There are six current Pacific Coast League players on either the U.S. or World Rosters: Trevor Bauer (Reno/AZ); Danny Hultzen (Tacoma/SEA); Jake Odorizzi & Wil Myers (Omaha/KC); Travis d’Arnaud (Las Vegas/TOR); and Yasmani Grandal (Tucson/SD).
• A sneak peek for you of tonight’s on-air baseball trivia question that I’ll be using: On this day in 1964, Jim Bunning pitched a perfect game for the Phillies against the Mets, becoming the first pitcher in the modern era (Cy Young) to throw a no-hitter in both the American League and National League (he also threw a no-no for the Tigers in ’58). Who are the other three that have since joined Bunning as having thrown a no-no in both leagues?

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Audio from Nashville — A Brewers & Sounds Update from Dan O’Brien

Tonight’s pregame interview is with Dan O’Brien, the former Reds GM who now works in the Brewers’ baseball operations department as a special assistant to GM Doug Melvin and is in town to see the Sounds for the second time this season. He was here in April and joined us on the pregame show then, too.

Thanks for listening! (On the Air…and Off)

Jeff

If you want to follow me on Twitter: jeffhempbp
If you want to send me an email: JeffHem@nashvillesounds.com
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Audio from Nashville — “Mondays with Mike (Guerrero)”…on a Tuesday due to yesterday’s day off

Here is this week’s installment of “Mondays with Mike” with Sounds managerMike Guerrero, though it comes on a Tuesday because the Sounds had the day off Monday. This week Guerrero talks about off days in the minors, the rehab assignments to the Sounds for Brewers infielders Cesar Izturis and Travis Ishikawa, the Sounds’ solid starting pitching lately (7 straight games where the starter hasn’t allowed more than 2ER), the continued great hitting of Logan Schafer, where to place certain guys in the batting order and Wily Peralta’s start last Sunday.

June 19 – Mondays With Manager Mike Guerrero

Photo courtesy of Mike Strasinger / Nashville Sounds

Thanks for listening! (On the Air…and Off)

Jeff

If you want to follow me on Twitter: jeffhempbp
If you want to send me an email: JeffHem@nashvillesounds.com
If you want to subscribe to blog posts via email updates, you can do so in the upper right section of the home page.

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