Jeremy Nygaard

The biggest question coming into today's off day for the Twins was, "Who will fill the 25th spot on the roster?" I didn't believe we'd have an answer until tomorrow, but John broke the news this afternoon. Matt Carson is definitely deserving of another shot in the majors. The case could be made for Chris Parmelee, but part of me believes that leaving him in Rochester had more to do with helping the Red Wings fight for a playoff spot and keeping those in Rochester happy than it had to do with Carson being the more obvious choice. That can obviously be dated in other places on this site. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]The intrigue now is speculating how the Twins make room on their 40-man roster. It's far-fetched to think the team would DFA someone on their current roster (such as Jeff Gray) because that would require a corresponding move. ROCHESTER 2, INDIANAPOLIS 1 (10 innings) Box score Nothing but good things coming out of Rochester tonight. The win puts the Red Wings at 65-61 and, in the "hard to believe" category, puts the team at four games over .500 since May 14, 2009. They have clawed back to 3.5 games out of the Wild Card and possess an IL-best 28-16 record since July 1. Pedro Hernandez pitched seven strong innings, allowing only one run and striking out five. When the candidates for next year's rotation are discussed, Hernandez shouldn't be forgotten. Luis Perdomo picked up the win by pitching three innings of two-hit, shutout ball. Nishi, Clete Thomas and Eduardo Escobar all had multi-hit games. Thomas is 10-for-24 (.417) over his last six games. Escobar tripled after being in a six-game tailspin. Wilkin Ramirez's walk-off single was the Red Wings fifth of the year. NEW BRITAIN 1 , RICHMOND 3 Box score Andrew Albers was activated to make the start tonight. This is coming on the heels of the Rockcats using two of their "starters" in relief last night. With the addition of both David Bromberg and Luke French, though, there are other rotation options. There was no corresponding move announced, so I have the Rockcats roster at 26 for now. Albers pitched okay in his return, scattering nine hits over five innings. He allowed three runs. Matt Hauser and Edgar Ibarra combined to pitch four shutout innings. There wasn't a lot of offense for the Rockcats tonight. The team only combined for five hits (singles by Hanson, Colabello and Tosoni and doubles by Hicks and Romero) and one run (a Colabello RBI). Aaron Hicks stole his 28th base. FT. MYERS 7, JUPITER 12 Box score What a kick in the shorts tonight in Jupiter. The Miracle hung a seven on the Hammerheads in the top of the first, more run support than Carl Pavano would need in his rehab appearance. Unfortunately, they gave it all back - and more - when Pavano left the game. First, on Pavano: reports were that he was sitting in the mid-80s with his fastball. That isn't good. Pavano will want to continue trying to get back - and I'd bet the Twins will let him - but if you're holding the proverbial fork... well, I think you know where I'm going with this one. Anyway, Cole Nelson gave up five hits and four walks and didn't get anybody out. By the time the bleeding stopped, 11 runners had crossed the plate in the home half of the fourth and the Miracle bats went completely silent after that. Lance Ray had three hits (one double) and drove two in. Danny Santana, Levi Michael and Steve Liddle all had two hits. Jonathan Goncalves had a double and two RBI. BELOIT 5, WISCONSIN 6 Box score The comeback fell one run short in the ninth. Jason Wheeler didn't have his typical stuff - or at least get typical results. He only struck out three and gave up 10 hits in six innings. The bullpen duo of Steven Gruver and DJ Baxendale went three scoreless innings. Drew Leachman had three hits, including a double. Nate Roberts and Eddie Rosario each had two hits. Miguel Sano added a double. Jairo Rodriguez left the game, so backup catcher/in-game DH Matt Koch had to go behind the plate, making the pitcher's spot come up in the lineup. This, also known as "Gardy's Worst Nightmare", forced the team to use it's bench completely. ELIZABETHTON 7, BLUEFIELD 3 ELIZABETHTON 4, BLUEFIELD 6 Game 1 Game 2 The E-Twins split today, here's the most important things that happened in today's 14 innings: Byron Buxton's lone hit of the two games was a double. His average is down to .219. Max Kepler was pinch-hit for in Game 1, but came back with two hits (one double) in Game 2. Adam Walker hit another home run. Travis Harrison had a triple. Hudson Boyd pitched four solid innings, striking out three. Angel Mata got roughed-up, two hits and four walks in three innings. GCL TWINS 2, GCL RAYS 3 (10 innings) Box score Aussie Logan Wade's 2-run home run in the 8th gave the GCL Twins the lead. He also added a double. The bullpen blew it in extras. Dereck Rodriguez also doubled. Andre Martinez and Sam Gibbons both went four innings. Both struck out three and had WHIPs of 1. Melciades DeLaCruz gave up the tying run in the ninth and the winning run in the 10th. --- Players of the Day for Thursday, August 16, 2012 Pitcher of the Day – Pedro Hernandez bleacherreport Hitters of the Day – Lance Ray milb.com --- A Look Ahead – Friday, August 17, 2012 Schedule Rochester vs Indianapolis – RHP Liam Hendriks (9-2, 1.99) New Britain at Portland – TBA Fort Myers at Palm Beach – TBA Beloit vs Wisconsin – RHP Tyler Jones (3-4, 5.25) Elizabethton vs Kingsport – TBA GCL Twins at GCL Red Sox – TBA --- If you have any questions on the Twins minor league system, players, teams, etc., leave them in the Comments and we’ll try to answer them! Comments also welcome.

