Steve Lein

It hasn’t been an enjoyable few days for Twins fans as the trading deadline came and went with several players being sent to new organizations. While there wasn’t a huge splash of a prospect who was brought back in any of those deals, several intriguing players were added to the pipeline. One of them made a nice first impression yesterday with seven innings of no-hit ball, and on Tuesday more of the new guys made their first marks with the organization. Three games were also affected by rain, with two of them ending up postponed or suspended. To find out how all the new guys and the rest of your favorite Twins prospects fared on Tuesday, keep reading and be sure to ask questions or discuss in the comments!TRANSACTIONS With all the trade activity, it was a busy day for transactions: Rochester (AAA): Trevor May was recalled by the Twins and would make his first MLB appearance since Tommy John surgery. Welcome back, Trevor! Chase De Jong and Tyler Austin were assigned to the Red Wings after their trades were made official.Chattanooga (AA): Assigned to the Lookouts after swapping organizations, were Devin Smeltzer and Luke Raley. Starter Tyler Wells was also promoted to the Lookouts from Fort Myers.Fort Myers (A+): Tom Hackimer was reinstated from the disabled list to take Wells' roster spot.Elizabethton (Rk+): Luis Rijo was assigned to the E-Twins after coming over from the Yankees for Lance Lynn. Pitcher Cole Sands was also moved from the 7-day DL to the 60-day.Gulf Coast Twins (Rk-): Zach Featherstone was placed on the 60-day DL.RED WINGS REPORTScranton/WB 3, Rochester 8 Box Score The Red Wings jumped on RailRiders bullpen contingent for this game, taking a 5-1 lead after three innings. Four of those runs came in the third inning, where newcomer Tyler Austin homered to lead it off in his second at-bat in the organization, his seventh home run in Triple-A this year and 15th overall (with eight in MLB). Oh, and it was a BOMB: Later in the frame the other three runs came across on a homer from Jon Kemmer, who was traded to the Twins in early July for cash. It also was his first in the organization. Fernando Romero made the start for Rochester and was his usual self for the first six frames, allowing just one run (a HR) on two hits while striking out four. In the seventh he ran into trouble, surrendering two runs on three hits and two walks around a double-play ball to finish 6 2/3 solid innings. Reliever Jake Reed finished off the seventh and added two more scoreless frames. He did not allow a hit, walked two, and struck out two in picking up his second save of the year. The offense added some insurance in the bottom of the seventh, courtesy of a Taylor Motter three-run home run. Motter (2-for-5, R, HR, 3 RBI, K), Willians Astudillo (2-for-5, R, RBI), LaMonte Wade (2-for-5, 2 K), and Kemmer (3-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI) each collected multiple hits in the victory. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga @ Tennessee (Postponed due to rain) The Lookouts were unable to even their series with the Tennessee Smokies due to rain on Tuesday. They will play a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 4:00PM CST. LHP Dietrich Enns was the scheduled starter today, with LHP Lewis Thorpe probable for your regularly scheduled tilt tomorrow. MIRACLE MATTERS Jupiter 2, Fort Myers 3 Box Score With the score tied at one in the fourth inning, the rains throughout the area on Tuesday came into play, causing a delay and subsequently ending Charlie Barnes' start. To that point Barnes had allowed just one run while scattering four hits and two walks in his 3 1/3 innings. He struck out one and was at 61 pitches before the interruption. Adam Bray was summoned from the bullpen when play resumed and went 2 2/3 innings to get the Miracle to the seventh. He allowed one run (solo-HR) on three hits and struck out four. Hector Lujan then came on and finished the game with three scoreless innings. He gave up three hits, walked one, and struck out four to pick up his fourth win. He got the W as his offense was able to scratch across single runs in the first, fifth, and eighth innings. Royce Lewis led off the game for the Miracle with his fifth double in the Florida State League and would score the games first run on a sac fly from Alex Kirilloff. In the fifth it was an RBI double from Taylor Grzelakowski, and another sac fly from Brandon Lopez in the eighth. Grzelakowski finished the game 3-for-4 to lead his team and despite going 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position on the game, the Fort Myers offense was able to do just enough. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 8, Quad Cities 1 Box Score The Kernels offense broke open a scoreless game in the fourth inning, sending ten men to the plate and scoring six of them. Akil Baddoo got it started by leading off with his 19th double and Jose Miranda brought him in with a single for the first run of the game. They were followed by two-RBI doubles from both Jacob Pearson and Michael Davis. Gabriel Maciel drove in his first run for his new organization with a single to cap the scoring. In the fifth, Cedar Rapids added two more runs as Miranda and Ryan Jeffers hit back-to-back home runs to start it. It was Miranda’s 14th on the season, and Jeffers' second with the Kernels since being promoted a week ago. On the bump for the visiting team, was right-hander Edwar Colina. He allowed just one run on five hits and two walks in six innings, notching a quality start. He also struck out seven and lowered his ERA to under 3.00 on the year. That lone run came on a solo homer in the fourth. Jose Martinez picked up a three-inning save, his fourth of the year with three hitless innings in relief. He walked one and struck out two while needing just 27 pitches. Martinez also got an at-bat in this one (a K) as Cedar Rapids had lost their designated hitter after an injury to catcher David Banuelos (Jeffers took his spot behind the dish). Jeffers led the lineup with a three-hit night in five trips and his double was his fifth in seven games with the Kernels, while Miranda and Davis each added two hits to the effort. