Steve Lein

Three of the Minnesota Twins six minor league affiliates have made it to the postseason, and two of those series got started on Tuesday night. Both starters went seven innings and with the help of two of the biggest power bats in the system this season, each pulled out a game one victory. The bullpens also were not taxed, as each team needed just one arm besides the starter to close them out. Keep reading to check out how the Fort Myers Miracle and Elizabethton Twins took 1-0 leads in postseason play!TRANSACTIONS There was only one transaction on Tuesday leading into the first two of the Minnesota Twins three affiliates getting playoff action started, with the Elizabethton Twins receiving RHP Carlos Suniaga back from the Cedar Rapids Kernels. MIRACLE MATTERS Palm Beach 1, Fort Myers 3 Box Score Fort Myers got a strong start from Andro Cutura and contributions from a couple of their stars to pull out a game one victory against Palm Beach. Cutura scattered four hits and two walks in the first seven innings of this one, striking out nine in the process. He got one-two-three innings in each of the first, third, fifth, and seventh frames. His only run allowed came in the fourth when he got into a bases-loaded situation with one out. The run scored on a groundball where only the front end of a double-play was completed with a force at second. He retired the next hitter to limit the damage. That would be it for the Cardinals as they finished 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position on the game while leaving only six men on base. The Miracle took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, as Alex Kirilloff blasted a solo home run to right field. Also in the clip above was Royce Lewis, who led off the third inning with a single, stole second base to get into scoring position, and would later score on a Ryan Costello single to make it 2-0. Jose Miranda followed Costello with a double and it was a 3-0 lead for the home team in game one. After closing it to 3-1 against Cutura in the fourth, the Cardinals wouldn’t get any more good opportunities until the ninth inning. Righthander Ryan Mason replaced Cutura for the eighth and set the hitters down in order. Back out for the ninth, an error from Travis Blankenhorn and single from the next hitter put the tying runners on base, but Mason locked it down from there. He coaxed a double-play ball out of the next hitter, and then picked up a strikeout to punctuate the game one victory in Fort Myers. The lineup for the Miracle managed just six hits but was enough where it counted, on the scoreboard. Kirilloff finished 2-for-4 and was the only batter with multiple hits. Costello was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. As a team they were 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left four men on base. KERNELS NUGGETS The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Beloit Snappers will start their Midwest League playoff series on Wednesday night in Beloit. Games two and three (if necessary) will be in Cedar Rapids. Right-hander Jhoan Duran takes the hill in game one, after finishing 7-5 with a 3.75 ERA in the Midwest League on the year. He went 2-1 with a 2.00 ERA in six starts for the Kernels after coming over in the Eduardo Escobar trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 7, Princeton 4 Box Score A couple of big blasts from Elizabethton hitters were the difference in this one as they took game one of the Appalachian League Championship series. The Twins got the scoring started in the top of the first as Gilberto Celestino drew a two-out walk that was followed by a Chris Williams home run for an early 2-0 lead. Princeton stormed ahead 3-2 after two innings thanks to an RBI triple and home run off Elizabethton starter Austin Schulfer. For the next three innings however, Schulfer faced the minimum as his lineup took back the lead for him. In the top of the fourth it was the second of those home runs that put them back out front, this one off the bat of Jean Carlos Arias to also score Alex Robles who had singled a batter earlier. That made the score 4-3 Elizabethton. They stretched that lead to 5-3 in the top of the sixth when Williams led off the inning with a single, and Robles delivered at two-out double to bring him in. In the bottom half of the sixth the Rays got one more back against Schulfer as he hit the leadoff man with a pitch and then moved him to second on a wild-pitch. He later scored on a single to make it 5-4 in favor of the Twins. In the top of the seventh Elizabethton added on a couple of insurance runs thanks to an RBI single off the bat of Yunior Severino, then a wild pitch after an intentional walk to Williams that loaded the bases. Schulfer took his 7-4 lead in the seventh and delivered a one-two-three frame to end his night. Overall, he gave up four runs on eight hits in his seven innings to pick up the win. He struck out six. Jacob Blank came on for the eighth inning and walked the two first hitters he faced, but from there he retired the next six hitters, including five strikeouts, to close out the game and pick up the save. With thirteen hits as a team the Twins got multiple knocks from Severino (2-for-5, R, RBI, 2 K), Lean Marrero (2-for-5, 2B, K), Williams (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K), Robles (2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI), and Yeltsin Encarnacion (3-for-4, R). Game two will start at 6:00PM CST time Wednesday night in Elizabethton. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Andro Cutura, Fort Myers Miracle (W, 7 IP, ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 9 K) Twins Daily Hitter(s) of the Day – Chris Williams, Elizabethton Twins (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Royce Lewis (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4, R, SB #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Fort Myers) – 2-for-4, R, HR, RBI #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Fort Myers) – Did not pitch #5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Minnesota) – Did not pitch. #6 - Trevor Larnach (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day Off #8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day Off #10 - Zack Littell (Minnesota) – Did not pitch. #11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day Off #13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Fort Myers) – 0-for-4, 2 K #15 - Ben Rortvedt (Fort Myers) – 0-for-3, 2 K #16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) – 2-for-5, R, RBI, 2 K #17 - Lewin Diaz (Fort Myers) – Out for the season. #18 - Ryan Jeffers (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day Off #19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day Off WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Fort Myers @ Palm Beach (5:30PM CST) – RHP Clark Beeker (5-7, 4.59 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (7:00PM CST) – RHP Jhoan Duran (7-5, 3.75 ERA) Princeton @ Elizabethton (6:00PM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! 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Also exactly this.

