Twinkie Town 2010 Top 50...Voting for Prospect Number 20!

by roger13 on Dec 23, 2009 5:01 PM EST

With 144 votes cast in the run-off for Prospect #18, Jeff Manship accumulated 74 votes (51%) with B. J. Hermsen receiving 70 votes (48%). Jeff Manship is our 18th prospect with B. J. Hermsen Number 19. Congratulations to both Jeff and B. J!

Holdovers from the last round for Prospect Number 20 are Tyler Robertson, Rob Delaney and Trevor Plouffe. New additions who appear for the first time are Elizabethton pitcher Tom Stuifbergen and New Britain infielder Steven Singleton. Returning from previous rounds are closer Billy Bullock, starter Michael McCardell and Dominican signee, Jorge Polanco.

As usual, your comments on players for future rounds will be appreciated.

Our Top 19 include: 1) Miguel Jean; 2) Aaron Hicks; 3) Wilson Ramos; 4) Kyle Gibson; 5) Ben Revere; 6) Danny Valencia; 7) Angel Morales; 8) David Bromberg; 9) Rene Tosoni; 10) Deolis Guerra; 11) Chris Parmelee; 12) Anthony Slama; 13) Max Kepler-Rozycki; 14-tie) Carlos Gutierrez and Adrian Salcedo; 16) Joe Benson; 17) Alex Burnett; 18) Jeff Manship; 19) B. J. Hermsen.

Poll

Who is the TWENTIETH best prospect in the Twins system?

Billy Bullock

23 votes

Rob Delaney

13 votes

Michael McCardell

13 votes

Trevor Plouffe

18 votes

Jorge Polanco

6 votes

Tyler Robertson

25 votes

Steven Singleton

7 votes

Tom Stuifbergen

6 votes

111 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Delaney

He’s killed it all the way up to Rochester. I dislike the dropping of potential as the players rises up the ladder. It’s easer to take a chance on the unknown prospect then the know. I.e. Manship, Plouffe,Tolleson. They all had good numbers on the way up to.

by b1 on Dec 23, 2009 5:09 PM EST reply actions

McCardell

steady

I think that is the best word to describe McCardell’s ascend to AAA , where I think he’ll begin the 2010 season at , (either that or he’ll be the top starter for the Rock Cats)

I still ses him as a future #4- or 5 starter similar to Jeff Manship or Anthony Swarzak…..

I'd rather have Nick Punto playing 3B and Felipe Lopez playing 2B

than Punto playing 2B and Kouzy, Crede, DeRosa or Glaus playing 3B.

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Dec 23, 2009 5:20 PM EST reply actions

I think the Twins

will give Fox , Mullins, Waldrop a chance at AAA. They like the players to get a full year at each level. McCardell or Gutierrez will get first call up.

by b1 on Dec 23, 2009 5:34 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah I very much think they will also....

1. Swarzak
2. Manship
3. Chris Province
4. Matt Fox
5. Veteran FAor Michael McCardell
-
CL Slama
SU Delaney
RP Lahey or Keppell or someone
RP Lugo
RP Waldrop
RP Jones
LR Mullins (also a loogy)

I'd rather have Nick Punto playing 3B and Felipe Lopez playing 2B

than Punto playing 2B and Kouzy, Crede, DeRosa or Glaus playing 3B.

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Dec 23, 2009 6:27 PM EST up reply actions

Chris Province...

…is a reliever. Could be Ryan Mullins will move up. I don’t see McCardell beginning the season at Rochester.

I fully expect them to sign some MLFA, just not four or five like previous years. Also, there is a possibility that Brian Duensing will begin the season in Rochester.

The Red Wings should have a great bullpen. Give them a starting rotation of Duensing, Manship, Swarzak, Fox and either Mullins or a MLFA and they should be in very good shape.

by roger13 on Dec 23, 2009 6:37 PM EST up reply actions

DeVries could be the fifth starter

but I to think they will bring in a free agent. I hope they don’t, I think that it sometimes slows the progress of some of the bubble players i.e. Pino,Lugo,Mata,Lahey. This year Fox,Waldrop,Mullins,Lugo,DeVries,VanMil. I want them to get the ball not some washed up FA. Why we give some FA. a shot over guys that have been in the system I don’t know.

by b1 on Dec 23, 2009 10:18 PM EST up reply actions

Delaney

I was tempted by Tom Stuifbergen remember he has done well in several competitons against experienced high level prospects, also Plouffe could be moving into a 3b candidate over Valencia according to an sbg story. Plouffe did have over an .800 OPS after his his slow start to the season. Don’t remember all the details on that one but …. I value solid middle relievers, probably more than alot of posters here do since that has been the teams achillies heal the last 2 seasons. Bullock throw heat but I don’t remember much more about him…and Robertson is a solid prospect about to tackle AA next year.

