Through the Fence: On the Backfields 6/13/15 Last Day of EXT Spring Training

[Bob Sacamento]

Reporting from the Fort Myers, FL Complex, the Twins faced off against the Red Sox in the doubleheader final game of the 2015 extended spring training season.  RHP Ethan Mildren started Game 1 (Advanced) while LHP Brandon Easton started Game 2 (Lower).  Before getting to the in-depth pitcher report, let's talk about the hitters. 

The biggest name out there was Levi Michael who batted leadoff and played second base while rehabbing from a high ankle (tibia-fibula) sprain in Game 1.  In his first at bat, he flew out to LF, in his second at bat he grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, in his third at bat he grounded out to second baseman, and his final at bat he walked.  He worked counts all day like he usually does. His ankle didn't appear to be a 100% on the bases or with lateral movement in the field, but seemed close, still stiff upon appearance.  Tyler Kuresa was hitting cleanup and playing 1B, in the game he hit a single up the middle and also a 2 run homerun.

Sitting on the bleachers on one side of me was Twins' top prospect Amaurys Minier.  When I asked him why he wasn't playing or the past few weekends, he told me that he was hit by a pitch on his bottom bat hand (non-throwing-left hand) a month ago and had a break.  There was no surgery, no casting, just bracing and rest.  He's got two weeks left before begins his rehab; currently he's unsure where his assignment will begin but my guess is GCL to start with. 

When asked of his rehab today (6/13), he said he did some weightlifting and hitting in the cage.  When asked about his last time of cardio, he said Wednesday he ran some laps and rode the stationary bike.  I had a picture of him (and 5 other EXT kids posing) that I took 3 months ago, and fellow players ribbed him saying "back when you were skinny".  Amaurys is a nice sweet kid, really not much different than your typical teenager.  He still has alot to learn, but has such a world of potential.

On the other side of me, was Hall of Famer Tony Oliva, who is quite spry and very talkative; he did NOT like me taking pictures and video of the game or surroundings.  He was there watching the kids play on Game 1 for the entire duration and was yelling from the stands.  He made the initiation to talk to Minier and they chatted a bit of plate approach and philisophy.

 

Of the Game play, Ethan Mildren went two innings in game 1, going 2 IP, giving up 1 hit, 1 run, 1 walk, and 3 strikeouts.  His fastball was 88-93mph (avg 90), 78-85mph slider, 85-87mph change.  He threw 38 pitches (22 strikes), 27 of which were fastballs (18 strikes), 6 sliders (3 strikes), 5 changes (1 strike).  Of the 10 batters, he faced, he got a first pitch strike on 8 of them.

Aussie Lefty Josh Guyer relieved Mildren, going 2 IP, giving up 3 h, 2 runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout. He has good sink to has fastball that he he threw 86-93mph (90 avg), 69-76mph curveball, 86mph slider, 82-84mph change.  He threw 35 pitches ( 24 strikes), 25 fastballs (19 strikes), 6 curveballs (5 strikes), 1 slider (strike), 4 changes (0 strikes).  Of the 9 batters he faced, he got a first pitche strike on 6 of them.

The biggest disappointment came in Brandon Poulson who has been hit extremely hard this spring and today was no exclusion.  In 1/3 IP, he gave up no hits, 3 runs, 3 walks, 2 hbp, 0 strikeouts.  His fastball had no life to it and no control, he threw his fastbal 86-95mph (91 avg), 77-78mph slider.  He threw 31 pitches (15 strikes), 26 fastballs (12 strikes), 5 sliders (3 strikes).

 

Jose Abreu came in and put out the fire, bases loaded jam, goig  1 2/3 IP, giving up no hits, no walks and 1 strikeout.  His fastball had good late life to it, inducing grounder after grounder.  His fastball was 90-91mph (90 avg), 77 mph slider, 83-85 mph change.  His threw 14 pitches (11 strikes), 7 fastballs (5 strikes), 1 slider (strike), 6 changes (5 strikes).

 

The big boy on campus pitching in rehab was RHP Adrian Salcedo.  He looked good boys and girls, going 1 IP, giving up nothing and striking out two.  He threw his fastball 89-93 mph (92 avg), 84-85mph slider, 84-87 mph change.  He threw 14 pitches (11 strikes), 7 fastballs (6 strikes), 3 slider (2 strikes), 4 changes (4 strikes).  Of the three batters he faced, he threw a first pitch strike to all of them.

 

https://youtu.be/eab4TFBMGJA

 

The last pitcher to get in Game 1 was Tyler Stirewalt, he went 1 IP, gave up a hit, walked none and struck out 1.  His fastball was 90-94 mph (93 avg), 84-86mph changeup.  He threw 18 pitches (11 strikes), 16 fastballs (10 strikes), 2 changes (1 strike).

 

In Game 2, LHP Brandon Easton made the start going 3 IP, giving up 1 hit, 3 runs (2 earned), 5 walks, 3 hbp, and 2 strikeouts  His fastball was 87-93mph (92 avg), 77-79mph curve, 81-84mph change.  He threw 72 pitches (38 strikes), 57 fastballs (32 strikes), 10 curves (4 strikes), 5 changes (2 strikes).

Netherlands prospect Matz Schutte  threw the next 2 IP giving up 2 hits, 1 run, no walks, 2 strikeouts.  His fastball was 85-89mph (88avg), 71-73mph slider, 72-74mph change.  He threw 27 pitches (18 strikes), 18 fastballs (11 strikes) 3 slider (2 strikes), 6 changes (5 strikes).  Of the 8 batters he faced he got a first pitch strike on 4 of them.

Moises Gomez came on in the 6th inning, going 2/3 IP, giving up 1 hit, 2 walks, 1 strikeout.  His fastball was 86-92mph (89 avg), 74 mph curve, 74 mph change. He threw 26 pitches (12 strikes), 21 fastballs (8 strikes), 2 curves (1 strike), 3 changes (3 strikes).

To finish off the game, RHP Miguel Gonzalez came in to pitch the last 1 1/3 IP, giving up nothing and striking out 1.  He threw his fastball 86-90mph (88 avg), 75-76mph curve, 77mph change.  He threw 18 pitches (14 strikes), 12 fastballs (10 strikes), 4 curve (3 strike), 2 change (1 strike).

[Halsey Hall]

Thanks for the reports. 

[Bob Sacamento]

Forgot to mention but you can find video and pictures from the game and prior ones at my Twitter - https://twitter.com/TTurbo420.

 

 

GCL starts the 22nd....