It was a quiet day in Twins World. No roster moves. Minimal injury (recover) news. But, as it is, no news is better than bad news. The Red Wings activated Anthony Slama before their game and intentionally didn’t pitch him, just to irritate the #FreeAnthonySlama crowd. If you're interested in checking out the organizational rosters and contracts, Brock and I have been working on a place where you can view it all. He calls it a "monster", for me it's more of an obsession... hopefully we can continue to tweak it for your viewing pleasure. And now, the news from a pretty successful Thursday: [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]ROCHESTER 5, EMPIRE STATE 2 Box score The Red Wings ended their 3-game losing streak to get back to over .500. (60-59) The rehab start of P.J. Walters didn’t go real well. He lasted only 2/3 of an inning and allowed two runs on four hits and a walk. He did strike out one. He left with the bases loaded. Esmerling Vasquez came in and recorded the third out before recording the next 22 outs! He was a little wild - walking four - but only allowed two hits and struck out seven. Vasquez would have been the scheduled starter, so he will stay on typical rest… and gave the Red Wings bullpen a much-needed rest. Daniel Turpen came in to record the save by getting the last two outs. He gave up a hit and struck out one. Eduardo Escobar led the offense with three hits, including a double. He scored twice and drove in a run. Rene Rivera had a double. Brian Dinkelman, Clete Thomas, Evan Bigley, Ray Chang and Pedro Florimon chipped in singles. Florimon, who missed the last seven games with a wrist injury, also drove in two runs. Earlier in the week, Florimon was named by Baseball America as having the best infield arm in the International League. Chris Parmelee went 0-for-4. Over the last four games, he is 2-for-14. NEW BRITAIN 4 , BINGHAMTON 6 Box score Logan Darnell had his longest outing in a month. That’s the positive. His 5 2/3 innings, though, weren’t spectacular. He allowed 11 hits and five runs. He walked three and only struck out one. Since his 8K performance on July 21st, he’s only struck out three in three starts (13 2/3 innings). Jose Gonzalez allowed a run in an inning and Dakota Watts pitched a scoreless 1 1/3 inning. Both struck out two. The Rock Cats offense collected ten hits. Unfortunately, nine of those were singles. Estarlin De Los Santos led the way with three. Rene Tosoni had two. Aaron Hicks, Chris Herrmann, Dan Rohlfing and Nate Hanson each had one single. Oswaldo Arcia had the lone double, but after taking a walk and have having a sac fly, raised his average to .320 by going 1-for-2. FT. MYERS 4, JUPITER 1 Box score Daniel Santana had three singles and a stolen base to lead the Miracle. Andy Leer and Angel Morales added two singles each. Danny Ortiz had a double. Danny Rams drove in two. Levi Michael was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the second inning. He had a hit and a stolen base in the first. Matt Summers cruised through Beloit, but has struggled a little bit since his promotion. His first three starts were pretty good, before struggling in his fourth start. His fifth start, today, he last 4 2/3 innings. He allowed seven hits and only one run. His peripherals were not as good: four walks (a high since his promotion) and one strikeout (tied his low since his promotion). A.J. Achter went 2 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out three. Michael Tonkin earned the save by recording the final five outs. He struck out three and gave up one hit. BELOIT 8, QUAD CITIES 3 Box score The Snappers scored eight runs on eight hits (all singles), thanks mostly to Quad Cities starter Dail Villenueva, who didn’t make it out of the first, walking four batters. Eddie Rosario can flat out hit. Though he hit 21 home runs last year, he doesn’t have great power. What he does have is extremely quick and powerful wrists. He’ll let the ball get deep into the zone (a la Denard Span) before swinging. Tonight, he added two more hits to his season total. Drew Leachman had two hits. Kennys Vargas and Stephen Wickens both drove in two runs. Miguel Sano was 1-for-3 with two walks. Jason Wheeler continues to impress. He completed five innings, allowing one run on six hits and two walks. He struck out two. He turned the game over to Tim Atherton, who pitched two innings. He gave up three walks and struck out two. Mason Melotakis only got two outs. He allowed a home run (two hits total) and walk. He struck out one. D.J. Baxendale came in with two on and two out and retired the batter he faced. He came back out in the ninth and allowed a run on two hits. He struck out one. ELIZABETHTON 4, JOHNSON CITY 3 Box score The E-Twins held on to win their second straight after dropping three consecutive (over six games). Byron Buxton’s second night under the lights wasn’t nearing as good as his first. He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. Bo Altobelli was 4-for-4 with a run. Travis Harrison had two hits (one triple). Adam Walker hit his 12th home run. Candido Pimentel and Max Kepler also added two hits each. Harrison committed his 20th error. Elizabethton got strong outings from their pitchers. Hudson Boyd went four strong, allowing four hits and an unearned run. He struck out two. Josh Burris pitched two perfect innings in relief. Andrew Ferreira allowed a walk and struck out two in two innings. Tyler Herr picked up the save, but not before allowing three hits and a walk in an inning. He entered with a three-run lead and needed every one of them. GCL TWINS 4, GCL ORIOLES 6 Box score The Twins got one early, but even with a 7th-inning rally, one bad inning was too much to come back from. Joel Licon has had a very solid pro debut. Batting leadoff, he had two hits. Will Hurt has slowly started to rebound from a very slow start. He added two hits today, but is still looking for his first extra-base hit. Dereck Rodriguez, Logan Wade and B.K. Santy all added singles. Andre Martinez walked five and allowed five hits over six innings. The six runs earned him his first decision – a loss. He struck out two. Markus Solbach pitched a scoreless final two frames. He allowed three hits and struck out two. --- Players of the Day for Thursday, August 9, 2012 Hitters of the Day – Eduardo Escobar picasaweb.google.com Pitcher of the Day – Esmerling Vasquez --- A Look Ahead – Friday, August 10, 2012 Schedule Rochester vs Pawtucket – RHP Eric Hurley (0-0, 11.25) New Britain vs Reading – LHP Blake Martin (3-5, 4.68) St. Lucie at Fort Myers – LHP Cole Nelson (5-4, 5.43) Beloit at Quad Cities – LHP David Hurlbut (5-5, 2.69) Elizabethton at Bristol – RHP Angel Mata (3-2, 2.70) GCL Twins vs GCL Red Sox – TBA --- If you have any questions on the Twins minor league system, players, teams, etc., leave them in the Comments and we’ll try to answer them! Comments also welcome.

Sunday was an interesting day in the world of Twins baseball. The Twins had a chance to complete a 4-game sweep in Fenway Park. Josh Willingham and Ryan Doumit both homered in the ninth to make it interesting, but the rally fell short. At one point early in the game I overheard Dick Bremer announce that Danny Valencia had been traded to the Red Sox. I can't say I was surprised that he was traded, though the timing - with Plouffe being hurt - did catch me off guard. Read more about the Valencia trade here. The return on Danny V. was a young - but not "league young" - outfielder named Jeremias Pineda. Pineda will report to the GCL as a 21 year old, sometime typically reserved for current-year, late-round college draft picks, not international free agents, with the belief he'll have a chance to play low-A (Beloit?) ball next year. Pineda's route to pro ball isn't typical, signing as a 20-year old. You want more Pineda? Look here. The next domino today was the announcement that Tsuyoshi Nishioka would take Valencia's spot on the active roster. Nishi's recall is the result of many things: the Twins want Eduardo Escobar to get AAA at-bats, not having a lot of other alternatives and the fact the Nishi is on the major league payroll anyway, to name a few. Maybe you're into conspiracies and think that the Twins are calling him up to simply sit on the bench and never play, hoping to drive him to the point we're he'll take a buyout to go to Japan. However you look at it though, he's back. And you can talk about it here. Seth, Travis and Jim Crikket took in today's Snapper action before heading back to Southern Canada, Northern Mexico and Cornfield, USA, respectively. Fortunately for them, they got to see some neat things today, which you'll be able to read below as well as in Seth's column later. If you're late to the dance and missed Seth's earlier posts about the weekend, find those threads here and here... and here. If you're even considering taking in a Snappers game or two, do it. I've done it every year for the last four (or five) and twice this year and enjoy each trip more than the last. If you're considering traveling all over the U.S. to watch Twins affiliates, you can read all about sbknudson's "Kick-Ass Trip" here. Let's move on and talk about Sunday's action: ROCHESTER x, TOLEDO x Box score The Red Wings didn't play a double-header. If they did, they would have only played 14 innings. Instead, thanks to a Chris Parmelee game-tying ninth-inning home run, the Red Wings played a really long extra-innings game today. I thought it was going to end in the 18th, when Deolis Guerra put runners on 1st and 3rd with no out. But then he struck out three batters (around an intentional walk) to end the threat. The 19th inning saw a two-out barrage started by a Clete Thomas single and followed by a double off of the bat of Evan Bigley to score Thomas. Brian Dinkelman added to the two-out assault with a single to score Bigley. Ray Chang added another insurance run with a double. Guerra gave up a two-out two-run home run in the bottom of the 19th but was able to escape with the win. The Red Wings dodged a bullet when Saturday's game was called early and only rehabbing P.J. Walters and typical starter Esmerling Vasquez had to throw. Unfortunately tonight they had to use all of their bullpen: Luke French (3.1 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 5 K), Dan Turpen (2 IP, 2 H, R, 2 BB, 3 K), Kyle Waldrip (2.1 IP, 2 H, K), Caleb Thielbar (3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K), Bobby Lanigan (3 IP, H, BB, K) and Deolis Guerra (3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 K) That followed up the dismal (and maybe last?) start by Eric Hurley (2.1 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, BB). The positive spin is that the bullpen combined to go 16 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (with 11 hits and 11 walks) and struck out 19. Offensively, there were many hits. Of course, in 19 innings, there should be. Chris Parmelee continued his tear. He hit his 12th HR in 40 games, a game-tying shot in the 9th. He also added a double. Eduardo Escobar hit his first HR of the year and his first in AAA. Wilkin Ramirez, Matt Carson and Ray Chang all went 4-for-9. Escobar, Bigley and Parmelee had three hits. Brian Dinkelman led the team with three RBI. Bobby Lanigan was the lone Wing who had less than 2 hits, going 0-for-7. You wonder if this is going to leave the Red Wings scrambling to add arms for their upcoming series. NEW BRITAIN 13 , ALTOONA 4 Box score The Rock Cats had a very good game today against a very good pitching prospect. Oswaldo Arcia and Joe Benson each had three hits and 2011 #1 overall pick Gerrit Cole didn't make it out of the fifth inning. Benson went 3-for-5 with a home run and a double, driving in five and scoring three times. Arcia also scored three times, doubling once. One-time prospect Deibinson Romero is clawing his way back into the discussion. He hit his 16th home run of the year and drove in four runs. Aaron Hicks was only 1-for-5, but stole three bases... and struck out three times. He also left four runners in scoring position. Chris Colabello and Shawn Roof added doubles. B.J. Hermsen went six solid innings, allowing four hits and three runs. He walked one. He didn't strike out any, and that's why his ceiling is that of an innings-eating back-of-the-rotation-starter. A much cheapter alternative to Nick Blackburn. Marty Popham gave up two hits in two innings, striking out three. Edgar Ibarra allowed a home run in an inning of work. FT. MYERS 1, ST. LUCIE 9 Box score There's not a lot of positive coming out of this game today. Steven Liddle, Danny Rams, Kyle Knudson and Angel Morales each collected singles. Rams had an RBI. That's it offensively. Tom Stuifbergen had a rough outing. He only lasted four innings giving up eight hits and five runs. He struck out four while walking two. Ryan O'Rourke had a forgettable game. He lasted 2 2/3 but gave up six hits and four runs. Ricky Bowen gave up two hits in 1 1/3 innings, striking out one. BELOIT 8, WISCONSIN 2 Box score David Hurlbut gave the Snappers their third consecutive dominant performance from a starting pitcher. Hurlbut allowed only two hits, two walks and a run over six innings while striking out five. Tim Atherton faced the minimum six batter in two innings, walking one and striking out two before giving way to Mason Melotakis, who allowed a home run in the ninth. Miguel Sano was the story offensively. He hit a long home run in his first at-bat, walked and singled in his next two at-bats before flying out in his last at-bat. J.D. Williams, who struggles putting wood on the ball, got serious wood on the ball with the bases loaded, hitting a grand slam to right field. He also stole a base after singleing. Drew Leachman added two hits. Nate Roberts went hitless, but reached base after getting hit. ELIZABETHTON vs DANVILLE - POSTPONED GCL TWINS - OFF DAY --- Players of the Day for Sunday, August 5, 2012 Pitcher of the Day – David Hurlbut milb.com - Rinaldi Photos Hitters of the Day – Joe Benson --- A Look Ahead – Monday, August 6, 2012 Schedule Rochester vs Empire State – LHP Pedro Hernandez (Twins Debut) New Britain - OFF Ft. Myers - OFF Beloit vs Wisconsin – LHP Taylor Rogers (0-1, 6.00) Elizabethton vs Danville (game 1) – LHP Hein Robb (2-2, 2.81) Elizabethton vs Danville (game 2) – TBA GCL Twins at GCL Rays – TBA --- If you have any questions on the Twins minor league system, players, teams, etc., leave them in the Comments and we’ll try to answer them! Comments also welcome.

