Article: AFL Recap Week 6: Twins Prospects Lead Scottsdale To Title

[Steve Lein]

The Scottsdale Scorpions went 2-2 in the final week of the 2015 Arizona Fall League season, to finish with an 18-12 overall record and earn a place in the AFL Championship Game for winning the East Division. They faced off against the West Division winners, the Surprise Saguaros on Saturday.

 

But before we get to that game, in which the Twins prospects played a big part, Adam Brett Walker went cold; catchers Mitch Garver and Stuart Turner were same old, same old; the bullpen trio of Trevor Hildenberger, Jake Reed, and Nick Burdi continued to shut down opponents; and Taylor Rogers added to his case for MLB roster consideration out of spring training.Read on to check out how they all performed in the final week of the 2015 Arizona Fall League season! (and 2015 Championship Game!)

 

(links provided to each player’s overall stats by clicking their name)

 

Adam Brett Walker – 3 games, 0-12, 1 RBI, 9 K’s.

 

Walker had a rough go of it in three games on the week. He did not collect a hit, and struck out multiple times in each game, including all four at-bats on Monday.

 

He did collect an RBI on Tuesday, with a sac fly in the eighth inning to make the score 5-2 in a game the Scorpions would win 8-2. He grounded out in one other at-bat, and struck out three more times.

 

On Thursday, his 0-4 night included a fly-out, groundout, and two more strikeouts.

 

Despite dropping his average nearly .050 points and his OPS over 100 pts in just three games on the week, Walker finished second in the circuit in home runs with five (two behind Yankees prospect Gary Sanchez) and fourth in RBI’s with eighteen, batting seventh in the Scorpions lineup through the season.

 

In 20 games, Walker finished the AFL season with a .240/.326/.493 triple-slash line.

 

Stuart Turner – 2 games, 1-7, 1BB, 2 K’s.

 

Turner got the start at catcher in two of the final four games, batting eighth behind Walker in Monday’s 7-3 loss to Surprise and sixth ahead of Walker in Thursday’s 4-2 loss to Salt River.

 

In his first game of the week, Turner finished the day 1-4 with one strikeout. His single came in the third inning in his first at-bat of the game. While the Scorpions would score a run in this inning, it wasn’t Turner, as he was erased on a double-play to the next batter.

 

On Thursday, Turner again reached base once in four plate appearances, going 0-3 with a walk. The walk came in his first at-bat in the second inning, but he would only get as far as second base before the end of the inning. Turner again flashed his defense in the seventh inning, when he cut down another runner attempting to steal second.

 

Turner ended his AFL season with an offensive line of .171/.306/.220 in twelve games.

 

Mitch Garver – 1 game, 1-2, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 K’s.

 

With the short week, Garver only played in Wednesday’s 5-0 win over Peoria, batting ninth

 

In that game, Garver doubled in his first at-bat, to bring in the second run of the inning and give Scottsdale the early 2-0 lead. In his other two at-bats on the day, Garver went down swinging.

 

In twelve games played on the AFL season, Garver finished with a .317/.404/.512 line, putting up a good offensive showing in limited action.

 

 

Nick Burdi – 1 game, 1 IP, 0 R’s, 0 H’s, 1 BB, 2 K’s, 0.00 ERA.

 

Burdi kept his perfect ERA intact in the season’s final week, appearing in just one game, Tuesday’s 8-2 win, finishing the ninth inning for the Scorpions.

 

He walked the first batter of the inning (giving him a total of one walk in the AFL slate), but would strike out the next two hitters and go5 a pop out in foul territory to end the game.

 

In eight appearances on the AFL season, pitching one inning each outing, Burdi allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out eleven, to finish the year with a 0.38 WHIP. Those numbers provide a strong case for consideration in the Twins bullpen early in 2016.

 

Trevor Hildenberger – 1 game, 1.1 IP, 0 R’s, 0 H’s, 0 BB’s, 3 K’s, 0.00 ERA.

 

Hildenberger also saw action in just one game of the season’s final week, and again he pitched more than just one inning.

 

He appeared in Tuesday’s 8-2 win, and was the first reliever into the game after starter Austin Kubitz went four innings.

 

In the fifth inning, Hildenberger made swift, dominant work of the Javelina’s lineup, setting them down one-two-three on a called third strike, and two more swinging strike threes.

 

He was then asked to get just one out in the sixth, which he did with a ground ball to the shortstop. He was then relieved by lefty Phil McCormick of the Giants organization to combat two lefties coming up next in the lineup.

 

Hildenberger finished second on the Scorpions roster in innings pitched by a reliever with 12.2 ininings in eight appearances. He allowed three runs on thirteen hits, did not walk a single batter, and racked up twelve strikeouts on the AFL season. He only added to the shine on his prospect status out of the bullpen, and may have earned a starting place for 2016 in AA with an outside chance of surfacing in the majors if he keeps up his dominant pace from prior seasons at the higher levels.

