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Twins Daily

From 2014 Blueprint

I wrote:   Sign Ervin Santana for a 5 year, $85 million deal. Sign Phil Hughes to a 3 year, $39 million deal.   I really believed this to be a great idea. And many of you did too. While there is some cherry-picking of that blueprint and what the Twins have done, clearly, I have to admit that with regard to the pitching rotation, the Twins have done very well. Better than me, with regard to free agents.   I just wrote that last sentence. And meant it.

Episode 112: Eric Hates Ervin Santana, and Other Lies

You can download the new Talk to Contact (@TalkToContact) episode via iTunes or by clicking here, and if you want to add the show to your non-iTunes podcast player, this is the RSS Feed.       http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2DlY8fhFYnc/VIrB-oGbTsI/AAAAAAAAKW8/Mcz8TD-B5zc/s1600/smell%2Bbaseball.jpg     This week the gang talks about Ervin Santana, the Rule Five Draft, and what the Twins rotation will look like to start the year. The guys were joined by TwinsDaily's Jeremy Nygaard to talk about who J

Episode 111: Torii Hunter Tirades and the Prospect Handbook

You can download the new Talk to Contact ( @TalkToContact) episode via iTunes or by clicking here, and if you want to add the show to your non-iTunes podcast player, this is the RSS Feed. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ImnpDCfYB8/VIrC3hg8ksI/AAAAAAAAKXE/GWQC-fsqNiA/s1600/hunter.jpg This week's show features the full fearsome foursome. With all hands on deck the gentlemen discuss the Torii Hunter signing and try to figure out if the press conference to announce the move was newsworthy in and of

Episode 110: Thanksgiving Hangover Episode

You can download the new Talk to Contact (@TalkToContact) episode via iTunes or by clicking here, and if you want to add the show to your non-iTunes podcast player, this is the RSS Feed.   http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SkzPI34KLGs/VIrDNSlgWYI/AAAAAAAAKXM/LHh9tqPtQhs/s1600/mauer%2Bturkey.jpg     This week we keep it short, under an hour, to discuss the new additions to the Twins coaching staff. It's just Jay (The master of underscores) and Paul this week, and they both started the podcast a couple

Episode 109: Life Without the (Pleiss) Twins

You can download the new Talk to Contact ( @TalkToContact) episode via iTunes or by clicking here, and if you want to add the show to your non-iTunes podcast player, this is the RSS Feed. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RWHl4V2BLG4/VIrDskYu_EI/AAAAAAAAKXU/fnk_RtwvH4U/s1600/no%2Btwins.jpg   Jay and Cody chart a path through new territory as BOTH Eric and Paul sit out this week. Why? You must not have received the invite either.   While the Pleiss twins frolic around the Pacific northwest in a cel

Episode 112: Eric Hates Ervin Santana, and Other Lies

You can download the new Talk to Contact (@TalkToContact) episode via iTunes or by clicking here, and if you want to add the show to your non-iTunes podcast player, this is the RSS Feed.     http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2DlY8fhFYnc/VIrB-oGbTsI/AAAAAAAAKW8/Mcz8TD-B5zc/s1600/smell%2Bbaseball.jpg     This week the gang talks about Ervin Santana, the Rule Five Draft, and what the Twins rotation will look like to start the year. The guys were joined by TwinsDaily's Jeremy Nygaard to talk about who JR Gr

Ervin Santana Newest Member of Twins’ Crowded, Mediocre Rotation

Terry Ryan and the Minnesota Twins made their one move of the Winter Meetings, reaching an agreement with Ervin Santana on a four-year, $55 million deal that features a vesting option that goes into effect if Santana tosses 200 innings in 2018, which would make the deal worth $68 million. It’s the biggest free agent deal in Twins’ history, which says a lot. It’s a smidge bigger than what Ryan gave Ricky Nolasco this time last year, which says even more. Terry Ryan doesn't dip his toe into the fr

PROSPECT HANDBOOK PREVIEW: Injuries Plague Twins System in ‘14

For the third year in a row, Seth Stohs of TwinsDaily.com asked Jeremy Nygaard and myself to help him put together the annual off-season handbook that looks deep into one of the best minor league systems in all of baseball. Several other high quality writers helped to write articles for the book and this only adds to the over 200 pages of content.   It was our goal to get the paperback version out to the public before Christmas and we will meet our goal for the second year in a row. This also al

The Intriguing Case for Rick Porcello

With the holiday season upon us and the Hot Stove burning as hot as ever at this week’s Winter Meetings, it is no wonder why they call this the most wonderful time of the year. The presumable free agent waters should finally be flowing now that the major barricade that was Jon Lester has chosen his new home for the next six years. While the Minnesota Twins have been rumored to be kicking the tires on names such as John Axford, Dustin McGowan and Alexi Ogando, it shouldn’t have come as much of a
  • bwille

$200 million is the new $100 million

Forbes.com reported today that Major League baseball league-wide revenues jumped from $8 billion in 2013 to $9 billion in 2014, mostly due to the league's new national TV contracts and to revenue from MLB Advanced Media, the league's online streaming arm.   A look back: In 2001, revenue was $3.6 billion; adjusted for inflation, $4.66 billion in today's dollars, according to Forbes. That year, three MLB teams had payrolls over $100 million; the Yankees led the way with just over $112 million. 16

Why I am excited to see Miguel Sano as a Twin...and why you should be too

Hopefully this story can bring you a little cheer for the holiday season, baseball season is right around the corner, hang in there!   While we all expected Miguel Sano to debut last season, we are still waiting to see him at Target Field. Having played with him for about 250 games, I have seen him do some incredible things. Here is why I am excited to see him in a Twins Uniform and also why I think you will love watching him play in Minneapolis for many years.   This is a two part story and it

Would Medlen or Beachy fit in Minnesota?