We may have different ideas of what a rebuild is, but this is how I see it, and classify this comparison made: The Cubs burned it to the ground to rebuild if your comparing to the Twins, who maybe started a small campfire. Through Free Agency, Trades, and Drafting, the Cubs added 54 WAR to their team that won the title in 2016. (source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-roster-construction-timeline-gfx-20161007-htmlstory.html#). This...isn't even in the realm of a comparison to where the Twins are now. Epstein traded Ryan Dempster, Steve Clevenger, Scott Feldman, Matt Garza, Jason Hammel, and Jeff Samardzija to get back Kyle Hendricks, Jake Arrietta, Pedro Strop, and Addison Russell. TR traded Denard Span, Ben Revere, Delmon Young, and Francisco Liriano to get back...Trevor May and Eduardo Escobar. They were trying to stay relevant, not do a true rebuild. If they were doing that: Cuddyer should have been traded. Glen Perkins should have been traded. Oswaldo Arcia should have been traded. Jason Kubel should have been traded. Josh Willingham should have been traded a year sooner. Justin Morneau should have been traded a year sooner...............(I'm probably leaving out others too)

I would argue Terry Ryan never committed to a full rebuild when he got back on board.

On Tuesday there was a long overdue doubleheader played in Rochester where the home team took both games, a postseason all-star was named, and another team got a walk-off win in extra innings to bring them within a half-game of playoff spot. To find out what happened in those games and how all your favorite Minnesota Twins prospects fared on Tuesday, keep reading and be sure to add to the discussion in the comments!TRANSACTIONS There were a few roster moves and an All-Star announcement in the system on Tuesday: In Chattanooga, infielder Sean Miller was released. No corresponding move was made at this time. Miller was a 10th-round pick for the Twins in the 2015 draft out of South Carolina.It was busy in Fort Myers, as the Twins signed pitcher Alex Phillips out of the independent Frontier League and assigned him to the Miracle where he would play a part in their game. They also placed Taylor Grzelakowski on the 7-day disabled list while activating Shane Carrier.Kennys Vargas was named an International League Postseason All-Star, and slots as the designated hitter on the roster. Vargas has been fantastic of late, with 20 hits including five home runs and 18 RBI since August 14th (14 games). RED WINGS REPORT Game 1: Buffalo 4, Rochester 5 (seven innings) Box Score In their regularly scheduled game, the Red Wings used one big inning and a timely hit from Byron Buxton late to secure a victory. Zack Littell made the start for Rochester, and completed six of the game’s seven innings. He allowed a single run in each of the first and third innings, then two in the fourth to tie the game. He gave his offense a chance by holding the Bisons scoreless in his final two innings, including striking out the last two hitters he faced with a runner in scoring position. He ended up with a win to even his record at 6-6 on the season when the home team struck in the bottom half of his final frame. The game was tied as the Red Wings lineup strung together five hits and a sacrifice fly in the third inning that was good for four runs of their own. Alex Perez, Byron Buxton, and Nick Gordon loaded the bases with singles to start it, Gregorio Petit drove in two of them with a double, then an RBI single from LaMonte Wade and sac fly from Zander Wiel finished it. In the bottom of the sixth Juan Graterol doubled to put himself in scoring position, then with two outs Buxton traded places with him for the deciding run. Lefty Andrew Vasquez got his first save opportunity since being promoted to Triple A in the top of the seventh, and while it got interesting, escaped a no-out situation with runners on second and third to record his first save with Rochester. He struck out the final two hitters to do so after fantastic barehanded fielder’s choice play from Petit at third base to cut a runner down at home: The top of the Red Wings lineup (Buxton, Gordon, Petit) combined to go 6-for-11 with three runs scored, four doubles, and three RBI on the game. Wade and Graterol also picked up multiple hits. Game 2: Buffalo 4, Rochester 6 (seven innings, makeup of 4/8 postponement) Box Score In game two, a makeup of a postponement due to snow all the way back in early April, Rochester pitched a bullpen game. D.J. Baxendale started and finished the first 2 1/3 innings. He allowed one run in the second and ran into some more trouble in the third, finishing with two runs allowed on five hits and a walk. He struck out one. Nick Anderson got his team through the fifth inning, allowing one run on two hits and a walk in 2 2/3, striking out four. He notched his seventh win of the season. John Curtiss closed out the final two innings for his tenth save. He gave up a run on a solo-homer that made it the final of 6-4, but also struck out two. The Red Wings runs came courtesy of RBI doubles from Jeremy Hazelbaker and Alex Perez in the second inning, a two-run double from Kennys Vargas and RBI single from Hazelbaker in the third, and finally an RBI single from Nick Gordon in the fifth. They racked up eleven hits as a team with Gordon leading the way with a 3-for-4 showing, along with multiple hits from Gregorio Petit (2-for-4, R, 2B) and Hazelbaker (2-for-3, R, 2B, 2 RBI). CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Jacksonville 9, Chattanooga 2 Box Score Tyler Jay got the opener role in this one and delivered a scoreless first inning. He gave up one hit and struck out one leading into ‘starter’ Sean Poppen’s game. The Jumbo Shrimp jumped all over Poppen and the Lookouts were not able to recover. Although he finished four innings, Poppen’s line included seven runs (six earned) on ten hits and one walk in his time. He struck out three and allowed two home runs. Anthony Marzi came on for the sixth and would finish 1 2/3, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks along with picking up two K’s. Sam Clay finished the seventh and added a scoreless eighth, striking out four of the five hitters he faced. Williams Ramirez finished off the game for the home team with a one-two-three ninth, striking out one. On offense Chattanooga