Article: Twins Minor League Report (9/5): The Machine Switched to OFF

[Jeremy Nygaard]

It took until September 5th to finally see the Twins outfield of the future in the present. Would that defense alignment be enough for Ervin Santana to beat the Houston Astros?

 

Updates on all the current minor leaguers and their Saturday games below the jump.RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 13, Lehigh Valley 1

Box Score

 

The sensational 2015 season of Jose Berrios ended on Saturday night with five innings (66 pitches, 42 strikes). He allowed a run on three hits and a walk. He struck out five and now leads all of the minor leagues with 175. His AAA ERA was 2.62.

 

Alex Meyer (three strikeouts in two innings) and Loek van Mil (one strikeout in one inning) had to be the tallest pair of pitchers any team has even thrown consecutively, checking in at nearly fourteen combined feet.

 

Cole Johnson finished the game off with a scoreless ninth.

 

Lots of offensive firepower for the Red Wings today. Eric Farris, Doug Bernier and Danny Ortiz all had three hits. Danny Ortiz hit a 8th-inning Grand Slam, his 17th home run on the season. Farris, Bernier and Reynaldo Rodriguez (the 1-2-3 hitters) all doubled. Farris and Bernier had 3- and 2-RBI nights, respectively. Farris and Argenis Diaz, who had two hit and two walks, each scored three times.

 

Rochester has been eliminated from playoff contention.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 3, Jackson 4

Box Score

 

A ninth-inning rally fell short as the Lookouts dropped their second game out of three to the Jackson Generals. The Lookouts have two more games left before opening their Southern League Playoff series with the Montgomery Biscuits.

 

D.J. Hicks led the offense with a double and a home run. He went 2-3, scoring a run and driving in a run. He also drew a walk. Jorge Polanco was the only other hitter with multiple hits. Niko Goodrum hit his 5th double. Max Kepler went 0-3 and is hitless in his last two games.

 

Greg Peavey was hung with a loss, giving up two runs on six hits and a walk in seven innings. He struck out three and now has a 7-7 record in AA. Corey Williams got two outs, but left with two runners on. J.T. Chargois allowed both runners to score.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers vs Charlotte - CANCELLED

 

The Miracle game was cancelled during the third inning of Saturday’s game due to heavy rain. The season finale will be a regular nine-inning game on Sunday with Saturday’s game not being made up.

 

It’s really too bad that it doesn’t count. Andro Cutura was making his full-season debut. The last update from the Miracle Baseball Twitter account was that Cutura had started his Miracle career with two perfect frames. Cutura doesn’t light up a radar gun, but I’ve been told he’s a “bulldog” and Cutura was recently described to me as having “stones.” He should be an interesting name in Cedar Rapids that many Twins minor-league fans may be pleasantly surprised by.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 9, Clinton 3

Box Score

 

T.J. White started out the scoring for the Kernels with a two-run double in the first inning and poured on three insurance runs in the 6th, the last two coming on a Alex Real double, to run away from the Lumberkings on Saturday night.

 

Both White and Real drove in three runs apiece. Edgar Corcino and Chris Paul also added doubles and Paul also got his first professional triple.

 

Keaton Steele improved to 7-4, striking out four in six innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and a walk. Flame-throwing Yorman Landa struck out three in two innings and Jared Wilson allowed a hit and a walk in a scoreless ninth-inning.

 

After completing this series with Clinton on Monday, the Kernels will stick around for one playoff game against Quad Cities, before hitting the road for Game 2 and (potentially) 3.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Jose Berrios, Rochester

Twins Daily Minor League Hitters of the Day – Eric Farris, Rochester

 

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester at Lehigh Valley (12:5 CST) - RHP Michael Bowden

Chattanooga vs Jackson (5:15 CST) – LHP Brett Lee

Ft. Myers vs Charlotte (10:05 CST) – LHP Luke Westphal

Cedar Rapids vs Clinton (2:05 CST) – RHP Randy LeBlanc

 

Feel free to leave any questions or comments below!

 

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[nytwinsfan]

To be fair, although hitless, Kepler also had 4 walks in the last two games, so not exactly worthless games at the plate.

[Rosterman]

So, after the success of Chattanooga, does anyone think that some team will be looking at Doug Mientkiewicz as a potential manager?

[Jham]

 

So, after the success of Chattanooga, does anyone think that some team will be looking at Doug Mientkiewicz as a potential manager?

 

What's the status John Ferrell in Boston?  As soon as he was diagnosed, I thought Dougy would be there next year.  I'm not sure Mientkiewicz can play the game well enough (say the right things) in order to get hired, but he's an absolute winner as a coach and manager.

[stringer bell]

I like Dougie Baseball, but he did have Polanco, Buxton, Sano, Walker, and Kepler and more in his lineup to start the year. If I got them all to the park on time, I'm pretty sure they'd win a lot of games for me. None of those players were disappointments and a couple took steps forward, but they were viewed as top talents coming in.

[blairpaul715]

Sometimes winning when you are suppose to is not as easy as it seems, SEE THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS!!!!!!! But I dont think Matt Williams is much of a manager.

[mudcat14]

Anyone heard if Kepler is injured?  Perhaps he's just wearing down, but he's struggled the past 10 games or so.

[Halsey Hall]

 

So, after the success of Chattanooga, does anyone think that some team will be looking at Doug Mientkiewicz as a potential manager?

This spring I was told would be Doug's last year of managing in the minors.  He wants a big league job and will probably be in the mix for some team.

[DAM DC Twins Fans]

Sometimes winning when you are suppose to is not as easy as it seems, SEE THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS!!!!!!! But I dont think Matt Williams is much of a manager.

Dougie Baseball had 2 years with most of these guys (Walker, Polanco, Buxton, etc.) and did very well with them as they developed.

 

I would love to see him come here to DC. You are right. Matt Williams is a real bad manager and did nothing with the talent he was given and has no clue on managing his bullpen.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Purely speculation, but I wouldn't be shocked to see Mientkiewicz with the Twins next season. I don't think Joe Vavra is the long-term bench coach.