Cody Christie

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f_PHNj070Po/T-oBZjPoBhI/AAAAAAAACY4/Wy7rJR20WXA/s320/2012+All+Star+ballot.jpg Frequent visitors to this site might have noticed the logo on the right side of the page for the Baseball Bloggers Alliance. There are a few different obligations that come along being part of this organization. Through out the year, the members vote on who should be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, all of the end of the season awards (MVP, Rookie of the Year, etc), and various other things. It is almost time for the All-Star rosters to be announced and that means it is time to post the players that I think should be starting in the Mid-Summer Classic. There are some tight races in the balloting but lucky enough for me I don't have to stick to what the ballots are saying. Here is the look at my starters for the American League and the National League in the 2012 All-Star Game in Kansas City. 2012 American League All-Star Ballot C: Joe Mauer, Twins- He ranks in the top five for batting average and he is near the top of the list for highest on-base percentage in the entire American League. It looks like Mike Napoli is going to easily win the fan voting and his postseason last year was very good. According to fWAR, Napoli is only the fifth best catcher in the AL and Mauer ranks number one. 1B: Paul Konerko, White Sox- He is off to a tremendous start in the 2012 for the White Sox and he ranks in the top two in the AL in batting average and OBP. There are some other candidates in the AL like Mark Teixeira, Prince Fielder, and Albert Pujols but Konerko deserves the start. At 36-years old, it would be cool for him to get a start in an All-Star game in the Midwest since he has played his entire career in that region. 2B: Robinson Cano, Yankees- There are some very good candidates in the American League at second base but Cano is clearly the best among the group. He plays outstanding defense and combines this with a powerful swing. In recent weeks, he has looked like the best hitter in the American League. The 2011 Home Run Derby Champion will be defending his title as the AL Team Captain in the event for 2012. 3B: Adrian Beltre, Rangers- Mike Moustakas and Brett Lawrie might be fighting over this All-Star spot in the coming years. But for right now, there are a couple of veteran players that deserve the honor. Miguel Cabrera has moved back to third base and he is considered one of the best hitters in the game. My vote goes to Beltre for his overall performance at the plate and in the field. SS: Elvis Andrus, Rangers- It seems like the AL shortstop position will belong to Derek Jeter until he decides to retire. That's fine for one of the most consistent players of the current generation. His defense pulls down his value at shortstop and he didn't even want to show up at the game last year so I am looking at other candidates. Andrus and Beltre combine for quite the left side of the infield for the Rangers and they should both be starting in Kansas City. OF: Mike Trout, Angels- Trout is having an MVP caliber season for the Los Angeles Angels and he is only 20-years old. The rookie outfield has shown tremendous speed, defense, and power after starting the year in the minor leagues. The biggest downfall to his All-Star resume is the fact that he isn't on the ballot. Fans will have to write his name in but he could get voted in as a reserve player. OF: Josh Hamilton, Rangers- For the first portion of the season, the Rangers looked like they were going to run away with the American League title for the third year in a row. Since that time, they have come back down to earth but they are still having a very good campaign. In a team full of very good players, Hamilton is near the top of the list which is good for him since he will be a free agent at the end of the year. OF: Adam Jones, Orioles- The Orioles have been sneaking around near the top of the division in the AL East for most of the season. Mr. Jones has been one of the biggest reasons for some of the team's success with some very good offensive numbers. He plays center field during the season; but in this outfield, he could move to a corner spot and let Trout take over the center field duties. DH: David Ortiz, Red Sox- Even with all of the craziness in Boston, Ortiz is on pace to have his best season hitting for power since 2007. Michael Young is piling up some votes since it seems that fans from the Rangers are stuffing the ballot boxes. This spot should still belong to Oritz but it is interesting to see Adam Dunn in third after his terrible season last year. SP: Justin Verlander, Tigers- The reigning AL MVP and Cy Young winner doesn't have as many wins in 2012 but he is still having a very good year. Chris Sale and CC Sabathia could also be considered for the starting job but Verlander would be the front runner on my ballot. Over the last full season, he has been the best pitcher in the league. 2012 National League All-Star Ballot C: Carlos Ruiz, Phillies- The fans look to be in favor of starting one of the last two World Series winning catcher behind the plate, Buster Posey or Yadier Molina, which are still good choices. On the other hand, Ruiz has been outstanding in a Phillies line-up that has been full of injuries this season. It would be a shame to see Ruiz left off of the NL roster but there are some very good catchers in the Senior Circuit. 1B: Joey Votto, Reds- He might be the best hitter in the entire game of baseball and there should be no doubt about him starting at first base. Many of the other big names from the NL at first base have shifted to the AL. Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, and Adrian Gonzalez have all left for bigger markets and this leave Votto as the hands down candidate for the next few years. 