Rochester (AAA):
Juan Morillo: 11 G, 15.3 IP, 21 K, 9 BB, 4.11 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, 3.40 FIP, 56.8 GB%
Morillo has won this award for three months running now. He continues to rack up the strikeouts, but as was the case last month, his win is more a reflection of the unimpressive pitching performances put together by the Rochester pitching staff.
Justin Huber: .286/.381/.536, 9 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 1/1 SB, 11 BB, 24 K in 97 PA
Huber improved upon all three components of his slash line compared to June, when he was also Rochester's top hitter. Huber has struggled in his limited major league opportunities, but he is ready should the Twins ever need a right-handed first baseman.
New Britain:
Ryan Mullins: 4 G, 23.3 IP, 25 K, 3 BB, 3.47 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 1.91 FIP, 45.2 GB%
Mullins cut down on his walks in July which allowed him to win his first pitcher of the month award. The lefty again struck out around 1 batter per inning and he leads the Eastern League with 100 strikeouts on the season.
Erik Lis: .305/.377/.552, 5 2B, 0 3B, 7 HR, 1/1 SB, 12 BB, 20 K in 122 PA
Lis was clearly the best hitter for the Rock Cats in July. He hit more home runs (7) in July than he did in the first three months of the season combined (6), including 4 homers in 4 games in a series against the Binghamton Mets.
Fort Myers:
Michael McCardell: 3 G, 21 IP, 21 K, 1 BB, 2.57 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 1.68 FIP, 42.6 GB%
McCardell was promoted to New Britain mid-month, but his three 7 inning starts for the Miracle were so good that he was still the best pitcher for Fort Myers. He continued his strong performance, minus a misleading ERA, after his promotion to New Britain, but was placed on the DL near the end of the month.
Joe Benson: .277/.434/.369, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4/8 SB, 16 BB, 15 K in 85 PA
After missing almost two months with an injury, Benson came back on July 5th and continued his best season by far as a pro. He has posted an OPS over .800 in every month and shown much improved plate discipline, including walking in 18.8% of his plate appearances in July.
Beloit:
Andrew Thompson: .333/.403/.449, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3/3 SB, 8 BB, 10 K in 78 PA
Thompson had a great month in July and as a middle infielder could have an impact in a system lacking at that position. However, at 22 he's not young for the league and has been pretty unimpressive overall, though his BB:K ratio has been solid all season long.
Liam Hendriks: 4 G, 24.3 IP, 23 K, 4 BB, 3.33 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 2.71 FIP, 57.0 GB%
The 20 year old Hendriks has been impressive in his first taste of full season ball, with a lot of groundballs and just around 1 strikeout per inning.
Elizabethton:
Josmil Pinto: .368/.414/.671, 7 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 0/0 SB, 7 BB, 12 K in 87 PA
Pinto had the highest OPS (1.085) in July of any hitter in the Twins' system. He benefited from a high BABIP, but still had 13 extra base hits and a .303 ISO.
Tom Stuifbergen: 5 G, 30.7 IP, 24 K, 4 BB, 3.52 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 2.55 FIP, 69.0 GB%
Kyle Carr also had a great month before being promoted, but Stuifbergen had a much greater impact with almost twice as many innings pitched. He didn't have the best strikeout rate (7.04 K/9), but he didn't walk many (1.17 BB/9) and induced ground balls at almost a 70% clip.
GCL:
Andrei Lobanov: 8 G, 13 IP, 19 K, 0 BB, 1.38 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 1.69 FIP, 71.9 GB%
The numbers say it all for Lobanov. He had about the best month possible for a pitcher: lots of strikeouts and groundballs with literally no walks.
Wang-Wei Lin: .333/.455/.556, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0/0 SB, 2 BB, 1 K in 11 PA
The GCL Twins struggled offensively this month, so I had no choice but to give the award to Lin despite his 11 plate appearances. No other hitter even had an OPS of .700 in the month of July.
Showing posts with label juan morillo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label juan morillo. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Back to Blogging
I took the week off from blogging with the All-Star break going on for most of it. I would say nothing happened either, but that wouldn't be true. The Twins called up Alexi Casilla for his third shot with the club this season, with Matt Tolbert mercifully being sent back to AAA (I don't think any team wants a guy on their roster who can be most aptly described as a poor man's Nick Punto).
