Article: Twins Minor League Report (4/13): Berríos Dazzles in Buffalo

[Eric R Pleiss]

Jose Berríos and the Red Wings kicked off a day of close ballgames for Twins affiliates on Thursday, with Rochester, Fort Myers, and Cedar Rapids all playing one-run games, while Chattanooga ended up in a two-run game. Exciting Minor League Baseball follows, below.Find out everything that happened in the Twins minor league system on Thursday.

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 2, Buffalo 1

Box Score

 

Jose Berríos was the story of the day, pitching eight innings on just 84 pitches, throwing 64 for strikes. He struck out six and never went to a three ball-count all night. Berrios had a 1-0 lead headed into the fifth inning after a Matt Hague home run, but the Bisons tied the ballgame on a sac fly after a pair of singles and a defensive miscue put a runner at third.

 

Berríos pitched three more shutout innings afterwards, but the Wings could not put more runs on the board and he left the game without a decision. Alex Wimmers entered the game and pitched a scoreless ninth to push the game to extra innings.

 

In the top of the 10^th, the Red Wings took the lead on a bases-loaded walk to Bengie Gonzalez. Wimmers went to work and set Buffalo down 1-2-3 to pick up the win.

 

The Wings scored two runs on just four hits, Hague’s home run was the only extra base hit, and Leonardo Reginatto collected two of the other three hits, on a 2-4 night. Bash brothers Kennys Vargas and Daniel Palka were a combined 0-7 with four strikeouts and a walk. Catcher John Ryan Murphy has yet to collect his first base hit, 0-3 with a walk.

 

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 3, Jacksonville 5

Box Score

 

On the road for the first time this year, Lookouts starter Matt Tracy gave up five runs (two earned) in the bottom of the first to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (formerly the Jacksonville Suns, and a significant branding upgrade, if you ask me). Leadoff batter Yefri Perez reached on an Engelb Vielma throwing error, and then Tracy gave up back-to-back home runs. The next two runs scored on a pair of two-out singles. After the first, Tracy settled down and pitched three scoreless innings, but the damage was done. Ryan Eades came out of the pen and pitched two perfect innings, and John Curtiss pitched two more scoreless innings to finish the game.

 

The Lookouts scored a run in the fifth when Tanner English scampered home on a passed ball, and back-to-back homers by Jonathan Rodriguez and Dan Rohlfing to start the ninth inning put Chattanooga within striking distance, but it was not enough.

Other than the ninth inning home runs, the Lookouts had just three hits on the day, singles from Ryan Walker (1-4, BB), Edgar Corcino (1-4, K), and a two-bagger from Tanner English (1-3, BB, K).

 

Of note – old friend Matt Tomshaw started and earned the win for the Jumbo Shrimp. Tomshaw pitched in the Twins org four seasons before getting poached by Miami following the 2014 season in the Triple-A portion of the Rule Five draft.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 1, Dayton 2

Box Score

 

Starter Cody Stashak put the Miracle behind, giving up a run in the bottom of the first inning, and another in the third and the Miracle trailed the rest of the game. Stashak turned in a quality start, six innings, two runs (one earned), struck out three, walked no one, and gave up just four hits, but the Miracle gave him just one run of support and he was tagged with the loss to fall to 0-2 despite a 3.00 ERA. Jonny Drozd came on in relief, pitched two scoreless innings and struck out three.

 

Sean Miller was 2-4 with a triple and a run scored, and Brian Navarreto drove in the only run as part of a 2-4 night. The other seven Miracle hitters combined for just three other hits, all singles.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Wisconsin 1, Cedar Rapids 2

Box Score

 

Before Thursday’s game, the first in a three game series against the Timber Rattlers, the Kernels announced that 2016 21^st rounder LHP Domenick Carlini joined the Kernels from extended spring training and that RHP Brady Anderson was bumped up to Fort Myers.

 

Starting pitcher Tyler Wells gave up a couple of first inning hits, but then went to work and held Wisconsin scoreless over six innings. He struck out eight while walking just two and gave up five hits. The Kernels put a pair of runs on the board in the fifth to give Wells a lead. Caleb Hamilton hit a leadoff home run to start the fifth and Travis Blankenhorn gave the Kernels another run with an RBI triple to score Jermaine Palacios. That was all the runs the Kernels would need.

