With the additions, the Brewers' 40-man roster is full.

Jungmann, the Brewers' No. 10-ranked prospect by MLB.com who will turn 25 next month, was 12-10 with a 3.57 ERA in 27 starts and one relief appearance between Double-A Huntsville and Triple-A Nashville in 2014, with a significant jump in his strikeout rate to 8.6 per nine innings. His previous best was 5.8 strikeouts per nine innings in the Class A Advanced Florida State League in 2012, Jungmann's first professional season.

The former University of Texas standout spent most of the season in Triple-A, where he was 8-6 with a 3.98 ERA in 18 starts plus one relief outing. He struck out 101 batters in 101 2/3 innings at Nashville.

"He was probably one of the better pitchers in that league during the second half," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said.

Plenty can happen between now and the time rosters are set, but Jungmann appears positioned to follow in the footsteps of another big right-hander, Jimmy Nelson, who pitched the second half of 2013 and the first half of 2014 at the Triple-A level before the Brewers needed him in the Majors at midseason. If Jungmann is indeed sent back to Triple-A to begin 2015, he would lead the starting rotation at the Brewers' new Colorado Springs affiliate.

Strong, 26, has struck out 242 batters in 209 innings over the past three seasons and earned a trip to this year's Arizona Fall League. With the free-agent departures of Zach Duke and Tom Gorzelanny, Strong is one of only two left-handed relievers (Will Smith is the other) on Milwaukee's 40-man roster. Another lefty, Wei-Chung Wang, will convert back to a starting role in the Minor Leagues in 2015.

Goforth, 26, logged 27 saves as Huntsville's closer last season and could reprise the role next year in Nashville if he doesn't make the cut in Milwaukee. Goforth's name was absent when the three other roster additions were announced on Thursday morning, but was informed later in the day that he would be added as well. Melvin said he was simply waiting for input from club decision-makers who had seen Goforth pitch.

Rivera is just 22 and a superior defensive shortstop who split last season between Class A Advanced Brevard County and Huntsville, batting .258 with five home runs, 30 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.

2014 MLB.com Top Prospects: Yadiel Rivera won't have to hit a ton to carve out a role in the Major Leagues thanks to his defense

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Brewers add four prospects to 40-man roster

Originally published November 19, 2014 at 7:51 PM | Page modified November 19, 2014 at 9:22 PM

No. 4 Marysville-Pilchuck (9-1) at Columbia River (9-2), 4 p.m. Saturday at Kiggins Bowl (Vancouver)

Marysville-Pilchuck: The Tomahawks are looking to advance to the state semifinals for the first time since they took second in 1989. Marysville-Pilchuck has the talent to advance to the Tacoma Dome, too, with an effective running attack led by Austin Joyner. The senior is arguably the best running back in the state, possessing a blend of speed and size that makes him difficult to tackle.

Columbia River: The winners of the Greater St. Helens League from Vancouver have reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002 thanks to a pair of home wins over recent Metro additions (Garfield and Roosevelt). The Chieftans have a balanced offensive attack that features GSHL all-league first-teamers at quarterback, receiver (two), offensive line (two) and all-purpose/kick returner.

No. 6 Peninsula (10-1) at No. 1 Bellevue (11-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Peninsula: The Seahawks have been on a roll since a one-point loss in week one to 4A Gig Harbor. The main reason? Running back Major Ali. The senior has scored three touchdowns in each of the first two playoff games, and theres no reason to think Peninsula will deviate from an effective game plan.

Bellevue: The Bellevue story is not new: Six straight state championships, 64 consecutive wins, victories over national powerhouses. There might not be a cant-miss recruit like Myles Jack or Budda Baker this season, but it has been no different for the Wolverines on the field, who have yet to really be tested through four quarters.

No. 2 Eastside Catholic (10-1) at No. 5 Lincoln (11-0), 4 p.m. Saturday at Lincoln Bowl

Eastside Catholic: The Crusaders have been to the championship game the last two years. Both times, they came up empty. Can this be the year? For an Eastside Catholic defense that has passed two of three tests this season (wins over ODea and American Fork of Utah) and wasnt terrible in a season-opening 31-14 loss to Bishop Alemany (Calif.), Lincoln might be the most dynamic test yet.

Lincoln: It all starts with Jordan Kitna. The son of former NFL quarterback (and current Lincoln coach) Jon Kitna can sling it around just like his dad. The younger Kitna leads the state with 54 TD passes and has a legit playmaking threat on the outside with Jayson Williams. With Kitna at the helm, the Abes are attempting to make it to the Tacoma Dome in their first trip to the state tournament since 2003.

