Steve Lein

Check out the link in my post above about Kepler. This is explained in depth there. If Diaz isn't on the 40-man he assuredly will be on the Triple-A reserve roster, meaning he can't be selected in minor league phase. Lots of A-ball top prospects are on the Triple-A reserve roster for this reason (which is a 38-man list). Also, just as an FYI, the reserve rosters are not published to the public.

No, I don't either. Was just painting an example. I could see a September callup very easily, though.

Guys I would add (in no particular order): 1. Gonsalves 2. Rodriguez 3. Littell 4. Reed 5. Curtiss 6. Thorpe 7. Stewart Not sure all of them will be, but I suspect the Twins are gonna lose a guy or two any way it shakes out.

If Gordon came up right now he wouldn't come close to accruing a year of control, so not sure why you're worrying about that. There's what, 65 days left this year? So in your scenario, if he came up now and not until June next year he still wouldn't reach a year of service before the end of 2018.

Diaz is in the same situation Kepler was a few years ago. (I even asked BA about him back then) Kepler was [added but I don't know why] anyone would add a low-A 1B/DH to their major league roster at this point. Not even sure Diaz would be in my top 10 right now and Kepler definitely was. Edit: Kepler actually was put on the 40-man that year, but my point still stands.

Options for the near future. I've been saying it leading up to this, despite them being in division race, their window for competing wasn't open yet (they had the 12th best record in baseball when they were "leading the division"). It closed in a hurry and they made the right type of moves that they could.

Pleasantly surprised to get that some bonus $$ as well. Watson was about the type of prospect one should expect back for Kintzler. Appears to have some upside yet.

Not in a "buying" way, definitely. They're a good group to sell too though.

I mentioned this probability about a week ago. They were like 1 game back in the Division and Wild Card I think, but actually had the 12th best record in all of the Majors. I said it would be very easy for them to fall as low as 17th if they couldn't scratch some games in these upcoming series. After this run they're 16th now and five other teams are within 2 games of their record. They didn't rise to the challenge.

Was wondering if the schedules of the Indians, Royals, and Twins teams helped their chances in any way. CLE plays KC in 9 games throughout the rest of the season, Twins play CLE 6 and and KC 7. CLE plays BOS and NYY 7 times each in the next month, including back-to-back series (at home) in the next week. Also has TB and COL on the schedule but pretty easy September to close out the season. KC plays Boston for 3 games starting tomorrow, and also has series with COL, ARI, and TB, but the rest of their schedule doesn't look too daunting either. Twins have series with MIL, TB, ARI, and NYY remaining on their schedule. Saving grace may be 9 games vs. DET but they are 3-6 against them so far. So, I don't think the schedule favors the Twins in any way but we have seen them answer demoralizing series with good ones. We all seemed to know the few weeks after the All-Star game were going to determine what should be done, they're 4-8 in that time and even a sweep against OAK may not claw them back into the division race. I guess what I'm saying is I agree with the numbered bullets from the article. If the Oakland series goes bad, then I'd be looking at what's out there for selling some of the minor parts.

To be fair, no one was expecting that from Judge. Sickels had a long Twitter discussion around the All-Star game basically saying he never saw this in him. Had him as a B/B- prospect (#10 in their system) coming into the year. Part of what he said: "massive power (at least a 60, some say 70) in 6-7, 275 pound frame, but strikeout problems are equally massive; had made progress with his swing in Triple-A but major league hitters exposed more holes; may struggle to hit .230 but will crush mistakes."

That's two days in a row a "top" prospect pitcher dominated one of our affiliates. Glasnow vs. Rochester on Tuesday, Kopech yesterday. I always try to make mention if they're facing off against a well known guy, so I'm glad you take notice!