 

Tom Hackimer came in for Wells in the seventh and pitched two innings, giving up a run in the top of the eighth. Hackimer gave up two hits, and struck out two. Max Cordy was called upon to pitch the ninth and picked up his first save of the year, sending the Timber Rattlers down in order and recording the final out on a swinging strike.

 

The Kernels did not do a ton with the sticks outside of Hamilton’s dinger and Blankenhorn’s RBI triple. Aaron Whitefield picked up a double, the only other extra base hit of the night. As a team, the Kernels struck out seven times and walked just once.

 

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Jose Berríos, Rochester Red Wings

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Matt Hague, Rochester Red Wings

 

 

FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Syracuse @ Rochester (12:35pm) – Nick Tepesch (1-0, 3.60)

Chattanooga @ Jacksonville (6:05pm) – Fernando Romero (0-1, 8.10)

Ft. Myers @ Daytona (6:05pm) – David Fischer (0-0. 0.00)

Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (6:05pm) – Sean Poppen (0-0, 2.57)

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Thursday's games.

 

Click here to view the article

[nytwinsfan]

Blankenhorn continues to tear cover off the ball. ETA at Fort Myers, May 1st?

[mikelink45]

Its time for Berrios to be back.  It is obvious he is beyond the minors.  Lets start working on the rotation of the future.  

 

[amjgt]

Berrios seems stretched out to me

[DocBauer]

Note to Gibson and Mejia; settle down...trust your stuff...attack the zone. If you don't, Mr. Berrios is about ready to take one of your spots.

[Mike Sixel]

As I said 2 weeks ago, what does he have to do in the minors to PROVE he belongs? Same thing as last year, he's just too good for AAA. 

[Dantes929]

 

Note to Gibson and Mejia; settle down...trust your stuff...attack the zone. If you don't, Mr. Berrios is about ready to take one of your spots.

Forget Gibson.   He will get at least 5 starts and probably at least 8.  Meija is the guy Berrios would replace but I am not hoping for him to fail.   My hope is for the rotation to do so great there is no room for Berrios.   My fear is for the guys in the rotation to do just well enough to not justify demotion.   Berrios was Hitter of the Day?    That would add flexibility if he were called up.   He's probably fast and can pitch run also.  Ok, I know it was a mistake above but there is another draft prospect we are considering that can pitch and hit.   I've never understood why those kinds of talent can't be developed together.   It always seemed like a huge waste that Babe Ruth didn't keep pitching.  If golf were a 3 man team game I could easily see someone saying "Hey, Spieth, stop working on your driver and irons.   We need you to putt and you can't do all three"

[FormerMinnasotan]

Berrios looks fine to me...84 pitches 64 for strikes. In Berrios two starts (14 ip) Berrios has walked 1 batter. Now the question is can Berrios take his success to the Bigs. It appears that there is nothing less in AAA for Berrios, now it is time for Berrios to have the same confidence in the Bigs he obviously has in AAA.

 

Also, glad to see the strong start from Tyler Wells. I have often thought he would be one to watch this year after a good year in Elizabethton last year.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Forget Gibson.   He will get at least 5 starts and probably at least 8.  Meija is the guy Berrios would replace but I am not hoping for him to fail.   My hope is for the rotation to do so great there is no room for Berrios.   My fear is for the guys in the rotation to do just well enough to not justify demotion.   Berrios was Hitter of the Day?    That would add flexibility if he were called up.   He's probably fast and can pitch run also.  Ok, I know it was a mistake above but there is another draft prospect we are considering that can pitch and hit.   I've never understood why those kinds of talent can't be developed together.   It always seemed like a huge waste that Babe Ruth didn't keep pitching.  If golf were a 3 man team game I could easily see someone saying "Hey, Spieth, stop working on your driver and irons.   We need you to putt and you can't do all three"

 

That's my fear. the SP are not good enough to be blamed for the wins, and not bad enough to be always the cause of the losses. A rebuilding team filled with veterans with question marks that don't have options.....

