Behind the Fence: EXST- No rest for Terry Ryan 5/27-5/28

[Bob Sacamento]

Extended Spring Training had a special visitor for the weekend in GM Terry Ryan as he looked on and watched his EXST guys which he honestly didn't know much about.  Sadly Ryan was there to witness two losses to the the Red Sox as they lost 4-3 on Friday then 4-1 on Saturday.

 

Jose Martinez started for the Twins going 3 innings, his fastball was routinely 88-92 and he located it well.  Callan Pearce came on to relieve him and gave up the lead and two runs.  Finishing out the game was righty sidearmer Rich Condeelis followed by the hard throwing lefty Cameron Booser.  Booser was back to 95 mph after taking a dip in velo last weekend, his command was better as he walked none.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8K_aAdoefc

 

On the offensive side, 2B Emmanuel Morel got things started with hitting the leftcenterfield wall and speeding around to third.  He was knocked in by the next hitter Travis Blankenhorn.  They didn't score again til the fourth, after the BoSox pitching prospect Gerson Bautista got wild and walked three and hit a batter, yet the Twins only managed to score 2 runs.  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SdxdyArBn4

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_DfmNXOI7M

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hx85i2fS4k

 

 

In the stands I talked to SS Manuel Guzman about his injured quad and talked about the therapy they've been doing - showed off his "hickies" on his quad from cupping.  He still has a couple of weeks before he can hit the field.  Niko Goodrum was on the bench (not fully dressed) still no word on his timetable.  One side note I learned was that any rehabbing player who wants to stay at the Player Developmental Complex has to pay $17 a day for board (~$500 a month).  So someone like Cameron Booser is paying a big chunck of his check back for rent.  While guys assigned to EXST who live at the Complex get to do so for free right now, of course they're also not getting paid a salary either.

 

 

 

On Saturday, RHP Nate Gerken started off the game for the Twins while MLB rehabber Brandon Workman threw the first two innings for the Sox.    Gerken threw an 1 2/3 inning, while giving up 4 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, and struck out 3.  Nate threw 38 pitches, his fastball was 88-91, his curve was 75-86 mph and his slider was 79-80.  Gerken got into trouble in the second and that's when LHP Onas Farfan was called upon.  Onas went 1 2/3 innings giving up 2 hits, 2 earned runs, no walks, and struck out 2.  Farfan threw 37 pitches before the Twins "rolled" the inning, his fastball was ticking up a little more than usually at 88-93, with a slider at 79-80 and a change 80-84.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1jPeAvp8Ww

 

The third pitcher was Moises Gomez who looked better than the first two.  Gomez's fastball was 88-90 but his curve (71-&74) altered the hitter's eye enough that his fastball played up. Moises threw 35 pitches going 2 innings, giving up 1 hit,1 walk and one strike out.  Next out of the pen was Dutchman Matz Schutte, who throws softly.  Matz fastball was 80-86 mph, averaging 84, while his secondary pitches add deception.  Matz threw a couple decent curveballs at 69-71 and some changes at 71-72, all out of the same arm slot so adds some much needed deception for Schutte.  His final line was 2 innings, one hit and two walks. Lastly and the best pitcher of the day, lefty Andrew Vasquez.  Vasquez showed off a strong fastball than he had earlier in EXST, as it was sitting 88-89.  His equalizer pitch is his slider (albeit it looks like a curve-slow and big bending) that he commands very well and was sitting 79-81 as well as a couple changes at 80-84.  His line was 1 1/3 IP (4 out inning), no hits no walks, and struck out 2 in 15 pitches.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieBpkQ5O2SQ

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3hvpgf5E0c

 

Offensively, the team was very limited and their lineup consisted with alot of IFA players: Jorge Andrade, Lewin Diaz, Robert Molina, Jose Ortiz, Carlos Jean Arias, Ariel Montesino, Roni Tapia, and Rowan Eberson in addition to 2014 15th Rd Roberto Gonzalez and 2015 16th Rd Lean Marrero.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMq6Q5ac6K0

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ziji5Jud5g

 

[Mike Sixel]

Awesome coverage, thanks.

