All posts by Jeff A

Minor Details: Games of 5/7

Gwinnett 6, Rochester 3 in Rochester.  The Braves scored once in the eighth and twice in the ninth to break a 3-3 tie.  The Red Wings had only three hits in the game.  Kyle Gibson allowed three runs on six hits and a walk in six innings, striking out six.  Kyle Waldrop surrendered two runs on a hit and a walk in two-thirds of an inning.

Portland 15, New Britain 7 in Portland.  The Sea Dogs scored five runs in each of the first two innings.  Deolis Guerra surrendered ten runs on eight hits and three walks in just 1.2 innings.  Michael Tarsi and Jake Stevens each threw two shutout innings of relief.  Evan Bigley singled and homered and Chris Parmelee singled and doubled.

Jupiter 20, Ft. Myers 2 in Ft. Myers.  The Hammerheads scored five in the second, six in the fourth, and seven in the fifth.  They hammered five Miracle pitchers:  Tom Stuifbergen allowed five runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk in 1.2 innings; Shooter Hunt gave up six runs on five hits and three walks in two innings; Brad Tippett surrendered four runs on three hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning; Blake Martin allowed three runs on four hits and two walks in 2.2 innings; and Dakota Watts gave up two runs on three hits and two walks in two innings.  James Beresford had three hits and Brian Dozier had two.

Cedar Rapids 5, Beloit 3 in Cedar Rapids.  The Kernels scored three in the fifth to overcome a 3-2 Snapper lead.  Wang-Wei Lin had two hits.  Michael Gonzales hit a two-run homer.  B. J. Hermsen allowed five runs (four earned) on ten hits and a walk in six innings, striking out five.  Martire Garcia pitched two shutout innings.

Happy Birthday–May 8

Dan Brouthers (1858)
Edd Roush (1893)
Turkey Stearnes (1901)
Mike Cuellar (1937)
Steve Braun (1948)
Orestes Destrade (1962)
Todd Greene (1971)
John Maine (1981)

Mike Cuellar pitched in AAA in the Twins’ organization in 1961.  He does not seem to have belonged to the Twins, however.  It may be that he was temporarily loaned to them, a practice which was not uncommon in the 1960s.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–May 8

Minor Details: Games of 5/6

Rochester 7, Gwinnett 5 in Rochester.  Steve Singleton hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth.  It was Singleton’s second homer of the game; he also singled, scoring three times.  Ray Chang singled and doubled.  Eric Hacker gave up one run on four hits and two walk in 4.1 innings.  Anthony Slama gave up two unearned runs in the ninth to blow the save and get the win.

New Britain 10, Portland 7 in Portland.  The Rock Cats scored two in the eighth and five in the ninth to overcome a 7-3 deficit.  Chris Parmelee had two singles and a homer, driving in four.  Chris Herrmann had two doubles.  Evan Bigley doubled and singled.  Mike Hollimon had two hits and scored three times.  Daniel Osterbrock surrendered seven runs on eight hits and two walk in just 3.1 innings.  Brett Jacobson worked 2.1 scoreless innings of relief.  Michael Tarsi pitched a scoreless eighth for the win and Cole DeVries had a scoreless ninth for the save.

Ft. Myers 4, Jupiter 3 in Ft. Myers (10 innings).  Ramon Santana singled in Anderson Hidalgo with the winning run.  Hidalgo had three hits, and Santana and James Beresford each had two.  All twelve Miracle hits were singles.  Andrew Albers allowed three runs on six hits and two walks in four innings.  Matt Tone and Bruce Pugh each threw three shutout innings, with Pugh striking out four and getting the win.

Wisconsin 4, Beloit 3 in Beloit.  The Timber Rattlers scored single runs in the seventh and eighth for the win.  No Snapper had more than one hit.  Manuel Soliman struck out seven in five innings, giving up two runs on five hits.  Matt Hauser struck out three in 1.2 innings.  Both the tying run and the winning run were unearned.

This Week in Ex-Twins

Arizona organization (AAA Reno) places David Winfree on the seven day disabled list.
Atlanta organization promotes Eliecer Cardenas from Lynchburg (A) to Mississippi (AA).
Colorado organization (AAA Colorado Springs) activates Matt Macri from the temporarily inactive list.
Dodgers place Casey Blake on the fifteen day disabled list.
Milwaukee organization (AA Huntsville) releases Yancarlos Ortiz.
Philadelphia sends J. C. Romero to Lakewood (A) on a rehab assignment.
Philadelphia activates J. C. Romero from the disabled list.
Philadelphia organization (A Lakewood) places Jeff Lanning on the seven day disabled list.
San Diego places Orlando Hudson on the fifteen day disabled list.
Yankees assign Luis Ayala to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA).
Yankees assign Carlos Silva to Tampa (A).
Toronto organization activates Bobby Korecky from the disabled list.

