Melissa Berman

As Minnesota’s very own Bob Dylan said, "The Times They Are A-Changin'," and our national pastime is no exception. But baseball purists take heart, though the new year is bringing some experimental rule changes to Minor League Baseball, many of them are not totally new to the minors, and some are even due for a major league call up in 2023. Major League Baseball (MLB) recently introduced a host of new and expanded rules it will be trying out during the 2022 Minor League season. A common thread connecting these changes, and others, is MLB's goals of making the game faster and improving player safety. Seeing rule trials at the Minor League level is nothing new; MLB has traditionally used its Minor Leagues as a testing ground for on-field rule changes it is considering for future MLB implementation. In the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the MLB Players Association and MLB agreed to the defensive position requirement (otherwise known as banning the shift) to implement a pitch clock and to make bases larger effective the 2023 season. Each of these rules was tested and deemed successful at the Minor League Level during the 2021 season- the shift was banned in Double-A, a pitch clock was used in Low-A, and base size was increased at the Triple-A level. Here is a roundup of the new and expanded rules that baseball fans will see in the Minors in 2022: 1. Expanded pitch clock (all full-season leagues) 2. Expanded use of larger bases (all full-season leagues) 3. Expanded use of the defensive position requirement (Double-A and both Class A levels) 4. Expanded automatic ball-strike system with challenge, otherwise known as “robot umpires” (Triple-A and Low-A Southeast) Expanded pitch clock The amount of time that St. Paul Saints fans spend goofing around with the ushertainers at CHS Field is about to lessen (pro tip- do not let Coach catch you buried in your phone during the game). After being used in various capacities since 2015, the new season will feature pitch clocks being used universally across all Minor League levels, including at CHS Field. When bases are empty, at all full-season levels, pitchers will be required to deliver the pitch within 14 seconds. When runners are on base, pitchers will be given more time, and this time will slightly differ by league: pitchers will be required to deliver the pitch within 19 seconds at Triple-A and 18 seconds at all other levels. Hitters will not be allowed to be asleep at the plate either; at all levels, the hitter must be in the batter’s box and attentive to the pitcher with nine seconds left on the timer. MLB’s goal in implementing a pitch clock is to increase the pace of play. In 2021, a pitch clock experiment in Low-A cut game times by 20 minutes using 15-second and 17-second clocks. MLB decided slightly more time was needed when runners were on base and slightly less with bases empty and adjusted the clock times accordingly. Additionally, all Minor League pitchers will be limited to two pickoff attempts or step-offs per plate appearance. If a pitcher takes a third, it will effectively function as a balk (sans chicken clucking noises from jeering fans) and allow all baserunners to advance. Larger bases The size of first, second, and third base will be increased from 15 inches by 15 inches to 18x18 for all full-season affiliates in 2022. MLB’s stated goal of using the larger bases is to reduce player injuries on the base paths. Larger bases were used in the Arizona Fall League and at the Triple-A level in 2021, and MLB found that they not only reduced injuries but contributed to an increase in stolen base rates due to the slightly shortened base paths and the larger base size making it more difficult to overslide the base. Additionally, the larger bases will be composed of material that is expected to perform better in wet conditions, which will provide runners an easier-to-grip surface to slide into, which furthers MLB's goal of reducing injuries. Defensive position requirement In 2021, MLB imposed a limit on defensive shifts at the Double-A level. In 2022, MLB is further expanding this rule. This year, teams in Double-A and both Class A levels will be required to have at least four players on the infield when the pitcher delivers, with two on either side of second base. According to MLB, this restriction on defensive positioning is intended to increase the batting average on balls in play. Defensive shifts have been around for years, but in recent years, MLB shifts have gotten more and more bold, thus leading to these experimental crackdowns. Banning the shift relates to MLB's goal of stimulating offense and increasing in-game excitement. Robot umpires No, this is not a dystopian movie where robots take over the world, it’s baseball in 2022, and robot umpires may soon be coming to an MLB field near you. For now, though, MLB’s experiment with an automated balls-and-strikes system (ABS) will remain confined to the Minors. Previously limited to use in the Low-A Southeast, the system is expanding to also include Triple-A in 2022. The goal is to use technology to improve the accuracy of called balls and strikes and reduce controversy. In Triple-A, a home-plate umpire will relay ball or strike calls generated by Hawk-Eye tracking technology, which recalibrates the top and bottom of the strike zone based on each hitter’s height. The human umpire will still make calls like check swings, interference, and plays at the plate. Automated calling begins May 17 in the Triple-A West, now known as the Pacific Coast League, with the Triple-A returning to its historic names in 2022. Throughout the season, it will be used in all Triple-A East (now called the International League) games played in Charlotte. The St. Paul Saints are in the International League and do not play the Charlotte Knights during the regular season. At the Low-A Southeast level, MLB is exploring an alternate form of ABS calling, otherwise known as a “Challenge System.” Here, human umpires will still make balls and strike calls. However, in select Challenge Games, the pitcher, catcher, and batter can appeal the umpire’s call to the ABS system. Each team will receive three appeals in Challenge Games, with successful appeals retained for future use. The 2022 Minor League Season will look a little different than fans are used to, but with several of these changes headed to MLB in 2023, it seems time for rules to be standardized across all Minor League affiliates. Time will tell if the robot umpires receive a promotion to the Big Leagues. Do you think robot umpires will make it to the majors? Should they? Leave a COMMENT below. View full article

