Article: Twins Minor League Report (6/8): Rodriguez Rocks, Gordon Homers

[Cody Christie]

The dog days of summer are quickly approaching and many of the Twins affiliates need to push for the playoffs. Three leagues hand-out first half playoff spots while Rochester has a full-season battle ahead of them.

 

Rochester entered play on Thursday 11.5 games behind Lehigh Valley in the International League North. The Iron Pigs are going to be tough to catch so the Red Wings might need to focus on the wild card race where they trail by six games. Chattanooga currently trails Montgomery by half a game for the top spot in the Southern League North.

 

Fort Myers sits nine games out of first place and five games under .500. There are four teams ahead of them in the standings so the first half title is likely out of reach. If the Midwest League playoffs started today, the Kernels would be in as the first half winners of the Western Division. They are currently a game up on Kane County for the division lead. The division winner and runner-up for each half qualify for the MWL playoffs.RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 2, Syracuse 3

Box Score

Syracuse was threatening in many of the early innings but Aaron Slegers continued to find ways to get out of the jam. The Chiefs had runners in scoring position in the first, second and fourth innings before they eventually broke through in the sixth. A pair of doubles and a pair of singles would sink Slegers. In 6.2 innings, he ended up allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out four and walking three.

 

 

Rochester tried to answer back in the bottom of the sixth. Engelb Vielma and Zach Granite started the frame with singles. With one out, Matt Hague lifted a sacrifice fly to center. Granite came around to score after two wild pitches from Chiefs' starter AJ Cole. However, the two runs wouldn't be enough.

 

Many Twins fans are on bullpen watch as the big league squad could use some help. Michael Tonkin allowed base runners in both innings he worked but he worked out of both jams with a couple of strikeouts. Ryan Pressly struck out the side in the ninth but he also allowed a pair of hits.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 2, Jackson 3

Box Score

Chattanooga wasted a strong start from Ryan Eades as Jackson wasn't able to score until the Lookouts' bullpen got into the game. Eades only allowed one hit and struck out three in five innings. Randy LeBlanc struggled in the sixth as he surrendered three runs on four hits. Todd Van Steensel struck out two and walked two in an inning. Jake Reed pitched two scoreless frames by allowing one hit.

 

Before the bullpen blow-up, the Lookouts held a 2-0 lead. Ryan Strausborger and TJ White started the second with a pair of doubles. With one one out in the inning, Nick Gordon brought in Strausborger for the first run. In the fifth inning, Gordon cracked his fifth home run which is already as many home runs as he had in his first three professional seasons combined.

 

Jonathan Rodriguez reached base four times in five at-bats with a double and a pair of walks. Gordon, Strausborger, and Ryan White all had multi-hit efforts. The team went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and out-hit Jackson 10 to 6.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 1, Tampa 2 (Game 1- 7 Innings)

Box Score

Fort Myers jumped out to an early 1-0 thanks to a lead-off home run from Max Murphy. The hits were few and far between for the rest of the game. The Miracle went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Murphy was the lone batter to finish with multiple hits as he added a double and reached on a walk. Nelson Molina went 1-for-3 with a double.

 

Brady Anderson suffered his second loss in as many starts. In the top of the third, he allowed a one out walk that came back to haunt him. The next batter knocked a two-run home run that turned out to be the difference in the game. Anderson stuck out four and walked two in six innings. Williams Ramirez pitched a scoreless seventh with a strikeout.

 

Fort Myers 2, Tampa 1 (Game 2- 7 Innings)

Box Score

Fort Myers turned things around on Tampa in the second game of the double-header. Much like the Miracle did in game one, the Yankees jumped out to an early 1-0 first inning lead. Derek Rodriguez allowed a triple and single to the first two batters of the game. He settled in from there and went on quite the run.

 

Rodriguez retired 11 straight batters at one point on his way to a complete game (even if it was only seven innings). He struck 10 batters for only the third time in his career. It was the first time he had accomplished this feat since last July. There have been only three starts this season where he has allowed more than three runs.

 

Murphy was in the middle of the offensive action for the second straight game. He tripled to lead off the fourth inning. Alex Perez knocked him in with a single. After two consecutive walks to load the bases, Kevin Garcia grounded into a double play that pushed in the second run. Fort Myers only had three hits but that's all they would need.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 1, Clinton 4

Box Score

The Kernels struggled to get the bats going in this one and found themselves in an early hole. Domenick Carlini allowed four runs on eight hits while taking his fourth loss of the season. He struck out eight and didn't give up a walk. Logan Lombana allowed only one base runner over the last three innings to keep the game close. All four LumberKings runs were scored with two outs in the inning.

 

Cedar Rapids' top six hitters in the line-up combined to go 3-for-22 with no extra-base hits in the loss. Brandon Lopez went 2-for-3 but failed to come around and score. Ben Rortvedt collected his fifth double and drove in the team's lone run. Lewin Diaz and Mitchell Kranson each went 1-for-4.

 

With the loss, the Kernels drop to 34-26 and they still hold their playoff destiny in their own hands. It was only the third series loss for Cedar Rapids this season.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Pitcher of the Day – Dereck Rodriguez, Fort Myers Miracle (7 IP, 1 ER, 10 K, 1 BB)

Hitter of the Day – Max Murphy, Fort Myers Miracle (3-for-6, HR, 3B, 2B, BB 2 R)

 

FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester vs. Syracuse (6:05 CST) - LHP Adam Wilk (0-0, 4.26 ERA)

Chattanooga @ Montgomery (7:05 CST) - RHP Fernando Romero (4-5, 3.51 ERA)

Fort Myers vs. Tampa (6:05 CST) - RHP David Fischer (3-4, 4.02 ERA)

Cedar Rapids vs. Burlington (6:35 CST) - RHP Clark Beeker (5-2, 2.51 ERA)

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Thursday’s games.

