Monday, May 26th

Twins Talk
Minnesota 6 Detroit 1
Minnesota 25-25 2.5 games back

• POG: Glen Perkins- This was a tough choice to pick between Perkins and Jason Kubel, but i think its a bigger story how well Perkins is pitching. I really did not see this coming from Perk because everything i was hearing from Rochester was he couldn't find the plate and when he did he was getting hit pretty hard thats why i wasn't expecting this. I am glad to admit that i was wrong about Glen because he is pitching as good as anybody in the major leagues and its a pleasure to watch him pitch. Yesterday, he went 7.2 innings and only gave up 1 run on 7 hits along with 2 walks and 4 strike outs. With the 1 run allowed it lowered him Starter low ERA to 2.77 in 5 starts. Right now he is the best starting pitcher the Twins have and im surprised but very pleasantly surprised. He always had good stuff with a fastball at 93-94 with a good curveball and a decent changeup he always had talent just couldnt put it together. Since he came up he has been a different pitcher getting ahead to almost every batter and when he gets ahead he is filthy because you have to look for that curveball and just when you do that he sneaks that fastball by you. If Glen Perkins can continue to get ahead in the count and not fall behind hitters he will win alot of games and will be in the Twins rotation for many years.
• Jason Kubel had a huge hit yesterday going deep for a grand slam, his 6th homerun of the season, to break a 1-1 8th inning tie. I don't think you can understate how big of a hit that was for the psyche of a young team. When you have as many young players as the Twins have it was huge to get a win yesterday after the debacle on Saturday. With the bases loaded and 1 out Michael Cuddyer struck out and if Kubel had not gotten a hit and the Twins had lost who knows where they go from here. But Kubel probably got the biggest hit of the season so far for the team. Jason has been a key member of the Twins this year with 6 hr and 25 rbi's and if it was up to me i would play him against lefty's too.
• Carlos Gomez and Alexi Casilla are so exciting to watch out there. They make their fair share of mistakes, like bunting with 2 strikes, but they make things happen. Case in point in the 9th inning with 2 outs Gomez got a rare walk, then he stole second and scored on a Casilla base hit to get an important insurance run. Those 2 will make mistakes but the good far outweighs the bad.
• The Twins have today off before they begin a series against the Kansas City Royal in Kansas City tommorrow night.

Rochester Wrap

Pawtucket 11 Rochester 1

Rochester 19-32 13.0 games back

• POG: Chris Basak- There was hardly anything to feel good about in a day when they were only able to muster 4 hits against a very good Pawtucket team. Clay Buchholz was making a rehab start for Pawtucket so you knew hits would be at a premium and they definatly were. The best one was probably Chris Basak who went 1-3 driving in the only run for the Red Wings. With the 1 hit it brings Chris' average up to .239 on the season and his rbi total up to 9. Chris has really struggled this year and will see his playing time diminish even more with either Howie Clark or Matt Macri coming back to the Red Wings. The thing i like about Chris is his versatility though thats why he gets in the lineup just about every day because he can play anywhere.
• Brian Duensing had one of his few bad starts and when he gets hit he gets hit. In 4.2 innings he gave up 8 runs on 9 hits along with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts and 2 homeruns allowed. With the 8 runs allowed his ERA jumped by over a run to 4.50 on the season. I dont think you can put too much into this start everybody has them every once in a while. If he consistantly got hit it would be one thing but Brian has been the most consistant pitcher on the Rochester staff and he is allowed a mulligan every once in a while we should give him a break on this one. However, it is something to keep an eye on to see if he can rebound his next start in which i am pretty confident he will because he is a very good pitcher.
• Julio Depaula got drilled again raising his ERA to 5.20 on the season. Will someone please explain to me why he is still in the Twins organization. He either walks everybody and when he throws it over the plate he gets drilled. If you ask me the best course of action with Julio Depaula is to just flat out release him.
• Today, the Red Wings host Charlotte in the Memorial Day game. Gametime is at 3:05 with Francisco Liriano getting the start for the Red Wings.

