Thrylos

Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch --- With the Twins having a severe need for pitching in the organization as well as six picks among the top 100, it is certain that more than one of those picks (and probably the second overall pick) will be used to draft a pitcher. To this respect, I am presenting profiles of the top 22 pitching prospects for the 2012 MLB draft. I will be presenting these alphabetically, and at the end I will rank them. I will be doing about one a day and I will finish before the June 4th draft day. You can find all the profiles (in reverse alphabetical order) as they are presented here. I will start with RJ Alvarez and end with Kyle Zimmer. Each profile with contain a bit of background information and statistics, a mini scouting report and videos and photos. Profile 2: Mark Appel Profile/Stats: Mark Appel is a junior at Stanford University and a three-year player there. He is from Houston, TX and went to Monte Vista High School. He is listed at 6'6" and 200 lbs. He throws Right handed. He was drafted in the 15th round out of High School by the Detroit Tigers but he did not sign. Was a Two-year letterman in basketball and baseball. In his current season he started 11 games and is 7-1 (86 IP) with a 2.72 ERA, 20 BB and 85 strikeouts allowing a .226 opponent batting average. Last summer, playing with Team USA, in 9 IP as a reliever (4 games) and an one game starter he had a 5.00 ERA striking out 11 and walking 2; in the Cape Cod league he had a 1.35 ERA, 20 IP, striking out 25 and walking 3. Mini Scouting Report: His fastball averages around 94-95 mph with occasional busts at 97-99 and he has excellent command. It is a plus fastball. His change up is a circle change and sits around 82-83 mph and is a borderline plus pitch. He is throwing a tight slider in the low 80s, which is a work in process and is working on a cutter that sits on the low 90s and touches up to 93 and so far has a nice side to side movement. He is throwing from a three-quarters position and his height allows for a tight downward plane. Mark Appel has been mentioned as one of the top picks on this draft and there are a lot written about him and most baseball fans who are following the draft know who he is. Here is a great analysis from Hardball Times, which is worth reading. It analyzes his mechanics and discusses whether or not he should be a top pick. Videos/Photos: Because of the difficulty in embedding videos here, please go to the original post to see 4 videos of Mark Appel Pitching and interviews http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/stan/sports/m-basebl/auto_action/4986944.jpeg

I think maybe the top 2 rounds I am just profiling 22 pitchers and I think they will be gone by the second round. Maybe one or two will slide down a bit

Hard to tell, but supplemental round or second round is about right. But nobody knows how the baseball draft will go.

Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch --- With the Twins having a severe need for pitching in the organization as well as six picks among the top 100, it is certain that more than one of those picks (and probably the second overall pick) will be used to draft a pitcher. To this respect, I am presenting profiles of the top 22 pitching prospects for the 2012 MLB draft. I will be presenting these alphabetically, and at the end I will rank them. I will be doing about one a day and I will finish before the June 4th draft day. You can find all the profiles (in reverse alphabetical order) as they are presented here. I will start with RJ Alvarez and end with Kyle Zimmer. Each profile with contain a bit of background information and statistics, a mini scouting report and videos and photos. RJ Alvarez Profile/Stats: RJ Alvarez is a junior in Florida Atlantic University and a three-year player there. He is from Royal Palm Beach FL and went to Cardinal Newman High School. He was a first team all conference in both his junior and senior high school seasons and an all area selection in his senior season. He begun his collegiate career in the pen as a Freshman, but quickly moved to the rotation. He is listed as 6'1" and 180 lbs. He throws right handed. In his current season he is used in the pen and is 5-0 in 20 appearances (31.2 IP) with a 0.57 ERA, 9 BB and 42 strikeouts allowing a .156 opponent batting average. Last summer in the Cape Cod league, as a starter, he had a 1.40 ERA, 25.2 IP, striking out 33 and walking 9, allowing only 14 Hits (.181 OBA) Mini Scouting Report: His fastball averages around 94 with occasional busts at 96-97 and he has good command. His change up is a plus pitch and his curve ball is developing. His delivery is effortless and somewhat deceptive. He is throwing from a three-quarters position. Videos/Photos: Because of the difficulty in embedding videos here, please go to the original post to see 3 videos of RJ Alvarez Pitching. http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/fau/sports/m-basebl/auto_headshot/7455137.jpeg

Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch --- With the Twins having a severe need for pitching in the organization as well as six picks among the top 100, it is certain that more than one of those picks (and probably the second overall pick) will be used to draft a pitcher. To this respect, I am presenting profiles of the top 22 pitching prospects for the 2012 MLB draft. I will be presenting these alphabetically, and at the end I will rank them. I will be doing about one a day and I will finish before the June 4th draft day. You can find all the profiles (in reverse alphabetical order) as they are presented here. I will start with RJ Alvarez and end with Kyle Zimmer. Each profile with contain a bit of background information and statistics, a mini scouting report and videos and photos. RJ Alvarez Profile/Stats: RJ Alvarez is a junior in Florida Atlantic University and a three-year player there. He is from Royal Palm Beach FL and went to Cardinal Newman High School. He was a first team all conference in both his junior and senior high school seasons and an all area selection in his senior season. He begun his collegiate career in the pen as a Freshman, but quickly moved to the rotation. He is listed as 6'1" and 180 lbs. He throws right handed. In his current season he is used in the pen and is 5-0 in 20 appearances (31.2 IP) with a 0.57 ERA, 9 BB and 42 strikeouts allowing a .156 opponent batting average. Last summer in the Cape Cod league, as a starter, he had a 1.40 ERA, 25.2 IP, striking out 33 and walking 9, allowing only 14 Hits (.181 OBA) Mini Scouting Report: His fastball averages around 94 with occasional busts at 96-97 and he has good command. His change up is a plus pitch and his curve ball is developing. His delivery is effortless and somewhat deceptive. He is throwing from a three-quarters position. Videos/Photos: Because of the difficulty in embedding videos here, please go to the original post to see 3 videos of RJ Alvarez Pitching. http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/fau/sports/m-basebl/auto_headshot/7455137.jpeg

Then, as a whole, after a 99 loss season and because this team is not performing as a whole this season, you will not be surprised (or upset) to see Gardy go? Or accountability is just for players?

That's that then. I still think that the best match for the Twins for Span are the Phillies and a bitter Phillies-Nats rivarly is starting

That's an opinion and I think that it is the direction the Twins have been going. I was responding to this comment:

Rendon was drafted in 2011. Not sure when he signed, but players need to be in an organization for at least one year before they get traded, so that is a non-starter Plus Rendon is about as far along as Sano is for the Twins, so that would not make much sense. Same with their top P prospect, Alex Myer. He was drafted last season. Someone like Tyler Moore might be a starting block. But he is a first baseman and not a P and the Twins need pitching. Solis cannot be traded injured. The Nats gave all of their pitching to the As in the Gio Gonzales trade. I just don't think that there is enough there for the Twins, unless they are willing to part with someone like Ross Detwiler (who is playing over his head anyways and will probably be a bust in the AL). I just don't see it

It seems that both Phil Dumatrait and Brad (not Aaron or Daryl) Thompson who had been on Rochester's phantom 7 day DL since the season started are there no more (this is the roster after the Hendriks but before the Valencia demotion.) Are they released? Anyone has any idea?

This season they are just below average for the first time since I remember. Average position player age for Rochester is 27.1 and average pitcher age 26.5, whereas the averages for international league are position players : 27.4 and pitchers: 27.5. And as I was about to write that Dumatrait and Brad Thompson (both North of 30 are in the DL), trying to double-check the Rochester roster looks like they are not. Released? This might actually be news

Deibinson Romero might have been around for a while but is only 25. Not in the same equation as the other. Last season, Cole DeVries, Tyler Robertson, Steve Hirschfeld, Deolis Guerra were all in AA because they were blocked (Spencer Steedley too). This season Hirschfeld and Guerra started at AA because they were block. Steedley was released. Bobby Lanigan and Bret Jacobson could play in AAA. They are blocked. They are both 25. Hirschfeld is 26. About time to move them to Rochester. On the other hand, with Phil Dumatrait (31) and Brad Thompson (30) in Rochester's DL and soon to come out, there is no place to move them. As far as position players go, there is no reason Romero should not be in AAA right now. Same with Herrmann. And the blocking continues by singing 28 year old Chris Colabello and assigning him to New Britain. What kind of player development move is that? or keeping Mark Dolenc (27) who have been battling the Butera line in his third season in AA, around? There is no reason that Angel Morales and Jairo Perez (he is 24, could have skipped high A after what he did in Beloit last season) should be in Ft Myers right now... It's a domino effect...

Seth, if you think that, why do you also think that moves such as signing 30-some year old never have beens by the Twins to block their prospects in AAA, are also good? These moves are nothing about player development. Thankfully only a couple of those moves happened this season (Dumatrait, Thurston), but the 2011 season had a bunch of them in Rochester (Bailey, Holm. Lambin, Reed, Baldwin etc). And those moves are just to please the affiliates I agree that minor leagues should be 100% about development, but unfortunately the Twins do not think this way. I'd rather see a kid struggle a bit in Rochester (Beresford?, Romero? - who is not a kid) than seeing Thurston, a 32 year old, there. They could have easily promoted Florimon who was one of the best players in New Britain instead of signing Thurston. Florimon promoted after Dozier was. Not too good.