 

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[D.C Twins]

Granite!!!!  I hope the front office will listen to offers for Rosario and Grossman (with that OBP, someone may be interested)…. He will be exciting to watch in the MLB and Grossman, though useful….not-so-much 

[T_J]

 

Granite!!!!  I hope the front office will listen to offers for Rosario and Grossman (with that OBP, someone may be interested)…. He will be exciting to watch in the MLB and Grossman, though useful….not-so-much 

 

 

I wasn't ever really a Grossman fan till the last few weeks. There was just something about him that bugged me. Like a thrombosed hemorrhoid, he has grown on me though. He's actually pretty fun to watch. 

[Cody Christie]

For starting as a position player, Rodriguez has developed into a decent pitcher. He will be a fun player to watch in the coming years. 

[Twodogs]

Maybe they can get Rodriguez's dad to come in and be a special instructor to all of the Catchers? Ha ha. Rodriguez seems to be pretty old to be in A ball, they should try to move him along quickly see if he has what it takes. He is already like 25. Can't ignore complete games with 10 K's however get him into AA see what he has!

[Cody Christie]

 

Maybe they can get Rodriguez's dad to come in and be a special instructor to all of the Catchers? Ha ha. Rodriguez seems to be pretty old to be in A ball, they should try to move him along quickly see if he has what it takes. He is already like 25. Can't ignore complete games with 10 K's however get him into AA see what he has!

He had under 300 IP as a pro coming into this season. The switch from position player to pitcher cost him some time. If he keeps pitching like this, he should get a shot at Double-A before the year is out.

[Einstein1]

Someone break it down for me, what type of prospect is Rodriguez?  What kind of stuff does he have? What's his best pitch?  Does he project more as a starter or reliever?   

[Cody Christie]

 

Someone break it down for me, what type of prospect is Rodriguez?  What kind of stuff does he have? What's his best pitch?  Does he project more as a starter or reliever?   

He sits in the low-90s with his fastball. He mixes in a slider and a changeup which helps him to collect some strikeouts. At this point, I think the Twins will continue to use his as a starter. Maybe he could shift to relief and add some velocity but that won't happen this season.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I'm beginning to wonder if they won't add Rodriguez to the 40 man this offseason to keep him in the org. He's pitching quite well and we forget that for the first half of his career, he was a CF.  He's old for his league, I get that, but he's doing well enough that I think you have to promote him... being the son of an HOFer helps too.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I'm beginning to wonder if they won't add Rodriguez to the 40 man this offseason to keep him in the org. He's pitching quite well and we forget that for the first half of his career, he was a CF.  He's old for his league, I get that, but he's doing well enough that I think you have to promote him... being the son of an HOFer helps too.

This is his 4th season pitching, and his results have been pretty modest. Not only is he old, but don't forget that the FSL is a pitcher's league too -- Rodriguez is actually allowing HR at a higher rate than his league and his teammates.  His FIP is basically league average too.

 

If they want to challenge him with a promotion before he becomes a minor league free agent, that's fine, but at this point, he's got to be a long shot for 40-man consideration.

[Seth Stohs]

 

I'm beginning to wonder if they won't add Rodriguez to the 40 man this offseason to keep him in the org. He's pitching quite well and we forget that for the first half of his career, he was a CF.  He's old for his league, I get that, but he's doing well enough that I think you have to promote him... being the son of an HOFer helps too.

 

Age to level doesn't matter much of him because of three years as a hitter... but it's important in the sense that he can be a minor league free agent following the World Series if the Twins don't add him to the 40 man roster. If they do add him, they have as much as three years left to wait for him to keep developing... at least in theory*. So, there isn't a huge rush.

 

*They also have to add guys like Curtiss, Hildenberger, Reed, Busenitz, Burdi and several others this offseason, so we'll see. it'll be interesting. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

*They also have to add guys like Curtiss, Hildenberger, Reed, Busenitz, Burdi and several others this offseason, so we'll see. it'll be interesting. 

Yup. Plus Gonsalves, Thorpe, Stewart, and Slegers (who was actually eligible last winter)... Turley, Bard, and Van Steensel in a bit more of the "wild card" category...

 

On the hitter side, there's not as much, but we do have Jermaine Palacios, Luis Arraez, and Lewin Diaz facing Rule 5 eligibility this winter, it appears.

 

Looking at the current 40-man, I see about 9-10 spots which could open up... although 1-2 will go to May and O'Rourke, and a few of those will probably require MLB contract replacements (Belisle, Breslow, Santiago, etc.).  Very hard to see Dereck Rodriguez claiming a spot, at this point.

[Twinsoholic]

Former #2 draft pick Ryan Eades has lately been pitching, finally, like a second round selection. It would be awesome if he sustains the great starting pitching and becomes a Twins pitching prospect. The Twins sure need starters who can shut down the opposition. Better late than never is what I say about Eades. I hope he has a monstrously successful season  

[Otto von Ballpark]

Eades is still pretty iffy, but if he does emerge as something here in 2017, he's another guy who could need 40-man protection this winter.  (He was already eligible for Rule 5 last winter, like Slegers.)

[rdehring]

*They also have to add guys like Curtiss, Hildenberger, Reed, Busenitz, Burdi and several others this offseason, so we'll see. it'll be interesting.

 

And lets not forget the best pitcher of all that I assume has to be added...Lewis Thorpe.

[bird]

We're in a fairly low cycle for the organization's talent pipeline and yet we're talking about finding room for 20 prospects on the 40-man roster here. I'm pretty sure that fans for more than half the teams out there are not having this discussion.