Seth Stohs

Great to see Hildenberger finally get that promotion.

Late on Wednesday night, the Minnesota Twins lost 5-2 in Anaheim. It was their fourth straight loss and they are now 50-44 on the season. It was their fifth straight loss in Anaheim over the last two seasons. In the last four years, they are just 2-9 against the Angels on the road. We often hear about how poorly the Twins have played on the West Coast in recent years, but is there anything to it? Let’s take a look at the results.In the last five years, the Twins are 9-10 (.473) at Seattle, 6-13 (.316) in Oakland and 4-13 (.235) against the Angels. That means that they’ve won just 34.5% of their games on the West Coast. That’s certainly not good, but the Twins haven’t been good over the last four years. Were they worse on the West Coast? Since the beginning of the 2011 season, the Twins overall winning percentage has been .425. Looking back 20 years, the trend is still in place. Playing in Seattle, the Twins are 36-51 (.413). They are 38-46 (.452) in Oakland. Against the Angels in Anaheim, the Twins are 33-46 (.418). When looking at the Twins overall performance over that extended period, we see that they have won .489 of their games (1,551-1,620). So this poor West Coast performance is not just a recent trend. It’s something that the Twins have struggled with for two decades. So, what could the reason possibly be? Is it just bad luck? Is it something deeper? We hear and read all kinds of reasons. Let’s look into some of them. I’ve read some accuse the team of not being prepared, or the manager not having his team ready. We read those same comments almost any time the team loses though, don’t we? I don’t think that’s fair. However, the fact that the Twins (or other teams) travel at least two time zones could have some effect, whether consciously or not. The Twins have a lot of players from California on their rosters. Is it possible that they are pulled in multiple directions while on those trips? That’s certainly possible. They probably deal with getting tickets for family and friends. This doesn’t seem like much, but it is extra responsibility. It certainly seems like there is something to this. Maybe others have opinions on why. Is it possible that the Twins teams over the last couple of decades just haven’t been as good as some of the teams in California? The Angels and A’s have certainly been very good most seasons and good teams should win at home. That seems most likely to me. What do you think, Twins fans? Why can the Twins not win on the West Coast? What are your philosophies for this unfortunate record? Click here to view the article

Yeah, that is an interesting scenario because Blankenhorn (3rd round) took well under slot and Cabbage (4th round) got over slot, and I think Cabbage got a bigger signing bonus than Blankenhorn. So I was somewhat surprised to see Blankenhorn move up, but he's done well. Great athlete, and he can hit. But the profile of Cabbage is pretty similar too.

The big play of the game, in my opinion, wasn't the Ianetta homer. It came before that. With Pujols on 1B and nobody out, Gibson got a nice easy comebacker. He turned and way-too-quickly threw toward second. He didn't allow the shortstop (Escobar) to get close to the bag. The throw was also to the 1B side, so Escobar caught it a few feet from the bag and threw to first, unable to get either out. Gibson was trying to be too quick, rather than taking his time and letting the play develop. If done properly, it's a double play and two outs with no one on. Things just got worse from there. Instead of 2-0, it was 7-0. That one play was the turning point. To be fair, that is unusual. Gibson is a terrific defensive pitcher, so it was surprising to see that.

Well put. I think he sticks with the Kernels. And I think a big part of the reason is so that Vielma and Gordon can continue to play every day. They're both really good shortstops defensively. Gordon certainly has more offensive potential, though Vielma has been a pleasant surprise with the bat of late.

We certainly hope that he's this good, and yes, it is a SSS... but he's very talented.

