Article: Report From The Fort: WBC Warmup

[Nick Nelson]

The Minnesota Twins faced off against Team USA on Wednesday night in a tuneup for the World Baseball Classic. While this was a low-stakes exhibition even by lax spring training standards, Paul Molitor did roll out a midsummer-caliber batting order and Trevor May took the bump as he competes for the fifth starter job.

 

Read on for notes and quotes from a 3-2 victory over what May dubbed “one of the best lineups that anyone’s ever faced."* The starting pitcher’s description of his opposing lineup was intentionally hyperbolic, but not too much of a stretch. The American WBC roster features plenty of offensive firepower, and had all its starters on display tonight. When the bottom third of your order consists of Daniel Murphy, Andrew McCutchen and Brandon Crawford, you know you’re stacked.

 

May got off to a rocky start, giving up singles to Ian Kinsler and Adam Jones followed by a two-run double from Nolan Arenado that put him in an early hole. But he settled in impressively, allowing only a ground ball single and a couple of walks the rest of the way while completing 3 2/3 frames, second-most for a Twins starter this spring.

 

His two strikeouts – one of Giancarlo Stanton with a high heater, the other of Arenado with a nasty curve – were definitely highlights. It’s probably a leap to say he locked up his rotation spot with this performance, but… maybe not.

 

* Tonight was May’s first time working with catcher Jason Castro, in a game or even a bullpen session. In fact, it was their first real opportunity to interact.

 

“I introduced myself to him today,” the right-hander said with a chuckle. “I walked up and said hi, I’m Trevor.”

 

The righty had strong reviews for the new acquisition as a receiver, complimenting the way he sets up and anticipates pitch movement. There is also the more basic advantage of having a sturdy 6-foot-3 specimen crouching behind the plate.

 

“Huge target. He looks like Joe (Mauer) back there."

 

* May isn’t alone in his lack of experience working with Castro. Previously, the free agent addition had started behind the plate for Kyle Gibson three times, and Ervin Santana twice, but not for any other projected starters.

 

"It hasn’t been as distributed as I thought it would be at this point," Molitor acknowledged. "There’s still plenty of time left. We’re going to try to spread that out a little bit if we can."

 

* Twins lefty Stephen Gonsalves was scheduled to head over to Team USA's side this evening as an extra bullpen arm, but he was scratched due to shoulder weakness, which he initially reported after his outing against the Phillies last Friday.

 

Molitor said Gonsalves was feeling tenderness on the posterior side of his shoulder, which is notably the same area where a strain caused him to miss time in the Arizona Fall League a few months ago.

 

"They tested his strength and it was down just a hair," the manager explained, "so we’re just kind of being cautious there."

 

Molitor didn’t express much concern, and Gonsalves was in good spirits when I spoke to him earlier today in the clubhouse. Still, it’s something to keep an eye on. Here’s what John wrote about the southpaw’s AFL health scare when profiling him as Twins Daily’s No. 2 prospect:

 

After pitching a career high 140 innings during the regular minor league season, the 22-year-old was send to the Arizona Fall League to get more innings. He suffered a shoulder strain, threw just 8.1 innings, and his velocity was down in the high 80s per Mike Berardino.

 

* Danny Santana got a chance to play some shortstop, taking over after starter Jorge Polanco came out of the game. He quickly reminded everyone of the good he can do there, ranging into the hole and making a beautiful off-balance one-hop strike to beat Paul Goldschmidt at first. It was, honestly, perhaps a better play than a Twins shortstop made in the entirety of 2016.

 

Unfortunately, he wasted little time in reminding us of the bad. In the next inning, he pulled first baseman Matt Hague off the bag with a wide throw while turning a routine double play.

 

Then, in the ninth, he charged in a slow roller and hastily delivered a terrible toss that skipped past first and moved two runners into scoring position with no outs. Reliever Craig Breslow worked around the damage, getting two outs and then inducing a fly ball to foul territory behind third base that should have ended the game. Santana failed to reach it. That one bugged the manager.

 

“Little disappointed we didn’t catch that ball down the line.”

 

Santana’s athleticism and raw abilities continue to be obvious, but he can ill afford the mistakes that continue to come in bunches when he’s on the field.

 

Click here to view the article

[mlhouse]

Was at the game.  Calling it a Twins vs. USA team was pretty much fraud, as most of the major league players were out of the game by the 4th inning or so, and the game then devolved into essentially a scrimamge between Twins minor league players.

[HitInAPinch]

Overall, I'm liking what I'm hearing from and about May.  I hope the Twins monitor his back issues closely so it doesn't become a 'thing' again. 

 

D. Santana:  hasn't this been kinda typical for him? 

[Halsey Hall]

I'm prettty positive there was only one out when Breslow got the fly ball down the left field line, foul. Santana had no business trying for that ball and it was the left fielders all the way and looked like Santana called him off. Danny makes the catch it's a tie game as his momentum is going out. Left fielder would have had a fairly short throw home, and the runner was tagging.

 

Nice comeback by May though, he got himself a spot last night.

[Squirrel]

I'm prettty positive there was only one out when Breslow got the fly ball down the left field line, foul. Santana had no business trying for that ball and it was the left fielders all the way and looked like Santana called him off. Danny makes the catch it's a tie game as his momentum is going out. Left fielder would have had a fairly short throw home, and the runner was tagging.

