GMinTraining

Milwaukee has nothing to loose by drafting a particular high upside reliever. A Melotakis (ex.) is a perfect pick for them because they can make it with 39 players and possibly hold him out for medical reasons. They already know this is going to be a long season, so why not take a shot on a potential key future regular.

IMO - Park will start in AAA until he is fully comfortable with the states and how opponents plan to pitch to him. Mid May at the earliest. Most international ball players start in AAA for a few weeks to start a season when signed during off season. Buxton will also start in AAA and get acclimated with how to hit again (despite ST success). Kepler could come up early, but it won't be out of ST. They won't want or need to rush his clock. Same with the relievers in camp. Most won't even be on the 40 man, so the chance of them making it out of ST is very slim. Berrios won't have his clock rushed either and they won't feel the need to do so with what they will have in place by April. Which is something to hold down the fort until late May?

I know everyone is excitingly waiting the final arrival of Byron Buxton; Jose Berrios; and others to the MLB Twins, but picture this: The Twins have an opportunity to win 4 minor league championships in the last 4 1/2 years. The AAA squad could possibly feature a team that could rival the actual MLB club. This is my prediction for the start of the 2016 season: Rochester 1) Byron Buxton (CF) 2) Jorge Polanco (SS) 3) Max Kepler (RF) 4) Byung-ho Park (1B/DH) 5) Reynaldo Rodiguez / Kennys Vargas (DH) 6) Adam Brett Walker II (LF) 7) Levi Michael (2B) 8) Stuart Turner / Carlos Paulino © 9) Niko Goodrum / Stephen Wickens (3B) Jose Berios Taylor Rogers Pat Dean Jason Wheeler Greg Peavy ----------- Nick Burdi Jake Reed JT Chargois Cole Johnson Tim Shibuya David Hurlbut Stephen Pryor Dan Runzler Twins 1) Brain Dozier (2B) 2) Joe Mauer (1B) 3) Miguel Sano (RF) 4) Trevor Plouffe (3B) 5) Oswaldo Arcia (DH) 6) Eddie Rosario (LF) 7) Eduardo Escobar (SS) 8) John Ryan Murphy / Kurt Susuki © 9) Danny Santana (CF) And whatever pitchers........................BOLD PLAYERS WILL BE UP BY MID JUNE or TRADED or OPTIONED What say you? 1) 2) etc.

Ranking the Top 10 MLB Prospects Making Waves in Offseason Leagues By Luke Strickland , Featured Columnist Nov 14, 2015 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2589031-ranking-the-top-10-mlb-prospects-making-waves-in-offseason-leagues AFL Stats: 16 G, .300/.400/.617, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 1.017 OPS Good to see ABW II getting some love on a national level.

Mad Max AFL Numbers (2014) - Maybe the AFL does serve as a spring board Max Kepler SRR CF 75 13 23 4 3 0 7 33 6 14 3 0 .366 .440 .307 .806 G 18 AB 75 R 13 H 23 2B 4 3B 3 HR 0 RBI 7 TB 33 BB 6 SO 14 OBP .366 SLG .440 BA .307 OPS .806

ABW II - AFL SEASON Played 15 of 23 games League Rankings .298 BA (21st) .403 OBP (9th) .632 SLG (4th) 1.035 OPS (4th) 4th in TB (36) 2nd in HRs (5) 2nd in RBI (17) 2nd in SO (22) 9th in BB (8) Team in 1st Place same dude - same results Just Win Baby

AFL SEASON Played 13 of 20 games .306 BA .414 OBP .633 SLG 1.046 OPS 2nd in HRs 2nd in RBI 2nd in SO Team in 1st Place same dude - same results See Burdi - Garver and Walker tonight at 6:00 MST AFL Fall Star Game

Kepler has always shown signs of an elite prospect and is putting it together this season. I wonder how much the Arizona Fall League helped since he didn't have a great 2014. Rosario actually took off too after AZ Fall League. Maybe it is just what the doctor ordered for hitters. That said - Kepler and Rosario are very similar in overall upside and skill set.

Larry Ward said (yesterday) he has only seen ball go over scoreboard 4 times in his years (27) with the Lookout. Walker has done it 3 times this year. Hard to tell from news video truly how far, but looked like blast. Really wish Lookouts had televised games with multiple angles. Only Chattanooga and Mobile without televised games.

Great video of Lookout comeback courtesy of Chattanooga News station: http://www.wdef.com/content/sports/localsports/story/Lookouts-Use-7-Run-7th-Inning-Rally-to-Beat/d7pUDJj2HUKrQHzAToTmfw.cspx

Prospect - Year in System - Career Minor League BA - Minor League XBH's Arcia 2008 .309 229 (77 HR) Kepler 2010 .278 143 (28 HR) Rosario 2010 .291 194 (60 HR) Harrison 2012 .263 126 (27 HR) Walker 2012 .259 183 (91 HR) Based on these numbers - Arcia shows the most promise for any of our current minor league outfielders in term of BA and Pop. Assuming Buxton is untouchable - Which of these guys do you not mind losing? What do you weigh more in your corner outfielders (defense; average; OBP; power)?

ABW II (25 HR & 79 RBI) - Best run producer in all of minor league baseball and he is in your back yard. Was the best even when he played with Buxton and Sano. At his worst he would probably still lead the Twins in RBI and HRs. Despite SO's. Still waiting for the level in which he doesn't lead league / team in HRs and RBI? Nothing to lose.

I had fun reading this article from last year and thinking about Walker this year. Very similar M O, but probably better on the defensive end this year. 10 more HRs than anyone in Southern League and 22 more RBI than anyone in Southern League. Similar to what Seth acknowledged last year from Walker.