 

Jake Reed – 2 games, 2.1 IP, 0 R’s, 2 H’s, 1 BB, 2 K’s. 0.00 ERA.

 

Reed made appearances in Monday’s loss and Thursday’s win during the week.

 

On Monday, Reed entered the game in the eighth inning in a tough spot despite there being two outs, as the prior pitcher had just walked Jurickson Profa, Gary Sanchez and Bubba Starling to load the bases. He shut down the threat by getting a fielder’s choice ground ball and stayed in the game for the ninth.

 

He allowed a one-out single, but a strikeout and ground out followed to finish the game for Scottsdale.

 

On Wednesday, Reed again finished the game for the Scorpions, closing out the ninth inning of their 5-0 shutout win. It didn’t start out the best, as the leadoff man singled and he walked the next batter, but a ground ball double play put an end to any threat to the game, and a strikeout shut the door on the game.

 

In 10.2 innings on the AFL season, Reed allowed two runs (both unearned) on six hits and four walks, while striking out ten in 10.2 innings. It was the second straight year of fantastic performance for Reed in the AFL, and he’ll likely look to keep that going in AA this time to start 2016.

 

Taylor Rogers – Did not pitch.

 

Rogers did not pitch during the season’s final week, but that was likely by design as the team finished the season as the West Division winners with a spot in the AFL title game. He of course, was the starting pitcher for Scottsdale in that game.

 

Daniel Palka - 2 games, 0-7, RBI, 4 K's.

 

Palka, the recent power hitting trade acquisition of the Twins for catcher Chris Herrmann, also was playing in the AFL for the Salt River Rafters. He saw action in two games on the week but outside of an sac fly RBI, didn't have much success.

 

He was 0-3 with the sac fly RBI and a strikeout on Tuesday in 4-2 Salt River win.

 

On Wednesday, he was 0-4 with three strikeouts to pick up a sombrero.

 

Palka finished the AFL season with a .278/.330/.444 line in twenty-two games. He collected six doubles, three home runs, seventeen RBI and four stolen bases in five chances.

 

AFL Championship Game:

Box Score

 

As mentioned, with Taylor Rogers’ stellar performance on the season for Scottsdale, he got the start on the mound in the championship game. He did his part, pitching three scoreless innings, and the Scorpions lineup gave them a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth after he was done.

 

It was a one-two-three first inning for Rogers, and after a leadoff single an error put a runner in scoring position, he got a soft line drive out to second base against Bubba Starling, and struck out Dustin Fowler to end the threat and keep the game scoreless. A two-out double in the third inning again put a runner in scoring position, but Rogers got a ground ball to end his final inning with a clean line. He finished his day with no runs allowed on two hits, and struck out two.

 

It was errors from Surprise’s defense that got the Scorpions on the board in the fourth inning, as the first two hitters reached base on misplays. After a fielder’s choice ground ball and double to score the game’s first run, Adam Brett Walker delivered an RBI single to make the score 2-0. A sac fly plated the inning's third run, and Stuart Turner struck out for the final out of the frame.

 

Trevor Hildenberger was the first pitcher out of the bullpen in relief of Rogers, and he set the lineup down in order, including one strikeout.

 

Scottsdale added a fourth run in the fifth inning to take the 4-0 lead, but Surprise got a run back in the bottom of the fifth to make it 4-1.

 

Walker went down swinging in a scoreless sixth, and Turner also went down swinging in the top of the seventh while the game stayed at the same score.

 

In the bottom of the seventh, Surprise got itself back into the game after a leadoff single, an error, and another single made it 4-2. A sac fly followed to make it 4-3, then another single followed by a fly-out put runners on first and third with two outs. A call to the bullpen shut the door with Jurickson Profar at the plate; he grounded out to short to end the inning and preserve the lead.

 

In the top of the eighth, Adam Brett Walker stepped up to the plate with runners on first and third and a chance to add some needed insurance runs. Some people say Walker is a clutch hitter, and he proved their point in this at-bat with a double to left field that scored both runners and put the Scorpions out front 6-3.

 

It was then Twins prospects whom Scottsdale Manager Matt Quatraro called on to preserve their Championship Game lead.

 

It was Jake Reed in the eighth, and though he walked that Gary Sanchez from the Yankees guy to start the frame, he struck out the next three hitters in swinging fashion to punctuate his season.

 

Then for the ninth inning and the save opportunity, it was fireballer Nick Burdi. The first batter took him deep to right field for Burdi’s first run allowed in the AFL on the season and made the score 6-4, but an easy ground ball to first base, a looking strikeout, foul pop-out ended the game with a championship for Scottsdale. The save was also Burdi’s first on the AFL season.

 

Walker finished the game 2-4 with a double and three big RBI’s, along with two strikeouts. Turner was 0-4 with two strikeouts.

