College draft prospect weekly recap...

This will be the debut post in what I hope to be a weekly column updating the performances and scouting reports on prospects I believe are/should be on the Twins radar. I hope to have a high school round up posted later this week, but for now let’s start with the college prospects.

Stats from Feb. 17th-26th

Mark Appel has dominated much of the Twins draft coverage so far this winter and rightfully so. In his most recent start, he turned in possibly his best career performance going 7+ innings while allowing only 1 run on 3 hits. He struck out a career high 10 and walked only 3 in a 7-2 win against #7 Texas. If he consistently has starts like this the rest of the spring, he will be all but a guarantee to go 1-1 in the draft.

Florida State outfielder James Ramsey had a fantastic first week hitting .563/.763/1.000 in 6 games against Hofstra, Jacksonville, and Florida International. The Twins took Ramsey in the 22nd round last year, and he turned down a 6 figure bonus offer from them to go back for his Sr. season. So far, he is carrying over his strong showing from the Cape this summer and looks poised to be taken at the latest in the early 2nd round. I had him as a good option for the Twins at #63, but if he continues to hit he may sneak into the supplemental round.

Brandon Kline of Virginia had a rough start to his transition from closer to starter lasting only 4+ innings and giving up 5 runs, though only 1 was earned, against Boston College. He rebounded with a better start this past week against Monmouth going 6.1 innings giving up 3 runs on 6 hits. He struck out 5 and walked 3. Kline given his size and stuff is an intriguing prospect who could go high in the supplemental round, and could be an option for the Twins at #32 if he looks like he can stick as a starter.

Oklahoma State Lefty Andrew Heaney was very good in his first start against Cal Poly, which I cover here. He was just as good, if not better, in his second start against Bowling Green. He went 7.1 giving up only 1 run while punching out 12. He did surrender 7 hits and 2 walks, but against the weaker competition was able to pitch around it. He has now struck out 22 in 14 innings, and is finally living up to some of his potential he showed coming out of high school. If he can keep it going into conference play, he may solidify his position as a supplemental round pick.

Arkansas closer Nolan Sanburn has only thrown 3 innings so far this year with a couple of k's, but mid-90's fastball and power breaking ball would be a welcome addition to a farm system lacking power arms. He would most likely be available when the Twins pick at #42.

Sanburn's teammate D.J. Baxendale, has started out well throwing 5 shutout innings against Villanova and 6.1 of three run ball against Valparaiso. He has 9 k's, 3 bb's, and has given up 9 hits in those 11 innings. As a command and control righty, he is the typical low ceiling, high floor pitcher the Twins love and he should be available when they pick at #72.

Brady Rogers of Arizona State opened his season with a good outing against Western Michigan striking out 7 over 6 shutout innings. He followed that up with 7 more shutout innings and 9 k's against Cal-Riverside. Despite averaging more than a K per inning so far Rodgers is not known as a strikeout pitcher, but more of a control artist with mediocre stuff. He should be available when the Twins pick at #63 or if he slides to #72.

Other names to watch:

University of Georgia lefty Alex Wood could move up draft boards this spring if he can show he has fully recovered from Tommy John surgery. Through 2 starts this season he has 12 k’s and only 1 bb in 12 innings.

Cal Bear’s 2B Tony Renda could fill the Twins quota this year for drafting a short, “gritty” middle infielder in every single draft.  He has started the year hitting .435/.552/.478 and currently profiles as a mid-2^nd round pick.

Kyle Hansen of St. John’s offers a ton of projection with his 6’8” frame and mid-90’s fastball, but has yet to show strong secondary stuff or consistency. He has started the year with 16 k’s and 4 bb's in 10 innings, and also currently profiles as a mid to late 2^nd round pick.

One Domino Has Fallen

Well, it took all of two days for the first major injury of Twins’ spring training to impact the 2012 season. That’s even fast by the Twins’ 2011 standards. As most are now aware, Joel Zumaya’s MRI showed a torn ulnar collateral ligament and will be out for this season. I suppose it’s possible, maybe even likely, that he never throws an MLB pitch again.  For those of you playing Zumaya Injury Bingo, does UCL surgery give you the win?

The bigger question for me: Is it too early to worry about the depth of this team?

Words by the metric ton have been spent in the blogosphere, newspapers, and other media on the significant injuries that took a toll on the team last season. I won’t belabor the specifics. I’m sick of thinking about the huge number of games missed that – in part – led to the most disappointing Twins season in recent memory, maybe ever. For me, however, it’s not hard to think about this season as one whose outcome sits on a narrow precipice. I can’t help but wonder if we haven’t been set up by the past offseason and a long-term rebuilding plan to have another season of games that are hard to watch.

John Bonnes writes here about the gamble that Terry Ryan took in leaning on Zumaya alone to improve the bullpen. I think the Twins' took a similar stance by relying on less-than-solid players at most other positions.

