Down on the Farm: AAA Report
Rochester Red Wings (12-4)
1st Place -- International League North Division
Red Wings Season Stats
Starting Pitchers
1.) Kevin Slowey - 4 starts [2 starts]
2.) Matt Garza - 4 starts [1 start]
3.) Scott Baker - 3 starts, 1 RA [1 start]
4.) Dave Gassner - 3 starts [1 start]
5.) Jason Miller - 1 start, 2 RA [1 start]
Who's Hot: As Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune has been reporting regularly, Kevin Slowey is absolutely scalding. This "week" (it was 8 days on the calendar because I'm a day late with the post), Slowey made 2 starts and got a win, going 14 innings and allowing just 3 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks while striking out seventeen batters. The drumbeat for him to replace Sidney Ponson in the rotation will just keep growing louder if he keeps putting up numbers like that in his starts. On the season, he has a 1.05 ERA and a remarkable 0.62 WHIP in 25.2 innings to go along with a 28-2 K-BB ratio. As much as I think he needs this time in AAA, I'm starting to think we'll see him with the Twins sooner rather than later. There were numerous other candidates who could go in this category for the Twins this week, but I'll focus on just one more for brevity -- Scott Baker had another great start, winning the game and going 7 innings while allowing just 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 7. He's starting to demonstrate why the Twins have chosen to give him a shot over the last couple of seasons, and why it's so frustrating that he hasn't won a regular job in the big leagues -- he clearly has some electric stuff when everything is working. On the season, he has a 1.57 ERA and 0.78 WHIP in 23 innings, and a 23-3 K-BB ratio.
Who's Not: The only guy who really fits the description this week is Dave Gassner, who really didn't pitch badly. That's what happens when you're in a rotation with this group of guys, though. Gassner went 6 innings and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits a walk and 3 K's, and I'm calling that a bad start. Life really isn't fair. On the season, Gassner has a solid 2.81 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 16 innings, and a rather poor 7-5 K-BB ratio.
Relief Pitchers
1.) Mike Venafro - 10 RA [4 RA]
2.) Julio DePaula - 9 RA [3 RA]
3.) Bobby Korecky - 9 RA [3 RA]
4.) Jeremy Cummings - 1 start, 4 RA [1 RA]
5.) Brian Bass - 5 RA [2 RA]
6.) Carmen Cali - 4 RA [2 RA]
DL - Ricky Barrett
Who's Hot: Bobby Korecky had 3 very solid appearances for the Red Wings this week, all in the last three days, picking up a save in each. He went a total of 3 innings and allowed just 2 hits and a walk in the process while striking out 5. All of that lowered his ERA to 4.82 and his WHIP to 1.50 in 9.1 innings of work, with a 9-5 K-BB ratio. Mike Venafro also had a pretty good week, appearing in four ballgames and going 2.2 innings with a save. He gave up just one hit and 3 walks while striking out 3. On the season, he too has a 4.82 ERA, but his 1.93 WHIP is still awfully high, and his 5-7 K-BB ratio is also a little disturbing. Still, he's doing his job and bringing that ERA down from his poor start.
Who's Not: Brian Bass got a win this inning, but his overall numbers weren't that good this week, as he went 3.1 innings and allowed 5 runs on 6 hits with 3 walks and 2 K's. On the season, his ERA is a whopping 11.05 and his WHIP is an inflated 2.18, with a low 4-3 K-BB ratio. Those aren't the kinds of numbers that keep you in the good graces of the organization, and the Twins have already shown that they're willing to make quick moves, having sent Tristan Crawford down to AA last week. Also struggling over the last 8 days was Jeremy Cummings, although the sample size was awfully small. After getting a chance to start last week, he was relegated back into the bullpen and made just one appearance, going 1 inning and giving up a 1 run on 1 hit with 1 K. Certainly, that's not terrible -- but it's not that good, either, and everyone else in the 'pen pitched well enough to stay off this list for the week.
Catchers
1.) Matthew LeCroy - DH(13), C(1) [DH(4)]
2.) Jose Morales - C(12), DH(2) [C(5), DH(1)]
3.) Chris Heintz - C(4), 3B(2), DH(1) [3B(2), C(1), DH(1)]
Who's Hot: It was a pretty good week for all of these guys, really. Jose Morales was the hottest, with a 12-for-20 week that included his first homerun of the season. He's now hitting a remarkably hot .408 on the season in 49 AB's with a 1.034 OPS and just 1 error in the field. Chris Heintz also had a solid week, going 5-for-16 to bring his season average to .276 in 29 AB's with a .586 OPS. Finally, even Matt LeCroy had a solid week, going 4-for-14 including a clutch 2 RBI hit in yesterday's game that won the game for the Red Wings. Still, his season average is still a woeful .192 in 52 AB's with a .501 OPS, and he still hasn't taken any of the minor league pitchers he's faced deep.
