Originally Published at The Tenth Inning Stretch

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Here is this week's installment:

• Here is an interesting article about the Twins getting stuck in the nineteenth century. This suggest to me that wholesale philosophy (and personnel) changes might be necessary to make them competitive in this century.
  
• The Twins have signed Ryan Doumit to a 2 year $7 million extension late last week. I think that it is a great deal esp. for that kind of money.
  
• Also, as I suggested last week when it was pretty much a done deal, the Twins have announced yesterday that they have signed 6'2" 190 lbs, 16 year old Dominican switch hitting SS Amaurys Minier to a $1.4 Million bonus, their second highest bonus to an international player after Miguel Sano. He is expected to develop power as well.
  
• After last season ended I gave evidence that Nick Blackburn does not belong to a major league rotation (and that Carl Pavano is a 4th or 5th starter at best), but maybe I misjudged (I hope so) Scott Diamond, because of the small sample size. But I have been showing that Blackburn (and Glen Perkins then) did not belong to a major league rotation since 2009, well before that ill-advised extension.
  
• Former Twins' pitcher Tony Davis signed a contract with the independent league Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks of the American Association. Former Twins' CF Rich Becker also played for a bit with the RedHawks.
  
• Congratulations to New Britain Rock Cats LHP Andrew Albers, RHP B.J Hermsen and C Chris Herrmann who were selected to the Class AA Eastern League All-Star team
  
• Good news about Kyle Gibson: He is on schedule to pitch in games in August and possibly in the Arizona Fall League, after the season is over.
  
• I have intentionally been delaying the next versions of who is hot and who is not in the Twins' minors lists in order to get players from the rookie leagues. Expect them any time now.
  
• Nice article on Beloit's Drew Leachman by the Beloit Daily News. There we learn that his favorite baseball player is not a Minnesota Twins' player but a current Atlanta Braves' player. That's like drinking Pepsi Seven Up, while working for Coke.
  
• The Twins' product of the week is the 2012 Minnesota Twins Stars And Stripes caphttp://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=biowriters&l=as2&o=1&a=B0075CVJ1A. Much better than what they wore last season, this one is a keeper
  
• Happy and Safe 4th of July to all!
  

The parting shot today is of the Twins' sole representative in the 2012 All Star game. Go get them Joe.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7067/6873269016_4f1ef33069_z.jpg