http://www.twincities.com/2017/08/10/twins-catching-prospect-ben-rortvedt-impressing-big-league-coach/

 

Sportswriter Mike Berardino offers these quotes about Ben Rortvedt from Twins coach Jeff Smith: “He receives the ball well; he’s got real soft hands. He gives a good target and has made huge strides in his game calling and his ability to work with his pitching coach and his pitchers. Ben can really throw, too. ... Love the fire. It’s not a bad fire. It’s a competitive fire. He’s very competitive on both sides of the plate.”

A nice game for Ben in the game versus Burlington on August 30.  In the Kernels' 7-run first inning, he drove in a run with a single, and later came around to score. Later in the game he got another single, and then a double, although neither of these figured in the scoring. Altogether, his 3-for-4 night raised his batting average to .226.

Didn't he have a horrific offensive start to his season, a la Buck?

Didn't he have a horrific offensive start to his season, a la Buck?

I'm planning on a season wrap-up post after the playoffs, but yeah, he grew as a hitter this year, better than his raw stats would suggest. That said, the bat remains behind the glove - from all accounts it would have to be one hell of a bat that wasn't behind that glove.

 

Perhaps my running joke in this thread - that his stats were so terrible, for a very long while, that I simply wouldn't mention them - led to your honest question. Sorry.