Twins Fan From Afar

Thanks for the comment. Hicks has been just average this season. I think the organization needs to make a decision on his swith-hitting. It's very, very hard to imagine him at Target Field next year. I'm not suggesting he has been bad -- he's up there in avg/obp/rbis for the Rock Cats -- but he seems far from MLB ready in my uneducated opinion. Let's hope Benson gets back to form soon!

That's a good observation. I think there definitely might be some experimenting going on. I've seen him bat leadoff a few times (where you would expect to see him work the count and hopefully draw some walks), and also deeper down in the order (maybe 4th or 5th one game) where they would expect more power. Yes, ideally next season Herrmann would be 130% of Doumit defensively, say 75% of Doumit offensively, at roughly 15% of the Doumit price tag.

[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wDYpNGOZkYQ/T8TGMzv0WgI/AAAAAAAAAXc/uGVDEsFR_pM/s320/Herrmann.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption] If you want to see Chris Herrmann playing for the Rock Cats, my advice would be to get a ticket soon [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] Catching depth in Minnesota is . . . interesting. In fact, I'm not sure that "depth" is the correct word. There's Joe Mauer. And then there's a pretty big drop off. Ryan Doumit can catch, technically, but he is not good defensively. And Drew Butera can call a good game, but I'll be surprised if he can hit above the Mendoza line, and most fans acknowledge that his best role is one in which he doesn't accumulate more than 250 plate appearances per season. Over in Rochester, there is J.R. Towles, who is 28 years old and batting .183 in 21 games, and Rene Rivera, who you probably remember as one of several bad catchers that were given a shot last year. Rivera, who will be 29 in July, is hitting .193 in 28 games. There's no perfect back-up catcher currently playing for the Twins, or on the Red Wings. Either the player is not predominately a catcher, is past his athletic prime, is an offensive liability, or is some combination of those things. All of this brings me to Chris Herrmann. Herrmann, 24 years old this season and a native Texan, is in the middle of another solid season in the Twins' minor league system. I'm just going to focus on this season and last season for reference. In 2011, Herrmann was called up to AA New Britain mid-season and appeared in 97 games. His batting line was solid: .258/.380/.392. He had 14 doubles, 5 triples, 7 home runs and 46 RBIs in that time. In 2012, again in New Britain, Herrmann started off very cool, struggling in the first month of the season to get the average above .200. But then, as with the New England weather, Herrmann heated up. As of today, here is Herrmann's slash line: .260/.310/.410, with 14 doubles, 4 home runs and 17 RBIs in 44 games. As you can see, although he has some work to do with the on-base percentage, the power has been increasing. As I mentioned, he has been playing better lately, recording 4 hits in consecutive games last week. Over his last ten games, Herrmann is .324/.405/.405 with 3 doubles and 5 walks (he has 13 walks on the season, so it's nice to see him showing more patience at the plate recently). It's also worth noting that Herrmann has frequently stayed in the lineup on days he doesn't catch, either serving as designated hitter or playing left field. I have seen him in left field, and he did not appear to me to be a defensive liability. I'm not sure how baseball professionals would describe his defensive ability at catcher, but he seems, at the very least, solid to me. He does have a good arm. I'm not sure how much more Herrmann has to do to earn a promotion to Rochester, or even to Minnesota. It's clear that Towles and Rivera are nothing more than minor league depth. At 24, Herrmann has a lot of baseball in his future. Clearly, there is room for improvement in his game, but I'm not certain that sticking it out in New Britain the rest of 2012 is the best thing for Herrmann's development. I've (sort of) jokingly been calling Herrmann "Mauer's 2013 backup," but he really could be more than that. Most people reading this post are prudent enough to realize that Joe Mauer won't be catching full-time by 2014 or 2015. In Herrmann the Twins have a young catcher, capable of playing multiple positions, who has the ability to hit and get on base, and has shown more than occasional power. As much as I have enjoyed watching Herrmann at New Britain Stadium, I think it's time to see what he can do at the next level. In fact, by the end of this summer, I think it's time to see what Herrmann can do at Target Field.

[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wDYpNGOZkYQ/T8TGMzv0WgI/AAAAAAAAAXc/uGVDEsFR_pM/s320/Herrmann.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption] If you want to see Chris Herrmann playing for the Rock Cats, my advice would be to get a ticket soon [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] Catching depth in Minnesota is . . . interesting. In fact, I'm not sure that "depth" is the correct word. There's Joe Mauer. And then there's a pretty big drop off. Ryan Doumit can catch, technically, but he is not good defensively. And Drew Butera can call a good game, but I'll be surprised if he can hit above the Mendoza line, and most fans acknowledge that his best role is one in which he doesn't accumulate more than 250 plate appearances per season. Over in Rochester, there is J.R. Towles, who is 28 years old and batting .183 in 21 games, and Rene Rivera, who you probably remember as one of several bad catchers that were given a shot last year. Rivera, who will be 29 in July, is hitting .193 in 28 games. There's no perfect back-up catcher currently playing for the Twins, or on the Red Wings. Either the player is not predominately a catcher, is past his athletic prime, is an offensive liability, or is some combination of those things. All of this brings me to Chris Herrmann. Herrmann, 24 years old this season and a native Texan, is in the middle of another solid season in the Twins' minor league system. I'm just going to focus on this season and last season for reference. In 2011, Herrmann was called up to AA New Britain mid-season and appeared in 97 games. His batting line was solid: .258/.380/.392. He had 14 doubles, 5 triples, 7 home runs and 46 RBIs in that time. In 2012, again in New Britain, Herrmann started off very cool, struggling in the first month of the season to get the average above .200. But then, as with the New England weather, Herrmann heated up. As of today, here is Herrmann's slash line: .260/.310/.410, with 14 doubles, 4 home runs and 17 RBIs in 44 games. As you can see, although he has some work to do with the on-base percentage, the power has been increasing. As I mentioned, he has been playing better lately, recording 4 hits in consecutive games last week. Over his last ten games, Herrmann is .324/.405/.405 with 3 doubles and 5 walks (he has 13 walks on the season, so it's nice to see him showing more patience at the plate recently). It's also worth noting that Herrmann has frequently stayed in the lineup on days he doesn't catch, either serving as designated hitter or playing left field. I have seen him in left field, and he did not appear to me to be a defensive liability. I'm not sure how baseball professionals would describe his defensive ability at catcher, but he seems, at the very least, solid to me. He does have a good arm. I'm not sure how much more Herrmann has to do to earn a promotion to Rochester, or even to Minnesota. It's clear that Towles and Rivera are nothing more than minor league depth. At 24, Herrmann has a lot of baseball in his future. Clearly, there is room for improvement in his game, but I'm not certain that sticking it out in New Britain the rest of 2012 is the best thing for Herrmann's development. I've (sort of) jokingly been calling Herrmann "Mauer's 2013 backup," but he really could be more than that. Most people reading this post are prudent enough to realize that Joe Mauer won't be catching full-time by 2014 or 2015. In Herrmann the Twins have a young catcher, capable of playing multiple positions, who has the ability to hit and get on base, and has shown more than occasional power. As much as I have enjoyed watching Herrmann at New Britain Stadium, I think it's time to see what he can do at the next level. In fact, by the end of this summer, I think it's time to see what Herrmann can do at Target Field.

