Twins Fan From Afar

[Originally posted at my blog, http://twinsfanfromafar.blogspot.com] I have to admit that I was quite surprised this past week to read that Seth Stohs, Parker Hagerman, John Bonnes and Nick Nelson -- the premier Twins bloggers that provide great Twinscentric content for the Star Tribune, among other publications -- had decided to give up their individual blogs and join forces. As I write that sentence, it almost sounds like something out of a comic book written for Twins geeks! They are now providing the great content, but for one individual website, Twinsdaily.com. Most of you who read this blog probably are already aware of the change, but for those few that weren't aware, well, now you are. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gc9uQGC8CNw/T0Y_wf27V3I/AAAAAAAAALI/fDC5G-13xJI/s320/untitled.bmp I recently started posting at Twinsdaily, and am very impressed with the content thus far. As expected, Seth, Parker, John and Nick are all doing their same things, but now other bloggers, such as myself, can post their articles so that we might attract new and different visitors, when compared to the same people that we know visit our personal blog every day. Already I've encountered some great Twins fans thanks to Twinsdaily. Moreover, Twins fans that don't have blogs -- and don't want one -- can still create and post content, and can also comment on other articles. The possibilities of Twinsdaily are pretty exciting to think about. First, the Star Tribune now has a paywall, so without a subscription, you can't really actively read the articles and comment on the baseball boards anymore. The Pioneer Press, whose coverage isn't great anyway, seems to have their comment board linked with Facebook. I'm not on Facebook, and never will be, and I suspect that there are at least a few others like me. In the end, Twinsdaily should allow more people to have a voice and to express an opinion on the Twins. I plan on attending both the New Britain Rock Cats opening night, and also two games of the Twins' opening series in Baltimore. I can post game recaps and pictures to Twinsdaily, and I can imagine that other fans will be doing the same thing throughout the professional season. Sure, I can do the same at my blog, and I certainly will, but it will be a good opportunity, I think, to reach out to other fans. In short, those of us with blogs can provide the same material, but to a larger platform, and there is an opportunity for those without Star Tribune subscriptions or Facebook accounts to have meaningful Twins-related conversations online. I'll be taking a break from blogging for the next few days, most likely. It's time for the annual winter trip to Minnesota, and hopefully a stop at the Twins Pro Shop in Roseville to check out the new gear for 2012. Maybe I can get a discount on that Jason Repko jersey I have been coveting.

Thanks for the comments, shanewahl and minn55441. Shane, I guess my larger point is that I don't want Nishioka to be clogging up a position at AAA if we have a legitimate prospect that could, or should, be playing there. Maybe you're right that he's better suited for AAA second base? I, too, would like to see Dozier start at AAA this year. Dozier at 2B and Florimon at SS? Minn55441, I'm not sure about Levi Michael yet. Don't get me wrong, I'm confident that he's going to be a good prospect, but even if he is fast-tracked, by Twins standards, we're still talking about MLB arrival no earlier than 2015 (3 full seasons in the minors) -- and that assumes success at every level of the minor leagues, and a clean bill of health (the latter of which is not a given, considering how banged up he was last season). It would be great, though, if he could vault to the top of our prospect rankings with a strong first season.

This is also posted at my blog, http://twinsfanfromafar.blogspot.com [TABLE=class: tr-caption-container, align: center] http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zY5iHzx2Hj4/T0TsmozFw8I/AAAAAAAAALA/I5bVCCs5kto/s1600/Dozier.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]Brian Dozier, Twins' shortstop of the future? [/TD] [/TABLE] I have advocated in the past my belief that the best place for Tsuyoshi Nishioka to start 2012 would be AA New Britain or AAA Rochester. Unlike the front office, I'm not willing to give him a complete mulligan for 2011. I recognize that the broken leg derailed his season, but even prior to that injury -- and also when he came back supposedly healthy -- he was clearly overmatched. It's great that he worked on strength and conditioning in the offseason, but I'm not sure that those things, alone, make him better for the Twins in 2012. From what I have read, the Twins will use Jamey Carroll as the everyday, starting shortstop (until he is eligible to begin collecting Social Security next season), and all signs point to Alexi Casilla getting the nod at second. The Twins have two more years left on Nishioka's contract, and roughly $6 million; that contract is untradeable right now. On the other hand, Twins shortstop prospect Brian Dozier had a great season at AA in 2011, and also performed very well in the Arizona Fall League. So we have one middle infield prospect, seemingly on the way up, and one major league middle infield player that, in my mind, needs to occupy a spot on some roster, somewhere, for the next two years before he is out of this organization. Like the Twins' front office, I'm thinking toward the future. I'm not at all confident that we're looking at a playoff team here, so I think it's important to make moves that, although not fantastic or sexy in the short-term, don't handcuff the team in the long-term. By 2014 or 2015, there could be a good new wave of players, including Miguel Sano and Kyle Gibson, and the starting 9 probably will look very, very different. With that being said, perhaps the best (or least worst) thing to do in 2012 is to have Nishioka be a bench player for the Twins, and give Dozier the starting SS job at Rochester for a full season -- or at least until he demonstrates that he's seen enough of AAA to be promoted. Having both Nishioka and Dozier on the same Rochester team simply doesn't make sense, especially if Dozier is the shortstop of the future for the Twins. I suppose the other option is to send Nishioka to New Britain, but based on Terry Ryan's comments that the team "wouldn't want to see it play out that way," with respect to sending Nishioka to Rochester, I have a feeling that such a New Britain assignment might not even be on the table. At the very least, it's definitely something to think about. I think the Twins' #1 priority with respect to this issue is setting themselves up to have a legitimate shortstop of the future, something they haven't had for a long time. I'd be happy to hear your comments and ideas -- I'm not at all an expert on the Twins' minor league system, and I know that some of you will have more insight.