Doofenschmirtz Evil, INC.
Phineas and Ferb

by doofus on Dec 23, 2009 5:23 PM EST reply actions

Still left from the top 10 lists

From Baseball Prospectus list:
11. Billy Bullock, RHP
13. Tyler Robertson, LHP:

From Sickels:
6) Billy Bullock, RHP, Grade B-: Borderline C+; great stuff but will he throw strikes?
15) Ben Tootle, RHP, Grade C+: High-ceiling arm, needs to improve command.
17) Matt Bashore, LHP, Grade C+: Could rank higher if he stays healthy.
18) Tom Stuifbergen, RHP, Grade C+: Could be a Grade C. Another pitchability guy. Gets lots of grounders.
20) Tyler Robertson, LHP, Grade C: Stock has dropped a lot, but looks like a potential LOOGY to me.

CBS fantasy:
5. Tyler Robertson, SP, 22
Baseball America wasn’t jazzed about this guy a year ago, ranking him 12th in the organization, whereas we saw him in their top five. BA’s ranking should rise after he went a solid 8-8 with a 3.33 ERA, 103 strikeouts and a .259 batting-average against in 143 1/3 innings in high Class A. Robertson should open in Double-A, but seeing the Twins rotation fall apart this season makes us believe he will be in the majors before the end of 2010.

FanGraphs:
10. Tyler Robertson, LHP, High-A
DOB: December 1987 Bats: L Throws: L
Signed: 2006 3rd round – California HS
MLB ETA: Late-2011 40-Man Roster: No Options: 3
Repertoire: 88-93 mph fastball, plus slider, change-up

Robertson sneaks on to the back-end of the Top 10 list thanks to his youthfulness (22), his handedness (southpaw) and his ground-ball tendencies (career 52.6%). The young left-hander needs to miss a few more bats, though, to truly take his game to the next level; he posted a strikeout rate of just 6.47 K/9 in high-A. He does a nice job of keeping the ball in the park and posted a home-run rate of 0.44 HR/9. Interestingly, his BABIP has decreased each season since his debut year of ‘06, and it reached a low of .305 in ‘09. Robertson has had some pretty extreme splits over the past two seasons. This past season, left-handed batters hit .200 with a strikeout rate of 7.33, compared to right-handers with a .300 average and 5.61 K/9 rate.

by DJL44 on Dec 23, 2009 6:16 PM EST reply actions

Blurbs

At this point it would be helpful to get a little blurb on everyone. If you’re voting for a guy, it would help me if you do a short writeup – stats, age, level completed, etc.

by DJL44 on Dec 23, 2009 6:19 PM EST up reply actions

that makes some sense

by roger13 on Dec 23, 2009 6:38 PM EST up reply actions

Next round

Rams,Tolleson,Bayshore

by b1 on Dec 23, 2009 7:15 PM EST reply actions

Tootle time

Could someone writeup a blurb on him? I like the FanGraphs format, don’t worry about the analysis, the top half is good enough. It’s getting to the point where I don’t know the prospects quite as well.

by DJL44 on Dec 23, 2009 11:36 PM EST up reply actions

Surprised Plouffe is leading Robertson

and not the other way around….

time will tell

I'd rather have Nick Punto playing 3B and Felipe Lopez playing 2B

than Punto playing 2B and Kouzy, Crede, DeRosa or Glaus playing 3B.

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Dec 23, 2009 7:37 PM EST reply actions

Plouffe

I think he’s underrated. Above average defense as SS based on totalzone. Gardy apparently likes his D as well. His offense was roughly league average based on wOBA+ of 100. wRC+ of 92 according to fangraphs. He’s repeated AAA, but he’s still only 23. If he improves offensively he’s an above average regular. Worst case he can be a valuable utility guy because of his D.

by Jon Kammerer on Dec 23, 2009 8:04 PM EST reply actions

I agree

although I didn’t vote for him. What’s interesting (to me) is that the Twins have had the same line they had with him that they had for Span when no one like him – “he’s young for his level, give him time, he’ll be fine.” And he really improved his K/BB rate last year.

by Gunnarthor on Dec 23, 2009 10:58 PM EST up reply actions

+1

I’m hoping Plouffe turns out to be the Denard Span of the infield and eventually take over SS full-time.

I could see him being a starter for his prime years.

I'd rather have Nick Punto playing 3B and Felipe Lopez playing 2B

than Punto playing 2B and Kouzy, Crede, DeRosa or Glaus playing 3B.

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Dec 24, 2009 9:16 PM EST up reply actions

I don't see it yet

but then again, I didn’t see it with Span. I hope you’re right, Plouffe would give us a cheaper option than Hardy in a couple years.

by Adam Peterson on Dec 25, 2009 10:38 AM EST up reply actions

I don't dislike Robertson but

at every level their are better pitchers then him. If he starts at AA next year he could be the fifth starter behind McCardell, Bromberg,Guerra,Gutierrez and Arias,DeVries,Waldrop. Not to mention the strong relief pitchers at each level.

by b1 on Dec 23, 2009 10:03 PM EST reply actions

Maybe

But he’s 3 years younger than McCardell and 5 years younger than Gutierrez. He still has room to develop. As fangraphs noted, he’s a solid groundball pitcher and keeps the ball in the park – only 7HR in 143 innings last year. I think he’s fallen a bit in Twins fans eyes since he’s no longer a frontline ace in waiting but he should still be a good lefty and, at worst, a LOOGY (barring injury). Top 20 seems right.

by Gunnarthor on Dec 23, 2009 10:51 PM EST up reply actions