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 8, Johnson City 5 Box Score Another two of the Twins newest prospects had big games in this one. The first was outfielder Gilberto Celestino, who came in the Ryan Pressly deal with the Astros, reaching base in all five of his plate appearances. Those included three singles, a double, and a walk that also led to two runs scored and two RBIs. (I don’t know about you, but I like these new guys so far). He also stole his first base and was caught stealing once. The second was 2018 first-round pick, Trevor Larnach. He launched his first two home runs of his professional career, both solo shots. He led off the second inning with his first, and added his second to lead off the ninth. He also drew a walk. His first of the night was captured on video, so enjoy: The E-Twins also got multi-hit efforts Trevor Casanova (2-for-3, R, RBI, 2 BB), Alex Robles (2-for-3, R, 2 RBI, BB), and Lean Marrero (2-for-4). Given a 2-0 lead before he took the mound, starter Kody Funderburk ran into too much trouble in the second inning, and he was not able to finish it. In 1 2/3 innings he allowed four runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out one. Tanner Howell came on to limit the damage in that inning and did so along with three more scoreless frames. He allowed three hits and a walk while striking out four. As Elizabethton took the lead back while he was on the mound, he also picked up his first professional win. Johan Quezada was up next and was effectively wild, allowing only an unearned run on two hits and three walks in two innings, striking out one. Zach Neff picked up his third save with two scoreless innings to end it, allowing one hit and striking out four. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Orioles 3, GCL Twins 1 (Game Suspended in fifth inning) Box Score This one was suspended after a leadoff walk from Christian Cavaness in the bottom of the fifth with the score 3-1 in favor of the Orioles. The Twins lone run to that point came on an RBI single from Erick Rivera in the fourth. The Orioles pushed three across in the second against Twins starter Tyler Benninghoff. In his four innings Benninghoff gave up those runs on two hits and three walks while striking out two. Erik Cha had come in for a one-two-three fifth, striking out two before the rain became too much to continue. It’s likely this game will be completed tomorrow after the Orioles and Twins meet again for their regularly scheduled game. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Edwar Colina, Cedar Rapids Kernels (W, 6IP, ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 7 K) Twins Daily Hitter(s) of the Day – Trevor Larnach, Elizabethton Twins (2-for-4, 2 R, 2 HR (2), 2 RBI, BB, K) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-3, 2B (5), BB, K #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-2, BB, RBI (13-game hitting streak snapped) #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Ft. Myers) – Did not pitch. #4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 1-for-5, K, 2 SB (8) #5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) – Did not pitch. #6 - Trevor Larnach (Elizabethton) – 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 HR (2), 2 RBI, BB, K #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – Game rained out. #8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-5, R, 2B (19) #9 -Wander Javier – Out of for the season. #10 - Zack Littell (Rochester) – Did not pitch. #11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch. #12 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – 2-for-5, 2 K #13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-3, BB, K, SB (6) #14 - Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) – Game rained out. #15 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-3, BB, K #16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) – 0-for-4, R, BB, 2 K #17 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) – Will have surgery on his wrist soon. Out for season. #18 - Ryan Jeffers (Cedar Rapids) – 3-for-5, R, 2B (5), HR (2), RBI, K #19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-4, 2B (9), 2 RBI #20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) – Game rained out. WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Scranton/Wilkes-Barre @ Rochester (6:05PM CST) – RHP Zack Littell (2-4, 3.63 ERA) Chattanooga @ Tennessee, Game 1 (4:00PM CST) – LHP Dietrich Enns (0-5, 6.00 ERA) Chattanooga @ Tennessee, Game 2 – LHP Lewis Thorpe (6-4, 3.61 ERA) Jupiter @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) – TBD Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (7:00PM CST) – LHP Tyler Watson (4-4, 4.37 ERA) Elizabethton @ Johnson City (6:00PM CST) – TBD GCL Twins @ GCL Orioles (11:00AM CST) – TBD (May also finish Tuesday’s suspended game) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! Click here to view the article

