Article: Twins 5, Rays 4: Progress vs Success

[John Bonnes]

Five days ago, in his first spring training at-bat, Byung-Ho Park, batting sixth, strode to the plate with the based loaded and two outs. He struck out. Today, Byung-Ho Park, batting sixth, strode to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. He hit a grand slam.

 

That’s called Progress.Progress is that which Twins officials have been wishing for their big international free agent since they signed him: not Success but Progress. They have reliably assured fans that adjustments would need to be made before Park successfully transitioned from Korean baseball to MLB, and those adjustments might not happen quickly; maybe not in spring training. Their scouting of his swing was not that it was Ready For The Show; it was that it was conducive for The Show. It has the raw material that an MLB player needs.

 

Neither the strikeout five days ago nor the grand slam proves anything in that regard, of course. But it’s nice to see an upward trajectory. Indeed, that is the one thing upon which the Twins have been counting.

 

Speaking Of Upward Trajectory

The other play that stood out today in the Twins 5-4 road win over the Rays was defensive. In the eighth inning, Rays minor league outfield Johnny Field launched a long drive to the gap in right center field. It looked like it might be a home run, but the Twins right fielder ranged deep into the gap, caught the ball up against the wall, came down, spun around and threw back into the infield to eventually double off the runner at first base.

 

It took me a moment to process this. Once I confirmed that I last had Oswaldo Arcia in right field – it took me another moment to process it. I eventually waited until he and the center fielder (Joe Benson) jogged in together to believe it was truly Arcia. And even that isn’t true. It wasn’t until people applauded Arcia that I convinced myself I hadn’t gotten he and Benson mixed up. (And even then I waited to see if someone else would tweet it first.)

 

What my mind couldn’t grasp was the Arcia would have the range for that catch. Last week, Ryan talked a little about Arcia and what he had seen from him so far in camp. “He spent the entire winter down in our camp,” said Ryan. “He’s in good shape.” He certainly looked it today.

 

Ultimately, Arcia’s shape and his glove aren’t going to determine his future. It’s going to be his bat, and that still hasn’t shown much this spring training – he struck out twice today, once against each handed pitcher. But as Ryan reminded us all “He’s got talent.”

 

Mixing It Up

Kyle Gibson threw two innings, and looked like he was willing to throw all of his variants in his first outing. Toward the end of his stint, when he fell behind 3-0, he went with fastballs to even the count but went back to an offspeed pitch (I think his change-up) to get a ground out. He finished the outing with a strikeout looking on another offspeed pitch.

 

It’s Spring Training For Everyone

Today’s reminder that It’s Spring Training For Everyone goes to, well, everyone involved with the first run the Twins gave up. It started with an error by Eduardo Escobar to get the lead runner on base. The runner advanced on a wild pitch that was mostly catcher John Ryan Murphy’s fault. The runner advanced to third base on a stolen base that was pitcher Glen Perkins fault; he simply didn’t check the runner at all. And finally the run came home on a sacrifice fly.

 

Stuff I Don’t Get

Michael Tonkin pitched the sixth inning today. His first two pitches were 95 mph fastballs - and both were hit hard but ended up being long fly balls. He struck out his final batter on seven pitches. He’ll likely make the team if for no other reason than he has no options left, but it’s hard to see how a reliever with a 95+ mph fastball (his first warm-up pitch was 97) hasn’t already made the team. But of his nine pitches today, six were that fastball and none of them got a swing and a miss.

 

Lightning Lineup Notes

• Byung-Ho Park started at first base today, the first time he has been in the field.
• Carlos Quentin played in right field for the first time this spring. He had been at first base or DH. Arcia also played right field for the first time this spring. It was also the first time he has played but hasn’t started.
• Danny Santana got his first start of the spring in center field.

 

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[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Thanks for the Arcia nugget. He can make plays, though a majority posters here refuse to believe that!

[Hrbowski]

Tonkin throws cookies, and that is why he hasn't made the team.

[Thrylos]

 

Stuff I Don’t Get
Michael Tonkin pitched the sixth inning today. His first two pitches were 95 mph fastballs - and both were hit hard but ended up being long fly balls. He struck out his final batter on seven pitches. He’ll likely make the team if for no other reason than he has no options left, but it’s hard to see how a reliever with a 95+ mph fastball (his first warmup pitch was 97) hasn’t already made the team. But of his nine pitches today, six were that fastball and none of them got a swing and a miss.

