All posts by Jeff A

Keeping Track

The Rest of the Story

This is what, for now, I'm calling the round-up of Twins players in fall/winter ball who are not in the AFL or the VWL.  I'm not in love with the title, but it'll do until something better comes along.  Today, the only games involving Twins players came from the Australian League.

Perth 7, Adelaide 4 in Perth (Game 1--Scheduled 7 innings).  Allan de San Miguel was 3-for-3 with a double for Perth, scoring once.

Perth 3, Adelaide 2 in Perth (Game 2--Scheduled 7 innings).  Allan de San Miguel was 0-for-2 with a walk.

Brisbane 9, Canberra 6 in Canberra.  Rory Rhodes was 1-for-4 with a walk for Brisbane.

Sydney 2, Melbourne 0 in Sydney (5 innings--rain).  Joshua Hendricks was 0-for-1 as a pinch-hitter for Melbourne.  Sam Gibbons surrendered two runs on two hits in a third of an inning, taking the loss.  Jacob Younis was 0-for-1 for Sydney.

Keeping Track

Solar Sox Summary: The Fall Star Game

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In the AFL all-star game, called the Rising Stars Game, the West scored five runs in the first inning and cruised to an 11-2 victory over the East.

The stars of the game were Nick Franklin (Seattle), who had a single, two doubles, and a home run, scoring three times and driving in four, and Joe Terdoslavich (Atlanta), who had a single, a double, and a home run and drove in three.  Wil Myers (Kansas City) had two singles and a double and Kevin Mattison (Florida) singled and doubled.  The win went to starter Danny Hultzen (Seattle), who struck out three in two shutout innings.

No one had more than one hit for the East.  Brian Dozier was 1-for-2 with a home run.  Gerrit Cole (Pittsburgh) surrendered five runs on four hits and a walk in just two-thirds of an inning to take the loss.

There are no games in the AFL today.  Mesa hosts Peoria tomorrow.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–November 6

Walter Johnson (1887)
Mack Jones (1938)
Jim Gosger (1942)
John Candelaria (1953)
Stine Poole (1958)
Chad Curtis (1968)
Don Wengert (1969)
Justin Speier (1973)

Walter Johnson, of course, was a star for the franchise when it was in Washington, pitching from 1907 to 1927.  Justin Speier is the son of ex-Twin Chris Speier. Stine Poole was traded by Detroit to the Twins for Sal Butera, and played in the Twins minor league system for two seasons.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–November 6 →

Keeping Track

Other Winterball Stuff

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As the season rolls on, the Twins are getting more players who are not playing in either Venezuela or Arizona.  Here's what they did yesterday:

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

Cibao 3, Escogido 1 in Cibao.  Alexi Casilla was 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI for Cibao.  Estarlin De Los Santos was 0-for-2 with the same club.

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

Carolina 7, Caguas 6 in Caguas.  Aaron Bates was used as a reserve for Caguas but did not bat.

Ponce 4, Mayaguez 1 in Mayaguez.  Angel Morales was 0-for-1 as a reserve for Ponce.  Deinys Suarez started and pitched four shutout innings, giving up four hits, for the same club.

AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE

Brisbane 7, Canberra 4 in Canberra (Game 1).  Rory Rhodes was 0-for-4 for Brisbane but walked once and scored twice.

Canberra 5, Brisbane 4 in Canberra (Game 2).  Rory Rhodes was 1-for-4 and scored once.

Sydney 8, Melbourne 6 in Syndey (Game 1).  Jacob Younis was 1-for-3 for Syndey, driving in a run.

Melbourne 13, Syndey 9 in Synden (Game 2).  Joshua Hendricks was 0-for-1 with a walk and a run for Melbourne.   Jacob Younis was 1-for-5 with a run.

