Minnesota Twins Talk

from Target Field at the edge of downtown Minneapolis. Bouncing ball to Gaetti, he has it, throws to Hrbek and the Twins are baseball’s World Champions! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ycK_1SKUpR4 Touch ‘em all Kirby Puckett! Touch ‘em all Kirby Puckett!! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Dig7fkSg6EY Hocking comes over and he’s got it. The Twins have won the division series! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=A3PBZHUy-GY Why not us? Why not now?

It's official. Congrats to Ryne! Who knows if he can keep it up all season, but for the time being he's been the best pitcher in the bullpen.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2827039-bleacher-reports-2019-mlb-season-preview-and-predictions?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_medium=referral#slide7 (you may need to scroll up one page to get to the Twins slide) Lots of positive spin in the article about the new players, a Buxton breakout and the pitching staff and coach. Their conclusion: "A team like this has 95-win upside, which should be plenty good enough to win the AL Central." They also project the Indians as the most disappointing team.

My degree is in meteorology and, while I never forecasted as a profession, I've always maintained an interest in forecasting. When I heard that the Twins home opener was March 28, I laughed and laughed as I thought about just how bad the weather could be. Of course, March weather can be quite nice, but I wouldn't bet on it. Well, we are close enough now that the weather models are beginning to make their various declarations and I thought it would be fun to post them here, both to give us something to look forward to, and to keep a running diary of how things change over a two week period in the world of weather models. Though I can't promise I'll remember to post eve…

Grapefruit League play is officially over. The Twins have two more games scheduled prior to Opening Day, but they're against the Triple-A roster and the Colorado Rockies, who spend their spring in the Cactus League. So it's time to vote for this year's Sire of Fort Myers. Among those who qualified, who had the most impressive performance during Spring Training? Ryne Harper: 11.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 14 K (0.00 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 11.5 K/9) Adam Rosales: 10-for-36, 3 2B, 4 HR, 6 R, 9 RBI, 4 BB, 4 K, .278/.350/.694 (1.044 OPS) Ryan Eades: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K (0.00 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 11.6 K/9) Preston Guilmet: 9.2 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 15 K (3.72 ERA…

Both Francisco Lindor and Jason Kipins are already out for Opening Day and now this:

Just wondering who is the keeper of the game thread sign up list this year. Thursday looks to be a pretty regular day off for me for awhile and I know those get away day games especially can be hard to get filled. Mods feel free to delete after sending a PM. Thanks.

I'll try to update this thread anytime I'm able to grab some spring training highlights. Here are a few from today: https://twitter.com/TFTwins/status/1101645090605465600 https://twitter.com/TFTwins/status/1101660961931489280 https://twitter.com/TFTwins/status/1101672972023037952

Please help me settle an argument/debate with my wife regarding something in the Delta 360 club (formerly Legends Club). Please see attached photo, taken at the 2015 Twinsfest in the Legends Club, (I believe near the entrance to the press box) There is a "7" etched into the wall. My wife thinks that it is just a "7", for Mauer. She always thought this was the case, and thinks it was presumptive to have it there before he even retired. I think that it is part of a larger number set, such as "573" since that area near there is dedicated to Killebrew. I have no idea why she brought this up now, but now we both need to know who is right, simply for bragging rights. Anyone …

Lineup: C - Castro 1B - Cron 2B - School SS - Polanco 3B - Gonzalez LF - Rosario CF - Buxton RF - Kepler Bench: C: Garver IF: Adrianza OF: Cave Util: Astudillo Rotation: Berrios Pineda Gibson Odorizzi Bullpen: May Rogers (L) Parker Mejia (L) Perez (L) Hildenberger Magill Harper IL: Sano, Addison Reed, Moya

http://www.startribune.com/kyle-gibson-twins-talking-bigger-contract-again-after-failing-to-agree-on-long-term-deal-earlier/507159692/ Interesting to see how this plays out. I'd have to think an extension is likely since the Twins hadn't let the other extension talks leak until after they were nearly complete, or declined. Though in this case it does appear that Gibson was the one disclosing the information.

Family and I are going to be in the area the next couple days I wanted to take in a couple games. Any advice on that that four tickets? The main MLB site makes it look like it’s pretty much sold out all games. The aftermarket sites like StubHub seem pretty pricey for good seats. Are there any fan ticket exchanges? Or can I just walk up and get tickets from a scalper? Any advice appreciated! Brendan

Normally I'd bury this link in the posts from around the internet, but I'll just create a new thread for this one, about Kepler and so much more. https://tht.fangraphs.com/making-max-kepler-baseball-in-germany/

In most games this spring I've noticed Kepler being used as the leadoff batter. And based on results thus far (yeah, yeah, small sample size and all that, but still ...) it looks like a good strategy. Kepler is hitting well and even has a .500 OBP. Obviously, that's not sustainable, but it looks like he might be comfortable, and productive in the role as leadoff batter. What does everyone else think?

