Article: Twins Minor League Report (5/9): Get Out the Brooms...

[Jeremy Nygaard]

...but not for the Twins! The affiliates went 3-for-3 on Monday night.

 

Monday weather in the Midwest wreaked havoc on both the Twins and Kernels games, but there was still plenty of action within the organization off the field, on the field and on the transaction page.

 

The Florida State League named OF Edgar Corcino Player of the Week. Corcino batted 12-for-23 over the last six games, hitting two home runs for the Miracle.

 

The Twins announced that Ryan O’Rourke cleared waivers and will join the Rochester Red Wings. The Kernels also made a bevy of moves, activating P Michael Cederoth and OF Daniel Kihle, swapping catchers Brian Olson (from extended) with Bryant Heyman (to extended), and placing P Logan Lombana on the restricted list. Manager Jake Mauer later confirmed with the media that Lombana was indeed facing a PED suspension.

 

Seth also posted Monday evening that spring training non-roster invitee and current Fort Myers C Alex Swim is retiring. Good luck to Alex in whatever step is next after baseball.

 

Now let’s check out the action on the field.RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 6, Gwinnett 3

Box Score

 

The Red Wings got back to .500 (18-18) with a victory Monday night.

 

Buck Britton drove in Byron Buxton and Max Kepler in the first inning to start the scoring. Gwinnett tied the score in the fourth inning, but a Britton triple followed by a John Ryan Murphy sacrifice fly gave the Red Wings a 3-2 lead in the bottom half of the inning. Gwinnett scored again in the top half of the fifth to even the score at three apiece.

 

Rochester pulled away with a three-run seventh. With one-out, Wilfredo Tovar drew a walk and advanced to third on a Stephen Wickens single. Byron Buxton singled Tovar in. After a ground out advanced both runners into scoring position, Max Kepler drove them in with the third single of the inning.

 

Buxton and Britton both had two hits to lead the offense.

 

Taylor Rogers is transitioning back into the rotation. Extending to 66 pitches, Rogers went five innings allowing five hits and three runs. He struck out two and walked none. With all the moves so far this season, it will be nice for Rochester to have their most consistent starter from last year back in the rotation long-term.

 

Dan Runzler and Buddy Boshers both pitched two scoreless innings to get the win and save, respectively. The revolving door that is the Twins bullpen could see either or both of these guys entering at some point this summer.

 

Rochester announced Monday night that Tommy Milone would be making his Rochester debut on Tuesday against Gwinnett.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 12, Pensacola 3

Box Score

 

Pensacola scored the first run of the game, but you’re not going to lose many games if you put up crooked numbers in four different innings and that is exactly what Chattanooga did on Monday night.

 

After the third inning started with T.J. White reaching base on an error, both Ryan Walker and Shannon Wilkerson singled to load the bases. Zach Granite struck out for the first out of the inning, but Travis Harrison was able to knock White in with a single and keep the bases loaded. D.J. Hicks had a two-run single of his own and the Lookouts had a 3-1 lead. Chattanooga wasn’t done, though. Mitch Garver doubled to score both Harrison and Hicks and the lead was pushed to 5-1.

 

The Lookouts added two more runs in the fourth inning. Walked tripled to score White, who singled and Wilkerson knocked Walker in and expanded the lead to 7-1. Pensacola got two runs back in the sixth to make it 7-3.

 

But Chattanooga answered with three runs in the seventh and two runs in the eighth. Ryan Walker plated Hicks and Garver with run-producing single and Wilkerson drove White in. In the eighth, Mitch Garver hit a two-run home run.

 

The offense came to play, led by Mitch Garver who drove in four and was a triple short of the cycle. Wilkerson had three hits and drove in two. Ryan Walker went 4-for-4 with a triple and three RBI in his AA home debut. Only Granite failed to get a hit.

 

D.J. Baxendale earned his second win of the season. He allowed three runs on five hits and three walks. He struck out five. Mason Melotakis and Luke Westphal each pitched a scoreless frame.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 10, Bradenton 6

Box Score

 

The Miracled scored the first ten runs of the game... and did we witness the final start of Stephen Gonsalves’s Miracle career?

 

Newly-added spark plug Tanner Witt walked and stole second to open the game. Edgar Corcino, mentioned in the lead, doubled him in and later scored on a Trey Vavra double-play ball.

