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  • Twins Minor League Report (5/4): Baxendale Deserves Better

    Seth Stohs

    By Seth Stohs

    If you watched the Twins game, you might think that was a minor league game. It was a long game! Consider Wednesday night’s Ft. Myers game was complete in one hour and 55 minutes. “El Corzo” stayed hot, while one of the organization’s top pitching prospects had a nice response to his first bad start. Continue on for much more on the events in the Twins farm system throughout Wednesday.

    Image courtesy of Seth Stohs (photo of Tyler Jay)

    Twins Video

    TRANSACTIONS

    It was another busy day of transactions, and it actually started immediately following Tuesday night’s Twins game in Houston. Alex Meyer was optioned to Rochester with JR Graham replacing him on the Twins roster. Graham will likely only be on the roster until Saturday when Ervin Santana comes off of the disabled list.

    In Chattanooga, Engelb Vielma went back on the disabled list, this time with a strained oblique. Ryan Walker was promoted to the Lookouts from Ft. Myers.

    As a results of his Tuesday night collision with Chad Christensen, Nick Gordon was placed on the 7-day concussion list. Sean MIller was promoted from Cedar Rapids. The Twins also signed 25-year-old free agent infielder Tanner Witt. Witt spent time in the independent leagues the last couple of years and also saw time in the Orioles and Cubs systems.

    Taking Miller’s spot in Cedar Rapids was infielder Alex Perez.

    RED WINGS REPORT

    Rochester 8. Syracuse 2

    Box Score

    The Red Wings played an early morning game. They jumped out to an early lead, in part thanks to Adam Brett Walker’s fourth home run of the year. They got a solid start and some really impressive relief work. They then added on in the late innings.

    Pat Dean recorded his first win of the season. The southpaw gave up two runs on nine hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out three. He left the game in the seventh inning after giving up a single and a walk. Brandon Kintzler came in and gave up a first-pitch single to load the bases. However, he struck out the side to end the Syracuse threat. Kintzler worked a perfect eighth inning. Marcus Walden came in to pitch a scoreless ninth inning to end the game.

    Five Red Wings hitters had two hits. The team had 12 hits and walked five times. Byron Buxton went 2-4 with a walk and two doubles. He already has four two-baggers. He is now hitting .302. James Beresford went 2-5 with his fifth double. Max Kepler went 2-4 with his second triple to bring his batting average back to .205. Kennys Vargas went 2-4 and is now at .217. Adam Brett Walker went 2-3 with a walk and his fourth homer.

    The Red Wings are now 12-15 on the season.

    CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

    Chattanooga 0, Mobile 1

    Box Score

    I think it’s fair to say that DJ Baxendale deserved better. The right-hander gave up just one run over eight innings and took the loss. He gave up just four hits. He walked one and struck out five. His ERA dropped to 2.92.

    The Lookouts had eight hits, but they just were not able to get a run across the plate. Nine-hitter, Leonardo Reginnato went 3-3. Dalton Hicks went 2-4 in the game. The Lookouts did not draw a walk and struck out 14 times, including eight combined K's from their 2, 3 and 4 hitters.

    The team is now 11-15 on the season.

    MIRACLE MATTERS

    Ft. Myers 3, Palm Beach 0

    Box Score

    Coming off of a really rough start, Tyler Jay certainly wanted to improve this time out. He did. The hard-throwing left-hander threw 6.1 scoreless innings. He gave up five hits, walked two and struck out seven for the win. Brandon Peterson walked one and struck one out over the next 1.2 innings. Luke Bard recorded his second save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

    Edgar Corcino stayed hot. After going 2-4 with a walk, a home run and four RBI each of the last two games, Corcino went 3-4 in this game. So in his last three games he is 7-12 with two walks, two homers and eight RBI which, I believe, could be categorized as “pretty good.” In addition, Chris Paul went 1-3 with a walk. Trey Vavra added his fifth double.

    The game was completed in 1 hour and 55 minutes.

    KERNELS NUGGETS

    Cedar Rapids 8, Lansing 2

    Box Score

    Andro Cutura put together a quality start and was helped by plenty of offense on this night. The right-hander went the first six innings and gave up just two runs. He gave up five hits, walked three and struck out five to improve to 3-1. Logan Lombana worked the final two innings without giving up a run. The bottom of the ninth was not played due to rain.

    The Kernels offense had ten hits and walked another five times. Luis Arraez led the way going 3-5 with two doubles and four RBI. Nelson Molina went 2-4. Zander Wiel and JJ Fernandez each added a double.

    TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

    Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Tyler Jay, Ft. Myers Miracle

    Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Luis Arraez, Cedar Rapids Kernels

    THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

    Rochester @ Pawtucket (6:05 CST) - LHP Andrew Albers

    Chattanooga @ Mobile (6:35 CST) - LHP David Hurlbut

    St. Lucie @ Ft. Myers (6:05 CST) – RHP Keaton Steele

    Cedar Rapids @ Great Lakes (4:05 CST) – RHP Sam Gibbons

    Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Wednesday games.

    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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    Featured Comments

    Gagne Fan

    Gagne Fan 66

  • Provisional Member

    • Posted

    Baxendale deserved to be named Twins Pitcher of the Day.

     

    When it is too close to call you should you the pitchers game score to decide. The game score shows no bias.

     

    Jay's game score tonight was a 68

     

    Baxendale's game score was a 74

     

    This was one of the top game scores for any Twins Minor League pitcher this season

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    Seth Stohs

    Seth Stohs 23,732

  • Owner

    • Posted

     

    Baxendale deserved to be named Twins Pitcher of the Day.

    When it is too close to call you should you the pitchers game score to decide. The game score shows no bias.

    Jay's game score tonight was a 68

    Baxendale's game score was a 74

    This was one of the top game scores for any Twins Minor League pitcher this season

     

    Agreed. This morning, in my mind, I remember typing Baxendale. Guess not. Both very deserving. 

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    Seth Stohs

    Seth Stohs 23,732

  • Owner

    • Posted

     

    Looking more like Buxton might have flipped the switch on May 1.  In the 4 games in May thus far, Buxton has a hitting line of .467/.529/.800/(1.329) with only 3 strikeouts in 17 Plate Appearances. and 7/15.

     

    It's a nice four-game stretch... No question. For now, I'd advise just leaving it at that. It's encouraging. 

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    markos

    markos 2,012

  • Provisional Member

    • Posted

     

    Being ignorant about "game score" could someone explain it or provide a link? Thanks.

    It was originally devised by Bill James to rate pitching performances. You start the game with 50 points, and then points are added or subtracted for the various good (Ks, outs, etc) and bad (hits, homers, walks) events of the game.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_score

     

    People have created other flavors, but that is the general concept.

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    HitInAPinch

    HitInAPinch 4,518

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

     

    It's a nice four-game stretch... No question. For now, I'd advise just leaving it at that. It's encouraging. 

    Same here.  We've seen this before and I don't want to see the same MLB results again.  Walks are the only thing I'm really watching.  So far, 4 in 10 games.

     

    OBP and OPS are above average.  Call me greedy, I still need to see more.

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    Seth Stohs

    Seth Stohs 23,732

  • Owner

    • Posted

     

    Same here.  We've seen this before and I don't want to see the same MLB results again.  Walks are the only thing I'm really watching.  So far, 4 in 10 games.

     

    OBP and OPS are above average.  Call me greedy, I still need to see more.

     

    Walks are nice, and they should show up. For me, it's more generic. I just want to see quality at bats. Good, aggressive swings at good pitches, the ability to lay off of bad pitches, making solid contact. That means more than the statistics. BUT... the statistics may be what helps him with the confidence.

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    Pitz

    Pitz 397

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

     

    Anyone have any detailed information about Buxton's at bats?  I'm probably going to be a broken record in these Minor League Reports asking about them :)

    Not an eyewitness account, but according to gameday (which unfortunately doesn't have information on pitch type), his doubles were sharp ground balls to right and left (I'm assuming down the first and third base line; 0-1 count and 2-1 count respectively). 

    He actually fell behind 0-2 (looking and swinging) before drawing his walk (fouling off two pitches in the process).

    Outs were a sharp groundout to third (2-2 count) and a popup to second (1-1 count).

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    jokin

    jokin 4,237

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted (edited)

     

    Walks are nice, and they should show up. For me, it's more generic. I just want to see quality at bats. Good, aggressive swings at good pitches, the ability to lay off of bad pitches, making solid contact. That means more than the statistics. BUT... the statistics may be what helps him with the confidence.

     

    How about pattern recognition? Buxton pattern has been initial struggles, both at each successive level, and in the spring as the season begins. Invariably after his first month, and especially into the summer, he demonstrates mastery of a level with a torrid streak of hitting. Hopefully, his current little run here is sustained, the drop in strikeouts the last 3 games is particularly encouraging.

