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Article: Twins Minor League Report (AFL Week 1): Rosario Comes Out Swinging/Running

Seth Stohs

By Seth Stohs
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Seth Stohs

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The Arizona Fall League season started last week on Tuesday, and Minnesota Twins minor leaguers Byron Buxton, Eddie Rosario, Max Kepler, Taylor Rogers, Jason Adam, Zack Jones and Jake Reed all helped the Salt River Rafters compile a 4-1 record to open play.

 

So let’s check out what each of those players did in the season’s first week!Byron Buxton – 4 games, 5-17, 4 R’s, 2 RBI, 2 BB’s, 4 K’s, 1 SB, 2 Errors.

 

Buxton batted leadoff and played centerfield in all four games on the week, getting a day off after the first two games.

 

In the season opener, Buxton was 0-4 but scored a run after drawing a walk and stealing second base. He also committed a fielding error in the first inning, misplaying a single up the middle. Buxton also committed a fielding error in game two as he works off some rust after missing almost the entire 2014 season.

 

He collected multiple hits in games two and four during the week, going 2-5 and 2-4 with a BB and two RBIs. He finished the week by collecting a single in Saturday’s game to put his batting average at .294 after the first week.

 

Above all else for now, it is good to see Buxton on the field!

 

 

Eddie Rosario – 4 games, 8-18, 2 R’s, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K’s, 3 SB, 1 Error.

 

Rosario had a rough 2014 season, like Buxton, but for different reasons. After missing the season’s first 50 games due to a drug suspension, he never really got going at AA with the New Britain Rock Cats.

 

But whatever ailed him there hasn’t shown in his first four games in the AFL, as he notched two hits in each of his four games to compile a batting average of .444. He primarily was in the two-hole behind Buxton on the scorecards.

 

In addition to the impressive start with the bat, Rosario has also swiped three bases to pace the league in that category.

 

 

Max Kepler – 2 games, 2-9, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K’s, 1 SB, 2 outfield assists

 

Kepler appeared in two games, playing RF in both contests.

 

He collected a single in each game, and has also thrown out two runners on the bases with outfield assists, which is good to see. I also expect he’ll get some work at 1B with the Rafters, but for now they’re using his, and the rest of the Twins position player’s athleticism, to roam their outfield.

 

 

Taylor Rogers – 1 game started, 2.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 H’s, 2 BB’s, 3 K’s, 4.09 ERA.

 

Rogers is the only Twins pitcher to be used in a starting role thus far, and though it wasn’t a bad performance by any means, he didn’t last very long as he racked up the general pitch limit of fifty for starters in the AFL relatively quickly, with only 29 strikes.

 

In his first inning he struck out two batters, but also walked two before surrendering an RBI single. Kepler limited the damage for him as he notched one of his assists on a throw to third base on that same play.

 

Rogers pitched a 1-2-3 second inning, before two singles in the third put an end to his day. Rogers took a line drive off of his shoulder. He recovered and recorded the inning's second out but left the game. The next day, Rogers told Twins Daily that he is "Doing good, just going to take some time".

 

 

Jason Adam – 2 games, 3 IP, 4 ER’s, 6 H’s, 1 BB, 1 K, 12.00 ERA.

 

Adam was roughed up in his first appearance, coming into the season opener for the fifth inning.

 

Top prospect Brandom Nimmo led off that inning with a ground-rule double. A walk and a second ground-rule double scored Nimmo before Adam recorded his first out. A wild-pitch plated the second run, and an RBI single the third before he induced an inning-ending double play.

 

In his second appearance Adam pitched two frames, allowing one run on three hits. The run scored in the sixth on (another) ground-rule double and except for a fielding error by Rafter shorstop Trevor Story, pitched a clean seventh inning.

 

 

Zack Jones – 1 game, 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K’s. 0.00 ERA.

 

Jones had just one appearance during the week, but made the most of his two innings, pitching the seventh and eighth on Thursday. He surrendered only a walk and a single, while also picking up three K’s, including the last hitter he faced. 22 of his 34 pitches went for strikes, which is a good sign after he missed much of the season.

 

 

Jake Reed – 2 games, 3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H’s, 1 BB, 5 K’s. 0.00 ERA, 1 Win, 1 Save.

 

Reed was a very strong performer for the bullpens of Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids after he was drafted in the Twins in the fifth round this year. He compiled a 0.29 ERA in 31 IP, racking up 39 K’s and a WHIP of just 0.45. With a strong AFL performance, he could find himself on a very fast track to the Twins bullpen in 2015.