Oops. I see I took the PA number as his AB's. Good call. As for your comps, it is a valid tool to look at. In Rooker's case though, I might try to make the restraints a little different. I'd use college-drafted hitters in their second professional season, ignoring age. Despite the strikeouts, Rooker's overall line at AA is even with Andrew Benintendi when he made his MLB debut. Brendon McKay (for obvious pitching reasons, but was Rooker's equal/better as a hitter in college), is in High-A hitting .200. Corey Ray is striking out just as much and walking at similar rates the past two months in the same league (Rooker has basically caught up to him for league lead in HR's and 2B's after starting so slow). Kyle Lewis is struggling in Seattle system. Matt Thaiss was in AA to start season (his third) and was promoted to AAA after a line like Rooker has... Just some of what I'd look at.

His rate at AA was not 9.1%, but I'm really responding because I do like how you pointed out Walker's BB improvement that year at AA as it went on. You also point out how he hit ~.200 with a ~.650 OPS from July to the end of the season where that BB improvement happened (also hit only 8 of his 31 HR's that season in that time-frame). Rooker is hitting about .315/.400/.625 since his BB improvement (with 13 of his 20 HR's, and 18 of his 28 doubles). It has done something very tangible to matter for him, basically because he is a much better hitter than Walker ever was.

Walker's highest BB rate ever was like 7.5% if I remember right, and that was while he also struck out over 35% of the time. He is the only player I can remember to strike out over 200 times in a MiLB season, so this isn't apples to apples for me. I do agree you want to see an improvement in Rooker's K-rate, but I'm not complaining the way he's hitting.

As I finally start checking everything this morning, I see that the box score and game log was updated and now shows this. Trust me, I didn't mix that up writing it!

I know the 10 games I singled out is a small sample, but that's a pretty good ratio... If I look a little harder, in April/May his overall ratio was 10 walks to 60 K's. In June/July, that's at 24 walks to 59 K's. He's definitely been improving the ratio, even if you don't care that the K-rate itself isn't improved. That's also directly related to when he started mashing, so I pay more attention to the production at this point.

