Minnesota Twins Transactions (July 10th-11th)

Our “On the Pond Daily” feature has been placed in dry dock as I examine the writing process and resulting content that is involved in the series. In some ways it works and in some ways it doesn’t. At the end of the day I’m not entirely happy with it and have set about trying to build a better mousetrap.

Tonkin made his major league debut on Thursday. (Photo Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)

One change I have settled on is the need to break out and expand upon the transactions made in the Minnesota Twins system each day. Since the OtPD last covered the games from July 9th, we have transactions from the 10th to the 13th that are in limbo and need to be addressed post haste.

July 10th:

Cedar Rapids Kernels activated OF Jeremias Pineda (22) from the 7-day DL. For those of you who don’t remember, the Twins received Pineda when they traded 3B Danny Valencia to the Boston Red Sox last August. At the time of the deal the 22-year old outfielder was hitting 0.421/.447/.534 with 14 SB in 36 games with Boston’s GCL affiliate. After the trade, he crashed back to earth and hit 0.237/.318/.322 the rest of the way (16 G). This season with Cedar Rapids, he’s hitting 0.244/.349/.322 through 28 games and has shown improved on-base skills in the process. Last season he walked just 11 times in 52 GCL games but has already topped that mark with 12 walks in 27 games against Midwest League pitching. Since coming off the disabled list he has nine hits in 16 at bats with four straight multi-hit games.

July 11th:

RHP Gabriel Rosario (18) was assigned to the DSL Twins. He allowed four baserunners (3 H, 1 BB) with one strikeout in one inning of work on July 12th. It was his professional debut.

RF Lance Ray (23) was placed on the 7-day disabled list by Fort Myers. The Twins 2010 8th round pick is hitting 0.207/.299/.279 in 30 games this season and has been unable to build upon a solid 2011 campaign with Beloit.

Fort Myers activated LHP Taylor Rogers from the 7-day DL. Minnesota’s 11th round selection in 2012, the 22-year old lefty has a 2.94 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 37-17 SO-to-BB in 70.1 IP with the Miracle on the season. Fresh off the DL on Thursday he had his worst FSL outing (2.0 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 4 BB, 1 SO) of his career but is still having one of the better seasons amongst the starting pitching ranks in the system.

Minnesota placed LHP Caleb Thielbar (26) on the bereavement list. The Twins rookie left-handed reliever has been one of the biggest surprises and bright spots of the team’s 2013 season. Thielbar started off his big league career with 19.2 scoreless innings before a Ben Zobrist home run tarnished his perfect MLB resume on July 8th. Back on the mound on the 10th he started – what is hopefully – a new streak with a hitless inning of relief that included a pair of strikeouts and a walk.

Thielbar’s brief absence from the Twins bullpen created an opening for RHP Michael Tonkin (23) who was called up from Rochester. Thrown into action right away, Tonkin made his major league debut against the Rays that same day. He struck out one batter in 1.1 hitless, scoreless innings of action. His first big league appearance will certainly not be his last as the righty has dominated for both the Rock Cats and Red Wings this season in the minors. Between the two levels he has a 1.85 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 46-11 SO-to-BB in 39.0 innings pitched.