Seth Stohs

I would agree with you on each of those things.

right, but there will be moves made in the offseason. It'll clear itself out.

With Sano, they waited until they felt he was ready after missing a full season. With Buxton, it was an injury that brought him up, not that he was ready. Kepler may be ready now. He may be ready on Opening Day or a month in, or next July. No way to know. I don't expect an early call up at all for him in 2016. I think it would be awhile. Rosario and Hicks will be in the OF. Arcia is out of options. Hunter could come back. Buxton may be an Opening Day possibility, though I think he could use another couple months or a half-season in AAA too.

Hey, you can get an official Chattanooga Lookouts Southern League championship t-shirts here: http://lookouts.milbstore.com/store_contents.cfm?store_id=37&dept_id=-1&product_id=69157

Let's just hope for different results!!

Like I said, he'll almost certainly start the 2016 season in Rochester, but he could be up in a month. The service time isn't an issue at all. Also, there are way too many examples with the Twins not worrying about service time to worry about that anyway. It may send a message to Arcia. That's not why Kepler is up, but the message is clear. It doesn't send Hunter any sort of message. Hunter isn't going to be threatened in any way.

Yes, teams can add one coach in September. Ivan Arteaga has been with the club for the last couple of weeks, and now Jake will join the Twins.

Jason Wheeler was named the Southern League Championship Series MVP. He threw seven shutout innings in Game 2 and then four shutout innings tonight. In an interview after the game, he talked about the talent and the organizational depth, especially considering Buxton, Sano and Duffey were Lookouts to start the season. Kind of a nice reminder. This is a pretty special group. Those seven guys have won together, a lot. And, Cedar Rapids made the playoffs and had the best record in the Midwest League in 2013.

On Monday night, Max Kepler was a member of the Southern League champion Chattanooga Lookouts. He was one of seven Lookouts players who also won a championship with the Ft. Myers Miracle in 2014 and the Elizabethton Twins in 2012. Following the game, he also learned that he was going to the big leagues for the final 13 games of the Twins regular season.After the Lookouts championship, the Minnesota Twins announced via Twitter that Max Kepler was heading to the big leagues. It's been a great year for the German. He began the year with this second year at big league spring training. After injury meant his season started with a week with the Ft. Myers Miracle, and he then moved up to the Lookouts. From that point, he dominated the Southern League. He went on to hit .322/.416/.531 (.947) with 32 doubles, 13 triples and nine home runs. As impressive, he walked 67 times and struck out 63 times. He ended the season on a cold streak and hit just .188 in the playoffs. That said, he hit three homers in the playoffs and walked nine times (to go with 10 strikeouts). Kepler was signed the same day the Twins signed infielder Jorge Polanco in July of 2009. Miguel Sano signed that October. Kepler has been written about nearly every day at Twins Daily since about May 1. Last week, he was unanimously chosen as the Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Year. Kepler can play all three outfield positions defensively as well as first base. I would guess that he will do some pinch hitting until (or if!) the Twins are officially eliminated from contention. If they are eliminated, he would likely play every day, somewhere. Kepler will most likely spend a couple of months in Rochester at the start of the 2016 season. However, it is a nice "bonus" for Kepler as he will be able to learn from the veterans through observation. He'll also make about $35,000 to $40,000 for his two weeks with the club. The other person from the Twins minor leagues who will be joining the Twins is Cedar Rapids Kernels manager Jake Mauer. He will join the Twins coaching staff for the final two weeks of the season. Click here to view the article

