Seth Stohs

Per the Elizabethton Twins, RHP Dereck Rodriguez was named the Appalachian League's Pitcher of the Year. Rodriguez transitioned two years ago to full-time pitcher after struggling with the bat for a couple of years. He began this season at Extended Spring Training, but he had brief times with both the Cedar Rapids Kernels and the Ft. Myers Miracle. With the E-Twins, he has made ten starts. He is 5-2 with a 2.65 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. In 54.1 innings, he gave up 52 hits, walked ten and struck out 45. In addition, Kuo Hua Lo was named the Relief Pitcher of the Year for E-Twins. LaMonte Wade was named an Appy League Utility/Outfield All Star.

I definitely encourage people to look into the box scores for more details. See all those Kernels and Red Wings with three hit games... Check out how AB Walker did on the night.

The Washington Post this morning has an interesting article on the analytics of keeping players healthy... This will be an interesting trend. The article speaks to more than just baseball, but it will be interesting to see where this goes. IT's really still in its infancy.

I can't remember a night like this. 7 Kernels hitters with at least 3 hits. I think 5-6 Red Wings hitters with 3+ hits. AB Walker ties the Lookouts HR record. Logan Darnell had a perfect game until an error in the 6th, and a no-hitter into the 7th.

I tweeted this earlier today because White has been terrific:

Sam Gibbons was named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week.

Because 90% of viewing audiences just don't care about the advanced stuff. And as others have said, it's easy. Most fans don't go to Baseball-Reference, much less any of those sites like FanGraphs (that I don't even go to). They can give some basics and if people want more, they can go to those sites or even come here to find some of it.

It's good for Joe Vavra. It's a good opportunity for Trey and Tanner. It's good for the Twins organization in getting more name recognition in Australia. In a country in which there is no draft and players and their families get to determine which team they sign with. There are so many positives about this.

Pat Dean was also named the International League Pitcher of the Week this week.

We learned late last night that Joe Vavra will become the first active Major League coach to be a manager in the Australian Baseball League this winter (or, summer in Australia). Reports from Australia are saying that he will manage the Melbourne Aces. He had managed in Australia in a previous version of the ABL 20 years ago. There have been other reports saying that both Tanner Vavra (Ft. Myers Miracle) and Trey Vavra (Cedar Rapids Kernels) will play on the Melbourne team, though there is nothing official about that yet. The Australian Baseball League has grown in popularity in recent years with the help of MLB. As we know, the Twins have a strong position in Australia. Here is an article with more information from the Australia Baseball League.

Jeremy Nygaard has tons on him and the rest of the 40 Twins draft picks in his Draft Book. A great purchase option... Jeremy spent time with many scouts, etc., learning about these players and it's incredible.

Following a sweep in New York against the dreaded Yankees, many Twins fans - admittedly myself included - were ready to write off the 2015 season. It was the start of a ten-game road stretch against three teams with playoff hopes remaining. However, after an unlikely four-game sweep in Baltimore, the Twins remain in contention for a wild card berth. Image courtesy of Tommy Gilligan, USA Today Following a sweep in New York against the dreaded Yankees, many Twins fans - admittedly myself included - were ready to write off the 2015 season. It was the start of a ten-game road stretch against three teams with playoff hopes remaining. However, after an unlikely four-game sweep in Baltimore, the Twins remain in contention for a wild card berth. It was something that happened frequently in the Ron Gardenhire-led era. When the Twins had a shot at making the playoffs, they played some of their best baseball. Maybe it was that "One-Day-At-A-Time" mantra that Tom Kelly preached. Maybe it was the fire of Gardenhire. Maybe it was having some of the right players on the field for the season's final months. Like many Twins fans, I often get excited and hopeful when things are going well, but when things start to go awry, I'm ready to play the realist. This year, that meant talking about how the Twins weren't really expected to compete yet. They were expected to finish dead last in the American League. 2016 was when this team was supposed to start playing competitive games in August. And then that rough stretch of games out of the All-Star break that moved them from 10 games above .500 to a game below .500. That culminated with that dreadful performance in the Bronx. And yet, baseball is a funny game, and funny things happen. An offense that struggled to score runs began the series in Baltimore with a 15-run performance. After that, they showed a great toughness winning three close games. In fact, instead of being the team whose bullpen was giving up leads late in the game, the Twins were the team overcoming a deficit in the late innings. In fact, the Twins bullpen was terrific in Baltimore. Glen Perkins wasn't available for the first three games of the series, but he pitched on Sunday. Kevin Jepsen was remarkable in that closer's role. Trevor May pitched three straight games for the first time and was absolutely dominant. Even Casey Fien was terrific, returning to the 2013 and 2014 form that made him so good. Adding Neal Cotts to the equation makes the bullpen deeper. The bullpen was a strength in that series and now they get a day off before starting a three-game series with the Rays in St. Petersburg. After that, they head home to play the Houston Astros, another playoff team. It doesn't get easier. What else? This team is being led by some young fellas. Tyler Duffey set the tone for the series with a tremendous performance in Thursday's blowout. He showed Twins fans what he is capable of doing. Miguel Sano continued to bash American League pitching by delivering a couple of home runs in the series and driving in runs. Eddie Rosario continues to impress in left field and came up with some big hits and a big sacrifice fly on Friday. Byron Buxton played great defense. His bat still hasn't come on strong, but he came up with the big, game-winning hit in Saturday's game. Remember the year that the Twins were in contention and Justin Morneau got hurt about as the calendar turned to September? Michael Cuddyer moved onto first base and put up crazy numbers for the final three or four weeks of the season. Maybe this year it will be Miguel Sano who leads the charge? There's no way to know what will happen. Maybe unlikely veterans like Joe Mauer and Torii Hunter will be hot for the final five or six weeks. Will the Twins make the playoffs? I don't know. I don't claim to know. The odds still aren't in their favor. But if there's one thing that I've learned in the last dozen years or so, when the Twins have had a chance, they have stayed resilient. And as we've said many times, with baseball, you just never know what could happen. Might as well enjoy the ride! View full article

