darwin22

Seth: Thanks for your response. Appreciate all the hard work yourself and all the other TD staff are doing.

In this lost season its always good to get a "W" over the W-Sox. A few observations/questions? 1. Did Pineda do enough tonight (impress another GM) to pitch his last game in a Twins uniform? If so, I'd like to thank Big Mike for 2+ seasons of quality work in our rotation. When he was healthy, you could make the argument Pineda was our most consistent SP. 2. When will FO/mgmt realize their doing nothing but hurting (my opinion) Celestino by keeping him on the active roster? Since his promotion to Twins on June 2nd, Celestino has played in only 19 games with only 51 ABs and has done zip at the plate (.137 avg/.185 OBP). I do understand why he was promoted (injuries to Buxton and Cave and reluctance to play Kepler regularly in CF), but, I may be on an island here----this kid needs REGULAR ABs!! Yes, the experience has helped him, but he was very average during his early season time with Wichita. Is his demotion back to Wichita only a matter of time until mgmt decides to bring Cave (ugh) back from Saint Paul? 3. Is there any hope that some (desperate) team would be willing to deal for Colome? Before allowing 1 ER tonight, Colome had put together a string (6 games) of allowing allowing only 1 ER in 6.1 IP. I know, I'm reaching. 4. Nice to see the continued production from Polanco. I wish my confidence level was higher as everytime he has a productive night I leave him on my bench on my fantasy team. 5. Is the promotion of Brent Rooker a foregone conclusion when Cruz is traded? I'd like to believe what he's done at Saint Paul has earned him that opportunity....but his low avg and propensity to whiff and lack of defense has me thinking mgmt might be looking at Refsnyder or Garlick. Others thoughts? and finally Who wants to make an argument---please provide facts----for Happ to continue getting regular starts the remainder of the season? Count me in the camp that is strongly in favor of seeing some combination of Jax, Winder and Barnes fill 2 rotation slots throughout August until the FO deems Balazovic is ready for a call to 'the show' Don't see FO eating the remainder of Happ's contract so he can provide mop up duty the rest of the season. He has NO ROLE in 2022------no reason to give him any more starts.

Andrew/ Seth/ TD Staff: Outstanding piece with this update! Hopefully this "tracker" will be updated daily as picks---especially those unsigned in rounds 1-10--get signed in advance of the Aug. 15th deadline. For those that are signed------what is "the plan" for these players the remainder of this season? I'd assume they'll be assigned to FCL Twins team? If correct, how long does their season run?

With apathy as my constant companion in this continued train wreck of a season nothing to really say, except for I hope (which is a dangerous thing) 2022 is better.

Seth: Thanks for the clarification/explanation as I've been calling for Hamilton's promotion for the last 2 weeks. I guess I understand where mgmt. is on this front, but I have to ask------what's the downside of "dfa'ing" Colome at this point in the season while calling up Hamilton and adding him to the 40 man roster. Hamilton has a much better chance of being part of the solution to our bullpen foibles in 2022. Colome's time is OVER. Just wish it was sooner than later.

I agree! Saying that be careful what you wish for as I would NOT be surprised to see Happ replaced by...GULP....Matt Shoemaker, who just had a 5 inning shutout the other night. IMO, what should happen--assuming Pineda is dealt before the deadline----is Charlie Barnes getting called back up for a rotation slot. Barnes pitched well yesterday---1 ER in 4.1 IP. Im sure Happ is just happy tonight that he didn't have to face the White Sox. No reason he should continue to get starts in this train wreck of a season. Time to get Barnes back up and soon after Josh Winder.

This really isn't a big deal. I'll start with that. Looking at the video, its very apparent to see the following: Donaldson is digging in ready to pitch. Peralta is on the rubber and ready to deliver the pitch. Arraez has his back turned to homeplate looking out into CF. Very obvious to me that JD called "time" because Arraez was (my word) lollygagging---not being in position to take his lead off of 2B. What IS more concerning to me is that Cruz and Tommy Watkins were the 2 interceding between Arraez and Donaldson in the dugout. Where was Waldo?? oops...I mean Rocco.

If there's any optimism left out there.....can't believe anyone has that at this point, but please don't reply that things "can't get any worse,"------because it will and thats just the sad state of affairs for this inept franchise. Hate saying that as I've been a fan since the mid 1970s.....but this organization (with the exception of our 2 WS titles) from top to bottom is riddled with such an abundance of problems with no solutions anywhere in sight. Sad.

