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Article: Twins Minor League Report (7/20): Pitching Leads The Way


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The Twins had the day off on Monday as they travel down the West Coast of California from Oakland to Los Angeles to face the Angels of Anaheim on Tuesday. Kyle Gibson will make the start and look to get Minnesota back in the win column after the drubbing yesterday.

 

But in the minors on Monday, it was a full slate of games with each affiliate in action. There were several strong starting pitching performances including a late bid for a combined-no-hitter, a big home run from a familiar name in these reports, and a couple of blowouts in the lower levels.To see if the Twins’ affiliates came out on top in those games, read on!

 

TRANSACTIONS

 

Before we get to the games, a few quick transaction updates:

 

Wilkin Ramirez was sent to the disabled list for the Rochester Red Wings, and they activated Nate Hanson in his place.

 

Pitcher Keaton Steele was also activated from the disabled list for Cedar Rapids, and started Monday's game for the Kernels.

 

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Gwinnett 6, Rochester 3

Box Score

 

Lefthander Taylor Rogers kept the Rochester Red Wings in the game for most of it, but was unable to finish his day on high note.

 

Rochester got out to an early 1-0 lead in the second, when Reynaldo Rodriguez led off the inning with his ninth home run of the season.

 

In the top of the third the lead was handed to the Braves when they got to Rogers for three singles, resulting in two runs.

 

The score remained that way through the sixth, with Rogers finishing that inning with only the two runs allowed on four hits and a walk, along with three strikeouts, but it unraveled for him in the seventh.

 

Consecutive singles, a sac bunt, and intentional walk to load the bases started the inning, then two more singles and a sac fly brought in four runs to make it 6-1 before Cole Johnson came on in relief and escaped the jam.

 

The Red Wings tried to get back in the game in the bottom half of the seventh, as Rodriguez and Bernier drew walks to put runners on with two outs, and Eric Farris delivered his first triple of the season to drive them in and make the score 6-3.

 

Johnson recorded one out in the eighth before his own troubles brought in Mark Hamburger to wiggle out his jam with runners on second and third. Hamburger came back out for the ninth to pitch a scoreless inning, allowing a single and striking out two, but the Red Wings went down one-two-three in the ninth.

 

Rochester was outhit 11-5 on the game, and didn’t get many chances as they were just 1-5 with runners in scoring position and left only five men on base. Rodriguez was the only Red Wings player with multiple hits, going 2-3 with two runs scored and the solo home run.

 

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Mississippi 1, Chattanooga 4

Box Score

 

The Lookouts were rained out yesterday, but continued their slight turnaround from a rough start to the month. After starting July 3-9 in their first twelve games, they are 5-1 over their last six.

 

Starter David Hurlbut did much of the work for Chattanooga, pitching six shut out frames. He scattered five hits and two walks, while striking out two to improve to 6-4 on the season.

 

He left the game with a 3-0 lead thanks to a single run in the fifth and two in the sixth from the home team. Travis Harrison scored the first run of the game in the fifth, when he led off the inning with a walk and scored on a Stuart Turner double. In the sixth, Max Kepler drew a walk and trotted home on Adam Brett Walker’s twenty-fifth home run of the season to make it 3-0.

 

J.T. Chargois relieved Hurlbut for the seventh and pitched a scoreless inning, walking one and striking out one. Mississippi got their only run of the game in the eighth off reliever Alex Muren, when consecutive errors from Muren and Kennys Vargas allowed the leadoff man to circle home-to-home in just those two batters.

 

Niko Goodrum added an insurance run in the eighth with a solo home run, his third of the season with the Lookouts and seventh total.

 

Stuart Turner had two hits on the night including the RBI double. Walker had a typical day with the big home run, but also struck out twice. Kepler (1-3, R, BB) and Vargas (1-3, BB) each reached base twice in the game.

 

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Jupiter 1, Fort Myers 2

Box Score

 

It was a pitcher’s duel at Hammond Stadium on Monday night, with the Miracle’s Aaron Slegers facing off against the rehabbing Henderson Alvarez of the Miami Marlins.

 

Slegers got the best of him with seven strong innings. He walked none and allowed just five hits and one run while striking out five.

