Reviewing The Brew
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Milwaukee Brewers Farm Report: Colorado Springs Sky Sox- August 1-22

By Steven Jewell

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The Sky Sox are 10-13 as of August 22, including two lost doubleheaders. The team has been one of the many underperforming minor league teams (outside of Biloxi) in the Brewers system.

Who’s Hot

RP Ariel Pena

15 1/3 IP    0.59 ERA   19 K    2 BB

Pena has been about as dominant as a pitcher can be over his last four starts, and his numbers on the year are promising. This month, opponents have slashed just .179/.217/.214 against the flamethrower. For whatever reason, Pena’s success of late has all come as a starter, though he certainly profiles as a reliever. As I have mentioned before, Pena has seriously cut down on his walk rates, which was his biggest weakness in the past.

1B Matt Clark

92 PA .356/.478/.644    4 HR     15 BB    13 K

After two months of playing sub-.650 OPS ball, Matt Clark has dragged his numbers back toward his expected performance with a white-hot August so far. Clark now looks poised to hit 20 home runs on the year (he’s at 18), which would be his sixth consecutive time performing that feat in the minors (with a 2013 layover in Japan).

With Adam Lind still on the roster, and Jason Rogers ahead of Clark on the organizational depth chart, it’s hard to know where his future lies.

C Nevin Ashley

56 PA .400/.446/.560   20 H

Ashley just continues to hit, now owning a .321 batting average.  In his last five games, the journeyman catcher has 10 hits. He’s been in most of the Hot or Nots that I’ve done for the Sky Sox, in the former category.

He’s never had much pop, and the only difference between his huge AAA success this year and his modest year in 2013 seems to be his BABIP. His ISO is virtually identical to that year, and his walk rate is lower now. There seems to be a lot of luck involved here.

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SS Luis Sardiñas

96 PA .344/.385/.444    31 H   4 SB    1 CS

It’s great to see Sardiñas hit, even if it’s for less than a month. He has really struggled this year offensively, and he needs to hit at least a little to help the Big League club long term. His only true improvement over last year’s AAA stop is his improved walk rates.

He’s hit just one home run this year (this month), but has six triples between AAA and the Majors thanks to his plus speed. It would also be great to see Sardiñas take the next step given fellow utilityman Yadiel Rivera‘s struggles and demotion from AAA this year.

Who’s Not

OF Matt Long

54 PA .176/.204/.294    2 BB   13 K

The outfielder of #FreeMattLong fame has had decreased production every month since his strong April. Unless he has a resurgence, it’s possible that the organization parts ways with the minor league veteran, as system outfielders continue to join the highest level of the Brewers farm.

SP Josh Roenicke

16 2/3 IP   12.42 ERA    6 K    10 BB

It’s surprising, given the success of the Schuckers starters like Jorge Lopez and Tyler Wagner, that Roenicke still has a spot with the Sox. Presumably it’s because the Brewers feel it’s wrong to call a playoff team’s ace up to a losing team. Can’t say I blame them. I assume Roenicke is just a placeholder for the rest of the year.

SP Zach Davies

21 IP    5.14 ERA   1.905 WHIP

The return on the Gerardo Parra trade is really the only prospect the Crew received that hasn’t excelled since joining the organization. But he’s had some hard luck with a .391 BABIP on the month, and he is having a strong year overall. He’s one of the Brewers’ closest pitching prospects to the Majors and his changeup has been called the best in the minor leagues, so there’s little reason to fret this post-acquisition hiccup.

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