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Pitching Notes: Rangers, A’s, Yanks, Padres, Twins

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Matt Bush hasn’t been a shutdown closer for the Rangers, so they’ve stripped him of the job and will deploy a ninth-inning committee, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. “We’ll use multiple pitchers based on who is available and the set of hitters coming up,” said manager Jeff Banister. “We are not set on one single guy.” Each of Keone Kela, Alex Claudio and Jose Leclerc could get save opportunities, notes Sullivan. All three have outperformed Bush, who had a nightmarish June in which he blew three of seven save chances and allowed 10 earned runs on 21 hits in 9 1/3 innings. He’s the second Rangers closer to struggle mightily this season, joining predecessor and now-Giant Sam Dyson. (To keep tabs on all teams’ ninth-inning situations, follow MLBTR’s affiliate Twitter site, @CloserNews.)

  • Athletics right-hander Andrew Triggs could undergo season-ending surgery if his ailing left hip doesn’t respond to treatment by the end of the month, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Triggs received a cortisone shot two weeks ago, but there hasn’t been much progress in his recovery since then. The 28-year-old is optimistic he’ll avoid surgery, but he’ll face a six-month recovery if he does go under the knife. Triggs has been on the disabled list since June 10, before which he posted a 4.27 ERA, 6.89 K/9, 2.62 BB/9  and a 49.8 percent ground-ball rate across 65 1/3 innings.
  • Left-hander C.C. Sabathia is on track to return to the Yankees’ rotation Tuesday, per Andrew Marchand of ESPN.com. Sabathia hasn’t pitched since suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain in mid-June. Before that, the impending free agent helped his stock, not to mention New York’s playoff chances, with a 3.46 ERA and a 49.8 percent ground-ball rate over 75 1/3 frames.
  • Meanwhile, righty Trevor Cahill will slot back into the Padres’ starting staff Tuesday, tweets Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune. With the trade deadline approaching, Cahill’s return will come at a good time for the rebuilding Padres. Cahill, out since mid-May with a shoulder strain, pitched like a front-line starter over 41 1/3 innings in the early going, logging a 3.27 ERA, 11.1 K/9 and a 60.2 percent ground-ball rate.
  • One of the Twins’ top prospects, Double-A lefty Tyler Jay, is likely headed for season-ending surgery, according to Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press. Jay is being evaluated for thoracic outlet syndrome, which is not an easy injury from which to return (as the Twins’ Phil Hughes and the Mets’ Matt Harvey have shown). Jay, whom the Twins chose sixth overall in 2015, battled neck issues as a Double-A last season and entered 2017 as a reliever. His latest ailment has limited him to two innings this year.

Central Notes: Jorge, Diaz, Montero, Petricka

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With the Twins set to play 20 games in a 19-day span heading into the All-Star break, including four games against the Royals this weekend, they’ll dip into the minors and call on prospect Felix Jorge to make his MLB debut tomorrow, reports Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. The 23-year-old Jorge currently sits eighth among Minnesota farmhands, per Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com, and also ranked eighth among Twins prospects entering the season, per Baseball America. The right-hander doesn’t overpower opponents but has walked just 1.7 hitters per nine innings dating back to 2015. He currently has a 3.26 ERA with 6.4 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 and a 50.4 percent ground-ball rate through 85 2/3 Double-A frames. Both scouting reports peg Jorge as a fourth or fifth starter, noting that he’s added some bulk to his slender frame and sits in the low 90s with a bit of sink on his heater while also offering an above-average changeup. Jorge is already on the 40-man roster, so there won’t be a DFA or 60-day DL move required to add him.

