jokin

Just so we're clear, are you fully aware of the ordeal that 2014 was for Buxton? Those 198 PAs were not played in such a vacuum that would make cursory analysis in any way useful for projection purposes. Injury one On March 16, Buck sprained the pisotriquetral joint of his left wrist. This is located in a key locus for providing various types of wrist movement, but importantly, also a relatively avascular area, meaning that the speed of the healing process is retarded and uneven, and difficult to diagnose and treat. Injury two Did I say wrist injuries are difficult to diagnose and treat? After nearly two months on the DL, Buxton played in only five games in May before re-aggravating the original injury, suggesting that it still hadn't properly fully healed and strengthened, and necessitating another two month trip (to the day) to the DL. Injury three So really, Buck had only participated in one half of Spring Training, and missed basically almost all of the next four months of action. At that point, anyone could reasonably write off- and attach to a "lost season"- whatever minimal developmental results could still hope to be salvaged in 2014. But upon his return on July 8, and after adjusting in his first few games, over an 8 game stretch, Buck's batting line was thus: .367/.472/.633/(1.106) ... culminating in a torrid 5-game stretch and ending with an extra-inning game where Buxton reached base 7 times in 9 PAs- including a HR, 3 singles, 2 BB, 1 HBP. Unfortunately, one of those reaches was being hit by a pitch on the other wrist. He actually played through the pain over 9 innings in that 17-inning game, but likely aggravated the injury by doing so. Buck was then forced into missing yet another week's worth of games. Ultimately, Buxton played 18 more games at Fort Myers, but was obviously deleteriously affected by that latest wrist injury. Injury four We all remember the horrific-looking collision in his first game in AA on August 13, leading to him being knocked out cold, and effectively ending his regular season. Given what we have learned about concussions, the symptoms can linger, sometimes for years. Buxton didn't have years though, instead of adjusting to AA pitching through 500 PAs over a full season, the only option for salvaging his season was to send him in early October into the burning cauldron of young electric arms that is the Arizona Fall League, against the top pitching prospects in each organization, and mostly from AA and AAA. Injury five In his 13th AFL game, Buxton dislocates and fractures the middle finger of his left hand, requiring surgery.... and finally and fitfully ending a nightmarish season. I think it's worthwhile to let 2015 play out for Buxton and give him the huge benefit of the doubt. Besides the obvious difficulty of all the rust accumulated in a lost 2014 season, there is still a good chance for lingering or recurring symptoms from any or all of his injuries to have some effect on his overall game.

Jorge certainly put himself tonight back in the conversation as a potential top prospect for Cedar Rapids, and Eades wasn't shabby, either. Anyone in Cedar Rapids notice if Jorge has his velocity back? 10 K in 7 IP w/ 0 ER- very impressive considering the huge step back he took in 2014.

The Cedar Rapids Zach(k) attack. Which Zach(k) is the better prospect/Which one is called up to Ft Myers first?

Hmm.... I believe you've just coined a phrase that will see a lot of usage as the season progresses.

Embarrassing, Yes. Surprising, No. This is bad enough that it makes me think that my prediction of being 15 games out of 1st place by May 15 wasn't realistic enough.

Recent history? What recent history are you referring to? Last season is a complete throw-away. He injured both wrists, probably the toughest injury to come back from concerning the hitting tool, all while attempting to make the hardest jump in the minor leagues- to AA. He compounded those lingering wrist issues, with a concussion in August, and then a finger injury that required corrective surgery. If your reference to recent history was to this season, he has all of 25 ABs, with a year's worth of rust and rehab to overcome. Let's revisit how he's doing some time in June. Before 2014, what he was doing was virtually unprecedented. Let's see what he can do again, assuming he fully regains 100% health and timing at the plate.

Setting the bar kinda low, Halsey? Yeah, he's exactly like all the other "ordinary" CF prospects and suspects that have paraded through Spring Training over the last 3 seasons.

What else would you expect from Chef Boyer-Dee?

When you reach the Post #430 milestone, you're supposed to say it in the form of one of Luther's 95 "theses"

And say it in the form of a haiku

Heh, but that's just one of our many categories for "bragging rights"

Thanks B-Sac. This specific info is very helpful. Sounds like a "wile and guile" guy, with maybe a little better stuff and high pitchability ceiling. One to follow this year to see how he shakes out and rises to the challenge of all of these high-performance arms around him in A+ and AA.

I like the new and improved getaway day lineups that include Mauer and some "hot-hand" hunches. Get to Sale early and often, before the game gets in the hands of the back-end of the White Sox pen, boys.