For the third straight game, the Cedar Rapids Kernels found themselves down a run going into the bottom of the ninth at Perfect Game Field and Veterans Memorial Stadium. On Saturday in Game 3, the Kernels had a come-from-behind win on a Brian Navarreto infield single. On Sunday afternoon, their comeback fell short. What would happen in a winner-takes-all Game 5?26-year-old Ross Seaton got the start for the West Michigan Whitecaps. The 26-year-old had 21 starts for the Detroit Tigers’ Low-A affiliate on the season, posting an 11-8 record with a 3.88 ERA. He also made two starts for AAA Toledo. He has made AAA starts each year since 2012. Randy LeBlanc made the start for the Kernels. On the season, he went 9-5 with a 3.03 ERA in 33 games, and just five starts. Both starters began with two scoreless innings. In the bottom of the third frame, outfielder Austin Diemer put the Kernels on the board with a long home run. It was his first of the postseason and just the third since he was promoted from Elizabethton in mid-July. The Kernels added another run in the bottom of the fourth as well. Edgar Corcino led off with a single and scored on a TJ White single. Randy LeBlanc was terrific through four innings. In fact, he had faced the minimum, 12 batters. His only blemish was a one-out single in the fourth inning. That was quickly erased on a double play. Unfortunately, LeBlanc was unable to get out of the fifth inning. With that two-run lead, LeBlanc got the first out, but followed it with a four-pitch walk. It was followed by a single and another walk to load the bases. A fielder’s choice scored the Whitecaps' first run. A line drive single tied the game at two. That was it for LeBlanc. Luke Bard entered and hit the first batter he faced to load the bases. A few pitches later, he threw a wild pitch off the glove of Brian Navarreto which gave the Whitecaps a 3-2 lead. Bard then struck out the batter to end the inning. Unfortunately, it was a lead that would stick over the remaining innings of the game. The Kernels had a few runners, but were not able to add that third run to tie the game. Randy LeBlanc took the loss. He gave up three runs on three hits and two walks in 4.2 innings. Though he allowed an inherited runner to score, Bard hit a batter and struck one out. Yorman Landa came on and struck out the side in the sixth inning and struck out four over two scoreless innings. Nick Anderson gave up two hits, but no runs, over two scoreless innings. The Kernels managed just four hits in the game. Edgar Corcino and Max Murphy each had one hit and walked once. Congratulations to Jake Mauer, Tommy Watkins, Henry Bonilla and the entire Cedar Rapids Kernels organization on another terrific season and a fun-filled playoff run. Jake Mauer will now join the Minnesota Twins coaching staff for the final two weeks. Click here to view the article

I like that kind of optimism!! Any other predictions for tonight's games?

To be fair, both were promoted in mid-July and couldn't help in the playoffs.

