Seth Stohs

I was on a radio show on 1390 The Fan in St. Cloud yesterday, and the first question I was asked about the Twins offseason was if I thought the team would attempt to acquire an ace in the offseason. It is a very fair question. As we watched the playoffs unfold this year, there were aces all over. The New York Mets started four young pitchers who topped 95 with their fastball and have really good secondary pitches. The Royals added Johnny Cueto at the trade deadline. The Blue Jays added David Price at the deadline. The Astros had Dallas Kuechel. The Dodgers had Clayton Kershaw and Zach Greinke. The Minnesota Twins have some depth at starting pitcher, and they made huge improvements as a group in 2015. For the first time in several years, they did not finish last in starters ERA. The last two offseasons, Terry Ryan has spent $100 million combined for Ricky Nolasco and Ervin Santana. Neither would fit the category of ace, but before signing with the Twins, they both had been solid, inning- eating pitchers for an extended period of time. Phil Hughes pitched like an Ace in 2014, but he came back down to earth in 2015. Tommy Milone won’t fit anyone’s definition of an ace, but he pitched well much of 2015. Kyle Gibson isn’t a big strikeout pitcher, but he topped 180 innings and was the Twins top pitcher in 2015. Tyler Duffey pitched like an ace down the stretch. Trevor May showed at times in the first half that he can be a solid MLB starter. He is capable of missing bats. And, we all look forward to the day when JO Berrios is in the rotation and what he could become. In the Twins Daily Offseason GM Handbook, Terry Ryan was asked how he would define an Ace. “We have a definition of an ace. It’d be quality innings, it’d be a guy that can get you a win when you need it, it would be a guy that’s got pitchability, it’d be a guy that gets into the seventh or eighth more often than not, those types of things. That’s an ace. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be a guy that throws 96. Maddux was an ace for a long time, he didn’t throw 96, and he did all those things I just mentioned.” As I wrote last month, velocity certainly doesn’t hurt but it isn’t a requirement for an Ace. Ryan continued, “Radke was our ace for a long time, and people argue that he wasn’t a No. 1. OK, that’s a good response. But he also pounded out 230 innings every year for a decade. He might not be the guy you want going up against some of these bigshots, but he also was the type of guy that you feel pretty good about taking the mound.” Over the course of his 12 seasons with the Twins, Radke quietly put up 45.6 bWAR. In the Twins 55 year history, only five Twins players have accumulated a higher bWAR. Those players are Rod Carew (63.7), Harmon Killebrew (53.7), Kirby Puckett (50.9), Bert Blyleven (49.3), and Joe Mauer (47.8). The next pitchers in line include Johan Santana (35.5 in 8 seasons), Jim Kaat (31.7 in 13 seasons) and Frank Viola (27.2 in 8 seasons). Think back to the Twins World Series teams of the past. The 1965 team had Jim Kaat, Camilo Pascual and Mudcat Grant. The 1987 team was led by Frank Viola and Bert Blyleven. The 1991 team had Jack Morris, Kevin Tapani and Scott Erickson. So, let’s get back to the 2015-2016 offseason and the original question. Do the Twins need an ace to get to the next step, to get to the playoffs and compete for another World Series title? The obvious answer is that it certainly wouldn’t hurt. None of the seven starters that will be competing for spots in the 2016 starting rotation are going to sit at 94+ mph. Trevor May averaged 93.2 mph on his fastball in 2015, but that was heightened by his time in the bullpen when he regularly hit 95 mph. Mike Pelfrey’s average fastball was 93.0 mph, but he is now a free agent and unlikely to return. Ervin Santana was next at 92.5. Then Kyle Gibson at 92.0 mph. Phil Hughes’ velocity dropped to 90.7 in 2015. Tommy Milone’s average fastball was just 87.6. However, Phil Hughes topped 200 innings in 2014. He had pitched 190 innings one other time in his career. Ervin Santana pitched more than 200 innings five times in his career, and reached 196 innings one other time. Ricky Nolasco went past 200 innings twice and was over 185 innings three other times. Tyler Duffey threw 196 