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It has been quite a roller coaster season to this point for former Texas Longhorns star Brandon Belt. He’s gone from making the opening day roster of the San Francisco Giants, to being demoted to Triple-A Fresno after hitting just .192, only to be called up again days later, only to break his wrist after being hit by a Trever Miller pitch on May 31st. Now belt is back to being healthy, back in Fresno, and coming off a Pacific Coast League Player of the Week honor. Belt talks about the ups and downs of his season, his desire to get back to San Francisco, and the adjustments he is making as a hitter to make sure his next opportunity in the major leagues lasts longer and is more successful than his first.

Grizzlies’ Belt swinging to get back to Giants — FresnoBee.com

UPDATE: Brandon Belt was recalled by the San Francisco Giants this afternoon.

In 1948 a bus carrying members of the St Louis Cardinals affiliate the Duluth Dukes collided head on with an ice truck in St. Paul, Minnesota killing the team’s manager, the bus driver, and four players. Bernie Gerl, at age 84 is the last living member of the 1948 Dukes team. He talks about the crash and the legacy left by the the 1948 Duluth Dukes. Fascinating story.

Q&A with survivor of Duluth Dukes bus crash — Duluth News Tribune

List compiled by our prospect ranker J.P. Schwartz. Follow JP on twitter @Jaypers413

Trevor May Philadelphia Phillies – High-A

Asher Wojciechowski Toronto Blue Jays – Triple-A

Matt Bashore Minnesota Twins – Rookie

Kyle Drabek Toronto Blue Jays – Triple-A

Rudy Owens Pittsburgh Pirates – Triple-A

Chad Jenkins Toronto Blue Jays – Double-A

Joe Wieland Texas Rangers – Double-A

Simon Castro San Diego Padres – Triple-A

Drake Britton Salem Red Sox – High-A

Chien Ming Wang Washington Nationals – Triple-A

Maikel Cleto St Louis Cardinals – Triple-A

No games in the Southern, California, Midwest, or South Atlantic Leagues today.

Note: List is gathered at MILB.com, is tentative, and all of the day’s starting pitchers may not have been revealed at post time.

In one of the more bazaar chain of events I’ve ever seen in the minors, Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers pitcher Luis Mendoza threw a No Hitter last night against the Memphis Redbirds at Memphis. Following the celebration it was announced that the Redbirds official scorer John Guinozzo had overturned his original call of a ninth inning error on left fielder David Lough and had awarded Redbirds shortstop Tyler Greene with a hit. So Mendoza’s No Hitter was no more. Fast forward an hour later and the Storm Chasers send out a tweet stating “The Drama Continues: It’s Back To A No Hitter For Mr. Luis Mendoza”. Following the tweet by the Storm Chasers, Mendoza stopped and signed Redbirds fan Bob Sanders’ completed scorecard with the “No Hitter 7-18-11″ inscription on his way out of the clubhouse. Moments later MILB.com the official site of Minor League Baseball came out with a revised, and since slightly edited story that said the Mendoza one hitter was once again a no hitter for now but matter is still undecided and will be headed to the Pacific Coast League office on Tuesday. Now the latest version of the MILB.com story says the matter could, but not will, head to the league office on Tuesday, and outlines the league rule that allows the league office to recommend a change, or change themselves, an official scorer’s ruling if called upon by said scorer to review a certain play. So at least for the moment, as of 4:00 a.m. central time, Mendoza did indeed throw a No Hitter last night. If the No Hitter stands it would be the second of Mendoza’s career. He no-hit the Salt Lake Bees back in 2009.

Mendoza Hurls Controversial No Hitter – MILB.com

UPDATE: Here is the local Memphis newspaper article with comments from Omaha acting manager Tommy Gregg about the controversy.
Omaha’s Luis Mendoza blanks Redbirds for first no-hitter at AutoZone Park – Commercial Appeal

UPDATE to the Update: If you read the first comment in the Commercial Appeal story it is a person claiming to be Guinozzo explaining his thought process behind the original scoring of an error, his overturning to a hit, and his reversal back to the original call of the error.

UPDATE #3: MILB.com has posted video of the David Lough error. It kinda looks like a hit.
VIDEO: David Lough’s 9th Inning Error

UPDATE #4: The Memphis Redbirds filed an appeal with the Pacific Coast League in an effort to get the error, turned hit, turned error, to be changed to a hit once again. No timetable for a ruling by the league.
Memphis Redbirds appeal ruling on Monday’s no-hitter — CommercialAppeal.com

UPDATE #5 The Pacific Coast League office have overturned the error and awarded Tyler Greene a hit, taking the No Hitter away from Luis Mendoza. Read about it at Ballpark Digest who provides complete coverage of the PCL’s ruling.

