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Cody Christie

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Blog Entries posted by Cody Christie

  7. Cody Christie
    The 2014 All-Star Game was finally given to the Twin Cities this week but there were plenty of other happenings for Twins Territory. Joe Mauer was placed on waivers and the national media freaked out over what turned out to be a none story. After sitting for over a week and then playing in a handful of games, Denard Span was finally put on the DL even though rosters expand this weekend. Chris Parmelee destroyed Triple-A pitching for most of the year and he finally got called up. Now he has to show his stuff at the big league level if they can find at-bats for him.
     
    While the news surrounding the Twins has been exciting, the play on the field has not been in the exciting category. The team is scuffling to say the least and it could be a long final month for the faithful that still head to Target Field. A crowd of under 30,000 was announced for the first time at Target Field this week and it is hard to believe there were that many people in attendance. It is tough to watch a team that is putting a poor product on the field. Fans like me will continue to follow even if the wins aren't exactly piling up over the next few weeks.
     
    It's a long Labor Day weekend so before you skip out of the office early make sure to check out this week's edition of "Friday Links-N-Thinks."
     

    So far this season, the Twins have gotten very good production from some signings that were minor at the time.
    The Twins are getting close to being unwatchable.
    During the next couple weeks, it will be important for Trevor Plouffe to rebound.
    It sounds like the Dodgers asked the Twins about Justin Morneau before moving on to their mega-deal with the Red Sox.
    Here are some highlights from FSN's coverage of MLB announcing the 2014 All-Star Game in Minnesota.
    Joe Mauer set the franchise record for games caught by passing Earl Battey, one of the best players in team history.
    This behind the back play by Mauer is pretty sweet to see.
    With the season being very dark, there are some beacons of light for the Twins.
    In their 52nd year in Minnesota, the team is now official under .500 since coming to the Twin Cities.
    How far are the 2013 Twins from contention?
    Kyle Gibson is back in the rotation for Rochester which makes him one step away from the big leagues again.
    Gibson is also one of six players that will compete in the Arizona Fall League as representative from the Twins organization.
    There were multiple players from the New Britain Rock Cats named to the Eastern League All-Star Team for the end of the season.
    The lone GCL Twin to be named the their post season All-Star list was Jeremias Pineda.
    ESPN's Keith Law went to Beloit to see Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario and the rest of the Snappers.
    Former Twins outfielder Lew Ford hit his first home run at the big league level since 2007 (see Video of the Week). I loved this shot of him rounding third with a smiling coming across his face.



    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nxARY1FeXJQ/UEA2Z2xWIaI/AAAAAAAADME/_mRU-pXAVWg/s320/LewFordHR.jpg

     

    Poor Liam Hendriks indeed...
    Scott Diamond threw at Josh Hamilton and got in trouble for it so maybe he needs the ethics of throwing at hitters.
    For the second year in a row, the Twins will look to avoid 100 losses by the end of September.
    Adam Greenberg was hit in the head during his only MLB at-bat and he is campaigning for another shot at the big league level.
    Hank Aaron joined many other former sluggers saying PED punishments are not enough.
    Baseball might need to start thinking about getting collisions at home plate out of the game.
    Enjoy this week's edition of Mike Trout is amazing.
    Chipper Jones has gotten quite the wide collection of gifts as he makes his final stops in some NL cities.
    There are some bad things going on with the Rockies and their rotation plan is not the greatest.
    This song is going to get really old in the postseason.

    My Weekly Rundown

    Monday: What will the Twins do with Justin Morneau?
    Tuesday: Handling of young pitchers has changed
    Tuesday's Trip through the Minors
    Wednesday: If Joe Mauer was traded, where could he go?

    Video of the Week: Lew Ford hit his first home run since 2007 earlier this week. It was also great that it came off of Francisco Liriano. Ford would go on to hit another home run later in the week so he is on quite the nice run for the Orioles as they try to stay in the playoff hunt in the American League.
  12. Cody Christie
    Happy Friday to everyone in Twins Territory!
     
    As a professional educator by day, I saw my summer come to an end yesterday with the start of another school year. It feels good to get back into the swing of things even though it's still hot and sticky outside. The Minnesota State Fair started yesterday and attending the State Fair is one of the things that I will miss most about living in the suburbs of the Twin Cities. The food, the fun, and the festivities of the State Fair are one of the great ways to put a close to the summer months.
     
    It has been a rough West Coast road trip for the Twins and it doesn't look to be getting any easier with a four game series versus the Texas Rangers this weekend. The Twins were swept by the last place Mariners of the weekend and they were only able to get one victory in Oakland. It could be a long weekend in Texas before the Twins head back to Minnesota for a four game series with Seattle, the team that just swept them.
     
    Let's not get down in the dumps on a Friday by looking back at the last dismal week for the Twins. There's no better way to spend part of your Friday than reading this week's edition of "Friday Links-N-Thinks."
     

