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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

Twins Building A Better Bullpen

Over the past few years, the Twins have put forth some pretty poor displays of baseball. From 2011-2014, they were among the worst teams in baseball and routinely found themselves behind the pitching curve. While every team clamors for top tier starting pitching, the bullpen is an area that can generally be turned around more quickly. It appears that Minnesota is finally conforming to some league wide trends.   After having some of the worst relief options in the big leagues the past few seasons
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

1

Is Eddie Ready To Be Every Day For Twins?

Eddie Rosario experienced a solid rookie season for the Minnesota Twins. He owned a .748 OPS, ripped off 15 triples, and was an outfield assists machine. There were some very real concerns as to how things were going to progress in his second season however. Now with some ups and downs experienced, are we ready to call Rosario a piece of the Twins future?   In 2015, Rosario played in 122 games for the Twins. He ended up being worth 2.3 fWAR, which ranked him 8th among American Leagued left field
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

3

Is Molitor Mismanaging Minnesota?

The Minnesota Twins could arguably be in the midst of the most critical juncture in franchise history. Terry Ryan was fired mid-season, and the club is going to lose 90 games after narrowly missing the playoffs a season ago. Attendance is in the tank, and the organization is relying on youth to turn things around. The biggest issue though could be that Paul Molitor doesn't seem to have gotten the memo.   Over the course of the 2016 season, there's been plenty of instances in which Paul Molitor h
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

12

What If Twins Never Signed Joe Mauer?

If you've paid any attention to one of the most criticized parts of the Minnesota Twins over the past handful of years, you've been made aware of the large contingent of fans upset over Joe Mauer's $184 million contract. Despite being the fourth-largest deal in MLB history at the time, and the largest ever for a catcher, it seemed to make perfect sense from the get go. Now more than six years later however, there's still plenty wondering (and even wishing), what if it never happened?   Let's set
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

3

Do Twins Create A Utility Duo?

At different points during the 2016 Major League Baseball season, the talking point regarding Danny Santana and Eduardo Escobar has came up. Both players present similar skillsets, and the likeliest scenario is a utility type position going forward. The question is though, do the Twins choose to roster both players a year from now, or is their only room for one Swiss Army Knife.   First, the less flexible of the two, Eduardo Escobar. While Escobar has made a home at shortstop, he's been passed u
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

4

Is Grossman A Twin For The Future?

On May 20th, Robbie Grossman made his debut with the Minnesota Twins. After starting the year in the Cleveland Indians organization, Grossman saw opportunity through the Twins farm system and jumped ship. Playing just one game with the Rochester Red Wings, Grossman was headed to the big leagues. The question now is should he stay there, at least for the Twins.   In the 2008 Major League Baseball draft, Robbie Grossman was a 6th round pick out of high school by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was rate
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

4

Someone Else Give A-Rod A Chance

Alex Rodriguez will play his final game for the New York Yankees on Friday. It's the end to a saga that seemingly has such a sad trombone effect to it. No matter what you feel about Alex Rodriguez the human, or even the ballplayer, this doesn't feel like how the script was supposed to end. Then again, I'm not really of the belief that this is it either.   I have no idea what the contractual obligations boil down to. Rodriguez isn't a free agent until the 2018 season, at which point he'd turn 43
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

4

Buxton Remains Twins Biggest Hurdle For New GM

Over the weekend, Byron Buxton was demoted back to Triple-A. With Trevor Plouffe returning from the disabled list, Paul Molitor needed a roster spot for the veteran. Miguel Sano wasn't going to go back to the farm without a fight, and Kennys Vargas has put up decent numbers in his latest stint with Minnesota. That left the top prospect the odd man out, and now things are starting to get real for Buxton and the Twins.   It's been just over a year since Byron Buxton made his major league debut. In
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