Minnesota Twins affiliates went 4-1 on Tuesday on a pretty good day throughout the system. Chattanooga kept on trucking with a top prospect on the mound, the rookie league teams scored a lot of runs, and Fort Myers needed extra innings in a game dominated by pitching on both sides. A major leaguer also made a rehab appearance with Rochester.To find out who did what in the minors on Tuesday, read on! TRANSACTIONS There were a few of transactions before the games on Tuesday. Minnesota sent Hector Santiago on a rehab assignment to Rochester and he started their game. The option of Kyle Gibson was also made official. In the Gulf Coast League Derek Molina was activated from the disabled list and made his pro debut with the start. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 1, Indianapolis 5 Box Score The Red Wings had trouble solving Indians starter and top prospect Tyler Glasnow, who improved to 6-0 with a 1.46 ERA in Triple-A after struggling in his first taste of the majors with Pittsburgh. He held Rochester to just one run on four hits and three walks. Hector Santiago made the rehab start for the Red Wings and labored through just 1+ innings. He surrendered four runs (three earned) on three hits and two walks. Drew Rucinski came in to the game for him after the first three hitters reached base in the second inning. If not for an Engelb Vielma error on a double-play ball, Rucinski may have gotten them out of the inning with little damage. He was literally unhittable. In four innings he struck out four, retiring twelve of the other hitters he faced and ten in a row after that error. In case you were wondering, over the months of June and July back with Rochester, Rucinski has pitched 25.0 innings, allowing just one run on fourteen hits and one walk, while striking out seventeen. (That’s pretty good…) Matt Hague finally got the Wings on the board versus Glasnow in the sixth, as he led off the frame with his eighth home run. They added one in the ninth on an RBI single from John Ryan Murphy that was basically seceded by defensive indifference. The offense as a team was just 1-4 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base. Mason Melotakis pitched 1.1 innings of relief after Rucinski, allowing one run on two hits and a walk before Michael Tonkin finished the final 1.1 innings. He allowed one hit and struck out three (and continues his dominance of AAA). CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Birmingham 4, Chattanooga 9 Box Score Chattanooga is a train that just keeps on rolling as they improved to a remarkable 24-7 in the second half of the season. If you take into account the first half when they won the Southern League North Division, they have an 11 game lead on the second place team in the standings. One of the main reasons why they have been so good is their starting rotation and on Tuesday it was Stephen Gonsalves' turn. Even though he wasn’t necessarily at his best, he picked up his seventh win of the season by going 5.2 innings. He allowed two runs on three hits and three walks as 51 of his 98 pitches went for strikes. He struck out six. Andy Wilkins gave the Lookouts the early 1-0 lead when he led off the second inning with his eighth home run of year. In the fourth they took back the lead 3-1 on a bases-loaded walk to Max Murphy and sacrifice fly from Ryan Walker. Randy Rosario came on with runners on first and second in the sixth and promptly gave up a double, but the throw from LaMonte Wade and relay from Gordon got the tying runner at home to end the inning and keep Gonsalves in line for the win. Rosario went 2.1 innings, allowing 2 runs on four hits. He walked none and struck out none. The Lookouts offense then exploded for a six-run bottom of the sixth. Even more impressive, all the runs scored after a double-play to notch the first two outs. Murphy, Walker and Travis Harrison all drew walks to load the bases after that before Carlos Paulino scored two with a single. Nick Gordon then delivered an RBI single, Wade a 2-RBI double, and Wilkins capped the inning with an RBI single and 9-2 lead. Nick Anderson came out for the ninth and if not for an error was perfect. He struck out two. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 4, Lakeland 1 (13 innings) Box Score If you like pitching and defense, this was your type of game as both teams combined for just thirteen hits and two runs through the first nine innings. They then went four more before any more runs were scored. Cody Stashak made the start for the Miracle, but unfortunately only went two innings before being removed from the game for an apparent injury. He allowed only a single before his exit. David Fischer went the next three scoreless innings, walking three and striking out two. Williams Ramirez pitched a scoreless sixth before getting himself ejected in the seventh. He pitched 1.1 innings and was on the hook for the bases being loaded. Alex Muren came on in relief of him and a sac fly gave Lakeland a 1-0 lead, but escaping that jam without any further damage proved to be the pivotal point in the game. Muren finished 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing no runs on two hits and walk. He struck out two. Sam Clay took