Minor league Assignments

[Ncgo4]

When will team assignments be released for minor leaguers?

[Rosterman]

Minor league rosters should be set by April 1 to allow for travel time. The minor league seasons starts later that week.

[roger]

I read in today's STrib that Dakota Watts has been released. With opening day about ten days away for minor league teams, I suspect there were/soon will be more players released. Does anyone know if this has already happened? Thanks!

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Hasn't. Speculation that tomorrow is day for both groups to shrink.

[60ft6in]

Hasn't. Speculation that tomorrow is day for both groups to shrink.

 

Players were talking that they are expecting moves tomorrow. Truck with AAA and AA players bags leaves this week.

[Seth Stohs]

I would agree that tomorrow will be the day that we'll hear more. It was surprising to me to hear from Watts that he had been released, but more surprising that he was the only one. Not sure what happened there. We're getting close though.

[Thrylos]

I would agree that tomorrow will be the day that we'll hear more. It was surprising to me to hear from Watts that he had been released, but more surprising that he was the only one. Not sure what happened there. We're getting close though.

 

I can talk about Watts a bit. Was going to write about it when I saw him pitch, but I did not. Saw him pitch for a couple innings, I think Monday or Sunday, at Field Three. Not sure if you remember, but in the past he was easily sitting in mid 90s. His velocity was 89-91 and his delivery was really funky. He was not using his lower body at all (and that was probably the issue with the velo) and was throwing the ball in a Gary Wayne stiff back manner. Not sure exactly what was up there, but he just did not look good at all. This (horribly out of focus shot) is out of that game and might clarify what I mean with that stiff delivery...

 

[Seth Stohs]

Yeah, the velocity was definitely down. Those were the reports I got last year, but that's also what I saw this spring when I saw him pitch 2-3 times that week. I talked to him and he talked about how much he enjoyed pitching in Venezuela and will go back there any time they would like him to. I wasn't totally surprised to hear the news, and yet, it always feels bad when players get released.

[Thrylos]

it always feels bad when players get released.

 

Totally. Especially for the ones of us who have been following them since they were drafted, got to talk to some of them in person. It is hard... Most of us would not care if most of the Minor League Free Agents they signed get released, but it is the players they drafted or signed as kids from international markets, that is hard to see go. That's part of the reason I did not want to write anything about it when I saw him pitch...

[Seth Stohs]

Last week, it was Dakota Watts. this morning, the Twins (Dustin Morse via Twitter) announced that the team had released two minor leaguers.

 

Hard-throwing Matt Hauser was released, and so was outfielder Jermaine Mitchell who made a nice showing in his time in big league camp.

 

I talked to Mitchell when I was in Ft. Myers about what he enjoyed about being a professional baseball player:

 

[video=youtube;UI6GeuvoE-g]

[Shane Wahl]

Watts was peaking last year and now something is totally different. Bad to see him go (and Hauser, who I really liked).

[Seth Stohs]

Evan Bigley was informed this morning that he has been released.

[cmathewson]

Who are the outfielders for AAA and AA? Bigley and Mitchell were on my list for Rochester, but apparently they like Ortiz a lot. Anyone else getting promoted.

[Seth Stohs]

Who are the outfielders for AAA and AA? Bigley and Mitchell were on my list for Rochester, but apparently they like Ortiz a lot. Anyone else getting promoted.

 

Rahl, Mastroianni, Ramirez and Parmelee will also be in the Rochester OF. Ortiz probably will be.

[jokin]

Rahl, Mastroianni, Ramirez and Parmelee will also be in the Rochester OF. Ortiz probably will be.

 

FWIW. On the broadcast today, Antony said that Parmelee's defensive role doesn't matter in Rochester and that all he has left to prove is that he's back to the aggresive hitter he was in 2011 and 2012 and he will earn another shot with the Twins. Is it fair to read that as more focus in Rochester as a DH and a first call-up should Kubel or Arcia falter?

[Thrylos]

Rahl, Mastroianni, Ramirez and Parmelee will also be in the Rochester OF. Ortiz probably will be.

 

Reynaldo Rodriguez will likely be part of a 1B/OF rotation as well. He is 28, I hardly see him in New Britain again. Kinda disappointing as a matter of fact that only Danny Ortiz remains in the organization from the 2013 Rock Cats' OF.

[Thrylos]

Is it fair to read that as more focus in Rochester as a DH and a first call-up should Kubel or Arcia falter?

 

I don't know about that, but first base is taken for a while for the Twins. Parmelee is 26 and still needs some work at the field. If I were the Twins, I would play him every day alternating between LF and RF. Just think that it does not make sense to take the glove out of a 26 year old. Koskie was a bigger butcher in Parmelee's age.

[Jim H]

I think the big question about Parmelee is indeed his bat. I kind of thought he had a chance to be a Cuddyer/Kubel type hitter, that is a big league regular, not a star but a good player. Or, perhaps failing that, more of a Garrett Jones type guy. I am beginning to think he may be Buck Buchannon. More of a not really a big league hitter at all. I think, since he passed through waivers and the Twins seem not to have not completely given up on him, he needs to dominate AAA, get another big league chance. I am not sure he has a quick enough bat to be more than a fringe big leaguer, but I would like to see him earn another chance.

[Halsey Hall]

Buxton said today that he would be back playing in two weeks. Looks like extended for a bit.

[cmathewson]

Berardino is reporting that Buxton had another scan that showed significant healing. Should be out another 10 days.

 

It was probably a little worse than they at first thought. Wrists are tough to diagnose. At least it's headed in the right direction.