Article: Who is the Face of the Minnesota Twins?

[Doomtints]

People outside of MN have no idea who Berrios is.

[mikelink45]

Until one emerges it is Astudillo.  Not for the long run, but right now he is the player people want to watch.  Next year should be someone else. 

[DocBauer]

I think the Twins have done a pretty poor job of promoting the individuals on this team post Mauer and Dozier. My 82 year old mom complained to me the other day that she doesn't know anyone on the team anymore. Maybe a new "Get to Know 'Em" commercial blitz is in order?

 

Speaking of marketing, the recent team advertising campaigns have been embarrassingly bad. Last season's "This is How We Baseball", followed by this season's hot dog stand colored, kaleidoscopic, seizure inducers have been complete flops. Might be wise to get back to the popular Twins Territory type campaign that actually attempted to make a connection between the fans and the players. Might sell a few more tickets (combined with the improved product on the field, of course).

Watching the games on MLB app I dont get to see such commercials. But just reading your comments got me remembering the old "lumber company" commercials way back in the early 80's with Smalley, Wyneger and such. Might be appropriate for a rebirth. Something with forest scenes, sound of chainsaws and axes and shots of bombs by this team mixed in.

[DocBauer]

Until one emerges it is Astudillo. Not for the long run, but right now he is the player people want to watch. Next year should be someone else.

Infectious, fun and productive, you could be right. He should be back soon, maybe Friday. Willing to bet he takes off where he left off. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isnt he still a rookie?

 

Hands down the easy early choice for Twins rookie. With 500AB playing all over, he could grab a spotlight to be sure.

[luckylager]

 

Watching the games on MLB app I dont get to see such commercials. But just reading your comments got me remembering the old "lumber company" commercials way back in the early 80's with Smalley, Wyneger and such. Might be appropriate for a rebirth. Something with forest scenes, sound of chainsaws and axes and shots of bombs by this team mixed in.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzBzhDXwUKo

 

Classic! And exactly what they need to do again. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHe32xIhwzY

 

As oppose to this current campaign. 

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2019 by luckylager

[ScooterDance]

I thought about this in terms of who I think will get the most all star votes this year. Who is most likely to be voted in by fans?

 

My guess is Rosario, if he keeps mashing HRs. He was in the final vote last year. He’s leading the league in HRs. I also think he’ll be hitting over .250 when it’s time to vote.

 

If he’s hitting .222 though, I could see Polanco. Especially since he’ll probably have about 7 cycles by then.

[TheLeviathan]

Berrios.  He's the swagger.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

There is no "I" in team.  That is one of the assets of this 2019 Twins' team.

[yarnivek1972]

 

 

Hel-LO.

Can’t believe no one mentioned TC until well into page 2.

[h2oface]

 

Until one emerges it is Astudillo.  Not for the long run, but right now he is the player people want to watch.  Next year should be someone else. 

 

Just a quick aside...... 

all very small sample, but he is having most of his success, so far, when he catches.... kinda interesting - take a look at his splits.

 

http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/splits/_/id/34878/willians-astudillo

 

I, for one, don't watch for Astudillo.... but I am happy for his success for the Twins. I find him a novelty that .... well.... a great story, like Colabello was. Quirky name, nice story, and a quick start. We will see how pitching to him adapts. I don't find any of his defense above average, but acceptable. Time will tell. I certainly don't dislike him. I just am not on the player people want to watch list.

[Aerodeliria]

It's hard to decide, but I'm gonna go with Tony Olivia despite his bum knee.

[old nurse]

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzBzhDXwUKo

 

Classic! And exactly what they need to do again. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHe32xIhwzY

 

As oppose to this current campaign. 

The ad labeled current is history, although recent.  The ne from 1978, the team does not need that advertisement ever again. petty much anyone in that commercial went on to a bad year The Lumber Co went on to hit 80 some HR, ranking 14th out of 14 teams

Edited May 10, 2019 by old nurse

[MABB1959]

Berrios for me but you only see him once maybe twice a week.  People know the name Sano and if he comes back strong that is who I would go with.  Rosario really brings out the spirit of the team but not sure he is a MN household name yet.  But there is also Buxton who most likely known to most fans.

[mini_tb]

Don't sleep on Morneau.  He's one of the league leaders in Wins Above Raplacement Announcer.

[Don't Feed the Greed Guy]

 

I don't think they have a "face" at the moment. Someone might step into the spot as the season progresses, but I'm cool with a bunch of stars and not one super-star. 

Yes, if/when the Twins make the postseason, there will be a place for the "face" to emerge in that place in time known as "the clutch." 