2B: Aaron Hill, Diamondbacks- How can Dan Uggla and his .240 batting average be leading the vote for second base? That just seems wrong and his power numbers aren't much better than the rest of the field. At a weak position in the NL, I will give the nod to Hill. He isn't even in the top five in the fan balloting but he has the highest BA, OBP, and OPS of all second baseman in the NL. 3B: David Wright, Mets- The Mets have surprised a lot of people by still being in contention at this point in the season. It helps to have some outstanding pitching from RA Dickey but Wright looks to be an MVP candidate at third base. His home run total has been lower since the Mets moved to Citi Field but he seems to have adjusted to his new home and he is in the hunt for the batting title. SS: Starlin Castro, Cubs- Much like at second base in the NL, there are no standout candidates at shortstop. Jed Lawrie is leading in fWAR and he is helped by his 14 home runs but doing this on a team in Houston isn't helping his cause. Troy Tulowitzki has missed a chunk of the year with an injury. Castro sits near the top at this position in a variety of categories so he gets my vote. OF: Ryan Braun, Brewers- After his MVP performance last year, Braun is not showing any ill effects from his steroid situation and the loss of Prince Fielder. His production has been among the best in the NL even with some nagging injuries throughout the season. While Matt Kemp has missed time with his injuries, Braun has fought through his pain and been in the line-up for most of the year. OF: Michael Bourn, Braves- Three of the Braves starting outfielders could be up for the starting job in the All-Star Game with Jason Heyward, Martin Prado, and Bourn playing at a very high level. Bourn has used his speed to be a threat on the base paths and he ranks second to Braun in the fWAR for outfielders in the NL. If Matt Kemp wasn't hurt, this spot would likely go to him but an injury to Kemp means that someone else has to take his place. OF: Andrew McCutchen, Pirates- For the second year in a row, the Pirates are surprising some people with their first half play in the NL Central. The man powering the Pirates on the offensive side of the ball is Mr. McCutchen. After signing a big contract extension in the offseason, he is showing his team that he was worth the money by putting together his best season as a professional. SP: Stephen Strasburg, Nationals- There are quite a few National League hurlers having outstanding seasons so it is going to be tough for Tony La Russa to pick out the man on the mound for the first couple of innings. RA Dickey has been on an incredible run, Matt Cain threw a perfect game, and Zack Greinke is in the middle of another fantastic season. If MLB wants to add a little more excitement to the game, Strasburg should be the man and it helps that he is having a Cy Young caliber season for one of the best teams in the NL.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f_PHNj070Po/T-oBZjPoBhI/AAAAAAAACY4/Wy7rJR20WXA/s320/2012+All+Star+ballot.jpg Frequent visitors to this site might have noticed the logo on the right side of the page for the Baseball Bloggers Alliance. There are a few different obligations that come along being part of this organization. Through out the year, the members vote on who should be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, all of the end of the season awards (MVP, Rookie of the Year, etc), and various other things. It is almost time for the All-Star rosters to be announced and that means it is time to post the players that I think should be starting in the Mid-Summer Classic. There are some tight races in the balloting but lucky enough for me I don't have to stick to what the ballots are saying. Here is the look at my starters for the American League and the National League in the 2012 All-Star Game in Kansas City. 2012 American League All-Star Ballot C: Joe Mauer, Twins- He ranks in the top five for batting average and he is near the top of the list for highest on-base percentage in the entire American League. It looks like Mike Napoli is going to easily win the fan voting and his postseason last year was very good. According to fWAR, Napoli is only the fifth best catcher in the AL and Mauer ranks number one. 1B: Paul Konerko, White Sox- He is off to a tremendous start in the 2012 for the White Sox and he ranks in the top two in the AL in batting average and OBP. There are some other candidates in the AL like Mark Teixeira, Prince Fielder, and Albert Pujols but Konerko deserves the start. At 36-years old, it would be cool for him to get a start in an All-Star game in the Midwest since he has played his entire career in that region. 2B: Robinson Cano, Yankees- There are some very good candidates in the American League at second base but Cano is clearly the best among the group. He plays outstanding defense and combines this with a powerful swing. In recent weeks, he has looked like the best hitter in the American League. The 2011 Home Run Derby Champion will be defending his title as the AL Team Captain in the event for 2012. 