over in the extra frames, and brought them into the thirteenth with 3.0 scoreless innings of his own. He gave up one hit, one walk and struck out four. Due to his offense's rally in the top of thirteenth, he improved to 8-0 on the season with a 1.36 ERA. He hasn’t given up a run in his last seventeen appearances dating back to May 31st and spanning 27.0 innings pitched. In the top of the thirteenth the Miracle offense finally woke up, as singles from Brandon Lopez and Sean Miller put a runner in scoring position before a wild pitch and intentional walk loaded the bases for Nelson Molina. His double brought in two for 3-1 Miracle lead, and a passed ball later in the frame made it 4-1. Tom Hackimer came on to close the door, and did so for his third save with the Miracle and ninth of the season. He allowed a single and struck out one. Jermaine Palacios (2-7, R, 3B), Lopez (2-5, R) and Brian Navaretto (2-5) each had two hits to lead the offense. Zander Wiel was 1-3, drew three walks and scored a run. The teams combined to go just 2-21 with runners in scoring position on the game, and left 21 men on base. KERNELS NUGGETS Scheduled Day Off The Kernels had the day off on Tuesday as they travel to Peoria for a three-game series on the road. They went 3-3 on their six game homestand against Great Lakes and Lansing and have some work to do in the second half of the season as they are just 14-17 and six games back of the Western Division-leading Quad Cities River Bandits. E-TWINS E-NOTES Elizabethton 9, Pulaski 3 Box Score Elizabethton got multiple hit efforts from five hitters in their lineup Tuesday night as they handed Pulaski just their fourth loss of the season at home. Robert Molina (2-4, R, 2B, RBI) was one of those hitters and his RBI double in the second inning got the scoring started for the Twins. Mark Contreras (2-3, R, RBI) and Matt Albanese added sacrifice flies to make it 3-0 after two. Melvi Acosta made the start for Elizabethton and went the first 5.2 innings. He allowed two runs on three hits but control was a problem as he walked five. He also struck out five. With two outs in the sixth his final walk ended his day at 92 pitches (50 for strikes). The Twins added four runs in the top of the fifth after Akil Baddoo (2-5, R, 3B, 2 RBI) led off the inning with his first triple. Jose Miranda brought him in with a sac fly before Shane Carrier (2-5, 2 R’s, HR, 2 RBI) and Kolton Kendrick (2-5, 2 R’s, HR, RBI) hit back-to-back jacks to make the score 7-2 in favor of E-Town. They added two more insurance runs in the eighth on a two-RBI single from Baddoo. In relief of Acosta Juan Gamez went 1.2 innings, allowing one run on three hits and a walk while striking out two. Ricky Ramirez finished the game with 1.2 innings of scoreless ball. He allowed one hit and struck out one. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 8, GCL Orioles 5 Box Score The Twins jumped out to an 8-0 lead after four innings and it was more than enough to hold off a sixth inning rally from the Orioles. The offense put up crooked numbers in each of the first, second and fourth innings. In the first Royce Lewis led off the game with a walk, advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw, stole third base after Jean Carlos Arias was hit by a pitch, and then scored on steal attempt of second base that led to a throwing error from the catcher. Ricky De La Torre drove in Arias with a single for the 2-0 lead after one. The Twins attempted four steals in the first inning alone, with only De La Torre getting thrown out. A three-run two-out rally came in the second inning as a double from Jared Akins was followed by an RBI single from Lewis, and a two-RBI triple from Arias. Three more runs scored in the fourth thanks to Arias (RBI single), an error to score Akins, and a wild pitch that allowed Arias to scamper home from third. 2017 14th-round draft pick Derek Molina made his professional debut on the mound and went the first three innings. The right-hander out of Merced College in California gave up just two hits and struck five. Pedro Garcia added two scoreless innings before running into trouble in the sixth. He was replaced by Matz Schutte with two outs and ended up allowing three runs on three hits and three walks in 2.2 innings. Two of those runs came because Schutte gave up a grand slam after walking his first batter but got out of the inning with the score 8-5. Vadim Balan pitched the final three innings and picked up his fourth save in the process. He allowed just one hit and walked one while striking out two. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Fort Myers Miracle Staff (13 IP, 13 H’s, 5 BB, 9 K’s, 1 run allowed. W-Sam Clay, S-Tom Hackimer) Hitter of the Day – Andy Wilkins, Chattanooga Lookouts (3-4, 2 R’s, HR, 2 RBI, BB) WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Indianapolis (12:35PM CST) – RHP Dillon Gee (2-1, 2.14 ERA) Birmingham @ Chattanooga (6:15PM CST) – RHP Kohl Stewart (4-4, 3.63 ERA) Fort Myers @ Lakeland (5:30PM CST) – RHP Sean Poppen (2-1, 2.11 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (7:00PM CST) – RHP Tyler Beardsley (3-4, 5.98 ERA) Elizabethton @ Pulaski (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

