The Missoula Osprey open in a week. They open at home in nine days. Get your tickets now!!

– Be on the lookout for the announcement of the 2011 Osprey roster. Don’t know which days as of yet, but it will be coming soon …

– Esmerling Vasquez (2004) gets back to being able to pitch in a game tonight, after serving a two-game suspension for the beanball incident involving the Washington Nationals earlier this month.

– Somehow, someway, Daniel Schlereth (2008) keeps on finding a way to stay on the Detroit Tigers’ 25-man roster.

– Gerardo Parra is involved in the Gold Glove talk. Funny how no one has talked more about his defensive ability until this season, but he has worked as hard on his defense as he has his hitting.

– Goldy Watch: Paul Goldschmidt, recently named Topps Player of the Month for May, had a double and a walk in three official trips to the plate in a 6-0 loss at Birmingham on Sunday. He’s hitting .343 with 21 home runs and 59 RBIs.

Minor League Update:

– Triple-A Reno: The Aces fell to Colorado Springs, 7-6, and wasted a solid pitching effort by left-hander Tom Layne (2007), who allowed just two runs on three hits and a pair of walks while striking out three batters. We still get the feeling that, in a pinch, Layne may see time in Arizona before the end of the season, especially if it’s a stop-gap measure – meaning if he can come up and fill in for a couple of weeks.

– Double-A Mobile: The BayBears are not having a good series in Birmingham. Mobile fell a game-and-a-half behind the Barons after a 6-0 loss on Sunday. Jake Elmore (2008) ended up with a base hit, walk and stolen base, while Taylor Harbin (2007) added a single.

– Class A Advanced Visalia: The Rawhide managed to get a single and a RBI from Chris Owings (2009) and Adam Eaton (2010), but could not muster any more offense in a 6-2 loss at Rancho Cucamonga on Sunday. Bobby Borchering (2009) and David Nick (2009) added base hits for Visalia. Christian Beltre (2007) was touched up a bit in his relief appearance, allowing two runs in two innings of work, while Victor Capellan (2009) did not allow a run in his two-inning stint.

– Class A South Bend: The Silver Hawks did not give starter Patrick Schuster (2009-10) any run support, and it resulted in a 5-1 loss at Peoria on Sunday. Schuster allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings of work in the setback.  He allowed four hits and struck out five. Ender Inciarte and Roberto Rodriguez each had a base hit, accounting for two of the five South Bend safeties on the afternoon.

– DSL D-backs: The “Baby Backs” were off on Sunday, coming off a 7-2 win over the DSL Reds on Saturday. Alan Santiago (2009) went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks in the win, and is hitting .261 with three doubles and three RBIs so far this summer.

Today’s Games (and Osprey probables):
AAA Reno (37-27) vs. Tucson
AA Mobile (36-28) at Birmingham
A Adv. Visalia (28-34) at Modesto – the Diogenes Rosario (2009) starting pitcher experiment continues against the Nuts tonight …
A South Bend (31-32) has Monday off … they start a three-game series at Lansing on Tuesday.
DSL D-backs (4-7) at DSL Twins

by Ben Catley

I guess it’s now official … the timer has been set on Juan Miranda.

The current Arizona Diamondbacks’ first baseman can officially take a good hard look at what lies ahead after this was published by Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic on his blog. Because it is only a matter of time.

And with all due respect to the red-hot Willy Mo Pena, Paul Goldschmidt is more of the future at first base for the D-backs than anyone else in the system. That includes Brandon Allen, “The Mayor” (which is why he’s back playing the outfield again), and the Bobby Borchering/Matt Davidson 1B/3B/DH platoon.

There are a number of blogs that are all abuzz about it this morning, including the AZ SnakePit and even fantasy sports blogs, which suggest that if you didn’t pick up Goldy in your keeper league … oh well …

Make sure you read all of the Shoewizard Fan Post, because he brings up an interesting point about OPS and the Southern League. It leads to just how dominant Goldy has been this season.

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I was incredibly happy to hear about and then post/write about Bryan Shaw making it to Arizona. Piecoro had some reflections about Shaw back in his draft year, and Shaw himself managed to reflect on his debut, which went well.

The Bryan Shaw I remember has some semi-electric stuff, different than what you would see from a back-end bullpen guy – he throws a cut fastball, slider and curveball. And, apparently, with the season he has posted (4-1, 8 saves, 2.37 ERA at both Mobile and Reno), things have come together for him.

Now, it’s a matter as to whether or not he has the stuff to stay around for a while in the Major Leagues.

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News Flash – the D-backs may have drafted another Paul Goldschmidt.

You’ve seen this info before, but when I was going through and doing research on the D-backs’ draft picks, I read about this guy, and adjectives like “Hammered”, “Crushed” and “Destroyed” were used to describe his home runs.

I speak of one Jonathan Griffin, one of the choices that signed late last week.

The 21st round choice has some similar numbers to Goldy coming out of college …

– Hit .343 with 19 doubles, two triples, 19 home runs and 58 RBIs, and posted a 1.055 OPS in 2011.
– Hit 37 home runs for Manatee CC (now known as State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota)
– Was a 2009 Suncoast All-Conference First-Team pick, hitting .340 with 22 homers and 74 RBIs
– He is 6-6, 245. And plays first base.
– He doubled his draft position from high school (which isn’t all too rare in the late rounds), moving from 45th out of high school to 41st after his first season at Manatee, to where the D-backs picked him up – in the 21st round.