More on the game’s Central divisions…

  • Aledmys Diaz was caught off-guard by the Cardinals’ decision to option him to Triple-A, writes Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. However, the 26-year-old offered a professional attitude to the media following the move’s announcement, telling reporters that he’s happy to do whatever is best for the Cardinals in the long run. General manager John Mozeliak also weighed in on what he labeled a difficult decision, telling the media: “What we really want to see is that he’s able to take a deep breath and go down and work on some things offensively, as well as his whole game. … (Diaz) hasn’t been picking the ball up (at the plate) and he’s been chasing a lot of balls outside the zone.” Mozeliak also noted that injured second baseman Kolten Wong won’t be back with the team until after the All-Star break.
  • Cubs manager Joe Maddon spoke candidly about the organization’s decision to designate Miguel Montero for assignment following the catcher’s blasting of Jake Arrieta and the Cubs’ pitching staff, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune writes. “(There are) too many young guys in (the clubhouse) who are impressionable,” said Maddon. “…With this young impressionable group, to me, and a really good group that’s going to be together for a long time, you don’t want to foster, nurture, condone (Montero’s) kind of message.” President of baseball operations Theo Epstein was alerted to Montero’s comments by GM Jed Hoyer on Tuesday night this week, per Gonzales, and the two reached the decision to move on from Montero after speaking with Maddon late that night. Epstein stresses that Montero shouldn’t be viewed as any kind of scapegoat for the team’s overall struggles, though he said they felt Montero was “not being a good teammate” and demonstrated a lack of accountability in such a public manner that they were forced to act.
  • The White Sox announced yesterday that righty Jake Petricka has been placed back on the disabled list due to a right elbow strain. Fellow righty Juan Minaya was summoned back from Triple-A just a day after being sent there. The elbow issue is the latest in a slew of injuries for Petricka, who has missed time due to a forearm strain, hip surgery and a lat strain in recent years. The 29-year-old’s hard sinker has led to a sizable 63 percent ground-ball rate, though Petricka has averaged just 6.5 K/9 against 4.0 BB/9 as a big leaguer. Nonetheless, that huge ground-ball rate has helped him post a 3.70 ERA through 163 innings in the Majors. No timetable was given for a return to the mound.

Levine: Twins Could Pursue Long-Term Assets At Deadline

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With the Twins sitting just a half-game out of the AL Central lead as June draws to a close, the team’s place in the standings has at least partially modified its approach to the trade deadline, GM Thad Levine tells MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. While the focus remains on the future, Minnesota is also taking account of the fact that there’s a real possibility of reaching the postseason in 2017.

Though the club’s general assessment of its roster and timeline hasn’t changed substantially, Levine suggests, the performance — and perhaps also the opportunity created by a tightly-bunched American League — has impacted the calculus. “I think it leaves us contemplating buying, and that’s how the season has impacted our decision-making.”

That said, fans shouldn’t expect significant win-now moves. As Levine explains, the Twins’ imperative of sustainable contention could potentially dovetail with an effort to improve the current roster. “We’re probably not going to be inclined to spend lavishly on short-term assets,” he says, “but we would be very open to spending aggressively on assets that we could use to propel our team forward this year and for years to come.”

Lower-cost rental pieces could be considered, of course, but it makes sense that the club isn’t interested in paying top dollar for such assets. “I don’t think we view it as we’re just one piece away and we’re not looking to finish off this club,” says Levin. “We’re looking to continue to build this club. We have a lot of core pieces that have a chance to be part of something special in the future, but we’re cognizant that we’re going to need to add to that core.”

Looking at the Twins’ depth chart, there likely isn’t a lot of room for major changes on the position-player side of the equation. Minnesota has received mostly solid production out of its regulars and reserves, and is rather committed to most of those players.

The pitching, though, is another story. Outside of veteran Ervin Santana and youngster Jose Berrios, the rotation has produced middling results and ugly peripherals. And though there are a few relievers throwing well — closer Brandon Kintzler, in particular — there’s surely room to upgrade there as well.

It’ll obviously be quite interesting to see what kinds of options Levine and chief baseball officer Derek Falvey pursue. Speculation on particular players would be just that at this point, but most of the conceivable possibilities can be found in our latest ranking of the top 50 trade deadline candidates (and the many other players listed there). No doubt their level of aggressiveness will depend upon how the standings look at the end of the month. Payroll — both this year and in the future — will also be a consideration; the Twins entered the season with about $108MM on the books, close to the highest rate the organization has carried.

Minor MLB Transactions: 6/28/17

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Here are the day’s minor moves…

  • The Twins announced that left-hander Mason Melotakis has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A. The 26-year-old lefty was designated for assignment last week in somewhat of a surprise move, as he’s long rated as one of their better bullpen prospects and had delivered strong results between Double-A and Triple-A this season. However, the former second-rounder’s velocity is also reportedly down in recent outings, which may have contributed to the decision to designate him and the lack of a claim. Through 27 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A this season, Melotakis has a 2.28 ERA with 10.4 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and a ground-ball rate north of 50 percent. He’ll head back to Triple-A Rochester and hope to work his way back into Minnesota’s plans later this year.
  • The D-backs announced last night that catcher Oscar Hernandez, who was designated for assignment over the weekend, has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Double-A Jackson. The former Rule 5 pick (out of the Rays’ system in 2014) has posted a woeful .197/.263/.352 slash line through 156 Double-A plate appearances this year. Hernandez is still just 23, though, and he’s considered a strong defensive backstop. He’s shut down 43 percent of attempted stolen bases against him and has received strong framing grades from Baseball Prospectus in each of the past couple of seasons.