First Base: Morneau’s recent history, and his Friday comments, throw a concussion-like fog of suspicion over his future. What is our backup plan at first? Admittedly, we have other players that can play first – Mauer among them. But if Morneau is not ready this season, our depth quickly becomes an issue when moving Mauer out from behind the plate or Doumit from DH.

Catcher: Even if Mauer isn’t out of the lineup, just moving him to another position means a large dropoff in production overall. Doumit was a good signing for the price, and I supported the move wholeheartedly, but I can not see Gardy using him as at catcher for large stretches of games. Know what that means? The Butt-era of so many hitting jokes would again be taking consistent cuts that make grandpa Jake Mauer cry in his Old Style.

Short Stop: Jamie Carrol is – like – way old, man. How’s Levi Michael looking? I'm really not bashing the signing of Carrol. I like the way a healthy Carrol fits into this lineup, but beyond him there is not much help for the middle infield. 

Center Field: Denard Span (AKA “the Spaniard”) is saying all the right things in coming back from bouts of concussion symptoms and vertigo. However, Twins fans have become all too familiar with the lingering nature of head injuries. If Span misses time, who moves to the leadoff spot? The most likely candidate is Ben Revere – if last year is any indication ­– but his .305 OBP in 478 plate appearances is slightly higher than Matt Tolbert’s career mark. This team isn’t designed to weather the loss of significant table setters, and Parker Haggeman wrote a nice piece on the 2011 Twins’ woes in getting on-base early in the order.

I hate to be pessimistic this early in the season. Especially when my blog-mate just sold some hope so recently. I do, however, think that the top-end of the Twins’ potential success hinges on a lot of healthy players who may or may not be so. One of them threw his last 2012 pitch on Friday.

Also, I’d like to apologize for the Matt Tolbert reference. That was just unnecessary today. 

Keith Law's Top 50 and his thoughts on potential Twins Draft picks...

Keith Law of ESPN Scouts Inc. came out with the first edition of his Top 50 (Insider required) draft prospects, and had an interesting take that differed from just about every other site I have seen. The top player on his board was Georgia High School OF Byron Buxton, who I reviewed here, saying he has the “potential for five above-average or plus tools” and also echoing the comparisons to the Upton brothers I have heard elsewhere. Buxton does defiantly fit the Twins preferred draft mold as an athletic, toolsy high school OF and I think he is very  in the mix for them when they draft #2 if he were available.

More after the jump

Calling Out (some) Twins Fans

So what’s a surefire way to make sure no one ever reads your new blog again? Well, why not call out some of the fan base for what I feel has been questionable, if not irrational behavior.

I was just as frustrated as every other fan with this past Twins season, but I still do not think it justifies the amount of vitriol I have read in various comment sections, newspapers, discussed with friends, and listened to on the radio. The two biggest issues everyone seems to have are the misconceptions that the Twins are cheap and that Joe Mauer is nothing more than a bad contract and a lazy, characterless disappointment.

First, I'll tackle the claim that the Twins are cheap.

2012 Twins Personnel to Watch

And now for something a little different. My name is Jon, and Kyle, who normally writes here, asked me to lighten things up and write something every now and again on such varied topics as...

• Baseball 
• The Twins 
• Life 
• Baseball and life
• Life, the Twins, and baseball
• Blank verse poetry

I am a lifelong fan of the Twins and last year entered into a new phase of my fan-hood: following the team from afar. I am watching or listening, yelling at Pat Mears Lew Ford Matt Capps through the TV/computer, and writing from Anchorage, Alaska [insert moose/igloo/darkness joke here]. Having enjoyed reading so many great Twins blog entries over the years, I'm excited to join the fray (the cliche, not the band.) Let's get down to business. What's a Spring Training Twins blog without  a "Players to Watch" post? Rare. But let's not just limit it to players. 

Now presenting the official Armchair GM  Twins' Personnel to Watch 2012 Edition:

Matt Capps: the Twins trade for Capps involving top-prospect Wilson Ramos robbed the Twins worse than Venezuelan kidnappers (too soon?). But now it's 2012 and the second full season with the reliever affectionately known as "Star" Capps is beginning. Spring training means we are once again going to hear about how he pitched through injury last year, how it's really just a bunch of water weight, and how he kept asking for the ball and going out there. Some would point out that he was dreadful when doing so, but those are "glass is half empty" kind of people. 


Being a "who drank my beer" kind of person, I'm just glad that he hasn't started Justin Morneau on fire (fingers crossed). Just give him a chance to see what he can do in a contract year...what? Last year was a contract year too? JIMINIY-CHOCOLATE-SAUCE! Where is Mark Guthrie when you need him?


Wanda the Target Field Concessions Worker: She gave me free chicken fingers and fries once last year when the credit card reader malfunctioned and she couldn't be sure whether it charged my card or not. Turned out it didn't. It was a brilliant customer service move. Looking for another strong year from you Wanda!


Denard Span: Ever since he was called up in 2008, I have stridently--if unsuccessfully--tried to get the nickname "the Spaniard" to stick. Anyone who likes Gladiator should agree this is a super cool nickname. All my lame friends and even my wife have told me to stop mass texting "THE SPAN-IARD!!!!" when he makes any half decent play. They need to stop ignoring the facts. It's a sweet nickname. Don't be mad just because you didn't come up with it. This needs to happen. 


