Archive | February, 2011

Spring Game 1: Twins 8, Red Sox 4

28 Feb

also available at www.SethSpeaks.net -

Yes, I do know that it is a spring training game. Yes, I know that it really doesn’t mean anything. Yes, I realize everything is small sample sizes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

But I don’t care. It was the first spring training game of the year tonight, and it was awesome. The Twins could have lost 18-4 and I would have enjoyed it just as much. Sure, pitchers and catchers reported about 10 days ago. The hitters showed up earlier in the week and got a few practices in, but now there are actually games to talk about. The specifics of what happens in the game are not the big thing. It’s just that, for fans, there are box scores. And, like John Gordon and Dan Gladden or not, there are games to listen to. By next weekend, we’ll be able to actually watch games on TV. Early October was a long time ago. It is now late February and here we go again, the baseball season is upon us!

On Friday morning, the temperatures here in Northern Minnesota were at 22 degrees below zero. On Saturday morning, it was about 15 below. So, I officially booked my trip down to Ft. Myers. I will be on a very early morning flight next Tuesday, and I will be in Ft. Myers before noon! I have never been in Ft. Myers for the sole purpose of being at Twins spring training camp, so I am really looking forward to it.

So, let’s get back to last night’s game between the Twins and the Red Sox. Here are a few notes:

  • Twins Starting Lineup was: Denard Span (CF), Tsuyoshi Nishioka (2B), Jason Kubel (RF), Jim Thome (DH), Danny Valencia (3B), Chris Parmelee (1B), Jason Repko (LF), Alexi Casilla (SS), Drew Butera (‘C).
  • Carl Pavano got the start and went two shutout innings. Then there were scoreless innings by Pat Neshek, Dusty Hughes, Alex Burnett, Jeff Manship and Scott Diamond. Anthony Swarzak pitched the 8th inning and despite losing 30 pounds in the offseason, he gave up three runs (2 earned) on four hits in the inning. Chuck James came in for the 9th and gave up a leadoff home run and another hit, but struck out two.
  • Even with Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Michael Cuddyer and Delmon Young out of the lineup, the team put together what would be a decent Sunday afternoon lineup.
  • In a post-game tweet, Phil Mackey noted that Justin Morneau will be seeing a doctor in the next couple of days, and hopefully he will be cleared to play in spring games soon.
  • Each of the starters got two at bats. In fact, the only starter with a third at bat was Tsuyoshi Nishioka. After two left-handed at bats (one against Josh Beckett, and one against Clay Buchholz), he was able to get one right-handed at bat in against fellow Japanese player, Hideki Okajima. Nishioka got his first hit against Okajima and was immediately replaced by Ray Chang.
  • Chris Parmelee and Jason Repko each had two hits. In the 2nd inning, Parmelee doubled down the right field line off of Beckett. Repko followed with a triple high off the fence in left field. In the 5th inning, Parmelee grounded a single up the middle off of lefty Okajima. Repko followed with another single.
  • Alexi Casilla added a bloop single that loaded the bases. One out later, Joe Benson made his first plate appearance of the spring. With two strikes, Benson launched a ball to deep centerfield, out of the reach of Mike Cameron. The triple drove in all three base runners, and Benson showed off his tremendous speed. Equally important, he showed his speed and instincts while playing centerfield. He made several catches in the gaps. Benson isn’t going to make the team out of spring training, but he can make a big impression, and he has already made a big first impression.
  • I’m under the assumption that the utility infielder job is Matt Tolbert’s to lose. I do think that Trevor Plouffe and Luke Hughes should and will also get an opportunity. But a few Twins non-roster options got a chance to play tonight:
    • Chase Lambin – The 31 year old has never stepped field in a big league game during the regular season. He was one of the first veteran minor leaguers that the Twins signed this offseason. Last year at Syracuse (Nationals AAA), he hit .252/.327/.414 with 28 doubles and 15 home runs. He was an International League All-Star. He has primarily played 1B, 2B and 3B throughout his career, and to give himself a real chance to be a utility player for the Twins, he will need to show he can play an adequate shortstop. That is the position he played on Sunday. He had a throwing error, but it was an unusual play. The Red Sox batter singled to the gap. Joe Benson made a nice diving play to keep the ball from getting to the wall. He relayed to Lambin who, seeing the runner had scampered too far past first base, threw errantly to the bag. On another play, a ground ball deep in the hole between third and short, he made the play, but Mike Cameron beat the throw to first base. (Again, one game.)
    • Ray Chang, who is a 27 year old from Kansas City, is another option. He played in 98 games at the Triple-A level between 2006 and 2008. Last year, he hit .298/.384/.436 with Portland, the Double-A affiliate of the Red Sox. In 116 games, he hit 30 doubles and nine home runs. He has played 173 games at shortstop, 108 at second base, and 65 at second base in his pro career. He is a terrific defender who has started hitting a lot better the last two years. He played for Team China in the World Baseball Classic.
    • Matt Brown got to play a couple of innings at first base. In his career, he has played 567 games at 3B, 158 games at first base and 57 games at 2B. He has played 26 games in left field, all of them in 2010. In 2007, he went 0-5 in four games with the Angels. In 2008, he went 1-19 with the Angels. Last year, he played in 79 games in AAA for the Rangers, in Oklahoma City. He hit .249/.311/.442 with 18 doubles, five triples and ten home runs. That one was a strange signing.
  • Jeff Bailey came in to play first base, and in his first Twins at bat, he launched a home run to left field. Bailey was drafted in 1997, but he went to the Red Sox in 2004. In 2007, he got into three games for the Sox and went 1-9 with his first big league homer. In 2008, he hit two more homers in 50 big league at bats. In 2009, he hit three home runs in 77 at bats for Boston. In 2010, he played in 129 games for Reno, the AAA affiliate of the Diamondbacks. He hit .289/.387/.462 with 33 doubles, seven triples and 12 home runs. Like Lambin, he was one of the first guys that the Twins signed. I think that Bailey is someone to watch in Triple A. He posted an .899 OPS against left-handed pitchers in 2010. In 64 Major League at bats against left-handed pitchers, he has hit .316/.391/.649 with five of his six home runs. We talk about the Twins needing a right-handed bench bat. Bailey may just be a perfect option for the role.
  • Steve Liddle made his debut as the Twins third base coach. With Brian Dinkelman at 2B and two outs, Liddle sent him home on a single, and Dinkelman was thrown out at the plate. At least it was a very close play.
  • The Twins and Red Sox will play again on Monday at noon (central time).

