Cody Christie

If you followed some of the ESPN and Baseball America Twitter accounts, there was coverage during the game. It was also streaming on ESPN.com so I had it pulled up in a window at work. It stinks that they had to play in front of a half empty stadium with no one watching at home.

Congrats to Coastal Carolina. They were a fun team to watch the CWS. It was pretty crazy to see that their locker was in the back of the shed that was also concession stand when the current coach started there 20 years ago.

This story was from the middle of June. http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-nick-burdi-setback-to-bone-bruise-ailment/ Sounds like he had a setback to his bone bruise. Wasn't suppose to throw for at least 10 days. I haven't heard anything about him throwing up to this point.

You mean the starting pitcher for the Home Run Derby, right?

I haven't heard anything on him at this point.

Not bad. Betts and Bradley will probably get to start especially since Cain got hurt earlier this week.

I don't think they get huge viewership anyway. Especially without big named schools in the final. I'm sure ESPN had plenty to say about when the game was going to be played. There must be something else on the four-letter network tonight that couldn't be moved.

How do others feel about this? Should the second half of last season be included in picking out the All-Stars? My feeling is if we don't consider the second half of last season then they should move the All-Star Game to the end of the season. Otherwise the All-Stars are only being picked off of half a season's worth of work.

I'd love to have Donaldson and Machado both start but unfortunately that can't happen with the way the ballot was set-up this year. Our team's are pretty close. I give Cabrera the nod over Davis since he is one of the best hitters of all-time. Bradley just missed my team. Desmond has been good but I wouldn't have him as a starter.

I'm guessing he will have a longer leash than that... especially if the team trades one of their starters in the next month.

Let me know who you think should be the starters in the AL. Third base and shortstop were probably the two hardest spots to pick.

There is always plenty of debate when it comes to the starters for each squad in the MLB All-Star Game. Fans get to vote for their favorite players and this can result in ballot stuffing by certain fan bases across the country. For example, Chicago Cubs fans have been spending a lot of time voting and their team currently has five starters at the last voting update. Are these the best players in the National League at those positions? Maybe not but that's what happens when you leave the voting to the fans. Since the Twins are in the American League, let's delve into that ballot before the official rosters are announced on Tuesday, July 5, at 7 p.m. Who are the starters going to be? Who should actually be the starters? There's plenty to discuss. Image courtesy of Frank Victores, USA Today Sports There is always plenty of debate when it comes to the starters for each squad in the MLB All-Star Game. Fans get to vote for their favorite players and this can result in ballot stuffing by certain fan bases across the country. For example, Chicago Cubs fans have been spending a lot of time voting and their team currently has five starters at the last voting update. Are these the best players in the National League at those positions? Maybe not but that's what happens when you leave the voting to the fans. Since the Twins are in the American League, let's delve into that ballot before the official rosters are announced on Tuesday, July 5, at 7 p.m. Who are the starters going to be? Who should actually be the starters? There's plenty to discuss. Catcher Leading: Salvador Perez, Royals My Pick: Salvador Perez, Royals Catching is in a rough spot in the American League especially with Joe Mauer no longer being an option behind the plate. Salvador Perez, the reigning World Series MVP, leads the league in fWAR during the last 365 days. Blake Swihart and Matt Wieters are tied for a distant second place. Perez is hitting close to .300 and getting on-base 33% of the time. He hit a career high 21 home runs last season and he already has 12 long balls so far this season. He's never posted a slugging percentage over .475 in his career and he's sitting at a .520 OPS in 2016. First Base Leading: Eric Hosmer, Royals My Pick: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers There are plenty of candidates for this spot but it has become a two-man battle. The voting block in Kansas City has Eric Hosmer out to a 550,000 vote lead at the last check-in but he doesn't get my vote. Sometimes it's about putting a player in who is one of the best players in the generation. Cabrera's average has dipped a little this year from his normal standards but he is still hitting .295/.368/.529 with 17 home runs after only hitting 18 home runs last season. I'd put Chris Davis ahead of Hosmer on my ballot as well so the player likely to start wouldn't be in my top 2 for voting purposes. Second Base Leading: Jose Altuve, Astros My Pick: Jose Altuve, Astros There are some bigger names on the ballot like Robinson Cano and Dustin Pedroia but Jose Altuve is in the midst of a historic season. Altuve has a career OPS of just over .780 and this season he is closing in on a 1.000 OPS. By the way, he's leading the American League in batting too. If the Astros keep playing well, Altuve will be in the discussion for the AL MVP and this would be his fourth All-Star Game in the last five seasons. Cano and Pedroia might be the big names but everyone needs to get familiar with Altuve because he might be in this position for years to come. Third Base Leading: Manny Machado, Orioles My Pick: Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays This two-man battle features the defending AL MVP in Josh Donaldson versus the up-and-coming Manny Machado. Both players have been very good over the last calendar year. In fact, each of these players has been one of the top five players in the game this season. Look at the chart below to see how close the battle is between them even with Machado sliding over to play shortstop in the absence of JJ Hardy. Donaldson has been slightly better so I will give him the nod but they should both be playing in San Diego. Shortstop Leading: Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox My Pick: Francisco Lindor, Indians We might be living in the "Golden Age of Shortstops" in the American League. Francisco Lindor, Xander Bogaerts, and Carlos Correa are all young and dominating at one of the toughest defensive positions in the field. Lindor has dominated on both sides of the ball, being an offensive threat while playing some of the best defense in the game at shortstop. His 8.2 fWAR over the last calendar year is 1.5 points higher than Bogaerts and 3.6 points higher than Correa. Lindor plays in Cleveland where he isn't getting much attention but he is showing that he is one of the top overall players in the game. Outfield Leading: Mike Trout, Angels; Jackie Bradley Jr., Red Sox; Mookie Betts, Red Sox My Picks: Mike Trout, Angels; Lorenzo Cain, Royals, Mookie Betts, Red Sox Mike Trout is another easy pick as he has helped the AL win the last two All-Star Games on his way to earning back-to-back All-Star Game MVPs. Even though he was just injured, Lorenzo Cain gets a big jump from his defensive numbers while holding his own on the offensive side of the ball. He also helped the Royals to their first World Series Championship since the 1980s. The last spot is a toss up between Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. so I gave my vote to Betts. I like his ability to steal bases and that can be a handy addition to the roster of an All-Star squad. Designated Hitter Leading: David Ortiz, Red Sox My Pick: David Ortiz, Red Sox Probably the easiest pick on the board. David Ortiz will retire at season's end and ride off into the sunset of what is likely a Hall-of-Fame career. It helps that Ortiz is also having a very strong season at the plate. This is nothing against Edwin Encarnacion and the season he is having, but Ortiz is a legend. The 2016 All-Star Game might turn into an honoring for Ortiz much like the 2014 All-Star Game in Minnesota honored Derek Jeter. Ortiz will bow out and let other players take his place in the years to come. So there's my ballot with a few picks that were tough to make. Who would make your AL All-Star team? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Unfortunately, international signings are now dictated more by the team's bonus pool than when the Twins went after Sano and Kepler. There's a chance for teams to trade for some value from other teams but they need those dollars as well. Minnesota has the roughly have of the money the Braves have to spend and less than half of what the Phillies and Reds can offer. http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/2016-mlb-draft-international-bonus-pools/#QJlC7KaZrgCO9uve.97

