Article: Kepler Impressed in Spring, Stays Positive

[Seth Stohs]

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php/2728-Kepler-Impressed-in-Spring-Stays-Positive

[JB_Iowa]

Thanks for the great update.

 

As I read the posts this spring about various Twins players and saw a few of the games on TV, Kepler was one who jumped out. I was surprised at how well he did at the plate and with his maturity overall.

 

Berardino did a nice piece about Kepler's rehab last year: http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_25290947/twins-rehab-worked-slugging-prospect-max-kepler

 

Something to keep in mind for the Sano rehab.

[roger]

Have a roster question Seth. Picked up my copy of the Media Guide this morning. As always, spent some time reading the minor league section. I do that especially to see who is gone and who some of the new 17 year olds are down in the DSL.

 

My question is that no matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find Jose Berrios anywhere in the guide. Not in the back with the organizational players. Not up front with the spring training invites. I assume he is still in the organization and this is just one of the couple mistakes they make every year.

 

Will appreciate your confirmation that he is still around so that I can stop taking double doses of my blood pressure medicine. Thanks Seth!

[TheLeviathan]

I think this year Kepler catapults back into high regard in this system. No basis for that other than my infatuation with his build/skillset.

[JB_Iowa]

I think this year Kepler catapults back into high regard in this system. No basis for that other than my infatuation with his build/skillset.

 

I'm infatuated, too ... plus he is still young. Seems like AFL was really meaningful for him.

[Seth Stohs]

My question is that no matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find Jose Berrios anywhere in the guide. Not in the back with the organizational players. Not up front with the spring training invites. I assume he is still in the organization and this is just one of the couple mistakes they make every year.

 

Will appreciate your confirmation that he is still around so that I can stop taking double doses of my blood pressure medicine. Thanks Seth!

 

Rest assured. JO Berrios is still with the Twins. If you go to my facebook photos, I have at least one of him from practice on Saturday. In fact... let's keep that heart rate down...

 

[Oxtung]

I think this year Kepler catapults back into high regard in this system. No basis for that other than my infatuation with his build/skillset.

 

I think more than anything last season Kepler was hurt by his BABIP, which at .254, was well below both his career and the league norm. Both his K% and his BB% were still very strong.

 

I also expect that this season his "stats" will look better because that BABIP should bounce back up. Despite moving to a harder league I predict he will OPS somewhere in the mid-.800's.

[blindeke]

why do quotes about Kepler always sounds like the draft room scene from Moneyball?

[Dman]

I kind of thought Keplers spring numbers would more like Buxtons and vice versa so he definitely surprised me. It will be very interesting to keep an eye on several guys in the minors this year. I hope Kepler starts to move faster.

[roger]

Rest assured. JO Berrios is still with the Twins. If you go to my facebook photos, I have at least one of him from practice on Saturday. In fact... let's keep that heart rate down...

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6711[/ATTACH]

 

Thanks Seth, normally the media guide mistakes aren't about any of their better prospects. Would be curious to the response you would get from some of the people related to the Twins?

[Seth Stohs]

why do quotes about Kepler always sounds like the draft room scene from Moneyball?

 

Because those things matter more than the numbers for guys in the lower levels of the minors.

[Oxtung]

I kind of thought Keplers spring numbers would more like Buxtons and vice versa so he definitely surprised me. It will be very interesting to keep an eye on several guys in the minors this year. I hope Kepler starts to move faster.

 

He's either going to start moving faster or never amount to much. By adding him to the 40 man roster his clock has started ticking. He can't afford to be a one level a year kind of guy anymore if the Twins want to see him in MLB.

 

That was my argument (combined with the extreme unlikelihood that he would be drafted in the Rule 5 draft) against adding him to the 40 man this year.

[Seth Stohs]

He's either going to start moving faster or never amount to much. By adding him to the 40 man roster his clock has started ticking. He can't afford to be a one level a year kind of guy anymore if the Twins want to see him in MLB.

 

That was my argument (combined with the extreme unlikelihood that he would be drafted in the Rule 5 draft) against adding him to the 40 man this year.

 

The fact that he'd get a fourth option year kind of minimizes that first concern though.

[Oxtung]

The fact that he'd get a fourth option year kind of minimizes that first concern though.

 

I had forgotten you dug that information out a while back. It does change things a bit. I think he still needs to have at least 1 season that he goes 2 levels, or skips AAA altogether perhaps. If he takes a year at each A+, AA, AAA that would leave only a single season at the major league level before the Twins have to make a decision. We have seen that 1 season is often not enough to make a call on prospects. Imagine if Hicks had used up all his option years and the Twins had to make a decision on his future. That would be hard to do.

[TheLeviathan]

I think more than anything last season Kepler was hurt by his BABIP, which at .254, was well below both his career and the league norm. Both his K% and his BB% were still very strong.

 

I also expect that this season his "stats" will look better because that BABIP should bounce back up. Despite moving to a harder league I predict he will OPS somewhere in the mid-.800's.

 

Well now I have a sound basis! Sweet - thanks!

[Parise11]

What's this guys upside? I've heard a lot about him but is he a 20-25 HR guy?

[bird]

I think this year Kepler catapults back into high regard in this system. No basis for that other than my infatuation with his build/skillset.

My infatuation with him is equally baseless, but I hang my hat on the fact that they threw him into the AFL and then gave him a 40-man spot.

[TheLeviathan]

My infatuation with him is equally baseless, but I hang my hat on the fact that they threw him into the AFL and then gave him a 40-man spot.

 

Baseless no more sir....just read Oxtung's remarks above. Now your crush has meaning just like mine!