Mike Trout debuted with the Angels as a 19-year-old in 2011. Since then, he has played in four All-Star Games (and been MVP of the game the last two years), won three Silver Sluggers, been named American League MVP once and runner-up twice, and signed a six-year, $144.5 million contract. He's turned into an all-time great, and he just turned 24. Back in 2010, a year after the Angels made him their first-round pick, he was an 18-year-old in Cedar Rapids. He played in 13 games against the Twins Midwest League affiliate at the time, the Beloit Snappers. How did he fare in those games?Friday night, the Twins and Angels game was postponed due to rain. On Thursday night, Mike Trout launched two home runs and drove in five runs to help the Angels to a victory. Trout has become a rare, generational player. He debuted in 2011 as a 19-year-old. He was an All-Star, Rookie of the Year and runner up for the MVP the next year as a 20-year-old. He was the runner up for MVP in 2013. In 2014, he won his first MVP award. This year, he’s having an even better season. And he just turned 24 at the beginning of August. And, before the season he signed a six-year, $144.5 million contract that takes him through 2020, when he’ll become a free agent at age 29. Just imagine what that next contract might be! We all know that his father, Jeff Trout, was the Twins fifth-round pick in 1983 out of the University of Delaware. That season, he played in the Midwest League, for Wisconsin Rapids. His manager that year was Charlie Manuel. In 1984, he jumped up to AA Orlando where he hit .285/.351/.378 (.729) with 17 doubles, seven triples and four home runs in 130 games. He returned to Orlando in 1985 and hit .279/.385/.398 (.783) with 20 doubles, three triples and three home runs in 95 games. He was 24 years old that season. He was back in Orlando in 1986 as well. He hit .321/.406/.451 (.857) with 22 doubles, four triples and seven home runs in 105 games. Certainly a solid season, but he never played pro ball again. In his pro career, he stole eight bases and was caught 15 times. Safe to say that his son has outperformed him on the baseball field. I remember the first time I decided to make the five hour trek from the Twin Cities to Beloit for some Midwest League action. Former Twins blogger Josh Johnson and I packed up and went to a Friday and Saturday game. We were excited to see Aaron Hicks, Danny Rams and Angel Morales among others. That Friday night game, Brian Dozier was the shortstop for the Beloit Snappers. After the game, he was promoted to Ft. Myers. Taking his spot on the Snappers roster and playing shortstop that second game was Danny Santana. Ironically, the Snappers were playing the Cedar Rapids Kernels, then an affiliate of the Angels. The centerfielder for the Kernels was Mike Trout. Even then, as an 18-year-old, he stood out on the field. Obviously I’m not a scout, but I know the game of baseball, and you could just see his talent offensively and defensively. I like to tell the story that I went in to the bathroom at Pohlman Stadium in Beloit in between innings, and I stood next to Trout at the urinals. Weird, maybe crude story, but true. I have strict rules about conversing in public facilities, but maybe I should have made an exception if only I had known how good he would become. Maybe even shake hands. Maybe not. Trout was 18-years-old in the Midwest League and in 81 games he hit .362/.454/.526 (.979) with 19 doubles, seven triples and six home runs. He was the Kernels’ leadoff hitter. He also stole 45 bases in 54 attempts. I couldn’t help but wonder how he did against Snappers/Twins pitchers during his time. Baseball-Reference doesn’t have the game logs for the minor leagues from 2010, so I went to milb.com and went through box scores. It was kind of a tedious activity, but for me, it was a fun walk down Twins prospect memory lane, reading names I hadn’t seen in quite some time. The Snappers