[FormerMinnasotan]

That's my fear. the SP are not good enough to be blamed for the wins, and not bad enough to be always the cause of the losses. A rebuilding team filled with veterans with question marks that don't have options.....

I think Mejia will be back in the minors within 2 more starts. Even if Mejia looks average I think the "plan" is to have Berrios back when he is ready. I think Mejia returns once Ervin Santana or Hector Santiago is traded (especially if one or the other continues to pitch well). But that is my opinion.

[wavedog]

Yes, he is stretched out enough and pitching well enough to be called up.  Gibson and Mejia are on notice - always good to have competition.  I am just hoping he does not repeat the performance of Liam Hendriks with us.  Pitched great in the minors but could never translate that in the big leagues in several opportunities.  I had to look up where Liam is pitching now - apparently with Oakland.  Had a good year with Toronto in 2015 and Oakland last year.   Bring Berrios up and have some patience with him.  

[gunnarthor]

I don't see how Berrios will be blocked.  Santana is the only person locked into our rotation.  The other four spots can and will be changed.  I suspect Berrios will be up on May 1.

[IndianaTwin]

Where do I find service time on the new layout for baseball-reference.com? Elsewhere, it looks like Berrios got 74 service days last year. 

 

I don't know the ins and outs on the CBA well enough. What is the date at which he'd save a year of arbitration eligibility? With 74 days, I'm guessing it's much further into the year than is practical to consider a factor.

[Vanimal46]

I stopped looking at Berrios' stat line because all he does is dominate in AAA. Whatever he's working on besides a great stat line, I hope he's doing it. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Where do I find service time on the new layout for baseball-reference.com? Elsewhere, it looks like Berrios got 74 service days last year. 

 

I don't know the ins and outs on the CBA well enough. What is the date at which he'd save a year of arbitration eligibility? With 74 days, I'm guessing it's much further into the year than is practical to consider a factor.

 

IIRC, it is close to late August.

 

He's a pitcher, who has number 2/3 upside. They shouldn't be worried about service time for a pitcher. 

[IndianaTwin]

 

IIRC, it is close to late August.

 

He's a pitcher, who has number 2/3 upside. They shouldn't be worried about service time for a pitcher. 

 

Thanks. And I'd definitely concur if it that's late in the year. 

[Tibs]

Get Berrios in the big leagues!

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

I don't see how Berrios will be blocked.  Santana is the only person locked into our rotation.  The other four spots can and will be changed.  I suspect Berrios will be up on May 1.

 

Yeah, he'll be up soon enough. I'd rather wait until we see who falters or gets hurt before we promote him prematurely. He proved last year that he wasn't ready despite some gaudy stats, so I'm not ready to look at the stat lines from two starts and say he is now.

[ThejacKmp]

 

Forget Gibson.   He will get at least 5 starts and probably at least 8.  Meija is the guy Berrios would replace but I am not hoping for him to fail.   My hope is for the rotation to do so great there is no room for Berrios.   My fear is for the guys in the rotation to do just well enough to not justify demotion.   Berrios was Hitter of the Day?    That would add flexibility if he were called up.   He's probably fast and can pitch run also.  Ok, I know it was a mistake above but there is another draft prospect we are considering that can pitch and hit.   I've never understood why those kinds of talent can't be developed together.   It always seemed like a huge waste that Babe Ruth didn't keep pitching.  If golf were a 3 man team game I could easily see someone saying "Hey, Spieth, stop working on your driver and irons.   We need you to putt and you can't do all three"

 

Yeah Gibson will get more time. And should. He's potential trade bait at the deadline if he has a nice year (not super optimistic but hopeful). 

 

Hughes is a guy I'd include on the list of guys who need to be worried. His weakened stuff may play better from the pen.

[FormerMinnasotan]

I stopped looking at Berrios' stat line because all he does is dominate in AAA. Whatever he's working on besides a great stat line, I hope he's doing it.

The only thing I look at on Berrios' stat line is walks and his strike/balls split off of his pitches in each start. I know a.he can and will put up good-great number of strike outs in most AAA starts, and b.he won't give up many hits to AAA batters. But I feel if his walks are down and he is getting a higher % of strikes per each start then he must be improving where it counts.