 

Until then, there's a guy sitting in the Twins clubhouse, at Joe Mauer's vacated corner locker. He need not mention his 1.016 OPS in 41 postseason games. His leadership--his "face" need only count in the admiration and respect of 24 other men who share a locker inside that clubhouse. The understated, ever-present face of this franchise is Nelson Cruz.

[luckylager]

 

The ad labeled current is history, although recent.  The ne from 1978, the team does not need that advertisement ever again. petty much anyone in that commercial went on to a bad year The Lumber Co went on to hit 80 some HR, ranking 14th out of 14 teams

 

The ad labeled "current" is not history. It continues to play on FSN during every game.  It's also the very top item on the team's Facebook page. Pretty sure the "Lumber Company" ads had zero effect on the on-field production. They were great, as were the "Get to Know 'Em" ads. My point being the current marketing campaign does not promote the team members/personalities like they did in the old days. This is one of the reasons that putting a face on the team is not an easy task and also one of the reasons for a decline in ticket sales. Twins need a new ad agency. 

Edited May 10, 2019 by luckylager

[old nurse]

 

The ad labeled "current" is not history. It continues to play on FSN during every game.  It's also the very top item on the team's Facebook page. Pretty sure the "Lumber Company" ads had zero effect on the on-field production. They were great, as were the "Get to Know 'Em" ads. My point being the current marketing campaign does not promote the team members/personalities like they did in the old days. This is one of the reasons that putting a face on the team is not an easy task and also one of the reasons for a decline in ticket sales. Twins need a new ad agency. 

The 78 ad highlighted 4 players, one was gone after that season, one gone in the middle of the next season, one a never developed. It shows why they are not showing ads highlighting players. Players go, the game itself stays. Interesting that they did not edit Dozier out of the commercial.  I would guess running an ad in the game they would expect the people watching to already know who Rosario, Berrios and Buxton are.

[ashbury]

The ad labeled "current" is not history. It continues to play on FSN during every game.  It's also the very top item on the team's Facebook page.

It needs to go, then. "We Have Tickets"??? That seems like a minimum level of competence expected when running a team. Did they hire RandBall's Stu as their ad agency, using Falvey's middle-school nephew to do the graphics?

[luckylager]

 

It needs to go, then. "We Have Tickets"??? That seems like a minimum level of competence expected when running a team. Did they hire Randball's Stu as their ad agency, using Falvey's middle-school nephew to do the graphics?

 

I'm guessing an incestual relationship between the ad agency and the Pohlads (ala the GO96.3 radio fiasco a few years ago).  

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

.

 

It should be Polanco, but Berrios or Eddie could pass him if either signs extensions.

 

If Polanco keeps hitting the way he's hitting, it will be Polanco. 

[goulik]

If I could choose to go to a game on any given day without real life interfering with my selection of games, I would look to see when Berrios is pitching before choosing the date.

 

At the games I like to yell "Hip Hip Jorge" every time Polanco comes up to bat. That kid is GOOD! (and still under rated)

 

I am ready to jump to my feet when Rosario is up to bat because there is a high probability of a hard hit ball. My excitement is definitely high when he has the wood in his hands.

 

But

 

for me, La Tortuga at bats are cannot miss baseball. He makes my heart giddy. I would pick him if he had more time in the majors or was at least healthy and playing right now...

 

How do I choose just one? At this point I cannot. Today, gun to my head, I would say Polanco only because of the extension. I hope Rosario, Berrios and Buxton are all extended before the end of the year as well. (but that is a different thread) And I cannot wait to see Astudillo back on the field continuing to develop. ROY?

[gil4]

 

Who cares? The best thing about this team is that it is a team.  Thank goodness its not #7 any more. Blasphemy? So be it.

I hate to say it, but it might still be. Does anyone else's jersey outsell #7 in the gift shop yet? Does the average fan know he's retired, or do they wonder why he's not catching tonight?

[Twodogs]

Hard to have a face of the team when everyone is on a one or two year deal. That leaves Polanco and Kepler as the only real dudes with long term investment into them.

[Thrylos]

To sequestrate a GoT analogy, this is a Multi-faced Team, and it is a great thing. 

 

Also, a very interesting thing is that none from the players mentioned (other than Cruz, but he is at his sunset years as a player) is comfortable enough speaking to be the mouth of the team, so, refreshingly, after the passing of Dozier, and Perkins, and Cuddyer, the Twins seem to not have one of those as well (and this is also a good thing.)

 

All bets are off when Sano returns, because he has the potential of being both...

[Teflon]

It's a toss-up between Minnie and Paul.