5

These 62 Twins Seem More Realistic

Through the beginning of the 2016 Major League Baseball season, the Minnesota Twins were the worst team in baseball. Paul Molitor's club lost their first nine games, and they were competing on a nightly basis with the Atlanta Braves to see who could pile up losses at a faster pace. Over the past 62 games though, the Twins have looked like a much better representation of what should have happened this season.   Out of the gates, things were bad for the Twins. Through the end of June, Minnesota ow
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

2

Kepler's Power Is A Product Of Process

When looking at the 2016 Minnesota Twins, there's been plenty to be down about. The majority of the season has been spent in the cellar, and the club has failed to live up to its lofty expectations. Now in August though, the biggest storyline of late for this group is the emergence of Max Kepler. The German born prospect has burst onto the scene, and his power has been on full display. The question though is whether or not it should have been expected.   Kepler was signed by the Twins as an amat
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

3

Brian Dozier's Silent Asset

It's been a unconventional season for the Minnesota Twins second basemen. While the club raced out to the worst record in the major leagues, it was Brian Dozier that was struggling right along with the majority of the group. Typically know to fade down the stretch, Dozier's bat didn't seem to ever make the transition to games that counted. Now he's turned a massive corner, but there's more to the narrative than the offensive production.   Trying to overstate just how bad Dozier was for the Twins
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

2

Antony Makes Waves At Deadline

The dust has settled and the Minnesota Twins have wrapped up the 2016 Major League Baseball trade deadline. In total, the interim GM Rob Antony made three moves, two of which were completed on the final day.   First and foremost, the Twins flipped 2016 "All Star" Eduardo Nunez to the San Francisco Giants for Adalberto Mejia. Nunez was playing well above expectations this season for the Twins and needed to be moved. He fits as a utility guy on a winning team, and that's what the Twins were able t
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

5

Vargas Turning A Corner?

The Minnesota Twins have taken their lumps for the majority of the 2016 Major League Baseball season. Racing towards 100 loses, the results have been anything but favorable for Paul Molitor's club. There have been some individual bright spots though, and one of the quietest comes in the form of first basemen Kennys Vargas.   After Byung Ho Park was signed over the offseason, the Twins logjam at first base and designated hitter only got more complicated. Miguel Sano, Joe Mauer, and Park all prese
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

1

Nunez Makes Antony Look Good

It's July 2016 and there's a significant contingent of people that are willing to describe Eduardo Nunez first and foremost as an All Star. They aren't wrong, but it's also far from indicative as to what kind of baseball player he is. Somehow though, in his first move as Interim General Manager of the Minnesota Twins, Rob Antony turned that phrase (and Nunez), into a top 100 prospect prior to the August 1 trade deadline.   The San Francisco Giants were looking for a utility player that could fil
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

2

Twins Pen Showing Its True Colors

A season ago, the Minnesota Twins had one of the worst bullpens in baseball. Just narrowly missing out on the playoffs, a better relief corps could have been enough to get them over the hump. This season there were some holdovers and some dart throws to the pen, but no player has been more important, both in reality and principle, than Taylor Rogers.   Rogers, a 25 year old rookie, has now pitched 35.1 innings for Paul Molitor's club. An 11th round draft pick out of Kentucky in the 2012 Major Le
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

5

No, Thank You David Ortiz

It's been widely known since the beginning of the 2016 Major League Baseball season that this would be David Ortiz's last. No, not because he went on a city tour a la Kobe Bryant or Derek Jeter. Instead, simply because Ortiz suggested he'd hand them up. Recently, he wrote a piece on The Player's Tribune thanking Minnesota, where it all began. Really though, it's Minnesota that should be thanking him.   You see, without David Ortiz, the Minnesota Twins and Major League Baseball would look vastly
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

0

The Twins Reality Behind The Dish

There was a time when the Minnesota Twins could consider catcher as one of the least concerning positions on their roster. That time period ended when Joe Mauer suffered a traumatic brain injury that forced him to switch positions. Now, as the organization looks to solidify their backstop, more questions than answers are currently present.   In 2016, Kurt Suzuki has re-emerged as a viable option. After a 2014 season in which Suzuki was named to his first All Star Game, the Twins rewarded their f
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

