Article: Twins Minor League Report (7/18): Berrios Makes Big-League Case

[Jeremy Nygaard]

A couple of the Twins top pitching prospects were on the hill Saturday and there were some big offensive outputs as well.

 

The Twins were playing a late game in Oakland. But all in all it was a pretty quiet day in the Twins world otherwise.

 

Let's check the farm.RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 2, Lehigh Valley 4

Box Score

 

Jose Berrios made his third start in AAA this season on Saturday, hoping for results better than his previous two starts, both of which saw Berrios fail to make it out of the sixth inning. Well, it happened. Berrios allowed a solo opposite-field home run to Jordan Danks and a triple to Chase d’Arnaud, who scored on a sacrifice fly. In addition to that, Berrios only allowed one other hit, a hit batter and a sixth-inning walk. He made it through seven innings (on 101 pitches) and struck out nine.

 

Berrios appeared to change his approach to help him make it deeper. In his second start, he threw a number of curveballs early in the game. On Saturday, Berrios worked off his fastball early, using his slider and change-up to keep hitters off balance. He started to show the curveball in the sixth inning, when he was facing the lineup for the third time.

 

Alex Meyer took the loss, allowing a two-run home run. He struck out two in the eighth inning. Caleb Thielbar struck out two while facing the minimum in the ninth.

 

Offensively, Danny Ortiz provided both runs with one swing of the bad, a two-run blast to tie the game in the fourth inning. But the team as a whole batted 0-11 with runners in scoring position, so there was plenty of opportunities to add more runs.

 

Eric Farris had two hits. James Beresford had a double. Since homering off Aaron Nola, Oswaldo Arcia entered the game with six consecutive strikeouts. He broke that streak with a weak groundball to the second baseman. He singled later to center for his first hit since Thursday.

 

Jorge Polanco committed his 7th AAA error - a throwing error.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 5, Biloxi 3

Box Score

 

The Lookouts didn’t provide much offense - only six hits - and made multiple outs on the basepaths, but did enough to secure the victory.

 

Kennys Vargas led the way with two solo home runs - one from each side of the plate - in the sixth and ninth innings. Max Kepler doubled in Niko Goodrum in the first inning. Adam Brett Walker drove in Kepler and Vargas scored on a Stuart Turner sac fly in the fourth.

 

Goodrum committed two errors at third base.

 

Jason Wheeler started the game and lasted 6.2 innings. He allowed two runs on seven hits. He walked one and tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts. (He’s done it once in each of his four professional seasons.)

 

Jake Reed struck out one in recording four outs.

 

D.J. Johnson came in to get the save and walked the first batter. After striking out the next batter - who got ejected for arguing the call - Johnson gave up a single and then hit a batter to load the bases with one out.

 

With the winning runner at the plate, the ball was batted toward the gap between Heiker Meneses and Goodrum. Meneses made a good play to force out the runner at third. A runner scores. Two outs.

 

Johnson coaxed a pop out to short right field to end the game and secure the victory.

 

The Lookouts improve to 7-14 in the second half.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 6, Brevard County 7

Box Score

 

The Miracle scored four first inning runs and led until late, when Brevard County scored four late-inning runs to complete the comeback and hand Fort Myers a heartbreaking loss.

 

By the time Kohl Stewart stepped on the mound, he already had a four-run lead, thanks to a walk, a couple singles and an error. Brett Doe drove in a run, Ryan Walker singled in two runs and Jason Kanzler rounded out the scoring with a sac fly.

 

Kohl Stewart only gave up five hits in six innings, but walked four. Three runners crossed the plates, though only two were earned. He struck out four.

 

Zach Granite drove in Chad Christensen in both the second and fourth inning to round out the Miracle scoring.

 

The lead was handed to Corey Williams would sent Brevard County down 1-2-3 in the seventh but gave up two runs in the eighth on two hits. He gave way to Dallas Gallant who struggled with control and had two wild pitches and a walk. He left with two outs after giving up a single to the tying run.

