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Article: Twins Minor League Report (4/18): The Power Of Walker

Seth Stohs
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Seth Stohs GOAT

Seth Stohs

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There were a couple of really rough starting pitching performances on this night, but there was one that was very good. One of the prolific power hitters in the Twins farm system went deep a couple of times. On Saturday, there were five Twins minor league games. In a bit of a riddle, all four affiliates lost on Saturday, although they went 1-4 on the day. Read below for the scores and highlights from today’s action.RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 3, Pawtucket 13

Box Score

 

It was a rough game for the Red Wings on Saturday afternoon in Rhode Island. Baseball America ranked Pawtucket team as the most talented minor league team in baseball. On this day, they were certainly very good.

 

Mark Hamburger made the start for the Red Wings. He gave up three runs through the first four innings. He began the fifth with two runners on base before he was replaced by Stephen Pryor. The reliever allowed both of his inherited runners to score on a three-run homer. Pryor began the sixth inning by allowing a walk and another home run. After a walk and a single, Pryor gave up a third home run and the game was well out of reach. Lester Oliveros got the team out of the sixth inning. Ryan O’Rourke came on for the seventh. He issued a leadoff walk but got the next two batters out. Two runs scored on back-to-back doubles. The Red Wings got creative in the eighth inning, bringing in first baseman Brock Peterson to pitch. He got a strikeout and a walk before giving up a single and a walk. However, he got a ground ball back to himself to end the inning.

 

The Red Wings managed just six hits in the game. Eric Fryer had two of them. Jose Martinez had an extra base hit, his second double. Brock Peterson hit his second home run of the season.

 

Infielder Nate Hanson was activated from the disabled list and got two at-bats in his season debut.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Game 1 – Chattanooga 5, Birmingham 11

Box Score

 

Not the way that the Lookouts wanted to start their doubleheader. Minor league Rule 5 pick Greg Peavey made his second start of the season. It didn’t go well. He was charged with 11 runs (10 earned) on 13 hits in just 2.2 innings. He was replaced by Adrian Salcedo who was able to restore order. Salcedo went the next 3.1 innings without allowing any more runs. He gave up two hits, walked one and struck out two. Dallas Gallant pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

 

Adam Brett Walker had a big game. He went 2-4 and hit his third and fourth home runs of the season. Miguel Sano went 2-2 with two walks. Travis Harrison went 2-4 with two doubles. He now has four doubles on the season.

 

 

Game 2 – Chattanooga 1, Birmingham 0

Box Score

 

The Lookouts took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning of Game 2. Jorge Polanco and Dalton Hicks singled, and with two outs Travis Harrison singled in Polanco to give the Lookouts a 1-0 lead.

 

That was all the run support that DJ Baxendale would need. The right-hander gave up just three hits over six shutout innings. He walked three, but he also struck out eight. He left a 1-0 lead to Zack Jones who gave up a leadoff single, but then retired the next three batters, two of them on strikeouts, to record his second save.

 

Baxendale improved to 2-0 and maintained his 0.00 ERA. He now has 12 strikeouts in 12.1 scoreless innings.

 

Dalton Hicks went 2-4, half of the Lookouts hits in the game.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 5, St. Lucie 7

Box Score

 

Ethan Mildren made the start for the Miracle. He was charged with five runs (4 earned) on six hits in 4.1 innings. He left the game having allowed three runs. However, he left the game in the fifth inning with two runners on. Alex Muren came on and served up a three-run homer. He retired the next five batters that he faced. Brian Gilbert gave up a run on two hits and two walks in two innings. He struck out two. Madison Boer struck out three in a scoreless ninth inning.

 

Max Kepler went 2-4 with a walk and a double. Alex Swim went 2-4 with a walk. Marcus Knecht went 1-2 with three walks. For the second straight game, Jason Kanzler homered.

 

The Miracle are now 4-6 on the season.

