Alex Burnett Q&A

This is the first Question and Answer I've done in a long time, so I hope everyone enjoys it.

Alex Burnett has been a great presence throughout the Twins system since they drafted him in the 12th round of the 2005 draft. In Rookie Ball, Burnett looked to be an average pitcher with a combined 8-5 record and 4.06 ERA between the Gulf Coast League and Appalachian League. But since 2007, he has been anything but average as he holds a is 20-17 record with a 3.18 ERA between the Midwest League, Florida State League and Eastern League.

While racking up nearly 300 innings over the course of the 2007 and 2008 season, the Twins made the decision to move Burnett into the bullpen. While some may have questioned the move, Burnett has made the Twins' decision look genius. This season, Burnett is 3-3 with a 2.08 ERA in 38 relief appearances. He also made the jump from Advanced-A Ft. Myers to Double-A New Britain despite being only 21-years-old but hasn't lost any of his edge.

Burnett's future - whether it be in the bullpen or in the rotation - may not be decided yet, but he'll likely handle both well while he gives the Twins a very talented arm.

So without further adieu, lets get to the questions and (more importantly) the answers.

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Josh's Thoughts: Growing up near Los Angeles, I have to ask, Angels or Dodgers?

Alex: I was for sure an Angels fan. For one, I live closer to Angel stadium and that's where my family took me to watch baseball games and because I always thought they were a better team.

Josh's Thoughts: Did you play any other sports in high school?

Alex: I played soccer my freshman and junior year and I stopped playing once I realized I had the talent to possibly go pro, so I stopped playing soccer and focused on baseball.

Josh's Thoughts: Before you were drafted, how much contact did you have with the Twins?

Alex: I had a little bit of contact Twins scout John Leavitt. He would be at my games and he always had good things to say about me.

Josh's Thoughts: You have had great success as both a starter and as a reliever. First, was there a reason for the switch? Secondly, which do you see yourself as long term? And finally, do you have a preference between the two?

Alex: I think the reason that the Twins switched me was because they see me as a reliever in the future for them and they think I'll move up faster as a reliever. Long term, I can see myself as a reliever. I have really enjoyed it thus far and I hope I just keep doing what I've been doing. It's kind of hard to say I prefer one or the other because they are two different animals. In the bullpen you have to be ready at all times because you never know when you're going to pitch and once you're called upon to get hot, its really intense for me and I like coming in with runners on base and the adrenaline that comes with that. And as a starter you know what day you're gonna pitch so you have a few days to get mentally prepared. So I enjoy both, but I like what I'm doing now.

Josh's Thoughts: What has been the biggest difference between coming in as a reliever and preparing for a start?

Alex: Like I said, you know when you're day to pitch is as starter so you have the opportunity to prepare yourself to pitch, rather then when you're in the bullpen you can get called on at any point in the game.

Josh's Thoughts: What does your repertoire consist of?

Alex: I through a 4-Seam and 2-Seam fastball from 89-94, Slider/Cutter 83-86, Curveball 76-78, Change-Up 81-83,

Josh's Thoughts: What would you say is your 'out pitch?'

Alex: Well lately it has been my Cutter, but the majority of the time it's either my fastball or curve, I guess they're all my out pitches.

Josh's Thoughts: Who has had the biggest influence on your career?

Alex: My whole family they have supported me since day one and when I go out on the field I do it for myself and for my family.

Josh's Thoughts: Who were your favorite players growing up? Do you have a favorite player now?

Alex: My favorite players growing up were Ken Griffey Jr. and Roger Clemens. I don't really have a favorite player anymore, I just like watching good baseball.

Josh's Thoughts: What is your goal for the remaining of the season?

Alex: To keep pitching well and possibly get a chance to pitch in Triple-A and to help what ever team I end up on win a championship.

Josh's Thoughts: What do you like to do in your free time?

Alex: Hang with the guys and play video games and sleep and eat. Haha

Josh's Thoughts: What are your interests besides baseball? Favorite music, movies, other hobbies etc.

Alex: Well, I don't think a day goes by where there isn't some sort of music playing in our house and I like all types of music. I watch any movie that sounds good and that people say 'you have to see this movie.' We like to golf when we get a chance, haven't really had time to since being in Connecticut.