3B: Adrian Beltre, Rangers- Mike Moustakas and Brett Lawrie might be fighting over this All-Star spot in the coming years. But for right now, there are a couple of veteran players that deserve the honor. Miguel Cabrera has moved back to third base and he is considered one of the best hitters in the game. My vote goes to Beltre for his overall performance at the plate and in the field. SS: Elvis Andrus, Rangers- It seems like the AL shortstop position will belong to Derek Jeter until he decides to retire. That's fine for one of the most consistent players of the current generation. His defense pulls down his value at shortstop and he didn't even want to show up at the game last year so I am looking at other candidates. Andrus and Beltre combine for quite the left side of the infield for the Rangers and they should both be starting in Kansas City. OF: Mike Trout, Angels- Trout is having an MVP caliber season for the Los Angeles Angels and he is only 20-years old. The rookie outfield has shown tremendous speed, defense, and power after starting the year in the minor leagues. The biggest downfall to his All-Star resume is the fact that he isn't on the ballot. Fans will have to write his name in but he could get voted in as a reserve player. OF: Josh Hamilton, Rangers- For the first portion of the season, the Rangers looked like they were going to run away with the American League title for the third year in a row. Since that time, they have come back down to earth but they are still having a very good campaign. In a team full of very good players, Hamilton is near the top of the list which is good for him since he will be a free agent at the end of the year. OF: Adam Jones, Orioles- The Orioles have been sneaking around near the top of the division in the AL East for most of the season. Mr. Jones has been one of the biggest reasons for some of the team's success with some very good offensive numbers. He plays center field during the season; but in this outfield, he could move to a corner spot and let Trout take over the center field duties. DH: David Ortiz, Red Sox- Even with all of the craziness in Boston, Ortiz is on pace to have his best season hitting for power since 2007. Michael Young is piling up some votes since it seems that fans from the Rangers are stuffing the ballot boxes. This spot should still belong to Oritz but it is interesting to see Adam Dunn in third after his terrible season last year. SP: Justin Verlander, Tigers- The reigning AL MVP and Cy Young winner doesn't have as many wins in 2012 but he is still having a very good year. Chris Sale and CC Sabathia could also be considered for the starting job but Verlander would be the front runner on my ballot. Over the last full season, he has been the best pitcher in the league. 2012 National League All-Star Ballot C: Carlos Ruiz, Phillies- The fans look to be in favor of starting one of the last two World Series winning catcher behind the plate, Buster Posey or Yadier Molina, which are still good choices. On the other hand, Ruiz has been outstanding in a Phillies line-up that has been full of injuries this season. It would be a shame to see Ruiz left off of the NL roster but there are some very good catchers in the Senior Circuit. 1B: Joey Votto, Reds- He might be the best hitter in the entire game of baseball and there should be no doubt about him starting at first base. Many of the other big names from the NL at first base have shifted to the AL. Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, and Adrian Gonzalez have all left for bigger markets and this leave Votto as the hands down candidate for the next few years. 2B: Aaron Hill, Diamondbacks- How can Dan Uggla and his .240 batting average be leading the vote for second base? That just seems wrong and his power numbers aren't much better than the rest of the field. At a weak position in the NL, I will give the nod to Hill. He isn't even in the top five in the fan balloting but he has the highest BA, OBP, and OPS of all second baseman in the NL. 3B: David Wright, Mets- The Mets have surprised a lot of people by still being in contention at this point in the season. It helps to have some outstanding pitching from RA Dickey but Wright looks to be an MVP candidate at third base. His home run total has been lower since the Mets moved to Citi Field but he seems to have adjusted to his new home and he is in the hunt for the batting title. SS: Starlin Castro, Cubs- Much like at second base in the NL, there are no standout candidates at shortstop. Jed Lawrie is leading in fWAR and he is helped by his 14 home runs but doing this on a team in Houston isn't helping his cause. Troy Tulowitzki has missed a chunk of the year with an injury. Castro sits near the top at this position in a variety of categories so he gets my vote. OF: Ryan Braun, Brewers- After his MVP performance last year, Braun is not showing any ill effects from his steroid situation and the loss of Prince Fielder. His production has been among the best in the NL even with some nagging injuries throughout the season. While Matt Kemp has missed time with his injuries, Braun has fought through his pain and been in the line-up for most of the year. OF: Michael Bourn, Braves- Three of the Braves starting outfielders could be up for the starting job in the All-Star Game with Jason Heyward, Martin Prado, and Bourn playing at a very high level. Bourn has used his speed to be a threat on the base paths and he ranks second to Braun in the fWAR for outfielders in the NL. If Matt Kemp wasn't hurt, this spot would likely go to him but an injury to Kemp means that someone else has to take his place. OF: Andrew McCutchen, Pirates- For the second year in a row, the Pirates are surprising some people with their first half play in the NL Central. The man powering the Pirates on the offensive side of the ball is Mr. McCutchen. After signing a big contract extension in the offseason, he is showing his team that he was worth the money by putting together his best season as a professional. SP: Stephen Strasburg, Nationals- There are quite a few National League hurlers having outstanding seasons so it is going to be tough for Tony La Russa to pick out the man on the mound for the first couple of innings. RA Dickey has been on an incredible run, Matt Cain threw a perfect game, and Zack Greinke is in the middle of another fantastic season. If MLB wants to add a little more excitement to the game, Strasburg should be the man and it helps that he is having a Cy Young caliber season for one of the best teams in the NL.