actually started their season in 2010 with a three game series in Cedar Rapids. Liam Hendriks was the Snappers Opening Day starter. He struck out Trout in their first inning matchup. In the third, Trout rolled back to Hendriks. It was Tom Stuifbergen who faced Trout in the sixth inning. He struck him out looking. In the eighth inning, Steve Blevins gave up an infield single to Trout. In the bottom of the 10th, with Kane Holbrooks on the mound, Trout grounded out to Dozier at shortstop for a fielder’s choice to end the game. In that three –game series, Trout had just the one infield single in 13 at-bats. I won’t dig into each of the games, but here is how Trout fared against the Snappers pitchers he faced before his July promotion to High-A. Liam Hendriks – 0-2 with a strikeout and groundout.Tom Stuifbergen – 0-1 with a strikeoutSteve Blevins – 1-1 with a singleKane Holbrooks – 0-3 with two strikeouts and a groundout.Dan Osterbrock – 0-3 with two groundouts and a fly outDakota Watts – 0-3 with a walk and three strikeouts (pretty good)Miguel Munoz – 2-11 with a walk, a single, and a three-run triple. Also three strikeouts.Eliecer Cardenas – 1-3 with a single and strikeoutJhon Garcia – 0-1 with a walk and a strikeoutPeter Kennelly – 0-2 with two walksBrad Stillings – 4-10 with three singles, a double and a strikeoutChris Armstrong – 1-2 with a double.Matt Tone – 0-0 with a walkBJ Hermsen – 0-3 with a walkMichael Tonkin – 2-3 with a walk, two hit by pitches, a single and a strikeoutHe played 13 games against the Snappers in 2010 and went 11-49 (unofficially), .225/.377/.306 (683). In a mid-June appearance in Cedar Rapids, about an hour from his hometown, BJ Hermsen threw a complete game, one-hit shutout. He lost a perfect game bid when he walked Trout in the fourth inning. He lost a no-hitter in the eighth inning on a single. Liam Hendriks made just six starts at the beginning of that 2010 season in Beloit. He was 2-1 with a 1.32 ERA. In 34 innings, he gave up just 16 hits, walked four and struck out 39. He debuted with the Twins as a 22-year-old a year later. Hendriks has faced Trout just once in the big leagues. He intentionally walked him. That’s probably never a bad strategy. Michael Tonkin was a late-round draft pick of the Twins in 2008 and pitched in six games for the GCL Twins that season. He remained with the GCL Twins for 2009 as well. In 2010, Tonkin began the season with the Snappers as a starter. He made 12 starts (and one bullpen appearance) and went 3-6 with a 4.29 ERA. When the short-season began, he went to Elizabethton and posted a 1.08 ERA out of the bullpen. He made a full-time transition to the bullpen in 2011. He pitched in 48 games for the Snappers in 2011 and 22 more in 2012. It was important for him to get that small sample in 2012 because that’s when he really took off as a prospect. Tonkin has faced Trout four times in the big leagues. The All-Star is 1-2 with two walks against Tonkin. Dakota Watts was a hard-throwing bullpen guy, though at times he struggled with his control. He was the Twins 16th round pick in 2009 out of college. As a 22-year-old in 2010, he pitched in 30 games for the Snappers followed by 17 games with the Miracle. He even pitched in two games for AA New Britain. In 2011, 2012 and 2013, he split the seasons between the Miracle and Rock Cats. In 2014 and 2015, he has pitched in the independent American Association. Late in the season, he was signed by the Texas Rangers and pitched for High Desert. Trout moved quickly through the Angels minor league system. Those other Angels affiliates played in different leagues than the Twins affiliates, so there were no other Trout vs. Twins minor league numbers to report. Several of the pitchers mentioned above never pitched above the Midwest League, but they still have a pretty cool story to tell their kids and grand kids. They once pitched against Mike Trout. Click here to view the article