Minor Details: Games of 5/5

Rochester 3, Gwinnett 2 in Rochester.  Ray Chang singled in Danny Lehmann in the bottom of the ninth to win the game.  Chang also doubled.  Brian Dinkelman had two hits.  Anthony Swarzak struck out six in 5.1 innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and no walks.  Anthony Slama struck out two in a scoreless ninth to get the win.

New Britain 2, Richmond 1 in New Britain (Game 1—scheduled 7 innings).  The Rock Cats scored both of their runs in the third.  Evan Bigley doubled and tripled.  Steve Hirschfeld gave up just one run on three hits and no walks in six innings to get the win.  Cole DeVries pitched a scoreless seventh for the save.

Richmond 7, New Britain 4 in New Britain (Game 2—10 innings—scheduled 7 innings).  The Rock Cats scored two in the seventh to tie it, but could not push the winning run across.  Evan Bigley doubled and tripled, Deibinson Romero doubled and singled, and Yangervis Solarte had two hits.  Liam Hendriks struck out eight in six innings, giving up two runs on four hits and two walks.  Tyler Robertson surrendered all three tenth-inning runs in his third inning of work.

Ft. Myers 6, Palm Beach 5 in Ft. Myers.  Josmil Pinto’s RBI double tied the game in the eighth and James Beresford singled in the winning run in the ninth.  Beresford had three hits.  Pinto also singled.  Jon Goncalves singled and doubled and Reggie Williams had two hits.  Starter Edgar Ibarra allowed all five runs on six hits and a walk in just four innings.  Brad Tippett and Jhon Garcia each pitched two shutout innings, with Garcia retiring all six batters he faced, four by strikeout.  Dakota Watts worked a perfect ninth for the win.

Beloit 10, Wisconsin 5 in Beloit.  The Snappers scored eight runs in the fifth.  Andy Leer and Tobias Streich each singled and homered, with Leer driving in three.  Jamaal Hawkins, Nate Roberts, Danny Ortiz, and Gunner Glad each singled and doubled.  Wang-Wei Lin had two hits.  Starter Andrei Lobanov gave up two runs on six hits and two walks in only 4.1 innings.  Blayne Weller allowed his first earned run of the season on two hits in 1.2 innings but got the win.  Jose Gonzalez threw two scoreless innings.

Happy Birthday–May 6

Bonesetter Reese (1855)
Walton Cruise (1890)
Mike McCormick (1917)
Willie Mays (1931)
Russ Gibson (1939)
Bill Hands (1940)
Masanori Murakami (1944)
Steve Staggs (1951)
Larry Andersen (1953)
Al Williams (1954)

John “Bonesetter” Reese worked with many baseball players and other famous people in the first part of the twentieth century.  “Bonesetting” is a Welsh term for the treatment of muscle and tendon strains.

Infielder Steve Staggs was drafted by Minnesota in the fourteenth round in 1970, but did not sign.

This is also the birthday of Twins’ farmhand Wilson Sanchez (1991).

Continue reading Happy Birthday–May 6

Minor League Players of the Month: April

ROCHESTER

Position PlayerTrevor Plouffe was .261/.333/.551 in 69 at-bats in April with five home runs.  Honorable mentionRene Tosoni hit .286/.389/.500 in 70 at-bats.

PitcherKyle Gibson was 0-1, 3.15, 1.05 WHIP in 20 innings (four starts).  He has struck out 21 and walked four.  Honorable mentionScott Diamond was 1-1, 3.48, 1.16 WHIP in 20.2 innings (four starts).  He has struck out 16 and walked nine.

NEW BRITAIN

Position PlayerYangervis Solarte was .359/.367/.577 in 78 at-bats.  Honorable mentionChris Parmelee is .273/.378/.442 in 77 at-bats.

PitcherCole DeVries is 0-0, 0.00, 0.27 WHIP in April in 14.2 innings (seven appearances).  He had four saves, walked one, and struck out 21.  Honorable mentionSteve Hirschfeld is 1-0, 2.05, 0.91 WHIP in 22 innings (four starts).  He has walked five and struck out 18.

FT. MYERS

Position PlayerBrian Dozier is .312/.443/.455 in 77 at-bats in April.  Honorable mentionDanny Rams is .338/.408/.500 in 68 at-bats.

PitcherKane Holbrooks is 0-4, 2.43, 1.11 WHIP in 29.2 innings (five starts).  He has walked six and struck out nine.  Honorable mentionDaniel Osterbrock is 2-0, 2.95, 1.15 WHIP in 18.1 innings (three starts, one relief appearance).  He has walked two and struck out nine.