I was waiting for this move to happen at some point. I think Manship would have been gone earlier if Slama and Oliveros were healthy

Just terrible to hear. Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends

The Red Wings will have one representative in the International League All-Star Game on July 11 and that player is Pedro Florimon. The switch hitting shortstop is in his first season with the Twins organization after being claimed off of waivers from the Orioles in the offseason. He is batting .260 with seven doubles, three home runs, and 11 RBI since being promoted to Rochester at the beginning of May. As I wrote about in last night's minor league update, he has hit .333 in the midst of a hot streak over the last ten games.

It will be fun to see what they can do for the rest of the year with these pieces in place.

I saw somewhere last night that was comparing it to the blown call on the Mauer double in the playoffs at Yankee Stadium.

Anyone else have the feeling that Liriano will succeed for another organization but if he stays with the Twins, it will be more of the same old Liriano?

36 games at SS and 28 games at 2B

No problem. It gets a little crazy with the rookie leagues added to the mix now and all of the rain issues in Florida. But it is still fun to be able to recap the games and find out who had a good night in the Twins system.

The top 5 players I like to follow on other teams (in no particular order): 1. Wilson Ramos 2. Buster Posey 3. Troy Tulowitzki 4. Jacoby Ellsbury 5. Mike Trout I suppose it's not a good sign that three of the players are hurt at this point...

Thought they would keep the pick but maybe they have another deal they will make to get back into the first round

Looks like the old man from "Up" finally made it to paradise

Along the same lines as the post I put up the other day, who are your favorite non-Twins players to follow across the baseball world? Are they former Twins players, up-and-coming young stars, or veterans from around both leagues? Let the discussion begin.

Fun to see his bat start to show some flashes of it's old self. It would be nice for some more extra-base hits. But at this point, this is what Mauer is going to be and it is up to the rest of the guys behind him to drive him in when he gets on base.

Love the podcast so it is cool to hear the site mentioned

I hate seeing Parmelee not getting used. I think Valencia is not in the plans for the Twins at this point. He hasn't done that great at Triple-A so why call him up

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php?717-Tuesday-s-Trip-through-the-Minors

In every professional season he has played with at least 50 games, he has hit a minimum of one home run. It might have to be an inside-the-park but it will happen some time this year.

His slider looked great against some tough batters tonight. Glad he found success in his debut. Hopefully he can keep it up.

