Twins Minor League Report (8/25):

Jeremy, Thanks and great read....... Man has Tyler Duffey , and even Jason Wheeler helped themselves out a bunch this yr.

I hope Minier makes big strides next year.

Jeremy if you had to venture a guess of where Minier starts 2015 where would it be?

Cedar Rapids?  or too aggreesive

I was reading through the box score, and noticed this sequence:

• two Kernels hitters we drilled with pitches
• one Bandit was HBP
• Gonsalves gave up a HR.

I know you can read a lot into a box score (falsely), but when I saw that Gonsalves hit the first batter he faced after the second Kernel got plunked, it sure seemed like a statement pitch. One of the reasons I do not like retaliation is that I think it affects a pitcher's mind and control, perhaps like a HR derby affects a hitters mentality and swing. So I was not surprised to see this control-based pitcher give up his first full-season HR two batters later.

Was anyone (i.e. JC, SDB or Dad) at the game, and can confirm or deny this hypothesis?

Coincidentally, a pitcher who is having problems with his control is more prone to hit batters and give up homers. In the larger context of his outing, this may not be the case, but young pitchers (hell, even old pitchers) are prone to short bouts of command loss.

Coincidentally, a pitcher who is having problems with his control is more prone to hit batters and give up homers. In the larger context of his outing, this may not be the case, but young pitchers (hell, even old pitchers) are prone to short bouts of command loss.

10K in 5 innings, with 2 hits allowed... o that all Twins pitchers would be afflicted with poor control today!

Jeremy, is there an updated opinion on Michael's arm and glove?  If he's really off of playing SS the whole season, as it now appears likely and deep behind the SS depth chart behind Polanco, Goodrum, et al, there really is no place for him with the Twins short of a utility role, which the Twins seem to be currently rich in those type of players anyway.  If true, that would seem to cast doubt on Michael going to the AFL.  I guess we'll find out shortly, but I gotta think that Michael is prime prospect throw-in bait for a trade for other areas of need.

Who is the last slow-developing first round pick that the Twins traded? They held on to position players like Moses and Garbe as well as pitchers Ryan Mills, Adam Johnson and Kyle Waldrop until they were out of options (and even longer). And I think we are all happy that they didn't pull the trigger with Hunter or Span.

Also, it's not like our DP combo is Knoblauch and Gagne (or even Guzman/Rivas !). I would posit that the 2016 opening day SS and 2B are not even on the current roster.

The Twins, based on where he played this year, currently "seem" to put him behind Polanco, Goodrum, Mejia, Bernier, Florimon.  By 2016, most every name on that list will be in the discussion about a 2016 SS roster spot, and the utility spot is equally cluttered in that time frame- perhaps that is the role that the Twins are inviting him to shoot for.

First, I do not think he is a ML shortstop.  Second, I don't know where the Twins slot him, but he is only 1 year older that Niko Goodrum and Anderlin Mejia (and 11 years younger than Bernier). And Polanco is now an uberprospect and shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence as Michael.

I think a successful Michael is a high AVG, high OBP guy who can handle the bat, steal a base and play above average 2nd base (likely not a good as Dozier, though). I would expect his game to be similar to Luis Castillo (the Twins version). That may be damning with faint praise, but I think that is a very useful role on a team full of (potential) sluggers like Buxton, Sano, Vargas, and Arcia.

I think we agree with the Twins apparent conclusion that he probably isn't a ML SS, but you still haven't made the case of how he gets into a game.  Dozier, presumably, is going to be playing virtually every day at 2nd until at least 2019.  Escobar, Nunez, and the other utility candidates will have to have moved on, or Michael has to outplay/outproject the other comers to get the utility role

I will answer your question if, at first, you tell me what you think the 2016 triple slash numbers will be for Escobar, Nunez, Santana and Dozier. Their current numbers are:

(I give up on trying to format it correctly, sorry)

Player 2016 age AVG OBP SLG OPS

Santana, D

25 0.323 0.359 0.485 0.844

Dozier, B

30 0.236 0.342 0.417 0.759

Escobar, E

27 0.279 0.323 0.408 0.731

Nunez, E

29 0.253 0.28 0.361 0.641