I hope everyone is enjoying their Memorial Day weekend! All of the affiliates were in action today and this evening, and the Twins lost a tough one to the Tigers. There was some roster news, if you haven't heard it: Erik Komatsu was designated for assignment, and Jeff Manship joined the Twins. Best of luck to Komatsu in his professional career, and to Manship, as well. Additionally, starting pitcher David Bromberg was promoted from the AA Rock Cats to AAA Rochester. Congratulations to him! Let's take a look at what happened down on the farm today. ROCHESTER 0, GWINNETT 1 Brendan Wise started for the Red Wings today (best described as a spot start, because Manship was scheduled to start before his promotion), and threw 3 innings. He gave up 5 hits, struck out 3 and walked 1, surrendering no runs. Carlos Gutierrez tossed 2 scoreless innings in relief, striking out 2. Casey Fein was charged with the loss, giving up 1 run 2 hits in 2 innings. He struck out 2. Tyler Robertson threw a scoreless 8th. In all, the pitching performances were very good -- only 7 total hits, 7 Ks and 1 walk. On offense, it's safe to say that hits came at a premium for the Red Wings. There were only 3 all day: a single by shortstop Pedro Florimon, and 2 hits by Sean Burroughs, a single and a double. The Red Wings walked 0 times today. Danny Valencia was 0-for-4 today, but is batting .268 since his demotion. Tsuyoshi Nishioka, also hitless today, is batting .202 this season. Here's the link for the box score. NEW BRITAIN 5, PORTLAND 8 Logan Darnell got the start for the Rock Cats, and was solid, going 5 and 2/3 innings, giving up 8 hits and allowing 2 runs. He struck out 6 and walked only 1. Bobby Lanigan relieved Darnell, and the wheels came off in the 7th inning. After getting the final out of the 6th, Lanigan allowed 6 consecutive batters to reach to open up the 7th, on 5 hits and a walk, and ended up giving up 5 runs in the 7th, and only got one out in that inning. He threw 2/3 of an inning total. Caleb Thielbar came on in relief. He threw the final 2 outs of the 7th (including a ground out that scored a run charged to Lanigan), but gave up a solo home run in the 8th. In all, Thielbar threw 1 and 2/3 innings, allowed the 1 run, and had no walks or strikeouts. On defense, third baseman Deibinson Romero committed his 6th error of the season. Mirroring a recent trend, the Rock Cats didn't get many hits today; 6, in fact. But, for the second consecutive game, Evan Bigley had a 3 run home run, his 4th in 2012. Deibinson Romero had a solo home run, his 5th of the season. Nathan Hanson had an RBI single, Rene Tosoni had a double, and Aaron Hicks and James Berersford each had a single. Hanson also stole his first base of the season. Here's the link for the box score. FT. MYERS 4, PALM BEACH 1 Pat Dean started for the Miracle today, went 5 innings, gave up 1 run on 3 hits, and issued 1 walk with no strikeouts. His ERA stands at 2.70 on the season. The bullpen was very good today. Kyle Waldorp pitched a scoreless 6th inning, striking out 2 and walking 1; Matthew Hauser tossed 2 scoreless frames, striking out 1 and walking 1; Bruce Pugh picked up his 4th save of the season, allowing 1 hit and striking out 1. In all, the bullpen allowed 1 hit in 4 innings of work. Prospect Oswaldo Arcia had a great day. He was 3-for-3 with a solo home run, his 4th of the season, and 2 singles. He drove in 3 runs and walked in his other plate appearance. Arcia is batting .299 on the season. Daniel Ortiz had an RBI single, which accounted for the Miracle's other run. The other Miracle players with hits today were Daniel Santana, Jairo Perez, Anderson Hidalgo and Andy Leer. All singles. Here's another good stat: Ft. Myers walked 6 times today, including 2 walks by Hidalgo. Here's the link for the box score BELOIT 7, KANE COUNTY 2 Jason Wheeler got the start for the Snappers this evening, and he was great. He went 8 innings. Wheeler gave up 5 hits and 2 runs, striking out 5 and walking only 1 along the way. Corey Williams tossed a scoreless 9th, allowing 1 hit and and striking out 1. On offense, the Snappers banged out 12 hits tonight, and almost all the starters were in on the action. Designated hitter Jonathan Goncalves went 3-for-4 with a double and 2 RBIs. Eddie Rosario was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Shortstop Tyler Grimes was 3-for-3 with a double, and first baseman Adam Bryant was 3-for-5 with an RBI. Miguel Sano had two singles and an RBI, and TwinsDaily's own Adam Pettersen had a single. Here's the link for the box score --------------------------------------- Sunday's Players of the Day Hitter of the Day: Oswaldo Arcia [ATTACH=CONFIG]1055[/ATTACH] Pitcher of the Day: Jason Wheeler [ATTACH=CONFIG]1057[/ATTACH] ----------------------------- Schedule for Monday, May 28, 2012 Rochester @ Charlotte -- RHP David Bromberg New Britain @ Portland -- ??? Beloit @ Kane County -- RHP Matthew Summers ------------------------------ Leave any questions or comments here, and either Seth or I will try to answer them!

Good read. It's tough to imagine the Twins without some of these guys!

[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jh-qnf2Rgkk/T799K13-yvI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/tqi1cqrtG-4/s320/SweetMusic.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]As an 8 year old, I couldn't understand why GM Andy MacPhail would trade away Frank "Sweet Music" Viola [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] I recently surpassed it. A couple years ago, in fact. The average age of an MLB player is 28.68 years old. I'll be 31 in a couple months. For every Jamie Moyer helping to increase that figure, there's a Bryce Harper doing just the opposite. For every Cal Ripken, Jr., that holds on for another year and tries to delay the inevitable, there's a Miguel Sano hoping to knock on the door before he turns 21. It really is a machine that, as described in Field of Dreams, has been "the one constant through all the years." It's funny what age does to the way you view the game. In fact, sometimes I even hesitate to call MLB "the game" -- a more apt term might be "the business based around the game." I remember the day that Frank Viola was traded to the Mets. July 31, 1989. I had just turned 8, my family was at the cabin for the week, and I was the biggest Viola fan in the world. One of my parents told me the news. The 8 year old me couldn't understand the practical implications of trading away Viola for, among others, Kevin Tapani and Rick Aguilera, both of whom would go on to have excellent Twins careers. The 8 year old me didn't think in those terms, of course. To a kid, losing a good player -- right in the middle of the season, no less -- made no sense. With the benefit of age, and hopefully a little wisdom, things are somewhat different. I'm still a fan of the game -- of the institution. The older I get, though, I realize that the players, for the most part, come and go. They are well-compensated cogs. Denard Span, for instance, has been a great Minnesota Twin: a solid player; excellent with fans; and the recipient of a relatively team friendly contract. If I was 8, I would probably be crushed if he was traded this season. As a 30 year old, though, part of me is really hoping for it because the Twins would stand to get a couple decent prospects, at least one pitcher, that could help this team for the next several years. I find myself thinking much more about the Twins' future than I did when I was 8, or even 18. Part of that undoubtedly is because the Twins have played so bad this season, but the other part might generally just be a change in the way I think about things. As a kid, or even a teenager, all you really need is a good day-to-day approach in order to get by. Good luck doing that as an adult! If you own a home, work, or ever plan to retire, you had better be forward-thinking and sometimes shrewd in your decisions. I think that's where I am with the Twins now. But it hasn't been a 100 percent shift from the 8 year old me to the 30 year old version. I don't go to too many Twins games, based on where I live, and I actually hadn't seen Joe Mauer play in person until 2010 (not counting when I played against him as a teenager). So I still get excited for Twins games. I still think that there are players, like Mauer for instance, that I just wouldn't want to see traded from the Twins, no matter what the haul. I have a similar feeling for Justin Morneau. And I was still pretty excited this April when Mauer tossed me a game ball at Camden Yards. Things like that don't get old. Now, though, there are just some other ways to appreciate games. Being able to look into some advanced stats has made me appreciate certain facets of the game. As I kid I probably didn't care about anything besides home runs and batting titles. Becoming a fan of the Twins' minor league system has also been great. And I would add blogging to this list, as well: being able to communicate about baseball to hundreds of other fans is pretty cool. But part of me -- probably a large part -- is still pretty similar to that 8 year old fan who probably said some pretty awful things about Andy MacPhail in late July, 1989. The 30 year old me is just as much a Twins fan, but hopefully a little wiser, and soon will need to seriously consider wearing sunscreen on the top of his head when he heads out to a ballgame.