tallied seven hits and two walks, but they didn’t lead to many scoring opportunities as they were just 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and grounded into four double plays. Jordan Gore collected multiple hits with a 2-for-3 night. Brent Rooker finished 1-for-4 while an Andy Wilkins home run and Jimmy Kerrigan sac fly led to their only runs. It was the Lookouts final home game of the season and they close it out with a five-game set across the state of Tennessee in Jackson starting on Thursday. MIRACLE MATTERS Bradenton 1, Fort Myers 2 (10 innings) Box Score The Miracle’s tilt with the Marauders on Tuesday was a good old-fashioned pitcher’s duel, with the score being just 1-0 Fort Myers heading into the top of the ninth inning. Starting for the home team was Andro Cutura, and he delivered six scoreless innings in his start, scattering five hits and one walk while striking out five. In the sixth, he worked around a hit-by-pitch and a double to start the inning by getting a shallow fly out and two K’s to end his night. The Miracle took the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third after Travis Blankenhorn led of the frame with his 21st double and would later score on a sac fly from Ernie De La Trinidad. Hits were scarce for them, as they had just five as a team through nine. Ryan Mason came on from the bullpen for the seventh and eighth frames, keeping his team in front by allowing just one hit and a walk while striking out three. Adam Bray and his 1.27 ERA with Fort Myers came out for the top of the ninth and Bradenton was able to tie the game with three singles and saddle him with his first blown save of the year. The newly signed Alex Phillips was summoned for the tenth and got all three hitters he faced, including a K, to keep the Marauders off the board. In the bottom of the inning, after an intentional walk to Caleb Hamilton and a passed ball to advance the runners to second and third, Blankenhorn brought in the walk-off run with a single to center field. The win brings the Miracle to within a half-game of the Charlotte Stone Crabs in the Florida State League South division with five games to play. KERNELS NUGGETS Scheduled Day Off The Kernels wrapped up a Midwest League title in the second half on Monday and will finish off their regular season with a five-game series at home against the Burlington Bees starting Wednesday. They will kick off the MWL playoffs a week from Wednesday, against whomever comes out on top of a current half-game difference in the Western Division standings between Kane County, Beloit, and Wisconsin (Quad Cities and Peoria already qualified in the first half, so are ineligible). E-TWINS E-TALK Pulaski 5, Elizabethton 8 Box Score The E-Twins got all the run support they would need in the third inning when they batted around and plated six runs, but they also had pushed a run across in each of the first two innings to account for their eight runs on the scoreboard. Yunior Severino got them started with his eighth home run in the first, and they made it 2-0 on a bases-loaded passed ball in the second before the big outburst in the third. Gilberto Celestino (2-for-4, R, 2B, K), Jared Akins (2-for-3, 2 R, 2B, RBI, BB, K, SB), and Lean Marrero (2-for-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, K) collected multiple hits in the contest to lead the way. Andrew Cabezas got the start and served as an opener, pitching just the first inning. He went one-two-three including strikeouts of the game’s first two hitters. Prelander Berroa went the next 2 1/3, allowing three runs on two hits and three walks while striking out two. Juan Gomez got the win with the next 2 2/3, where he allowed an unearned run on four hits and two walks. He struck out three. J.T. Perez was the next man up and allowed a run on three hits, along with picking up four K’s in two innings. Jacob Blank closed it out for his first professional save with a one-two-three ninth, striking out two. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Andro Cutura, Fort Myers Miracle (6 IP, 0 R, 5 H, BB, 5 K) Twins Daily Hitter(s) of the Day – Travis Blankenhorn, Fort Myers Miracle (2-for-4, R, 2B, Game Winning RBI) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Royce Lewis (Fort Myers) – 0-for-4, 2 K #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Fort Myers) – 0-for-4, K #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Fort Myers) – Did not pitch #4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – (2 games) 4-for-8, 2 R, RBI, K #5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Minnesota) – Did not pitch. #6 - Trevor Larnach (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day Off #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 1-for-4 #8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day Off #9 -Wander Javier – Out for the season. #10 - Zack Littell (Rochester) –.W, 6 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, BB, 5 K #11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day Off #12 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – (2 games) 2-for-6, RBI, K #13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Fort Myers) – 2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI #14 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) – Did not pitch #15 - Ben Rortvedt (Fort Myers) – Did not play #16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) – 1-for-5, HR (8), 2 K #17 - Lewin Diaz (Fort Myers) – Out for the season. #18 - Ryan Jeffers (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day Off #19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day Off #20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) – Did not play WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Buffalo @ Rochester (6:05PM CST) – RHP Chase De Jong (1-3, 3.81 ERA) Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) – RHP Clark Beeker (4-7, 4.73 ERA) Burlington @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Blayne Enlow (3-5, 3.24 ERA) Pulaski @ Elizabethton (6:00PM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! 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It's pretty good, and has been really consistent! He's been doing very well for the Kernels. In that time it's: 12 starts, 6-3, 2.12 ERA, 81.1 IP, 80 H, 15 BB, 52 K, 1.168 WHIP, .630 OPS against, .303 BABIP