Yeah, it's not like it's ever happened before- that the best prospects were dominating for "a couple two-three" starts, and then after that, two-three-four-five.... more starts, and STILL not called up..... Oh wait, we've seen this bad movie before.... a few times. The answer to your rhetorical closing question is simple: you call up your best prospects because it's foolish to continue to waste starts on guys that have no business doing so, and will soon either be out of the organization, or in a new role within the organization.

The projection services tend to agree with Seth. His velocity has spiked up, and he's proven he can throw at least 140 innings without many arm issues. If he keeps throwing more games like his first appearance, they're going to have find bigger challenges for Berrios.

To quote one of the best comedy sports movies of all-time, The Longest Yard (the original): "Winning?!? I'm just talking about surviving..." If the club is spinning its wheels to another inevitable 90+ loss season, as it appears will be the case here, and probably more like two seasons, I don't mind one bit that the best talent is learning on the job at the major league level- provided they're major league ready to handle the rigors- as seems to be the case here. Witness Frank Viola, who debuted at age 22, with far less minor league bona fides than Berrios has- two pretty ordinary stops, statistically speaking- in AA, and AAA. Frank spent two pretty awful seasons learning on the job- things began working out pretty well by season three. If things begin to go bad for Berrios and needs time away for some remedial change-up duty, that's why God invented option years.

Brandon Peterson just keeps striking guys out. Lots of them. Looks like he needs to be throwing at the next level-->Stat. Sooo.... is he just the next Slama tease? Or is there any realistic thought in the org. that he can develop into something much better? Are they afraid of something that's holding him back?

Don't stop! He's in the absolute batting sweet spot, batting #2 between Buck and Sano, which strongly suggests he could stay on a lengthy run of success at the plate. I saw him play in CR, the kid has moxie oozing from his pores. If he further proves to suggest he has the chops to play SS, his stock is going to skyrocket, and gives the Twins a great problem to have, and not just a little bit of controversy if/when he's held back.

Great post. It's like Terry Ryan's secretary needs to type in a special asterisk both before and after every FA pitching name from the NL. He apparently is the forgetful type.

I asked once before on Peterson. 5 Ks in 2 IP, which is pretty much business as usual for this unheralded kid. So what's the deal? Is he the next Andrew Slama, or is he the Twins best kept secret bullpen weapon? Does he have the stuff to soon bust through two levels- right past guys with bigger reps?

Pelfrey, "major league pitching"... Er, sort of... He more than lived up to the hype when he was completely healthy- he hasn't been healthy in a year. I respectfully and confidently say that your fears and suppositions will be proven unfounded. He did have the unfortunate circumstance to get injured multiple times during the most critical transition year of a minor leaguer- ie, making the jump to AA pitching. And wrist injuries, on both hands are very tricky body parts to get healed properly, and are obviously critical for hitting success. (FWIW Concussions and sugically repaired fingers aren't minor injuries, either) Important to note, given that he had 3 hard hit balls this evening, including a long ball, I think he's already in the process of shaking off the accumulated rust, and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he is posting Top Ten Southern League batting lines in multiple categories by mid-June- even while still being some 3 years younger than league average. Buxton will be fine, and eventually a very good major league player, as long as he stays healthy.

And unfortunately, he's also apparently freshly out of a middle infield position?

I didnt'say he was great or even good, just slightly better than league average and definitely one of the most effective Twins starters over that stretch of time (faint praise, indeed). Over June-August, in 82 IP he gave up 83 hits, with close to a league average BB/9 rate. In 14 starts he pitched into the 6th or 7th inning 10 times, averaging close to 6 IP per start (higher than league average), with a 3.73 ERA (league average 4.15), slightly above league average BABIP of .302, his strand rate was near 75%- again above league average of 72.6%. Obviously, earned run numbers that were not sustainable over a long period of time, particularly because of his K/9 rate being 16% lower than league average, even during his run of success. His 2013 velocity numbers are surprisingly at, close, or even above where they had been every year since 2008. I'm thinking that this information, plus these 14 starts convinced Ryan to re-sign Pelfrey. Obviously, it was throwing away more money needlessly. He was looking for that guy he thought could return to being the bulldog innings-eater that he was on the Mets, on the cheap. NL pitchers that are also damaged goods has proven to be a bad bet for the Twins, a bet he worsened by doubling down on that bet.

Well-stated. I used to use stronger adjectives, but we now strive for avoiding harsher language on TD, lest some feel it is somehow a personal attack. And to be fair, over his collective body of work with the Twins, Pelfrey did string together two months of effective results from June through to August of 2013- with a 3.79 FIP.

No. Give it at least 20 ABs before hitting the panic button.