He closed out the game for Rochester last night and was pretty impressive in that role. Here's the Minor League Report: http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins-minor-leagues/twins-minor-league-report-628-berrios-nearly-no-nos-r4860

If he's shutdown in mid-September, he'd only miss a couple starts. The Twins won't have much to play for at that point. Another thought...Not having him on the mound at that point could mean the club is getting closer to the number one pick in next year's draft.

I'm pulling for Coastal Carolina but Arizona's pitching might be too tough. Should be a great game and a great ending to the 2016 CWS

One game tonight for the title... who is everyone picking to win?

I was going for a headline that would bring in some readers that don't always read the Minor League Reports. The point was to show that he had a really good start and had "no-hit" stuff on this night. Berrios was at 96 pitches (64 strikes) so I think they might have sent him back out there for the eighth if he hadn't given up a hit.

Yeah, it's tough to go straight off what the stats show. We do get reports from the media personal but it's not exactly an in-depth scouting report. The big thing with Berrios and Chargois will be control. If they can show consistency with their control, they will be called back up.

I'm fine with high schools using metal bats but I'd like to see colleges make the switch.

My guess is Sano plays a few more games in Rochester before ending his rehab. A few too many strikeouts the last couple games.

My guess is they will leave Chargois down until at least after the Futures Game.

