By Jason Arndt
Brewers Farm Report

Baseball plays more games than any other sport with 140 in the minor leagues and 162 in Major League Baseball.

Despite the end of the season for all minor league teams in the Milwaukee Brewers organization, except the Helena Brewers whom will compete for the Pioneer League title, there will be developments along the way in the winter.

Six players will make an appearance in the Arizona Fall League and their performance will make-or-break standing within the Milwaukee organization and eventually lead to new assignments on the 40-man roster.

The Fall League will feature Huntsville’s Jason Rogers, Taylor Jungmann, Adam Weisenburger, Kevin Shackleford and David Goforth along with Manatees’ Mitch Haniger.

Three of the six participants are Top 20 prospects in the farm system and depending on how they perform in the AFL, it will either reinforce their standing within the organization or cause a drop.

Rogers has most to lose, and gain, in the AFL after accumulating career highs in multiple offensive categories.

Teams likely have an eye on Rogers and will make note of him when the Rule V draft is conducted in December’s MLB winter meetings. The first baseman has reached the point where he could go unprotected if not added to the 40-man roster and might be snagged by another team.

Stadium Issues

Two of Milwaukee’s minor league affiliates are faced with addressing facility needs entering the final year of its Player Development Contracts in 2014 – Huntsville and Nashville.

After Milwaukee spent the majority of last off-season looking for new affiliates after both teams struggled in making progress toward new stadiums – the Brewers were left with them when other clubs found or re-established PDCs with the remaining affiliates.

Brewers Farm Report will follow developments of a proposed new stadium for the Triple A Nashville Sounds after the Mayor of Nashville proposed a new $80 million stadium at the old Sulphur Dell sight.

Although Nashville will not build it in time for the 2014 season, the Brewers will deeply consider extending with the Sounds if a stadium plan is in place by the end of 2014.

Huntsville faces a similar fate with Joe Davis Stadium and for years the Brewers pushed the Stars to come forward with a plan to build or renovate the 29-year-old facility.

Milwaukee made it clear during last off-season of its disappointment in Joe Davis Stadium.

There has been swift community opposition in Huntsville for the potential of a new stadium due to involving taxpayer contributions.

If history is any indication of the severity of the issue, look at how the 23-year relationship between Single A Beloit and Milwaukee ended in 2004.

Following decades of Beloit struggling to upgrade Pohlman Field, Milwaukee severed ties with the Snappers and entered into a working agreement with the Appalachian League West Virginia Power before agreeing with the Timber Rattlers.

While Nashville’s future is promising with proposals, the Stars will have an entire year to come forward with a plan of action.

Huntsville and Milwaukee have been together since 1999 and the Brewers have been with the Stars longer than any of the other four affiliates in the organization.

Trades

Given the long-term outlook of the Milwaukee Brewers, there will likely be a trade or two involving Major Leaguers and lead to a return of prospects from other organizations.

Brewers Farm Report will provide information and summaries of the players involved in the off-season deals.