FORMER TWINS UPDATES

  • Saturday Games
    • Garrett Jones – RF – Pittsburgh – BB, Run
    • Luis Ayala – RP – NY Yankees – 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K
    • Brad Thomas – RP – Detroit – 1 IP, 0 R, 1 K
    • Jason Pridie – CF – NY Mets – 0-1
    • David Winfree – RF – Arizona – 1-3
    • Former Twins Player of the Day – Rob Delaney – RP – Tampa Bay Rays
      • 2 Innings pitched, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K – Win
  • Sunday Games
    • Boof Bonser – RP – NY Mets – 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
    • Sean Henn – RP – Toronto – 1 IP, 0 R
    • Doug Deeds – RF – Texas – 1-2, HR, 2 RBI
    • Gil Velazquez – 3B – LA Angels – 0-1
    • Casey Blake – 3B – LA Dodgers – 1-2, 2B
    • Juan Rincon – RP – LA Dodgers – 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 K
    • Steve Tolleson – 2B – Oakland – 0-2, BB, R
    • Matt Garza – SP – Chicago Cubs – 2 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1-1
    • Corky Miller – C – Cincinnati Reds – 1-1, 2B, 2 RBI
    • Orlando Cabrera – 2B – Cleveland – 0-2
    • Kevin Mulvey – RP – Arizona – 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, Save
    • Former Twins Player of the Day – Garrett Jones – RF – Pittsburgh Pirates
      • 3-3, 2-2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, SB

BLOG SPOTTING

Please feel free to comment in the comments section.

Twins Podcast Live at 3 Today!