Who's Not: There's no one left for this category this week.
Infielders
1.) Matt Tolbert - 2B(14), SS(2) [2B(6)]
2.) Tommy Watkins - SS(16), 2B(2) [SS(6)]
3.) Matt Moses - 3B(15) [3B(4)]
4.) Glenn Williams - 1B(11) [1B(3)]
5.) Alexi Casilla - 2B(2)
Who's Hot: Matt Tolbert went 6-for-20 this week, including his 2nd homer and his 1st stolen base as his batting averaged settled in at .340 with a .961 OPS -- although he has made a whopping 5 errors already this season.
Who's Not: Pretty much everyone else. First off, Alexi Casilla didn't play for the Red Wings this week, having just been sent down today -- but being optioned back to the minors is enough to get you in the "not hot" list. As for the guys who did play, Watkins went 3-for-23 (.217 on the season), Moses went 2-for-13 (.182 for the season), and Williams went 2-for-8 (.256 on the season). Ouch to all.
Outfielders
1.) Garrett Jones - RF(9), 1B(7), LF(3), DH(1) [RF(4), 1B(4)]
2.) Denard Span - CF(17) [CF(6)]
3.) Trent Oeltjen - LF(11), RF(2), CF (1) [LF(4), RF(2)]
4.) Doug Deeds - RF(10), DH(2), 1B(1) [RF(3), 1B(1)]
5.) Lew Ford - LF(2) [LF(2)]
Who's Hot: Trent Oeltjen went 7-for-20 to bring his average up to .318 in 44 AB's with a .784 OPS. Garrett Jones also continued his recent hot streak, going 8-for-23 on the week with his 3rd HR. He's now hitting .338 in 68 AB's with a .932 OPS and 15 RBI's on the season. And, while he only went 2-for-9 on the week, I'm putting Lew Ford on this list for getting back on the field in actual games on his rehab stint.
Who's Not: Doug Deeds went just 1-for-7 on the week and is hitting just .189 on the season in 37 AB's with a .439 OPS.
1st Place -- International League North Division
Red Wings Season Stats
Starting Pitchers
1.) Kevin Slowey - 4 starts [2 starts]
2.) Matt Garza - 4 starts [1 start]
3.) Scott Baker - 3 starts, 1 RA [1 start]
4.) Dave Gassner - 3 starts [1 start]
5.) Jason Miller - 1 start, 2 RA [1 start]
Who's Hot: As Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune has been reporting regularly, Kevin Slowey is absolutely scalding. This "week" (it was 8 days on the calendar because I'm a day late with the post), Slowey made 2 starts and got a win, going 14 innings and allowing just 3 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks while striking out seventeen batters. The drumbeat for him to replace Sidney Ponson in the rotation will just keep growing louder if he keeps putting up numbers like that in his starts. On the season, he has a 1.05 ERA and a remarkable 0.62 WHIP in 25.2 innings to go along with a 28-2 K-BB ratio. As much as I think he needs this time in AAA, I'm starting to think we'll see him with the Twins sooner rather than later. There were numerous other candidates who could go in this category for the Twins this week, but I'll focus on just one more for brevity -- Scott Baker had another great start, winning the game and going 7 innings while allowing just 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 7. He's starting to demonstrate why the Twins have chosen to give him a shot over the last couple of seasons, and why it's so frustrating that he hasn't won a regular job in the big leagues -- he clearly has some electric stuff when everything is working. On the season, he has a 1.57 ERA and 0.78 WHIP in 23 innings, and a 23-3 K-BB ratio.
Who's Not: The only guy who really fits the description this week is Dave Gassner, who really didn't pitch badly. That's what happens when you're in a rotation with this group of guys, though. Gassner went 6 innings and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits a walk and 3 K's, and I'm calling that a bad start. Life really isn't fair. On the season, Gassner has a solid 2.81 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 16 innings, and a rather poor 7-5 K-BB ratio.