innings between the big leagues and minor leagues in 2015. He’s got the size and strength to be the type of pitcher who can get to 200 innings consistently. Could the Twins acquire an ace this offseason? Could they acquire one in a trade? The Twins certainly have the prospects required to acquire pretty much any starting pitcher that might be available. This week, Billy Beane said that he didn’t think that there was much likelihood that he would trade Sonny Gray. However, as Nick wrote last month, acquiring Gray (or any ace-type pitcher) will take a combination of players such as Max Kepler and JO Berrios. Is it possible that the Twins could sign an ace this offseason?David Price is the top pitcher on the trade market. In the Twins Daily Offseason Handbook, we projected that Price will sign a bigger contract that Max Scherzer’s seven year, $210 million deal signed last year. It’s hard to imagine the Twins signing a pitcher for $30 million a year over more than half a decade. So then there is the second tier. Names in this group include Johnny Cueto, Zach Greinke and Jordan Zimmerman. There is a good chance that these three pitchers will get at least $25 million per season for at least five seasons. Those four pitchers are the aces in the group. Along with committing $150 million or more, these players would cost the Twins their first-round draft pick in 2016, the 17th overall pick. If you want, you can add Jeff Samardzija to the group, but his 6.29 ERA in the 2nd half exemplifies the inconsistency that has marked his career. The next group includes guys like Mike Leake, Wei-Yin Chen, Scott Kazmir and Brett Anderson. These guys are $13-15 million guys, and likely would also cost the first round pick. Now, many will tell you that there isn’t a salary cap in baseball. That is true. However, businesses (which is what MLB teams are) do have to spend appropriately to their revenues. Why do I mention that? Because if the Twins are going to make a big splash in free agency with a starting pitcher, they would also need to make some moves to reduce their current payroll. How can they do that? Well, it’s easy to say they could get rid of Nolasco. However, if they are able to trade him, the Twins will have to still pay a huge chunk of his salary. The team could non-tender Tommy Milone, or they could trade him. However, that’s only $5 million. They could trade Trevor Plouffe, and that would open up about $8 million more. That’s $13 million. Is it possible that the Twins would also be willing to trade someone like Phil Hughes or Ervin Santana to open up another $12-13 million. That would get them to about $25 million. That might be enough to pick up one of the ace-like pitchers. If you’re looking for my opinion, I would feel comfortable sticking with the Twins current pitching options. Phil Hughes needs to be the 2014 version, and after a frustrating 2015, I think he would put in the work to get back to what he was. Having Ervin Santana for a full season would certainly benefit the team. The hope would be that Kyle Gibson would continue to be more consistent and take another step forward. Obviously it would be great if Tyler Duffey would pitch close to how he pitched down the stretch. At just 25 next season, he could develop into a mainstay in the rotation. Trevor May warrants another opportunity as a starter. He’s still just 26. And, of course, they need to do what is best for JO Berrios as well because he’s got the potential to be a guy you would feel good starting a playoff game for years to come as well. That rotation may not have the definition of an ace by many accounts. However, I feel good about the potential of Duffey and Berrios becoming long-term, reliable starters. I have a comfort level in Kyle Gibson and Ervin Santana. And, I do think that Hughes will bounce back in 2016. That’s a pretty solid staff, and I would feel comfortable with several of them making playoff starts. And that doesn’t even count Tommy Milone who, at times, was the Twins top starter in 2015 and actually has made playoff starts. And, though we haven’t discussed it to this point, having an outfield defense that will, at some point, include Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton and Aaron Hicks will help any pitching staff. Click here to view the article

