Are the Twins Not Using Spin to Win?

I have been wondering about this in the back of my mind as it seems several pitches just don't have the same level of control they have had in the past.  I just don't have enough info though to make an informed decision.  If MLB is contemplating penalties it will be interesting to see who gets hit by them.

The article neither answers the question nor really gives enough information to draw a conclusion

If the Twins pitchers are using a sticky substance I hope that it is banned, because it certainly has not worked.  Robles last night was great for one batter - then he lost the game and he is second best in the BP if he is using a substance and it is taken away from him we might as well DFA him now. 

I believe this years spin is the FO trying to sell us this pitching staff. 

I think the tell is usually that you can see a point where a pitcher's spin rate makes a sudden increase, we could much more easily tell who's using if we stacked up their spin rates over the last few years and looked for a dramatic bump.

Also anyone whose current spin rate would have been considered excellent a few years ago is worth investigating.

I think that as a team built around hitting, the Twins are suffering more from sticky stuff than they may potentially be benefiting from it, but it can't possibly be responsible for all of their woes. It certainly gives me more sympathy for strikeout-prone players like Sano, 

Slight change of topic.  But what was Wes Johnson’s supposedly specific skill area of expertise within pitching when he started with the Twins?

Was it teaching the slider, or something about the release point?

He supposedly had this knack for noticing a flaw and fixing it.

But what was it?

Yep, the questions 'How does a team that was on the cutting edge of analysis and implementation of advanced data suddenly become one of the worst pitching staffs in baseball? And does that have anything to do with the fact that the most outspoken hitter on the substance topic is playing 3B?" have crossed my mind quite a few times this spring. I can't prove anything either way, so I can't/won't officially have that take. But I do wonder...

The spin rate based on substance issue is an interesting one.  Specifically, how many teams are widely using it versus not.  So many cheating sandals have happened because players had not spoken up and became the norm.  After being caught players speak out saying I wish I would have said something before.  Back in the day when there was very little player movement it did not benefit a player from speaking out against his own team, even in private, to play the game straight up.  

Now with all the player movement it does benefit hitters to tell pitchers to not cheat because maybe next season, or even later in the season they will be on opposite sides. Then it benefits the hitter to tell on the pitcher.  So maybe Donaldson told his pitchers to not use substances. 

I read that since the announced crack down, batting averages took a jump, over short sample, but spin rates took a huge dive as well.  So it is clear it was happening and reports are just about every pitcher was using something.  Now with the crack down it will be interesting to see who holds up to past numbers and who drops off. 

I for one hope the Twins weren’t cheating. Because it the results we have seen so far are "cheat" assisted then I shudder to think what it will be like when we don’t? 
 

That said, if the rest of the league is using sticky stuff, what makes one think the Twins won’t? Just cuz Donaldson says not to? I doubt a pitcher who’s paycheck doesn’t come from Donaldson really cares what he thinks. If the baseline is sticky stuff, I can’t believe Twins pitchers aren’t on it. Despite the results so far! ???