[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jh-qnf2Rgkk/T799K13-yvI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/tqi1cqrtG-4/s320/SweetMusic.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]As an 8 year old, I couldn't understand why GM Andy MacPhail would trade away Frank "Sweet Music" Viola [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] I recently surpassed it. A couple years ago, in fact. The average age of an MLB player is 28.68 years old. I'll be 31 in a couple months. For every Jamie Moyer helping to increase that figure, there's a Bryce Harper doing just the opposite. For every Cal Ripken, Jr., that holds on for another year and tries to delay the inevitable, there's a Miguel Sano hoping to knock on the door before he turns 21. It really is a machine that, as described in Field of Dreams, has been "the one constant through all the years." It's funny what age does to the way you view the game. In fact, sometimes I even hesitate to call MLB "the game" -- a more apt term might be "the business based around the game." I remember the day that Frank Viola was traded to the Mets. July 31, 1989. I had just turned 8, my family was at the cabin for the week, and I was the biggest Viola fan in the world. One of my parents told me the news. The 8 year old me couldn't understand the practical implications of trading away Viola for, among others, Kevin Tapani and Rick Aguilera, both of whom would go on to have excellent Twins careers. The 8 year old me didn't think in those terms, of course. To a kid, losing a good player -- right in the middle of the season, no less -- made no sense. With the benefit of age, and hopefully a little wisdom, things are somewhat different. I'm still a fan of the game -- of the institution. The older I get, though, I realize that the players, for the most part, come and go. They are well-compensated cogs. Denard Span, for instance, has been a great Minnesota Twin: a solid player; excellent with fans; and the recipient of a relatively team friendly contract. If I was 8, I would probably be crushed if he was traded this season. As a 30 year old, though, part of me is really hoping for it because the Twins would stand to get a couple decent prospects, at least one pitcher, that could help this team for the next several years. I find myself thinking much more about the Twins' future than I did when I was 8, or even 18. Part of that undoubtedly is because the Twins have played so bad this season, but the other part might generally just be a change in the way I think about things. As a kid, or even a teenager, all you really need is a good day-to-day approach in order to get by. Good luck doing that as an adult! If you own a home, work, or ever plan to retire, you had better be forward-thinking and sometimes shrewd in your decisions. I think that's where I am with the Twins now. But it hasn't been a 100 percent shift from the 8 year old me to the 30 year old version. I don't go to too many Twins games, based on where I live, and I actually hadn't seen Joe Mauer play in person until 2010 (not counting when I played against him as a teenager). So I still get excited for Twins games. I still think that there are players, like Mauer for instance, that I just wouldn't want to see traded from the Twins, no matter what the haul. I have a similar feeling for Justin Morneau. And I was still pretty excited this April when Mauer tossed me a game ball at Camden Yards. Things like that don't get old. Now, though, there are just some other ways to appreciate games. Being able to look into some advanced stats has made me appreciate certain facets of the game. As I kid I probably didn't care about anything besides home runs and batting titles. Becoming a fan of the Twins' minor league system has also been great. And I would add blogging to this list, as well: being able to communicate about baseball to hundreds of other fans is pretty cool. But part of me -- probably a large part -- is still pretty similar to that 8 year old fan who probably said some pretty awful things about Andy MacPhail in late July, 1989. The 30 year old me is just as much a Twins fan, but hopefully a little wiser, and soon will need to seriously consider wearing sunscreen on the top of his head when he heads out to a ballgame.

It's time again for my recap of tonight's action in the Twins' farm system. The parent club couldn't pull out a win tonight, so let's see how the affiliates fared. The Rochester Red Wings were off tonight. They are in last place in the International League North, 9 games out of first place with a 16-26 record. New Britain 1, Binghamton 8 Today's game was quite a test for the Rock Cats, facing top Mets pitching prospect Zack Wheeler. He routinely hits 97 with the fastball, and probably won't be too long for AA. He looked good against New Britain this afternoon, throwing 8 innings and allowing 2 hits and 1 run. But David Bromberg, starting for the Rock Cats, also had a solid performance, going 6 strong innings, striking out 8, walking 3 and giving up just 1 run on 4 singles. Blake Martin relieved Bromberg, tossing a scoreless 7th and walking 1 batter. He gave up 1 hit to lead off the 8th before being removed in favor of Luis Perdomo. Then things got ugly. Perdomo walked one, but the Mets scored twice following a sacrifice bunt, a single, and a Danny Lehmann throwing error. Brett Jacobson threw 2/3 of the 9th, issued 5 walks and gave up 5 runs (2 earned) -- a 3-run home run and a bases-loaded walk. Bobby Lanigan came on to get the last out in the 9th, which he did after hitting a batter with the bases loaded to bring in the Mets' 8th run (charged to Jacobson). Martin ended up with the loss. To sum up: starting pitching was good; the bullpen wasn't. There wasn't much offense to speak of for the Rock cats. Minnesota's own Nathan Hanson had an RBI single in the 5th to score Aaron Hicks, who had walked and stolen second (stolen base #13 for Hicks). Reversing a recent trend, Chris Herrmann did not get 4 hits today, but he did coax a walk out of Wheeler. Danny Lehmann had a double. Here's the link to the box score. Ft. Myers 3, Clearwater 4 With a lengthy rain delay, starter Pat Dean went only 3 innings for the Miracle, allowing no runs on 2 hits and striking out 1. His outing was cut short as a result of the delay. Reliever Jose Gonzalez was excellent out of the bullpen, going 5 innings and allowing 1 run on 2 hits, and striking out 2 and walking 1 along the way. Ricky Bowen had a tough night, giving up 3 runs after allowing 3 hits and a walk in the 9th inning, picking up the loss. The Miracle banged out 12 hits tonight, including 2 hits (1 double each) from Daniel Ortiz and Josmil Pinto, and 2 singles from catcher Daniel Rohlfing. Jairo Perez had a double, and Daniel Santana, Levi Michael, Andy Leer, Angel Morales and Lance Ray each had singles. Santana, Perez and Leer each had an RBI tonight, and Santana picked up his 5th stolen base of the year. Here's the link to the box score. Beloit 3, Cedar Rapids 5 The Snappers couldn't put it together tonight against the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Starter Matthew Summers went 5 innings, gave up 7 hits and 4 earned runs. He struck out 2 and walked 2, but gave up 3 home runs. The bullpen, however, was better. Ryan O'Rourke, Clint Dempster and Corey Williams all pitched scoreless innings in relief. On offense, the Snappers had 7 hits, including 2 hits from first baseman Adam Bryant, as well as doubles from Jairo Rodriguez, Wang-Wei Lin, Drew Leachman and Eddie Rosario. Lin drove in all 3 Beloit runs. TwinsDaily's own AJ Pettersen also had a single for Beloit. Miguel Sano continued his slump, going 0-for-4 with 2 strikeouts, and his average stands at .250 now. He also committed an error, his 15th of the season. Here's the link for the box score. ---------------- Players of the Day for May 23, 2012 Hitter of the Day: Wang-Wei Lin (photo courtesy of Jim Crikket) http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a39/CapitalBabs/Baseball/Steve/Snappers/Lin.jpg Pitcher of the Day: Jose Gonzalez (photo also courtesy of Jim Crikket) http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a39/CapitalBabs/Baseball/Steve/Snappers/Gonzalez6.jpg ---------------- Thursday's Action Rochester @ Gwinnett -- RHP Liam Hendriks New Britain vs. Binghamton -- RHP B.J. Hermsen Ft. Myers vs. Clearwater -- RHP Madison Boer Beloit vs. Cedar Rapids -- LHP Matthew Tomshaw --------------- Feel free to leave any comments or questions in the comments section, and either Seth or I will get to them!