 

 

Tonkin is an one pitch pony.  He only has a fastball.  And it is straight.  Which means that major league hitters will time it and drive it.  Minor leaguers have hard time with a 95 mph straight fastball occasionally.   That's why Tonkin's AAA numbers are great and his MLB numbers (in 53+ IP) are not that great.

[Rezzy]

I hear some posters say that Tonkin hasn't had an extended look. I'm starting to think that if that happens this year, it will only result in him getting rocked for an extended period of time.

 

That fastball is awfully straight.

[spinowner]

 

Tonkin is an one pitch pony.  He only has a fastball.  And it is straight.  Which means that major league hitters will time it and drive it.  Minor leaguers have hard time with a 95 mph straight fastball occasionally.   That's why Tonkin's AAA numbers are great and his MLB numbers (in 53+ IP) are not that great.

Amazing but true--major leaguers can hit a straight pitch no matter how fast. I'm waiting for the day when some fireballer throws a straight 97 or 98 to Miguel Sano and he hits it over the third deck at Target Field. It will happen.

[beckmt]

Which is why I have been proclaiming Tonkin as an AAAA pitcher.  Hope he does not make the club as it will be a sign that system has not changed. 

Would be nice to know what Park hit for the home run and what pitches did he strike out on the last time.  I would expect he will have more issues with the better breaking balls in the majors vs Korea, but could be wrong.

[sane16]

 

Stuff I Don’t Get
Michael Tonkin.. likely make the team if for no other reason than he has no options left, but it’s hard to see how a reliever with a 95+ mph fastball (his first warm-up pitch was 97) hasn’t already made the team.

MPH does not compensate for lack of movement or poor location on a fastball.
I am convinced that NO STRAIGHT FASTBALL, REGARDLESS OF VELOCITY, could have struck me out when I played.
However, MOVEMENT and LOCATION on a  fastball changes EVERYTHING.
That is why most good hitters, who feast on fastballs, end up bagging groceries at the Supermarket, instead of becoming millionaires in MLB.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I guess I struggle with the idea that AAAers cannot hit a 95 MPH straight pitch, especially since many of them have ML experience.  Hopefully Tonkin can do something to prove his value, he's been hanging around for a while and it would be nice to see him lock down and excel at a role in the pen.

[Brock Beauchamp]

LaTroy Hawkins once had a straight 95+ mph fastball. He did okay for himself.

 

Velocity matters but a pitcher can't get by on velocity alone. I haven't given up on Tonkin but I don't have much faith in his development, either. Plenty of spring left to evaluate the guy.

[nicksaviking]

Tonkin might not be any good and he may need to be DFA'd, but I must not be on the same page as most people, because of all the bullpen woes last year, Tonkin didn't seem to be one of them.

 

He got demoted twice last year, not after a string of rough outings, but both times after a single rough outing. He had no leash.

[terrydactyls]

Don't the Twins employ pitching coaches who can teach Tonkin how to get movement. Getting movement can't be a magic trick that only a few know.

[USAFChief]

 

LaTroy Hawkins once had a straight 95+ mph fastball. He did okay for himself.

Velocity matters but a pitcher can't get by on velocity alone. I haven't given up on Tonkin but I don't have much faith in his development, either. Plenty of spring left to evaluate the guy.

Yup.  The idea that velocity isn't important is pretty doubtful.  I bet there are lots of pitchers out there with impeccable command and control of 70 MPH fastballs with movement, but they don't get to play professional baseball because velocity matters.  

 

Take any pitch at 89, make it 99, and it's harder to hit.  Straight, not-straight, well located, or down the middle.

[Mike Sixel]

Most importantly, did Park flip his bat? If not, score one for the "sports is serious, not entertainment" types.....

[TheLeviathan]

 

Most importantly, did Park flip his bat? If not, score one for the "sports is serious, not entertainment" types.....

 

I hope it was an epic flip.  Gotta get ready for prime time.

[James]

 

I hope it was an epic flip.  Gotta get ready for prime time.

It was a grand slam.  That is an appropriate time to use the bat flip.

 

I'm really excited to see Park crush a homer to give the Twins a late inning lead and watching the ensuing bat flip.  

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Don't the Twins employ pitching coaches who can teach Tonkin how to get movement. Getting movement can't be a magic trick that only a few know.

It's a bit more complex than that or every pitcher who throws 95mph would be in MLB, striking out hitters left and right.

 

Maybe Tonkin needs to take a mph off his fastball to get more movement on it. Maybe that causes Tonkin to lose the feel for the pitch, making that adjustment useless overall. Maybe he needs to change his grip but a grip change causes wildness that he can't seem to overcome. There could be many reasons his fastball is straight and there isn't a magic "fix it" button that turns him into a quality MLB pitcher just because he throws hard.