Minnesota has been well represented in recent years at MLB's annual Futures Game. In each of the last two seasons, Jose Berrios has been the Twins representative on the World Team. When the game was played at Target Field in 2014, Berrios was joined by Kennys Vargas and Alex Meyer. The year before that featured Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano in front of the minor leagues' biggest audience. Earlier today, the rosters for the 2016 Futures Game were announced. Relief pitcher JT Chargois will be the Twins lone representative in San Diego. Chargois made his debut earlier this season and it didn't go exactly to plan. Minnesota promptly sent him back to Rochester and he has continued to dominate at that level. Maybe this was his reward for being sent packing after a disastrous debut. Image courtesy of Kim Klement, USA Today Sports (JT Chargois) Minnesota has been well represented in recent years at MLB's annual Futures Game. In each of the last two seasons, Jose Berrios has been the Twins representative on the World Team. When the game was played at Target Field in 2014, Berrios was joined by Kennys Vargas and Alex Meyer. The year before that featured Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano in front of the minor leagues' biggest audience. Earlier today, the rosters for the 2016 Futures Game were announced. Relief pitcher JT Chargois will be the Twins lone representative in San Diego. Chargois made his debut earlier this season and it didn't go exactly to plan. Minnesota promptly sent him back to Rochester and he has continued to dominate at that level. Maybe this was his reward for being sent packing after a disastrous debut. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 3, Pawtucket 0 Box Score Miguel Sano continues to shake the rust off with his rehab appearances in Rochester. For the second straight game, Sano hit a home run but he struck out multiple times. Fans will be happy to know that he was back at third base and he wasn't charged with any errors. John Ryan Murphy went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Jose Berrios was dominant on the mound as he had a no hitter going into the seventh frame. In the end, he allowed one hit in seven shutout innings with six strikeouts and two walks. Marcus Walden took over for Berrios and earned his sixth hold. Like Sano, Trevor May is also on rehab assignment. He pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth with a pair of strikeouts for his first save. Rochester continues to clear a path through the International League. The win moved the Red Wings to 13 games over .500. Even with the great record, the club trails Scranton/WB for the top spot in the International League North but leads the wild card standings. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 3, Palm Beach 2 Box Score Fort Myers first baseman Trey Vavra was featured in an MiLB.com video where he talked about playing baseball in Australia and the connections he has to his baseball family. The Miracle have seen multiple starting pitchers move up to Chattanooga and that has resulted in opportunities for other starting pitchers. Fernando Romero was making his second Florida State League and he pitched much better than his first appearance. In 7.0 innings, he allowed two earned runs on four hits while striking out five. More importantly, he didn't allow a walk. Yorman Landa picked up his sixth save, a two-inning outing, with two strikeouts. Joe Maloney collected four hits and Fort Myers needed both of the two runs he drove in. After his MiLB video appearance earlier in the day, Trey Vavra went 2-for-3 with the team's only extra-base hit, his ninth double. Chris Paul and Edgar Corcino both scored runs on the way to the Miracle victory. The win moves Fort Myers back to .500 on the season at 37-37 and the team is 3-2 since the second half started. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 8, Quad Cities 5 Box Score The Kernels popped off five runs in the second inning. Brian Olson drove in a run with a double to start the scoring. Luis Arraez knocked a two-out single to plate a couple more runs. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Austin Diemer capped off the scoring with his first double. Every hitter in the Kernels line-up collected a hit with Daniel Kihle and Brad Hartong both having multi-hit nights at the plate. Sam Clay made it into the sixth inning by allowing four runs on five hits. With seven strikeouts in this game, he struck out at least seven batters for the third time in his last five starts. Michael Cederoth finished off the sixth for Clay but walked two and allowed two inherited runners to score. Williams Ramirez stopped some of the bleeding as he pitching two innings and didn't allow a run. He struck out three and walked one. Tom Hackimer ran into a little bit of a mess in the ninth but only allowed one run. E-TWINS E-NOTES Elizabethton 0, Johnson City 2 (Game 1- 7 Innings) Box Score The E-Twins got rained out on Monday night so they got to carry their perfect 4-0 record into Tuesday night's double-header. But all good things must come to an end as Elizabethton suffered its first loss of the season even though they out-hit Johnson City four to two. No member of the E-Twins reached base more than once. The team was limited to one at-bat with a runner in scoring position and Shane Carrier couldn't come through with a hit. Amaurys Minier, Mitchell Kranson, and Bryant Hayman all went 1-for-3. Casey Scoggins collected one hit in his two plate appearances. Sean Poppen took the loss after allowing two earned runs on two hits. He struck out two and walked three in 3.1 innings. Andrew Vasquez finished the final 2.2 frames without allowing a run as he added two strikeouts. Elizabethton 1, Johnson City 3 (Game 2- 7 Innings) Box Score After waiting multiple games and a rain delay for their first loss, the E-Twins suffered two losses in a matter of hours. Elizabethton got out to an early lead on a first inning home run from Jaylin Davis but the offense would go cold from there. The team left five runners on base and went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Bryant Hayman went 2-for-3 with his first double. Jose Martinez tried to make it through five innings but he ran into some trouble in the fifth. He was pulled after allowing three runs on eight hits in 4.1 innings. He struck out three and walked a pair of batters. Johan Quezada finished off the game without allowing a hit as he walked two and struck out three. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 4, GCL Orioles 2 Box Score The GCL Twins pitching staff limited the GCL Orioles to four hits in this game. Taylor Clemensia started and went 3.2 innings by allowing one run with five walks and four strikeouts. Clemensia was relieved by Onas Farfan who struck out four in two shutout innings. Brady Anderson, C.K. Irby, and Patrick McGuff finished off the game by combining to allow three total base runners and striking out four. On the offensive side of the ball, the Twins needed only five hits to push across four runs. Luis Martinez led the way with a 3-for-3 day including two doubles and two runs scored. Akil Baddoo drove in a pair of runs and Dane Hutcheon reached base twice. With the win, the GCL Twins improved to 2-2 at this early juncture of their season. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Jose Berrios, Rochester Red Wings Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Luis Martinez, GCL Twins WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester vs. Pawtucket (12:35 CST) - LHP Logan Darnell (8-5, 3.29 ERA) Chattanooga @ Pensacola (6:30 CST) - LHP David Hurlbut (5-3, 3.61 ERA) Ft. Myers @ Palm Beach (5:30 CST) - RHP Felix Jorge (7-3, 1.58 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (7:00 CST) - RHP Miles Nordgren (3-3, 2.73 ERA) Elizabethton vs. Pulaski (6:00 CST) - TBD GCL Orioles @ GCL Twins (11:00 am CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Tuesday's games. View full article