 

It was quite the season for Walker, Turner, Reed, and Burdi, who will collect their second championship ring on the season, after the Chattanooga Lookouts won the Southern League Championship during the regular season.

 

It was also Rogers’ and Burdi’s second AFL Championship, as the Salt River Rafters team they played with in 2014 also won the league’s title.

 

As for Adam Brett Walker, it’s hard not to label him as simply a “winner.” Walker has taken home a League Championship in Elizabethton, Fort Myers, Chattanooga, and now the Arizona Fall League.

 

Congratulations to all the Twins prospects, Scottsdale and Chattanooga Lookouts hitting coach Chad Allen, and the rest of the Scottsdale Scorpions roster, on their 2015 AFL Championship!

 

 

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the performances during the week!

 

Click here to view the article

[GMinTraining]

BRILLIANT START BY ROGERS

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/7617858/v530937483/scosur-rogers-tosses-three-scoreless-frames-in-win

------------------------

 

GAME CHANGING PLAY

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/7617858/v530991683/scosur-walker-extends-lead-with-tworun-double

------------------------

 

Twins at the heart of Fall League championship
Several prospects chip in, with Walker plating 3, Rogers earning win, Burdi collecting save

 

http://m.twins.mlb.com/news/article/157876990/twins-help-win-arizona-fall-league-title

 

------------------------

Team effort lifts Scottsdale to Fall League title
Twins prospect Walker delivers 3 RBIs for champion squad

EmailPrint

 

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/157865486/scottsdale-wins-arizona-fall-league-title-game

 

-------------------------

Scottsdale Scorpions claim title in sloppy Arizona Fall League championship game

 

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2015/11/21/scottsdale-scorpions-claim-title-sloppy-arizona-fall-league-championship-game/76191754/

 

-------------------------

 

 

 

 

[GMinTraining]

Nice words from Scottsdale Manager (from Cleveland Indians):

 

"It's great," said Scottsdale manager Matt Quatraro. "Any time you play, you want to win and these guys took that attitude to heart. We did it the right way. We didn't do it at anybody's expense. Everybody got to play, and everybody contributed."

 

Walker, who's Minnesota's No. 10 prospect, had an RBI single in the three-run fourth and doubled in a pair of insurance runs with two outs in the eighth.

"Man, what a great game for him. What a great kid," Quatraro said. "I can't say enough about him. When somebody like that has a good day, you really feel happy for him."

 

(Giant Prospect & SS) Arroyo agreed.

"That two-out double by Walker in the eighth was huge," he said. "At that point, I felt like we had a good chance to win."

[spinowner]

The photo of ABW attached to this article illustrates a mistake I'm seeing more often on sports jerseys these days. His last name is Walker. It's not Walker II. Yes, he's Adam Brett Walker II but if you put his last name first it becomes Walker, Adam Brett II. Nit-picky? Maybe, but correct is correct and incorrect is incorrect.

[TRex]

 

The photo of ABW attached to this article illustrates a mistake I'm seeing more often on sports jerseys these days. His last name is Walker. It's not Walker II. Yes, he's Adam Brett Walker II but if you put his last name first it becomes Walker, Adam Brett II. Nit-picky? Maybe, but correct is correct and incorrect is incorrect.

I agree with you...
 

The only exception being that if he and his father are playing on the same team!

[spinowner]

 

I agree with you...
 

The only exception being that if he and his father are playing on the same team!

Why do you need an exception? I believe the two Santanas on the Twins each had only their last name on their jerseys. And beyond that, we don't need names on jerseys to know who's who. Isn't that what numbers are for?

[JaleelWhite FanClub]

Congrats to all the Twins on the Scorpions. It's exciting to think we may be seeing as many as 5 of these guys play in Minnesota next season. The three relievers definitely have to get fans pumped up especially seeing what the Royals pen did for that rotation. Rogers will be an interesting case especially considering Duffey's success. He seems to be a similar-level prospect. 

 

On the topic of Mr. ABW II, I've always been a huge fan of his. To me, his reputation has been a casualty of the analytics age we're in now. While the huge strikeouts are a concern, his power is a tool that is not too common in today's game. Leading his league in HR & RBI throughout the minors would have gotten him near the top of most prospect lists let's say as recently as the '90s. 

 

And all the guy has done is win!!! 4 championships along with the year in CR where they had the best record in all of the minors is incredible. He's been in the middle of the order for every one of those teams and has always produced.

 

I'm hoping he makes it up to Minnesota sometime next season. I can't help but think that he'll have some kind of success considering what we saw from Rosario (despite a low OBP) and Sano (with a huge K total).

[TRex]

 

Why do you need an exception? I believe the two Santanas on the Twins each had only their last name on their jerseys. And beyond that, we don't need names on jerseys to know who's who. Isn't that what numbers are for?

My bad, sorry.

[spinowner]

 

My bad, sorry.

No, my bad. Sorry if any offense was taken. My intention was to speak in general terms, not at you specifically.