Prior to last nights game against the Bronx Bombers the Twins ranked sixth in the AL in total attendance, having drawn 1,296,842 this season, trailing New York (2,174,093), Los Angeles (1,868,163), Boston (1,766,667), Houston (1,730,832) and Texas (1,409,726). Rocco’s boys now have drawn 30,000+ in 15 of their last 19 home games. The Twins have sold out 168 regular season games at Target Field since 2010, they sold out 81 in 2010, 57 in 2011, eight in 2012, six in 2013, none in 2014, six in 2015, one in 2016, one in 2017, one in 2018, and seven in 2019. Twins fans are showing they will come to watch a good team play ball. In spite of the teams low attendance numbers to start the season, they are now averaging 26,629 per game which is over 3,000 on average per game more than last season. At this pace they are on track to hit 2.2 million fans.
Twins minor league players of the week – Davis & Teng
AAA Rochester outfielder Jaylin Davis and Low-A Cedar Rapids right-handed pitcher Kai-Wei Teng have been named Twins Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Week.
In seven games for the Red Wings, Davis hit .458 (11-for-24) with five home runs, 11 RBI, five walks, 12 runs scored and a 1.664 OPS. Davis, 25, was selected in the 24th round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of Appalachian State University. The right-handed hitting Davis started the season in Pensacola and moved up to Rochester on June 19. Steady climb thru the Twins system and is getting close to making his big league debut.
Teng made the start on Sunday for the Kernels, pitching 6. shutout innings with five hits allowed no walks and a season-high 10 strikeouts. Teng, 20, was signed by the Twins as an undrafted free agent in October of 2017 out of Taichung, Taiwan.
Kernels pitcher Kai-Wei Teng has been named Midwest League Pitcher of the Week
Couple of things about A’s and Twins
The Oakland A’s team that the Twins are playing are no slouches and are a very good team. The Twins have split the first two games and it will be interesting to see how the final two games go.
The Oakland A’s are 37-17 (.685) dating back to May 16, which is tied with the Yankees for the best record in the majors over that span. They have a 3.66 ERA (201 er in 493.2 ip), which is second lowest to the Dodgers (3.27). The A’s lead the majors in home runs (104), slugging (.491), and extra base hits (226), are tied for second in runs (321) and are fifth in OPS (.824). The A’s have outscored the opposition 321-215 for a run differential of +106.
Since moving to Oakland in 1968, the A’s are 308-304 against Minnesota, that includes 172-131 in Oakland and 136-173 in Minnesota (19-18 at Target Field). The Athletics are 365-373 all-time against the Twins and have a 1,012-1,009 record against the Twins/Senators. The 1,012 are the A’s most against any franchise.
Tonights starter for the Twins Jose Berrios has thrown his curveball 37.4% of the time (337/900) vs right-handed batters this season, 3rd highest among qualified SPs in MLB; League Average is 15.1%. José Berríos has induced opposing hitters to ground into just 5 double plays in 94 opportunities (5.3%) this season, 6th worst among qualified SPs in MLB, the league average is 10.6%.
Twins DSL minor leaguer Jesus Medina suspended for 72 games
The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced yesterday that three Minor League players have been suspended following their violations of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
Minnesota Twins Minor League pitcher Jesus Medina was one of the players suspended and has received a 72-game suspension without pay after testing positive for Stanozolol, a performance-enhancing substance in violation of the Program.
The suspension of Medina, who is on the roster of the Dominican Summer League Twins is effective immediately.
Medina, a Venezuelan right-handed pitcher was signed by the Minnesota Twins on July 4, 2018 as a 16 year ol free agent and started his pro career in the Dominican Summer League this year. Medina, was 0-2 with a 7.13 ERA in two starts and six relief appearances this year for the Dominican Summer League Twins.
How can you not like Luis Arraez
Since being recalled back to Minnesota on June 18, Luis Arraez is hitting .389 (28-for-72) with four doubles, one home run, four RBI, 10 runs scored, seven walks, a .443 on-base percentage and a .929 OPS. Among all rookies with a minimum of 70 plate appearances since that date, he ranks first in batting average, second in on-base percentage and tied for third in hits. Arraez has 37 hits through his first 30 career games, tied for fourth most in Twins history through 30: Kirby Puckett (42 in 1984), Kennys Vargas (40 in 2014), Chuck Knoblauch (38 in 1991), Danny Santana (37 in 2014).