Relief Pitchers
1.) Mike Venafro - 10 RA [4 RA]
2.) Julio DePaula - 9 RA [3 RA]
3.) Bobby Korecky - 9 RA [3 RA]
4.) Jeremy Cummings - 1 start, 4 RA [1 RA]
5.) Brian Bass - 5 RA [2 RA]
6.) Carmen Cali - 4 RA [2 RA]
DL - Ricky Barrett
Who's Hot: Bobby Korecky had 3 very solid appearances for the Red Wings this week, all in the last three days, picking up a save in each. He went a total of 3 innings and allowed just 2 hits and a walk in the process while striking out 5. All of that lowered his ERA to 4.82 and his WHIP to 1.50 in 9.1 innings of work, with a 9-5 K-BB ratio. Mike Venafro also had a pretty good week, appearing in four ballgames and going 2.2 innings with a save. He gave up just one hit and 3 walks while striking out 3. On the season, he too has a 4.82 ERA, but his 1.93 WHIP is still awfully high, and his 5-7 K-BB ratio is also a little disturbing. Still, he's doing his job and bringing that ERA down from his poor start.
Who's Not: Brian Bass got a win this inning, but his overall numbers weren't that good this week, as he went 3.1 innings and allowed 5 runs on 6 hits with 3 walks and 2 K's. On the season, his ERA is a whopping 11.05 and his WHIP is an inflated 2.18, with a low 4-3 K-BB ratio. Those aren't the kinds of numbers that keep you in the good graces of the organization, and the Twins have already shown that they're willing to make quick moves, having sent Tristan Crawford down to AA last week. Also struggling over the last 8 days was Jeremy Cummings, although the sample size was awfully small. After getting a chance to start last week, he was relegated back into the bullpen and made just one appearance, going 1 inning and giving up a 1 run on 1 hit with 1 K. Certainly, that's not terrible -- but it's not that good, either, and everyone else in the 'pen pitched well enough to stay off this list for the week.
Catchers
1.) Matthew LeCroy - DH(13), C(1) [DH(4)]
2.) Jose Morales - C(12), DH(2) [C(5), DH(1)]
3.) Chris Heintz - C(4), 3B(2), DH(1) [3B(2), C(1), DH(1)]
Who's Hot: It was a pretty good week for all of these guys, really. Jose Morales was the hottest, with a 12-for-20 week that included his first homerun of the season. He's now hitting a remarkably hot .408 on the season in 49 AB's with a 1.034 OPS and just 1 error in the field. Chris Heintz also had a solid week, going 5-for-16 to bring his season average to .276 in 29 AB's with a .586 OPS. Finally, even Matt LeCroy had a solid week, going 4-for-14 including a clutch 2 RBI hit in yesterday's game that won the game for the Red Wings. Still, his season average is still a woeful .192 in 52 AB's with a .501 OPS, and he still hasn't taken any of the minor league pitchers he's faced deep.
Who's Not: There's no one left for this category this week.
Infielders
1.) Matt Tolbert - 2B(14), SS(2) [2B(6)]
2.) Tommy Watkins - SS(16), 2B(2) [SS(6)]
3.) Matt Moses - 3B(15) [3B(4)]
4.) Glenn Williams - 1B(11) [1B(3)]
5.) Alexi Casilla - 2B(2)
Who's Hot: Matt Tolbert went 6-for-20 this week, including his 2nd homer and his 1st stolen base as his batting averaged settled in at .340 with a .961 OPS -- although he has made a whopping 5 errors already this season.
Who's Not: Pretty much everyone else. First off, Alexi Casilla didn't play for the Red Wings this week, having just been sent down today -- but being optioned back to the minors is enough to get you in the "not hot" list. As for the guys who did play, Watkins went 3-for-23 (.217 on the season), Moses went 2-for-13 (.182 for the season), and Williams went 2-for-8 (.256 on the season). Ouch to all.
Outfielders
1.) Garrett Jones - RF(9), 1B(7), LF(3), DH(1) [RF(4), 1B(4)]
2.) Denard Span - CF(17) [CF(6)]
3.) Trent Oeltjen - LF(11), RF(2), CF (1) [LF(4), RF(2)]
4.) Doug Deeds - RF(10), DH(2), 1B(1) [RF(3), 1B(1)]
5.) Lew Ford - LF(2) [LF(2)]
Who's Hot: Trent Oeltjen went 7-for-20 to bring his average up to .318 in 44 AB's with a .784 OPS. Garrett Jones also continued his recent hot streak, going 8-for-23 on the week with his 3rd HR. He's now hitting .338 in 68 AB's with a .932 OPS and 15 RBI's on the season. And, while he only went 2-for-9 on the week, I'm putting Lew Ford on this list for getting back on the field in actual games on his rehab stint.
Who's Not: Doug Deeds went just 1-for-7 on the week and is hitting just .189 on the season in 37 AB's with a .439 OPS.
Labels: AAA Report 07, Down on the Farm, Minor Leagues (General)
posted by JST @ Tuesday, May 01, 2007
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