Minor MLB Transactions: 6/27/17

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We’ll track the day’s minor moves in this post:

  • The Marlins have outrighted infielder Christian Colon to Triple-A after he cleared waivers, per a club announcement. The 28-year-old Colon was a waiver claim from the Royals just over a month ago but struggled at the plate in his brief time with Miami. Through 38 plate appearances, the former No. 4 overall draft pick batted just .152/.243/.182 with a double and seven strikeouts. He’ll provide the team with some infield depth.
  • Right-hander Alex Wimmers has cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Rochester from the Twins, tweets Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. The former first-rounder has moved to the bullpen in recent seasons and had some success in Triple-A but not much in the Majors. He threw 7 1/3 inning with Minnesota this year and walked more batters (nine) than he struck out (eight). He does have a more respectable a 3.72 ERA with 8.6 K/9 against 4.1 BB/9 in 67 2/3 career innings at Triple-A, though.
  • The Rays have selected the contract of left-hander Adam Kolarek, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links). Center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, who is out with a hip fracture, was moved from the 10-day DL to the 60-day DL to clear a spot on the 40-man for Kolarek, who will be making his MLB debut. The 28-year-old Kolarek, a longtime Mets farmhand, is in his second season with the Rays organization and has excelled with a 1.36 ERA, 7.9 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a ludicrous 77 percent ground-ball rate through 33 frames with Triple-A Durham this year. Kolarek is no stranger to gaudy ground-ball rates, as he induced worm burners at a 68.7 percent clip in 41 1/3 innings with Durham in 2016 as well.
  • According to a club announcement, the Rockies selected the contract of outfielder Mike Tauchman from Triple-A Albuquerque and moved David Dahl to the 60-day disabled list to create a roster spot. The former 10th-rounder is enjoying a strong season, hitting .313/.377/.529 with 10 homers and 11 steals through 298 plate appearances, albeit in a very hitter-friendly setting. Tauchman, 26, isn’t considered to be one of the Rockies’ best prospects, though Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen did mention him briefly in looking at the Rockies’ farm prior to the year, noting that he possesses good contact skills and is an above-average defender that lacks power.

Knocking Down The Door: Burnes, Granite, Mahle, Moya, Smith

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“Knocking Down the Door” is a weekly feature that identifies minor leaguers who are making a case for a big league promotion.

Corbin Burnes, SP, Milwaukee Brewers (Double-A Biloxi)

The Brewers’ starting rotation has been much better than expected and, arguably, the biggest reason why they’re sitting atop the NL Central with a 41-37 record. But while their five starters are healthy and performing well at the moment, the team’s rotation depth has taken a hit as of late. Top prospect Josh Hader was moved to a relief role in order to balance out a right-handed heavy bullpen, and Brandon Woodruff landed on the disabled list when he suffered a strained hamstring just before his MLB debut. All of a sudden, Burnes is not only rocketing up the prospect lists with his impressive performance in 2017, he could actually help a playoff-contending Brewers team at some point.

A fourth-round pick in last year’s draft, Burnes posted a 1.05 ERA in 10 High-A starts before a June promotion to Double-A. The 22-year-old right-hander hasn’t slowed down one bit, allowing two earned runs and 10 hits over 23 2/3innings in his four Southern League starts. He threw close to 140 innings in 2016 between the NCAA and the Minor Leagues, so it’s realistic that he can exceed 150 innings this year—he’s currently at 83 2/3—and that some of those innings might actually be thrown at the Major League level.

Brewers Depth Chart

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Zack Granite, OF, Minnesota Twins (Triple-A Rochester)

The Twins’ patience with Byron Buxton paid off as he was productive over a 146 plate appearance stretch (.746 OPS from April 21-June 14) after a slow start. But he’s gone ice cold again—he’s 5 for his last 38 with no extra bases and 13 strikeouts—while the Twins have been one of the worst offenses in baseball this month. If they’re looking for a spark, and a player who can at least spell Buxton occasionally in center field, it’s becoming clear that Granite could be a solution.