 

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 3, Burlington 4

Box Score

After six games at home, the Kernels made the first of three commuter trips to Burlington. It was a close game throughout, but the Kernels fell 4-3.

 

Michael Cederoth was charged with four runs on six hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out six. He struggled early, giving up three runs in the first two innings, but he settled down well after that. Randy LeBlanc came on and threw two scoreless innings. He gave up two hits, walked none and struck out one.

 

The Kernels had six hits in the game, two of them were off the bat of T.J. White. Tanner Vavra hit his second double and the Kernels cut the Bees lead to 3-2 in the third inning when he hit a two-run single. Tanner English drove in the other run with a sacrifice fly.

 

The Kernels are now 7-3 this year.

 

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – DJ Baxendale, Chattanooga Lookouts

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Adam Brett Walker, Chattanooga Lookouts

 

 

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester @ Pawtucket (12:05 CST) – LHP Pat Dean

Birmingham @ Chattanooga (1:15 CST) – RHP Alex Wimmers

St. Lucie @ Ft. Myers (3:05 CST) – RHP Ryan Eades

Cedar Rapids @ Burlington (2:00 CST) – RHP Felix Jorge

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Saturday games.

 

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Seth Stohs GOAT

Seth Stohs

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Why are the twins starting Hamburger? His only shot is a bullpen guy.

 

Not based on two starts, cuz that's silly, but I agree with this thought. His track to the big leagues is as a reliever. That said, there's value in extending him because he'd be a long man in the big leagues.

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Seth Stohs GOAT

Seth Stohs

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So, what happened to Keaton Steele? I thought he'd be with the Kernels this year after a decent short season last year in Elizabethton.

 

Maybe in extended spring?

 

He is at Extended Spring Training. I believe he was listed as being on the DL through parts of spring training. So, could be working to get to 100%

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Gagne Fan College Ball

Gagne Fan

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Baxendale seems to be healthy and returning to his 2013 form when he absolutely dominated the FSL.

The Barons line up is potent as proven by what the did against Berios and Peavy.

The Lookouts starters are pretty dominate with Duffey, Berios and Baxendale.

 

After 2 starts, Duffey and Bax have combined to pitch over 26 scoreless innings with 30 k's

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Seth Stohs GOAT

Seth Stohs

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Man I hope Walker can keep that up. That would be a huge boon to the organization if he's figuring out advanced pitching. He's certainly starting off much better than he did at FTM last year.

 

The home runs are certainly encouraging, as is the .303 batting average. That said, the 1 walk to 15 strikeouts in 35 plate appearances continues to create cause for concern. He's just so strong.

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lightfoot789 Draft Eligible

lightfoot789

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The home runs are certainly encouraging, as is the .303 batting average. That said, the 1 walk to 15 strikeouts in 35 plate appearances continues to create cause for concern. He's just so strong.

Buxton, Polanco, Turner, and Walker have only 1 walk. Walkers track record is much worse in that category but his production record (Runs/RBI/HRs) overall is much better. He's the type of prospect that you will probably have to take the good with the bad.

 

The good part is he is doing what he normally does right now, but with his best start of season (.303 BA) ever. To piggyback on above comment, Walker actually leads all AA leagues in Homers thru 8 games. Good start. "I'm Out" :)

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Seth Stohs GOAT

Seth Stohs

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I'm not worried about the One Walk as much as I'm concerned about 15 strikeouts in 35 plate appearances.

 

And, I'm not really worried about that small sample... but to be successful, he'll likely have to be below 30% K rate. It's at 43% right now. Again, small sample, but we all know that's the one number that probably matters most to his development.

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Seth Stohs GOAT

Seth Stohs

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Buxton at 32% Sano at 33% Harrison at 33% I'd like to think they all end up improving as they become familiar with AA pitching.

 

Those would also be non-good numbers and hurt future success... Like those three, we always hope that they will make the adjustments and all four are talented enough to do that.

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