Article: Twins Minor League Report (9/3): Regular Season Ends

[Seth Stohs]

Labor Day always marks the final regular season minor league games. The Rochester Red Wings and Chattanooga Lookouts seasons ended. Three more Red Wings players were called up to the Twins following the game. The Kernels, whose playoff run begins on Wednesday, began six hours late. See how they did and who they will play starting Wednesday. Ft. Myers and Elizabethton had the day off as they prepare for their upcoming playoff series.Keep reading to find out more on the night in the Twins minor league system on Monday afternoon, please feel free to discuss and ask questions.

 

TRANSACTIONS

• The Twins announced that RHP Chase De Jong and John Curtiss will also be recalled and in uniform for the Twins on Tuesday.
• Logan Morrison has been placed on the 60-day disabled list, allowing the Twins to add Gregorio Petit to the roster and promote him as well.

 

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 2, Lehigh Valley 4 (10 innings)

Box Score

 

Through nine innings, this was a 1-1 game. Then came extra frames when the Red Wings gave up three runs and were only able to counter with one run in the bottom of the inning. The Red Wings finish their season with a record of 64-76.

 

Chase De Jong gave up one run on four hits and a walk through the first five innings. He struck out seven. John Curtiss struck out two in his inning. Ryan Eades struck out three batters over his two scoreless innings. Ryan Harper pitched a scoreless ninth inning, but he gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits in the tenth frame. He struck out two. Luke Bard came on and got the final out.

 

Kennys Vargas likely played his final game in the Twins organization as he can become a free agent at season’s end. He went 2-for-3 with a walk and his 22nd and 23rd doubles of the year. A night after his walk off homer, Zander Wiel added his first AAA triple. Victor Tademo made his first Red Wings appearance and had a single.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 4, Jackson 2

Box Score

 

Sean Poppen put together another really solid, quality start, but he gets another no decision because he left the game with the Lookouts down 2-0.

 

Down 2-0 going into the eighth inning, Jimmy Kerrigan’s sixth home run got the Lookouts on the scoreboard. In the top of the ninth, Luis Arraez came up with the bases loaded and delivered a two-run single to give the team a lead. Kerrigan came back up and provided a little insurance with a sacrifice fly.

 

Mitchell Kranson went 2-for-3 including his ninth double in the ninth inning. Arraez went 2-for-4.

 

Poppen gave up two runs on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out five. Tyler Jay came on to get the final two outs of the seventh inning and worked a perfect eighth inning as well. Devin Smeltzer gave up a hit, but he struck out two in a scoreless ninth inning for his fourth save.

 

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers

Box Score

 

The Miracle begin their Florida State League playoff series on Tuesday night.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 2, Beloit 3

Box Score

 

This game was scheduled for 2:00 central time. At 8:20 p.m., the game began in Beloit after a far-too-long rain delay that was necessitated by the Snappers needing a win to make the playoffs.

 

 

Tyler Watson started for the Kernels. The southpaw had a Quality Start. Despite giving up nine hits, he gave up just three runs over six innings. He struck out seven batters without a walk. Calvin Faucher threw a scoreless inning as well. Ricky Ramirez struck out two in a perfect eighth inning.

 

The Kernels took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Jacob Pearson doubled and then scored on a single from Trey Cabbage. Trevor Larnach went 2-for-4. Following his double, the Twins top 2017 pick scored on a Michael Helman single.

 

These two teams will begin a playoff series on Wednesday, also in Beloit.

 

E-TWINS E-TALK

Elizabethton

Box Score

 

The E-Twins begin the Appalachian League championship series on Tuesday.

 

STARS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Kennys Vargas, Rochester Red Wings (2-3, BB, 2-2B(23)).

Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Chase De Jong, Rochester Red Wings (5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K)

 

PROSPECT SUMMARY

Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed.