This is also posted at my blog, http://twinsfanfromafar.blogspot.com [TABLE=class: tr-caption-container, align: center] http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zY5iHzx2Hj4/T0TsmozFw8I/AAAAAAAAALA/I5bVCCs5kto/s1600/Dozier.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]Brian Dozier, Twins' shortstop of the future? [/TD] [/TABLE] I have advocated in the past my belief that the best place for Tsuyoshi Nishioka to start 2012 would be AA New Britain or AAA Rochester. Unlike the front office, I'm not willing to give him a complete mulligan for 2011. I recognize that the broken leg derailed his season, but even prior to that injury -- and also when he came back supposedly healthy -- he was clearly overmatched. It's great that he worked on strength and conditioning in the offseason, but I'm not sure that those things, alone, make him better for the Twins in 2012. From what I have read, the Twins will use Jamey Carroll as the everyday, starting shortstop (until he is eligible to begin collecting Social Security next season), and all signs point to Alexi Casilla getting the nod at second. The Twins have two more years left on Nishioka's contract, and roughly $6 million; that contract is untradeable right now. On the other hand, Twins shortstop prospect Brian Dozier had a great season at AA in 2011, and also performed very well in the Arizona Fall League. So we have one middle infield prospect, seemingly on the way up, and one major league middle infield player that, in my mind, needs to occupy a spot on some roster, somewhere, for the next two years before he is out of this organization. Like the Twins' front office, I'm thinking toward the future. I'm not at all confident that we're looking at a playoff team here, so I think it's important to make moves that, although not fantastic or sexy in the short-term, don't handcuff the team in the long-term. By 2014 or 2015, there could be a good new wave of players, including Miguel Sano and Kyle Gibson, and the starting 9 probably will look very, very different. With that being said, perhaps the best (or least worst) thing to do in 2012 is to have Nishioka be a bench player for the Twins, and give Dozier the starting SS job at Rochester for a full season -- or at least until he demonstrates that he's seen enough of AAA to be promoted. Having both Nishioka and Dozier on the same Rochester team simply doesn't make sense, especially if Dozier is the shortstop of the future for the Twins. I suppose the other option is to send Nishioka to New Britain, but based on Terry Ryan's comments that the team "wouldn't want to see it play out that way," with respect to sending Nishioka to Rochester, I have a feeling that such a New Britain assignment might not even be on the table. At the very least, it's definitely something to think about. I think the Twins' #1 priority with respect to this issue is setting themselves up to have a legitimate shortstop of the future, something they haven't had for a long time. I'd be happy to hear your comments and ideas -- I'm not at all an expert on the Twins' minor league system, and I know that some of you will have more insight.

