Sire of Fort Myers Update: Big Game Brandon Waddell Turning Heads

[Tom Froemming]

Hear ye, hear ye! ‘Tis time to check in on the race for 2021 Sire of Fort Myers. Let’s take a look at the finalists for the crown, cape and scepter.Before we get started, let’s take a look at the roster activity from over the past week.

 

March 24: Alex Kirilloff optioned. Charlie Barnes, Griffin Jax, Caleb Hamilton, Trevor Larnach, Royce Lewis re-assigned.

March 25: Lewis Thorpe optioned. Andrew Romine exercised his opt out. Andrew Albers, Luke Farrell, Ian Hamilton, Juna Minaya, Glenn Sparkman, David Banuelos re-assigned.

March 27: Tzu-Wei Lin, JT Riddle, Keon Broxton, Tomas Telis, Rob Refsnyder re-assigned.

 

The Twins Opening Day roster picture is starting to develop, but these transactions don’t prevent anyone from still participating in spring games.

 

There have been some really great Spring Training performances this year. Kenta Meada (0.49 ERA in 18 1/3 innings) and Randy Dobnak (0.66 ERA in 13 2/3 innings) have been nearly perfect. Kyle Garlick and Willians Astudillo have also been impressive in their pursuit of an Opening Day roster spot. None of those four are eligible for Sire of Fort Myers, as they’re all on the 40-man roster and have previous MLB experience, but it’s worth recognizing their efforts this spring.

 

The early favorite for Sire of Fort Myers has faded as of late. Keon Broxton is in a 1-for-11 mini slump, which was enough to open the door for him to be leapfrogged. Tzu-Wei Lin has looked good in the field and has a .313/.476/.500 batting line in 21 plate appearances. Trevor Larnach made an impact this week, but unless he gets a lot of looks over these final few games it’s too little too late. He’s 4-for-12 with a double and a pair of home runs this spring.

 

 

Switching the focus over to pitching, there’s been a trio of relievers that have paced the pen over the past few weeks: Derek Law, Brandon Waddell and Luke Farrell. All three delivered a scoreless inning this afternoon at Hammond Stadium. Law topped out at 94.9 mph, Waddell at 93.6 mph and Farrell at 93.0 mph.

 

Law has been so good that last week’s Sire update was basically entirely dedicated to him. He’s now pitched seven shutout innings, surrendered just three hits, has walked two batters and has 10 strikeouts.

 

 

Waddell had an ugly second outing of spring but has been lights out since. He gave up four runs on three hits March 5 but has only given up one hit and one walk while striking out 13 batters in his last six outings. Only Maeda and Dobnak have more strikeouts this spring than Waddell.

 

Waddell boasts an impressive pedigree as a big-game pitcher. He’s a Virginia baseball legend, having posted a 5-0 record in five College World Series starts during his time as a Cavalier. He out-dueled Walker Buehler in the CWS deciding game in 2015 to give Virginia its first national title.

 

 

Farrell has already been re-assigned to minor league camp, so we know he’s not going to make the Opening Day roster. That doesn’t prevent him from garnering Sire consideration. He’s pitched 5 1/3 shutout innings and allowed three hits. He has eight strikeouts and has not walked a batter.

 

Luke is the son of former Major Leaguer and Blue Jays and Red Sox manager John Farrell. His brothers both work in baseball, one as Assistant Director of Baseball Development for the Cubs, the other as Amateur Scouting Director for the Blue Jays.

 

 

This year’s altered schedule and rules for Spring Training appear to have somewhat limited playing time for Sire of Fort Myers candidates. Broxton leads all Sire candidates with 31 plate appearances and Waddell is the innings leader at 8 1/3. To put that into perspective, 2018 Sire of Fort Myers Ryan LaMarre had 45 plate appearances that year and 2019 winner Ryne Harper pitched 11 innings.

 

Time is running out. There are only three games left on the Spring Training schedule. Who will be crowned 2021 Sire of Fort Myers?

 

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[Dman]

I really thought Hamilton was the safe pick early in.  He appeared to have good velocity to go with a good slider.  He didn't appear to have control problems and yet he gave up too many hits, walks and ultimately runs.  My early pick is out of the race.

 

IMO it is Waddell's to lose.  I know his ERA and WHIP are higher because of the one bad outing but he is younger than Law and Farrell and he has more K's.  I have only gotten to see him a couple of times but his stuff looked like it was getting on guys fast and they were swinging over the top most every swing.  Waddell also throw fairly hard for a lefty and we don't have a ton of good lefties as it is.  For all those reason I would pick him.

 

Law has been equally impressive and like Farrell has yet to give up a run this spring.  I like his stuff and with the fastball around 95 and multiple pitches he has the tools to succeed.  If Waddell falters then I would give it to Law.

 

Farrell was my pick early in after he K'd all three batter he faced and I still like him over Law but the guys that matter see it differently.  Not sure what it is they don't like, as his K\9 is slightly better than Law's and he has some great bendy stuff IMO.  It looks like he doesn't throw quite as hard but his results have been as good as the other two to this point.

 

Sorry to see Broxton falling off.  As the competition gets tougher down the stretch here he seems to be wilting.  He is in danger of turning into the weak hitter he has always been. Hopefully he rights the ship soon.  SSS can lead us awry and doesn't give him much room for error to make it as the SOFM.

 

I like all three relievers right now.  I would be fine with any one of them being crowned but there can only be one SOFM.

[Richard Swerdlick]

St. Paul should have a heck of a pitching staff.

[Doctor Gast]

I think Waddell is a little bit better than Law but if there will be any one it'll be Law because he's out of options.

I think this ST has shown us that Broxton isn't a PH candidate.

[Rosterman]

I still think Happ is on the bubble for opening on the DL because of the late spring training from COVID. 

 

Thielbar COULD be on the bubble. He would go thru waievrs and could resign with the Twins.

 

Stashak could be optioned out.

Colina will be on the 60-day, opening a roster spot.

 

The Twins could easily add both Law and Waddell. If either falters, there is Stashak and others in the minors. But both could be pleasant roster surprises.

 

In the field, Cave wins out because he can play center and also bats left. Garlick is the reserve if something happens to Cruz or Sano.

 

I'm hoping Duffey has just been playing around with the ball on the mound this spring!

 

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Thielbar COULD be on the bubble. He would go thru waievrs and could resign with the Twins.

Thielbar has an option year remaining too, so he wouldn't have be waived (unless they needed the 40-man spot).

[Greglw3]

Waddell or Law. Lean toward Waddell. He could be an awesome bullpen piece!