Late last week word came out that the Atlanta Braves would not tender contracts to right-handed pitchers Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy. At one point in the not so distant past both of these players figured into Atlanta's long-term starting rotation plans but now both are recovering from their second Tommy John surgeries.   Medlen has shown more promise than Beachy at the big league level. He won a combined 25 games in 2012 and 2013. He excelled as a reliever and starter in 2012, when he was 10-

Intangibles

The signing of Torii Hunter has brought off-the-field issues back to the fore for the Twins. Part of the reason for signing Hunter has been for clubhouse leadership, mentoring of young players, and also bring back fans to the park. Hunter's pros and cons in these areas have been analyzed more than the break on Phil Hughes' spike curve.   I weighed in on several threads saying that it wasn't possible to measure if there would be any effect and I doubted there would be much effect anyway. This

Revised 25-man Projection

Before the Arizona Fall League began I started beating the drum for Eddie Rosario to make the Twins out of spring training in 2015. The signing of Torii Hunter as a free agent makes an already long shot into a near impossibility, barring injury. That is all right because we can project and predict all we want on Twins Daily and only highlight when we are right!   Since Hunter's acquisition has occurred, I decided I would try to project again who will come north with the 2015 Twins. Here's my

Connect With Baseball History Through SABR

While the dark, cold days of winter can be an ideal time to dive into research on baseball history, as a lifelong baseball fan I have to ask...is there ever a bad time to talk about baseball history? I serve as co-chair of the research committee for the local chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research and invite other Twins Daily readers to get involved with our group.   One of our projects is called the Origins of Baseball in Minnesota Project, where you can select a city to research
  • Sarah

Torii Hunter Tirades and the Prospect Handbook

<img src="http://assets.podomatic.net/ts/19/ad/da/paulpleiss/1400x1400_10161152.jpg" alt="itunes pic" /><br />This week's show features the full fearsome foursome. With all hands on deck the gentlemen discuss the Torii Hunter signing and try to figure out if the press conference to announce the move was newsworthy in and of itself.   We also review the Twins decision to offer arbitration with all of their arbitration eligible players, and some other Twins news tidbits before we are

Where Are They Going? A Look at the Future of the Twins 40 Man Roster

The Twins are in an interesting place. The 40-man roster is, yet again, full. The Twins definitely have a lot of players, but they don't have a lot of great (or arguably even a lot of good) players. It is obvious the Twins won't win a championship with their current team, but that's not to say there aren't bright spots. I'd like to take a quick look at the position players on the Twins' 40-man roster and examine what future, if any, they have with the team.   Catchers: Eric Fryer: Although h

Poker night with Terry Ryan

One of the interview questions with Terry Ryan at the Torii Hunter introduction press conference was, "are you surprised it [he?] took a one year contract?". Terry twitched and suppressed a smile and basically used every single one of his facial muscles before replying "no".   http://blogs.twincities.com/twins/2014/12/04/twinsights-terry-ryan-defensive-metrics-twins-ignore/   (Second short video in the sequence.)   My reaction is that, while poker is not my game and I am terrible at it, if by ch

Breakout Prospect Candidates for '15

It's hard to argue with the breakout season Jose Berrios put together in 2014. He dominated the Florida State League and held his own in the Eastern League while being over four and a half years younger than the average age of the pitchers in that league. He was already a top ten prospect in the organization but he solidified himself as one of the top three pitchers in a loaded farm system.   Berrios was just one of the team's prospects to do well in 2014 as other prospects also put their name o

The Battle over Torii Hunter

He's back. Torii Hunter is back, and in the 7 hours of his official presence in a Twins line-up again there are two clear camps in response to his return.     In the blue corner, weighing in at 140 characters, 140,000 grey hairs in the last four seasons and 140 million liters of digital ink are the analytically minded, podcast savvy, SABR-metrical, writers, critics and yes...fans who wonder what the heck the Pohlad's were thinking.   "This is not the Torii Hunter we fell in love with," they remi

Minnesota Twins are Worse with Torii Hunter

Minnesota Twins’ GM Terry Ryan is putting his neck out, again, signing Torii Hunter to a $10.5 million, one-year deal. Frankly, this Twins reunion **** is getting old – literally. Hunter will be 39 years old next year, is the worst defensive right fielder in the game, and will be severely overpaid. He should be making low-end DH money, yet he’s being paid ten times more than any outfielder the Twins have, despite being worse than any outfielder the Twins have (I think Arcia will hit much better

The signing of Torii Hunter might close a big hole for the Twins

Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch ------ On paper the Minnesota Twins' reunion with 39 year old Torii Hunter last night, seems a bit puzzling. Rational thinking and looking at records and results of games, would suggest that a team coming back from seasons of 99, 96, 96 and 92 losses and hurting primarily in pitching and defense, would need an aging 39 year old outfielder with diminishing defensive skills being the marquee transaction of the season, as much as a painful communica

What are they thinking

Can someone please explain to me what Terry Ryan is thinking? For three years we've been rebuilding. Guys like Correia, Marquis and Pelfrey were brought in as payroll was slashed. And now, in the past 3 hours, two pieces of news have convinced me that they have absolutely no clue what they're doing.   First, we signed Torii Hunter to a 10.5 million dollar one year contract. No, I didn't meant to write 1.5 million, or 0.5 million. It is a 10.5 million dollar contract. To improve one of the worst

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