 

Velocity can't be taught and that gives Tonkin a leg up over many other pitchers vying for MLB jobs. On the other hand, velocity in itself doesn't guarantee success. There are mechanical, grip, arm slot, etc. factors and maybe the Twins have tried them all but none of them seem to work for Michael.

 

It's all too easy to lay blame with the coaching staff for any problems a pitcher may have but that ignores the fact there is a human being throwing those pitches who may be unable or unwilling to learn what is being taught.

[TheLeviathan]

 

It was a grand slam.  That is an appropriate time to use the bat flip.

 

I'm really excited to see Park crush a homer to give the Twins a late inning lead and watching the ensuing bat flip.  

 

Looks like no flip.  Maybe he's warming up.  I hope he flips on every home run and doesn't care one damn bit about people whining about it.  

[mikelink45]

I really enjoy these reports, however, I have no judgments from a single game or this early in Spring Training.  I hope Tonkin figures out how to get movement and makes the team.  I always route for the young guys to make the transition and I realize how hard it is.  The same for Park, Arcia, and others.  Just keep them playing, there are weeks left to make judgments in. 

[spinowner]

 

LaTroy Hawkins once had a straight 95+ mph fastball. He did okay for himself.
 

But it took quite a few years before he got enough command of other pitches to really succeed.

I remember watching the Twins playing in Shea stadium in 2002. He was facing Mo Vaughn and got two strikes on him and then threw him a Blyleven-quality curve. Vaughn could do nothing but watch. That was the moment when I knew he had finally turned the corner and become a really good pitcher.

[spinowner]

 

Looks like no flip.  Maybe he's warming up.  I hope he flips on every home run and doesn't care one damn bit about people whining about it.  

I don't care much about whether he flips his bat. That's way less important than what he does with his bat when a pitch comes in.

[Willihammer]

Tonkin's average fastball velo is identical to Joaquin  Benoit and Ryan Madson's. He has the arm strength. He does appear to throw a 2-seemer and/or sinker instead of a 4 seemer. And he throws his FB a lot- 74% of the time vs. 45% and 50% for Benoit and Madson.

 

Personally I would ditch the 2 seemer in favor of a 4 seem with more rise. Forget ground balls, try to get popups and whiffs.

 

And throw the slider more.

Edited March 7, 2016 by Willihammer

[d-mac]

 

Looks like no flip.  Maybe he's warming up.  I hope he flips on every home run and doesn't care one damn bit about people whining about it.  

 

He probably won't ever. What I know about Koreans is that they are extremely polite- it's a big deal in their culture. Because bat flipping is controversial here, he's probably going to shelve it. 

[nicksaviking]

 

Don't the Twins employ pitching coaches who can teach Tonkin how to get movement. Getting movement can't be a magic trick that only a few know.

 

I'm not sure of the physics, but some guys just aren't able to spin it right. If it was something you could teach someone, Matt Capps would probably still be in the league and Mike Pelfrey's 94 MPH FB would probably have gotten him a 9 figure deal by now.

[USAFChief]

 

I hope it was an epic flip.  Gotta get ready for prime time.

I hope he disappoints you 40 times this year.

[sane16]

 

  

Take any pitch at 89, make it 99, and it's harder to hit.  Straight, not-straight, well located, or down the middle.

COROLLARY -And take any 89 OR 99 mph fastball, make it move and throw it at the batter's knuckles and its harder to hit.

ie.: Mark Buerhle, Chris Young, Dan Haren, Randy Jones, Jared Weaver, Tim Lincecum, Jason Vargas, Tommy Milone and Jamie Moyer all who average(d) UNDER 89-mph with their fast ball.

[sane16]

 

Don't the Twins employ pitching coaches who can teach Tonkin how to get movement. Getting movement can't be a magic trick that only a few know.

It's no more a magic trick than hitting all your drives straight down the middle of the fairway.

It's not a trick, but golf pros can't teach everyone to do it.

[Halsey Hall]

 

LaTroy Hawkins once had a straight 95+ mph fastball. He did okay for himself.

Velocity matters but a pitcher can't get by on velocity alone. I haven't given up on Tonkin but I don't have much faith in his development, either. Plenty of spring left to evaluate the guy.

I remember asking AJ one spring why he didn't call more fastballs for LaTroy, as they were hitting his other pitches pretty well the year before.  His answer was that anyone can hit a fastball. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

I hope he disappoints you 40 times this year.

 

heh.....good one.

[old nurse]

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