If you woke up this morning hoping to read about how amazing a bunch of the Minnesota Twins’ top prospects fared in yesterday’s games, I’m happy to report you’re definitely not going to be disappointed! There were huge games from three first-round draft pick hitters, and the best pitching performance amongst a long stretch of great ones for a top pitching prospect.To find out just how great each of those prospects were on Tuesday, keep reading and be sure to discuss in the comments! TRANSACTIONS There were some moves in the system before the games: Chattanooga (AA): Pitcher Casey Crosby was activated from the disabled list and sent to the Gulf Coast League on a rehab assignment. He made the “start” for the GCL squad in that game.Fort Myers (A+): Lewin Diaz was placed on the disabled list with a right thumb fracture. To take his place Ben Rodriguez was promoted from Cedar Rapids.Cedar Rapids (A): To take Rodriguez’s place, 2018 2nd-round draft pick Ryan Jeffers was promoted from Elizabethton.GCL Twins (RK): In addition to Crosby, outfielder Christian Cavaness was also sent on a rehab assignment to the GCL.RED WINGS REPORTRochester 2, Indianapolis 0 Box Score Top prospect Stephen Gonsalves took the mound for the Red Wings looking to improve even further on his six-start stretch where he had lowered his ERA from 5.89 all the way down to 3.34. He delivered his best of that bunch on Tuesday, tossing seven scoreless innings. He allowed just five hits, struck out four, and most importantly in that time frame, issued zero walks. He gave up a leadoff triple in the fifth, but his defense caught that runner at home on the next batter. Gonsalves then finished by retiring the final eight hitters he faced. Of his 98 pitches, 68 went for strikes (69%) and he improved to 7-3 on the year in Triple-A. D.J. Baxendale earned his fifth hold with a scoreless eighth inning when he worked around two hits. In his first appearance since being optioned (again), Alan Busenitz picked up his fifth save with a one-two-three ninth, striking out the final two hitters to punctuate the win. On offense the Red Wings got multi-hit efforts from leadoff man Gregorio Petit (2-for-4, R, 2B, K) and LaMonte Wade (2-for-4, R, 2 K). Willians Astudillo and Jeremy Hazelbaker added doubles to the effort. Miguel Sano finished 1-for-2 with an RBI, a strikeout and two walks. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Pensacola 10, Chattanooga 8 (10 innings) Box Score While the Triple A game was all about a top prospect pitcher, this one focused on a top prospect hitter who has been heating up as the season has gone on. Of course, I’m talking about Brent-He’s So Hot Right Now-Rooker. In the first inning, Rooker got the Lookouts on the board with a two-run home run, his nineteenth of the season and his teammates added two more runs for the early 4-0 lead. He would follow a Zander Wiel single to lead off the second with one of his own, but both ended up stranded. That’s when the Blue Wahoos pounced on starting pitcher Omar Bencomo. They tallied eight runs across the third and fourth innings to take the lead. Bencomo finished five frames, but his ten hits allowed came in quick succession to give up those runs (seven earned). He walked none and struck out five. Chattanooga was able to tie the game in seventh inning, and again it was due in part to Rooker. After two runs had already crossed he came up with the bases loaded and delivered a two-run double, his 27th of the season which tied him with fellow top prospect (and trade rumor target) Corey Ray for the Southern League lead (Ray also leads him by one in homers, Rooker now leads league in RBI though!). Rooker added another single in the ninth, but again would be stranded. Rooker finished his game 4-for-5 with a walk to go along with his extra-base hits and four RBI. His average is now up to .272 on the season and .366/.490/.805 over his last ten games, which includes FIVE home runs, FIFTEEN runs batted in, and a 10:12 base-on-balls to strikeouts ratio. I’d probably promote him soon. Unfortunately for the Lookouts, that effort wasn’t enough when this one got to extra innings. After Bencomo’s exit, Cody Stashak went the next two scoreless innings. He allowed one hit and struck out three. Tyler Jay worked out of a jam of his own making in the eighth, then got two outs in the ninth before handing it over to Williams Ramirez. Jay allowed one hit, walked one, and struck out one in 1 2/3 innings. Ramirez got the final out in the ninth and two K’s to start the tenth inning, but a home run to the next batter proved to be the end. The Lookouts got the tying run on base with no outs in their half, but couldn’t push any one across (Rooker didn’t get a chance, unfortunately). Chattanooga got a hit from every batter in the starting lineup, and had four other hitters with two or more hits on the day. They included Zander Wiel (2-for-4, R, 2 BB, K), Chris Paul (2-for-6, R, 2B, 2 K), Jaylin Davis (3-for-6, R, 2 2B, RBI, K), and Ryan Walker (2-for-5, RBI, BB, 2 K). Jordan Gore also delivered two RBI. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 4, Jupiter 1 Box Score For his second consecutive outing, lefty Charlie Barnes delivered an impressive performance. He left the game with two outs and runners on second and third in the seventh, but neither runner would score so he allowed just one run in his 6 2/3 innings. That came on six hits and one walk allowed, while striking out two. His ERA on the season now rests at a solid 2.82 for the Miracle. He also evened his record at 5-5 as his offense backed him up with a couple of blasts to put crooked numbers on the board. In the second inning, it was a two-run shot from Travis Blankenhorn, his ninth of the season. In the eighth, it was Alex-He’s Been Hot All Year-Kirilloff with a two-run bomb to the opposite field, his third with Fort Myers and his sixteenth overall on the year. He also finished this game 3-for-3 with two runs scored and drew a walk and is now hitting .370 in the Florida State League. Hector Lujan was the first man called in from the bullpen, and finished the seventh and eighth innings before running into some trouble in the ninth. With two runners on and the game-tying run at the plate, Ryan Mason came on to shut it down with one out. He got the next two hitters, including a strikeout, to do so. Lujan finished with no runs allowed on one hit, two walks, and four strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. Mason picked up his fifth save on the year. KERNELS NUGGETS Scheduled Day Off The Kernels had the day off on Tuesday as they finished a 5-1 road trip and head home for a five-game homestand versus the Clinton LumberKings and Quad Cities River Bandits. The series with the Bandits is of the two-game home-and-home variety, which they will repeat in August. The Kernels currently lead the Midwest League Western Division with a 22-9 record in the second half. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 10, Burlington 3 Box Score A late scoring burst from the Twins turned this one into another blowout, as they racked up ten runs on fifteen hits as a team. With the score tied at three going into the seventh, they put two runs on the board to take the lead and added on five more in the eighth. First-round draft pick Trevor Larnach led the lineup with a 4-for-5 night at the plate. It included his first professional extra-base hit, a double. He tallied three runs scored, four RBI, and stole his first base. He has at least one hit in every game he’s played so far and his average is a SSS .450. Elizabethton also got multiple hits from Yeltsin Encarnacion (2-for-5, 3 R, 2B, BB, K), Chris Williams (3-for-4, R, 2 2B, 3 RBI, BB, K), Alex Robles (2-for-5, RBI, K), and Lean Marrero (2-for-5, 2 R). Austin Schulfer got the start and went the game’s first three innings. He allowed two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out three. Brian Rapp then came on and went the next 2 2/3 innings. He allowed one run on two hits and a walk, along with racking up four strikeouts. Kody Funderburk then finished it with 3 1/3 scoreless. He walked in an inherited runner that charged him with a blown save, but also picked up his first professional win as he surrendered two hits, walked one and struck out four. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Rays 8, GCL Twins 3 Box Score After being activated from the disabled list in AA, Casey Crosby made a rehab appearance to start this game. He got two outs with the help of a pickoff move to first base but walked two batters before his day was done. Frandy Torres then came on and gaveup a grand slam before recording the third out and the Twins were never able to recover. Torres added a scoreless second inning and finished with three earned runs on three hits and a walk while striking out two. Tyler Benninghoff toed the rubber next and delivered three scoreless frames. He struck out four and allowed two hits and a walk. Edit (box score updated on 7/25): Tyler Benninghoff finished three scoreless innings, but then ran into trouble to start the sixth inning. He would get one out due to a caught stealing, but an RBI single and RBI double ended his day. In total he pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks, while striking out four. The Rays extended their lead against Petru Balan in the sixth inning, and in total he allowed four runs on five hits and three walks in two innings. He struck out one. Petru Balan then came on with Benninghoff responsible for two runners who would both score before getting out of the inning. He would add a scoreless seventh and in total allowed two hits, one walk, and struck out one in 1 2/3. Steven Cruz finished the game with two scoreless innings. He walked three and struck out four. On offense the Twins managed just five hits and drew zero walks but were able to scratch three runs across thanks to going 2-for-3 with runners in scoring position and 2018 28th round draft pick Austin Hale’s first professional home run. Kidany Salva added a double and Victor Tademo and pinch hitter Samuel Vasquez collected the other RBIs. Vasquez pinch hit for Christian Cavaness, who was making his first in-game appearance in almost a year. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Stephen Gonsalves, Rochester Red Wings (W, 7 IP, 0 R, 5 H, 0 BB, 4 K) Twins Daily Hitter(s) of the Day – Brent Rooker, Chattanooga Lookouts (4-for-5, R, 2B (27), HR (19), 4 RBI, BB) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-3, BB, 3 K #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Ft. Myers) – 3-for-3, HR (3), 2 RBI, BB #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Ft. Myers) – Did not pitch. #4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 0-for-4, K, SB (5) #5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) – W (7-3), 7 IP, 0 R, 5 H, 0 BB, 4 K (3.04 ERA in Triple-A) #6 - Trevor Larnach (Elizabethton) – 4-for-5, 3 R, 2B (1), 4 RBI, SB (1), K #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 4-for-5, R, 2B (27), HR (19), 4 RBI, BB #8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – CR did not play. #9 -Wander Javier – Out of for the season. #10 - Zack Littell (Rochester) – Did not pitch. #11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – CR did not play. #12 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – 2-for-4, R, 2 K, 2 SB (5) #13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-3, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K #14 - Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) – Did not pitch. #15 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) – Did not play. #16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) – 0-for-5, K #17 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) – On disabled list with fractured thumb. #18 - Ryan Jeffers (Cedar Rapids) – CR did not play. #19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) – CR did not play. #20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) – 1-for-5, BB WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Indianapolis (6:05PM CST) – RHP Kohl Stewart (0-2, 4.70 ERA) Pensacola @ Chattanooga (10:15AM CST) – TBD Fort Myers @ Jupiter (5:30PM CST) – RHP Tyler Wells (7-4, 2.97 ERA) Clinton @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Edwar Colina (3-3, 3.11 ERA) Elizabethton @ Burlington (10:00AM CST) – TBD GCL Twins @ GCL Rays (11:00AM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! Click here to view the article