pure speculation, and it should be pointed out that I thought Jake would go to the Red Wings this year with Tommy taking over in Cedar Rapids. So, I have no idea. I think Mientkiewicz will have big league opportunities this offseason again. I don't know if that'll be with the Twins or another organization.

My sense is Mientkiewicz will have a big league job in 2016. Somewhere. We'll see, and I think Mauer gets an opportunity in Chattanooga. I think Tommy Watkins becomes the manager in Cedar Rapids.

Correct. He'll certainly start next season in AAA, so Service Time won't be an issue. I think he's a given to come up. (though I don't know)

This week, we have handed out the Twins Daily Minor League Awards, and today we get to the final award. Yesterday, Jeremy wrote about the top performing short-season hitters. Today, we will look at the Twins short-season pitchers who put up great numbers. There were several quality arms who spent time with the GCL Twins and the Elizabethton Twins.First, a reminder of our previous awards: Hitter of the Year – Max KeplerStarting Pitcher of the Year – JO BerriosRelief Pitcher of the Year – Trevor HildenbergerShort-Season Hitter of the Year – Jermaine PalaciosShort profiles of our top five are to follow, but first, some players worthy of Honorable Mention. Honorable Mention: Lachlan Wells, GCL Twins: 10 G, 9 GS, 5-2, 2.09 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 47.1 IP, 35 H, 11 BB, 49 K.Cody Stashak, Elizabethton Twins: 10 GS, 5-2, 3.43 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 44.2 IP, 39 H, 11 BB, 53 K.Miles Nordgren, Cedar Rapids Kernels/Elizabethton Twins: 17 G, 11 GS, 1-3, 2.62 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 72.0 IP, 82 H, 13 BB, 42.Pitcher of the Year Here are the top six vote-getters for Twins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year. #4 (Tie) – Eduardo del Rosario, GCL Twins/Elizabethton Twins: 11 GS, 3-2, 2.81 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 51.1 IP, 42 H, 9 BB, 53 K. Eduardo del Rosario signed with the Twins in 2012 out of the Dominican Republic. He spent one season in the Dominican Summer League. He came to the States in 2014. As a 19-year-old, he went 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA in 17 games out of the bullpen. He returned to the GCL this year, but this time he was given an opportunity to start. He went 3-2 with a 1.90 ERA in 10 starts before finishing with one start in Elizabethton. He continued to be a strike-thrower. #4 (Tie) – Kuo Hua Lo, Elizabethton Twins: 19 G, 14-1, 1.44 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 31.1 IP, 15 H, 8 B, 43 K. Lo was signed by the Twins in June of 2011 out of Taiwan. He spent one season in the GCL, but he has spent the last three seasons in Elizabethton. As a 20-year-old in 2013, he went 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA in 38 innings. In 2014, he was 3-0 with a 3.98 ERA. This year, he was the Appalachian League Relief Pitcher of the Year. He was incredibly dominant. He gave up less than a hit every other inning. He had decent control, and he became a big strikeout pitcher. #3 – Andro Cutura, Elizabethton Twins: 11 GS, 3-2, 1.34 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 60.2 IP, 46 H, 15 BB, 49 K. Cutura was the Twins seventh-round pick in 2014 out of Southeastern Louisiana. However, he didn’t pitch last year due to injury. He was slowed in spring training and went to extended spring training. The 22-year-old has very good control and does a very good job of keeping the ball in the ballpark. With health, he will start 2016 in Cedar Rapids, but could pitch at a couple of levels. #2 – Dereck Rodriguez, Elizabethton Twins/Cedar Rapids Kernels/Fort Myers Miracle: 15 G, 14 GS, 6-4, 3.35 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 75.1 IP, 74 H, 19 BB, 66 K. Rodriguez was the Twins sixth-round pick in 2011 out of high school in Florida. The son of Ivan Rodriguez was drafted as an outfielder and spent that summer and the next in the GCL. He hit .222 with 11 doubles and three homers in 2013 in Elizabethton. After that season, he became a pitcher. In 2014, he went 2-2 with a 1.05 ERA in 17 games out of the bullpen for the E-Twins. In 2015, he became a starter and pitched well. While waiting for the Appalachian League season to start, he pitched in one game (two shutout innings) for the Miracle. He also went up to Cedar Rapids and gave up seven runs in seven innings over two starts. He was the opening night starter for the E-Twins and pitched well enough to be named the Appalachian League’s Pitcher of the Year. He was 6-3 with a 2.85 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Genetics has provided him with a very strong arm. Patience will be needed to keep pushing forward. Starting Pitcher of the Year – Williams Ramirez, GCL Twins: 11 G, 10 GS, 4-3, 1.05 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 51.1 IP, 25 H, 20 BB, 58 K. The Twins signed Ramirez in December of 2012 out of San Juan, Dominican Republic. He had only just started pitching. Previously, he was an outfielder and third baseman. He began pitching just over three years ago. He has a very strong arm and a good feel for his secondary pitches. He just had never pitched before. He turned 23 late in the season, but with the arm he has, he remains at least an intriguing prospect. He spent two seasons in the Dominican Summer League. He went 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA in 2013 as a 20-year-old. In 2014, he went 4-1 with a 1.81 ERA. In his first six games this year, he gave up just one run in 26.1 innings (0.34 ERA). Opponents hit just .088/.207/.113 (.319). Then in his final five games started, he posted a 1.80 ERA in 25 innings despite a 1-3 record. In his starts, he never gave up more than two earned runs. Clearly he will need to work on his control, but there is strong potential for him to become special. There you have it, the top pitchers in the short season. What do you think? How would you rank them? The Ballots In an attempt to be transparent, here are the votes from our Twins Daily minor league writers: Seth Stohs – 1) Williams Ramirez, 2.) Eddie del Rosario, 3.) Miguel Gonzalez, 4.) Kuo Hua Lo, 5.) Andro CuturaJeremy Nygaard – 1) Dereck Rodriguez, 2.) Williams Ramirez, 3.) Andro Cutura, 4.) Cody Stashak, 5.) Miguel GonzalezCody Christie – 1) Williams Ramirez, 2.) Dereck Rodriguez, 3.) Eduardo del Rosario, 4.) Andro Cutura, 5.) Kuo Hua LoSteve Lein – 1) Williams Ramirez, 2.) Kuo Hua Lo, 3.) Cody Stashak, 4.) Andro Cutura, 5.) Miguel GonzalezEric Pleiss – 1) Andro Cutura, 2.) Williams Ramirez, 3.) Dereck Rodriguez, 4.) Miles NordgrenFeel free to discuss. How would your ballot look? Click here to view the article