    At the beginning of spring training, it seemed like the Twins starting rotation could have a chance to keep them in contention but that plan went horribly wrong.
    There are still plenty of reasons to watch the Twins in the last few weeks of the season.
    Twins supplemental round draft pick JO Berrios has been making some noise on the field and he is hoping to make a difference in his homeland.
    Independent leagues can provide some solid minor league players to add depth to an organization.
    Is Ron Gardenhire's future in doubt?
    Sam Deduno has been a surprise so far for the Twins but it's hard to figure out how he is being successful.
    Who should be in the starting rotation for the Twins in September?
    Top prospect Miguel Sano and the rest of the Snappers got all dressed up for a recent game.
    It has been frustrating to watch the way that the Twins and their medical staff deal with injury situations. The latest installment includes Denard Span missing 10 days and we found out he's claustrophobic.
    Speaking of the medical staff messing up, Carl Pavano was given a new diagnosis this week and his season is done.
    The most exciting news of the week might be that RHP Kyle Gibson is returning to Rochester on his way back from Tommy John surgery.
    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ydTPhBBulCc/UDbTQUlXUbI/AAAAAAAADKc/PgELAr5wpbc/s320/KyleGibson.jpg

     

    Umpires get a lot of grief sometimes but this story is one of the most amazing of the week.
    Johan Santana tossed the first no-hitter in Mets history but he was shutdown earlier this week and won't pitch again in 2012. But his no-hitter was worth it, right?
    For the first time in 15 years, Orioles fans have the opportunity to purchase postseason tickets and it's always good news when Lew Ford has a shot at October baseball.
    In other Orioles news, former Twins slugger Jim Thome is ahead of schedule and ready for a rehab stint.
    One of my favorite shows on TV is Pawn Stars and this original Willie Mays uniform was worth a lot of money to the shop.
    Fans in Seattle showed up to honor their King after his perfect game last week.
    The Cleveland Indians should be in the midst of quite a run in the AL Central but multiple injuries over the last half of a decade to Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner have stopped that from happening.
    This was suppose to be the year that the Royals made some noise in the American League but that hasn't happened in 2012.
    Former Twins shortstop Jason Bartlett signed a 2-year, $11 million contract with the Padres before last season and he was released earlier this week.
    Michael Cuddyer's first year in Colorado hasn't gone exactly as planned.
    Gary Gaetti will get to manage Roger Clemens this weekend in a independent minor league baseball game.

    My Weekly Rundown:

    Monday: Mounting losses mean improving draft stock
    Tuesday: The Year in Twins Trading Cards: 2012 edition
    Wednesday: Thoughts on Blackburn, Nishioka moves
    Thursday: What could have been for Rene Tosoni

    Video of the Week: If you frequently visitor and reader of my post, you know that I enjoy the minor leagues and prospects in general. Cincinnati Reds farm hand Billy Hamilton stole his way into the record books this week by breaking Vince Coleman's record of 145 steals in 1983. Hamilton got his 146th steal and the speedster even made it third base for the record.
  13. Cody Christie
    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OKqtytPyMi0/UDWCPR_ky7I/AAAAAAAADKM/tkqELruXtnM/s320/ReneTosoni.jpg

    At this point last season, Rene Tosoni was on the Twins MLB roster and he was playing on an almost daily basis for the club. Granted that team was on it's way to one of the worst finishes in franchise history but he was still an everyday player for a big league squad. He was 25-years old at the time and he was living his dream after reaching the big leagues in his fifth season as a professional. Things were looking up for Mr. Tosoni but things have gone in the complete opposite direction for him in 2012 as the team announced that he had been removed from the 40-man roster for the club.
    It has been a disastrous season for Tosoni so far this year as he has battle through multiple injures and poor play on the field. After appearing in 60 games with the Twins in 2011, Tosoni struggled at Triple-A to start the 2012 campaign by hitting .167/.267/.197 with two extra-base hits in 21 games. The organization demoted him to New Britain and his season hasn't improved much from there. With a combined 564 plate appearances between the MLB and Triple-A level, things should have gone better for Tosoni with the Rock Cats but he has struggled to the tune of batting .220/.293/.317 with 12 extra-base hits in 50 games. To say that it has been a rough year for him is a major understatement.
     
    Tosoni was taken by the Twins as a 36th round pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft out of British Columbia but he wouldn't appear in a game until 2007. He was a draft and follow player that went to a Junior College in Canada. As a very late round pick, the Twins couldn't have been expecting a ton from Tosoni during his professional career but he showed promise in the first few seasons with the organization. He was 20-years old by the time he started in rookie ball but he hit .300/.402/.425 in his first professional season. A broken leg would shorten the next year for Tosoni but his batting numbers went up slightly by hitting .315/.417/.445 with almost all of his games played for Fort Myers.
     