The way it seems right now, even with the optimism that accompanies Spring Training, it's tough to imagine the Twins hoisting the 2012 World Series trophy. In fact, I can't reasonably imagine the Twins having the AL Cy Young award winner on their pitching staff, or the AL MVP in their batting order. But there is one award that this team was built for: The Comeback Player of the Year. According to the criteria, the award is given to a player judged to have "re-emerged on the baseball field during a given season." It's worth noting, for no other reason than that it's sort of funny, that the award is sponsored by Viagra. Historically, Comeback Player award winners, not surprisingly, were sidelined much of the previous season before returning to glory. For example, Lance Berkman won the award for the NL in 2011, after having a fantastic season. But in 2010, he batted only .248 and needed a knee surgery. Jacoby Ellsbury -- for many a favorite for the 2011 MVP award -- locked up the AL Comeback Player award in 2011. If you recall, he only played 18 games in 2010, primarily the result of an early season collision that fractured several ribs. So to say that he came back bigtime in 2011 is an understatement. Our own Francisco Liriano won the award in 2010, and was likely cited for his "full" recovery from Tommy John surgery that sidelined him in 2007, and that took a few years from which to rebound. Doesn't this award just scream Twins in 2012? Here are a few odds-on favorites for the 2012 AL Comeback Player award. Joel Zumaya: He hasn't thrown a pitch in a major league game since June 28, 2010, when he suffered a non-displaced fracture to his elbow. Prior to that, Zumaya had a solid career, winning the setup man of the year award in 2006. He had a 2.58 ERA in 2010 prior to his injury, and, for his career, Zumaya has a 3.05 ERA. If he's somehow healthy this season, I don't have much doubt he could instantly come to the top of the list of Twins relievers. It would be a good comeback story, especially considering the painful way that Zumaya last exited a game. Joe Mauer: Since this award cites players for "re-emerg[ing] on the baseball field," it could rightfully be awarded to a player who, for several reasons, simply wasn't on the baseball field much in 2011. Whether it was the bilateral leg weakness that kept him out most of the first half of 2011, or the pneumonia that eventually sidelined him for good, Joe Mauer simply wasn't around much of last season. Reportedly, he spent a lot of time on the trainer's table, and even went to the Mayo Clinic for diagnosis and treatment. Sure, Mauer's story doesn't have the same appeal as, perhaps, Zumaya's, but it is worth mentioning. If Mauer can stay on the field, and remain healthy and productive this season, he could be a worthy candidate. Justin Morneau: Here's a guy I would love to see win the award. Sidelined the final month of the 2009 season with a stress fracture in his lower back, the second half of 2010 after suffering a concussion, and off-and-on in 2011 as a result of approximately 30 different injuries, this could actually be more of a "lifetime achievement comeback" award for Morneau. A win for Morneau would mean that he stayed healthy (which in turn would mean that he remained symptom-free from his concussions), and that he played good baseball. In fact, Morneau probably doesn't have to hit 30 home runs and drive in 120 RBIs to win this award. A decent season might be enough for him. Francisco Liriano: I'm pretty sure that simply being awful the previous season, in and of itself, doesn't qualify you for the award, but Liriano did have some time on the disabled list in 2011 -- in May, and again in August, if I recall. If, somehow, Liriano were to return to 2010 form, he might get some votes. In the end, it looks like it takes a special story, such as overcoming a serious injury, coupled with good on-the-field play the next season, to win this award. The Twins, though, do have some promising candidates. Perhaps all the maladies suffered in 2011 could mean hardware in 2012? I'm not sure what the award itself looks like, but the fact that it is sponsored by Viagra does raise a red flag.

The way it seems right now, even with the optimism that accompanies Spring Training, it's tough to imagine the Twins hoisting the 2012 World Series trophy. In fact, I can't reasonably imagine the Twins having the AL Cy Young award winner on their pitching staff, or the AL MVP in their batting order. But there is one award that this team was built for: The Comeback Player of the Year. According to the criteria, the award is given to a player judged to have "re-emerged on the baseball field during a given season." It's worth noting, for no other reason than that it's sort of funny, that the award is sponsored by Viagra. Historically, Comeback Player award winners, not surprisingly, were sidelined much of the previous season before returning to glory. For example, Lance Berkman won the award for the NL in 2011, after having a fantastic season. But in 2010, he batted only .248 and needed a knee surgery. Jacoby Ellsbury -- for many a favorite for the 2011 MVP award -- locked up the AL Comeback Player award in 2011. If you recall, he only played 18 games in 2010, primarily the result of an early season collision that fractured several ribs. So to say that he came back bigtime in 2011 is an understatement. Our own Francisco Liriano won the award in 2010, and was likely cited for his "full" recovery from Tommy John surgery that sidelined him in 2007, and that took a few years from which to rebound. Doesn't this award just scream Twins in 2012? Here are a few odds-on favorites for the 2012 AL Comeback Player award. Joel Zumaya: He hasn't thrown a pitch in a major league game since June 28, 2010, when he suffered a non-displaced fracture to his elbow. Prior to that, Zumaya had a solid career, winning the setup man of the year award in 2006. He had a 2.58 ERA in 2010 prior to his injury, and, for his career, Zumaya has a 3.05 ERA. If he's somehow healthy this season, I don't have much doubt he could instantly come to the top of the list of Twins relievers. It would be a good comeback story, especially considering the painful way that Zumaya last exited a game. Joe Mauer: Since this award cites players for "re-emerg[ing] on the baseball field," it could rightfully be awarded to a player who, for several reasons, simply wasn't on the baseball field much in 2011. Whether it was the bilateral leg weakness that kept him out most of the first half of 2011, or the pneumonia that eventually sidelined him for good, Joe Mauer simply wasn't around much of last season. Reportedly, he spent a lot of time on the trainer's table, and even went to the Mayo Clinic for diagnosis and treatment. Sure, Mauer's story doesn't have the same appeal as, perhaps, Zumaya's, but it is worth mentioning. If Mauer can stay on the field, and remain healthy and productive this season, he could be a worthy candidate. Justin Morneau: Here's a guy I would love to see win the award. Sidelined the final month of the 2009 season with a stress fracture in his lower back, the second half of 2010 after suffering a concussion, and off-and-on in 2011 as a result of approximately 30 different injuries, this could actually be more of a "lifetime achievement comeback" award for Morneau. A win for Morneau would mean that he stayed healthy (which in turn would mean that he remained symptom-free from his concussions), and that he played good baseball. In fact, Morneau probably doesn't have to hit 30 home runs and drive in 120 RBIs to win this award. A decent season might be enough for him. Francisco Liriano: I'm pretty sure that simply being awful the previous season, in and of itself, doesn't qualify you for the award, but Liriano did have some time on the disabled list in 2011 -- in May, and again in August, if I recall. If, somehow, Liriano were to return to 2010 form, he might get some votes. In the end, it looks like it takes a special story, such as overcoming a serious injury, coupled with good on-the-field play the next season, to win this award. The Twins, though, do have some promising candidates. Perhaps all the maladies suffered in 2011 could mean hardware in 2012? I'm not sure what the award itself looks like, but the fact that it is sponsored by Viagra does raise a red flag.

[COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman][attachment=7301:4815.attach] It's been a busy couple weeks in New Britain. I'll start out with a little breaking news. Late this afternoon, the Hartford Courant [URL="http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-hartford-rockcats-0603-20140602,0,3959720.story"]placed a story on its front page[/URL] suggesting that the Rock Cats' owners may be moving the team to Hartford in 2016 (it's only about 10 miles away, but would be significant for many local reasons I won't get into now). Journalism is funny in the Internet age. The original title of the piece was "Rock Cats Close to Deal to Move to Hartford." It now reads, "Rock Cats in Talks to Move from New Britain to Hartford." All sides -- the City of Hartford, New Britain's Mayor, and the Rock Cats officials, haven't indicated that there's truth to this story. But the fact that it was written by, among other reporters, Hartford's Government Watch reporter (as opposed to a sportswriter, who might not have the political connections to piece together the story), suggests to me that the Courant was pretty confident in its report. [Originally published at [URL="http://twinsfanfromafar.blogspot.com"]Twins Fan From Afar[/URL]][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman]What does this mean for the Twins? Nothing, necessarily. Regardless of this deal, the Rock Cats will play 2014 and 2015 in New Britain. And the Twins and Rock Cats must decide [I]this season[/I] [URL="http://twinsfanfromafar.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-twins-rock-cats-affiliation.html"]whether to renew their player development contract[/URL]. New Britain Stadium is owned and operated by the city -- not the team. I can't opine on this, as I have not seen other Eastern League ballparks, but it's been said to me more than once that the New Britain playing field, and perhaps the facilities, are not as good as they could be. Like I said, I have nothing to compare this to. But assuming that's true to an extent, a new ballpark would appeal to the Twins, or most any other team moving from a non-state-of-the-art-facility. It's way, way too early to speculate any more, though. When there are developments, [URL="https://twitter.com/mnfanfromafar"]follow me on twitter[/URL] for the latest.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman][URL="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=&sid=t538&t=p_pbp&pid=573627"]Kennys Vargas[/URL] continues to hit. After missing a few games with a strange wrist injury (suffered in batting practice), Vargas hasn't missed a beat. 40 percent of the way through the minor league season, Vargas has a .323/.398/.508 line, which is good for a .906 OPS. He has 11 doubles, 8 home runs, 24 walks and 34 strikeouts. The .323 average is nearly identical to Vargas' career-best season -- 2010 in the Gulf Coast League. Something interesting has happened in the last couple weeks, though: Vargas isn't hitting for much power, but he is hitting for average. In fact, he hasn't homered in a couple weeks, and has only 1 double in that time frame. But in his last 10 games, he still has 14 hits, 8 RBIs, and a .378 average. So although the power has tapered a little (perhaps the wrist isn't 100%), Vargas is still extremely effective. If he makes it through June still hitting and reaching base at this rate, I'd like to see him promoted. Most important, however, is playing time. It makes no sense to Vargas to share at-bats with whoever's in Rochester (Colabello/Parmelee/Arcia -- you get the point). I was at last Saturday's game where Vargas had 2 hits. One thing that stood out to me was that he was comfortable taking what the pitcher gave him -- in that game it was [URL="http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=33378623&topic_id=&sid=t538&tcid=vpp_copy_33378623&v=3"]2 singles to opposite field[/URL]. Neither was that well hit, but it's so much better than what many big guys do: roll over the outside pitch for a grounder to first or second.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman][URL="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=&sid=t538&t=p_pbp&pid=543611"]Danny Ortiz[/URL] was the Rock Cats' best hitter in the month of May. After hitting only .227 in April, Ortiz heated up with an amazing .388/.402/.660 line in May, including 4 homers, 2 triples and a whopping 12 doubles. In fact, New Britain Herald sportswriter [URL="https://twitter.com/MattattheHerald"]Matt Straub[/URL] noted that Ortiz, 24 years old this season, has been perhaps the team's most consistent player. I've always been pleasantly surprised with Ortiz' arm, but he's an under-the-radar guy, mostly due to a pretty low career average, and the fact that he simply doesn't walk. On the season, Ortiz has a respectable .324/.340/.500 line, but notice that on-base percentage. He's struck out 34 times, and walked only 3. Unless he can sustain a .330 average -- which he hasn't been able to -- that's problematic. But, it's great to see him hitting the ball hard. Perhaps plate discipline can come later for Ortiz?