The Twins also called up Kevin Mulvey to replace Jose Morales and add a twelfth pitcher to the roster. A twelfth pitcher isn't a necessity, but I'd rather have that than a third catcher who wins the lottery more often than he gets to play. I'm not sure Mulvey is the right pitcher, though. Bill Smith pointed to his ability to pitch in long relief for why he was the choice; if I'm not mistaken, though, Minnesota already has three pitchers who fit that role very well in R.A. Dickey, Bobby Keppel, and Brian Duensing.
What the Twins really need is another late-inning arm, which is why I would have rather given Juan Morillo, Jesse Crain, or Rob Delaney a shot instead. Mulvey has value, but he is just overkill at this point in time. Obviously, none of these players are slam dunks, or that move would have been made. Morillo is still walking a lot of batters, but it's way down from last year in AAA (from 8.45 BB/9 to 5.21) and his strikeout rate is incredible (13.50 K/9). Additionally, he's holding opponents to a .195 batting average with a totally average BABIP of .301. All of that results in a 2.84 ERA, which is just .02 off his FIP of 2.86. So, after typing all that, I'm pretty convinced I want Morillo in the bigs; the only reason I'd think otherwise is if he wouldn't be able to be sent back down if he struggled. Anyone want to help me out on that?
Delaney, meanwhile, was recently promoted to AAA and has not been nearly as dominant as he was at AA, but is holding his own. His K:BB ratio is down from 40-to-6 to 17-to-9, resulting in easily his worst BB/9, K/9, and K/BB numbers in a few years. However, he's still holding opponents to a .234 average, but that's aided by a .233 BABIP. His ERA is probably a little bloated, though, due to his 1.21 HR/9 rate that's more than twice as high as at any stop in the minors since Ft. Myers in 2006, when he threw just 5 innings.
Crain is in the same camp as Morillo, having been demoted from the Twins and with similar peripherals. He's walked too many (7 in 14.1 IP), but he's got a good strikeout rate (10.67 K/9) and opponents are batting only .216 against him.
All in all, I don't mind Mulvey getting promoted because Crain and Morillo both already showed they aren't sure things, and Delaney hasn't been great thus far in AAA.
The Twins also called up Kevin Mulvey to replace Jose Morales and add a twelfth pitcher to the roster. A twelfth pitcher isn't a necessity, but I'd rather have that than a third catcher who wins the lottery more often than he gets to play. I'm not sure Mulvey is the right pitcher, though. Bill Smith pointed to his ability to pitch in long relief for why he was the choice; if I'm not mistaken, though, Minnesota already has three pitchers who fit that role very well in R.A. Dickey, Bobby Keppel, and Brian Duensing.
What the Twins really need is another late-inning arm, which is why I would have rather given Juan Morillo, Jesse Crain, or Rob Delaney a shot instead. Mulvey has value, but he is just overkill at this point in time. Obviously, none of these players are slam dunks, or that move would have been made. Morillo is still walking a lot of batters, but it's way down from last year in AAA (from 8.45 BB/9 to 5.21) and his strikeout rate is incredible (13.50 K/9). Additionally, he's holding opponents to a .195 batting average with a totally average BABIP of .301. All of that results in a 2.84 ERA, which is just .02 off his FIP of 2.86. So, after typing all that, I'm pretty convinced I want Morillo in the bigs; the only reason I'd think otherwise is if he wouldn't be able to be sent back down if he struggled. Anyone want to help me out on that?
Delaney, meanwhile, was recently promoted to AAA and has not been nearly as dominant as he was at AA, but is holding his own. His K:BB ratio is down from 40-to-6 to 17-to-9, resulting in easily his worst BB/9, K/9, and K/BB numbers in a few years. However, he's still holding opponents to a .234 average, but that's aided by a .233 BABIP. His ERA is probably a little bloated, though, due to his 1.21 HR/9 rate that's more than twice as high as at any stop in the minors since Ft. Myers in 2006, when he threw just 5 innings.
Crain is in the same camp as Morillo, having been demoted from the Twins and with similar peripherals. He's walked too many (7 in 14.1 IP), but he's got a good strikeout rate (10.67 K/9) and opponents are batting only .216 against him.
