Minor League Report...August 21, 2010
by roger13 on Aug 21, 2010 9:50 AM EDT
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PrintGood morning. Am on vacation this week, so this will be a quick report.
In one of our closest polls of the year, Joe Benson is Twinkie Town's Player of the Week with 29% of 98 votes.
After a couple good weeks the organization was unable to play winning ball, finishing with 19 wins and 24 losses. The Ft. Myers Miracle were the only team with a winnng record, 6-2, while New Britain, Beloit and the Elizabethton Twins all played .500 ball.
In player movement, Matt Tolbert was activated from his rehab assignment and optioned to Rochester earlier this week. Nick Punto was activated by the Twins last weekend, then went back on the disabled list yesterday. Tolbert was recalled by the Twins to fill Punto's spot. Jose Morales was optioned to Rochester when Punto was actvated. With Morales moving back to the Red Wings, catcher Jair Fernandez moved back to New Britain where catcher Alexander Soto was placed on the DL. Former Twin catcher Wilson Ramos was called up by the Washington Nationals after hitting .317/.349/.483 with two home runs in 60 at bats for their AAA farm club in Syracuse.
Matt Schuld moved up to the Ft. Myers Miracle from the GCL Twins. Blake Martin was promoted from the Miracle to New Britain. The Twins signed two catchers, their twenty-sixth round pick Kelly Cross and their twenty-fourth round pick Michael Quesada. They also signed their thirty-sixth round pick, outfielder Kelvin Mention. Although it has been reported elsewhere that they signed thirty-one of their picks, I can only confirm twenty-nine. I suspect reports of thirty-one include the two players signed as free agents following the draft.
New Britain Manager Jeff Smith confirmed that Ben Revere took batting practice on Wednesday and they expected he would be activated within five days or a week so that he would get a a week or more play before their season ends. Fellow Rock Cat outfielder and this week's Player of the Week, Joe Benson, has been out most of this week with a groin injury that is described as day-to-day.
Rochester Red Wings (AAA) (2-4, 47-80, 6th place, -28.5 games behind Scranton/WB)
The Red Wings were eliminated from playoff contention last weekend, now must make up a 3.5 game deficted if they are to overtake Lehigh Valley and not finish in last place.
Kyle Gibson, Matt Fox and Anthony Swarzak all had good starts this week, although they only won on Monday behind Swarzak. Each of the three starters pitched 5.0 innings with two runs. Pat Neshek had two very good outings on Monday and last night, pitching 3.0 shutout innings with three hits, one strikeout and two walks. Alex Burnett had his best outing since joining the Wings in Monday's win, pitching 2.0 shutout innings with one hit, five strikeouts and no walks. Burnett wasn't as good Thursday when he was tagged with the loss, allowing two runs in 1.1 inning.
Matt Macri had a very good week at 8-19. This week's nomination for Player of the Week however, is Matt Tolbert. In his three games with the Red Wings, Tolbert was 8-13 with three runs scored and a RBI.
New Britain Rock Cats (AA) (3-3, 37-88, last place, -38.0 games behind Trenton)
After last weekend, the Rock Cats had 21 games remaining. They needed to finish 9-12 to avoid the franchise's first 100 loss season since 1953. They needed to finish 14-7 to avoid their worst record in the Eastern League since 1991 (47-93). They needed to finish 5-16 to avoid the worst Eastern League record...ever! Richmond came to town and the Cats responded with their first sweep of the year.
Their starting staff didn't have any quality starts. Deolis Guerra continued his second half struggle, allowing nine hits and five runs in a 4.0 inning outing in Thursday's 7-6 win. Bobby Lanigan made two starts, pitching 12.1 innings with 18 hits and 11 earned runs.
Evan Bigley, who recently moved up to AA, has commented on the difference in pitching in the Eastern League versus the FSL. For example, Wednesday the Cats faced thirty year old Felix Romero who was later relieved by former big leaguer Andy Sisco. Bigley had a good week at 8-16 with two doubles. Since joining the Cats earlier this month, Bigley is hitting .302/.302/.419 in 43 at bats.