The Twins were on the West Coast, so tonight we’ll have the minor league report posted before the Twins game is over. It was a full day in the Twins farm system. One pitcher was perfect through five innings. Another pitcher has a streak that reached 14 on this night. There were a lot of multi-hit games in the system, but several players added to their walk totals. Finally, one Twins affiliate played for nearly five hours and needed 16 innings. Did they at least win?These topics and much more can be found as you work your way through today’s Minor League Report. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 3, Gwinnett 5 Box Score Tyler Duffey started this game perfect. In fact, through five innings, he had not allowed a base runner. The perfect game, no hitter and shutout were all gone in the sixth inning. He went 6.1 innings and gave up four runs (two earned) on four hits. He walked none and struck out five. Alex Meyer came in with two runners on in the seventh. He allowed one to score on a groundout before giving up a two-run homer. Aaron Thompson and A.J. Achter each pitched a scoreless inning. Jorge Polanco went 2-4 with his fourth and fifth AAA doubles. Chris Herrmann also went 2-4. Reynaldo Rodriguez was 1-3 with a walk. Oswaldo Arcia went 1-4 with a double and two strikeouts. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 4, Montgomery 8 (10 innings) Box Score The Lookouts played a morning game on Monday. They needed an extra inning and that tenth inning did not go well for the team. Alex Wimmers made the start. He went just three innings and gave up four runs. He gave up four hits, walked five and struck out three. Tim Shibuya replaced him and threw three scoreless innings. . Brandon Peterson threw two scoreless innings. Jake Reed pitched a scoreless ninth. With the score knotted at four after nine, DJ Johnson was tasked with the tenth inning. He gave up four runs on four hits and a walk in the inning to take the loss. The Lookouts managed just four hits in the game but they worked ten walks. Marcus Knecht led the way with three walks. Max Kepler and Kennys Vargas each walked twice in the game. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 2, Jupiter 1 (16 innings) Box Score The Miracle game started about three hours before the Minnesota Twins game started in California. It ended as the Twins and Angels were playing in the sixth inning. The game was tied at one heading into the bottom of the 16th inning. T.J. White led off by reaching on an error. Jason Kanzler doubled him to third. Chad Christensen was intentionally walked to load the bases. Following a pitching change, Logan Wade flew out to right field. The right fielder made a diving catch but could not get up and throw to the plate quiclyk enough to get White. The Miracle won. In his second game back from an AC joint sprain, Engelb Vielma had two hits and a walk. He also stole his 22nd and 23rd bases. Ryan Walker went 2-6. Jason Kanzler had his seventh double, second triple and a walk. Chad Christensen went 2-5 and walked twice (both intentional). He also stole his 17th base. The interesting thing in minor league baseball is how pitching staffs get used in a long, extra innings game. The Miracle have plenty of experience. Before the short season leagues started, the Miracle would grab pitchers from extended spring training and use them. They may have to do the same after this one. Chih-Wei Hu had a very good start. He gave up just an unearned run on four hits and three walks in 6.1 innings. Corey Williams got the final two outs in the seventh. Zack Jones then struck out two over two hitless, scoreless innings. Dallas Gallant went the next 2.1 innings without allowing a run. He gave up a hit and walked two. He was replaced by Nick Burdi who struck out two in 1.2 hitless innings. Brian Gilbert came on to start the 14th inning. He went the next 2.2 innings without giving up a run. With two outs in the 16th inning, he was replaced by Todd Van Steensel who got the final out. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 6, Wisconsin 2 Box Score In his second start of the season, Felix Jorge gave up one run and struck out nine in five innings. I mention that because on Tuesday, he made his 16th start of the season and just once has he not pitched at least six innings. In this game, he went seven innings and gave up just two runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out seven. He improved to 5-3 with a 2.10 ERA. Luke Bard hit one batter over two scoreless innings to drop his season ERA to 1.44. The Kernels had 12 hits in the game and five players had multi-hit games. Tanner English went 2-4 with his fourth homer. Nick Gordon went 2-4 with his 13th and 14th doubles. Pat Kelly went 2-3 with a walk and two RBI. Recent newcomers Austin Diemer and Sean Miller each went 2-4. E-TOWN E-NOTES Elizabethton 6, Princeton 7 Box Score Alexis Tapia made the start for E-Town. The right-hander gave up four runs on seven hits (two home runs) over six innings. He struck out four. Anthony McIver gave up two runs on three hits in just one inning. Kuo Hua Lo gave up one run on one hit and one walk in two innings. Dan Kihle went 1-2 with three walks in the game. He was leading off and scored three runs. Manuel Guzman went 2-4. Travis Blankenhorn went 2-4 and knocked his first professional home run. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 3, GCL Orioles 4 Box Score The Twins fell behind early and were unable to catch up. Lachlan Wells started. He gave up four runs on six hits, a walk and a hit batter in 4.1 innings. He struck out two. Hector Lujan went the next 1.2 innings. He gave up a hit and a walk but no runs. Brandon Poulson got one out, but he gave up one hit and walked a batter. Miguel Gonzalez struck out two over the final 1.2 innings. Bryant Hayman led the offense. He went 3-4. Dalton Hicks, in another rehab appearance, went 1-4 with his second double and an RBI. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Felix Jorge, Cedar Rapids Kernels Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Tanner English, Cedar Rapids Kernels WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Gwinnett @ Rochester (6:05 CST) – LHP Pat Dean Tennessee @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) – TBD Ft. Myers at Tampa (6:00 CST) – RHP Ryan Eades Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (12:05 CST) – RHP Ethan Mildren Princeton @ Elizabethton (6:00 CST) – RHP Miles Nordgren GCL Twins vs GCL Rays (11:00 CST) - TBA Feel free to leave any questions or comments below Click here to view the article

These are the decisions that they'll make in the offseason. I think for the most part, they're pretty fair with guys they've brought in. They'll move Walker and Kepler up when they deem them ready. Ortiz could be back next year as a 4th OF in Rochester (if he wants), but I'd suspect Farris won't be.

