Leaderboard

There is a name from the past! Watching him come up through the minors, I thought he was going to be a bank end stud for years to come.

Take Chacin out of the discussion and I agree completely with your well written essay. Thanks for the reflection. But give me Dobnak, Thorpe, Balazovic, Duran and let Chacin move on.

Great article, Nick, thanks. Hopefully, we will have the opportunity to watch this group sometime this summer. Yes, they don't have a traditional ACE. But Berrios is close and could become that ACE this year, especially if the season ends up at 110-120 games. Odorizzi likewise should be very good in a shortened season. Hill will probably now be available before Pineda, and he could be that near ACE that makes the difference. I am one who is glad the team isn't giving in to agents demands and signing very good, but not great pitchers like Darvish to huge contracts for way too many years. Really like how they have stuck to their principals. Meanwhile they have created unbelievable depth which will offset one or two of these new guys failing.

The Twins began August 2.5 games behind Cleveland in the division. Hopefully the addition of Jon Gray and the full return of Max Kepler were enough to regain the top spot. Come find out how the Twins did in August!Today’s post will feature how the Twins did in July. Check out the previous editions of this series: April, May, June, July. Roster moves throughout the month: 8/21: Alex Kirilloff called up. Michael Pineda placed on 15-day IL.8/30: Lewis Thorpe called up. Randy Dobnak sent down.AL Central at the end of August: Indians: 87-50Twins: 85-53 (2.5 GB)White Sox: 66-71 (21.0 GB)Royals 59-78 (28.0 GB)Tigers 53-84 (34.0 GB)Lineup with end of August statistics:Buxton: .207/.277/.335 (.613), 8 HR, 40 RBI, 1.2 WARArraez: .305/.382/.425 (.807), 10 HR, 49 RBI, 1.9 WARKepler: .347/.434/.656 (1.090), 22 HR, 55 RBI, 5.4 WARSano: .272/.368/.608(.976), 37 HR, 94 RBI, 4.0 WARCruz: .302/.382/.555 (.938), 29 HR, 83 RBI, 3.4 WARGarver: .264/.340/.500 (.840), 24 HR, 61 RBI, 4.3 WARPolanco: .292/.369/.473 (.842), 15 HR, 55 RBI, 4.4 WARRosario: .267/.292/.493 (.785), 27 HR, 80 RBI, 1.0 WARDonaldson: .245/.343/.416 (.758), 17 HR, 56 RBI 3.4 WARBench Summary: The four players on the bench to finish the month were Alex Avila, Ehire Adrianza, Alex Kirilloff, and Marwin Gonzalez. Kirilloff replaced a struggling Astudillo but suffered a day-to-day injury and will see his first AB in September. All four produced as expected with averages around .250 to .280 at the end of August. August rotation with end of the month statistics: Jose Berrios: 11-9, 3.80 ERA, 8.46 K/9, 3.11 BB/9, 2.9 WARKenta Maeda: 10-5, 3.05 ERA, 8.25 K/9, 2.26 BB/9, 3.4 WARJake Odorizzi: 8-10, 5.02 ERA, 8.94 K/9, 3.61 BB/9, 0.7 WARJon Gray: 14-6, 2.69 ERA, 8.73 K/9, 2.79 BB/9, 4.2 WARRich Hill: 9-7, 3.72 ERA, 9.68 K/9, 3.38 BB/9, 2.0 WARBullpen Summary: The bullpen at the end of August consisted of Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Trevor May, Sergio Romo, Zack Littell, Homer Bailey, and Lewis Thorpe. Everyone is performing well, especially Rogers, Duffey, Romo, and Bailey. Hill was temporarily moved back into the rotation until Pineda is recovered from injury in about 4 days. Pineda currently holds a 2.93 ERA. August summary for the Twins: Finally another great month! After two months of mediocre play, the Twins went 19-8 in August to remain one of the best teams in baseball. Sadly the Indians are playing like the best team in baseball, so the Twins are stuck in the wild card. The Astros are leading the Twins in home runs 218-214 after August. This was a great month offensively for the team and it showed just how impactful the Kepler injury was. While he was hurt the Twins were about a .500 team, but with him around they have been the best team in baseball. He is 8th in AL WAR despite only playing in 87 of the 138 games so far. On the pitching side, the addition of Jon Gray is already showing how necessary it was. Berrios and Odorizzi both are struggling a bit, Pineda got hurt, and Maeda was the only other great starting pitcher. Around MLB: Division leaders ALC: Indians (87-50)ALW: Astros (82-55)ALE: Red Sox (88-50)ALWC: Twins (85-53), Yankees (82-55)NLC: Cubs (77-61)NLW: Dodgers (87-52)NLE: MARLINS (78-60)NLWC: Nationals (75-63), Brewers (74-63)League leaders: AVG AL/NL: Bogaerts (.356), Blackmon (.331)OBP AL/NL: Bogaerts (.435), Goldschmidt (.423)SLG AL/NL: Bogaerts (.712), Freeman (.590)HR AL/NL: F. Reyes (43), Freeman (43)ERA AL/NL: Morton (2.63), Hendricks (1.76)SO AL/NL: Cole (229), Scherzer (228)Twins September call-ups: SP Randy Dobnak: 3.21 ERA with the Twins in 2020.SS/2B Nick Gordon: .271 AVG with 17 HR and 58 RBIs in AAA.September preview: So the Twins will begin September 2.5 out of first place in the division while holding a 4.5 game lead on the first wild card spot. A playoff spot seems likely, but will it be in the division, or will it be in the wild card? Can the Twins avoid the Yankees who are 5.5 back in the east and also 2.0 ahead of the Rays in the wild card? The Twins play Cleveland six times in September (Sep 1-3 and Sep 8-10) and I plan to keep you updated. The full September post will go up on Sunday, but head over to my Twitter account @Carlson_MnTwins to see updates on those two series. Any questions about what’s going on in the league so far? Leave a comment and I’ll be sure to answer whether it's about a certain player, team, or anything else! What are your thoughts on this series I am putting together? MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

