Category Archives: Keeping Track

Keeping Track

Appalachian League Preview

The Appalachian League season gets underway today.

There are ten teams in the league.  They are split into two divisions, the East and the West.  Teams play a sixty-eight game schedule, which ends August 28.  Four teams then go to the playoffs.

The Twins entry in the league is, of course, in Elizabethton.  Their long-time manager is Ray Smith.  Jeff Reed is the batting coach and Ivan Arteaga is the pitching coach.

Because the league is filled with players that few people know, and because your reporter is pressed for time, we will not go into great detail about the teams.  Some names you might recognize on the Twins’ pitching staff are Ricardo Arevalo, J. T. Chargois, Tyler Herr, Angel Mata, Mason Melotakis, Luis Nunez, and Hein Robb.  Some names you might recognize among the position players are Bo Altobelli, Jhonatan Arias, Niko Goodrum, Joshua Hendricks, Kennys Vargas, Max Kepler, Candido Pimentel, and Rory Rhodes.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–June 19

Eddie Cicotte (1884)
Lou Gehrig (1903)
Bill Swift (1908)
Don Gutteridge (1912)
Archie Ware (1918)
Chet Boak (1935)
Bob Aspromonte (1938)
Isao Harimoto (1940)
Jerry Reuss (1949)
Duane Kuiper (1950)
Jim Slaton (1950)
Johnnie LeMaster (1954)
Doug Mientkiewicz (1974)
Alex Prieto (1976)
Dustan Mohr (1976)
Bruce Chen (1977)

Infielder Chet Boak played for the Twins’ AAA affiliate, the Syracuse Chiefs, in 1961, but does not appear to have actually been a part of the Twins’ organization, as records show him belonging to the expansion Washington Senators.  One assumes he was loaned to the Twins’ for part of that season.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–June 19 →

Keeping Track

Gulf Coast League Preview

The Gulf Coast League is a fourteen-team league based in Florida.  There are three divisions, the North, the East, and the South.  There are six teams in the North and four teams in each of the other two divisions.

Teams take the names of their parent clubs, e.g. the GCL Twins, the GCL Astros, etc.  The teams play at the spring training complexes of their major league clubs.  They play a sixty-game schedule.  Four teams make the playoffs.  Rosters are capped at thirty-five, with only thirty eligible for any given game.  At least ten of these must be pitchers.  Players must have less than three years of minor league service.

The Twins’ entry is managed by Ramon Borrego.  The batting coach is Milt Cuyler, with pitching coaches Henry Bonilla and Luis Ramirez.

Looking at the roster, pitcher whose names you might recognize include Jose Barrios, Sam Gibbons, Yorman Landa, Gonzalo Sanudo, and Markus Solbach.  Batters you might recognize include Aderlin Mejia, Javier Pimentel, Jacob Younis, Byron Buxton, Kelvin Ortiz, and Dereck Rodriguez.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–June 18

Charlie Ganzel (1862)
Russ Hodges (1910)
Ron Necciai (1932)
Lou Brock (1939)
Bill James (1949)
Andres Galarraga (1961)
Sandy Alomar (1966)
Felix Heredia (1975)
Tommy Watkins (1980)

Ron Necciai struck out 27 batters in a nine inning game while playing for Bristol in the Appalachian League in 1952.

It may never happen, but Bill James belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–June 18 →

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–June 17

Pete Browning (1861)
Joe Bowman (1910)
Ray Scott (1919)
Dave Concepcion (1948)
Joe Charboneau (1955)
Mike Magnante (1965)
Manny Lee (1965)

Ray Scott broadcast Minnesota Twins games from 1961-1966 and 1973-1975.

Outfielder Joe Charboneau was drafted by Minnesota in the sixth round of the January draft in 1976, but did not sign.

There appear to be no other players with connections to the Minnesota Twins born on this day.

Keeping Track

This Week in Twins Transactions

Actually two weeks:

Carl Pavano was placed on the fifteen day disabled list.
Nick Blackburn was activated from the disabled list.
Cole DeVries was optioned to Rochester.
Chris Parmelee was promoted from Rochester.
Byron Buxton was signed and assigned to the GCL Twins.
Lester Oliveros was promoted from Rochester, then optioned back to Rochester.
P. J. Walters was placed on the fifteen day disabled list.
Liam Hendriks was promoted from Rochester.
David Bromberg was placed on the seven day disabled list by Rochester.
Steve Hirschfeld was promoted from New Britain to Rochester, then was sent back to New Britain.
Anthony Slama was placed on the seven day disabled list by Rochester.
Samuel Deduno was activated from the disabled list by Rochester.
Brian Dinkelman was activated from the disabled list by Rochester.
Bruce Pugh was promoted from Fort Myers to New Britain.
Aaron Thompson was sent to New Britain.
Daniel Rohlfing was promoted from Fort Myers to New Britain.
Tom Stuifbergen was activated from the disabled list by Fort Myers.
Steven Liddle was sent from Fort Myers to Beloit.
Eddie Rosario was placed on the seven day disabled list by Beloit.
Fernando Romero was assigned to the DSL Twins.
Junior Boni was assigned to the DSL Twins.
Junior Subero was assigned to the DSL Twins.

The Twins also signed the following draft picks:  Zach Jones, Mason Melotakis, Taylor Rodgers, Bo Altobelli, Bryan Santy, D. J. Hicks, Adam Brett Walker, Joel Licon, Bryan Haar, Jonathan Murphy, and Jake Proctor.

Keeping Track

This Week in Ex-Twins

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Actually two weeks:

Atlanta designates Livan Hernandez for assignment.
Arizona organization (AAA Reno) releases Randy Ruiz.
Baltimore options Steve Tolleson to AAA Norfolk, then recalls him.
Baltimore organization (AAA Norfolk) places Lew Ford on the temporarily inactive list, then activates him from that list.
Baltimore organization (AAA Norfolk) releases Willie Eyre.
Boston activates Darnell McDonald from the disabled list.
Boston transfers Jason Repko to the sixty day disabled list.
Bridgeport of the Atlantic League signs Dan Serafini.
Camden of the Atlantic League signs Spencer Steedley.
White Sox organization (AAA Charlotte) releases Terry Doyle.
Angels activate LaTroy Hawkins from the disabled list and assign him first to Class A Inland Empire, then to AAA Salt Lake.
Dodgers transfer Matt Guerrier to the sixty day disabled list.
Minatitlan of the Mexican League places Hector Carrasco on waivers.
New Jersey of the Can-Am League places Jeff Lanning on the disabled list, then activates him.
Mets organization (AAA Buffalo) places Chuck James on the seven day disabled list with a left elbow sprain.
Mets organization sends Dustin Martin from AAA Buffalo to AA Binghamton.
Oakland organization sends Luke Hughes from AAA Sacramento to AA Midland.
Oakland organization (AA Midland) activates Tyler Ladendorf from the disabled list.
Philadelphia activates Jim Thome from the disabled list.
Philadelphia signs Jason Pridie and assigns him to AAA Lehigh Valley.
Philadelphia organization sends Tim Kennelly from AAA Lehigh Valley to AA Reading.
San Diego promotes Jason Marquis from AA San Antonio.
San Diego transfers Jason Bartlett to the sixty day disabled list.
Somerset of the Atlantic League places Travis Bowyer on the disabled list.
Toronto organization sends Yohan Pino from AAA Las Vegas to AA New Hampshire.