All in all, I don't mind Mulvey getting promoted because Crain and Morillo both already showed they aren't sure things, and Delaney hasn't been great thus far in AAA.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Minor League Review: June
Rochester Red Wings (AAA):
Hitter of the Month: Justin Huber, 1B
.264/.333/.500, 4 2B, 0 3B, 7 HR, 1/2 SB, 11 BB, 19 K in 120 PA
The former top catching prospect pounded International League pitching in the month of June to the tune of a .236 ISO. He turned 27 last week and doesn't figure to have much of a future at the major league level with Justin Morneau manning first base for the Twins, but he has consistently put up good numbers at AAA over the years.
Pitcher of the Month: Juan Morillo, RHP
10 G, 13 IP, 20 K, 10 BB, 4.15 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 2.59 FIP, 39.3 GB%
Morillo's line basically sums up the Red Wings pitching woes during the month of June, as he managed to win pitcher of the month honors for the 2nd straight month despite a decidedly average ERA and WHIP. His strikeout rate, 13.85 K/9 in June, along with his 95+ MPH fastball, remain his two great attributes.
New Britain Rock Cats (AA):
Hitter of the Month: Rene Tosoni, OF
.304/.439/.494, 7 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 2/5 SB, 15 BB, 13 K in 99 PA
Tosoni followed up his .971 OPS in May with a .933 OPS in June. He also sliced his strikeout rate almost in half from the first two months of the season, and walked more than he struck out in June. With the Red Wings featuring only three outfielders on their roster, Tosoni could see a promotion sooner rather than later.
Pitcher of the Month: Yohan Pino, RHP
8 G, 13 IP, 10 K, 2 BB, 0.00 ERA, 0.31 WHIP, 2.39 FIP, 46.4 GB%
At 23 years old, Pino is putting himself firmly on the prospect map with over 1 strikeout per inning out of the bullpen for New Britain this season. In June, Pino did not allow any runs while limiting opponents to 4 baserunners in 13 innings.
Fort Myers Miracle (A+):
Hitter of the Month: Chris Parmelee, OF
.297/.391/.554, 7 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 0/0 SB, 11 BB, 17 K in 87 PA
The Twins' 2006 first round draft pick has always shown impressive power and posted a good walk rate, but with his low average, high strikeout rate, and lack of speed he has been the opposite of the typical Twins' prospect. That, of course, is not a bad thing. At 21 years old in his first season at high-A ball, Parmelee has posted a .190 ISO and .359 WOBA, without any help from a near career low .311 BABIP.
Pitcher of the Month: Henry Arias, RHP
8 G, 16 IP, 14 K, 4 BB, 3.38 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 3.32 FIP, 47.7 GB%
In his first season with the Twins' organization, Arias has produced an underwhelming overall line for the season. The 24 year old had an outstanding month of June, though, as his line above demonstrates. Arias has also shown improved control this year, with a K:BB over 2 for the first time in his career.
Beloit Snappers (A):
Hitter of the Month: Ozzie Lewis, OF
.319/.329/.500, 4 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 0/1 SB, 2 BB, 15 K in 76 PA
As you can tell from the fact that I chose a hitter with 2 walks all month, there weren't any really impressive among performances among the Beloit hitters in June. Lewis showed some power in June, with a .181 ISO, and that was enough for him to take top honors in June.
Pitcher of the Month: Daniel Osterbrock, LHP
5 G, 27.7 IP, 23 K, 2 BB, 2.28 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 2.97 FIP, 47.4 GB%
This was a much tougher choice than the hitter, as the entire Beloit starting rotation had an impressive month, with Osterbrock, Bobby Lanigan, Brad Tippett, and Michael Tarsi combining for 91 strikeouts and 17 walks in 104 innings. Osterbrock was the best of the bunch, though, as he began to show the same kind of complete domincance that he displayed in rookie league last season.
Hitter of the Month: Justin Huber, 1B
.264/.333/.500, 4 2B, 0 3B, 7 HR, 1/2 SB, 11 BB, 19 K in 120 PA
The former top catching prospect pounded International League pitching in the month of June to the tune of a .236 ISO. He turned 27 last week and doesn't figure to have much of a future at the major league level with Justin Morneau manning first base for the Twins, but he has consistently put up good numbers at AAA over the years.
