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Another week and another center fielder has been traded away by the Twins.

 

Ben Revere was dealt on Thursday afternoon to the Philadelphia Phillies for starting pitcher Vance Worley and pitching prospect Trevor May. Worley has about the same amount of service time as Revere but the Twins are desperate for pitching and he will slide nicely into the rotation for next season. May was considered the best pitching prospect in the Phillies system before the start of last season. He spent all of last year at the Double-A level so he probably won't crack the Twins rotation until 2014.

 

Twins GM Terry Ryan said the team will have a three way try-out for the Opening Day job in center field. Joe Benson, Aaron Hicks, and Darin Mastroianni will all attempt to win the role. My vote would be for Hicks but I could see one of the other players getting the job until Hicks gets a little experience at the Triple-A level. Hicks has the most up-side and it could be a case where the Twins would want him to learn the ropes in center field from the start of the year.

 

Without looking too far into the future, let's take a look back at Revere's short career with the Twins. The former first round pick quickly became a fan favorite for his all-or-nothing defensive ability and his speed on the bases. His smile was infectious and he seemed to be a great all around person.

 

There were plenty of good moments for Revere in a Twins uniform but two specific incidents will stick in the mind's of Twins fans for the foreseeable future.

 

The Catch

It was named the best defensive play in 2011 because of the athleticism that it took to complete the play. Revere had to track down the ball over his shoulder and make a tough catch against the wall. The play was shown over and over again in highlight reels. It also made a long run in the top spot of SportsCenter's "Top Plays." It left Vladimir Guerrero, the batter, shaking his head.

 

Reminiscent of Willie Mays and his famous over the shoulder grab, Revere added a little more difficulty to his catch by banging into the outfield fence. He even had to look up at his glove to make sure the ball was still in the webbing. Dick Bremer called it "one of the greatest catches you will see all year long." It might be one of the best catches in the history of the Twins.

 

CLICK HERE for Video Clip

 

The Somersault

Even as a fan in the stands on this night, it was hard to believe what just happened. Revere knocks a ball down to the fence down the right field line and then he was off to the races. Jeff Francoeur was the outfielder for the Royals and he tried to get the ball back in as quickly as he could. It looked like it would be an easy triple for the speedy Revere.... but things got interesting after second base.Revere stumbled on his way to third and he started to fall forward. Instead of falling flat on his face, Revere gracefully (or not so gracefully depending on how you look at it) started a somersault before continuing on his path to third base. By the end of the play, Revere was in a pile at third asking for time to catch his breath.

 

CLICK HERE for Video Clip

 

It's sad to see both Span and Revere sent to other clubs but these were the right moves for the direction of the organization. The Twins were desperate for pitching and they had extra outfielders in the organization. The club got one major league ready arm and two very good prospects for the future.

 

The Twins might not contend in 2013 but the future is looking much brighter after these two deals.

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I am sad to see Ben go. I know the players we got in return for Revere will probably add more wins to the Twins in 2014, but I will miss watching him play the game with pure joy and reckless athleticism.

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