Article: Twins Minor League Report (5/18): Affiliates Do Damage with their Bats

[Eric R Pleiss]

The Twins split a double-header on Thursday, in large part because Jose Berrios (the version of Jose Berrios that Twins fans have been DREAMING of) pitched a wonderful game in the nightcap to keep the Twins from being swept by the Rockies. On the minor league side of things the Twins’ affiliates scored almost 40 runs. Lots of action to cover below, so let’s find out everything that happened in the Twins minor league system on Thursday.RED WINGS REPORT

Lehigh Valley 8 @ Rochester 10

Box Score

 

This was NOT a classic pitchers duel as neither pitcher made it into the sixth inning of this minor league matinee. Former first-overall draft pick Mark Appel held the Red Wings in check through three innings, but then the wheels fell off and the Wings got to Appel for sixruns in the fourth. Meanwhile, Red Wings starter Jason Wheeler gave up a seven-spot in the second inning, and yet somehow still managed to earn the win thanks to that big Wings fourth inning.

 

Wheeler made it through five innings, gave up eight hits, seven runs (all earned) and walked two. He struck out six and also gave up a pair of home runs (both in the seven-run second, including a Rhys Hoskins grand slam). Wheeler gave way to Buddy Boshers who came in for 3.0 innings and gave up one run one on one hit, a solo home run. Trevor Hildenberger came in and earned his second save of the year, in an exciting ninth in which he gave up a walk and a hit, but used a pair of strike- outs to avoid letting the Iron Pigs score.

 

Matt Hague and Tommy Field both had three-hit games for the Wings. Hague was 3-5 with a double and a solo home run. Field was 3-4 with a double, a walk, an RBI, and a pair of runs scored. Zack Granite led the way with 3 RBI as part of a 1-4 afternoon that also included a stolen base. ByungHo Park was the only player without a hit or a walk, going 0-5 on the afternoon.

 

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 3 @ Biloxi 9

Box Score

 

The Lookouts were behind for the entire game after giving up a run in the bottom of the first inning. Starter Fernando Romero made it into the fifth inning, but left and was charged with six earned runs, and one more unearned run. He gave up five hits, walked four and struck out four. He was replaced by Luke Bard who gave up six hits in just 1.2 innings and was charged with two runs (one earned) before giving way to Raul Fernandez who had a great relief appearance with the pressure off. Fernandez struck out five, walked one, and gave up just one hit in two innings of scoreless relief.

 

The Miracle scattered seven hits, but didn’t get any hits from their leadoff man Nike Gordon, 0-4 with a strikeout, a walk and a stolen base. Travis Harrison (remember him?) was the only hitter with multiple hits, 2-4. Former first-round draft pick Levi Michael remained hot with a 1-3 night that included a double, a walk, an RBI and a run scored.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Clearwater 2 @ Fort Myers 5

Box Score

 

Before the game started the Miracle got good news as lefthander Lewis Thorpe was activated from the DL in Cedar Rapids and immediately promoted to Fort Myers. Thorpe has not pitched in a MiLB game since 2014 thanks to a Tommy John surgery and a lengthy bout with mononucleosis. He will start for the Miracle on Friday.

 

Sort of a hodgepodge solid effort from the Miracle pitching staff as they used four pitchers to defeat the Clearwater Threshers and complete the four-game series sweep. Brady Anderson gave up a pair of runs in the fourth inning, but otherwise kept runs off the board over 4.1 innings. He gave up six hits, struck out three and gave up a two-out, two-run homer. Michael Theofanopoulos came in and gave the Miracle 2.2 scoreless innings and gave up just one hit, struck out one, and earned the win when the Miracle took the lead with a three-run fifth. Williams Ramirez earned a save for a scoreless eighth inning in which he walked two and Sam Clay picked up his second save of the year with a scoreless ninth.