I'm also rooting for Denard to have a comeback year because the Twins really need him in center field. It seems like Morneau and Mauer have been hogging all the injury spotlight, and not without some cause, but Span's concussion worries me significantly. Without him tracking balls out there, we have Ben Revere and his slinky of an arm trying to hold AJ Pierzinski to triples with that weed whip. I may be selling his speed short here, but it's not ideal. Anyway, I genuinely like Span and want to see him do well enough for his nickname to catch on. 


Larry DiVito: No one was looking forward to Michael Cuddyer leaving more than the head Target Field groundskeeper. From game number 7 and on in the new park, there was a solid 3 square yards of turf out there in right field that he had to keep patching because Cuddyer stood in the same freakin' place inning after inning. Believe me. I've watched enough games from the first-baseline cheap seats to imagine Larry crying into the field drainage (way to go green) because his beautiful turf was disappearing in another of Cuddy's magic tricks. 


Joe Mauer: If you have read any of the StarTrib's comment sections from any off-season story having to do with Hometown Joe, you already know that Mauer is a no-talent whiner who is stealing money from this club by sitting out with his fake side-burn injuries. Now I'm not just saying this to try and get an invite to one of Theresa Mauer's ice cream sundae parties, but I say we give Joe another shot this year. Now, I know he has never played through pain or shown any desire to win at any point in his career, but I think there might be a good season left in him somewhere. Call me an optimist, but I won't be booing him on opening day. Hopefully a few people join me. 


Well that about does it for the initial/ possible final ever Armchair GM Personnel to watch column. Hope you found it informative. I know I did. Anyway, thanks goodness it's baseball season again. 


Never fear, Kyle will be back soon to update you on some high-school pitcher who won't see Triple A for 7 years. 

Andrew Heaney, a possible draft pick at #42, first start results.

Heaney, who I gave a scouting report on here, started off his season last night as Oklahoma State's Friday night starter. While his OSU team was beaten 6-0 by Cal Poly, Heaney turned in a good start going 7 innings giving up only 2 runs (1 earned) while striking out 10 and walking 3. A good start for the enigmatic lefty who has been fairly inconsistent his first two years at OSU, and could really solidify his position in the top 50 of the draft with a solid spring. Lucas Giolito made his first start of the year today and I hope to have some more news on him up early next week.


Full stats on Heaney's start can be found here.

2012 Twins Draft Preview- #72

In finishing up my early preview of the Twins first 5 picks and their potential draft options, we take a look at who might be available at #72 this summer.

Taylore Cherry- RHP School: Butler HS, Vandalia, Ohio Ht: 6'9" Wt: 260

For those of you who were upset when the Twins traded former giant pitching prospect Loek Van Mil, here is a possible replacement for us to follow. Unlike Van Mil, Cherry has some polish and a pretty easy delivery for someone his size. He throws primarily a 2 seam fastball at 89-92 with heavy sink and has been clocked as high as 94. He also throws a loopy curve and a solid change up in the low 80's. He doesn't stay on top of the curve and with his low arm slot it has been suggested he try throwing a slider and see if that takes. If the change up keeps improving and his command and control continue to improve Cherry could be a solid mid-rotation work horse ala Justin Masterson.

Video Clip: Click Here

Video Analysis: He is physically imposing on the mound and does show a smooth delivery that he repeats well. His arm slot is very low, he struggles to stay on top of the ball, and doesn't show great command or control. If the Twins can have him raise the arm slot to a more true 3/4's, hopefully his command would improve and continue to do so as he matures. His curve did look pretty slurvish and he struggled to throw it inside. He did show a few good change ups to left-handers which leads me to belief he can stick as a starter with a huge platoon split in the pro's.

D.J Davis- OF B/T: L/R School: Stone HS, Wiggins, Miss. Ht: 6'0" Wt: 175

Davis' calling card is his speed, as it has been rated by scouts as 80 on the 20-80 scale. As a left-hander who gets out of the box quick, he is a player the Twins love-- much like Ben Revere. But like Revere, he is pretty raw as a baseball player, though he could grow into an above average CF and top of the order threat. He already shows good patience at the plate and looks to use his speed once he gets on base. Baseball America suggests he needs to make some mechanical adjustments at the plate, but he has the athleticism to do so.

Video Clip: N/A

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D.J. Baxendale- RHP School: Arkansas Ht: 6'2" Wt: 190

Much like Brady Rogers from ASU, Baxendale is an aggressive strike thrower with good control and command but only mediocre stuff. So, in other words, he is a typical Twins pitcher and draft pick like Kevin Slowey or Alex Wimmers. His fastball is 88-91 with some movement, and he pitches down in the zone with it, complimenting it with a good change up. Both his breaking balls rate as below average, though he did start throwing a cutter in the summer that helped keep hitters from squaring him up as consistently.

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