New Britain Business

New Britain 6 Portland 3

New Britain 24-25 8.5 games back

• POG: Luke Hughes- Luke came off the disabled list a week ago and was rusty which was to be expected given he was out about 2 weeks. Yesterday, may be the return to form for Luke as he went 3-4 with a walk and 3 rbi's along with 2 runs scored. With the 3 hits it raises Luke's average back up to .356 on the season. With the 3 rbi's it brings his total up to 25 on the season. Luke seems to have his swing back and that is good for the Rock Cats because when they won 8 games in a row earlier this season they were led by his bat along with others. I still think he is ready for a promotion to AAA I think the Twins made a mistake when they promoted Felix Molina to AAA and not Hughes. What that tells me is they are waiting for Hughes' bat to heat up and then they will bring him up. Molina i don't see being with Rochester very long because when they feel Luke is ready he will be coming up and Molina will return to the Rock Cats.
• Another Phenomenal start by Jay Rainville yesterday as he went 6 shutout innings and only gave up 2 hits along with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts to lower his era to 6.61. Jay is on fire as of late after this start he has a 13 inning scoreless streak going as he will try to extend it his next start. How has he done it? In my opinion its pretty simple better control of the fastball. He is hitting his spots so much better and like i have said before when any pitcher hits his spots he is tough to hit. I look for Jay to continue to get better and better as the season goes on and it will be interesting to see how long his scoreless innings streak can last because he has really good stuff who was underperforming and now is showing why so many people were so high on him.
• News Flash Zach Ward gave up a run. I know you are shocked by that but a homerun in the 8th inning was all it took to end his recent trend of scoreless innings. Zach has now only given up 2 runs in 32 innings still very good and it looks like he has found his niche as a reliever and I think there is a future for him as a setup man possibly with the Twins if he keeps pitching like this.
• Today, the Rockcats finish off their series with Portland in New Britain. Gametime is at 12:00 with Oswaldo Sosa getting the start for the Rockcats.

Fort Myers Musings

Fort Myers 10 Palm Beach 2

Fort Myers 32-18 First Place

• POG: Tyler Robertson- Tyler continued his strong pitching of late by notching his second consecutive really good start. Tyler went 6 innings and only gave up 2 runs on 3 hits along with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. With the 2 runs his ERA still sits at 3.04 on the season. Tyler has really turned the corner as of late based on his last 2 starts he has only given up 2 runs in his last 13 innings along with 5 walks and 8 strikeouts. Im starting to think that maybe Tyler might be ready to take the jump up to AA. He is dominating good lineups in the FSL and i think he might be ready. I would not have a problem if they kept him in Fort Myers for a while longer but if he continues to pitch the way he has lately his days in the FSL are certainly numbered.
• Wilson Ramos continues to show power that i didnt realize that he had as he connected with his 7th homerun of the year a grandslam that put the Miracle on their way. I really was not very high on Ramos as my player rankings would attest too, but maybe i was wrong about him. I don't see him as a catcher for the Twins with Joe Mauer around, but i could see him making it with the Twins as a backup Catcher/DH type if he continues to hit with this kind of power. It will be interesting to see if he can become a better hitter because power does you no good if your only hitting .220. He is definatly someone that all Twins fans should keep their eye on to see how he will do.
• Danny Valencia had another outstanding game for the Miracle going 2-3 with 2 more Rbi's. With those Rbi's it brings his team leading total up to 41 rbi's on the season along with his .344 average. Is there any doubt that Danny is ready for the step up to AA to see how he can do against better competition. I think he is more ready than Tyler Robertson and if you want to see continue to improve you need to put him up against better competition.
• Today, the Miracle are off before they begin a series with Sarasota in Fort Myers. That series begins Tommorrow night.

Beloit Beat

Beloit 4 Burlington 3

Beloit 28-22 8.0 games back 5 game winning streak

• POG: Joe Benson- Joe had another outstanding game going 2-4 with his third homerun of the year along with 2 rbis and a run scored. Seems ever since Ben Revere got onto the scene players like Benson and Ozzie Lewis have played with a chip on their shoulders because they dont want to get passed up. Joe is a 5 tool player who has not played like one this season and was in danger of getting passed up. He still might but he is playing alot better now than he was earlier in the year. I look for Revere to get promoted to Fort Myers soon and for Joe to take over center again and hopefully he can show that he can be as good as his potential says he can be. Joe has just as much potential as Revere does he just hasn't lived up to it yet and if he could ever get there he would be an outstanding outfielder either for the Twins or someone else.
• The Snappers recent trend of great starting pitching continued as Dan Berlind had another awesome start. Dan went 7 innings and only gave up 2 runs on 5 hits along with 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. With the 2 runs it brings Dan's ERA down to 3.77 on the season. Dan has really come on as of late and the starting pitching has been contagious as the Snappers have played much better as of late and will stay in contention all year if they continue to pitch like this.
• Ozzie Lewis continues to raise his average day by day as he went 2-5 with a double and an rbi single in the 11th inning that sent the Beloit fans home happy. With the 2 hits it raises Ozzie's average to still crappy .173 on the season. However, if you look at how bad it was you can see life out of him and I look for his average to continue to go up and up as he gets more comfortable and gets more playing time.
• Today, the Snappers finish off their series with Burlington in Beloit. Gametime is at 1:00 with Brian Kirwan getting the start for the Snappers as they try to extend their winning streak to 6 games.