Twins minor league players of the week – Nick Gordon and Zack Littell

The Twins have named Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts infielder Nick Gordon and Triple-A Rochester right-handed pitcher Zack Littell Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week.

Nick Gordon

In seven games this week, the 22-year-old left-handed hitting Gordon hit .400 (10-for-25) with four doubles, one home run, four RBI, four runs scored, four walks and a .484 on-base percentage. So far this season Gordon is hitting .346 in 34 games and has played shortstop in 27 games, 6 games at second base and 1 as the DH. Gordon was selected fifth overall by the Twins in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft and is the son of former major league pitcher Tom Gordon and younger brother of Mariners outfielder Dee Gordon.

You have to figure Gordon is ready to move up a notch to AAA and is likely to see some action for the Twins this season.

Looking at the 41 picks in the 2014 first round, 21 of the selections are position players and ten of the 21 were drafted out of high school like Gordon and none of them have yet advanced to the big leagues. Out of the 11 position players picked out of colleges, seven have or are playing in the majors.

20 of the 41 first round selections in 2014 were pitchers, 10 out of high school and just one of these picks, Jack Flaherty from the Cardinals has thrown off a big league mound. On the other hand, the other 10 pitcher selections were out of a college and only one of the 10 has not seen big league action.

So I have to wonder, why do you spend a first round pick on a high school player? You would think you would want a return on your money sooner than later.

Zack Littell

Littell, 22, who was just recently promoted from Double-A Chattanooga, started two games for the Red Wings this week, going 1-0 with one run allowed on four hits in 12.0 innings, six walks and 14 strikeouts. 

Littell was a Mariners 11th round selection in 2013 and was traded to the Yankees in a minor league transaction after the 2016 season. The 6’4″ Littell was then acquired by the Twins via trade with New York Yankees on July 30, 2017 along with left-handed pitcher Dietrich Enns, in exchange for left-handed pitcher Jaime Garcia. In 2017 between 3 different minor league teams, he put up a 19-1 record with a 2.12 ERA. He too should see at least a cup of coffee with the Twins this season.

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Former Minnesota Twins first round pick Johnny Ard passes away

Johnny Ard

Broni John Ard who was better known as Johnny Ard was born on June 1, 1967 in Las Vegas, Nevada and passed away at the South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta, Ga on May 3, 2018 at the age of 50 from various medical complications.

Ard played youth and high school baseball in Hemingway in the Peedee region of South Carolina where he was a standout pitcher before moving on to a college career at Francis Marion.

The Minnesota Twins used their 1988 first round selection and 20th overall pick on 6’5″ RHP Johnny Ard out of the State College of Florida. The 1988 draft was not a particularly strong draft for Minnesota with the best known players being Pat Mahomes, Scott Stahoviak and J.T. Bruett. 

Like many future Twins players to this day, Ard started his pro baseball career in 1988 with Elizabethton under manager Ray Smith before moving up for a cup of coffee with the low A Kenosha Twins under Ron Gardenhire. In 1989 Ard posted a 13-7 record with a 3.29 ERA in 186 innings with the Visalia Oaks for manager Scott Ullger and earned a 1990 promotion to the AA Orlando Sun Rays who were then managed by Ron Gardenhire and as the staff ace he posted a 12-9 record with a 3.79 ERA in 180 innings and 29 starts.

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On December 5, 1990 the Twins traded the highly touted Ard to the San Francisco Giants along with a PTBNL (Jimmy Williams) for Steve Bedrosian. Ard spent the next three seasons bouncing between AA and AAA in the Giants system but it was a variety of injuries that kept Ard from reaching the big leagues. The Giants released Ard after the 1993 season. After sitting out 1994-1995 Ard got the baseball itch once again in 1996 and pitched for the independent league Aberdeen Pheasants and made 17 starts and posted a nice 9-4 record with a 3.37 ERA but retired from pro ball after that, I am not sure why.

Although Johnny Ard never put on a Minnesota Twins uniform in a big league game he still played a big role in Minnesota Twins history. We at Twinstrivia.com would like to pass on our condolences to the Ard family and friends. 