 

Nice comeback by May though, he got himself a spot last night.

Yeah, I did not like how that was handled. And it looked as you said it. And I think the LF would've made that catch.

[Squirrel]

Santana’s athleticism and raw abilities continue to be obvious, but he can ill afford the mistakes that continue to come in bunches when he’s on the field.

This sums DSan up for me and always has. He can ill-afford to make them, yet he does. Athleticism shouldn't get him the job. Ability to do the job should.

[MN_ExPat]

Seems like we are seeing this more and more from Santana.  Great athleticism... but, his head space and timing (IMHO) just create too many reoccurring problems. 

 

I agree... LF has right of way in those situations, Santana doesn't need to be calling him off.

[iTwins]

 

* May isn’t alone in his lack of experience working with Castro. Previously, the free agent addition had started behind the plate for Kyle Gibson three times, and Ervin Santana twice, but not for any other projected starters.

"It hasn’t been as distributed as I thought it would be at this point," Molitor acknowledged. "There’s still plenty of time left. We’re going to try to spread that out a little bit if we can."

 

This comment stuck me as being a bit odd. Is he not filling out the lineups everyday? 

 

Castro has been lauded by former teammates as being great to work with and a real asset to his starters. I'd have thought it was a foregone conclusion that the team would want to maximize the exposure between Castro and the projected starters. 

[theBOMisthebomb]

Was at the game.  Calling it a Twins vs. USA team was pretty much fraud, as most of the major league players were out of the game by the 4th inning or so, and the game then devolved into essentially a scrimamge between Twins minor league players.

at least you were able to enjoy a nice Florida night. This debacle was brutal on television.

[Thrylos]

 

Was at the game.  Calling it a Twins vs. USA team was pretty much fraud, as most of the major league players were out of the game by the 4th inning or so, and the game then devolved into essentially a scrimamge between Twins minor league players.

 

That is pretty inaccurate.  Only 4 Twins position players participated and that after each of the Team USA players had their 3rd PA, around the 7th inning.   Same with pitching.  Other than DJ Baxendale coming to get an out that Andrew Miller and Jake McGee could not get, Twins pitchers did not pitch before the 7th.

 

All Spring Training games have subs by the 7th.  In late innings it is Rochester - Pawtucket pretty much and not Twins - Red Sox, for example.

 

Nothing unusual and that was very tough competition for the Twins, both ways.

[Nick Nelson]

 

Overall, I'm liking what I'm hearing from and about May.  I hope the Twins monitor his back issues closely so it doesn't become a 'thing' again. 

He explained that he has put together a good system for managing it and expressed zero concern. I'll probably write about it at some point this weekend, pretty interesting stuff. 

[DocBauer]

I missed part of the top of the first and didn't see the 2 runs score. What I saw after that left me pretty impressed by May. His velocity and control seemed pretty sharp. Threw a couple really nice breaking balls. Thought he got jobbed on a couple nice pitches. All in all, I was pleased by what I saw.

[Nick Nelson]

 

This comment stuck me as being a bit odd. Is he not filling out the lineups everyday? 

 

Castro has been lauded by former teammates as being great to work with and a real asset to his starters. I'd have thought it was a foregone conclusion that the team would want to maximize the exposure between Castro and the projected starters. 

I think it mostly has to do with how the schedule has played out and ensuring he gets enough rest early in the spring. But yeah, it was striking to see how lopsided the distribution was. 

[Dantes929]

 

Seems like we are seeing this more and more from Santana.  Great athleticism... but, his head space and timing (IMHO) just create too many reoccurring problems. 

 

I agree... LF has right of way in those situations, Santana doesn't need to be calling him off.

Didn't see the play but isn't this fielding 101 stuff.   Santana should be going after it and calling that he can get it but if the left fielder can get it he should be calling Santana off and the outfielder's call should overrule the infielder.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Does this picture of Trevor May getting ready to release a pitch, look odd to anyone else? It seems he is mainly pitching with his upper body and that his leg strength has not been utilized. Almost a Bartolo Colon-like delivery.

[mlhouse]

 

That is pretty inaccurate.  Only 4 Twins position players participated and that after each of the Team USA players had their 3rd PA, around the 7th inning.   Same with pitching.  Other than DJ Baxendale coming to get an out that Andrew Miller and Jake McGee could not get, Twins pitchers did not pitch before the 7th.

 

All Spring Training games have subs by the 7th.  In late innings it is Rochester - Pawtucket pretty much and not Twins - Red Sox, for example.

 

Nothing unusual and that was very tough competition for the Twins, both ways.

 

 

It isn't inaccurate at all and by the 7th inning almost every player on the field for "Team USA" was a Twin minor league player as well as for the Twins and it became a scrimmage.

 

While this happens in all Spring Training games, and maybe since I am a full time Fort Myers Beach resident it isn't that big of a deal to be outside in March,  I have always questioned the excitement of spring training games for the average fan.  Joe Mauer and Justin Mourneau take an at bat or two, and then they walk down the left field foul line back to the lockers while players the casual fan has never heard of play.  Hammond Field is a nice facility and the weather is nice, but at $10 parking, $28 a ticket, and $7.75/beer they aint that nice.