Thrylos

Originally Published at The Tenth Inning Stretch ---- This is the third instalment of this series. You can find the older ones here (most recent on top.) Promotions and demotions are listed under the team where the player currently plays (this means promotions to the Minnesota Twins will not be listed here) Here are the transactions in all levels in the Twins organization from August 11th until yesterday August 17th: Rochester Redwings (International League, AAA): 8/16 - Minnesota Twins optioned RHP Jeff Manship to Rochester Red Wings. 8/16 - Minnesota Twins optioned RHP Louis Perdomo to Rochester Red Wings. 8/15 - Rochester Red Wings activated 2B Tsuyoshi Nishioka. 8/15 - Minnesota Twins optioned SS Brian Dozier to Rochester Red Wings. 8/14 - Rochester Red Wings activated SS Michael Hollimon from the 7-Day disabled list. 8/13 - 2B Tsuyoshi Nishioka optioned to Rochester Red Wings. 8/11 - 3B Trevor Plouffe assigned to Rochester Red Wings(rehab). New Britain Rock Cats (Eastern League, AA): 8/17 - OF Rene Tosoni was outrighted to New Britain Rock Cats (removed from the 40 man roster) 8/16 - New Britain Rock Cats activated LHP Andrew Albers from the 7-Day disabled list. 8/16 - RHP Dave Bromberg assigned to New Britain Rock Cats from Rochester Red Wings 8/14 - RHP Luke French assigned to New Britain Rock Cats from Rochester Red Wings Fort Myers Miracle (Florida State League, A+): 8/16 - RHP Carl Pavano assigned to Fort Myers Miracle (rehab). 8/13 - RHP Kyle Gibson assigned to Fort Myers Miracle from Rochester Red Wings (this might mean that he was officially off the Rochester DL). 8/12 - Fort Myers Miracle placed LHP Pat Dean on the 7-Day disabled list 8/12 - RHP Kyle Gibson assigned to Fort Myers Miracle (rehab) from GCL Twins. Beloit Snappers (Midwest League, A): 8/12 - Beloit Snappers placed RHP Dallas Gallant on the 7-Day disabled list. 8/12 - Beloit Snappers activated RHP Cole Johnson from the 7-Day disabled list. Elizabethton Twins (Appalachian League, Rk+): 8/12 - C Michael Quesada suspended (50 days, tested positive for a banned diet supplement) 8/11 - C Kelly Cross assigned to Elizabethton Twins from GCL Twins. GCL Twins (Gulf Coast League, Rk): 8/12 RHP Carl Pavano assigned to GCL Twins from Fort Myers Miracle. DSL Twins (Dominican Summer League, Foreign Rk): No Transactions this week

Income taxes will be a drop of water in the whole financial impact. Major reason: ST does not count as work so the major leaguer's income taxes do not count. On the other hand, last time I checked, (that was like 10 years ago) FL did not have state income taxes

Tada... read above. The fact that the Twins decided to have their ST facility at Fort Myers brings about $25-50 million dollars a year in your community, which helps keep people employed. Hate to say that, but Fort Myers is not really a booming tourist destination, otherwise if you know what I mean. If they do not do it, the Twins will move to the next town and that will be that. And the unemployment rate at Fort Myers will triple.

Now we are talking. And there is not much love between Romero and Toronto right now. I watched an interview of his the other day on the MLB network, where he was asked how he felt when the manager took him out early, even though he tried to be political about it, his undertones came out really strong. That would be an interesting situation for the Twins... On the other hand, I think that Romero would drive Gardenhire crazy if Garza and Lohse drove him crazy, so he might not be a fit in today's Twins.

Doug Mientskaeizkwisandwich called, he said there aren't any Twins fans with credibility. I was told that it was a conference call with AJ Pierzynksxcuiki and Darrin Masreiuaonni was outside the door listening too

Actually Clearwater is drawing about as much as your local CR Kernels who are also towards the bottom of the Midwest League. Same with the South Atlantic (also just an "A" and not a high A league.) Teams there draw better than the FSL. I think that part of it is the demographics in FL. I also think that another part is the darn high temperatures in the summer over there. A few times I was there in July and the heat and humidity make sitting outside for 3 hours for a ball game not a pleasant experience... Spring Training is a different story. The Twins' franchise called Florida home since the late 30s (Orlando until the 90s) and for a good reason... Interesting story. Before that, the Senators' spring training was the ball fields of the University of VA at Charlottesville. Late Feb can be pretty nasty there, so there are interesting pictures of the ballplayers in hand knit wool sweaters with big Ws on them. Good stuff.

Isn't that exactly what they were saying about Slowey, Neshek and Baker as well before they got injured?