We are ten days from the July trade deadline. Yesterday, Nick wrote about the Twins biggest need, behind the plate. But if catching is the team’s #1 need, would shortstop be #1b? Should the Twins continue to stand by young Danny Santana or turn things back to Eduardo Escobar? Should they look outside the organization for an option, or should they take a shot and hand over the job to Jorge Polanco?Let’s start by considering the internal options. DANNY SANTANA A year ago, Santana was a surprise call-up to the Twins. He stuck and shocked most who had paid any attention to his minor league statistics. He hit .319 and showed good power to go with his speed. Of course, he played primarily centerfield instead of shortstop and finished seventh in American League Rookie of the Year voting. To call his sophomore season a slump would be kind. For the most part, 2015 has been a disaster for Santana. As I went to look at where his statistics compare to other MLB second baseman, I hit a wrong button and ended up with a report that showed me 248 players with 200 or more plate appearances. It was ranked by WAR and guess who came in at the bottom of the list? That’s right. Danny Santana’s -1.7 WAR is worst in baseball. 247th on that list was Jimmy Rollins at -0.9 WAR. Put another way, if the Twins had gone with a replacement level player such as Doug Bernier or Argenis Diaz instead of Santana this season, they likely would have had significantly better production from the shortstop position. Among 29 shortstops with over 200 plate appearances in 2015 Santana ranks last with a .241 on-base percentage and .547 OPS. His .306 slugging percentage ranks 27th of 29, while his .221 batting average comes in at 26th. Santana came into the season with the full support and backing of Terry Ryan and Paul Molitor. They wanted to give the 24-year-old every opportunity to improve. As late July approaches and the Twins remain a legitimate playoff hopeful, it’s hard to imagine he has too much more rope. One other consideration is that Santana is out of options in 2016. EDUARDO ESCOBAR Last year as a 25-year-old, Eduardo Escobar earned the Twins starting shortstop job. In fact, many would argue that he did enough to have been handed the gig in 2015. Of 32 shortstops who accumulated 300 plate appearances in 2014, Escobar ranked 21st with a 1.1 WAR. All spring, Escobar said the right things, but he had to be disappointed to return to a utility role. He has played in just 18 games at shortstop this year, less than Eduardo Nunez. Meanwhile, he has inexplicably played in 32 games in left field, including 27 starts. He has been average, or slightly below average at both positions. After hitting .275/.315/.406 (.721) with 35 doubles and six home runs a year ago, his bat hasn’t taken off this year. He is hitting .254/.284/.400 (.684) with 19 extra base hits. Although not great, it would be around average for an MLB shortstop. JORGE POLANCO Polanco’s Major League stat line looks pretty impressive. He has hit .333/.500/.667 (1.167). Of course, that’s just 12 plate appearances. Signed for his glove work as a 16-year-old in 2009, Polanco’s offense has been what has carried him to AAA and those short stints with the Twins. He played in 67 games with Chattanooga this season and hit .301/.347/.409 (.755) with 14 doubles, two triples and four home runs. Upon his promotion to AAA Rochester, he has hit .298/.317/.351 (.668) in 14 games. The issue with Polanco at this point looks like his ability to play shortstop. He had 16 errors and a .939 fielding percentage in AA. He has seven errors and an .865 fielding percentage in 14 games with the Red Wings. However, it is important to note that he had six errors in just his first six games for Rochester. EXTERNAL OPTIONS Or, do the Twins need to look outside for a shortstop? Here are a few options: JIMMY ROLLINS Last week on 1500ESPN.com, Phil Mackey wrote about a “somewhat crazy, yet realistic trade idea.” The 36-year-old Rollins is hardly playing better than the 24-year-old Santana. Hitting just .204/.259/.322 (.581). As mentioned above, his -0.9 WAR is second-worst to only Santana. He would certainly provide another veteran