Not sure that I like the pitching moves, because: - Maloney was not the worse pitcher in the Twins' pen, it was Gray - Walters was not the best starter in Rochester, it was DeVries - Liriano was not the worse Twins' starter, it was Marquis (or very close, and Liriano has been trending better) - I don't think that Liriano has much future with the Twins and by demoting him to the pen they decrease his trading value. And at this point they better think trading value instead of 2012 wins. As far as Valencia goes. Yes, he did not meet expectations this season but his defense has been better. And the Twins do not have a third baseman out there. Maybe Carroll can fill in. Hope Brunanksy set his straight. But recalling Mastroianni? Not sure that this makes sense with Komatsu being on the team. (Not sure that Komatsu bein on the team makes sense either.) All I know is that the Twins took away a guy who if straighten up can hit for power and brought in a pirnaha...

Mastroianni and Walters up... Interesting

I think that Oakes will go higher than that... Hate to say it, but the last Minnesotan who was drafted in pretty high roundand made it to the show was Glen Perkins. (And I totally hope that AJ Pettersen, Kyle Knutson and Austin Malinowski reverse this trend btw ) But there were some serious busts including Derek McCallum and Kyle Carr, so they should go with talent vs. home towns. The more and more I think about the #2 overall pick is that they should go with the pitcher with the highest upside. And that would be Giolioto right now. They need to to their due dilligence etc. but they should not settle for an OF, SS or a C. Now, if there were a Bryce Harper type player, they should take him no matter what position he plays. But there isn't.

Lohse is about as homegrown as Liriano. He came to the Twins as a minor leaguer from the Cubs in the last Aguilera trade. As far as the "what the problem is?" (i.e. good drafting or good development) question, it is a chicken or an egg. Because you don't have a talent pipeline you don't assume it is drafting fault or development fault. Could be one or the other or both. Understood that there is a philosophical issue with the organization drafting and developing pitch to contact pitchers, shying away from wilder power arms and teaching the sinker until there is no tomorrow. IMHO, no matter what you draft, unless you realize that your pitchers are all different and try to play to individual strengths and work on weaknesses you are not going to succeed....

Playing in September is different than playing in April. There are a lot of September miracles out there that end up mirages. Remember Shane Spencer? (Not that I am saying that Parmelee is one of them. Plenty of time for him yet.) The rosters are expanding in September so you end up facing Ps who have no business being there, it is colder in April and the ball is heavier in April. Just give him time. He is young. He might need some AAA time but he will be ok.

Most relievers in the minors are usually pitching multiple innings; nothing out of the ordinary

Do you remember what happened to the Twins last time they got a young agressive GM from outside the organization who hired a young aggressive manager? (Good things happened, even though the Sam Mele era was pretty nice too)

I was hoping that the State of AL Central were defined with something more interesting than W-L record, ERA and batting average in that article

Amen; but if you can TR who was in charge for those picks from 2005-7; he cannot pick anyone this year Speaking of picks who made them to the majors from 2005 on: 2005: Garza, Slowey, Duensing, Tolleson, Burnett, Yonder Alonso (DNS), Dave Herndon (DNS), Rene Tosoni 2006: Parmelee, Benson, Dinkelman, Manship, Andrew Oliver (DNS), Valencia, JD Martinez (DNS), Slama 2007: Revere (but most of those kids are 22-23 years old) so not that horrible. Other than the facts that not many Ps made it, or they got rid of the ones who made it, and there are not any susperstars in the list

From the bottom to the top, here are the different settings of the bar: 1- Awful - always finishing toward the bottom one of the worse teams in the majors 2- Mediocre - Hovering around .500 3- Competitive - Having a winning record and ocassionally winning divisions 4- Compatitive in the post season - Winning at least a few post season series, making in to the WS 5 - Champion - Winning the World Series. Believe me, with the Twins being mostly at 1, a lot of people (Including yourself apparently) are happy with being at 2 and 3, like they have been the Gardenhire years. I understand and respect that opinion even though I do not feel the same way. So please understand that some of us are not ok with 2 and 3 and think that this group of people who are running the Twins are complacent and set the bar at 2 and 3 and they can only get there. Some of us want 4 and 5. You don't agree, but at least respect our opinions and perspective. Now that the organization has turned from 2 and 3 more into 1, a lot more people are unhappy... So it is all about perspective and whether you are ok with being a B and C student or you expect As (to give you another analogy)

When I heard what Pohlad said, I remembered something and double-checked with Mackey and he confirmed it over twitter, and you can check the conversation here, if you care: Pohlad said that he had 100% conference on Bill Smith a bit before he fired him... So this is really not good news for the manager and the interim GM Exactly... And I will not be celebrating, until they get a new GM and a manager from outside the organization. This organization has not won a title or being competitive in the post-season for 21 years and this is a long time. Unfortunately, new fans who started following the Twins in the mid to late 90s are calling the recent years a success... It's all about perspective, memories and where you set the bar.

False alarm, at least as far as going to Beloit any time soon goes. Burris is starting an Extended Sprint Training game this morning. He posted this picture (pretty large) through his tweeter. Looks like he is working on a two-seamer, a pitcher he did not throw before.