AAA
Pedro Alvarez Pittsburgh Pirates – Home Run #2

Ryan Lavarnway Boston Red Sox – Home Run #10

Jesus Montero New York Yankees – Home Run #8

Cord Phelps Cleveland Indians – Home Run #8

Mat Gamel Milwaukee Brewers – Home Run #19

Trayvon Robinson Los Angeles Dodgers – Home Run #24

Jerry Sands Los Angeles Dodgers – Home Run #14

Jai Miller Oakland Athletics – Home Run #24

Carlos Peguero Seattle Mariners – Home Run #5

AA
Will Middlebrooks Boston Red Sox – Home Run #11

Tim Wheeler Colorado Rockies – Home Run #27

Jose Altuve Houston Astros – Home Run #5

Kody Hinze Houston Astros – Home Run #4

Hector Gomez Colorado Rockies – Home Run #9 & #10

Matthew Adams St Louis Cardinals – Home Run #21

Christian Colon Kansas City Royals – Home Run #5

High-A
David Nick Arizona Diamondbacks – Home Run #9

Ian Gac Chicago White Sox – Home Run #24

Michael Burgess Chicago Cubs – Home Run #12

Justin Bour Chicago Cubs – Home Run #19

Robbie Grossman Pittsburgh Pirates – Home Run #7

Low-A
Corey Dickerson Colorado Rockies – Home Run #20

Brandon Jacobs Boston Red Sox – Home Run #13

This is something straight out of the movie Major League. Qumar Zaman, who was the Lake County Fielders radio man, quits on air during a broadcast, and then cuts a WWE like promo against the team ownership. This one will go down as a YouTube classic for years to come. Listen to the broadcast below, and then read this Q&A with Zaman done in the aftermath of his departure by the folks at HallOfVeryGood.com

List compiled by our prospect ranker J.P. Schwartz. Follow JP on twitter @Jaypers413

Taijuan Walker – Seattle Mariners – Low-A

Keyvius Sampson San Diego Padres – Low-A

Jarred Cosart Philadelphia Phillies – High-A

Darin Gorski New York Mets – High-A

Austin Ross Milwaukee Brewers – High-A

Pat Dean Minnesota Twins – High-A

Drew Hutchison Toronto Blue Jays – High-A

Brandon Workman Boston Red Sox – Low-A

Matt Harvey New York Mets – Double-A

Julio Teheran Atlanta Braves – Triple-A

Robbie Ross Texas Rangers – High-A

Eric Surkamp San Francisco Giants – Double-A

Liam Hendriks Minnesota Twins – Double-A

Casey Crosby Detroit Tigers – Double-A

Dellin Betances New York Yankees – Double-A

Jarrod Parker Arizona Diamondbacks – Double-A

Nate Eovaldi Los Angeles Dodgers – Double-A

David Perez Cleveland Indians – Short-A

Mauricio Robles Seattle Mariners – Triple-A

David Holmberg Arizona Diamondbacks – High-A

Edwar Caberera Colorado Rockies – High-A

Cody Scarpetta Milwaukee Brewers – Double-A

Nick Barnese Tampa Bay Rays – Double-A

Note: List is gathered at MILB.com, is tentative, and all of the day’s starting pitchers may not have been revealed at post time.

This is about as random as it gets, but too funny not too post. Looks like former big leaguer and current Arizona Diamondbacks Triple-A manager Brett Butler had one of his old home movies hit YouTube last night. In it his son cranks a line drive that hits Butler in the groin. Any father can relate.

Aside from making his big league debut, he went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts in 6 games in May, the 2011 season has not yet gone as planned for the Boston Red Sox top infield prospect Jose Iglesias who is currently on the disabled list at Triple-A Pawtucket after suffering a concussion on July 3rd. After hitting .285 with 10 Doubles, and 3 Triples at Portland in 2010, the 21 year old began 2011 at Triple-A Pawtucket with lofty expectations. Unfortunately for Iglesias and the Red Sox Nation, he has yet to live up to them, batting just .227 with only four extra base hits prior to being hurt. Iglesias is nearly ready to come off the disabled list, and he and Pawtucket hitting coach Chili Davis talk about their plan to get Iglesias’ offense back on track.

Jose Iglesias Looking To Rebound In Second Half — WEEI.com

He may have his path to the big leagues being blocked by Ryan Howard, but that hasn’t stopped Phillies prospect Matt Rizzotti from crushing balls at Double-A Reading this year. The 25 year old 22 Doubles, a career high 18 Home Runs, and is hitting a highly respectable .295 in this his second stint at Double-A. Rizzotti talks about his solid season, what he’s looking to improve upon as he moves up the minor league ladder, and his approach to hitting the baseball.

Matt Rizzotti, Archbishop Molloy and Manhattan College product, attracts major attention in Reading — New York Daily News