Minnesota Twins Talk

Derek Wetmore does a thorough job of looking at the 11(?!?) candidates for the Twins starting rotation this year: http://www.1500espn.com/twins-2/2017/02/will-emerge-competition-twins-starting-rotation-meet-candidates/ If that's more than you thought were competing - I agree. But I can't find any fault with including at least the first 10.

This article gives me additional hope that Sano and Berrios may have breakout seasons this year. http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/2017-fantasy-baseball-draft-strategy-ranking-the-post-hype-sleepers/ "Berrios struggled mightily with his control in the majors, something he really never encountered in the minors. In other words, he failed spectacularly in a way that was inconsistent with everything we thought about him. This isn’t to say that those 58 innings are meaningless, but the certainly don’t preclude him from reaching the ceiling we thought he possessed heading into 2016."

http://www.twincities.com/2017/02/18/minnesota-twins-is-that-justin-haley-or-wyatt-earp-on-the-mound/ Mike Berardino wrote an article this morning about Justin Haley and his interesting delivery, a delivery that teammates have said is reminiscent of a gunslinger, such as Wyatt Earp. Find out why? Also, Joe Mauer and Drew Stubbs reported to spring training this morning, so everyone is there and on time.

https://gamurs.com/general/professional-pitcher-trevor-may-joins-luminosity-as-a-streamer-8446 Trevor May did it a lot in the offseason, but he's now signed with Luminosity and will stream his gaming on Twitch. Franky, I don't even really know what that means, but I think it means he games online with fans and other gamers. Cool or what?

http://www.startribune.com/twins-catcher-chris-gimenez-is-a-survivor/414033233 Catcher Chris Gimenez joined the Twins as a free agent this offseason and will get to compete with John Ryan Murphy and Mitch Garver for the backup catcher spot. According to the above article by Phil MIller (STrib), Gimenez has been part of some interesting experiences, and seven organizations. He was behind the plate when Jose Bautista homered and bat-flipped. He was nearly killed by a snowplow He's already got some ideas to work with Jose Berrios. Could he (maybe should he?) be the leader for the backup catcher spot?

http://www.twincities.com/2017/02/17/minnesota-twins-ryan-vogelsong-overcame-gruesome-beaning/ Mike Berardino talked to new Twins RHP Ryan Vogelsong today. While with Pittsburgh, he was hit in the eye with a fastball. There were a lot of concerns, but he has come back strong. Now, he (obviously) hopes to make the Twins team and contribute. He's a big Rocky fan. He's had Tommy John. He's played for several organizations... Can he (and should he?) make the Twins team?

An interesting read right here.

I looked into how the Indians used Chris Gimenez last year. He was the primary catcher for two of their pitchers in Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin. He didn't catch Kluber at all and caught few of Carrasco and Salazar's games. The Indians had three right handed catcher so platooning by opposing pitcher wasn't and ideal match for them. I wonder how much they valued matching a pitcher with a catcher. Will that carry over to the Twins? Will platooning catcher by Twin starting pitcher rather than opposing pitcher give more value? If it were a computer game, the choice is obvious and they should sit Castro against lefties. On the field, I don't think the choice is as obvious.…

http://www.twincities.com/2017/02/17/minnesota-twins-brian-dozier-lends-his-support-to-team-trucker/ Mike Berardino wrote this morning about several goings on at Hammond Stadium. The primary story it about Brian Dozier reporting to camp and his support of the #TruckerToughChallenge, something started by former Twins catcher Kurt Suzuki. It's a support for a three-year old kid from Hawaii battling Stage IV neuroblastoma. Also in the article, Mason Melotakis strained his oblique recently and will not throw his first bullpen for a couple of days yet. Glen Perkins will throw his second bullpen today. Miguel Sano was one of several Twins position players to report…

http://www.twincities.com/2017/02/16/old-friends-helped-lure-matt-belisle-to-sign-with-minnesota-twins/ Mike Berardino (Pioneer Press) chatted with Matt Belisle about his decision to join the Twins. Belisle mentioned that he heard from recent teammates - with the Rockies - Michael Cuddyer and LaTroy Hawkins. Hawkins has been in Twins camp the last couple of days and Berardino talked to him about Belisle too.

