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About this blog

Catch up on all things Minnesota Twins from an insider's perspective without the added slant.

Entries in this blog

The Blank Check For Matt Wieters

Sometimes, there's an applicable use for the statement "elephant in the room," but when it comes to the Twins catching problem, that might not do the situation justice. Kurt Suzuki was less than mediocre in 2015, and there isn't much help on the horizon. Those developments put the Twins in an interesting position. What remains to be seen is whether or not they'll dole out the big payday Matt Wieters has coming to him.   ESPN, Twins Daily, heck even here at Off The Baggy, Wieters has been linked
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

4

The Best Trade The Twins Never Made

Generally, lights out relievers are hard to come by. While you can put together a makeshift bullpen in hopes of finding things that work, the really good ones often get hung onto. With the emergence of closer importance for teams, seeing the Craig Kimbrel's and Aroldis Chapman's of the big leagues dealt on a yearly basis often doesn't happen. On July 18, 2014, it did happen though.   A guy with a 2.78 career ERA, 299 saves, and a 9.0 K/9 was sent packing. Not only are those great numbers for a b
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

2

The Best Trade Not Made

Going into the offseason, Terry Ryan and Paul Molitor made quick work of releasing the information that Miguel Sano was going to try and make a transition to the outfield. The exciting slugger needed to make room for Byung Ho Park, and playing right field was how the Twins were going to handle that. The notion was met with skepticism and an almost guaranteed thought that in the end, Trevor Plouffe would be dealt from the Twins.   In the end though, Plouffe has stayed put, and it creates a best p
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

9

The Best Move You Never Expected

The Minnesota Twins are, just like the 26 other major league teams, watching the final four postseason clubs compete for a World Series victory. Unlike each and every one of those teams however, the hometown club may have just made the move of the offseason. John Manuel, former Editor in Chief for Baseball America, is now a Pro Scout for the Derek Falvey regime (or he will be as of November 1).   You don't know who John Manuel is you say? Well then, let me introduce you. When it comes to great b
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

2

The Belief Behind The Bullpen

This offseason, few areas had more of an emphasis on them than that of the Minnesota Twins bullpen. While the situation as a whole needed addressing, it was the left handed contingent that no doubt left the most to be desired. Having significant deficiencies in late innings a season ago cost the Twins, and there appears to be two strategies at play when it comes to fixing things moving forward.   On the left-handed side of the relief picture, the Twins have moved on from roster staple Brian Duen
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

0

The Beauty And Brokenness Of Interleague Play

The Minnesota Twins are in the midst of interleague play for the second time this season. Instead of cramming all of the fun into a designated week or two over the summer, Major League Baseball reconstructed the scheduled to allow American and National League teams to clash throughout the season. As Minnesota has now traveled and hosted National League teams, we have seen both the beauty and brokenness of the tradition.   As the Twins traveled to Pittsburgh in May, both Ricky Nolasco and Mike Pe
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

1

The Beat Without A Sound For Twins

On May 29, the Minnesota Twins suffered one of the most embarrassing losses in club history. Leading 8-2 in the top of the 8th inning, the bullpen went on to allow 14 runs en route to a 16-8 defeat. At the center of the debacle was manager Paul Molitor's decision making, but there was no one around to hold him accountable.   The day following the meltdown, Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins was there. He called the game as it was, and lit Molitor up. Despite Minnesota bringing in Jason Wheeler
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

7

The AL Central Shift

We're quickly gearing up for spring training and then eventually Opening Day of the 2016 Major League Baseball season. The AL Central is looking like it will be one of the most closely contested divisions in all of baseball. Home to the reigning World Series champs, and the Minnesota Twins, there's plenty of intrigue for Twins Territorians. What's interesting is the shift that the division is already watching take place.   Going into 2016, the Kansas City Royals have to be considered the favorit
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

