lightfoot789

Congrats to the Miracle. 1st playoff win in over a decade. Kanzler was phenomenal. When the lights are on: *Hicks with game winning RBI *Walker with 4 BB & 0 Ks when the team had 14 Ks overall *the K brothers did their thing in innings 8&9. And Johnson was great too. *Kepler stayed hot into September.

We will see this time next year. Similar season and similar commentary. "AAA will be the level that tells what we can expect from Walker" BTW - 4 BB (walks) and 2 runs scored in a 8-7 playoff win tonight. When the lights are on, he has shined brightest........................... Gotta love all these night games

I agree - But if the Twins don't put him on the 40 man roster with what he's done over the first 3 seasons - Another team will pick him up with the intentions of fixing whatever flaw they find. His talent is undeniable. His potential is the only thing holding bloggers from joining his band wagon. I don't know if there was a better minor league figure head than Chris Colabello. Great Average - Great Slugging % - Great minor league stas up and down the board. Fizzled. No one would have predicted Vargas would have the success he's having now so early. You never know and potential will never take the place of results. That's what Walker brings you every year. His style of play will always leave you saying "not sure if he can do that next year". Like everyone said about Dozier.

Walker is only 22 BTW. The crazy part is he is listed as the number #2 hitter for the month of August by Twins Daily and he gets placed 7th in the line up in tonights playoff game. Lead your league in HRs - RBI - Total Bases while placing 1st on your team in Hits and 2nd in Runs Scored and your manager places you 7th in the most importaqnt game of the year. I'm sorry Seth - As a whole this kid gets no love from the organization. 7th? I'm talking 7th? BTW - he is 0 for 0 with 3 Walks through 5 innings and 2 runs scored. Game in Rain Delay 7 - 7 score.

Adam Brett Walker II - finishes the 2014 regular season with mixed emotions from the Twins Daily fan base. To his credit, he led the Florida State League in: Home Runs (25) by a total of 6. The closest Miracle teammate had 11. This also led everyone within the Twins minor league affiliates as well. Has led his respective leagues in each of his professional seasons. RBIs (94) by a total of 16. The closest Miracle teammate had 76. This also led everyone within the Twins minor league affiliates by 15. Total Bases (220) by a total of (6). This also led all Miracle teammates by (48) Games Played (132). Which is a testament to his outstanding work ethic. Strong Conditioning and Durability are important characteristics to have especially when playing in Florida for 132 games. I believe he has played in more games than any Twin minor leaguer over the last 2 MiLB seasons. Strike Outs (156). An obvious dubious honor. His 28% K rate is up 8% from last year and must get back under control. He also led all MIracle players in HITS despite his .307 OBP and .246 BA. He was 11th in the Florida State League in Hits as well. His 44 Walks (BB) were more than anyone on either the New Britain and / or Rochester rosters (combined) with the exception of Diebinson Romero. I wonder if I'm the only one to find that surprising or stimulating moving forward? He was short of the Miracle team lead in Runs Scored by 2 with (78) and short of the Florida State League lead by 5 Runs Scored. Adam Brett Walker II was the only Miracle position player to be selected as either a Mid Season All Star and / or Post Season All Star in 2014. The only position player in the Twins organization to be selected to Post Season All Star Team in 2013 & 2014. Has reached the MiLB playoffs in each of his professional seasons with the best record in the league each year. He won a championship series his 1st season. He helped team to the more wins (best record) than any other team in minor league baseball last season (2013). He helped the MIracle to the second best record in Franchise history (82 wins) this season. They fell short of the team record by 1 win. Despite his non believers (and that is their right) - Not a bad season. I still find it hard to drop him on rankings and overlook his consistent body of work. Home Runs aren't everything, but when you put into account that Walker has 1 less home run than Dalton Hicks; Stuart Turner; Max Kepler; and Travis Harrison combined (26 to 25), and they are the next 4 respective leaders still on the team? That is something that should be loudly recognized and not "yeah but". Not to mention all the other categories he leads his team in which represent positive numbers.

Which prospect has the advantage? 1) The prospect who is promoted Mid season or at the End of season. This prospect has an opportunity to work on newly learned adjustments in the off season. He knows what to expect in his return to that level next season. Similar to the individuals getting called up in September. Twins fans and Management hope that these prospects learn from the experience and prepare accordingly in the off season. or the 2) The prospect who spends an entire season at 1 level with the hopes that he improves in 1 area or another. Many times these individuals do not have the time to work on major adjustments because they are in season and trying to win games from day to day. They are trying to learn a level based on advice (pre season) as opposed to experience. Though they should learn a level having been there for an entire season and should have a book on the many pitchers - The truth is that all the pitchers who are of elite status and should be their guiding force, are generally promoted Mid Season. Many of the pitchers they will see in the second half present an entirely new learning curve. The questions become: Is it the approach that needs qurking for prospects to be promoted and if so could that be done at any level? Could that approach adjustment be done with a new manager or coach at a new level due to a different style of teaching? Is the old theory of : If you see it on film - you are either teaching it or allowing it vaild in cases of prospects not getting better in certain areas? Most people generally blame the prospect and not the teacher. Just like people generally blame the student and not the teacher in school settings. Most times they are right. What about the Anomaly who continues to struggle in areas but oozes with talent? Should he continue to struggle with the same teacher or get placed with another teacher who can possibly help him utilize his gifts? Are prospects judged individually or based on institutional principles without exception? Are there times when you need to go outside of the system to find designated help in order to help a talent flourish? Whatever it takes philosophy?