Pitcher of the Month: Juan Morillo, RHP
10 G, 13 IP, 20 K, 10 BB, 4.15 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 2.59 FIP, 39.3 GB%
Morillo's line basically sums up the Red Wings pitching woes during the month of June, as he managed to win pitcher of the month honors for the 2nd straight month despite a decidedly average ERA and WHIP. His strikeout rate, 13.85 K/9 in June, along with his 95+ MPH fastball, remain his two great attributes.
New Britain Rock Cats (AA):
Hitter of the Month: Rene Tosoni, OF
.304/.439/.494, 7 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 2/5 SB, 15 BB, 13 K in 99 PA
Tosoni followed up his .971 OPS in May with a .933 OPS in June. He also sliced his strikeout rate almost in half from the first two months of the season, and walked more than he struck out in June. With the Red Wings featuring only three outfielders on their roster, Tosoni could see a promotion sooner rather than later.
Pitcher of the Month: Yohan Pino, RHP
8 G, 13 IP, 10 K, 2 BB, 0.00 ERA, 0.31 WHIP, 2.39 FIP, 46.4 GB%
At 23 years old, Pino is putting himself firmly on the prospect map with over 1 strikeout per inning out of the bullpen for New Britain this season. In June, Pino did not allow any runs while limiting opponents to 4 baserunners in 13 innings.
Fort Myers Miracle (A+):
Hitter of the Month: Chris Parmelee, OF
.297/.391/.554, 7 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 0/0 SB, 11 BB, 17 K in 87 PA
The Twins' 2006 first round draft pick has always shown impressive power and posted a good walk rate, but with his low average, high strikeout rate, and lack of speed he has been the opposite of the typical Twins' prospect. That, of course, is not a bad thing. At 21 years old in his first season at high-A ball, Parmelee has posted a .190 ISO and .359 WOBA, without any help from a near career low .311 BABIP.
Pitcher of the Month: Henry Arias, RHP
8 G, 16 IP, 14 K, 4 BB, 3.38 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 3.32 FIP, 47.7 GB%
In his first season with the Twins' organization, Arias has produced an underwhelming overall line for the season. The 24 year old had an outstanding month of June, though, as his line above demonstrates. Arias has also shown improved control this year, with a K:BB over 2 for the first time in his career.
Beloit Snappers (A):
Hitter of the Month: Ozzie Lewis, OF
.319/.329/.500, 4 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 0/1 SB, 2 BB, 15 K in 76 PA
As you can tell from the fact that I chose a hitter with 2 walks all month, there weren't any really impressive among performances among the Beloit hitters in June. Lewis showed some power in June, with a .181 ISO, and that was enough for him to take top honors in June.
Pitcher of the Month: Daniel Osterbrock, LHP
5 G, 27.7 IP, 23 K, 2 BB, 2.28 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 2.97 FIP, 47.4 GB%
This was a much tougher choice than the hitter, as the entire Beloit starting rotation had an impressive month, with Osterbrock, Bobby Lanigan, Brad Tippett, and Michael Tarsi combining for 91 strikeouts and 17 walks in 104 innings. Osterbrock was the best of the bunch, though, as he began to show the same kind of complete domincance that he displayed in rookie league last season.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
May in Review: Minor Leagues
Rochester Red Wings (AAA)
Record: 17-14
Runs Scored/Runs Against: 138/135
Hitter of the Month: Luke Hughes, 3B
90 PA, 5 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 1/1 SB, 10 BB, 19 K, .273/.356/.481/.837
The question with Hughes has always been his defense, as he has done nothing but hit for the past couple seasons. This month was not really anything special for Hughes, but it was still enough for him to be Rochester's top hitter for the month. He still strikes out a lot, but continued his improved plate discipline this season by posting a walk rate over 11% for the 2nd straight month.
Pitcher of the Month: Juan Morillo, RHP
11 G, 17 IP, 21 K, 10 BB, 10 H, 5 ER, GB%: 30
Morillo was sent down after a brief walk-filled stint with the Twins, and he pitched well enough to be the Red Wings pitcher of the month for May. He still walks too many hitters, but they did not come back to hurt him as much this month as he allowed hitters to hit only .175 as well as continuing to post an amazing strikeout rate.