Keeping Track

Venezuelan View

Margarita 2, Aragua 0 at Aragua.  Sean Burroughs, Francisco Leandro, and Cesar Hernandez (Philadelphia) each had two hits for the Bravos.  Mike Parisi (Dodgers) worked seven innings to get the win.  Ronald Belisario (Pittsburgh) pitched the last 1.2 innings to get the save.  Yangervis Solarte and Vinny Rottino were each 2-for-4.  Joe Benson was 0-for-3.  The loss went to Deunte Heath (White Sox), who gave up two runs on four hits and two walks in six innings while striking out six.

Magallanes 6, Caracas 1 in Caracas.  Jesus Flores (Washington) had two singles and a double to lead the Navegantes.  Jose Sanchez gave up a run on four hits in five innings to get the win.  Pedro Guerra struck out three in two shutout innings, giving up only one hit, to get the win.  For the Leones, Wladimir Sutil (Houston) singled and doubled.  Michael Fiers (Milwaukee) allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk in five innings to take the loss.

Lara 4, Anzoategui 3 in Lara.  The Cardenales scored two in the eighth to take the win.  Oswaldo Navarro (Houston) and Jose Lopez (Florida) each had two hits.  Luis Valbuena (Cleveland) hit a two-run homer in the eight to seal the victory.  Jose Jimenez (Seattle) retired the only man he faced to get the win, while Raul Rivero (Baltimore) worked a scoreless ninth for the save.  For the Caribes, Juan Camacho had three hits.  Andrew Baldwin started and went 6.2 innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks.  Brayan Villareal (Detroit) allowed the two eighth-inning runs on two hits in a third of an inning to take the loss.

In other Venezuelan League action, Zulia defeated La Guaira 5-3 in Zulia.

On today's schedule, Margarita is at Caracas, Aragua travels to Magallanes, La Guaira goes to Zulia, and Anzoategui is at Lara.

Keeping Track

Solar Sox Summary

Mesa scored three in the eighth to turn a 10-9 deficit into a 12-10 victory in Mesa.

Brian Dozier had two doubles and a home run to lead the way.  He went 3-for-5, scored three times, and drove in two.  Brandon Short (White Sox) had two doubles and a single.  D. J. LaMaheiu (Cubs) and Joe Mahoney (Baltimore) each had two singles and a home run and each drove in three.  Chris Herrmann and Aaron Hicks were each 1-for-4, with Hicks hitting a double and driving in two.  Jake Petricka (White Sox) got the win in relief, giving up a run on three hits in two innings.  Andrew Cashner (Cubs) worked a scoreless ninth for his second save.

Salt River was led by Nolan Arenado (Colorado), who had three doubles and a single.  Jake Goebbert (Houston) had two singles and a double and Brian Cavazos-Galvez (Dodgers) had three hits.  The loss went to Parker Frazier (Colorado), who allowed all three eighth-inning runs on three hits in a third of an inning.

Today is the Rising Stars Game, in which Brian Dozier is the only Twin on the roster.  Mesa will be off Sunday and will host Peoria Monday.

Keeping Track

This Week in Twins Transactions

Joe Nathan had his 2012 option declined.
Jeff Gray was claimed off waivers from Seattle.
Matt Maloney was claimed off waivers from Cincinnati.
Tom Brunansky was named hitting coach for AAA Rochester.

The Twins released the following minor league players:  Nick Alloway, Nick Cicio, Jamaal Hawkins, Brandon Henderson, Marcus Limon, Derek McCallum, Bobby O’Neill, Justin Parker, Nick Romero, Sam Spangler, Matt Tone, and Kyle Wahl.

Keeping Track

This Week in Ex-Twins

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Actually two weeks:

Arizona exercised its side of a mutual contract option on Henry Blanco.  Blanco declined his side of the option.  Arizona then signed Blanco to a contract for 2012 with a mutual option for 2013.
Detroit assigns Brad Thomas outright to AAA Toledo.
Mets reinstate Johan Santana from the disabled list.
Philadelphia releases Juan Morillo.
Seattle re-signs Carl Willis as pitching coach.
Toronto declines its 2012 option on Jon Rauch.
Toronto re-signs Bobby Korecky.