With a doubleheader going on in Rochester, there was more than a full slate of action in the farm system on Tuesday. Michael Pineda made a rehab appearance at Triple A, a slugger in Chattanooga delivered a grand slam, two top pitching prospects took the mound for Fort Myers and Rochester, and another pitcher delivered yet another solid performance in a long string of them with Cedar Rapids. Keep reading to find out how all your favorite Minnesota Twins prospects performed on Tuesday and be sure to add to the discussion in the comments!TRANSACTIONS There was some maneuvering before Tuesday’s games, with all of it at the top of the system: The Rochester Red Wings received Michael Pineda (rehab assignment from Fort Myers), Zander Wiel (promoted from Chattanooga), Johnny Field (optioned by Minnesota), and Tyler Duffey (optioned by Minnesota). Andy Wilkins was transferred to Chattanooga.In addition to Wilkins, the Lookouts also received pitcher Clark Beeker from Fort Myers.RED WINGS REPORTGame 1: Pawtucket 3, Rochester 6 Box Score Game one of their doubleheader saw these teams complete a game that was suspended due to rain in the first inning earlier in the year. Adalberto Mejia had started that game with a scoreless inning, but it was the Michael Pineda show tonight when play resumed. Pineda would go four innings, allowing one run on a long home run to the first batter he faced, but settled in after that. Overall, he allowed two hits and two walks while striking out two in his Triple A rehab debut. Out of the bullpen D.J. Baxendale allowed two runs on four hits in two innings and struck out two. Nick Anderson finished the game’s final two innings to pick up his fourth save. He allowed one hit and struck out one. On offense the Red Wings put up a four-spot in the third inning to take the lead for good. Those runs came courtesy of four singles, a sac fly from Kennys Vargas, and an RBI triple from LaMonte Wade. An RBI double from Taylor Motter in the sixth and RBI single from Juan Graterol in the seventh finished the scoring for Rochester. Nick Gordon, Gregorio Petit, Wade, Graterol, and Motter all had multiple hits in the effort. Gordon also stole his 12th base with the Red Wings. Game 2: Pawtucket 5, Rochester 3 Box Score The start of this one was delayed due to rain and was a seven-inning contest as the back-end of their make-up doubleheader. Lewis Thorpe took the hill for his second triple-A start and looked good for the game's first two innings as he struck out three and induced a double play ball. But things turned on him quickly in the third. Two walks started the inning (Gameday pitch locations are interesting to look at here), and after recovering enough to get two outs, a two-run homer put his team down 3-0, and another walk and single later Thorpe’s night was done. In 2 2/3 he allowed four runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four to take the loss. Jake Reed went the next 2 1/3 innings and didn’t allow a baserunner. Five of his seven outs also came in the form of strikeouts. Luke Bard finished the final two innings and he allowed one run on two hits and a walk while picking up three K’s. On offense the Red Wings got home runs from Willians Astudillo and Kennys Vargas to account for their three runs. As a team they collected only four hits, and Astudillo was the only hitter with two of them, as he added a double. Vargas’ blast was his 20th of the season and he has homered in five of his last six games. It also was a mammoth shot to the joy of a nearly empty stadium after the rain had driven most fans away. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 5, Montgomery 2 Box Score The Lookouts got all the runs they would need in this one on a single swing of the bat to back a solid start from lefthander Dietrich Enns. With the game tied at zero in the top of the third, the first three Chattanooga hitters singled to load the bases for Brent Rooker. His 22nd home run of the season was of the grand slam variety and gave him 77 RBIs on the season, which paces the Southern League. The Lookouts added an insurance run in the sixth after consecutive doubles from Luis Arreaz and Jordan Gore. Gore (3-for-4, R, 2B, K) and Luke Raley (2-for-5, R) collected multiple hits in the win. Enns went five innings to pick up his third win on the season with Chattanooga. He gave up just one run as he scattered six hits and a walk along with striking out four. Sam Clay added two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, allowing two hits and picking up one K. Austin Adams then made his organizational debut after signing out of the independent leagues yesterday. He gave up a homer to the first batter he faced, but finished the contest for the Lookouts with a one-two-three ninth. He gave up two hits and struck out two. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 4, Palm Beach 6 Box Score The Miracle took a 4-1 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning with top pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol cruising to that point, but he was greeted by back-to-back extra-base hits to start that frame and the Cardinals got to the bullpen in the seventh and eighth to pull out the victory. Graterol had allowed just one run on five singles and a walk heading into the sixth and would finish his day with three runs allowed on eight hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings. Jovani Moran escaped the sixth with their lead still intact, but two walks, a single, and a hit batter led to him being charged with a blown save and the game tied at four. Hector Lujan relieved Moran with two outs in the seventh but gave up two runs in the eighth when he came back out to take the loss. They were the first runs Lujan had allowed in his last 23 1/3 innings pitched. The Miracle lineup was led by Taylor Grzelakowski who finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a triple, and his eighth home run of the year. Ben Rortvedt added a triple and scored a run while Aaron Whitefield and Ernie De La Trinidad added sacrifice flies. Alex Kirilloff finished 1-for-4 with an RBI and has now reached base in 32 consecutive games. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 5, Beloit 2 Box Score There weren’t many hits for the Kernels in this one as they tallied just five as a team, but they capitalized on miscues from the Snappers defense to steal this one. Randy Dobnak toed the rubber for Cedar Rapids and he again delivered a quality start to pick up his ninth win of the year. In his seven innings he allowed just one run on five hits and two walks while also striking out five. Since May 16th Dobnak has made 13 starts (among 16 appearances) and has allowed more than three runs only once while completing six or more innings in eleven of them (he didn’t get the chance to in another that was suspended after the first inning). So that’s basically 10 quality starts in his last 12 as he continues to be a steadying presence for the Kernels. Ricky Ramiriz pitched the final two innings to pick up his second save. He gave up a solo home run, two other hits, and struck out two. Cedar Rapids got on the scoreboard in the fifth thanks to a wild pitch that allowed Ben Rodriguez to scamper home. He had been hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. They took a 2-1 lead in the sixth as an error on a Trevor Larnach single allowed another unearned run to score. They added three insurance runs in the ninth thanks to another error that led into a the two-run homer from Michael Davis, his sixth on the season. E-TWINS E-TALK Greeneville 3, Elizabethton 6 Box Score Down 2-1 in the seventh, the E-Twins finally broke through against the Reds bullpen to the tune of five runs to take control of this one. A couple of errors on the visiting team started the big inning, and a two-run double from Chris Williams finished it. Williams and DaShawn Keirsey each led the team with two walks and two RBIs on the game. Keirsey also scored two runs. Ricky De La Torre was the only batter in the lineup with multiple hits, as he finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and drew a walk. Trevor Casanova added a double to the effort. Luis Rijo made the start and was fantastic for seven innings. He allowed just two runs on six hits, with both runs allowed coming on a home run in the fourth inning. He struck out five and didn’t walk a batter. Seth Pinkerton pitched the final two innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out one. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Rays 4, GCL Twins 5 Box Score Despite being outhit 10-to-6 on the game, the Twins were able to take advantage of the seven walks they drew as a team and some misplays from the Rays. An error in the first inning led to their first run on a sac fly from Gabe Snyder. In the sixth a couple of wild pitches helped lead to two more runs. Then down 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth, a two-out rally was started by Kidany Salva drawing a walk. He went to second on another wild pitch, then consecutive doubles from Samuel Vasquez and Alberoni Nunez put them out front. On the mound for the Twins was Tyler Benninghoff and he would pitch into the fifth inning despite struggling some with his control. Over his 4 2/3 innings he allowed two runs on five hits and four walks. He struck out two. Casey Crosby got them through the sixth, picking up four outs with three of them via the K. Regi Grace was charged with a blown save in the seventh as he allowed one run on two hits in his inning, but Michael Montero would pick up his third win by finishing the final two innings. He allowed an unearned run on three hits and struck out one. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Randy Dobnak, Cedar Rapids Kernels (W, 7 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 5 K) Twins Daily Hitter(s) of the Day – Brent Rooker, Chattanooga Lookouts (1-for-4, R, grand slam HR (22), 4 RBI, BB, K) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Royce Lewis (Fort Myers) – 0-for-4, K #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4, RBI #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Fort Myers) – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 4 K #4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – (2 games) 2-for-8, 2 R, SB #5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Minnesota) – Did not pitch. #6 - Trevor Larnach (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-4, 2 K #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 1-for-4, R, grand slam HR (22), 4 RBI, BB, K #8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – Did not play. #9 -Wander Javier – Out for the season. #10 - Zack Littell (Rochester) – Did not pitch. #11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch. #12 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – 2-for-4, R, 3B, RBI, K #13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4, 2 K #14 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) – L, 2.2 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 3 BB, 4 K #15 - Ben Rortvedt (Fort Myers) – 1-for-3, R, 3B, K #16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) – 0-for-5, R, RBI, K #17 - Lewin Diaz (Fort Myers) – Out for the season. #18 - Ryan Jeffers (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-3, R, BB #19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-4, 3 K #20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) – 1-for-4, R, 2B WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Pawtucket @ Rochester (6:05PM CST) – RHP Fernando Romero (5-4, 3.19 ERA) Chattanooga @ Montgomery (6:35PM CST) – LHP Dietrich Enns (2-5, 4.62 ERA) Fort Myers @ Palm Beach (5:30PM CST) – RHP Andro Cutura (3-6, 4.09 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (7:00PM CST) – RHP Blayne Enlow (2-5, 3.32 ERA) Greeneville @ Elizabethton (6:00PM CST) – RHP Tyler Palm (2-2, 4.99 ERA) GCL Twins @ GCL Rays (5:30PM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! 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Interesting fun with numbers comparison. In their MiLB careers: Pitcher A (23 years old): 377.0 IP, 2.94 ERA, 2.8 BB/9IP, 8.3 K/9IP, 1.17 WHIP Pitcher B (22 years old): 313.0IP, 3.19 ERA, 3.0 BB/9IP, 10.8 K/9IP, 1.21 WHIP Pitcher C (24 years old): 591.2 IP, 2.77 ERA, 2.5 BB/9IP, 9.6 K/9IP, 1.08 WHIP Pitcher D (24 years old): 599.0 IP, 2.46 ERA, 3.6 BB/9IP, 9.5 K/9IP, 1.10 WHIP ....................... Pitcher C is Jose Berrios and pitcher A is Fernando Romero. Stephen Gonsalves is pitcher D. Lewis Thorpe is pitcher B. There's a nice future here in my opinion, and I'd probably project them as a rotation like this: -Staff Ace: Jose Berrios -#2 Starter: Lewis Thorpe -#3 Starter: Fernando Romero -#4 Starter: Stephen Gonsalves