The Twins are loaded on offense and in the bullpen. These are clear areas of strength. The rotation stands out as a pivotal factor in determining whether this is a division-winning team or a championship-caliber team. So let's dissect this unit from front to back.Projected Rotation: Jose Berrios, Jake Odorizzi, Kenta Maeda, Homer Bailey, Jhoulys Chacin Depth: Michael Pineda, Rich Hill, Randy Dobnak, Devin Smeltzer, Lewis Thorpe Prospects: Jordan Balazovic, Jhoan Duran, Blayne Enlow THE GOOD The Twins will be at least three-deep with upper-tier starters out of the gates. Jose Berrios and Jake Odorizzi were All-Stars last year and both ranked among MLB's top 20 starting pitchers in fWAR. Kenta Maeda has a track record as one of the game's premium strikeout pitchers, and was a longtime cog for the always-dominant Dodgers. These are thoroughbreds, and Minnesota's sophisticated coaching infrastructure increases the likelihood of optimal output. As much as folks want to treat last year's rotation as a crippling weak point that doomed the Twins in October, their starters were collectively respectable in 2019. They ranked seventh among MLB teams in fWAR, 11th in ERA, and eighth in FIP. Those numbers were dragged down significantly by Martin Perez and his 4.99 ERA in 29 starts. He's gone, and it's tough to imagine any replacement coming close to his level of ineffectiveness. Kyle Gibson too was a liability down the stretch, diminished by his physical ailment, and he also has moved on. Tentatively slated to replace them in the back half of the rotation are veteran free agent signings Homer Bailey and Jhoulys Chacin. Each one brings a certain element of intrigue: Bailey made major strides late last year with a weaponized splitter, and Chacin has a better career ERA+ than Berrios, Odorizzi and Maeda. That said, the Twins are not beholden to either back-end option, least of all Chacin with his non-guaranteed contract. There are plenty of capable arms vying to take their places, not counting the eventual arrivals of front-end talents in Michael Pineda and Rich Hill. Randy Dobnak pitched exceedingly well as a rookie during the stretch run last year, and made a start in the playoffs. Devin Smeltzer posted a 3.86 ERA over 49 innings, looking very much up to the task as a fill-in. Lewis Thorpe offers the most upside of the three and flashed big strikeout stuff during a bumpy debut. Then you've got top prospects Jordan Balazovic and Jhoan Duran, who are both nearing the point of a potential call-up. I can't ever remember a time where the Twins were this deep on quality options. Even back in the glory days, when boasting one of the league's top overall rotations led by Johan Santana, Minnesota always seemed to have blatant weakness on the back end, with a lack of high-caliber reinforcements to step in. Obviously nothing is guaranteed with the likes of Bailey, or Chacin, or the various mostly-untested minor leaguers, but there are a lot of quality options in this mix, providing the Twins with plentiful contingencies in the inevitability of health and performance setbacks. THE BAD The Twins might now have more depth than those classic Santana-led rotations, but they what they don't have is a Santana. Minnesota has won two of its 21 postseason contests dating back to 2003, and both of those games were started by Johan, underscoring the vital importance of a shutdown No. 1 starter. It's not clear the Twins have one. It's also not clear they don't; Berrios and Odorizzi both bordered on that designation in 2019, and neither has turned 30 yet. Maeda has frequently been dominant on the big stage, and has qualities that put him into the potential ace discussion. Hill has put up stellar numbers when on the mound. Berrios in particular is interesting. He's still only 25. He and the team are fully focused on making the transition from excellent to elite, which would require a sturdier second half. One wonders how a shortened season might affect a pitcher who owned a 2.80 ERA through the end of July last year. But, unless and until such a fortuitous development takes place, the Twins are plainly lacking a prototypical ace to match their contending counterparts in New York and Houston. This may not greatly hinder them in their goal of winning the division, but it's certainly a hurdle for getting over the hump in October (November, December... what have you). THE BOTTOM LINE The Twins have put themselves in very good position with starting pitching. They brought back key pieces from last year's group by re-signing Odorizzi and Pineda, added veteran depth with Bailey and Chacin, placed an exciting wild card in the deck with Hill, and found their impact pitching in the form of Maeda. This plan might not live up to the hopes of those who clamored for the acquisition of a clear-cut No. 1 via trade or free agency, but such assets are in short supply, and Minnesota's front office did a helluva job improvising. This is the deepest Twins starting pitching corps I can ever remember, complete with legitimate upside and high-caliber reinforcements. It's well crafted to support an elite offense and propel the team where it needs to go – especially if the rotation's burden is lessened by a robust bullpen that carries much of the load. ~~~ Twins 2020 Position Analysis: Catcher Twins 2020 Position Analysis: First Base Twins 2020 Position Analysis: Second Base Twins 2020 Position Analysis: Third Base Twins 2020 Position Analysis: Shortstop Twins 2020 Position Analysis: Left Field Twins 2020 Position Analysis: Center Field Twins 2020 Position Analysis: Right Field Twins 2020 Position Analysis: Designated Hitter MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

