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Article: Prospect Handbook Changed Its Status to "Available"

Jeremy Nygaard
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Jeremy Nygaard St Paul Saints

Jeremy Nygaard

Twins Daily Staff
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It doesn't seem that long ago that I would open up the Sunday paper and grab the Sports section before my older brother could get to it. One of the things that always caught my attention was the stats of the Twins minor league affiliates. Of course this was during the Portland, Salt Lake, Nashville eras, so before the Internet and long before I subscribed to Baseball America to read Phil Miller's weekly blurb about the minor leagues. (Thanks for writing the Foreword, Phil!)

 

 

ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (paperback, $15.99)

 

ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (eBook, $10.99)I didn't really understand how the minor league worked at that time. "How come this guy that was hitting .250 got moved up when the guy hitting .325 didn't?" "Why is the guy hitting .325 not someone I've ever heard of?!" " Why are the first-round picks not playing AAA ball?!?!" You know, those were the types of things that were going through my mind. It wasn't until I hit my teenage years and started to like girls that I started to not ask those questions aloud and to myself anymore.

 

It was around that same time that school computers had this new icon called "Netscape Navigator." Clicking into it was opening this portal to a world with answers to all my questions.

 

Over the next few years, I started to learn more about the minor league process and the players and the draft.

 

A few years after that I stumbled across a website called SethSpeaks.net and my mind was blown. There were a few other now-defunct websites that I'd visit and I soon became the (probably annoying) kid person who was emailing the guys that wrote on these sites asking a lot of questions.

 

ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (paperback, $15.99)

 

ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (eBook, $10.99)

 

At one point, probably about eight years ago, Seth started advertising a book. It was red, kind of hideous and full, I mean, FULL of prospect information. I was captivated. I recognized Seth - because of his SethSpeaks.net hat - at TwinsFest and introduced myself. In typical Seth fashion, he politely shot the breeze.

 

Fast-forward a handful of years and Seth hasn't changed much. He ditched the comfy SethSpeaks.net website for this fancy new website. (Let's say he was promoted from A-ball to the Big Leagues.) He doesn't rock the hat anymore (which he should). And he will still shoot the breeze with anyone that's interested.

 

The "book" however, has changed. Volume-wise, it got bigger and bigger. It got to the point where Seth couldn't do it all alone anymore. Fortunately for me and Cody, he reached out. We accepted.

 

After releasing last year's book - my third in which I've helped - I started floating the idea of a format change. It was going to be a big undertaking. In fact, I didn't know if I could handle the idea that I had in my head. I was going to put more of the overall plate, which, in turn, put more on Seth's and Cody's plate. Ugh.

 

In June, I took my idea and put it to work with the 40 draft picks. Despite the lack of interest in The Twins Draftbook, the idea worked. The 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook was going to look extremely different.

 

ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (paperback, $15.99)

 

ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (eBook, $10.99)

 

That's where a lot of others come into play. We've included pictures in nearly every player bio. I thought it would be a fun undertaking. (Sorry, Seth.) The inclusion of those pictures isn't possible without Steve Buhr, Jim Donten, Evan Ellis, Becky Evans, Linwood Ferguson, Craig Gordon, Ed Kempf, Zach Lucy, Kelly McGlohon, Rob Moore, William Parmeter, Kelsie Redburn, Maddie Seymour, Seth Stohs, Jon Tarr, Marc Verkerk and the Minnesota Twins. Thanks to all of you!

 

Having those pictures makes the book better and will make you like it that much more. So in the end, we're all happy.

 

There are a TON of others we'd like to thank again. We can't, but you know who you are.

 

There are other changes too. The profiles include more, including recognition for the scouts that signed each player. We each selected a few "sleepers" (guys that we think will be in the Top 30 next year) and a "breakout" player (someone we think will take the jump into the Top 10 next year). And each player that made any of our Top 30's has it included at the bottom of his profile.

 

Oh yeah, the profiles. That was almost all Cody and Seth. Cody provided the numbers and motivation for the other two of us to keep up. Of course, this was all while he was going through a pretty significant life event, welcoming his first child into the world... a few weeks early to boot.

 

ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (paperback, $15.99)

 

ORDER NOW: 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (eBook, $10.99)

 

Seth did what Seth does. I don't need to talk too much about that. Backgrounds? Check. Scouting reports? Check. Forecasts for next season? Check that too.

 

Another addition to the profiles was a "roster status" section. Cody and Seth didn't always leave me much room, but it's a section I added that explains whether they're on the 40-man (and where they stand option-wise) or when they could need to be added or when they'll be a free agent. You know, the nerdy stuff that I'm into.

 

All things considered, I think the three of us are more proud of this book than we have been of the previous editions. In fact, we're not sure where to go from here to make it better.

 

But you'll probably have ideas and we'd love to hear them. There will be a survey available soon and we'd love your feedback after you have a chance to pick up a copy.

 

Thanks for your support and we hope you enjoy!

 

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