Month: May 2019

Jake Odorizzi is American League Player of the Week

Jake Odorizzi

Major League Baseball announced yesterday that right-handed starter Jake Odorizzi was named American League Player of the Week. Odorizzi claimed his first career weekly award, the first for a Twins player since Eduardo Escobar for the week ending June
11, 2018, and the first by a Twins pitcher since Francisco Liriano for the week ending May 8, 2011.

  • Odorizzi went 2-0 in two starts last week without allowing a run over 13.0 innings pitched, permitted six hits and five walks with 15 strikeouts across the two outings.
  • His back-to-back scoreless starts were the first time the former first round draft pick (2008 by Milwaukee) accomplished the feat since July 22-August 3, 2016, when he had a career-best three straight scoreless starts.
  • A full list of Twins AL Player of the Week award winners can be found on page 234 of the Twins 2019 Media Guide.

Do you remember pitcher Joe Grzenda

Joe Grzenda

Joe Grzenda, a 31-year old right-handed pitcher was purchased from the New York Mets by the Minnesota Twins on November 29, 1967 and spent the 1968 season with the AAA Denver Bears who were managed by Billy Martin after he replaced the fired Johnny Goryl. Martin used Grzenda as a reliever and he used him often as Grzenda appeared in a team leading 56 games posting a 5-8 record and a 3.14 ERA. Grzenda threw 86 innings and struck out 60 batters.

When Billy Martin was named the Twins 1969 manager he obviously remembered Grzenda and Grzenda made the Twins team out of spring training. Strangely enough Grzenda was the losing pitcher in the 1969 season opener on April 8th as the Twins were walked off 4-3 by the new Kansas City Royals in 12 innings at Municipal Stadium and was the winning pitcher in the 1969 regular season finale on October 2nd when the Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 6-5 at Met Stadium. Grzenda appeared in game 3  of the 1969 ALCS and retired Boog Powell and Frank Robinson, the only two batters he faced. On March 21, 1970 the Twins traded Grzenda along with pitcher Charlie Walters to the Washington Senators for outfielder Brant Alyea.

Continue reading Do you remember pitcher Joe Grzenda

Twins minor league players of the week are Williams and Alcala

Cedar Rapids Kernels (Low A) infielder Chris Williams and AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos right-handed pitcher Jorge Alcala have been named Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week.

Chris Williams

In seven games for the Kernels, the 22 year old Chris Williams hit .333 (6-for-18) with three home runs, six RBI, six walks, six runs scored and a 1.333 OPS. The 22-year-old was drafted by the Twins in the eighth round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of Clemson University as a catcher. In 2019 he has played 8 games at first base, 8 as a DH and caught just 5 games.

Jorge Alcala

Alcala made one start for the Blue Wahoos, coming on Thursday vs. Biloxi, pitching
5 shutout innings with five hits allowed, no walks and eight strikeouts. The 23-year-old, Dominican Republic native, was acquired by the Twins via trade with Houston at the deadline last season, in exchange for right-handed pitcher Ryan Pressly. 

In his fifth pro season Alcala has a career ERA of just 3.32 and in 325.2 innings only given up 257 hits while striking out 326. Although he can use more work on his control, Jorge knows how to keep the ball in the ballpark. You have to like Alcala’s potential.

Both the AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos and the High A Fort Myers Miracle are 19-10 and in first place in their divisions.

Twins Minor League Report, 5-5-19

Ryan Pressly goes on a tear while the Twins can only shed a tear

Ryan Pressly – credit Bob Levey at Getty Images

Pressly’s Tear: RHP Ryan Pressly has been scoreless in his last 32 games (30.1IP), the longest scoreless appearance streak in club history and the longest scoreless innings streak by a reliever in club history. Overall, Pressly’s streak of 30.1 consecutive scoreless innings is the fourth-longest in club history, behind a 32.1 IP streak by RHP Roy Oswalt in 2008
and two separate 31.0-inning streaks put together by RHP J.R. Richard (1979-80 and in 1980).

At the trading deadline last season, Houston acquired RHP Ryan Pressly from Minnesota
in exchange for RHP Jorge Alcala and OF Gilberto Celestino…since the trade, Pressly has posted a 0.50 ERA (2 ER/35.2IP) in 37 games as the Astros setup man. Source: Astros GameNotes

Jorge Alcala
Gilberto Celestino

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We will have to wait and see if Alcala or Celestino can save Derek Falvey’s and/or Thad Levine’s bacon.

 

Twins leaders with two or more home runs in a game

No surprise here that it is Harmon Killebrew, right?
Results
Rk Player #Matching
1 Harmon Killebrew 35
2 Justin Morneau 20
3 Tony Oliva 18
4 Kent Hrbek 16
5 Bob Allison 15
6 Kirby Puckett 13
7 Gary Gaetti 13
8 Tom Brunansky 11
9 Don Mincher 9
10 Torii Hunter 9
11 Eddie Rosario 8
12 Corey Koskie 8
13 Jacque Jones 8
14 Jimmie Hall 8
15 Brian Dozier 8
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 5/1/2019.

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Eddie Rosario is climbing this list pretty quickly.