Would I hire Ron Gardenhire? That's a great question... I'll answer like this... I wouldn't NOT hire him. In other words, I wouldn't take his name off my consideration list because of anything in his managerial career. I do think there are certain fits that he would be better in than others. I feel like Brad Ausmus is on a pretty short leash and Gardy's relationship with Jim Leyland will likely give him an opportunity for the job he was rumored to be getting late in the season. I personally would look for someone who has been in the game of baseball for 20+ years. I'm less worried about previous managerial service. I want someone who would spend time every day digging into stats and advanced stats, but who would tell me that they aren't afraid at all to go by gut on situations, lineups, etc. And, obviously the unmeasurable clubhouse control factor would be very important as well.

For me, I wouldn't even really consider Wieters. I think giving up the 17th overall pick is a lot. He's basically 30, so we're talking about years 30-33. Some do alright, but signing catchers at 30 to long term contracts a little/lot scary to me. If it gets late in the free agent timeline (maybe January) and Wieters is now willing to go 2 years and $25 million, I might consider it. I'm not saying AJ because he can maybe help a team offensively (at 40, we'll see). Not much defensively, though that doesn't change from now. But I'd rather go with a veteran on a one-year deal than spend big on Wieters.

Lack of power based on? 30 games in the GCL? No concern whatsoever. I've watched quite a bit of video of his swing and approach at the plate during the GCL season. He's got the size and strength and frame to develop into a bit of power. That's not a concern at all. He's got a real nice swing, in my opinion.

Call me Old School if you want, but I hate excessive strikeouts. It was really fun watching the Royals in the playoffs because they just don't want to strikeout. I love that mentality. Put the ball in play, be aggressive. Walks are wonderful, but if you know the strike zone, get strikes and attack it. I like a good, selective hitter too, but it's much, much more fun to watch batters swing the bat. But yeah... the Mets were all about their starters. The Royals got solid starting and let the bullpen dominate. Lots to learn.

Yeah, those Caribbean Leagues aren't about development. They're all about winning.

The Fall Stars game isn't about who is performing the best. It's about the top prospects - right or wrong. Rogers is pitching very well... take away one inning in which he gave up 4 runs and he'd have an ERA under 1.

