Tag: Jhoan Duran

What does AI predict for the Twins in 2024

Just for fun I asked AI Microsoft Copilot powered by GPT-4 to tell me how the Minnesota Twins will do in 2024. Here is what it had to say:

The Minnesota Twins are gearing up for the 2024 MLB season, and there are several intriguing story-lines to watch. Let’s dive into some predictions:

  1. Royce Lewis Makes All-Star Team, Earns MVP Consideration:
  2. Joe Ryan Bounces Back with an All-Star Season:
  3. Twins Projected to Win AL Central Again:

In summary, keep an eye on Royce Lewis, Joe Ryan, and the Twins as they aim to defend their division title and make a deeper playoff run in 2024! ??

Continue reading What does AI predict for the Twins in 2024

Twins 18 game postseason losing streak dead and buried

The Minnesota Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays at Target Field in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series by a score of 3-1. Pablo López was the starter and winner, allowing one run on five hits in 5.2 innings pitched, with two walks and three strikeouts. Louie Varland (0.1 IP), Caleb Thielbar (1 IP) and Griffin Jax (1 IP) each earned a hold as Jhoan Duran earned the save with a scoreless ninth inning. The offense recorded five hits and walked six times. Royce Lewis was the hitting star going 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBI. The paid attendance was 38,450, the second sellout of the season and largest since the Home Opener on April 7 vs. Houston – 38,465.

The Twins win was their first playoff victory since a 2-0 win at old Yankee Stadium in Game 1 of the ALDS on October 5, 2004 – a span of 6,397 days. The win snapped the longest playoff losing streak in baseball history. In that span, the Twins had lost 13 games to the Yankees, three to the A’s and two to the Astros. The Twins win was their first postseason win in Minnesota since a 2-1 victory over the Angels at the Metrodome in Game 1 of the 2002 ALCS on October 8.

Good pitching, stellar defense and two home runs by designated hitter Royce Lewis in his first two AB’s led the Twins to victory in front of a sellout home crowd that yelled and screamed and waived their Homer Hankies at every opportunity. Lewis who hasn’t played in 2 weeks due to a hamstring issue wasn’t even sure if he would be on the playoff roster since he is not 100%. Never-the-less he carried the Twins offense on his shoulders in this game. We may have to coin this the Royce Lewis game. You can’t write about the game without mentioning a stellar play by Carlos Correa throwing out a Blue Jays runner at the plate and two magnificent plays by Michael A. Taylor in center field, one a diving catch and the other a leaping grab at the fence.

If your a baseball fan that likes to sit back and enjoy the game, this would have been a tough game for you as the crowd was standing more than they were sitting. Playoff baseball at its best, unless you are a Blue Jays fan. The Twins are seeking the first postseason sweep in Twins/Senators franchise history.

Twins fun facts from Twins 3/24 & 3/25 ST notes

SPRING FLING: Today the Twins will play the 28th and 29th of 32 scheduled Grapefruit League games as the Twins and Braves will play a pair of split squad at Hammond Stadium and CoolToday Park in North Port. After today, one more game will be played at Hammond Stadium and two more games will be played on the road. The Twins will complete the exhibition season with a 1:05 pm (ET) game in Bradenton against the Pirates on Tuesday, March 28. After the game, they will fly to Kansas City, hold an optional team workout on March 29 then begin a three-game, four-day series at Kauffman Stadium from March 30-April 2. Rocco Baldelli announced to the media how the starting five will open the season: for the Kansas City series – RHP Pablo López on Thursday, March 30 , RHP Sonny Gray on Saturday, April 1, RHP Joe Ryan on Sunday, April 2. For the Miami series – RHP Tyler Mahle
on Monday, April 3, RHP Kenta Maeda on Tuesday, April 4.

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT: Below is a look at Baseball America’s top ten Twins prospects entering the 2023 season: 1 Royce Lewis, 2 Brooks Lee, 3 Emmanuel Rodriguez, 4 Edouard Julien, 5 Connor Prielipp, 6, Matt Wallner, 7 Marco Raya, 8 Louie Varland, 9 David Festa, 10 Simeon Woods Richardson.

Below is a look at MLB’s top ten Twins prospects entering the 2023 season: 1. Brooks Lee, 2 Royce Lewis, 3. Emmanuel Rodriguez, 4. Connor Prelipp, 5 Matt Wallner, 6 Simeon Woods Richardson, 7 Marco Raya, 8 Misael Urbina, 9 Matt Canterino, 10 Louie Varland.

