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  • 2017 Rochester Red Wings Roster Preview

    Seth Stohs

    By Seth Stohs

    In 2016, the Rochester Red Wings went 81-63. However, they finished third in their division and just shy of a playoff spot. The 2017 Red Wings will again have a good combination of prospects and veterans. It is a team that has the potential to put the Red Wings back in playoff contention while providing the Minnesota Twins with players to help as they look to improve.

    Image courtesy of Seth Stohs (Top L to R: Mitch Garver, Zack Granite, Daniel Palka, Bottom L to R: Byungho Park, Trevor Hildenberger, Niko Goodrum)

    Twins Video

    Today we look at the Rochester Red Wings players and coaching staff. We try to figure out a solid everyday lineup, and discuss the top prospects. Feel free to share any thoughts you may have on the team or roster, and ask as many questions as you would like.

    COACHING STAFF

    Mike Quade returns to the Red Wings for his third year as manager. The former Cubs manager has led the Wings to a 158-130 record over the last two seasons. Because of the car accident he was involved in in Ft. Myers this spring, he had rotator cuff surgery and will not be able to coach third base this season. That job will go to Toby Gardenhire, who was brought in to be a coach in the GCL. He will have other duties with the coaching staff as well. Chad Allen is back for his second season as the Red Wings hitting coach. Stu Cliburn returns as the pitching coach for the second straight season, though he also was their pitching coach from 2006 to 2008. He’s been a pitching coach in the Twins organization dating back to 1993.

    ROSTER

    Here is a look at the Red Wings Opening Day roster. 16 of these 26 players have spent at least some time in the big leagues. 17 of the players spent at least some time with the Red Wings last year. Eight players are on the 40-man roster. Note that this is a tentative roster and can be updated before their season starts on Thursday.

    HITTERS

    Catchers: Mitch Garver, John Ryan Murphy

    Infielders: Byungho Park, Ben Paulsen, Kennys Vargas, Tommy Field, Matt Hague, Bengie Gonzalez, Niko Goodrum, Leonardo Reginnato,

    Outfielders: Quintin Berry, Zack Granite, Daniel Palka, JB Shuck, Ryan Strausborger

    PITCHERS

    Starting Pitchers: Jose Berrios, David Hurlbut, Aaron Slegers, Nick Tepesch, Jason Wheeler, Yohan Pino (DL), Nick Greenwood (DL)

    Relief Pitchers: DJ Baxendale, Buddy Boshers, Alan Busenitz, JT Chargois, Trevor Hildenberger, Jake Reed, Drew Rucinski, Alex Wimmers, Zack Jones (DL-shoulder)

    POTENTIAL LINEUP

    CF - Zack Granite

    RF - JB Shuck

    1B - Byungho Park

    LF - Daniel Palka

    DH -Kennys Vargas

    C - Mitch Garver

    3B - Matt Hague

    SS - Niko Goodrum

    2B - Tommy Field

    TOP PROSPECTS

    1. JT Chargois - Needs to work on command, but should have a big future in late innings.
    2. Mitch Garver - Needs to play most every day. He’s close to ready.
    3. Daniel Palka - Huge power, needs to put the ball in play a bit more because he hurts the ball when he does.
    4. Zack Granite - His game is more impressive than his numbers. He does so many things well.
    5. Jake Reed - Gets great movement on his fastball and slider. Should debut in 2017.
    6. Aaron Slegers - Also seems more impressive than his numbers. Sits 90-92, touches 94.
    7. Trevor Hildenberger - He has put up video game numbers the last two season in the minors. Funky delivery, should debut this season.
    8. Niko Goodrum - Could have been a free agent. Returned. Performed well in big league spring. Can play all over the diamond.

    STORIES TO WATCH

    1. When will Kennys Vargas and Byungho Park get moved up to Minnesota. Could someone else be called up when the Twins go from 13 to 12 pitchers… sometime?
    2. Daniel Palka was Twins Daily’s Minor League Hitter of the Year in 2016. Zack Granite was the Twins choice for Minor League Player of the Year. Both were added to the 40-man roster this offseason. They are almost polar opposite in terms of player type, but both could surface with the Twins in 2017.
    3. The Red Wings bullpen could provide the Twins with some much needed depth throughout the season. JT Chargois needs to harness his control. Jake Reed injured his side and could miss a couple of weeks, but his stuff can be very good too. Trevor Hildenberger has been incredible and should surface with the Twins this year. DJ Baxendale will spend his first full season as a reliever after a strong showing in the 2nd half of the Red Wings ‘pen last year. Alex Wimmers was arguably the Twins best reliever this spring and should get another opportunity with the big league club. Alan Busenitz throws hard too.
    4. Mitch Garver and John Ryan Murphy are both on the 40-man roster. Jason Castro is around for the next three years, but Chris Gimenez was added to the 40-man roster. Gimenez’s ability to play other positions mean that the Twins could, at times, go with another catcher.
    5. Can Jose Berrios improve his command. I mean, that’s the biggest question there is for Twins fans. His ability to find any semblance of command will determine when (or if) he will become a solid MLB starter.

