Article: Twins Minor League Report (4/27) April Showers Bring … Postponed Games

[Tom Froemming]

While there was a full slate of games scheduled to be played today, Mother Nature saw to it that only two of the games actually were to be played. Despite this unfortunate circumstance, I’ll take you through both of the games that actually were played this Saturday.TRANSACTIONS

-RHP Tanner Howell promoted from Rookie Ball Elizabethton to A+ Fort Myers

-RHP Kohl Stewart activated at AAA after being optioned on 4/25

-RHP D.J. Baxendale placed on the injured list at AAA with a left ankle sprain

 

RED WINGS REPORT

 

Postponed, game to be made up as a doubleheader on May 24th.

 

There is more regarding the Red Wings, however. They were recently featured on ESPN for their upcoming “Deaf Culture Day” at the ballpark. The video clip of the segment can be found below:

 

BLUE WAHOO BITES

Pensacola 4, Jackson 3

Box Score

 

Brusdar Graterol: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 64% strikes (57 of 89 pitches)

HR: Caleb Hamilton (2)

Multi-hit games: Luis Arraez (2-for-4, R, 2 RBI), Caleb Hamilton (2-for-3, 2 R, RBI)

 

The Twins top pitching prospect, Brusdar Graterol, had a solid start for the Blue Wahoos as he went 5 innings with just two runs given up. Although knowing how well the Blue Wahoos starters have done so far this year, this may have actually raised their average starting ERA, which is no slight toward Graterol. Actually, let me self-promote some of the numbers I dug up the other day regarding a few of their starters:

Anyway, the Blue Wahoos wasted no time getting the game going as Ernie De La Trinidad singled home Luis Arraez in the first inning to take a quick lead. Caleb Hamilton wasn’t a fan of only winning by one so he launched a solo shot in the third to double the lead.

 

The Generals answered in the fourth with a few doubles that knotted the game at two.

 

Luis Arraez broke through in the seventh as his clutch two-run double gave the Blue Wahoos a lead which the Generals could not overcome.

 

Dusten Knight recorded the old school three-inning save that most likely was concluded with a backflip (video unfortunately not included).

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 8, Palm Beach 4

Box Score

 

Charlie Barnes: 5 2/3 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 64% strikes (57 of 89 pitches, literally the exact same as Graterol, freaky)

HR: Rortvedt (2)

Multi-hit games: Akil Baddoo (2-for-5, R), Royce Lewis (2-for-5, RBI), Jose Miranda (2-for-5, R, RBI), Ryan Jeffers (2-for-4, R), Ryan Costello (2-for-4, R, RBI)

 

After a rough last outing, Charlie Barnes probably would have loved nothing more than a great start to wash out the taste of his outing last week. Luckily, he got just that, as he fired off 5 2/3 excellent shutout innings against the Cardinals.

 

A third inning Royce Lewis single kicked off the scoring and a fourth inning Ryan Costello single added another run to said lead. The score stayed 2-0 until the big bat* of Ben Rortvedt stepped up to the plate in the sixth with two men on and when his at-bat was over, the lead turned into five thanks to his three-run bomb.

 

*Ben Rortvedt’s bat is most likely a normal sized one as he would be cheating if he used a larger than allowed bat.

 

The Miracle were able to plate a few more runs in that inning due to an assortment of hits and finally, the inning ended with an 8-0 advantage favoring the Miracle. The ending havoc resulted in each Miracle batter either having a run scored or an RBI.

 

The Cardinals answered with four runs in the eighth inning, but it was not enough to top the Miracle as Melvi Acosta slammed the door shut with 1 2/3 shutout innings to end the game

 

Now, be blessed by the Miracle gif game:

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

 

Postponed, game to be made up as a doubleheader tomorrow.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Charlie Barnes

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Luis Arraez

 

PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

 

#1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) - 2-for-5, RBI

#2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - Injured list

#3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) - 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

#4 - Trevor Larnach (Ft. Myers) - 1-for-5, RBI, 2 K

#5 - Wander Javier (EST) - Season has not started

#6 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) - Postponed

#7 - Jhoan Duran (Ft. Myers) - Did not pitch

#8 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) - Postponed

#9 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Postponed

#10 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) - 2-for-5, 2B, 3B, R, 3 K

#11 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - Injured list

#12 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) - Injured list

#13 - Ryan Jeffers (Ft. Myers) - 2-for-4, R, 2 K

#14 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) - 1-for-3, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, K

#15 - Yunior Severino (Cedar Rapids) - Injured list

#16 - Gilberto Celestino (Cedar Rapids) - Postponed

#17 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - Postponed

#18 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) - Postponed

#19 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) - Did not pitch

#20 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) - 2-for-5, R, RBI

 

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Pawtucket @ Rochester (12:05 P.M.) - LHP Justin Nicolino

Pensacola @ Jackson (2:05 P.M.) - LHP Devin Smeltzer

Palm Beach @ Fort Myers (12:00 P.M.) - RHP Randy Dobnak

Cedar Rapids @ Kane County (G1) (1:00 P.M.) - RHP Cole Sands

Cedar Rapids @ Kane County (G2) (~30 minutes after G1) - RHP Josh Winder

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Saturday’s games.

 

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[Matt Braun]

AMA on why the weather hates me

[jmlease1]

Very happy with how Rortvedt is hitting so far this year. The patience and power are very good and he''s showing progress from last year. Just wish he was playing more; I don't think sharing time is best for either Rortvedt or Jeffers, personally.

