Rochester or Chattanooga?

[puckstopper1]

I've read multiple posters drooling over how loaded a team the Lookouts might be in Chattanooga this season.  It seems that most posters feel that most of the "blue chip" prospects (Sano, Rosario, Buxton, Berrios, etc.) will/should end up in Chattanooga.  My question is why?  If the Twins feel that these prospects are close to being able to contribute at the Major League level, should they not be in AAA at Rochester?  What are the positives and negatives of each?

[Thrylos]

I think that those 2 charts tell a lot:

 

Rochester:

 

Chattanooga:

 

 

 

And I don't think that it was small part in the Twins' decision to move from New Britain...

[Brock Beauchamp]

High-level prospects often skip AAA entirely. AAA is often filled with marginal MLB types; the guys who bounce back and forth between AAA and MLB as injuries pop up during the season.

 

Sano, Berrios, and Buxton have very little time at AA so it's not surprising that they'll (probably) end up there to start the season. Rosario scuffled at AA last season so it's hard to know where he's going to end up.

 

I wouldn't worry about it too much one way or the other. AA competition is often close to AAA competition (because the best prospects tend to spend the most time in AA) and if any of these guys perform, they'll make the jump to AAA or MLB relatively quickly.

[Seth Stohs]

Letting them succeed at AA first is a positive. Rosario will be in Rochester - unless he starts with the Twins- but it's about putting them in the best position to succeed long term.

[Brock Beauchamp]

BTW, moving this thread to the MiLB forum.

[nater79a]

High-level prospects often skip AAA entirely. AAA is often filled with marginal MLB types; the guys who bounce back and forth between AAA and MLB as injuries pop up during the season.

 

 

 

Agree, I don't see AAA as a necessary stopping point on the way to the big leagues. Your best prospects should be able to make the jump from AA.

[lightfoot789]

It seems that most posters feel that most of the "blue chip" prospects (Sano, Rosario, Buxton, Berrios, etc.) will/should end up in Chattanooga.

I'm excited to see the chemistry between the above guys and new AA hopefuls of Walker; Harrison; Turner; and Dalton Hicks (Not to mention the many pitchers moving to AA.    Many of these guys have been a part of great teams in the minors and now get to play together again.

 

I'm also excited to see Sano and Walker in BP. My money is on...............Lol

 

 

Tweet from Seth Yesterday

Adam Walker (@walkoff28) is about to swing at a ball and hit it no less than 450 feet out to left-centerfield.

 

Not a bad start for Day 1 - yet a looooong way to go (understood)

 

 

 

Incredible photos Seth - Hard act to follow Nelson - Lol

 

 

[Rosterman]

In AA ball you are playing against a majority of the elite in a teams minor league organization. When you get to AAA ball, you are playing against a mix of elite and AAAA veterans. You may have better facilities in AAA ball and bigger crowds, and you have to perform as much as just work on your talent.

[Seth Stohs]

I kind of believe that getting time at AA and AAA can be beneficial - though of course there are the rare exceptions who don't need AA time and succeed right away.

 

As mentioned above AA is the level for elite prospects, guys that throw really hard or have a pitch or two that will be really good when they are fully developed. 

 

At AAA, you've got a lot of guys who have pitched/hit in the game for a long time, and to play in this game a long time (or to have those cups of coffee), you have to be really good, but also have a little something deceptive.I

 

n the big leagues, you'll see both. And the great ones have the great stuff along with the wit to out-think hitters. 

[puckstopper1]

A concern I have is that it is typically not the "Twins Way" to promote from AA.  Thus by sending those top prospects to AA, it could prolong the time before they reach the Majors. I agree that the Lookouts are going to be LOADED! 

[James]

 

A concern I have is that it is typically not the "Twins Way" to promote from AA.  Thus by sending those top prospects to AA, it could prolong the time before they reach the Majors. I agree that the Lookouts are going to be LOADED! 

This has been discussed many times around TD.  I think idea that it is not the "Twins Way" to promote from AA is not really true.  Last season we saw Vargas and Santana get promoted from AA.  

 

Now, that doesn't mean that they won't make a player go to AAA to prove that he can handle things there.  I think some guys need to have that intermediate step.  But, to say that the Twins, as an organization, won't promote a guy to the MLB straight from AA is ignoring some of the facts. 

[Shane Wahl]

It is the Twins way now to promote from AA, if we are talking about the top few tiers of prospects in the system. I would usually like to see time at both AA and AAA for the reasons Seth discussed above.

 

Neither Sano nor Buxton will spend time in AAA this year. It's a straight shot from AA for them.

[Hawkeye12]

 

It is the Twins way now to promote from AA, if we are talking about the top few tiers of prospects in the system. I would usually like to see time at both AA and AAA for the reasons Seth discussed above.

 

Neither Sano nor Buxton will spend time in AAA this year. It's a straight shot from AA for them.

I got the impression from Sano going to AA, that it's just a tune up for a bit and AAA is where he'll ideally spend most of the year barring a call up to the bigs before that.

[DuluthFan]

Call ups can be made from any level. Look at Polanco's call up from single A last season. It's all a matter of who's available, playing well, and their roster situation when the need for a call up is made. By returning the top prospects to AA to start the season, they are making AAA roster spots available to the experienced borderline major league players who may not be on the 40 man roster but could in a pinch be called up and not be in over their heads. Filler players. They are there if an emergency call up is needed and the prospects are not ready.

 

If the prospects were sitting at AAA when a call up is needed and they were obviously not ready, then the team would have to dip down to the lower levels for players who not only be of lesser prospect status but be further away development wise.

 

You also want to have someplace to promote the prospects to if a spot on the major league team does not open up.

[h2oface]

Plus, Doug Mientkiewicz will be their manager. And it will be warmer the first month. AAA is where the guys that bat in the later innings of spring training play (like Doug Bernier who is 34, 35 in June). Replacement players. It seems that doesn't apply to Twins' pitchers though. I know there is more to it than that, but this is part of it.

[brvama]

Calling up players from AA depends entirely on the talent level available. It's been a long time since the Twins have the talent to do so. Now they have several potential call ups.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I would imagine a small consideration would be talent available at high A and still being able to hold on to the AAAA guys at AAA as well. My understanding is high A to AA is a big jump, so if there are several uber-prospects in AA all ready to make the jump to AAA, when might be impacted by when there's talent ready to backfill in high A and/or roster space at AAA.

[Paul Pleiss]

I wonder if there are any players who have been called up to the big league, never gotten into a game, and so never had "a cup of coffee." I also wodner if those same players drank coffee in the big league ball clubs lockerroom, and literally had a cup of coffee.

 

Anyway. I think most of the big names from AA will spend time in AAA this season as well. I don't seem much value in pushing most of those guys to AAA to start the season. Get rolling at AA for a month+ and then move to AAA for fine tuning prior to mid/late season call ups to MLB.

 

I like that plan. And coffee. Lots of coffee.