voice on the Twins roster, and I can’t imagine that it would take much of a prospect to acquire him. The Dodgers also have mega-prospect Corey Seager pretty much ready at AAA. Rollins had his 2015 option vest last year and is making $11 million. The hope would, of course, be that he would play like Orlando Cabrera did down the stretch in 2009. JEAN SEGURA 25-year-old Jean Segura made his MLB debut as a 22-year-old in 2012. After one game, he was part of a trade that sent Zack Greinke from Milwaukee to the Angels. He has been the Brewers every day shortstop since the deal. In 76 games this year, he is hitting .276/.305/.346 (.650) with six doubles, three triple and three home runs. After stealing 44 bags in 2013 (when he was an All-Star), he stole 20 last year and has 13 this season. When the Twins played the Brewers, Segura’s effort-level was questioned on several occasions and that isn’t something new with him. Segura is making just $534,000 in 2015, but he will be arbitration-eligible after the 2015 season for the first time. The Twins would have his rights for the next three years which certainly makes him a bit more intriguing. Yet, it makes it less necessary for the Brewers to deal him, so the Twins would need to give up more to get him. ZACK COZART Cozart has been the shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds since 2012. He is making $2.35 million this year, his first arbitration-eligible season. In 53 games, he is hitting .258/.310/.459 with ten doubles and nine home runs. His .769 OPS so far in 2014 is over .110 points higher than his career average and one would assume that he would not hit for as much power in Target Field as he has with the Reds. The 29-year-old is very strong defensively up the middle. His range is average, but he is very steady and consistent. Since he still has two more years of control, I would expect the Reds to ask quite a bit for him. TROY TULOWITZKI Here is the name we all dream about, right? Tulowitzki was the seventh overall pick of that tremendous 2005 draft out of college and quickly got to the Rockies late in the 2006 season. Since then, he has played in five All-Star games, won two Gold Gloves and two Silver Slugger Awards. In 82 games this season, he is hitting .320/.365/.502 (.866) with 19 doubles, 12 homers and 52 RBI. His best years were 2009 through 2011. He has been one of the best offensive shortstops through much of his career. The concerns with Tulowitzki are clear. First, there will always be questions for a player who leaves the offensive-friendly confines of Coors Field. Second, Tulowitzki has not been able to stay on the field consistantly. He played just 47 games in 2012, 126 games in 2013, and 91 games in 2014. But when he is healthy, he puts up big numbers. Defensively, he has always been very good. He has average range, but a strong arm and steady hands. At 30, it’s fair to wonder aloud how long he would be able to remain at shortstop. And those numbers helped him sign a ten year, $157.7 million deal before the 2011 season. He has five years and $98 million remaining on the deal after this 2015 season. He will make $20 million each year from 2016 through 2019. He’ll make $14 million in 2020, and then he has an option for 2021 at $15 million with a $4 million buyout. There are also quite a few bonuses that he will get for MVP votes, All-Star appearances and other individual achievements. The other hurdle in a possible Tulo-to-the-Twins deal is the fact that the Twins would have to give up a ton to acquire the shortstop. Those trade negotiations likely start with a combination of J.O. Berrios and Jorge Polanco, and then the Twins would likely need to add a couple of more pieces as well. That level of prospect is what would motivate the Rockies to consider dealing their popular shortstop. So, what should the Twins do at shortstop? Up-the-middle defense is important. Nick wrote about the catcher position yesterday, and today we consider shortstops. The trade deadline is just ten days away. Put yourself in the GM's shoes and think about what is best for the organization, short-term and long-term. What would you do? Click here to view the article