NOTES: The data below is based on what I know or think I know. It may not be 100% accurate. Rule V and MiL FA are estimations and will be corrected as the dates approach. The "+c" designation reflects the total amount of innings the pitcher threw in his final college season plus his initial professional season. If you see something wrong, or have a question, please post in the comments. - Jeremy [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] [TABLE=class: datatable, width: 800, align: center] [TR=bgcolor: #ff0000] [/TR] [TR=bgcolor: #ff0000] [TD=class: chead, align: center]Pos [/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]Active Roster[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]Service[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]2012[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]2013[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]2014[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]D.O.B.[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]OPT'S[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]RULE V[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]FA after[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]ACQUIRED[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]BONUS[/TD] [/TR] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]C[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Joe Mauer[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]8.000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$23,025,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$23,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$23,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]04/19/83[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]NA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (01-1)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$4,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]1B[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Justin Morneau[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]7.168[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$14,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$14,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]05/15/81[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]NA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2013[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (99-3)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$290,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]SP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Carl Pavano[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]13.161[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$8,500,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]01/08/76[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]NA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2012[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Trade (Cle)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]LF[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Josh Willingham[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]6.123[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$7,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$7,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$7,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]02/17/79[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]NA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2014[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]FA (12)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]SP [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Scott Baker[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]5.124[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$6,500,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm orangebg, bgcolor: #FFCC99, align: center]$ -[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]09/19/81[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]NA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2013[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (03-2)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$600,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]SP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Nick Blackburn[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]4.017[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$4,750,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$5,500,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm orangebg, bgcolor: #FFCC99, align: center]$ -[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]02/24/82[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]10, 12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]ELIG[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2014[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (01-29)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]RP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Matt Capps[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]6.017[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$4,500,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm orangebg, bgcolor: #FFCC99, align: center]$250,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]09/03/83[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]NA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2013[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Trade (Was)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]CF[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Denard Span[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]3.111[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$3,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$4,750,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$6,500,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]02/27/84[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]09, 10[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2015[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (02-1)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$1,700,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]DH/C[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Ryan Doumit[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]6.120[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$3,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$3,500,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$3,500,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]04/03/81[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]NA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2014[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]FA (12)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]INF[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Jamey Carroll[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]9.020[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$2,750,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$3,750,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm orangebg, bgcolor: #FFCC99, align: center]$250,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]02/18/74[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]NA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2014[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]FA (12)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]LRP [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Glen Perkins[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]4.010[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$1,550,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$2,500,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$3,750,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]03/02/83[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]OUT[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2016[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (04-1)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$1,425,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2B/SS[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Alexi Casilla[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]4.038[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$1,382,500[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm greenbg, bgcolor: #CCFFCC, align: center]ARB 3[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]07/20/84[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]OUT[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2013[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Trade (LAA)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]RP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Jared Burton[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]4.014[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$750,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm greenbg, bgcolor: #CCFFCC, align: center]ARB3[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]05/02/81[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]OUT[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2013[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]MiL FA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]LP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Brian Duensing[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2.104[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$515,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm greenbg, bgcolor: #CCFFCC, align: center]ARB1[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm greenbg, bgcolor: #CCFFCC, align: center]ARB2[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]02/22/83[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]09[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2015[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (05-3)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$400,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]RP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Alex Burnett[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]1.126[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$490,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm greenbg, bgcolor: #CCFFCC, align: center]ARB1[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm greenbg, bgcolor: #CCFFCC, align: center]ARB2[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]07/26/87[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]10, 11[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2015[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (05-12)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]RP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Anthony Swarzak[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]1.038[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$487,500[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm greenbg, bgcolor: #CCFFCC, align: center]ARB1[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]09/10/85[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]OUT[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2016[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (04-2)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$580,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]3B[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Trevor Plouffe[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.162[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$485,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm greenbg, bgcolor: #CCFFCC, align: center]SUPER 2?