 

As for charging players.....penny wise, pound foolish. Unreal way to treat your employees. There is room, they are injured, they don't make hardly any money.....

[Mr. Brooks]

Awesome coverage, thanks.

 

As for charging players.....penny wise, pound foolish. Unreal way to treat your employees. There is room, they are injured, they don't make hardly any money.....

Yeah that is shocking.

And people on here actually try to argue that the Twins are not penny pinchers.

Do they make them chase down foul balls during BP as well?

[nicksaviking]

 

Awesome coverage, thanks.

 

As for charging players.....penny wise, pound foolish. Unreal way to treat your employees. There is room, they are injured, they don't make hardly any money.....

 

Yeah, I wonder if that's an industry standard.

 

Not that it's an excuse if it is, go ahead and break that disgusting standard.  There needs to be a big media push regarding the treatment of the minor leaguers so the MLBPA ends up feeling pressure and an obligation to stick up for the youngsters in the upcoming CBA. There needs to be some expose/Outside the Lines type of stories and someone needs to directly and embarrassingly ask Tony Clark about the unions refusal to make the league play fair with minor leagures.

[gunnarthor]

I believe their is a class action lawsuit against baseball for how they treat minor league players but I don't know that status of the case.  Hopefully things change for them b/c I'm pretty sure the Twins are doing is standard.  Which sucks.

[Bob Sacamento]

 

Yeah that is shocking.
And people on here actually try to argue that the Twins are not penny pinchers.
Do they make them chase down foul balls during BP as well?

You joke but yes players do have to chase down foul balls in GCL/Instructs/EXST/etc.  In all my years of going I can count how many fans have made off with a souvenir ball, even the kids/toddlers are expected to hand it back.  I can remember a 6yr old getting a foulball off Christian Vasquez's bat last year in GCL while rehabbing and the kid bolted out of JetBlue stadium as he saw BoSox RHP Ty Buttery coming to get, Ty said he'd pay the fine for the kid.  If the players don't retrieve the balls they face punishment, either monetarily or running laps.  The Twins are not only in the practice as the Red Sox here do the same and most MiLB teams in those leagues as well.

[Mike Sixel]

 

You joke but yes players do have to chase down foul balls in GCL/Instructs/EXST/etc.  In all my years of going I can count how many fans have made off with a souvenir ball, even the kids/toddlers are expected to hand it back.  I can remember a 6yr old getting a foulball off Christian Vasquez's bat last year in GCL while rehabbing and the kid bolted out of JetBlue stadium as he saw BoSox RHP Ty Buttery coming to get, Ty said he'd pay the fine for the kid.  If the players don't retrieve the balls they face punishment, either monetarily or running laps.  The Twins are not only in the practice as the Red Sox here do the same and most MiLB teams in those leagues as well.

 

What a sad little world they've created.

[TRex]

... hey, I cut coupons for 10 cents! What else are they going to do with their time?

 

(paying room and board is a separate argument)

[Seth Stohs]

 

Awesome coverage, thanks.

 

As for charging players.....penny wise, pound foolish. Unreal way to treat your employees. There is room, they are injured, they don't make hardly any money.....

 

Agreed... I don't like it. (I don't like the fact they have to pay to stay)... I DO like the coverage!!

 

[Seth Stohs]

 

Yeah that is shocking.
And people on here actually try to argue that the Twins are not penny pinchers.
Do they make them chase down foul balls during BP as well?

 

Well, yeah, because there are no "fans" there to watch. HA!

[Seth Stohs]

 

You joke but yes players do have to chase down foul balls in GCL/Instructs/EXST/etc.  In all my years of going I can count how many fans have made off with a souvenir ball, even the kids/toddlers are expected to hand it back.  I can remember a 6yr old getting a foulball off Christian Vasquez's bat last year in GCL while rehabbing and the kid bolted out of JetBlue stadium as he saw BoSox RHP Ty Buttery coming to get, Ty said he'd pay the fine for the kid.  If the players don't retrieve the balls they face punishment, either monetarily or running laps.  The Twins are not only in the practice as the Red Sox here do the same and most MiLB teams in those leagues as well.

 

Yeah, I don't like this practice, but like you said, all minor league teams do that. It's weird.