[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman][URL="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=592696"]Eddie Rosario[/URL] is back! Or, he will be back. Soon, we hope. Working his way back up to New Britain, Rosario started off 1-for-11 with the Ft. Myers Miracle, but was 2-for-3 in Sunday's game with a walk, an RBI and a stolen base. I have no particular knowledge, but my guess would be that Rosario will put in another week, give or take, before he comes back to Connecticut -- provided he has good at-bats. I think they'll keep him in the outfield predominately. The Rock Cats' lineup could use more help at the top, and Rosario -- after foolish behavior cost him 50 games -- needs to put himself in a position to compete for a 2015 MLB position.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman][URL="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=t538&t=p_pbp&pid=523648"]Mark Hamburger[/URL] is back! The former major leaguer, former St. Paul Saint, is in New Britain, hoping to make his way up to the Twins' bullpen. I saw his only appearance thus far -- a 2 inning, 2 hit, 2 strikeout, 1 walk outing. He was all right. Nothing much more to report on him now, except for wishing him good luck and hoping he can revive his career and resist the temptations that got him in a little trouble in the past.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman]Finally, I tend to focus so much on the individual players (or, perhaps only a couple individual players), that I lose sight of the team's win-loss record. But baseball is a team game, and even in the minor leagues -- where player development is primary -- I want these guys to learn winning baseball at every level. The Rock Cats had a better May, and currently stand at 25-29, riding a 3-game win streak. What they could use: better starting pitching; more offensive threats.[/FONT][/COLOR] View full article

[COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman][attachment=7310:4826.attach] Word of a potential deal to move the New Britain Rock Cats franchise to Hartford only [URL="http://twinsfanfromafar.blogspot.com/2014/06/so-many-rock-cats-notes.html"]broke on Monday[/URL], but today it became official: the Rock Cats will be leaving their longtime home of New Britain following the 2015 season, and relocating to nearby Hartford for Opening Day 2016. Twins fans, bear with me, as the first part of this story primarily is of interest to my Connecticut readers (all 3 of you). Here's what Connecticut-area people need to know:[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/COLOR] [LIST] [*]The Rock Cats' (meaning the owners') deal with the City of New Britain expires after the end of the 2015 season, so there will be one more full season of Rock Cats baseball in New Britain. How enthusiastic the City will be about the facility, team and ownership -- well, that's to be determined. [*]A [URL="http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-hartford-rockcats-0605-20140604,0,5401516.story"]brand new, 10,000 seat baseball stadium[/URL] will open in April, 2016, just north of Trumbull and Main Street in a currently undeveloped/underdeveloped area. The estimated $60 million cost will be financed by the city through bonds -- not the state, and not the team's owners. [*]The stadium, according to a radio interview I heard with Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra, will not be baseball-only. I'm not sure what to make of that, but I'm guessing that just means it would be suitable for other athletic events and perhaps concerts. That would make sense, as there will only be minor league baseball there 71 or so days a year. [*]The future of professional baseball in New Britain is less certain. Due to territorial restrictions, another affiliated minor league team would not be able to open shop in New Britain (or so I've been told). That does not foreclose the possibility of, for example, and unaffiliated minor league team (similar to the [URL="http://www.bridgeportbluefish.com/"]Bridgeport Bluefish[/URL]) setting up shop in the Hardware City. [*]The Rock Cats' owners have been intent on leaving New Britain for over a year. The choices were either Hartford, or Springfield, Mass. It sounds like Hartford was the only option to keep affiliated baseball in the greater Hartford area. They made absolutely no attempt to negotiate with New Britain. [*]This deal gives Hartford 2 affiliated minor league teams: the [URL="http://www.hartfordwolfpack.com/"]Hartford Wolfpack[/URL] (affiliate of hockey's New York Rangers) and whatever team the Rock Cats affiliate with (more on that below). In my opinion, that's about the best a small-ish city like Hartford can do. [*]The Rock Cats' owners will very likely re-brand the team. So, no more lovable Rocky. [*]I'm no expert, but I don't sense any litigation arising out of this; just hurt feelings. The team's owners wanted out, found (what they believe to be) their best deal, and are taking it, after their current contract with the City of New Britain expires. In other words, I can't imagine anything holding this up. [/LIST] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] Where does this leave the Twins? Well, on that subject I'm a lot less certain. First, let's review the known information: The Rock Cats-Twins player development contract ("PDC"), the deal that creates the affiliation, expires after the 2014 season. So, regardless of whether it's Twins prospects I'm seeing, there will be one more season of Rock Cats baseball in New Britain before the Hartford transition. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman]Everything I have read ([URL="http://minorleaguesource.com/pdc.html"]this for example[/URL]) suggests that PDC's are renewable every 2 years. The Twins and the Rock Cats are completing a 2 year deal, but the deal could have been for 4 or 6, or more, years. Therefore, the Rock Cats' owners will need to decide with whom they are going to affiliate for 2015 and beyond. As I [URL="http://twinsfanfromafar.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-twins-rock-cats-affiliation.html"]wrote a couple weeks ago[/URL], I don't see any majorly attractive offers for the Rock Cats that open up [I]this [/I]off-season. There is, however, one interesting hunch I have: The Mets' AA affiliation is currently in Binghamton, New York (about 200 miles away from Citi Field -- the Mets' home). That PDC expires following the 2016 season. I've heard more than once that Josh Solomon, the Rock Cats' owner, is a Mets fan. Hartford to Citi Field is just over 100 miles away, and there are plenty of Mets fans in this area. Mets games are on TV with any normal cable package, and game recaps are part of news coverage out here. If I'm trying to fill a 10,000 seat stadium, a Mets affiliation is more of a draw Connecticut residents than is a Twins -- or most other -- affiliation. Aside from a Yankees or Red Sox affiliation, it's probably the next best thing. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman]If I'm the Twins, I'm interested in maintaining the Hartford affiliation, provided nothing better arises. The Twins should care first and foremost about the facilities insofar as they impact player development (things like adequate/maintained batting cages, bullpen space, and even the playing field conditions, are paramount). I would assume this new and expensive stadium would have what any parent club would want. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman]Were I asked today to take my best guess as to what happens, here it is: The Twins and the Rock Cats agree to extend their PDC for 2 more years, covering the 2015 and 2016 seasons. After that, the Rock Cats enter into a longer-term agreement with the Mets. Again, all speculation. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman]It was a busy news day here. Feel free to comment with any questions, or to share any other information you've heard. Also, [URL="https://twitter.com/mnfanfromafar"]follow me on Twitter[/URL] for more information as it develops. [/FONT][/COLOR] View full article

The Twins are currently throttling the Indians. It's nice to see. Josh Willingham continues to demonstrate that he was an excellent off-season signing, and Alexi Casilla even got in on the action. Let's take a look at the action down on the farm. ROCHESTER 5, COLUMBUS 8 Liam Hendriks had a bad start. In 5 innings of work, he allowed 12 hits, 7 runs (6 earned), walked 3, struck out 1, and allowed a homer. Daniel Turpen allowed an unearned run in 1 and 1/3 innings on 3 walks and a strikeout, and Caleb Thielbar threw 1 and 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing 1 hit and 1 walk, striking out 3. Right fielder Matt Carson led the way on offense, hitting 2 home runs and a single, and driving in 4. Sean Burroughs had 2 doubles, Brian Dinkelman had 2 hits, including a double, and Chris Parmelee and Clete Thomas each singled. [URL="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t534&t=g_box&gid=2012_07_28_rocaaa_colaaa_1"]Here's the link[/URL] to the box score. NEW BRITAIN 4, READING 5 (GAME 1 -- 7 innings) Steven Hirshfeld took the loss for the Rock Cats tonight. He went 5 and 1/3 innings, gave up 5 runs on 9 hits, and struck out 3 while walking 1. Thereafter, Jose Gonzalez walked the only batter he faced, and Marty Popham tossed 2/3 of an inning, allowing 1 hit. Oswaldo Arcia, Chris Colabello and Joe Benson each had 2 hits, Benson with a double and Colabello with his 14th home run of the season. Deibinson Romero was 1-for-3 with 2 RBIs, and James Beresford had a single in 2 at-bats. [URL="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2012_07_28_nbraax_reaaax_1"]Here's the link[/URL] to the box score. NEW BRITAIN 0, READING 6 (GAME 2 -- 7 innings) Aaron Thompson had a solid start, up until the 6th inning, anyway, but the offense didn't come through. In 5 