You can call me premature on this topic, and on the surface it would seem so considering pitchers and catchers have only recently reported. You can call me crazy, and you wouldn't be the first. But in this case, I truly don't believe I am. I hope you follow me here and run with this because I think this is a relevant conversation, even though we have an entire 2017 season yet to be played and enjoyed. We all know, and generally acknowledge two primary things: 1] The Twins have a talented young nucleus of position players in place, augmented by a few veterans, with additional interesting prospects close with the likes of Gordon, Palka, Granite and Vielma. 2] We know …

Patrick Reusse wrote about Tom Kelly, Rick Stelmazsek and The Twins Way. He described what it meant back in the late '70s when both were coming off of their playing careers and entering their coaching years. He described working in the Florida Instructional League back then and all the work that was done. He wrote about the fields back then, the hours of work and the philosophy. He wrote about how pitching affects it all. And he talked about what The Twins Way has become in the last decade. It's a good history, and a good reminder for some of what the team needs to move the bar forward. http://www.startribune.com/the-twins-way-laugh-now-but-it-wasn-t-a-punch-li…

La Velle has a story in the Star Tribune on Brandon Kintzler, who is expected to handle ninth-inning duties when the season kicks off in April: http://www.startribune.com/will-brandon-kintzler-be-twins-closer-probably-but-any-job-will-do/413906183/#1 I like Kintzler's attitude: “Even if I’m in that role all year, I’m not going to talk like that. If I go to free agency, no one is going to view me as that, so whatever job I have, I just do that job.” He has no illusions. And neither do most fans. He is at best a placeholder until the Twins can find a more optimal solution for the closer role. Personally, I think it'll be JT Chargois. But despite his heavy contact tend…

Derek Wetmore tried to pin Derek Falvey down on how many people are battling for the starting rotation. He didn't get far... http://www.1500espn.com/twins-2/2017/02/wetmores-5-thoughts-jason-castros-first-day-neil-allen-coolio-el-gato-grande/ It's find to talk about competition, but I'll be shocked (provided they're all healthy) if four rotation spots aren't already taken by Santana, Hughes, Santiago and Gibson. The more "competition", the less likely it is that Berrios or May get that fifth spot.

Rhett Bollinger reports that Perkins has experienced soreness and will postpone his first scheduled bullpen that was supposed to happen tomorrow, indefinitely. According to Bollinger "Perkins, determined he wasn't ready to take that next step and will continue to build arm strength before getting off a mound." Also there, is reported that Perkins has been throwing from flat ground, but only fastballs. I think that 60 day DL starting next week might give the Twins some flexibility at this point.

In today's Pioneer Press article, Mike Berardino reports that when lefty Hector Santiago throws his bullpen at Hammond Stadium this morning, it will already be his 11th bullpen of the spring. He needed to be ahead of the game since he will be pitching for Team Puerto Rico in the WBC. According to his schedule, he (along with Jose Berrios, Eddie Rosario, Kennys Vargas and Dereck Rodriguez) will head to train with the Puerto Rico team on March 6 and will play their first game on March 10th. Team Puerto Rico should be good and has a lot of young talent. http://www.twincities.com/2017/02/16/minnesota-twins-hector-santiago-considering-wbc-shuttle-plan/ Mike has si…

I was surprised to see Dan Szymborski's team ZiPS projections for 2017 list theTwins at 2nd in the AL Central at 81-81, same as the Kansas CIty Royals and only three games back of Cleveland. Pecota had nearly the same forecast for Minnesota, also pegging them at 2nd in the division but with one less win. (Pecota thinks KC will lose 90 games!) Barring significant changes to the roster, I'm guessing this uptick is based on the progression of the young Twins talent (Berios) plus a falloff of KC, Detroit, and the White Sox in the AL Central. If forced to choose, would you take the "over" or the "under" on these optimisticTwins projections?

The Minnesota Twins' first workout comes with a bullpen session that emphasizes throwing strikes with their fastballs. According to MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger, Allen has kicked off a new program to attempt to improve in that area: Last October,Allen was fairly insistent that the Twins pitchers system-wide needed to improve their fastball skills. “From rookie ball up, we’re going to have it,” Allen told the Pioneer Press's Mike Berardino last season. “You just have to do the work. For instance, on a side day, you’re going to throw four-seam fastballs. I’ve got all kinds of numbers in there, written up, how I want sides thrown. You won’t go to your offspeed until yo…

In today's update from Fort Myers, ESPN 1500's Derek Wetmore says that pitching coach Neil Allen is adding a new rule to bullpen sessions for the staff specifically to work on fastball command: A few quick thoughts to kick off discussion: 1. It's not exactly huge news that a Twins team is emphasizing "control" to their pitching staff. A quick look at last year's team stats show that the Twins had league average control last year. Is that really the issue? 2. Do the Twins think they took it a little too easy in spring training the last few years, given their regular season starts? Phil Hughes seems to think this is about making sure everyone is focusing: 3. Ult…

Wrote an article today on a theory I've been developing about Joe Mauer: http://coldomaha.com/2017/twins/theory-less-is-more-with-joe-mauer/ As always, love to discuss and hear critiques, etc.

http://www.1500espn.com/twins-video/2017/02/video-jason-castros-first-day-batting-practice-twins/ Not much to say here, but if you want to see BP on day 1 of spring training, Derek Wetmore has some video for you. I doubt Castro was too proud of this one.