Ft. Myers Miracle (Hi-A) (6-2, 26-28, 4th place, -5.0 games behind Palm Beach)
The Miracle needed a nice winning streak if they were to make the playoffs. Winning six of eight this week kept them in the race, however, time is running out.
Daniel Osterbrock returned to form, pitching 6.0 innings with four hits and a run in Tuesday's 3-1 win. Recently promoted Matt Schuld came on to pitch 3.0 no hit, shutout innings for his first save. Kane Holbrooks has been as hot as any starter in the organization. He pitched another gem on Wednesday, pitching 7.0 shutout innings with seven hits. Bruce Pugh allowed two runs in 5.0 innings on Thursday, a game the Miracle would lose 8-1 after Shooter Hunt came on in relief...getting no one out while allowing three runs on four walks and two wild pitches. That game followed what may have been Hunt's best performance of the year Monday, when he pitched 3.0 no-hit, shutout innings with four strikeouts and two walks. Santos Arias didn't enjoy a lot of success earlier this season in New Britain, however, he was great last night. Arias pitched 8.0 innings with six hits and one run in a 2-1 win versus Charlotte.
Nick Romero is a corner infielder who is having a nice year at .262/.336/.378. Since the all-star break, Romero is hitting .314 average with a 11-31 week with five doubles and a triple.
Beloit Snappers (A) (3-3, 26-24, 5th place, -5.5 games behind Quad Cities)
The Snappers were tied with Clinton for a playoff spot last weekend after Saturday's 7-2 win over Clinton. They proceded to drop two to Clinton and now are 2.0 games out of the last playoff spot.
Their lone quality start was by Tom Stuifbergen on Sunday when he pitched 6.1 innings with ten hits, three runs and eleven strikeouts. Danny Rams has been included amongst the week's best performers a lot recently. Now hitting .256/.320/.472 with a team leading fourteen home runs, Rams gets the nod again this week after going 9-19 with a double and home run.
Elizabethton Twins (Appalachian Rookie League ) (2-2, 36-19, 1st place, +1.0 game ahead of Johnson City)
With a spot in the expanded playoffs certain, the Twins will battle Johnson City for another division crown. Oswaldo Arcia has played through a minor injury and is back on track this week, going 8-16 with a double. The player of the week for the ETon Twins however is the lefty the Twins took in the third round this year out of Boston College, Pat Dean. Dean pitched 6.0 shutout innings last Saturday with four hits in his second start.
GCL Twins (Gulf Coast League ) (2-5, 24-29, 3rd place, -7.0 games behind the Rays)
The Twins best start this week was by Cesar Ciurcina in Wednesday's 3-1 loss to the Rays. Ciurcina pitched 6.0 innings with three hits, one run, seven strikeouts and a walk. Ciurcina leads the staff with 58.0 innings pitched with a 2.95 ERA. Miguel Sano played mostly third base early in the season, however, has seen a lot of action at shortstop lately.
DSL Twins (Dominican Summer League) (1-5, 29-40, 6th place, -20.0 games behind Cubs-1)
Last year Romy Trinidad was the DSL Twins lone position player all-star. This season Trinidad is back with the Twins, hitting .301/.371/.415. This week he was 4-13.
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A great read in today's New Britain Herald...
…where local writer Ken Lipshez talks with Terry Ryan about the future and how the Twins may have to consider finding a few of the right minor league free agents.
http://www.newbritainherald.com/articles/2010/08/21/sports/doc4c708a402ec29901764898.txt
Good article
I feel bad for the NB fans having to watch that team. They are above .300 now (barely), but this is a historically bad season. Are the players really that bad? I’m not buying into the age factor too much, once a player gets past 20 it really shoudn’t matter all that much.
Or is it a matter of team dynamics, where a bad season just spiraled out of control?
The thought of going out to the scrap heap to fill the roster does not excite me that much, but I understand where the Rochester and NB fans are coming from. I would not be surprised if Rochester dumps the Twins soon.
yes, the win loss records have been weak but,
at least the Twins minor leage fans get to see some very talented youg players. Looking at those two rosters their is some future big league talent there. As for me I’d rather watch some talented young kids then some has-beens hanging around the minor leagues.