It's time again for my recap of tonight's action in the Twins' farm system. The parent club couldn't pull out a win tonight, so let's see how the affiliates fared. The Rochester Red Wings were off tonight. They are in last place in the International League North, 9 games out of first place with a 16-26 record. New Britain 1, Binghamton 8 Today's game was quite a test for the Rock Cats, facing top Mets pitching prospect Zack Wheeler. He routinely hits 97 with the fastball, and probably won't be too long for AA. He looked good against New Britain this afternoon, throwing 8 innings and allowing 2 hits and 1 run. But David Bromberg, starting for the Rock Cats, also had a solid performance, going 6 strong innings, striking out 8, walking 3 and giving up just 1 run on 4 singles. Blake Martin relieved Bromberg, tossing a scoreless 7th and walking 1 batter. He gave up 1 hit to lead off the 8th before being removed in favor of Luis Perdomo. Then things got ugly. Perdomo walked one, but the Mets scored twice following a sacrifice bunt, a single, and a Danny Lehmann throwing error. Brett Jacobson threw 2/3 of the 9th, issued 5 walks and gave up 5 runs (2 earned) -- a 3-run home run and a bases-loaded walk. Bobby Lanigan came on to get the last out in the 9th, which he did after hitting a batter with the bases loaded to bring in the Mets' 8th run (charged to Jacobson). Martin ended up with the loss. To sum up: starting pitching was good; the bullpen wasn't. There wasn't much offense to speak of for the Rock cats. Minnesota's own Nathan Hanson had an RBI single in the 5th to score Aaron Hicks, who had walked and stolen second (stolen base #13 for Hicks). Reversing a recent trend, Chris Herrmann did not get 4 hits today, but he did coax a walk out of Wheeler. Danny Lehmann had a double. Here's the link to the box score. Ft. Myers 3, Clearwater 4 With a lengthy rain delay, starter Pat Dean went only 3 innings for the Miracle, allowing no runs on 2 hits and striking out 1. His outing was cut short as a result of the delay. Reliever Jose Gonzalez was excellent out of the bullpen, going 5 innings and allowing 1 run on 2 hits, and striking out 2 and walking 1 along the way. Ricky Bowen had a tough night, giving up 3 runs after allowing 3 hits and a walk in the 9th inning, picking up the loss. The Miracle banged out 12 hits tonight, including 2 hits (1 double each) from Daniel Ortiz and Josmil Pinto, and 2 singles from catcher Daniel Rohlfing. Jairo Perez had a double, and Daniel Santana, Levi Michael, Andy Leer, Angel Morales and Lance Ray each had singles. Santana, Perez and Leer each had an RBI tonight, and Santana picked up his 5th stolen base of the year. Here's the link to the box score. Beloit 3, Cedar Rapids 5 The Snappers couldn't put it together tonight against the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Starter Matthew Summers went 5 innings, gave up 7 hits and 4 earned runs. He struck out 2 and walked 2, but gave up 3 home runs. The bullpen, however, was better. Ryan O'Rourke, Clint Dempster and Corey Williams all pitched scoreless innings in relief. On offense, the Snappers had 7 hits, including 2 hits from first baseman Adam Bryant, as well as doubles from Jairo Rodriguez, Wang-Wei Lin, Drew Leachman and Eddie Rosario. Lin drove in all 3 Beloit runs. TwinsDaily's own AJ Pettersen also had a single for Beloit. Miguel Sano continued his slump, going 0-for-4 with 2 strikeouts, and his average stands at .250 now. He also committed an error, his 15th of the season. Here's the link for the box score. ---------------- Players of the Day for May 23, 2012 Hitter of the Day: Wang-Wei Lin (photo courtesy of Jim Crikket) http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a39/CapitalBabs/Baseball/Steve/Snappers/Lin.jpg Pitcher of the Day: Jose Gonzalez (photo also courtesy of Jim Crikket) http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a39/CapitalBabs/Baseball/Steve/Snappers/Gonzalez6.jpg ---------------- Thursday's Action Rochester @ Gwinnett -- RHP Liam Hendriks New Britain vs. Binghamton -- RHP B.J. Hermsen Ft. Myers vs. Clearwater -- RHP Madison Boer Beloit vs. Cedar Rapids -- LHP Matthew Tomshaw --------------- Feel free to leave any comments or questions in the comments section, and either Seth or I will get to them!