Thanks for the clarification as I was unaware of that. At this point----getting swept by the Tiggers----I'd take the risk of bringing him up regardless. A total nightmare of a season...which can and will get worse.

Oh...I forgot to add Hamilton has 31 K's over those 18.67 IP. Hmm.....a guy that can located and throw gas. No...we don't need that...smh

A little late posting to this thread, but can anyone explain how Juan Minaya and/or Beau Burrows is more deserving of a promotion than Ian Hamilton?? Hamilton has got to be more than a tad peeved today seeing these 2 guys moved up over him. For those that argue that Hamilton's command (walks) are the issue, that is no longer the case as evidenced by the following facts since June 1st: GP: 10 IP: 18.67 Hits allowed: 9 BB: 9 WHIP: 0.96 ER allowed: 2 ERA: 0.96 I have nothing against Burrows or Minaya, but there's NO WAY either has pitched even remotely better than Hamilton over this time span.

Top Gunn: Nearly 24 hours late posting, but I absolutely agree with your comments. As much as I want to see Balazovic promoted and get a few late season starts, this might be mitigated by the following factors: #1 FO being very careful about limiting Balazovic's IP the rest of the season. As I'm sure you're aware of, Balazovic didn't pitch the first month of the season due to injury. When he was activated (June 5th), his pitch count was extremely limited as evidenced by the fact that he only threw 24.33 IP in his six starts in June. #2 Similar to point 1, but Balazovic pitched only 93.67 IP in 2019 between Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers over 18 starts, which averages just over 5IP per outing. #3 Where will a spot be in starting rotation later in season? Assuming Berrios, Maeda, Ober and (ugh) Happ keep their slots (with Pineda being traded) that only opens up 1 slot for rotation. That could be taken by Barnes (big if) or by Josh Winder (more likely). Don't get me wrong. I'm a big Balazovic fan especially after seeing him dominate Springfield in his 3rd start this season on June 15th in Wichita. Hard not to come away impressed with what he did last night against Tulsa--especially after seeing the video from last nights game. He is the real deal. I just see management taking a "kid gloves" approach with JB--like the Nats did many years ago with Strasburg.

Bighat: Very fair point in setting me straight with facts about Jeffers recent offensive struggles (3 hits over last 3 weeks). Normally, I base my comments on research, but failed to do so with that comment. Saying that, from what I've seen of Jeffers defensively, he's far superior in all aspects over Garver, but to justify getting the majority of playing time next year, he must show some marked improvement the 2nd half of this season. I, like other fans, am just frustrated by regression of Garver from his breakout 2019 season. If he can figure a way to stay healthy and come anywhere close to his 2019 numbers, his chances of remaining as our #1 catcher increases dramatically.

Nick: You offer a lot of intriguing questions for next season, which are all questions that I and most Twins have at this point of a lost season. Many of these will be answered over the next 2 weeks as we see what players---especially those on expiring contracts-----Cruz, Simmons, Pineda are dealt. One area that you didn't address is our future state of affairs at the catcher position. I'd be interested to hear your perspective as well as other fans. I'll offer my "2 cents" for now: 1. What to do with Garver? Of all the hitters that BOMBED their way into history in 2019, the enigma of Mitch Garver continues. Without going into history that all know------I'd suggest--for at least the rest of the season---assuming Garver is back soon from his rehab---that Baldelli employs a time share between Garver and Jeffers. 2. Ryan Jeffers: Count me in the camp that advocate for Jeffers to be our regular (120 games plus) starting catcher in 2022. I believe Jeffers is far superior defensively than Garver and is starting to figure things out with his bat. 3. Ben Rortvedt: Great kid who offers some good defensive skills, but needs REGULAR ABs at Saint Paul the rest of the season to see if he jump into the mix as a backup for next season. 4. Willians Austudillo: Might not belong in this grouping, but he has shown promise at AAA since his demotion. Love his passion and flair, but doubt those intangibles justify a roster spot this season or moving into 2022.

Count me in the camp of being pleased to see Barnes get this opportunity, which, imo he absolutely deserves. I've been calling for his promotion for the last couple of weeks and echo your comments that he should get a fair evaluation to stay in the rotation. I know Happ will remain in rotation through trade deadline, but if Pineda is dealt (he should be) and Dobnak remains MIA (injury), Barnes could serve as SP5 with Happ moving into a long man RP role. Happ's last start was very good, but that doesn't negate the fact that even including that last start he has a horrible 6.75 ERA and robust WHIP (1.75) in his 7 starts since June 1st. I will say AGAIN......the rest of this season is about 1 thing: EVALUATION FOR 2022.