30% K Rate in Rookie Ball (Appy League Champions) 20% K Rate in Low A Ball (MWL - Best record in all of baseball / minor leagues)- 28% K Rate in High A Ball ( FSL - Best record in the entire league) 22% K Rate in AA (Bold Prediction for 2015) Take away his production at any of those levels and these teams are not as successful. All the Top prospects get their promotions throughout each year, but Walker continues to be the offensive force that stays consistent. His contact rate is truly a concern, but I believe that his other offensive attributes are highly overlooked Amongst league leaders: Runs Scored - regardless to OBP - you had to have been on base to be amongst the best to score. Total Bases (1st) - When you do hit the ball it must be for a lot of extra bases. Shouldn't be dismissed as yeah but those are HR numbers. If it were easy - every prospect would do it as consistently as Walker. Obviously HRs and RBI (1st) - A yearly occurance that would be better received if he had lower numbers and better OBP. Power potential is obviously rewarded more than actual proof of power in game situations. Maybe he is an anomaly that "is what he is": (Low OBP / Major run producer). Name another prospect in Twins history who has led both Low A and High A in HRs - RBI - and Total Bases in consecutive years? (for the record - Harrison struck out more than Walker last year and Walker was 18th in the league in K's). Judge this ANOMALY for what he is - Not what past history has told us about other prospects. Why can't he experience a new level like everyone else and prepare for it in the off season based on what he learned from his promotion? Instead he has to prepare all off season, based on what he is told to expect about a new level. Advantage Promoted Prospect

If Walker had Keplers stats - Would he have risen in the prospect rankings this Fall or next Spring? Honestly? I believe that most readers would have taken his drop off in HRs (27 to 5) as a sign of him being a fluke / failure. I asked a question in the beginning of the season as to whether you would want a guy on your team who hit .250 with 25 HRs and 100 RBI? A guy who went 1 fo 4 every night basically. A guy with a .310 OBP? The crazy part was most people said No. If that guy existed on the TWins this year - he would be the team MVP hands down. Call me a prophet, but I think I was spot on, in my assessment of this consistent performer.

There is more to the game than hitting home runs. There is driving in runs and scoring runs and fielding your position. There are many players in the MLB where that is there only job. I'm just saying - recognizing the flaws without ever recognizing the gifts is a rough way to climb thru a system. Not from you or bloggers but feeling the love from the organization in some fashion. He is damn near the only college player from the top 3 rounds in his draft class that is still in High A Seth. Anyone still in High A (2012 draft) who went to college had a significant injury along the way. If his low OBP in the FSL is such a worry, then shouldn't his HR total and RBI total in the FSL have a reversed significance. It is the hardest league in baseball to score runs in and hit HRs in. Why not reward him for achiveing the impossible? Why not reward him for his durability and grit during those hot Florida summers, while achieving something no other prospect in the league has achieved? And yes why not reward him for hitting HRs like no other prospect in the system is hitting at this present moment?

I'm disappointed Adam Brett Walker didn't make the cut. Despite his flaws - He has played in more games than any prospect over the last 2 years (in the Twins system) and has yet to be thrown a bone by the Twins organization. No promotions either year (2013 & 2014). Mid Season and Post Season All Star each of the last 2 years. 2013 MWL League Topps MVP. Led MWL and FSL leagues in Home Runs; RBIs; and Total Bases each of the last 2 years. Stays Healthy - Plays Hard - Has won a regular season league championship each of his 3 professional years and has made the playoffs respectively each of those years. Still No Bone. All Star Game MVP - Home Run Derby Champion. 22 more RBI than the closest teammate. 14 more Home Runs than the closest teammate. Still No Bone. I love Kepler and I understand he is on the 40 man roster, but he is hitting .258 and Walker is hitting .244! Kepler has 54 RBI and Walker has 40 more RBI at 94. Kepler has scored 50 times and Walker has scored 74 times despite getting on base significantly less based on OBP. If Walker would have had Keplers complete stats this year, he would have been dropped of the prospect radar. You know that's true. Throw the Man a Bone Twins. He deserves that 7th spot.

Walker and Berrios Mid season and Post season All Stars for back to back years. Congrats How many prospects can say that? (probably Vargas)

Adam Brett Walker has probably played in more games than any other prospect over the last 2 years and never seems to catch a break. If he is good enough to play everyday (and more than most), why is he not good enough to promote? AA or AFL? Why after leading the MWL and FSL in HRs / RBIs & TBs does he constantly get over looked by the oragnization for promotions and incentives?