AJ Achter back to Rochester. Adrian Salcedo back to Chattanooga.

Though not likely, I wouldn't put it past him. Once he cuts down on the strikeouts somewhat, the average can come up. He gets to stay at this level now and make adjustments. I think he's got the talent to do just about anything in this game. Nothing he would do would shock me. Also, part of "superstar", right or wrong, is personality, and Sano definitely has that. He will be beloved.

Is there a reason why this anti-Joe Mauer thread isn't just included in one of the 59 others in the forums? Did it need it's own for some reason? To answer the original poster, TK and Joe work a ton together in spring training. He also puts in time during the season and has become a solid guy at first base.

I'd now say two really good starts after one really bad start... That curveball is legit!

Yup, he's back in the lineup today as well.

I agree.. It was his first full season back from Tommy John, so I'm glad they gave him another shot to start. But if he has a big league future, it'd likely be in long relief. He certainly had a couple of stretches that showed he could fill that kind of role.

Minnesota Twins Minor League Player of the Week: Week 1: Tyler Duffey, Chattanooga Lookouts Week 2: Stephen Gonsalves, Cedar Rapids Kernels Week 3: Byron Buxton, Chattanooga Lookouts Week 4: Trey Vavra, Cedar Rapids Lookouts Week 5: Miguel Sano, Chattanooga Lookouts Week 6: Max Kepler, Chattanooga Lookouts Week 7: Aaron Slegers, Ft. Myers Miracle Week 8: Brandon Peterson, Ft. Myers Miracle Week 9: David Hurlbut, Chattanooga Lookouts Week 10: Alex Wimmers, Chattanooga Lookouts Week 11: Engelb Vielma, Ft. Myers Miracle Week 12: AJ Achter, Rochester Red Wings Week 13: Oswaldo Arcia, Rochester Red Wings Week 14: Mat Batts, Ft. Myers Miracle Week 15: Felix Jorge, Cedar Rapids Kernels Week 16: Chris Paul, Elizabethton Twins Week 17: Kennys Vargas, Rochester Red Wings Week 18: Pat Dean, Rochester Red Wings Triple-A Rochester right-handed pitcher Pat Dean is the Twins minor league Player of the Week...Dean, 26, tossed a complete game shutout allowing just six hits while striking out six in his only start last week vs. Buffalo... he has tossed 15.1 consecutive scoreless innings for the Red Wings and has recorded four complete games on the season...the Twins drafted Dean in the third round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of Boston College.

Your response to today is fair, but the initial question of this thread was "who was" and that wasn't even close.

I think Escobar should be starting. Have most of the year, if not all year. He's playing 2 out of 3 at this point, and I"m fine with that because Nunez has played well too.

I assume this is just a trolling attempt? Mauer was better defensively and hugely better offensively.