After his third consecutive two-hit game on Monday, the 24-year-old has a Triple-A slash line of .365/.419/513 in 48 games. His 17 walk-to-22 strikeout ratio might be his most enticing stat considering that Buxton and left fielder Eddie Rosario have combined for 34 walks and 127 strikeouts.

Twins Depth Chart

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Tyler Mahle, SP, Cincinnati Reds (Triple-A Louisville)

Mahle is the first player to earn “Knocking Down The Door” honors for a second time in 2017, although he was dominating at the Double-A level when I pegged him as a potential call-up in early May. This time around, he’s coming off of an impressive Triple-A debut in which he pitched four-hit ball over six innings with no earned runs allowed and nine strikeouts.

A struggling Reds’ rotation was hoping for a shot in the arm with Homer Bailey and Brandon Finnegan both back from the disabled list. But Bailey’s 2017 debut was disastrous (1 2/3 IP, 8 ER) and Finnegan is headed back to the DL with a shoulder injury. The Reds have already used an NL-leading 12 starting pitchers and are certain to dip into their farm for reinforcements again at some point. Will the 22-year-old Mahle be the 13th?

Reds Depth Chart

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Gabriel Moya, RP, Arizona Diamondbacks (Double-A Jackson)

Fernando Rodney and Archie Bradley have been the keys to solidifying what appeared to be a very suspect Diamondbacks bullpen heading into the season. But, will it hold up down the stretch as they try to lock down their first playoff berth since 2011? It would be a surprise if general manager Mike Hazen didn’t acquire some late-inning help prior to July 31st, but they could also take a look at some potential in-house options prior to the deadline. Moya, a 22-year-old who has been close to unhittable as the Double-A closer, should be considered.

The left-hander out of Venezuela has allowed a run in only two of his 26 appearances while holding opponents to a .139 batting average and walking only 12 hitters with 52 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings. Right-handed hitters have a .107 batting average against him, which is at least an indication that he could be more than a situational reliever.

Diamondbacks Depth Chart

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Caleb Smith, SP, New York Yankees (Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre)

With Chance Adams still waiting for a much-deserved and much-anticipated MLB call-up, Smith’s work in Triple-A has gone relatively unnoticed. The 25-year-old lefty has made 14 starts in 2017 and has allowed two earned runs or less twelve times, including back-to-back gems (13 IP, 0 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 13 K) to lower his ERA to 2.84 with impressive peripherals across the board (6.5 H/9, 2.3 BB/9, 8.5 K/9).

Yankees Depth Chart

Minor MLB Transactions: 6/24/17

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We’ll track the latest minor moves from around baseball in this post…

Newest Moves

  • The White Sox signed Grant Green to a minor league deal on Wednesday, the team’s Triple-A affiliate announced (on Twitter).  The veteran infielder signed a minors contract with the Nationals over the winter and appeared in two games for the team before being outrighted off the 40-man roster in April and released in mid-June.  Picked 13th overall by the A’s in the 2009 draft, Green has played for four teams over parts of five seasons in the big leagues, posting a .248/.283/.336 slash line in 353 PA.
  • The Athletics signed left-hander Patrick Schuster last week, Baseball America’s Matt Eddy reports.  Schuster joined the A’s organization just a couple of days after being released from his minor league deal with the Dodgers.  This is Schuster’s second stint in Oakland, as he made his MLB debut last July before being claimed on waivers by the Phillies in September.  Still just 26 and in his ninth year as a pro, Schuster has a 3.38 ERA over 474 2/3 IP in the minors (mostly as a reliever) as well as 11 big league games with the A’s and Phillies.
  • The Tigers released southpaw Mike Zagurski earlier this month, Tom Reisenweber of the Erie Times-News reports (via Twitter).  Zagurski signed a minor league deal with Detroit last winter, making his return to North American baseball after spending the previous two seasons in Japan.    The lefty posted a 3.29 ERA, 5.38 K/BB rate and 14.2 K/9 over 27 1/3 combined innings at the Double-A and Triple-A levels, including a 5.06 ERA in 10 2/3 IP at Toledo despite those impressive peripherals.  Zagurski will now look to catch on with another team in hopes of making it back to the majors for the first time since 2013.