 

Zack Jones gave up a hit and a walk to load the bases. He hit the next batter to tie the game. And then promptly hit the next batter to give Brevard County a walk-off win.

 

Granite, Doe and Walker all had two hit games. Walker added a triple.

 

The Miracle head back home with a 51-42 overall record. They are 12-10 in the second half.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 3, Quad Cities 2

Box Score

 

The Kernels scored first and last and that was enough to get the win on Saturday night.

 

Nick Gordon’s third inning triple scored Brian Navarreto and extended his hitting streak to 17 games. Tanner English knocked in the tying and go-ahead runs in the ninth to seal the win.

 

Sam Gibbons struck out four in five scoreless innings. He allowed five hits and walked one. Hard-throwing Yorman Landa walked three and allowed two hits which pushed two runs across. He struck out four.

 

Alphabet Soup closed out the game and got credit with the win and save. Michael Theofanopoulos got three fly balls in a perfect eighth inning and Trevor Hildenberger finished it off.

 

Navarreto had two hits and scored twice. Edgar Corcino also singled twice.

 

E-TOWN E-NOTES

Elizabethton 15, Burlington 10

Box Score

 

Some late inning fireworks helped the E-Twins climb back to one game under .500.

 

Elizabethton jumped to a big lead with six second-inning runs. Amaurys Minier (single) and A.J. Murray (walk) advanced on a wild pitch and were joined on base by Travis Blankenhorn on an infield hit. Alex Perez cleared the bases with a double. After a Manuel Guzman walk, Kamran Young cleared the bases again with a three-run home run.

 

They added a run in the third-, fourth-, and sixth-inning, but still found themselves down 10-9 when they came to bat in the ninth.

 

Austin Diemer drove in two runs with a double and after another run scored on an error, LaMonte Wade added some insurance in the form of a three-run home run.

 

All told, ten different batters scored, led by Young’s three runs. Rainis Silva had three hits including a double and Perez was a home run short of the cycle. Travis Blankenhorn had an RBI double.

 

The pitching lines weren’t as pretty. Sam Clay lasted 3.1 innings, allowing four runs on two hits and a walk. He struck out one. Nate Gerken (1.2 IP) and Onesimo Hernandez (0.2 IP) both gave up multiple runs. C.K. Irby earned the win with 2.1 innings of shutout ball. Kuo Hua Lo closed the game with a scoreless inning.

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 2, GCL Red Sox 7

Box Score

 

The Red Sox jumped out to quick lead on starter Jose Martinez, scoring three runs in the first and adding another in the fifth off of Martinez, who finished five innings. He allowed four hits and three walks while striking out two, taking the loss.

 

The Twins scored their runs in the third and fourth innings. The rehabbing D.J. Hicks doubled in Luis Martinez, who was hit by a pitch, in the third. The hot-hitting Jermaine Palacios doubled in the fourth and later scored on an RBI groundout by Robert Molina.

 

After a 1-for-19 start, Palacios is 30-for-55 (.545) over his last 14 games. He’s still skinny (listed at 145 lbs), but is OPSing 1.044 on the season. Not a lot of pop (nine extra base hits), but an OBP of .476 certainly helps. Only 18 and playing shortstop, Palacios, who committed his fourth error today, is one to watch over the next couple of years. With no primary shortstops on the E-town roster - they’ve been rotating guys - it will be interesting to see if he gets a shot in the Appy League this season.

 

Miguel Gonzalez, who signed for $650,000 in July of 2011, pitched two scoreless innings, striking out two. His third shot at the GCL has gone really well so far, Gonzalez has made seven appearances and pitched 16.1 innings, allowing only six hits and a two walks. No runs. He’s struck out 20.

 

Things have not gone as smoothly for Rich Condeelis, a 36th-rounder in the 2015 draft from Pitt. For the third time in five games, Condeelis has allowed multiple runs. This time the damage was three runs on four hits and a walk.