     

    Speaking of patterns- People want to see more walks from Buck, and that's understandable, but right now the "book" on Buxton is evidently out- he appears to be attempting to very tenuously read the first pitch or two or three- he usually takes a strike, and swings feebly at a borderline pitch- soooo... the opposing pitching coaches have to be telling their guys to throw him early strikes in the AB and bury him right away, down 0-2 or 1--2. It's difficult for any hitter- short of Joe Mauer- to hit for both high average and high BB rate when you're usually so far behind on the count on practically every plate appearance.

    Edited by jokin
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    diehardtwinsfan

    diehardtwinsfan 14,830

  • Community Moderator

    • Posted

     

    How about pattern recognition? Buxton pattern has been initial struggles, both at each successive level, and in the spring as the season begins. Invariably after his first month, and especially into the summer, he demonstrates mastery of a level with a torrid streak of hitting. Hopefully, his current little run here is sustained, the drop in strikeouts the last 3 games is particularly encouraging.

     

    Speaking of patterns- People want to see more walks from Buck, and that's understandable, but right now the "book" on Buxton is evidently out- he appears to be attempting to very tenuously read the first pitch or two or three- he usually takes a strike, and swings feebly at a borderline pitch- soooo... the opposing pitching coaches have to be telling their guys to throw him early strikes in the AB and bury him right away, down 0-2 or 1--2. It's difficult for any hitter- short of Joe Mauer- to hit for both high average and high BB rate when you're usually so far behind on the count on practically every plate appearance.

     

    I don't by the initial struggles idea... not yet at least.  He didn't struggle at all in 2013, when he destroyed A ball at 2 levels.  He did struggle a bit in 2012, which certainly is understandable as his first taste in pro ball as well as 2014 (injury) and 2015(after missing nearly all of 2014).  Aaron Hicks I think fits that idea of early struggles a bit better.  Buxton's problem, as I see it right now, is that he just isn't ready.  Given his age and the number of minor league at bats, it is hardly an issue at this point.

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    Seth Stohs

    Seth Stohs 23,732

  • Owner

    • Posted

     

    Any chance if Nick Gordon had not been injured himself, he may have been called up to Chattanooga with Vielma on the DL?

     

    My initial thought is no. I think Ryan Walker would have been the guy either way, just to keep Gordon in place. 

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    Seth Stohs

    Seth Stohs 23,732

  • Owner

    • Posted

     

    I don't by the initial struggles idea... not yet at least.  He didn't struggle at all in 2013, when he destroyed A ball at 2 levels.  He did struggle a bit in 2012, which certainly is understandable as his first taste in pro ball as well as 2014 (injury) and 2015(after missing nearly all of 2014).  Aaron Hicks I think fits that idea of early struggles a bit better.  Buxton's problem, as I see it right now, is that he just isn't ready.  Given his age and the number of minor league at bats, it is hardly an issue at this point.

     

    He was solid early in Cedar Rapids in 2013... He struggled for a couple of weeks in Ft. Myers before taking off. He definitely struggled for 4-6 weeks to start 2015 in AA. 

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    bizaff

    bizaff 74

  • Provisional Member

    • Posted

     

    Not an eyewitness account, but according to gameday (which unfortunately doesn't have information on pitch type), his doubles were sharp ground balls to right and left (I'm assuming down the first and third base line; 0-1 count and 2-1 count respectively). 

    He actually fell behind 0-2 (looking and swinging) before drawing his walk (fouling off two pitches in the process).

    Outs were a sharp groundout to third (2-2 count) and a popup to second (1-1 count).

     

    Thanks for the info.

     

    I'm very interested in hearing about how he's responding to off-speed stuff - is he laying off, and is he starting to make good contact.

     

    I found http://m.milb.com/2016_05_04_rocaaa_syraaa_1#/js/2016_05_04_rocaaa_syraaa_1/plays/ but that doesn't have the count information - where are you finding yours?

     

    What I really want is stuff like http://twinsdaily.com/topic/22301-article-twins-minor-league-report-52-wheeler-deals-in-complete-game-loss/?do=findComment&comment=474029 but I get it if only people seeing the game can report it.

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    Pitz

    Pitz 397

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    I got the info off of Gameday. You can see all the Twins' affiliates' scores by going here.

    This also allows you to navigate to different dates. The game day link allows you to see a little more information about pitch by pitch, but it takes some navigating and still doesn't provide info about pitch type (and I'm not sure the pitch location is the most reliable either).

     

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