This is not "buying" to me. But I agree it's a path I'd like to seem them take unless they're landing Archer.

I was in the "Stand Pat" group. I don't think this is the year you #GoForIt through what I would consider truly "buying." That means you're trading a package that includes at least 2 of Nick Gordon, Stephen Gonsalves, Fernando Romero, and then some other good prospects too. Those are the type of moves you make when you're leading your division and have one of the best records in baseball (e.g.: you're truly a "contender"). The reality is the Twins have the 12th best record in baseball right now. 12th. Theoretically they shouldn't even be a playoff team. (they could fall to as far as 17th with a run of losses pretty quickly) Despite that they are in the mix for a playoff spot, which is awesome, but the reality to me is their window isn't open yet, so it's not the time to truly "buy." Get the rest of the young guys feet wet this year so you have a better idea if your window will open next year. (I'm all for getting some bullpen help, but at minimal cost. Brad Hand would be nice, but not for that price. Love me some Brad Brach, but no idea his cost?)

I would like to see the Twins add an arm to at least get Belisle out of the bullpen, but I'm not really willing to give up any top prospects for somebody. I'd hate to give up Thorpe and Blankenhorn for what the Nats got, as an example. I know that's the price, but I don't think that's the move to make this year —unless the new guys don't believe in those guys from the old regime. But I wouldn't change my judgement on that until a few years down the line if that's what ends up happening.

It's definitely aggressive, but I agree with mikelink45 above, it's also smart. He's already almost 23 and has played against the best conference in college baseball for longer than most. A conference that has a ton of good pitching that gets drafted high every year and he was the leagues best hitter. I know Seth doesn't think the Twins are always slow with prospects (and in special cases they definitely were not), and maybe the new regime will change this perception and this is a good start, but if it wasn't true in why is that the national perception of every single website and writer you can read about prospects when talking about the Twins? Where there's smoke there's fire. I always bring up Adam Walker for how I view this and it's maybe not the best example either, but it speaks to the idea I want to see changed. I asked Keith Law in a chat once, if he was impressed at all by the number of home runs he had put up in the rookie leagues and Cedar Rapids. His answer was (paraphrasing): "Should I be? With his experience and success in college, that's what should have been expected at those levels. Never should have been there in the first place." That is the type of perception and process I want to go by the wayside with the new guys in charge. Now with Rooker, unless he lights the FSL on fire for the rest of the season, I would expect he starts there next year too like the guys brought up in the article. It's still aggressive, and what I'd like to see more of with college hitters especially. Stop having them play against the kids. All the things like the professional baseball life and getting used to the minors league schedule —they can do that wherever you start them in my opinion.

Max had been my favorite prospect to follow ever since watching him play with the roster of the Beloit Snappers during Spring Training of 2012. He was far and away the best player on the diamond in the week I was there watching, on a team that also included Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario, and Kennys Vargas. I was astonished he did not play in the Midwest League at all that season after that, but injuries may have had something to do with that. Just for fun, some links from that Spring Training: -http://twitpic.com/8zswq4 (opposite field double) -https://twitter.com/HangingSL/status/182841800942292992 (on deck getting ready) (edit: I meant Kennys Vargas, not the topic of the post Max Kepler, for the other top hitters that were playing on that roster)