Joshs' Thoughts:If you weren't playing baseball, what other profession would you want to be?

Alex: I wanted to be a fire man for the longest time in high school, but I think I would become a teacher and coach baseball or any profession that keeps me around the game.

Josh's Thoughts: Do you have a nickname?

Alex: Yeah, everyone calls me 'Ali' because everybody thinks I look like Muhammed Ali. And its not only my teammates that say that, I have had random people come up to me and say that I look like him, its pretty funny.

Josh's Thoughts: What is something people might be shocked to know about you?

Alex: Having a 3-year-old sister I guess would be shocking because of the huge gap in age, but other than that, nothing really shocking.

Josh's Thoughts: Is there a player in baseball that you'd compare yourself to?

Alex: Well, I was told I pitched like Juan Rincon a little bit, so I guess him.

Josh's Thoughts: What has been the most difficult part of pro baseball? Best part?

Alex: The most difficult part about pro baseball is not being able to be with your family. The best part is everything. I love everything about the game, traveling, being part of a team, meeting new people and the fans.

Josh's Thoughts: What is your greatest baseball moment?

Alex: Getting drafted and winning CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) my senior year.

Josh's Thoughts: What do you think you will need to work on most between now and before you arrive in Minnesota?

Alex: I could use a little more work on controlling the bottom of the zone and just keep trying to perfect my pitches.

Josh's Thoughts: Although you're dominating the Eastern League from the bullpen, what has been the biggest adjustment between High-A and Double-A? Which jump has been the hardest (rookie to low-a, low-a to high-a, etc.)? Any particular reason why it was harder?

Alex: The hitters here in Double-A are a lot more disciplined and instead of having like 4-6 good hitters on a team in High A, in Double-A 1-9 can hurt you at anytime if you make a mistake with any of your pitches. The hardest jump I think was from Low-A to High-A just because the hitting is a lot better from Low-A to High-A.

Josh's Thoughts: What advice would you give a young baseball player that hopes to make it into pro baseball someday?

Alex: Just to focus on what he wants to accomplish and go for it because anything is possible and always work hard and listen to your coaches because they are the ones that are gonna get you where you need to be in order to play ball at a high level.

Josh's Thoughts: What has been your favorite minor league stadium to play at?

Alex: So far its a toss up between the Daytona Dragons stadium or Altoona Curves stadium with the roller coaster behind the right field fence.

And a special thanks to Alex for taking the time to answer a few questions. The Twins are lucky to have a pitcher like Alex who excels both on and off the field. He's a very cordial person and Twins fans will have a lot to like about him when he finally reaches Minnesota.

Twins call up Mulvey

La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune is reporting that the Twins have called up right-handed pitcher Kevin Mulvey from Triple-A Rochester while optioning catcher Jose Morales. Mulvey, who came over to the Twins for Johan Santana, is 3-6 with a 3.93 ERA this season in the Red Wings rotation.

The first thing that came to my mind is that the Twins are showcasing him to potential buyers. It kind of stacks up with the Alexi Casilla promotion. Although that one made more sense, the Pirates are looking for a player to replace Freddy Sanchez and a couple pitching prospects. Mulvey doesn't figure to fit in long-term, so perhaps this could be a way for the Pirates to see him at the Major League Level.

We'll see.

Home Run Derby: Predictions

Here are my predictions for tonight's Home Run Derby:

1. Nelson Cruz - OF - Rangers
   
2. Albert Pujols - 1B - Cardinals
   
3. Ryan Howard - 1B - Phillies
   
4. Carlos Pena - 1B - Rays
   
5. Joe Mauer - C - Twins
   
6. Prince Fielder - 1B - Brewers
   
7. Adrian Gonzalez - 1B - Padres
   
8. Brandon Inge - 3B - Tigers

Listening to Chris Berman is already giving me a headache, and he's only been on for about...12 seconds.

This is do or die for Casilla, Twins

The Twins announced after Sunday's game that they have called up infielder Alexi Casilla from Triple-A Rochester while sending down Matt Tolbert. Casilla was pulled out of Sunday's game after hitting a first inning home run. He hit .340/.379/.449 this year in Triple-A Rochester with nine extra-base hits and nine stolen bases in forty games. He continued to show some struggles on defense, but as long as he plays hard, I'm sure Gardenhire will keep him in the lineup.

