Article: Hangout and Talk Twins, August 26, Episode 39

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Tuesday night means Twins Hangouts. This show consists of a lot of Arizona Fall league discussion, possible September call ups, minor league post season awards, and mention of several players in the minors who are doing well. The show was even kept well under two hours!Seth and Jeremy will cover the recently-released Arizona Fall League rosters. We'll also project the September call-ups.

 

Minor league season is winding down. Who's in? Who's out? Who's still fighting for a playoff spot?

 

The links for tonight's show are available here: Our event page and our

.

 

If you want to catch up on any previous shows, visit here: our webpage or download from iTunes.

 

Bring your questions and let us answer them.

 

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[nater79a]

Thoughts on David Hurlbut? I know he's been rehabbing an arm injury in the GCL after a promising start to the season with Fort Myers. Still a decent lefty prospect?

[nater79a]

If you had a chance to visit a major league ballpark that you've never been to before, which one would it be?

[lightfoot789]

Adam Brett Walker has probably played in more games than any other prospect over the last 2 years and never seems to catch a break.  If he is good enough to play everyday (and more than most), why is he not good enough to promote?  AA or AFL?

 

Why after leading the MWL and FSL in HRs / RBIs & TBs does he constantly get over looked by the oragnization for promotions and incentives? 

[lightfoot789]

Walker and Berrios Mid season and Post season All Stars for back to back years. Congrats

How many prospects can say that? (probably Vargas)

[Seth Stohs]

Adam Brett Walker has probably played in more games than any other prospect over the last 2 years and never seems to catch a break.  If he is good enough to play everyday (and more than most), why is he not good enough to promote?  AA or AFL?

 

Why after leading the MWL and FSL in HRs / RBIs & TBs does he constantly get over looked by the oragnization for promotions and incentives? 

 

 

Playing every day means that the organization believes in him immensely. There's more to the game than hitting HR. Believe me, they're likely very excited about his power/production potential. However, a .290 OBP in Hi-A means a .250 OBP in the big leagues. He does have work to do, no question. It's good that he spent the full season in the FSL. 

[lightfoot789]

Playing every day means that the organization believes in him immensely. There's more to the game than hitting HR. Believe me, they're likely very excited about his power/production potential. However, a .290 OBP in Hi-A means a .250 OBP in the big leagues. He does have work to do, no question. It's good that he spent the full season in the FSL.

There is more to the game than hitting home runs. There is driving in runs and scoring runs and fielding your position. There are many players in the MLB where that is there only job.

I'm just saying - recognizing the flaws without ever recognizing the gifts is a rough way to climb thru a system. Not from you or bloggers but feeling the love from the organization in some fashion.

 

He is damn near the only college player from the top 3 rounds in his draft class that is still in High A Seth. Anyone still in High A (2012 draft) who went to college had a significant injury along the way.

 

If his low OBP in the FSL is such a worry, then shouldn't his HR total and RBI total in the FSL have a reversed significance. It is the hardest league in baseball to score runs in and hit HRs in. Why not reward him for achiveing the impossible? Why not reward him for his durability and grit during those hot Florida summers, while achieving something no other prospect in the league has achieved? And yes why not reward him for hitting HRs like no other prospect in the system is hitting at this present moment?

[lightfoot789]

If Walker had Keplers stats - Would he have risen in the prospect rankings this Fall or next Spring?  Honestly?  I believe that most readers would have taken his drop off in HRs (27 to 5) as a sign of him being a fluke / failure.  

 

I asked a question in the beginning of the season as to whether you would want a guy on your team who hit .250 with 25 HRs and 100 RBI?  A guy who went 1 fo 4 every night basically.  A guy with a .310 OBP?  The crazy part was most people said No.  If that guy existed on the TWins this year - he would be the team MVP hands down.  Call me a prophet, but I think I was spot on, in my assessment of this consistent performer.

[Seth Stohs]

If Walker had Keplers stats - Would he have risen in the prospect rankings this Fall or next Spring?  Honestly?  I believe that most readers would have taken his drop off in HRs (27 to 5) as a sign of him being a fluke / failure.  

 

I asked a question in the beginning of the season as to whether you would want a guy on your team who hit .250 with 25 HRs and 100 RBI?  A guy who went 1 fo 4 every night basically.  A guy with a .310 OBP?  The crazy part was most people said No.  If that guy existed on the TWins this year - he would be the team MVP hands down.  Call me a prophet, but I think I was spot on, in my assessment of this consistent performer.

 

We would love that guy (.250/25/100) in the big leagues... but Walker's high-A contact rate means that he would not currently be able to come close to any of those numbers in the big leagues. He's developing very well. he's younger than most of those college guys drafted his year. he's not old for the level.

 

Also, he will get to play extra games by staying with the Miracle at this point. In the playoffs. Why hurt his teammates for an extra couple of weeks of AA time? The organization really likes Walker, but they're doing what's best for him. 

 

The organization certainly sees his talent and his gifts. No question about it. They want him to be able to continue doing those things all the way up. You have to  be able to recognize (and work on) those flaws to get there.

 

I'm probably higher on Walker than anyone you'll see a Top 50 or Top 30 Twins prospect list from, but I'm in agreement that he is where he should be. He'll start next season in AA either way. He was a top 12 Twins prospect for me coming into the year, and that's where he'll be going into next season too.