See yesterday's MiLB report thread for some more information on this. The Twins sent four players to the AFL last year out of Fort Myers (Paul, Hackimer, Vasquez, Miller).

There are numerous exceptions that can be used. The Twins sent four out of Fort Myers last year as an example (Paul, Vasquez, Hackimer, Miller), and is another reason the list was very peculiar to me. And there is no rule about going twice. Mitch Garver and Taylor Rogers both were there for two consecutive seasons.

Names I'd be looking at include the following: -Royce Lewis (performing there makes it more likely he starts 2019 in AA, or is promoted to AAA quicker than usual) -Alex Kirilloff (same ^, and can make up some development time) -Brent Rooker (his opening day or early season 2019 viability could be influenced) -Lewis Thorpe (get more innings under his belt and push his name up the food chain as I think he deserves) -Jorge Alcala (more innings, pushing for AAA) -Luis Arreaz (make up some development time, pushing for AAA) -Ben Rortvedt (good environment for catcher development, and many are needed) -Kohl Stewart (let him rip out of the bullpen to see what he may have there) -Nick Gordon (might be good for him to try and get some confidence for 2019) -Cody Stashak (solid numbers in bullpen this year, a lot like Reed/Curtiss/Vasquez's of the past) -Ryne Harper (same ^) -Tyler Wells -Griffin Jax -Jovani Moran (push this guy, and he might top my list of those I think should go there)