It may be a little of both, to be honest. I think he struggled early with control. Also, the FSL hitters have a little better eye than the MWL pitchers, so he had to make some adjustment. He's walked more than he did in CR. But, he's definitely been really good the last few times out, so he's quickly made some of those adjustments.

There is no 'right' answer to Tommy John. I'm 100% in agreement with not having it right away, and obviously when it's completely torn it's done, but there are enough examples of rehab working. Definitely a process.

The last two guys that jumped straight from Cedar Rapids to Chattanooga were... Jake Reed and Dallas Gallant. I think just to Ft. Myers would be just fine.

I would probably argue that to this point, it's been a good plan for him as an individual. As he's moved up each year, he's had success despite his weaknesses. He doesn't even need to be added to the 40 man roster until after this season. He's only 23. No need to move him up to another level right now. He's doing fine and can work on his flaws. Hopefully correcting some of them before the end of the year. What will be interesting is now how he performs with no protection in his lineup and less base runners to drive in (probably). That'll be a good challenge for him.

There are about six weeks left in the minor league seasons. Two of the affiliates clinched playoff berths with their first halves. A couple more are still in contention to play in a postseason. We are getting to the dog days of summer. It’s usually at this time of the season that you start to see some of the statistical lines level out. It is a long season, especially if you’ve only been in pro ball for a year or two. That’s part of the development process. So, how are the Twins affiliates doing, and which hitters and pitchers are leading in various statistical categories?Here is a look at the updated Twins minor league standings and statistical leaders through Friday, July 17. Feel free to discuss. STANDINGS Here is a quick look at where the teams rank in their divisions. Rochester is now 50-43 and a half game ahead of Scranton/Wilkes Barre in the International League North Division. Chattanooga is 49-39 on the season. However, after winning the first-half title and clinching a playoff berth, the Lookouts are just 6-14 in the second half of the season, ten games back of Birmingham. After a 2-4 week, Ft. Myers has an overall record of 51-41. They are 13-9 and in third place in the Florida State League South division. They are two games back of Palm Beach and one behind Bradenton. Cedar Rapids is 53-39 overall this season. They are 12-10 in the second half which puts them in fourth place, seven games back of Kane County. They earned a playoff berth in the first half. Elizabethton is 10-12 in their season. They are currently in fourth place in the Appalachian League West division, but they are just 1.5 games out of first place. After going 4-0 this week, the GCL Twins are 13-8 so far. They are now just 1.5 games back of the GCL Red Sox. HITTERS For batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, IsoD and IsoP, we used a minimum of 240 plate appearances. Plate Appearances: Zach Granite (379), Reynaldo Rodriguez (366), Adam Brett Walker (354), Jorge Polanco (351), Nick Gordon/Alex Swim (349), Batting Average: Max Kepler (.328), Alex Swim (.317), James Beresford (.306), Jorge Polanco (.305), Byron Buxton (.283), Zach Granite (.281) On-Base Percentage: Max