25 Feb

also available at www.SethSpeaks.net -

Everyone knows the BlogTalkRadio situation. Unless I pay something like $30 a month, I can’t host a podcast between 6 and 10 p.m., and I can’t host a podcast longer than 30 minutes. Unless someone wants to sponsor the show, I am not going to spend the money (contrary to popular belief, there isn’t much money in blogging! HA!). I am contemplating some other options and will decide what to do soon, but I do want to host a podcast. I have an afternoon off from work today, so I’m going to host a SethSpeaks.net Weekly Minnesota Twins Podcast this afternoon at 3:00 p.m. central time. I’ll try to get a guest or two in the ½ hour and talk about Twins topics at spring training and more. The chat room will be open and it will be fun. So, if you’re able to listen live (on a Friday afternoon at work), that would be great. Please participate. If not, you can download the show later.

Here are a few notes from the week, things for you to peruse.

TwinsCentric Blogs this week.

Other Twins and Baseball-Related Blogs

New Twins Blogs To Test Out

Please feel free to comment in the comments section.

Twins Live Chat Transcript, and Pujols to the Twins? Ideas Welcome!

24 Feb

also available at www.SethSpeaks.net -

Last night, I held a two-hour live Twins chat. I answered Twins fans’ questions about many Twins-related topics, posted a few polls, and it was fun. Hopefully this can become a weekly thing. I enjoy hosting the live chats because if there is a Toughest Part of Blogging, it is trying to know what the readers want to read. With the live chats, readers can get their very specific questions answered and we can cover a large range of questions. It is fun. I am hoping to do one of them a week, and hopefully more and more people will want to participate.

If you would like to read the transcript to last night’s chat, click here. Let me know what you think?

One fun thing I did during the chat was encourage user participation. I needed a three minute break at one point, so I asked the participants to think about how the Twins could go about acquiring Albert Pujols. When I was on ESPN710 in Bismarck on Tuesday, Jack Michaels challenged me to make it happen and to be creative. Maybe give him a good salary and then $500 a month in lottery tickets to see how much more he could make. I thought it was an interesting question, so I encourage people in the chat room last night to think about it. And I ask you the same thing today? How could the Twins go about getting Albert Pujols? Be creative. Below are some of the responses from last night:

From Joe: “Pujols? Just give him 10 years 300 million; Pretty sure that will get it done”

From Brandon Warne: “Exclusive naming rights to the entire stadium once Target’s existing deal expires, a lifetime contract at $25 mill a year, and the entire city of Orono, no, Wayzata.”

From Jim: “Rights to the “Bert’s Burger,” a bronze statue in Target Plaza, and pen pal letters from Nick Punto.”

From Jim Crikket: “Give him ownership… of the T’Wolves”

And how about this one from Dez: “How about we offer him Albertville?”

And later: “How about Albert Lea?”

Or both. What do you think? How would you get Albert Pujols to the Twins? Any thoughts?

And finally, yesterday Ron Gardenhire announced that Carl Pavano would be making the Opening Day start for the Twins against Toronto. Lots of people were upset that it wasn’t Francisco Liriano. To that, I say, “Who Cares?” The pitcher that starts Game 1 will, assuming health and not too much re-alignment, start 33 games with a five man rotation. The Game 2 starter will start 33 games as well! Opening Day is a nice honor, and Liriano could have done it, but there is nothing wrong with Pavano getting the start. He had a terrific year last year too.

Please feel free to comment in the comments section.

Start Memorizing, Twins Fans!

23 Feb

Seriously, this is cool! If Twins fans at Target Field will start doing this, even I will get out of my chair and do it!! That is:

Tsuyoshi
Let’s Go!
Speed-o-Star
Tsuyoshi… Nishioka.
(repeat)

Just Awesome!

Twins Live Chat Tonight

22 Feb

also available at www.SethSpeaks.net -

Just wanted to send a quick note about a couple of items for Wednesday. First, Congratulations to Dan Rohlfing for being invited to big league camp for at least a few days. After such a difficult, injury-filled 2010 season with the Ft. Myers Miracle, it’s a nice thing for him to get a chance to work with the big leaguers for a little while.

  • I will be a guest on Baseball Digest Daily podcast on Wednesday. The show starts at 10 central time. I will be on at about 11:30 central time. Here is the show’s schedule (Times Eastern):

11:00 am – 11:15 am Dan Hayes, North County Times (Padres)

11:30 am – 11:55 am  Troy Renck, The Denver Post (Rockies)

12:00 pm – 12:25 pm  Mark Armour, Joe Cronin: A Life in Baseball (SABR)

12:30 pm –  12:55 pm Seth Stohs, SethSpeaks.net (Twins)

  • Also, I will be answering questions from 7-9 central time tonight. If you would like to sign up for an e-mail reminder, join and participate in the live chat, or read the transcript later, Click Here.

