Minor Leagues

The Twins had an off day, but their minor league affiliates were all playing. There was a game-winning home run… an extra-innings walk off wild pitch, a couple of strong starts, some great bullpen work. And yes, Miguel Sano was very good again today! Find out why Brian Dozier got a day off here (and at the same time be listening to the interview with him on the SethSpeaks Weekly Minnesota Twins Podcast).
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The Twins lost 8-2 to the Orioles on Saturday night in what proved to be a tough day throughout the Twins organization. Including the Twins, the organization went a combined 0-5 on the day. Of course, that doesn’t mean there weren’t some highlights… just that there aren’t as many!

The Twins and the Red Wings are the only two teams that play on Easter with the three lower levels able to enjoy a day off on the holiday.

Here is what happened on Saturday in the parks of the Twins minor league affiliates:
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Day 2 in the Twins minor league system meant FIVE box scores to follow. In an unusual event, New Britain and Richmond had a scheduled double header. The Twins affiliates went 4-1 on the day. The Rochester Red Wings and New Britain Rock Cats are a combined 5-0 so far on the early season. As you will see every day throughout the season, here are the scores and highlights from the Twins minor league system.

ROCHESTER 3, SYRACUSE 1

Scott Diamond had a frustrating 2011 season with the Red Wings (and in several starts with the Twins). His 2012 got off to a terrific start. The lefty threw 6.1 scoreless innings. He gave up four hits, walked one and struckout three. Carlos Gutierrez finished the seventh inning and then struckout the first two batters of the 8^th inning. A triple, followed by a double, ended his night as the Red Wings clung to a 2-1 lead. Anthony Slama came in and got a strikeout to end the eighth. He gave up one hit in the 9^th frame, but he struckout pinch-hitter Mark Teahen to end the game and record his first save. ...

Minor League Opening Day has come and gone, and all is good in the world! As we ever-so patiently await today’s Twins opener, we were able to peruse the box scores of four Twins affiliates. Opening Day is a sign of hope, especially for the guys who had good games. If players had rough games, hey, it’s just one of 144 games! But it is box scores and games that count.

Which prospects will rise, and which will fall? Will any of the teams make the playoffs? They are questions that no one knows the answer to, but each of those answers start on Opening Day.

Below you’ll find the results of each of the Twins minor league games as well as some of the highlights. ...

[Originally published with pictures at Twins Fan From Afar]

As much as I love going to Twins games, there's something special about minor league baseball. It's intimate and personal. It's real and unadulterated -- both the good and the bad. Every year, the New Britain Rock Cats host a "welcome home" dinner for the team, the front office and the fans. This year, it was held at the New Britain Elks Lodge #957, just a stone's throw from New Britain stadium. Walking in, I was reminded of my own baseball past -- spaghetti dinners at the White Bear Lake VFW, with the veterans wanting to see what their $500 uniform sponsorship had purchased that season, and post-season American Legion awards banquets held in the basement of the Roseville American Legion.
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The Twins roster is set, and with that, the minor league rosters are set as well. It is an unusual season in that the minor league seasons start (a day) before the big league Opening Day. I may be in the minority, but I get just as excited about minor league Opening Day as I do about major league Opening Day (and I think Opening Day should be a national holiday!).

Pending last minute injuries or transactions, below are the Opening Day rosters for the Twins minor league affiliates, along with a very brief summary of what to look for. Please feel free to ask questions in the Comments section, and I'll be sure to try to answer as many as I can.
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