With all of the talk before the game about Twins hitters destroying Gavin Floyd, it was bound to happen that he was going to put up a good performance. Over the course of seven shut out innings, he struck out nine Twins batters and only gave up five hits. Liam Hendriks had his best start of the season throwing over six innings to the tune of three runs with an Alex Rios home run being the big dagger. In the ninth inning, the Twins made things interesting by loading the bases with two outs in the frame. Jamey Carroll knocked in a couple runs with a single to cut the lead to 3-2 but that would be the final score. There was just too much Gavin Floyd on this night. Tyler Robertson became the third player to make his debut for the Twins this season (Brian Dozier and Cole DeVries). He had a nasty slider that he used to strikeout all three batters that he faced. In his last ten games with the Red Wings, he never struck out more than two batters in one appearance so this was quite the night for Mr. Robertson. ROCHESTER 3, LEHIGH VALLEY 10 After finishing a good stretch of play outside of the their division, the Red Wings began a stretch of 14 straight games against division foes before the All-Star Break. It didn't get off to the best start with the IronPigs compiling 18 hits in the game against Red Wings pitchers. Former Twins farmhand Jason Pridie had four hits including three extra-base hits and Chase Utley had two hits in his last rehab start before joining the Phillies. The original starter for the Red Wings on Tuesday night was suppose to be Matt Maloney but he was placed on the 7-Day DL with a strained left elbow. This meant Brendan Wise was inserted into the rotation for his third spot start of the year. Wise lasted two innings but he only allowed one earned run out of the six runs that crossed the plate during his time on the mound. Caleb Thielbar tossed a good fifth inning by striking out the side while lowering his ERA to 1.59. On the offensive side of the ball, Matt Carson had a three hit night to raise his batting average eight points. Pedro Florimon continued his recent hot streak by going 2-for-4 including his second triple of the year. In his last 10 games, Florimon has five multi-hit games and he is hitting .333 during that stretch. Before the game, right-handed pitcher Luis Perdomo was promoted to Rochester from New Britain. He had a very good 2.75 ERA with 43 strikeouts and 16 walks in 39.1 innings for the Rock Cats. NEW BRITAIN 5, TRENTON 4 The Rock Cats found themselves in a nail biter on Tuesday evening against the Trenton Thunder. Two of the biggest names in the Twins farm system were in the middle of the action for New Britain. Aaron Hicks went 3-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored, and his third triple of the year. It was his second three hit game in the last six games for Mr. Hicks. Oswaldo Arcia only had one hit in the game but it was a 2-run home run, his first long ball at the Double-A level. Aaron Thompson started the game for New Britain and won his second game of the season. He threw 6.2 innings by allowing eight hits and four earned runs. It was his second victory in as many outings. Dakota Watts and Bruce Pugh were outstanding in relief by throwing a combined 2.1 innings and striking out five while allowing a single hit. It was the first hold of the year for Watts since he was just called up to New Britain and the second save of the year for Pugh. FORT MYERS 7, TAMPA 6 (GAME 1, 8 innings) In what was suppose to be a seven inning contest for the first half of a double header, the allotted number of innings was not enough for this game. The Yankees jumped out to a big first inning lead by scoring four runs off of Madison Boer. He has struggled since being promoted to Fort Myers from Beloit to the tune of an 8.41 ERA in 40.2 innings pitched. The Miracle bested the big inning from the Yankees with a five run bottom of the second that was helped by three Yankee errors. Danny Rams went 3-for-4 with two runs scored to raise his batting average to .186 for the season. Daniel Santana, Levi Michael, and Jairo Perez each had two hits to help the Miracle offense. One of the surprises from the game was the fact that the Miracle had 11 hits and none of them were for extra bases. Danny Rams singled to get the bottom of the eighth inning off on the right track. Andy Leer stepped in next and was hit by a pitch to set up runners at first and second. After a sacrifice bunt from Angel Morales to advance the runners, Daniel Santana was intentionally walked to fill the bags. Levi Michael stepped into the box with one out and the chance to be a hero. His single to left field started the celebration for the Miracle. FORT MYERS 5, TAMPA 6 (GAME 2, 7 innings) After the Miracle fell behind 4-0 in the first two innings, it was time for Fort Myers to mount their comeback. Michael Gonzales started the rally with a double and the bases were loaded after singles from Anderson Hidalgo and Daniel Santana. Levi Michael came up with another big hit to make the game one run closer. A throwing error with Danny Ortiz batting allowed two more runs to score and Kyle Knudson tied the game on a fielders choice. Unfortunately for the Miracle, Michael Tonkin gave up a solo home run in the top of the seventh and Fort Myers wasn't able to mount another comeback. It was the first loss of the year for Tonkin in his third appearance since making the trip from Beloit. Jose Gonzalez was asked to make the spot start for the Miracle, his first start of the year. He threw three innings and gave up four runs on four hits while striking out two batters. In his first appearance since being promoted, AJ Achter pitched three innings and allowed one run to cross the plate. BELOIT 8, KANE COUNTY 0 On this night the man in charge on the mound was Matthew Summers. Over the course of nine innings, he scattered three hits and struck out five. It was his seventh win of the year and the fourth round pick in the 2011 draft as he tries to catch Jason Wheeler for the team lead. He is tied for fourth in the Midwest League in wins and he has thrown six or more innings in each of his last four starts. Behind the strong outing from Summers, the Snappers were in control of this game from the start by scoring in each of the first two innings and never looking back. Nate Roberts was leading the charge for the Snappers offense with a 3-for-5 night including a home run and a double with three RBI. Matthew Koch did his best to match the night put together by Roberts with a 3-for-4 evening with a home run and two RBI. Even with the big offensive output, Miguel Sano struggled by going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. His batting average is down to .236 for the season and he hasn't hit for many extra-base hits as the Midwest League has adjusted to his powerful swing. ELIZABETHTON 9, BRISTOL 0 A big offensive night for the E-Twins was lead by Michael Quesada and Stephen Wickens each accumulating three hits in the contest. Wickens had his first triple of the year while driving in two and Quesada had his fourth double in as many games played this season. Adam Walker hit his first home run of the year in the fifth inning. Corey Kimes pitched five shutout innings with five strikeouts to pick up his first victory of the year. Steven Evans tossed two innings and only let two runners reach base with three strikeouts. It has been an up and down year for Evans with him pitching well in two outings and getting roughed up in the other two appearances. Brett Lee finished the last couple innings for the E-Twins by surrendering a couple hits with four strikeouts. GCL TWINS , GCL ORIOLES (GAME 1) GCL TWINS , GCL ORIOLES (GAME 2) The wonders of Tropical Storm Debbie have made it difficult for the GCL Twins to get any games played this week. At this early junction in the season, the team doesn't really need a ton of rest either. Hopefully, the GCL Twins will be able to get back on the field tomorrow... fingers crossed. --- Players of the Day for Tuesday, June 26, 2012 Pitcher of the Day- Matthew Summers (9 shutout innings) [TABLE=class: tr-caption-container, align: center] [TD=align: center]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E3T8ltNlU4g/T-p3xZYnpiI/AAAAAAAACaw/mzhkFvmMPvA/s320/4fbe5dc5a5c66.jpg[/TD] [TD=class: tr-caption, align: center]Photo courtesy of The Beloit Daily News[/TD] [/TABLE] Hitter of the Day- Levi Michael (4-for-8, 3 RBI, Walk-Off Hit) http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cfMooX0G0nU/T-p4OnmHUiI/AAAAAAAACa4/hioU-yzjRo8/s320/LeviMichael.jpg --- A Look Ahead- Wednesday, June 27th Schedule Rochester at Lehigh Valley- RHP Samuel Deduno New Britain vs Trenton- RHP BJ Hermsen Fort Myers vs Tampa- LHP Pat Dean Beloit at Kane County- LHP David Hurlbut Elizabethton vs Bristol- RHP Angel Mata GCL Twins at GCL Rays- TBA --- If you have any questions or comments on the Twins minor league system, leave them in the comments section and Seth or I will try to answer them.

