Article: Twins Minor League Report (7/9): Arcia And Vargas Go Deep

[Eric R Pleiss]

Mike Pelfrey did not pitch great for the Twins on Thursday night and was a victim of his own efficiency as a low pitch count had him in the game into the eighth inning, despite a well-rested Twins bullpen after a midweek sweep of the Royals. Pelfrey ran into trouble in the eighth and the Tigers scored a pair of runs and the Twins failed to respond. The Twins are now just 2-8 against Detroit this year.RED WINGS REPORT

Buffalo Bisons @ Rochester Red Wings

Box Score

 

Nearly 4,000 fans at Rochester's Frontier Field watched an exciting back and forth game featuring one of the Twins' best minor league starters of the year (Tyler Duffey), and a strong bullpen performance from three relievers who have all logged innings with the Twins in 2015. Duffey started and went 6.2 innings. He walked one, struck out four, and gave up three runs (two earned). Tyler Duffey was tagged for six hits, including a home run from the Bisons number nine hitter, Jonathan Diaz. Duffey exited with the game tied, and Aaron Thompson picked up his first AAA win of the year pitching just two-thirds of an inning. He walked one and struck out one. Alex Meyer came out next, pitching 0.2 of an inning. He gave up a hit. A.J. Achter closed the game, picking up his fourteenth save of the season. He gave up a hit, a walk, and he struck a batter out in the ninth.

 

The Red Wings spread seven hits among seven different hitters. Jorge Polanco hit leadoff and was 1-3 with a pair of RBIs, driving in the winning run. He's hitting .400 at Rochester but he's already committed six errors. Oswaldo Arcia was 1-3 with a run scored and a pair of RBIs, and a strikeout while hitting his sixth home run in his past nine games.

 

Final: Bisons 3, Red Wings 4

LOOKOUTS LOOK-IN

Mississippi Braves @ Chattanooga Lookouts

Box Score

 

The Lookouts scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead, but did not score again until the ninth, making things interesting, but ultimately they could not come back against the Braves. Alex Wimmers gave up six runs (all earned) on nine hits, a pair of walks, and a home run in 4.2 innings. He struck out just two. Wimmers' ERA is now over 5. Brandon Peterson recorded four outs while giving up one hit. Scott Atchison, D.J. Johnson and J.T. Chargois each pitched an inning to end the game without giving up any runs.

 

The Lookouts had plenty of base runners; they tallied ten hits and six walks as a team, but left ten runners on base, despite going 4-10 with runners in scoring position. Stephen Wickens was 2-4 with two runs scored, a double and a walk. Kennys Vargas hit his first AA home run of the year, picking up two RBIs, and he walked. Mike Gonzales and Heiker Menenses also had a pair of hits each. Adam Brett Walker had two RBIs on a 1-4 night with a walk and a strike out.

Final: Braves 6, Lookouts 5

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers Miracle @ Jupiter Hammerheads

Box Score

 

Ryan Eades has been pitching very well over the past several weeks; he hasn't given up more than three runs since the middle of May. He continued that trend on Thursday night, turning in seven innings of three hit baseball. He struck out four and walked no one. He's now 6-1 with a 2.86 ERA. After Eades' night was done, Dallas Gallant picked up a hold with a scoreless eighth, and Todd Van Steensel recorded his 11th save of the year with a scoreless ninth.

 

Thanks to Eades strong start, the Miracle bats did not have to do a lot of work, which is a good thing because despite scattering eight hits, the Miracle were just 1-10 with runners in scoring position. Five of the Miracle hits came from Ryan Walker (2-4) and Tanner Vavra (3-4 with a triple) near the back of the lineup. Mitch Garver (1-3) and Logan Wade (0-3) each had an RBI. Garver's RBI double was the game winner, scoring Jason Kanzler all the way from first base.

 

Final: Miracle 2, Hammerheads 1

 

KERNELS KORNER

Cedar Rapids Kernels @ Beloit Snappers

Box Score

 

Ethan Mildren pitched well enough to pick up a win, but the Kernels bats didn't come alive until late in the game, giving the win to Randy LeBlanc. Mildren pitched six innings, gave up three earned runs, struck out five, and walked two. He has a 1.46 ERA since his demotion to Cedar Rapids. LeBlanc pitched two scoreless innings, six up, six down, and struck out two. Trevor Hildenberger pitched the ninth, picking up his eleventh save of the year.