Rochester and New Britian
Needs better players
90% of their rosters probably won’t even sniff the 40 man roster. So it would be good to get some Minor FAs who can help the teams win and put pressure on some of the young guys.
by clutterheart on Aug 22, 2010 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions
Well,
Gibson and Bromberg both with AAA now, had multiple startes at NB. Robertson,Gutierrez and Guerra all have a shot at pitching for the Twins and Bullock has 11 saves. As for the Bats, Benson,Parmelee and Revere should all get to Minnesota at some point, if not next Sept. I don’t think anyone can explain the collapse that some of the pitchers have had, just like with the July the Twins had.
by b1 on Aug 23, 2010 8:11 AM EDT up reply actions
You can have a handful of top talents on a team and still lose
Those of us who suffered through the 90s know this all too well.
Thing is, the Eastern League has become a holding pen for fringe major leaguers in their late 20s with 10 years of minor league experience. The Cats were by far the youngest and least experienced team in that league. Losing is not a reflection of the level of talent.
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
Really?
“Losing is not a reflection of the level of talent.” Can this be? I find it hard to believe that the record can be this bad with “talent” regardless of age.
Roger, do you have any insight on how it got this bad?
Regardless of age
What New Britain really need is better 25 year olds. Their older position players (Chris Cates, Mark Dolenc, Toby Gardenhire, Erik Lis, Yancarlos Ortiz, Juan Portes) have been awful. Their older pitchers all got hurt (Hirschfeld, Steedley, Van Mil) with the exception of Cole DeVries and Mike McCardell, who weren’t any good. The younger guys have been pretty good.
Cates and Gardenhire
have no business in the system. Gardenhire hit 9th for the University of Illinois, and if his last name was Anderson he never would have been drafted.
Maybe if he was Rick Anderson's son
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
I agree
Look at the league leaders in AA. Tagg Bozied (30), Joel Guzman (25), Jesus Valdez (25), Matt Hague (25), Adam Loewen (26) among the hitters. Lance Pendleton (27), Michael Antonini (25), Jared Hughes (25), Duane Below (25), Tony Watson (25), Eammon Portice (25), Randy Boone (26), Ronald Uviedo (25), Zach Stewart (24) among the pitchers. These are players in the prime of their careers, not prospects on their way up. Some of them have had a couple years in AAA already.
The difference in talent between AA and AAA is shrinking making the leap to AA harder but the jump from AA to the majors easier.
What explains this?
Why are players getting older a the A and AA ball level?
Why are teams signing older players and assigning them to AA when they should probably just drift off into the independent leagues?
A few reasons
They added an extra year of team control to draftees a couple years ago. More players are being drafted out of college rather than high school. Combine these two and players can be under team control in the minors up until age 30 (6 years off roster, 3 option years).
I think the independent leagues are in worse shape than the AA/AAA teams are economically right now. Also, no MLB expansion since 1998 means the talent level goes up incrementally. These are minor effects.
Interesting
Is the influx of foreign players making the game not only better at all divisions, but older in the minor leagues?
Also, the independant leagues affect this some
Before those leagues came about, the chance of a late bloomer making it to AA or AAA were slim and none. Now organizations see those guys as good upper level roster fillers. Some even make the big leagues, like Brandon Donnely and Kevin Millar.
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
Recipe for Disaster
So here’s what I’m gathering. The Rock Cats historically bad season came as a result of:
Pitching injuries.
The Rock Cats being young for the league.
The Rock Cats older players are awful.
Leaving hope for the younger talent in NB. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Will players like Benson and Revere benefit from the competition? Will the Twins stick with their philosophy or go out and get more seasoned mlfa?
They'll find some better mlfa
There is no reason to stick with their current older players, so why not grab some different older players.
Some real head scratchers
Juan Portes and Eric Lis, for example, had great track records and spring training results, and fell off the table during the regular year.
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
I put almost all the blame on the pitching collapse
I’ve never seen so many prospects go bad so quick. I’ve got to question the pitching talent that we were told were good pitchers.
by b1 on Aug 23, 2010 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Perhaps,
but those are some atrocious batting averages. Four regulars at or below the Mendoza line. Joe Benson at .245. That’s a lot of “out machines.”