Maybe it's just me, but I'll always take an OBP that high driven by a high batting average over a guy who gets it with walks...

Fun to see that Rooker currently is tied for the Southern League lead in doubles, is second in home runs, and third in RBI.

Barnes certainly has some intrigue, but I don't think he has an upside of more than a back-end MLB starter. Control and his changeup can take him far enough for that, but without another standout (he will only touch 90 with his fastball as far as I know) pitch I don't see much more. I think he will always have success in the minors.

With only three Minnesota Twins minor league affiliates in action on Tuesday, this is going to be a relatively quiet report. There’s good news in that, however, as it is also quiet because the pitching staffs of two them delivered shutout efforts, including an excellent game from one of their top picks in the 2017 draft. Alex Kirilloff also came back from his Futures Game appearance and had a multi-extra-base-hit effort as he continues to adjust to the Florida State League.TRANSACTIONS Before we get to the games, there was some roster shuffling in the lower levels of the minors: Catcher Robert Molina was activated from the seven-day disabled list with the Cedar Rapids Kernels, and then assigned to the Elizabethton Twins.The GCL Twins activated pitcher Junior Navas from the disabled list and he closed out the game on Tuesday. The Twins also received infielder and 2018 draftee, Hunter Lee from Elizabethton.RED WINGS REPORTLouisville 12, Rochester 5 Box Score The Bats swarmed Red Wings starter Adalberto Mejia from the get-go in this one, with the home team falling behind 7-2 after three innings. Mejia recovered to finish six innings, including retiring the last seven hitters he faced, but it was too little too late. Those seven runs came on eight hits in the first three innings, and Mejia would only allow a walk after that. He also struck out seven. Louisville turned it into a blowout against the bullpen duo of Luke Bard and Jake Reed, who combined to allow five more runs on four hits and two walks in the final three innings. Bard allowed a home run but also struck out four. Reed struck out one and finished the game. On offense Rochester got multi-hit nights from Nick Gordon (2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI, BB, SB) and Andy Wilkins (2-for-3, R, HR, RBI, BB). Wilkins’ home run led off the ninth inning and was his second in as many games since being promoted to the Red Wings. Kennys Vargas contributed an RBI double in the first inning to drive in Gordon, who had clubbed his 11th double earlier in the frame. Stephen Gonsalves will take the hill for the Red Wings in the series’ rubber match Wednesday night at Frontier Field. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Scheduled Day Off After playing games for 19 consecutive days, the Lookouts got a much-needed day off. They hit the road to face the Mobile BayBears for five games beginning tomorrow night. MIRACLE MATTERS St. Lucie 0, Fort Myers 5 Box Score Fort Myers took a 1-0 lead after the first inning as the top prospect duo of Royce Lewis and Alex Kirilloff got them started. Lewis led off the game with his first double in a Miracle uniform. A batter later Kirilloff brought him home with his sixth Florida State League double. That was all starter Charlie Barnes would need, as he held the Mets scoreless for seven innings to pick up his fourth win. Barnes scattered five, walked none, and struck out two. He also had thrown just 89 pitches, with 57 going for strikes (64%) so maybe he even had some more in him if it was necessary. It wasn’t as the Fort Myers offense added to their lead with a single run in the fourth, and three more in the sixth. A sac fly from Joe Cronin made it 2-0 in the fourth, and Kirilloff led off the sixth with his second home run with the Miracle. In that same inning Ben Rortvedt drove in one with a sac fly, and a Brandon Lopez double would plate the third. Kirilloff and Lopez each collected two hits to pace the lineup. Travis Blankenhorn clubbed his 18th double and scored two runs. In addition to his double, Lewis also drew a walk in four trips to the plate. Colton Davis finished the final two innings for the home team and kept the shutout intact. He allowed one hit, walked two, and struck out two. KERNELS NUGGETS Scheduled Day Off Cedar Rapids had Tuesday off as they finished a 4-2 homestand last night. They will travel to Midland, Michigan tomorrow to begin a six-game road trip against the Great Lakes Loons. E-TWINS E-TALK Scheduled Day Off Elizabethton was the third of the organization’s affiliates to have the night off on Tuesday. Leading the Appalachian League West Division with a 19-9 record, they’ll face the bottom-dwelling Greeneville Reds to begin a six-game homestand on Wednesday night. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 1, GCL Orioles 0 Box Score The teams combined for just nine hits in this one, with none of them going for extra bases, and no earned runs allowed by the pitching staffs in a 1-0 shutout for the Twins. A catcher interference play in the seventh inning put a runner on for the Twins, and after some small ball that runner scored on a wild pitch for the only run of the game. Leading the offense was Erick Rivera out of the eighth spot in the lineup, who finished 1-for-2 with two walks. The pitching for the Twins was obviously excellent in this one. Right-hander Donny Breek made the start and went the first four innings. He allowed two hits, walked three, and struck out four. Regi Graci went the next 3 1/3 innings to pick up his second win. He gave up only a hit and a walk while striking out two. Osiris German faced two hitters to end the ninth and retired both, including one on a K, to pick up his first hold in the GCL. In his GCL debut after being activated, righty Junior Navas delivered a one-two-three ninth to pick up his first save. He struck out one. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Charlie Barnes, Fort Myers Miracle (W, 7 IP, 0 R, 5 H, 0 BB, 2 K) Twins Daily Hitter(s) of the Day – Alex Kirilloff, Fort Myers Miracle (2-for-4, R, 2B (6), HR (2), 2 RBI) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-3, R, 2B (1), BB #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Ft. Myers) – 2-for-4, R, 2B (6), HR (2), 2 RBI #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Ft. Myers) – Did not pitch. #4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 2-for-4, R, 2B (11), RBI, BB, SB #5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) – Did not pitch. #6 - Trevor Larnach (Elizabethton) - Could play by Wednesday (per Doogie) #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – Scheduled off day. #8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled off day. #9 -Wander Javier – Out of for the season #10 - Zack Littell (Rochester) – Did not pitch. #11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch. #12 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – 0-for-4, 3 K #13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-4, 2 R, 2B (18), K #14 - Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) – Scheduled off day. #15 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-2, RBI, BB #16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) – Scheduled off day. #17 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) – Did not play. #18 - Ryan Jeffers (Elizabethton) – Scheduled off day. #19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled off day. #20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) – Scheduled off day. WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Louisville @ Rochester (6:05PM CST) – LHP Stephen Gonsalves (6-3, 3.66 ERA Chattanooga @ Mobile (6:35AM CST) – LHP Paco Rodriguez (3-0, 3.60 ERA) St. Lucie @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) – RHP Tyler Wells (7-4, 2.85 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Great Lakes (6:05PM CST) – RHP Edwar Colina (3-3, 3.43 ERA) Greeneville @ Elizabethton (6:00PM CST) – TBD GCL Orioles @ GCL Twins (11:00AM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! Click here to view the article

I think it's pretty obvious contracts for players Dozier's age now, who can only play one position (that I don't consider one of the "up the middle" important ones, or that many teams even have a need for on the FA market), and are known mostly for power output, aren't getting what had been expected anymore in Free Agency. I'm fully aware how good Dozier has been the last two seasons and I'd love to see him get paid just as much as you, I think. But I really don't think he's going to unless it's from the Twins.