 

Fort Myers came back with another pair in the fourth. Logan Wade singled and stole second before scoring on a Kevin Garcia RBI groundout. Max Murphy, who also singled, scored on a throwing error.

 

With a 4-0 lead, the Miracle put their foot on the gas and scored five more in the fifth. Corcino singles. Chris Paul singles. Vavra singles. Logan Wade hits a two-run double. After finally recording an out, both Max Murphy and Garcia are hit by pitches, driving in Vavra. Chad Christensen drove Wade in with a single and Tanner Witt, the 9th batter of 11 in the inning, drove in Murphy with a walk.

 

Vavra homered in the sixth.

 

Stephen Gonsalves was masterful (again). In 6 1/3 innings, he gave up no runs on two hits. He did walk four, but also struck out eight and lowered his ERA to 1.21. An ERA that’s inflated by a three-run home run he gave up in his first inning of the year. It's definitely time for Gonsalves to move on, but if you look at the course of his career, it seems every promotion has come weeks (or longer) after he's completely deserving of it. Why would this time be any different?

 

The bullpen of Todd Van Steensel (four runs) and Brian Gilbert (two unearned runs) gave back six runs in less than three innings.

 

Vavra and Wade had three-hit nights for an offense that was clicking on all cylinders. Only Witt, who batted leadoff, didn’t get a hit, but he drew two walks.

 

Fort Myers improves to 18-13.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids vs Kane County

Postponed. Doubleheader on Tuesday.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Pitcher of the Day – Stephen Gonsalves, Fort Myers

Hitter of the Day – Mitch Garver, Chattanooga

 

TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Gwinnett @ Rochester (6:05PM CST) – LHP Tommy Milone (2016 AAA Debut)

Pensacola @ Chattanooga (6:15PM CST) - LHP David Hurlbut (2-1, 6.59 ERA)

Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:05PM CST) – RHP Kohl Stewart (2-0, 1.91 ERA)

Kane County @ Cedar Rapids (5:35PM CST, Game 1) – RHP Cody Stashak (2-1, 1.66 ERA)

Kane County @ Cedar Rapids (Game 2) – RHP Randy LeBlanc (3-2, 1.16)

 

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

 

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[jimbo92107]

Is Stephen Gonsalves on a plane to Chattanooga yet?

 

How about now?

 

How about now?

[jokin]

 

Rochester announced Monday night that Tommy Milone would be making his Rochester debut on Tuesday against Gwinnett.

 

Uhhh... so can we officially now list Alex Meyer as Missing In Action?

[jokin]

 

 

Is Stephen Gonsalves on a plane to Chattanooga yet?

 

How about now?

 

How about now?

 

Ha... Yep. I can't conceive of any reason to hold him back any longer. (The BABIP and Strand rates look a little unsustainable, but using those numbers against him to keep him from the jump to AA would look more like one of the typical excuses for not moving him- he's earned his promotion).

 

One interesting peripheral stat that I have not seen previously mentioned- and which has apparently directly aided Gonsalves' dominance of the FSL- his GO/AO ratio is 1.39, which is double his average before this season. And among the best in the FSL. (Stewart's GO/AO ratio is 1.45).

[Ncgo4]

They're waiting for Stewart's start tonight. They can get a discount if they fill 2 seats on the same flight.

[pierre75275]

What happened to JR Graham? Did he get released or did he clear waivers and get assigned to AAA?

[AlwaysinModeration]

Uhhh... so can we officially now list Alex Meyer as Missing In Action?

What are you so worried about? Since April 20th, he pitched an inning on April 29 and 2.2 innings on May 2. I'm sure he'll be fine.

[Pitz]

 

What are you so worried about? Since April 20th, he pitched an inning on April 29 and 2.2 innings on May 2. I'm sure he'll be fine.

 

New "plan" to keep his innings limited?

 

 

[Jeff A]

Maybe it's nobody's business, but is there anything more to the Alex Swim story?  He hit .311 in Cedar Rapids in 2014 and did it again in Fort Myers in 2015.  Granted that it was with few walks and little power, but still, .311 is .311.

[Mike Sixel]

Still waiting for someone to be promoted in this system.....

 

I don't know, I don't care if Rochester needs SP, Rogers is a MLB LOOGY, and he should be up here doing that job. Can someone explain why he's starting, and not in the bullpen?

