Seth Stohs

Hopefully everyone is enjoying their Labor Day weekend!! The Twins certainly enjoyed their doubleheader sweep in Kansas City on Saturday against the Royals. I know I look forward to the first start of Esmerling Vasquez’s big league career this afternoon. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Yesterday, I posted the August relief pitchers of the month, and today, I’m back to present for you the August Twins minor league starting pitchers of the month. There are a couple of new names, but it’s been nice to see some names show up on these monthly reports consistently. Below, you will find my rankings of the Top 5 starting pitchers in the Twins farm system in the month of August, along with a couple of honorable mentions. Be sure to vote for your choice and discuss the nominees in the comments. --- Honorable Mention: Beloit – LHP Taylor Rogers – 7 G, 3 GS, 2-1, 2.30 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 27.1 IP, 26 H, 6 BB, 31 K New Britain – RHP BJ Hermsen – 3-1, 3.29 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 6 GS, 38.1 IP, 43 H, 7 BB, 20 K--- Number 5 – Beloit – LHP David Hurlbut - 4 GS, 1-1, 2.88 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 25.0 IP, 21 H, 2 BB, 18 K Hurlbut was the pitcher of the month just a couple of months ago and has quietly put together a very solid season for the Snappers. The lefty doesn’t throw hard, but as you can see, he doesn’t walk many at all. Number 4 – GCL Twins – LHP Randy Rosario – 4 G, 3 GS, 1-1, 0.50 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 18.0 IP, 9 H, 8 BB, 19 K Another lefty, Rosario is young and has a long way to go in terms of development, but he is certainly intriguing. He already throws consistently at 92-93 mph and touches 94 and 95. He can strikeout batters now, but as is normal with many hard-throwing young pitchers, he has to work on finding the strike zone more consistently. Number 3 – Rochester – RHP Esmerling Vasquez – 5 G, 3 GS, 4-1, 0.88 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 30.2 IP, 17 H, 13 BB, 31 K Vasquez has split his time between the bullpen and the rotation this season in Rochester. Although he made just three starts in August, one of his relief appearances came following a PJ Walters rehab start. Vasquez came in with two outs in the first inning and left after getting an out in the 9th, his longest outing of the season. He throws hard. Control has always been his downfall, but he’s been much better when starting. Number 2 – Rochester – Liam Hendriks - 4 GS, 2-1, 1.61 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 28.0 IP, 18 H, 7 BB, 21 K Hendriks continued his mastery of AAA hitters in August. Maybe he should be higher on this list if we include his complete game, 1-0 loss to Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners. And the Twins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month is: GCL/Elizabethton Twins – RHP JO (Jose) Berrios - 4 GS, 2-0, 1.62 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 16.2 IP, 11 H, 2 BB, 28 K The numbers are pretty similar to Hendriks’ numbers in August, but Berrios walked less and struckout more, giving him the edge for pitcher of the month. The Twins first supplemental first round selection this June has been remarkable in every one of his appearances. He made one start for the GCL Twins in August before he and top pick Byron Buxton were promoted to Elizabethton where he has been even better. Add to the above numbers his Game 1 playoff win and his numbers are even better. He threw six shutout innings against Danville, allowing one hit, walking one and hitting one while striking out seven. And, if the E-Twins can get a Game 2 win against Burlington tonight, it will be Berrios starting Game 3 for the Appalachian League championship. What do you think? There have been a few months where I’ve only mentioned four starters instead of five. This month, I referenced seven pitchers. The relievers have been pretty strong all year, and wait until tomorrow when you see the impressive August output from many hitters, including some of the top prospects. Download attachment: Jose_BerriosCard.jpg Click here to view the article

As I was beginning my trek to Beloit last week, I realized that it was already into August. I have no idea where the entire month of July went, but it was already time to present awards for the minor league hitter, starting pitcher and relief pitcher of the month. To keep things brief, this is a little late, so I’m going to consolidate the reports. Along with the three “winners,” I’ll give a top five as well as post some honorable mentions, if appropriate. I apologize for the delay, but it is important for me to post this as there were a lot of strong performances. In fact, the player selected as the Eastern League Player of the Month finished third on this list. We’ll start with some honorable mentions, followed by choices five through two. It will then culminate with the July hitter of the month. We’ll start with the hitters before moving on to the pitchers.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] THE HITTERS Honorable Mention: Rochester Brian Dinkelman 27-81 (.333/.449/.580 – .965), 7-2B, 1-3B, 1-HR, 7-RBIRochester Matt Carson 26-84 (.310/.370/.500 - .870) 1-2B, 0-3B, 5-HR, 14-RBINew Britain Chris Colabello 38-113 (.336/.400/.487 – 887), 11-2B, 0-3B, 2-HR, 20 RBINew Britain Deibinson Romero 33-104 (.317/.385/.500 - .885), 7-2B, 0-3B, 4-HR, 21-RBIBeloit Miguel Sano 21-76 (.276/.426/.461 - .886), 3-2B, 1-3B, 3-HR, 21-RBIElizabethton Romy Jimenez 25-67 (.373/.475/.597 – 1.072), 9-2B, 0-3B, 2-HR, 22-RBIElizabethton Candido Pimentel 36-88 (.409/.464/.523 - .987), 5-2B, 1-3B, 1-3B, 14-RBIElizabethton Jorge Polanco 22-71 (.310/.417/.507 - .924), 9-2B, 1-3B, 1-HR, 9-RBIElizabethton Adam Walker 30-101 (.297/.355/.564 - .919), 3-2B, 1-3B, 7-HR, 26-RBI #5 – New Britain Aaron Hicks 35-110 (.318/.433/.518 - .951), 7-2B, 3-3B, 3-HR, 11-RBI#4 – Ft. Myers Josmil Pinto 31-79 (.392/.437/.582 – 1.019), 4-2B, 1-3B, 3-HR, 10-RBI#3 – New Britain Oswaldo Arcia 34-96 (.354/.426/.583 – 1.009), 6-2B, 2-3B, 4-HR, 25-RBI#2 – Rochester Chris Parmelee 27-81 (.333/.449/.580 – 1.029), 5-2B, 0-3B, 5-HR, 17-RBIThe July Minnesota Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month is... Elizabethton Twins – OF Max Kepler (32-96) .333/.439/.688 (1.126) with 7-2B, 3-3B, 7-HR, 28 RBI Kepler was signed by the Twins as a 16-year-old from Berlin, Germany, in July of 2009. He was immediately touted as the top prospect ever signed out of Europe. It has been a slow progression for the lefty-hitting outfielder. He posted a .689 OPS in the GCL in 210. Last year in Elizabethton, he hit .262 with 11 doubles, three triples and a homer. He produced solid numbers, but it made sense for such a toolsy player to go back to the Appalachian League. After a very slow start at the beginning of the E-Town season, Kepler started hitting very well in July, as you can see from the numbers above. At one point, he hit four home runs in five games and seven homers in 11 games. After four hits last night, he is now hitting .297 on the season with eight homers. He is 6-4 and 180 pounds and hopes to continue to fill out and add more power, but he is also a very speedy player. THE STARTING PITCHERS Honorable Mention: Rochester Esmerling Vasquez – 6 G, 4 GS, 2-1, 3.60 ERA, 25 IP, 20 H, 5 BB, 24 K #5 – Rochester Liam Hendriks – 5 GS, 2-2, 3.09 ERA, 32 IP, 29 H, 8 BB, 19 K#4 – New Britain BJ Hermsen – 5 GS, 4-1, 2.30 ERA, 31.1 IP, 29 H, 9 BB, 21 K#3 – Elizabethton Hudson Boyd – 5 GS, 2-1, 1.82 ERA, 24.2 IP, 22 H, 7 BB, 17 K#2 – Rochester Jeff Manship – 6 GS, 2-1, 1.67 ERA, 27 IP, 29 H, 12 BB, 20 KThe July Minnesota Twins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month is... Beloit – LHP Jason Wheeler - 5 GS, 4-0, 2.03 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 31 IP, 26 H, 12 BB, 22 K For the second straight month, a left-handed starter for the Beloit Snappers is our choice for starting pitcher of the month. Last month, he was David Hurlbut. This month, it is 2011 8th round pick Jason Wheeler. Wheeler has been one of the more consistent starting pitchers in the organization. Overall, he is 12-5 with a 3.35 ERA. In 22 starts and 126.2 innings, he has allowed 133 hits, walked 35 and struck out 96 batters. He is listed at 6-8 and 265. He stands out on the field due to his height, but he appears to be in very good shape. He does not throw hard, touching 90, but he does have some very good off-speed pitches that keep batters off balance. It’s surprising to many that the 21 year old from Loyola Marymount has not yet been promoted to Ft. Myers. THE RELIEF PITCHERS Honorable Mention: #4 – New Britain Bruce Pugh – 9 G, 15 IP, 9 H, 7 BB, 13 K, 1-1, 1.20 ERA, 3 Saves #3 – Beloit Cole Johnson – 10 G, 17.1 IP, 9 H, 5 BB, 20 K, 1-1, 1.04 ERA #2 – Rochester Luis Perdomo – 9 G, 16.1 IP, 8 H, 2 BB, 16 K, 1-0, 0.55 ERA, 7 SavesThe July Minnesota Twins Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month is... Ft. Myers – AJ Achter – 9 G, 16.1 IP, 12 H, 1 BB, 18 K, 1-1, 0.55 ERA, 4 Saves Last month’s relief pitcher of the month, Michael Tonkin, moved up to Ft. Myers about two weeks before AJ Achter did. Achter was pitching very well in Beloit, striking out 49 and walking just 12 in 40 innings. He was promoted to Ft. Myers where he has been even better. Achter was the Twins 46th round pick in 2010 out of Michigan State. Last year at Beloit, he was used exclusively as a starter. This year, he has been much better in the bullpen and seems to have found a role suited well for him! There you have it. The top hitters and pitchers in the Twins system for the month of July. Now it’s time to debate. What do you think? Please feel free to discuss. Download attachment: Jason Wheeler 3.jpg Download attachment: Max Kepler 2.jpg Download attachment: AJ Achter.jpg Click here to view the article

There have been a lot of great stories and performances in the Twins farm system in 2013. There are the independent league stories of Chris Colabello, Caleb Thielbar, and Andrew Albers. There is Doug Bernier, a 33-year-old shortstop who is back in the big leagues five years after two previous big league games. Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton and Eddie Rosario have been hitting all year. Oswaldo Arcia, Aaron Hicks and Kyle Gibson have now had a glimpse into big league life. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Ten days ago, JO Berrios went on the 7-Day Disabled List, and Alex Meyer went nearly three months without pitching. Berrios returned to action earlier in the week, and on Saturday, Alex Meyer made his return to the Rock Cats and was impressive. The most encouraging thing going into the offseason would be seeing Berrios and Meyer end the season healthy and successful. See what else happened in the Twins farm system on Saturday. Rochester Red Wings 4, Indianapolis Indians 6 Box Score Logan Darnell started with two scoreless innings. However, he ended up giving up five runs on six hits and three walks in three innings. Virgil Vasquez was able to work the next five innings. He gave up just one run on four hits and a walk. He struck out six. AJ Achter walked three but did not allow a run in the 9th inning. The Red Wings managed just seven hits in the game. Jermaine Mitchell had four of them. He also stole his 20th base. Darin Mastroianni went 1-2 with a walk. He stole his third and fourth bases. Aaron Hicks returned to the lineup, batting fifth and serving as the DH. He went 0-2 but walked twice. New Britain Rock Cats 2, Bowie Bay Sox 0 Box Score The most encouraging thing that can happen in the final week of the minor league season is for Alex Meyer to show well and prove himself healthy. On Saturday, he returned to the mound for New Britain for the first time since early June. He was quite impressive. He went five innings of shutout baseball. He gave up just one hit, walked two and struck out five. Reports say that he touched 100 mph on a couple of pitches. He also got a couple of strikeouts on an 87-mph knuckle-curveball. Cole Johnson replaced him in the 6th inning. He gave up two hits and a walk, but no runs, in his two innings. He struck out two. Dakota Watts then recorded his eighth save with two scoreless innings. He walked two and struck out four. Download attachment: alex-meyer.jpg Miguel Sano went 2-4 with his 14th RBI, which drove in the team’s first run. Eddie Rosario went 2-4 and stole his sixth base. Jordan Parraz went 1-3 with a walk and his tenth double. Ft. Myers Miracle, St. Lucie Mets The game as postponed. The teams will play a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon. Cedar Rapids Kernels 1, Peoria Chiefs 0 Box Score There wasn’t much offense on Saturday night in Cedar Rapids. Peoria had four hits. Cedar Rapids had just three hits. Fortunately, one of those hits was a home run off of the bat of Michael Quesada. It was his second homer of the season. Josue Montanez made the start for the Kernels and went the first 6.1 innings. He gave up thiree hits and a walk while striking out two to record his sixth win. Brandon Bixler came in and got a strikeout, but he also gave up one hit and walked one. Madison Boer came on and worked the final 2.1 innings to record his seventh save. He walked one and struck out two. Elizabethton Twins 6, Pulaski 7 Box Score The E-Twins jumped out to a 4 run lead after the top of the first. Rory Rhodes cleared the bases with a double. He then stole third base and scored on a throwing error by the catcher. Zach Larson went 2-4 with a walk, his second double and two RBI. Romy Jimenez hit his seventh double. Yorman Landa started. He gave up three runs on four hits. He walked two and struck out one. Andre Martinez worked two innings and gave up two unearned runs. He gave up just one hit and struck out four. Ryan Eades gave up two hits over two scoreless innings. CK Irby gave up two runs on an eighth inning home run. GCL Twins 3, GCL Red Sox 4 Box Score Lewis Thorpe was one of the Twins biggest international signings in 2012 out of Australia. The lefty started this game, and in four shutout innings, he gave up just one hit, walked one and struck out nine. On the season, he has pitched in 12 games. In 44 innings, he has given up 32 hits, walked just six and struck out 64 batters. Though he had a no decision in this game, he is now 4-1 with a 2.05 ERA. Lester Oliveros came in and walked two and struck out one in 0.1 innings. Leonel Zazueta then gave up four runs (3 earned) on three hits. He hit a batter and struck out two. Miguel Gonzalez struck out five, and walked one, in 2.2 scoreless, hitless innings. Tyler Stirewalt struck out one in a perfect inning. The Twins had seven hits in the game. Jorge Fernandez went 1-2 with his seventh double and two RBI. Ryan Tufts was 1-3 with his third double. Brian Navarreto went 1-3 with a walk and his third stolen base. He scored two runs. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. Click here to view the article