BELOIT

Position PlayerDanny Ortiz is .377/.429/.768 with six home runs in 69 at-bats in April.  Honorable mention:  Oswaldo Arcia is .352/.420/.704 with five home runs in 71 at-bats.

PitcherLogan Darnell is 1-1, 2.78, 0.66 WHIP in 22.2 innings (four starts).  He has walked three and struck out 16.  Honorable mention:  Blayne Weller is 2-0, 0.00, 1.40 WHIP in 14.1 innings (seven appearances).  He has walked six and struck out twelve.

Minor Details: Games of 5/1 – 5/4

ROCHESTER

Sunday—Rochester 9, Syracuse 6 in Syracuse.  Trevor Plouffe had two singles, a double, and a home run.  Brian Dinkelman and Matt Brown each had three hits.

Monday—Syracuse 3, Rochester 2 in Syracuse.  Scott Diamond worked five shutout innings.  Ben Revere and Dustin Martin each had two hits.

Tuesday—Rochester at Syracuse.  Postponed.

Wednesday—League-wide off day.

NEW BRITAIN

Sunday—New Britain 8, Harrisburg 7 in New Britain (10 innings).  Yangervis Solarte had two doubles and a single, scoring the winning run.  Mike Hollimon had three hits.  Brett Jacobson worked 3.1 scoreless innings.

Monday—Richmond 6, New Britain 2 in New Britain.  Deibinson Romero had two hits.  Michael Tarsi worked two scoreless innings.

Tuesday—New Britain 4, Richmond 2 in New Britain. Evan Bigley had two singles and a double.  Bobby Lanigan gave up two runs on five hits in seven innings.  Cole DeVries pitched two scoreless innings.

Wednesday—Richmond at New Britain.  Postponed.  Will be made up as a doubleheader today.

FT. MYERS

Sunday—Ft. Myers 5, Charlotte 3 in Charlotte.  Nate Hanson had three hits.  Andrew Albers gave up two hits and struck out four in 4.2 scoreless innings of relief.

Monday—Ft. Myers 4, Charlotte 3 in Charlotte (10 innings).  Nick Romero and James Beresford each had two hits.  Nate Hanson hit a game-tying homer in the ninth.  Kevin Slowey gave up two hits and no walks in 5.2 scoreless innings.

Tuesday—Ft. Myers 9, Palm Beach 6 in Ft. Myers.  Brian Dozier doubled and tripled, scoring three times.  Aaron Hicks hit a two-run homer.  Tom Stuifbergen pitched two scoreless innings of relief.

Wednesday—Ft. Myers 6, Palm Beach 2 in Ft. Myers.  Danny Rams had three hits.  Kane Holbrooks gave up two unearned runs on six hits and a walk in six innings.  Blake Martin worked three perfect innings.

BELOIT

Sunday—Beloit 10, Clinton 8 in Clinton.  The Snappers scored nine runs in the eighth.  Danny Ortiz, Tobias Streich, and Wang-Wei Lin each had two hits.  Ryan O’Rourke pitched 2.1 scoreless innings.

Monday—Clinton 13, Beloit 6 in Clinton.  Jamaal Hawkins, Michael Gonzales, and Nate Roberts each had two hits.

Tuesday—Beloit 6, Clinton 3 in Clinton.  Kyle Knudson had three hits.  Ryan O’Rourke pitched two scoreless innings.

Wednesday—Beloit 4, Wisconsin 1 in Beloit.  Danny Ortiz had two doubles.  Adrian Salcedo gave up one run on six hits in seen innings while striking out eight.  Clinton Dempster struck out five in two shutout innings.

Happy Birthday–May 5

Chief Bender (1884)
Bob Cerv (1926)
Bing Russell (1926)
Red Robbins (1928)
Jose Pagan (1935)
Tommy Helms (1941)
John Donaldson (1943)
Larry Hisle (1947)
Ron Oester (1956)
Charles Nagy (1967)
Hideki Irabu (1969)
Mike Redmond (1971)

Better known for his role as Deputy Clem Foster on “Bonanza”, outfielder Bing Russell played minor league baseball from 1948-1949.  He is the father of actor (and minor league player) Kurt Russell and the grandfather of major league player Matt Franco.

Spencer “Red” Robbins was a minor league player for fourteen years.  He then spent many years in the Twins’ organization, most of them as a scout (1963-1986).

This is also the birthday of Twins’ farmhand Bobby Lanigan (1987).

We would also like to wish a happy birthday to Mrs. Rhubarb_Runner.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–May 5