Who is the Center Fielder when the Rochester Red Wings start their playoff run?

[stringer bell]

Rochester is solidly in playoff contention. The Twins have three center field prospects in Class A and AA who have been regarded as Top Ten prospects in the system at some point. Center field has been manned in Rochester by non-prospects, so it would figure that one of the prospects would advance to Triple A for the Red Wings playoff run. There is a case to be made for all three guys. What do fans of the Twins and their minor league system predict?

[Bark's Lounge]

I'd like to think Hicks would be the guy, but Rochester is winning with what they have. Unless one of the aforementioned players steps up their game big time, what would be the benefit for Rochester?

 

It will not be Buxton, and Hicks and Rosario have had their ups and downs.

 

For a number of years the Twins took a major league deuce on the Rochester franchise. I doubt they will meddle with their ball club if they have a conceivable chance to challenge for the AAA title.

 

This is only my opinion.

[jorgenswest]

They have been winning with Eric Farris. I would think his hard work this year deserves at least a spot in the poll.

 

"He's been amazing," Wings manager Gene Glynn says. "He's done everything we could ask, especially since he hasn't really been at that position for very long. He's playing a great center field."

 

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/extra-bases/2014/07/08/red-wings-farris-center-of-attention/12386865/

[diehardtwinsfan]

I suspect Hicks will get promoted at one point if he continues to hit well in AA. I think that's good for him and for the org.

[jokin]

I'd like to think Hicks would be the guy' date=' but Rochester is winning with what they have. Unless one of the aforementioned players steps up their game big time, what would be the benefit for Rochester?

 

It will not be Buxton, and Hicks and Rosario have had their ups and downs.

 

[b']For a number of years the Twins took a major league deuce on the Rochester franchise.[/b] I doubt they will meddle with their ball club if they have a conceivable chance to challenge for the AAA title.

 

This is only my opinion.

 

IIRC, the Red Wings ownership was in open revolt not so long ago, and ready to sever the relationship with the Twins altogether. You can't heap enough praise on Gene Glynn for completely turning around the losing culture that the AAA club was mired in for so long. The position player lineup the Wings sport this year reeks of AAAA-ness, as did the pitching corps in 2013, yet he continues to find ways to win, no matter the scenario.

 

It's a difficult job balancing ofttimes two directly conflicting goals: prospect development vs. winning ballgames. Glynn's come through with flying colors, and he hasn't even had a chance to work with most of the very best up-and-coming prospects. Seems like this is a guy you want to make sure stays with the organization for a while longer- and if Rosario starts sparking at the plate again in New Britain, I gotta think the organization wouldn't hesitate to put him under Gene Glynn's capable tutelage for the stretch run.

[stringer bell]

Buxton red hot in his last five games at Fort Myers--11 for 22 with two homers. Rosario picking it up after a pretty bad slump--.333 with a .970 OPS in his last 10 games. Hicks also doing well at New Britain--in his last 10 games, he is hitting .297 with a .771 OPS.

[naobermiller]

When Buxton is ready to go to AA, Hicks will go to AAA.

[The Wise One]

IIRC, the Red Wings ownership was in open revolt not so long ago, and ready to sever the relationship with the Twins altogether. You can't heap enough praise on Gene Glynn for completely turning around the losing culture that the AAA club was mired in for so long. The position player lineup the Wings sport this year reeks of AAAA-ness, as did the pitching corps in 2013, yet he continues to find ways to win, no matter the scenario.

 

It's a difficult job balancing ofttimes two directly conflicting goals: prospect development vs. winning ballgames. Glynn's come through with flying colors, and he hasn't even had a chance to work with most of the very best up-and-coming prospects. Seems like this is a guy you want to make sure stays with the organization for a while longer- and if Rosario starts sparking at the plate again in New Britain, I gotta think the organization wouldn't hesitate to put him under Gene Glynn's capable tutelage for the stretch run.

 

Aren't AAAA players the ones that have done very well at AAA level baseball but do not have the what it takes to be in the majors?

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Aren't AAAA players the ones that have done very well at AAA level baseball but do not have the what it takes to be in the majors?

I had the same question, isnt AAAA good for the AAA team?

[diehardtwinsfan]

Yes, AAAA guys are ones who have destroyed AAA but not had success in the minors. Colabello, Plouffe, and Parmelee are guys that many would refer to as AAAA guys, and to be honest, I think the jury is still out on all 3. There's some debate whether such a player actually exists as what may be going on is that these guys are taking longer to adjust. Garret Jones is an example of this. While he never had the success he had in the minors, he's carved out a pretty decent ML career... and it took a while.

 

That said, I'm a pretty firm believer in stocking my AAA team with AAAA type guys, especially at positions of need so that if a callup is required, you have someone who has a chance at success.

[Thrylos]

IIRC, the Red Wings ownership was in open revolt not so long ago, and ready to sever the relationship with the Twins altogether. You can't heap enough praise on Gene Glynn for completely turning around the losing culture that the AAA club was mired in for so long. .

 

Glynn did a great work indeed, but severing the relationship with that town will not be a bad thing really. The Twins get no respect from the owners, the fans and the press of that town. If you went to the ballpark, in their store you will see a whole bunch of Yankees' stuff and very little to nothing Twins' stuff. Not to forget that the Twins' AAA team had to be on the road for 3 weeks last season because the Red Wings' owners decided to open their doors to the Yankees AAA team and give it priority for home days over the Red Wings while their ballpark at Scranton was under construction. So the happiness of the Rochester people with the Twins, should really be immaterial in this conversation.

[jokin]

Aren't AAAA players the ones that have done very well at AAA level baseball but do not have the what it takes to be in the majors?

 

Of course, but it is obvious that AAA still serves dual purposes...and that there have not been enough legitimate depth options and legitimate prospects with sufficient options to call upon in AAA over the last few years has left Glynn at a talent-disparity relative to the competition. And in an International League-wide state of AAAA-ness, the mediocre banality of the Wings position-player lineup was so obvious, that not one was named to the IL All Star team, despite having the 2nd best overall record. Similar to the mediocre state of the pitching corps last year, which had the worst ERA in the IL.

[jokin]

Glynn did a great work indeed, but severing the relationship with that town will not be a bad thing really. The Twins get no respect from the owners, the fans and the press of that town. If you went to the ballpark, in their store you will see a whole bunch of Yankees' stuff and very little to nothing Twins' stuff. Not to forget that the Twins' AAA team had to be on the road for 3 weeks last season because the Red Wings' owners decided to open their doors to the Yankees AAA team and give it priority for home days over the Red Wings while their ballpark at Scranton was under construction. So the happiness of the Rochester people with the Twins, should really be immaterial in this conversation.

 

It's a separate issue, but one which the Twins felt the urgent need to address, in the strongest way possible, nevertheless. I would hope that a better affiliate arrangement is still high on the long-range planning priority list.