The Twins squandered an early 5-0 lead and eventually fell 8-11 to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Despite the loss the Twins remain just a game and a half behind the Houston Astros for the second Wild Card spot in the American League. In the minor league playoffs, both the Chattanooga Lookouts and the Cedar Rapids Kernels played Game Two of their respective league championship series. Let's take a look at how they did.Lookouts Look In Chattanooga Lookouts @ Biloxi Shuckers Jason Wheeler vs. Adrian Houser Final Score: Lookouts 6, Shuckers 1 Box The Lookouts took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a Max Kepler solo home run. They extended their lead to 5-0 in the fifth after another Max Kepler homer, this time a grand slam! In the seventh the Shuckers had the good sense to intentionally walk Max Kepler only to see the next batter, Travis Harrison hit an RBI single to put the Lookouts up 6-1. Max Kepler was the hero of the evening for the Lookouts, finishing the game 2-4 with a pair of runs scored, five RBIs and a walk. Kepler's two home runs were the Lookouts only extra-base hits of the evening. Shortstop Heiker Meneses was 2-3 with a walk and number nine hitter, Shannon Wilkerson, was 2-4. Jason Wheeler pitched seven innings of three-hit baseball, surrendering just a single run and taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning. All three of of hits Wheeler gave up came in quick succession in the bottom of the sixth as the first three hitters singled. Wheeler struck out five and walked three. Nick Burdi gave up a hit and a walk in the eighth inning but recorded a pair of strikeouts to keep the Shuckers scoreless. J.T. Chargois walked the first hitter in the bottom of the ninth to give Biloxi some hope, but made quick work of the next three hitters to send the Shuckers home. Game Three is on Saturday in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Kernels Korner Cedar Rapids Kernels @ West Michigan Whitecaps Sam GIbbons vs. A.J. Ladwig Final Score: Kernels 1, Whitecaps 4 Box The Kernels led the Whitecaps 1-0 going into the bottom of the seventh inning before allowing four runs to lose the game. Sam Gibbons was cruising through six, but gave up a walk and a double to start the inning, putting runners at second and third. The next batter singled home a pair of runs. The lead runner scored easily, but the second runner was ruled safe a home despite never touching the plate as the home plate umpire ruled that Kernels' catcher Brian Navarreto was blocking the plate without the baseball. Kernels manager Jake Mauer came out to argue the call and was relieved of his managing duties. With Gibbons still in the game and now down 2-1, the next batter laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runner over and a throwing error by Gibbons allowed the runner to reach, putting runners at the corners with no outs, ending Gibbons' evening. The Whitecaps scored two more runs in the seventh to extend their lead to 4-1. Gibbons' final line on the night was 6+ innings pitched, five hits, four runs (two earned), a walk and four strike outs. Yorman Landa pitched the final two innings. Landa gave up one hit, one walk and struck out three. The Kernels offense managed just six hits, with a pair of them coming from designated hitter Max Murphy, who tripled home the only run of the night in the second inning. Chris Paul was 1-4 with a double and came around to score on the Max Murphy triple. On the evening the Kernels sent 34 men to the plate and did not earn a single walk. Game Three is on Saturday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Click here to view the article