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3A football: Breaking down the state quarterfinal games

Imagine you're a college wrestling coach who, after ten years at his school, had won a string of conference titles, then taken your program to a second-place finish in the team standings at the 2014 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships, the school's highest placement ever. Your team could claim five All-Americans, including two who made it into the finals. For those accomplishments, you were named Coach of the Year by a leading amateur wrestling website. Then, months after these honors, you find yourself unemployed, unable to find any coaching position within college wrestling.

You'd say it sounds like a nightmare. But it's waking reality for Tim Fader, former University of Wisconsin-Whitewater head wrestling coach who experienced "non-renewal" regarding his reporting of an alleged sexual assault -- quickly recanted by the victim -- which took place Easter weekend in 2014.

How could this happen? InterMat sought to find out the story behind the story ... by contacting coach Fader himself.

Meet Tim Fader

Tim Fader was born in Ida Grove, Iowa, in the northwest part of the state, but grew up in Rochelle, Illinois, in the north-central portion of the Land of Lincoln, a bit more than an hour west of Chicago on I-88, the Ronald Reagan East-West Tollway. His father Pete, a former wrestler at Cedar Rapids' Coe College in the late 1960s, was a teacher and wrestling coach at Rochelle Township High School.

"I had an OK career in high school," said Fader, who quickly followed up by saying, "I was recruited by some Division I schools but didn't think I was Division I material." It was only in a quick follow-up, fact-checking interview that, when asked, Fader admitted he had been a finalist at the Illinois high school state championships.

"The very last week of high school, I got a call from Kevin Puebla (then head wrestling coach) of Augustana College," said Fader, referring to the Division III school to the west of Rochelle, in Rock Island, Illinois. "We'll struggle at first, but we will become a great team."

"By the time I graduated, we were a top five program."

Fader graduated from Augustana with a bachelor's degree in both Business Administration-Finance, and Accounting in 1991. What he didn't mention in his interview with InterMat was that he graduated summa cum laude (among the top scholars at his school), named Augustana Top Scholar-Athlete, and was a two-time GTE (now Verizon) COSIDA First Team Academic All-American. Nor did he talk about his individual accomplishments on the mat, as a three-time NCAA qualifier, and two-time NCAA All-American at 142 pounds. He also didn't say anything about being a two-time team captain, or that he was named the team's MVP ... all according to his official coach's bio at the UW-Whitewater wrestling website.

Fader stayed in the Quad Cities after graduation. "I took a position in Moline as a consultant, but, at 3:30, I felt the urge to be back in the wrestling room," Fader disclosed. "I worked things out with my job to be able to go back to Augustana to help coach. Did that for two years."

Continue reading here:
Former UW-Whitewater coach Tim Fader tells his story

2014 MLB.com Top Prospects: Jose Peraza has made significant improvements in 2013 and profiles as a top-of-the-order hitter

ATLANTA -- The Braves bid adieu to the longest-tenured member of their organization to create 40-man roster space for top prospect Jose Peraza and six other Minor Leaguers who will have an opportunity to experience their first Major League Spring Training.

Left-handed reliever Jonny Venters' long stint with the Braves' organization came to a close on Wednesday, when he and infielder Ramiro Pena were designated for assignment. The transactions created the space necessary for Peraza, third baseman Kyle Kubitza, left-handed pitcher Yean Carlos Gil and four right-handed pitchers -- Mauricio Cabrera, Brandon Cunniff, Tyrell Jenkins and Williams Perez -- to be added to the 40-man roster.

MLB.com's latest Top 20 Braves prospects list is headed by Peraza. Jenkins and Cabrera rank seventh and eighth, respectively, on the same list.

All Major League clubs have until Thursday at 11:59 p.m. ET to determine which of their Rule 5 Draft-eligible players will be protected by being added to the 40-man roster.

Venters' removal from the roster was certainly expected given that he underwent what might prove to be a career-ending third Tommy John surgery in September. Pena proved to be one of Atlanta's most valuable players before he underwent shoulder surgery during the third month of the 2013 season. But he never fully recovered from the surgery and experienced a disappointing 2014 campaign.

While the Braves bid adieu to Venters and Pena, they provided further indication that they believe Peraza could begin his reign as Atlanta's starting second baseman at some point next season. The speedy Venezuelan batted .339, stole 60 bases (75 attempts) and produced an .805 OPS while combining to play 110 games with Class A Advanced Lynchburg and Double-A Mississippi this year.

Peraza has played just 44 games above the Class A level and thus might not be Major League-ready at the start of the 2015 season. But the Braves have indicated he will be given every opportunity during Spring Training to prove how close he might be to being ready to rise to the game's highest level.

