Twins Minor League Report (6/29): Matt Wallner Stays Hot for Saints

Wallner, Wallner, Wallner - call him up now while he's still hot!

Wallner will always look awkward in some ways. I have watched a bunch of his at bats (via milb.com) with the Saints and he has a good eye to go along with that prodigious power. His last time up tonight he flipped a line drive single to left field but acted like he had fouled the ball off before realizing he had to run to first base. Yesterday, he crushed a ball to the fence in centerfield that the centerfielder made a nice play to grab, while Wallner acted as if he had popped up. He just seems like a quirky guy. When someone takes a load of walks, hits .300 with a load of extra base power and good speed, it might be time to see what he can do over three months in bigger stadiums with better pitching. Wallner somehow seems to adjust. It is time to see what he can do playing right field for the Twins.

The Twins strike out too much. Some of these guys in the minors aren't going to reduce that (this K% per plate appearance - listing key players over 30% and 20% or below):

Saints - Larnach, Williams, Wallner (I still want him up) and Camargo all 32-35%. Who would be good at reducing K's - Celestino 12% (SSS), Miranda 17%, Stevenson 20%.

Wind Surge - Sabato and Severino 33%. Good - Lee 16% and Keirsey 20%.

Kernels - E-Rod 32%. Good (and look how many are good and hey, they are winning!) - Cossetti 18% (18% combined with Fort Myers), Schobel and Miller 20%. Ortego is at 20% but 24 % combined with Fort Myers..

From last year, Austin Martin had a 14% K ratio.

Remember twins daily  , FO department is supposed to be pitching savvy ,   the rest of the team not so much ...

I'm not crazy about the defense of wallner but if he can hit , yes it's wallner time ...

Also Kiriloff  has had a bad June  , is the wrist bothering him again , has anyone heard anything ???

Happy to Dobnak pitching well again. Never say never. He could end up being called up again before the season is done. I realize that there are several other pitchers in the queue ahead of him, but I'd still love to see him pitching for Minnesota again. Meanwhile, there is Wallner, still raking in AAA. Like others here are urging; call him up ASAP!

Wallner needs/deserves a change of scenery.  Either a) call him up and give him consistent playing time and ABs for the rest of the season or b) trade him to a team who would be eager to give him that opportunity.

The way this FO thinks leads me to believe b) is more likely.  They can’t get a bag of balls for Kepler or Gallo due to performance and/or contract.  They clearly do not see Wallner as their RF and occasional DH of the future. And they are not willing to give him the playing time in the majors to both prove them wrong (if he plays well) or diminish his trade value (if he plays poorly). At the moment his trade value may be at its peak (demolishing it in AAA with a good solid showing during a cup of coffee in the majors this season).

Wallner has to be near the top of our trade candidates heading into the deadline season.  Btw, Wallner would be justifiably ecstatic if the FO were to choose path b) for him.

1 hour ago, Nashvilletwin said:

Btw, Wallner would be justifiably ecstatic if the FO were to choose path b) for him

Oh ok, guy from Forest Lake champing at the bit to be traded from his hometown team. You are just projecting your own opinions on a situation you have limited knowledge of. 

11 minutes ago, wabene said:

Oh ok, guy from Forest Lake champing at the bit to be traded from his hometown team. You are just projecting your own opinions on a situation you have limited knowledge of. 

The young man wants a career. Sure, if he can make that happen in his own hometown, all the better.  But this provincial Minnesota stuff is so overrated. A lot of people have left their hometowns and succeeded elsewhere. This young man wants a chance to be a big time Major League Baseball player and all the trappings that go with it. It’s what he has worked for his entire life.  I’m pretty sure he would jump at the chance to make that a reality - even if it means leaving the Twin Cities. But you’re right, he might just want to stick around and take his chances to have that storybook hometown hero career - even if that does not maximise the probability for his most successful career as a Major League Baseball player. I shouldn’t project my ambition for him as his ambition for himself. 

1 minute ago, Nashvilletwin said:

The young man wants a career. Sure, if he can make that happen in his own hometown, all the better.  But this provincial Minnesota stuff is so overrated. A lot of people have left their hometowns and succeeded elsewhere. This young man wants a chance to be a big time Major League Baseball player and all the trappings that go with it. It’s what he has worked for his entire life.  I’m pretty sure he would jump at the chance to make that a reality - even if it means leaving the Twin Cities. But you’re right, he might just want to stick around and and take his chances to have that storybook hometown hero career - even if that does not maximise the probability for his most successful career as a Major League Baseball player. I shouldn’t project my ambition for him as his ambition for himself. 

Now your changing your tune. Saying he would accept a trade to commence a major league career is not the same thing as wanting out of Minnesota because of the way he is being treated. 

MLB player is a coveted position with a very limited amount of positions available. There have been thousands of players that maybe could've been good players that just never got the chance because of a myriad of reasons. There are frustrated private conversations happening in minor league clubhouses all over the country on a daily basis. 

2 minutes ago, wabene said:

Now your changing your tune. Saying he would accept a trade to commence a major league career is not the same thing as wanting out of Minnesota because of the way he is being treated. 

Read my original post. He’d be justifiably ecstatic if the FO, who does not see him as the RFer and occasional DH of the future, traded him to a team that would give him a better/real opportunity to be just that. I never said anything about being mistreated. But I certainly implied his opportunity here, given his performance, is being mismanaged and limited. 