With all of the talk before the game about Twins hitters destroying Gavin Floyd, it was bound to happen that he was going to put up a good performance. Over the course of seven shut out innings, he struck out nine Twins batters and only gave up five hits. Liam Hendriks had his best start of the season throwing over six innings to the tune of three runs with an Alex Rios home run being the big dagger. In the ninth inning, the Twins made things interesting by loading the bases with two outs in the frame. Jamey Carroll knocked in a couple runs with a single to cut the lead to 3-2 but that would be the final score. There was just too much Gavin Floyd on this night. Tyler Robertson became the third player to make his debut for the Twins this season (Brian Dozier and Cole DeVries). He had a nasty slider that he used to strikeout all three batters that he faced. In his last ten games with the Red Wings, he never struck out more than two batters in one appearance so this was quite the night for Mr. Robertson. ROCHESTER 3, LEHIGH VALLEY 10 After finishing a good stretch of play outside of the their division, the Red Wings began a stretch of 14 straight games against division foes before the All-Star Break. It didn't get off to the best start with the IronPigs compiling 18 hits in the game against Red Wings pitchers. Former Twins farmhand Jason Pridie had four hits including three extra-base hits and Chase Utley had two hits in his last rehab start before joining the Phillies. The original starter for the Red Wings on Tuesday night was suppose to be Matt Maloney but he was placed on the 7-Day DL with a strained left elbow. This meant Brendan Wise was inserted into the rotation for his third spot start of the year. Wise lasted two innings but he only allowed one earned run out of the six runs that crossed the plate during his time on the mound. Caleb Thielbar tossed a good fifth inning by striking out the side while lowering his ERA to 1.59. On the offensive side of the ball, Matt Carson had a three hit night to raise his batting average eight points. Pedro Florimon continued his recent hot streak by going 2-for-4 including his second triple of the year. In his last 10 games, Florimon has five multi-hit games and he is hitting .333 during that stretch. Before the game, right-handed pitcher Luis Perdomo was promoted to Rochester from New Britain. He had a very good 2.75 ERA with 43 strikeouts and 16 walks in 39.1 innings for the Rock Cats. NEW BRITAIN 5, TRENTON 4 The Rock Cats found themselves in a nail biter on Tuesday evening against the Trenton Thunder. Two of the biggest names in the Twins farm system were in the middle of the action for New Britain. Aaron Hicks went 3-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored, and his third triple of the year. It was his second three hit game in the last six games for Mr. Hicks. Oswaldo Arcia only had one hit in the game but it was a 2-run home run, his first long ball at the Double-A level. Aaron Thompson started the game for New Britain and won his second game of the season. He threw 6.2 innings by allowing eight hits and four earned runs. It was his second victory in as many outings. Dakota Watts and Bruce Pugh were outstanding in relief by throwing a combined 2.1 innings and striking out five while allowing a single hit. It was the first hold of the year for Watts since he was just called up to New Britain and the second save of the year for Pugh. FORT MYERS 7, TAMPA 6 (GAME 1, 8 innings) In what was suppose to be a seven inning contest for the first half of a double header, the allotted number of innings was not enough for this game. The Yankees jumped out to a big first inning lead by scoring four runs off of Madison Boer. He has struggled since being promoted to Fort Myers from Beloit to the tune of an 8.41 ERA in 40.2 innings pitched. The Miracle bested the big inning from the Yankees with a five run bottom of the second that was helped by three Yankee errors. Danny Rams went 3-for-4 with two runs scored to raise his batting average to .186 for the season. Daniel Santana, Levi Michael, and Jairo Perez each had two hits to help the Miracle offense. One of the surprises from the game was the fact that the Miracle had 11 hits and none of them were for extra bases. Danny Rams singled to get the bottom of the eighth inning off on the right track. Andy Leer stepped in next and was hit by a pitch to set up runners at first and second. After a sacrifice bunt from Angel Morales to advance the