 

Fort Myers got to Alvarez in the third inning, and ended his night with two unearned runs after Alex Swim reached base on an error to start the inning. Swim moved to second on a passed ball, and a single from Mitch Garver and a walk to Brett Doe loaded the bases for consecutive sacrifice flies from Ryan Walker and T.J. White. Those two runs would be just enough, as the Hammerhead’s Drew Steckenrider held the Miracle lineup at bay for the rest of the game.

 

Todd Van Steensel picked up his twelfth save with Fort Myers with two innings of relief to finish the game. He allowed one hit and struck out one.

 

White was the only batter with multiple hits for the Miracle, going 2-3 with an RBI, and Swim added a double to the effort.

 

The Miracle improved to 14-11 in the second half of the FSL season, and 52-43 overall.

 

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 5, Quad Cities 14

Box Score

 

Things got ugly early in this one for the Kernels and if it were a Minnesota Baseball Association Town Team game, would have ended a bit early in the eighth inning due to the mercy rule.

 

Starting pitcher Keaton Steele, fresh off the DL, got through the first two innings unscathed, but recorded just one out in the third as the first four men reached base via single or walk, scoring the first two runs of the game in the process. They tacked on three more to Steele’s line before Jared Wilson escaped later with the bases still loaded.

 

The River Bandits continued to fill the scoreboard against Wilson in the fourth (two runs), Michael Theofanopoulos in the fifth (four runs) and Cameron Booser in the sixth (one run), before they finally got a damage free and one-two-three seventh from Randy LeBlanc. He was not immune either though, as they’d get him for two more runs in the eighth, both unearned, as Kernels shortstop Sean Miller committed errors on consecutive ground balls to bring the score to 14-4 and the mercy conditions.

 

Cedar Rapids scored their first run of the game in the sixth inning, as Zack Larson singled in Tanner English who had led off the inning with a walk. In the seventh, a triple from Austin Diemer and a double from Miller brought a little bit of life to the game, but three runs on the Kernels scoreboard weren’t much help. They added a fifth run in the top of the ninth, when English connected for his third home run of the season, making the final score of 14-5.

 

Edgar Corcino (2-4, BB) and Miller (2-4, R, 2B) each had two hits to lead Cedar Rapids, and as team they were 1-9 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.

 

 

E-TOWN E-NOTES

Elizabethton 12, Burlington 1

Box Score

 

The Elizabethton lineup scored early often and late often on Monday, leading to a 12-1 blowout of the Burlington Royals. They were aided by another stellar performance from starter Dereck Rodriguez, who continues to impress early in his transition to a pitcher with Elizabethton.

 

The Twins racked up nineteen hits, and went a combined 8-21 with runners in scoring position. Though normally you might see fourteen men left on base as a bad thing, combined with the twelve runs on the scoreboard you can see how many chances they gave themselves.

 

They jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning, primarily due to the bat of newly signed first baseman Zander Wiel of Vanderbilt. His first professional home run was a two-run shot to make it 3-0 and Elizabethton would need no other insurance, though they took out a pretty large policy the rest of the game.

 

They added two more in the second inning, and single runs in each of the third and fourth. They were held in check for the next two innings, before adding three to board in the seventh, and single runs again in each of the eighth and ninth.

 

Rodriguez retired the first eleven Royals of the game before a single in the fourth with two outs finally got a runner on base for the home team. They got just one more single off Rodriguez in the fifth, and he faced the minimum over his final three innings, including retiring the final seven Royals he faced. He didn’t walk a single batter, and picked up three strikeouts along the way to improve his Appalachian League record to 3-0 in five starts.

 

Alex Robinson came on in relief to finish the final two innings, allowing one run on one hit, a double in the ninth and two walks.

 

Rainis Silva was 4-4 in the game and got on base in all five plate appearances for Elizabethton, scoring three runs in the process as he doubled and homered to drive in three. Kamran Young was 2-5 with a double, run scored and a walk. Leftfielder Chris Paul had three hits including a double, scored three runs and drove in one. Weil was 2-4 with three RBI’s and a walk to go along with his first pro home run. Travis Blankenhorn notched three hits and a walk, scoring one and driving in one. Ariel Montesino also joined the multiple-hit parade, going 2-4 with a walk, double, run scored and RBI. All nine starters for the Twins had at least one hit and Amaurys Minier was the only starter not to score a run.