J. Scott Butherus is an AP writer who will be in Ft. Myers this spring. This morning he wrote an interesting article on Phil Hughes. https://apnews.com/2fbc95723fe54cad89e9d093066db1bb/Hughes-keeps-souvenir-from-forgettable-season:-a-rib Hughes had a tough 2016. He got off to a bad start, went to the bullpen, cracked a bone in his leg and then had Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. In the surgery, a rib is removed... and Hughes kept it. Obviously pitching will be a huge part in any 2017 Twins success, and Hughes hopes to be a big part of that. Hughes was also asked to comment on his Grammys tweet about Adele that garnered over 3200 Likes. This one: https://twitter.co…

Remember when George Costanza was hopelessly out of work, and he was going through some options he might have at Jerry's apartment? George: I like sports. I could do something in sports. Jerry: Uh-huh. Uh-huh. In what capacity? George: You know, like the general manager of a baseball team or something. Jerry: Yeah. Well, that - that could be tough to get. George: Well, it doesn't even have to be the general manager. Maybe I could be like, an announcer. Like a color man. You know how I always make those interesting comments during the game. Jerry: Yeah. Yeah. You make good comments. George: What about that? Jerry: Well, they tend to give those jobs to ex-ballplayers and …

OK gang...here we go. The world is about to become a bit brighter again. And I'm not referring to sunny days and 50 degree temperatures here in the Midwest. (Nebraska in my case). We still have half of April to go through, and all of March, which we all know to a fickle beast and weather tempest. I'm talking, of course, about baseball. Spring training is about a new season, a new hope...not just for our favorite teams to love, follow and debate...but because baseball is a direct reflection of life and the world we live in and make. New hope Springs eternal with a new season, (not talking Star Wars here, lol), but each season is filled to the brim with possibilities! The "…

I have a couple of questions about the 2017 International Signing Period. First, can someone point me to a source describing who might be the top (international) prospects available for signing in 2017? Second, could someone explain the Twins' options? I think I read they have the largest signing pool for International signings, but realistically, how many can they sign? Any help would be appreciated.

With Travis Wood, Mike Napoli, Chris Carter, Adam Lind and a bunch of other guys off the board in recent days, I get the feeling we are not adding anyone else. The only ones that are interesting left are Joe Blanton, Pedro Alverez, and Matt Wieters. The bullpen already has about 15 guys in competition for 7 spots so I doubt they add Blanton, but I sure wish they would. Wieters is a starting catcher so no need there. The only way I see them adding Alverez is if the new guys in the front office want to just have a DH competition in Spring Training with the best one or two going North. Baseball Prospectus said Alverez would be best used as a platoon DH. The Oakland As would …

This a different Dozier topic/idea that has been on my mind a lot lately...with the impending season and all the other various BD conversation...and something that I think is different, fun, and perhaps prudent going forward. To be clear, like most of us I believe, I've never WANTED to trade Dozier, it just seemed like the most intelligent move to make in order to add to the Twins pitching arsenal. But we all know how the market turned out, and Dozier is still a part of our beloved Twins. And let's be honest, that is not necessarily a bad thing. Of course the Twins still need to upgrade their starting staff, but there are various ways to continue to do that over the nex…

It has to be asked: what is the cost of DFAing Joe Mauer? If he's claimed, its a huge savings. If not, a 40 man roster spot opens up. I doubt there are any current advantages, but could it be used in theory to free up cash and or a 40 man roster spot?

So it might cost Park. Interesting move.

...an intern. Still, if you have any interest in working in baseball, this seems like a great avenue to explore in order to get into the game. The official title is "Major League Advanced Scouting Internship" and if you have enjoyed the content and conversation at TwinsDaily.com, this sounds like an excellent opportunity to take it to the next level. Per the job description at Baseball Prospectus: There's more detail on the specifics of the job at BP. Unfortunately, there is no indication whether the position is compensated but if you were already seeking work in the industry, you are probably aware it involves long hours and little pay. If you are intereste…