Feb 6
Make no doubt about it, there are Twins players and prospects starting their respective seasons.
Didn’t see a bullpen session, but Phil Hughes, Michael Tonkin were doing some tossing in an outfield before going into the weight room.
There was an infield exercise that many of the position players participated then there was a batting practice made up of about three groups of four batters before most of the players heading into the weight room to finish out their day. Could pick out players like Mitch Garver, Travis Harrison and Lamonte Wade, but perhaps a little surprising was Byungho Park participating as if he has every intension of being part of the Minnesota group.
I enjoy the camaraderie of the small group of spectators who do our best at attempting to access our face recognition tools to figure out who the unidentified players are, and then sharing whatever information we know or heard from another spectator. Sure no one could figure out who one of the four participants was in the first group of BP, but sometimes we nailed it!
Of course Halsey Hal was there as usual and he encouraged me to start this post. He did promise to contribute, he just didn’t want to start it….post started!

Excellent!

 

Park is now a non-roster invitee to the ML camp, so it's no surprise he's there ... at least unless/until he's claimed.

 

Fill us in as much as you can! Thanks, guys!

I've been waiting for someone to post this...

 

I just started seeing some pictures on Facebook... 

 

And if anyone has pictures, post them here and we'll help identify them.

I'll try it again....here is the infield practice....and 1st base is actually Garver.

I could tell it was Garver... everything else is too far away. Ha!

Should have little trouble identifying Hughes....

Lot backs here, but that's Park with  the black leggings.

Please tell me Garver isn't at first for any other reason than he's just helping out...

 

Please tell me Garver isn't at first for any other reason than he's just helping out...

Last year I noticed that several of the catchers took some time at first to just do that. I don't think it's anything to read into.

Well today I only noticed one new arrival, Pressly.  I watched Shagwaa and Wimmers throw a bullpen session.  IMO the best pitcher on the team is one of those two.  Wimmers breaking ball really has a big bite, dropping down.  Then Tyler Wells threw and after him Hughes did his first bullpen, but only threw at about 50% I'd say.  I understand Perkins will throw in the pen friday.

 

As the daily routine goes, they did infield practice, just fielding so far.  Then at 10:30 they took batting practice.  The wind was blowing out and most of the first group were power hitters so some balls got lost over both fences.  In that group were Travis Harrison, Park, Garver and Palka.  Palka really has some power.  Garver hits nice line drives.  The second group had a big, athletic looking guy, Isaiah Aluko that hits left handed and went deep to left field.  Not sure where he came from, but worth watching. 

 

David Eckstein's brother must be a coach with us now. 

 

I talked with Park.  He said his wrist is fine.  I asked a few questions, and got that he had fun last year, that this is different than playing at home and he learned a lot last season.  I just get the feeling that he has more desire to succeed here than the average guy. 

Edited February 7, 20179 yr by Halsey Hall

 

Please tell me Garver isn't at first for any other reason than he's just helping out...

 

He's played a lot of 1B in his years... a way to keep his bat in the lineup on days when he wasn't catching.

 

The second group had a big, athletic looking guy, Isaya something that hits left handed and went deep to left field.  Not sure where he came from, but worth watching. 

 

David Eckstein's brother must be a coach with us now. 

 

Isaiah Aluko signed last year as a non-drafted free agent and spent a few weeks in the GCL at the end of last season. I believe he went to Valdosta State. He's a great athlete, profiled in the prospect handbook.

 

Rick Eckstein is the minor league hitting coordinator... they hired him last August. 

 

I watched Shagwaa and Wimmers throw a bullpen session.

 

 

Pretty sure  Halsey meant J.T. Chargois...

 

Pretty sure  Halsey meant J.T. Chargois...

Yup, wasn't sure of spelling so went with how it's pronounced. 

 

Well today I only noticed one new arrival, Pressly.  I watched Shagwaa and Wimmers throw a bullpen session.  IMO the best pitcher on the team is one of those two.  Wimmers breaking ball really has a big bite, dropping down.  Then Tyler Wells threw and after him Hughes did his first bullpen, but only threw at about 50% I'd say.  I understand Perkins will throw in the pen friday.

 

As the daily routine goes, they did infield practice, just fielding so far.  Then at 10:30 they took batting practice.  The wind was blowing out and most of the first group were power hitters so some balls got lost over both fences.  In that group were Travis Harrison, Park, Garver and Palka.  Palka really has some power.  Garver hits nice line drives.  The second group had a big, athletic looking guy, Isaiah Aluko that hits left handed and went deep to left field.  Not sure where he came from, but worth watching. 