 [TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-enD_ad7IRkM/T7zbH9pyfMI/AAAAAAAAAW4/7QB8uOqRkd4/s320/Herm3.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]In each of his 4 starts since joining the Rock Cats, B.J. Hermsen has gone over 6 innings. [/TD] [/TABLE]  [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] Yesterday, I reviewed some notable hitting prospects for the New Britain Rock Cats. The team is now 10 games over .500 and is in first place with a 1.5 game lead over the Reading Phillies. So although the offense has been scoring plenty of runs, the pitching has also kept this team in games. Today I thought I would take a look at the Rock Cats' pitching. Keep in mind that Lucas French, Lester Oliveros and Deolis Guerra have all been promoted to AAA Rochester, so less than 2 months into the season, the Rock Cats have lost 3 of their most consistent arms. With that being said, let's see how a few of the pitchers are doing: First, some starters: Logan Darnell: 5-2, 4.53 ERA, 51 and 2/3 innings, 35K, 16 BB, 1.37 WHIP. Steve Hirschfeld: 3-4, 3.14 ERA, 49 and 2/3 innings, 37K, 14 BB, 1.39 WHIP. Andrew Albers: 1-1, 4.31 ERA, 48 innings, 37 K, 4 BB, 1.35 WHIP. David Bromberg: 1-1, 3.94 ERA, 29 and 2/3 innings, 26 K, 12 BB, 1.31 WHIP. B.J. Hermsen: 2-1, 2.57 ERA, 28 innings, 16 K, 2 BB, 0.86 WHIP. And now some of the bullpen arms: Daniel Turpen: 3-1, 5.56 ERA, 22 and 2/3 innings, 4 saves, 24 K, 4 BB, 1.19 WHIP. Luis Perdomo: 3-2, 2.45 ERA, 22 innings, 1 save, 22 K, 9 BB, 1.23 WHIP. Bobby Lanigan: 1-2, 2.49 ERA, 21 and 2/3 innings, 3 saves, 22K, 3 BB, 1.11 WHIP. Caleb Thielbar: 1-0, 2.61 ERA, 10 and 1/3 innings, 1 save, 7 K, 3 BB, 1.45 WHIP. There you have it. As a group, there are no major standout performers -- no guys with a 1-point-something ERA or massive strikeout totals. But if you look a little deeper, some of the stats are pretty impressive: BJ Hermsen has been very good so far, and you have to like his control. In fact, I would say that, as a team the Rock Cats have shown good command of the strike zone. Perdomo, Lanigan and Turpen all have been striking out close to 1 batter per inning while exhibiting good control. And new Rock Cat (and Minnesota's own) Caleb Thielbar has been solid out of the New Britain bullpen thus far. Finally, I'm going to dig a little deeper on Daniel Turpen. In two rough performances this season (most recently on Monday night), he allowed 4 runs and 6 runs. In those outings he pitched a combined 4 and 1/3 innings. In his other 18 and 1/3 innings pitched, he has allowed only 4 total earned runs -- good for an ERA right around 2. Not to imply that you can simply "take away" bad outings, but when we're dealing with relatively small sample sizes, it's important to at least note a couple factors that are contributing to Turpen's interesting stat line. The Rock Cats play a noon game today, and a 10:35 a.m. game Thursday, so be sure to check back at my website for updates!

 [TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-enD_ad7IRkM/T7zbH9pyfMI/AAAAAAAAAW4/7QB8uOqRkd4/s320/Herm3.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]In each of his 4 starts since joining the Rock Cats, B.J. Hermsen has gone over 6 innings. [/TD] [/TABLE]  [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] Yesterday, I reviewed some notable hitting prospects for the New Britain Rock Cats. The team is now 10 games over .500 and is in first place with a 1.5 game lead over the Reading Phillies. So although the offense has been scoring plenty of runs, the pitching has also kept this team in games. Today I thought I would take a look at the Rock Cats' pitching. Keep in mind that Lucas French, Lester Oliveros and Deolis Guerra have all been promoted to AAA Rochester, so less than 2 months into the season, the Rock Cats have lost 3 of their most consistent arms. With that being said, let's see how a few of the pitchers are doing: First, some starters: Logan Darnell: 5-2, 4.53 ERA, 51 and 2/3 innings, 35K, 16 BB, 1.37 WHIP. Steve Hirschfeld: 3-4, 3.14 ERA, 49 and 2/3 innings, 37K, 14 BB, 1.39 WHIP. Andrew Albers: 1-1, 4.31 ERA, 48 innings, 37 K, 4 BB, 1.35 WHIP. David Bromberg: 1-1, 3.94 ERA, 29 and 2/3 innings, 26 K, 12 BB, 1.31 WHIP. B.J. Hermsen: 2-1, 2.57 ERA, 28 innings, 16 K, 2 BB, 0.86 WHIP. And now some of the bullpen arms: Daniel Turpen: 3-1, 5.56 ERA, 22 and 2/3 innings, 4 saves, 24 K, 4 BB, 1.19 WHIP. Luis Perdomo: 3-2, 2.45 ERA, 22 innings, 1 save, 22 K, 9 BB, 1.23 WHIP. Bobby Lanigan: 1-2, 2.49 ERA, 21 and 2/3 innings, 3 saves, 22K, 3 BB, 1.11 WHIP. Caleb Thielbar: 1-0, 2.61 ERA, 10 and 1/3 innings, 1 save, 7 K, 3 BB, 1.45 WHIP. There you have it. As a group, there are no major standout performers -- no guys with a 1-point-something ERA or massive strikeout totals. But if you look a little deeper, some of the stats are pretty impressive: BJ Hermsen has been very good so far, and you have to like his control. In fact, I would say that, as a team the Rock Cats have shown good command of the strike zone. Perdomo, Lanigan and Turpen all have been striking out close to 1 batter per inning while exhibiting good control. And new Rock Cat (and Minnesota's own) Caleb Thielbar has been solid out of the New Britain bullpen thus far. Finally, I'm going to dig a little deeper on Daniel Turpen. In two rough performances this season (most recently on Monday night), he allowed 4 runs and 6 runs. In those outings he pitched a combined 4 and 1/3 innings. In his other 18 and 1/3 innings pitched, he has allowed only 4 total earned runs -- good for an ERA right around 2. Not to imply that you can simply "take away" bad outings, but when we're dealing with relatively small sample sizes, it's important to at least note a couple factors that are contributing to Turpen's interesting stat line. The Rock Cats play a noon game today, and a 10:35 a.m. game Thursday, so be sure to check back at my website for updates!

[Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] [TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9Gwwatdhue4/T7vj1DJeuJI/AAAAAAAAAWk/ZpJDPZbxZRo/s1600/Twins.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]I'm partial, of course, but am hoping to still see this logo in New Britain next season [/TD] [/TABLE] Last week, I wrote about an interesting promotion whereby Rock Cats fans could meet New York Mets prospects prior to a game held at New Britain Stadium in an event arranged by the Rock Cats organization. Between the facts that the Rock Cats are under new ownership this season, the Rock Cats-Twins affiliation agreement is set to expire after this season, and the Binghamton Mets are looking for a new home, some eyebrows were raised. This afternoon, John Willi, President of the Rock Cats, did a Q & A session on Twitter for Rock Cats fans. I asked a question concerning the relationship with the Twins, and clearly I wasn't the only person curious about this subject. There were a couple other similar questions, as well. Here were the pertinent questions and answers on this subject: Q: Thus far, how have you enjoyed having the Twins as a parent club, and how has the relationship been? A: The Twins are incredible partner. Second to none in my opinion. So far a great season in 2012! Q: What is the status of the PDA with the Twins after this season? ‏A: It's scheduled to expire after this season. We are hopeful that the relationship can continue. Q: Any truth to rumor of Rock Cats becoming a Mets affiliate? A: We have a great partner with the Twins and look forward to continuing that. So there's that. No point in editorializing or trying to read between the lines from what was primarily a PR Twitter exchange. When I read anything in the local newspapers, or hear anything otherwise, I'll keep updating.

[Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] [TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9Gwwatdhue4/T7vj1DJeuJI/AAAAAAAAAWk/ZpJDPZbxZRo/s1600/Twins.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]I'm partial, of course, but am hoping to still see this logo in New Britain next season [/TD] [/TABLE] Last week, I wrote about an interesting promotion whereby Rock Cats fans could meet New York Mets prospects prior to a game held at New Britain Stadium in an event arranged by the Rock Cats organization. Between the facts that the Rock Cats are under new ownership this season, the Rock Cats-Twins affiliation agreement is set to expire after this season, and the Binghamton Mets are looking for a new home, some eyebrows were raised. This afternoon, John Willi, President of the Rock Cats, did a Q & A session on Twitter for Rock Cats fans. I asked a question concerning the relationship with the Twins, and clearly I wasn't the only person curious about this subject. There were a couple other similar questions, as well. Here were the pertinent questions and answers on this subject: Q: Thus far, how have you enjoyed having the Twins as a parent club, and how has the relationship been? A: The Twins are incredible partner. Second to none in my opinion. So far a great season in 2012! Q: What is the status of the PDA with the Twins after this season? ‏A: It's scheduled to expire after this season. We are hopeful that the relationship can continue. Q: Any truth to rumor of Rock Cats becoming a Mets affiliate? A: We have a great partner with the Twins and look forward to continuing that. So there's that. No point in editorializing or trying to read between the lines from what was primarily a PR Twitter exchange. When I read anything in the local newspapers, or hear anything otherwise, I'll keep updating.