 

The win brought Elizabethton’s record to 12-13, and they shoot for .500 at home against the Princeton Rays tomorrow.

 

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Orioles 0, Elizabethton 1

Box Score

 

Pitching was again the name of the game here, and Twins pitchers had a combined no-hitter through the first seven innings.

 

Eduardo Del Rosario went the first five to get it started, walking two and striking out five. Max Cordy walked one and struck out two in the sixth, and Stephen Pryor struck out two in a perfect seventh. Next up in the eighth was John Curtiss, who got the first batter on a ground out to bring the team to 7.1 no-hit innings, but a walk to the next batter would be as far as he could bring them. The Orioles Jack Graham was up next, and was the first to get lucky, sneaking a ground ball through the right side for a base hit and putting a runner in scoring position. Obviously disappointed and perhaps angry the hit got through, Curtiss proceeded to strike out the next two hitters and keep the 1-0 Twins lead.

 

The Twins got that run in the second inning, as singles from Jermaine Palacios, Ruar Verkerk and Kerby Camacho brought Palacios around to score with two outs.

 

Johan Quezada was brought in for the save opportunity, and fared much like Curtiss. He got a groundout to start the inning, but then a walk and single put the game-tying runner on second base again. After a pinch-runner and pinch-hitter substitution, Quezada got a ground ball to third to end the game and pick up the save.

 

Rosario improved to 2-0 in the Gulf Coast League in five starts and lowered his ERA to 1.96 with the five no-hit frames.

 

On offense, the Twins got multiple hits from Luis Arraez (2-3, BB), Palacios (2-3, R) and Verkerk (2-3) and eight hits as a team. Because they were all singles however, they were just 1-5 with runners in scoring position and left only five men on base.

 

 

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Pitcher of the Day – Dereck Rodriguez, Elizabethton Twins (W, 7.0 IP, 2 H’s, 0 ER’s, 0 BB’s, 3 K’s)

Hitter of the Day – Rainis Silva, Elizabethton Twins (4-4, 3 R’s, 2B, HR, BB, 2 RBI)

 

 

TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Gwinnet @ Rochester (6:05 PM CST) – RHP Tyler Duffey (4-4, 2.24 ERA)

Montgomery @ Chattanooga (10:15 AM CST) – TBD

Jupiter @ Fort Myers (6:05 PM CST) – RHP Chih-Wei Hu (5-2, 2.20 ERA)

Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CST) –RHP Felix Jorge (4-3, 2.06 ERA)

Princeton @ Elizabethton (6:00 PM CST) – RHP Alex Tapia (1-1, 2.95 ERA)

GCL Twins @ GCL Orioles (11:00 AM CST) – TBD

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Monday’s games.

 

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Twins Daily Contributor

Rochester still has a full outfield I think. Arcia, Ortiz, and Farris are all getting pretty much full playing time, with Farris playing all over. Rodriguez plays about a quarter of his games in RF too. Even with the Ramirez DL stint, you would probably have to release someone to get ABW constant playing time there right now like he has in AA.

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Rochester still has a full outfield I think. Arcia, Ortiz, and Farris are all getting pretty much full playing time, with Farris playing all over. Rodriguez plays about a quarter of his games in RF too. Even with the Ramirez DL stint, you would probably have to release someone to get ABW constant playing time there right now like he has in AA.

 

Will Ortiz or Farris every play for the Twins at this point? It seems a bit unlikely.....

Edited by mike wants wins
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Will Ortiz or Farris every play for the Twins at this point? It seems a bit unlikely.....

 

Don't disagree, but they are certainly organizational guys. You set a very bad example for the rest of your MiLB players by just dumping those types when it's not necessary or warranted, and this suggested move is not necessary or warranted in my view.

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Don't disagree, but they are certainly organizational guys. You set a very bad example for the rest of your MiLB players by just dumping those types when it's not necessary or warranted, and this suggested move is not necessary or warranted in my view.