Wow, Facebook breaking the news! There's a first time for everything! And LOL, no comment on the next part!

It's definitely a strange contract. I'm just hoping Correa is setting himself up for his next longer-term contract with the Twins

Love this story. It's been funny to watch the Twins games the last couple days because while the fans are going bonkers over this signing, the commentators still have to live in reality and do their jobs with comments like, "Nothing is confirmed yet, but if the Twins do go on to sign Correa, what a big signing this would be!" etc. So you are far from the only one! Seems to be a bidding war going for Montas right now. Even if we don't get him, after managing to sign Correa I have no choice to have faith that the FO has another trick up their sleeves here. Hopefully we do though. Stay tuned.

Well, THAT was a fun weekend in Twins Territory! Here are my jottings and scattered thoughts about the Correa signing and how it went down: It was really fun to watch everyone learn about the signing in waves. You had the late-night crew who were up at about 2am Saturday morning when the news broke (*I* was not among this group), followed by the early morning crew who probably consists of people who wake up early for work Monday-Friday and can't sleep in on the weekends, followed by the later morning crew who either had really fun Friday nights or are just night owls. It really makes you wonder what that negotiating process looked like for the news to break at such an odd hour. The fact that there were no leaks/speculation from insiders preceding the signing made it extra exciting- it was a complete and total surprise. I don't want to be overly dramatic and say this is a "where were you when" moment, but for us, wasn't it though? I was among the early morning group who woke up to a multitude of ESPN/ Athletic/ Bleacher Report notifications and ecstatic texts and will not soon forget that moment. Let's say I woke up really fast. With the barrage of parody insider accounts floating around Twitter, I'm sure some people thought they were being trolled for a few moments. Correa? To the Twins? Yeah, sure. I love the Twins and baseball so much that I would be excited for the season regardless of projections or status of our lineup. But it feels great to be genuinely excited about something ABOVE and beyond that. We just got the top free agent in all of baseball! Take my money, Target Field box office! Seriously though, in response to the signing, my brother texted me, "Lol I want to buy more tickets now," and I'm in the same boat. Yes, I sure did take advantage of that no ticket fees flash sale the Twins put on. What a paradigm shift for this franchise that generally has not paid free agents. Now let's start making pitching moves. Return of the Bomba Squad!? I want a Correa jersey. But we'll need to wait until we receive word of the Nick Gordon vs Carlos Correa jersey #1 situation. Something tells me we will be seeing Correa wearing that #1 around the diamond.. Was I overly harsh on the front office? I'm going to go with no; no one could have expected us to land Correa. It really looked like for a while there we had downgraded at most positions (ie catcher, DH, and no viable starting shortstop). Given that the sole notable free agent move the Twins made before the lockout commenced was signing Dylan Bundy, who would've thought we'd be wheeling and dealing our way into finessing the Yankees AND landing Correa? Correa chose us. It's not like he was traded here against his will. Yes it's a strange contract he's receiving with those buyouts and I know he's trying to set himself up for his next big contract which, in his mind, may or may not be here, but he left the adoring masses in Houston nonetheless. Other teams in bigger markets would have been willing to pay him. I still wish we had signed Michael Pineda and think it's a mistake we didn't do so; I already miss Big Mike. But more pitching moves have to be coming. Having this starting rotation with Correa on your roster is like having Ikea furniture in your Lake Minnetonka mansion. Time to upgrade. I cannot wait to watch Correa in a Twins uniform this week, and I'm so excited for the applause he's going to draw on Opening Day Any other takeaways from you? What was your "where were you?" moment of the Correa signing?