 

The Miracle did not collect any extra-base hits and struck out 10 times but were 4-9 with runners in scoring position and managed to do just enough to come out on top. Bradley Strong was 2-4 with an RBI and Kevin Garcia also had a pair of hits, going 2-4 with a strikeout and a run scored. Alex Perez was one non-strikeout away from the Golden Sombrero award as he was 0-3 with three strikeouts and a walk.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 6 @ Wisconsin 3

Box Score

 

The Kernels gave up a run in the bottom of the first, but got it back in the second and took the lead for good in the top of the fourth en route to a 6-3 victory. Kernels starter Domenick Carlini pitched great for the Kernels, giving up just one run over six innings. He gave up five hits but struck out four and did not issue a single free pass. He did, however, give up a leadoff home run to start the game. Carlini gave way to Colton Davis who pitched a pair of scoreless innings and then Logan Lombana came on to pitch the ninth and gave up three hits, two runs and a walk, but used three strikeouts to limit the damage and secure the Kernels victory.

 

Jaylin Davis had himself a night for the Kernels, 3-5 with three extra-base hits, a double and two home runs. This close on the heels of his three-home run night on Tuesday. Brandon Lopez pitched in with a couple of hits of his own, going 2-4 out of the nine hole for the Kernels second baseman.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Domenick Carlini, Cedar Rapids Kernels

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

 

 

FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester @ Scranton/WB (5:35pm) - Aaron Slegers

Chattanooga @ Biloxi (6:35pm) – Ryan Eades (1-0, 5.31)

Bradenton @ Ft. Myers (5:35pm) - Lewis Thorpe (1st start since 2014)

Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:35pm) – Clark Beeker (5-1, 2.56)

 

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

 

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[Pitz]

Rough day for Park. Not only was he the only Red Wings hitter not to reach base, he was responsible for all three outs in their huge 4th inning - flying out to start the inning and grounding into a double play to end it.

 

Also, I think I'd vote for Davis as the hitter of the day - I sense a Midwest League Player of the Week award in his near future.

 

Lastly, great to see Lewis Thorpe will finally be taking the mound in game action - been a long road for that young man.

[rdehring]

The news on Thorpe is the best news I have heard this year, especially going straight to the Miracle . Expect they kept him in EST long enough that he won't pitch more innings than they want the rest of the Miracle season.

 

After missing two years, we are going to have to be patient as I am certain there will be a few bumps along the way. But if Thorpe can get back to the pitcher he was, he can be that top of the line starter we all have been waiting for.

[Han Joelo]

What does Davis have to do to get hitter of the day?  Hit THREE homeruns? 

 

In a season where Gonsalves has been hurt, Stewart flopped, Jay went to the pen, and Romero hasn't dominated, I am probably over-excited to see Thorpe back.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

The news on Thorpe is the best news I have heard this year, especially going straight to the Miracle . Expect they kept him in EST long enough that he won't pitch more innings than they want the rest of the Miracle season.

After missing two years, we are going to have to be patient as I am certain there will be a few bumps along the way. But if Thorpe can get back to the pitcher he was, he can be that top of the line starter we all have been waiting for.

 

I'm pumped about this too.  My only real concern is how little time he got in CR... He was pretty bad his first month there, but you could see a month over month improvement while he was there, but only a few months there followed by 2 years of inactivity and a start at a higher level, I think some expectations need to be in check.  He may struggle... a lot.

 

I hope I'm wrong, as I really like him as a prospect.

[Steve Lein]

24 runs is almost 40?! Haha

 

Look at Davis! He's carrying a big stick lately! Oh wait, he wasn't the hitter of the day?!

 

Extremely pumped for Thorpe to be back on the mound. 

[gunnarthor]

Man, Mark Appel. Remember when everyone thought Boras was nuts for not letting him sign with Pittsburgh because he was taking away his earnings on the back end? 28 AAA starts with an era over 5.

 

I asked a few days ago about this Davis guy and lo and behold, he's really hitting. Hopefully that continues. He's been hurt and he's a little old for the level but he's on a nice run.

 

I'll echo everyone else's thoughts on Thorpe, about time and hopefully he gets back on track.

[Mike Sixel]

The Mark Appel story is a good one to remember when people say that college pitchers are de facto safer than HS pitchers. He was the best college pitcher, according to scouts, for like 2 years......

[diehardtwinsfan]

There is a reason TINSTAAPP was developed.... no pitcher is a safe pick.  College pitchers tend to be safer than HS though.  They also tend to have less upside.  

