Rochester: Observations In 2015

Not that I’m constantly critical of the Wings. Rather, I am always intrigued by the success of a minor league team in an objectively minor league city. (I’m allowed to say that since I’m from here.)

Past summers have seen forgettable campaigns that don’t drum up much interest for the public. Poor records and a lack of exciting prospects have been lacking here in Rochester. But this year is different.

There certainly is a different air about the team than has been seen in past years. A certain buzz I have not noticed since Justin Morneau was on the team. Not that anyone on the team will be Morneau but that was the last time there seemed to be any semblance of a vested interest.

Aaron Hicks got the pot stirring with his impressive .336/.415/.561 line through 27 games in 2015. After a 2014 season that placed him at three different levels of professional baseball, it was exciting to see him earn his way back up to The Show. While everyone knows and hopes that Byron Buxton will be the future general of the Twins’ outfield, Hicks is no slouch. Hes’s a solid piece to have in an outfield that can best be described as beleaguered in past years. And at the very least he can hold the fort down until Buxton debuts.

Danny Ortiz is the other name that has Rochesterians talking. The 25-year-old is also an outfielder. He leads the organization in RBIs with 25 and is tied for second in the International League with six home runs. If he sustains the numbers, I can see him appearing for the Twins at some point this season, maybe to replace a struggling Eddie Rosario, but I think Ortiz needs some more at-bats before that conversation becomes more serious.

Pitching-wise, there isn’t as much buzz. Alex Meyer is having a rough start in 2015 with his 7.01 ERA after seven starts. Pat Dean and Taylor Rodgers are plugging along nicely but I'm not sure if it’s good enough to get the call from Minneapolis. Maybe, though, if an opportunity opens before Ervin Santana returns.

One name remember is Chih-Wei Hu. The 21-year-old Taiwanese right-hander is making the jump from Fort Meyers to Rochester for a spot start on Tuesday for the Wings’ first game of a doubleheader against Durham. With the Miracle so far this year he’s 4-0 with a 1.04 era in 35.0 innings pitched, and has only six walks and versus 36 strikeouts.

More important than these prospects though is that the Red Wings are winning. They’re hovering around .500 right now but I believe the pieces are here to finish above what’s been done in past seasons. At the very least, the playoffs look very much within reach with the talent that seems to be in the dugout. And I know all Twins fans would like to see that, not just the city of Rochester.

I don’t think there’s a way to quantify it, but there certainly is a correlation between the subjective “buzz” around the Wings and the recent success of the teams in the organization in the lower minors. The Twins might not be in the hunt for a pennant this year. But their improvement certainly has trickled down to the stadium here in western New York, a hopeful sign of a healthier farm system, which is something for a fan to look forward to.