Article: Twins Minor League Report (5/31): Lewis Continues Power Surge, Enns Spins Quality Start

[Eric R Pleiss]

Royce Lewis cracked two more doubles for the Kernels, giving him seven extra-base hits in his last six games. Dietrich Enns pitched well, but Rochester almost let one get away in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Red Wings picked up the only victory in the minor league system on Thursday evening.Transactions

-Twins recalled Tyler Duffey and optioned Aaron Slegers to Rochester.

-Sean Poppen promoted to Chattanooga from Fort Myers.

-Cedar Rapids activated Tanner Kiest from the restricted list.

-Jordan Balazovic assigned to Elizabethton from Cedar Rapids.

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 5, Durham 4

Box Score

 

Rochester led 3-0 after four and a half innings, and had a 5-2 lead going into the bottom of the ninth and just held on for a 5-4 victory. The Red Wings were powered by three home runs, one each from Jake Cave (solo), Kennys Vargas (solo), and Taylor Featherston (two-run). Featherston had one of his best nights with the stick, going 2-for-3 with a run scored, a home run, three RBIs and a walk. Who is Taylor Featherston? He’s spent part of the last three seasons in the big leagues for the Angels, Phillies, and Rays respectively, getting traded from Los Angeles to Philladelphia, and then purchased from Philly by the Rays. After last season he was granted free agency and signed with the Twins.

 

The Red Wings got a solid start out of Dietrich Enns, who went six full innings, giving up just a pair of runs as he walked two and struck out seven, scattering six hits. D.J. Baxendale pitched two innings, gave up just a single hit and struck out three. Luke Bard earned his first save of the year for Rochester with a sloppy, but ultimately effective ninth inning. He gave up two runs on a home run and walked a couple of dudes, but the Red Wings held on for the win so all is forgiven.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Birmingham 3, Chattanooga 0

Box Score

 

Sean Poppen, just promoted from Fort Myers, ran into trouble in the first inning, giving up three runs thanks to a leadoff single followed by a walk and a three-run homer. Poppen settled down after that retiring the next three batters in order, and thanks to a couple of timely doubleplays, faced just 9 more batters over the next 3 innings. Poppen ran into some trouble in the bottom of the fifth and was lifted for Tyler Jay. Jay did his job retiring the first batter he faced to get out of the inning, and then gave the Lookouts two more innings. Overall he went 2 1/3 innings, gave up two hits, two walks, and struck out three. He was replaced by Williams Ramirez who gave up a couple of hits in the eighth, but struck out three to escape the inning without further damage.

 

Despite giving up just those three first-inning runs, the Lookouts were stymied at the plate. The Lookouts could only muster two hits, one each from Brian Navarreto and Sean Miller, the eight and nine hitters in the Lookouts lineup.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Clearwater 5, Fort Myers 1

Box Score

 

Fort Myers managed just one run on a Lewin Diaz single in the seventh inning. The Miracle had just four hits as a team, and no one had multiple hits. Jimmy Kerrigan, 1-for-4, had the only extra-base hit, a double. The pitchers didn’t fare much better as starter Clark Beeker gave up four runs over six innings. And Kevin Marnon let in another run over two innings, and it could have been a lot worse as Clearwater stranded 10 runners and was 3-13 with runners in scoring position.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Wisconsin 7, Cedar Rapids 2

Box Score

 

Cedar Rapids tied the game at two in the bottom of the third inning, but gave up five more runs the rest of the way to fall 7-2. Superstar Royce Lewis was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles to lead the team offensively, with Jose Miranda not far behind (2-for-4 with 2 RBI). Alex Kirilloff struggled at the plate going 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts.

 

Freshly activated Tanner Kiest went just three innings. He gave up four hits, two runs (one earned), walked three and struck out four. With the game tied, Carlos Suniaga gave up two runs on three hits over four innings. He struck out four and walked one. Jared Finkel finished off the final two innings, giving up three runs on three hits and he walked one and struck out a pair.

 

STARS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Dietrich Enns, Rochester Red Wings

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Royce Lewis, Cedar Rapids Kernels

 

TOP 20 PROSPECT PERFORMANCE

 

1. Royce Lewis, Cedar Rapids – 2-4, 2 2B

3. Nick Gordon, Rochester – 2-4, 1 BB, 1 K

5. Alex Kirilloff, Cedar Rapids – 0-4, 2 K

7. Brent Rooker, Chattanooga – 0-4, 2 K

10. Akil Baddoo, Cedar Rapids – 1-4, 1 R, 1 K

13. Lewin Diaz, Fort Myers – 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 K

14. LaMonte Wade, Chattanooga – 0-3

17. Travis Blankenhorn, Fort Myers – 0-3, 1 BB

19. Tyler Jay, Chattanooga – 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K

 

FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester (6:05pm) Adalberto Mejia (0-1, 5.19 ERA)

Chattanooga (7:05pm) Anthony Marzi (0-2, 6.41 ERA)

Fort Myers (4:00 pm) Continuation of suspended game.

Fort Myers (5:30pm) TBD

Cedar Rapids (6:30pm) Randy Dobnak (3-2, 5.26 ERA)

 

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

 

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[mikelink45]

What is happening with Akil Baddoo?  I was hoping for another really good season and he seems over matched instead.  For a number 10 prospect I had high hopes for this season.  Can you explain what the reasons are?