[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BEbMinyrRqc/T7uFJT7gXsI/AAAAAAAAAWY/bqFIJta9emo/s1600/Herrmann.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]Rock Cats catcher Chris Herrmann [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] The New Britain Rock Cats won what ended up being a fairly close game last night, 10-7, over the Binghamton Mets. It was 10-2 going into the 9th inning, but Daniel Turpen let the game get a little too close for comfort. A win is a win, though! The big performer last night was Chris Herrmann, who was 4-for-5 with a double. For more on last night's game, check out the nice recap on TwinsDaily. As I do every now and then, I thought this might be a good time to provide updates as to player progress and how the team is doing in general. The good news is that the Twins organization has a team that is currently in first place, and that team is the Rock Cats. After last night's win they are 26-17, good for a .605 winning percentage. They are 1 game ahead of the Reading Phillies in the win column, so they lead the Eastern Division by a half game. Interestingly, New Britain is 12-12 at home, but an impressive 14-5 on the road. They are 6-4 over their last 10 games, and have won 3 of their last 4. Now for some reports on prospects you may be watching. In general, the batting averages have dipped in the past few weeks. Perhaps the grind of the season and the bus travel is starting to get to the players a little? Today I'll profile some hitters, and later in the week I'll take a look at pitching. Aaron Hicks: .248/.328/.412, 5 HR, 1 3B, 8 2B, 25 RBI, 12 stolen bases. 20 BB, 42 K. Deibinson Romero: .257/.344/.400, 3 HR, 1 3B, 9 2B, 22 RBI, 15 BB, 23 K. Chris Herrmann: .256/.299/.417, 4 HR, 13 2B, 14 RBIs, 10 BB, 32 K. Matt Rizzotti (in 20 at-bats): .250/.348/.450, 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 5 K. Chris Colabello: .228/.305/..426, 6 HR, 9 2B, 24 RBI, 12 BB, 31 K. Joe Benson (on disabled list now due to wrist injury): .156/.250/.250, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 8 K. James Berersford: .267/.350/.286, 2 2B, 8 RBI, 13 BB, 15 K. This evening, the Rock Cats continue their series against Binghamton. Thereafter, the teams play a noon game on Wednesday, followed by a 10:30 a.m. series finale on Thursday. Then, the Rock Cats head out of town for a week for series against the Portland Sea Dogs and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BEbMinyrRqc/T7uFJT7gXsI/AAAAAAAAAWY/bqFIJta9emo/s1600/Herrmann.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]Rock Cats catcher Chris Herrmann [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] The New Britain Rock Cats won what ended up being a fairly close game last night, 10-7, over the Binghamton Mets. It was 10-2 going into the 9th inning, but Daniel Turpen let the game get a little too close for comfort. A win is a win, though! The big performer last night was Chris Herrmann, who was 4-for-5 with a double. For more on last night's game, check out the nice recap on TwinsDaily. As I do every now and then, I thought this might be a good time to provide updates as to player progress and how the team is doing in general. The good news is that the Twins organization has a team that is currently in first place, and that team is the Rock Cats. After last night's win they are 26-17, good for a .605 winning percentage. They are 1 game ahead of the Reading Phillies in the win column, so they lead the Eastern Division by a half game. Interestingly, New Britain is 12-12 at home, but an impressive 14-5 on the road. They are 6-4 over their last 10 games, and have won 3 of their last 4. Now for some reports on prospects you may be watching. In general, the batting averages have dipped in the past few weeks. Perhaps the grind of the season and the bus travel is starting to get to the players a little? Today I'll profile some hitters, and later in the week I'll take a look at pitching. Aaron Hicks: .248/.328/.412, 5 HR, 1 3B, 8 2B, 25 RBI, 12 stolen bases. 20 BB, 42 K. Deibinson Romero: .257/.344/.400, 3 HR, 1 3B, 9 2B, 22 RBI, 15 BB, 23 K. Chris Herrmann: .256/.299/.417, 4 HR, 13 2B, 14 RBIs, 10 BB, 32 K. Matt Rizzotti (in 20 at-bats): .250/.348/.450, 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 5 K. Chris Colabello: .228/.305/..426, 6 HR, 9 2B, 24 RBI, 12 BB, 31 K. Joe Benson (on disabled list now due to wrist injury): .156/.250/.250, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 8 K. James Berersford: .267/.350/.286, 2 2B, 8 RBI, 13 BB, 15 K. This evening, the Rock Cats continue their series against Binghamton. Thereafter, the teams play a noon game on Wednesday, followed by a 10:30 a.m. series finale on Thursday. Then, the Rock Cats head out of town for a week for series against the Portland Sea Dogs and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

 [TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CCa8MxdTpjY/T7o4SKD50wI/AAAAAAAAAWM/loUcirSMPdM/s320/Dozier.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]Brian Dozier, new Twins shortstop [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] One player you probably have heard of since he was 15 years old. Between the prodigious 500 foot home runs as a teenager, the eye black that could be mistaken for war paint, and an ego big enough to handle a $6.25 million signing bonus, he came into professional baseball already anointed as "the chosen one." Despite putting up fairly pedestrian numbers in relatively short stints at AA and AAA, it was of little surprise that the Washington Nationals promoted him early in the 2012 season: they want to sell tickets and be successful, and there's little doubt that he is a long-term solution to both those issues. The other player only fans of the Twins minor league system had heard of up until this past spring. He is a college graduate and was a 4-year starter on the Southern Mississippi baseball team, he's 25 and just getting his first taste of the big leagues, was an 8th round draft pick, and (mostly) flew under the radar until he was named 2011 Twins minor league player of the year. He's not flashy, does not hit 500 foot home runs, and from what I have seen, he does not even wear eye black. He's not view as the second coming of Babe Ruth, and he's not expected to permanently change the face of the Twins franchise. But just for kicks, I thought it might be fun to do a side-by-side comparison of Bryce Harper and the Twins' new shortstop Brian Dozier. On paper, of course, they couldn't be less similar players: one is a power-hitting teenage outfielder that may hit 500 home runs in his career; the other is a solid middle infielder expected to hit for decent average and with moderate power. It's interesting, though, that both broke into the big leagues at almost the same time -- Dozier's first game was May 7; Harper's was April 28 -- and both were brought up to inject some life into their clubs. The point here isn't to compare Dozier and Harper to one another -- that would be senseless. Rather, I'm just comparing what they have done, in a similar time span, with what fans of both organizations might have hoped for or expected. As of today, Harper has a .244/.333/.449 slash line with 2 home runs, 2 triples, 6 doubles and 7 RBIs. His OPS is .782. Dozier stands at .279/.292/.426 with 2 home runs, 3 doubles and 8 RBIs, with an OPS of .719. Just looking at those basic stats, a couple things stand out: first, although Harper "only" has 2 home runs, his ability to hit for extra bases is noteworthy. Second, it's not surprising that Harper is batting under .250 -- he hit .256 in 37 games at AA, and .250 in only 20 games at AAA. Yes, you're reading that right: he only played 57 games above A level minor league baseball before being called up. As I mentioned, his promotion was not solely merit-based. With respect to Dozier, he has been as advertised: capable in the field, some power, and the ability to hit for a good average. In short, in the extremely small sample sizes, both players are performing pretty much like you might expect. Dozier has been good on defense, has hit for average, and has shown occasional pop; Harper's batting average is lower than it was at AA or AAA, but he has demonstrated that, when he does hit, the power is there. It's funny that there is so much hype for one player, Harper, and the other, Dozier, will play this season in relative obscurity (it doesn't help Dozier's case that the Twins will be out of the national spotlight all summer). Yes, I do think that Harper will be an excellent major league player for years to come, and I also admit that I have enjoyed watching the way he hustles on the field 100 percent of the time. But this season, while ESPN is cutting into other broadcasts to alert us as to what great athletic feat (turning a single into a hustle double) or crazy behavior (hitting himself in the head with a bat) Harper is engaged in, I'll be content to watch a solid-fielding shortstop, who seems like a genuinely decent guy, who hopefully can anchor the Twins' infield for the foreseeable future.