New Britain Rock Cats (AA)
Record: 17-13
Runs Scored/Runs Against: 165/161
Hitter of the Month: Whitney Robbins, 1B
109 PA, 6 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 0/0 SB, 15 BB, 15 K, .370/.450/.598/1.048
Robbins's great month was just enough to prevent Danny Valencia from winning this award for the 2nd month in a row. Robbins has always been a patient hitter, and this month he showed a lot of the power that we saw in his minor league debut back in 2006. He now has a nearly .200 ISO on the season along with a .405 wOBA.
Pitcher of the Month: Rob Delaney, RHP
15 G, 21.2 IP, 20 K, 5 BB, 19 H, 4 ER, GB%: 56
I've talked about Delaney a number of times here, and basically his call up to AAA is way overdue. His great numbers this month were actually worse than what he did in April.
Fort Myers Miracle (A+)
Record: 20-8
Runs Scored/Runs Against: 134/102
Hitter of the Month: Ben Revere, CF
105 PA, 4 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 10/15 SB, 6 BB, 10 K, .388/.430/.449/.879
Revere had a great month in May, though it was even more batting average dependent than usual for him. Luckily for him, he has shown the consistent ability in the minors to hit for a high average, but hopefully this month's decreases in walk rate and ISO were simply blips on the radar rather than true changes in his ability.
Pitcher of the Month: David Bromberg, RHP
6 G, 31 IP, 27 K, 14 BB, 19 H, 5 ER, GB%: 54
This was a tough choice, as Blair Erickson and Spencer Steedley both had great months out of the bullpen, but they pitched only 12 innings each. Therefore, the Miracle pitcher of the month award goes to Bromberg, who was one of the leaders of a pitching staff that allowed only 3.6 runs per game in May. He closed out the month with 12 strikeouts in 6 innings in his last start, and had an earlier start where he allowed only 1 hit in 7.2 innings.
Beloit Snappers (A)
Record: 11-19
Runs Scored/Runs Against: 147/173
Hitter of the Month: Nathan Hanson, 3B
96 PA, 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 2/2 SB, 8 BB, 16 K, .291/.365/.477/.842
It was a bad month for the Snappers, as they were the only Twins' affiliate to be outscored or under .500, and it wasn't close in either case. Nonetheless, it was not a bad month for the 22 year old former Golden Gopher. He posted a .186 ISO in May after having only 2 extra base hits (both doubles) and an .044 ISO in April.
Pitcher of the Month: Brad Tippett, RHP
6 G, 35 IP, 28 K, 6 BB, 30 H, 9 ER, GB%: 51
Another Australian signing for the Twins, Tippett was one of the few bright spots for the Snappers in May. Tippett showed great control, walking only 1.54 per 9 innings, and induced more ground balls than in the past. His 2.31 ERA led the Snappers' rotation in May, as the staff as a whole allowed almost 6 runs per game.
Record: 17-14
Runs Scored/Runs Against: 138/135
Hitter of the Month: Luke Hughes, 3B
90 PA, 5 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 1/1 SB, 10 BB, 19 K, .273/.356/.481/.837
The question with Hughes has always been his defense, as he has done nothing but hit for the past couple seasons. This month was not really anything special for Hughes, but it was still enough for him to be Rochester's top hitter for the month. He still strikes out a lot, but continued his improved plate discipline this season by posting a walk rate over 11% for the 2nd straight month.
Pitcher of the Month: Juan Morillo, RHP
11 G, 17 IP, 21 K, 10 BB, 10 H, 5 ER, GB%: 30
Morillo was sent down after a brief walk-filled stint with the Twins, and he pitched well enough to be the Red Wings pitcher of the month for May. He still walks too many hitters, but they did not come back to hurt him as much this month as he allowed hitters to hit only .175 as well as continuing to post an amazing strikeout rate.