PROSPECT SHOWCASE IN TAMPA: The Twins beat the Yankees yesterday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field by a score of 6-4. Pablo López was the starter in his final tuneup of the spring, allowing two runs on two hits in 3 innings pitched. Kenta Maeda made his final official spring appearance in relief, allowing two runs on three hits in 5 innings pitched, with five strikeouts. Twins prospects Edouard Julien and Emmanuel Rodriguez both went 2-for-4 with a home run, as Rodriguez’s three-run jimmy jack gave the Twins a ninth inning lead and eventual victory.

Tomorrow’s pitchers: Minnesota: Sonny Gray (R), Cole Sands (R), Jorge Alcala (R), Jhoan Duran (R)
Boston: Chris Sale (L), Kaleb Ort (R), Richard Bleier (L), John Schreiber (R)

Twins fun facts from Twins 3/23 ST notes

TWINS GO ON THE OFFENSIVE AT JETBLUE: The Twins shutout the Red Sox last night at JetBlue Park by a score of 11-0, setting spring highs in runs and hits (15). Joe Ryan (1-1) was the starter and winner, pitching 5 shutout innings with two hits allowed, one walk and five strikeouts. Emilio Pagán and Cole Sands each pitched 2 scoreless innings as Sands struck out three of his eight batters faced. The offense recorded 15 hits, highlighted by Trevor Larnach, who went 4-for-4 with his third home run of the spring. Kyle Farmer added a home run, marking his third of the exhibition season. The Twins also recorded eight two-out RBI. Now that what I like to see, good pitching and good hitting.

SPRING FLING: Today the Twins will play the 26th of 32 scheduled Grapefruit League games. After today, two more games will be played at Hammond Stadium and four more games will be played on the road.

BUCK TRUCK GETTING REVVED UP: Byron Buxton is in the Twins’ starting lineup for the second time this spring, batting leadoff as the designated hitter. He made his official spring debut on Tuesday vs. Tampa Bay, going 1-for-3 with a leadoff double and run scored. Buck has spent most of spring training seeing live pitching on backfields at Hammond Stadium.

Minnesota pitchers today are scheduled to be Tyler Mahle (R), Caleb Thielbar (L), Jhoan Duran (R), Jorge Alcala (R) and Griffin Jax (R).

THE DURANTULA: Jhoan Duran is in his fourth spring training with the Twins. He is scheduled to make his sixth spring appearance today, having pitched 5 scoreless innings so far with two walks and seven strikeouts. Made the Twins Opening Day roster last season for first time in career and spent season in bullpen; used all season in high-leverage situations, ranked sixth among AL relievers in ERA (1.86) and 12th in baseball. Led baseball in pitches of at least 100 miles-per-hour with 392.

Twins fun facts from Twins 3/17 ST notes

SPRING FLING: Today the Twins will play the 21st of 32 scheduled Grapefruit League games. Twins also played one World Baseball Classic exhibition against Team Dominican Republic March 9. After today, eleven spring training games remain to be played.

YESTERDAY’S RECAP: The Twins were shut out, 2-0, by the Tampa Bay Rays yesterday afternoon at Hammond Stadium. Joe Ryan was the starter and was saddled with the loss, allowing two runs on five hits (1 HR), with one walk and five strikeouts. Relievers Jeff Hoffman (1.0 IP, 2 K), Caleb Thielbar (1.0 IP, 1 BB, 1 K), Jhoan Duran (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K), Griffin Jax (1.0 IP, 1 K) and Jorge Alcala (1.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K) combined for 5.0 scoreless innings in relief of Ryan. Kyle Garlick (1-for-3) and Nick Gordon (1-for-3) tallied the Twins’ two hits of the afternoon.

(BAD) LUCK OF THE IRISH: Since 2006, the Twins have gone 4-11-1 on St. Patrick’s Day. Make that 5-11-1 after they lost again today to the Orioles by a 5-3 score.

TO THE MAX: Max Kepler is in his 10th spring training, all with the Twins. He enters today hitting .409 (9-for-22) with three doubles, two home runs, three RBI, four walks, a .500 on-base percentage and a 1.318 OPS in nine games so far this spring. He leads Twins players in games since 2017 (721), and was the club’s 2022 Opening Day right fielder for sixth consecutive season. Hit third career grand slam May 23 vs. Detroit, off Elvin Rodriguez, it was also the 1,000th home run by a Twins player in Target Field history. Led team in defensive runs saved with nine, ranking ninth in baseball (per FanGraphs).

54 active players in camp (19 non-roster):
26 pitchers (7 non-roster)
6 catchers (4 non-roster)
10 infielders (4 non-roster)
12 outfielders (4 non-roster)
2 60-day Injured List

Twins best players in Target Field era

Target Field has been open since been open since 2010 and the Minnesota Twins have played 13 seasons of baseball there and complied a .475 won/lost percentage since they started call TF as their home. The team has lost 100 more games than it has won in the Target Field era and made the playoffs four times although they were always eliminated in the first round.

