The Minnesota Twins struck out 1430 time last season, the third most strikeouts in the history of the game. On the offensive side of the ball, the team scored the third fewest runs in the American League while the pitching staff allowed the second most runs to be scored. The club also left the third most runners on base of any team in the AL. There needs to be some changes to the roster and the pitching staff is the biggest priority. Numbers like the ones discussed above make it clear that th
When a team has lost 90 games in three consecutive seasons, there can be plenty of finger pointing. For the Twins, there are questions to ask about how this current roster was created and what the team can do as they try and move forward. Where are the holes in this roster? What needs to be done this offseason? Are there internal options to help remedy the situation? All of these questions and more need to be answered before the team heads to Florida for spring training. Let's take a look at
As part of the Twins Daily preseason preview, I took an in-depth look at Chris Parmelee and Trevor Plouffe as they headed into the 2013 season. Going into the season, both former first round draft picks figured to get extended playing time. The hope for Twins fans was for each of these players to show some of the potential they had shown while playing at the Triple-A level. Plouffe showed some impressive power in 2012 with 24 home runs and 19 doubles. He had a career high .756 OPS and it looke
One of the questions facing the Minnesota Twins and their fans this offseason is the future of Joe Mauer. The All-Star catcher and face of the franchise didn't play a game after August 19th because of concussion related symptoms. With the Twins heading for their third straight 90-loss season, there was no need to rush Mauer back to the field. When the Twins head to Florida this spring, there will continue to be questions about how much time Mauer should play at catcher. Catchers are in the lin
Plenty of Twins players will have things to reflect on this coming offseason. When a team has multiple 90-loss seasons in a row, changes are likely and some of those situations started to play themselves out. Minnesota needs pitchers to stand out in the final games of the season as the team tries to figure out the future. Liam Hendriks is one player on shaky ground for 2014. The team rushed him to the big leagues as a 22-year old and struggles followed him since he got called up. Next season,
There is less than a week left in the regular season and the Twins don't have a manager under contract for 2014. With Minnesota on their way to a third straight 90-loss, there are questions about whether Ron Gardenhire deserves another opportunity at the helm. He won 2010's AL Manager of the Year but things have been ugly since that season. Since Tom Kelly was hired in 1987, the Twins have employed two managers so change has been far from commonplace. Terry Ryan cleared out most of Gardenhire'
When the Twins left spring training, there were multiple Twins players in line to get playing time during their sophomore seasons. The second year can be a huge year for players trying to make their mark at the big league level. There can be positive signs during a rookie season but continuing those early impressions and making adjustments is key to solidifying a player's future. Two of these second year players were set-up for very different starts to the season. Scott Diamond had seemingly c
The Twins continue to play out the rest of the 2013 season without their $23 million man, Joe Mauer. There is plenty of concern surrounding Mauer's concussion related injury. As Twins fans are well aware from recent incidents with Denard Span and Justin Morneau, head injuries can be tough to solve. This leaves Minnesota with an interesting situation behind the plate as the team looks to the future. No one knows when Mauer will be back on the field and if he will ever be able to suit up behind
Aaron Hicks had to be flying high at the conclusion of spring training this season. He had won the starting center fielder job for the Twins and he would be making his big league debut in front of the Target Field faithful. His 2012 minor league campaign was fantastic as he showed much of the promise the Twins had seen in him when they took him as a first round pick. The future seemed nothing but bright and there were comparisons being made to some of the best outfielders in the game. Those
The calendar turned to September over a week ago and some changes can followa failing team in the final month of the year. Younger players continue to getmore playing time over veterans like Ryan Doumit and Josh Willingham. It is thetime of year for the Twins to see what the future can hold and changes likethis can bring up some other questions. During the last two seasons, the Twins have been able to see the value ofhaving a high draft pick. Byron Buxton and Kohl Stewart were added to the fol
With Justin Morneau's exit from the club in the last week, the Twins are searching for someone to take over his leadership role in the clubhouse. This seems to be a reoccurring theme for the Twins in recent years as the club shifts away from veteran leadership to a more youthful roster. A couple of years ago Michael Cuddyer and Joe Nathan were considered among the team's strong voices and both players left in free agency. Morneau filled the void left by Cuddyer and it seemed like a smooth tran
Night two of playoff action saw plenty of stories to follow in the Twins farm system. Rochester was kicking off their postseason run with a game in front of their hometown fans and Cedar Rapids had to go on the road. Fort Myers was at home but their season was on the line and a loss would mean the end of their title chances. Rochester Red Wings 7, Pawtucket Red Sox 1 (Game 1) Box Score Rochester was out to prove that their last day qualification for the Wild Card spot was not a fluke. The tea
The Minnesota Twins have made a habit of losing over the last three seasons. With back-to-back 90 loss seasons and the team on track to make it three in a row, there hasn't been a lot to be excited about at the major league level. Poor starting pitching and a lack-luster offense have created a "Debby Downer" attitude among the former Twins faithful. When Minnesota was in the midst of winning six division titles in nine years, a culture of winning was created even as there were changes to the p
Before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, Justin Morneau penned an open thank you letter to Twins fans and the only organization he has ever known. He discussed how he has grown up in the organization from a "wide-eyed 22-year old kid" to now being "someone my friends and family could be proud of." Minnesota has become his "second home" and he will always have connections here because his "wife, kids, and family are Minnesotans." In the end, he apologized for never winning a
There was a ton of exciting action in the Twins farm system on Wednesday. Matt Summers took his Florida State League leading ERA to the mound for the Miracle. The Kernels were set to face off against former Twins pitcher Scott Baker as he works his way back from injury. New Britain found themselves in a back and forth contest that went well into the Eastern League night. Let's check out what happened down on the pond. Rochester Red Wings 5, Buffalo Bisons 2 Box Score Scott Diamond made his
Chris Colabello's time in the major leagues this year hasn't been spectacular but he has been outstanding in his time in the minors. On Wednesday, Colabello was named the Most Valuable Player and the Rookie of the Year for the International League. This comes a year after finishing runner-up for MVP in the Eastern League. Colabello has been a hitting machine for the Red Wings. He currently leads the league with a .352 batting average, a .427 on-base percentage, and a .639 slugging percentage.