There’s no tune changing here.  It’s all about him getting the best opportunity given his potential and performance. I just think he’d welcome that - certainly elsewhere if it’s not available here. You think he might want to stay home near Forest Lake even if that opportunity might not be as good.  Hey, you might be right. 

8 minutes ago, Nashvilletwin said:

But I certainly implied his opportunity here, given his performance, is being mismanaged and limited. 

I took it as you were implying that he wanted out of Minnesota for this reason. That is what I disagree with. Now if they don't give him a good run up here this year, then I could get on board with that. I don't think they should've sent him down in the first place and was very disappointed with that decision. That is a major reason why I'm losing patience with management. I'll bet he is frustrated right now, but thankfully he is taking that out on the ball. 

1 minute ago, wabene said:

I took it as you were implying that he wanted out of Minnesota for this reason. That is what I disagree with. Now it they don't give him a good run up here this year, then I could get on board with that. I don't think they should've sent him down in the first place and was very disappointed with that decision. That is a major reason why I'm losing patience with management. I'll get he is frustrated right now, but thankfully he is taking that out on the ball. 

I think we agree 100%. All things being equal, I think you and I agree he (not projecting here) would probably much prefer option a) in the original post; that is, he gets called up for the rest of the season and gets the consistent innings and ABs to prove his future with the Twins.  That’s what I also think you and I as fans would like to see

Happy 4th of July to you!

22 minutes ago, Dman said:

Yeah lot's of high OPS's at AAA so not sure how much that means but if you don't have a high OPS there then you are likely in trouble.  When you think about it hitters are facing for the most part what would be the worst pitchers at the MLB level as most of them haven't made it there or couldn't stay there.  The best of the best are all in MLB so the hitters should find some hittable pitches against AAA pitching.

IMO you have to figure at least a .200 point drop in OPS from AAA to MLB and sometimes a .300 point drop ends up being closer to what actually happens.  Its a tough transition going against the best starters and relievers in the game day after day instead of guys who couldn't quite get there or stay there. Still I think when a player is in that .900 to 1.000 OPS range for a long stretch it is time to give them their shot.  Only way to find out if they can make it is to move them them to the Majors and see if they can adjust.

Williams can be pretty streaky I would want to see a fairly long period of dominance before adding but he could be a Collebello type late bloomer bat.  Stevenson has been up before and wasn't horrible nor was he great but IMO I think he could be Matt like just not with the same level of power.   Maybe his second time around he does better hard to say but I wouldn't mind seeing what both those players can do if the Twins are out of it like they might bein the next month or two.

I think we have to face the facts , we are already out of it  ...

But there is a glimer of hope if changes are made that haven't been made ...

Why did Rocco wait until we dropped out of first place to address the team , slow at changes ...

Players should play hard from day one and beware that there job is in jeopardy  , with the money they make I just don't see the players today making the right adjustments to play at this level ...

We have talent ,  just not elite talent ...

9 minutes ago, Nashvilletwin said:

Happy 4th of July to you!

Thank you and you as well! 

13 minutes ago, wabene said:

I took it as you were implying that he wanted out of Minnesota for this reason. That is what I disagree with. Now it they don't give him a good run up here this year, then I could get on board with that. I don't think they should've sent him down in the first place and was very disappointed with that decision. That is a major reason why I'm losing patience with management. I'll get he is frustrated right now, but thankfully he is taking that out on the ball. 

I'm sure Steer is happy with the trade to Cincinnati  as he was blocked here in Minnesota  ...

I don't think wallner is blocked for his position  , he deserves the opportunity to be on the 26 man roster with his hitting  , I just hope his defense has and will improve  ...

Per Tom F, Wallner has reverse splits and is OPSing over 1100 against leftys. Anyone think of a team that could use help hitting leftys? I just can't take it anymore, he could've made a real difference the last month. Malpractice. I wish I could be a fly on the wall and hear what it is management could possibly be thinking. 

3 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

 My question is this (I admit that I don't know the answer):

What can a Chris Williams or Andrew Stevenson type player do to get a 40 man roster spot and get called up? 

Wallner has a 40 man spot... He should already be up in Minnesota.

However...for players like Williams and Stevenson. 27 and 29 years of age. Never the bonus baby... hitting the ball that require someone being removed from the 40 man just to be a consideration for call up.  

What can they do? To me... they appear to be doing it right now but that isn't going to get them to the big leagues and I don't believe it is reasonable to ask them to be even better than they are right now... so... apparently the answer to my question is...

There is nothing they can do. 

It really bugs me that they are lighting it up with no hope of being asked to help and we have guys in the big leagues who are playing really bad and are seemingly entrenched. 

This is the most unfair part of the CBA. 

If the odds were good for them, being blocked here would promote other teams trading for them.  That could happen but you would have to conclude the entire league believes their odds of succeeding are low because they are still here.  The CBA is not the problem.

I am with you in spirit.  They have given the ML team adequate opportunity.  Switch it up.  Find out if any of the guys tearing up AAA can do it here.  DFA Gallo today and get Wallner up here and I would be fine with letting MAT go as well although he is not here for his bat.  IL Buxton too.  These changes would open up two 40 man roster spots.  Hello Wallner and Williams.

It just doesn't make sense that Wallner is not on the Twins team. Before being send down he was on base 8 times in a row. Has any Twin's player been on base even 3 times in a row.  Something must be going on that is stopping Wallner from not being on the team.  Either the front office or Rocco are stopping him from being on the team. I am not a fan of either the front office or Rocco since anyone can just look at their record and see they have not done a good job.