 

Beyond that, Walker doesn't really move on behalf of these guys - he'll be promoted when the Twins want him to take on a new level.

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Don't disagree, but they are certainly organizational guys. You set a very bad example for the rest of your MiLB players by just dumping those types when it's not necessary or warranted, and this suggested move is not necessary or warranted in my view.

 

I wouldn't dump them both, but I also probably would not keep them both at this point. I don't agree that ABW doesn't deserve a shot at AAA, or Kepler for that matter, but I can see the argument for keeping them down for the rest of this year, but next year? If they continue this pace? They should be in AAA. What do you do for them, the real prospects, at that point? Worry about the org guys, or worry about them and the Twins? Those choices aren't always exclusive, imo, but next year? Those two should be in AAA unless something changes.

 

It is a hard choice, imo, because these are people who deserve to be treated well (like any person).

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These are the decisions that they'll make in the offseason. I think for the most part, they're pretty fair with guys they've brought in.

 

They'll move Walker and Kepler up when they deem them ready. 

 

Ortiz could be back next year as a 4th OF in Rochester (if he wants), but I'd suspect Farris won't be.

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These are the decisions that they'll make in the offseason. I think for the most part, they're pretty fair with guys they've brought in.

 

They'll move Walker and Kepler up when they deem them ready. 

 

Ortiz could be back next year as a 4th OF in Rochester (if he wants), but I'd suspect Farris won't be.

 

Exactly what Seth is saying is what I mean by "necessary or warranted."

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Walker and Kepler gain nothing from staying in AA IMO.   What will they see in AA that they won't see in AAA?  Fair question? _________________________

 

Those 2 ALWAYS prepare for new level failures IN SEASON.  Top prospects get to work on new level failures mid season and adjust to those failures out of season in preparation for their return to same such level.  (Ex: midseason promotion to AAA and now I can prepare in off season for what I recall seeing at the AAA level).  

 

Maybe that is why mid season promotion prospects develop better over the long haul.  The ability to utilize a useful goal oriented off season in which you have some recall.

 

Good thread topic:  Which Recall is Better for Off Season Preparation (Mid Season or Full Season)?  You guys should ask prospects that question during your off season.  How grateful are prospects who gained a mid season promotion?  Does that promotion benefit their off season workouts (mentally)?

 

 

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Walker and Kepler gain nothing from staying in AA IMO.   What will they see in AA that they won't see in AAA?  Fair question? _________________________

 

Those 2 ALWAYS prepare for new level failures IN SEASON.  Top prospects get to work on new level failures mid season and adjust to those failures out of season in preparation for their return to same such level.  (Ex: midseason promotion to AAA and now I can prepare in off season for what I recall seeing at the AAA level).  

 

Maybe that is why mid season promotion prospects develop better over the long haul.  The ability to utilize a useful goal oriented off season in which you have some recall.

 

Good thread topic:  Which Recall is Better for Off Season Preparation (Mid Season or Full Season)?  You guys should ask prospects that question during your off season.  How grateful are prospects who gained a mid season promotion?  Does that promotion benefit their off season workouts (mentally)?

 

The answer to most of this comment, is all prospects are different. There is not a cookie cutter approach.

 

This is also why your third paragraph is nothing but hearsay. You would have a very hard time proving anything in relation.

 

The reason why this might stick out to you, is because a lot of guys who get promoted mid-season, are big-time, well known, well scouted, and consensus top level guys. It's as simple as "elite prospects move faster because they are elite prospects."

 

We all love Walker's power, and Kepler is certainly having a breakout season. But you'd be hard pressed to find them on any Top 50's, or even Top 100 lists right now. Walker especially because his questions are still so pronounced despite the big power numbers. One-trick pony's rarely have staying power.

 

Now, Wilkin Ramirez just got injured for Rochester, so someone might move up now, but I'd move Kepler up before Walker, and there's not even a sliver of a debate about that to me between the two.

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When you put up 26 and 82 - I need to make sure it isn't a one trick pony.  History of other prospects couldn't be my deciding factor.  I eventually need to find out and force failure to make sure.  

 

If you could - Name the last player to lead the minors in HRs and RBI (after mid season) and NOT get promoted sometime during that season?  Any MLB team?  Not HRs or RBI - but both!