Johnny Ard GoFundMe page

Johnny Ard Obituary

Share a Memory page

 

 

Twins Minor League Players of the Week – Alex Kirilloff, Edwar Colina & Jovani Moran

The Twins have named Single-A Cedar Rapids outfielder Alex Kirilloff ML Player of the Week and Single-A Cedar Rapids right-handed pitcher Edwar Colina and left-handed pitcher Jovani Moran Co-ML Pitchers of the Week.

Kirilloff

This past week the 20-year old Kirilloff who was the Twins first round pick in 2016 and 15th overall hit .333 (8-for-24) with 4 doubles, a home run had 6 RBI helping lead the Kernels to a 4-1 record. Season-to-date the lefty outfielder is hitting .278 with 4 home runs and 23 RBI. Kirilloff has struck out 19 times in 90 at bats.

Colina and Moran overcame six walks and two errors, combining for the Kernels’ first no-hitter in five years as Cedar Rapids beat South Bend, 10-0, on Tuesday at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. 

Colina

The right-handed Colina earned his second win of the season when he tossed 6.0 innings with five walks and two strikeouts just two days before his 21st birthday. This season the Venezuela native has pitched 15 innings in his 3 starts and is 2-0 with a miniscule 0.60 ERA while striking out 7 and walking 11. Colina is in his third season of organized ball in the Twins system. 

Moran

Moran, a lefty, being used strictly as a relief pitcher finished the no-hitter game with 3.0 innings facing only 9 batters with a walk, HBP, and a strike-out in his longest outing of the season. Moran was the Twins seventh round selection in 2015 from Puerto Rico and is also in his third season working for the Twins.

 

 

Twins Minor League Report 050518

The Twins seem lost and no one seems to care

The Minnesota Twins play this season has been pitiful, I really don’t know any other way to describe it without using language not fit for this site. The Twins record in April was 8-14 and the team scored 90 runs (4.09) but gave up 129 (5.86) runs. Playing .364 baseball is totally unacceptable for a team that made the playoffs in 2017 and was expected to be even better this season with the additions the Twins made this past off-season. If you look back over all the April baseball that the Minnesota Twins have played since 1961 through 2017 you will find that the team has won 565 games and lost 610 and tied 2 games for a winning percentage of .480, but this years team isn’t even play up to that low bar.

Those of you that have watched the Twins play this season know the team is playing hideous baseball. In the 16 losses this season the team has lost by five or more runs seven times, to get blown out in 44% of your games is a bad sign. 

Yes, the team has had its shares of injuries, but who hasn’t? From what we have seen of Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton in their relatively short careers we can be pretty confident that neither one will have long consecutive game played streaks on the back of their baseball card. We can only wait and hope that Sano and Buxton aren’t a would of, could of, should of, type of player’s. 

Paul Molitor

So what is causing this team to play so bad? Everything, the pitching is bad, the hitters aren’t hitting, the fielding leaves a lot to be desired. When nothing seems to work you can’t fire the players, it comes down to leadership. The people in charge are responsible, for the Twins won-lost record and it starts with the manager Paul Molitor. I know the man just signed a new three-year deal but……. How about the pitching coach Garvin Alston? I haven’t heard his name mentioned in weeks, is he still on the coaching staff? Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have such a low profile that you wonder if they still work here. The only time these two guys show their faces is when something good happens.

Sure, this team will improve their play, but when? Is this going to be another wasted season when when the Twins organization tells us we have to be patient and give the young players a chance to mature? Winning is contagious, but so is losing.

The worst scenario is that the Twins play bad all season and management decides to “blow it up” and start over. That would be the final straw!

If you have a need to see some interesting facts about Minnesota Twins history on May 2nd  just click on our new This Day in Twins History.