 

Also of note on Saturday, both Trey Cabbage and Lewin Diaz went 0-4 with two strikeouts. Their batting averages drop to .257 and .213, respectively.

 

The loss drops the club to 13-9.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Jose Berrios, Rochester

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Kamran Young, Elizabethton

 

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester vs Lehigh Valley (12:35 CST) – LHP Taylor Rogers

Chattanooga at Biloxi (5:10 CST) – LHP David Hurlbut

Ft. Myers vs Jupiter (3:05 CST) – LHP Stephen Gonsavles

Cedar Rapids at Quad Cities (5:15 CST) – LHP Luke Westphal

Elizabethton at Burlington (5:00 CST) - RHP Cody Stashak

 

Feel free to leave any questions or comments below!

 

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[sane]

I apologize for repeating myself, but what does Trevor Hildenberger have to do to get promoted from the Cedar Rapids Kernels?

 

0.80 ERA; 14SV/15SVO; 45IP,24H,59K,5BB (almost 12:1 K/BB ratio);

.153BAA; 0.64 WHIP (are you kidding?)

[Jeremy Nygaard]

It's not on him, but it didn't help his case that both Jones and Burdi got sent down to FM. I would guess Burdi should go back soon and then he'll get his shot.

[Mike Sixel]

Alex Meyer is a mess. This is disappointing.

[HitInAPinch]

 

Alex Meyer is a mess. This is disappointing.

I'm thinking that at this point they should just send him home.  Let him clear his head.  Then send him to the winter leagues.

[Guest]

Yeah, wouldn't do Hildenberger any good to go to Ft Myers and sit while they give Burdi and Jones all the late innings.

 

BTW, from a purely local level, this Kernels series at the Quad Cities is big. CR was 3-7 against the Bandits coming in and had lost every series. Coming back last night and proving they can win in QC is important mentally since, after this series, the next time they face the Bandits will be the opening round of the playoffs and 2 of the 3 games will be in Davenport. 

[sane]

It's not on him, but it didn't help his case that both Jones and Burdi got sent down to FM. I would guess Burdi should go back soon and then he'll get his shot.

IMO Hildenberger's performance numbers warrants consideration for a possible double-jump to Chattanooga where he can replace Jones and Burdi

[DocBauer]

Man, how about some more love for Berrios? In his interview at the Futures Games, he explains exactly why he didn't pitch as well his fir couple times out...what he has to do, and is going to do to be better...then just goes out and does it!

[bird]

 

Alex Meyer is a mess. This is disappointing.

 

 

It's the coaching. But when Achter comes in, they bring in the GOOD coaches.

[Seth Stohs]

 

IMO Hildenberger's performance numbers warrants consideration for a possible double-jump to Chattanooga where he can replace Jones and Burdi

 

The last two guys that jumped straight from Cedar Rapids to Chattanooga were... Jake Reed and Dallas Gallant. I think just to Ft. Myers would be just fine.

 

 

[sane]

The last two guys that jumped straight from Cedar Rapids to Chattanooga were... Jake Reed and Dallas Gallant. I think just to Ft. Myers would be just fine.

I agree, but if the "no room at Fort Myers" argument is stopping THAT promotion, I would prefer a double-jump to NO promotion at all which is a definite motivation-kiler!

[jokin]

 

Alex Meyer is a mess. This is disappointing.

 

The Twins evidently want him to throw (more hittable) strikes.  He threw 11 strikes in 15 pitches last night.  

 

Game before that, July 16- 8 strikes in 10 pitches.

July 11- 27 strikes in 43 pitches. 2 BB

July 9- 5 strikes in 8 pitches.

July 7- 17 strikes in 30 pitches. 

July 4- 15 strikes in 24 pitches. 1 BB

June 24- 7 strikes in 9 pitches. ***(promoted to the Twins)

June 21- 13 strikes in 18 pitches.

June 18- 39 strikes in 63 pitches.