Jenkins' addition to the 40-man roster came just one day after he and Shelby Miller were acquired from the Cardinals in exchange for Jason Heyward and Jordan Walden. Jenkins is an athletic, hard-throwing right-hander who has tremendous upside if he continues to distance himself from the shoulder issues that have slowed his development. The 22-year-old hurler is expected to begin the season in Mississippi's starting rotation.

While Jenkins posted a 3.28 ERA in 13 starts for Class A Advanced Palm Beach this past season, Cabrera produced a 5.59 ERA and recorded 28 strikeouts in 29 innings for Lynchburg. The 21-year-old right-hander's stock has dropped since he enjoyed an impressive 2012 season for Rookie-level Danville.

See the article here:
Top prospect Peraza among Braves' roster additions

With these moves, the Tribe's 40-man is at its capacity.

While all five athletes are talented, the player of most immediate intrigue for the 2015 Tribe is Urshela, whose pure glove at the hot corner has combined with his greatly improved plate performance to make him a candidate for a '15 callup. The Indians' porous defensive effort in '14, which included 18 errors and minus-16 defensive runs saved in 114 games at third by Lonnie Chisenhall, make Urshela's defensive strengths an asset.

Alas, Urshela tweaked his left knee while running out a triple in the Venezuelan Winter League this month, and he was expected in Cleveland this week for an MRI exam. The Indians did not have immediate information on the extent of that injury and whether it will affect Urshela's readiness for Spring Training. He finished the season the Tribe's No. 13 prospect, according to MLB.com.

The 23-year-old Urshela, a native of Colombia who was signed by the Tribe at 16, split '14 between Double-A Akron and Columbus, hitting a combined .280 with 36 doubles, six triples, 18 homers and 84 RBIs. He made five errors in 220 total chances at Columbus.

Armstrong, 24, also reached Columbus this season. He went a combined 6-2 with a 2.41 ERA in 49 relief appearances between Columbus and Akron, and he pitched three scoreless innings for the Clippers in the International League playoffs. In his Minor League career, he has compiled a 2.43 ERA and an impressive 11.1 strikeouts-per-nine-innings mark in 162 2/3 innings. The strikeout rate alone makes him an obvious candidate for a spot in the big league bullpen at some point in '15.

Anderson, also 24, is a converted outfielder (he made the switch to pitching in junior college) with a low- to mid-90s fastball and developing slider that have put him on the big league radar. He was the organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2013, though he did take a statistical step back with the jump to Double-A Akron this year. He went 4-11 with a 5.44 ERA in 25 starts for the RubberDucks. The Indians' hope is that when Anderson develops a better feel for his pitches, he'll be more aggressive down in the zone.

Like Anderson, Wolters, a former middle infielder, spent all season at Akron. It was his second season primarily behind the plate since converting as a result of the Tribe's glut of middle-infield talent. Wolters -- ranked as the club's No. 18 prospect by MLB.com -- hit .249 with a .633 OPS. In 66 games at catcher, he threw out 47 percent of would-be base stealers. He finished the year in the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .255 with eight RBIs in 15 games.

Merritt went 13-3 with a 2.58 ERA in 25 starts at Class A Carolina this year, and he followed that up by earning Carolina League postseason all-star honors. He struck out 127 against 25 walks in 160 1/3 innings.

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Urshela among five protected from Rule 5 Draft

When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed a well-traveled defensive end by the name of Jacquies Smith three days after the regular season officially started, there were very little expectations for the second-year defender. But Smith exceeded all expectations and quickly developed into the team's top edge-rusher over the past month.

Smith's journey is another rags-to-riches NFL story.

The 6'4", 264-pound defensive end from the University of Missouri wasn't drafted in 2012. Smith signed as a free agent with the Miami Dolphins, but he didn't make it through the final preseason roster trimming.Smith then spent three months in Canada as a member of the CFL's Hamilton Tigers-Cats with little to no fanfare.

The defensive end eventually signed with the New York Jets as a member of their practice squad for the remainder of the 2012 season. He was cut by the Jets the following August before he became a member of the Buffalo Bills. Smith played well for the Bills during preseason, but he became a roster casualty once linebacker Nigel Bradham was activated to the roster.

Smith finally found a home in Tampa Bay when the Buccaneers signed him Sept. 10.

The well-traveled defender discussed his journey with Buccaneers.com editor Scott Smith:

Everybody has a story in this league. It doesnt really matter how you get hereits what you do when you get here when youre given the opportunity. Youve got a lot of guys buying into what the coaches are talking about and theyre comfortable in the playbook and things of that nature. Once you get your opportunity, you just have to go out there and do the best you can with the opportunity. Guys are making plays.

