Behind the Fence: Look at Instructional League

[Bob Sacamento]

So instead of making a different post each time, I'll just lump the entire Instructional information 

 

Last weekend the Twins MiLB players reported for Florida Instructional League, one last stop for many of these players in their 2016 season.  At this point in the year, many of the players are exhausted as it's their first exposure to day-in and day-out play of professional baseball.  A few of the pitchers, have hit team imposed innings limits (Romero and Ynoa) yet are still in camp to get more work whether it's pitching with runners on, working on their secondary pitches or practicing their fundamentals. Then you have your pitchers that are in the rehabbing process from the likes of Jovani Moran, Brusador Gratenol, Vadim Balan to the likes of Nick Burdi.  Burdi threw a side session last weekend to the Twins 2016 2nd round pick Ben Rortvedt.  Nick said he felt great after his session, where he threw mainly fastballs but squeezed in a couple of crisp sliders and work-in-progress changeup

 

Nick Burdi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS5flnn82RA

 

Other pitchers getting in sidework:

 

Brusador Gratenol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHe6L9F0oOU

 

Thomas Hackimer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GFZ89b78OQ

 

Colton Davis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCq04FyjVJw

 

Sean Poppen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdJ-avOzPZ4

 

In addition to a few of the pitchers throwing side sessions, the positional players took some BP.  The biggest surprise had to have been  17yo SS prospect and bonus baby Wander Javier who has a very unorthodox swing yet still managed to take 2 balls yard off Coach Tommy Watkins who was extremely shocked with what the kid had.  The players who put on the best display of power had to have been Shane Carrier who makes the bat look like a toothpick in his hands as well as Lewin Diaz who continues to show off his power.

 

Wander Javier

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

 

Shane Carrier

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjT3P0zOzz4

 

Lewin Diaz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGcv9BSTeIs

 

Luis Arraez

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEvRJs7kSsE

 

Ariel Montesario

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqnPQOa4QU0

 

Trey Cabbage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n05OoaWgDMc

 

Chris Paul

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awlaUbtNi7s

 

Max Murphy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzHFJel58LI

 

Isaiah Aluko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKflIFCT2Xc

 

[nicksaviking]

Is it too much to ask for all of these guys to pan out?

[Bob Sacamento]

On Friday 9/23, the Twins took on the Red Sox as they always do every weekend for EXST, GCL, Instructs, etc.  Fernando Romero took to the mound despite hitting his designated innings limit the team imposed on him during the regular season.  I talked to "El Toro" before his start on what he was doing in the FIL.  He kept it simple in that he wanted to pitch more, the team wanted to control the atmosphere, thus he'll get a couple of starts in Instructs.  It also seems like the team is taking away his slider for the most part of FIL and having him get more comfortable with throwing his changeup for strikes as he threw his change more frequently in two innings on Friday than I saw him him throw it in all the Florida State League.

 

His fastball sat 95-96 mph with good movement but he had issues commanding it while his changeup was 83-84 mph and induced some weak contact.  The slider is still his go to pitch when he gets in trouble.  Romero did get his opportunity against MLB caliber hitting in Pablo Sandoval who hit a single up the middle for the BoSox first hit but then struck out in his second at bat.

 

Fernando Romero

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCTpUzL6pXo

 

The Red Sox ended winning 3-2 by getting to the Twins bullpen that included outings by Juan Gamez and Johan Quezada.  I'll get the lineup and positional playing up later.  On Saturday, the Twins got a good test against top draft pitching prospect Jason Groome.

[clutterheart]

I'm no swing expert but wow that's a bad swing on Javier. Seems like he does everything my high school coach said not to do. How does he get out of the DSL with that?

[Thrylos]

I cannot wait for Bert to try to pronounce Brusador Gratenol...

 

Thanks for the updates!!!!

[Bob Sacamento]

Lineup for Friday:

Tanner English DH

Aaron Whitefield CF

Chris Paul  3B

Lewin Diaz 1B

AJ Murray C

Travis Blankenhorn DH

Shaun Carrier LF

Lean Marrero RF

Andre Jerigan 2B

Gorge Munoz SS

 

 

Pitchers

Fernando Romero

Juan Gamez

Johan Quezada

[Bob Sacamento]

Lineup for Saturday

Tanner English DH

Akil Baddoo RF

Luis Arraez 2B

Jaylin Davis  LF

Ben Rortvedt  C

Zach Featherstone  1B

Trey Cabbage 3B

Ariel Montesario SS

Isaiah Aluko CF

Robert Molina DH

 

Pitchers

Brusdar Graterol 1 IP

Colton Davis 2 IP

Williams Ramirez 3 IP

Eddie Del Rosario 1IP

Moises Gomez 1 IP

Max Cordy 1 IP

[Bob Sacamento]

 

In Saturday's game, 18 year old Venezuelan Brusdar (BRUCE-darr) Graterol got the start (2014 IFA $150K), his first since having Tommy John surgery.  His fastball was 88-90 mph with a good curveball 74-76 mph and spotted a change around 81-83 mph. He threw 15 pitches.  Colton Davis followed him with two strong innings with Williams Ramirez replacing him. Unfortunately, I could only get side views of his delivery as home plate was covered by the 20 scouts there for the 12th overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft Jason Groome.

 

Williams Ramirez

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjuZsIFn1BA

 

At the plate, I focused on the lefties, namely Luis Arraez and Isaiah Aluko.

 

Luis Arraez

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noAG83EAVdg

 

Isaiah Aluko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l05H3yw-umk

 

Towards the end of the game, former Twins GM Terry Ryan made an appearance to say goodbye to the Coaching staff, players, groundskeeper, and fans.  I figured he was tight with the coaching staff but didn't know how much the players absolutely loved him.  Personally, I can't blame them, in all my encounters with TR he was not but a class act and loved to talk baseball and life.  I did get some one on one time with Terry after the game and he was completely candid.  When I asked him if he was coming back for ST he said only if he was working with the new management elsewise today was his last day at the complex.  He said nothing worked out as planned and wished he didn't put the team in the situation it was in.  Honestly, he completely owned up and took all the Twins failures; in today's world of passing the buck it was refreshing to see someone take blame even if it wasn't his own fault personally.

[clutterheart]

Does Arraez have that Kirby Pucketesqe huge butt?

[Bob Sacamento]

 

Does Arraez have that Kirby Pucketesqe huge butt?

Yes, yes he does!  Of his physical features it definitely sticks out.  I can recall the scouts talking about the size of his @ss last year in the GCL but also in the couple of outings for instructs too.

[Bob Sacamento]

Sorry been busy with work and having to fly back to Illinois for a funeral, but I did get out to see Romero start one of the games going on the Twins backfields.  Fernando went three innings striking out five, his fastball was hitting as high as 98 and sitting 95-97mph.  The Bull's slider/cutter was tantalizing with hard sharp late break hitting 87-89 mph as well as showing off a few changeups to keep the hitters honest.

 

This was Romero's last start for the year, he said he plans to rest a little but then start working out, he plans on being one of the first pitchers to camp come February.  He said his highlight was striking out Pablo "Panda" Sandoval multiple times this Instructional League.  On Saturday, he blazed a 97, 97 and a 98 mph past the Panda.

 

Brusador pitched on Thursday, he's still been limited in his pitch count but his velocity is already coming back around as hit 97 mph several times in his outing.  Keep an eye on this kid.