 

Down 4-3 in the top of the ninth, the Kernels exploded for three runs to earn the come from behind victory. With two outs in the ninth, the Kernels were still down 4-3, but they had runners on second and third with Nick Gordon at the plate. Gordon singled on a line drive to left, scoring a pair of runs. Gordon then stole second base and scored the winning run on an Edgar Corcino single. Corcino's game winner was part of a big 4-5 night from him. Nick Gordon was 2-5 with those two RBIs and a pair of runs scored.

 

Final: Kernels 6, Snappers 4

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton Twins @ kingsport Mets

Box Score

 

This seasaw game saw the teams combine for sixteen runs, twenty-three hits and six errors over eleven innings. Elizabethton scored three runs in the top of the eleventh to earn the extra-innings victory. Andro Cutura gave the Twins six strong innings, striking out six, walking none, and giving up just two runs (one earned). Tyler Stirewalt was credited with a seventh inning blown save after he gave up four runs on four hits, plus a walk in just 0.2 of an inning. Jose Abreu pitched 2.1 scoreless innings before the Twins went to C.K. Irby in the tenth. Irby pitched a scoreless tenth, but gave up a run in the eleventh and was lifted for Onesimo Hernandez, who faced one batter, struck him out, and earned a save.

 

LaMonte Wade led the way for E-Town. The centerfielder was 3-5 with two runs scored, a home run, two RBIs and two walks. Tyler Kuresa was 2-5 in the DH role before being lifted for a pinch runner late in the game. Rainis Silva also had a pair of hits, 2-5 with a run scored, two RBIs and a walk.

Final: Twins 9, Mets 7

 

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Hitter of the Day - LaMonte Wade, Elizabethton Twins

Pitcher of the Day - Ryan Eades, Fort Myers Miracle

 

FRIDAY'S PROBABLES

 

Rochester @ Syracuse Chiefs (Game 1) - Taylor Rogers (7-5, 3.04) vs. TBD

Rochester @ Syracuse Chiefs (Game 2) - TBD vs. P.J. Walters

 

Mississippi Braves @ Chattanooga - Jason Hursh vs. Brett Lee (0-2, 4.70)

 

Clearwater Threshers vs. Fort Myers - David Whitehead vs. Mat Batts ( 3-2, 2.01)

 

Cedar Rapids @ Kane County Cougars - Zach Tillery (5-3, 2.31) vs. Ethan Elias

 

Elizabethton @ Kingsport Mets - Samuel Clay (0-0, 4.05) vs. Audry German

 

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[JaleelWhite FanClub]

The Miracle's turn around this year has not gotten enough pub. The first few weeks of the season started out so poorly that it seemed improbable we'd ever be talking about a run to a potential playoff spot.

 

The lineup has never produced a ton of runs consistently. But the starting pitching has been outstanding. I'd love to know their stats and their rankings relative to other FSL teams and others throughout the minors. I have to feel they have one of the strongest staffs around.

 

Hu, Slegers, Eades, Stewart, Batts, & Gonsalves is a really strong 6-man rotation.

[Seth Stohs]

I'll pick out a couple of my tweets from last night to mention here. 

 

 

 

Seth Stohs ‏@SethTweets  12h12 hours ago Minnesota, USA
1.1 more shutout innings for Brandon Peterson (@BPeterson_12) tonight for Chattanooga. Now 10.1 scoreless with the Lookouts. 4 H, 2 BB, 12K.

Seth Stohs ‏@SethTweets  12h12 hours ago Minnesota, USA
The last time @BPeterson_12 gave up a run was May 5th. Since then 17 Games, 26.0 IP, 9 H, 5 BB, 33 K

Seth Stohs ‏@SethTweets  9h9 hours ago Minnesota, USA
Two more hits for Nick Gordon (@FlashGThe3rd) tonight. In his last 17 games, he's hitting .338.

Seth Stohs ‏@SethTweets  12h12 hours ago Minnesota, USA
After going 3-4 today in the GCL, Jermaine Palacios is hitting .380. He has had multiple hits in 7 of his last 8 games. 3 hits 4 times.

Seth Stohs ‏@SethTweets  12h12 hours ago Minnesota, USA
Down in the DSL, Huascar Ynoa gave up one run on five hits in five innings. No walks, two strikeouts. He has a 1.98 ERA in 27.1 IP.

 

[nytwinsfan]

Bring up Arcia! Send down Santana! Escobar and Nunez are enough for short stops. Rosario can play 2B in a pinch and Sano can play 3B whenever if needed.