Depending on your source I'd probably say that a 0.4 to 0.7 difference in WAR at this point of the year is more significant than your giving it. I don't doubt that Dozier could be better at end of season, but this is more telling for me: Dozier: -1.30 WPA Escobar: +1.05 WPA

I don't know man, I might put money down that "Addison Reed money" is the BEST he's possibly going to get on any FA deal. Just peruse this list: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018-mlb-free-agent-tracker Money is not being spent like it used to be, especially on players like Dozier.

Couple guys in this list that appeared in my preseason picks to make their MLB debut. 5 other guys on that list already have. Love Thorpe coming on. I'm not too worried about his innings per start yet. You can look at Fernando Romero and see a similar pattern. The fun thing is, Thorpe is doing better at what Romero is supposedly known for: K's and making bats miss.

He's been sneaky good. Doesn't necessarily stand out in any single stat category, but taken in aggregate he's been very solid. I said before the season not to sleep on him in that lineup.

Relatively speaking, there was limited action on Tuesday as two affiliates enjoyed days off. One for travel and the other as their level continued their All-Star break. But there were still four games, and one of them included an offensive explosion led by three hitters each accomplishing a big first in their professional careers.To find out how all your favorite prospects fared on Tuesday night, keep reading and be sure to discuss in the comments! TRANSACTIONS Just one transaction today as the the Twins sent starter Ervin Santana on assignment to Chattanooga to continue his rehab, and he pitched his best game so far on the comeback trail for them on Tuesday. RED WINGS REPORT No Game – Triple-A All-Star Break The Red Wings continue to enjoy their midsummer break. The International League will face off against the Pacific Coast League in Columbus, OH on Wednesday night. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 2, Jacksonville 7 Box Score As mentioned, Ervin Santana got the rehab nod in this one and went the first five innings and 63 pitches (65.1% for strikes). He allowed two earned runs courtesy of a two-run home run in the fourth, but that would be it for the Jumbo Shrimp. He finished with just two hits allowed and struck out six. Five of those K’s came in the first two innings. Down 2-0 heading into the top of the fifth, the Lookouts tied the game with a two-run home run of their own. This came courtesy of Jordan Gore, his first in double-A. Sam Clay came on in the sixth and that’s when the game got away thanks to a couple of errors, including one on himself. All told he got two outs and allowed four runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks. Williams Ramirez finished the game with 2 1/3 innings. He allowed one run on three hits and a walk while striking out three. Chattanooga had just two other hits besides Gore’s home run on the game, with Brent Rooker going 1-for-4 with three K’s, and Zander Wiel 1-for-4 with a triple. As a team they were just 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left five men on base. MIRACLE MATTERS Palm Beach 14, Fort Myers 8 Box Score Down 8-3 at one point, the Miracle did storm back to tie this one heading into the ninth, but then it got away from them. Tom Hackimer was summoned from the bullpen to start the eighth inning and loaded the bases before escaping. Bringing him back out for the ninth after just tying the game was probably a bad idea. When it was done for Hackimer, utility man Joe Cronin was brought in to record the final two outs on the mound and six runs came around for the final score. Clark Beeker started for Fort Myers and was responsible for the Cardinals first five runs. In four innings he allowed those on two walks, eight hits including two homers, while striking out four. Alex Robinson allowed three runs on two hits and two walks in 2/3’s of an inning, striking out one. Hector Lujan settled things down for the next 2 1/3, allowing one hit and a walk along with two K’s. The initial comeback for the Miracle was sparked by a four-run seventh inning. Alex Kirilloff, Caleb Hamilton, and Taylor Grzelakowski all delivered RBI doubles in the frame. They tied it in the eighth thanks to a Cronin groundout after a walk from Aaron Whitefield to lead off the frame and a single from Travis Blankenhorn advanced him to third. Cronin finished the game as a batter with a run scored on two hits and two walks and drove in three. Lewin Diaz and Grzelakowski also collected multiple hits for the home team in the loss. KERNELS NUGGETS Scheduled Day Off It was a Midwest League travel day for The Kernels as they head back home to Cedar Rapids. They begin a six-game homestand on Wednesday against the Fort Wayne TinCaps, and finish against the Lake County Captains. E-TWINS E-NOTES Elizabethton 15, Johnson City 1 Box Score Elizabethton took the early lead with two runs in the first, then piled it on from the fifth inning, blowing out their cross-county rival Johnson City in demoralizing fashion Tuesday night. 