 [TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CCa8MxdTpjY/T7o4SKD50wI/AAAAAAAAAWM/loUcirSMPdM/s320/Dozier.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]Brian Dozier, new Twins shortstop [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] One player you probably have heard of since he was 15 years old. Between the prodigious 500 foot home runs as a teenager, the eye black that could be mistaken for war paint, and an ego big enough to handle a $6.25 million signing bonus, he came into professional baseball already anointed as "the chosen one." Despite putting up fairly pedestrian numbers in relatively short stints at AA and AAA, it was of little surprise that the Washington Nationals promoted him early in the 2012 season: they want to sell tickets and be successful, and there's little doubt that he is a long-term solution to both those issues. The other player only fans of the Twins minor league system had heard of up until this past spring. He is a college graduate and was a 4-year starter on the Southern Mississippi baseball team, he's 25 and just getting his first taste of the big leagues, was an 8th round draft pick, and (mostly) flew under the radar until he was named 2011 Twins minor league player of the year. He's not flashy, does not hit 500 foot home runs, and from what I have seen, he does not even wear eye black. He's not view as the second coming of Babe Ruth, and he's not expected to permanently change the face of the Twins franchise. But just for kicks, I thought it might be fun to do a side-by-side comparison of Bryce Harper and the Twins' new shortstop Brian Dozier. On paper, of course, they couldn't be less similar players: one is a power-hitting teenage outfielder that may hit 500 home runs in his career; the other is a solid middle infielder expected to hit for decent average and with moderate power. It's interesting, though, that both broke into the big leagues at almost the same time -- Dozier's first game was May 7; Harper's was April 28 -- and both were brought up to inject some life into their clubs. The point here isn't to compare Dozier and Harper to one another -- that would be senseless. Rather, I'm just comparing what they have done, in a similar time span, with what fans of both organizations might have hoped for or expected. As of today, Harper has a .244/.333/.449 slash line with 2 home runs, 2 triples, 6 doubles and 7 RBIs. His OPS is .782. Dozier stands at .279/.292/.426 with 2 home runs, 3 doubles and 8 RBIs, with an OPS of .719. Just looking at those basic stats, a couple things stand out: first, although Harper "only" has 2 home runs, his ability to hit for extra bases is noteworthy. Second, it's not surprising that Harper is batting under .250 -- he hit .256 in 37 games at AA, and .250 in only 20 games at AAA. Yes, you're reading that right: he only played 57 games above A level minor league baseball before being called up. As I mentioned, his promotion was not solely merit-based. With respect to Dozier, he has been as advertised: capable in the field, some power, and the ability to hit for a good average. In short, in the extremely small sample sizes, both players are performing pretty much like you might expect. Dozier has been good on defense, has hit for average, and has shown occasional pop; Harper's batting average is lower than it was at AA or AAA, but he has demonstrated that, when he does hit, the power is there. It's funny that there is so much hype for one player, Harper, and the other, Dozier, will play this season in relative obscurity (it doesn't help Dozier's case that the Twins will be out of the national spotlight all summer). Yes, I do think that Harper will be an excellent major league player for years to come, and I also admit that I have enjoyed watching the way he hustles on the field 100 percent of the time. But this season, while ESPN is cutting into other broadcasts to alert us as to what great athletic feat (turning a single into a hustle double) or crazy behavior (hitting himself in the head with a bat) Harper is engaged in, I'll be content to watch a solid-fielding shortstop, who seems like a genuinely decent guy, who hopefully can anchor the Twins' infield for the foreseeable future.

[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W6l_zE1KjXg/T7Y7pYLuL8I/AAAAAAAAAWA/8Gg2IY0NhUc/s320/Stadium.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]Is 2012 the last season that the Twins organization will call New Britain the home for their AA team? [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] Something is amiss. Something doesn't feel quite right to this blogger. Take a look at this link. The Rock Cats, who play host to the Mets' AA affiliate, the Binghamton Mets, next Monday through Thursday, are doing a "meet and greet" at New Britain Stadium with the Mets prospects before the start of Monday's game. That's right, with Mets players. I've never seen anything quite like this before. There could be at least a few normal explanations, and I'll go through a couple. First, it's a spring weeknight game, and the team (from what I have seen), although drawing well, has not been selling out during the week nights early in the season. Minor league teams are known for creative promotions, and this is just another creative promotion. Second, and somewhat related, Connecticut residents are (in order of popularity) Yankees, Red Sox and Mets fans. It stands to reason that many people living in central Connecticut who are Mets fans might love the opportunity to meet some AA prospects without having to drive to Binghamton, New York -- a 4 hour drive from central Connecticut -- to do so. In other words, it's just catering to something that many Connecticut fans might desire. Maybe they would be wise to schedule a similar promotion when the Red Sox affiliate, the Portland Sea Dogs, next comes to town? But, underlying these superficially satisfying explanations are a couple factors that intrigue me. First, in the few years that I have been attending Rock Cats games, I have never before seen a similar event done for a visiting team. Admittedly, I could be wrong about this, but I don't recall ever hearing about a promotion where fans could meet members of a visiting team, such as the Red Sox or Yankees affiliates. I understand that rivalries aren't the same in minor league baseball as they are in the major leagues, but still -- can you imagine the Twins arranging for fans to have meet and greet with White Sox players when they come to Target Field? Or, maybe a more appropriate example: Does Minnesota native Jack Hannahan work officially in conjunction with the Twins to meet some fans when he comes to town with the Indians? My guess -- and it's strictly a guess -- is no. Second, and more importantly, here is what is possibly happening behind the scenes: It's no secret that there is going to be some AA organization shuffling taking place this offseason. Specifically, the Binghamton Mets are done with their affiliation after this season. The article I just linked to surmises that the Mets would move to New Britain, the Twins would move to New Hampshire, and the Blue Jays (currently in New Hampshire) would move to Ottawa, as an ownership group is purchasing a AA team and moving it there. From a business standpoint, I can understand why it might be attractive to New Britain ownership to align with whatever local professional team -- the Yankees, Mets or Red Sox -- that had a farm club available. As it is, those 3 teams receive all the media attention in Connecticut, and they all have loyal followings, like the Twins do in Minnesota. The difference is that the Twins prospects -- after they get called up to Target Field -- are relatively forgotten by most in Connecticut (except for Rock Cats fans, of course). Simply stated, there's no "Twins brand" in Connecticut, outside of what the Rock Cats have done a great job of cultivating on their own (on that note, and in fairness, I need to mention that many of the Rock Cats fans -- primarily season ticket holders -- I have gotten to know this year, are devout Twins fans, who probably know more about the organization than I do; their numbers just aren't as strong as the number of Yankees, Red Sox and Mets fans around me). At the same time, though, if this speculation is correct, I can't wonder if the Rock Cats would be alienating some of their fan base by aligning with one of the three local professional baseball teams. Since I have lived out here, I don't think I've met one person that told me that they hate the Twins. Sure, some are simply not fans, but far more appreciate the team on at least some level, whether it's an association with Kirby Puckett or Joe Mauer, or the fact that the Twins used to be "the little engine that could." I emailed with a local reporter a few months ago when the Rock Cats' new ownership agreement was announced, inquiring whether he believed that the sale of the team increased the odds of the Rock Cats realigning. His response was a qualified "no," for precisely the reason that I just stated: the previous ownership had believed that, if they aligned with one of the Yankees, Red Sox or Mets, they would lose some who are fans of the other two teams (i.e., a Red Sox fan is not going to pay to watch Yankees prospects if the Rock Cats became a Yankees farm team); if, however, the Rock Cats remained aligned with a club whose major league team was not local, they could develop their own fan base (which they did), while still attracting fans of all three local pro teams (which they do). In the end, I don't know exactly what's happening, and it's none of my business. The Rock Cats have been very good to me as far as being accessible and helping me provide some fan coverage (more on that to come hopefully next week), and I don't intend to make a mountain out of a molehill. It's just a very interesting promotion, and the timing -- going into the last 3 months of the Rock Cats' contract with the Twins -- is curious. The Twins fan in me, and of course the blogger in me, wants this business relationship to continue, and to prosper, but I ultimately will not be shocked if this new ownership group has plans to align with the Mets. Will I still be a fan of minor league baseball in New Britain? Of course. Will it be the same for me? Of course not. Perhaps this promotion will test the proverbial waters to gauge the extent of Connecticut fan interest in the Mets prospects?