 

David Eckstein's brother must be a coach with us now. 

 

I talked with Park.  He said his wrist is fine.  I asked a few questions, and got that he had fun last year, that this is different than playing at home and he learned a lot last season.  I just get the feeling that he has more desire to succeed here than the average guy. 

I saw this post, and hadn't heard of Isaiah Aluko, so I looked him up.  

Apparently, he is truly multi-talented, according to this Alaska newspaper---

Take wing, young man!  Take wing!

 

Edited February 9, 20179 yr by David HK

 

I saw this post, and hadn't heard of Isaiah Aluko, so I looked him up.  

Apparently, he is truly multi-talented, according to this Alaska newspaper---

Take wing, young man!  Take wing!

Were you also struck by amount of typos in that entire article? It was amazing.

Apparently Aluko didn't even start on his high school team, according to one of the coaches, but some scout liked him and signed him. 

For some reason there just aren't as many players working out as there was Monday lately. The pitchers are on a short morning, toss some and then head inside. Today Tonkin came out and ran but that's all I saw.

 

Alex Kirilloff was here today and his first swing in bp went way over the right field fence.  There was more fans today, maybe 25, and when he was done he signed for quite a lot of them.  Seems to be a nice kid. That's about it for the day. 

 

Were you also struck by amount of typos in that entire article? It was amazing.

It's Alaska.  They once voted for a certain governor, so I don't think they put a lot of importance on grammar... 

Is Vargas there?

 

Is Vargas there?

He said he'd be here the 13th.

When does Punto slide (head first) into town?

Today it was crowded at the fields, both with fans and players.  I wish they wouldn't hype this up in the local paper like they do, but that's the nature of the beast.  New arrivals today were Max Kepler, Jason Castro and Byron Buxton and I'm sure others as there were a bunch of faces I didn't know.  A couple of catchers were new also, Rodriquez and Gimenez, sp?.  Mejia threw off the mound. 

 

There were so many to take bp that they used 2 fields.  The major league guys on one and the minors on another.  With ST invites, there were around 4 or 5 that hit with the majors who I have no idea who they were.  I'm not sure how many swings they take, but the last round is one, and they try for the fences.  I'd say Park led the way with long balls today, but many flew out.   A handful of fellows hit in the cages at the stadium before coming down the sidewalk to join the rest.  It was a fun morning but I need these guys to put some numbers on their backs.  It won't be long. 

 

I was told Perkins was to throw 15 pitches off the mound tomorrow.  Didn't see him or Hughes today but they may have been in Hammond. 

Edited February 13, 20179 yr by Halsey Hall

You could say this is pretty much in full swing now. No shows are Dozier, Vargas, Sano, Rosario and of course, Mauer. The pitchers are all using the bull pen at the stadium and the field next to it to start the day. The hitters use the next two fields down the side walk, and the minors use the last field, and the half field at that end. Security did pull back the fence and allowed fans underneath to the picnic area next to the bullpen which is nice. They broke out new balls today also.

 

They did my favorite drill today, they very high popups behind home plate for catchers. Very high sky this morning, no clouds and a heavy wind, so that was entertaining. 

 

LaTroy is here but no Torii or Cuddy yet.  Tomorrow is the Lee County Twins Cancer Care golf tourney so it will be a short practice. 

When is everyone heading down to Fort Myers?  

 

I will be there beginning February 23-28 to visit my parents in Naples.  I plan on going to at least one game, possibly the one at Jet Blue Park against the BoSox since I haven't had a chance to see it yet.

 

When is everyone heading down to Fort Myers?  

 

I will be there beginning February 23-28 to visit my parents in Naples.  I plan on going to at least one game, possibly the one at Jet Blue Park against the BoSox since I haven't had a chance to see it yet.

 

I'm not making it down there this year, but Jet Blue is pretty cool. Enjoy!

19 Mar - 1 Apr

Halsey you spot Mejia? Has he cut any weight?

 

When is everyone heading down to Fort Myers?  

 

I will be there beginning February 23-28 to visit my parents in Naples.  I plan on going to at least one game, possibly the one at Jet Blue Park against the BoSox since I haven't had a chance to see it yet.

 

I recommend getting a seat on or in the Monster. 

 

Halsey you spot Mejia? Has he cut any weight?

Having never seen him in person before I have no idea, but he's a big man.