Article: Twins Minor League Report (7/5): Ober Strikes Out 12 In Cedar Rapids

[Eric R Pleiss]

A serious lack of hitting cost the Twins affiliates several winnable games, and only the Cedar Rapids Kernels managed more than two runs (and the Miracle played a doubleheader).TRANSACTIONS

Cedar Rapids released Tanner Kiest, Rickey Ramirez promoted to Cedar Rapids from Elizabethton, Matt Albanese assigned to Elizabethton

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Pawtucket 0 @ Rochester 0

Box Score

 

SUSPENDED - Rain

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Birmingham 3 @ Chattanooga 2

Box Score

 

The Lookouts kept Birmingham off the scoreboard in every inning except the fifth, but they gave up a crooked number and could not rally to overcome the three-run fifth. Starter Dietrich Enns cruised into the fifth inning but did not finish, pitching 4.2 innings. Enns was charged with all three runs (two earned), he gave up six hits, did not issue any walks, and struck out eight. Sam Clay came in to close out the fifth and pitched the sixth as well, 1 1/3 IP. Clay did not allow any hits or runs. He walked two and struck out two. Williams Ramirez gave up a hit over two innings, striking out three and walking one. Cody Stashak gave up a hit in an otherwise clean 1 IP.

 

The Lookouts had chances on Thursday night but were just 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position, stranding eight. Brent Rooker was the only hitter to have multiple hits, and the only hitter to have an extra-base hit. Rooker was 2-for-4 with a double and a strikeout. Zander Wiel stole second the lone time he was on base, going 1-for-4 with a strike out.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Dunedin 2 @ Fort Myers 1 – GAME 1

Box Score

 

In game one of a double-header the Miracle managed just three hits and a run, falling to Dunedin and starter Patrick Murphy who pitched a complete game (seven IP). Alex Kirilloff and Miguel Sano were both 0-for-3. Travis Blankenhorn provided the lone run support in the first game, going 1-for-3 with a solo home run in the fourth inning.

 

Ervin Santana, still rehabbing, was tagged with the loss, giving up three hits and two runs over 4 innings. He struck out two and gave up a home run. He was replaced by Adam Bay who held Dunedin scoreless over 3 innings. Bray struck out four and gave up a pair of hits.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Dunedin 1 @ Fort Myers 0 – GAME 2

Box Score

 

It was not much better for the Miracle in the nightcap as they again managed three hits against Dunedin, but this time failing to score any runs. Miguel Sano picked up two of the three hits going 2-for-3 with a strike out. Alex Kirilloff was again held hitless, going 0-for-3.

 

Charlie Barnes pitched well enough to win, taking a scoreless game into the seventh inning, but without any run support at all he was tagged with a loss to fall to 3-5. Barnes pitched 6 1/3 innings, scattered six hits, giving up just one run in the top of the seventh. He walked three and struck out three. Ryan Mason pitched the last 2/3 of an inning, giving up a pair of hits but keeping Dunedin off of the board.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Wisconsin 1 @ Cedar Rapids 8

Box Score

 

2,520 fans in Cedar Rapids were treated to an excellent start from Bailey Ober. Ober pitched 7.0 innings, gave up just three hits and one run while striking out TWELVE. Ober’s 12-strikeout game was the first for the Kernels in more than two years. Jared Finkel finished the game for Ober and the Kernels, pitching 2 innings of hitless baseball. Finkel walked one and struck out one.

 

The Kernels scored eight runs on just seven hits and three walks thanks to some timely hitting with runners in scoring position. Jared Akins was 2-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs. Jordan Gore was 2-for-3 with a three-run home run. Royce Lewis was 1-for-3 with an RBI, a walk and a strikeout.

 

Elizabethton Twins Talk

Kingsport 7 @ Elizabethton 1

Box Score

 

The E-Town Twins were clobbered by Kingsport 7-1 and managed just four hits. No Twins hitter had more than one hit, and Trevor Casanova had the team's only extra-base hit, a double, as part of his 1-for-4 night.

 

Starter Andrew Cabezas was charged with the loss, falling to 0-2 with 4.0 innings of three-run baseball. Cabezas gave up three hits and struck out four. Carlos Suniaga pitched 4.0 innings of relief giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits. He struck out four and walked one. Blair Lasko pitched 1 inning, giving up a pair of runs on three hits, a walk and a strike out.