These are valid points and ones I absolutely consider. Tyler Jay and Chris Paul were there last year largely because of missing time during the season. But I've followed the league long enough to know it is usually a combination of players making up time they may have lost, top prospects, and fringe 40-man guys who likely could contribute the next season that make up an AFL roster. Even more realistic is the guys are some combination therein. My opinion of those sent last year was this was not the case as a group. 5 of the guys they did send I wouldn't have even considered and then they didn't even use the data they did get on some of them in a discernible way (Andrew Vasquez needed to go back to the FSL after that? really?). I may have been spoiled by who they had sent there in the immediate years prior, but I don't ever recall a group with so little fanfare or relevance to the following season. That's really my point. I've followed and written about the league long before I started doing it here and the AFL can be utilized much better than they did in my opinion. Could have been an outlier for the reasons discussed, and I hope so, but we'll have to wait another month to see.

Near the end of August (official announcement was Aug. 29th last year). Might hear some trickles of names before then.

I was extremely disappointed with the contingent they sent last year, but as you mention, this season has the potential to be a lot better. There are several reasons they may have picked the guys they did, but because of that I will be paying close attention to the names they end up sending this year. If it's not guys like Lewis/Kirilloff/Rooker or even top-20ish guys at double-A or above like it was (or wasn't?) last year, that will tell me the new front office has a different idea on the merits of the league for their prospects. And it's probably not one I agree with in that case.

There wasn’t much offense in the system on Sunday afternoon, as the five affiliates in action combined for just 12 runs on 27 hits. Those equate to averages of 2.4 runs per game and 5.4 hits. But it wasn’t all bad, as the bullpens of four of them had strong efforts and even led their teams to a couple of wins. To find out how all your favorite prospects did on Sunday, as well as just how strong those bullpens pitched, keep reading and be sure to add to the discussion in the comments!TRANSACTIONS There was only one transaction in the system on Sunday, but it was a fun one for the former #4 overall draft pick: Kohl Stewart was officially called up from Rochester and made his MLB debut on Sunday afternoon. Congratulations Kohl!!! RED WINGS REPORT Charlotte 2, Rochester 3 Box Score A Jeremy Hazelbaker two-run home run in the fifth inning to make it 2-1 Red Wings was the big hit in this one, but it was a close game throughout. Zack Littell went the first six innings and was in line for the win when he came out for his final frame, but a solo home run tied the game at two before he finished it. In all Littell went six innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits and a walk, while striking out seven. Rochester took the lead back in the bottom of the sixth as Nick Gordon led off the inning with a double and later scored on a single from Jon Kemmer. The Red Wings had just five hits in the victory. LaMonte Wade drew two walks and made a nice diving grab: The bullpen held it down from there with Jake Reed delivering two scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and struck out two. Alan Busenitz came on in the ninth and set the Knights down in order, striking out the final two hitters he faced for his seventh save of the year. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Jackson 6, Chattanooga 1 Box Score The Generals were able to jump on Lookouts starter Jorge Alcala in the first inning, thanks in part to an error, and would never look back. Alcala gave up four runs in that first inning including a three-run home run, but two of those were of the unearned variety. He also walked one and hit a batter in the frame. Over his next three innings however, he retired all the hitters he faced and ten in a row, before being replaced for the fifth. He struck out five and allowed just three hits and a walk, all in that first inning. The Lookouts offense was unable to take advantage of the seven walks they drew, as they managed just four hits and were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Luke Raley was 2-for-3 with a walk. Brent Rooker finished 1-for-4 with a K. Tanner English singled and scored their lone run. Luis Arreaz drew two walks. Anthony Marzi came on in relief of Alcala and continued the one-two-three trend for two more innings. He struck out one. Sam Clay came on for the seventh and another error led to a two-run home run that made the score 6-1. That was the only hit Clay allowed in addition to walking two and striking out one in two innings. Andrew Vasquez finished the game with a scoreless ninth. He hit one batter and allowed a single but buckled down with two strikeouts as well. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 3, Florida 2 Box Score The Miracle got a solid start from Charlie Barnes and lights out bullpen work from a pair of relievers that allowed them to come from behind in this one. Barnes went the first five innings, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out six. He allowed single runs in the third and fifth innings but escaped further damage with a bulldog mentality in each, striking out two hitters after allowing the run in each of those two frames. Down 2-1 in the seventh, Royce Lewis got a two-out rally started with his second triple with Miracle. He was driven in with a Taylor Grzelakowski double, and Jose Miranda followed with an RBI single to put them out front. Adam Bray was the first reliever after Barnes, and he delivered two scoreless frames. He allowed two hits, but also limited the damage as he struck out five and was credited with his second win. Hector Lujan finished the game with two scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and struck out three to pick up his third save. The offense was led by Grzelakowski who finished 3-for-4. Miranda also picked up two hits and drew two walks to reach base in all his plate appearances. Alex Kirilloff got the Miracle on the board in the third inning with an RBI double, his 18th two-bagger in the Florida State League and 38th overall. That hit also extended his current hitting streak to 10 games. There’s also this fun interview with shortstop Royce Lewis on how his play at shortstop has been going if you’d like to listen. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 0, Quad Cities 5 Box Score Jhoan Duran took the mound for his third start with his new team, but due to the long ball this one wasn’t quite as good. He allowed a solo home run in the second inning for the first run of the game, then a two-run shot in the fifth that made it 4-0. In all Duran went those five innings, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out five. Moises Gomez went the next three innings to finish the game and gave up only an unearned run on one hit while striking out four. On offense the Kernels were unable to get anything going all game. They managed just three hits and one walk to go along with fifteen strikeouts. They left all four of those men on base and were only 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position so any opportunities were scarce. Ben Rodgriguez and Michael Davis each had a double. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 5, Greeneville 9 Box Score The E-Twins were leading this one 2-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, but that’s when things went off the rails for two pitchers. Josh Winder made the start and went the first five strong innings. He allowed only two hits and struck out four, retiring thirteen in a row at one point. J.T. Perez came on in the sixth and delivered a scoreless frame before getting two quick outs to start the seventh when all hell broke loose. Two walks and two singles made the game 2-1 and Zack Neff was summoned. Three more singles, an error, and a walk before a three-run homer meant the Reds scored nine runs with two outs to take control of the game. Jacob Blank finished the game for the Twins with a one-two-three eighth inning, but it was far too much for the offense to come back from. The Twins got a three-run homer from Colton Burns that made the final of 9-5 in the top of the ninth, but that would be it. Chris Williams (2-for-3, 2 R, 3B, BB) and Alex Robles (2-for-4, R, 2 2B, RBI) had multiple hits to lead the lineup. Burns’ home run was his fifth in Elizabethton. GCL TWINS TAKES Scheduled Day Off The GCL Twins squad had the day off on Sunday. They’ll begin a four-game set with the GCL Orioles on Monday. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Josh Winder, Elizabethton Twins (5 IP, 2 H, 4 K) Honorable Mention: Bullpens of Rochester, Chattanooga, Fort Myers, and Cedar Rapids (Combined 15 IP, 0 ER, 10 H, 2 BB, 20 K) Twins Daily Hitter(s) of the Day – Taylor Grzelakowski, Fort Myers Miracle (3-for-4, R, 2B (21), RBI) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-5, R, 3B (2) #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-4, 2B (18), RBI #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Ft. Myers) – Did not pitch. #4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 1-for-4, 2B (12), 2 K #5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) – Did not pitch. #6 - Trevor Larnach (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-4, K #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 1-for-4, K #8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-4, 3 K #9 -Wander Javier – Out for the season. #10 - Zack Littell (Rochester) – W, 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 7 K #11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch. #12 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – 0-for-1, 2 BB #13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-3, BB, K #14 - Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) – Did not pitch. #15 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-3, K #16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) – 0-for-3, R, BB #17 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) – Out for the season. #18 - Ryan Jeffers (Cedar Rapids) – Did not play. #19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-3, 2 K #20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) – 0-for-2, 2 BB MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Columbus (6:05PM CST) – TBD Charlotte @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) – TBD Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Edwar Colina (6-3, 2.66 ERA) Elizabethton @ Greeneville (6:00PM CST) – RHP Andrew Cabezas (1-3, 3.21 ERA) GCL Orioles @ GCL Twins (11:00AM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Sunday’s games! Click here to view the article

