Article: Twins Minor League Report (5/22): Good Pitching and Extras

[Jeremy Nygaard]

The game at Target Field on a beautiful day was heavily attended and many fans in the stands witnessed their favorite team win. Unfortunately, the stadium was full of Blue Jays fans.

 

Though there were no official transactions on Sunday, there is an anticipation of Eduardo Escobar being activated (and likely Jorge Polanco being sent down). But could it be something else?

 

On the farm, there was plenty of activity.

 

Let’s get right into it.RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 3, Durham 2

Box Score

 

Rochester got an excellent start from Tommy Milone (8 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 8 K) and timely hitting in the ninth inning to steal a win from Durham on Sunday.

 

The Red Wings took the lead in the fourth. After Max Kepler and Kennys Vargas singled to start the inning, Eddie Rosario grounded into a double play. Though Rosario wasn’t credited with an RBI, Kepler scored on the play. (And you could argue that Rosario could have tried harder to beat the relay throw to first, though he probably still would have been out.)

 

Milone struggled a bit in the fifth inning, Durham started the inning with a double down the right field line. The ball was definitely catchable - and most outfielders would have caught it - but Kepler had left the game with stomach issues and he was replaced by Tommy Field, who had been playing shortstop. Three singles later, the Red Wings were down 2-1.

 

It took until the ninth inning for Rochester to mount a comeback. Wilfredo Tovar opened the inning with a single and moved to second on a Vargas walk. Vargas, the potential go-ahead run, was replaced by Stephen Wickens. Eddie Rosario failed to drive a run in, but was productive enough to move both runners over. Buck Britton drove in the tying run with another ground out. Durham elected to intentionally walk Adam Walker to face Tommy Field. Field promptly singled up the middle to score Wickens.

 

J.T. Chargois was asked to close the game out. He got the first two batters to look at strike three and coaxed a roller to Tovar to end the game. Chargois has now pitched five times for Rochester spanning 6 2/3 innings. He’s struck out 15, holding his opponents to a .091 batting average. He has a WHIP of 0.60. Chargois is ready to help the Twins bullpen.

 

At 25-19, the Red Wings are a half-game out of first in the IL North Division lead and a half game ahead of Lehigh Valley in the wild card race. Not bad for a team that’s swapping players on a semi-regular basis with the Twins.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 3, Jackson 4 (11 innings)

Box Score

 

The Lookouts got off to a hot start, but the run-producing at-bats turned cold and Chattanooga couldn’t hold a three-run lead, falling in extras.

 

Eight batters stepped to the plate in the top of the first. Zach Granite reached an error and moved to third on a Leo Reginatto single. D.J. Hicks drove them both in with a double. After a Travis Harrison strike out, both Daniel Palka and Joe Maloney singled, driving in Hicks. After Ryan Walker flew out, with Jairo Rodriguez batting, Palka was picked off and caught stealing third, ending the threat.

 

Jackson got one run back off of Slegers in the bottom of the inning and he pitched well until he ran into trouble in the sixth, a frame in which he walked two batters, who both scored to tie the game. Slegers allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks. He struck out eight. Jake Reed struck out five in three scoreless innings. Mike Strong took the loss, allowing a double and then a run-scoring single that produced the winning run in the 11th inning.

 

D.J Hicks added another double, his ninth on the year, in the sixth. Palka, Maloney and Walker all had two-hit games.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 2, Tampa 4 (11 innings)

Box Score

 

Kyle Gibson made his first rehab start on Sunday and threw 56 pitches (41 strikes). Gibson appeared close to his normal self, throwing in the low-90s with a low-to-mid-80s slider and a change-up. He pitched 4 1/3 innings. He allowed three hits and a walk. He struck out two and picked a runner off of first base.

Eduardo Escobar continued to rehab and went 0-for-3 with a walk before being subbed out when the game went to extra innings.

 

Edgar Corcino provided three of the team’s eight hits including a home run in the eighth to tie the game. It was Corcino’s third on the season. He scored the Miracle’s only other run in the second inning after a leadoff single and going to station-to-station, eventually scored on a throwing error when Chad Christensen stole second base. Corcino stole his fifth base of the year.

 

Nick Gordon pinch hit in the 10th inning and got a hit. Gordon will return to manning shortstop full-time when Escobar goes back to Minnesota (soon). Chris Paul stole two bases.

 

Brian Gilbert relieved Gibson and pitched 1 2/3 innings, striking out one. Tampa got on the board with a two-run home run in the eighth inning of Todd Van Steensel, who pitched two innings. Raul Fernandez pitched three innings, but took the loss, allowing two runs in the 11th inning.

 

Fort Myers batted 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, including leaving the bases loaded in the 10th inning.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 8, Quad Cities 1

Box Score

 

The Kernels' day started out a lot like the Twins' day, only with hits that were less loud. After a double, single and stolen base, the Kernels and Miles Nordgren were facing two runners in scoring position with nobody out.

 

But then Nordgren settled down and settled in. He coaxed three straight ground outs (one of which drove in a run). He worked around two singles in the second and three singles in the fifth, but didn’t allow any more runners to cross the plate. All told, Nordgren pitched seven innings, allowing eight hits and a walk. He struck out four. The seven innings were both a season-high (by three innings) and a career high (by four outs). Nordgren did, however, use fewer pitches (85) than he did in his five-inning appearance last Sunday (88).

 

The Kernels scored in five different innings and got multi-hit games from seven different players. Alex Perez doubled and tripled, driving in two runs. Nelson Molina drove in a run on three hits. Zander Wiel hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning. Wiel also added a double as did A.J. Murray, Luis Arraez and J.J. Fernandez. LaMonte Wade went 0-for-4, but drew a walk and has now reached base safely in 23 consecutive games.