And Jacquies Smith is making plays after being given an opportunity to play a bigger role in the Buccaneers defense.

Over the past four games, the Missouri product registered three sacks and 11 quarterback hurries. Among defensive ends with over 100 pass-rushing snaps, the Tampa Bay edge-rusher is rated as the sixth-best at applying pressure, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Jacquies Smith manufactured a sack, quarterback hit or hurry on 15 percent of his pass-rushing snaps this season.

The defensive end told the team's website he's gained confidence with each passing game:

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Jacquies Smith Blossoming as Deadly Pass-Rusher Buccaneers Desperately Need

Director Francis Lawrence attends the premiere of Lionsgates The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 on November 17, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 opens in movie theaters around the country beginning tonight. Its the third in the series of films based on Suzanne Collins best-selling dystopian novels for young adults.

Here & Nows Jeremy Hobson talks to director Francis Lawrence about the rewards and challenges of bringing such beloved books to the screen.

Lawrence also directed the film adaptation of Collins second book Catching Fire, as well as The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2.

On why people gravitate towards The Hunger Games movies

Well I think it goes all the way back to the source material that Suzanne Collins created. She had this idea to write a series of books for teenagers about the consequence of war. I think every decision that she made was based on that idea. Then she created a really compelling story with great characters, especially the character of Katniss, which I think is going to go down as one of the greatest characters of all time and then you have the kind of magic of this cast populating those characters.

On fans who will compare the movie and the book

I love the book. We made this for the fans. I also think that the fans know that you cant exactly turn the book into a movie, especially when its so internal. Im sure there will be little sort of moments and pieces of dialogue Katniss though to herself that will never make the movie that theyll be disappointed about, but I think that theyre going to be really excited about the things that we did put in and the new additions. Some of that expansion actually allows to surprise even the strictest fans.

On how the use of propaganda in the movie evokes reality

Its pretty chilling when you see some of the ways that the ideas and imagery in this movie is sort of mirrored in what we see on the news today. I was just recently talking to Suzanne Collins about it, and she said unfortunately, it mirrors things that have been happening for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

Continue reading here:
The Man Behind 'Mockingjay'

Formats Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 Developer Ubisoft Publisher Ubisoft Released Out now

Ironically for a series fixated with speedily bounding across rooftops, Assassins Creed often struggles with pacing. Assassins Creed III was too sedate, taking an age to let you don the assassins hood, while Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag was hampered by recurring tailing missions. Assassins Creed Rogue - sandwiched between them in the series chronology - instead sprints to conclusion. But its haste often leaves it feeling incomplete. At one point, you are so gravely injured you can barely walk. Two minutes later you are buying up properties and taking over gang hideouts.

The optional stuff, like the city renovation, is essential for stretching the game out - sailing around North America and completing the hundreds of optional activities dotted among the various archipelagos and nustled between the buildings of its cities - and it is here the game is at its best. Rogue is essentially an expansion to the largely excellent Black Flag, so expect more of the same. The two games share many of the same assets, including the protagonists fighting style, which is usually different for each lead. Theres even an animation for flicking up your hood upon entering a restricted area, except the new, hoodless protagonist pops his collar up like a stabby Elvis tribute.

Rogue follows directly on from Black Flag and sees key characters return. This isnt so much a lesson in humanitys history as it is the history of the series itself: You witness Achilles (AC IIIs protagonists mentor) as an Assassin, Edward Kenways first mate, Adewale, plays a pivotal role, and the games climax has a surprising link to Ubisofts other 2014 sequel, Unity. You witness all this through the eyes of Shay Patrick Cormac, an Irish initiate of the Assassins. The prologue takes place during Cormacs brief time in the Brotherhood, before events force him to enlist to the Templars. Here he reports to Haytham Kenway, father of AC IIIs protagonist.

This fascination with its own history makes the story impenetrable for newcomers. Though fans of the series will get a lot out of Rogue, especially in seeing the ancient conflict from a new perspective. This shift in allegiances also influences the gameplay - you are now hunter and prey. You can be air assassinated from a nearby roof, attacked from a bale of hay, or struck by a blade in a crowd. The whispers and direction indicator from the series multiplayer (absent in this entry) inform you of lurking Assassins, so you have to approach things more cautiously.