This is a good Hangout Question. Is this team better than last years Miracle team (overall)? Last years team kept Buxton and Vargas and lost Sano and Rosario. This years team lost Polanco and Berrios and basically never had Buxton. All the guys who stayed are outside the Top 10 prospect listings too.

The Fort Myers Miracle have a chance to have the best record in team history (this millineum, since the 2000 teams 83 wins. This years team has 78 Wins with 7 games left. It's not a likely task, but then again, they did just come off a 6 game win streak last week. Some of the best Miracle records in the last 14 years have been: 2000 - 83 Wins 2006 - 80 Wins 2009 - 80 Wins With Keplers emergence over the last month + - and Hicks grinding out priceless RBIs over the last few month + - anything is possible. Harrison has been the most consistent hitter this season along with Mejia. Goodrum continues to lead the league in Stolen Bases. Walker has been inconsistently consistent all year while still leading the FSL in HRs / RBI / Total Bases / and Strikeouts. The pitching staff has just been reinforced with Zach Jones and Nick Burdi on the back end. 2 of the best starting pitchers in the FSL in Tomshaw and Lee don't hurt their chances. Turner has shut down most running games from behind the plate. Not to mention the many spark plug role players Doug uses in the lineup from game to game. Anything is possible.......................................................... Best team ever?

Walker continues to impress (25 HR) and Dalton Hicks (3rd in FSL in RBI) is quietly putting up a very productive year. The big question is - Can Walker obtain 7 more RBI in the next 7 games to reach the Century mark for 2 straight years? The Miracle are 1 game out from taking the FSL South Division lead. That would mean they would have won both halves this year, With another 2 wins - This Miracle team has a chance to surpass last years Star Studded team (Sano - Rosario - Buxton - Vargas - Etc. ETc.) in wins and top 80 for the first time since 2009.

Members of the Miracle have had the best record in the league 3 years running from (Appalachain league to the FSL). The future looks good for them. Combine them with the level ahead and behind them and WOW. Going for 2 championships in 3 years (those players).

Lookig forward to the Bradenton vs Miracle match up this week. Could be the playoff match up for September.

Would love to see Walker in that line up in another 2 years. His .310 OBP is definitely worse than Sano; Arcia; and Vargas, but his HR power and potential is probably better than both (Vargas and Arcia) with the above philosophy. His power might even rival Sano IMO. That would be a crazy power lineup with the likes of Santana - Buxton - Mauer and Dozier sprinkled through it. I love the fact that the Twins are letting the young guys figure it out at the MLB level and not yo yo ing them back and forth thru the minors and MLB.

In August thus far: .333 BA .400 OBP .574 SLG% .974 OPS%

Matt Tomshaw pitched a complete game shut out for his first double digit win total of his minor league career (10). He is third in the organization in win totals behind only Berrios and Duffy. It's a shame that Duffy is in AAA and Berrios in AA yet Tomshaw sits in high A. Why he never got a chance to move to AA and at least fail is a mystery. He has definitely earned it. At least Worley and Henricks had a chance to fail at a higher level. Let's see if his Knuckler brings him a similar success story as those two down the line. A chance to re-prove your worth at a higher level. Great day Tomshaw: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140816&content_id=90026178&fext=.jsp&vkey=recap&sid=l123

Yes they did have a doubleheader. They have them because it's about getting the young guys as many innings played without overworking them. In Florida - if they didn't have double headers they may only play 80 games during the season. Too many rainouts need to be made up.

Adam Brett Walker II 14th in the FSL in Hits 5th in the FSL in Runs Scored 1st in the FSL in HRs 1st in the FSL in RBI's 1st in the FSL in Total Bases Toughest League in Baseball in Multiple Offensive Categories 24 HRs and 91 RBI to date - 14 games left....................... His Miracle team won tonight behind a great pitching performance by his Jacksonville University teammate Matt Tomshaw. Team is 2.5 games back from sweeping 1st and 2nd half championships.

Awesome job on the No No by Vasquez. Never easy. AB Walker knocks in his 91st RBI today. Who is the last Twins player to hit 25 HRs and 100 RBI in consecutive seasons (in the minor leagues)? Can he do it with 14 games left? Nobody hotter than Dalton Hicks over the last month and a half - 8 HRs and 35 RBI Matt Tomshaw would have been the pitcher of the day if not for Vasquez. He pitched a complete game shutout and has to take a justified back seat tonight.

Sounds crazy but I'm glad it was only a concussion as well. Could have been so much worse considering how fast he was probably running and not wearing protective gear for such a collision. I understand that many a player lately has been ruined by concussions, but there are also not many players who have played high school football who haven't had a concussion before. Most of them have probably gone on to have symptom free lives. I'm sure he will be fine. The question no one is asking is - how is Mike Krisnicka? I hope his injury isn't serious. He was starting to play well lately. Is there any word on the other guy? Prayers are out for both players.