Here is the official press coverage at the Red Wings' minor league site. Ryan is such a politician. Here is part of what he said to the public: that's right... Here is some insight about how the fans of Rochester really feel and about how welcome the Twins really are

Agreed. But I am talking about total visitors, including the mom and the kids who go to the beach when the dad just uses one ticket of that 7500 Hammond stadium tickets. Let's say that about 2,500 are local (over estimate) since Miracle draws around that much. So about 5000 visitors in the stadium. So I doubled that for family members not in the stadium. If every one single, then that $100 a day doubles at least, because you have to add to about $120 for a hotel and car per day to food and tickets and stuff... But still we are talking about $25-50 million a year which will make the county break even (not in tax money but total money in the people's pockets) in the first 2-3 Seasons of the 30 year agreement. I suspect by the 15th, it will break even in taxes as well...

That's pretty much true, but it does not mean that he is not the worst among his peers. And the best player to ever play baseball is much worst than the worst neurosurgeon in brain surgery. So what? Lets compare apples with apples and not apples with pineapples

That was the most sensible of the 5-6 moves the Twins could do to open a spot.

Agreed, with one exception: When the MLB team is contending, it should have the best talent up there to help them win. Putting MiLB affiliates feeling over winning at the MLB-level is nutty IMHO. Other than that, Hicks and Arcia and Parmelee can wait a week or 2 more in a non-contending season.

Mandelaro has been twitting about "how angry" the natives are because they extended the PDC. Some of us Twins' fans are pretty upset too, because they (including the press and Mandelaro) never embraced the Twins as a franchise, and I don't think they deserve the Twins. Every other town that the Twins have affiliations with (including New Britain which is deep in Red Sox, Yankee, Met territory) is positively thinking of the Twins and their local papers even have Minnesota Twins coverage. Not Rochester. I think that the Twins made a mistake here. Maybe more agreements would be expiring in 2 years so the field would be better. Could be a tactical move because of this.

Most contracts (Player Development Contracts) with affiliates are either 2 or 4 years. Leases for spring training facilities are a different story. The Twins have a lease of Hammond Stadium and their ST facilities until 2020, but their PDC with Fort Myers Miracle expires this fall I think (but they will renew it if they have not done so).

I think their move today (to open a roster spot for Carson) will tell a lot about how they feel about their affiliates competing. I see it going 5 ways: Move Capps to the 60 day DL, or DFA one of Nishioka, Manship, Perdomo, Tosoni. I think that the most logical would be to DFA Tosoni (but that would hurt the Rock Cats in their run) Second most logical would be to DFA one of the AAA pitchers (Manship will be out of options next season and there is no way he should be on the 25-man roster) but the most innocuous for the AAA and AA teams would be to move Capps to the 60day DL (but would hurt the slim chances the Twins have to trade him in a waiver trade) or DFA NIshioka (nobody will take him, but I suspect that unless they sell his contract to Japan, they would want to see him again in September)

Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch --- With the Minnesota Twins about to announce another 2-year extension of their Player Development Contract with the Rochester Red Winds of the AAA International League and only their A-level relationship with the Beloit Snappers of the Midwest League being an unfinished business, I thought that it might be interesting to look at the average draw of the Twins' affiliates in all levels. I am listing ticket sold averages for each Minnesota Twins' affiliate from AAA to Rookie Leagues and also indicate the best and the worse sellers in their leagues (as well as their affiliations.) This does not include yesterday's games. In GCL and DSL games are free, but those teams are included for completeness. The cities (if not included in the name) and the states of the affiliates are also listed. Looks like the Philadelphia Philly affiliates (including the team closest to me Lehigh Valley IronPigs) are leading in ticket sales in every league they are with the Twins. Other than the Miracle and the E-Twins, that perennially are pretty high in sales for their leagues, all other affiliates are close to the middle. Beloit being the only exception and this is part of the reason the Twins are looking to change affiliation. Here are the numbers: Rochester (NY) Red Wings, AAA, International League Average Attendance: 5,710 Rank in League: 9th out of 14 League High: 9,083 Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies) League Low: 3,613 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees New Britain (CT) Rock Cats, AA, Eastern League Average Attendance: 4,933 Rank in League: 6th out of 12 League High: 6,265 Reading Phillies League Low: 2,864 Binghamton Mets Fort Myers (FL) Miracle, high A, Florida State League Average Attendance: 1,792 Rank in League: 5th out of 12 League High: 2,558 Clearwater Threshers (Phillies) League Low: 844 Dunedin Blue Jays Beloit (WI) Snappers, A, Midwest League Average Attendance: 989 Rank in League: 15 out of 16 League high: 8,512 Dayton Dragons (Reds) League low: 862 Burlington Bees (Athletics) Elizabethton (TN) Twins, Rookie, Appalachian League. Average Attendance: 948 Rank in League: 4th out of 10. League High: 1,322 Greeneville Astros League Low: 781 Pulaski Mariners Gulf Coast League (Fort Myers, FL) Twins, Rookie, Gulf Coast League. Average Attendance: no formal attendance/ free games Rank in League: N/A Dominical Summer League (Boca Chica Baseball City, DR) Twins, Rookie, Dominical Summer League. Average Attendance: no formal attendance/ free games Rank in League: N/A http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7053/6873268706_ed1c6493c8_z.jpg

Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch --- With the Minnesota Twins about to announce another 2-year extension of their Player Development Contract with the Rochester Red Winds of the AAA International League and only their A-level relationship with the Beloit Snappers of the Midwest League being an unfinished business, I thought that it might be interesting to look at the average draw of the Twins' affiliates in all levels. I am listing ticket sold averages for each Minnesota Twins' affiliate from AAA to Rookie Leagues and also indicate the best and the worse sellers in their leagues (as well as their affiliations.) This does not include yesterday's games. In GCL and DSL games are free, but those teams are included for completeness. The cities (if not included in the name) and the states of the affiliates are also listed. Looks like the Philadelphia Philly affiliates (including the team closest to me Lehigh Valley IronPigs) are leading in ticket sales in every league they are with the Twins. Other than the Miracle and the E-Twins, that perennially are pretty high in sales for their leagues, all other affiliates are close to the middle. Beloit being the only exception and this is part of the reason the Twins are looking to change affiliation. Here are the numbers: Rochester (NY) Red Wings, AAA, International League Average Attendance: 5,710 Rank in League: 9th out of 14 League High: 9,083 Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies) League Low: 3,613 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees New Britain (CT) Rock Cats, AA, Eastern League Average Attendance: 4,933 Rank in League: 6th out of 12 League High: 6,265 Reading Phillies League Low: 2,864 Binghamton Mets Fort Myers (FL) Miracle, high A, Florida State League Average Attendance: 1,792 Rank in League: 5th out of 12 League High: 2,558 Clearwater Threshers (Phillies) League Low: 844 Dunedin Blue Jays Beloit (WI) Snappers, A, Midwest League Average Attendance: 989 Rank in League: 15 out of 16 League high: 8,512 Dayton Dragons (Reds) League low: 862 Burlington Bees (Athletics) Elizabethton (TN) Twins, Rookie, Appalachian League. Average Attendance: 948 Rank in League: 4th out of 10. League High: 1,322 Greeneville Astros League Low: 781 Pulaski Mariners Gulf Coast League (Fort Myers, FL) Twins, Rookie, Gulf Coast League. Average Attendance: no formal attendance/ free games Rank in League: N/A Dominical Summer League (Boca Chica Baseball City, DR) Twins, Rookie, Dominical Summer League. Average Attendance: no formal attendance/ free games Rank in League: N/A http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7053/6873268706_ed1c6493c8_z.jpg

Spring training is a huge draw. I would probably estimate around 10-12,000 visitors in day at Fort Myers (including kids and families who go to the beach when dad is at the game) for about 45 days. That is about 450-500,000 visitor days. All these people eat, sleep, rent cars, fly in, buy gas, buy other staff at Lee County. Figure about $100 a person a day there (which is conservative if you include ballgame tickets and a few potables at the park), that is around $50 million of cash going to the Fort Myers economy just by visitors to spring training. And if you thing that 10-12000 are too much, if you half them (which I know is way too little), $25 million of cash is going to the Fort Myers economy just because the Twins have their Spring Training there. And those visitors do not include the Red Sox fans. I am talking just Twins people Also, the Twins bring about 200 players and coaches and about 100 staff for ST (I do not included Hammond Field Staff). That is 300 people and with their families let's say 500. These people are there for the whole 45 days and about 200-250 of them call Fort Myers home year around (EST, GCL, Rehab etc. - and I am not talking about the Miracle yet) I suspect that at least a few more folks make their year round home at Fort Myers (including Twins' ballplayers) because this is where the Twins have their spring training. I don't know what the impact on Lee Country would be for losing 300 or so residents, but it would be something. Add what the town gets from having a professional Minor League franchise (the Miracle is the only one), which is probably around $3-4 Million a year. High level: 68 home games by 1800 (miracle average attendance) by (let's say $30 for ticket, parking, a hot dog and a beer) is ($3.672 M). And I am not factoring in merchandise, advertising revenue by both the ball park and the radio station (which has to be another $1.5M at least), so we are looking at around $5 M impact to the economy for having the Miracle there (and I am disregarding what the players, the coaches and their families get paid by the Twins and play to eat and sleep etc) Add what the Twins pay for their lease to the county. Multiply all that by 30 years, the amount of the lease extension, and whatever investment the county makes is a tiny one compared to the economic impact to the county. And most of it is because of Spring Training alone. Other areas (Orlando anyone?) Would love to have a major league team there to train just because of that.