Tolbert saw more time than needed in Minnesota, playing in 48 games while racking up 129 at-bats. He hit just .178/.272/.225 while getting spot starts at both shortstop and second base. Tolbert's hustle didn't amount to much production on the field. Tolbert is what he is. He's a light hitting utility player who is on the verge of being a Quad-A player and a backup player, but having him hit second more than he hit anywhere else is beyond absurd. And being that Ron Gardenhire is a "go by the splits/numbers" guy, why not bat him eighth? Tolbert hit .289/.372/.368 in that spot. Although I doubt it was a pressure thing (since he had terrible numbers batting ninth), he had no reason to be batting second.

La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune suggests that Casilla being promoted is an indication that the Twins will not be able to pull off a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates for All-Star second baseman Freddy Sanchez.

While he has more information than any of us, and I value that opinion, that may not necessarily the case here. If the team can get him to show even flashes of what we saw in the first-half of the '08 season, they could boost his trade value immensely. While we know the Twins would probably want to hold onto him (for money purposes as he's still cheap), it's known that he's been in Gardenhire's doghouse on several occasions and could benefit both himself and the team from a change of scenery.

The Twins may also find out for sure if they need to pull the trigger on a trade for (lets say) Sanchez if Casilla struggles. The Twins know second base is an area of concern and an area that needs to be addressed if the team intends on making a push for the playoffs.

The Pirates could also be asking the Twins to call him up at their own request. Casilla has been mentioned in many speculated rumors (mostly amongst fans) and would likely be apart of any trade for Sanchez. The Pirates may want to see him up at the Major League level instead of the minor leagues where it's harder to get a proper evaluation.

Casilla's chances are dwindling, but I think that regardless of how he performs, his days in Minnesota could be coming to an end.

Rams, Ladendorf promoted to Beloit

Both Tyler Ladendorf and Danny Rams were both promoted from Elizabethton to Beloit where they will try to help get a struggling Snappers team back on track. The two were a tandem wrecking crew, feasting on Appalachian League pitching.

Rams, a catcher, was selected in the second round of the 2007 draft. At 6'2'' and 205 lbs., many project him to be a high-power batter. Although his long-term position is still TBA, he's making strides behind the plate and is slowly showing the Twins they didn't make a mistake by taking him so early in the draft. Through 62 at-bats in Elizabethton, Rams hit .355/.430/.790 with 14 extra-base hits in just 16 games. His six home runs and 23 RBI are both tied for the league-lead. Rams was the 48th ranked prospect on my pre-season Top 50 Twins Prospects list. Here's what I had to say then:

Breakdown
Danny Rams was drafted by the Twins in the 2nd round of the 2007 draft. He has struggled making the transition from High School baseball to professional baseball, which has been apparent with his .240 average and .703 OPS in his first 166 plate appearances all in rookie ball. He has a home run swing, but he doesn't make good enough contact to really get good 'pop' on the ball. Rams has not earned a promotion to the Midwest League, but he needs to play to get better and sending him to a full-season team could be beneficial. He's still only 20-years-old, so there's no reason to think he can't someday live up to the hype that followed him out of High School. Despite having a strong arm behind the plate, Rams probably will be permanently moved from behind the plate to first base or designated hitter at some point in the future. With Wilson Ramos and Drew Butera known as excellent defensive catchers, and with a guy named Joe Mauer winning a gold glove for the Twins from behind the plate, Rams probably won't make it to the majors as a catcher.

In just his first game with the Snappers, Rams went 1-3 with a double, walk and two strikeouts. The double came in the eighth inning which sparked a six-run rally to eventually beat the West Michigan White Caps, 9-8.

