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Article: Trending: The Power's On

Jeremy Nygaard
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Jeremy Nygaard St Paul Saints

Jeremy Nygaard

Twins Daily Staff
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Tuesday night is Jose Berrios night and what might be the longest wait of our life is finally over. While you watch his debut - and keep your fingers crossed that the rain stays away - take a look at three players in the organization who had good showings over the last seven days.Miguel Sano, right field/third base (?)

 

Sano got off to a dreadful start to the season, predictably struggling in his new assignment as a right fielder but also having a disappointing month of April with the bat.

 

With the Twins losing their first eight and Sano sporting a .125/.300/.125 triple-slash line that included a home run drought that would last three more games, many started to question whether or not the move to the outfield had affected Sano mentally; the early returns were a mess.

 

But then things started to turn around. Over the last seven games, Sano is 9-for-27 (.333) with seven walks, two home runs and six RBI. The young slugger has increased his batting line to .243/.371/.392. While he’s off his 2015 pace, Sano is having great at-bats - but still striking out a lot - and is definitely trending toward a return to the nasty run producing threat (52 RBI) that he was during his run in 2015. With the early returns on Joe Mauer as promising as they’ve been, there will be plenty of opportunities for Sano to double the run production he provided last season.

 

Oh, and did I mention that he's been very solid in his handful of games at third base?

 

Casey Fien, relief pitcher

 

Fien has been the target of many Twins fans over the last few season, questioned regularly why he’s even tendered a contract each offseason. He didn’t do much to dispel those complaints as he got roughed up in the season opener against the Orioles and then again by the Royals five days later. Only three outings into the season, Fien had allowed almost as many hits (7) as he had recorded outs (8). Toss in two walks and you have a WHIP in excess of 3.00. And that’s really bad.

 

Fien then started coming into games and asked only to get an out or two and the results started to improve. Over the past seven days (four games), Fien has mostly returned to getting three outs and the results have been positive.

 

Against the Brewers, with a large lead, Fien recorded a 1-2-3 inning to finish the inning. Two days late, against the heart of the Nationals order, Fien struck out Bryce Harper and Stephen Drew (around a single). The following day Fien was summoned to replace Tyler Duffey and gave up a leadoff hit. But he then retired the next three batters he faced. And then on Tuesday night - the most impressive feat - Fien was called in to replace Ricky Nolasco who had just surrendered a double. Fien struck out both Carlos Santana and Jason Kipnis with a barrage of mid-90 mph, four-seam fastballs.

 

If Fien can continue to throw strikes at a high rate (39-of-50, 78% in his last four outings) the results will trend in a much more positive direction that early in the season (56-of-96, 58%) when he was struggling to get the ball over the plate and into the catcher’s mitt.

 

Daniel Palka, right field

 

In the last seven days, Palka has 13 hits in 27 at-bats. For comparison sake, Engelb Vielma has the same number of hits on the season in 42 at-bats… and is hitting .310.

 

Palka slashed .280/.352/.532 last year and led his league (high-A) with 29 home runs before the Twins acquired him for backup catcher Chris Herrmann. It seemed a steal at the time and he’s done nothing since then to disappoint.

 

After going 1-for-5 last Wednesday, Palka saw his OPS hit a season-low .655. Then the hits started. Palka did mix an 0-for-4 into his last seven games, but has hit the aforementioned 13-for-27 with four doubles, two home runs, five walks and four strikeouts. He’s increased his line to .338/.405/.563 and put himself in the pole position to win Southern League Player of the Week. But when you reach base safely 14 consecutive times over the course of nearly three complete games, people recognize you.

 

Using his cameo in the big league camp to help people take notice, Palka is definitely trending in the right direction. He’ll have to obliterate AA to force a move into the already-crowded Rochester outfield, but it could certainly happen. Players like Palka, though, tend to run very hot and very cold, so don’t be too surprised if Palka backs up this torrid stretch with a run of strikeouts.

 

Who have you been impressed by over the last week?

 

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Eephus College Ball

Eephus

Verified Member
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Posted

 

In the bizarre underbelly of the obscure world of backup catchers, we have this data:

Murphy cost a former first round pick 

Hicks was deemed to be worth a retired, washed-up outfielder

Hermann netted Palka.

In haiku form:

Murphy cost first pick
Hicks a wash'd-up outfielder
Hermann nets Palka.

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