New Britain Rock Cats (AA)
Record: 17-13
Runs Scored/Runs Against: 165/161
Hitter of the Month: Whitney Robbins, 1B
109 PA, 6 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 0/0 SB, 15 BB, 15 K, .370/.450/.598/1.048
Robbins's great month was just enough to prevent Danny Valencia from winning this award for the 2nd month in a row. Robbins has always been a patient hitter, and this month he showed a lot of the power that we saw in his minor league debut back in 2006. He now has a nearly .200 ISO on the season along with a .405 wOBA.
Pitcher of the Month: Rob Delaney, RHP
15 G, 21.2 IP, 20 K, 5 BB, 19 H, 4 ER, GB%: 56
I've talked about Delaney a number of times here, and basically his call up to AAA is way overdue. His great numbers this month were actually worse than what he did in April.
Fort Myers Miracle (A+)
Record: 20-8
Runs Scored/Runs Against: 134/102
Hitter of the Month: Ben Revere, CF
105 PA, 4 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 10/15 SB, 6 BB, 10 K, .388/.430/.449/.879
Revere had a great month in May, though it was even more batting average dependent than usual for him. Luckily for him, he has shown the consistent ability in the minors to hit for a high average, but hopefully this month's decreases in walk rate and ISO were simply blips on the radar rather than true changes in his ability.
Pitcher of the Month: David Bromberg, RHP
6 G, 31 IP, 27 K, 14 BB, 19 H, 5 ER, GB%: 54
This was a tough choice, as Blair Erickson and Spencer Steedley both had great months out of the bullpen, but they pitched only 12 innings each. Therefore, the Miracle pitcher of the month award goes to Bromberg, who was one of the leaders of a pitching staff that allowed only 3.6 runs per game in May. He closed out the month with 12 strikeouts in 6 innings in his last start, and had an earlier start where he allowed only 1 hit in 7.2 innings.
Beloit Snappers (A)
Record: 11-19
Runs Scored/Runs Against: 147/173
Hitter of the Month: Nathan Hanson, 3B
96 PA, 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 2/2 SB, 8 BB, 16 K, .291/.365/.477/.842
It was a bad month for the Snappers, as they were the only Twins' affiliate to be outscored or under .500, and it wasn't close in either case. Nonetheless, it was not a bad month for the 22 year old former Golden Gopher. He posted a .186 ISO in May after having only 2 extra base hits (both doubles) and an .044 ISO in April.
Pitcher of the Month: Brad Tippett, RHP
6 G, 35 IP, 28 K, 6 BB, 30 H, 9 ER, GB%: 51
Another Australian signing for the Twins, Tippett was one of the few bright spots for the Snappers in May. Tippett showed great control, walking only 1.54 per 9 innings, and induced more ground balls than in the past. His 2.31 ERA led the Snappers' rotation in May, as the staff as a whole allowed almost 6 runs per game.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Double Duty
Well, that was quite the disappointing doubleheader. The Twins got killed in the first one and were spared more embarrassment thanks to an early finish, and the second one got out of hand quickly and by the time the bleeding was stopped, it was too late. I was all the more upset about it because I only ended up watching three innings total of the two games. I can't watch most of the Twins' games because I'm out of market, so this was a relatively rare opportunity. But since the first game was in the middle of the day, I missed the beginning due to class and then it was shortened by rain. And then the second game was not even televised (which means I missed Boston's Earth Day uniforms) because the local Red Sox channel was showing a hockey playoff game. Who cares about hockey?!
The first game was ugly, as Scott Baker had a second consecutive poor outing, allowing 3 home runs and 6 runs in less than five innings. Craig Breslow got the last out of the fifth to prevent Baker from being tagged with another run and followed that up with a scoreless sixth. Juan Morillo, on the other hand, did not get an out and surrendered four runs. It was exhibit A for why he was available for nothing, as he walked three straight batters before getting pulled. In total, he threw 17 pitches and only 4 went for strikes. Although persistent rain did actually cause the game to be called, it essentially served as a mercy rule, with runners on second and third, only one out, and the Twins down 9 runs. I was hoping it would end early because the Twins' pitchers couldn't get anyone out and the bullpen would presumably be needed later in the doubleheader. As I understood it, I thought the statistics from the 7th inning would be erased, but evidently that's not how it works. Too bad for Morillo!