Add me to the camp that is 100% against promoting Cave back to the active roster. I don't hate Cave, but when looking at his putrid numbers from this season and in 2020-----he hasn't done squat to deserve ABs at the MLB level. IMO, the only purpose he serves is as at LH bat to pinch hit, a pinch runner late in the game or as a late inning defensive replacement. The issue is--the Twins already have that in Nick Gordon, who has better speed and offers more flexibility defensively. It has become time to demote Celestino. This is especially true when Cruz is traded. Rooker offers a needed RH bat that can DH in lieu of Sano and can play either corner OF position. Celestino needs REGULAR ABs, which he's not getting--nor should he---at either Wichita or Saint Paul. I think Wichita is the better spot for him for at least the remainder of the season.

Nash: Appreciate the updates for our affiliates today, despite a rough day for the Saints in Des Moines against the I-Cubs. Attended the Kernels game today (our 3rd road trip after seeing Surge in Springfield and Wichita) and came away with a few observations. 1. Although battling some early command issues, Tyler Watson pitched effectively completing 4 shutout IP. Came away wondering if FO plan is to keep Watson as a SP as it appears he pitched exclusively out of the bullpen earlier this year, 2. Nice day by Wander Javier with 2 hits..1 being a missile line drive triple to left center in the 4th inning. Javier also had a nice game defensively with 5 assists at SS. 3. Came away impressed with DaShawn Kiersey. Despite a low average he has a strong OBP (.365). Kiersey hit the ball hard in each AB and also stole a base. 4. Beyond the performance of Watson I was very impressed with the performance of RP Derek Molina. He was lights out in his 2+ IP this afternoon. Great command with a quality fastball, but even better was his offspeed pitches. Although Molina's overall season numbers might not look that great-----since June 17th-----8 games (all in relief) he's pitched 17.33 innings allowing only 2 ER (1.04 ERA). Moreover, his dominance over the last 3 weeks can be proved with a miniscule 0.40 WHIP.......6 hits with only 1 walk over those 17.1 IP. Molina has also registered 24 K's over that span. 14th round pick from 2017 draft---keep an eye on this kid! 5. Great to see Kernels finish off the sweep vs. Peoria despite the bats having an overall down day. Some of that may have been attributed to Julien and Camargo both getting the day off. and finally Having never attended a game in Cedar Rapids despite growing up in the area (Cedar Falls) many years ago when they were a Giants, Cincy and Angels affiliate---I was blown away by the game day experience. Had 2 box seats behind Kernels dugout for a total of $26.00. Parking was free! Stadium is easy to find in Cedar Rapids. Concessions are extremely affordable with a great variety of options. As great as all that was, the Kernels game day staff was extremely friendly not only to my spouse and I, but to fans in every part of the park. Also, on Sundays--all kids 12 and under eat FREE!! If anyone is looking for a fun road trip with a quality team to root for------get to a Kernels game this season. You will not leave disappointed.

Matt: Thanks for your update of our affiliates tonight. A few remarks: 1. Great to see Balazovic dominate in his start tonight. Looking like he's building towards a later season (September) call up. Saw Balazovic pitch in mid June against Springfield when he had a very good start. Im sure the FO is keeping close tabs on his innings and will be very careful with him as he's had some injury issues. I would suggest if he can continue to be close to this impressive the remainder of July, an August promotion to Saint Paul will be coming. 2. Nice to see the Wind Surge FINALLY register a "W" at home tonight. They need to build off tonights win (thank you BJ "Crash" Boyd) and get another win tomorrow before their important upcoming home series vs. Tulsa. 3. Also great to see the Kernels continue their solid play with another win at home tonight against Peoria. Drove up from KC area tonight (family trip) with plan for road trip tomorrow afternoon to see series finale. Having attended college in CR area (Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls), I've never made it there for a minor league game. Excited to see rising hitters in the Kernels lineup. Thankfully its looking like the weather will cooperate. and finally.... Any word/development on the potential promotions of 2 RPs-------Ian Hamilton (SP) and Jovanni Moran (Wichita)? Hamilton has been dominant recently (1.08 ERA) and appears to have harnessed his control issues. Moran has been rock solid all season for Wind Surge. Keep up the great work.

True....but considering this team hasn't been at the .500 mark since April 13th and is on pace for 69 wins (93 losses), still a colossal failure. Saying that.......nice to see bullpen (minus Thielbar) perform well. Also nice to see that Robbie Grossman is still using the same "waffle iron" of a glove he displayed for years in a Twins uniform.