[Tom Froemming]

 

What is happening with Akil Baddoo?  I was hoping for another really good season and he seems over matched instead.  For a number 10 prospect I had high hopes for this season.  Can you explain what the reasons are?

Nothing to be concerned about, in my opinion. His .396 OBP ranks ninth in the MWL. He's a guy who likes to get deep into a the count, right now that means there are a lot of strike outs coming. He's facing better pitchers than he's ever seen before, as just one of his plate appearances has come against a pitcher younger than he is. 

 

Also, when I look at his numbers with two outs and runners in scoring position, I wonder if maybe he's mainly just working on stuff in his other, less pivotal at bats. He's 9-for-22 with two of his three homers w/RISP and two outs, hitting .409/.480/.864 (1.344 OPS) in those situations.

[PDX Twin]

 

He's 9-for-22 with two of his three homers w/RISP and two outs, hitting .409/.480/.864 (1.344 OPS) in those situations.

 

Call him up?!

[Darius]

Gordon just keeps hitting.

 

With the Twins now effectively out of it (6.5 back of the Indians, who are pulling away fast....and more games back of the Wildcard), what good does it do them to keep a guy like Dozier (now long overrated, anyway) around all year to walk in the offseason? What good does it do to let Escobar play out the string if you repeatedly show he's not in the long-term plans? Why reward Polanco with an open door back to the starting SS?

 

If you're talking about economics, I would think getting prospects up would generate excitement, this generate more revenue. After discounting a one year service-time opportunity cost down the road (which isn't a guarantee anyway, btw, chances are better the kid will wash out by then), you're probably my losing money by clinging to service time.

 

Sometimes, things that FOs do just don't make any sense. I continue to contend it's an ego thing in the front office. Everyone has convinced themselves that it's such a delicate process, getting a guy to the majors. That these guys are so sensitive that early exposure to a higher level will cause severe regression, maybe even instant death. Frankly, I find it all ridiculous and fraudulent.

[Seth Stohs]

 

What is happening with Akil Baddoo?  I was hoping for another really good season and he seems over matched instead.  For a number 10 prospect I had high hopes for this season.  Can you explain what the reasons are?

 

Beyond that he's 19 in the Midwest League? He's doing just fine... Ks are a little high, but the BBs are crazy good. He's' got so much power, but he's' raw. From watching, he definitely doesn't' look over-matched. 

[Tomj14]

 

If you're talking about economics, I would think getting prospects up would generate excitement, this generate more revenue.
 

So calling up Gordon and trading fan favorite Dozier generates excitement?

I am not against calling up Gordon, but if you trade Dozier why stop there? Gibson. Ordozzi, Pressley, Esobar and Reed all should go as well.

[puckstopper1]

 

Gordon just keeps hitting.

1) With the Twins now effectively out of it (6.5 back of the Indians, who are pulling away fast....and more games back of the Wildcard), what good does it do them to keep a guy like Dozier (now long overrated, anyway) around all year to walk in the offseason?

 

2) What good does it do to let Escobar play out the string if you repeatedly show he's not in the long-term plans?

 

3) Why reward Polanco with an open door back to the starting SS?

 

1) Agreed

2) Agreed

3) Agreed

[puckstopper1]

That 'Nooga boxscore is U-G-L-Y as far as the hitting was concerned.

 

Two singles over 8 innings off of a pitcher who had a 6.42 ERA coming into the game?

 

YIKES!

 

Maybe they are trying to emulate the hitting of the big league squad...

[goulik]

Not an overall impressive day for the whole system.

[slash129]

 

What is happening with Akil Baddoo?  I was hoping for another really good season and he seems over matched instead.  For a number 10 prospect I had high hopes for this season.  Can you explain what the reasons are?

 

SMH

[h2oface]

Granite hitting .200 for the year.... and still leading off. It seems this problem with odd choices in batting order is a system infection.

[h2oface]

 

With the Twins now effectively out of it (6.5 back of the Indians, who are pulling away fast....and more games back of the Wildcard), what good does it do them to keep a guy like Dozier (now long overrated, anyway) around all year to walk in the offseason? 

 

I would call Dozier consistently underrated, not overrated. Unless you just want to ignore the last several years final numbers. You may find him overrated, but predictions are always he will do worse, and he has just gotten better for that 4 or 5 year run.

 

If six and a half games out with 2/3 of a season is the end of the season, most teams should just quit now. Will they? Nope. That is because it isn't close to a selling point.

 

[h2oface]

 

Beyond that he's 19 in the Midwest League? He's doing just fine... Ks are a little high, but the BBs are crazy good. He's' got so much power, but he's' raw. From watching, he definitely doesn't' look over-matched. 

 

The old (or should I say young?) age thing again, eh? That is such an insult to an athlete, if you ask me. Which you didn't. But age should never be used for an excuse. Players don't want age to be used against them, either.

[ashbury]

Granite hitting .200 for the year.... and still leading off. It seems this problem with odd choices in batting order is a system infection.

What they do in the minors doesn't necessarily relate to major league lineup decisions. If Granite will ever make an impact on the big club, it will be as a leadoff type. They're giving him the chance. If he doesn't reach the potential they see in him, it doesn't really matter how they develop a #9 hitter (or career AAAA player, or DFA candidate).