Twinkie Town Q&A with Rob Antony

22 Feb

Also available at www.SethSpeaks.net -

Twinkie Town is a terrific community, and I just assume everyone who reads my site already goes there daily. If you don’t, you should. Late this afternoon, Jesse posted a tremendous Q&A with Twins Assistant GM Rob Antony. The two discussed the process to acquiring Tsuyoshi Nishioka and the team’s expectation for him. They discuss all of the offseason moves and non-moves, from JJ Hardy’s trade to bringing back Carl Pavano and Jim Thome. Antony even answered a question about the Francisco Liriano trade rumors. Jesse posed great questions and Mr. Antony was as candid as he could be, which makes for a great interview.

So, go to the fridge, grab a sandwich or make some nachos. Grab a beverage of your choice. Sit back and enjoy this interview. It really is terrific.

You can discuss there, but if any topics intrigue you, feel free to Leave comments here.

The Long Shot to Watch

22 Feb

also available at www.SethSpeaks.net -

When people discuss who will be part of the Twins bullpen, a lot of names are mentioned. A lot depends on the health of Joe Nathan. How many left-handers will be on the pitching staff? Which of the six starters will be part of the bullpen. There are a lot of names, and a lot of good options.

If I had to project today who I think will be in the Twins bullpen on Opening Day, I would say: Joe Nathan, Matt Capps, Jose Mijares, Dusty Hughes, Nick Blackburn, Scott Diamond and one of Pat Neshek, Anthony Slama or James Hoey. If that is the case, two good arms will not be on the roster, and neither would the likes of left-handers Glen Perkins, Phil Dumatrait, and Chuck James, It also does not include Erik Hacker, Jeff Manship, or Kyle Waldrop. 

Non-roster invitees Kyle Gibson and Carlos Gutierrez are getting some attention this spring. In my mind, those are the two Twins minor leaguers who could come up in late June or July and make a large impact on the AL Central race. 

Alex Burnett is hardly even mentioned as an option for the Twins bullpen, and I’m not sure why. Consider that one year ago, he was participating in his first big league spring training camp. One year after converting from a starting pitcher to a reliever, Burnett put up impressive numbers and was an easy add to the Twins 40 man roster. He was sent to minor league camp early in spring, but when Clay Condrey officially could not make the Twins Opening Day roster, it was Burnett that was promoted to the big leagues. He looked terrific early in the Twins season before really struggling following the All-Star break. He was sent back to Rochester (his first AAA experience), and still just 23 years old, he has an opportunity to be a major contributor to the Twins bullpen in the near future and for years to come. 

That same scenario could happen in 2011 with the Twins’ David Bromberg. I am referring to the Twins right-handed pitcher, not the folk music, Grammy-nominated guitar player. I believe that the right-hander is definitely worth watching in 2011.

Last fall, the Twins added four players to their 40 man roster. Three of those decisions were easy decisions, and likely none was easier than the decision to add Bromberg. The Twins selected him with their 32nd round pick in 2005 out of Santa Ana Junior College. He did not sign right away. In fact, he didn’t sign with the Twins until just before the 2006 draft. Upon signing, he went to the GCL Twins where he went 3-3 with a 2.66 ERA in ten starts.

In 2007, he went 9-0 with a 2.78 ERA. In 58.1 innings, he had an Appalachian League leading 81 strikeouts.

In 2008, he led all of minor league baseball with 177 strikeouts (in 150 innings) for the Beloit Snappers. That year, he went 9-10 with a 4.44 ERA.

In 2009, he moved up to Ft. Myers where he was named the Florida State League Pitcher of the Year (and the Jim Rantz Award winner for Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year). He went 13-4 with a 2.70 ERA. He led the league with 148 strikeouts in 153.1 innings.