I've been several times, but between taking the Bar Exam in Feb 2020, the pandemic last year, and the lockout this year, it's been since 2019 for me!! Much too long, Completely agree that it's such a wonderful experience and the Twins' spring training complex is gorgeous! Gotta wash all that baseball down with some Sun Harvest Citrus too! Next year I'll be back

My allegiance is with the 'Grum

Thanks for the kind compliments. I think we were definitely better off with Donaldson + Garver than we will be with Sanchez and Urshela.. curious if we make some more moves or what the exact endgame is besides trying to fit within our own self-imposed salary cap

Fun article. Who would've thought that we'd have a relatively normal spring training after all! Next year I am ABSOLUTELY going down to the Fort.

Thank you so much for the kind words and great analysis. I completely agree he is a natural fit in New York and it appears he's already settling in nicely. Hopefully with such large roster turnover we get some new players and personalities who will be fun for us to watch and root for. Maybe some more moves today!?

Shortstop incoming? Hopefully!

Agree completely. I hope he continues to bring the rain.. even if he IS in pinstripes now. The game of baseball is better when Josh Donaldson is playing it- he holds others accountable.

This is a really cool angle and amazing stories these women have. Thank you for writing it!

Super good points about JD being a big veteran presence/ mentor and the potential leadership vacuum. With Garver gone too, I'm also really curious to see who will step up to fill that leadership role, especially with how much roster turnover the Twins are experiencing currently. No one on the team has Donaldson's type of personality of course (very few people do, period) but there are certainly different forms of leadership. We'll see if someone rises to the occasion.

I totally agree. I'm in support of the Gray for Petty trade- we need starting pitching *now* to simply fill out our rotation regardless of how much we expect to compete (or not) this year. But I don't really think we're any better with Sanchez + Urshela than we were with Donaldson + Garver. Maybe more moves coming.

You are 100% correct with your recollection. I remember at the time he did that I loved the passion, and I still do. He cared- a lot. He tried hard and fought for himself and the Twins no matter how well (or not) we were doing. One can't question his love for the game. I'm going to miss him too.