[Mike Sixel]

 

There is a reason TINSTAAPP was developed.... no pitcher is a safe pick.  College pitchers tend to be safer than HS though.  They also tend to have less upside.  

 

I hate that concept so much. Of course there, and of course you have to draft pitchers. And of course they come with risk. So do hitters.

[drivlikejehu]

The biggest risk factor for all players is that they aren't good enough to play in the Majors.

 

Pitcher injury risk gets a lot of attention, but I think maybe even more important is the fact that pitchers develop somewhat differently than hitters. To me, the only thing you can even partially bank on with a pitcher - assuming health - is what he can already do on the mound. Command does tend to improve slowly over time, velocity tends to decrease slowly over time, but beyond that pitcher development is highly volatile.

 

If a HS pitcher is the better pitcher today than a college pitcher, I want the HS pitcher. If the college pitcher is better, I want the college pitcher, with maybe a very rare exception if it's close and the HS pitcher is a superior athlete.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

I hate that concept so much. Of course there, and of course you have to draft pitchers. And of course they come with risk. So do hitters.

 

Not sure I like it either, but it is reality.  Pitchers carry more risk. A lot more.  and HS pitchers carry more risk (and reward) than college pitchers... a lot more. 

 

I'm certainly not saying to not draft pitchers, but I tend to think that we as a whole miss that concept when we get huge man-crushes on some kid's projectability. 

[bluechipper]

I was encouraged seeing that the Wings scored 10 runs. Then I read that most of the damage was done by Tommy Field and Matt Hague.

[Seth Stohs]

Along with the Lewis Thorpe news, Stephen Gonsalves is pitching for Chattanooga tomorrow... (Saturday)... 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Along with the Lewis Thorpe news, Stephen Gonsalves is pitching for Chattanooga tomorrow... (Saturday)... 

 

yay!

[Seth Stohs]

As Keith Law said regarding Greene and Wright in his conversation with me the other day...

 

Me Paraphrasing:

 

Greene - ceiling is multi-time All Star, true Ace.... floor - his risks are such that he could top out at AA or something.

 

Wright - barring injury, the floor for him is probably #3 starter in MLB (probably!), but there's a chance he could be a number two or even a #1.

 

So, for both, ceiling is #1 starter... Floors are different (to reiterate, barring injury)... 

 

And yes, there is always the TINSTAAPP theory, which can happen to anyone.

[nater79a]

Was hoping Romero could help anchor the top half of the Twins rotation by 2019. But he's been struggling at Chattanooga lately. Just a blip on the radar or should we be a little worried?

[gunnarthor]

 

Was hoping Romero could help anchor the top half of the Twins rotation by 2019. But he's been struggling at Chattanooga lately. Just a blip on the radar or should we be a little worried?

I'd wait before freaking out. A+ to AA is supposed to be the most difficult jump and he did miss a lot of time before coming back last year.  Let's see what his stuff looks like in August.

[rdehring]

What a fantastic weekend, Seth. Thanks for the heads up on Gonsalves.

[nater79a]

 

I'd wait before freaking out. A+ to AA is supposed to be the most difficult jump and he did miss a lot of time before coming back last year.  Let's see what his stuff looks like in August.

 

I suppose he could be having some inconsistencies with his secondary stuff at this point in the season too. Understand he's had some issues with that in the past.  It;s a lot tougher to try to get by on just your heater at AA than at Cedar Rapids or Fort Myers. 

 

In any event, big part of the Twins' future.

[drivlikejehu]

 

I'd wait before freaking out. A+ to AA is supposed to be the most difficult jump and he did miss a lot of time before coming back last year.  Let's see what his stuff looks like in August.

 

Fort Myers to Chattanooga is also a transition from an extreme pitchers' park to an extreme hitters' park. Combined with the level change, that is fairly tough for a pitcher. Even if they pitch well their numbers won't be as pretty, given the environment.

[rdehring]

 

Thorpe threw 49 pitches in 4.0 innings Friday. Gave up 3 hits, 1 walk and a solo home run. Not bad for first time out in two years.