[Seth Stohs]

 

Uhhh... so can we officially now list Alex Meyer as Missing In Action?

 

Very curious at this point. Today would have been 6-days rest. I'll do some digging. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

Still waiting for someone to be promoted in this system.....

 

I don't know, I don't care if Rochester needs SP, Rogers is a MLB LOOGY, and he should be up here doing that job. Can someone explain why he's starting, and not in the bullpen?

 

It was a "spot start", though 66 pitches and 5 innings is a lot. 

 

We'll have to agree to disagree on what gives him more work against left-handers, starting and working multiple-innings, or pitching to 1-2 lefties every couple of days. 

[jokin]

 

Very curious at this point. Today would have been 6-days rest. I'll do some digging. 

 

Thanks Seth. Although, I've already moved beyond curious in the case of Meyer- this whole thing is becoming downright strange.

[TRex]

 

Still waiting for someone to be promoted in this system.....

 

I don't know, I don't care if Rochester needs SP, Rogers is a MLB LOOGY, and he should be up here doing that job. Can someone explain why he's starting, and not in the bullpen?

He is not a LOOGY unless he can pitch back-to-back nights with the same crispness on his pitches. Not all arms can do that.

 

From what I can see, he never has pitched back-to-back in games, but you have to think the Twins have tried to see how his arm bounces back.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

 

What happened to JR Graham? Did he get released or did he clear waivers and get assigned to AAA?

 

You can be in DFA limbo for ten days. But the waiver period is 48 hours, so you'd have to place them on waivers if nothing happened the first eight days. I think there is a fairly decent chance that Graham gets claimed, so timing is important.

[Mike Sixel]

 

It was a "spot start", though 66 pitches and 5 innings is a lot. 

 

We'll have to agree to disagree on what gives him more work against left-handers, starting and working multiple-innings, or pitching to 1-2 lefties every couple of days. 

 

I think it's fair, but it is hard to know what the plan is right now, and you would, I hope, admit it is hard to give them the benefit of the doubt on having a plan right now.

[Mike Sixel]

 

He is not a LOOGY unless he can pitch back-to-back nights with the same crispness on his pitches. Not all arms can do that.

 

From what I can see, he never has pitched back-to-back in games, but you have to think the Twins have tried to see how his arm bounces back.

 

How will they know if they don't try? He's probably not a MLB starter, is he?

[Vanimal46]

No offense Jeremy, but I hope you're completely wrong about Runzler and/or Boshers coming up to the MLB later on this summer... Maybe you see differently when watching the games. As a fan from a far, I don't really see the point in adding a 31 and 28 year old to the mix when there's younger talent to choose from. 

[Jeremy Nygaard]

 

Still waiting for someone to be promoted in this system.....

 

I don't know, I don't care if Rochester needs SP, Rogers is a MLB LOOGY, and he should be up here doing that job. Can someone explain why he's starting, and not in the bullpen?

 

There's been so much happening with the Twins and in the minors - there have only been 7 days since the minor season started that there haven't been transactions - that it seems like the dust hasn't settled enough to make some moves. 

 

The short list of guys that deserve promotions, in my opinion:

 

Daniel Palka to play a cOF spot in Rochester.

Stephen Gonsalves can replace Bencomo in Chattanooga's rotation.

LaMonte Wade should go to Fort Myers (and maybe Corcino should go to Rochester). Maybe bring Minier up from EST or an organizational-type outfielder.

 

You can always shuffle the bullpens around, so I'm not going to get into that.

 

I like Rogers in the rotation. Sure he probably fits best in the bullpen, but this suits him just fine. Develop your best pitchers by letting them pitch the most.

[Vanimal46]

 

How will they know if they don't try? He's probably not a MLB starter, is he?

I'm with you. There's no path for Rogers to make it as a SP in the MLB. There's always a need for a lefty out of the pen, and will most likely be his best chance to stick on an MLB roster. 

[gunnarthor]

Obviously, we're still in really small samples but is Kepler really unlucky or are pitchers hitting the bat out of his hand?  His walk rate and strike out rates are outstanding but his babip is .200.  So he's either hitting it right at people or he's making incredibly weak contact.

[HitInAPinch]

I'm happy they resigned Ryan O’Rourke.  I like it when a guy get's put into a tough position, delivers and tells the coach he can do more.  I like that!