I just wanted to take a look at the Twins best players over the 13 years and give you a chance to reflect on some of your memories from those players both good and bad. To do this I am using the WAR numbers from Baseball-Reference and I am looking for the best position player and best pitcher from each particular season.

Continue reading Twins best players in Target Field era

Twins minor league players of the week – Larnach & Duran

Ft. Myers Miracle Trevor Larnach (9) bats in the third inning of a baseball game against the Palm Beach Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Fla., Sunday, May 5, 2019. (Gordon Donovan)

Ft. Myers Miracles (high A) outfielder Trevor Larnach and Ft. Myers Miracles right-handed pitcher Jhoan Duran have been named Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week.

In five games for the Miracle, Larnach hit .524 (11-for-21) with two doubles, two
home runs, seven RBI, four runs scored and a 1.427 OPS. The 22-year-old Larnach was drafted by the Twins 20th overall in the 2018 First-Year Player Draft and this marks his second POW honor this season (also May 12).

Larnach raking at a Miraculous rate

 

Jhoan Duran – credit Bill Parmeter of Ft. Myers Miracle

The right-handed throwing Duran made one start for the Miracle coming last Sunday at Daytona, allowing two runs (1 earned) on two hits in 6.0 innings pitched with 14 strikeouts (23 batters faced). Although Duran has an 0-5 record this season with the Miracles, he has started nine games and pitched 42.1 innings allowing just 31 hits and a 3.61 ERA. Duran has struck out 52 but also walked 15 batters.

The 21-year-old was acquired by the Twins at the trade deadline last season from Arizona, in exchange for Eduardo Escobar.

Duran hits new career heights for Miracle

 

Twins Minor League Report, 6-2-19

The only Minnesota Twins minor league team with a losing record at this point is the 20-31 Rochester Red Wings.

Twins minor league players of the week – Trevor Larnach & Jhoan Duran

The Twins have named A- Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder Trevor Larnach and Single-A Cedar Rapids right-handed pitcher Jhoan Duran as Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week.

Trevor Larnach

In six games for the Kernels, Larnach hit .391 (9-for-23) with two doubles, one home
run, three RBI, three walks and six runs scored. The California native was drafted by the Twins 20th overall in this past June’s draft. The 6’4″ left-handed hitting Larnach started playing pro ball in Elizabethton and moved up to Cedar Rapids after 18 games. The Twins are expecting Larnach to move up the Twins system quickly.

Jhoan Duran

Duran made two starts for the Kernels, going 1-0, 0.66 ERA (13.2 IP, 1 ER) with three walks and 19 strikeouts. Duran, who earned this award earlier in the month, was acquired at the trade deadline from Arizona in exchange for infielder Eduardo Escobar. The 6’5″ 20-year-old right-hander has started five games for the Kernels since the Twins acquired him and has a 2-1 record but that is deceiving. He has allowed just 16 hits in 32 innings while striking out 41 and walking 7. Duran has an ERA of 2.25 and a 0.719 WHIP. The guy is tearing it up! WOW! Duran could be a steal.

 

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Twins minor league players of the week – Ryan Jeffers & Jhoan Duran

The Twins have named A- Cedar Rapids Kernels catcher Ryan Jeffers and A- Cedar Rapids Kernels right-handed pitcher Jhoan Duran as Twins minor league Player and Pitcher of the Week.

Ryan Jeffers

Ryan Jeffers, 21, played in seven games for the Kernels, hitting .423 (11-for-26) with five doubles, two home runs, six RBI and a .500 on-base percentage. Jeffers was selected by the Twins in the second round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of UNC Wilmington and signed for a below slot $800,000. Jeffers started the season by playing for just over a month in 29 games with Elizabethton where he hit 3 home runs and had 16 RBI with a .458 OBP. Since his promotion to Cedar Rapids on July 24 he has played in 11 games and has 2 home runs and 9 RBI and is hitting .366. Mike Berardino recently wrote Second-rounder Ryan Jeffers laying quick claim to Twins’ ‘catcher of the future’, a good read.

Jhoan Duran

Jhoan Duran, 20, made the start on Monday at Quad Cities, pitching 7.0 shutout/no-hit innings with one walk and eight strikeouts in his first appearance in the Twins system. The 6’5″ and 175 pound Duran was acquired last week from Arizona in exchange for infielder Eduardo Escobar and is ranked as the Twins 23rd best prospect. The right-handed Duran from the Dominican Republic started in the Arizona system at the age of 17 is already in his fourth season of pro ball and won’t be 21 until January.

 

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