One year ago, Trey Cabbage was beginning his senior season of basketball. He is a tremendous athlete who made a name online for himself on the court (see video below). However, it is on the baseball diamond where he hopes to become a household name for years to come. Recently, Twins Daily had the opportunity to chat with him, and our readers get a chance to know him. In the fourth round of the 2015 draft, the Twins went back to the high school ranks to select Trey Cabbage out of Grainger High School in Rutledge, Tennessee. He signed for well over the slot value and reported to Ft. Myers where he played for the GCL Twins. In 33 games, he hit .252/.302/.269 with two doubles. However, his season came to an end early when he was shut down with some lower back pain. He reports that the back is doing well, and he’s back in Tennessee for the offseason.Cabbage will report to Ft. Myers in March for spring training. Most likely he will begin the season in extended spring training and play for Elizabethton. That said, it’s entirely possible that he could spend some time in Cedar Rapids during the season. Let’s get to know more about Trey Cabbage: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in Tennessee, what was your favorite team to follow, and who were some of your favorite players? Trey Cabbage (TC): I always kept up with Todd Helton because he went to nearby Knox Central High School. He also was a Tennessee Volunteer in college. Phil Garner also went to my high school way before my time, but he came and spoke to my team and it was very influential and motivating. The team I followed was the Chicago Cubs because we live really close to their AA affiliate, the Tennessee Smokies. SS: Drafted by the Twins in the 4th round... is that about where you thought you would be selected before the draft? TC I really wanted to go higher in the draft, but I'm very blessed to be where I am, and I thank God for that daily. SS: You had the commitment to play at Tennessee. How difficult was the decision to sign with the Twins, or did you know you wanted to sign all along? TC: I knew I wanted to play professional very badly, so my family and I agreed that if we felt the situation fit, then I would do as I did; jump on it. SS: What was the biggest adjustment you had to make, going from the high school and amateur season to the pro game? On or off the field? TC: On the field, I felt like I adjusted quickly after about a week. I adjusted and got comfortable with the speed of the game. Off the field, I knew I had to hold myself accountable, and keep myself in the best position to succeed in my career. SS: You primarily played shortstop in high school. You played various places in your debut in the GCL. Where do you feel most comfortable and where do you think is the best position for you? TC: I feel comfortable anywhere on the field. I just want to play no matter where or how, I just want to be on the field. SS: In these very early stages of your career, what would you say are your biggest strengths as a player? TC: My work ethic and drive. I may not always be the most talented player to play, but I will never let myself be outworked. SS: What are the things that you feel you need to improve over the offseason and going forward? TC: I need to improve my durability. I need stay healthy, so I can be on the field ready to play. SS: What were some of the highlights of your high school and amateur career? (What other sports or activities did you participate in?) TC: I don't like to dwell on my previous accolades, but I am proud of being a 4 time all-state & two time All-American in baseball. I also played basketball. I wasn't the best, but I loved to play and compete with my team. SS: So, obviously many have seen the video of you breaking a rim in a basketball game. What do you recall about when that happened, the fan and teammate reaction and such? TC: All I heard was silence in the heat of the moment. I remember coming down and yelling in celebration. Then I heard a whistle and I thought they had called a technical on me for hanging on the rim. Next, I see my coaches and teammates pointing at the goal and I turned to see the rim dangling. I was ecstatic and it was awesome. SS: What are your plans for the offseason. Baseball training, but also what do you enjoy doing away from the game of baseball? TC: Yes, training. I like spending time with family and friends, while staying active such as hiking, swimming and pick up games of any sport. SS: Who are some of the coaches and others who have helped you get to this point in your career? TC: (I wouldn't) be where I am at without my high school coach, Chad Tate, my summer ball coaches including Todd F. Howard and Thomas "Ernie" Haire and of course, the man who taught me the game, my father. We would like to thank Trey Cabbage for taking time to answer our questions. Please feel free to comment or ask questions below. Click here to view the article

And here's Trey Vavra's three-run homer from earlier in the weekend...

Tanner Vavra's home run from Sunday afternoon (or Saturday night in the States). I'm impressed with how quickly he got around the bases. Click here for video.

He hit 7th most of the year in AA this year, and is hitting 7th in the AFL so far.

It''s been on mlb.com the past several years... not sure about MLB Network because I don't get that.

Vargas has played in Puerto Rico the last couple of seasons. I'm guessing he will again later in the offseason. Arcia has played in Venezuela. Some have said he's staying in the States this offseason, but he could do what a lot of players do and play after the holidays.