Benson at least takes his walks and gets his XBHs
His OPS is pretty good: .963 at A ball and .853 in AA. Both of those leagues heavily skew towards pitching. So those are good numbers. Too many Ks, but otherwise I would say this is a breakout year for Mr. Benson.
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
+1
exactly C=Math
just going to say the Rock Cats had to be the youngest team in the Easter League and probably by quite a bit too…
I called on the exact pitch - Joe Mauer's first career Home-Run at Target Field !!!
Why Oh Why did the D'Backs select A.J. Pollock over Mike Trout?
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Aug 24, 2010 1:20 AM EDT up reply actions
The Rock Cats were the youngest team in the league...
….but not by all that much. Their position players were about 1.1 years less than the league average and a few months younger than all other teams. The pitchers weren’t the youngest, but were about 7 months younger than the league average.
As for what went wrong? Several players who had wonderful seasons last year at New Britain didn’t play well, at all….Juan Portes and Michael McCardell are two prime examples. Nearly every player who returned for a second year hasn’t played as well as last year. Whitney Robbins missed the entire year and their top position player, Rene Tosoni, was never healthy and missed two thirds of the year.
Their bullpen was terrible for much of the season, with their top two relievers (Spencer Steedley & Steve Hirschfield) out for nearly the entire season.
The young starters we were so excited about at Ft. Myers a year ago just plain didn’t get it done. Look at the staff at the start of the season (Guerra, Bromberg, McCardell, Robertson and Carlos Gutierrez). That was an excellent staff based on their past performances. With the exception of Bromberg, all had more than disappointing seasons. Were they all incapable of making the step up to AA and their expectations of making it to the Twins is over? Or did some have an off year, a year they will build from?
Rog
Thanks for chiming in, Roger. We can consider a whole bunch of factors, but it is hard not to see this as a major disappointment, one that might bite the Twins down the road with a talent gap.
I’m guessing it is a gloomy clubhouse, which probably doesn’t help matters. I’ve been on teams where it is not a matter of winning or losing, but just hoping it doesn’t get ugly. It is not a good feeling.
I wonder if the manager tried putting them all in the shower and throwing the bats at them while screaming about them being “lollygaggers.”
Ft. Myers/FSL vs. New Britain/EL Park/League Effects are a factor
Pitching woes can be at least partially explained by the offense suppressing run environment of the FSL generally and Ft Myers specifically making Miracle pitchers look better on paper than they are.
The youth of the team is also, I think, huge and a bigger factor than you imply (although I’m not saying it explains .300 baseball) 1.1 years below average when you’re talking about 23 vs 24 (it’s around that, isn’t it) and 23 vs. 25 if you’re playing an “old” team is pretty damn huge. Sure, Elite prospects mature by 24, but tons of guys who are eventually quality MLB players make huge strides between 23 and 26 — it seems to me (and I could be totally wrong about this, but…) that more guys than ever are getting a legitimate crack at MLB only after reaching their theoretical late 20s prime.
Another thing to consider re: the pitching is the quality of New Britain’s defense. Since I’ve never done anything but listen to the team on internet radio, I’m at least open to the possibility that the defensive skill component of New Britain’s team DER could be a factor in the pitching woes.
Portes is really hard to figure. His best monthly wOBA is .301 for crying out load. Consistent suckage. I don’t get it at all, but then again in 2008 he looked like a marginal prospect at Ft. Myers, so maybe he just played way over his head last season.
While I’d obviously hoped for more, I’m not sweating “waiting ’til next year” to see how Bromberg, Guerra and Gutierrez perform with a year of high-minors ball under their belt.
by tobynotjason on Aug 24, 2010 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions
thinking about it for a minute...
team DER is probably only so much of a factor. The team is 5th in the lead in allowing walks (that is, 5th most walks allowed) and dead last in Ks. Any way you slice it that’s poor pitching. As I said, though, fine giving those guys at least a good chunk of another year.
by tobynotjason on Aug 24, 2010 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions
NB is a young team, yes
Is Rochester also a young team? Seems to me that the Twins still move players up at a yearly pace. I’m not sure how the Twins would add age to any of the team, nor do I want them to. I like the Rochester players and at NB Tosoni- out, Revere’s been injured. Benson, DeLosSantos and Parmelee- up and down. As far as the pitching same thing Injuries to the reliefe pitching.
by b1 on Aug 27, 2010 6:53 AM EDT up reply actions
Alex Wimmers made his debut yesterday.