[Dman]

 

 

Bring up Arcia! Send down Santana! Escobar and Nunez are enough for short stops. Rosario can play 2B in a pinch and Sano can play 3B whenever if needed.

 

It would be nice to have a left handed home run hitter in the lineup.  We are overly right handed these days if you ask me.  If nothing else he would be a better pinch hitter than anyone else we have.  I don't like his defense but he really is needed in the lineup.

[HitInAPinch]

Jorge Polanco:  I think it's a given he will hit.  However, 6 errors in 6 AAA games?  I think he's a future 2-bagger.  With Dozier being extended and playing well, does Polanco have sufficient value to garner a quality RP?

[HitInAPinch]

 

 

Bring up Arcia! Send down Santana! Escobar and Nunez are enough for short stops. Rosario can play 2B in a pinch and Sano can play 3B whenever if needed.

I'd really like to see Sano and Arcia back to back in the lineup, but Arcia needs to do a lot better to get the call. 

[jokin]

 

I'd really like to see Sano and Arcia back to back in the lineup, but Arcia needs to do a lot better to get the call. 

 

Huh?   Tongue in cheek response?   Can't tell for sure w/o a sarc tag. 

 

Arcia 's currently on an 11-game hitting streak.  In those 11 games, his slash line is ..354/392/.771/(1.163), with a .417 ISO and 6 HR and 8 XBH.  Hard to see how he can do much better than that.

Edited July 10, 2015 by jokin

[Vance_Christianson]

I think it all comes down to this for the Twins.

 

Do we keep Plouffe, or do we keep Arcia?!

 

We keep Plouffe, then Sano is DH and plays 1-2 games at 3b a week, Plouffe plays 3b and 1b, and Mauer plays 1b and DH 1-2 games a week.

 

We keep Arcia, then Sano is full time 3b, and Hunter and Arcia rotate RF and DH, and Mauer will DH 1-2 games a week, so Sano will have to cover 1b during those days, and Nunez will play 3b then.

 

After looking at those scenario's, I'm more in favor of keeping Plouffe I think, but to me it's a coin flip, because Arcia has the higher ceiling, but his attitude is a problem and really affects his play.

[Mike Sixel]

6 errors! Wowzer. No way he can be called up, what do you tell the pitchers if you do that?

[jokin]

 

6 errors! Wowzer. No way he can be called up, what do you tell the pitchers if you do that?

 

Yep.  He's hitting a ton so far in AAA, but he's obviously got the yips in the field.  I'm sure this temporarily derails the Twins' "master plan" for moving up Polanco.   Maybe he settles down by the end of July.  If not, the Twins need for Esco to get hot or look more seriously outside the organization.

[jokin]

 

 

I think it all comes down to this for the Twins.

 

Do we keep Plouffe, or do we keep Arcia?!

 

We keep Plouffe, then Sano is DH and plays 1-2 games at 3b a week, Plouffe plays 3b and 1b, and Mauer plays 1b and DH 1-2 games a week.

 

We keep Arcia, then Sano is full time 3b, and Hunter and Arcia rotate RF and DH, and Mauer will DH 1-2 games a week, so Sano will have to cover 1b during those days, and Nunez will play 3b then.

 

After looking at those scenario's, I'm more in favor of keeping Plouffe I think, but to me it's a coin flip, because Arcia has the higher ceiling, but his attitude is a problem and really affects his play.

 

There's room for both.  What's wrong with   assigning a Thome role for Arcia?

Edited July 10, 2015 by jokin

[DJL44]

 

Huh?   Tongue in cheek response?   Can't tell for sure w/o a sarc tag. 

 

Arcia 's currently on an 11-game hitting streak.  In those 11 games, his slash line is ..354/392/.771/(1.163), with a .417 ISO and 6 HR and 8 XBH.  Hard to see how he can do much better than that.

 

Maybe they want him to draw more walks?

[Tibs]

Nick Gordon has his avg up to .260 now. If it wasn't for a really bad May his hitting stats would look just fine.

[drjim]

Nick Gordon has his avg up to .260 now. If it wasn't for a really bad May his hitting stats would look just fine.

A high school kid playing his first full season should expect some dips. He seems to be right where he needs to be. Back half of top 100 lists.

[Pitz]

I've got mixed feelings about Arcia. He's been on a power binge of late and certainly that would be great to add to the lineup (or bench). However, his K and BB rates are concerns. In those last 11 games mentioned previously, he's K'd 12 times and has 1 BB. If we expand the arbitrary starting point, in his last 18 games he has 22 K's and still only the 1 BB (and his HR and Double totals don't increase at all).