 

Hopefully Rortvedt will be in line for the promotion to AA sooner rather than later?

[jrod23]

My guy Arraez!!!  He'll find his way to the Twins roster if he keeps up what he's been doing all his career.  Regardless of what Nick Gordon does when he gets up and running, Arraez deserves the call before Nick.

[HrbieFan]

La Tortuga hit the DL, who is coming up in his place? Cave or a pitcher?

[MMMordabito]

 

My guy Arraez!!!  He'll find his way to the Twins roster if he keeps up what he's been doing all his career.  Regardless of what Nick Gordon does when he gets up and running, Arraez deserves the call before Nick.

 

Looking at the pitcher above ... Arraez is about as adorable as Astudillo ... He's on the 40, so let's call him up to fill in for La Tortuga!

[rdehring]

Great seeing Lewis have a multi-hit game.  Now let's see him go on a nice 8-10 game hitting streak to get his season going.

 

Was a bit surprised we didn't see Kirilloff play for the Miracle last night on his bobblehead night.  Must not be that close to being ready to get back out there.

 

Agree with JLease above that they need to figure out a way to get more playing time for both Rortvedt and Jeffers, although I do see that both have played several games as DH.  But the year is early, still lots of time to split them so they each can play two-thirds of the games behind the plate.

 

Excited to see how Smeltzer does today!  A few more starts like his first starts and he could force himself up to Rochester.

[jkcarew]

I notice in the Ft Myers box that Lewis was caught stealing and was also picked off. I like the fact that he’s aggressively working on that part of his game. But fwiw, he’s hit a wall there at least temporarily. Now 11 SB with 8 CS at A+. That would project to Jorge Polonco on the bases...and his A numbers were pointing to something more Buxton-ish.

[ashbury]

*Ben Rortvedt’s bat is most likely a normal sized one as he would be cheating if he used a larger than allowed bat.

I am more concerned that the league is going to look into Melvi Acosta slamming doors on opponents.

[2wins87]

 

I notice in the Ft Myers box that Lewis was caught stealing and was also picked off. I like the fact that he’s aggressively working on that part of his game. But fwiw, he’s hit a wall there at least temporarily. Now 11 SB with 8 CS at A+. That would project to Jorge Polonco on the bases...and his A numbers were pointing to something more Buxton-ish.

 

I believe a pickoff gets counted as a CS, so that's the same play.  Still, he started out the season 5 for 6 or something like that and has been caught a couple times in a row now.  I wondering if his struggles at the plate are causing him to press a little bit too much.

 

I'm not too worried about it too much at lower levels now.  It's good for prospects to be aggressive as long as they are learning about reading pitchers and getting jumps.  He never had Buxton level speed (who does?), but he should be a pretty good basestealer if he doesn't bulk up too much and lose speed or something

[ashbury]

I believe a pickoff gets counted as a CS

No, that's specifically covered in the rules. Here's an MLB page with a pretty readable explanation.

http://m.mlb.com/glossary/standard-stats/caught-stealing

If he dives back to first, then it's not CS. If, less-commonly, he is caught so badly that he tries for second, then it probably is; the Official Scorer might have to make the determination.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Very happy with how Rortvedt is hitting so far this year. The patience and power are very good and he''s showing progress from last year. Just wish he was playing more; I don't think sharing time is best for either Rortvedt or Jeffers, personally.

 

Hopefully Rortvedt will be in line for the promotion to AA sooner rather than later?

 

He's played in 17 of 24 games... as a catch and they've even had him DH... 

[Seth Stohs]

 

Great seeing Lewis have a multi-hit game.  Now let's see him go on a nice 8-10 game hitting streak to get his season going.

 

Was a bit surprised we didn't see Kirilloff play for the Miracle last night on his bobblehead night.  Must not be that close to being ready to get back out there.

 

Agree with JLease above that they need to figure out a way to get more playing time for both Rortvedt and Jeffers, although I do see that both have played several games as DH.  But the year is early, still lots of time to split them so they each can play two-thirds of the games behind the plate.

 

Excited to see how Smeltzer does today!  A few more starts like his first starts and he could force himself up to Rochester.

 

There is no way that they want any catchers to be behind the plate 2/3 of the time... Catcher is a position of attrition... they need to keep them healthy. Keep the legs strong. They're doing work even on the days they aren't bending down to receive 250 pitches. 

[gil4]

 

No, that's specifically covered in the rules. Here's an MLB page with a pretty readable explanation.

http://m.mlb.com/glossary/standard-stats/caught-stealing

If he dives back to first, then it's not CS. If, less-commonly, he is caught so badly that he tries for second, then it probably is; the Official Scorer might have to make the determination.

We had someone around here who was or is an official scorer at some professional level - was that you? 

[ashbury]

We had someone around here who was or is an official scorer at some professional level - was that you? 

Stew Thornley, who is one of the Twins' official scorers.

 

I had him in mind when I hedged on the case when the runner is caught leaning.

[gil4]

 

Stew Thornley, who is one of the Twins' official scorers.

 

I had him in mind when I hedged on the case when the runner is caught leaning.

One thing I like about this site is I get to discuss baseball and the Twins with a bunch of people who know a heck of a lot more than me about both, which doesn't happen too often in social events here in Oklahoma.