Maybe it’s the weather, but it’s hard to believe we are now in May. One month of the season is already complete. That means it is time to determine our Hitter and Pitcher of the Month. If you’ve been following the Twins Minor League Reports each day of the season, you’ve noticed that there are seemingly great starts each night, often two or three. And hey, pitching is what wins games, right? So let’s start with the starting pitchers. As we have done in past years, aside from just picking the top pitcher, we’ll count down the top five performers for the month. It’s always nice when we have a few extra strong performers. This month, ranking the pitchers was difficult. There were a lot of strong, solid performers, so feel free to discuss the rankings and even comment with your own rankings or thoughts. With that, let's jump to the starting pitchers. Here are the Top 5 starting pitchers for April: Number 5 – Rochester – Kris Johnson - 4 GS, 2-2, 2.86 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 22.0 IP, 18 H, 18 BB, 20 K On Thursday night, Kris Johnson will make his Minnesota Twins debut. In 2013, he made his big league debut and pitched in four games for the Pittsburgh Pirates including one start. He came to the Twins this offseason in a trade with the Pirates in exchange for reliever Duke Welker (remember the Duke Welker-Twins Era?). His 2.39 ERA for Louisville last year led the International League, and he is off to a strong start in 2014. In his first start, he threw five shutout innings, allowing just two hits. In his most recent start (last Thursday), he gave up only an unearned run in six innings. The left-hander sits 91-92 with his fastball and has a good three-pitch mix. Number 4 – Ft. Myers – Brett Lee - 5 GS, 3-1, 2.93 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 30.2 IP, 31 H, 7 BB, 15 K Following last season, Lee was my pick for the pitcher to take a big step forward as a prospect in 2014. The 23-year-old put together a solid first month of the season. If nothing else, he was very consistent. He gave up two earned runs in all five of his starts. In these games, he went 5.2 innings, then six, six, six and seven innings. The lefty was the Twins 10th round pick in 2010 out of junior college. In 2012 at Elizabethton, he posted a 2.68 ERA. In 2013 in Cedar Rapids, he posted a 2.95 ERA. So, Mr. Consistent’s 2.93 ERA in April shouldn’t be too surprising. Number 3 – Cedar Rapids – Aaron Slegers - 5 GS, 2-0, 3.14 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 28.2 IP, 24 H, 4 BB, 27 K The 6-10 Slegers was the Twins 5th round pick just last year out of the University of Indiana where he was the 2013 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. After a very solid performance in Elizabethton last summer, Slegers was the Kernels’ Opening Day starter. Since signing, Slegers has been able to add a little bit of velocity. He’s got pitches, and he’s got really good control. He doesn’t walk batters, and he was able to get strikeouts as well. If he can continue this for another month, he will likely move up to the Miracle. Number 2 – Rochester – Alex Meyer - 5 GS, 1-0, 2.70 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 26.2 IP, 11 H, 11 BB, 35 K Maybe you’ve heard or read a lot about Alex Meyer in the last couple weeks. The 24-year-old Meyer came to the Twins for Denard Span. He’s tall. He sits 95-96 and hits 99 and even 100. He has a devastating slider. And now he's learned a new changeup grip from Yohan Pino and Deolis Guerra. He’s got Ace upside. He has been really good in four of his five starts. He had a clunker in his third, but in his last two starts, he has been absolutely dominant. He’s got things to work on, but he can be very special. I asked Dan Rohlfing, the talented catcher who caught those last two starts about Meyer, and here’s what he had to say: “Alex is electric! There’s definitely not many guys who can do what he does with a baseball. It’s awesome to watch him go from a thrower to a pitcher. He is really starting to figure a lot of things out. By him learning (and trusting) to pitch inside and developing a quality change-up makes him that much more dangerous. We all know his curveball is filthy, and it’s becoming much more consistent as well. By him being a three-pitch pitcher now, who knows how to mix it up, makes it extremely unfair for hitters. His last two outings were dominant, to say the least.” And the Twins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month is: Rochester – Logan Darnell - 4 GS, 0-0, 1.69 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 21.1 IP, 15 H, 7 BB, 21 K Logan Darnell was the team’s 6th round pick in the 2010 draft out of the University of Kentucky where he was a teammate of Alex Meyer. He pitched at three levels in 2011 (Beloit, Ft. Myers and New Britain). He spent all of 2012, and the first two-thirds of the 2013 with the Rock Cats. He ended last season with 12 starts in Rochester. Following the season, he was added to the 40-man roster and this spring he reported for his first major league camp. He was one of the first cuts, but he was able to stretch out and be ready for the start of the season. In his first start, he worked four innings and gave up only an unearned run. He’s given up just four earned runs over 17.1 innings in his other three starts. He has been consistent, and he’s started getting strikeouts for the first time in his career. Last June, following his promotion to AAA, he talked to Twins Daily about what he throws, what he’s learned, pitching in the Arizona Fall League and much more. Download attachment: Logan Darnell Mug.jpg There were a lot of very good starting pitching performances in April. It was difficult to rank the five above, and here are a few more starters who were strongly considered: [*=1]Pat Dean – New Britain – 5 GS, 25.2 IP, 2-1, 3.51 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 27 H, 7 BB, 20 K [*=1]Jason Wheeler – Ft. Myers – 5 GS, 30.0 IP, 2-1, 2.70 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 32 H, 7 BB, 14 K [*=1]Tyler Duffey – Ft. Myers – 4 GS, 22.1 IP, 3-0, 2.82 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 22 H, 5 BB, 13 K [*=1]Ethan Mildren – Cedar Rapids – 4 G, 3 GS, 18.0 IP, 0-1, 2.50 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 17 H, 2 BB, 18 K We’ll be back tomorrow to discuss the Relief Pitcher and Hitter of the Month. Please feel free to comment and ask questions. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: David Hurlbut.jpg Before the Arizona Fall League began, we had our first 10 Questions With posting with RHP Kyle Gibson. I’m hoping to do much more of these, and I have a few in the works. Today, I’m coming back with a 12 Questions With Q&A with a Twins minor league pitcher. Frankly, 10 questions is not enough to get to know some of these guys. Today’s 12 Questions interview is with LHP David Hurlbut. He was the Twins 28th round pick in 2011 out of Cal State-Fullerton (and their 35th round pick in 2009 out of junior college). In 2012, he pitched in 25 games for the Beloit Snappers as a 22 year old, making 15 starts. Overall, he went 6-6 with a 2.76 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] In 111 innings, he gave up 105 hits, walked just 25 and struckout 85 (6.9 per nine innings). He will most likely begin the 2013 season in Ft. Myers. Download attachment: David Hurlbut MUG.jpg TEN QUESTIONS WITH… David Hurlbut 1.) Growing up in California, who was your favorite team and who were some of your favorite players? David Hurlbut (DH): Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, it has always been fun to go watch the Giants or the A's play, although I tend to go to more A's games because of the prices. Ha Ha. Some of my favorite players growing up from those two teams were Barry Zito, Matt Cain, J.T. Snow, and Eric Byrnes. 2.) Tell us about your high school career (baseball and/or other extra-curriculars). DH: In high school, I played football, soccer, and baseball as a freshman. I made varsity only for baseball, and the freshman team for the other two sports. After that year, I only played baseball because it was the sport I was best at, and I had the most fun with the group of guys I was with. I was a starting pitcher and played first base all 4 years. Some personal accomplishments during high school were some all-league honors, mvp awards, but my favorite was throwing a no hitter my senior season. In that final season, we made it to the playoffs for the first time in 15 years, which was pretty exciting. 3.) What were some of the highlights of your college playing days? DH: I Played at Diablo Valley College after high school for a year under former professional pitcher Mike Neu. That year, our team made it to the state championships, where I started the first game. That is one of my favorite moments in baseball to this day. After that season, I was drafted by the Twins, but I declined to go pitch at California State University of Fullerton. I played there for two years, getting eliminated in playoffs before we had a chance to make it to the College World Series. My favorite moment was going to LSU and playing against the Tigers in a very hostile environment. 4.) The Twins drafted you twice... were there a lot of other scouts talking to you, or were the Twins scouts the blocking you from other teams? DH: The Twins showed a lot of interest in me throughout my college career. They made their fair share of calls to me, but I don't think that they negatively influenced any other teams from contacting me or talking to me. 5.) You signed quickly and went to Elizabethton. How would you describe your adjustment to pro baseball and what did you learn from that first season? DH: Well, if one were to look at my stats, they would say the transition didn't go very well. Ha ha. No matter the stats, I love the feel of professional baseball. I almost felt claustrophobic under the gaze of my coaches at Fullerton, but in Elizabethton it was exactly the opposite. I felt like I learned a lot within the few months I was there, from both the players and the coaches. Download attachment: DavidHurlbut2.jpg 6.) You moved up to the Midwest League and had a tremendous season. You made 15 starts and 10 relief appearances. How is your preparation different for each role, and do you prefer one over the other? DH: I tried to go about relieving and starting in similar fashion. The bottom line is that you are trying to get outs, but there does come a time when you need to switch on the competitive side and get ready for a game. The difference was if it was before a game, or in the 6th inning. Having a routine was a large part in preparing myself for starts, not only physically, but mentally to go out and compete at a high level. When I was a reliever, my physical routine mostly consisted of getting loose in the bullpen properly. 7.) What are your highlights from this 2012 season in Beloit, the team and the full-season? DH: A few moments last year stand out to me. The first was being called up from extended spring training. I was overjoyed to get on a team and start playing. When it came to pitching, throwing a 7 inning 2-hit shutout against the Cedar Rapids Kernals was my favorite start of the year. Also, striking out my old teammate Nick Ramirez was a good feeling, although he did get the better of me and hit a double off of me. And of course, getting to pitch in the playoffs was a great memory. 7.) When do you start preparing for the 2013 season, and what did you learn from your first full season to help you prepare? DH: Once I was home in California, I took about a month-long break to relax and get my mind off of baseball for a little while. Afterwards, I started working out and running. Now, I have started playing catch to shake off the rust so from mid-December on, I can really get my arm ready for spring training. When I came into spring training last year, I felt that I had done a good job of getting ready. One thing I did want to correct was to increase the amount of long toss I do to get my arm a little bit stronger. 8.) Who are some of the people who have helped you get to this point in your career as a baseball player? DH: My parents have been behind me every step of the way. Without them, I wouldn't be who I am. My long time pitching coach, Fred Breining, has been my true mentor when it comes to my baseball career. I have been seeing him since I was eleven years old, and he has shown me everything from the proper arm angle to a good balance point. I wouldn't be playing this game if it weren't for him. 9.) If you weren't playing baseball, what would you be doing (your career of choice)? DH: I honestly have no clue what I would be doing if I weren't playing. My gut tells me I would have ended up in one of the military branches serving our country, but ever since I was a boy all of my ambitions have been towards baseball. It is hard to imagine another route for me. 10.) Favorite baseball movie? DH: My favorite baseball movie would be "The Natural." It has the most epic ending to a baseball movie ever, what's not to love? 11.) Favorite baseball book? DH: My favorite baseball book would be "Heads Up Baseball" by Ken Revizza. It is all about the mental side of baseball, a must read for any serious baseball player looking to improve on their game. Thank you David! We certainly appreciate the time he spent in response. He is a frequent Twins Daily reader. Who knows? Ask him some questions in the comments section… maybe we can get him to respond!! Click here to view the article