His AB this past Tuesday was certainly one of the best ever seen by Twins fans. The Twins were down 3-2 to the New York Mets going into the bottom of the ninth against Mets closer Edwin Diaz. Diaz struck out Miguel Sano swinging for out one and then had to face Jonathan Schoop and on his second pitch Schoop grabbed his ribs and was removed from the game. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli brought in Luis Arraez to face the hard-throwing Diaz with an inherited 0-2 count. Arraez fouled off four pitches while working the count full before taking a walk bringing the Target Field crown to its feet. Mitch Garver singled but Jorge Polanco struck out for the second out of the inning. Marwin Gonzalez reached first base loading the bases on an infield single and Nelson Cruz stepped to the plate with the bases loaded but on a full count he popped up to the Mets third baseman in foul territory retiring the Twins and giving the Mets a 3-2 victory. The Arraez AB is an AB that will go down in Twins lore as one of the best ever.
Looks like second base is all his (Arraez) but he may have to wait until next season. Jonathan Schoop is a streaky hitter but I think he deserves to keep his job at second through this year and having a player like Arraez on the bench is a real luxury.
Kernels pitcher Kai-Wei Teng has been named Midwest League Pitcher of the Week
The Midwest League and MiLB.com announced recently that Low A Cedar Rapids Kernels right-pitcher Kai-Wei Teng has been named Midwest League Pitcher of the Week for the period ending July 14. The 6’4″ and 260 pound Teng allowed five hits with 10 strikeouts in 6 IP in a no-decision, against Lansing on Sunday. Teng signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Taichung, Taiwan in October of 2017.
The award marks the second consecutive week a Kernels pitcher has been named MWL Pitcher of the Week (Andrew Cabezas) and third Kernel to win MWL weekly honors.
Former Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Grzenda passes away at 82
Former major league pitcher and one-time Minnesota Twins pitcher Joseph Charles Grzenda, 82, of Covington Twp, PA. passed away on Friday, July 12, 2019 at home. Grzenda was born on June 8, 1937 in Scranton, PA. the son of the late Joseph C. and Josephine (Jankowski) Grzenda. Joe Grzenda graduated from Moosic High School in Greenwood in 1955 and went on to serve in the U.S. Army.
The left-handed Grezenda was first signed in 1955 as an amateur free agent by the Detroit Tigers and worked his way up the Tigers minor league system playing in D, B, AA and AAA ball before finally getting his shot in the big leagues with the Tigers in 1961.
Twins minor league players of the week – Lewis & Colina
A+ Ft. Myers Miracle infielder Royce Lewis and Ft. Myers Miracle right-handed pitcher Edwar Colina have been named Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week.
Lewis, who played in the SiriusXM Futures Game at Progressive Field last Sunday, played in four games for the Miracle late this week, hitting .353 (6-for-17) with two home runs, three RBI and two walks. The 20-year-old Lewis is in his third season of pro ball after having been selected first overall in 2017 by Minnesota. Lewis appeared in 46 games for Ft. Myers last season and has spent all of this season with the Miracle. It is fair to say that Lewis has struggled at times this year hitting only .235 with a .285 OBP and a .649 OPS but he seems to be showing improvement. A handful of players from the 2017 draft have already had a cup of coffee in the big leagues with their parent clubs but with the way Lewis has played this season he has little to no chance of seeing a September call-up.
Colina made the start on Wednesday versus Daytona, pitching 7 shutout innings with three hits allowed, no walks and eight strikeouts. The 22-year-old Venezuelan right-hander started the season with the Miracle and in ten starts has 4-2 record with a nice 2.34 ERA. In 61.2 innings Colina has given up only 53 hits and struck out 61 batters. Colina has improved his control this season and has a nifty 4.07 SO/W ratio. The Minnesota Twins signed free agent RHP Edwar Colina to a minor league contract on September 29, 2015.
This is what baseball has come down to? Oh My!
This is the Twins shift in the game against the Texas Rangers Joey Gallo yesterday. A catcher (Mitch Garver) and pitcher (Devin Smeltzer) and first baseman (Miguel Sano) in their normal positions but no one else is on the dirt. Five outfielders and yet Gallo hits a double off the right field wall, he also had a bunt single. My friend Wayne Hattaway would tell you “this isn’t real baseball”. Everytime you go to a baseball game you have a chance to see something you have never seen before.
Twins minor league players of the week – Davis & Rijo
AAA Rochester Red Wings outfielder Jaylin Davis and Low-A Cedar Rapids Kernels right-handed pitcher Luis Rijo have been named Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week.
In eight games (DH Friday) for the Red Wings, Davis hit .364 (12-for-33) with three
doubles, four home runs, eight RBI, two walks and a 1.128 OPS. Davis, 25, was a 25th round pick by the Twins in 2015 and has hit .284 (81-for-285) with 15 doubles, 17 home runs and 47 RBI in 77 games between Double-A Pensacola and Rochester.
Rijo made the start on Thursday vs. Burlington, pitching 7 shutout innings with one hit allowed, no walks and 10 strikeouts. The 20-year-old Venezuela native was acquired by the Twins in 2018 from the New York Yankees, in exchange for right-handed pitcher and current Texas Ranger Lance Lynn.