[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]06/15/86[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]OUT[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2017[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (04-1)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$1,500,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]C[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Drew Butera[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2.000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$414,300[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm greenbg, bgcolor: #CCFFCC, align: center]SUPER 2?[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm greenbg, bgcolor: #CCFFCC, align: center]ARB1[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]08/09/83[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]09, 12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2016[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Trade (NYM)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]RF/CF[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Ben Revere[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.167[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$402,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm greenbg, bgcolor: #CCFFCC, align: center]SUPER 2?[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]05/03/88[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]11, 12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2017[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (07-1)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$750,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]LSP [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Scott Diamond[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.034[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$398,700[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]07/30/86[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]11, 12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Rule V (ATL)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]SP [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]P.J. Walters[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.095[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$390,800[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]03/12/85[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]OUT[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2017[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]MiL FA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]OF [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Darin Mastroianni[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.002[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$390,800[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]08/26/85[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]11, 12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]waivers (Tor) [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]RP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Jeff Gray[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]1.112[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$384,300[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]11/19/81[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]OUT[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]ELIG[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2012[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]waivers (SEA)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]RP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Kyle Waldrop[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.024[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$296,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]10/27/85[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (04-1)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$1,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]SP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Cole De Vries[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$291,100[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]02/12/85[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]NDFA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]1B/RF[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Chris Parmelee[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.023[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$288,500[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]02/24/88[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]11, 12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (06-1)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$1,500,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]LRP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Tyler Robertson[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$270,200[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]10/23/87[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (06-3)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$405,500[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]SS [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Brian Dozier[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$262,300[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]05/15/87[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (09-8)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$30,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]RP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Casey Fien[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.052[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$246,600[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]10/21/83[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]09, 10[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]MiL FA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]SP [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Liam Hendriks[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.023[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$246,600[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]02/10/89[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]I-FA (2/07)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$170,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]SP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Sam Deduno[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.049[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$241,300[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]07/02/83[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]OUT[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]MiL FA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]SS[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Pedro Florimon, Jr.[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.023[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$136,400[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]12/10/86[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]10, 11[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]waivers[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]P[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Jeff Manship[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.144[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$128,500[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]01/16/85[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]LAST[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2017[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (06-14)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$300,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]P[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Luis Perdomo[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]1.004[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$123,200[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]04/27/84[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2017[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]MiL FA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]RF [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Matt Carson[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.111[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$115,400[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]07/01/81[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]MiL FA [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]LP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Matt Maloney[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]1.031[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$94,900[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm redtxt, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]01/16/84[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]OUT[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]ELIG[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2012[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]MiL FA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]1B/3B[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Sean Burroughs[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]4.092[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$83,200[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm redtxt, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]09/12/80[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]OUT[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]ELIG[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2012[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]MiL FA[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]CF[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Clete Thomas[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]1.027[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$78,700[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]11/14/83[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]OUT[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]ELIG[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2012[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]waivers[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]RP [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Esmerling Vasquez[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2.066[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$76,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm greenbg, bgcolor: #CCFFCC, align: center]ARB1[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]11/07/83[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]OUT[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2016 [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]waivers[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]- [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]SS[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Eduardo Escobar[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.027[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$70,800[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]01/05/89[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]11, 12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Trade (CWS)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]C/LF[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Chris Herrmann[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$44,600[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]11/24/87[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (09-6)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$135,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]RP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Lester Oliveros[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.063[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$5,200[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]05/28/88[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]11, 12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Trade (DET)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]CF[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Joe Benson[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.023[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]03/05/88[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]11, 12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (06-2)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$575,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]LSP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Pedro Hernandez[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]04/12/89[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Trade (CWS)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]RP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Deolis Guerra[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]04/17/89[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]LAST[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Trade (NYM)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]-[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]RP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Carlos Gutierrez[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]09/22/86[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Draft (08-1)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$1,780,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]RF[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Oswaldo Arcia[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]0.000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center][/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]05/09/91[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]12[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm gray, align: center]INEL [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]I-FA (7/07)[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [/TABLE] [TABLE=class: datatable, width: 800, align: center] [TR=bgcolor: #ff0000] [/TR] [TR=bgcolor: #ff0000] [TD=class: chead, align: center]Pos[/TD] [TD=class: ctotal, colspan: 2, align: center]Other obligations[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]2012[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]2013[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]2014[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]2015[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]2016[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]2017[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]2018[/TD] [TD=class: chead, align: center]2019[/TD] [/TR] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]C[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, colspan: 2, align: center]Joe Mauer[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$23,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$23,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$23,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$23,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]LRP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, colspan: 2, align: center]Glen Perkins[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$3,750,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm orangebg, bgcolor: #FFCC99, align: center]$300,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]CF[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, colspan: 2, align: center]Denard Span[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm orangebg, bgcolor: #FFCC99, align: center]$500,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]LSP[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, colspan: 2, align: center]Francisco Liriano[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$3,426,200[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]INF[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, colspan: 2, align: center]Tsuyoshi Nishioka[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$3,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]P[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, colspan: 2, align: center]Jason Marquis[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$2,651,100[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]P[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, colspan: 2, align: center]Joel Zumaya[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$850,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]3B[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, colspan: 2, align: center]Danny Valencia[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]$121,000[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center] [/TD] [TR=bgcolor: #ff0000] [TD=class: ctotal, colspan: 3]TOTAL[/TD] [TD=class: chead, bgcolor: #ff0000]$98,213,700[/TD] [TD=class: chead, bgcolor: #ff0000]$64,250,000[/TD] [TD=class: chead, bgcolor: #ff0000]$44,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: chead, bgcolor: #ff0000]$27,250,000[/TD] [TD=class: chead, bgcolor: #ff0000]$23,300,000[/TD] [TD=class: chead, bgcolor: #ff0000]$23,000,000[/TD] [TD=class: chead, bgcolor: #ff0000]$23,000,000[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE=class: datatable, width: 400, align: center] [TD=class: cnorm, align: center]Legend[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm yellowbg, bgcolor: #FFFFCC, align: center]Team Control[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm greenbg, bgcolor: #CCFFCC, align: center]Arbitration[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm orangebg, bgcolor: #FFCC99, align: center]Option Year[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm oldbg, bgcolor: #E77471, align: center]Old for Roster[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm youngbg, bgcolor: #6AFB92, align: center]Young for Roster[/TD] [TD=class: cnorm addbg, bgcolor: #893BFF, align: center]40-man add[/TD] [/TABLE]

Sunday was an interesting day in the world of Twins baseball. The Twins had a chance to complete a 4-game sweep in Fenway Park. Josh Willingham and Ryan Doumit both homered in the ninth to make it interesting, but the rally fell short. At one point early in the game I overheard Dick Bremer announce that Danny Valencia had been traded to the Red Sox. I can't say I was surprised that he was traded, though the timing - with Plouffe being hurt - did catch me off guard. Read more about the Valencia trade here. Ee[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The return on Danny V. was a young - but not "league young" - outfielder named Jeremias Pineda. Pineda will report to the GCL as a 21 year old, sometime typically reserved for current-year, late-round college draft picks, not international free agents, with the belief he'll have a chance to play low-A (Beloit?) ball next year. Pineda's route to pro ball isn't typical, signing as a 20-year old. You want more Pineda? Look here. The next domino today was the announcement that Tsuyoshi Nishioka would take Valencia's spot on the active roster. Nishi's recall is the result of many things: the Twins want Eduardo Escobar to get AAA at-bats, not having a lot of other alternatives and the fact the Nishi is on the major league payroll anyway, to name a few. Maybe you're into conspiracies and think that the Twins are calling him up to simply sit on the bench and never play, hoping to drive him to the point we're he'll take a buyout to go to Japan. However you look at it though, he's back. And you can talk about it here. Seth, Travis and Jim Crikket took in today's Snapper action before heading back to Southern Canada, Northern Mexico and Cornfield, USA, respectively. Fortunately for them, they got to see some neat things today, which you'll be able to read below as well as in Seth's column later. If you're late to the dance and missed Seth's earlier posts about the weekend, find those threads here and here... and here. If you're even considering taking in a Snappers game or two, do it. I've done it every year for the last four (or five) and twice this year and enjoy each trip more than the last. If you're considering traveling all over the U.S. to watch Twins affiliates, you can read all about sbknudson's "Kick-Ass Trip" here. Let's move on and talk about Sunday's action: ROCHESTER x, TOLEDO x Box score The Red Wings didn't play a double-header. If they did, they would have only played 14 innings. Instead, thanks to a Chris Parmelee game-tying ninth-inning home run, the Red Wings played a really long extra-innings game today. I thought it was going to end in the 18th, when Deolis Guerra put runners on 1st and 3rd with no out. But then he struck out three batters (around an intentional walk) to end the threat. The 19th inning saw a two-out barrage started by a Clete Thomas single and followed by a double off of the bat of Evan Bigley to score Thomas. Brian Dinkelman added to the two-out assault with a single to score Bigley. Ray Chang added another insurance run with a double. Guerra gave up a two-out two-run home run in the bottom of the 19th but was able to escape with the win. The Red Wings dodged a bullet when Saturday's game was called early and only rehabbing P.J. Walters and typical starter Esmerling Vasquez had to throw. Unfortunately tonight they had to use all of their bullpen: Luke French (3.1 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 5 K), Dan Turpen (2 IP, 2 H, R, 2 BB, 3 K), Kyle Waldrip (2.1 IP, 2 H, K), Caleb Thielbar (3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K), Bobby Lanigan (3 IP, H, BB, K) and Deolis Guerra (3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 K) That followed up the dismal (and maybe last?) start by Eric Hurley (2.1 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, BB). The positive spin is that the bullpen combined to go 16 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (with 11 hits and 11 walks) and struck out 19. Offensively, there were many hits. Of course, in 19 innings, there should be. Chris Parmelee continued his tear. He hit his 12th HR in 40 games, a game-tying shot in the 9th. He also added a double. Eduardo Escobar hit his first HR of the year and his first in AAA. Wilkin Ramirez, Matt Carson and Ray Chang all went 4-for-9. Escobar, Bigley and Parmelee had three hits. Brian Dinkelman led the team with three RBI. Danny Lehmann was the lone Wing who had less than 2 hits, going 0-for-7. You wonder if this is going to leave the Red Wings scrambling to add arms for their upcoming series. NEW BRITAIN 13 , ALTOONA 4 Box score The Rock Cats had a very good game today against a very good pitching prospect. Oswaldo Arcia and Joe Benson each had three hits and 2011 #1 overall pick Gerrit Cole didn't make it out of the fifth inning. Benson went 3-for-5 with a home run and a double, driving in five and scoring three times. Arcia also scored three times, doubling once. One-time prospect Deibinson Romero is clawing his way back into the discussion. He hit his 16th home run of the year and drove in four runs. Aaron Hicks was only 1-for-5, but stole three bases... and struck out three times. He also left four runners in scoring position. Chris Colabello and Shawn Roof added doubles. B.J. Hermsen went six solid innings, allowing four hits and three runs. He walked one. He didn't strike out any, and that's why his ceiling is that of an innings-eating back-of-the-rotation-starter. A much cheapter alternative to Nick Blackburn. Marty Popham gave up two hits in two innings, striking out three. Edgar Ibarra allowed a home run in an inning of work. FT. MYERS 1, ST. LUCIE 9 Box score There's not a lot of positive coming out of this game today. Steven Liddle, Danny Rams, Kyle Knudson and Angel Morales each collected singles. Rams had an RBI. That's it offensively. Tom Stuifbergen had a rough outing. He only lasted four innings giving up eight hits and five runs. He struck out four while walking two. Ryan O'Rourke had a forgettable game. He lasted 2 2/3 but gave up six hits and four runs. Ricky Bowen gave up two hits in 1 1/3 innings, striking out one. BELOIT 8, WISCONSIN 2 Box score David Hurlbut gave the Snappers their third consecutive dominant performance from a starting pitcher. Hurlbut allowed only two hits, two walks and a run over six innings while striking out five. Tim Atherton faced the minimum six batter in two innings, walking one and striking out two before giving way to Mason Melotakis, who allowed a home run in the ninth. Miguel Sano was the story offensively. He hit a long home run in his first at-bat, walked and singled in his next two at-bats before flying out in his last at-bat. J.D. Williams, who struggles putting wood on the ball, got serious wood on the ball with the bases loaded, hitting a grand slam to right field. He also stole a base after singleing. Drew Leachman added two hits. Nate Roberts went hitless, but reached base after getting hit. ELIZABETHTON vs DANVILLE - POSTPONED GCL TWINS - OFF DAY --- Players of the Day for Sunday, August 5, 2012 Pitcher of the Day – David Hurlbut milb.com - Rinaldi Photos Hitters of the Day – Joe Benson --- A Look Ahead – Monday, August 6, 2012 Schedule Rochester vs Empire State – LHP Pedro Hernandez (Twins Debut) New Britain - OFF Ft. Myers - OFF Beloit vs Wisconsin – LHP Taylor Rogers (0-1, 6.00) Elizabethton vs Danville (game 1) – LHP Hein Robb (2-2, 2.81) Elizabethton vs Danville (game 2) – TBA GCL Twins at GCL Rays – TBA --- If you have any questions on the Twins minor league system, players, teams, etc., leave them in the Comments and we’ll try to answer them! Comments also welcome.

