AFL players

by drnkmn on Aug 22, 2006 4:58 AM EDT Comment 7 comments

From TCD.com

As of August 21, the Minnesota Twins will be sending seven players to the Arizona Fall League for the 2006 season. The list includes four pitchers and three position players. Of the seven, the Twins are sending some of their best talent, which includes Kevin Slowey, David Winfree, and Matthew Moses.
Moses played in the AFL during the 2005 season, and did a decent job there. The slugging third baseman hit .275 for the Grand Canyon Rafters, smacking two home runs and six runs batted in. The prospects will be coached by former Major League Pat Listach, as they make the switch from Grand Canyon to the Mesa Solar Sox.

Slowey will join the team after his stint with Team USA, and he will most likely be one of the bigger draws in the league. Slowey took Minor League Baseball by storm this past year, and is shooting for his Major League debut sometime during the 2007 season. Slowey, who last played for the New Britain Rock Cats, will be joined on the Solar Sox pitching staff by fellow Cats, Errol Simonitsch, Adam Harben, and Jay Sawatski.

Simonitsch is one of the better left-handed starting pitching prospects in the Twins organization, and he has had an up and down season in 2006. The Twins are hoping he can hone his skills in the prestigious league, as he is a member of their 40-man roster. Harben had a breakout season for Fort Myers in 2005, but has split time between the starting rotation and the bullpen for New Britain this season.

Sawatski has been shuttled from Fort Myers to New Britain all season long, and has posted pretty solid numbers at both stops.

Moses will be joined on the squad by fellow third base prospect David Winfree, who has come back to the Twins after requesting off, and is starting to mash the ball for the Fort Myers Miracle. Winfree was the Twins Minor League Player of the Year in 2005, driving in better than 100 runs for the Beloit Snappers. The final position player is Matt Tolbert, as slick-fielding infielder who has also spent time in both High-A and Double-A this season.

Some notable names who were left off the Arizona Fall League roster were Glen Perkins, Denard Span, and Garrett Jones. Perkins was one of the better starting pitchers in the AFL last fall, and Jones led Grand Canyon in home runs and runs batted in. Span had a decent season in the AFL, and him being left off has to make you wonder if he is still considered the top outfield prospect in the Twins organization anymore.

Either way, we will be bringing you the best coverage of the AFL just as we did last season, as we watch our prospects bring recognition to the organization.

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Great seeing...

...David Winfree join this group from A ball. Also, assigning Sawatski tells us that the Twins are high on him as a potential lefty out of the pen in late 2007 or 2008. Harben and Simonitsch need to step up and regain their prospect status from 2005.

by roger on Aug 22, 2006 8:45 AM EDT reply actions

Kubel....

Just read in the monring paper that Terry Ryan hopes Kubel will go to Venezulela for part of the winter season.

Anyone have any ideas of what Twins might be playing winter ball? I know Neshek blew it off last year after too many innings in the minor leagues (and kept himself in shape, although runor was that the organization, at that time, wasn't real happy).

Surprised at the Twins sending duo third basemen. Either one will skip over the other, or someone will be dhing waaaaaay too much.

The pitching choices are interesting. A lot of times we forget that the guys who do come up are more of the journeyman level of player (Guerrier-types, for example) who fill a need in a bullpen or starting position (shades of Boof). The real stars don't need to shne everywhere. They just need a time to shine.

by twintown on Aug 22, 2006 11:31 AM EDT reply actions

Rest

Just read in the monring paper that Terry Ryan hopes Kubel will go to Venezulela for part of the winter season

I'm really surprised that the Twins would want him to play winter ball. It seems like getting his knees in shape should be priority #1. His swing was fine before his knees started hurting.

by TStahr on Aug 22, 2006 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Past AFL Rosters

I think the assumption that an AFL position is a mark that a player is among the best prospects is only somewhat true. I would guess that Sawatski is more along the lines of Bonilla a couple years ago and Barrett last year. These are low-level prospects that they have some hopes for but are willing to risk pitching relief in the AFL without a lot of restrictions on their use.

Span not being sent to the AFL is interesting. Its possible they are going to try to get him a winter ball spot. I'm surprised that they want Kubel playing winter ball instead of getting his knees completely healed.

Sending Winfree to the AFL is a real indication of his status. Not only has he never played above A ball, but he hasn't played much above low A ball because of his injuries this year. If he isn't overwhelmed by the experience he is on a fast track.

by TT on Aug 22, 2006 11:56 AM EDT reply actions

Sawatski

Compares better to Barrett than Bonilla. Bonilla has a checkered career, mostly because he is wild int he strike zone. And he's right handed. Sawatski, by contrast, has always done well wherever he's pitched. He has above average stuff for a left hander.

To me, Sawatski is less of a surprise than Barrett was last year, because Barrett struggled since coming to the Twins and got promoted mostly because he threw hard. Sawatski can pitch. He could make a nice long lefthander in a year or two.

Joe Mauer for MVP.

by cmathewson on Aug 22, 2006 1:48 PM EDT reply actions