FanPost

Minor League Report...April 7, 2007

...The four full season teams were all scheduled to start their seasons on either Thursday or Friday.  Anyone who has been outside the last few days knows that no one is going to play baseball in weather like this...in Beloit, Wisconsin; Rochester, New York and New Britain, Connecticut.  Only Ft. Myers had weather permitting baseball and they proceded to play two exciting games, although without the fireworks that were cancelled for their home opener because of the drought in southwest Florida.

Ft. Myers Miracle (Hi-A)

The Miracle went 0-2 this week, losing both games to Sarasota in the home openers for both teams.  On Thursday, former first round pick Kyle Waldrop pitched five innings of no-hit ball.  Top prospect Jay Rainville missed all of last year following shoulder surgery.  Jay took the mound in relief of Waldrop, allowing 2 unearned runs (2 errors) in 0.2 innings with 1 hit and 1 walk.  Yohan Pino pitched the next 1.1 innings with no hits and 1 strikeout.  The Miracle dropped game one, 0-2, as their offense consisted of only 3 hits with 2 from designated hitter Steve Tolleson.

Last night the Miracle returned home and got another excellent pitching performance from starter Oswaldo Sosa, who allowed 1 unearned run on 5 hits and 1 walk in 4.1 innings with 2 strikeouts.  He was followed by reliever Ryan Mullins who struck out the side in his only inning.  Eduardo Morlan, who is being looked at as a potential closer, threw 2 innings with only 1 hit.  Unfortunately, Frank Mata couldn't find the strikezone in the 9th as he walked four giving up the tying run.  Zach Ward is also being used as a reliever, pitching 2.1 innings with 1 hit and 2 walks which lead to the winning run for Sarasota (3-2) in the 12th.  The Miracle bats were somewhat better with Whit Robbins getting 2 hits in 5 at bats including a 2 run double.  Steve Tolleson had another hit as did Erik Lis and Eli Tintor. Unfortunately, the Miracle had four errors, two by shortstop Toby Gardenhire.  

Considering that none of the other teams got to play any baseball, lets take a look at some of the more interesting developments on each roster.

Rochester Red Wings (AAA)

Everyone is aware that Garza, Perkins and Slowey are joined in the Red Wing starting rotation by Scott Baker and Dave Gassner.  Many of us believe that two or three of these players should be in the Twins rotation and most believe they will be before the end of the season.  Local Rochester sportswriters have stated that many scouts believe this rotation is better than the rotations on 5 or 6 major league clubs.

Other players to watch at Rochester include Denard Span and Alexi Casilla who have speed to burn in the top two spots of the order.  Garrett Jones will see more time in the outfield than first base as the Twins are doing everything possible to get him ready to make their club before he is out of options in 2008.  Matt Moses had an excellent spring and will be the third baseman for the Wings in what many hope will be his breakout year.  Other players that often fly under the radar who earned a promotion to AAA this year include Matt Tolbert, Trent Oeltjen and Doug Deeds.  All three of these players are solid and should perform very well for the Wings.  

New Britain Rock Cats (AA)

The Cats starting rotation was scheduled to include Nick Blackburn, Errol Simonitsch, Anthony Swarzak, Bryan Duensing and minor league rule 5 pick Jesse Floyd.  Unfortunately, Simonitsch begins the season on the DL.  It is rumored that Jose Mijares, who was significantly better out of the bullpen last season, may take his spot when a fifth starter is needed.  Early indications are that former catcher Tim Lahey and minor league free agent Brad Baker will battle for the closer spot.

The Cats should have a potent lineup with sluggers Brock Peterson and David Winfree in the middle of the order.  The leadoff hitter will be speedster Brandon Roberts who will be in centerfield.  Garrett Guzman returns following an excellent second half with the Cats last season.  One question that will be answered during the season is whether former top pick Trevor Plouffe will improve offensively as the Twins move him to AA prior to his 21st birthday.  An abundance of errors together with a batting average that often struggled to exceed .200 has caused many to consider Plouffe a major disappointment the past two years.  Considering his age and his ability to make a spectacular play to go along with too many errors, Plouffe remains a prospect whom the Twins believe in.  Will Trevor reward them with a breakout season in 2007?  That is likely the biggest question in New Britain, one that could help this Club into the playoffs after a very disappointing 2006.  

Beloit Snappers (A)

The Beloit starting rotation doesn't have a lot of names we all recognize.  The ace of the staff should be 2006 pick Jeff Manship.  Another starter is one of the top pitchers from last season's Elizabethton staff, Alex Burnett, who won't turn 20 until late in the season.  The other starters will be Sean Land, Adam Hawes and Cole DeVries.  Hawes was one of the top pitchers in Elizabethton two years ago when he led the league with a 1.53 era before struggling with injuries much of last year while with the Snappers.  DeVries comes to the Twins organization after an excellent season last year as the ace of the Minnesota Gophers.

Perhaps the best way to look at the quality of the starting rotation is to consider the pitchers who didn't make the Beloit roster and are in extended spring training, a group that includes Matt Fox, Tyler Robertson, Dave Bromberg, Brian Kirwan and Kyle Edlich.  With pitchers like these unable to break into the Beloit staff, one has to assume that the five who made it had very good springs.

The Snapper bullpen is loaded with the return of Danny Vais who had a 2.12 era with 78 K's in 80.2 innings last year, plus the addition of Danny Hernandez who led the organization with 18 saves at Elizabethton.

Drew Thompson and Paul Kelly are both listed on the Beloit roster, however, both are on the DL and are actually in EST in Ft. Myers.  The team is loaded in the outfield with last year's top picks Chris Parmalee and Joe Benson to go with Danny Santiesteban and Mark Robinson.  Infielders Danny Valencia and Garrett Olson, who were two of the top hitters in last year's draft class, will join what should be a lineup that will score a lot of runs.