Interestingly, despite leading his league in strikeouts three consecutive seasons, scouting reports indicated that he was not a strikeout pitcher. Despite being a frontline starter for his team at least level, he is most frequently viewed as a back-of-the-rotation starter or long-reliever.

He began the 2010 season in Double-A New Britain. He made 17 starts and went 5-5 with a 3.62 ERA. However, he struck out just 65 in 99.1 innings. The 5.9 strikeouts per nine innings was noteworthy as it was nearly two below his previous season-low.

In mid-July, he was promoted to Triple-A Rochester where he held his own. Despite a 1-4 record, he posted a 3.98 ERA. And, in 52 innings, he struck out 47 (8.1 per nine).

Like Alex Burnett, Bromberg has put up really good numbers as a starting pitcher. Burnett was not a strikeout pitcher as a starter, but once he moved to the bullpen, he recorded a lot of strikeouts. What could Bromberg do as a reliever, if he would be able to go all-out for one inning at a time?  That’s where we need to look at his “stuff.”

Bromberg throws a three-quarter angle fastball between 88 and 91 mph. In previous years, he had touched 93 mph. He has a very good curveball and a changeup too. With Burnett, it meant a 3-4 mph increase on his fastball. Bromberg has had control problems in the past, and although it is something that he has improved through his career. It is something he will continue to work on. Another positive trait is that Bromberg is not afraid to pitch inside.

Bromberg worked very hard this past offseason. The 6-5 right-hander pitched at 265 in 2010, but he is now down to a slim 243 as he enters spring training. Having talked to him at Twins Fest, he’s excited for the season, and he would love to move to the bullpen if it meant getting him to the big leagues.

Will Bromberg get a shot at making the 2011 Opening Day roster? I would doubt it. In fact, my guess is that he will be among the first group of players sent to minor league camp (as Burnett was in 2010). Why? 

Reason #1 is because 40-man roster players injured in major league camp, in major league games, would need to be put on the Major League disabled list. That means they would be paid major league salary for that time. So, the team sends them down quickly. Of course, that means they can’t play/pitch in big league spring training games, but since the Twins minor league camp is in the same facility, the appropriate people will still see him pitch.

The second reason is that if the team believes he can be a back-of-the-rotation starter, then he should continue to be a starting pitcher in Rochester, at least to start the 2011 season. It is much more difficult to find starting pitchers than relievers. Having reliever depth isn’t as difficult because starters can transition quickly to the bullpen, but having options who can start and pitch well over six or seven innings is much more difficult. As long as the Twins feel Bromberg is a starting pitching option, they should leave that door open. Kyle Gibson is the name that Twins fans are watching for, but if the Twins have a need in the starting rotation and Bromberg is pitching better, they wouldn’t hesitate to promote Bromberg.

So, will Bromberg be an opening day bullpen guy? Probably not. But is he a name that Twins fans should get to know? Absolutely. he could be a mid-season call-up, either as a starting pitcher or as a reliever. Of course, since he is a very good prospect, the Twins are going to be smart with him. They will be patient. Like Gibson, and like Gutierrez, Twins fans should know the name of David Bromberg because he could play an important role for the team in 2011.

Twins Travel

22 Feb

also available at www.SethSpeaks.net -

In 2010, Target Field became the place to be for Twins fans. The picturesque stadium became more than most Twins fans ever could have hoped for. If you have yet to see Target Field in person, I certainly recommend it and assume most in the chat room would agree.

Right now, as the Twin Cities are shoveling out from yet another snow downfall (and another one coming later this week?), the place to be for Twins fans is Ft. Myers, Florida. If you are reading this site, you know that the Twins spring training facility is located in the southwest Florida community. Along with getting out of the cold, fans are closer to the action in Ft. Myers than you might even believe. You can watch the players on the practice fields and even interact with them between sessions as they walk between fields. You can go to their spring training games or walk the back fields and watch more practice. Minor league fans would really enjoy getting an opportunity to see some of the top prospects working out.

Of course, if you can’t travel now, Ft. Myers remains a great destination for Twins fans throughout the season. The Twins High-Class A affiliate plays its games at Hammond Stadium (where the Twins play their spring games). These are the players who have passed through several levels and are just three more promotions from the big leagues. Whenever players are rehabbing from injuries, they most often work in Ft. Myers.