With the Major League All-Star Game being played on Tuesday, most of the minor leagues were quiet on Tuesday. Minnesota Twins affiliates had just two games scheduled with the GCL Twins and Chattanooga Lookouts in action. A top prospect was on the hill in AA and was great in limited action, but there was little offense for the good guys in either game as both teams combined for just nine hits.Read on to find out who did what in the two games on Tuesday night! RED WINGS REPORT Scheduled Day Off As mentioned, the Red Wings did not play on Tuesday, but in some fun MiLB promotion news they have decided to take on a new name for one night on August 10th that they have been promoting aggressively on their Twitter feed. They will be the “Rochester Plates” in honor of a Rochester food tradition served just down the street from Frontier Field. In an overwhelming response from fans, all the merchandise is already on back-order. Per the first link above, a “garbage plate” is: “two burgers (or two hot dogs) served on a bed of mac salad and home fries and topped with meat hot sauce and onions.” If I’m ever in Rochester I’ll have to try it! The Triple-A All-Star Game is played on Wednesday, so the Red Wings will not be back in action until Thursday when they take on the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs on the road. Bartolo Colon will make the start for Rochester. Pitcher Drew Rucinski will represent the Red Wings as the International League team takes on the Pacific Coast League All-Stars. Zack Granite was also selected to the game from Rochester, though he will not play in the game, having been promoted to the Twins. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 1, Pensacola 4 Box Score The Lookouts got another strong start from Fernando Romero in this one, and heading into the ninth inning he was still in line for the win. He went the first five innings and threw just 63 pitches, an apparent attempt to limit his innings moving forward has been implemented. He retired ten in a row at one point and struck out five on the game. He allowed just two hits and a walk to the Blue Wahoos lineup. Chattanooga took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth as Max Murphy launched his first Southern League home run of the season. Ryan Eades came on in relief of Romero and kept the score there for the next two innings, but ran into a heap of trouble in the eighth due to a single and two walks around a strikeout for his only out of the inning. In his 2.1 innings Eades allowed one hit, walked three and struck out four. Randy Rosario inherited the bases-loaded jam and gave up the go-ahead two-run double to the first batter he faced to put Pensacola out front. The third runner charged to Eades and one to Rosario then scored on an infield error before an outfield assist at home from Murphy got them out of the inning. The Lookouts got the tying runner to the plate in the top of the ninth with one out after a LaMonte Wade single and walk to Jonathan Rodriguez, but an infield pop-up and strikeout ended the game. Wade finished the game 2-3 with a walk and Carlos Paulino added a single for the offense that managed just four hits and struck out fourteen times on the game. They were 1-4 with runners in scoring position (runner did not score on the hit) and left four men on base. MIRACLE MATTERS Scheduled Day Off The Miracle also got the day off to watch the Major League All-Star game and I’m guessing there might be a few players in attendance since the game is across the peninsula in Miami, but they will be back in action at the Charlotte Stone Crabs tomorrow night. Lewis Thorpe will be on the mound in the series opener and the Miracle have the best record in the Florida State League in the second half at 13-4. KERNELS NUGGETS Scheduled Day Off The Kernels will begin a three game series on the road versus the West Michigan Whitecaps on Wednesday night, with left-hander Domenick Carlini on the hill. Cedar Rapids sits at 10-9 in the second half thus far, 4 games back of the Quad City River Bandits in the Western Division. E-TWINS E-NOTES Scheduled Day Off Elizabethton will begin a stretch of 21 straight games when they hit the road to face off against the Burlington Royals on Wednesday. Moises Gomez will start the first game of the six-game road trip that starts the marathon. The Twins lead the West Division by a half-game at 13-6 in the short season Appalachian League. You heard all about it in this column yesterday, but for some extra reading check out the notes on Brent Rooker and Royce Lewis’ day from MiLB.com’s daily prospect roundup. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Orioles 5, GCL Twins 2 Box Score The Orioles got to Twins starter Jordan Balazovic early in this one. They scored one in the first and two in the second to jump out to a three-run lead before he pitched a scoreless third inning. But that was the end of his night. In three innings he allowed those three runs on seven hits and three walks, while striking out one. Almicar Cruz came on for the fourth inning, and promptly surrendered a home run to the first batter he faced for a 4-0 Orioles lead. He did not give up any more runs in his two innings, striking out four but also allowing three hits and a walk. The Twins got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth after Benjamin Gonzalez led off with a single and scored on a double from Kerby Camacho thanks to a throwing error from the left fielder. They closed the lead to 4-2 in the seventh as Camacho notched his second double of the game and was driven in by a Roni Tapia single up the middle. Reliever Zach Featherstone came on in the sixth inning and pitched two scoreless frames. He walked two and struck out two. Austin Bizzle pitched the top of the eighth and allowed a run on two hits and two walks to make the score 5-2 before rains came and ended the game a bit early. The top five hitters in the Twins lineup were 0-15 on the day, but in a weird box score irregularity, the entire lineup did not strike out once all game despite just five total hits and leaving only four men on base. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Fernando Romero, Chattanooga Lookouts (5.0IP, 2 H’s, BB, 5 K’s) Hitter of the Day – Kerby Camacho, GCL Twins (2-2, R, 2 2B’s, BB) WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Chattanooga @ Pensacola (6:35PM CST) - TBD Fort Myers @ Charlotte (5:35PM CST) – LHP Lewis Thorpe (2-2, 2.23 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ West Michigan (6:00PM CST) – LHP Domenick Carlini (3-6, 5.53 ERA) Elizabethton @ Burlington (6:00PM CST) – RHP Moises Gomez (0-0, 10.45 ERA) GCL Twins @ GCL Orioles (11:00AM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! Click here to view the article

If it were me, I'm keeping him. He's the best overall SS package they have in the entire organization at this point in my opinion. If he gets you Stroman or Archer, then I can see it more. But he also wouldn't be the only top prospect in those deals. This is not the deal I make this season. I use $$$ in the offseason for pitching, and not the young assets at AA currently on hand.

Yeah, then TWO umpires even moved closer behind the plate and into the TV shot to try and slow him down and he still threw early after that...

I believe this is what you're looking for: https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/hr_derby