Article: Twins Winter League Updates (Through 10/28/16)

[Seth Stohs]

A week ago, we ran our first Winter League report of the season (offseason?). Play had begun in Venezuela a couple of weeks earlier. The Dominican Winter League began Friday of a week ago. Last night the Puerto Rican Winter League began its schedule. We are still a couple of weeks from the start the Australian Winter League.Here is a quick look at how Twins players have started in their winter leagues.

 

VENEZUELAN WINTER LEAGUE

 

The following players have played so far in Venezuela:

 

Luis Arraez played five games this past week. He went 5-20 with a double. Overall, in 17 games, he is hitting .270/.288/.349 (.637) with three doubles and a triple in 63 at-bats.

 

Niko Goodrum also played in five games this week for Caribes. He went 5-17 with two doubles and scored four runs. In 71 total at-bats, he is hitting .282/.350/.394 (.744) with six doubles and a triple.

 

Heiker Meneses went 6-18 in his five games this past week. He had a double. In 15 total games and 51 at-bats, he is hitting .314/.375/.471 (846) with three doubles, a triple and a home run.

 

Jairo Rodriguez played in four games this week. He went 4-9, which included a two-run double. In 12 total games and 34 at-bats, he is hitting .294/.300/.324 (.624) with the double and six RBIs.

 

Reynaldo Rodriguez played in five games this week and went 5-12 with a double and a homer. Overall, he has 69 at bats in 18 games. He’s hitting .348/.384/.594 (.978) with three doubles, a triple, four homers and 14 RBIs. He will play for Colombia in the World Baseball Classic next spring.

 

Wilfredo Tovar went 4-21 with two doubles over five games this week. In 18 games, he is already 25-75 and hitting .333/.383/.427 (.809) with seven doubles.

 

Victor Tademo pinch ran once this week. He has played in four games, all pinch-running. He has one stolen base and scored a run.

 

Omar Bencomo made one start this week. In it he gave up two runs on seven hits and a walk in six innings. He struck out five. He has thrown 20.1 total innings in four stars. He is 1-0 with a 2.21 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. Opponents are hitting just .234 off of him. He has two walks and 13 strikeouts.

 

Lefty Nick Greenwood did well in his start. He gave up one run on three hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked none. In his three starts, he is 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. In his 14 innings, he has given up 14 hits, walked two and struck out seven. Opponents are hitting .269 off of him.

 

Ryan O’Rourke pitched in three more games. He accumulated just 1.2 innings and gave up two runs on three hits and a walk. Overall, he has worked 3.2 innings in eight appearances.His ERA is north of 19 and his WHIP is approaching three. Left-handed batters are hitting just .143 against him. However, right-handers are hitting a robust .545 off of him.

 

Edwar Colina pitched a scoreless inning in his only appearance to this point. He gave up two hits. In the DSL this year, he posted a 2.30 ERA in 58 innings.

 

Of these players, Meneses, both Rodriguez’s, Tovar, Bencomo and Greenwood will likely all become free agents following the completion of the World Series.

 

DOMINICAN WINTER LEAGUE

 

Last week, the DSL was just one game old. This week, they put in a full week of action.

 

Daniel Palka has now played in six games. He it hitting .240/.240/.240 (.480). He is 6-25 on the young season with no walks and seven strikeouts.

 

Carlos Paulino has played in seven games and is 6-24. He is hitting .250/.250/.250 (.500). He can become a free agent at the end of the World Series.

 

PUERTO RICAN WINTER LEAGUE

 

The schedule started on Friday night.

 

Juan Centeno went 0-5 last night for Tiburones de Aquadilla.

 

Nelson Molina went 0-2 with a strikeout and a run scored. He is playing for Indios de Mayaguez.

 

A quick glance at the league rosters shows that several Twins players are on rosters. It will be interesting to see who plays when, or if at all.

 

On Molina’s Mayaguez roster are Jose Berrios, Kennys Vargas, and Eddie Rosario. Also, Dereck Rodriguez is on the roster.

 

Hector Santiago, JJ Fernandez and Lean Marrero are on the Carolina roster.

 

AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE

 

The ABL will begin in mid-November.

 

 

 

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss these players and leagues.

 

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[benji21]

How can Palka have taken three walks and his on base equals his batting average?

[HitInAPinch]

The one name I wanted to see on this list:  Byron Buxton.  I could be wrong, but I don't believe he's been involved in any of these Winter League's or Arizona Fall League.

 

He's still quite a distance away from being a good offensive contributor. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

How can Palka have taken three walks and his on base equals his batting average?

 

The RBI and Walk columns are right next to each other. He had 0 walks and 6 strikeouts... He had 3 RBI. My bad. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

The one name I wanted to see on this list:  Byron Buxton.  I could be wrong, but I don't believe he's been involved in any of these Winter League's or Arizona Fall League.

 

He's still quite a distance away from being a good offensive contributor. 

 

He participated in the Arizona Fall League two straight years. (I want to say 2013 and 2014)

 

Depends on how much you believe in his success in September. Twins fans, we've been taught to use caution on September stats after Chris Parmelee and Josmil Pinto. Of course, Buxton is about 20 times the prospect those guys were. 

[DJSim22]

 

He participated in the Arizona Fall League two straight years. (I want to say 2013 and 2014)

 

Depends on how much you believe in his success in September. Twins fans, we've been taught to use caution on September stats after Chris Parmelee and Josmil Pinto. Of course, Buxton is about 20 times the prospect those guys were. 

 

One could also argue after a very nice September, now is the time for a mental break from the game? 

[jimmer]

 

 

Twins fans, we've been taught to use caution on September stats after Chris Parmelee and Josmil Pinto.

But apparently that caution hasn't applied to July stats :-)

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.cgi?id=vargake01&year=2016&t=b

 

Edited October 30, 2016 by jimmer

[Seth Stohs]

 

One could also argue after a very nice September, now is the time for a mental break from the game? 

 

After it's their life from about Feb 1 through October 5 or so, the "Mental Break" is always understandable.

[Seth Stohs]

 

But apparently that caution hasn't applied to July stats :-)

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.cgi?id=vargake01&year=2016&t=b

 

I think there are plenty of reasons not to buy anything of Vargas's July stats... but they were good. 

 

The general theory/thought is that in September (and March) numbers have to be taken with a degree of caution because they often happen against younger guys too. It's just a saying. 

[jimmer]

 

I think there are plenty of reasons not to buy anything of Vargas's July stats... but they were good. 

 

The general theory/thought is that in September (and March) numbers have to be taken with a degree of caution because they often happen against younger guys too. It's just a saying. 

I get that, but that's less of a thing than it used to be now that there are five playoff spots per league. More teams are in the playoff hunt for a longer amount of time and, therefore, less likely to put out spring training type lineups down the stretch.

[Monkeypaws]

Buxton is also a new and apparently devoted father.

http://www.twincities.com/2014/01/25/twins-prospect-byron-buxton-a-natural-as-a-father-too/

I can attest, you are only young once, but your children's youth is exceedingly short; they change so quickly.

 

Not sure if this is his motive, but if I had a choice, I'd pass on winter ball and spend quality time with my son.