#1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) - No Game Scheduled

#2 - Alex Kirilloff (Ft. Myers) - No Game Scheduled

#3 - Brusdar Graterol (Ft. Myers) - No Game Scheduled

#4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 0-3, BB, R, K

#5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Minnesota) - Did not pitch

#6 - Trevor Larnach (Cedar Rapids) -

#7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) - 0-4, 2 K

#8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) -

#9 -Wander Javier - out of for the season

#10 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - Did not pitch

#11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Did not pitch

#12 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) - 1-5, 2 K

#13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - No Game Scheduled

#14 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) - Did not pitch

#15 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) - No Game Scheduled

#16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) - No Game Scheduled

#17 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - Out for the season (wrist)

#18 - Ryan Jeffers (Cedar Rapids) -

#19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) -

#20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) - 2-4, 2 RBI

#21 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) - No Game Scheduled

*Since Wander Javier is out, I’d add #21 to the list.

 

 

TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester - Season Complete

Chattanooga - Season Complete

Palm Beach @ Ft. Myers (5:30 CST) - RHP Andro Cutura

Cedar Rapids - Playoff series starts on Wednesday

Elizabethton @ Princeton (6:00 CST) - RHP Austin Schulfer (Game 1 of Appy League championship series)

GCL Twins - Season Completed

 

 

Please feel free to ask any questions about Monday’s games, or ask any questions you may have.

 

Click here to view the article

[ChrisKnutson]

Honestly, the Buxton decision doesn’t bother me too much, but tell me FO, what makes Johnny Field, Tyler Duffey, and Matt Belilse any more deserving of a roster spot than Kennys Vargas, Nick Gordon, Lamonte Wade, Nick Anderson, Lewis Thorpe, and or Jake Reed???

[Danchat]

I would have liked to see Wiel get his first crack at the majors instead of see Petit again. I guess you can't have enough AAAA players on the roster...

[jud6312]

How about Erv to the 60 to make room for Jake Reed? This front office is losing me in a hurry.

[Seth Stohs]

 

I would have liked to see Wiel get his first crack at the majors instead of see Petit again. I guess you can't have enough AAAA players on the roster...

 

The two aren't related though... Petit was the option in the middle infield as a utility guy. He can play 2B, 3B and SS... Wiel can play 1B/LF... not the same. And, we all saw the struggles Gordon had at Rochester, so we can understand him not coming up. So, I don't have any problem with Petit. 

[Gagne Fan]

DJ Baxendale most likely played his last game in the Twins org

7 year Minor Leaguer with a 2.9 AAA era even as he was switched back and forth from the bullpen and spot starts

2 time AA All-Star

Tana should have seen what they had with a big league opportunity

He’ll pitch in the big leagues with some one next year

[Rosterman]

Well, looks like the Twins don't want to add anyone that they really don't need to add in advance (except Vasquez and Stewart). Would Vargas have been a choice instead of Petit, see what he does against a couple weeks of 1B/DH off the bench and if it would push the Twins in a no-Mauer decision?

 

Chase needs to get a looksee to see if he is a keeper. Especially a try at long relief. 

 

Glad to see Curtiss get the nod. Means Willians and Gimenez won't be needed out of the bullpen anymore...wait, maybe both could be an...opener! Pitch to one batter, than move behind-the-plate for the rest of the game!

 

Reality, I would've more enjoyed seeing Gordon challenged than Petit getting play. But...

 

Will Pineda make an appearance this season? Otherwise, in the off-season the Twins need to find places for Castro, Mejia, Pineda on the 40-man. I would suspect that Ervin Santana could be 60-dayed. 

 

Zack Granite is the odd man out.

 

[Seth Stohs]

 

Well, looks like the Twins don't want to add anyone that they really don't need to add in advance (except Vasquez and Stewart). Would Vargas have been a choice instead of Petit, see what he does against a couple weeks of 1B/DH off the bench and if it would push the Twins in a no-Mauer decision?

 

Chase needs to get a looksee to see if he is a keeper. Especially a try at long relief. 

 

Glad to see Curtiss get the nod. Means Willians and Gimenez won't be needed out of the bullpen anymore...wait, maybe both could be an...opener! Pitch to one batter, than move behind-the-plate for the rest of the game!