and 1/3 innings, Thompson gave up 6 runs on 8 hits, striking out 6 and walking 2. Thompson had allowed 2 runs through 5 innings, but ran into trouble in the 6th inning, allowing a triple, sacrifice fly, a walk, a home run and a double before being replaced in favor of David Bromberg. Bromberg allowed 2 hits (and 1 inherited runner to score) in 2/3 of an inning, striking out 1. There were only 5 hits in this second game, a double by Daniel Rohlfing, and singles by Joe Benson, Rene Tosoni and Shawn Roof (2 for Roof). Benson, by the way, has now hit safely in his past 5 games. [URL="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t538&t=g_box&gid=2012_07_28_nbraax_reaaax_2"]Here's the link[/URL] to the box score. FT. MYERS 0, BREVARD COUNTY 3 Pat Dean went 4 innings in his start today, giving up 2 runs on 8 hits. He struck out 2 and walked 2. Ryan O'Rourke allowed an unearned run in 2 innings of work, allowing 2 hits and striking out 3. Ricky Bowen was very good today, throwing 3 innings and allowing only 1 hit. There wasn't very much Miracle offense to speak of tonight -- only 4 total hits. Daniel Ortiz doubled in 3 at-bats, and Kyle Knudson, Lance Ray and Michael Gonzales all singled. [URL="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2012_07_28_breafa_ftmafa_1"]Here's the link[/URL] to the box score. BELOIT 10, PEORIA 4 Tyler Jones was on the rubber for the Snappers tonight. He went 6 and 1/3 innings, allowing 4 runs (only 2 earned) on 5 hits. He struck out 11 and walked 2. Tim Atherton threw 1 and 2/3 innings, striking out 1 and walking 1. Zack Jones threw a scoreless 9th, walking 1 and striking out 1. First baseman Kenny Vargas had a great game. He was 2-for-4 with a home run and a triple. He drove in 4 runs, and also walked once. Wang-Wei Lin was 2-for-5 with a double, Stephen Wickens doubled in 3 at-bats, and Nate Roberts, Drew Leachman, Miguel Sano, Matthew Koch and Jairo Rodriguez all singled. Sano, 1-for-2 on the day, walked 3 times and had 2 RBIs late in the game. [URL="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2012_07_28_belafx_peoafx_1"]Here's the link[/URL] to the box score. ELIZABETHTON 5, GREENVILLE 0 Angel Mata had a solid start today. In 5 innings of work, he only allowed 2 hits, striking out 8 and walking none. Kaleb Merck threw 2 scoreless innings in relief, giving up 2 hits and striking out 2. J.T. Chargois closed out the game, also throwing 2 innings, striking out 1. E-Town had 8 hits today, 3 coming off the bat of Candido Pimentel, who was just a home run shy of the cycle, and had 2 RBIs. Joshua Hendricks had 2 hits, including a double, and an RBI. Max Kepler and Jorge Polanco doubled, and Niko Goodrum singled in 4 at-bats. [URL="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2012_07_28_gvlrok_elirok_1"]Here's the link[/URL] to the box score. GCL TWINS 4, GCL RED SOX 1 32nd overall pick Jose Berrios started for the Twins today, and was good. He threw 4 innings, allowed only 2 hits, and struck out 6. Austin Malinowski threw 3 and 2/3 innings, giving up 1 run on 3 hits, striking out 6 and walking 1. Trent Higginbotham tossed 1 and 1/3 innings, allowing no hits and issuing 1 walk. Top prospect Eddie Rosario was 3-for-5 with 3 doubles and an RBI. Joel Licon had 2 singles in 5 at-bats. Byron Buxton and Aderlin Mejia each doubled. Buxton is batting .197 on the season, but is hitting .290/.389/.742 in his last 10 games. [URL="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2012_07_28_twirok_rsxrok_1"]Here's the link[/URL] to the box score. ---------------------------------------- Players of the Day for Saturday, July 28 Hitter of the Day: Eddie Rosario [attachment=4941:595.attach] Pitcher of the Day: Angel Mata [attachment=4942:990.attach] ------------------------------------------- Schedule for Sunday, July 29 Rochester @ Columbus --- RHP Shairon Martis New Britain @ Reading --- LHP Blake Martin Ft. Myers vs. Breavard County --- RHP Matthew Summers Beloit @ Peoria --- LHP Matt Tomshaw Elizabethton @ Bristol --- LHP Hein Robb ------------------------------------------------ If you have any questions or comments, please leave them here! Thanks. View full article

The Twins actually won a game today. It's tough to complain about too much from today's Twins performance. Jason Marquis earned the win, and picked up the 4th Twins quality start along the way. The Twins scored 4 runs in the first, 2 runs in the third and 1 in the seventh, on their way to a 7-4 victory. Josh Willingham (a home run short of the cycle, go figure) and Danny Valencia (3 hits including a triple) led the way on offense, and the only Twins starters without a hit were Trevor Plouffe and Alexi Casilla. Matt Capps, as he is want to do, made it a little interesting in the 9th. But a win is a win! Here's a look at the Twins minor league scores and highlights from Sunday: ROCHESTER 2, BUFFALO 8 Red Wings starter Scott Diamond, on many fans' short lists for a spot in the Twins' rotation, didn't have his best stuff Sunday, picking