TWINS WIN! TWINS WIN!

Fun. Two issues... 1. Many folks in the community...especially folks that were adults when Kirby played...don't have Twitter. (I'd vote Kirby, but I can't.) 2. Your 'World Series Region'.... There's a minuscule list of players that were starters on both the '87 and the '91 team: Hrbek, Gagne, Gladden, Puckett. You can't call one of the regions the 'World Series' region and NOT have Dan Gladden one of the eight entrants. Go back and look at what he did in both post-seasons. That's an egregious omission.

I think the best pitchers will get weak contact due to some sort of movement on their pitch. Mariano Rivera had that cutter that would look good and then when you swing all of the sudden it's off of the end of the bat. Now Mariano could rack up some K's too. But he could also get weak flyball and a weak ground out too. Jack Morris had I think a splitter, and he'd get hit all the time, bit when he was on, the hits weren't great. I mean there are tons of guys with 95 - 100 mph fastballs and still get lit up. So I think the premier pitcher would be able to combine that pitch to contact, with also being a strikeout pitcher when you need to be. Those that can combine both skill sets will be able to pitch deep into games and be able to get themselves out of jams when they arise

The biggest issue I have with the system is they fall under the contract negotiated by the MLBPA, but they aren't eligible for membership. As others have said, MLBPA gives lip service to caring about minor leaguers. (They might be overstating their level of concern.) I'm not sure what what their contracts say, but at a minimum they should be allowed to opt out of any reduction and become free agents. (It would really only affect a few, but it would be a deterence to the teams.) Most would probably accept the reduction in order to keep the medical.