The Scottsdale Scorpions, who host Twins prospects this season in the Arizona Fall League, had a dominant week with a 5-1 record. They outscored their opponents 41-21 and Twins prospects had a lot to do with that. The Scorpions are now tied with the Salt River Rafters atop the Eastern Division at 9-6. Taylor Rogers had a fantastic start on Wednesday but was betrayed by his bullpen (not his fellow Twins prospects), one catcher continued his hot hitting, and Adam Brett Walker came up big in multiple games. Read on to check out how each prospect did in week two of the 2015 Arizona Fall League season!(links provided to each player’s overall stats by clicking their name) Adam Brett Walker – 4 games, 5-15 (.333), 3 R’s, 1 2B, 2 HR’s, 6 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K’s. Walker started the week off with a bang, collecting a home run and three RBI in his first two games. In Monday’s win, Walker punctuated the scoring with his three-run homer in the ninth inning to make the final score 10-3. He was also hit by a pitch in the game and singled in the seventh inning to reach base in three of six plate appearances. He struck out once. In his next game on Wednesday, Walker was even more pivotal for his team. His double in the fourth inning gave Scottsdale their first runs of the game and closed the lead to 4-2. He scoredthe third run when the next batter (another Twins farmhand) followed with a double. The inning ended with the game tied 4-4. With the game still tied in the sixth, Walker sent a blast into the left field bleachers for a solo home run that proved to be the game winner, as the Scorpions went on to beat Glendale 5-4. Walker also singled in the game to finish 3-4. For the rest of the week, Walker cooled off with an 0-3 day in Scottsdale’s 4-2 win on Thursday, and 0-4 effort in their 6-2 win on Saturday. But positives from those games included the fact he struck out only once and he also drew a walk in Saturday’s game. This is the type of week that one wants to see from Walker. Not many wasted at-bats, big impacts in a few games with his power, and clutch performances at that. Stuart Turner – 2 games, 2-7 (.286), 1 R, 1 2B, 2 K’s. Turner again made the start at catcher for the Scorpions in two games on the week, playing in the games on Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday he followed Walker’s double in the fourth inning with one of his own to drive him in and make the score 4-3, and came around to score the game-tying run on a single. He finished the day 2-4 with two strikeouts. In Thursday’s second consecutive win against the Glendale Desert Dogs, Turner was 0-3, but picked up an RBI when his fly ball in the second inning was turned into a force out of a runner at second base, but the runner on third scampered home. Turner had one base stolen on him in the two games, and did not get any other chances to throw runners out. Mitch Garver – 2 games, 3-9 (.333), 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 K. Garver saw action at catcher on Tuesday and Friday this week, and picked up hits in each contest. He has collected at least one hit in each of his five games on the season, and has two hits in four of those contests. His average stands at .409. In Tuesday’s 9-4 loss to Salt River, Garver picked up an RBI on a single in the seventh inning to make the score 7-2, but did not reach base in any other plate appearance. On defense, he caught one runner stealing second base in the seventh inning. In Friday’s 12-1 blowout win for Scottsdale against Mesa, Garver got the three-run fourth inning started with a double to right. He later scored on Christian Arroyo’s three-run homer to make the score 7-0. Then in the three-run seventh inning, his single brought the tenth run of the game for the Scorpions. He finished 2-5 with the double, a run