Joe Mauer won't be coming off of the concussion disabled list when he is first eligible. This probably isn't much of a surprise since the Twins are well out of the playoff discussion in the American League. Mauer has been told by the team to rest at home and report back to Target Field on Tuesday, the first day he could have come off the concussion DL. When dealing with a player making $23 million a year, it makes sense to proceed with caution. The team needs Mauer to be healthy for the future
It has been five seasons since Johan Santana last wore the uniform of the Minnesota Twins. In the mean time, he has been dealing with multiple injuries and ineffective pitching performances. He missed all of the 2011 season as he dealt with a shoulder problem and he won't pitch in 2013 because of another should issue. Last season with the Mets, he tossed 117 innings with a 4.85 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. Not exactly the numbers Twins fans were used to seeing from their former ace pitcher. Santana
There were a few minor league moves to take place on Thursday. Outfielder Darin Mastroianni was due to come off the disabled list but he was in the middle of a hitting slump so he was optioned to Rochester. There might be a chance that he gets back to the big leagues this year but he had options left and it would be better for him to get his legs under him. Outfielder Aaron Hicks has been dealing with a nagging injury. Rochester put him on the 7-day disabled list with a right heel bruise. Sinc
http://nodaktwinsfan.comThe Twins bullpen had been solid in recent weeks before laying an egg at the hands of the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday afternoon. Casey Fien gave up three runs and later in the game Glen Perkins and Ryan Pressly allowed some late inning runs. Joe Mauer had five hits and came within one hit of tying Kirby Puckett's team record of six in a game. There was some exciting action this evening as multiple teams were part of walk-off wins. Not all of those walk-offs were in
It has been quite the 12-month span for Twins second baseman Brian Dozier. On August 14th of last season, the Twins had seen enough of him at shortstop with the big league club. They demoted him to Rochester after 340 plate appearances in his rookie campaign. Many thought he would be back as a September call-up but the call never came. Dozier was forced to live with a bad taste in his mouth for the entire offseason. Brian Dozier entered the 2013 season not knowing if he would have a starting
"My big fish must be somewhere."--- Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea Marlin fishing can be an adventure. These beasts of the ocean can weight upwards of 1,000 pounds and it can take quite the fight to get them into a boat. Fishing for these animals can take a lot of time and patience. It also takes the right tools and skills to reel in one of these giant fish. Over the weekend, a story came out in the Boston Globe that discussed the possibility of the Twins making a play for Gian
With the calendar already flipped over to August, there could be some shake-ups coming to the Twins roster. These might not be immediate changes but the club is on the way to their third straight losing season and different players should be given an opportunity at the big league level. In the next couple of weeks, I will look at some of the names on the Triple-A roster that could earn a call-up before the end of the season. This series called "Waiting With the Wings" will profile multiple min
While the Twins finish up their series with the Royals, there could be some reinforcements on the way. Josh Willingham and Darin Mastroianni are both on rehab at the Triple-A level and this could mean both men are back with the big league club in the near future. A healthy Willingham could be a sight for sore eyes to Twins fans. Miguel Sano returned to the line-up of the Rock Cats last night after missing four games with a tight hamstring. He wasted little time making his mark as he fell just
Entrenched in the middle of another losing season, it can be tough to look at the Twins roster and find some positives. There are going to be disappointments but sometimes there can be good mixed in with all of the bad. Sam Deduno fits this mold. He was a surprise for the 2012 Twins team and this still didn't save his spot on the 40-man roster in the offseason. Every MLB team had a chance to claim him and no one took the opportunity to add him to their club. Deduno went back into the Twins
I really hold back what I would like to say about then payroll arguments here. The fact that people don't accept the amount taken in dictates the amount going out requires one of two things. Extreme financial ignorance or fanatical bias that prevents the acceptance of something some basic. I did not change the argument. It's the same idiocy over and over. Do you really want to be on the side that suggests revenues does not determine spending capacity?
At this point in the pre-season, I’m just so happy to be seeing games again, I don’t care about the Twins record in 2023. I think they’ll win it all, unrealistically speaking 🙂
I really hold back what I would like to say about then payroll arguments here. The fact that people don't accept the amount taken in dictates the amount going out requires one of two things. Extreme financial ignorance or fanatical bias that prevents the acceptance of something some basic. I did not change the argument. It's the same idiocy over and over. Do you really want to be on the side that suggests revenues does not determine spending capacity?· 0 replies