 

Michael Theofanopoulos finished the game with two perfect innings. He has 10 straight scoreless appearances and a scoreless streak of 18 2/3 innings.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Pitcher of the Day – Miles Nordgren, Cedar Rapids (Yeah, Tommy Milone had a better game, but we know what Tommy Milone is. He dominates AAA and shouldn’t be there. But he hasn’t demonstrated that he’s good enough to be in a big-league rotation either. Anyway, I want to recognize a guy who hasn’t been recognized before.)

Hitter of the Day – Edgar Corcino, Fort Myers

 

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Chattanooga @ Jackson (7:05PM CST) – RHP Ryan Eades (2-2, 4.93 ERA)

Tampa @ Fort Myers (9:35PM CST) – Kohl Stewart (3-1, 1.77 ERA)

Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (12:05 CST) – Cody Stashak (2-3, 2.41 ERA)

 

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

 

Click here to view the article

[Darius]

Is there any rhyme or reason related to where they send major leaguers on rehabs? Is there some kind of an agreement in place with certain teams, or guidelines they have to follow?

 

Just curious as to why they would send the MLB SS on rehab to take playing time from the best SS prospect in the system. I guess you could say the same for Gibson, taking starts in the most talented rotation in the system. Why not send them to Chat. or CR and keep your better prospects on the field? What am I missing here.

[Mr. Brooks]

Is there any rhyme or reason related to where they send major leaguers on rehabs? Is there some kind of an agreement in place with certain teams, or guidelines they have to follow?

 

Just curious as to why they would send the MLB SS on rehab to take playing time from the best SS prospect in the system. I guess you could say the same for Gibson, taking starts in the most talented rotation in the system. Why not send them to Chat. or CR and keep your better prospects on the field? What am I missing here.

I think they usually send them to Ft Myers because, a) the warm weather, and keeps them close to the team facilities.

[Mr. Brooks]

What do the Twins still need to see from Chargois?

[jokin]

 

What do the Twins still need to see from Chargois?

 

"Consistency"?

[jokin]

 

 

Is there any rhyme or reason related to where they send major leaguers on rehabs? Is there some kind of an agreement in place with certain teams, or guidelines they have to follow?

Just curious as to why they would send the MLB SS on rehab to take playing time from the best SS prospect in the system. I guess you could say the same for Gibson, taking starts in the most talented rotation in the system. Why not send them to Chat. or CR and keep your better prospects on the field? What am I missing here.

 

I think they usually send them to Ft Myers because, a) the warm weather, and keeps them close to the team facilities.

 

It also doesn't hurt to have the kids see how a veteran conducts himself. Escobar and Gibson are perfectly cast as young, up-and-coming role models to emulate.

Edited May 23, 2016 by jokin

[Dman]

 

"Consistency"?

 

I am sure you are right but have the Twins ever had a pitcher with a K9 rate that Chargois has? I don't know how much more Chargois can do to get his shot and I don't know how much more desperate the Twins can get for help in the pen.  Considering all the other crazy moves they have made why not Chargois? 

 

I guess after the draft we will start to see changes as short season ball starts and they make room for more players.

[Taildragger8791]

I have to imagine Chargois will be up soon enough. I can't get worked up about it considering he hasn't moved slowly, spending less than a season at each level he's been assigned. He was drafted, had TJ surgery after 12 games of rookie ball, then came back and flew from High-A to AAA in barely over a season's time. That's one of the fastest rises I can remember for a Twins pitcher. If he isn't up in a month or so and is still dominant then I'd start to ask questions, especially since the Twins bullpen isn't deep enough to block a talent like him.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

What do the Twins still need to see from Chargois?

 

Probably a larger sample. Granted he's been good, but were are still in SSS territory.  He'll be up soon enough. 

[Mr. Brooks]

Probably a larger sample. Granted he's been good, but were are still in SSS territory. He'll be up soon enough.

If we are still going to use the SSS argument in late May, then why didn't Ryan go after any relief pitchers in the off season?

 

His argument was that he thought one or more of the hard throwing youngsters would be ready very quickly.

Getting any of them up here fast enough to justify not adding bullpen arms (#1 off season priority), was going to require trusting a SSS.

[roger]

Speaking of hard throwing relievers who should be here shortly, anybody have any updates on Nick Burdi?

[zenser]

 

What do the Twins still need to see from Chargois?

He needs to cut down his K/9 rate and learn to pitch to contact.

[Halsey Hall]

 

What do the Twins still need to see from Chargois?

More Twins late leads.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Speaking of hard throwing relievers who should be here shortly, anybody have any updates on Nick Burdi?

 

Still shut down with the bone bruise on his elbow. 

[Seth Stohs]

It was good to see Jake Reed's line last night... Certainly his best performance of the year.

[puckstopper1]

It appears that Buxton continues to progress in Rochester, which is awesome!  The same can not be said about Murphy, however, unfortunately.

[d-mac]

 

"Consistency"?

 

Pitch to Contact

[d-mac]

 

He needs to cut down his K/9 rate and learn to pitch to contact.

 

Ah, I see you beat me to it.

[d-mac]

You can add Theofanopoulos and AJ Murray to the list of college players that need to be moved up to high-A. 

[Mike Sixel]

I'm just kind of resigned to the fact that they'll slow them thru the low minors, and then maybe speed them thru the upper minors. Totally backward, imo, but that seems to be the MO.

[bluechipper]

Byron Buxton gets 2 hits, including a double, and he doesn't even get mentioned at all? I think there should be a new rule that doesn't allow this to happen again.