I can't answer for the others. His OPS was good among those that would be eligible, but I couldn't put him in my top 10.

Correct, and yet, remember that this is not a prospect list. It's a ranking of performance and age isn't really a factor (Though there were 5 voters, so I can't speak for everyone).

All week here at Twins Daily, we have handed out awards for on-field performance. Today, we recognize Twins minor leaguers for their work off the field. Following the death of Minnesota Twins legend and Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew, the organization announced initiated the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service. One player from each Twins minor league affiliate is recognized for their efforts in the community. Killebrew was a powerful man and an intimidating presence on the baseball field. However, he was known as a genuinely compassionate man, respectful and helpful.Twins Daily would like to congratulate the 2015 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service winners: Rochester Red Wings – Logan DarnellChattanooga Lookouts – Tim ShibuyaFt. Myers Miracle – Tanner VavraCedar Rapids Kernels – Jared WilsonHere is a little bit more on each of them. LOGAN DARNELL - Rochester Red Wings Darnell is a repeat winner for the Rochester Red Wings. A year ago, he wrote about work he had done with the Mary Cariola Children’s Center, a school for kids born with disabilities. He continued to do a lot of work in Rochester during the 2015 season as well. Darnell said, “It’s a privilege to be recognized with the award. Knowing all the other great teammates that I have, to be picked is an honor.” Red Wings GM Dan Mason raved about what Darnell has meant to the team and the city the last couple of years. “Logan’s humble and outgoing demeanor have endeared him to so many people in our community. There are a ton of reasons why he won this award again. He led our team in appearances in the community once again this year. Basically, when we have requests from schools, corporations, hospitals, charities, little leagues, we have a flyer in the clubhouse and ask for volunteers. Logan probably averaged two to three appearances per home stand. He did them because he enjoyed dealing with people and he knows and understands the kind of impact he can have on people as a professional baseball player. He really gets it. We were blessed to have many, many guys on our team this season who were first class and did a lot of appearances as well, but he did more than anyone.” The highlight event was one that Darnell himself sponsored. Here is Mason’s take on the event. “In April, Logan approached me and told me he wanted to sponsor a jersey auction night to raise money and awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association. He explained that he wanted to do something to honor his mom, and he wanted to use his current position in life as a professional baseball player to make a difference. He explained that his Dad and brother take care of his Mom and that because he’s on the road, he wanted to do something to give back. He said he wanted to sponsor the jersey for the local chapter. He also said that only one or two other players on our team were aware that his mom suffered from the disease, but that he was ready to let the world know so he could do his part to help others fight the disease. Our next step was to meet with the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, and it was quite honestly one of the more powerful meetings I’ve ever been a part of. He had a chance to meet the people from the local chapter and talk about what his family was going through and together we concocted a plan to raise some money and awareness. Logan then went to work. He designed the jerseys himself and bought purple stirrups for every player to wear as well that night. I called Gene Glynn who sent me 15-20 autographed items from members of the Twins which we auctioned off that night as well. We auctioned off the game-worn signed jerseys of each player. Bryan Donaldson of the Twins also helped by sending several authentic items for the auction. We ended up raising over $7000.” In a classy showing, the Red Wings flew Logan’s Dad and brother in for the game so they could be here and throw out a first pitch. Mason explained, “They spent the majority of the game mingling with our fans, many of whom told them of how Logan had impacted them over the course of his two-plus seasons with the Wings. It was the first time we’ve ever had a player sponsor a promotion and the event received a great deal of publicity for the Alzheimer’s Association.” It was a day that meant a lot to Darnell. He said, “The Alzheimer’s Day was awesome. Words can’t describe it. Having an idea and something that means a lot to me come together like it did was amazing. With the help of my teammates, the Red Wings, and guys in Minnesota at the time, helped raise around $7500 for that chapter!” Mason called it “a shining example of why Logan is a special person and extremely worthy of the Harmon Killebrew Award.” TIM SHIBUYA - Chattanooga Lookouts Tim Shibuya was the Twins 23rd round pick in 2011. When healthy, he has been a very productive pitcher. In 2015, he was healthy throughout the full season. He began with the Miracle, moved up to Chattanooga for a couple of months and then finished the season with a month with the Red Wings. Shibuya said, “The 2015 season was a productive year. It was nice to be able to move up and compete t a higher level and learn from some of the older guys. To be able to clinch a playoff spot was special. The best part of the year is being able to go to the field every day and be around the team.” In 2014, Shibuya was the Ft. Myers Miracle choice for the Killebrew Award for, among many other things, his work and time spent at the Buckingham Exceptional Student Center. This year, he continued his excellent work in the community and is the choice as the recipient for the Chattanooga Lookouts. “It’s an honor, especially considering how many other teammates are deserving of the award. I am lucky to be surrounded with such good people, from teammates, to coaches, and front office staff. It is just as special as last year. I am glad to have the opportunity to do work in the communities year after year.” Last offseason Shibuya spent his time in Ft. Myers kept himself busy. “I volunteered at the Lee County Animal Shelter. I worked a variety of baseball camps and even gave a speech at a high school banquet. I visited some of the local elementary schools and hospitals.” One event stood out for Shibuya this past season. “By far the most special moment was when I visited with a boy in Chattanooga with leukemia. He was the most positive and happy kid and his family and friends were an amazing support system. In late May, he could not get out of bed due to the treatment, but his attitude was amazing. And a couple months later, with his doctor's approval, he threw the ceremonial first pitch. The strength of kids