[Seth Stohs]

 

There's been so much happening with the Twins and in the minors - there have only been 7 days since the minor season started that there haven't been transactions - that it seems like the dust hasn't settled enough to make some moves. 

 

The short list of guys that deserve promotions, in my opinion:

 

Daniel Palka to play a cOF spot in Rochester.

Stephen Gonsalves can replace Bencomo in Chattanooga's rotation.

LaMonte Wade should go to Fort Myers (and maybe Corcino should go to Rochester). Maybe bring Minier up from EST or an organizational-type outfielder.

 

You can always shuffle the bullpens around, so I'm not going to get into that.

 

I like Rogers in the rotation. Sure he probably fits best in the bullpen, but this suits him just fine. Develop your best pitchers by letting them pitch the most.

 

Jeremy and I were chatting briefly last night. We can't remember a season when there have been so many transactions. It's amazing. 

 

To me, Gonsalves should move up. No question about that.

 

Palka and Wade had great Aprils. Palka still struck out a ton, so I have no problem with him spending another month in Chattanooga before considering moving him up. See where he's at at that time. Wade's approach at the plate makes me more inclined to buy his performance. I'd still give him a couple of weeks. Corcino's had one really good week this year, so I'd wait with him. 

 

Minier won't play OF anymore. He's solely a 1B at this point, and Wiel plays there in CR... Minier could still move up and DH though. 

 

Bullpen-wise... Chargois has struggled his last 6 outings (at least in terms of control). I think he's a guy that could move up, though I'm not going to say that would be a great move. 

 

Other than that, I don't know who else would move up right now based on performance. Then again, injuries or other factors always come in to play.

[Seth Stohs]

 

I'm happy they resigned Ryan O’Rourke.  I like it when a guy get's put into a tough position, delivers and tells the coach he can do more.  I like that!

 

Ryan O'Rourke is one of the most classy and the most competitive people I've ever met. I'm very happy he's stayed in the organization, though I would have been happy for him if he would have been claimed too.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Obviously, we're still in really small samples but is Kepler really unlucky or are pitchers hitting the bat out of his hand?  His walk rate and strike out rates are outstanding but his babip is .200.  So he's either hitting it right at people or he's making incredibly weak contact.

 

A little of both. Sitting on the bench in MLB didn't help him at all. He just needs at bats/plate appearances to get back into a routine. The other thing to remember is that he is going from AA to AAA, which is another bump. I'm not at all worried about him, but he'll adjust.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Maybe it's nobody's business, but is there anything more to the Alex Swim story?  He hit .311 in Cedar Rapids in 2014 and did it again in Fort Myers in 2015.  Granted that it was with few walks and little power, but still, .311 is .311.

 

I can't say that I've heard a lot. There were a couple of things, but I won't get into any of that at this point. He was struggling offensively and defensively so far this season. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Very curious at this point. Today would have been 6-days rest. I'll do some digging. 

Any word on Meyer yet?

 

The Red Wings home page has starters listed for the rest of the week, and they're Milone, Albers, someone called David Martinez, Jason Wheeler, and Logan Darnell.  Sunday is TBD.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Nothing about Meyer in the Red Wings game notes for today either, but it did reveal that Chargois has been promoted to AAA:

 

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20160510&content_id=177309386&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_t534&sid=t534

[TRex]

 

I'm with you. There's no path for Rogers to make it as a SP in the MLB. There's always a need for a lefty out of the pen, and will most likely be his best chance to stick on an MLB roster. 

I am 'assuming' the Twins did try, and that he wasn't able to get his arm loose the day after pitching. I don't think you would send him out (especially at MLB) if that is the case.

 

Again, not all pitchers can go back to back. As an example, Mike Pelfrey said he didn't want to go to the bullpen because he couldn't get his arm loose. While you can still put Pelfrey as a long reliever and not use him every day, that isn't the case for LOOGYs.

 

Now if you think he would do just fine as a long reliever, that is another question.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Any word on Meyer yet?

 

The Red Wings home page has starters listed for the rest of the week, and they're Milone, Albers, someone called David Martinez, Jason Wheeler, and Logan Darnell.  Sunday is TBD.

 

This is weird... I was told, "he should pitch sometime this week." 

 

I dont get it. David Martinez was terrific in his first 2-3 starts for the Red Wings. Struggled some in his most recent start. I'm hoping to find out more specifics.