[Halsey Hall]

At least the balls that go to the right over the fence should be in the lake.  Hope the guys don't have to swim after them.   And, in spring training the players have to retrieve the balls also.  One foul did put a dent in my car this spring and if I'd have seen it and got the ball, I'd of kept it. 

[FormerMinnasotan]

Just wondering, has Lewis Thorpe been pitching recently. Last I herd he was pulled from EST because he felt tightness in his pitching shoulder. I am anticipating his return a bit.

[Bob Sacamento]

 

Just wondering, has Lewis Thorpe been pitching recently. Last I herd he was pulled from EST because he felt tightness in his pitching shoulder. I am anticipating his return a bit.

They say he has Mono but I'm not sold on it.  Because for the first time, I can't get a straight answer out of his friends on the squad.  Before when he was out for tightness the players said it's nothing big, he'll be right back no worries.  Then last weekend rolled around and there was a lot of pussyfooting around when I asked about him as his car hasn't been seen at the complex for quite a while now.  It just doesn't sound like good news to me, 2016 might be a "lost year" for the Aussie. 

[Bob Sacamento]

 

At least the balls that go to the right over the fence should be in the lake.  Hope the guys don't have to swim after them.   And, in spring training the players have to retrieve the balls also.  One foul did put a dent in my car this spring and if I'd have seen it and got the ball, I'd of kept it. 

Hall they've been playing more on the "old fields" instead of the new Field #1, in fact last weekend was the first time this season the EXST guys have been on #1 and that was only because the Perfect Game tourney was going on Fields  2,3,4,5

 

Don't forget if you get hit in the gut with a homerun ball you get to keep it  Did those imprinted seams ever clear up?

[Bob Sacamento]

 

Yeah, I don't like this practice, but like you said, all minor league teams do that. It's weird.

It's penny pinching at it's finest, but I guess when you go thru 100 MLB balls a night you gotta recoup cost somewhere 

[FormerMinnasotan]

They say he has Mono but I'm not sold on it. Because for the first time, I can't get a straight answer out of his friends on the squad. Before when he was out for tightness the players said it's nothing big, he'll be right back no worries. Then last weekend rolled around and there was a lot of pussyfooting around when I asked about him as his car hasn't been seen at the complex for quite a while now. It just doesn't sound like good news to me, 2016 might be a "lost year" for the Aussie.

That's kinda depressing. With Berrios regressing, Kohl Stewart not progressing that much, and Stephen Gonsalves "hitting a wall" of sorts, I felt Thorpe returning this year would be a plus. Now, even if Thorpe remains with the Twins the earliest debut he would have is probably 2021ish. And who knows if he'll ever make it all the way back.

[bird]

 

At least the balls that go to the right over the fence should be in the lake.  Hope the guys don't have to swim after them.   And, in spring training the players have to retrieve the balls also.  One foul did put a dent in my car this spring and if I'd have seen it and got the ball, I'd of kept it. 

 

 

 

The players are required to fish those balls out of the pond after they get back from Taco Bell each night. They rent the scuba gear to them at a discount. I believe $7, with a ten cent rebate per unscuffed ball.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Just wondering, has Lewis Thorpe been pitching recently. Last I herd he was pulled from EST because he felt tightness in his pitching shoulder. I am anticipating his return a bit.

 

Was todl that his setback was that he has mono. 

[Thrylos]

Let's put the fees in perspective:

 

$17 a day x 100 players = 1700 x 90 days = $153K

$8 a ball x 1000 balls = $8K

 

total $161K or 1/15th of what the Twins saved by the Dodger's claiming Fien

 

Industry practice or not, the Twins should do the right thing by the players and lead and be groundbreakers in the industry, and then maybe the rest of the clubs might follow.  The money is ridiculously little in perspective.

 

Someone's got to take the lead to make meaningful change.

 

Might as well be the Twins.

[TRex]

 

It's penny pinching at it's finest, but I guess when you go thru 100 MLB balls a night you gotta recoup cost somewhere 

Odd (and maybe ignorant) question, but do the minor league guys warm up with the equivalent of 'range balls', or are they 'rubbed up' like game balls? If they need to be rubbed up, doing 100 extra a night would be a big job!