 

2018 Team Marketing Fan Cost Index for MLB

The Team Marketing Report (who recently changed ownership) Fan Cost Index (FCI) was recently published and has some interesting facts as always. The TMR Fan Cost Index represents the cost for a family of four to attend a game. TMR staff compile costs for all 30 MLB ballparks using the price of four average weighted non-premium tickets combined with four sodas, four hot dogs, two beers and two souvenir caps, plus a parking spot. Here are some of the highlights:

  • The cost to attend a Major League Baseball game has increased by 2.4 percent for the 2018 season, according to the Team Marketing Report Fan Cost Index®. Real shocker huh?
  • The most expensive team to watch at the ballpark this year is the Chicago Cubs with their Fan Cost Index of $368.28. This marked the first time since 2009, and only second time since 2000, that the Boston Red Sox were not at the top of the list. They came in at second most expensive at $345.88. BOO!
  • The most affordable ballgame once again belongs to the Arizona Diamondbacks, with their FCI of $145.58. They’ve had a stranglehold on the lowest FCI since 2009, also boasting the least expensive average ticket price of $19.65. Nice job Arizona!
  • Taking into account all costs, the largest FCI jumps are the Blue Jays at 15.7, Minnesota Twins at 9 percent and Milwaukee Brewers at 8.9 percent. Twins apparently expect fans to pay for the free agents they signed.

 

The Minnesota Twins have a higher than average FCI and only the Red Sox, Yankees, Astros and Mariners are more expensive than our Minnesota Twins in the American League, that puts them in some pretty rarefied air. The Twins have the most expensive FCI in the AL Central Division. We give the Minnesota Twins a 

 

 

Twins minor league players of the week – Royce Lewis & Stephen Gonsalves

The Twins have named Single-A Cedar Rapids shortstop Royce Lewis ML Player of the Week and Triple-A Rochester left-handed pitcher Stephen Gonsalves ML Pitcher of the Week.

Royce Lewis

Royce Lewis hit .304 (7-for-23) with four runs and four RBI in four games for the Kernels (had 4-hit game previous week). For the season, Lewis is hitting .316 with one double, one home run and 10 RBI. 

Lewis, who was ranked Baseball America’s top prospect in the Twins system, was drafted by the Twins first overall in last June’s MLB Draft out of JSerra Catholic High School (San Juan Capistrano, CA). According to MLB.com (Jim Callis) Lewis signed a deal for $6.725 million, a record for a high school player. Lewis is represented by Scott Boras. The 6’2″ right-handed Lewis will turn 19 on June 5.

Gonsalves, a 6’5″ left-hander was promoted from Double-A Chattanooga this week to AAA Rochester, made one start for the Lookouts on Tuesday, allowing one run on four hits in 5.0 innings pitched with nine strikeouts. In Chattanooga, Gonsalves was 3-0 in 4 starts with a 1.77 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 20.1 innings. 

Stephen Gonsalves

Gonsalves, Baseball America’s fourth best prospect in the Twins system,
was drafted in the fourth round in 2013 out of Cathedral Catholic High School (San Diego, CA).

I think that Gonsalves will be a star sooner than later and I fully expect him to be a starter in the Twins rotation this season. He is going to be a “good” one, the only reason the Twins were able to get him in the fourth round was because of this issue.

 

Twins Minor League Report 04 29 18

FINALLY! An answer to why the New York Yankees keep beating the Twins

Posnanski: There is only one logical explanation for the Yankees’ hold over the Twins:

Witchcraft

Posnanski wrote a story on the Yankee-Twins “rivalry” in The Athletic” (pay site) I think that Posnanski is on to something. Can you think of a better explanation? Of course not, there is none.

So the thing to do here is to look at the silver lining in the dark gray cloud. The Twins could use some fans at Target Field so the Twins crack Marketing staff should have a “cast a spell on the Yankees” day when they come to town in September. The team can hire an expert in the field of Witchcraft and have him/her remove the spell that the New York Yankees have over the Minnesota Twins. Once that is complete, then casting a “no World Series” spell over the New York Yankees seems like fair retribution.

What a crowd this would draw and finally end this curse that has demoralized Minnesota Twins fans for years.