Samuel Deduno and his effective wildness (101 pitches, 50 strikes) held the Red Sox scoreless over six innings. The bullpen finished it out and the Twins offense provided 5 runs to complete their first shutout of the Red Sox in Fenway in almost 16 years. In what had been speculated for months and basically confirmed by Terry Ryan on Sunday, 2010 1st round pick, Alex Wimmers, had surgery today to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, better known as “Tommy John Surgery”. Ironically, Kyle Gibson, who had the surgery himself about eleven months ago is working his way back and is throwing it in the mid-90s. True, both players lost a year of development, but elbow surgery isn’t the “kiss of death” that it used to be.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] As I promised a few weeks ago, I posted my edition of the Top 50 Prospects in the Twins system. There is a lot of good debate that follows it up. I would encourage you to use what you've read on these daily updates to form your own Top Howevermanyyou'recomfortabledoing List. I'm excited to be joining Seth and Travis tomorrow and Saturday in Beloit. Hopefully we'll have something insightful to offer you after the weekend is over. And now, Thursday’s action: ROCHESTER 4, TOLEDO 1 Box score Liam Hendriks continues to tease with his dominance in AAA. Seven innings, seven strikeouts, no walks, four hits, one run. His last outing – which was brutal – was quickly forgotten with this phenomenal start. Kyle Waldrop picked up his fourth save by pitching two scoreless innings. Chris Parmelee continues to mash. After hitting a home run tonight, he has six in his last seven games. Evan Bigley hit his first AAA home run. Rene Rivera added a triple. All other starters added a hit except for newcomer Eduardo Escobar, who followed up a 3-hit game by going 0-for-5. Pedro Hernandez, the other half of the Liriano trade, will be making his Wings debut on Monday. NEW BRITAIN 3 , BOWIE 5 Box score All of the Rock Cats offense came from three bats: Chris Colabello, Deibinson Romero and Dan Rohlfing. Colabello, who also doubled, and Romero, who had three hits and a walk, hit back-to-back home runs in the 4th inning. Rohlfing went 2-for-4 with a double. The “Big 3” of Aaron Hicks, Joe Benson and Oswaldo Arcia combined to go 0-for-12 with 5 strikeouts. Steven Hirschfeld went five innings. He allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits. He walked four and struck out two. The bullpen of Matt Hauser (2 IP) and Dakota Watts (1 IP) each allowed two hits. Hauser allowed a run, walked one batter and also struck one out. FT. MYERS 2, DAYTONA 8 Box score Josmil Pinto’s solo HR in the second inning tied the game. That was tonight’s highlight. Lance Ray had a double. Anderson Hidalgo and Andy Leer added singles. Pat Dean gave up three longballs over five innings. He didn’t strike out any. A walk and seven hits resulted in six runs. Nelvin Fuentes continued his streak of giving up runs while striking out a lot of batters. Tonight it was two runs, three strikeouts, two innings. Ricky Bowen struck out one in an inning. BELOIT 5, KANE COUNTY 7 Box score It definitely wasn’t “Pretty at Pohlman Field” night in Beloit. And that has very little to do with the fact Seth was in attendance. The Snappers did make a charge in the end, but it was too little, too late. Tyler Jones struggled through four innings. He allowed eight hits, a walk and threw a wild pitch. He allowed six runs (five earned) while only striking out one. He was replaced by Steven Gruver, who had another strong relief performance allowing only one hit in three innings. Corey Williams allowed a run on three hits in two innings. Down six entering the home half of the ninth, the Snappers loaded the bases with walk, walk, single and no outs. After Wang-Wei Lin struck out for the first out, Eddie Rosario singled in two runs. Miguel Sano walked and Kennys Vargas followed that up with a two-run single. The tying runner is on first with one out. Unfortunately, Drew Leachman and then Stephen Wickens flew out to end the game. Rosario (one double) and Vargas both had two hits and drove in two runs. Sano had a double as well. The team batted 3-for-18 with runners in scoring position. ELIZABETHTON 5, BURLINGTON 15 Box score “The South has always been dirty, but this is getting ugly.” – Bubba Sparxxx Looking closely at this game, the song “Ugly” started playing in my head. It’s not a good song; and this wasn’t a good game. I won’t be offended if you choose to not read this recap. Hudson Boyd, who, coincidentally, has a similar body build to Bubba Sparxxx, had his second consecutive bad outing. He lasted only 3 1/3 innings, surrendering nine hits, three runs and two walks. He struck out two, but also allowed two home runs, including one to Byron Buxton-ish super-athlete Bubba Starling. Kaleb Merck, who called draft day a “terrible day”, probably has worse things to say about today’s outing. He got three outs, but not before giving up five runs (all earned). Andrew Ferreira struck out three in 1 2/3 innings and didn’t allow any runs. Travis Huber, however, allowed six runs in 1 2/3 innings. As if that wasn’t quite enough, Travis Huber surrendered another run while pitching 1 1/3 innings. 15 runs on 27 hits. “Ugly, ugly, ugly… uh oh” The batters weren’t their typical selves, not that it would have mattered. Niko Goodrum had three hits. Jhonatan Arias had a two hits (one double). Josh Hendricks had a double and Max Kepler drove in two. And, in one last example of ugly, all of the Burlington batters had multiple hits. The 8- and 9- hitters each had four. GCL TWINS 0, GCL ORIOLES 8 Box score There’s really not much good to say about this game today, so there isn’t going to be much said at all. Javier Pimentel and B.K. Santy each had doubles. Jose Ramirez and Kelvin Ortiz added singles. Byron Buxton went 0-for-4 and committed an error in the 7th that helped lead to four unearned runs. Sam Gibbons had three strong innings. He allowed a run, striking out three. Hung Yi Chen struck out two over two. Markus Solbach allowed five runs (one earned) in two innings. Carson Goldsmith allowed two runs in two innings. --- Players of the Day for Thursday, August 2, 2012 Hitters of the Day – Deibinson Romero www.knuckleballs.com Pitcher of the Day – Liam Hendriks www.thelcn.com --- A Look Ahead – Friday, August 3, 2012 Schedule Rochester at Toledo – RHP Shairon Martis (1-1, 7.88) New Britain vs Altoona – LHP Aaron Thompson (3-6, 5.81) Ft. Myers at St. Lucie – RHP Matt Summers (1-1, 3.60) Beloit vs Kane County – LHP Matt Tomshaw (2-2, 3.73) Elizabethton at Bristol – RHP Angel Mata (3-1, 2.29) GCL Twins vs GCL Orioles – TBA --- If you have any questions on the Twins minor league system, players, teams, etc., leave them in the Comments and we’ll try to answer them! Comments also welcome.