    Please feel free to discuss this roster. Ask lots of questions and check back often. What stories will you be following?

    Seth Stohs has been blogging about the Minnesota Twins since May 2003. A founder and owner of Twins Daily, Seth has been a Twins fan for 40 years and has a passion for covering the minor leagues and prospects.
    Follow Seth Stohs on Twitter: sethtweets

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    Seth Stohs

    Seth Stohs 23,732

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    • Posted

     

    Man, that's a great looking Triple A roster. Is Paulsen strictly a 1B now, or could you see him playing some in the outfield corners? Have any thoughts on Goodrum's defense at shortstop to share?

     

    Paulsen is going to have to play the corner outfield spots and DH too, I think. 

     

    I always thought Goodrum should have stayed at shortstop. May no longer have the range, but he makes the plays and has a strong arm. He's expected to play all over the place though.

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    Seth Stohs

    Seth Stohs 23,732

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    • Posted

     

    Any thoughts on Gonsalves moving up to AAA? After going 8-1 with a 1.82 ERA with Chattanooga, how much more does he have to prove?

     

    First, he has to be healthy. That's the big thing. He'll miss 1-2 starts at the beginning of the season as he's getting stretched out in Ft. Myers. And, he only made like 11 AA starts, so there's nothing wrong with making him make 5-6 more starts there before moving him up. 

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    Mike Sixel

    Mike Sixel 41,021

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

     

    First, he has to be healthy. That's the big thing. He'll miss 1-2 starts at the beginning of the season as he's getting stretched out in Ft. Myers. And, he only made like 11 AA starts, so there's nothing wrong with making him make 5-6 more starts there before moving him up. 

     

    5-6? Seems low, but I guess it is possible. 

     

    Any news on the injury?

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    Deduno Abides

    Deduno Abides 2,674

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    • Posted

    My biggest problem is with the manager and pitching coach. Quade is so old school that his school was torn down when they built Gardy's and it seems like it's been a long time since Cliburn helped anyone.

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    FormerMinnasotan

    FormerMinnasotan 709

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    • Posted

    My biggest problem is with the manager and pitching coach. Quade is so old school that his school was torn down when they built Gardy's and it seems like it's been a long time since Cliburn helped anyone.

    Agreed. Case in point their "coaching" of Jose Berrios really stood out last year. How they couldn't bridge the gap from AAA to MLB with a pretty good pitching prospect is pretty bad if you ask me. I mean Quade and Cilborn were dumbfounded how Berrios could succeed in AAA and fail in the Bigs. Then it was reported that the Red Wings and Twins were coaching Berrios very differently and not focusing on the same issues. I am nervous Berrios won't pan out here only to rebound somewhere else, like St Louis.
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    Bob Sacamento

    Bob Sacamento 2,046

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    • Posted

     

    5-6? Seems low, but I guess it is possible. 

     

    Any news on the injury?

    No pain since his cortisone shot, he's set to throw in EXST on 4/6 and 4/11.  Hopefully at that point he feels up to going 80 pitches.  His last start was 33 pitches, so progression usually calls for 50-60 in the next start and hopefully 70-80 in the second start.  But if there is any indication that he's not at 100% physically and mentally I wouldn't be shocked if he's in EXST for another start or two.

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    Bob Sacamento

    Bob Sacamento 2,046

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    • Posted

     

    My biggest problem is with the manager and pitching coach. Quade is so old school that his school was torn down when they built Gardy's and it seems like it's been a long time since Cliburn helped anyone.

    I did think it was funny when Paul Clemens introduced himself to Cliburn after his outing on Saturday.  Stu told him he looked good and asked what organization Paul was with before joining, Clemens told him he was with the Padres and he felt he had a great run at the end of the season.  Cliburn assumed he meant AAA which Clemens quickly corrected him, "NO I was in the BIG LEAGUES".  

