Twinkie Town 2012 Top 50...Round 25!

by roger13 on Jan 7, 2012 10:16 AM EST

I am traveling so there won't be a Minor League Report today. The only news was that the Twins released three pitchers, Cesar Ciurcina, Todd VanSteensel and in somewhat of a surprise, Pedro Guerra.

David Bromberg became our Twenty-Fourth pick with 57 of 235 votes (24%). Missing most of last year with a broken arm caused him to drop from our eleventh spot a year ago. Deolis Guerra was second (31), B. J. Hermsen third (29), Lester Oliveros fourth (28) and Scott Diamond fifth with 19 votes.

Added will be Pat Dean, who was the Twins third round pick in 2010. The lefty began his season at Beloit where he was excellent with a 2-0 record and 2.86 ERA in eight starts (44.0 innings) with 37 strikeouts and 9 walks. He didn't do as well at Ft. Myers where he had a 3-6 record with a 6.67 ERA in eleven starts (58.0 innings). He made one start for New Britain at the end of the year, allowing three runs in six innings.

This round will remain open through Monday evening. I will be traveling much of the next week, then will get back on our schedule of closing each round at noon a week from now.

Poll

Who is the Twenty-Fifth best prospect in the Twins organization?

Pat Dean

14 votes

Scott Diamond

26 votes

Terry Doyle

23 votes

Deolis Guerra

64 votes

B. J. Hermsen

127 votes

Lester Oliveros

52 votes

Jairo Perez

12 votes

Nate Roberts

113 votes

Tyler Robertson

27 votes

Matt Summers

22 votes

480 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 30 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

Been voting Hermsen

Then Robertson, then Oliveros. Robertson will be in the pen next year to complement Perkins and Duensing from the left side. He had the best season of any reliever in the system last year. He’s a big strong lefty who throws a heavy fastball and gets his share of Ks. The former third-round pick struggled as a starter in 2010 but dominated in 2011 at AA as a 22 year old after being converted to a reliever. Just a few years ago, he was the number 1 prospect in the system by a lot of raters.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Jan 7, 2012 10:24 AM EST reply actions

I think Pat Dean has the same future

Twins do fairly well converting LH college starters to the bullpen.

by DJL44 on Jan 7, 2012 1:06 PM EST up reply actions

Robertson is way better than Dean

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Jan 7, 2012 1:41 PM EST up reply actions

Not sure

Not sure I can agree with this… Hopefully Robertson can have a Ron Mahay-like career. Dean profiles more like Duensing or Perkins… or Bashore…

by SethSpeaks on Jan 9, 2012 4:30 PM EST up reply actions

Dean doesn't throw as hard as any of them

Robertson throws a heavy fastball in the low 90s.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Jan 9, 2012 5:06 PM EST up reply actions

What pitches does Dean throw?

He clearly has the control he needs but his K rate is dropping as he goes up levels. He may need to add a pitch to be successful at higher levels.

by DJL44 on Jan 9, 2012 5:10 PM EST up reply actions

Dean is 1-1/2 years younger too.

by b1 on Jan 9, 2012 9:20 PM EST up reply actions

Current List

Pat Dean is a soft lefty that had a terrible year close to a 7 Era he should not be in the top 30 until he proves himself. Matt Summers has not even played a full season yet not sure why he is here either. Robertson is legit and did well in the AFL.Hauser should be up here #24 on Sickles list and he is right on.

by tcwinning5 on Jan 7, 2012 1:13 PM EST reply actions

I agree on Dean

He isn’t anyone that I get excited about. His movement up the in the system showed major holes in his game as indicated by his expanding ERA and WHIP plus his shrinking K/9. Hermsen stayed fairly consistent over two levels, which gives me hope. I disagree on Summers however: In college he had legit stats & deserves at least a look. Results are important sometimes.

by Zdpox21 on Jan 7, 2012 5:26 PM EST up reply actions

Summers could rise the most in the whole organization after this year

He just needs innings above the Appy league to prove to people that he’s legit. Also, it would really help if they make him a starter this year.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Jan 8, 2012 11:36 AM EST up reply actions

You and I know that the Twins don't

move guys up very quickly. If most of these guy are going to see Minnesota, they’ll need to move 2-3 levels. I get a little mad at the Twins for not moving guys up quickly or giving them a chance to fail at a high level. Take Hirshfeld and Steedly both guys stayed the whole year at AA being 26yrs old. Move them up! If they can’t hack it cut them, but at least they can say they had their fair shot. Solarte, Portes and Singleton same thing, they all were kept down at AA. ??? Point is, I like Summers, but he’ll need to be in N.B. half the year to have a shot in 2013 because of his age.

by b1 on Jan 8, 2012 3:56 PM EST up reply actions

College guys can move fast

Crain, Baker, Perkins, Slowey, Garza, and Gibson were all knocking on the door a couple of years after the draft. Wimmers should move fast this year. Boer, Boyd and Summers should move fast next year.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Jan 8, 2012 8:12 PM EST up reply actions

I hope so!!!

just seems like the Twins only move top picks quickly! We had a couple last year and we need some guys (prospects) to get to AAA pitching well, besides Hendricks. We lost out with Shooter, Bashore, Tootle and Gibson’s injury.

by b1 on Jan 8, 2012 11:28 PM EST up reply actions

Injuries have been tough, especially from the 2009 draft

I have some hope that Bashore can move quickly now that he’s recovered form TJ surgery. But it usually take two years to get all the way back from that surgery. This should be a year for him to get innings and build arm strength, primarily at Fort Myers. Eventually, he should be really good, though. He was throwing in the mid 90s in college. That makes him the top left-handed starter prospect in the system, imho.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Jan 8, 2012 11:48 PM EST up reply actions

Bashore/Dean/More

Bashore and Dean have both been hurt pretty much since they signed. Bashore needed Tommy John and shoulder surgery. Dean has pitched through his injury, for the most part (and not particularly well).

As cmathewson mentioned above, the Twins do have a tendency to move college pitchers quickly through the system. Duensing is another guy. That’s why I agree that Summers, Boer and Corey Williams could all be in New Britain or even Rochester by the end of the year, but Boyd will not move quickly. Williams will likely stay in the bullpen, but they will let Boer start the season as a starter, and Summers is definitely a starter, they just didn’t want him to throw much last year in ET.

by SethSpeaks on Jan 9, 2012 4:38 PM EST up reply actions

Does Bashore have a chance to regain his college velocity?

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Jan 9, 2012 5:08 PM EST up reply actions

Yes,

…A. J. told me he was throwing 96 in college when the Gophers faced him. He was around 92-93 late last summer. Considering this will be his second year back, he should be close if not back to 96!

Everything I have heard is that Summers is the most likely to remain a reliever of the three taken last June.

by roger13 on Jan 9, 2012 7:21 PM EST up reply actions

UPDATE FOR ROGER

I change my vote from Nathan Roberts to B.J. Hermsen

Seeing Roberts isn’t even close into the hunt…… And i think it would be a terribly casulaty and just a tradgedy if Guerra or Diamond got on over Hermsen.

Thanks Mr. Dehrig

Yoenis Cespedes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW9ge8l3jY8

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jan 7, 2012 5:49 PM EST reply actions