Here's some leftover stuff from the second game of the day-night double header:
I noticed in the seventh inning that Ian Desmond shook his head from side-to-side after missing a curveball for strike three against Jose Berrios. Several Colorado hitters looked flummoxed after taking their hacks against a kid who had all of his pitches working on Thursday. But I remembered Desmond's in particular.
When one of the Rockies beat writers asked if we needed a Desmond quote, I raised my hand. And it was money.
I'm printing the whole thing, but I'm sure something will jump out at you:
"I have been watching him from the WBC, not this last one, but the one before that when he pitched when I think he was 18," Desmond said. "I knew he was going to be good. Last year, he obviously struggled, but he came out this year and was obviously electric. That was up there.
"I felt like I was grinding with him. He was making really good pitches and I felt like I was locked in. And he was having success. It looked a lot like Jose Fernandez, to be honest with you. Explosive, quick heater and that sweeping curveball that he can turn into a slider, too. He looked good.
"Sometimes you have to tip your cap and I have no shame in doing that. He pitched really well."
That's high praise. Berrios is now 2-0 with an 0.59 ERA. He has 15 strikeouts in 15.1 innings. And he's showing all the skills that made him the top starting pitching prospect in the Twins farm system.
"All three of them were good today," Berrios said of his fastball, curve and change.
I thought his curveball was better than it was against Cleveland, and it was finishing pitch for him at times on Thursday. He threw a few more sinkers this time, which I expected. But I didn't see the curveball domination coming.]]
Well, we now have to see how teams adjust to the young man, because advance scouts are locking in on him right now. But if he can throw all three pitches for strikes, Berrios is going to make it hard on opponents.
But be careful. Ervin Santana had all three pitches working at the beginning of the season, and now has control issues. He threw first pitch strikes to just two of the first 14 batters he faced on Thursday. It can come and it can go.
Twins fans, however, should be encouraged that they are seeing the Berrios that has been hyped through the minors.