It took nearly three weeks, but today our ten-part series on my choices for the Top 50 Minnesota Twins prospects culminates with my picks for the Twins top five prospects. The list has been building, but I don't think anyone will be surprised by the five players. All five of these players could be Top 50 prospects when lists start coming out next spring. Prospect lists are about tools and potential. But I do go back and continue to think about something Kyle Gibson told me a couple of years ago. "It's nice to be considered a top prospect, but all that really means is that you haven't done anything yet." [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] That's the beauty of these rankings and lists like it. It's great for discussion, but if you look back at rankings from previous years, you find that to be very true. There are occasionally prospects who get the hype and become everything fans could ever hope. There are prospects who no one would consider a prospect who have come up and been major contributors. And most prospects are somewhere in between. It will be fun to see how this group progressed and develops, and how much of an impact they have on the future of the Minnesota Twins. Part 10: Prospects 1-5 Today, we are looking at some pretty impressive prospects. There are two pitchers who are able to work in the mid-to-upper 90s. One may be ready next year while the other could be redshirting behind Johnny Football right now. There are two infielders who have been teammates since their days in the GCL. One is a top prospect who has the potential to hit 40 home runs. The other could hit .300 for years to come. And then there is the guy who has been determined, by experts from respected media, to be the top prospect in all baseball. All five of these guys have a chance to be impact players in the big leagues. Download attachment: Byron Buxton Rinaldi Photos.jpg Photo by Rinaldi Photos #5 – Eddie Rosario – 2B (22) Rosario was the Twins 4th round pick in 2010 out of high school in Puerto Rico. Since then he has hit every step of the way. He made a name for himself in 2011 with Elizabethton. He was the Appy League Player of the Year when he hit .337/.397/.670 (1.068) with nine doubles, nine triples and a league-leading 21 home runs. He also stole 17 bases and played a terrific centerfield. He went to Instructs where he was moved to second base. At Beloit, he hit .296/.345/.490 (.835) with 32 doubles and 12 homers despite missing about a month after being struck in the mouth by a batting practice line drive. After a strong season in the Puerto Rican Winter League, he played for his country in the WBC. He split the 2013 season between Ft. Myers and New Britain and hit .302/.350/.460 (.810) with 32 doubles, eight triples, and ten home runs. Clearly he is not a big fan of walking, but he has the quickest hands I’ve seen. He is able to watch pitches longer because he can still get the bat through the zone. He also uses the whole field well. He has a lot of pop, particularly for a middle infielder. Of course therein lies the question about Rosario. Can he play second base in the big leagues? There are certainly opinions on both sides. In general, I believe that he could be an adequate big league second baseman because he is such a good athlete. However, he will likely never be a good defensive second baseman. That said, he is already a very good defensive outfielder with a very strong arm. He is getting some good experience in the Arizona Fall League, and will then play in the Puerto Rican Winter League again. He is likely to receive a non-roster invite to spring training with the Twins. #4 – Kohl Stewart – RH SP (19) The fourth overall pick in the 2013 draft, the Twins were thrilled Stewart fell into their lap. The 6-3 right-hander from Houston was best known for having signed to play quarterback at Texas A&M behind Johnny Football. Instead, he signed with the Twins and started his professional baseball career. He is an exceptional athlete with a very strong arm. He has a fastball that sits between 92 and 95, but he has hit 97 mph at times as well. He also has a very good slider in the upper-80s. He has four pitches, but the other two will likely be little better than average. He posted a 1.69 ERA in his 16 innings in the GCL. He then made just one start for the Elizabethton Twins and gave up one hit and one walk while striking out eight in four scoreless innings. In his 20 pro innings in 2013, he walked four and struck out 24. Unfortunately, he was shut down with some shoulder soreness and did not pitch in the Instructional Leagues. It is not believed to be serious and he should be ready by spring training. #3 – Alex Meyer – RH SP (23) Meyer was the first round pick (23rd overall) of the Washington Nationals in 2011 out of the University of Kentucky. Just about a year ago, he came to the Twins in a one-for-one swap for Denard Span. At 6-9 and 220 pounds, he certainly comes with a mound presence. More important, he has four above average pitches and the ability to be completely dominant. After missing two months this season with a shoulder injury, he returned and after three rehab starts hit 100 mph with a pitch in his first start coming back to New Britain. His fastball sits between 94 and 98 and does hit 100 with some regularity. He also has a terrific slider that could become better as he gains more and more control. He also has a slow curve and a good changeup. With New Britain, he was 4-3 with a 3.21 ERA. In 70 innings, he walked 29 and struck out 84. He is now pitching in the Arizona Fall League to make up some lost innings. He has a chance to be a true ace. He is another guy who should receive an invite to big league spring training. (and, I can't tell you how close I was to moving him up to #2, but I just couldn't pull the trigger.) #2 – Miguel Sano – 3B (20) The Twins surprised a lot of people in October of 2009 when they were the team that signed the top foreign player, Sano, to a bonus of $3.15 million. He appeared in the pre-2010 Baseball America’s Top 100 at #94. In the years since, he has ranked #60, #18 and was the ninth overall prospect before the 2013 season. When the list comes out next spring, he will certainly be in the top five, if not the top three. His career has been directly tied to that of Eddie Rosario. They played together in the GCL in 2010. In 2011, Rosario was the Appy League Player of the Year, but Sano hit .292/.352/.637 (.988) with 18 doubles, seven triples, and 20 home runs. At Beloit in 2012, he hit .258/.373/.521 (.893) with 28 doubles, four triples, 28 home runs and 100 RBI. Combined, between Ft. Myers and New Britain in 2013, Sano hit .280/.382/.610 (.992) with 30 doubles, five triples, 35 homers and 103 RBI. Those are just the numbers. Sano is more than just the numbers. He is 6-4 and about 225 pounds. He’s as powerful as anyone in baseball. My sense is that he won’t hit for real high average, but he will take walks, he will hit home runs and he will strike out. A lot. He could hit .270, get on base 40% of the time and hit 40 or more home runs. Defense is the other part of the equation. After posting an .884 fielding percentage at Beloit in 2012. In 2013, his fielding percentage jumped to .932. His errors dropped from 42 to 23. His hands have become much softer. He now plays a very deep third base because he has one of the strongest arms in baseball. Will Sano be the Twins third baseman in 2014? Absolutely, yes! When? If you were to put the over/under at the All-Star break, I would be the over (meaning, before), unless the Twins want to keep him eligible for the Futures Game at Target Field. (Hopefully his elbow injury will not affect his timeline in 2014!) #1 – Byron Buxton – OF (19) Go back and review the profiles of Miguel Sano, or Alex Meyer and possibly Kohl Stewart. In many organizations, each of them could be the number one prospect. However, if you’re in an organization with Byron Buxton, then #2 is the best you can hope for. I went down to Cedar Rapids for their Opening Weekend. I assumed Buxton would be talented and look the part, but in my mind, he wasn’t going to surpass Sano atop my prospect list. About two days later, my mind was changed. Byron Buxton was the best prospect I had ever seen (and I saw Mike Trout in Beloit, playing for Cedar Rapids, three years earlier). Speed may be his most obvious tool. In that initial series, I saw him beat out regular ground balls to shortstop, third base and even second base. He also stole 55 bases (in 74 attempts). Not bad considering it is an area that he can improve. I saw him show remarkable range in centerfield. We also saw his range in the game that appeared on Fox Sports North, and not just on The Play. Despite currently being 6' 2" and a lean 190, he is very strong, very powerful. I saw one of the several home runs that he hit in Cedar Rapids that went out of the stadium and across the street. Most of his home runs were line drives. His approach at the plate is remarkable. He is very patient at the plate. Like Joe Mauer, he often takes the first pitch and isn’t afraid to hit with two strikes. He uses the entire field. I could go on and on, but the things that people with the Twins organization stress are Buxton’s makeup and work ethic, pointing out that he wants to be great. Between Cedar Rapids and Ft. Myers, he hit .334/.424/.520 (.944) with 19 doubles, 18 triples, 12 homers and 78 RBI. Buxton will likely start 2013 in New Britain. I will be completely shocked if he is not in the big leagues by mid-July. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Thank you for reading part Part 10 of my ten-part series highlighting my Top 50 Twins Prospects. Hopefully you have learned something about a few of these guys and have enjoyed reading them. In case you missed any of the previous installments, here are those links: Part 1: 46-50 Part 2: 41-45 Part 3: 36-40 Part 4: 31-35 Part 5: 26-30 Part 6: 21-25 Part 7: 16-20 Part 8: 11-15 Part 9: 6-10 Click here to view the article

In 2011, Brian Dozier, Chris Herrmann and a few others had impressive seasons and jumped up prospect ranking lists. Who will do that in 2012? Here are a couple of names that I think you should watch: 1.) Matt Hauser - the RHP from the University of San Diego throws hard. In 2011, he spent time in Beloit and Ft. Myers and ended the season with one appearance in New Britain. He throws 95 pretty consistently, with two other pitches. He could be the Twins next closer. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] 2.) Josh Hendricks - The burly Australian 1B showed potential in the GCL in 2011, but when he moves up to Elizabethton in 2012, he could put up some big numbers. 3.) Luis Nunez - The little lefty from the Dominican Republic throws some serious gas and should be the closer in Elizabethton in 2012. 4.) Matt Bashore - The former supplemental 1st round pick from Indiana pitched two innings for the Twins Elizabethton team combined in 2009 and 2010. He returned in 2011 in a limited role. By Instructional League, he was again touching 93 mph with his fastball. Hopefully he is recovered from shoulder and then elbow (Tommy John) surgery and can advance his career. 5.) Lance Ray - If you look at his 2011 batting average in Beloit, it doesn't speak to how hard he hit the ball. Ray has a smooth, left-handed swing. He hits for power to all fields. He can play both corner outfield positions and first base. He should advance to Ft. Myers and put up some big numbers. who are some candidates in the Twins farm system to jump up prospect rankings in 2012? Discuss. Click here to view the article

Max Kepler got the news this morning that he was likely dreading, but expecting. He was optioned by the Twins and will report to minor league camp on Tuesday. He had gone 5-11 in his limited plate appearances in his first big league camp. Not a bad showing for a 21-year-old who played ball in Low-A Cedar Rapids in 2013. Though it was a short stint, Kepler did make an impression. Rob Antony said, “I think Max Kepler handled himself extremely well and had a good spring.”[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] As you would expect given that Kepler was signed as a 16-year-old from Germany, it has taken him some time to move through the system. He spent a year in the GCL followed by two years in Elizabethton. Last year, he missed the first half of the season with an elbow injury. In 61 games, he hit just .237/.312/.424, but he displayed the tools that made him sought after as an amateur. Download attachment: Max Kepler CR.jpg He got an opportunity to play in the Arizona Fall League last year and enjoyed the experience despite its challenges. “It was awesome. It was a real honor. But, the pitching was a lot more challenging out there. Maybe it’s because of the jump from A-ball to Fall League. Pitching was mind-blowing at first, just seeing how good they were. It was awesome being out there with players, as good as they are.” Over the winter, Kepler was able to spend two months in Germany with his family around the holidays. Otherwise, he spent his time in San Francisco working out. He went there with a plan. “Running, lifting in my legs. Didn’t do a lot of upper body like I had in the past. I felt too heavy on top.” In the past, Kepler has played around the outfield and at first base. In the Fall League, he played almost solely at first base. He thought that might be where he would spend a lot of time this spring, but he hasn’t. “Wherever they need me. They told me I was going to get a lot of work (at 1B) this spring, but I’ve been in the outfield every game. I love it out there, and I’m up for whatever.” Asked what his strengths were, Kepler has a very interesting response. “Thinking positive, right now. I’ve learned to think positive. I used to get frustrated at everything back when I was younger. If you think positive, everything will come. It’s a big thing in this game.” He understood that the answer might create follow-up, so he continued. “(I) get that question a lot. ‘What do you think your strengths are?’ Immediately you think of physicality; hitting, throwing. I’m just trying to balance all of that. Just trying to think positive and do the best I can.” When it comes to others, it’s understandable they would jump to the physical. Kepler stands 6-4 (at least) and 220 pounds (at least). He’s got quick hands, strength and power. He has decent speed for his size and plays solid defense. These are all things that aren’t lost on Rob Antony or the rest of the front office. Some people have looked past guys like Max Kepler, who has developed well. He’s got a tremendous body. He’s got a good swing. He’s athletic. He can play 1st or the OF.” Kepler has said, and did so again this morning, that he has been told that he will move up another level this year and play in Ft. Myers. Kepler had a strong showing in big league camp which will only bode well for him going forward. He has the tools and the projection. Now he’s had some exposure. It will be a big year for Kepler to start putting up some numbers as well, even in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League. Click here to view the article

It's been a struggle for Luke Bard to get on the mound since signing with the Twins in 2012. The 23-year-old right-handed pitcher is at his second big league camp, hoping he can get and remain healthy throughout the season. I had the chance to catch up with him following a workout and before he went to eat some lunch. In this two-part interview, I talked to him about how he's feeling and how spring is treating him. I also asked whether or not the surgery would affect his opportunity to start, or if he would be in the bullpen As you can tell, he is excited to get throwing off the mound and hopefully start moving up the organizational ladder. Bard is another Twins prospect who is a tremendous person. He has worked very hard and wants to be very good. When healthy, he has the chance to be very good. Reports are his pitches have a lot of movement and bite on them. Hopefully he can get into games in April. Once healthy, he has the chance to move pretty quickly. Click here to view the article

You are walking down the street on this Friday afternoon when you bump into something. You look down and notice that you just kicked a lamp of some sorts. You reach down and notice that it's quite dirty, so you start to rub it and notice that it is quite shiny. Suddenly, smoke starts coming out of the lamps opening and POOF! A magic genie is kind of floating in front of you. At least you hope it is a magic genie because otherwise the guy standing in front of you is a little scary. But anyway, it is a magic genie and he says to you, "Your wish is my command. I can give you three wishes." Because you are such a big Twins fan, your first wish is to become the GM AND Manager of the Minnesota Twins for one day. Voila! Suddenly, you're sitting in the GMs office at Target Field, wearing your Twins uniform with a lineup card in front of you and a cell phone, ready to make transaction. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Wow!! This is really happening (for this blog's purpose only. Again, we reiterate that TwinsCentric and Twins Daily are in no way associated with the Twins and can not actually give you that kind of power). Suddenly the genie is back in front of you and says, "Congratulations! You have two more wishes." Real quickly, you make your two additional wishes. There is suddenly world peace and your bank accounts each have ten figure balances. All is right in the world, yet, you still are the Twins GM and Manager for the next 23-and-a-half hours. You have just a couple of rules. 1.) You can't fire the current Twins GM or the current Twins manager. It was agreed that they would return to their individual posts at the end of the 24 hour period. 2.) You can only make three transactions. (Granted, one transaction can be "option Players, X, Y and Z, and recall Players A, B and C.) 3.) The genie is no longer helping you out, so if you were to make trades, they have to be realistic. In other words, you can't trade Jeff Gray and Matt Maloney to the Tigers for Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander. What do you do? What would I do? Decision #1 - Option Chris Parmelee to Rochester, Promote Drew Butera. I'm sure I'll take heat for this one, but I really believe that Parmelee needs to play most every day. Although he's keeping his head above water in the big leagues, I believe he needs at least a couple more months. Sending down Parmelee would create a situation in which Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Ryan Doumit would be able to play most every day. Morneau would need to play some 1B and DH. Doumit and Mauer would catch, play 1B and DH. Butera would allow Gardy to feel comfortable with those three players playing every day. Butera should get no more than about 2 plate appearances a week. Decision #2 - Keep Francisco Liriano in the rotation, Option Liam Hendriks, Add Anthony Slama to the 40 man roster and promote him, and put Anthony Swarzak in the rotation. As you can see, since I am believing that this is a rebuilding year, I want the young players to get time in Rochester to work on a few more final things. I would have all of them (Hendriks, Parmelee, Revere, Benson, Tosoni, Diamond, Guerra, Dozier, up by July). This transaction gives Liriano his last attempts as a starter. It allows us to see if Swarzak can be a starting pitcher. It gets Anthony Slama back on the roster (hey, if his lone problem has been throwing strikes, he is no worse than Jeff Gray and Slama actually gets strikeouts). Decision #3 - Do NOT sign Brandon Inge. Enough said? Now it's your turn. What would you do? Download attachment: lamp.jpg Click here to view the article