scored, and an RBI. Nick Burdi – 2 games, 2 IP, 0 R’s, 0 H’s, 0 BB’s, 2 K’s, 0.00 ERA. Burdi made two appearances on the week, pitching the ninth inning in Monday’s 10-3 win, and the eighth inning in Friday’s 12-1 win. He was flawless, recording one-two-three innings in both appearances. On Monday, he struck out the first two hitters he faced, one looking and one swinging, and a fly-out ended the game. On Friday, he got a quick three ground ball outs on just seven pitches. He’s allowed just one hit and walked none in his brief appearances so far, striking out one per inning. Trevor Hildenberger – 1 game, 2.1 IP, 2 R’s, 4 H’s, 0 BB’s, 1 K, 7.71 ERA. Twins Daily’s 2015 Minor League Relief Pitcher of the year got in on just one game this week, and it didn’t go as well as Hildenberger may have hoped. He was tasked with going multiple innings early in the game. Scottsdale’s starter Antonio Romero left the game after collecting just two outs in the first inning, as three consecutive walks scored the game’s first two runs. Hildenberger ended the early bases-loaded threat by inducing a groundout. In the second inning, the lead-off man picked up an infield single, but was quickly erased on a double play ball, and another ground ball ended the scoreless inning for Hildenberger. Hildenberger’s third inning is where he ran into trouble as his workload was extended. He struck out the first batter of the inning, but a double, triple and single from the next three hitters brought in two runs and 4-0 lead for Glendale. He escaped the inning without any further damage by getting two more ground balls. Scottsdale came back to win the game 5-4 via the heroics of Walker detailed above. Jake Reed – 2 games, 2.0 IP, 1 H, 3 BB’s, 0 K’s, 0.00 ERA. Reed made two appearances on the week, pitching the ninth inning in Wednesday’s 5-4 win to pick up his first save and the ninth inning on Saturday to close out their 12-1 win. It wasn’t particularly pretty at times, but Reed got the jobs done with scoreless innings. On Wednesday, Reed ran into trouble with two walks and a throwing error that moved the first of those runners to second base, but got a double-play ground ball to end the game and pick up the save. On Saturday, a ground rule double and a walk put runners on first and third with two outs, but a ground ball to short ended that game as well. Reed threw thirty-six pitches in those two games, with twenty going for strikes and he did not pick up any punchouts. Taylor Rogers – 1 game started, 5.0 IP, 4 ER’s, 2 H’s, 2 BB’s, 3 K’s. 0.00 ERA. Rogers got the start in Tuesday’s 9-4 loss, but the loss wasn’t because of anything he did. He was effective and efficient in his five innings, leaving the game with his team up 1-0 and in line for the win before the bullpen imploded behind him. He allowed no runs on two hits and two walks, while striking out three to lower his ERA in the AFL to 3.46. He retired nine in a row at one point and did not really get into any trouble as he scattered the two hits and two walks. He finished the fifth inning with runners on first and second for the best chance Salt River had to that point in the game. QUICK HITS: - MLB.com’s prospect guru Jonathan Mayo was in Arizona this week, and filed a report on Twins prospects. His main topic, the focus on improved plate discipline for Adam Brett Walker. - More details of Walker’s monster day in the come-from-behind 5-4 victory on Wednesday. First line of the article: “Adam Brett Walker II is a strong man” (duh). - More Walker details from Twitter, as Seth tells you how far, and how fast, Walker’s home run from Wednesday’s game traveled, Bernie Pleskoff adds some confirmation, and another observer shows us just how far it went. Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the performances during the week! Click here to view the article