Ladendorf, a shortstop, was supposed to breeze through the Appalachian League last season after the Twins selected him in the same round as Rams a year later. For whatever reason, Ladendorf struggled mightily to hit .206/.308/.298 with only 10 extra-base hits in 147 at-bats. Ladendorf came back to Elizabethton to start the '09 season and from day one was on a tear. He hit .410/.500/.721 with 11 extra-base hits including four home runs. Ladendorf was the 33rd ranked prospect on my pre-season Top 50 Twins Prospects list. Here's what I had to say then:

Breakdown
The Twins selected Tyler Ladendorf in the second round of the 2008 draft. Heading into the draft, he was regarded as one of the best JUCO players in the country. He hit .542 with 29 doubles, 5 triples, 16 home runs and 83 RBI in 53 games his Sophomore season at Howard College. He has a lot of pop in his bat, unfortunately he struggled in his first go-around in pro ball which is why he is ranked this low. He has a good glove and is a solid all-around player. Some believe that he may have to move to third base eventually, but at this time he's going to be used as a shortstop. I like Ladendorf a lot and I think that his good defense and strong eye at the plate may give the Twins a reason to move him to Beloit after 175 disappointing plate appearances in the GCL. If he struggles in Spring Training, he will probably be held in Extended Spring Training and will later head to Elizabethton, but if he succeeds, he could be in Beloit on opening day.

Ladendorf went 0-4 with a strikeout in his first game with the Snappers.

Both players have great potential will undoubtedly make big strides on my next prospect list. To make room for them, catcher Alexander Soto was promoted to Fort Myers. Soto was hitting .240 with a .702 OPS with the Snappers. Taking Rams' place behind the plate in Elizabethton will be Buddy Monroe. Monroe was drafted in the 22nd round of the '09 draft out of the University of Florida. He was the third Gator selected by the Twins in the draft.

Evil Empire strikes again...

UPDATE: Glen Perkins is sick, so Anthony Swarzak will start for the Twins tonight.

I know that saying this may sound cliché, and saying it sounds cliché may be cliché (still with me), but this is a really important series for the Twins. The Twins have repeatedly missed staff aces like Yovani Gallardo of Milwaukee, Chris Carpenter of St. Louis, Zach Greinke of Kansas City and Justin Verlander of Detroit but won't be so lucky the last two series heading into the All-Star break. After facing C.C. Sabathia last night, the Twins will face A.J. Burnett and Sergio Mitre before playing host to the White Sox and their three-headed Southside monster of John Danks, Gavin Floyd and Mark Buehrle.

Last night, Scott Baker was very inefficient as he struggled with his command through three innings. Brian Duensing was the same. R.A. dickey threw well, but the game was already out of reach by the time he even thought of warming up.

The team again came out with a losing attitude as if they already knew they were going to lose, allowing Sabathia to do what he wanted with no contest. The Twins failed to get in his head early, even when they knew how. The Twins failed to lay down bunts which I'm sure is a main reason why they went with the speedier Carlos Gomez over Jason Kubel in the lineup. The Twins had a great chance to attempt some bunts with speedy 8-9-1 hitters in their lineup, but failed to do so.

The Twins will try to salvage the series tonight while they face Burnett who is 5-2 with a 1.88 ERA in his last seven starts. Glen Perkins has been great in his own right as he's 3-1 with a 2.66 ERA since coming off the disabled list on June 16th. They'll have their work cutout against them, but hopefully they come ready to play today, which I think is what hurt them yesterday.

Interesting stat: In the past five games, the Twins have 15 walks. Nick Punto has 7 of them.

Game Balls

Game Ball #82
July 4, 2009 vs. Detroit Tigers
Justin Morneau - First Base
Line: 4-4, double, home run, 2 RBI

Game Ball #83
July 5, 2009 vs. Detroit Tigers
Nick Blackburn - Starting Pitcher
Line: 9 innings pitched, 7 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 1 walk, 6 strikeouts, win

Game Ball #84
July 7, 2009 vs. New York Yankees
Michael Cuddyer - Right Field
Line: 1-4, home run

Well... that sucks.

Hate disappointing losses like this. Especially when it will cost starter Kevin Slowey a trip to the D.L. with what is (now) being called a 'strained wrist'. Anthony Swarzak will be up here for Saturday's game and will pitch out of the pen for a couple days until he takes Slowey's place in the rotation.

But let's come back and get them tomorrow later today.