Those minor leaguers that don’t travel to one of the team’s four full-season affiliates often remain in Ft. Myers, in Extended Spring Training. They play some games and work on skills. After the June amateur draft, those that sign go to Ft. Myers for evaluation, physicals and work outs. Some of those players stay in Ft. Myers and play for the Gulf Coast League Twins. They are generally the youngest players in the organization, players coming over from the Dominican Summer League or high school players from the current year’s draft. Their games are played on the back fields at noon, and fans don’t have to pay to watch the games. Usually the only fans at these games are family members.

The other players at Extended Spring Training, more advanced that those who will play at the GCL level, will play for the Elizabethton Twins. Elizabethton is found in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Tennessee. The E-Twins traditionally have won a lot of games in Appalachian League. They are annually in the league’s championship series. This is a place that I definitely would love to visit!

Last year, I had my first opportunity to travel the 5 1/2 hour drive from the Twin Cities to Beloit, Wisconsin, and watch two Beloit Snappers games. Beloit is right on the border of Wisconsin and Illinois. It was great to see the likes of Aaron Hicks, Angel Morales and James Beresford play. Seeing players play can often give a different perspective on a prospect than just looking at box scores or stat lines. I learned a lot from the experience and hope to get there again once or twice in 2011. I definitely recommend a trip, if you are able.  In case you were wondering… the weekend when the Twins play in Milwaukee in late June, the Snappers are home as well. Might be a great opportunity to see the Twins and their Low A affiliate in one trip.

If you want to see the Twins AA-affiliate, it is located in New Britain, Connecticut. You can fly in to Hartford. ESPN’s studios are in Bristol, Connecticut, just miles from New Britain Stadium. The stadium holds over 6,100 fans and is referred to as the “Emerald of the Eastern League.”  If you’re on a baseball trip, New Britain is about halfway in between Boston and New York City.

Finally, if you want to see the Twins AAA team, it is in Rochester, New York. Frontier Field holds over 12,000 fans. As we have seen in recent years, the Twins are frequently calling the Red Wings and sending players back and forth. Rochester is near Lake Ontario, but also not too far from Buffalo, Lake Erie, and Niagra Falls.

If you’re a real, real diehard, you could go to Boca Chica, Dominican Republic and see the Twins Dominican Summer League team.

And this summer, Twins fans can show their support for Bert Blyleven with a trip to Cooperstown, New York. It is within driving distance from Rochester. I made the trek to Cooperstown in 2001 when Kirby Puckett was inducted. What a great little village, and what an incredible baseball atmosphere during induction weekend.

But of course, Twins fans now have Target Field which is always a great spot for a Twins fan to go to see terrific baseball. But if you are looking for a summer vacation, yet still want to get a Twins fix, consider traveling to see one or more of the Twins minor league affiliates.

If any of you have gone to these places, please feel free to comment below with your thoughts.

Saturday Short: The Key to the Twins 2011 Season

19 Feb

also available at www.SethSpeaks.net -

We talk a lot about all of the question marks for the Twins heading into the season, and no question, after winning 95 games a season ago, it is remarkable how many unknowns there are heading into spring training. In my mind, one word describes the biggest issue for the Twins 2011 season. That word will determine, potentially, whether this team finishes first in the AL Central or falls to third. The word is one that every team has to worry about every season, and one that often fits into the cliche world. The word is “health.”

Yes, that refers to Justin Morneau and the concussion that he suffered last July. Yes, that refers to Joe Nathan and his return from Tommy John surgery last spring. It refers to Nick Blackburn and Scott Baker who each had “minor” offseason arm surgeries. It refers to Francisco Liriano who experienced some shoulder soreness the last few days. Joe Mauer and Michael Cuddyer each had “minor” knee surgery in the offseason. Pat Neshek’s return to 100% with a full season under his belt after his Tommy John surgery is a big story this spring. James Hoey and his, as Phil Mackey said on 1500espn yesterday, 185 mph fastball needs to stay healthy (and throw strikes). Carl Pavano has never been a beacon of health, and hopefully he can hit the 200 inning plateau again in 2011. And there are always unforeseen injuries throughout a season, big or small.