Earlier Today

  • Veteran Phillies players Michael Saunders and Jeanmar Gomez were each released, according to the MLB.com transactions page. Both were designated at the same time recently, and the Phils evidently couldn’t find takers in trade — which isn’t terribly surprising given their pronounced struggles and big salaries. Saunders, 30, had a strong 2016 season and has mostly been a better-than-average hitter in the big leagues, so he’ll surely find a new opportunity elsewhere. The same holds for Gomez, who always seemed miscast as a closer but might provide some solid innings in a middle-relief role. Though both can now be had for the league minimum, it would perhaps be a surprise were either to sign directly only a MLB roster at this stage of the season.
  • Likewise, the Royals announced that release waivers have been requested on veteran right-hander Chris Young, who was just designated. It’s not clear whether the 38-year-old will continue pitching after losing his job with Kansas City. He overcame significant arm injuries to make it back to the majors, and had a few good years upon his return, but has struggled mightily over the past two campaigns.
  • The Twins have released lefty Adam Wilk, per Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter). He had been designated for assignment after making a few fill-in outings for Minnesota. Wilk has allowed 14 earned runs on 24 hits in his 14 MLB innings this year, while recording just eight strikeouts against nine walks. He’ll likely end up finding a new organization on a minors deal.

Draft Signings: Pirates, Twins, Blue Jays, Cubs, Orioles, Marlins, Angels

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Here are the latest notable signings from the 2017 amateur draft.  You can check out scouting reports and analysis of all these players via the draft prospect rankings from MLB.com, Fangraphs, Baseball America and ESPN’s Keith Law (the latter two links are subscription-only).

  • Pirates second-round pick Steven Jennings will receive a $1.9MM bonus, according to MLB.coms Jim Callis (via Twitter). The high-school hurler was taken 42nd overall, which comes with a $1,635,500 allocation.
  • The Twins will save a bit of cash on 37th overall pick Landon Leach, per Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter). He’ll take home just under $1.5MM, per the report, below the $1,846,100 assigned slot price.
  • Some of the Twins’ savings will be directed toward third-rounder Blayne Enlow, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (Twitter link).  Reports after the draft suggested that Enlow would receive a bonus in the $2MM range to entice him away from a commitment to LSU.  Callis reports that Enlow will receive $2MM on the dot, a major increase from the slot price ($755.5K) for the 76th overall selection.
  • Blue Jays second-rounder Hagen Danner is in agreement on a bonus that will land right around $1.5MM, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca.  The deal is pending a physical.  Danner’s bonus represents a healthy bump over the $1,043,200 slot value for the 61st overall pick.  Davidi notes that once Danner’s deal is finalized, Toronto will have signed all of its picks from the first ten rounds except for first-round selections Logan Warmoth and Nate Pearson.
  • Cubs second-rounder Cory Abbott lands a slot-value, $901.9K bonus, according to MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo (via Twitter).  The Loyola right-hander was drafted 67th overall.
  • The Orioles will pay a $1.3MM bonus to Adam Hall, according to Mayo (on Twitter).  It’s an above-slot deal for Hall, who had a slot value of $1,068,700 as the 60th overall pick.
  • The Orioles will also add supplemental second-round selection Zac Lowther for the $779.5K slot value of the 74th overall pick, Callis tweets.
  • Marlins second-rounder Joe Dunand will take home a $1.2MM bonus, Callis tweets.  The N.C. State shortstop was taken 51st overall, so Dunand’s bonus lands a bit blow the $1,326,800 assigned price.
  • The Angels have agreed to a $1MM bonus with third-rounder Jacob Pearson, Hudson Belinsky of Baseball America reports on Twitter.  Pearson, another LSU commit, will instead begin his pro career after receiving a bonus well beyond the $656.3K assigned to the 85th overall pick.

Navigating Life Post-Surgery: When Your Right Arm and Left Leg Don’t Work

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It’s the second installment of the Trevor May MLB Trade Rumors experience y’all, let’s get to it! (Those who missed the first one can check it out here.) Before I get into the meat of my “week of woe” post-surgery guide, let me start with some good news:

  1. I was on a mound the other day! Well, kind of. No arm motions yet, but footwork was on point. And, as you can imagine, I looked cool as hell.
  2. Those boys in Minnesota can play some baseball! Two games over .500 and right in the division hunt. As someone who is able to witness the combination of talent, work ethic and character on a daily basis, take my word when I tell you that special things are happening. 

Moving on! Anyone who has had major surgery knows that life is a little bit more difficult when you wake up. Tommy John is no exception. There’s a lot that you may already assume, like “everything hurts,” pain meds that leave you loopy, and leaving in wheelchairs. (I’m sure many of you are imagining this.)