Game Ball #81

July 3, 2009 vs. Detroit Tigers
Denard Span - Left Field-Center Field
Line: 5-7, R, 3B, 2 RBI, ZERO LEFT ON BASE

International Update

Yesterday marked the beginning of the International signing period in which players not from the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico can sign with ball clubs.

The one player everyone is interested in hearing about is Miguel Angel Sano. Major League Baseball is still investigating his true age, so any deal probably won't be done until next week at the earliest.

But moving on to players the Twins can sign, they've been linked to Jorge Polanco who doesn't turn 16-years-old until Sunday, meaning any deal until then cannot be agreed upon. The supposed signing would be for about $700,000. Polanco is considered to be the 23rd best Latin American Prospect.

The Twins are set to sign shortstop Jorge Polanco with a bonus of $700,000. He is ranked as the 23rd best Latin American prospect. But I doubt it effects their efforts on signing Sano as Sano's likely projected long-term as an outfielder or third baseman.

On another note, according to Keith Law, the Twins have signed European prospect Max Kepler who is considered by many to be the best European prospect this year. Kepler is listed at 6'4'' and 180 lbs. He's just 16 but many believe he'll someday possess all five tools. He also bats and throws left-handed. The terms of the deal haven't been disclosed, but I doubt that the addition of either of these two players will play any part in the team not signing Sano.

Although Sano and Polanco are both shortstops, Sano is believed to be a third baseman or right fielder long term and with players that age, nobody should care about position anyways. If the Twins are serious about signing Sano, which by all indications they are, then these deals will play no part against them signing him. But it will certainly help ease the pain if their bidding for Sano goes unsuccessful.

Twins & Pirates are currently connected at the hip

The Twins and Pirates have been linked together quite a bit in recent weeks.

• Probably most notably (at least up to this point), the two teams are reported front-runners to ink the (believed) 16-year-old shortstop phenom Miguel Angel Sano. Sano has reportedly fielded offers from both teams but won't sign with any club until Major League Baseball is finished investigating his true age.

• The two teams also faced each other in Interleague play for the first time since 2006. The Twins beat the Pirates two games to one.

• When the Twins designated Luis Ayala for assignment, La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that the Pirates were at one point interested prior to shipping Eric Hinske to the Yankees. Ayala later signed with the Florida Marlins.

• And now, the Twins and Pirates are reportedly engaged in trade talks that would send Freddy Sanchez and possibly two relievers to the Twins for what can only be believed is a slew of prospects or young, cheap players in return.

The Twins have really never been considered "big buyers" at the trade deadline, but this could certainly begin to alter that perception. While Freddy Sanchez is far from a C.C. Sabathia or Manny Ramirez, but in Twins-terms, adding a player like Sanchez would be a monumental change from past years where they've generally sat silent and not gotten into bidding wars for players in which most are only considered two month rentals.

With Sanchez, that situation is somewhat different. Not only is the 31-year-old second baseman having one of the best years of his career, but he also has an option for next season, meaning he does have a little more value to his potential future team.

The Pirates have been a known seller this season with trades of Nate McLouth and Nyjer Morgan, which have rightfully upset many of the current Pittsburgh veterans. While players like Andrew McCutchen, Gorkys Hernandez and Lastings Milledge have potential, many of the older players are aware that they'll never see future success with the club as they're still in the middle of rebuilding the ball club. And while they've busted their rears for a ball club that is not focused on winning, it really rubs off the wrong way. That means players like Sanchez and relievers John Grabow and Matt Capps, who are all being linked to the Twins, are hearing speculation about being available while the Pirates undergo in a league-known fire sale.

Sanchez, as mentioned, is a 31-year-old second baseman. He has an option for the 2010 season that vests if he reaches 635 plate appearances, or 600 plate appearances with an All-Star appearances (which could happen as each team has one representative in the All-Star game, which I like to call the "Ken Harvey Rule"). The option is worth $8 million, which is probably a little more than the Twins would like to spend, but with contracts for Ayala, Joe Crede and (finally) Mike Lamb coming off the books, it's not out of the teams price range, especially as they move into Target Field.

One thing that separates Sanchez from other players that the Twins are usually linked to is that his career home/away splits are nearly identical.

