Article: Tuesday Minor League Scoreboard

[Seth Stohs]

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php?949-Tuesday-Minor-League-Scoreboard

[clutterheart]

Its no secret the Twins lack pitching prospects in the upper levels, so why would they leave Wheeler to languish in Beliot the whole year? It seems if they thought he was a pitcher who could help the organization quickly they would have moved him up to Fort Meyers at the break. Do they think he doesn't have the stuff to pitch at higher levels?

 

What gives? Any ideas?

[Seth Stohs]

A couple of things... the Snappers are going to the playoffs, so it'll be good to have him at the top of their rotation.

But secondly, Wheeler barely hits 90. He has good secondary stuff, so I think he'd be OK in Ft. Myers, but I'm sure there are a lot of 'scouts' who watch him and don't get all that excited.

[righty8383]

Hey Seth, anything about Hicks? Why did he have to come out in the 10th and why did pitchers have to hit in his spot?

[jay]

A couple of things... the Snappers are going to the playoffs, so it'll be good to have him at the top of their rotation.

But secondly, Wheeler barely hits 90. He has good secondary stuff, so I think he'd be OK in Ft. Myers, but I'm sure there are a lot of 'scouts' who watch him and don't get all that excited.

 

I'd agree more on the velocity part if he were right-handed, but lefties have shown an ability to get by and make positive contributions at the MLB level with lower velocity. His good control and speed variation between fastball/curveball matches that same profile.

 

I don't think they should promote him at this point, but definitely agree that the break would have been a good time to move up a college pitcher with his results and profile.

[Twins Fan From Afar]

I'll find out more tonight at the game, but I heard that Hicks had some sort of collission -- like with the fence -- after he made a catch, and was on the ground for a few minutes.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Hey Seth, anything about Hicks? Why did he have to come out in the 10th and why did pitchers have to hit in his spot?

 

Hicks was injured running into the wall making a catch in the 10th. (It sounds like he'll be fine.)

 

They had to shuffle their fielders around after the injury and after subbing out Shawn Roof in the 9th, they had to put Nate Hanson in at 2B (after he had DH'd all game), so the team lost their DH and had to bat a P in Hicks' place.

[greengoblinrulz]

Was Benson hurt/unavailable? Thought they werent playin him cause he was strugglin/not hurt