If I implied this somewhere in my article then I apologize, but are they any less important then other laid off workers? Definitely not my intention to imply they are important nor my belief. Other than the opening paragraph mentioning the news that players will be paid $400, this article is about Minor League pay in general. Not specifically during COVID-19 pandemic. You are absolutely correct there will be. Unfortunately, minor league baseball players (who are also humans with basic needs) are not allowed to be part of those jobless claims because they are under contract and being provided $400/week to live after not getting paid by their primary employer since September 2019.

After recently watching games from the 1970s and 1980s, it truly looks like a completely different game compared to today. I can do without the strikeouts in abundance and miss the strategy of (yes, bunting) stolen bases, hit and runs, etc. Today's game is exciting and beautiful in its own right as well.

I love these articles. Thanks, Heezy.

Couldn't agree more. Don't even get me started on EA Sports destroying the NFL 2K franchise and leaving us with crappy Madden as our only football VG option. Sore subject haha

I'll expand on this. First, pitching to contact is what is says. It is NOT "spending tons of pitches nibbling", it's inducing batters to make less-than-ideal contact, especially early in the count. Neither pitching to contact nor pitching for a strikeout will be successful for everyone and neither should be the approach a pitching coach and manager should promote. Instead, the approach should be tailored to what works best for an individual pitcher. A strikeout is second only to a double play in the best possible outcome of a plate appearance for a pitcher but pitch to contact, if successful, will allow a starter to go further into a game (and into a career) because not as many pitches will need to be thrown to get outs.

Very interesting! No offense to him, but Colabello should not be a benchmark for the Twins, or anyone else. Fact is, his career was something few ever achieve, but it was limited and short lived. Plenty of other teams passed on the guy before the Twins and after the Jays. What is extremely poignant is the changes within the Twins system to date with this new FO. Frankly, I am tired of TR being vilified for being incompetant. He was a great scout of talent and did a lot of great things for the organization. There was a time and place for what the Twins did and taught. The same things and ways most teams did things. The problem was the Twins were WAY LATE to adapt to change! And we've heard that from past players. The good news, as pointed out, is the the new individual approach we've been hearing about. It's not just the universal approach to power and launch angle, but each and every player finding their comfort zone. An example is Buxton, despite his shortened 2019, going back to what felt comfortable and right and having the best season of his career. Lest we forget Sano, Kepler, Polanco, etc. It wasn't just Rocco. It was his coaches and the new philosophy from the top on down. The Twins might have been one of the last teams to adapt, but they might also be one of the most progressive organizations right now. Who would have thought that 3yrs ago?

I think if you had stuck with the apparent approach taken for the historical years, 2019 would have been either "?" or would have remained Berrios (who, depending upon the WAR number you use, was 'about' as good as Cruz in 2019). Maybe Cruz is going to be a one-hit wonder like Zoilo Versalles...or maybe he ends up being a Paul Molitor to Jorge Polanco's Chuck Knoblauch (as an example). I like the approach. But it is tough on players that played in the era of the long-term dominant guys....guys like Bob Allison, Jim Kaat, Gaetti, Viola, Morneau....all were very, very good for extended periods, and, at least arguably, had a year or two where they were better than the reigning king. Bert Blyleven has the 4th or 5th most Twins WAR all-time, but doesn't make the list. Oliva, in similar situation. Pretty easy to argue Oliva was better then Killebrew (definitely WAR-wise) for multiple years during Killebrew's reign...even multiple consecutive years within that time period. There's a reason why Oliva has a statue at Target field...while more than half the names on this list will never reach that status.