Tommy John surgery, the gift that keeps on giving, checks all of these boxes, but there’s plenty you may not know. For example, the first location for the IV was my hand. This did not work. Ten minutes on the table, my hand is already swollen. When I woke up from surgery on March 20 in my woefully under-sized hospital gown (no, I won’t prove it), the nurse asked me how I feel.

“Yeah my arm is sore, but my knee is KILLLLLLLLING ME!”

Trevor May, via Instagram (@trevmay65)

Medical context (Warning:  I am not a doctor and am only 40% sure that I’ve accurately spelled the words in the following paragraph.  Time to test the surprisingly friendly MLBTR editors!):

In order to repair your ulnar collateral ligament, the ligament must be replaced by another healthy piece of connective tissue from somewhere else in your body. Commonly, the tendon used is from one of your wrists. Unfortunately, some of us don’t possess that option. Like me. Option two then becomes a harvest of your gracilis tendon, which wraps from the front of your knee to the hamstring. I’ve been told it regenerates to some extent, like a salamander’s tail. Cool!

Well folks, NOT cool. The knee is far and away the suckiest part of the surgery. I fancy myself a tough hombre, but being rendered unable to move myself was new. No stair is easy, no car is accessible, no bed is comfortable.

So, having had the experience, I’ve designed my own guide to Navigating Life Post-Surgery: When Your Right Arm and Left Leg Don’t Work.

  1. Brushing your teeth. Invest in a Sonicare or some other type of electric toothbrush and practice using it for some time before surgery.  
  2. Showering. You’re not allowed to get your incisions wet, so invest in a nice, high-quality roll of plastic wrap and trash bags. (Glad works well and smells nice! *Thumbs up*) Also, it helps to have a low expectations for what you’re going to be able to reach. Just do your best.
  3. Stairs. Try not to count them. Just take it one step at a time, leading with your immobile leg. The good leg is better for pushing off. This applies to descending stairs as well.
  4. Putting on Socks. Well, I cheated. My wife did it for me. Invest in slip-ons that don’t need socks (New Balance makes some solid options). As always, take your time.
  5. Combing/Styling your hair. I have two new hats. Lululemon to the rescue.
  6. Eating. Chopsticks are out, anything handheld is in. This might have been the best part. Seriously, I had Culver’s like, six times.

Note: If you know anyone at these companies, I know a guy that is fairly shameless and loves making commercials. *Wink*

These six things, approached correctly, keep life moving right after surgery. Here I am, 13 weeks out, typing all of this out a full speed (24 words per minute). Heck, I ran for 30 minutes yesterday! Improvement is a daily phenomenon, and the process is in full swing. One finally-not-so-painful step at a time.

Let me finish with a short off-field update. I’ve recently formed two companies that are going to revolutionize E-Sports analytics. I’m also working to build several tournament series for competitive gamers to begin increasing their income, and I have several charity events planned involving both gaming and baseball! On the charity side of things, the next step will be a live-streamed marathon of MLB: The Show, where I challenge five players to take on me and the Twins! More details on that are here for those that are interested.

You can follow me on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch for updates on all of that and, of course, for great conversation!

Twins Designate Alex Wimmers, Mason Melotakis

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The Twins announced that they’ve designated left-handed reliever Mason Melotakis and right-handed reliever Alex Wimmers for assignment on Friday. The moves will clear way for the the team to select the contracts of veteran righty Dillon Gee and right-hander Trevor Hildenberger, one of the organization’s top bullpen prospects.

The DFA of Melotakis comes as something of a surprise, as he entered the season rated as one of the better relief prospects in the Twins system and has pitched well thus far in 2017, working to a combined 2.28 ERA with 10.4 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and a ground-ball rate a bit north of 50 percent. Certainly, the Twins’ front office either saw something it didn’t like or feels there’s a good chance he’ll clear waivers, but it’s nonetheless a surprise to see him cut loose with the Twins in obvious need of bullpen help at the Major League level.

Wimmers, 28, has previously been outrighted by the Twins before, so he’ll have the option to elect free agency if he clears waivers. The former first-round pick was touted as a fairly safe bet to eventually join a big league rotation back in the 2010 draft, but his career has been derailed in large part by injuries. He’s tossed 7 1/3 inning with the 2017 Twins and walked more batters (nine) than he’s struck out (eight), though he’s posted a 3.72 ERA with 8.6 K/9 against 4.1 BB/9 in 67 2/3 career innings at Triple-A.

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