[ThejacKmp]

 

If golf were a 3 man team game I could easily see someone saying "Hey, Spieth, stop working on your driver and irons.   We need you to putt and you can't do all three"

 

I really like the concept of golf as a three man team game. Especially if two teams played at the same time and time was involved. You had your driver, your middle guy and your short guy. Driver in the box, middle guy halfway down the fairway and the putter close. The two drivers hit first and from there it's first a number of strokes thing but all ties are broken by who finished first.

And you could have them have to switch roles every hole.

 

This sport would be way better than actual golf.

[chpettit19]

It's going to be hard for anyone not actually at the games watching him throw to determine if Berrios is ready. Him putting up dominate stat lines doesn't mean there's nothing left for him to work on at AAA. Walk numbers and strike/ball ratios are good and all, but don't tell the complete story. AAA hitters are going to chase more pitches than the guys in the bigs will and get themselves out more. This is a situation where we need to trust the Twins' internal scouts and coaches to determine when he's truly controling his pitches and not just throwing it down the middle or completely missing the zone. His stuff is major league ready, his control wasn't even close last year. Stat lines are only going to tell us so much at this point.

[Mike Sixel]

 

It's going to be hard for anyone not actually at the games watching him throw to determine if Berrios is ready. Him putting up dominate stat lines doesn't mean there's nothing left for him to work on at AAA. Walk numbers and strike/ball ratios are good and all, but don't tell the complete story. AAA hitters are going to chase more pitches than the guys in the bigs will and get themselves out more. This is a situation where we need to trust the Twins' internal scouts and coaches to determine when he's truly controling his pitches and not just throwing it down the middle or completely missing the zone. His stuff is major league ready, his control wasn't even close last year. Stat lines are only going to tell us so much at this point.

 

The same ones that said he was ready last year?

[chpettit19]

 

The same ones that said he was ready last year?

Different people leading things with a different set of standards and different directions given to their people. My guess would be that with this front office Berrios would have been up last year, but we would have been in the pen. Not getting his brains bashed in every 5th day. But point taken. It's not easy to trust this organization yet. But pitching is supposed to be Falvey's thing so I'm hoping for some good things to come.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Different people leading things with a different set of standards and different directions given to their people. My guess would be that with this front office Berrios would have been up last year, but we would have been in the pen. Not getting his brains bashed in every 5th day. But point taken. It's not easy to trust this organization yet. But pitching is supposed to be Falvey's thing so I'm hoping for some good things to come.

 

Its' the same coaches and scouts.The only delta is the two at the top.

 

Berrios is too good for the minors. He might work on a thing or two, but no one will know anything until he's been in the majors for 2 years. IMO, he should be in MN as soon as Mejia has his next bad start.

[Dantes929]

 

The same ones that said he was ready last year?

I also look at his control as a benchmark more than anything else since we believe he has good stuff.   I would rather he give up 3 homers with no walks than no runs with 6 walks.     He probably was ready last year but started bad and then pressed and then listened to 8 different guys telling him what he was doing wrong.    I think getting into a groove in the minors is a good and hopefully short lived thing.    They are not robots.    i remember a couple times Liriano and Crain were just a mess in the majors and went down to figure it out.     

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I don't remember Molly saying anything about "things Berrios needs to work on," it was about getting stretched out. Heck, we all have things we need to work on.

[Linus]

His first start had a pretty low percentage strikes which is the main thing they are watching. Interesting piece in THE WSJ about Strasburg Syndegaard and others pitching exclusively from the stretch as it simplifies mechanics and doesn't diminish their velocity. Yet the twins added to his windup last year. Makes you wonder...

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

I've unfortunately realized that there are some guys who excel at things that work great in the minors, but don't translate well in the majors. Kinda like a dominant spread-QB in college doesn't translate to the NFL. LHP soft tossers and flat fastball guys seem to be the case for baseball.

[Tom Froemming]

FWIW Berrios is working on some mechanical adjustments. On the Red Wings' pregame show just now he said he's trying to ditch that wrist curl thing he does with his pitching hand behind his back at the start of his delivery.

 

Said he's been doing that his whole life, so it has been difficult to change that habit. Primary reason for the change is they think it will help his command, but they're also hoping it make it less likely he'll tip his pitches.