The second game was better, but only marginally. Francisco Liriano started off very well, as he struck out four of the first six Red Sox batters while only allowing a walk. It unraveled quickly, however, when Liriano hit the next batter and then gave up a 3-run homer. So with just one hit, and having struck out four times already, the Red Sox had three runs on the board. In the end, the Red Sox would score 7 runs on 5 hits, and even with the 4 walks and 2 hit batters, that's still very efficient. Take the second inning for example: after a walk and double, the Red Sox had runners on second and third with no one out. That was followed by a groundout that advanced both runners (scoring one) and a sacrifice fly that scored the second. Today, the Twins actually did something similar in the sixth, but for the most part they have been lacking in that area this year.
And I have to give credit where credit is due. Us Twins bloggers have been ragging on the bullpen constantly (and rightfully so), but after another terrible outing in the early game, they pitched close to perfect in the late game. Matt Guerrier, Luis Ayala, and Jose Mijares combined to throw 4 scoreless innings with just one hit allowed. It was Mijares' first appearance since his recall from AAA-Rochester.
Why are we right in criticizing the bullpen?
ERAs of the bullpen (both current and previous members): 0.00, 1.50, 5.00, 6.00, 6.23, 6.48, 6.75, 7.50, 12.46, 36.00.
And the starters: 1.50, 5.71, 5.89, 7.06, 12.46.
If you look at those numbers, it's amazing the Twins are even 7-9.
Tomorrow the Twins will have their third day off in four days before heading out to Cleveland to face the only team behind them in the division.
The first game was ugly, as Scott Baker had a second consecutive poor outing, allowing 3 home runs and 6 runs in less than five innings. Craig Breslow got the last out of the fifth to prevent Baker from being tagged with another run and followed that up with a scoreless sixth. Juan Morillo, on the other hand, did not get an out and surrendered four runs. It was exhibit A for why he was available for nothing, as he walked three straight batters before getting pulled. In total, he threw 17 pitches and only 4 went for strikes. Although persistent rain did actually cause the game to be called, it essentially served as a mercy rule, with runners on second and third, only one out, and the Twins down 9 runs. I was hoping it would end early because the Twins' pitchers couldn't get anyone out and the bullpen would presumably be needed later in the doubleheader. As I understood it, I thought the statistics from the 7th inning would be erased, but evidently that's not how it works. Too bad for Morillo!
The second game was better, but only marginally. Francisco Liriano started off very well, as he struck out four of the first six Red Sox batters while only allowing a walk. It unraveled quickly, however, when Liriano hit the next batter and then gave up a 3-run homer. So with just one hit, and having struck out four times already, the Red Sox had three runs on the board. In the end, the Red Sox would score 7 runs on 5 hits, and even with the 4 walks and 2 hit batters, that's still very efficient. Take the second inning for example: after a walk and double, the Red Sox had runners on second and third with no one out. That was followed by a groundout that advanced both runners (scoring one) and a sacrifice fly that scored the second. Today, the Twins actually did something similar in the sixth, but for the most part they have been lacking in that area this year.
And I have to give credit where credit is due. Us Twins bloggers have been ragging on the bullpen constantly (and rightfully so), but after another terrible outing in the early game, they pitched close to perfect in the late game. Matt Guerrier, Luis Ayala, and Jose Mijares combined to throw 4 scoreless innings with just one hit allowed. It was Mijares' first appearance since his recall from AAA-Rochester.
Why are we right in criticizing the bullpen?
ERAs of the bullpen (both current and previous members): 0.00, 1.50, 5.00, 6.00, 6.23, 6.48, 6.75, 7.50, 12.46, 36.00.
And the starters: 1.50, 5.71, 5.89, 7.06, 12.46.
If you look at those numbers, it's amazing the Twins are even 7-9.
Tomorrow the Twins will have their third day off in four days before heading out to Cleveland to face the only team behind them in the division.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
A busy two days
Well, the Twins have certainly had a lot going on over the past thirty-six hours. They've seemingly snapped out of a funk with two big wins against the Angels. Friday's game was very exciting, as the Twins rallied from a five-run deficit by scoring seven runs in the eighth. Of course, it was capped off by Jason Kubel's grand slam which also gave him the cycle. Kubel's slam was huge, as it came on the heels of yet another bullpen collapse. In losing five of their previous six games, the Minnesota bullpen had allowed 21 runs in 20 innings. That number was up to 26 runs in 21 2/3 innings, including 18 in their last 9 2/3, by the time Kubel stepped to the plate in the eighth inning on Friday. Fortunately, Kubel delivered the biggest pick-me-up possible. In the next half-inning, Joe Nathan kept it rolling with a perfect frame to get his second save.
