Link while active, text follows --
(So Jim, what does "Link while active" mean, anyway?) Unless we link directly to a story from MLB.com (which seems to archive for years), in most cases we will copy and paste the contents of newspaper articles and such here, mainly because some newspapers only make their content online for a brief period of time. "Link while active" at least gives readers the choice to click to the direct link if they wish, and at minimum, provides a direct link to the source document. It's worked well for us, and we do run across the occasional site that does not allow copy-and-paste -- literally, the code on the page prevents it. In those cases naturally link-only is provided. Since we always include the author's name and employer, we've never heard from any source upset with us.
Stars arriving with plenty of talent
By BRAD SHEPARD
When the Huntsville Stars arrive in town Monday, five of the Milwaukee organization's top 10 prospects according to Baseball America are expected to be among them.
Led by Brewers' top overall prospect, outfielder Matt LaPorta, the Stars appear to have the roster to compete for their third consecutive Southern League North Division championship.
The Brewers will release the roster Sunday, but Huntsville fans are going to benefit from the fertile Milwaukee farm system yet another season.
That system produced four playoff teams last year in the top four minor league classifications.
"That's big," said Stars manager Don Money, who is returning for his record fourth year. "And out of the nine opening-day starters for the Brewers, eight came through the organization.
"On the scouting side, they're giving us the talent to work with."
Huntsville opens the season Thursday against the Mississippi Braves at Joe Davis Stadium. It'll be the first time back since last year's championship series. Then, the Stars were two outs away from a league title before Luis Pena allowed a three-run homer to Sergio Pedroza in a 4-3 loss to Montgomery.
Though there are enough players left from that team to provide some familiar faces, there are also plenty of new Stars who carry star potential.
The power-hitting LaPorta was chosen seventh overall in last year's draft out of the University of Florida and skyrocketed through Single-A during the latter part of last year.
Alcides Escobar - a wizard at shortstop with his glove and a participant in last year's MLB Futures Game - returns for his second season in Huntsville as Milwaukee's third-ranked prospect.
Third baseman Mat Gamel (No. 5), outfielder Cole Gillespie (No. 6) and catcher Angel Salome (No. 8) round out the prospects. Salome has five games remaining on his 50-game suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs but will be back for the second series.
"Those are some pretty solid players there," Money said. "There's five of our starters right there. I'm happy with the team on the everyday players' side. They'll be young, that's for sure."
The Stars' pitching staff returns three pivotal members of last year's rotation, left-handers Steve Hammond, Derek Miller and Sam Narron. Joining them as southpaw starters are Brae Wright and David Welch.
New pitching coach Chris Hook replaces Rich Sauveur, who left Huntsville for a position with the Boston Red Sox Triple-A affiliate in Pawtucket, R.I. Hook said Saturday that while they know who will start games, who is going to close is still an uncertainty.
For now, he said Robert Hinton, David Johnson, Joe Bateman and Patrick Ryan would be in the mix.
"Right now, we don't come out with a definite closer," Hook said.
"That's something Don and I will decide as the season goes on. But we do know who's going to be at the back of the bullpen."