My reaction to this trade is...not good. Chalmers has good stuff but not even out of low-A ball after four seasons because he can't throw it for strikes. Also won't be ready to pitch again until the season has already started next year. I would have pulled Rodney back and kept him. Hope Chalmers turns out awesome but we've seen his type before and its worked out...never?

That's what I thought too. There is also a rule that the pitcher cannot stand near the rubber without the ball (it's a balk). I think the umps screwed up because they got surprised by it too.

I think Jax's commitment to the Air Force is now over, or it was worked out he could pursue baseball full time instead. Seth could probably correct me if I'm wrong on that. Moran has been unbelievable! As far as the HR rates, Sano had 9 through 42 games, and went on a binge his last 24 games (11 in that frame). Rosario had 11 through 42, and went toe-to-toe with Sano the rest of the way to edge him with 21. My caveat there is this was also before Elizabethton did some changes to the dimensions in the stadium. It's not the bandbox it was back then anymore

With two affiliates traveling, there were only four games on tap for Tuesday. There was little offense in a few of those games, but the action in the others more than made up for it. A starter in Fort Myers delivered another strong performance in a shutout victory, while bombs went off in Elizabethton led by a standout performer drafted nearly two months ago to the day. To find out how all the Minnesota Twins prospects who were in action on Tuesday fared, read on!TRANSACTIONS There were a few moves in the system before the games: The Chattanooga Lookouts sent LHP Casey Crosby on a rehab assignment to the GCL Twins. Also, in some sad news RHP Todd Van Steensel was released from the Lookouts roster.In Cedar Rapids, outfielder and 2018 first round draft pick Trevor Larnach was officially promoted. To make room, Jean Carlos Arias was sent back to Elizabethton, and Christian Cavaness was released from the Kernels roster.RED WINGS REPORTToledo 5, Rochester 1 Box Score Starter Zack Littell had to try to work around a bunch of trouble in his outing, and he wasn’t able to on enough occasions. He finished 4 2/3 innings with 96 pitches (61 strikes), allowing five hits and five walks. Two errors from his defense led to five runs (two earned). This was more than enough for the Mud Hens as Rochester finished 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left five men on base. Gregorio Petit finished the day 2-for-4 with a double to lead the way. Edgar Corcino added a triple and scored their only run on a RBI single from Juan Graterol that followed. The bullpen duo of Luke Bard and John Curtiss combined to finish the game in scoreless fashion. Bard went 2 1/3, allowing one hit and striking out two. Curtiss finished the final two innings by allowing one hit and one walk. He struck out three. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Scheduled Day Off. After taking three out of five against the Mississippi Braves, the Lookouts got a day off on Tuesday before continuing the second half of their 10-game homestand against the Jackson Generals tomorrow. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 5, Lakeland 0 Box Score The Miracle got a fantastic start from right-hander Griffin Jax and as a result Jose Miranda’s first home run in the Florida State League would be all the run support needed, but the lineup added some insurance just in case. Jax pitched into the eighth inning where he allowed a leadoff double before getting a groundout for his final out. In his 7 1/3 innings, he gave up only four hits, walked one, and struck out seven. Of his 94 pitches 67 went for strikes and he retired twelve in a row at one point. He improved to 3-1 on the season. July’s Twins Daily MiLB Relief Pitcher of the Month, Jovani Moran, came on and finished off the victory with 1 2/3 scoreless frames to pick up his third save with Fort Myers. He retired all five hitters he faced including punctuating the win with his second strikeout to end it. The offense got two hits from Taylor Grzelakowski (2-5, RBI, 2 K) and Caleb Hamilton (2-for-3, R, 2B, RBI), While Miranda’s home run was a two-run shot in the eighth that made it 3-0. Royce Lewis singled, stole a base, and scored a run in five trips to the plate. Alex Kirilloff finished 1-for-4. KERNELS NUGGETS Scheduled Day Off. Cedar Rapids got a travel day on Tuesday to head further east across the state of Iowa. They will begin a five-game road trip with three versus the Clinton Lumberkings on Wednesday. E-TWINS E-TALK Kingsport 10, Elizabethton 16 Box Score The lack of offense in the other games on Tuesday was more than made up for in this one. The E-Twins racked up 16 runs on 16 hits, seven walks, and two errors against the Kingsport defense in a scoreboard slugfest. Even more remarkable was that the Mets scored their 10 runs on just six hits. Combined the teams finished 9-for-21 with runners in scoring position and left half as many runners on the bases as they scored. Chris Williams had a mammoth day, finishing 2-for-3 with two home runs and six RBIs. He also was hit by a pitch, had a sac fly, and scored three runs on the game. His first home run in the eight-run third inning was a three-run blast. His second was a two-run shot in the fourth. Robert Molina concluded the fireworks in the third with a grand slam. Williams now has 14 homers in 42 games with Elizabethton (that’s a better rate than Brent Rooker had last year, if you were wondering). Molina’s slam was his second in the Appalachian League and drove in five runs in total. Gilberto Celestino (2-for-6, 2 R), Colton Burns (3-for-4, 3 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB), Ricky De La Torre (2-for-5, R, K), and Lean Marrero (3-for-4, R, BB) joined Williams and Molina with multiple hits. With all that offense, the pitching wasn’t as great for the Twins. Luis Rijo made his first start with his new organization and due to an error in the fourth, ended his debut being charged with five unearned runs. In 3 2/3 innings he allowed two hits, walked two, and struck out four. Pedro Garcia went the next 3 1/3 and allowed five earned runs on three hits and four walks while striking out three. Zach Neff finished the game for the Twins with two scoreless innings. He allowed one hit and struck out one. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 2, GCL Rays 3 Box Score The Twins lineup was only able to muster three hits on the game and combined with drawing zero walks, they just didn’t have or make for themselves many opportunities. They were just 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left only one man on base. Their runs were courtesy of an Agustin Marte solo home run in the sixth (his first in the states), and an RBI single from Estamy Urena after Gabe Snyder reached second base on an error in the eighth. Despite all that the score was tied 2-2 heading into the ninth, so the Twins also had some good pitching. On a rehab assignment from Chattanooga, Casey Crosby struck out three in the first inning but due to a walk, a stolen base, error, and wild pitch also gave up an unearned run. Prelander Berroa went the next four frames and allowed an unearned run on three hits and one walk while striking out three. Junior Navas then threw two scoreless frames, allowing two hits and striking out two. Denny Bentley added a one-two-three eighth inning setting the stage for climactic ninth. When the Twins went down in order in the top half, Niklas Rimmel came on to pitch the bottom. He was greeted by a double from the leadoff man, got the next to fly out, but couldn’t escape as a single a few batters later walked it off for the Rays. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Griffin Jax, Fort Myers Miracle (W, 7.1IP, 4 H, BB, 7 K) Twins Daily Hitter(s) of the Day – Chris Williams, Elizabethton Twins (2-for-3, 3R, 2 HR (14), 6 RBI) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-5, R, SB (5) #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-4, K #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Ft. Myers) – Did not pitch. #4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 0-for-4, 2 K #5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) – Did not pitch. #6 - Trevor Larnach (Cedar Rapids) – Did not play (officially promoted on Tuesday). #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – Did not play. #8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – Did not play. #9 -Wander Javier – Out of for the season. #10 - Zack Littell (Rochester) – L (3-5), 4.2IP, 5 R (2 ER), 5 H, 5 BB, 3 K #11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Did not play. #12 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – Did not play. #13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-4, R, K #14 - Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) – Did not play. #15 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) – Did not play. #16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) – 1-for-6, R, 2 K #17 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) – Will have surgery on his wrist soon. Out for season. #18 - Ryan Jeffers (Cedar Rapids) – Did not play. #19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) – Did not play. #20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) – Did not play. WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Toledo @ Rochester (6:05PM CST) – RHP Chase De Jong (0-1, 12.27 ERA) Jackson @ Chattanooga (6:15PM CST) – LHP Lewis Thorpe (7-4, 3.67 ERA) Fort Myers @ Lakeland (5:30PM CST) – RHP Clark Beeker (4-6, 4.04 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Clinton (7:00PM CST) – LHP Tyler Watson (4-5, 4.76 ERA) Kingsport @ Elizabethton (6:00PM CST) – TBD GCL Rays @ GCL Twins (11:00AM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! Click here to view the article

I've felt the same about Vargas, always wanted him to get an extended run and never did. As far as I can tell Davis was a good hitter at Texas Tech, but not a great one (didn't hit over .300). Not sure about his Shortstop abilities. And I'm with you on Benninghoff!