And last night the Twins, Kubel especially, went right back at it. Kevin Slowey had a good outing for the first time this year, the bullpen had a scoreless outing, and the offense scored nine runs. Kubel drove in two of those and scored three of them, in addition to having his second-straight four-hit game. How's 8-10 with 5 runs, 7 RBIs, and 4 extra base hits sound for a two-game stretch? Delmon Young also had a nice game, picking up 3 RBIs, including a 2-out bases-loaded single. Oh, and he and Carlos Gomez walked in the same inning (the 5th) in this game. Mark your calendars, because that won't happen again for a long time!
With the bullpen struggling so much, the organization obviously felt they needed to make a change, which they did on Friday when they designated Phillip Humber for assignment. This was in order to make room for another reliever, Juan Morillo, who the Twins claimed from the Rockies after he was DFA'd. Now we'll have to see if Humber, who was sporting a 12.46 ERA, makes it through waivers and to AAA-Rochester. If not, one of the four pieces in the Johan Santana deal will have already been lost without compensation.
Speaking of which, Santana continued his torrid start to 2009 with another amazing performance. This time: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K. And yet again, he needed every ounce to get the win, as the Mets' offense provided him a sole run of support. His ERA now stands at 0.46, which explains how he has 2 wins despite the total of 4 runs the Mets have scored in his three starts.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Chien-Ming Wang, who started for the Yankees yesterday in their 22-4 loss! He's now given up at least 7 earned runs in each of his starts, hasn't made it past the fourth inning in any of them, and has an ERA of 34.50. Who knew that when he gave up 7 runs in 3 2/3 innings in his first start, it would still easily be his best start of the year at this point? Back to the demolition the Yankees experienced Saturday, though. There's a lot of things to be said, but this post is getting long and I'm sure it will be talked about plenty. Just look across the box scores for Saturday, though, and check how many teams had 13 hits. The answer: two. That's how many extra base hits the Indians had.
And last night the Twins, Kubel especially, went right back at it. Kevin Slowey had a good outing for the first time this year, the bullpen had a scoreless outing, and the offense scored nine runs. Kubel drove in two of those and scored three of them, in addition to having his second-straight four-hit game. How's 8-10 with 5 runs, 7 RBIs, and 4 extra base hits sound for a two-game stretch? Delmon Young also had a nice game, picking up 3 RBIs, including a 2-out bases-loaded single. Oh, and he and Carlos Gomez walked in the same inning (the 5th) in this game. Mark your calendars, because that won't happen again for a long time!
With the bullpen struggling so much, the organization obviously felt they needed to make a change, which they did on Friday when they designated Phillip Humber for assignment. This was in order to make room for another reliever, Juan Morillo, who the Twins claimed from the Rockies after he was DFA'd. Now we'll have to see if Humber, who was sporting a 12.46 ERA, makes it through waivers and to AAA-Rochester. If not, one of the four pieces in the Johan Santana deal will have already been lost without compensation.
Speaking of which, Santana continued his torrid start to 2009 with another amazing performance. This time: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K. And yet again, he needed every ounce to get the win, as the Mets' offense provided him a sole run of support. His ERA now stands at 0.46, which explains how he has 2 wins despite the total of 4 runs the Mets have scored in his three starts.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Chien-Ming Wang, who started for the Yankees yesterday in their 22-4 loss! He's now given up at least 7 earned runs in each of his starts, hasn't made it past the fourth inning in any of them, and has an ERA of 34.50. Who knew that when he gave up 7 runs in 3 2/3 innings in his first start, it would still easily be his best start of the year at this point? Back to the demolition the Yankees experienced Saturday, though. There's a lot of things to be said, but this post is getting long and I'm sure it will be talked about plenty. Just look across the box scores for Saturday, though, and check how many teams had 13 hits. The answer: two. That's how many extra base hits the Indians had.
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