It is safe to assume that the Twins will not be 100% healthy all year. Neither will the White Sox or the Tigers or anyone. But this season more than any recent season, the term “health” is such a big thing heading into spring training. There are plenty of other question marks, including a lack of depth at some positions that make health even more important for the Twins. What is the backup plan if Joe Mauer or Justin Morneau get hurt? Who gets playing time if any of the Twins infielders get hurt? I actually am less worried about the Twins pitching staff as it relates to health than I am the position players because of the depth question.

I have no problem saying that, IF HEALTHY, the Twins have the best team in the AL Central, just ahead of the Chicago White Sox.

What do you think? What is the Twins most important key to their 2011 season? How would you rank their top five issues? Feel free to leave your comments here. Also, for more links to Twins articles and thoughts throughout the weekend, be sure to follow me on Twitter where I like to retweet Twins-related articles and post thoughts frequently.

Should Twins Fans Worry about Aaron Hicks?

18 Feb

also available at www.SethSpeaks.net -

It is always strange to me when I hear Twins fans and some minor league baseball fans talking about how disappointing Aaron Hicks has been in Beloit. I think part of it is because many, myself included, thought he would end the 2010 season in Ft. Myers. I realize everyone from fans to players to front office personnel are eagerly awaiting his breakout year when his incredible tools become skills and he puts up some terrific numbers. But I wanted to take a look at how his numbers at Beloit compare to other Twins players and their numbers in the Midwest League.

Let’s start by reviewing the numbers that Aaron Hicks has put up the last two years in Beloit:

Player Age Year Team BA/OBP/SLG (OPS) 2B/3B/HR/RBI BB/K
Aaron Hicks 19 2009 Beloit .251/.353/.382 (735) 15/3/4/29 40/55
Aaron Hicks 20 2010 Beloit .279/.401/.428 (829) 27/6/8/49 88/112

Here are some current and former Twins players and how they did in the Midwest League (Note – Delmon Young’s A-ball numbers from the Sally League):

Player Age Year Team BA/OBP/SLG (OPS) 2B/3B/HR/RBI BB/K
Torii Hunter 18 1994 Ft. Wayne .293/.358/.439 (797) 17/1/10/50 25/80
Michael Cuddyer 19 1998 Ft. Wayne .276/.364/.451 (815) 37/7/12/81 61/107
Justin Morneau 20 2001 Quad Cities .356/.420/.597 (1017) 17/2/12/53 26/38
Joe Mauer 19 2002 Quad Cities .302/.393/.392 (785) 23/1/4/62 61/42
Jason Kubel 20 2002 Quad Cities .321/.380/.521 (901) 26/4/17/69 41/48
Denard Span 20 2004 Quad Cities .267/.363/.308 (671) 4/3/0/14 34/49
Delmon Young 18 2004 Charleston .320/.386/.536 (922) 26/5/25/115 53/120
Alexi Casilla 20 2005 Cedar Rapids .325/.392/.409 (801) 11/3/3/17 29/31

Here are a few notes:

  • Everyone talks about how Torii Hunter didn’t put up great numbers in the Midwest League. Well, he did, and he did it at the age of 18. He was already showing some of that power.
  • Michael Cuddyer put up some incredible minor league numbers all the way up the ladder, and it started as a 19 year old in 1998. Look at all those extra base hits.
  • Justin Morneau didn’t get to the Midwest League until he was 20, and he only spent a half season there because he completely dominated the level.
  • Joe Mauer’s OPS isn’t exciting, but we did get a glimpse of the player he has become too. Many more walks than strikeouts, a few doubles, and a good batting average.
  • How fun would it have been to see Quad Cities play in 2002 with Mauer and Jason Kubel? You can see why so many people back then saw Kubel as a mix between Morneau and Mauer.
  • Denard Span didn’t exactly put up monster numbers, and he did miss quite a bit of time with injury. The take-away from those numbers is that he had a very nice Isolated Discipline already even though he was, like Hicks, very raw at the time.
  • Delmon Young was a beast after being taken with the 1st overall pick in the 2003 draft. Ever wonder why people still think he’ll develop a lot of power, check out those numbers!
  • Alexi Casilla was with the Angels organization, but what he did for Cedar Rapids made him the guy they wanted in a trade of JC Romero the next offseason.
  • I included international players and high school drafted players in this group. Danny Valencia hit .302/.374/.500 (874) with 15 doubles and 11 homers in a half-season with the Snappers, but he was 22 years old after spending three years playing Division I baseball. Matt Tolbert played four years at the University of Mississippi, so the Twins had him skip the Midwest League and go right to Ft. Myers.