Certainly... Most of those will just be in the Forums, but if there's a decent name or something, we'll cover it more.

Several Minnesota Twins minor leaguers are playing in a Winter League abroad. We have been posting weekly updates from the Arizona Fall League, and Steve Lien will post this week's later today. But there are also players playing in Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Australia. Check out how they've done in the early stages of the Winter Leagues.Venezuela Winter League The Venezuelan baseball league began about two weeks ago. Several Twins minor leaguers are playing. Here is a quick update of how they have done to this point. Shortstop Argenis Diaz is playing for Aragua. He is hitting .500/.571/1.000 (1.571). Sounds great, but he has just six at bats so far. He is 3-6 with a double and a triple. One walk.Infielder Jose Martinez is also playing for Aragua. He is 6-34, hitting .176/.222/.176 with two walks.Heiker Meneses plays for LaGuiara. He is hitting .208/.345/.250 (.595) with a double and two walks. He is 5-24.Engelb Vielma is also playing for Aragua. He is 9-47, hitting .191/.255/.234 (.489). He has two doubles, two walks and two stolen bases.Omar Bencomo was signed in early August by the Twins out of independent baseball. He is pitching for Margarita. He has made four starts and is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. In 20 innings, he has given up 23 hits, walked four and struck out nine.Brett Lee has pitched twice for Caracas. The lefty is 0-0 with a 5.68 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. In 6.1 innings, he has given up eight hits, walked two and struck out two.Logan Darnell has pitched twice, making one start. In 9.1 innings, he has given up four hits, two walks and struck out eight. He is 0-0 with a 0.96 ERA and a 0.64 WHIP. Opponents are hitting just .121.Dominican Winter League Game has been played in the Dominican for the last two weeks as well. Carlos Paulino is playing for Gigantes. He has gone 9-28. He’s hitting .321/.457/.357 (.814) with a double. He has also walked seven times already.Jorge Polanco plays for Escogito. He is hitting .293/.396/.463 (.859). He is 12-41 with two triples and a home run. He has seven walks to go with just six strikeouts.Righty Adrian Salcedo pitched just once and went two innings. He gave up one hit, walked one and struck out three. He also got the Win in that game.Mexican Winter League The Mexican Winter League gets started pretty quickly following the major league regular season. To this point, two Twins minor leaguers have played. Reynaldo Rodriguez plays for Obregon. The first baseman is hitting .236/.313/.472 (.785). He has gone 17-72. He has three doubles, a triple and four home runs. He has also walked eight times.Mark Hamburger is also playing for Obregon. The reliever has pitched 10.1 innings in 13 appearances. He is 1-2 with a 6.97 ERA and a 1.94 WHIP. He’s given up 16 hits, walked four and struck out seven.Puerto Rico Winter League This is a short report. Games started in Puerto Rico this weekend and just one Twins player played so far. Danny Ortiz played for Mayaguez and went 0-5 on opening night. Australian Baseball League Teams is the ABL typically play Friday through Sunday. Often they play doubleheaders on Saturdays. The stats below are through Sunday afternoon’s games (even though it’s posted Sunday morning). Geography and time zone knowledge reminds us that they are 15-19 hours ahead of us in the United States. Here are the Twins minor leaguers who have played so far. There are several former Twins players who are also in the league including Luke Hughes who plays for Perth. Allan de San Miguel is the catcher and cleanup hitter for the Perth Heat. Through two weekends, he has hit .240/.296/.320 (.616). He has gone 6-25 with a walk and two doubles.Catcher Michael Quesada is playing for Sydney. He is hitting .235/.458/.294 (752) with a double. He is 4-17 with five walks. He has also been hit twice.Logan Wade played the first weekend, but not the second weekend, for Brisbane. He went 3-10 with a home run.Also playing for Brisbane is outfielder/second baseman Aaron Whitefield. He has not yet played in the States. He has started the season by going 8-26. He’s hitting .308/.308/.308 (.616).Tanner Vavra played for Melbourne. He has primarily played second base but also seen time at shortstop. He had a big game on Sunday afternoon. He is 5-18, hitting .278/.409/.500 (.909) with three walks, a double and a homer. He hit a home run on Sunday afternoon to tie the game at one. In his next at bat, with runners on second and third and two outs, he doubled in both runs.Trey Vavra also plays for Melbourne. He is playing first base and batting third. He is hitting .393/.414/.536 (.950) with a walk, a double and a home run. He is 11-28.As you recall, Joe Vavra – Tanner and Trey’s dad – became the first active MLB coach to also be a manager in the Australian Baseball League when he agreed to manage Melbourne. He had previously managed in the ABL back in the early 90s when he was a coach in the Dodgers farm system.Major League Baseball provides a lot of dollars for the ABL. The league is full of players from Australia, but it also includes players from minor league teams in the States and teams in Japan. We will post an update on the goings-on in the Winter Leagues from time to time. Please feel free to ask quest Click here to view the article

I'd say there is a very high likelihood of him getting there...

I can agree with that. I was a fan of Mark Funderburk... The reality, as I've said before, is that prospect ranking is not a science because we're dealing with people. Injuries happen. Players don't progress as anticipated. Tools don't become skills. No perfect way to do this... So there is really no wrong ranking.

Has nothing to do with the ranking... just background information.

You were at 5-6, so I gave you some room, and I took some as well. Ha!

I'd note, for those who aren't aware, SD Buhr is from Cedar Rapids and covered the Kernels in most home (and several road) games this year. In other words, he saw Gordon play about 100 games this year, and got to talk to him from time to time. His opinion on anyone from the Kernels is must-read. Alright, SD Buhr... We'll put a beverage at Bushwood on Gordon's career-high for home runs. I'll take over 10. Do you take the under?

If the Twins bring back Morneau, I won't be mad in the least... then again, I can't imagine getting mad about decisions other people make about baseball. I don't think it makes any sense for the Twins. I'd role with Arcia and Vargas. Leave DH for Plouffe, Sano, Mauer... maybe others.