What a strange season. I didn't think the Twins would be playing decent baseball as the calendar switched to July. I didn't think that Byron Buxton would be up, after his essentially lost 2014 season. I didn't think Trevor May would be (as of late) the team's most dominant starting pitcher. And I sure didn't think this proverbial ragtag bunch of misfits would -- if the season ended today -- be a wild card playoff team. I thought 2015 would be the season where players like Oswaldo Arcia, Aa
You've probably heard the news by now that the Twins are out, and the Colorado Rockies are in, as New Britain's class AA affiliate. It's been a strange few months here in Connecticut on the baseball and political fronts, culminating with yesterday's news. Back in June, Rock Cats managing partner Josh Solomon triumphantly (and surprisingly) announced from the steps of Hartford City Hall that the Rock Cats would be moving from their longtime home of New Britain to a brand new stadium in Hartford
If you follow me on Twitter, you probably know that something clicked -- something changed -- last night. The most thorough and comprehensive Twins beat writer, Mike Berardino, tweeted a series of quotes from Twins' manager Ron Gardenhire on player injuries. And it set me off. In fact, it might be fair to say that I freaked out. I tweeted a bunch of things, but decided to wait a full 24 hours to write comprehensively on this. In that interim period, Mike published Gardy's full quotes. That's go
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-056cy5Z-OeM/UuGpH01MrdI/AAAAAAAAAto/__6b6ORgXW4/s1600/BlogTalkRadio.jpg [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] I've only done a few podcasts in the couple years that I've had this blog, but it's a lot of fun to do. Last night, Travis Aune, keeper of Texas Twins Fan, was nice enough to invite me on his weekly podcast. We talked for almost an hour. You definitely have to listen to it, but topics ranged from the Yankees' signing of Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanak
[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] [TD=align: center]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zrCWeA0w4zI/UfVE3grm5YI/AAAAAAAAAo0/M4gR9VTUYqk/s320/Sano+Bocaton.jpg[/TD] [TD=class: tr-caption, align: center]"Bocaton" is Miguel Sano's nickname. It means "Big Mouth." [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] The biggest Twins story this past week hasn't been the team's resurgence toward respectability with a few series wins, or the impending trade deadline that will likely ship out fan-f
[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] [TD=align: center]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pfGvYWNUy-U/Uiadg78Eu1I/AAAAAAAAAq4/5S1qwvRBrms/s400/Pinto.jpg[/TD] [TD=class: tr-caption, align: center]Rock Cats, Red Wings, and now Twins catcher, Josmil Pinto [/TD] [/TABLE] I'll be the first to admit that the bulk of my Rock Cats coverage this season has centered around Miguel Sano. And it's for a reason -- he's the best prospect that has played for New Britain since I have been following the team. People
Today was the first full day in Twins Territory without Justin Morneau. Although most people weren't too surprised to see him depart, it does leave a large, Canadian void at first base. He had one hell of a Twins career. I wrote a piece on my blog about his departure. So check it out if you're interested. Now, onto today's minor league action. ROCHESTER 3, SCRANTON W/B 2 As a result of today's win, the Red Wings' season will come down down to a final game Monday. Per the Red Wings: "The win
[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] [TD=align: center]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pe_DFyfgUMM/UgGyJgcu3rI/AAAAAAAAApI/t1er7a1Lqvg/s320/Sano+Xmas.jpg[/TD] [TD=class: tr-caption, align: center]If you can't tell, Miguel Sano is a kid [/TD] [/TABLE] [Originally published at Twins Fan From Afar] If I told you that there was a Twins prospect at AA New Britain batting .243, you probably wouldn't blink an eye. If I told you he had some pop in his bat, and a good arm from the left side of the infield
[TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] [TD=align: center]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-153Rzgp09_w/Uc5onmSMGpI/AAAAAAAAAng/JU--lXBIfOQ/s320/IMAG0501.jpg[/TD] [TD=class: tr-caption, align: center]Windy skies tonight in New Britain [/TD] [/TABLE] This is a night where I'm glad I'm not a real journalist with a real deadline. Wow, what a game. Well, more specifically, what a game for Miguel Sano: 3-for-4, 2 HR, 5 RBIs. And the 1 out he made was a 400 ft monster fly ball that the Phillies' center fiel
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ftOjgTqApzM/Uce1csJQRRI/AAAAAAAAAms/E4fKmCfKhk0/s320/Giftbasket.jpg You wake up hazy -- perhaps a little hung-over and still tasting those apple-tinis from the previous night. Across from you in the king size bed, an aging baseball superstar stirs, gently clutching a bear-skin blanket. His eyes open. He kisses you gently on the nose and says "that was nice." He informs you that he's called a Town Car to take you home. Derek Jeter then rises, stretches, and waves a nude
Last week, I was in the right place at the right time: the AA debuts of top Twins' prospect Miguel Sano and Eddie Rosario. One big takeaway from Sano's and Rosario's first couple AA games was that their reputations preceded them; in other words, pitchers knew who these guys were. Take a look at the (grainy amateur) video I shot of some early at-bats -- the pitches weren't even close. As a result, Sano and Rosario, but Sano especially, seemed to only get maybe 1 pitch per at-bat in his wheelhouse
In the nightcap it wasn't just Miguel Sano and Eddie Rosario that I was excited to see. This was also my first time seeing righty Trevor May in person. May consistently hit 93 with his fastball in the 1st inning, and was moving it in and out pretty effectively. Same control problems we have all heard about, though. Had a 4-pitch walk and a wild pitch in the first inning. 20 pitches to get out of it. The second inning, though, was much better -- 14 pitches 1-2-3. Ironically, former Twins' farmhan
New Britain only amassed 3 hits in the first of two 7-inning contests tonight, but to be completely honest, that wasn't the main -- or perhaps even secondary -- story. No, make no mistake, fans and reporters (including this fan/reporter) were here to see Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario, and Angel Morales, the newest additions to the Rock Cats. I was fortunate to be in attendance, to take a few pictures, and even awful video, of the debuts. [TABLE=class: tr-caption-container] [TD=align: center]http:/
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