Ted: Nice report on tonight's games across the board. A few observations: #1 Assuming Pineda can show some semblance of production in his starts after the ASB and gets dealt------its TIME that Charlie Barnes gets a promotion to starting rotation for Twins. 5-2 record with a decent ERA (3.88), respectable WHIP (1.26) and an excellet (50-19) K to BB rate, imo, warrants this opportunity. If Griffin Jax and Lewis Thorpe can get starts for the Twins, why not Barnes? #2 Disappointed to see the Wind Surge struggle in their series so far vs. NW Arkansas. I may be out on a limb here, but I'd much rather see Celestino getting regular ABs with Wichita than very sporadic ABs with Twins. I know FO is concerned about risking another Kepler injury and is reluctant to give Gordon consistent starts with Buxton still out. I stand by my comment- Celestino needs to be sent down either to Saint Paul or Wichita. Broxton has has a recent uptick with his bat and would serve Twins well defensively in CF and as a RH bat option off the bench. #3 What does Ian Hamilton have to do to get promoted to Twins? Another excellent out tonight------2.1 shutout IP with 2 whiffs, 0 walks, which lowered his ERA to 1.08. Is a 3rd LH RP in Coulombe that important in bullpen? Hamilton deserves a promotion. #4 Nice to Wander Javier walk things off tonight for the Kernels. Looking forward to checking Javier and others out this weekend as I'm planning a Sunday road trip up to Cedar Rapids.

Although there are several that should be traded------I hope Pineda is dealt. Saying that, I like Pineda and believe it could be argued that over the past 2+ seasons he's been the most consistent and reliable of all of our SPs. Hopefully Big Mike can shake off the rust after the ASB break with potentially 2 starts vs. DET and 1 vs. Angels (I'd be fine skipping the Sox in Chicago after his performance yesterday. As I've posted multiple times in the last month----the rest of this season is 100% for EVALUATION for 2022. If a trade can be worked out for Pineda-----that opens a rotation slot up for Charlie Barnes. Barnes recorded another "W" tonight to improve his record to 5-2. Although his ERA (3.88) is not in the territory of Josh Winder, I believe Barnes has EARNED this opportunity. If Griffin Jax (1 start) and Thorpe (3) can get starts-------why not Barnes? Barnes had 5 shutout IP tonight before giving up 3 runs in the 6th in the Saints blowout win over the I-Cubs. Barnes has a respectable WHIP (1.26) and a very impressive K to BB rate (50-19). Assuming neither Berrios nor Maeda are traded, Barnes could slide into the rotation along with Ober staying in. That would still necessitate a 5th starter, which Dobnak could fill...at least on a temporary basis until Winder is ready to be called up.

bean 5302: Regarding your opening comment------"the Twins have never been a team to make a splash at the trade deadline"-----made me think back to 2003 when the Twins traded for Shannon Stewart from Toronto. That is the ONLY time that I can remember (when the Twins were in contention) that the FO actually received a "in the prime of his career" player that actually contributed afterward.

Dman: Excellent take on Cruz. Beyond his production, his professionalism and tutelage of younger players will be missed a great deal. Hopefully he'll be able to experience some playoff success. He certainly deserves it.

David: Thanks for your update with our affiliates. I was wondering why Winder's start was cut short---thought by the box score---only seeing 2 IP---that it was "planned" (pitch count) or weather was an issue. Hopefully Winder getting "Charlie Browned" was only a glancing blow and that he'll be able to take his next turn in the rotation for the Saints. Looking forward to seeing how Charlie Barnes pitches tomorrow night. IMO, he deserves a promotion soon after the AS break. Especially true if Falvey can find a GM interested in Pineda, who did himself no favors this afternoon vs. the Sox. Hopefully Barnes as well as Winder are pitching with the Twins the last 2 months of the season. All about evaluation for 2022 at this point.

Seth: Thanks for another insightful and informative article about one of our rising prospects. Looking forward to seeing Isola (and several others) this weekend as I have a road trip planned to see the Kernels play Sunday afternoon. Hopefully the weather forecast(50% chance of rain) won't interfere as its likely the only chance I'll be able to get up to Cedar Rapids this season. Would you happen to know who is scheduled to start for the Kernels on Sunday? A big "thank you" to you and all your contributing staff at Twins Daily involved with the "Minor League Report. With the (almost) daily rough days with the Twins-----these reports are a breath of fresh air as it gives me some degree of hope that better days are on the horizon.