***This article was written several years ago on Twins Daily. It has been edited minimally. 36 years ago today, January 12, 1982, the Minnesota Twins made a decision that altered the trajectory and the history of the organization. On that date, the Twins used the third overall pick in the January portion of the MLB Draft on an outfielder from Triton Junior College named Kirby Puckett. As you know, in June, players out of high school, junior college and those having finished three years at a four-year college are selected. However, from 1965 through 1986, there was also a draft in January for high school and college players who graduated in the Winter. Kirby Puckett fit into that category. I assume many know the history of Kirby Puckett. He's a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest players in Minnesota Twins history. His legend grew as the leader of the 1987 and 1991 World Series championship teams. For someone in my age group, we know all about the Kirby Puckett story. However, consider that he has been retired since spring training of 1996. Anyone born after September 28, 1995. never had the chance to watch him play in an MLB game. That means that no one under the age of around 27 or 28 would have memories of watching him during his playing career. Puckett was born and raised in the projects on the South Side of Chicago, some of the roughest neighborhoods in the country. Following his high school playing days, he received no scholarship offers. He went to work on the assembly line at a Ford Motors plant. He was given an opportunity to play at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, but after one year, he went to Triton Community College. That's where the Jim Rantz legend was born. Rantz went to Triton one day to watch his son play, but in the process, he also got to see Kirby Puckett play. He was so impressed that he recommended the Twins continue to send scouts to watch him. Then 37 years ago today, they used the third overall pick to to select the outfielder. As a 22-year-old, Puckett went to Elizabethton where he hit .382/.438/.491 with 15 doubles, three triples, three home runs and 35 RBI. It may surprise some, but he also stole 43 bases (in 47 attempts) during the short-season. In 1983, he moved up to Visalia where he hit .314/.366/.442 with 29 doubles, seven triples, nine home runs and 97 RBI. He stole 48 bases in 59 attempts. Let me make a brief side note here. Puckett was putting up monstrous numbers in A-Ball, but he was already 23 years old, so I imagine had prospect rankings been done by more at that time, he may have been dropped a few spots because he was "too old for the level." (of course, it did come out shortly after his playing career that he was born on March 14, 1960. He had been listed as being born March 14, 1961, throughout his career, although he never hid that information from the Twins.) In 1984, he jumped all the way up to AAA Toledo. 21 games into the season, he was hitting just .263/.294/.325 with two doubles and a home run. He was also 8 for 10 in stolen base attempts. The Twins were tired of their centerfield situation that included the likes of Bobby Mitchell and Darrell Brown, and they decided to promote Puckett. On May 8, Puckett debuted with four hits against the Angels. During his 12-year career, he played in 10 All Star games and won six Gold Glove awards and six Silver Slugger Awards. He finished in the Top 3 in MVP voting three times. He won the batting title when he hit .339 in 1989, but the year before, he hit .356 and finished second to Wade Boggs (.366). Overall, he hit .318/.360/.477 with 414 doubles, 57 triples, 207 home runs, 1,085 RBI and 1,071 runs scored. He also stole 134 bases. Obviously his career ended way too soon when, in the spring of 1996, he was diagnosed with glaucoma and could never play again. He became a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2001. How many of you make that trip to Cooperstown for Puckett's induction? (Me!!) In 2002, a lot of information came out that destroyed the great-guy persona that Puckett had throughout his playing career. There's no getting around that or excusing that, but those of us who were eight years old when Puckett debuted and remember all the great catches, the home runs, the All Star games, the World Series titles, choose (right or wrong) to remember those things and what Kirby Puckett meant to fans around the Upper Midwest. Puckett had a massive stroke in March of 2006 and passed away the following day. I had to leave work. 36 years ago today, the Twins drafted Kirby Puckett. He became the Minnesota Twins to so many. I wish I could have met him. View full article

Phil Hughes worked seven quality innings and the Twins evened their series with the Detroit Tigers. On Sunday, it will be Kyle Gibson taking the mound for the Twins opposite Justin Verlander. Oswaldo Arcia began his rehab. Scott Diamond was back on the mound. After being rained out on Friday, the Rock Cats played two games in Virginia. A couple of powerful hitters hit home runs. And, there is a doubles-machine down in Cedar Rapids that Twins fans will want to learn more about. TRANSACTIONS Early on Saturday afternoon, we learned the ‘other’ transaction in Cedar Rapids. Jonatan Hinojosa was suspended for 50 games for testing positive for a PED. According to Baseball America, the Twins signed Dutch Deol, a 21-year-old outfielder from California who is yet to get out of the rookie leagues. Download attachment: Jorge Felix 5.jpg RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 2, Pawtucket 6 Box Score Scott Diamond’s last start was at least somewhat encouraging. On Saturday, things did not go well for him. He gave up six runs on nine hits in five innings. He walked none and struck out three. His ERA is back above ten at 10.35. He was replaced by Edgar Ibarra who didn’t allow a run in 1.2 innings despite giving up three hits and walking two. AJ Achter came on and struck out two of the four batters he faced and got out. Ryan Pressly came in for the ninth inning and gave up three runs on two hits and two walks. He did strike out two batters. Oswaldo Arcia made his first rehab appearance, DH'ing and batting fifth. He batted three times and went 3-3, all singles. Danny Santana went 3-5 with his seventh double. Doug Bernier went 2-5 with his fifth double. He’s hitting .380. Deibinson Romero went 2-3 with a walk. ROCK CATS REVIEW Game 1 – New Britain 5, Richmond 4 Box Score If you look at Sean Gilmartin’s line in this game, it doesn’t look that great. The lefty was charged with four runs on six hits in 6.2 innings. He walked one and hit one batter. He struck out seven. However, into the seventh inning, he had given up just one run on four hits (and the hit batter). In that final inning, he gave up a hit and a walk before giving up a three-run homer to Tyler Graham that cut the Rock Cats lead to 5-4. Lester Oliveros came on and hit the first batter he faced on an 0-2 count. Oliveros then threw to first in a pickoff attempt, but the ball was thrown wide and the potential game-tying runner advanced to third base. On the next batter, Brandon Waring made a lunging backhand catch at third base and used his strong arm to get the runner at first in a close play to finish off the win. The Rock Cats plated two runs in the third and two more runs in the fourth inning. In the top of the 7th inning, AJ Pettersen had a leadoff bunt single. He stole second, and with two outs, Nate Hanson singled him in to give the Rock Cats a 5-1 lead. It proved to be a very big insurance run. Kennys Vargas went 3-4 with a double and an RBI. Reynaldo Rodriguez went 2-3 with his second homer of the year. Nate Hanson drove in two runs. Game 2 – New Britain 2, Richmond 5 Box Score Pat Dean was charged with five runs in five innings, but only one of the runs was earned. He gave up eight hits, walked two and struck out four. He gave up three runs in the second inning. He went out for the sixth inning and was charged with two more in that inning. Cole Johnson got the three outs in the sixth inning. He walked one and struck out two. The Rock Cats had just four hits in the game. Kennys Vargas hit his third home run, a two-run shot that made the score 3-2 in the top of the sixth. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 4, Palm Beach 9 Box Score David Hurlbut made his second start since replacing Mason Melotakis in the rotation. He went five innings and gave up two runs on six hits. He walked three and struck out three. Tim Shibuya came in for the sixth inning. It was a rough one. He gave up six runs on eight hits and a walk. Brian Gilbert pitched two innings. He walked three but gave up no runs or hits. Steven Gruver pitched the ninth. He gave up one run on two hits. The Miracle were shut out through the first eight innings. They scored four runs in the ninth frame. Adam Walker went 2-4 with his fifth home run. In his return to the Florida State League, Aderlin Mejia went 2-3 with a walk. Dalton Hicks hit a two-run double in the ninth inning as well. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 7, Clinton 6 Box Score Felix Jorge started for the Kernels and was very good. However, things got very interesting late, but Hudson Boyd was able to close the door and secure a Kernels win. They are now back over .500 at 11-10 on the season. Jorge went the first six innings and gave up two runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out five. Josue Montanez pitched a scoreless seventh inning. He came out for the eighth and gave up two runs. He left the game with runners at first and third and nobody out. Hudson Boyd came in and got two outs before issuing a walk to load the bases. He gave up a two-run single to cut the lead to one, but he got the final out of that inning. He had one base runner in the ninth, but was able to record the save. Zack Larson led the offense. He went 4-5 with his eighth and ninth double. He drove in two runs. Tanner Vavra went 2-5 with his fifth double. Mitch Garver was 2-4 with a walk. Ivory Thomas had a single and a walk in his first Kernels game. 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 – Kennys Vargas, New Britain Rock Cats SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Charlotte @ Rochester (12:05 CST) – Logan Darnell (Listen) New Britain @ Richmond (12:35 CST) – Virgil Vasquez (Listen) Palm Beach @ Ft. Myers (3:05 CST) – Alex Wimmers (Listen) Cedar Rapids @ Clinton (2:00 CST) – Aaron Slegers (Listen) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Saturday games. A quick reminder: Thanks to the Twins win over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, ion Sunday you can get 50% off a Large of Extra Large pizza when you use the “TWINSWIN” promotion code at PapaJohns.com. Click here to view the article

By Wednesday afternoon, the Minnesota Twins, and all other major league teams) will need to submit their 40 man rosters. The Twins current 40 man consists of 36 players, 19 pitchers and 17 position players. Since season’s end we have seen several removed from the 40 man roster, such as Clete Thomas (Phillies) and Pedro Hernandez (Rockies) who have signed with other teams and Doug Bernier who remained with the Twins. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The Twins have also added RHP Duke Welker and LHP Edgar Ibarra before he could become a minor league free agent. There are several players on the current 40 man roster who you or I may believe could come off, but they are there for a reason. You see, the players who get added to the 40 man on Wednesday can’t be removed until at least spring training. If the Twins were to sign a couple free agents, they need to be able to make room for them on the roster. So there are players on the 40 man roster who may not feel real comfortable until they get to spring training. Of course, as they have in the last three seasons, the Twins may also choose to make a Rule 5 selection. Last year they added Ryan Pressly and three years ago it was Scott Diamond. Both have already exceeded the results of most Rule 5 picks. If the Twins want to make a Rule 5 pick this year they must have fewer than 39 on the roster. Download attachment: Jorge Polanco 3.jpg Photo by Tim Gale So, who is eligible for the Rule 5 draft? Players who signed at age 18 or younger during the 2009 season or players who signed at age 19 or older in 2010. Jorge Polanco signed with the Twins as a 16-year-old in July of 2009, so he is eligible. Miguel Sano signed as a 16-year-old, after the season, in October of 2009, so he is not eligible--the Twins could add him, but it would make no sense. Here are some others who could be added to the 40 man on Wednesday. Most likely no more than two or three will be added. Jorge Polanco – Played in Cedar Rapids in 2013, primarily playing second base, but getting time at shortstop when Niko Goodrum was injured. He’s very talented and continues to improve. He appears to be the biggest lock to be added. Max Kepler – After an elbow injury the first half, he played for Cedar Rapids in the second half, spending time in left field, center field and at first base. He’s got good power and at 6-4 and 220 pounds is very athletic and has immense potential. He is probably the second most likely to be added. Alex Wimmers – The Twins first round pick in 2010 out of Ohio State where he was back-to-back Big 10 Pitcher of the Year. Unfortunately, he has not pitched much or well since signing and he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery in 2013. That said, his first round pedigree makes him a possible add. Logan Darnell – 6th round pick in 2010 out of Kentucky. The lefty has worked his way up the system with a solid three-pitch mix. He is a very aggressive starter, looking to get outs quickly. Kennys Vargas – The first baseman from Puerto Rico looks like former Twin David Ortiz. He is long and not real swift, but he can hit and he has tremendous power. He spent 2013 in Ft. Myers. AJ Achter – The right-hander was the Twins 46th round pick in 2010 out of Michigan State. Since moving to the bullpen in 2012, he has performed better than any other reliever in the Twins farm system. He pitched in New Britain and Rochester during the season and ended the year with a stint in the Arizona Fall League. There are others who are interesting and also eligible for the Rule 5 draft if not protected. Here is a list of all eligible players, courtesy of the Twins Daily Rosters & Payroll page. LHP - Pat Dean, Aaron Thompson, Ryan O’Rourke, Jose Gonzalez, Chad Rodgers, Hein Robb, RHP - Lester Oliveros, Adrian Salcedo, Dakota Watts, Deolis Guerra, Virgil Vazquez, Tim Atherton, Mark Hamburger, Matt Hauser, Dallas Gallant, OF - Mike Kvasnicka, Daniel Ortiz, Wilkin Ramirez, Jermaine Mitchell, Evan Bigley, Lance Ray, Nate Roberts, Romy Jimenez, Adonis Pacheco, IF – Doug Bernier, James Beresford, Deibinson Romero, Jason Bartlett, Reynaldo Rodriguez, Nate Hanson, Brad Boyer, Andy Leer, Michael Gonzales, Rory Rhodes, Jonatan Hinojosa, C – Dan Rohlfing, Jairo Rodriguez, Kyle Knudson, Michael Quesada. So, there you have a look at the players the Twins will need to protect on their 40 man roster by Wednesday afternoon or risk losing in the Rule 5 draft. Who do you think will be added? Who do you think could be lost if not protected? Tonight at 8:30, Hangout with Jeremy Nygaard and myself on YouTube for our weekend Twins Talk. You can interact by asking questions. Tonight, we’ll be discussing the 40 man roster as well as any Twins rumors of the day and week. Join us here. We'll also take your questions. Click here to view the article