Elsewhere, the game gives you some new toys in the form of a silenced air rifle and a grenade launcher. These dont add much, however, as theyre just alternative ways to tranquilise, send enemies berserk, or kill. At sea, your ship can now be boarded, and The Atlantics icebergs add a new challenge to maneuverability in combat. You can also shoot these icebergs, sending a wave cascading out as the ice sinks and melts into the sea, damaging small vessels. Additionally, your ship is fitted with automatic puckle guns that can quickly trace across an enemy ships weakpoints. Another new trick is to leave a trail of oil behind your ship and ignite it, creating a barrier of fire.

The additions are welcome, bolstering Black Flags excellent formula. The only thing that stops Rogue from reaching the heights of of that game is how its lack of new ideas isnt replaced by a fresh setting. Two of the storys main locations are Assassins Creed IIIs version of New York and its Davenport Homestead, the myriad forts are identical to Black Flags, and the present-day sequences take place in the same beanbag-filled Abstergo offices - even the UI and fonts are the same. The seemingly cut corners and reused assets arent the games biggest sin, though. On paper, Cormac is the most interesting protagonist the series has had. In reality, hes a bland mess of bad voice acting and Irish stereotype. He even has a catchphrase: I create my own luck. Just in case his name wasnt Irish enough for you.

Killing the main Assassins is also disappointing - once spotted, they become near invulnerable to all but firearms and start running laps around the area while you try shoot them. These aspects of the game will likely leave you as cold at the Atlantic, but theres still a lot to enjoy outside of this. The closing missions are enough to put the wind back in your sails alone. Besides that, sailing around North America, creating your own objectives as the sun sets on the horizon, its easy to forgive the game its lack of ambition. Theres nothing out there that quite matches the sense of freedom you get from the open sea, and Rogue is a great excuse to rekindle that feeling.

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Assassin's Creed: Rogue review

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November 19th, 2014 1:42 pm by Editorial Board

The black mold news out of Indian Springs Elementary School has turned out to be much better than it could have been. But the story is a cautionary tale about the need for roof maintenance hanging over the head of local governments.

The moral is that keeping roofs in good repair can save money and avoid potential black mold health issues.

The first- and second-grade pod of the school was cleared after maintenance workers found what was later confirmed to be black mold that grew in moist conditions created by a roof lake in the circa 1970 building. Black mold can cause and aggravate respiratory conditions.

Classes were called off at the whole school for a day to give maintenance workers a chance to move the first-grade classrooms to elsewhere on campus and the second-graders to the neighboring Indian Springs Baptist Church West.

Hats off to the church for allowing students a temporary location in the building.

Maintenance workers were at the school and doing repair work on the pod roof, the latest in a long series of what Director of Schools Jubal Yennie called "band aid" work.

After the leaks were fixed, workers found the mold growing on wet wood that supported the roof.

Air tests indicated the mold wasn't airborne, so instead of having to bring in a professional remediation firm, the county maintenance crews handled the work.

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Neglected school roofs teach some hard lessons

It costs $50,000 to make a claim, half of which must be returned along with the player if he does not spend the entire ensuing season in the Major Leagues.

Assistant GM Gord Ash said earlier this week that the Brewers had all but finalized Thursday's additions. As of Wednesday afternoon, the Brewers had four openings on their 40-man roster, though it's possible they could free additional space before the deadline.

In all, 43 Brewers prospects are Rule 5 eligible, including one -- right-hander John Ely -- who signed a Minor League contract with the club Wednesday. He made 18 starts for the Dodgers in 2010 but has switched to relief since then and has not pitched in the Majors in the past two seasons.

Here's a look at some of the notables among the other 42:

RHP Jungmann: The 24-year-old (he turns 25 next month) tops the list of prospects who are locks to be added to Milwaukee's roster. Drafted 12th overall in 2011, Jungmann made it to Triple-A Nashville for the first time in 2014 and held his own, going 8-6 with a 3.98 ERA in 18 starts and one relief appearance. He has a 3.79 ERA in three Minor League seasons and is 10th on MLB.com's latest list of the Top 20 Brewers prospects.

RHP Goforth: Ranked No. 17 on MLB.com's Brewers prospect list, the 26-year-old logged 27 saves for Double-A Huntsville last season and could reprise the role next year in Nashville if he doesn't make Milwaukee's roster.

MLBPipeline.com's Bernie Pleskoff discusses David Goforth, a right-handed reliever who could transition into a closing role for the Brewers

SS Rivera: A polished defender who is only 22 years old, Rivera is among a trio of top young Brewers shortstops along with Jean Segura (who is coming off his second full Major League season) and Orlando Arcia (who is second on MLB.com's list of Brewers prospects and tops one just released this week by Baseball Prospectus). Rivera split last season between Class A Advanced Brevard County and Huntsville.

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Brewers face roster moves for Rule 5 eligible players