up his first loss on the season (4-1). In 6 and 1/3 innings, Diamond allowed 11 hits and 7 runs, striking out 6 and issuing 0 free passes. Diamond's ERA, even after this subpar outing, is 2.84. Jeff Manship pitched the rest of the game, 1 and 2/3 innings, giving up 3 hits and 1 run, striking out 1 and walking 2. The Red Wings didn't accumulate much offense today, scattering 6 hits. Joe Benson hit is second triple of the year, and Ben Revere was 1-for-4. Top prospect Brian Dozier was also 1-for-4 with a 2-out RBI single to score Drew Butera. Dozier is batting .274 on the season. Aaron Bates picked up the other RBI for Rochester with a 2-out line drive single to drive in Benson. NEW BRITAIN 5, RICHMOND 2 After losing the first 2 games of the series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels (love the nickname), the Rock Cats had a better effort today. Starter Logan Darnell picked up the win (3-0). He pitched 6 and 2/3 innings, gave up 7 hits and 2 runs, and struck out 8 while walking 1 along the way. His ERA stands at 4.56. He has been the recipient of some solid Rock Cats offense when he has pitched this season. Reliever Daniel Turpen pitched the rest of the game, 2 and 1/3 innings, and earned the save, his second of the season. He was very effective, giving up no hits and no walks, while striking out 2. This effort improved his ERA to 4.5. On offense, the team had 9 hits. Every starter except for Estarlin De Los Santos and Evan Bigley tallied at least one hit. Chris Herrmann was 2-for-3 with a walk, and also reached base on an error in his other plate appearance. He scored 3 runs. Nathan Hanson also had a good game, going 2-for-4 with a double and accumulating 2 RBIs. Aaron Hicks was 1-for-4 with a single and a stolen base (his 3rd of the season), and is batting .265 on the season. Deibinson Romero hit a triple, and shortstop Pedro Florimon had a double. If you haven't heard, reliever Deolis Guerra was promoted to AAA Rochester, and starter Alex Wimmers, on the disabled list with an elbow strain, is now in Ft. Myers rehabilitating that injury. FT. MYERS MIRACLE 1, ST. LUCIE 5 The Miracle lost their third game in a row today. Starter Jose Gonzalez picked up the loss, lasting 3 innings. He was responsible for 4 runs, walked 2 and struck out 2, and gave up a home run. The Miracle bullpen was solid, though. Righty Ricky Bowen picked up the slack, tossing 4 innings. He gave up just 1 run (on a solo home run), struck out 2 and walked 1. After this outing, Bowen's ERA is 1.96. Bruce Pugh pitched the 8th and 9th innings, giving up 3 hits and striking out 1. As you could guess from the score, the Miracle's offense struggled today. Only 4 players tallied hits. Shortstop Daniel Santana was 2-for-4, as was second baseman and first round draft pick Levi Michael. Oswaldo Arcia and Wilkin Ramirez each had one hit. There were no extra-base hits for Ft. Myers today. The Miracle's lone run came on a Lance Ray sacrifice fly that scored Arcia. It was also announced today that pitchers BJ Hermsen and Caleb Thielbar were promoted to New Britain. So, congratulations to them! BELOIT 4, DAYTON 3 On the mound, Snappers starter Tim Shibuya had a good effort. He threw 6 and 1/3 innings and gave up 3 runs on 5 hits, for a quality start, but [I]struck out 11 batters[/I], including 6 of his first 7. After this outing, his ERA stands at an even 3.00. Reliever Michael Tonkin tossed 1 and 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing 3 hits, striking out 2 and walking 1. Corey Williams pitched a scoreless 9th inning, allowing 1 hit and striking out 1. He earned the win in relief. Beloit's offense tallied 12 hits today. Right fielder Daniel Ortiz had a great day, going 2-for-4 with a home run (his fourth) and a double (his second), and knocked in 3 runs. He's batting .299 on the season. Center fielder Jonathan Goncalves and DH Adam Pettersen were each 2-for-3 with doubles, and Eddie Rosario, playing second base, was 1-for-4 with a double (but was thrown out at home trying to score following an error on the play). Adam Bryant was 2-for-5, and Miguel Sano was 1-for-4 with a single. The Snappers won in dramatic fashion. The teams entered the bottom of the 9th tied at 3-3. Jairo Rodriguez led off with a single, and JaDamion Williams came in as a pinch runner. Adam Pettersen walked, sending Williams to second. Wang-Wei Lin sacrifice bunted Williams to third. Then, with 2 outs, Adam Bryant drove in Williams with a ground ball single to center field, giving the Snappers a 4-3 victory. ----- Players of the day for Sunday, April 29 Hitter of the Day: Daniel Ortiz [attachment=4557:530.attach] Pitcher of the Day: Tim Shibuya [attachment=4558:531.attach] ----- A Look Ahead: Monday, April 30 Schedule Rochester @ Buffalo--RHP Cole DeVries New Britain @ Harrisburg--?? Ft. Myers vs. St. Lucie--RHP Adrian Salcedo Beloit vs. Dayton--LHP Jason Wheeler ----- If you have any questions or comments, leave them here and I'm sure Seth will answer them! View full article