On Wednesday night, Twins catcher Joe Mauer was presented the American League Silver Slugger Award for catcher. He had previously won the award in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010. Joe Mauer played in 113 games for the Twins in 2013. He hit .324/.404/.476 (.880). That represents an OPS+ of 144. He hit 35 doubles, 11 homers, drove in 47 RBI. He also walked 61 times. Carlos Santana was the next highest OPS for an AL catcher, at .832. Even with missing the final five or six weeks, Mauer's WAR of 5.4 was a point higher than Santana's 4.4. Salvador Perez was at 4.1 WAR. With his fifth Silver Slugger, only Mike Piazza (10), Ivan Rodriguez (7) and Lance Parrish (6) have more... Brian McCann, Gary Carter and Jorge Posada each have won five as well. Former Twins that have won the 2013 Silver Slugger Award include: David Ortiz, Torii Hunter, JJ Hardy and Michael Cuddyer. Download attachment: Joe Mauer SS.jpg Photo by Betsy Bissen Click here to view the article

There has been plenty of speculation the last week or two about which Twins starter would be replaced in the rotation, and by whom. First, it was Kevin Correia, and now he has had two straight terrific starts including last night’s 1-0 loss to the Red Sox. Sam Deduno has had two very poor starts in a row, and now the discussion is about who will take his spot in the rotation starting on Thursday. The Rochester Red Wings starting rotation has been very impressive which means that speculation of who will make Deduno’s start on Thursday can lead in several directions. We’ll try to clarify that today, or at least arm you with what you need to know as it relates to the Twins decision. While we are at it, we’ll take a look at some of the other players (relievers and hitters) in Rochester who deserve at least consideration for a call up to the Minnesota Twins. RED WINGS STARTERS We’ve been informed via Chris Fee that Sean Gilmartin has been called up to the Red Wings and will start on Tuesday. Yohan Pino will now start on Wednesday. Alex Meyer has been pushed to Thursday. Logan Darnell follows Meyer in the Red Wings rotation. Trevor May pitched on Monday night, and Kris Johnson pitched on Sunday. So, here’s a look at the Red Wings starters and their promotion credentials. Alex Meyer – Meyer is the top prospect, the guy that we are all waiting for. He has been solid with the Red Wings this year. Meyer has a record of 4-3, with a 3.62 ERA. In 64.2 innings, he has given up 56 hits, walked 30 and struck out 76. We love the strikeout rate. We love the big fastball, and the fact that he has four pitches that most evaluators believe will make him a top of the rotation starter. That said, if you’re walking 4.2 per nine innings in AAA, that isn’t very good. It is his career high. He is coming off of his worst start of the year. He went just two innings on Friday and gave up three runs on five hits and two walks. He threw 55 pitches before being removed. The start before that he threw six shutout innings and gave up just four hits and a walk while striking out eight. The game before that, four runs in five innings. Consistency is a legit concern at this point for the 24-year-old, but there’s little question he can be a good big league starter. Yohan Pino – The Twins signed Pino in 2004. He was traded to Cleveland in the Carl Pavano trade in 2009. Since then, he’s been between AA and AAA but never made it to the big leagues. The 30-year-old right-hander is at least putting his name on the map as a possible call up. He is 9-1 with a 1.92 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP. Though he doesn’t throw very hard, he has been racking up strikeouts. In 61 innings, he has 61 strikeouts to go with just 16 walks. He has pitched out of the bullpen and as a starter and done well in either role. Download attachment: Yohan Pino.jpg Kris Johnson – Johnson came to the Twins this offseason in a trade for Duke Welker, who was the player to be named later in the Justin Morneau trade to Pittsburgh. Last year, he led the International League with a 2.39 ERA. He’s doing just as well this year. He is 6-3 with a 2.60 ERA. He has 62 strikeouts and 28 walks in 72.2 innings. He did make one start for the Twins earlier in the season and went five innings. Johnson has struggled in two of his last three starts. Most recently, he gave up three runs on five hits and three walks in 5.2 innings. The start before that, he gave up two runs in eight innings. Three starts ago, he gave up five runs on four hits and three walks in five innings. Logan Darnell – The 25-year-old had a nice ten-day stint with the Twins earlier this season when the Twins needed a bullpen guy who could eat multiple innings. In his one appearance, he was very impressive in three shutout innings. With the Red Wings, he is 2-4 with a 2.75 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. In 55.2 innings, he has 53 strikeouts, but he also has walked 24 (3.9 BB/9 IP). On June 8, he gave up four runs on eight hits and three walks in 5.1 innings. In his most recent start, he threw five innings and gave up only an unearned run. He gave up just three hits, but he uncharacteristically walked five. His spot in the rotation comes up on Thursday, making him the starter who is in line to start in Deduno’s spot without altering his schedule. Trevor May – The speculation was that the 24-year-old might be the guy to come up to replace Deduno. Some of that may be because he was on the same schedule as Kevin Correia who two starts ago looked to be on his last leg. May made his scheduled start on Monday night. He wasn’t on a pitch count limit, to be sure. He threw 120 pitches and pitched in the ninth inning and gave up just one run. Control was his biggest issue earlier in his career, but his walk rate has drop from 4.7/9 innings in 2012 to 4.0/9 innings in 2013. After last night’s start, his walk rate is at 3.5 per nine. Like Meyer, May has the “stuff” and the prospect status that people believe will give him a shot to succeed in the big leagues. Let’s just compare the stats of these five starters. Try your best not to look at the name and especially their ages when evaluating who has been the best, or is the most deserving of the promotion. [TABLE] Pitcher W-L ERA WHIP H/9 BB/9 K/9 Alex Meyer 4-3 3.62 1.33 7.8 4.2 10.6 Logan Darnell 2-4 2.75 1.37 8.4 3.9 8.6 Kris Johnson 6-3 2.60 1.20 7.3 3.5 7.7 Yohan Pino 9-1 1.92 0.93 6.0 2.4 9.0 Trevor May 7-4 2.77 1.11 6.5 3.5 9.4 [/TABLE] There is no statistical analysis that can look at the above numbers and say that Yohan Pino is not deserving of an opportunity. However, that’s where the statistical world and the scouting world will butt heads. Many will say that Pino doesn’t have the stuff to get big league hitters out. That may very well be true. However, my opinion (and maybe mine alone) is that when you put up those kinds of numbers at the highest level below the big leagues, you deserve an opportunity just to see. That said, if any of these five guys got called up, or get called up later in the season, it will have been earned. If you believe Trevor May should be the one promoted, they can do so creatively. They could have Darnell start for the Twins on Thursday, in his normal spot, and then after the game send him down. At that point, there could be a shifting of the rotation such that May would start on Sunday or Monday for the Twins as well. It can happen if they choose to go in that direction. That said, if it is Logan Darnell, he’s earned the opportunity and it would be nice to see him get a handful of starts. THE BULLPEN OPTIONS Real quickly I wanted to point out that there are a couple of good options in Rochester if the Twins needed a bullpen arm (and didn’t just move a starter there). AJ Achter and Michael Tonkin both have pitched well for the Red Wings. Tonkin has the name, and he’s on the 40 man roster, and he throws pretty hard. Achter is not on the 40 man roster, doesn’t throw as hard, but has consistently put up remarkable numbers. If they were to want or need a left-hander, Aaron Thompson should be considered. [TABLE] Pitcher W-L ERA WHIP H/9 BB/9 K/9 AJ Achter 2-2 1.38 0.61 3.6 1.9 8.5 Michael Tonkin 1-0 1.93 1.00 7.1 1.9 9.0 Aaron Thompson 1-2 2.67 1.15 6.7 3.7 8.3 [/TABLE] HITTERS Chris Colabello and Josmil Pinto were a big part of the Twins offense early in the season. They are each working their way back in Rochester, but a few other names are worth getting to know. Deibinson Romero made a strong impression with his bat in spring training, and he has continued to rake in Rochester. He is now hitting .312/.407/.468 (.875) with 17 doubles and five home runs. He does already have 15 errors at third base, but his bat may be able to play in the big leagues. While Romero is the hitter, the Twins have a couple of glove-first guys in Rochester who would have to be considered if the Twins need another utility infielder (they have several already). We saw Doug Bernier last year. He has been playing all over the diamond this year, and he’s hitting .288/.369/.412 with 10 doubles and three home runs. James Beresford has been the Red Wings second baseman. He’s hitting .293/.343/.360 (.703) with 11 doubles, a triple and a homer. Eric Farris got one at-bat in 2011 with the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2012, he went 1-8 with the Brewers. He came to the Twins a year ago and split time between New Britain and Rochester. He’s been the primary centerfielder for the Red Wings this year. He has hit .289/.328/.362 (.690). So, there may not be as many hitters as pitchers putting up big numbers, but it’s always nice to know who could be next should a need arise. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Avisail Garcia600.jpg Although there have been many storylines throughout the playoffs, one that may not be getting enough play is that the Detroit Tigers have handed over playing time to 21-year-old Avisail Garcia. Consider: he began this season in the Florida State League and played just 55 games at Double-A Erie. The Tigers called him up to the big leagues on August 31, making him eligible to compete in the post season. Garcia has just three hits in 12 at bats this postseason, but he has driven in three pretty important runs. He has one RBI in each of the games against the Yankees. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] He is starting in right field against left-handed pitchers, like Andy Pettitte in Game 1 of the ALCS. With a righty on the mound for the Yankees in Game 2 (Hiroki Kuroda), Quinton Berry got the start, but when the Bombers went to lefty Boone Logan later in the game with the game at hand, Garcia came through with a pinch-hit RBI single. There are similarities between Garcia and the Tigers Triple Crown man, Miguel Cabrera. Garcia is listed at 6-4 and 240 pounds. Cabrera is listed at 6-4 and 240 pounds. Their batting stances are very similar as are their mannerisms in the batter’s box. Hey, if there is a hitter that a kid from a small town in Venezuela should emulate (on the field only!), it certainly would be Cabrera. As I see Garcia playing and contributing to this Tigers playoff run, I can’t help but also see similarities between Asivail Garcia and the Twins prospect Oswaldo Arcia. Like Garcia, the 21-year-old Arcia started the season in the Florida State League before moving up to the Eastern League for the season’s second half. I can’t help but wonder, if the Twins had made a playoff run in 2012, would the Twins have considered bringing up Oswaldo Arcia and playing him in October? Probably not. The Twins would not have put Arcia in that situation, for a couple of reasons. First, and foremost, the Twins had plenty of outfielders that were playing well. Josh Willingham was in left field. Denard Span in Centerfield. Ben Revere was in right field. Also, Chris Parmelee could have been put in right field as well after crushing AAA pitching all season. Frankly, there were enough other options for the Twins, even in a rotten 2012 season, that Arcia did not need to be rushed. It’s different with the Tigers. They have Austin Jackson in centerfield. Andy Dirks has earned every day playing time in the outfield. Quinton Berry had a nice rookie season, but he made a perfect platoon option. Brennan Boesch also hits left-handed, so he wasn’t a platoon option. The right-handed hitting Garcia was a good match with Berry. Also, I’m guessing it wasn’t a very difficult decision for Tigers’ manager Jim Leyland to keep the free-swinging Boesch off of the playoff roster. I also don’t think it would be fair to say that the Twins would never consider bringing up a young player from the minor leagues in September (or August 31) and playing him in the playoffs. In 2003, Michael Cuddyer got recalled to the Twins for September and was the starting right fielder in the ALDS. He started in place of “Dusty Kielmohr” (Bobby Kielty and Dustin Mohr) and went 5-13 (.385) with 3 walks in the series against the A’s. How does Oswaldo Arcia rank as a prospect compared to Avisail Garcia? When Baseball America came out with its lists of top prospects by league, both players made two lists. In the Florida State League (High-A), Arcia was listed as the #7 prospect while Garcia was #13. In the Eastern League (AA), Arcia ranked #6 while Garcia ranked at #11. Here are their 2012 numbers, for comparison’s sake: FLORIDA STATE LEAGUE [TABLE] Name Team Games BA/OBP/SLG OPS 2B 3B HR Oswaldo Arcia Ft. Myers 55 .309/.376/.517 .893 16 3 7 Avisail Garcia Lakeland 67 .289/.324/.447 .771 8 5 8 [/TABLE] EASTERN LEAGUE [TABLE] Name Team Games BA/OBP/SLG OPS 2B 3B HR Oswaldo Arcia New Britain 69 .328/.398/.557 .955 20 5 10 Avisail Garcia Erie 55 .312/.345/.465 .810 9 3 6 [/TABLE] Both players were quality Venezuelan prospects and signed just days apart from each other in July of 2007. 2008 – Arcia played in the Dominican Summer League. Garcia played in the Venezuelan Summer League. 2009 – While Arcia moved up one level at a time, starting in the GCL, the Tigers had Garcia start the 2009 season in the Midwest League, playing for West Michigan. Arcia put together a solid season in the GCL, posting a .792 OPS. Garcia struggled, as you would expect, with a .613 OPS. 2010 – Garcia returned to West Michigan in 2010 and improved slightly as a 19-year-old. He posted a .669 OPS. Meanwhile, Arcia put together his monster season for Elizabethton. It was the year that he hit .375/.424/.672 (1.096 OPS) with 21 doubles, seven triples and 14 home runs. 2011 – Last year, Arcia started the season in Beloit where he hit .352/.420/.704 with 14 extra base hits in April. He had elbow surgery, and when he came back in June, he went right to Ft. Myers where he posted a .763 OPS for the Miracle with 24 extra base hits. Garcia spent all of 2011 with Lakeland, also in the Florida State League, where he posted a .686 OPS with 33 extra base hits. 2012 – Both started the season back in the Florida State League. Arcia posted an .893 OPS in 55 games before moving up to AA New Britain where he was even better (.955 OPS). Garcia posted a .771 OPS with Lakeland in 67 games before moving up to AA Erie where he posted an .810 OPS. Garcia got the promotion to the Tigers still on August 31 and hit .319 for the Tigers in 23 games. He had 15 singles in 47 at bats. As Oswaldo Arcia is beginning his Venezuelan Winter League season in Aragua (the hometown of Garcia), Garcia is playing in the ALCS against the Yankees. As I watch Garcia contribute for the Tigers in the playoffs, I can’t help but get excited about the Twins future with Oswaldo Arcia (and Aaron Hicks, who ranked #8 in Baseball America’s Eastern League rankings and is also beginning his season in Venezuela with Margarita – where he is 5-14 (.357) to start the season) being a big part of it. Click here to view the article