7

Joe Mauer Isn't Done With Award Ceremonies

A trip down memory lane would reveal that Joe Mauer the catcher is a player both the Minnesota Twins and Major League Baseball miss. He was one of the best to ever play the position, and his bat combined with his glove, made him one of the most athletic backstops ever. Concussions and injuries ended that narrative way too soon, but Mauer is emerging in his new home now as well.   That whole elite athlete narrative, well Mauer personifies it. Turning down a scholarship to go and play quarterback
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

6

It's Time Twins Stop Passing The Buck

There's a saying that goes something like, "No one knows you're clueless until you open your mouth and remove all doubt." On July 18, 2016 the Minnesota Twins fired long time General Manager Terry Ryan. It was a much needed move, and one that could have been made a long time ago. But then Jim Pohlad spoke, and so did Dave St. Peter.   Pohlad is the owner of the Minnesota Twins. He's one of the most disconnected, at least based on appearances, in the world of sports. On May 6, 2016. he was featur
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

5

Traditional Twins Make Non-Traditional Waves

That really just happened. In the middle of the 2016 season, just weeks before the non-waiver trade deadline, the Minnesota Twins made one of the most monumental moves in franchise history. Terry Ryan's time as General Manager has finally come to an end. In the midst of a near guaranteed 90 loss season, Jim Pohlad has finally seen enough.   When it comes to baseball minds, there are few better in the game than Terry Ryan. He is an adept talent evaluator, a great person for the sport, and arguabl
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

1

Why Not Axe The Traditional Bat?

About a week ago, I wrote a piece about baseball embracing a new piece of technology. As hitters have gone up to the plate for the last hundred or so years using a relatively similar form of lumber, the baseball bat has become dated technology. As local journalists around the Twin Cities reported on Kurt Suzuki's adaptation to a new way of hitting, I was interested to learn more.   The previous piece highlighted the bat in which those aforementioned journalists (Cold Omaha and Pioneer Press) dis
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

2

Outfielder Of Intrigue Down The Stretch

Coming into the 2016 Major League Baseball season, the Twins outfield was expected to have plenty of youth. Phenom Byron Buxton had taken over in center field, while slugger Miguel Sano was being asked to play in right. Expectations for Buxton to compete in the Rookie of the Year race were there, and the Twins had high hopes. Through the first half, it's been the guy who came up last, Max Kepler, that may have stolen the show.   Making his MLB debut on September 27, 2015, Max Kepler had seen the
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

1

Consistency Must Be Twins Focus In Second Half

A season ago, the Minnesota Twins finished 83-79, just missing a playoff berth for the first time since 2010. While the season was a significant turnaround from the four straight 90 loss campaigns that preceded it, the final result was one that seemed somewhat of a mirage. Fast forward to where we are now, and the lack of consistency that was an underlying message a year earlier, has once against been this club's biggest problem.   In 2015, Paul Molitor amassed 83 victories in his first year at
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

1

Ryan's Minor League Finds Highlight Biggest Asset

It's funny sometimes how others share a similar thought process to your own. That happened for me today as I prepared my coverage of the Twins for the week here at Off The Baggy. One topic I wanted to highlight and touch on was the ability Terry Ryan has shown to nab some very solid minor league signings heading into the season. MLB Trade Rumors released a piece with the best of the 2016 year, and of course, Minnesota had three entrants.   It's pretty easy to pick out that the Twins have gotten
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

4

Twins Showing Assumed Colors

The 2016 Major League Baseball season wasn't supposed to go like this for the Minnesota Twins, but then again, maybe it was. Reliant upon an influx of youth, Paul Molitor's club was expected to score runs, and do so in bunches. Pitching should've been an improved aspect, but still could've been an assumed deficiency for this club. Through the first half however, nothing went right, right up until the end.   As the dust settled and the 2016 season enters the All Star Break, the Minnesota Twins fi
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

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