Now time will tell as to how his numbers at Central Florida will translate, but remember – he hit 56 home runs in three years of college ball. Makes me wonder. We’ll have to keep an eye out for the future, especially to see where he will get placed.

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Ticket sales for the home opener are very brisk at the moment. There are some good seats still available, but they are going quickly.

Believe it or not, I think Missoula is going through what baseball fans everywhere experience in the spring that have full-season clubs … baseball is here, let’s get out of the house and have some fun! And, naturally, Opening Night represents that new glimmer of hope, so to speak.

You can buy your tickets now at the MSO Hub Box Office, at 140 N. Higgins; by phone at (406) 543-3300, or online at http://www.MissoulaOsprey.com.

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One last thing … want to give a shout-out to all of those who have volunteered to help the neighborhoods and area that have been hit hard by the recent flooding not only in the Missoula area, but throughout the state. There have been many areas hit hard by the rising waters, and it has been good to see people who have jumped in by the hundreds to give a helping hand. Kudos also go to the area businesses which have provided food and beverages to the volunteers, and a big Thank You to the folks with the American Red Cross, who are on call to help those in need.

A pair of former Osprey will be playing against each other on June 21 in the California-Carolina League All-Star Game, to take place in Modesto, Calif. Both have been named starters in the game.

Former Osprey outfielder Adam Eaton (2010) is one of two Visalia Rawhide players (pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who will start for the Cal League, is the other) to earn a spot on the squad.

Another former Osprey will be playing for the visiting Carolina League All-Stars. Former Osprey shortstop Rey Navarro (2007) has shortened his name – he used to go by Reynaldo – and changed positions, from shortstop to second base. Now in the Kansas City Royals’ organization, Navarro will represent the Wilmington Blue Rocks in the mid-summer classic.

More details will be released in a story later on MissoulaOsprey.com.

Oh, yeah … gotta love the MLB Draft. Rapid-fire style picks come down the pike, then the signing process begins, then mini-camp, then teams get formed and players begin their journeys in professional baseball. Oh, the life … and there will be players in Missoula in a few days. Get ready!

Some leftover tidbits from the MLB Draft:
– Feature story on the Compensation A Round pick from Monday night’s activities for the D-backs, Andrew Chafin. The arm worries should, at least for now, probably be put to rest.

– And more videos … first, high-school pitcher Archie Bradley, whom the D-backs picked seventh last night:

– And, of course, No. 3 pick Trevor Bauer:

– There are times where you get to see something cool happen during the draft as well … and one of those things happened twice on Day 3 of the draft. An insider note: There was actually a reprimand that came down from the draft folk with MLB during the 37th round. That is apparently when Texas, during the conference call, was talking about taking Jonathan Taylor (story behind it in first link). Both teams made a classy move with picks that are not guaranteed, but in a position where it’s a hit-and-miss prospect whether or not a player will actually sign.

– More than just Ben Roberts were drafted from the state of Montana … a total of four players with Montana ties were selected in the 2011 MLB Draft:
*Catcher Cameron Edman of Florence, who just finished his career at Gonzaga, was drafted in the 29th round by the Baltimore Orioles.
*Joe Pistorese of Kalispell, a left-handed pitcher, was chosen in the 46th round by the Chicago White Sox.
*The other is Sidney native Cole Frenzel, who went to school in Dickinson, ND, and was drafted in the 7th round as well, by the New York Mets. Frenzel just completed his redshirt sophomore season as a first baseman with the University of Arizona.

– Speaking of Roberts, he and his father appeared on Curley’s Coaches on Wednesday, which is now airing on our broadcast home, AM 930, KMPT. So you can catch up on Missoula-area sports, then take a short break, and then join us for Osprey baseball during the season. (Yes, shameless self-promotion.) Matt Ellis, Osprey Executive Vice President, appeared on the show a couple of weeks back, and Osprey radio voice Ben Catley will make an appearance next Wednesday.

Roberts handled the situation about as well as he possibly could. He is signed to head to Washington State to play baseball, but he now has a decision to make.

By the way, if you wonder what the Osprey will be like in 2012, keep an eye on the Arizona League D-backs this summer. Now that there is a feeder team which is a level below the Osprey (outside of the Dominican Summer League), and with the depth of college players taken in this draft, in the words of Jim Ross … “Business is about to pick up around here, boys!”

– So, how did the D-backs do in the draft? Most scouts apparently think they did extremely well.

Now let the signing begin … and, with that, back to the usual blog entries.

– Gotta love the blogging prowess of one Tony Barnette (2006), who is pitching in Japan, and doing quite well. Obviously, though, he’s not a fan of fashion statements.

– Goldy Watch: The 2009 8th round pick by Arizona hit his 20th home run on Wednesday, tied for the most in professional baseball with Toronto’s Juan Bautista. Goldy was also selected to play in the Southern League All-Star Game, along with former Osprey Taylor Harbin and Ollie Linton. Look for a story soon on MissoulaOsprey.com.

– Resuming tomorrow – some semblance of normalcy. Meaning that we will actually get back to the usual fare in the blog. Just know that as things happen, we will announce them both on here and the website, http://www.MissoulaOsprey.com.