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    Blackjack

    Blackjack 869

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    • Posted

    How do you foresee the catching being split up between Garver and Murphy??  Garver may have passed Murphy but they also need to see what they have in Murphy, in case of an injury. 

     

    The 3rd basemen/Hague, is he good enough to be called up if Sano is hurt??

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    Deduno Abides

    Deduno Abides 2,674

  • Provisional Member

    • Posted

    I did think it was funny when Paul Clemens introduced himself to Cliburn after his outing on Saturday.  Stu told him he looked good and asked what organization Paul was with before joining, Clemens told him he was with the Padres and he felt he had a great run at the end of the season.  Cliburn assumed he meant AAA which Clemens quickly corrected him, "NO I was in the BIG LEAGUES".

     

    Great story about Dallas Green when he died. He asked his minor league staff whether a player was going to make it. Someone said, "If he can learn to hit the curveball." Green exploded, saying that his wife could have told him that and demanding the coach to say if HE thought the player would learn to hit the curveball.

     

    Engaged coaching: get with the program.

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    Thrylos

    Thrylos 8,325

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    • Posted

    This roster will need some work to get final.  I counted 15 position players & 13 pitchers (+3 in DL), which is way too many.   Not sure about releases but I suspect that at least Vargas will start at the DL.

     

    Having 4 1B/DH types, also hurts them.

     

    Still 23 players in MiLB rosters with the new CBA? 

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    mikelink45

    mikelink45 10,958

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    • Posted

    Interesting story lines, but not sure how much of a boost this team will give the MLB club.  How will they be coached and how will the opportunities be delivered to this  mostly young club?

     

    We seem to have a good number of bats and no opportunity in MLB despite being a 103 loss team. 

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    Seth Stohs

    Seth Stohs 23,732

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    • Posted

     

    I did think it was funny when Paul Clemens introduced himself to Cliburn after his outing on Saturday.  Stu told him he looked good and asked what organization Paul was with before joining, Clemens told him he was with the Padres and he felt he had a great run at the end of the season.  Cliburn assumed he meant AAA which Clemens quickly corrected him, "NO I was in the BIG LEAGUES".  

     

    Yeah, that seems strange, but frankly, the minor league coaches are at the ballpark from about noon to 11 or so at night. They are so focused on their players and those throughout the organization that they can't keep tabs on everything around the league. I don't even keep track of such things. Before the Twins signed him, I couldn't have told you who Paul Clemens was, much less who he played for and if he's got MLB time. Granted, I heard the news and I went to Baseball Reference.

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    Seth Stohs

    Seth Stohs 23,732

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    • Posted

     

    How do you foresee the catching being split up between Garver and Murphy??  Garver may have passed Murphy but they also need to see what they have in Murphy, in case of an injury. 

     

    The 3rd basemen/Hague, is he good enough to be called up if Sano is hurt??

     

    I would think the catching would be pretty much 50/50... The difference is that when Garver isn't catching, they're likely to have him occasionally play some 1B or DH too.

     

    Hague has a brief time in the big leagues. He would be the definition of a replacement level player or a AAAA player.

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    Seth Stohs

    Seth Stohs 23,732

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    • Posted

     

    This roster will need some work to get final.  I counted 15 position players & 13 pitchers (+3 in DL), which is way too many.   Not sure about releases but I suspect that at least Vargas will start at the DL.

     

    Having 4 1B/DH types, also hurts them.

     

    Still 23 players in MiLB rosters with the new CBA? 

     

    There'll likely be some DL'd guys... They always have this many on the tentative rosters. They'll make decisions before Thursday.

     

    Jake Reed is obviously going to start the season on the DL with his side injury. But Busenitz was headed for Chattanooga. I assume he took Reed's spot. I'm sure they'll have more on the DL. 

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    Seth Stohs

    Seth Stohs 23,732

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    • Posted

     

    Interesting story lines, but not sure how much of a boost this team will give the MLB club.  How will they be coached and how will the opportunities be delivered to this  mostly young club?

     

    We seem to have a good number of bats and no opportunity in MLB despite being a 103 loss team. 

     

    That's what happens when you turn the roster over to youth... Guys like Sano, Buxton, Kepler, Polanco, Rosario are going to play a lot, and guys like Dozier, Mauer and Castro will be in the lineup more often than not. AAA depth is just that, depth for injury. The hope is that the young guys, the next core, will take a step forward. 

     

    There can be some relievers that could/should come up at some point when they proved themselves. Chargois, Reed, Hildenberger and others too should be up.

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