runners, Daniel Santana was intentionally walked to fill the bags. Levi Michael stepped into the box with one out and the chance to be a hero. His single to left field started the celebration for the Miracle. FORT MYERS 5, TAMPA 6 (GAME 2, 7 innings) After the Miracle fell behind 4-0 in the first two innings, it was time for Fort Myers to mount their comeback. Michael Gonzales started the rally with a double and the bases were loaded after singles from Anderson Hidalgo and Daniel Santana. Levi Michael came up with another big hit to make the game one run closer. A throwing error with Danny Ortiz batting allowed two more runs to score and Kyle Knudson tied the game on a fielders choice. Unfortunately for the Miracle, Michael Tonkin gave up a solo home run in the top of the seventh and Fort Myers wasn't able to mount another comeback. It was the first loss of the year for Tonkin in his third appearance since making the trip from Beloit. Jose Gonzalez was asked to make the spot start for the Miracle, his first start of the year. He threw three innings and gave up four runs on four hits while striking out two batters. In his first appearance since being promoted, AJ Achter pitched three innings and allowed one run to cross the plate. BELOIT 8, KANE COUNTY 0 On this night the man in charge on the mound was Matthew Summers. Over the course of nine innings, he scattered three hits and struck out five. It was his seventh win of the year and the fourth round pick in the 2011 draft as he tries to catch Jason Wheeler for the team lead. He is tied for fourth in the Midwest League in wins and he has thrown six or more innings in each of his last four starts. Behind the strong outing from Summers, the Snappers were in control of this game from the start by scoring in each of the first two innings and never looking back. Nate Roberts was leading the charge for the Snappers offense with a 3-for-5 night including a home run and a double with three RBI. Matthew Koch did his best to match the night put together by Roberts with a 3-for-4 evening with a home run and two RBI. Even with the big offensive output, Miguel Sano struggled by going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. His batting average is down to .236 for the season and he hasn't hit for many extra-base hits as the Midwest League has adjusted to his powerful swing. ELIZABETHTON 9, BRISTOL 0 A big offensive night for the E-Twins was lead by Michael Quesada and Stephen Wickens each accumulating three hits in the contest. Wickens had his first triple of the year while driving in two and Quesada had his fourth double in as many games played this season. Adam Walker hit his first home run of the year in the fifth inning. Corey Kimes pitched five shutout innings with five strikeouts to pick up his first victory of the year. Steven Evans tossed two innings and only let two runners reach base with three strikeouts. It has been an up and down year for Evans with him pitching well in two outings and getting roughed up in the other two appearances. Brett Lee finished the last couple innings for the E-Twins by surrendering a couple hits with four strikeouts. GCL TWINS , GCL ORIOLES (GAME 1) GCL TWINS , GCL ORIOLES (GAME 2) The wonders of Tropical Storm Debbie have made it difficult for the GCL Twins to get any games played this week. At this early junction in the season, the team doesn't really need a ton of rest either. Hopefully, the GCL Twins will be able to get back on the field tomorrow... fingers crossed. --- Players of the Day for Tuesday, June 26, 2012 Pitcher of the Day- Matthew Summers (9 shutout innings) [TABLE=class: tr-caption-container, align: center] [TD=align: center]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E3T8ltNlU4g/T-p3xZYnpiI/AAAAAAAACaw/mzhkFvmMPvA/s320/4fbe5dc5a5c66.jpg[/TD] [TD=class: tr-caption, align: center]Photo courtesy of The Beloit Daily News[/TD] [/TABLE] Hitter of the Day- Levi Michael (4-for-8, 3 RBI, Walk-Off Hit) http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cfMooX0G0nU/T-p4OnmHUiI/AAAAAAAACa4/hioU-yzjRo8/s320/LeviMichael.jpg --- A Look Ahead- Wednesday, June 27th Schedule Rochester at Lehigh Valley- RHP Samuel Deduno New Britain vs Trenton- RHP BJ Hermsen Fort Myers vs Tampa- LHP Pat Dean Beloit at Kane County- LHP David Hurlbut Elizabethton vs Bristol- RHP Angel Mata GCL Twins at GCL Rays- TBA --- If you have any questions or comments on the Twins minor league system, leave them in the comments section and Seth or I will try to answer them.