The stormy skies have cleared over Target Field, and Josh Donaldson is now a Yankee. On March 13, news broke that the Twins had traded third baseman Josh Donaldson, newly-acquired shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and catcher Ben Rortvedt to the Yankees for catcher Gary Sánchez and third baseman Gio Urshela. Though Josh Donaldson’s time with the Twins was cut short and was polarizing to some, his time in Minnesota merits some further evaluation to gain the full picture. Monumental franchise signing The Twins made a big free-agent splash in January 2020 when they signed then-34-year-old Donaldson to a four-year deal worth $92 million guaranteed. Donaldson, the 2015 AL Most Valuable Player Award winner and a three-time All-Star at third base, represented a major commitment on behalf of the Twins organization to bolster its largely-intact and record-setting 2019 “Bomba Squad” lineup. The 2019 Twins set a Major League record with 307 home runs, but their offense sputtered in the postseason and they were swept by the Yankees in the playoffs. The Twins front office hoped the "Bringer of Rain" could bring them some hits and help get them over the hump. Though the Twins primarily signed Donaldson for his bat, the Donaldson signing also gave the Twins a needed defensive boost in the infield, as Donaldson was considered one of the best third basemen in the game at the time. During his 2019 season with the Braves, his glove was worth eight outs above average, per Statcast, ranking him third among all third basemen that year. Donaldson’s contract was historic both on a franchise and league-level. The contract remains the second-largest in MLB history for a player age 33 or older, behind only Kevin Brown's seven-year, $105 million deal with the Dodgers in 1998. The contract also represented a departure from the Twins’ previous hesitation to spend big money on free agents: it greatly surpassed the Twins’ previous record free-agent signing, which was 4 years and $55 million to pitcher Ervin Santana before the 2015 season. For a franchise that had up until that point earned a reputation of not pursuing big-ticket item free agents, the Donaldson signing was a major departure from business as usual at 1 Twins Way. Hampered by injuries but effective when in the lineup Josh Donaldson has struggled with recurring calf issues throughout his career and they continued during his tenure with the Twins. In a July 2020 Instagram post, Donaldson acknowledged that he’s torn “both of my calves a total of seven times in two years.” Calf issues held Donaldson to 28 games in his first season with the Twins in 2020 and forced him to sit out of the Twins playoff series against the Astros that year. During the full 2021 season, Donaldson got in 135 games but was bothered by hamstring issues. However, when Donaldson was in the lineup, he was impactful. During the 2021 season, he hit .247 with 72 RBIs and 26 home runs. He was near the top of the team in almost all hitting categories, including second on the Twins in plate appearances and runs, and third on the Twins for at-bats, RBI, hits, slugging percentage, and home runs. Traditionally a third baseman, in 2021 Donaldson found himself playing in the DH role more than ever before following the departure of DH Nelson Cruz to the Tampa Bay Rays and Donaldson’s continued dealings with injury. In 135 game appearances, Donaldson had 91 starts at third base and 34 at DH. How exactly he will be used for the Yankees appears to be up in the air, but because they are taking on the entire $50 million remaining on the now-36-year-old Donaldson's Twins contract, they clearly think he has more left in the tank. Locker room leader and league-wide presence After the Twins failed 2019 Bomba Squad campaign, the Twins front office was looking to change up the locker room dynamic and try something different. They decided they were “too nice,” according to Sports Illustrated, and wanted to seek out a leader who could help push the team in a different direction. In signing Donaldson, the Twins sought and ultimately found an outspoken leader and voice not only within the locker room, but on a league-wide level. Donaldson is known for having a brash, fiery personality, and is someone who Twins staff, including former Twins pitcher and current Special Assistant to Baseball Operations LaTroy Hawkins, credit as pushing teammates to be better. He is known to some in the league as being a player who teams love having on their team but hate to play against because of his tendency to get under their skin. Playing only 28 games in his first season with the Twins did not prevent Donaldson from having some memorable 2020 moments, including when he bought his teammates customized robes that were affectionately deemed “Bomba Robes,” or when he was ejected after he had a mid-at bat spat with an umpire, hit a home run on the next pitch, and then dragged and kicked dirt across home plate when he came in to score. During the 2021 season, Donaldson appeared in national headlines on multiple occasions when he was one of the more outspoken players in the league regarding the MLB’s sticky substance saga. Donaldson publicly criticized now-Yankee teammate pitcher Gerrit Cole, insinuating that Cole was among the pitchers benefiting from the use of illegal foreign substances to increase pitch spin rates. A few days later on June 10, all eyes were on the Cole– Donaldson matchup as the Twins traveled to the Bronx to take on the Yankees, where Cole ultimately struck out Donaldson twice. Later that month, Donaldson ruffled feathers again by taunting White Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito, another player who Donaldson accused of using sticky substances. On June 29, Donaldson rubbed his hands together while crossing home plate after hitting a home run off Giolito and said, “Hand’s not sticky anymore!" After the game, Giolito called Donaldson “classless,” among other colorful things, and Donaldson said he subsequently confronted Giolito in the parking lot. Donaldson also had some entertaining, and at times, controversial moments on the internet during his time with the Twins. During the 2021 postseason, Donaldson drew attention for his both insightful and humorous live tweeting of the MLB playoffs and the World Series in which he offered his thoughts and opinions on the games and exchanged both humorous jabs and insults with fans and other players. Ultimately, though Donaldson’s Twins tenure was polarizing to some, he was without a doubt one of the most fiery, passionate, and unique personalities the Twins have had in their clubhouse in years- maybe ever. His passion and antics, even when the Twins were in last place, arguably showed he cared. Usually, a team that keeps a lower profile, he interjected the Twins into the national eye with his outspoken nature and confidence. Donaldson will likely fit in in his new home in the Bronx just fine. So farewell to the Bringer of Rain from Twins Territory, and we will see what the forecast for New York City holds. What was your impression of Josh Donaldson’s tenure as a Twin? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The Minneapolis forecast has cleared up, and Josh Donaldson is now a Yankee. After the Josh Donaldson news broke, I instinctively ran to twitter and tweeted, "Josh Donaldson skyrocketed to being one of my favorite Twins ever and I'm going to miss him." I got a few incredulous replies, so I thought I'd expand on it. Is Josh Donaldson a player who is or should be beloved in our hearts among all-time Twins like Harmon Killebrew, Tony O, Kirby Puckett, and Rod Carew? No, of course not- all those players have well-deserved near untouchable status in Twins lore (so please don't nominate me for KFAN's Preposterous Statement Tournament). Donaldson's time with the Twins was short and somewhat plagued by injuries. But it was unbelievably fun having Donaldson on our team. I loved his bravado, his personality, and how he was willing to go to bat against anyone (both literally and figuratively). It was fascinating to have a widely known and respected voice in the league within our own clubhouse- someone who was unafraid to be unapologetically controversial at times. In my lifetime, I do not recall a Twin with a personality as strong as him- he has swagger, chutzpah. Donaldson is one of those players who you love to have on your team but you hate to play against because they have the tendency to get under your skin (Patrick Beverly is our current Timberwolves equivalent). His live tweeting the World Series was both entertaining and insightful, and he seemed accessible to fans in a way that few other professional athletes are today. I was excited when the Twins made a rare, big free agent splash when they signed him January 2020 in the aftermath of 2019's Bomba Squad homerun outbreak. Despite him not being the quality starting pitching I vocally pined for, I was excited that the Twins were finally willing to spend some money to take a leap when traditionally the Twins have not made legitimate efforts to pursue flashy and promising free agents. Ultimately, I understand why the Twins made the deal to send Donaldson to the Bronx- the Twins gave themselves some big payroll flexibility and got a likely regular DH in return in Sánchez- but it was fun having him on the Twins while the storm lasted. So farewell to the Rain Maker and I hope you continue to bring the showers- but why does it have to be for the Yankees!?