2

The 60 Game Season Ruined Us

It’s April 21 and the Minnesota Twins are 6-10. They have looked every bit as poor as the record indicates and their Postseason odds have dropped below 50% at FanGraphs. Let’s take a step back and breathe though.   Being that it’s April 21, the Twins have yet to play more than 10% of their total schedule in 2021. They have been at Target Field for just two total series on the year, and they’ve also had a three-day hiatus due to Covid. Byron Buxton, Nelson Cruz, and Josh Donaldson have all been i
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

5

The 25 Headed To Target Field

The Minnesota Twins are quickly closing in on an end to the offseason. With pitchers and catchers reporting to sunny Fort Myers in short order, Paul Molitor and the Twins brass will need to evaluate who they take north to start the 2017 season. Projecting the 25 man roster in January once again leaves plenty of room for shifting, but I'll try to sort through what I see happening.   This offseason, Brian Dozier had been the talk of the town in regards to a potential trade with the Dodgers. He's n
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

3

The 2017 Draft: Where Are They Now?

Tonight, the 2018 Major League Baseball draft gets underway with the first round. As a handful of amateurs begin their professional careers, the event is one of the highlights to take place during the calendar year. After a very good 2017 season, Derek Falvey and Thad Levine won't have the luxury of the first overall pick this time around. Last season, the front office put together what was considered a very strong draft. They'll look to replicate those results this time around.   A year removed
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

4

Thank Your For 2015 Mike Pelfrey

Now owners of the first winning season for the Twins franchise since 2010, Paul Molitor and the guys have had a very successful 2015 campaign. There's been rookies introduced, milestones reached, and even a 40 year old man competing at a very high level over the last month of the season. What there has also been, is a pitcher that is generally the butt of all jokes, giving Minnesota exactly what they've needed.   For that, thank you Mike Pelfrey.   Before the season began, Twins fans no doubt wo
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

3

Thank you, Brian!

The year was 2012, and a 25 year old Brian Dozier had finally burst onto the scene. No, this wasn't the big leagues, but it was close enough. Spring Training had commenced down in Fort Myers, and the scrappy Southern Mississippi kid had taken the narratives by storm. He was getting hits on a daily basis, and fans were looking for a long term answer at short. The 8th round senior sign from 2009 had put his name in the hat and wasn't going away quietly.   Although he didn't go north with the club
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

3

Thank You and Now for Action

Whether you've been a reader here, at Twins Daily, or through Twitter, this message is a thank you of sorts. I was reading a blog post by a client tonight and it was in reflection of the George Floyd killing. What I realized in reading it is that with a platform or audience comes a responsibility. One phrase in that post prompted me to reflect on how I can best handle said responsibility.   In reflecting on the events that both led to and have come from the death of George Floyd, this post read,
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

0

Thad Levine Being Poached Shows Twins Growth

Welcome to a new era of Minnesota Twins baseball. This isn’t the Terry Ryan regime anymore, and it hasn’t been for quite some time. What was ushered in with Derek Falvey represented a more progressive way of thinking. Unfortunately, the downside to that is having other organizations looking to play copycat. Now that is beginning to come full circle.   Last offseason the Twins lost their hitting coach. James Rowson was the architect behind a lineup that hit the most home runs in Major League Base
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

6

Terry's Trades A Bright Spot For Big Offseason

The Minnesota Twins weren't supposed to be much of anything this season. Paul Molitor was expected to inherit a team finishing closer to 90 losses than 90 wins. September would be another month highlighted by call-ups and talks of the future. Then the season happened, and none of that took place. Looking at the offseason, it's Terry Ryan's recent decisions that provide the biggest bright spot for what will be an extremely important 2016.   In 2014, the Minnesota Twins were taking on water and go
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

15

Terry's Time Looming For Twins

Recently I wrote that the Twins have an absolute slew of problems. They are doing quite a few things poorly, and everything is going negatively all at just about the same time. If we're going to try and attribute things to one place, we're probably running a fool's errand. What is true however, is that Terry Ryan's ineptitude has become more of a focus than ever. Having taken over for his appointed heir, Bill Smith, Ryan has guided the Twins through some substantial rebuilding. The club had four
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