Location     G      AB     AVG     OBP     SLG     2B     3B     HR    RBI

Home       347    1287    .310    .347    .427     90      9     14    143
Away       349    1292    .294    .330    .422     84      6     23    149

While those splits are close, another set of splits reveal something a bit different which isn't actually a bad thing.

Pitcher      G      AB     AVG     OBP     SLG     2B     3B     HR    RBI

Left       305     652    .356    .392    .506     47      6     13     80
Right      669    1927    .284    .320    .396    127      9     24    212

Despite being ninth in the Majors with a .279 average against southpaws, their .751 OPS ranks 16th. While Sanchez isn't going to really provide any sort of sustained power, placing him second in the order, wedged between several left-handed hitters, should pay off well for the Twins.

Sanchez, in my opinion, is compared to a rich-man's version of Brendan Harris. Although that comparison probably doesn't make sense on the surface, they are fairly similar players. Both provide adequate power while mainly making contributions with solid gap-power. Sanchez is better at making contact, but that's why I called him a "rich-man's version." Another comparison that I find to be a bit more consistent is their versatility. While Sanchez's primary position is second base, he has also logged considerable playing time at third base with some at shortstop. Harris' primary position is shortstop with considerable playing time at both third and second base as well.

Sanchez's defense probably will never win him a Gold Glove, but in comparison to what the Twins have had at second base this season (ie Alexi Casilla & Matt Tolbert mostly), his defense will be a huge upgrade.

The other players mentioned in the rumor are left-handed reliever John Grabow and current Pirates closer Matt Capps. On the season, Grabow is 3-0 with a 3.75 ERA in 35 appearances. With Sean Henn back in Rochester and Brian Duensing getting another chance at grasping a left-handed relief spot in the bullpen, the need for a stable second southpaw is evident. Capps has struggled for much of the year but has a career 3.27 ERA and at 25-years-old, he's under team control until 2012 which makes him less-likely to be moved. Grabow on the other hand is a free agent after the season but will likely qualify as a Type-B free agent, if not a Type-A. That and Twins' need for a second left-hander makes the thought adding Grabow more enticing.

There's no question that the bullpen and second base are still two areas of concern for the Twins, although the bullpen has vastly improved, the fact that the Twins are linked to the best second baseman and two good relievers may just be because it "seems right." While I think adding Sanchez, Grabow and/or Capps would be great, the price may be too much for the Twins to handle.

The Twins would probably be looking to trade Delmon Young, although the Pirates do have one position of strong depth in their system, and that is outfield. I don't think Young would be the best fit, but I'm sure if presented him, the Pirates probably would still take him. Alexi Casilla would probably be apart of the trade, as his services in Minnesota would no longer be needed with Sanchez aboard making available.

I'm sure the Pirates would be mostly looking to add pitching. Anthony Swarzak's name would probably be the first player the Pirates target, but I don't know if the Twins will trade him. Jesse Crain would make sense on the Twins behalf, but I don't know why the Pirates would want him. Another player I could see the Pirates asking for is Anthony Slama. Slama has been held back from some strange reason, and if the Twins aren't set on promoting a 25-year-old reliever to Triple-A yet, they probably would be open to trading him, despite his still-promising future.

The Twins aren't used to indulging themselves in the bidding wars of the trade deadline, at least not at this level, so the thought of trading such promising, young players as Swarzak, Slama and Casilla may not sit well with many, but it's probably what the Pirates would demand.

Thankfully, we're still nearly an entire month away from the actual day-of-the- deadline, so the Twins probably won't have as much competition for any of these players compared to if they waited even two weeks from now.

Like every rumor, especially those that pop-up in July, need to be taken with a grain of salt. While I believe that this could be a great move for the Twins, I'd still be surprised to see anything actually happen with this. For that reason, we just have to play the percentages in that probably 1% of all rumors never pan out. Not to say the teams aren't talking, but the art of working out a trade has so many loops and turns that it is very difficult to actually make both sides agree to everything. For that reason, the Twins' reluctance to generally trade any of their prospects and the high price of relievers (especially) and one of the best commodities involved in the trade, I'd be surprised to see this worked out.

I'll hope, but all that generally leaves is me upset and disappointed.