Thanks for the kind words- it was interesting to look into, but the truth is no one knows too much yet- so we'll see how much of a difference it really makes, if any!

Thanks for the kind words! ?

That makes sense to me. The MLB doesn't seem to have thought of that in their rationale

Every Sunday at Target Field is Kids Day, where kids 12 and under can channel their best Byron Buxton baserunning and sprint, toddle, or crawl around the Target Field bases, and soon, both the MLB Players and Minnesota’s littlest fans will have a slightly easier path around the bases. In the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the MLB Players Association and the owners agreed to increase the size of first, second, and third bases from 15 inches square to 18 inches beginning in the 2023 season. The size of home plate will remain the same. MLB began experimenting with this larger size of bases during the 2021 season, when they increased the size of the bases in the Triple-A as a part of a group of experimental playing rules. But is bigger better when it comes to bases? MLB seems to think so. Bigger bases might lead to less injuries MLB’s primary reason for experimenting with base size in Triple-A was a belief that making the bases bigger will “reduce player injuries and collisions” on the base paths. The idea is the bigger the base, the more space runners will have to slide around defenders. With slightly shorter base paths, players will also not have as much time to reach full speed, and therefore slides and collisions might not be at the rates of speed previously seen. It is little surprise that the MLBPA signed onto a change which may allow for the game to be safer for its players in the long run, Larger bases might equal more action and excitement A common thread that connects several of the MLB’s new rules- the addition of a pitch clock, banning the shift, and larger base size is a desire to stimulate in-game action and increase excitement for fans. “The Competition Committee also expects the shorter distances between bases created by increased size to have a modest impact on the success rate of stolen base attempts and the frequency with which a batter-runner reaches base on groundballs and bunt attempts,” the league wrote when introducing the 2021 Triple-A experimental rules. While a few inches does not sound like much, in baseball there are a sizeable amount of plays at home plate or a base that require deferral to the replay booth because they are too close to call. Every inch and fraction of a second count when trying to beat out a ground ball or steal a base. In the MLB, the amount of stolen bases has been steadily decreasing over the years and is down from the heyday that largely lasted from the late-70s to mid-90s. Last season, there were 2,213 stolen bases league-wide, which is the fewest in a non-shortened season since 1973, when there were six fewer teams in the league. There are both fewer bases being stolen and fewer attempts. This decline is at least in part due to modern analytics allowing teams to more intelligently gauge the risk-reward of stealing a base. Bunting too has seen a steep decline in usage in the age of analytics. But in the Triple-A last year, the league saw an increase in stolen base rates after implementing the larger base size, though this is a small sample size and it is difficult to definitively attribute it to the base size. According to Baseball Reference, during the 2021 MLB season 711 players were caught stealing (only 15 of these were by the Twins- the second lowest in the MLB). It is the MLB’s hope that not only will the larger base size encourage runners to steal more but will also allow runners to be successful on more of these attempts. The MLB knows fans love watching steals because they are gutsy, daring plays. Unsuccessful stolen base attempts are not only the result of the ball beating the runner to the bag, but because a base runner over-slid the base or was unable to stop on a dime and not go through the base while running full speed. According to a 2021 report from the New York Post, bigger bases might help solve this issue: 'The current base, if you don't hit the front of it and stop, you're going through it,' Chris Marinak, MLB's chief operations and strategy officer, told the New York Post. 'And this base is a little more forgiving in the sense that, if you hit the front of it, hopefully there's more catch on the base. You can actually stop on the bag without popping off. Certainly that's one of the ideas behind it.' Stealing bases is exciting for fans, and so is watching players beat out grounders and bunts and stretch singles into doubles. Time will tell if a slight infield change has the ability to make a big difference on in-game action and injury prevention. And if not, the kids will love stomping on those oversize Target Field bases anyway. What are your thoughts on the league's decision to increase the size of the bases starting in the 2023 season? Leave a COMMENT below. View full article