One of my favorite days of the year is the day I open my mailbox and see a cardboard box just big enough to hold the Baseball America Prospect Handbook. The first thing I do is read each of the 30 capsules about the Twins prospects. Then I proceed to read each of the other 870 reports in the book, usually a few times. This year they added a new feature: the BA Grade along with the Risk Factor. Essentially, it makes it possible to compare all 900 prospects. If you want a general idea of where Miguel Sano would rank in the Rangers system, you take his grade (70/high) and find where that would fit (below all the other 70s – only Profar at #1 – and higher than all the other “high risks” – Leonys Martin at #4). He would slot in somewhere between Profar and Martin, most likely in between Martin Perez (65/medium) and Mike Olt (60/medium).[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] They have an in-depth explanation of the BA Grades as well as the Risk Factors, but I’m going to tell you how I interpret it and how I use it to rank the Twins prospects. (Note these are my grades and risks, not BA’s.) All players are ranked on the 20-80 scale. This number would indicate a player’s ceiling. 80 – Once-in-a-Lifetime prospects. These are your Bryce Harpers, Josh Hamiltons, Ken Griffey Jrs… and not much in between. 75 – These are your franchise players and Ace starters. They’re out there… and the Twins have one (Joe Mauer) and traded one (Johan Santana), though Santana wouldn’t rank here anymore. 70 – The guys you expect to hear named to the All-Star game every year. When Justin Morneau was in his prime, he fits here. Staff aces, but not necessarily true “aces”. 65 – These would be your top-of-the-rotation starters and borderline all-stars. When Michael Cuddyer was keeping the Twins together last year, I would place him here; most of the time though, he’s a… 60 – “First-division regulars” (Denard Span), “middle-of-the-rotation starters” (lacks a second plus-pitch), or stud closers. 55 – Guys that look like they could be first-division regulars but lack a tool or two (Ben Revere) or a pitcher that doesn’t have it together all the time. 50 – This is where most players fit – second-division regulars, 8th inning set-up guys or your best #4 pitchers. 45 – These would be platoon or utility guys (Jamey Carroll) or #4/5 starters (who can eat innings), middle relievers. 40 – This is where your #5 starters go, back-up position players or relief specialists. 35 – Long-relief/low-leverage relief pitchers or situation position players (defensive replacement, pinch runner, pinch hitter). 30 – AAA players and I hope not to rank any guys here. As far as the Risk Factor goes, it’s pretty simple. “Safe” means the player is at their ceiling and ready to contribute. “Low” means that the big leagues is in their future and they’re very close to their ceiling. “Medium” means that the tools are there, but this is an achievable gap between tools and MLB skills. “High” means there is still lots of projection. “Extreme” means professional baseball is new or there is a significant injury to overcome. Similar to how things are in the Prospect Handbook, not all players with the same number are ranked together. Likewise, players with the same risk aren’t necessarily ranked together. BA’s preseason #2 Twins prospect, Joe Benson, is a 55/medium. Max Kepler, also a 55, is ranked #20 due his risk being “extreme”. Their ceiling is similar, but their “floors” are much different. Kepler is also ranked below a number of players with a lower ceiling. Why? Because their risk factor is much less. The numbers mentioned above are purely for the purpose of examples. My rankings/grades may be much different, but at least you get the idea. I am not including players that won’t be considered a prospect at year’s end (or that I don’t think will), such as Chris Parmelee, Liam Hendriks, Brian Dozier and Eduardo Escobar. I’ve also included, in parenthesis, my pre-season ranking, if they were in the Top 10. Only Liam Hendriks, who ranked #6 on my preseason list, has graduated off. This is a Top 50 and I waited until after the deadline to include players that were acquired… but I wanted Albers at 50, so it’s going to be a Top 50 plus 1 to include Pedro Hernandez #41-50 50. Andrew Albers, LP, 35/Medium, 10/6/85 49. Josh Burris, P, 45/Extreme, 11/28/91 48. Caleb Thielbar, LRP, 40/Medium, 1/31/87 47. Evan Bigley, OF, 40/Medium, 3/9/87 46. Deolis Guerra, RP, 40/High, 4/17/89 45. Austin Malinowski, LSP, 45/Extreme, 11/30/92 44. Romy Jimenez, OF, 45/Extreme, 5/14/91 43. Jorge Polanco, SS, 45/Extreme, 7/5/93 42. Angel Mata, SP, 45/Extreme, 12/3/92 41. Nate Roberts, OF, 45/High, 2/25/89 Of note: If Polanco shows he can hit, he will move back up prospect lists thanks to his defensive prowess. Jimenez has had a great month or so, but hasn't played much otherwise. Roberts has a knack for getting on base, but will have to stay healthy to show other tools are playable. #31-40 40. Tyler Duffey, P, 45/High, 12/27/90 39. Javier Pimentel, SS, 50/Extreme, 3/13/94 38. Miguel Gonzalez, P, 50/Extreme, 10/12/94 37. Angel Morales, OF, 45/High, 11/24/89 36. Michael Tonkin, RP, 45/High, 11/19/89 35. Daniel Ortiz, OF, 45/High, 1/5/90 34. D.J. Baxendale, SP, 45/High, 12/8/90 33. Daniel Santana, SS, 45/High, 11/7/90 32. Carlos Gutierrez, RP, 45/High, 9/22/86 31. J.D. Williams, OF, 50/Extreme, 11/20/91 Of note: Morales and Gutierrez, both top-10 prospects once, need to get healthy and prove they belong. J.D. Williams, who is one of the fastest players in the system, needs to show he’s a baseball player, not just fast. Baxendale is a starting pitcher to keep your eye on. #21-30 30. Zach Jones, P, 45/High, 12/4/90 29. J.T. Chargois, RP, 45/High, 12/3/90 28. Pedro Florimon, SS, 45/Medium, 12/10/86 x. Pedro Hernandez, LP, 45/Medium, 4/12/89 27. Dereck Rodriguez, OF, 50/Extreme, 6/5/92 26. Amaurys Minier, SS, 50/Extreme, 1/30/96 25. Kennys Vargas, 1B, 50/Extreme, 8/1/90 24. Alex Wimmers, P, 50/High, 11/1/88 23. Adam Walker, OF, 50/High, 10/18/91 22 (7). Adrian Salcedo, P, 50/High, 4/24/91 21. Mason Melotakis, LP, 50/High, 6/28/91 Of note: All of these names are intriguing. The pitchers – especially Jones, Chargois and Melotakis who could be huge movers with more experience – all have potential. Minier will debut next year. Vargas has lots of raw power. #11-20 20. Madison Boer, P, 50/High, 11/9/89 Struggling in the hi-A rotation, may have to go to bullpen to succeed. 19. Corey Williams, LRP, 50/High, 7/4/90 Lefty has struggled with consistency, can still fill a back-of-bullpen role. 18. Luke Bard, P, 50/High, 11/13/90 Recently promoted to E-Town, should get a chance to start. 17. Levi Michael, SS, 50/High, 2/9/91 Young for his level, Michael hasn’t hit. 16. Chris Herrmann, C/OF, 45/Medium, 11/24/87 Versatile defender has shown he can hit a little bit. 15. Jason Wheeler, P, 50/High, 10/27/90 Big-body who has thrown a ton of innings. 14. Matt Summers, P, 50/High, 8/17/89 Now only focused on pitching, watching his profile rise. 13. Hudson Boyd, P, 55/Extreme, 10/18/92 Has pitched well over his short professional career. 12. B.J. Hermsen, P, 45/Medium, 12/1/89 Not what you’d expect from his frame, but throws strikes and gets outs. 11 (9). Niko Goodrum, SS, 55/Extreme, 2/28/92 Great athlete getting another shot in Appy League. #1-10 10 (8). Joe Benson, OF, 50/Medium, 3/5/88 Down year, but glove still profiles as plus. 9. Max Kepler, OF, 55/High, 2/10/93 Filling out, could make lots of noise in next couple of years. 8 (4). Kyle Gibson, P, 55/Medium, 10/23/87 Coming back from TJ surgery; hopes to fill a rotation spot when healthy. 7 (10). Travis Harrison, 3B, 60/Extreme, 10/17/92 Big power from right side of plate; struggles defensively and may move to 1B. 6 (3). Aaron Hicks, OF, 55/Medium, 10/2/89 Switch-hitting starting to take (finally); super arm/defender in CF. 5. J.O. Berrios, P, 60/Extreme, 5/27/94 Excelling in GCL; dominant stuff. 4 (5). Eddie Rosario, 2B, 65/High, 9/28/91 Learning 2B, but real offensive threat with “quick-through-the-zone” bat. 3 (2). Oswaldo Arcia, OF, 60/Medium, 5/9/91 Pure hitter that is better in the OF than he looks. 2. Byron Buxton, OF, 70/Extreme, 12/18/93 Fast, super athlete, cannon arm, who needs to hit. If he hits with power, look out. 1 (1). Miguel Sano, 3B, 70/High, 5/11/93 Strikeout/defensive questions remain. No question about raw power – best in minor leagues. What do you think? Who is too high? Who is too low? Who did I forget entirely? My next addition will come out sometime after the calendar turns.