 

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Orioles 1 @ GCL Twins 2

Box Score

 

The GCL Twins walked off the GCL Orioles with some good old-fashioned small ball. After Alberoni Nunez walked to lead off the inning, Agustin Marte bunted him over to second. The Orioles then intentionally walked Estamy Urena to keep the force out in play, and then accidentally walked Gabe Snyder to load the bases. Austin Hale was the hero, singling home the winning run! Hale was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a strikeout. No Twins player had multiple hits and there were no extra base hits. Before Hale’s ninth inning single with the bases loaded, the Twins were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded 13 runners.

 

The Twins used four pitchers to win a tight game on Thursday with starter Kai-Wei Teng going 5.0 innings, giving up just two hits and striking out seven. Zach Featherstone pitched a scoreless six, but walked the bases loaded and only escaped thanks to a couple of strikeouts. Erik Cha pitched 2.0 innings, gave up just a single unearned run on no hits and no walks. J.T. Perez earned the win thanks to that ninth inning run, he pitched 1 inning, gave up one hit and a walk, striking one out.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Bailey Ober, Cedar Rapids

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Brent Rooker, Chattanooga

 

TOP 20 PROSPECT PERFORMANCE

• Royce Lewis, Cedar Rapids – 1-3, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 RBI, 1 K

• Alex Kirilloff, Fort Myers – 0-6, 2 K

• Brent Rooker, Chattanooga – 2-4, 1 2B, 1 K

• Akil Baddoo, Cedar Rapids – 1-4, 1 R

• Lewin Diaz, Fort Myers – 1-6, 2 K
• Ben Rortvedt, Fort Myers – 0-2, 1 K

• Travis Blankenhorn, Fort Myers – 1-6, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
• Yunior Severino, Elizabethton – 1-4, 1 K

FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester (6:05pm) – Kohl Stewart (0-0, 7.50)

Chattanooga (7:15pm) – Anthony Marzi (0-5, 7.27)

Fort Myers (5:30pm) – TBD

Cedar Rapids (6:30pm) – TBD

Elizabethton (6:00pm) – Josh Winder (0-0, 0.00)

 

 

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

 

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[diehardtwinsfan]

I was curious if Santana's velocity is ticking upward. 

[slash129]

Good to see Ober dominate and have good luck ... His peripherals are lights out, but that 351 BABIP against has his ERA almost 2 points higher than xFIP ... If that BABIP normalizes and he continues with numbers like a 9/1 K/BB Rate, he'll be climbing the prospect list by season's end.

[Vanimal46]

I was curious if Santana's velocity is ticking upward.

From what I'm reading on Twitter it's about the same. FB around 88-90 MPH and a couple of times hitting 91.

[mikelink45]

Santana, like Buxton who was not even mentioned, seems to be having a hard time getting it together in his rehab.

 

[Squirrel]

The 2nd Miracle game, Mason inherited runners and allowed one to score. Dunedin had ample chances to score more but were held. It was a good game but I couldn’t help but think how similar to the Twins it was with lacking offense.

[jokin]

 

Good to see Ober dominate and have good luck ... His peripherals are lights out, but that 351 BABIP against has his ERA almost 2 points higher than xFIP ... If that BABIP normalizes and he continues with numbers like a 9/1 K/BB Rate, he'll be climbing the prospect list by season's end.

 

Exactly. If he "continues with numbers like a 9.1 K/BB Rate" he will be among the freakiest/controllingest power pitchers in MiLB baseball history.

 

I looked that Ober K/BB number up last night comparatively in MiLB and it jumped off the page at me. There is one other pitcher with 50+ IP in all of A ball with a higher K/BB ratio. And the dropoff from 9.1 to third place is 8.2... those 3 are severe outliers to the rest of the pack.

 

In A+ ball, there are two better than Ober in K/BB. In the FSL specifically, Ober's the best... and the second place pitcher is all the way down at 5.92.

 

In AA, the K/BB leader is at 6.92 and in AAA the leader is at 6.40.

 

In short, the hitters are bound to catch up with Ober at some point very soon, but he certainly is worth following in his development- especially if, as you say, the BABIP recedes and the K rate sustains.

 

 

Edited July 6, 2018 by jokin

[dbminn]

Jordan Gore was 2-3, 1HR, 3RBI and Brent Rooker was Hitter of the Day?