2018 second-round pick, Ryan Jeffers, got it started with a two-run home in the first inning, his first as a professional baseball player. In the fifth the Twins sent ten hitters into the batters box, and every possible one of them scored as they took control 9-1. The big hits included a two-RBI single from Michael Davis, a two-RBI double from Andrew Coscrove, and a solo home run from Albee Weiss. Three runs in the sixth came on a solo shot from Hunter Lee, also his first as a pro, and a two-run double from Alex Robles. To continue the theme, three more runs in the sixth came courtesy of another Weiss solo blast, and a two-run bomb from Davis that also marked his first since being drafted in the 24th round out of Texas Tech last month and in his first career game. On the pitching front Elizabethton got four innings from starter Pedro Garcia as he was a bit too wild to go any further. He allowed an unearned run on two hits and three walks. He struck out one. Blair Lakso went the three scoreless innings and picked up his third win. He allowed four hits and struck out two. Seth Pinkerton finished it off with two scoreless frames, hitting one batter with a pitch. Only one hitter in the lineup for the Twins didn’t collect a hit, and only two got on base less than twice. Their 18 hits included going 6-for-12 with runners in scoring position and they left only five men on base as they cashed in on almost all their scoring opportunities. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 6, GCL Rays 5 Box Score The Twins were down 3-1 after three, but scratched across runs in four straight innings to take the lead back and hold off the Rays. Andriu Marin got the start and went five innings. He allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk, along with picking up four K’s. The two unearned runs were courtesy of two errors in the third inning that allowed runs to score. They got a sac fly off the bat of Gabe Snyder in the first inning, and he got the comeback started in the fourth with his second home run of the year to lead it off. The Twins got an RBI groundout from Alberoni Nunez later in that inning that would tally single runs in each of the next three. Tyler Webb homered to lead off the fifth, Yeltsin Encarnacion delivered and RBI single in the sixth, and a sac fly from Nunez in the seventh accounted for a 6-3 lead. J.T. Perez was the first arm out of the bullpen, and despite two unearned runs, would end up with his second win of the year. In 1 1/3 innings, he walked one, gave up one hit, and struck out one. Frandy Torres came on with two runners in the seventh and they both would score to account for Perez’s runs, but would get out of the inning with the Twins still out front. Petru Balan began the eighth inning but after loading the bases with two walks and a single, Tanner Howell was brought on. He escaped the jam with a strikeout, ground ball force out to home, and another grounder to keep it 6-5. He finished the game with a scoreless ninth, working around two one-out hits for his third save. He struck out three in his two innings. The Twins totaled twelve hits on the game but weren’t as good as they could have been with runners on, as they were just 4-for-17 with runners in scoring position and left thirteen men on base. Edgar Herrera racked up four of those hits including a double and a run scored. Webb finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a walk in addition to his homer. Snyder also tacked on with multiple hits in a 2-for-4 game. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Tanner Howell, GCL Twins (Save (3), 2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 K) Twins Daily Hitter(s) of the Day – Ryan Jeffers (2-for-3, 3 R, HR (1), 2 RBI, BB), Hunter Lee (4-for-5, 2 R, HR (1), 2 RBI, K), and Michael Davis (2-for-5, 3 R, HR (1), 3 RBI, BB); Elizabethton Twins (all hit their first career home runs after being drafted this year) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY 1. Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day off. 2. Fernando Romero (Rochester) – Triple-A All-Star Break. 3. Nick Gordon (Rochester) – Triple-A All-Star Break. 4. Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) – Triple-A All-Star Break. 5. Alex Kirilloff (Fort Myers) – 1-for-5, R, 2B (3), RBI, 2 K 6. Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – Out for season with injury. 7. Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 1-for-4, 3 K 8. Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day off. 9. Brusdar Graterol (Fort Myers) – Did not pitch. 10. Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – Scheduled Day off. 11. Zack Littell (Rochester) – Triple-A All-Star Break. 12. Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) – Did not pitch. 13. Lewin Diaz (Fort Myers) – 2-for-5, R, K 14. LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – Triple-A All-Star Break. 15. Mitch Garver (Minnesota) – 0-for-2, BB 16. Ben Rortvedt (Fort Myers) – 0-for-4, R, BB, 2 K 17. Travis Blankenhorn (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4, RBI, BB 18. Yunior Severino (Elizabethton Twins) – Did not play. 19. Tyler Jay (Chattanooga) – Did not pitch. 20. Felix Jorge (Rochester) – Did not pitch. WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester – Triple-A All-Star Game (6:00PM CST) Chattanooga @ Jacksonville (11:05AM CST) – LHP Dietrich Enns (0-2, 3.09 ERA) Palm Beach @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) – LHP Charlie Barnes (3-5, 3.00 ERA) Fort Wayne @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – LHP Tyler Watson (2-3, 4.85 ERA) Elizabethton @ Johnson City (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

Thinking about this, and as good as Realmuto is, he's not the guy I'd pay the price for in the current situation. If he was three years younger, I'd be all over it. I don't want a guy for two years at the price it will take, which lets be serious here, that's probably Lewis as a headliner or Graterol and Romero along with some other top 15/20 guys.

Right after I posted that I knew someone would point that out even though the context is there

That's been my listed measurements since I was 17! (I'm double that now...)