You pick the one day in my life that my only sibling is getting married... Just my luck...

The Twins got their homestand off to a good start against the AL Central leading White Sox. An outstanding performance from Francisco Liriano was more than enough to lead the Twins to the victory. It was a milestone win for the Twins franchise in their new home as it was the team's 100th victory at Target Field. In that time span, the team is only a couple games over .500 so it would be nice to get that winning percentage a little higher. It's another Tuesday so that means I will be covering all of the minor league action for the Twins later tonight. Check back as I cover all the games from the International League to the Gulf Coast League. But for now, enjoy these tidbits on a Tuesday morning. Thome mulling return for 2013 After a dramatic pinch hit walk-off home run over the weekend, it seems like Jim Thome might be ageless. Following the game, he discussed the possibility that the 2012 season would not be his last and that he has been thinking about coming back for 2013. He will turn 42-years old in August and that means that during next season he would turn 43. This isn't exactly the optimal age for a big league player but there could be a role for the aging star. Thome has spent the majority of his career in the American League where he has the ability to be the designated hitter if that is what his team asks from him. He spent most of the last two seasons by hitting blasts for the Twins but he wants a title before he retires and gets ready for his Hall of Fame induction. This brought him to the Phillies and the National League for 2012. So far the experiment has not gone perfectly but he has looked very good in interleague play when he could be the DH. For Thome to come back in 2013, there will need to be a team that has at-bats for him in the American League at the designated hitter spot. He will also want to be on a team that has a chance to contend so he has the opportunity for a championship. This means there will only be a few teams that will reasonably have a shot at Thome but it would be nice to see him end his career with a title. Robertson travels the worn road from Rochester With Matt Capps shoulder injury flaring up, the Twins need to find a replacement for him on the 25-man roster. With Brian Duensing inserted into the rotation and Glen Perkins sharing time in the closer role, a left-handed relief pitcher was going to be key. Tyler Robertson made the trip from Rochester join the Minnesota Twins and his first appearance will mark his major league debut. Robertson is the tenth player to be called up from Rochester so far this season and the third to make his debut. Shortstop Brian Dozier and pitcher Cole DeVries already made their debuts in 2012. The other players to be promoted this year include catcher Drew Butera, pitcher Scott Diamond, pitcher Liam Hendriks,outfielder Darin Mastroianni, first baseman Chris Parmelee, outfielder Ben Revere, and pitcher P.J. Walters. Unfortunately for some, the road has gone both ways. Third baseman Danny Valencia and infielder Sean Burroughs started the season with the Twins but have been sent to Rochester. Clete Thomas and Lester Oliveros got into a few games for the Twins before being sent to Triple-A. It is nice to see that most of the positional players have been moved because of performance and not because of injury like in 2011. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Hj8P7usxcc/T-mylQNE0WI/AAAAAAAACXI/DbceWWsxm4I/s320/20120613__Buxton,+Byron.jpg Buxton debuts in the Gulf Coast League The Twins gave their top draft pick a couple of days to acclimate to life as a professional before he made his debut for the GCL Twins on Friday. It has not been a perfect start for the 18-year old as he has failed to get a hit in any of his appearances thus far. He has been penciled in as the lead-off hitter for all of his games so it looks like the Twins want him to get as many plate appearances as possible. It also helps that he has blazing fast speed at the top of the order and he has been clocked at 4.15 seconds from home to first on a groundout. In his first two games in the GCL, Buxton faced pitchers with at least some professional experience. At minimum, the pitchers he stepped in against had thrown in the Dominican Summer League and some of the hurlers had already made one trip through the GCL. So it's safe to say that Buxton isn't facing rural Georgia pitching any more and it might take a little bit for him to adjust this new level of competition. Tropical storm Debbie has caused the GCL Twins to miss at least yesterday's game so hopefully Buxton will be able to get back on the field. This way he can get the first of many hits out of the way and be on the way to a great career. There were some fans declaring him a bust after his first game where he went hitless but it is way to early to know how good Buxton can or cannot be. He is still one of the top prospects in the entire organization.