 

1) _______   _________

 

To your point - there is not a cookie cutter approach to developing prospects as there is not a cookie cutter way in evaluating them either.   

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Now, Wilkin Ramirez just got injured for Rochester, so someone might move up now, but I'd move Kepler up before Walker, and there's not even a sliver of a debate about that to me between the two.

 

This is Kepler's first year  hitting over .300, but you would promote him because of potential.  Walker has averaged  26 HRs and 100+ RBI over 3 years and you would not promote him because of lack of potential.  Different philosophy, but I recognize that I am not the norm in my thinking.  I agree that I am blinded by results and the lack of failure in those categories of production.      

 

Kepler's 3 HRs an 40 RBI and 47 runs scored mean more with his .400 OBP than a guy with 26 HRs and 82 RBI and 54 runs scored with a .317 OBP.  Career years mean more than consistency (essentially).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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When you put up 26 and 82 - I need to make sure it isn't a one trick pony.  History of other prospects couldn't be my deciding factor.  I eventually need to find out and force failure to make sure.  

 

If you could - Name the last player to lead the minors in HRs and RBI (after mid season) and NOT get promoted sometime during that season?  Any MLB team?  Not HRs or RBI - but both!

 

1) _______   _________

 

To your point - there is not a cookie cutter approach to developing prospects as there is not a cookie cutter way in evaluating them either.

 

Yep, no cookie cutter way of evaluating prospects. One should really take a holistic approach. Makes you wonder whether scouting a stat line for rbi and he is a good idea, doesn't it?

 

Oh wait.

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Twins Daily Contributor

 

When you put up 26 and 82 - I need to make sure it isn't a one trick pony.  History of other prospects couldn't be my deciding factor.  I eventually need to find out and force failure to make sure.  

 

If you could - Name the last player to lead the minors in HRs and RBI (after mid season) and NOT get promoted sometime during that season?  Any MLB team?  Not HRs or RBI - but both!

 

1) _______   _________

 

To your point - there is not a cookie cutter approach to developing prospects as there is not a cookie cutter way in evaluating them either.   

 

Well, let's do some case studies.

 

In 2014, Kris Bryant (my definition of "elite" above) had 22 HR's in AA after 68 games when he was promoted. He also hit .355/.458/.702 with a 25.9% K-rate and 14.5% BB rate.

 

Joey Gallo (also an "elite") had 21 HR's in A+ after 58 games when he was promoted. He also hit .323/.463/.735 with a 26% K-rate and 20.7% BB rate.

 

Matt Olson (not quite an elite, much more like Walker) had 37 HR's in 138 games in A+, and was not promoted. He also hit .262/.404/.543 with a 21.6% K-rate and 18.5% BB-rate.

 

In 2013:

 

Joey Gallo hit 38 HR's in Low-A ball to lead all of MiLB, in 106 games, and was NOT promoted (So there is your answer). He also hit .245/.334/.610 with a 37% K-rate and 10.8% BB-rate.

 

For fun Miguel Sano hit 16 HR's in A+ ball in 56 games when he was promoted. He also hit .330/.424/.655 with a 25.1% K-rate and 11.9% BB-rate.

 

So now that I've answered your question (and it didn't take me long), here is ABWII this year:

 

26 HR's in 91 games, and has not been promoted. He has also hit .262/.317/.563 with a 37.6% K-rate and 7.9% BB-rate.

 

You compare all those slash lines, it should be pretty obvious as to why those guys have, and have not, been promoted during the season. Walker is far and away the worst line of the ones that were not promoted in season.

 

I don't care about RBI, and neither should you. One guys 35 HR's and 90 RBI, might be the same guy's 35 HR's and 120 RBI on another team. RBI depend too much on those around them. And face it, Walker has been on some pretty talented teams with a bunch of guys who get on base for him. There's a reason the Lookouts have 5 regulars in the top 16 of the Southern League for runs scored, including Buxton at #16 who hasn't played there in over a month, and Sano at #1 who hasn't played for them in two weeks.

 

Now I think Walker will be promoted at some point this year, but this is line of thinking you have shouldn't be the reasoning for it.

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