 

In his first game on Wednesday, he pitched the fifth and six innings to pick up the win. In the fifth he struck out the side, Brandon Nimmo, L.J. Mazzilli, and Greg Bird. He also went 1-2-3 in the sixth while adding a fourth strikeout.

 

In his second appearance on Saturday, Rafters manager Andy Haines brought him in for the ninth inning, and though he made it interesting, surrendering a walk and two singles to load the bases, he picked up the save while adding another strikeout.

 

Notes

 

-The Rafters lead the AFL East Division with a 4-1 record after the first week of the season.

-None of the fifteen hits from Twins position players during the week went for extra bases.

-Twins hitters combined to bat .341 with 7 R’s, 5 RBI, and 5 SB.

-Twins pitchers compiled a 4.41 ERA in 10.2 IP, with 12 H’s, 5 BB’s and 12 K’s.

 

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Steve Lein Ft Myers Mighty Mussels

Steve Lein

Twins Daily Contributor
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I would love to see Burdi be given a real chance to break camp with the Twins in 2015.  But really the only way I see that happening is if Mientkiewicz is the new manager...

 

But I would expect, if they continue as they have thus far, that he and Reed will be with the Twins in 2015.  Jones could too, but he also missed a lot of time this year.

 

I'm just glad Rosario and Buxton are healthy and playing. The stats are likely misleading, as the SP is usually below par in the AFL.

 

That makes all of us I think on Buxton and Rosario.  As for SP, there is a lot of talent in the AFL.  The Rafters roster has Mark Appel and Archie Bradley for instance.  But the SP don't ever really pitch deep into games as they're on pitch counts and everybody needs to play.

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drjim Cedar Rapids Kernels

drjim

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I would love to see Burdi be given a real chance to break camp with the Twins in 2015.  But really the only way I see that happening is if Mientkiewicz is the new manager...

 

But I would expect, if they continue as they have thus far, that he and Reed will be with the Twins in 2015.  Jones could too, but he also missed a lot of time this year.

 

 

That makes all of us I think on Buxton and Rosario.  As for SP, there is a lot of talent in the AFL.  The Rafters roster has Mark Appel and Archie Bradley for instance.  But the SP don't ever really pitch deep into games as they're on pitch counts and everybody needs to play.

 

You think only Mientkiewicz would be interested in a reliever who throws 100 with a nasty slider?

 

If he pitches well in spring the issue will be Terry Ryan, not the manager, as to whether he breaks camp.

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Steve Lein Ft Myers Mighty Mussels

Steve Lein

Twins Daily Contributor
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You think only Mientkiewicz would be interested in a reliever who throws 100 with a nasty slider?

 

If he pitches well in spring the issue will be Terry Ryan, not the manager, as to whether he breaks camp.

 

No, no, no.  Not that he would be the only one interested, but that he might be the only one who could force it, considering he's had him on his team already as a coach.

 

And I hope it's more the managers decision on his opening day roster, than Terry Ryan moving forward to be honest.  He obviously has to make the right "business" moves, but quite frankly that should mean having the most talented players on your roster, and not placeholders like they've been doing for the last few years.

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tobi0040 Ft Myers Mighty Mussels

tobi0040

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I'm just glad Rosario and Buxton are healthy and playing. The stats are likely misleading, as the SP is usually below par in the AFL.

 

I think that used to be the case more in the past.  It seems like teams are using the fall league now for rehab of good pitchers as well.  Alex Meyer last year for the Twins for example.  Yesterdays game had Archie Bradley on the River Rafters team and Tajuan Walker for the other team. 

 

Buxton went 2-4 with a 2B.  Eddie 1-4 with a 2B.

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diehardtwinsfan Minnesota Twins

diehardtwinsfan

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I'm hoping Cederoth develops into a starter.  His stuff is just plain filthy and the Twins would be foolish not to try like they are doing now.

I won't argue that. There are a few other relievers putting up pretty gaudy numbers in the minors that I didn't mention as well. Bottom line is that in the next few seasons, the pen is going to be downright nasty. Hopefully, May, Meyer, Berrios and Gibson can establish themselves as top half pitching.

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HitInAPinch Ft Myers Mighty Mussels

HitInAPinch

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I like that there are several options. Could be Perkins still, and it could be Zack Jones.

 

However, if I were to put money on it, I'd say Burdi.

I would say a better option for the Twins would be to trade Perkins.  He has value as an experienced closer and as a team with 4 90+ loss seasons, how much value does he really have for the Twins?

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