 

Yankees and the Twins

The Athletic had an interesting article recently by Jayson Stark – Stark: The Useless Info Dept., Swing and a Foul Edition  . Here is one of the points Stark brought up to put the Twins and Yankee games into perspective.

Is there a more one-sided rivalry in baseball than the Twins and Yankees? They got a chance to hang out together at Yankee Stadium again this week. And once the Yankees had finished sweeping a four-game series, it meant that since 2002 (if you count the postseason), the Yankees have gone an incomprehensible 94-33 against the Twins. That’s the equivalent of playing like a 120-win team (or in the Twins’ case, the ’62 Mets) over a full season.

Next-best record by any team against any other team in its league over that same period: The Angels are 84-45 against the Tigers.

I don’t think I would call Twins and Yankee games a rivalry, I would call it an annual beating. I see things in life always going full circle so that means the Twins are in for some good times in the future, the devil is in the details. I hope I am still around to see it happen.

Twins Minor League Players of the Week – Zander Wiel and Tyler Duffey

This weeks Twins minor league players of the week are first baseman Zander Wiel of the Chattanooga Lookouts and Tyler Duffey.

Zander Wiel

This past week Zander Wiel appeared in six games and had 9 hits in 21 at bats with four doubles, two home runs, six RBI and scored five times posting a batting average of .429 and had a 1.405 OPS. For the season, the 25 year-old Weil is hitting .370 with 20 hits in 54 at bats.  Zander is about 6’3″ and goes about 232 and bats and throws right-handed. 

Weil, a Tennessee native is now in his fourth season of pro ball was drafted by Minnesota in the 12th round of the June 2015 amateur draft out of Vanderbilt University where he played on two CWS teams and has one championship on his resume. Weil is not currently rated as a Twins Top 30 prospect by  MLB.

Tyler Duffey

Tyler Duffey who has pitched for the Twins 2015-2017 and had a rough spring training started the season with the AAA Rochester Red Wings. This past week Duffey appeared in two games, pitched 6.2 innings and allowed no runs, just two hits, and struck out 10 while walking just one batter. Did I mention he is 3-1 this season with 14 strikeouts in 11 innings without allowing a single earned run? The Twins called Duffey up to the big club yesterday. Hopefully Duffey can keep it going with the Twins in the long relief role. 

Twins Minor League Report 042218

Yikes! Yankees 14 and Twins 1

I took some facts from an article about the Twins vs Yankees game from The Athletic, a pay site that I am checking out as I usually don’t usually visit pay sites. The article is entitled Ryan LaMarre’s pitching cameo and a Twins flop in the Bronx, by the numbers

Brian Dozier

24 – Straight games with a hit for Brian Dozier, dating back to last season, including 17 since the start of the 2018 campaign. Dozier extended his streak with a two-out, RBI single to left in the fifth inning off Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka, who was outstanding. Dozier’s hit streak is rapidly approaching the longest in Twins history, a 31-game run by Ken Landreaux in 1980. It’s also the longest hitting streak to span two seasons since Arizona’s Paul Goldschmidt hit in 26 straight games between 2013-14. The longest two-season hit streak of the past 25 years, according to The Athletic’s Jayson Stark, is Jimmy Rollins’ 38 games between 2005-06. The single also allowed Dozier to extend his stretch of reaching base in a game to 34, dating back to September 12.

This is the second hitting streak for Dozier of 24 or more games, he is the only Twins player with two long streaks like this. Next up on the list is 25 in a row by Brian Harper. You can see the Twins longest hitting streaks by going to “Hitting Streaks” on the right hand side of the page.

10.43 – Twins team earned-run average on the road trip through four of seven games. Twins pitchers have allowed at least eight runs in all four contests and at least seven earned runs in each, too. Overall, the numbers have been putrid as Twins pitchers have allowed 40 runs (39 earned) in 33 2/3 innings along with 50 hits, 18 walks and 41 strikeouts.

Tyler Kinley

Question for the day – How long are the Twins going to hang on to Rule 5 pick-up Tyler Kinley?