[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W6l_zE1KjXg/T7Y7pYLuL8I/AAAAAAAAAWA/8Gg2IY0NhUc/s320/Stadium.bmp [TD=class: tr-caption]Is 2012 the last season that the Twins organization will call New Britain the home for their AA team? [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] Something is amiss. Something doesn't feel quite right to this blogger. Take a look at this link. The Rock Cats, who play host to the Mets' AA affiliate, the Binghamton Mets, next Monday through Thursday, are doing a "meet and greet" at New Britain Stadium with the Mets prospects before the start of Monday's game. That's right, with Mets players. I've never seen anything quite like this before. There could be at least a few normal explanations, and I'll go through a couple. First, it's a spring weeknight game, and the team (from what I have seen), although drawing well, has not been selling out during the week nights early in the season. Minor league teams are known for creative promotions, and this is just another creative promotion. Second, and somewhat related, Connecticut residents are (in order of popularity) Yankees, Red Sox and Mets fans. It stands to reason that many people living in central Connecticut who are Mets fans might love the opportunity to meet some AA prospects without having to drive to Binghamton, New York -- a 4 hour drive from central Connecticut -- to do so. In other words, it's just catering to something that many Connecticut fans might desire. Maybe they would be wise to schedule a similar promotion when the Red Sox affiliate, the Portland Sea Dogs, next comes to town? But, underlying these superficially satisfying explanations are a couple factors that intrigue me. First, in the few years that I have been attending Rock Cats games, I have never before seen a similar event done for a visiting team. Admittedly, I could be wrong about this, but I don't recall ever hearing about a promotion where fans could meet members of a visiting team, such as the Red Sox or Yankees affiliates. I understand that rivalries aren't the same in minor league baseball as they are in the major leagues, but still -- can you imagine the Twins arranging for fans to have meet and greet with White Sox players when they come to Target Field? Or, maybe a more appropriate example: Does Minnesota native Jack Hannahan work officially in conjunction with the Twins to meet some fans when he comes to town with the Indians? My guess -- and it's strictly a guess -- is no. Second, and more importantly, here is what is possibly happening behind the scenes: It's no secret that there is going to be some AA organization shuffling taking place this offseason. Specifically, the Binghamton Mets are done with their affiliation after this season. The article I just linked to surmises that the Mets would move to New Britain, the Twins would move to New Hampshire, and the Blue Jays (currently in New Hampshire) would move to Ottawa, as an ownership group is purchasing a AA team and moving it there. From a business standpoint, I can understand why it might be attractive to New Britain ownership to align with whatever local professional team -- the Yankees, Mets or Red Sox -- that had a farm club available. As it is, those 3 teams receive all the media attention in Connecticut, and they all have loyal followings, like the Twins do in Minnesota. The difference is that the Twins prospects -- after they get called up to Target Field -- are relatively forgotten by most in Connecticut (except for Rock Cats fans, of course). Simply stated, there's no "Twins brand" in Connecticut, outside of what the Rock Cats have done a great job of cultivating on their own (on that note, and in fairness, I need to mention that many of the Rock Cats fans -- primarily season ticket holders -- I have gotten to know this year, are devout Twins fans, who probably know more about the organization than I do; their numbers just aren't as strong as the number of Yankees, Red Sox and Mets fans around me). At the same time, though, if this speculation is correct, I can't wonder if the Rock Cats would be alienating some of their fan base by aligning with one of the three local professional baseball teams. Since I have lived out here, I don't think I've met one person that told me that they hate the Twins. Sure, some are simply not fans, but far more appreciate the team on at least some level, whether it's an association with Kirby Puckett or Joe Mauer, or the fact that the Twins used to be "the little engine that could." I emailed with a local reporter a few months ago when the Rock Cats' new ownership agreement was announced, inquiring whether he believed that the sale of the team increased the odds of the Rock Cats realigning. His response was a qualified "no," for precisely the reason that I just stated: the previous ownership had believed that, if they aligned with one of the Yankees, Red Sox or Mets, they would lose some who are fans of the other two teams (i.e., a Red Sox fan is not going to pay to watch Yankees prospects if the Rock Cats became a Yankees farm team); if, however, the Rock Cats remained aligned with a club whose major league team was not local, they could develop their own fan base (which they did), while still attracting fans of all three local pro teams (which they do). In the end, I don't know exactly what's happening, and it's none of my business. The Rock Cats have been very good to me as far as being accessible and helping me provide some fan coverage (more on that to come hopefully next week), and I don't intend to make a mountain out of a molehill. It's just a very interesting promotion, and the timing -- going into the last 3 months of the Rock Cats' contract with the Twins -- is curious. The Twins fan in me, and of course the blogger in me, wants this business relationship to continue, and to prosper, but I ultimately will not be shocked if this new ownership group has plans to align with the Mets. Will I still be a fan of minor league baseball in New Britain? Of course. Will it be the same for me? Of course not. Perhaps this promotion will test the proverbial waters to gauge the extent of Connecticut fan interest in the Mets prospects?