Kepler (.403), Miguel Sano (.374), Mitch Garver (.371), Zach Granite (.363), Alex Swim/Travis Harrison (.356) Isolated Discipline: Mitch Garver (.122), Travis Harrison (.108), Niko Goodrum (.103), Miguel Sano (.100), Tanner English (.094) Slugging Percentage: Adam Brett Walker (.563), Miguel Sano (.544), Max Kepler (.511), Byron Buxton (.489), Danny Ortiz (.431) Isolated Power (IsoP): Adam Brett Walker (.300), Miguel Sano (.270), Byron Buxton (.206), Max Kepler (.183), Danny Ortiz (.177) OPS: Miguel Sano (.918), Max Kepler (.914), Adam Brett Walker (.883), Byron Buxton (.840), Jorge Polanco (.750) Hits: Alex Swim (104), Jorge Polanco (100), James Beresford (92), Zach Granite (91), Max Kepler 88, Adam Brett Walker 85, Nick Gordon 83 2B: Max Kepler (24), Danny Ortiz (22), Reynaldo Rodriguez/Adam Brett Walker (21), Travis Harrison (19) 3B: Byron Buxton (12), Max Kepler (8), Max Murphy (7), Tanner English (6), TJ White (5) HR: Adam Brett Walker (24), Miguel Sano (15), Danny/Oswaldo Arcia (9), Reynaldo Rodriguez (8), Four with 6. Runs: Zach Granite (59), Miguel Sano (55), Reynaldo Rodriguez (54), Adam Brett Walker (52), Max Murphy/Nick Gordon (49), Max Kepler (48), Tanner English (46) RBI: Adam Brett Walker (76), Danny Ortiz (51), Reynaldo Rodriguez (50), Miguel Sano (48), Danny Ortiz (48), Zach Larson/Marcus Knecht (41), Travis Harrison (40) SB: Tanner English (28), Nick Gordon (22), Niko Goodrum/Engelb Vielma (21), Byron Buxton (20), Zach Granite (18) STARTING PITCHERS (>70 IP) Innings: Tyler Duffey (117.0), Taylor Rogers (115.2), Pat Dean (111.2), JO Berrios (101.1), Greg Peavey (100.0) ERA: Stephen Gonsalves (1.67), Mat Batts (1.89), Felix Jorge (2.06), Chih-Wei Hu (2.15), Tyler Duffey (2.38) WHIP: Felix Jorge (0.92), Mat Batts (1.02), Stephen Gonsalves (1.06), Aaron Slegers (1.077 Chih-Wei Hu (1.079), Tyler Duffey (1.12), JO Berrios (1.17) K/9: Stephen Gonsalves (10.2), JO Berrios (9.2), Mat Batts (8.8), DJ Baxendale (8.3), Tyler Duffey/Chih-Wei Hu (8.2) BB/9: Greg Peavey/Aaron Slegers (1.6), Mat Batts (1.8), Pat Dean (2.0), Felix Jorge/Chih-Wei Hu (2.1), Tyler Duffey (2.2) Strikeouts: Tyler Duffey/JO Berrios (104), Stephen Gonsalves (97), Mat Batts (93), Taylor Rogers (82) Wins: Stephen Gonsalves (9-2), JO Berrios (8-3), Mat Batts (7-4), Taylor Rogers (7-6), Eight pitchers with 6 wins. RELIEF PITCHERS (>28 IP, Games: AJ Achter (36), Todd Van Steensel/JT Chargois (32), Alex Muren (31), Brandon Peterson/Mark Hamburger/DJ Johnson (28) Innings: Alex Muren (54.0), Randy LeBlanc (53.1), Todd Van Steensel (49.1), Brandon Peterson (45.0), Mike Theofanopoulos (44.1), Trevor Hildenberger (44.0) ERA: Trevor Hildenberger (0.84), Brandon Peterson (1.40), Luke Bard (1.53), Alex Muren (1.67), Randy LeBlanc (1.86), Todd Van Steensel (2.19) WHIP: Trevor Hildenberger (0.64), AJ Achter (0.86), Brandon Peterson (0.96), Luke Bard (0.99), Alex Muren (1.06), Randy LeBlanc (1.07), Tim Shibuya (1.14) K/9: Cameron Booser (12.8), Brandon Peterson (12.2), Trevor Hildenberger (12.1), Todd Van Steensel (11.7), Lester Oliveros (11.6) BB/9: Trevor Hildenberger (1.0), Tim Shibuya (1.7), Luke Bard (1.8), AJ Achter (2.4), Randy LeBlanc (2.7) Saves: AJ Achter (14), Trevor Hildenberger (13), JT Chargois/Todd Van Steensel (11), Zack Jones (10), Cameron Booser (8) There you have it. The Twins Minor League Leader Board through Friday, July 17. What are your thoughts? Who are some of the players who surprise you on these lists? Click here to view the article