 

Reality, I would've more enjoyed seeing Gordon challenged than Petit getting play. But...

 

Will Pineda make an appearance this season? Otherwise, in the off-season the Twins need to find places for Castro, Mejia, Pineda on the 40-man. I would suspect that Ervin Santana could be 60-dayed. 

 

Zack Granite is the odd man out.

 

Pineda was ruled out after having knee surgery

 

Zack Granite was shut down a couple of months ago with his shoulder injury. He began rehabbing a couple of weeks ago.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Good luck Zack.

 

[D.C Twins]

Ahhh Septemer baseball out of contention. A time to see the young talent play to figure things out and get excited about the future. 

 

Like that Matt Belilse kid..... will be interesting to get a first glimpse of his future potential.

 

And that Gimenez prospect....could he be our Ohtani in the rough?!

 

AND unleashing our 'opener' strategy?!  Oh be still my heart....THIS IS HOW WE BASEBALL!!!!!

 

 

[mikelink45]

I share the call up frustration.  Fields - NO, Belisle - why ask? Same with Gimenez! Calling Byron Buxton........... Petit is okay, but we have plenty of room, why has Vargas no good-bye call up?  I do not care what Gordon did in AAA, put him up and let us see him, or are you telling me that Ironhands Polanco is the SS of the future. Glad to add two more pitchers, but this has been one crazy merri-go-round season ending.  

[Jham]

Gordon is a future big leaguer. Hee had a rough year. Unless there's an unknown attitude problem, getting him up just for the experience and a handful of at bats would have been useful in my opinion.

 

Vargas could sign a minor league deal depending on what happens with Mauer. At the very least, a call up for an audition and appreciation for 7 years would have shown some class. It seems he's done most everything he's been asked to do. Seems like a good guy. Could have used the major league $$.

[Danchat]

 

The two aren't related though... Petit was the option in the middle infield as a utility guy. He can play 2B, 3B and SS... Wiel can play 1B/LF... not the same. And, we all saw the struggles Gordon had at Rochester, so we can understand him not coming up. So, I don't have any problem with Petit. 

Whoops, for some reason, this whole time I've thought Wiel was a 2B. That certainly puts a damper on Wiel's prospects as his numbers would be nice for a 2B but not quite as good for a 1B/corner OF.

[Vanimal46]

Thank you to all of the contributors for another season of minor league reports.

 

This season was fun reading about Kiriloff making a mockery of single A baseball. Looking forward to reading about him, Lewis, and Graterol in Chattanooga at some point next season.

[108Stitches]

 

....THIS IS HOW WE BASEBALL!!!!!

Lol no, no it really isn't shouldn't be

[The Wise One]

Anybody on the 40 man that are not Romero or Lewis, injured or allegedly so, have been called up. In the should have department. Anybody that should be protected from rule 5 could have been added to the 40 man now.  The list  of qualified candidates is sparse. Busenitz, Moya,  Drake, Magill, Vasquez, De Jong and Curtis all need to show what they can do.  That is a 7 man bullpen and leaves Reed, May, Rogers and Hildenberger if you are actually trying to win the game. As much as Reed and Anderson deserved a shot, there are plenty of others that the FO needs to make a decision on.  I don't see a position player that deserves a shot. If a middle infielder in 400 PA OPSed  .547 in AAA (not small sample size statistics) was not a first round pick, there would be no argument for not bringing them up.  You do not need to bring that up to the major league level to see what they have. 

[h2oface]

I can't understand why the braintrust didn't let Vargas go. They really screwed him.

[rdehring]

Thanks for the season, guys!

 

Now lets enjoy some playoff baseball.  Could three of six US based teams win it all?  Doubtful, but lets get at least one championship.

[Vanimal46]

I can't understand why the braintrust didn't let Vargas go. They really screwed him.

They did let him go. The Cincinnati Reds were going to remove him from the 40 and keep him on their AAA roster all year. So they picked him back up.

