Twins in the 2014 Futures Game

[Seth Stohs]

MLB has announced its rosters for the Futures Game which will be at Target Field on the Sunday before the All Star Game.

 

The Minnesota Twins will be represented by:

 

JO Berrios - World Team

Kennys Vargas - World Team

 

Team Puerto Rico, which, of course, is a US commonwealth, so it's kind of Team USA too.

[DaveW]

Surprised Meyer and/or May didn't get the nod?

[diehardtwinsfan]

I'm pretty sure you can only contribute 2 prospects to the futures game. I suspect at that point, it's more logistics.

[JB_Iowa]

• Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino 10m
  RHP Trevor May (7-3, 2.35 in 10 starts since May 1) being passed over could be an indication of how close #mntwins believe he is to majors.
   
   
  Maybe we'll see May w/the Twins before the ASG? Have to think its a good possibility anyway.
   
   
  

[Mike Sixel]

Congrats to both of them.

[nicksaviking]

I'm guessing back in April the only people who saw Vargas and Berrios in the futures game instead of Sano and Buxton figured those two would already be playing in Target Field.

[JB_Iowa]

• Former @Twins skipper Tom Kelly will manage Team USA while @BertBlyleven28 leads Team World in the @MLBFutures Game on 7/13 at Target Field.
   
   
  Well, that should be interesting. How's Bert's Spanish?
   
   
  

[DaveW]

I'm pretty sure you can only contribute 2 prospects to the futures game. I suspect at that point, it's more logistics.

Ah got it

[James]

• Well, that should be interesting. How's Bert's Spanish?

 

Based on his English speaking skills observed from his broadcasting, I'm guessing that his Spanish is also pretty poor.

[tobi0040]

I'm guessing back in April the only people who saw Vargas and Berrios in the futures game instead of Sano and Buxton figured those two would already be playing in Target Field.

 

Very interesting, most sites had 5-6 guys in the top 100. None had Vargas and about half had Berrios. Most didn't have May, who would have been the other guy.

[Brandon]

Maybe Berrios gets promoted to AA after the futures game.

[Thrylos]

How's Bert's Spanish?

 

• 
  

 

Hasta la vista baby, pretty much.

[Thrylos]

Has to be noted:

 

When Bill Smith signed Kennys Vargas as an Non-Drafted Free Agent in 2009, I suspect that nobody thought that he would make it that far.

 

Congrats to Baby Papi, who is close to becoming a Papi for the second time in 2 years...

 

(Congrats to Berrios, too, but he was a 1st round sup pick)

[jokin]

Has to be noted:

 

When Bill Smith signed Kennys Vargas as an Non-Drafted Free Agent in 2009, I suspect that nobody thought that he would make it that far.

 

Congrats to Baby Papi, who is close to becoming a Papi for the second time in 2 years...

 

(Congrats to Berrios, too, but he was a 1st round sup pick)

 

Yup. As others have pointed out in the past, it's far harder to find, and secure, legit talent down in the draft (Rosario in the 4th round, Dozier in the 8th round, Tonkin in the 30th round, AJ Achter, 46th round), or even harder, finding and securing unsigned/undrafted International FAs. Bill Smith in whole was a disaster as GM, but together with Sano and perhaps, Kepler, he did find some decent talent using methods besides first round cherry-picks.

[Butterfingers8]

I don't think Vargas qualifies as an international free agent, PRs are in the MLB draft, unless he signed before that was the case, I'm not sure whenPRs had to enter the draft.

[jokin]

I don't think Vargas qualifies as an international free agent, PRs are in the MLB draft, unless he signed before that was the case, I'm not sure whenPRs had to enter the draft.

 

Technically correct. I threw Vargas into the same boat with Sano and Kepler, they were all tricky/aggressive signings.

[Thrylos]

I don't think Vargas qualifies as an international free agent, PRs are in the MLB draft, unless he signed before that was the case, I'm not sure whenPRs had to enter the draft.

 

As I said a couple of posts above, he qualifies as a non-drafted free agent. That is different than an international free agent (e.g. Sano). This is like signing a kid from Mankato State who was not drafted.

[HansGruber]

I'm guessing back in April the only people who saw Vargas and Berrios in the futures game instead of Sano and Buxton figured those two would already be playing in Target Field.

 

Well outside of the people who knew Sano had Tommy John surgery in March.

[jokin]

As I said a couple of posts above, he qualifies as a non-drafted free agent. That is different than an international free agent (e.g. Sano). This is like signing a kid from Mankato State who was not drafted.

 

Isn't it even sketchier than that?...given the baseball situation in PR? It seems like Vargas was likely just a big, chubby kid who flashed a little power...and probably showing what he had in a semi-organized youth league?

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

• Former @Twins skipper Tom Kelly will manage Team USA while @BertBlyleven28 leads Team World in the @MLBFutures Game on 7/13 at Target Field.
   
   
  Well, that should be interesting. How's Bert's Spanish?
  

 

Bert is counting on at least one guy that speaks Dutch and translate.

[jorgenswest]

Trevor May is on the old side for a future player. He will turn 25 later this season. I think he would be the oldest player on the US team.

 

On the world team, Kennys Vargas is old also. Only Daniel Alvarez is older and he recently came to the US from Cuba. He has been in the minors less than a year.

 

The best players are in the majors at 24. They aren't hoping for a spot in the future's game.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

May is in as a replacement for Marco Gonzalez.

[Halsey Hall]

May, in June, for July game.

May is in as a replacement for Marco Gonzalez.

[RedBull34]

May, in June, for July game.

 

Up in August?

[tobi0040]

Bert is counting on at least one guy that speaks Dutch and translate.

 

He could learn this phrase in other languages and be good:

 

"Good piece of hitting, you didn't try and do too much. Just hit that ball the other way"

[ScottyB]

I'm hopin' May stays in the Twin Cities after the game (on the MLB roster).

 

PS - TK will be happy, when he was filling in for Bert, he said he was hoping May and/or Meyer would be on his team. If May is ready, TK will know and advise the team.

[kdrupp09]

I'm hopin' May stays in the Twin Cities after the game (on the MLB roster).

 

PS - TK will be happy, when he was filling in for Bert, he said he was hoping May and/or Meyer would be on his team. If May is ready, TK will know and advise the team.

 

This is a great point, it is really helpful to the Twins to have TK and Bert managing, both can help provide insight to their players. Hopefully TK sees what he likes in May and he just stays in Minnesota after the Future's Game.

[jokin]

May is in as a replacement for Marco Gonzalez.

 

This is a great point, it is really helpful to the Twins to have TK and Bert managing, both can help provide insight to their players. Hopefully TK sees what he likes in May and he just stays in Minnesota after the Future's Game.

 

Yeah, I'd say that while it's a nice honor, May would rather be in Gonzalez's shoes.

 

Looks like the Twins PR department gets a nice bone thrown their way....and as others have written, it does now provide a "clear path" to the majors for May if the Twins decide to just keep him up.