The July trade deadline has passed and the only player transaction on the day was Rochester’s Drew Butera was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, I think we can expect there will be a trickle-down effect of that move as Rochester will need another catcher (Josmil Pinto maybe?), and then New Britain will need another catcher (Kyle Knudson’s return, or Matt Koch maybe?). Then Ft. Myers will need a new catcher, so could Jairo Rodriguez’s affiliate tour take him back to the Miracle? Meanwhile, the Andrew Albers Show continued with the Rochester Red Wings. Check out what else happened in the Twins Minor League system on Wednesday:[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Rochester 1, Lehigh Valley 2 Box Score His offense didn’t help him much, but Andrew Albers continued to pitch very well for the Red Wings. Albers went all eight innings. He gave up two runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out four. He is now 11-5 with a 2.86 ERA on the season. There wasn’t much offense. Chris Parmelee went 3-4 with his second double. Deibinson Romero was 2-4 with his 11th double. Eduardo Escobar hit his sixth double in his short time with the Red Wings. New Britain 5, Akron 2 Box Score Pat Dean had a very nice night on the mound and the offense came up with some big hits. The left-handed starter went the first 7.2 innings and gave up two runs. He allowed seven hits, walked none and struck out two for his sixth win of the year. Cole Johnson came on and got the final four outs, two on strikeouts, for his third Rock Cats save. Danny Ortiz had just one hit, but he drove in four runs. Three of them came on his tenth home run of the season. Danny Santana went 2-3 with a walk, and Josmil Pinto went 2-4. Ft. Myers 1, Daytona 2 Box Score It was a well-pitched game, but the Miracle fell on an unearned run in the ninth inning-- a passed ball by catcher Kyle Knudsen. Lefty Jason Wheeler started and gave up one run on seven hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out three. Steven Gruver came on and threw two scoreless innings despite allowing three hits and a walk. Zach Jones gave up the unearned run on two hits and the error in the top of the ninth. Mike Kvasnicka went 2-4 with his 10th double. Jhon Goncalves was 2-3 with his 11th stolen base. Kennys Vargas hit his 30th double. Cedar Rapids 1, Burlington 3 Box Score The Kernels got the pitching; unfortunately the offense and the defense didn’t pull their weights on this night. Cedar Rapids managed just four hits in the game while committing four errors. Josue Montanez went the first five innings and gave up three unearned runs. He allowed four hits, walked two and struck out three. Tim Shibuya came on and threw three scoreless innings. He gave up just two hits, walked none and struck out two. Three of the four Kernels hits were doubles. Adam Walker hit his 25th. Niko Goodrum hit his 19th, and Joel Licon added his eighth double. Elizabethton 4, Kingsport 9 Box Score One (really) bad inning just before the rains came really hurt the E-Twins. Yorman Landa started and gave up three runs on four hits and three walks in four innings. He struck out four. Andre Martinez came on to start the fifth inning and was unable to record an out. He gave up six runs (2 earned) on three hits and two walks. Andrew Ferreira came on and struck out the next two batters before the rains came and caused a delay. When they returned to action, Aaron Slegers was on the mound. He went the next 3.1 innings without allowing a run. He gave up four hits and a walk and struck out three. Brandon Peterson struck out one in a scoreless inning. Bryan Haar was 3-5 with his eighth double and two RBI. Kelvin Ortiz was 2-3 with a walk and drove in two with his fourth double; he also stole his ninth base. Tanner Vavra went 2-4. Zach Granite had a single and a walk and scored two runs. GCL Twins 3, GCL Rays 0 Box Score Last July 2nd, the Twins signed a left-handed pitcher from Australia named Lewis Thorpe. On this day, Thorpe made the start and went five shutout innings. He gave up four hits, walked none and struck out four. Sam Gibbons came on and walked one in two scoreless innings. He struck out two. Miguel Gonzalez and Derrick Penilla each gave up two hits in a scoreless inning. Jason Kanzler went 2-4 with a walk and his second triple. Wilkin Ramirez hit the first home run on his rehab stint. Will Hurt walked three times. Thanks for checking out today’s Twins minor league report. Please feel free to discuss, comment or ask questions. View full article

The Twins got multi-hit games from seven hitters and seven shutout innings (nine strikeouts) from Phil Hughes on their way to a 7-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Joe Mauer and Kendrys Morales each had three hits, and Hughes improved to 7-2 on the season. Following the game, the Twins optioned Josmil Pinto to Rochester where he’ll join the Red Wings in Lehigh Valley on Thursday. The Twins will be adding a catcher to their roster on Thursday or before the game on Friday. Also, you can expect to hear about several Twins draft pick signings on Thursday. However, this is the Minnesota Twins Minor League Report, so let’s see what happened in the Twins farm system on Wednesday: RED WINGS REPORT No game scheduled. ROCK CATS REVIEW New Britain 8, Reading 5 Box Score The Rock Cat bats powered their way to another win. Sam Fuld, in what likely was his final rehab game, went 3-5 with a walk and his second double. Brandon Waring hit his fourth and fifth home runs of the season. He also walked and was hit by a pitch. Matt Koch and Tony Thomas were both 2-4 with a walk. Kennys Vargas was 2-5 and drove in two runs. Sean Gilmartin gave up a lot of hits but was able to limit the damage. In five innings, he gave up 11 hits but just four runs. He didn’t walk anyone and struck out six. Mark Hamburger came on and gave up one run over his two innings. He gave up a solo homer. Jim Fuller gave up two hits but no runs over two innings. Cole Johnson recorded his fifth save when he struck out two in a perfect inning. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 7, Charlotte 6 Box Score The Miracle got yet another terrific start from JO Berrios. The offense supported him, and the team was able to hang on at the end for the win. Berrios went six innings and gave up two runs on four hits. He walked two and struck out seven. Steven Gruver struck out two over two perfect innings. With a five-run lead, Tyler Jones came on for the ninth inning. He was charged with four runs, all unearned, in the ninth, but was able to close the game for a one-run victory. Stuart Turner gave the Miracle an early lead with a two-run homer in the second inning. Michael Gonzales was also 1-3 with a walk and a home run. He drove in three runs. The Miracle had just six hits but they also walked six times. Travis Harrison doubled for the 18th time this season. In his last nine starts, Berrios has been incredible. He has gone 6-1 with a 1.75 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, 11.5 K/9 and a 2.6 BB/9. Download attachment: JO Berrios FM.jpg KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 5, Quad Cities 4 Box Score This was a tight game throughout. The Kernels scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, then gave up three runs in the top of the ninth and barely hung on for the win. Phenom Fernando Romero made the start and went four innings. He gave up one run on five hits. He walked two and struck out one. 46 of his 76 pitches were strikes. SD Buhr pointed out that his fastball was sitting between 91 and 96 mph. He was replaced by Brandon Bixler who struck out two over three perfect innings. Hudson Boyd pitched a scoreless eighth inning. However, he gave up three runs in the ninth inning and got just the first two outs. Todd Van Steensel recorded his sixth save by getting a fly out to left. Mitch Garver went 3-4. Tanner Vavra and Bryan Haar each went 2-4. Jon Murphy was 2-3 with his second double. Jason Kanzler hit his sixth home run. Chad Christensen hit his third triple and drove in three runs. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – JO Berrios, Ft. Myers Miracle Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Brandon Waring, New Britain Rock Cats THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Lehigh Valley (6:05 CST) – Yohan Pino (Listen) New Britain @ Reading (6:05 CST) – Virgil Vasquez (Listen) Charlotte @ Ft. Myers (6:05 CST) – Matt Tomshaw (Listen) Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST) – Ryan Eades (Listen) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Wednesday games. A quick reminder: Thanks to the Twins win over the Blue Jays Wednesday, it means that on Thursday you can get 50% off a Large of Extra Large pizza when you use the “TWINSWIN” promotion code at PapaJohns.com. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: chris-colabello2.jpg The Twins organization is filled with players from all over the globe. They scout the entire country, Canada and Puerto Rico for the draft. They’ve done a nice job signing international players in recent years. The Twins do a great job in Australia. They have players from Europe and talent from Taiwan. They have players from Central and South America, but also from South Africa. The last couple of seasons, the Twins have gone in a direction that is likely most rare. In the last two seasons, the Twins have signed four players out of the independent leagues. To this point, none of them have made it to the big leagues, and often, these players are not signed to get to the big leagues. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]They are signed to fill a role with one of the team’s affiliates. When the Baltimore Orioles signed OF Lew Ford out of the independent ranks, they basically came out and said he would likely not play in the big leagues. But once in a while, there is a success story. Ford played so well in AAA that the O’s called him up which was a great story. Here is a little bit about each of the four players the Twins signed from the independent leagues: Andrew Albers – LHP – 26 Albers pitched for four years at the University of Kentucky before being drafted in the 10th round of the 2008 draft by the Padres. He pitched in the rookie leagues for them that summer, but injured his elbow and needed Tommy John surgery. He missed the entire 2009 season, and when he went to spring training with the team in 2010, he was still not 100% He was released, and in 2010 he pitched for Quebec in the CanAm League. He went 3-0 with 17 saves and a 1.40 ERA. In 57.2 innings, he gave up 41 hits, walked 16 and struck out 59. The next spring, he was trying to work out tryouts with big league clubs, looking for an opportunity for another shot with an affiliation. A couple of those opportunities didn’t pan out. To make a short story long, he called the Twins and said that he would drive from Arizona to Ft. Myers for a tryout. IF they liked him, they could reimburse his travel. If not, he would drive back home, to Saskatchewan, and call it a career. The Twins liked what they saw and signed him. He was my choice for Twins minor league relief pitcher of the year in 2011 when he went 4-1 with a 1.55 ERA in Ft. Myers and then 4-1 with a 2.91 ERA in New Britain. He has been a starter this season for the New Britain Rock Cats. He is 4-3 with a 3.61 ERA in 17 games (15 starts). He is an aggressive, strike-thrower, walking just 11 in 87.1 innings. He has been on the disabled list twice. Download attachment: Andrew Albers.jpg Caleb Thielbar – LHP – 25 Thielbar is from the town of Randolph, Minnesota. He pitched at South Dakota State. In 2009, he went 5-8 with a 5.44 ERA for the Jackrabbits yet was drafted in the 18th round that year by the Milwaukee Brewers. He made it up to Low A Wisconsin of the Midwest League where he pitched in 30 games in 2010. In 2011, he pitched in 43 games for the St. Paul Saints and went 3-3 with a 2.54 ERA. In 49.2 innings, he gave up 41 hits, walked 15 and struckout 62. The Twins signed him in August, and he pitched in three games for the Ft. Myers Miracle. He did well, but the assumption by many was that he was just helping fill out the roster and may not make it to the 2012 season. Instead, he went to minor league spring training with the Twins and has been one of the fast-risers in the system. The left-hander started the season with the Miracle. He pitched in seven games and 12.1 innings. He gave up four hits, walked two and struckout 16. He was quickly promoted to New Britain where he pitched in 16 games. In 25 innings, he gave up 18 hits, walked just three and struck out 26. He earned a mid-June promotion to AAA Rochester. He has leveled off some, but in 23 games and 34 innings, he has given up 37 hits, walked 13 and struck out 26. Overall, he is 6-2 with a 2.14 ERA. Download attachment: Caleb Thielbar.jpg Chris Colabello – 1B – 28 Colabello had a solid, four-year career at Assumption College, a small Division II school in Worcester, Massechusetts. However, he was not drafted. Since that time, 2005, he has played independent baseball, primarily for Worcester, which is also in the CanAm League. He has hit over .300 in six of those seven seasons. He was a league All-Star in 2008 and again in 2011 when he had a terrific season. The first baseman hit .348/.410/.600 (1.010) with 32 doubles, 20 homers and 79 RBI). He was named the CanAm League player of the year, and also Baseball America named him the Independent League player of the year. The Twins felt they had a need for a bat and a first baseman at AA New Britain, so they gave Colabello his first opportunity with an affiliated team at the age of 28. To say that he has proven he belongs would be an understatement. He has hit in the middle of the Rock Cats lineup and hit .285/.354/.488 (.842) with 35 doubles, 18 homers and 91 RBI. For a guy who came into the season likely wondering if he would fit in and how he would do. At this point, the assumption is that he should be back and playing in Rochester in 2013. Can he be a right-handed bench bat for the Twins? We will find out. Download attachment: Chris Colabello.jpg Dan Sattler – RHP – 28 Sattler pitched in the Big 10, for Purdue, from 2004 through 2007. In that time, he went 12-18 with a 4.39 ERA. He was drafted by the Rangers in the 33th round in 2006 but went back for his senior season. He went undrafted but signed with the Rangers. He pitched in the Texas organization in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, he pitched for independent league Kansas City, but late in the season, he signed with the A’s and pitched in their system through the 2010 season. In 2011, he was with the Angels organization. He signed with the St. Paul Saints early this year, but the Twins signed him after he pitched in just five games. He was 1-0 with three saves. Blessed with a fastball in the upper 90s, Sattler signed and reported to Ft. Myers. He pitched in three games for the Miracle. On June 19, he was promoted to New Britain where he pitched in five games. On July 6, he was promoted to Rochester where he pitched in seven games. All told, he was 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA. In 29.2 innings, he gave up 18 hits, walked ten and struck out 20. Opponents hit just .173 against him. Unfortunately, he went on the disabled list with elbow problems and needed Tommy John surgery. Download attachment: Dan Sattler.jpg Generally, when teams sign players from independent leagues, it is to fill a minor league roster. However, there are always exceptions. I was fortunate to play ball in college with Chris Coste who spent several years with the independent Fargo/Moorhead Redhawks before getting an opportunity in affiliated ball. It took a few years, but you may recall that he became The 33-Year-Old Rookie and won a World Series ring with the Philadelphia Phillies. The beauty is that you just never know. Of these four players, it is possible none of them will see time with the Twins. It’s also possible that any of them could fill a role of some sort with the big league club. We shall see. Click here to view the article