[slash129]

 

Gordon is a future big leaguer. 

 

Based on .... ?

 

1) $$$ in signing bonus

2) Being related to Dee and Flash

3) Draft position (Kinda like Dustin Ackley, Christian Colon and Bubba Starling)

[slash129]

 

I do not care what Gordon did in AAA, put him up and let us see him, or are you telling me that Ironhands Polanco is the SS of the future. 

 

Because there is such a bright light around Gordon's 60 errors the past three years against lesser competition ...

[rghrbek]

 

Because there is such a bright light around Gordon's 60 errors the past three years against lesser competition ...

 

Agreed, at some point and time, prospects have to earn their way up.  Gordon did not do that this year.  Not at all.  Disturbing year for such a high pick.  He's young and can bounce back.

 

Heck we are still trying to figure out if Polonco can play short in the field (I think the answer is becoming apparent he cannot).  As an organization we better hope Lewis can stick at short.

[David HK]

 

Honestly, the Buxton decision doesn’t bother me too much, but tell me FO, what makes Johnny Field, Tyler Duffey, and Matt Belilse any more deserving of a roster spot than Kennys Vargas, Nick Gordon, Lamonte Wade, Nick Anderson, Lewis Thorpe, and or Jake Reed???

I totally second all these motions.

 

Every single one of 'em. And you can DL A.Reed for good measure the rest of the year, and skip a start or two for La Maquina, who looks completely gassed.

[RaymondLuxuryYacht]

 

DJ Baxendale most likely played his last game in the Twins org

He’ll pitch in the big leagues with some one next year

Lots of AAAA players will play briefly in the big leagues next year

[108Stitches]

 

Based on .... ?

 

1) $$$ in signing bonus

2) Being related to Dee and Flash

3) Draft position (Kinda like Dustin Ackley, Christian Colon and Bubba Starling)

Pretty much the SOLE criteria for 95% of "Top prospects". 

[caninatl04]

Lol no, no it really isn't shouldn't be

I just disagree with the punctuation: replace the !'s with ?'s.

 

This? is how we baseball????

[h2oface]

 

They did let him go. The Cincinnati Reds were going to remove him from the 40 and keep him on their AAA roster all year. So they picked him back up.

 

??? Exactly. They tried to pass him through waivers, and he was claimed, and then the Reds did the same thing, and the Twins claimed him and tried again, and he was unclaimed. So instead of really letting him go, they made the move to take him back. They could have just not reclaimed him, and let him get on with his life and career. Just really let him go. Now it looks like they will have to, and that will be the best for him. He will probably end up in Japan or Korea, and get a chance to make some money. Truly a wasted year for him.

Edited September 5, 2018 by h2oface

[TheLeviathan]

 

Because there is such a bright light around Gordon's 60 errors the past three years against lesser competition ...

 

Somebody can correct me if I'm wrong...but aren't error totals for infielders largely considered irrelevant because the playing surfaces are garbage?

[Jham]

Based on .... ?

 

1) $$$ in signing bonus

2) Being related to Dee and Flash

3) Draft position (Kinda like Dustin Ackley, Christian Colon and Bubba Starling)

Based on every scouting report I've ever read on him. I've hardly seem him play, but what I saw in spring training, he belongs. Will he ever be good? Who knows.

 

We have invested a lot. I think that was my point? I never said he deserves a call up. I suggested that the kid has had a rough year. Perhaps it would do him some good. Lift his spirits. Give him a positive note into the off-season. He's an important character in the story still at this point.

[slash129]

Based on every scouting report I've ever read on him. I've hardly seem him play, but what I saw in spring training, he belongs. Will he ever be good? Who knows.

 

We have invested a lot. I think that was my point? I never said he deserves a call up. I suggested that the kid has had a rough year. Perhaps it would do him some good. Lift his spirits. Give him a positive note into the off-season. He's an important character in the story still at this point.

Rewarding mediocrity ... That sounds like a great plan. Coddling is for 2nd grade house leaguers not million dollar pros.