Kepler got hurt, otherwise he would have likely moved up to AAA. And you know why Walker is still in AA. It's written about lots of forums on this site.

It was a busy day on and off the field in the Twins system. The big league club started out their 2nd half by powering their way to a 5-0 win over Sonny Gray and the A’s. All six affiliates played. The team worked hard trying to sign compensation pick Kyle Cody, but they were unsuccessful. The ramifications of not signing him for the dollars they wanted went far beyond losing the one player.There were three, one-run ball games on the farm, and two blowouts. Continue reading to find out everything. Three players made rehab appearances in the GCL, so be sure to read to the bottom! RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 0, Lehigh Valley 1 Box Score Pat Dean was terrific on this night, but the Red Wings offense was not able to support him. He went eight strong innings. He gave up just one run on seven hits. He walked one and struck out seven. Mark Hamburger pitched a perfect ninth. Unfortunately, the Red Wings managed just four hits in this one. Oswaldo Arcia went 0-3 and has struck out in six straight plate appearances since homering in his first at bat on Thursday. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 6, Biloxi 5 Box Score The Lookouts got a lead and were able to hang on at the end. Heiker Meneses went 3-4 with his seventh double. Stuart Turner was 3-4. In his last four games, he is 8-17, raising his season average to .206. Adam Brett Walker went 2-5 with his 21st double and his 76th RBI. Max Kepler went 2-5 and stole his 13th base. Kennys Vargas returned to the lineup and went 1-4 with a walk. DJ Baxendale went the first six innings. He was charged with three runs on nine hits. He walked one and struck out seven. Alex Muren threw two shutout innings, giving up only a walk. JT Chargois came on for the ninth. He gave up two unearned runs in the ninth thanks to two errors in the Lookouts infield in the ninth, but got a ground out with the bases loaded to end the game. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 12, Brevard County 1 Box Score It was a great night for the Miracle bats, and Batts! Let’s start with offense. Alex Swim and Brett Doe each had four hits in the game. Swim was 4-5 with his 11th double and two RBI. Doe was 4-6 with two RBI. Ryan Walker went 2-6 and drove in three runs. Chad Christensen went 2-4 with a walk and his first triple of the season. Tanner Vavra went 2-4. Jason Kanzler was 2-5. On the mound, lefty Mat Batts continued his mastery. He gave up just one run on five hits over seven innings. He struck out five without issuing a walk. The outing reduces his Miracle ERA to just 1.66 in nine starts and 54.1 innings. Todd Van Steensel gave up a single but no runs in the eighth inning. Nick Burdi struck out two in a perfect ninth. In his eight innings now with the Miracle, he is yet to give up a run. He has given up four hits, walked none and struck out 12. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 1, Burlington 3 Box Score The Kernels offense got eight hits, but they were unable to bunch enough together to score enough runs in this game. Edgar Corcino led the way. He went 3-4. Pat Kelly went 2-4 in the game. Nick Gordon had a walk and a single. His hitting streak is now at 16 games. He is now 23-67 in those games, a batting average of .343. Coming into the game, he had hit .305/.380/.366 (.746) with ten doubles since May 22 (41 games). Randy Rosario started for the Kernels. He gave up two runs on three hits and two walks in five innings. He struck out three. Luke Bard struck out two over the next two innings. He gave up just two hits. Randy LeBlanc gave up one run on three hits over the final two innings. E-TOWN E-NOTES Elizabethton 1, Danville 2 (10 innings) Box Score Andro Cutura was drafted by the Twins last year, but he didn’t pitch due to injury. He had a terrific start on this night. He gave up just one run on two hits over seven innings. He walked none and struck out four. Anthony Mciver came on and gave up two hits and a walk, but no runs, in his inning. He struck out two. Logan Lombana pitched a scoreless ninth inning, but he takes the loss after giving up the winning run with two outs in the tenth. He gave up three hits, walked two and struck out two in 1.2 innings. AJ Murray led the offense. He went 2-4 including his third home run of the season. Rainis Silva was 2-2 in the game. Nelson Molina went 2-3 and added his first double of the year. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 8, GCL Red Sox 2 Box Score The Twins put together a seven-run third inning and held on for another win to improve to 13-8 on the season. They got a little offense throughout the lineup. Dalton Hicks made his first rehab appearance since being injured very late in April. He had a hit in three at bats. Brian Olson went 1-3 with two walks. Trey Cabbage went 2-4. Roberto Gonzalez went 2-3 with a walk and his second double. Lewin Diaz had an RBI triple in the first inning. Luis Arraez walked twice. Jermaine Palacios went 2-4 with his second triple. After starting the season 1-19, he has now gone 28-51(.549) and hit in 12 of his last 13 games. He has multi-hit games in 11 of those 13 games. For his second straight start, Williams Ramirez gave up just one hit over five shutout innings. In this game, he walked two and struck out two. In 21 innings for the GCL Twins, Ramirez has given up one run on six hits. He has walked nine and struck out 26. Very solid numbers, though the Dominican right-hander will turn 23 years old in early August. Ramirez was replaced by the rehabbing Stephen Pryor. Reports from Ft. Myers indicated that his fastball was 87 to 91 mph, which is nowhere near where he was before his injuries started a couple of years ago. He walked one and struck out one in a scoreless innings. Matz Schutte came on and gave up a solo home run before getting the next three batters out. John Curtiss walked one and struck one out in a scoreless inning. He has not pitched due to a forearm strain since May 25th. Moises Gomez gave up one run on two hits and a walk in the ninth inning. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Mat Batts, Ft. Myers Miracle Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Alex Swim/Brett Doe, Ft. Myers Miracle SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Lehigh Valley @ Rochester (5:05 CST) – RHP JO Berrios Chattanooga at Biloxi (7:10 CST) – LHP Jason Wheeler Ft. Myers at Brevard County (5:35 CST) – RHP Kohl Stewart Cedar Rapids vs Quad Cities (6:00 CST) – RHP Sam Gibbons Elizabethton at Danville (6:00 CST) - LHP Sam Clay GCL Twins vs GCL Red Sox (9:00 CST) - TBA Feel free to leave any questions or comments below. Click here to view the article

Ryan Eades was pretty solid, better than the numbers indicate, at least. He was actually perfect through four innings. He gave up a bloop single to lead off the 5th followed by a regular single and then the run scored on a sacrifice fly. The 6th didn't go so well, obviously with the big three-run homer. Nick Gordon's been pretty good. Here were two tweets I posted on him tonight:

I have never heard anywhere that Molitor is in Twitter. Do you have his handle? That would surprise me a lot.