I'm on spring break from teaching first graders. I'll probably post this and then disappear into planning mode, but when I glanced at the lineups, it kind of felt like a real game, so here goes. Twins: Kepler Polanco Cruz Rosario Gonzalez Cron Schoop Castro Buxton Berrios--This here is the opening day lineup, right? Red Sox: Benintendi Betts Devers Martinez Bogaerts Moreland Holt Bradley Vasquez Eovaldi--Pretty close to opening day. And, Boston is up 1-0--Out, Walk, Single, Single

12/11/2018 Reporter: "Did you fly in just to make the appearance?" Buxton: "I did. That's it. Then I'm going back home." Reporter: "That's a long day for a good cause." Buxton: "It is, but for the kids, and for the fans, it's worth it." Reporter: "Can I ask about the whole hub-bub at the end of the year?" Buxton: "I mean, you probably won't get nuttin' out of me. I mean, it's business... they did what they did, I do what I do, at the end of the day, I'm still gonna keep playing hard, still wanna play in Minnesota, still wanna play beside my teammates, that's all that matters." Reporter: "Were you, um..." Buxton: "Pissed? Yes. I ain’t sugarcoating nuttin'". Reporter: "It …

https://www.twincities.com/2019/03/07/former-minor-leaguer-ian-kadish-finds-a-new-route-to-big-leagues-with-twins/?fbclid=IwAR2qgEG1Xt2BmlsI0uV6RR4x1oZA89AW8zvkWwnACQEVE1OnzcNrzkbl8fk The Twins let Perry Castellanos go after last season. They hired 30-year-old Ian Kadish. Kadish is a former pitcher in the Blue Jays system. When he started prepping for his 2015 season, he realized that he just didn't have it anymore and went a different direction. He was always known to be a weight-room guy on top of his conditioning, and it's something he studied in college. This article has a lot of good information on his thoughts on the subject, individualized plans, etc.

The Wall Street Journal of all places is on the Willians Astudillo bandwagon... https://www.wsj.com/articles/la-tortuga-is-here-to-save-baseball-11551877201?mod=hp_lead_pos9 It is a subscription site, and I don't have a subscription, so if anyone has any more that would be interesting.

A little optimism for Twins fans on Sano. "For the public or the media to cry that this should be the end of the line for the Twins with Sano is utterly stupid, when there has been a strong hint that he’s at last ready to give himself a shot at maximizing his talent." http://www.startribune.com/twins-fans-don-t-give-up-on-miguel-sano-rod-carew-hasn-t/506755922/

Don't worry guys, it's just a minor cut on his foot. *Facepalm emoji*

"Heard Nationals/Kimbrel is “further down the road” than reported" @keithlaw Sounds like Kimbrel is soon to be gone to the Nationals. Any chance that we circle back to sign Gio Gonzalez or Dallas Keuchel since the only sure thing in the starting rotation for next year is Berrios. It still boggles my mind that we have improved the offense a ton this offseason but have basically only added Perez and Parker on small deals for the pitching staff.

This is a fun 5-minute video with Billy Ripken spending time with Derek Shelton as the Twins started spring training. It's a lot of fun information and video.

Pete Abraham from the Boston Globe wrote an article on how New Englanders Derek Falvey and Rocco Baldelli are trying to lead the Twins back to prominence. https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2019/03/02/pair-new-englanders-hope-turn-twins-around/D0tZiOO0KG8Wh8vkquxf9K/story.html

New Season and I need to warm up just a bit: Since it's early in Spring Training, not much is expected. But, as flowers and deer in the meadows of MN indicate that spring is near, so too, Spring Training games hold promise of the start of the season of the greatest sport ever invented, baseball. Play ball! Pitching for the Twins: Kohl Stewart. Pitching for the Nationals: Patrick Corbin. Lineups: Eh, Spring Training games. Maybe I'll get to it. Maybe someone will pick up the slack and get up some lineups posted.

Being selfish with this post, but didn't know where else to post it. I'm taking my father to the airport this coming Sunday for a Ft Myers adventure. (One of these days things will work out and I can accompany him). While not a poster, he is an avid reader of TD and as avid a fan of the Twins you will ever find. (And honestly, the best man you could ever meet!) He will be there until sometime Thursday, March 7th. He's been a visitor here and there since the Twins trained in Orlando. I'd just love it, as would he, if he could connect with any of you all who may be visiting next week. Responses here and PM would be awesome. He doesn't know I'm posting this, but think …

Sell me on why Joe Mauer belongs in the HOF and I will do the same for our catcher, Molina. First Mauer only started 885 games as catcher before switching to 1b the last several years. 1 MVP, 3 batting titles, 3 GG, but 200 games caught from 2011-2013 and 1 appearance from 2014-2018 as catcher before lucky for the Twins moved him to 1st base at a overpay, hamstringing team of $23 million a year. Thankfully they didn’t eat contract after concussion problems. After monster year with 28 HRs and 96 RBIs and MVP getting him a too long contract in 2009, he would average 8-9 HRs a year and switch to 1b. The team which had trouble winning in the first round of the playoffs in…

Mike Oz of Yahoo does a fun video series in which he opens old packs of baseball cards with current MLB personalities. Yesterday he published an episode staring Rocco Baldelli. Earlier this winter he had an episode with both Twins prospect Nick Gordon and his dad Tom.

I'm not sure anyone has touched on this yet at TD, but mods should feel free to delete this if I'm wrong. Following an off-season that Miguel Sano finally seemed healthy and in better shape, he enters camp today with a lower right leg/heel laceration he received while in the Dominican Republic, per Do-Hyoung Park. [twitter] Sano's inability to stay healthy throughout the past two seasons has blurred this FO's visions for the future. The Twins just cannot afford something like this to happen, especially early in camp where he can easily fall behind. Here's hoping that the cut is relatively small, but heel lacerations and blisters can take awhile to heal and ar…