One of the best things about following the minor leaguers every day throughout a season and from year to year has to be seeing improvement of young, talented players. Each year there are players who go from relatively unknown to worth watching. One of those guys this year is Australian right-hander Sam Gibbons. He was on the hill again tonight for Cedar Rapids and put up another strong start. Image courtesy of Seth Stohs (photo of Sam Gibbons) One of the best things about following the minor leaguers every day throughout a season and from year to year has to be seeing improvement of young, talented players. Each year there are players who go from relatively unknown to worth watching. One of those guys this year is Australian right-hander Sam Gibbons. He was on the hill again tonight for Cedar Rapids and put up another strong start. He wasn’t the only story of the night, so continue reading for everything that happened on Saturday in the Twins minor league system. TRANSACTIONS There was just one transaction in the Twins system on Saturday: · To make room for AJ Achter in Rochester, Adrian Salcedo was sent back to Chattanooga. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 5, Scranton/Wilkes Barre 11 Box Score Michael Bowden had an opt-out date on Saturday. He was also scheduled to start. Darren Wolfson tweeted earlier in the day that it sounds like he will not opt-out. On this night, he gave up seven runs (five earned) on eight hits and two walks in 5.2 innings. He struck out six. Cole Johnson came on. He was charged with one run on three hits in 1.1 innings, though he allowed two inherited runners to score as well. Tim Shibuya gave up three runs on three hits in his inning of work. Eric Fryer led the offense. He went 3-4 with his first triple. Xavier Avery went 2-3 with a walk and his third triple. Danny Santana went 2-4 with his eighth double. Danny Ortiz was also 2-4. Oswaldo Arcia came into the game without a hit in his previous 24 at-bats. According to a tweet from Brandon Warne, he was 4-64. He went 0-3 in his first three at-bats on this night, but in the ninth, he hit his 11th Red Wings home run off former All-Star Andrew Bailey. Hopefully it can jump-start something, anything. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 6, Pensacola 10 Box Score Jason Wheeler made the start for the Lookouts. The southpaw went the first 5.1 innings. He gave up five runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out five. He was really hurt by the long ball. He was “taken yard” three times. Alex Wimmers came on and got the next five outs and he was charged with two runs on three hits. DJ Johnson pitched an inning and gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk. The offense put up some runs, but it just wasn’t enough. Stephen Wickens remained hot. He went 2-5 with his 14th double. Travis Harrison went 2-4 with his fourth triple. Stuart Turner went 1-1 and walked three times. Max Kepler was 1-4 with a walk and his 32nd double. Jorge Polanco, who played shortstop for the second straight game, walked twice and stole his 17th base. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 0, Bradenton 5 Box Score Mat Batts wasn’t his normal self in this start. He gave up four runs on seven hits in just five innings. He walked one and struck out three. Todd Van Steensel came on and gave up one run on one hit in two innings. He struck out two. Tyler Jay pitched a scoreless inning, striking out one. The Miracle offense didn’t show much, as you’d expect when the team gets shut out. Mitch Garver was 1-3 with a walk. Jason Kanzler hit his seventh triple. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 2, Clinton 0 Box Score Sam Gibbons has become one of the most reliable starters on Jake Mauer’s Cedar Rapids Kernels team. On Saturday, he worked eight shutout innings. He allowed the only hit in the fifth inning. He did not walk a batter and he struck out a career-high 12 batters. However, through eight innings neither team had scored a run. In the top of the ninth, Brett Doe knocked his 11th double and drove in Edgar Corcino and TJ White to give the Kernels a 2-0 lead. Mike Theofanopoulos came on and pitched a perfect ninth for the first save of his career. Gibbons improved to 7-3 and reduced his ERA to just 2.72. E-TOWN E-NOTES Elizabethton 3, Pulaski 4 Box Score Onesimo Hernandez was the Appy League Pitcher of the Week last week. This start didn’t go as well for the right-hander. He gave up four runs on nine hits over five innings. He walked one and struck out six. Anthony Mciver came on and struck out four over three shutout innings. He gave up two hits. Daniel Kihle led the offense. He went 2-4 with his seventh double. Jermaine Palacios doubled for the ninth time. Rainis Silva added his fifth double. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 3, GCL Red Sox 8 Box Score The Twins held a 2-1 lead after seven innings, but one of their more reliable relievers had his first really rough outing. Jovani Moran started and threw four shutout innings. He gave up one hit, walked two and struck out four. Moises Gomez came in. He gave up an unearned run on one hit and one walk. Max Cordy threw two shutout innings. Miguel Gonzalez gave up two runs on five hits in his inning. Johan Quezada came on. He gave up four runs on two hits and two walks in just one-third of an inning. Callan Pearce came in, but he gave up the inherited runners and one more run on three hits. Luis Arraez went 2-3 with a walk and his 15th double. He also stole his seventh base. Bryant Hayman hit his second triple. Jorge Andrade went 1-3 with a walk and his 10th stolen base. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Sam Gibbons, Cedar Rapids Kernels Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Travis Harrison, Chattanooga Lookouts SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Scranton/Wilkes Barre (12:05 CST) – LHP Taylor Rogers Tennessee @ Chattanooga (4:15 CST) – LHP David Hurlbut Jupiter @ Ft. Myers (3:05 CST) – LHP Stephen Gonsalves Cedar Rapids @ Clinton (2:00 CST) – RHP Randy LeBlanc Elizabethton @ Greeneville (5:00 CST) – TBD GCL Twins – No Games Scheduled Feel free to leave any questions or comments below View full article