Twins OF RBI Leaders Minus Torii Hunter (49) At least 10 games played in OF RBI 21 Rosario 29 Escobar 12 Robinson 09 Hicks 00 Buxton 08 Arcia 79 Total RBI Walker = 75 RBI *25 more than next closest Twin prospect *2nd in all of minor league baseball Three years running - "He won't be able to use that power at the next level because of SO & contact issues" - But in the mean time? 75+ again "AAA AAA AAA AAA AAA"

Must have taken the timed format from the Florida State League. That's how they utilized their HR Derby the last 2 years. Only 3 minutes though and no timeouts . Definitely have to have some stamina to stand victorious in this format.

I love the format. The Florida State League (minors) used that timed format in their last 2 HR Derby's. They only had 3 minutes and no time outs. It is a will of stamina for sure, but makes for an exciting event.

Unfortunately Walker is not an international Player. It would have been nice to see him in the Future Game as Kepler's replacement. Leading the minor leagues in HRs (23) and second in RBI (73). The event is called the "Futures Game" though. Meaning Top Prospects The 23 year old Walker is 5 for 13 in 3 minor league all star games with 1 2B /1 HR / 1 MVP. He also has 4 runs scored and only 3 SO. Not likely he would have embarrassed the Twins Best of luck to JO Berrios in Sunday's game. He is the Future

I can understand how some people like other outfielders as opposed to Walker, but................ Walker has 40+ more RBI than the next closest teammate on the Lookout squad (Kepler; Harrison; Gonzales; etc.). RBI can be looked at as a meaningless stat, but a difference of 40 halfway thru the season is again crazy. 74 RBI in 79 games is worth the risk of finding out in 2016 IMO. Torii Hunter leads the Twins with 46 RBI.

Good Read - Tomshaw and Walker http://jacksonville.com/sports/baseball/2015-07-07/story/look-out-chattanooga-star-walker-former-ju-standout-puts-big

RBI Count for Walker 71 after tonight - Ortiz is second in the twins system with 44 (27 less rbi's) / 61 games left in season

Seems like the Southern League agreed with you Seth. I agree with you as well. The Twins announced their Minor League Hitter of the Month going to Kepler. Crazy stats for both, but I again can't ignore the mass numbers put up in the month of June. Crazy Production. http://www.milb.com/documents/2/9/6/135045296/Walker_Named_Player_of_the_Month_89m02y48.pdf

That has been the case every year Walker has played and you have no argument with me there. He plays with great teammates who know how to score runs. I'm just saying he does it better than everyone else on his team (EVERY YEAR). Whether he bats 7th (like most of this year) or 5th (like he is lately). As far as those stats meaning nothing - naaah - They mean plenty. Don't ask the fans. Ask his teammates who play with him if they mean nothing. Ask those opposing coaches if they mean nothing. 70 RBI and 23 HRs on a team that scores a lot of runs can't mean nothing when his now 70 RBI are double the next closest teammate on his team. That's right DOUBLED. Is his .924 OPS a meaningless stat too? He has plenty to work on but damn.............. "Nothing"

AB Walker has been the most consistent run producer in the Twins system for quite some time. Let's be honest. EVERYBODY / MOST had doubt about his success at the AA level coming into the season. Everyone / Most "thought" - that AA pitching would expose his previous mistake hitting success. Seems everyone was semi right. Walker is exposed during most of his ABs (usually via the strikeout), while others are usually exposed in multiple ways (via the FO or GO or SO). Lucky for Walker his .940 OPS helps off set that flaw some. Sense baseball is a game of failure, I tend to look at the positives more so than the negatives. That's just me. What collection of players bring me the best opportunity to win? NATURAL BORN WINNERS - With a .620 winning percentage in the minors, Walker's power (2B / 3B / HR) has shown to be a valuable asset in terms of Runs, RBI, and Wins. Love the choice for this months top hitter. Kepler, Walker and of course Polanco should be headed to AAA - BTW

Minor league numbers have to matter at some point in your evaluations: Walker's positive stat line numbers over the average of an 162 game season overwhelm his negatives numbers. At some point I want to see how his numbers and skill set translate into a MLB game. Many of you might be right about his limited chances at the MLB level because he doesn't walk as it relates to his strikeouts, but it makes no sense not find out in 2016. Walker's AVERAGES PER 162 GAME SEASON (he has actually played 392 minor league games): 105 RUNS; 164 HITS; 317 TOTAL BASES; 31 DOUBLES; 6 TRIPLES; 37 HOME RUNS; 74 XBH; 131 RBI; - THESE ARE AMAZING NUMBERS Who else in our system or any system for that matter even comes close to averaging those kind of numbers???????????? Don't you want to see how much of a fall off Walker will have in 2016? These are his estimate average numbers with a 30% drop off because of MLB level: 74 RUNS; 115 HITS; 222 TOTAL BASES; 22 DOUBLES; 4 TRIPLES; 26 HOME RUNS; 52 XBH; 92 RBI; Are most of you expecting more than a 30% drop off and would you be satisfied with the above 30% drop off numbers? I suspect that Walker has had success at every level in his career and will overcome his short comings. Even in his worse season (Cape Cod League - summer 2011), which pretty much dropped him from any first round draft consideration (led Cape in strikeouts) - His team won the Cape Cod regular season championship for the first time in 23 years. He led that team in HR and RBI as well (starting to see a pattern here......).

Congrats to Eric Fryer http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20150630&content_id=133823026&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_l111&sid=l111 Is Fryer the only person the Twins gave permission to play or are some of our International players going to show up on their respective countries rosters?