13

Terry Ryan Is Bad, and Worse Than You'd Think

There's not much hiding from the fact that the 2016 Minnesota Twins aren't good. Currently just 24-51 through their first 75 games, Paul Molitor and Terry Ryan have put a stinker on the field night after night. While there's plenty of blame to be handed to the players under-performing, there's a true scapegoat in all of this.   At the end of the day, the criticism for Terry Ryan hasn't been loud enough.   Sure, it's maybe not fair to pile on a 62 year old that's in well over his head. That being
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

10

Tale of the Fifth Starter Tape

There are not many question marks on the Minnesota Twins 26-man roster coming into the 2020 season. Jake Cave and Willians Astudillo are in contention for the final bench spot, and the rotation has turned into a two-man race. How do Randy Dobnak and Jhoulys Chacin stack up?   Coming into the spring there’s no denying the Twins hope was to have the veteran Chacin make this decision easy. Forget that Dobnak was the game two starter during the 2019 ALDS in Yankees Stadium, he’s a guy that showed up
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

9

Taking the Twins Temperature

Coming off a week in which the Minnesota Twins faced a schedule akin to death itself, we can’t describe a 4-3 record as anything short of exceptional. The Houston Astros look the part of a World Series champion, and while the New York Yankees aren’t close to full strength, they’re holding serve in the AL East. For Rocco Baldelli’s club, there’s plenty of positive momentum, and rather than focus on one specific area, now seemed like a good time to highlight some standouts.   Byron Buxton is curre
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

1

Struggles Have Highlighted Twins Correct Deadline Decision

The calendar has flipped to August, the Minnesota Twins are now 51-51 just three games above .500, and the problems are mounting. Every indication suggests that the Twins did absolutely the right thing at the trade deadline. As they slip out of sole possession of a wild card spot, Terry Ryan has a new period of evaluation coming. For much of the season, the Twins were a team playing well above water. With an extremely impressive home record, while staving off regression, Minnesota distanced them
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

12

Steady Eddie is Launching and Laughing

The Minnesota Twins were going to be without Miguel Sano at some point during the 2018 Major League Baseball season. Whether from a possible suspension, complications due to a rod being inserted into his leg, or the normal wear and tear a body of that size can endure, the reality is he would miss time. When that point came, Eduardo Escobar was going to be the man that filled in. What wasn't expected is that the utility man would raise the bar. Then again, maybe we should have seen this coming al
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

0

Starting Pitching Remains Twins Biggest Mystery

Now with the 2016 Major League Baseball season quickly racing to a close, the statistical output for teams has a solid base. When looking at team compiled numbers, no longer is there such a thing as a small sample size. For the Twins, that spells disaster once again on the starting pitching front. As has been the case plenty in recent years, Minnesota has failed to get out of its own when way it comes to getting games off on a good foot.   In 2016, the Minnesota Twins own a major league worst 5.
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

11

Starting Pitching Bodes Well For Twins

More often than any other area needing to be addressed by the Twins, it's starting pitching I have seen noted by national types. While Minnesota no doubt had a catching issue, and the bullpen remains largely unchanged from the ineffectiveness it showed a year ago, the belief is that the Twins need an ace. There's truth in the though, Minnesota is no doubt void of a frontline starter, but they probably don't need one either.   This offseason, a lot has been made about how the Twins will round out
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

7

Stacking Up The 2016 Twins With Phil Mackey

After a season in which the Minnesota Twins surprised many around baseball, 2016 presents a whole new opportunity for Paul Molitor and his squad. Now no longer toting the weight of multiple 90 loss seasons, Minnesota looks to expand upon its near playoff performance from a season ago. I have contended often that in 2016, the Twins remain the AL Central team most capable of finishing first just as well as last in the division.   Despite having talked about plenty of narratives this offseason here
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

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