For any pitcher, the words “Tommy John surgery” cause a feeling of dread. It has become a prevalent procedure for many pitchers from every organization, and it’s a surgery that many in the Twins system have already had. In April, talented left-hander Lewis Thorpe went under the knife. I had the chance to chat with the southpaw from Melbourne, Australia on Thursday to see how he’s doing and what he’s been up to in Ft. Myers.First, let’s go back in time just a bit. Lewis Thorpe was called up to Cedar Rapids in June of 2014. He experienced some ups and downs with the Kernels but put up numbers that are very encouraging. Especially for someone who only turned 19 last November. However, he was shut down after his final start of the season. Doctors found that he had a partial tear in his UCL (ulnar collateral ligament). Any tear, partial or full, of the UCL usually means that Tommy John surgery is imminent. There are several examples of pitchers who have been diagnosed with partial UCL tears who didn’t have Tommy John surgery. Twins starter Ervin Santana missed time late in 2008 and early in 2009 with a partially torn UCL and has yet to have the surgery. Adam Wainwright went five years before he needed to have the surgery. Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka is attempting to buck the odds. So the Twins went with the rest-and-rehab plan with Thorpe. In early March, I watched him throw to batters for the first time off of the mound. I also saw him pitch (and look really good) in an intra-squad game a few days later. And then it happened, and Thorpe knew it right away. His Twins minor league team was taking on a team of Rays minor leaguers. “I knew I tore it right away.” It wasn’t long before he learned that he would have to have the surgery. “I was a little annoyed at first, but then I got in my head that this is just a minor speed bump in my career.” On April 10th, Dr. John Steubs and Dr. Pearce McCarty performed the surgery, and it went well. “They are both great doctors and did a very good job.” Thorpe had to keep his left arm in a sling, with a half cast, for ten days. Then he was in a brace for about eight weeks. He had to wait two-and-a-half months before he could start working out, and then he was told only with body weight. Three months later, he is able to do more. “Now I’m doing upper body light, and I’m basically back to normal on the lower body.” His days in Ft. Myers are spent with a routine. Fortunately, he is able to stay at the Twins dorms where he is rooming with fellow Australian Lachlan Wells. The bullet points below describe what Lewis Thorpe says a typical days consists of for him. He is working with minor league rehab coordinator Chad Jackson. Wake up and eat breakfastGet in to the training room by 7:30.Do as much rehab as I can get done before 9:00.The team stretches at 9 and he joins them.While they play catch, he continues to stretch.Go back in and get the rest of my rehab done.Lift is at 10:30.When that’s done (around 11:30), he goes and eats.At noon, the GCL Twins play. Thorpe watches them play when they are at home, which is usually three times per week. He said, “It’s good to get out there in the fresh air and see all of the talent coming through the Twins organization.” And after the GCL game is complete? “Then go take a nice little nap!” It’s a grueling recovery for a Tommy John rehabber. The odds that a pitcher fully recovers after surgery are fairly high, but in order to do that, the rehab needs to be very structured. That can be challenging. Thorpe said, “The toughest part is just knowing you have to come in every day and repeat the same stuff. That’s why it’s called The Grind.” One thing you likely noticed is that Thorpe did not mention picking up a baseball or throwing it yet. That’s because he hasn’t. Not yet, but that date is coming soon. “Middle of August! Basically it’s four months after surgery.” He’s not in this alone. There are several Twins and Twins minor leaguers who have had the surgery before. There are others in Ft. Myers who are at various stages of their rehab. “BJ Hermsen has been a big help with me, pushing me, and giving me advice. He had the surgery two days before me. It’s always easier having someone that’s dealing with the same stuff you are.” There are others that he stays in contact with as well. He said that he has received good advice from (Rochester Red Wings All-Star 2B) James Beresford and (former Twins farmhand and long-time Braves reliever) Peter Moylan. He said that (former Twins and current Blue Jays pitcher) Liam Hendriks has also reached out and talked to him during his rehab. He said it was nice that several fellow Aussies have been there for him to talk to through this rehab. In mid-June, Lewis’s parents made the trek from Melbourne, Australia, to Ft. Myers. It meant a lot for Lewis to see his family. He said, “It was awesome seeing my family. It definitely made it a lot easier being with them for three weeks. They said to me that they love me and everything’s going to be alright. I just have to keep working hard and not give up on my dreams.” He won’t do that. He’s actually looking forward to reaching and then passing the milestones that are in front of him. Asked if he had any message for Twins fans, Thorpe took the opportunity to say, “I’ll be back next year with high hopes and ready to play! I can’t wait to be playing again.” I told Thorpe that I frequently get asked for updates on how he is doing in his rehab. He wanted to extend this additional message to his fans. “I want to thank all of them for their support. I really appreciate everyone who is thinking of me!” Click here to view the article