The Twins finished their sweep against the Indians this afternoon (in dominant fashion too, outscoring the Indians 28-6), but that’s not nearly the biggest news to transpire since Saturday evening’s convincing win. At exactly 10pm last night – exactly the time I decided to go to bed a little early – the White Sox announced on their Twitter account that they had acquired Francisco Liriano for Eduardo Escobar and Pedro Hernandez. It didn’t take long for everybody to hate the deal. The Twitter-world turned upside-down and mostly everybody began (or continued) to question whether or not Terry Ryan is capable of doing the job that he currently holds (or is the “interim”). You can read Baseball America's take here which may get you to come back in from the ledge. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] You can rehash the trade in a number of other places on the site, so I’m going to move on. This morning, the Twins announced – to fill the Twins roster and get the Red Wings roster to 25 guys – that they would be promoting RHP Jeff Manship (or is it Manshift? Or is it Shipman? Or is it Mansihp?) to take Liriano’s roster spot. Brian Duensing started in Liriano’s spot today (and threw a 6-inning gem), but it could be Manship or Duensing that fills that roll the next time it comes up. (Manship threw 105 pitches Friday night, so he’s not an option to throw until, probably, Wednesday.) I dropped a lot of minor-league Twitterbombs this morning courtesty of Terry Ryan's radio show on WCCO that you can catch up on if you so choose. (Seth retweeted them all - so if you follow him - you probably read them.) And now today’s minor-league round-up: ROCHESTER 8, COLUMBUS 5 Box score Shairon Martis is doing the best he can to make it back to the majors for the first time since 2009. In his best AAA performance since coming over from the Pirates in an early season trade, Martis, from the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao, went 6 1/3 innings, striking out four, scattering nine hits and a walk, allowing four runs (two of which came after he left the game). Martis will be a six-year FA at the end of the season, but might be drawn to returning to the Twins/Red Wings as they’ll be plenty of opportunities in the starting rotation(s). He still has a ways to go, but tonight was a good start. Deolis Guerra recorded five outs, allowing two hits and a run (plus two inherited runners scored) while striking out two. Lester Oliveros picked up his 6th save for the Red Wings by inducing three fly ball outs in the ninth inning. Matt Carson led the 8-run, 16-hit effort by going 3-for-5 with a HR, two runs and an RBI. Evan Bigley had his 2nd 3-hit game as a Red Wing, adding a double. Both Wilkin Ramirez (solo, 3 hits) and Rene Rivera (2-run) homered. Neither player acquired for Liriano appeared in tonight’s game. Rochester will play two more games in Columbus as part of this four-game wrap-around set. NEW BRITAIN 3 , READING 8 Box score Blake Martin got roughed up for the Rock Cats tonight. He threw 88 pitches, but was only able to get two outs in the fourth inning. He did strike out five, but allowed nine hits and three walks, which resulted in six runs. Dakota Watts got the through six without allowing any additional runs. He allowed two hits, walked one and struck out one. Matt Hauser made his AA debut in relief (he started in five of his last six appearances in Fort Myers, though he’s only started six minor league games out of 85 professional games) and had a perfect inning with a flyout and two groundouts. He returned for a second inning and had a tougher go of it, allowing three hits and two runs (one earned). The bats didn’t offer much in terms of support. Aaron Hicks, who started off the game with a walk, did his best Denard Span impression getting picked off and caught stealing. That might have been a sign of things to come. Dan Rohlfing (3-for-5, 2B, 2 runs) and Deibinson Romero (2-for-5, 2B, 2 runs) were the offensive bright spots. Joe Benson saw his five-game hitting streak come to an end. Oswaldo Arcia (1-for-4) threw a runner out at home from right field to end the scoring in the 4th inning. The RockCats, after getting swept in this four game series, have the day off tomorrow to lick its wounds before heading to Bowie for a three-game series. FT. MYERS 11, BREVARD COUNTY 3 Box score The Miracle bats got off to a hot start (12 hits and 9 runs through 5 innings) and maintained that lead to win three games in this 4-game series. Steven Liddle left the game in the 4th inning and was replaced by Michael Gonzalez, who hit a grand slam in the 5-run fifth. Levi Michael had a very good game, collecting three singles in five at-bats (he’s batting .233; .246 in the 2nd half, but hasn’t been very good in July.) Josmil Pinto was 3-for-4 with a 2-run HR. Angel Morales was 2-for-3 with a triple, 2 BB and 3 runs. Lance Ray had a double and was 2-for-5. Matt Summers continues his excellent full-season debut with his best outing yet in Fort Myers. He pitched five innings of one-run ball, striking out three. Nelvin Fuentes continues to strike out lots of batters (today: 6 in 3 innings), but also allowed two runs on three hits. Michael Tonkin struck out two in a perfect ninth. Kyle Gibson will spend two more weeks with the GCL team before joining the Miracle. BELOIT 6, PEORIA 10 Box score Matt Tomshaw spotted Peoria Chiefs nine runs after three innings. Tomshaw, making his second start since returning from the disabled list, lasted only three innings, giving up nine runs (six earned) on eight hits and four walks. He’s had some good starts, but when it rains it pours… and it was pouring today. You have to wonder how much string last year’s 42nd round pick has left. Steven Gruver, who was bounced from the rotation after a handful of bad starts, was magnificent in relief. The soft-tossing lefty’s 4-inning, 2-hit, 2-walk, shutout performance was his best (and longest) in recent memory (and it’s been a rough couple of months). 2nd round pick Mason Melotakis allowed his first earned run as a Snapper: serving up a long-ball to Dustin Geiger (a right-handed hitter). After allowing a single to the next batter he settled down and went groundout, strikeout, strikeout. He’s now struck out 18 in 14 professional innings. If he stays in a relief role (which is the current belief), he may end up on the fast-track. The defense sure didn’t help out the pitchers’ cause. They committed 6 errors (Vargas, Wickens 2, Grimes, Sano 2). Sano now has 35. Offensively, the Snappers managed six runs on eight hits. Miguel Sano had a double (his 19th), a walk, a strikeout and two RBI. Kennys Vargas drove in two on the 5th home run of his short season. The Snappers will look to win this wrap-around series tomorrow night before heading back home for a seven-game homestand. Snappers Ace LHP Jason Wheeler will be on the hill looking for his 13th win. Wheeler, who threw 103 innings last year at Loyola Marymount, is already up to 113. As the Snappers have a playoff berth locked up, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Wheeler maybe skip some starts and work a few relief stints to keep his innings down. The big-bodied (6-8, 265) southpaw could handle a 200+ inning workload but the Twins are notorious for wanting to keep their pitchers innings around 110% of the previous year’s total. (Wheeler will, no doubt, be exceeding that.) Eddie Rosario will be re-joining the team shortly, probably within the next week. ELIZABETHTON 12, GREENEVILLE 6 Box score The E-town Twins extend their West Division lead to 4.5 games over the Greeneville Astros by beating them again. Elizabethton had 12 runs on 16 hits. Adam Walker led the charge with three hits, including a home run, and drove in four. Everybody else in the lineup made a positive contribution with extra base hits (doubles by Polanco, Goodrum, Rhodes, Kepler; a triple by Rhodes; home run by Pimentel), runs batted in (Goodrum and Kepler both had two) or scoring runs (Pimentel three times; Goodrum and Polanco twice). Pimentel and Goodrum also each stole a base. Hein Robb picked up his second win of the season. His five-inning outing was his longest to date. He allowed seven hits and four runs. Only one run was earned, however, and he struck out three. The lefty continues to struggle to with right-handed batters, while dominating against lefties. Josh Burris has started to meet some resistance since starting off his season with such dominance (2 ER, 18 K in 17 IP over his first 8 games). Tonight’s outing lasted 1 1/3 innings, he walked four and gave up two hits resulting in two runs. He still struck out two. He was able to pitch around his walks – which really started only four outings ago - up until two games ago. Since his dominating start, he’s walked six, allowed three hits and three earned runs in only 2 1/3 innings. He’s going to have to continue to harness his fastball for his hammer curveball to wipe people out. If he can do that – and he has a long way to go – he could be a dominating presence in a bullpen. Chris Mazza struck out two in 1 2/3 innings. Tyler Herr finished the game of striking out one in a perfect ninth. E-town heads to Bristol for a three-game series starting tomorrow night. GCL TWINS remember the Sabbath Day, and keep it holy. --- Players of the Day for Sunday, July 29, 2012 Hitters of the Day – Adam Walker @walkoff28 Pitcher of the Day – Steven Gruver knuckleballsblog.com --- A Look Ahead – Monday, July 30, 2012 Schedule Rochester at Columbus – RHP Esmerling Vasquez (4-5, 3.68) New Britain – DAY OFF Ft. Myers at Daytona – TBA – this was Matt Hauser’s spot, who has since been promoted. Beloit at Peoria – LHP Jason Wheeler (12-4, 3.48) Elizabethton at Bristol – LHP Corey Kimes (3-0, 3.04) GCL Twins vs GCL Red Sox – TBA --- If you have any questions on the Twins minor league system, players, teams, etc., leave them in the Comments and we’ll try to answer them! Comments also welcome.