 

Over the last month in AAA:

 

Strike % 64.5% WHIP 1.57 (K/9) 9.20 (BB/9) 3.75 BA .307 BABIP .383

 

2015, before last month:

 

Strike % 58.4% WHIP 1.76 (K/9) 10.08 (BB/9) 5.43 BA .293 BABIP .400 

 

2014:

 

Strike% 62.0% WHIP 1.38 (K/9) 10.57 (BB/9) 4.42 BA .235 BABIP .321 

 

 

The take-away here?

Pitch to Contact is in full operational mode. Throwing more strikes? Check.  Mission Accomplished? Not exactly- presumably his K/9 would drop even lower going back into the rotation.  

 

Now let's see if this "Baby Steps accomplishment" can be the first move towards getting him back on track towards becoming a Twins-style major league starter.... Still looks like a long, long way to go, after a long, long fall from 2014 AAA greatness.

Edited July 19, 2015 by jokin

[howieramone2]

 

The Twins evidently want him to throw (more hittable) strikes.  He threw 11 strikes in 15 pitches last night.  

 

Game before that, July 16- 8 strikes in 10 pitches.

July 11- 27 strikes in 43 pitches. 2 BB

July 9- 5 strikes in 8 pitches.

July 7- 17 strikes in 30 pitches. 

July 4- 15 strikes in 24 pitches. 1 BB

June 24- 7 strikes in 9 pitches. ***(promoted to the Twins)

June 21- 13 strikes in 18 pitches.

June 18- 39 strikes in 63 pitches.

 

Over the last month in AAA:

 

Strike % 64.5% WHIP 1.57 (K/9) 9.20 (BB/9) 3.75 BA .307 BABIP .383

 

2015, before last month:

 

Strike % 58.6% WHIP 1.76 (K/9) 10.08 (BB/9) 5.43 BA .293 BABIP .400 

 

2014:

 

Strike% 62.0% WHIP 1.38 (K/9) 10.57 (BB/9) 4.42 BA .235 BABIP .321 

 

 

The take-away here?

Pitch to Contact is in full operational mode. Throwing more strikes? Check.  Mission Accomplished? Not exactly- presumably his K/9 would drop even lower going back into the rotation.  

 

Now let's see if this "Baby Steps accomplishment" can be the first move towards getting him back on track towards becoming a Twins-style major league starter.... Still looks like a long, long way to go, after a long, long fall from 2014 AAA greatness.

I think it has more to do with stop crapping the bed, than Pitch to Contact being in operational mode. 2014 AAA greatness was fool's gold.

[jokin]

 

 2014 AAA greatness was fool's gold.

 

Not when I saw him pitch in early August.  He was brilliant against Louisville, and he was somehow "fluky" like that for most of the 2014 season.

[jokin]

 

. 2014 AAA greatness was fool's gold.

 

2014:   GB% 45.3%   LD% 15.9% K% 27.1%

 

All three stats are in line with his MiLB career averages.

 

Meyer's numbers through June 12, most of his time as a Starter.

 

2015:   GB% 39.4% LD% 26.8% K% 23.8%

 

Since we haven't heard anything about arm problems or velocity drop, it sure appears to be a case of struggling for location down in the zone and then being forced to throw lollipops... couple this with his higher BB% (13% through June 12), and you evidently have a result of some combination of bad/lost/altered mechanics.

 

 

 

Edited July 19, 2015 by jokin

[LimestoneBaggy]

 

2014:   GB% 45.3%   LD% 15.9% K% 27.1%

 

All three stats are in line with his MiLB career averages.

 

Meyer's numbers through June 12, most of his time as a Starter.

 

2015:   GB% 39.4% LD% 26.8% K% 23.8%

 

Since we haven't heard anything about arm problems or velocity drop, it sure appears to be a case of struggling for location down in the zone and then being forced to throw lollipops... couple this with his higher BB% (13% through June 12), and you evidently have a result of some combination of bad/lost/altered mechanics.

Jokin, If you haven't already, this would be a great separate thread to unpack what you're delving into here. I'd lurk the stuffing out of that one...