Twins minor league players of the week – Larnach and Balazovic

High A Fort Myers Miracle outfielder Trevor Larnach and High A Fort Myers Miracle right-handed pitcher Jordan Balazovic have been named as the Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week.

Trevor Larnach (click on image to make larger)

In six games for the Miracle, Larnach hit .440 (11-for-25) with two doubles, two home runs, five RBI, seven runs scored, three walks and a 1.260 OPS. Larnach, 22, was drafted by the Twins in the first round (20th overall) in the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of Oregon State University and signed for a $2.55 million signing bonus. Larnach in his second season of pro ball is entering the 2019 season as the fifth best prospect in the Twins system by Baseball America.

Jordan Balazovic (click on image to make larger)

 

The Canadian born Balazovic made his FSL debut in start on Sunday at Palm Beach, pitching 7.0 no-hit innings with no walks and 10 strikeouts. Balazovic, 20, was drafted by the Twins in the fifth round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of  St. Martin Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario and signed for a reported $515,000 signing bonus. The 6’4″ right-hander has been used as a starter since he began pro ball and is rated as the Twins 19th best prospect.

 

Miracle’s Balazovic perfect in FSL debut

Twins Minor League Report, 5-12-19

Twins $5 Ticket Idea Proves To Be a Winner

I have gotten on the Minnesota Twins case over the years for their high ticket prices but the flash sale $5 ticket plan announced by the ballclub on May 7 that all upper deck (Home Run Porch and Grandstand) tickets for remaining Twins games in May would be sold for $5 with no processing fees is a winner. The Twins reported that approximately 20,000 tickets were available and they sold out in under 24 hours.

The next day the Twins announced another flash sale for $5 ballpark access only tickets again with no processing fees for the remaining May home games. With these tickets you get in the ballpark but have no seat.

Continue reading Twins $5 Ticket Idea Proves To Be a Winner

Did you Know?

NOTES FROM REMARKABLE, FROM INSIDE EDGE:

Kyle Gibson
Jonathan Schoop
Byron Buxton

 

 

 

 

 

(Click on images to make them larger)

The Twins have used a defensive shift 245 times in 426 plate appearances (57.5% shift rate) vs right-handed batters this season — highest in MLB; League Avg: 22.5%.

Kyle Gibson has induced opposing right-handed batters to ground into 21 double plays in 83 opportunities (25.3%) since the start of last season — best among qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: 12.1%.

Kyle Gibson has walked 3 of 75 left-handed batters (4.0%) this season — 4th best among qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: 9.0%.

Kyle Gibson has recorded 10 of his 15 strikeouts (66.7%) vs right-handed batters with his slider this season — 7th highest in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 16.0 IP; League Avg: 26.2%.

Jonathan Schoop has not drawn a walk in his last 72 PA’s against a RHP dating back to April 13th — Manuel Margot has the longest active streak at 97.

Byron Buxton has 16 Extra-Base hits out of 22 total hits (72.7%) against RHP this season — best in MLB; League Avg: 39.0%

Source: Twins GameNotes 05/08/19.

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.

Twins Minor League Players of the Week – Davis & Thorpe

AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos outfielder Jaylin Davis and AAA Rochester left-handed pitcher Lewis Thorpe have been named Twins minor league player and Pitcher of the Week.

Jaylin Davis

In six games for the Blue Wahoos, Davis hit .407 (11-for-27) with three doubles, two home runs, six RBI and a 1.148 OPS.

Davis, 24, and in his fourth season of pro ball was drafted by the Twins in the 24th round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of Appalachian State University. Jaylin Malik Davis was expected to be a top 3-4 round talent coming out of Appalachian State University but was unfortunate to tear the labrum in his right shoulder when diving after a ball during his draft season. Davis missed the rest of 2015 getting the shoulder repaired and letting it heal.

Lewis Thorpe

Thorpe, 23, made one start for the Red Wings on Tuesday vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, allowing one run on three hits in 8.0 innings while striking out 12 batters for the second straight start. Thorpe got off to a rough starts this season allowing 15 runs in his first two starts that lasted a total of 8.2 innings. For the year Thorpe is 1-2 with a 7.25 ERA in 22.1 innings. 7 of his 8 walks this season were in his first two starts. 

Thorpe was signed in 2012 out of Melbourne, Australia at the age of 16 and is in his eighth season of pro ball but he missed 2015 and 2016 due to Tommy John surgery. Thorpe, the 6’2″ lefty was the Twins minor league Pitcher of the Year last season. I would expect Thorpe to make his major league debut with the Twins in 2019.

Wings’ Thorpe ties career high … again

 

Twins Minor League Report, 4-28-19