Article: 2013 Twins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year

[Seth Stohs]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=2320-2013-Twins-Minor-League-Starting-Pitcher-of-the-Year

[Thrylos]

I think that the only reason Albers might lose the Twins MiLB pitcher of the year award is because he got promoted. He leads the minors in wins & IP and has better K/9, K/BB, WHIP and ERA than Rogers.

[Twinsoholic]

A similar argument to the one Thrylos can be made for Baxendale who dominated A+ ball and was only so-so in his promotion to New Britain. One could argue that Rogers' numbers at Fort Meyers also could have meant a promotion to New Britain along with Baxendale or shortly after Baxendale. How certain is anyone that Rogers would have continued to dominate?

 

I have nothing against Rogers. It is great to have a lefty starter have success. However, I think that Seth's selection does not take into consideration the fact that others--Baxendale and Albers and Summers--were challenged at higher levels.

 

I would give the "award" to Albers because he pitched so well at AAA. I certainly hope Rogers has similar success at New Britain next year.

[Seth Stohs]

I definitely understand what you're saying, and it went into my thinking. However, at the end of the day, this isn't a 'level of competition' 'award.' I assume Rogers would have struggled in moving up to AA. Baxendale was incredible at Ft. Myers. I bet Trevor May would have been great in Cedar Rapids too.

 

And yes, Albers likely was hurt for this 'award' by being promoted to the big leagues... I'm not certain he minds.

[Monkeypaws]

Whatever they're teaching them at Kentucky, it's working. #1, #2, and an HM. Not too shabby.

[jimbo92107]

Only one top 20 prospect in the top five pitchers, and Gibson got sent back down. Meanwhile, another minor league prospect (which one) is getting TJ surgery, and Sam Deduno may need work done on his shoulder socket.

 

This is frustrating.

[Siehbiscuit]

Hopefully, JO Berrios and Kohl Stewart have tremendous years next year. Maybe they can finish at New Britain and Fort Myers, respectively. This organization definitely needs someone that can reach back and get a strikeout when its necessary.

[cmathewson]

I love all the lefthanders. Going into this year, it seemed like our biggest hole in the org. Now it looks like a strength, especially when you add in Thorpe, Gonsalves and Sulbaran.

[Mike Sixel]

Congrats to the people on the list.

[nicksaviking]

There are some nice back of the rotation prospects here though it is still frustrating that this team doesn't produce strikeout pitchers. Rookie League K numbers are always inflated, but many of these guys really crashed in that department this year. It just doesn't seem to make sense, I thought Melotakis, Rogers, Duffy, Summers, Boyd and Lee all threw relativly hard, generally that is the only requirement to make the 20-year olds whiff in A ball.

 

Anyone have any reasonable guess for why the Twins have such difficulty drafting and developing these types of pitchers? I don't want to fall back on the idea that limiting strikeouts is systematicly instructed but at this point that seems to be one of only three options, the other two being bad luck and strikeout-ambivilant scouting. I don't buy bad luck and I don't want to beleive the other two.

[Too Much Twins]

Hey Seth. What keeps Atherton out of honorable mention? Performance? Repeating a low level? low number of innings? Just curious what you think about him, had fantastic end of the season with suddenly great control...

[Seth Stohs]

Hey Seth. What keeps Atherton out of honorable mention? Performance? Repeating a low level? low number of innings? Just curious what you think about him, had fantastic end of the season with suddenly great control...

 

One of the most difficult things to do because I separate SP and RP. I guess I try to determine how much of the season the pitcher spent starting versus relieving, so I guarantee you'll see Atherton tomorrow...

[roger]

Off the subject Seth, but did you see the STrib today where they were talking about Rosario splitting time in the AFL at second and in the outfield?

[DAM DC Twins Fans]

After reading this article--I am more optimistic about Twins minor league pitching than I have been in a while...the guys at Cedar Rapids (Lee, Duffey, Melatakis and Rogers) all had great years (probably better than expected--I know Lee--my adopt-a-prospect did much better than I expected). Hopefully they will repeat their success next year at Ft. Myers and New Britain. Behind them, Stewart, Gonsalves, Berrios (hopefully) are coming up. Then you have Meyer and May (though not sure May is a future starter). Twins rotation in 2015 and onwards should become a strength going forward.

[howieramone1406390264]

After reading this article--I am more optimistic about Twins minor league pitching than I have been in a while...the guys at Cedar Rapids (Lee, Duffey, Melatakis and Rogers) all had great years (probably better than expected--I know Lee--my adopt-a-prospect did much better than I expected). Hopefully they will repeat their success next year at Ft. Myers and New Britain. Behind them, Stewart, Gonsalves, Berrios (hopefully) are coming up. Then you have Meyer and May (though not sure May is a future starter). Twins rotation in 2015 and onwards should become a strength going forward.

 

Completely agree with you. I would add Eades to that group, when he doesn't have an inning restriction etc. Like another poster said, we really helped ourselves with lefties.

[Seth Stohs]

Off the subject Seth, but did you see the STrib today where they were talking about Rosario splitting time in the AFL at second and in the outfield?

 

I didn't, though it makes sense... That said, I don't know if we make too much of it. Last winter in Puerto Rico, and in the WBC, Rosario played pretty much solely OF. He was good out there. It would take him no time to get reacclimated out there if they end up moving him sometime.