The Twins have 41 games to go which seems like a lot. However, there are just ten days before we reach September when rosters can expand. With the Twins moves yesterday, outrighting Nick Blackburn and Tsuyoshi Nishioka, the Twins 40 man roster now sits at 38. This is great because that means that the Twins can add two players to the 40 man roster without dropping anyone else. Then again, there are a few players that could be removed without much heartache in Twins Nation. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Starting Pitching has been the Twins biggest concern all season. Really, it has been for several seasons, and it will be again throughout the offseason. That said, the Twins have to find out what they have on the 40 man roster for starters. As of right now, the Twins starting rotation is Scott Diamond, Sam Deduno, Brian Duensing and Cole De Vries. We might be able to assume that Liam Hendriks will take Blackburn’s rotation spot, but at this point, we don’t know that for certain. Below, I will outline what I would like to see the Twins do with their starting rotation in September, if not sooner: THE GOAL Again, I think it’s important to understand the logic in what is trying to be accomplished. In my opinion, the Twins front office has to make some tough decisions for next year. Can they count on Liam Hendriks? Which of the starters should stay on the 40 man roster, much less go to spring training attempting to win a 5th starter job or a long-relief job. THE PLAN To be able to see more pitchers, I would recommend a six-man starting rotation. I’d be against it under normal circumstances, but I think it’s important to see what several of these guys can do when asked to throw five to seven innings. WHO IS OUT (OF THE ROTATION)? Well, one of my recommendations was going to be to get Nick Blackburn out of the starting rotation. Whether it was to the bullpen of released, I think we have all seen enough of his starts. Cole De Vries has shown me enough to likely stay on the 40 man roster and be able to compete for a 5th starter/long reliever/#6-7 starter job. Brian Duensing should be in the bullpen, regardless of how well he pitched last night. He has shown that he can start when needed. His roster spot is very safe as he is a tremendous left-handed reliever. WHO STARTS? #1 – Scott Diamond – He has made himself into the one given for the Twins Opening Day starting rotation. He has thrown 162.2 innings so far in 2012 after pitching 162 innings last year. If you subscribe to the belief that a pitcher should pitch no more than 20% more innings than the previous season, that means Diamond should throw about 195 innings. Going to six starters will likely mean one less start and they can still monitor his innings because of extra relievers. #2 – Sam Deduno – Yes, I know he’s got 36 walks and 30 strikeouts in 46 innings. But he also has a 4-1 record and a 3.33 ERA. I know that there’s like a 99.8% likelihood that his success is not sustainable, but let me live in that other 0.2% for another month. What if he can find a way to relax a little bit and reduce is BB/9 from 7.0 to 4.2 or so? What if? I am so intrigued by how nasty his stuff is and how much movement his pitches get. The Twins have nothing to lose in September, so why not give his ‘stuff’ an opportunity?! #3 – Liam Hendriks – Yes, he has struggled with the Twins in a couple of stints this year. He was the Twins minor league pitcher of the year last year when he split time between AA and AAA and then was pushed too quickly to the big leagues in September. This year, he was with the Twins quickly and probably wasn’t quite ready. However, in 16 starts with AAA Rochester this season, he is now 9-3 with a 2.20 ERA. In 106.1 innings, he has given up 76 hits, walked 28 and struck out 82. He’s just 23 years old and has the background of success and the mix of pitches necessary to believe that he will figure it out at some point. #4 – Esmerling Vasquez – The Twins claimed Vasquez on the final weekend of the 2011 season. Just before spring training, he was DFAd to make room for Darin Mastroianni. He has been, arguably, the most consistent pitcher in Rochester this season. As a reliever, he is 5-4 with a 2.67 ERA. In 57.1 innings, he has given up 41 hits, walked 25 and struckout 50. However, he was recently moved to the starting staff, and in seven starts, he is 4-1 with a 3.16 ERA. In 37 innings, he has given up 27 hits, walked 11 and struck out 41. That doesn’t count a game that he came into with two outs in the 1st inning and pitched into the 9th inning. That K/rate of more than one per inning is certainly intriguing in an organization where that is a rarity. #5 – Jeff Manship – Next spring, Manship will be out of options. Since making five starts for the Twins in 2009 (including his first big league win in a must-win, last weekend start against the Royals), Manship has made just one start for the Twins, and that was in 2010. However, as a starter in Rochester this season, he has gone 4-2 with a 2.29 ERA in 10 starts. In 51 innings he’s given up 47 hits, walked 19 and struck out 32. I would give him a five to six start opportunity in September before making a decision, either way. #6 – PJ Walters – Although his overall numbers in seven starts for the Twins from mid-May through mid-June were not great, he certainly showed some glimpses. In his first four starts, he went at least six innings and pitched a complete game against the White Sox. But when the calendar turned to June, his struggles began. He didn’t go more than five in his first two starts, and then he didn’t get out of the first inning in a June 13 start against the Phillies. He hasn’t pitched in the big league since. He’s now working in his second rehab stint in Rochester, and went three innings and threw 59 pitches. Another start or two for the Red Wings and he should be able to make five more starts with the Twins. SUMMARY Terry Ryan and his front office staff have some difficult decisions to make on many players as they plan for 2012. I think a good way to get a look at a few of them would be to go to a six man starting rotation. Guys like Cole De Vries, Brian Duensing and Anthony Swarzak will become very important as well because there will be short starts and innings to eat, in all likelihood. Five or six extra starts is probably too small of a sample size to make final decisions, but coupled with AAA reports, it’s something more. What do you think of this plan? What do you think will or should happen, in your opinion? Download attachment: PJ Walters 3.jpg Photo by StarTribune.com Click here to view the article

Despite being the Twins 1st round pick in the 2006 draft out of his school, it took until September of 2011 for his to become a household name among many Twins fans. After five seasons in the minor leagues, Parmelee was promoted directly from Double-A New Britain when the Rock Cats season ended just short of a playoff berth. Parmelee had put together a very strong second half for the Rock Cats, but no one could have imagined how well he played in September. He played nearly every day, 21 games in all, and hit .355/.443/.592 with six doubles, four homers and 14 RBI. In 88 plate appearances, he walked twice and struckout 13 times. Download attachment: Parmelee.jpg Parmelee gives us a glimpse into why minor league numbers and statistics are secondary to player development. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] All players drafted high, especially in the first round, are there because they have immense tools. How quickly can they turn those tools into skills? There is not one ‘right’ answer to that questions. Some players are able to come up to the big leagues within the first couple of years. Most players take five or six years to get to the big leagues. STAGE 1 – The Adam Dunn Stage Like most high school players drafted, Parmelee went to the Gulf Coast League. He performed well, hitting .279/.369/.532 (.901) with seven doubles, four triples, eight homers and 32 RBI in 45 games. He was rewarded by spending 11 games in Beloit where he hit .227 but posted a .370 On Base Percentage. He spent the 2007 season in Beloit where he hit just .239/.313/.414 (.727) with 23 doubles, five triples and 14 home runs. He returned to the Snappers for the 2008 season. Unfortunately, he only played about half of the games as the previous year due to injury, but he was better. He hit .239/.385/.496 (.881) with 10 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs and 49 RBI. In those two seasons in Beloit, he walked 98 times and struckout 210 times in 790 plate appearances. In 2009, he went to Ft. Myers and hit .258/.359/.441 (.881) with 27 doubles, 16 homers and 73 RBI. In 501 plate appearances, he walked 65 times and struck out 109 times. In this stage, there was hope that the bulky Parmelee could turn into an Adam Dunn-type player. He did not hit for average, but he took a great number of walks and showed some good power for that early stage of his career. Of course, Adam Dunn would be a great thing. Most minor leaguers who strikeout that much in those lower levels don’t work their way up to the big leagues unless they’re able to cut those numbers. STAGE 2 – The Transition After playing in the Arizona Fall League after the season, Parmelee figured out that he would need to lose some weight, and by the time he came to Twins Fest, he looked like a different person. Chris Parmelee began the 2010 season with the New Britain Rock Cats, but he really struggled. Pitchers were taking advantage of him. He wasn’t walking and was striking out a lot. Because of that, the power wasn’t there either. Less than six weeks into the season, he was sent back to Ft. Myers, and that is where something clicked. In just 22 games, he hit .338/.430/.463 (.893) with five extra base hits. He also walked 13 times and struckout 11 times. He returned to New Britain as a different hitter. Overall, he hit .275/.341/.389 (.731) with 25 doubles, two triples and six home runs. In 463 plate appearances, he walked just 43 times and struck out just 70 times. In 2011, he hit .287/.366/.436 (.801) with 30 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs and 83 RBI for New Britain. He walked 68 times and struckout 94 times in 610 plate appearances. The strategy appears to be focusing on one thing and then hoping the other things come back. In other words, Parmelee had shown an ability to take walks and hit for some home run power. However, he also struck out a ton. To make him a better all-around hitter, they encouraged him to be a little more aggressive, use the whole field and make better contact. STAGE 3 – It All Comes Together The best case scenario is putting the stages back together. Now that he can hit for average and keep the strikeouts down, could he get back to getting on with a lot of walks and bring back the power? As we know, Parmelee put together a great showing in September. He was terrific in spring training and earned an Opening Day roster spot. Although he has struggled in limited playing time with the Twins over a couple of stints, he has continued to show power. In 49 games in Rochester, he has hit .354/.470/.691 (1.161) with 15 doubles and 15 home runs. As important, he has 38 walks to go with just 34 strikeouts in 217 plate appearances. Parmelee awaits another opportunity to play with the Twins. It will likely happen in the very near future. You can look through his minor league track record and make a lot about of those early years, but he is no longer that same player. Parmelee, in a way, took a step backwards to take eight steps forward. He may be one of those examples where he might outperform his minor league numbers. We don’t know, but we shall find out. Soon. Click here to view the article