They were. The current commission voted yes to money that will be used for improvements of both Hammond Stadium and the Spring Training facilities and in turn the Twins will extend their lease for 30 years. That was done around June IIRC. Not sure whether everything was signed or what the next steps were. This is a new guy who defeated the head of the former commission in the primary and he has been campaigning basically against spending $ for baseball. Not only the Twins but the Nats as well. He wants to negate that agreement whatever that means. My take is that it is just politics, like the same clowning that was happening up there with the Vikes' stadium...

Yeah, I suspect that Vargas might steal the show for Law as well...

.361/.398/.555 3HR, 21 RBI, 4SB in the American Association (Indy) for the Wichita Wingnuts (13 gaqmes) and the Grand Prairie Airhogs (15 games) #PMKI in other words. Will probably sign a free agent contract with another organization soon. There are some rumors and some claims about people knowing what happened and got released but (really) those things cannot be talked in public because of legal implications.

Yeah, I saw that article and all I got to say it that it is all about votes JC, Both you and I know that the Twins are bringing mucho dineiro to the Lee County area (heck, we both spend more than enough money in hotels, rental cars, restaurants, air tickets and related taxes there throughout the last few years.) So when the businesses start whining to the commission about it after whomever B-level politician gets voted, things will change. If I were to guestimate, the Twins bring a good 10,000 people a day during spring and a good 2-3,000 during summer into the area. And funny enough the Red Sox does not have an FSL team that acts as a employer of 200+ like the Twins do. Too lazy to analyze but I would guesstimate that the Twins are bringing at least $20-30 million a year to the Fort Myers economy (just for the privilege of holding ST there and having a high A team there...) And I am not including added ons like construction jobs. When the push comes to shove even the most idiotic politicians will see that and they will eat their rhetoric...

I was really mad about Solarte (and he is still young). The only issue was that he needed a 40-man spot and they decided that Jeff Gray and Matt Maloney (at that point) deserved it more. That was total BS (both literally and figuratively). Dustin Martin was cut right at the end of Spring Training or even at the beginning of the season. As far as Roberts goes this team is full of OFs. The 3 they brought over (Carson, W.Ramirez and Mastroianni) before the season started are better players. The two they got during the season (Cleat Thomas and Eric Komatsu esp. are not) And they have a ton of OFs. But that Solarte thing hurts. Might have been something extracurricular like the Jairo Perez situation... who knows. (And in no way I am defending Rantz and the way he does business... this should be pretty obvious by now Just trying to be fair.)

I am 95% sure that the abundance of the MiLB FAs signed had to do that this was a walk year for Rochester and that the Rochester AAA team really really stunk the place the last couple years. Same thing (but they did not stink the place much before) with New Britain. They had several MiLB FAs (and waiver claims) start the season in New Britain, including a couple who are with the Twins now (Florimon, Mastroianni) another one who just left the Twins (Perdomo) and a couple of over the hill non-prospects (one of whom has been decent , Colabello; the other one not so, Roof) and a couple of older pitchers (Luke French, Brad Thompson -gone now- and Aaron Thompson) So I really think that a lot of that was part of the affiliation dance show. Were there any prospects hurt? In retrospect, maybe a couple of pitchers who were stuck in New Britain (but there was so much shuffling to the Twins going on that people moved up and down) and maybe Deibinson Romero and Chris Herrmann. That's about it.

I had to go back and double check on this, because I know I wrote this thing last October (when Smith was still the GM) titled (go figure ) : A contrarian opinion about the Twins' Starting Pitching, where my premise was (copy and paste) : (and that link goes to a Phil Mackey piece describing the Twins needs in 2012 per BS, season ticket holders and his own opinion.) So I think that I was in the minority there, thinking that the rotation was going to be ok. Problem was that who I thought should have been the anchor was traded (and he was injured all season), the number 2 guy was injured, the number 3 guy was ineffective and in the minors and Liriano and Pavano (before he got hurt) were ok as number 3-4 types. But the general consensus was pretty bad. Still (if you remember) around spring training there was a fairly large "sign Roy Oswald" contingency in Twins' fandom.... And I am really laughing at this conclusion of part of my analysis (heck, I am hitting .500 ) :