[clutterheart]

I have a hard time seeing how Berrios didn't even make the Honorable Mention

Here are Berrios and Lee's stats head-to-head:

 

[TABLE=width: 512]

[TD=class: xl65, width: 64][/TD]

[TD=class: xl67, width: 64]Age

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl67, width: 64]GS[/TD]

[TD=class: xl67, width: 64]IP[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64]SO/9[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64]BB/9[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64]H/9[/TD]

[TD=class: xl67, width: 64]ER[/TD]

[TD=class: xl67]Berrios

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]19[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]19[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]103.2[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66]8.7[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66]3.5[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66]9.1[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]46[/TD]

[TD=class: xl67]Lee[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]22[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]19[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]116[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66]6.9[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66]2.0[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66]9.1[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]38[/TD]

[/TABLE]

 

 

For 19 year old to SO 8.7 per 9 is pretty great. The only thing Lee did better is limit walks and induce Ground Balls.

I like Lee, he is a fine pitcher. His strength is ground balls and control which is a good thing for a leftie. Lee pitched a few games out of the bull pen. But his splits are alarming for an experienced Low A pitcher and unless he learns how to get RH batters out better he is destined to be LOOGY. Righties hit .290 off him! Thats not good.

[righty8383]

A similar argument to the one Thrylos can be made for Baxendale who dominated A+ ball and was only so-so in his promotion to New Britain. One could argue that Rogers' numbers at Fort Meyers also could have meant a promotion to New Britain along with Baxendale or shortly after Baxendale. How certain is anyone that Rogers would have continued to dominate?

 

I have nothing against Rogers. It is great to have a lefty starter have success. However, I think that Seth's selection does not take into consideration the fact that others--Baxendale and Albers and Summers--were challenged at higher levels.

 

I would give the "award" to Albers because he pitched so well at AAA. I certainly hope Rogers has similar success at New Britain next year.

 

He was definitely not "so-so" in AA.

[diehardtwinsfan]

With the exception of Gibson (higher upside) and Albers (doubt he has much of an ML career), the other guys look like they can be competent back of the rotation arms with potentially a 3/4 upside. That's not bad for any of them by any means, as they should be able to make some decent money in the majors. I got to like Rodgers just b/c he's a hard(er) throwing lefty, though it would be nice see a few more Ks out of him as he progresses.

[roger]

I didn't, though it makes sense... That said, I don't know if we make too much of it. Last winter in Puerto Rico, and in the WBC, Rosario played pretty much solely OF. He was good out there. It would take him no time to get reacclimated out there if they end up moving him sometime.

 

I think the telling part is that by the Twins telling Jeff Smith they want him to split time...tells us the Twins are starting to think about their options. As they look to put their best nine on the field everyday next year, at some point that is going to include both Dozier and Rosario.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I think the telling part is that by the Twins telling Jeff Smith they want him to split time...tells us the Twins are starting to think about their options. As they look to put their best nine on the field everyday next year, at some point that is going to include both Dozier and Rosario.

 

Given the lack of anything decent in the SS pipeline, I'd rather move Dozier back to SS if his bat is for real. I realize there will be a drop in defense, but the kid has posted an .800 OPS for several months now. If it's no fluke, it would make him a top 5 SS.

[Thegrin]

I know, am forgetting some but who were the last few Twins MiL starters of the year ?

Anthony Swarzak, David Bromberg, Kyle Gibson, BJ Hermsen (what happened to him this year?) Duensing ?? No wonder the Twins rotation is in tatters.

[Joe A. Preusser]

Given the lack of anything decent in the SS pipeline, I'd rather move Dozier back to SS if his bat is for real. I realize there will be a drop in defense, but the kid has posted an .800 OPS for several months now. If it's no fluke, it would make him a top 5 SS.

 

He's already a top 5 2B. Part of me doesn't want to mess with that success.

At the same time, Dozier SS and Rosario 2B is almost certainly much better than Floriman SS and Dozier 2B, so I'm a little torn.

[DAM DC Twins Fans]

I have a hard time seeing how Berrios didn't even make the Honorable Mention

Here are Berrios and Lee's stats head-to-head:

 

[TABLE=width: 512]

[TD=class: xl65, width: 64][/TD]

[TD=class: xl67, width: 64]Age

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl67, width: 64]GS

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl67, width: 64]IP

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64]SO/9

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64]BB/9

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64]H/9

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl67, width: 64]ER

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl67]Berrios

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]19

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]19

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]103.2

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66]8.7

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66]3.5

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66]9.1

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]46

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl67]Lee

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]22

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]19

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]116

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66]6.9

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66]2.0

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66]9.1

[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65]38

[/TD]

[/TABLE]

 

 

For 19 year old to SO 8.7 per 9 is pretty great. The only thing Lee did better is limit walks and induce Ground Balls.

I like Lee, he is a fine pitcher. His strength is ground balls and control which is a good thing for a leftie. Lee pitched a few games out of the bull pen. But his splits are alarming for an experienced Low A pitcher and unless he learns how to get RH batters out better he is destined to be LOOGY. Righties hit .290 off him! Thats not good.

 

Brett was my "adopt-a-prospect" so I may be biased a wee bit. They had comparable seasons, you are right, up until August 15. For Berrios, his last two starts were a disaster--9.2 IP 10 runs (all earned) and 6 BB. That is probably the difference. Is Berrios a higher ranked prospect--probably more Ks, 3 years younger. But he walked too many. Did Lee have a better season--IMHO yes and especially a better second half with the only 2 Cedar Rapids complete games until the last week.