 

But over the last 23 games, he's slashing .289/.333/.567 which would be a nice boost to the offense. Do they make up for his defensive liabilities? Would his poor plate discipline continue to be much more exposed at the big league level?

[TRex]

 

A high school kid playing his first full season should expect some dips. He seems to be right where he needs to be. Back half of top 100 lists.

I think an under-appreciated part of Gordon's season is that, after a cold April, he has 20 SB in 54 games. In addition, his success rate is 80%, and from reading the Recaps, it looks like most of his stolen bases are actually at important points in the game.

[Mike Sixel]

yes, the SB are looking nice, and yes, he seems to have adjusted well.

 

It sure would be nice to have Trea Turner now, and the next 2 years, but I still think Gordon can be better than him.....

[diehardtwinsfan]

Problem with Arcia is that he has always been a bit of a streaky hitter.  His lack of plate discipline has also been an issue.  At this point, his plate discipline is what it is.  He was projected as a breakout hitter in MLB, and that could very well happen if he figures out what he was doing wrong.  I think bringing him up over Santana makes a ton of sense, but given his lack of defense in the OF, he's probably a downgrade over Escobar/Nunez... think about that for a sec.  Will has bat make up for that?  Quite possibly.  I think he's going to get called up if he can keep this up for another week or so, just to make sure he's not riding a fluke. 

[DJL44]

Nunez has an 800 OPS this season. It will be hard for Arcia to top that.

 

The Twins could go with two different semi-platoons in the outfield if they send back Santana and make Escobar the everyday SS.

 

LF Rosario/Robinson

CF Hicks (who platoons with himself)

RF Hunter/Arcia

 

They all bring different skill sets depending on defense, platoon advantage, contact v power, etc. I don't think the Twins are quite ready to bring up Arcia only to sit him on the bench most of the time. In September they'll be willing to do that. With the current roster you pretty much have to sit a prospect (Santana, Arcia, Rosario) in order to put together the best bench.

[jokin]

 

Nunez has an 800 OPS this season. It will be hard for Arcia to top that.

 

The Twins could go with two different semi-platoons in the outfield if they send back Santana and make Escobar the everyday SS.

 

LF Rosario/Robinson

CF Hicks (who platoons with himself)

RF Hunter/Arcia

 

They all bring different skill sets depending on defense, platoon advantage, contact v power, etc. I don't think the Twins are quite ready to bring up Arcia only to sit him on the bench most of the time. In September they'll be willing to do that. With the current roster you pretty much have to sit a prospect (Santana, Arcia, Rosario) in order to put together the best bench.

Arcia doesn't need to top Nunez in OPS (although given both of their histories, he could easily top Nunez head-to-head over the rest of the season).   Arcia brings an offensively different dynamic to the lineup than Nunez can offer, plus he's a left-handed   power bat that is sorely missing at the moment.

 

Two of your prospects are scuffling badly at the moment, a change of scenery seems imminent for Santana, Rosario could be replaced by Buxton if he continues his recent struggles.   The door is opening ever-wider for Arcia.

Edited July 10, 2015 by jokin

[DJL44]

Buxton is injured and will certainly need a rehab stint. Don't expect him until September.

[troyhobbs]

 

I think it all comes down to this for the Twins.

 

Do we keep Plouffe, or do we keep Arcia?!

 

We keep Plouffe, then Sano is DH and plays 1-2 games at 3b a week, Plouffe plays 3b and 1b, and Mauer plays 1b and DH 1-2 games a week.

 

We keep Arcia, then Sano is full time 3b, and Hunter and Arcia rotate RF and DH, and Mauer will DH 1-2 games a week, so Sano will have to cover 1b during those days, and Nunez will play 3b then.

 

After looking at those scenario's, I'm more in favor of keeping Plouffe I think, but to me it's a coin flip, because Arcia has the higher ceiling, but his attitude is a problem and really affects his play.

If you compare Plouffe's minor league stats to Arcia's it's blatantly clear Arcia has the superior upside, as you stated. Plouffe is a slightly above average 3B who's pretty much reached his peak and has a potential legend waiting in line to replace him.  Arcia is raw and could flame out but if he figures it out he's going to inflict a lot more carnage on the opposition than Plouffe has over the years. I'll take your other scenerio.