2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Liam Hendricks returned to action in the same game as Wimmers.
2.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Niko Goodrum
Is he playing shortstop or outfield?
by clutterheart on Aug 22, 2010 10:09 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Here is another Ken Lipshez article...
…about his conversations with Terry Ryan.
http://www.newbritainherald.com/articles/2010/08/25/sports/doc4c7474928944d544713889.txt
September call-ups.
Do you have to be on the 40-man roster to get called up in September? Or can the Twins select any player from their farm system?
Yes, you have to be on the 40 man roster
They can bring up anyone on the 40 man roster but they have to pay them MLB wages. Morales will be called up. Neshek and Burnett are likely but not certain. Plouffe will get a callup if an infielder gets nicked up.
Neshek is very likely,
as I believe he has a contract that pays him his major league salary while in the minors. Would have said Manship and Perkins would get called up, but they are already here. With Punto out, it is likely that Plouffe will get called.
Thoughts.....
Hey, someone ahs to lose. New Britain just did it bigtime.
Problem is, don’t seeing many of the AA guys rushing to AAA. So, who plays in Rochester next year. This season, the Twins had some MinFA at Rochester, actually mroeso than last season, and they still stunk.
Neshek is getting major league wages, so he should get the call.
Question is, can the Twins find a space for Jacque Jones and/or Brendan Harris. Can they do soemthing with the injured Luke Hughes. Can anyone be deep sixed from the 40-man. Will the Twins give Anthony Swarzak another major league looksee, if only for the opportunity to start a September game or two if the Twins look like theya re walking away.
Back to the minors…..do the Twins really have any major Rule 5 concerns? Do the Twins have any real minor elague Rule 5 concerns? Don’t really see the need for 40-manning Dinkelman, Portes, Singleton, Peterson, Fernandez or any number of others.
Visit www.TwinsCards.com and check out "rosters" to see my collection!
Kyle Gibson out for season with a sprained ankle.
Right-hander Kyle Gibson’s Minor League season has appeared to come to an end.
Gibson, the Twins’ first-round pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, was placed on the disabled list at Triple-A Rochester on Thursday with a sprained ankle. But the move isn’t hampering Gibson’s progress as he was close to being shut down for the year anyway. The right-hander had thrown a total of 152 innings this year.
Twins Minor League director Jim Rantz said earlier this month that the Twins planned to cap Gibson’s workload somewhere between 150-160 innings.
The year was certainly a success for Gibson, as he moved up three levels in what was his first professional season. Gibson did not pitch at all in the Minors in 2009 after he was drafted due to a stress fracture in his right forearm.
“This was a fast track for him,” Rantz said. “I don’t recall that happening much in the past.”
Injuries within the Twins system and other callups did play a role in Gibson getting a chance to pitch at Rochester. He got the call to move up since he was the guy who was pitching well and ready when a spot opened up in the Red Wings’ rotation.
Gibson was 0-0 with a 1.72 ERA in three starts for the Red Wings. In three combined stops between Rochester, Double-A New Britain and Class A Fort Myers, Gibson went 11-6 with a 2.96 ERA.
They way Gibson moved through the system
makes me question all of the pitchers at AA. Other then Bromberg, I’m having my doubts about any of the other starters being Big League Talent. Plus Swarzak is still at AAA and Wimmers looks like he could pass some of these guys next year.
by b1 on Aug 27, 2010 7:01 AM EDT up reply actions
This is the flip side of There Is No Such Thing As a Pitching Prospect
That phrase is often used to caution people that some pitchers get hurt and never recover. It also means that unlike hitters, additional repetition against higher competition doesn’t make you a better pitcher. Location and stuff make you a pitcher and if you are one already you might as well be in the big leagues.
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