Can we take anything away from these numbers? With Hicks, you have to love his Isolated Discipline and On-Base skills from both years. The strikeouts increased some in 2010, but he has shown some extra base power. Delmon Young, Justin Morneau and Jason Kubel put up really tremendous numbers in the Midwest League, and that has translated to the big leagues eventually. Cuddyer was an extra base machine as a 19 year old in Beloit, and yet his OPS was lower than Hicks’ was in 2010, as a 20 year old. Joe Mauer has always had a terrific eye, and yet Hicks has produced significantly better IsoD while producing more extra base hits.

Of course, we don’t know what will happen. We know that all players develop differently, but I think that this quick, cursory glance at Hicks’ numbers compared to current big leaguers gives us no reason to believe he won’t continue developing and become a very good big league player.

Let’s also take a look at the Midwest League numbers of some of the other Twins hitting prospects to see how they compare:

Player Age Year Team BA/OBP/SLG (OPS) 2B/3B/HR/RBI BB/K
Trevor Plouffe 19 2005 Beloit .223/.300/.345 (645) 18/0/13/60 50/78
Chris Parmelee 19 2007 Beloit .239/.313/.414 (727) 23/5/15/70 46/137
Chris Parmelee 20 2008 Beloit .239/.385/.496 (881) 10/3/14/49 52/83
Joe Benson 19 2007 Beloit .255/.347/.368 (715) 18/8/5/38 49/124
Joe Benson 20 2008 Beloit .248/.326/.382 (708) 16/3/4/27 24/73
Ben Revere 20 2008 Beloit .379/.433/.497 (930) 17/10/1/43 27/31
Angel Morales 19 2009 Beloit .266/.329/.455 (784) 22/5/13/62 30/104
Angel Morales 20 2010 Beloit .289/.381/.474 (855) 13/7/4/36 24/65
James Beresford 20 2009 Beloit .289/.342/.313 (655) 11/0/0/38 34/70
James Beresford 21 2010 Beloit .297/.349/.363 (712) 19/5/1/59 34/56
Danny Rams 20 2009 Beloit .229/.308/.429 (737) 14/0/7/23 18/77
Danny Rams 21 2010 Beloit .243/.310/.450 (760) 28/4/16/68 31/145
Anderson Hidalgo 21 2010 Beloit .316/.375/.443 (818) 25/1/3/28 24/50
  • Trevor Plouffe put up those numbers only because he played much better in the 2nd half of the season. Good power numbers, but he could have used another year with the Snappers.
  • Both Joe Benson and Chris Parmelee struggled in their first seasons in the Midwest League. Then both got hurt halfway through their second season with the team. However, in the second year, you can see why people are excited about his patience and power potential.
  • Looking at Revere’s Beloit numbers, what a year he had. Very much batting average based, of course. But if we were to only look at OPS, his is right up there with anyone (except Morneau). And he stole 44 bases that year too.
  • Angel Morales… how/why is he so overlooked in many prospect rankings?
  • James Beresford showed good improvement from 2009 and 2010. Reports are that he has gained some weight this offseason. If he can add any semblance of power to his game, he could jump up prospect rankings quickly!
  • Danny Rams has so much power potential, but he just needs to put the ball in play more. His 77 strikeouts in 2009 came in just 175 at bats. He struck out 145 times in 407 at bats in 2010. Yet, his power numbers still make him intriguing.
  • Anderson Hidalgo may be the least known, or maybe underrated, prospect in the organization. He had another solid year in 2010.

What is the summary? There really isn’t one. There is no science to prospect rankings and we don’t know how things will turn out, but if nothing else, I believe this data shows that Twins fans should continue to be very excited about the future of Aaron Hicks.

Any thoughts? Feel free to leave your comments here. Also, for more links to Twins articles and thoughts throughout the weekend, be sure to follow me on Twitter where I like to retweet Twins-related articles and post thoughts frequently. Have a great weekend!

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