never ceases to amaze me.” Shibuya represents the Minnesota Twins organization well. His attitude is simply, “If something pops up, I will try to help out at the event.” TANNER VAVRA - Ft. Myers Miracle Tanner Vavra was the Twins 30th round pick in 2013 out of Valparaiso University. He was the Killebrew Award winner for the Cedar Rapids Kernels in 2014. This year, he was the choice for the Ft. Myers Miracle. Ashley Adams, the Miracle’s Manager of Community Relations, said, “What made Tanner stand out among others was that he genuinely enjoyed volunteering his time this past season. That was the biggest thing I noticed. He got really interactive with the kids wherever we were. It was cool because at their ages, they sometimes don’t comprehend what he’s talking about, but love to interact! Tanner was really cool about talking about experiences he had or currently has in professional baseball. They would really get into it and ask a lot of questions.” Vavra is honored to receive the award for a second straight season. “It means a great deal. I try to give back to the community I am playing in as much as possible, and being recognized with an award like this is an honor.” He finds it very rewarding. “Volunteering in Ft. Myers was a lot different than Cedar Rapids, but it was equally rewarding. In Ft. Myers, we went to different schools, hospitals, and special needs facilities to speak to kids about various things.” In 85 games with the Miracle, Vavra hit .258/.346/.300 (.646). Solid numbers, but consider that he began the season by getting just one hit in 26 at bats (.038) through the season’s first month. However, at that point, he turned things around. Over his final 72 games played, he hit .285/.368/.332 (.700) with all nine of his extra base hits. “The FSL is known to be a tough league for hitters. Regardless, my start was extremely frustrating. After a few hitless games, I began to press too much and forgot about the process and began only to worry about the results. Once I settled down some and got back to what I was doing in spring training, I began to feel more comfortable. Once the second half started, I finally understood how to handle my role, and then I started to get some results. Then I began to play some more and I felt like it took off a little bit for me. I think playing more and more and knowing I was probably going to be in the lineup that day helped me get into a rhythm. Very happy with my second half and overall our team’s success finishing with the best record on our side is something to be proud of regardless of whether or not we made the playoffs.” Vavra will head to Australia soon where he will team with his brother, Trey, to play for Melbourne in the Australian Baseball League. Not only that, the brothers will play for their father, Twins bench coach Joe Vavra. “Australia is going to happen and I as well as my family are looking forward to it. It will be a great opportunity not only to play with my brother again and for my father to manage us, but also to learn from my dad and pay attention to the coaching/managing side of things.” JARED WILSON - Cedar Rapids Kernels The Twins really liked Wilson, enough that they drafted him after his junior season of college in 2012 and in the 19th round following his senior season in 2013. After pitching out of the bullpen most of 2013 and 2014, he began the 2015 season in the Kernels starting rotation. He made 12 starts for Cedar Rapids and a spot start in Ft. Myers. He was a Midwest League All-Star, and then he was moved back to the bullpen in the Kernels second half. He was also recently named the Kernels recipient of the Harmon Killebrew Award. Of the award, he said, “It’s an incredible honor to receive the Harmon Killebrew Award. Not only was he a Hall of Fame talent on the field, but a role model for all off the field. He's a legend in the Twins organization, not just for his incredible talent, but for his attentiveness and care towards others and I couldn't think of a higher honor than to be associated with his name. The fact that people never fail to mention his character and greatness as a person, as opposed to focusing strictly on his playing career, is a true testament to how special of a man he was.” According to Ryne George, the Kernels Community Relations Manager, “The first thing I noticed about Jared was his maturity as a baseball player on and off the field. Jared understood right away that kids in the Cedar Rapids community look up to Kernels players and Jared embraced that role without hesitation. Jared was my number one guy in the clubhouse I could approach if I needed a player for an appearance on short notice. Having somebody like that in the clubhouse is huge because then he can encourage other players to go out in the community more.” Wilson enjoyed the opportunity to get out in the community. “We are given a lot of opportunities through the Kernels to help out in the Cedar Rapids communities. We are given opportunities to help out at some of the local schools and their reading programs, which is my personal favorite, along with other events in the community such at the farmers' markets and street fairs. This year, we were also given the opportunity to help out with some of the youth teams in the area, and participate in a summer camp outing for children with hemophilia. It's a really good program that we have here and everyone takes a part in it. I'm very lucky to have had the opportunity to play for the Kernels. It's a great organization to be a part of, and a top notch Minor League affiliate. The people of Cedar Rapids are great and I can't thank my host family, Linda and LeRoy Mann, enough for all they have provided me throughout my time here.” George continued, “Jared also has a great sense of humor and was more than happy to co-star as a catcher in a Minion video put together to help promote Minion Night at the ballpark.” (Chris Mazza and Randy LeBlanc are also in the video.) George comments that in the last 12 months, they have scheduled over 150 community appearances with their mascot, Mr. Shucks, and just over 50 player appearances. He says, “Supporting the Cedar Rapids community isn’t restricted to just the Community Relations Manager. Different Kernels front office staff have helped out with programs that support military veterans, provide baseball equipment to kids who can’t afford to play and national programs like Junior Achievement and Big Brothers Big Sisters.” ----- One thing I have learned from following the Minnesota Twins organization from the big league level to rookie ball is that there are a lot of really good people, a lot of guys that are very happy to volunteer in the community. The four recipients of the 2015 Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service exemplify what it means to be part of their communities and giving back. Congratulations to Logan Darnell, Tim Shibuya, Tanner Vavra, and Jared Wilson, the 2015 Killebrew Award winners for community service. Click here to view the article