In my fourth annual Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook, which became available in January, I posted my Top 30 Twins Prospect list as well as my annual rankings back five or six years. I enjoy looking at those lists for a couple of reasons. First, it is humbling. No one will likely ever produce a top 10 list that is 100% accurate. Second, it’s a fun reminder of some of the names from the past that didn’t stick around or make it. Third, it’s just fun to review to see what I have learned since then. Today, I would like to take a look at my top 20 Twins prospects from before the season started and provide a quick update on how they’re doing. Some will move up, others will (or have) moved down. In parentheses, you will see where I ranked that player when I did an updated ranking before the June draft. In the comments, please feel free to discuss, but also feel free to post your updated Top 10 list as of now. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]--- #1 (1) – Miguel Sano – 19 years old – 3B In Beloit, he is hitting .259/.380/.521 (.902) with 24 doubles, 4 triples, 24 homers and 90 RBI. He has stolen seven bases. He has also committed 40 errors. #2 (2) – Eddie Rosario – 20 years old – 2B Also in Beloit, Rosario missed just over a month of games after being hit in the mouth by a line drive in batting practice, but he’s back and hitting again. He is hitting .301/.359/.480 (.839) with 24 doubles, three triples, eight homers and 54 RBI. He has committed just 12 errors at second base, and is also playing about a game a week in centerfield. #3 (5) – Oswaldo Arcia – 21 years old – RF It’s been a great year for the Venezuelan outfielder. After a slow start in Ft. Myers, he took off. He played in the FSL All Star game and then hit a double off of Jameson Taillon in the Futures Game. He was promoted to AA New Britain in mid-June and he has been even better. Overall, he’s hitting .319/.390/.534 (.924) with 31 doubles, five triples 14 home runs and 78 RBI. He has six errors defensively, but he also has 15 outfield assists. #4 (4) – Aaron Hicks – 22 years old – CF Hicks has seemingly turned a corner since his strong showing in the AFL last year. In AA this year, he has taken off. He is hitting .281/.381/.456 with 19 doubles, seven triples, 12 home runs and 55 RBI. He’s also stolen 27 bases and has ten outfield assists while showing great range and a very strong arm. #5 (7) – Joe Benson – 24 year old – OF It’s been a disappointing season for Benson since a nice showing in spring training. He began the season in Rochester where he really struggled before being sent back to New Britain. He then had to have surgery on his hamate bone and missed 5-6 weeks. He has returned and is back at New Britain, but the struggles continue. Overall this season, Benson is hitting .209/.294/.350 (.644) with 13 doubles, three triples and six home runs. He’s also 13/17 in steal attempts. He remains one of the best defensive outfielders in the organization. #6 (3) – Liam Hendriks – 23 years old – RHP Hendriks made the Opening Day roster but was sent down later in the first month. He got another opportunity in June that went miserably as well. However, in Rochester, he has been terrific. He is a 9-2 with a 1.99 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. In 99.1 innings, he has given up just 69 hits, walked 25 and struckout 76. He will get another shot soon. #7 (6) – Kyle Gibson – 24 years old – RHP Hearing reports that Gibson is throwing just as hard, if not harder, than he did before his September Tommy John surgery is certainly encouraging. He has remained on schedule and tonight will make his first start of the year for the Ft. Myers Miracle. In a month’s worth of rehab games in the GCL, Gibson was 0-0 with a 2.45 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP. In 14.2 innings, he gave up nine hits, walked four and struck out 14. Of course, the numbers are far less important than the process. #8 (13) – Adrian Salcedo – 21 years old – RHP The lanky right-hander struggled in the early season. He was 0-2 with a 5.87 ERA and a 1.83 WHIP. Unlike his previous seasons, he struggled with control, issuing more walks than ever. Something wasn’t right. He was put on the DL with elbow concerns early in the year. He came back and struggled more, and then he was put on the DL with shoulder issues. #9 (12) – Alex Wimmers – 23 years old – RHP After all of his control issues early last season, he ended the year with a no-hitter for the Miracle. He had a solid spring and was sent to New Britain to start the season. He made his first start and hasn’t pitched since. After a couple of months rehabbing, he had Tommy John surgery. #10 (N/A) – Chris Parmelee – 24 years old – 1B Like Hendriks, Parmelee made the Opening Day roster. He struggled some, but when Justin Morneau started playing more 1B, he also didn’t play. He has gone to Rochester and been back up one other time. In Rochester, he is currently hitting .354/.469/.691 (1.161) with 14 doubles, 15 homers and 41 RBI. He has 37 walks to go with 33 strikeouts. Like Hendriks, he should be up again very soon. #11 (8) – Brian Dozier – 25 years old – SS In 84 Games with Twins, he’s hitting .234/.271/.332 (.603) with 11 doubles, a triple, six homers, 32 RBI and nine stolen bases. #12 (9) – Travis Harrison – 19 years old – 3B He’s hitting .310/.394/.444 (.838) with ten doubles, two triples, three homers and 18 RBI. He has 20 errors in 45 games. #13 (25) – Tom Stuifbergen – 23 years old – RHP He’s 4-6 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. In 53.1 innings, he’s given up 78 hits, 10 walks and 30 strikeouts. #14 (24) – Angel Morales – 22 years old – OF He’s hitting .207/.288/.310 (.597) with seven doubles, four triples, six homers and 28 RBI. #15 (11) – Chris Herrmann – 24 years old – C/LF Hitting .270/.343/.391 with 22 doubles, a triple, 9 homers and 50 RBI. He’s caught in 70 games and played LF in 26 others. #16 (36) – Manuel Soliman – 23 years old – RHP He made two starts for Ft. Myers before his season came to an end due to surgery on his labrum. #17 (15) – Levi Michael – 21 years old – SS/2B Michael was horrible in the first half and has been at least solid in the second half. He’s hitting .238/.333/.303 (.636) with 10 doubles, four triples, two homers and 33 RBI. #18 (27) – Max Kepler – 19 years old – OF Fair to say he’ll move way up this list after this season. He’s hitting .298/.399/.536 (.935) with 11 doubles, four triples, eight homers and 40 RBI for Elizabethton. He played solely in CF until Byron Buxton got to E-Town. Now Kepler is playing in the corners. #19 (16) – Niko Goodrum – 20 years old – SS/3B Like Kepler, Niko returned to E-Town, but the success (in terms of batting average) has not been there. He’s hitting .247/.367/.425 (.792) with ten doubles, six triples, three homers and 34 RBI. He’s got 13 errors between the two positions. #20 (10) – Hudson Boyd – 19 years old – RHP Boyd jumped to E-Town for his pro debut this year. He’s just 2-5, but his ERA is just 2.40. Half of the 24 runs he’s allowed this year have been unearned. He is posting a 1.40 WHIP. In 45 innings, he given up 47 hits, walked 16 and struck out 29. #21 (14) – BJ Hermsen – 22 year old – RHP After four starts in Ft. Myers (1-0, 0.78 ERA, 0.91 WHIP), Hermsen moved up to AA New Britain where he was an All Star. With the Rock Cats, he’s 10-5 with a 3.09 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. #22 (18) – Danny Santana – 21 years old – SS With the Miracle, he’s hitting .283/.324/.397 (.721) with 18 doubles, eight triples, five homers and 47 RBI. He has 16 stolen bases. He has 16 errors in 67 games at SS, and another 8 errors in 32 games at 2B. --- There you have it. A look at my preseason Top 20, err… Top 22 Twins prospects. What do you think? What’s your updated Top Ten? Download attachment: MN Twins Prospect Handbook.jpg Click here to view the article

A ground ball to the shortstop for the first out.A walk.A ground ball to second base which was turned into an inning-ending double play. That may not seem like much to get overly excited about, but for Twins fans, it was a good day! For the first time since he was placed on the Disabled List on August 2, 2011, Kyle Gibson pitched off of a mound in a game on Tuesday morning. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]It may have been a 10:00 a.m. eastern time start time in the Gulf Coast League, but don’t let that minimize the huge milestone. The Twins used the 22nd overall pick in the 2009 draft to select Gibson, a right-handed pitcher from the University of Missouri. He climbed the ladder quickly, and in 2010 was named the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year when he began the year in Ft. Myers and ended it in Rochester. He began the 2011 season with the Red Wings and pitched well for two months, but then things started going south. Although he pitched in the Futures Game a year ago, something wasn’t right. His elbow was hurting and after a stretch of rough starts, he was put on the Disabled List. An MRI in early August showed a partial tear of his Ulnar Collateral Ligament, and after rehabbing for a month, he had Tommy John surgery on September 7, 2011. In early June, Gibson threw off of a mound for the first time and said it “went really good. Arm felt great!” He has gradually added more pitches to his mound sessions. Last Friday, he pitched some live batting practice. Following it, he tweeted that “it went about as well as I could hope for.” Which brings us to today. It was just one inning, but for Gibson, it was another key milestone passed with flying colors. In fact, according to the Pioneer Press’s John Shipley, assistant GM Rob Antony said that Gibson touched 94 mph during his one-inning stint. No one knows how players will return from Tommy John surgery. Pitchers like Tim Hudson and Billy Wagner came back in less than a year and were as good as ever. Others, such as Francisco Liriano, take longer to find their stuff again. Joe Mays was never able to regain his form. Knowing that, however, Kyle Gibson also knew and was aware of the path that Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg took after his surgery. Strasburg had his Tommy John surgery in September of 2010. Kyle Gibson had his Tommy John surgery in September of 2011. Strasburg made his first rehab appearance in early July, as has Gibson. Strasburg got back to the big leagues in September. If all goes well for Gibson in the next month, it is very possible that he will return to the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings and be right where he was being his injury. Who knows? A September call-up also remains an outside possibility. --- GCL Twins 5, GCL RED SOX 11 The Gulf Coast Twins are the only Twins affiliate that played on All-Star game day. They had a 10:00 a.m. start time. Gibson started and worked the first inning. Yorman Landa gave up four runs (3 earned) on three hits and four walks in two innings. Hung Yi Chen gave up one run on three hits and a walk in his two innings. Markus Solbach gave up two runs on four hits in 1.1 innings. He was relieved by Trent Higginbotham who gave up four runs on four hits and two walks in 2.1 innings. Chris Mazza got the final out. Gibson wasn’t the only player rehabbing in this game. Rene Tosoni led off and went 0-3 with a walk while playing in left field. Javier Pimentel was 2-4 with his fourth and fifth doubles. Jose Ramirez went 2-3. Kelvin Ortiz went 2-4. Kelly Cross was 2-5. --- Games Scheduled for Wednesday, July 11, 2011 Rochester Red Wings – All Star Game (Pedro Florimon) New Britain Rock Cats – All Star Game (BJ Hermsen, Chris Herrmann, Daniel Turpen) Ft. Myers @ Clearwater – RHP Tom Stuifbergen Beloit @ Ft. Myers – TBD Elizabethton @ Greeneville – TBD GCL Twins @ GCL Orioles - TBD Download attachment: Kyle Gibson.jpg Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Josh Willingham.jpg The Twins Cities chapter of the Baseball Writers of America voted for the Twins 2012 Diamond Awards They will be presented at the Diamond Awards Ceremony on Thursday, January 24th at Target Field, kicking off Twins Fest weekend. Feel free to discuss: MVP - Josh Willingham Pitcher of Year - Scott Diamond Most Improved - Ben Revere Rookie of the Year - Scott Diamond Determination and Leadership - Justin Morneau Media Good Guy - Glen Perkins Defensive Player of the Year - Ben Revere Upper Midwest Player of the Year - Joe Mauer [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Honestly, I can't disagree with any of them. One could argue that Scott Diamond could have also won the Most Improved. Some will argue that Joe Mauer could have been MVP, but since he got the Upper Midwest Player of the Year award, it's great that Willingham (who also deserved it) gets the MVP. What are your thoughts? Click here to view the article

Good morning, Twins fans!! Today is the day we have been thinking about since the end of the 2013 season when the Minnesota Twins finished with the fifth-worst record in baseball. That means the Twins have the fifth pick in each round of the MLB Draft. On Thursday evening, we will know who the Twins selected with the #5 overall pick, but we'll also find out who they took with their second round pick (#46) later in the evening. One of the "positives" of playing so poorly is a high draft choice the next season. Twins fans, we're used to that as the Twins have had a high draft choice the past two years too. Of course, two years ago, it meant they were able to draft outfielder Byron Buxton from a rural Georgia high school with the second overall pick in 2012. Last year, the Twins went the prep route again and selected athletic, hard-throwing righty Kohl Stewart with the fourth overall pick. (SD Buhr talked to Stewart about his thoughts on his first full season in professional baseball last week) Download attachment: mlb-draft.jpg Who will the Twins select this evening with the fifth overall pick this year? Well, unfortunately, we are going to have to remain patient until early this evening. The Major League Draft starts at 6:00 central time with the first overall pick. The Houston Astros have earned that selection each of the last three seasons and they've taken shortstop Carlos Correa and "sure-thing" right-hander Mark Appel. After the Astros pick, the Miami Marlins well draft. After that, the Windy City will get some air time as the White Sox have the third pick and the Cubs have the fourth pick. There are a lot of scenarios that could play out with those top four picks. As much as we think that the Twins might go in one direction (most mock drafts have the Twins taking Florida high schooler Nick Gordon), we won't know until about 6:30 central time tonight. Over the last few weeks, at Twins Daily, we have done profiles of the several players that the Twins could take: Trea Turner - SS - North Carolina StateAaron Nola - RHP - Louisiana State U.Tyler Beede - RHP - VanderbiltKyle Freeland - LHP - Evansville UBrady Aiken - LHP - High School in CaliforniaTyler Kolek - RHP - High School in TexasNick Gordon - SS - High School in FloridaCarlos Rodon - LHP - North Carolina StateAlex Jackson - C/OF - High School in CaliforniaOf course, depending upon how things go, the Twins could surprise and go in a different direction. Hartford left-hander Sean Newcomb, a 6-5 230 pounder with a mid-90s fastball, a slider and changeup in the low-to-mid 80s and a curveball in the mid-to-high 70s, has certainly picked up some steam as the draft approaches. Twins Daily is fortunate to have Jeremy Nygaard as a key part of this community. His efforts with the Rosters & Payrolls page is remarkable. However, his knowledge and passion for the draft are unrivaled in this market. He has kept us updated for a couple of months on developments in the MLB Draft. In the last few weeks, he has provided us with mock drafts. Mock Draft 1.0 - 5/18/14Mock Draft 2.0 - 5/28/14Mock Draft 3.0 - 6/5/14He even posted his predictions (or at least some options) for what the Twins will do with their first ten picksover the next couple days. The MLB Draft is such an important time for MLB teams. They are able to make 40 (or more) picks to add talent to the organization. In any given year, if two or three of the picks become useful big leaguers, the draft was a huge success. When a team has such high picks, it is more important to be right. That's the position that the Twins find themselves in for the third straight season. We encourage you to keep close to Twins Daily for more updates. However, be sure to stop by at 6:00 when we will have a special MLB Draft Twins Hangouts show. Jeremy Nygaard and Seth Stohs will be joined by John Bonnes to talk about the draft and the picks leading up to the Twins pick (which should occur just after 6:30). We'll be on until around 7 with our reaction to whoever it is the Twins select. Then at 9:00, John, Jeremy and I will take their discussion to the air waves. Tune in to KFAN (fm 100.3 in the Twin Cities, or here online) for a Minnesota Twins draft show. We will discuss the Twins first round pick, but we'll also tell you more about the Twins 2nd round pick. That pick should be made around 9:35, so Jeremy can tell us more about that player as well. It's going to be a full, fun, busy day here at Twins Daily. Use this thread to discuss rumors throughout the day. Even more fun, post below your thoughts on who will be taken with each of the top 5 or 10 picks. And then on Friday, we will have a new article for the Twins Day 2 picks, which will cover rounds 3-10. On Saturday, we will post and discuss selections from rounds 11-40 in a Day 3 article. Jeremy Nygaard will provide some thoughts on each pick. A quick reminder: Thanks to the Twins win over the Brewers Wednesday, it means that on Thursday you can get 50% off a Large of Extra Large pizza when you use the “TWINSWIN” promotion code at PapaJohns.com. Click here to view the article