    Before the 2009 season, Tosoni had only hit five home runs in his two seasons of play. By the end of the 2009 season, he would clobber three times that amount. He showed the ability to drive the ball with 25 doubles and four triples in his first full season as a professional. His batting average took a dip to .271 but he was still getting on base at a .360 clip and the extra power was great to see from the 22-year old. During the All-Star Break, he was named to the MLB Future's Game and he was named the MVP of that contest. He would go to the Arizona Fall League during the offseason to compete with the top prospects in the game. The future couldn't have been brighter and it was looking more and more like the outfielder could have a future with the Twins.
    The 2010 season might have been where things started to go bad for Mr. Tosoni. He had a sore shoulder to start the year and he eventually was forced to have surgery on his labrum. Following his breakout season in 2009, the Twins wanted to see more out of Tosoni but he only appeared in 52 games. In limited action, he hit .270/.369/.422 with 16 extra-base hits over 185 at-bats with New Britain. When the Twins called him up during the next season, he wasn't hitting the ball all that well with Rochester but the plague of injuries meant the team wanted a look at him. Tosoni showed some ability to knock the ball out of the park but he only batted .203 over the course of his 189 plate appearances at the big league level.
     
    After passing through waivers, it looks as if Tosoni will stay in the Twins organization. His future looked bright a few short seasons ago but that's how fast a player's stock can fall. It has been tough for him to stay healthy in his professional career and this has cost him at-bats in multiple seasons. The last two seasons have been horrendous for him in the minor leagues and it's tough to know what the future will hold for him. Twins fans and the front office of the organization are left wondering what could have been for this 26-year old outfielder.
  16. Cody Christie
    It was a rough week across Twins Territory as the Twins have won a single game in the last seven days. The Rays came into Target Field and swept the Twins while the Tigers were able to take two out of three games in their series. At this point, the Twins sit at the bottom of the AL Central and they have the worst record in the American League. When the season is lost like it is now for the Twins, losing games might be more beneficial as the team can secure a better draft pick for next June.
     
    There are three teams in the National League with a worse record than the Twins. That means that the Twins would have the fourth pick in the draft if the season ended today. The Padres and the Royals are close to having the same record as the Twins so each loss can be considered a good thing at this point. A better draft pick can go a long way to improving the franchise over some meaningless wins in the middle of August.
     
    The draft is still a long way off and the weekend is almost upon us so sit back and buckle-up for another edition of "Friday Links-N-Thinks."
     

    Since he was a first round pick, Chris Parmelee has gone through different stages in his development.
    Liam Hendriks did an entertaining interview with John Sickels at Minor League Ball.
    It only took a little change to get Ben Revere to hit at a high level in the major leagues.
    It has been a disastrous rookie campaign for Brian Dozier.
    Pedro Florimon is getting called up to the Twins but who is this player that will replace Dozier?
    If the Yankees were looking to deal Phil Hughes, the Twins should listen.
    With the minor league seasons getting closer to ending, it's fun to look back at top prospect list from the offseason and see how players have done in 2012.
    It's only a couple weeks away from September call-ups and the Twins will have some decisions to make.
    Bryce Harper has been one of the most hyped prospects in the history of baseball. So would you trade the memories of the 2010 season for a chance to get him?
    The Twins spring training future might be in doubt because of the recent election in Florida.
    A new radio home for the Twins was announced this week.
    MLB put this picture up on their Facebook page wanting to know how people would caption this humorous photo.



    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q-85hvVuFkk/UC2xMFT1i6I/AAAAAAAADI8/YxYYjZaOJyg/s320/Benny&Prince.jpg

     

    Every no hitter leaves a team on the bench wondering how they couldn't find a way to get a hit. Here's a look at the most recent victim of a no-hitter for each franchise.
    Former Twins slugger Jim Thome was recently recovering on the DL but he got a close up view of top pitching prospect Dylan Bundy and he liked what he saw.
    In other Orioles news, they have a creative way for figuring out what the order will be for their fantasy football draft.
    The recently released USPS stamp featuring Joe DiMaggio is a little confusing when you look at it.
    It has been a rough ride for Johan Santana since he threw his no-hitter in June.
    Twins fans might get spoiled seeing Miguel Cabrera in 18 games a year but it turns out that he is really good at hitting a baseball.
    So much for all of the big moves at the trade deadline...
    Adam Dunn might strikeout a ton but it can go a long way when he makes contact.
    How can AJ Pierzynski score from first on an infield hit? I'm glad you asked!

    My Weekly Rundown:
     

    Monday: Arcia, Hicks might have earned a look
    Tuesday: Piecing together the '13 starting rotation
    Tuesday's Trip through the Minors
    Thursday: What's the next step for Brian Dozier?

    Video of the Week: This play between Torii Hunter and umpire Greg Gibson could have turned out a lot worse. Some of the photo's are a little graphic when the cleat is right in his face and there was clearly going to be some kind of cuts on his face. It was a strange play to see develop but the umpire was down trying to make the right call.
  17. Cody Christie
    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wF5wpySfALc/UCxbEzXsVqI/AAAAAAAADIs/LUTpUAtfyDU/s320/Brian+Dozier+Minnesota+Twins+v+Boston+Red+4rKGNr9MUeal.jpg

    Word came out of the Twins organization on Tuesday night that Brian Dozier was going to be sent back to Triple-A Rochester after what has been a disappointing rookie campaign. There had been rumors of this happening for weeks but the timing seems strange since MLB rosters expand at the end of the month and there is only a few weeks left in the season for the Red Wings. Something hasn't clicked with Dozier during his time playing at the big league level and this could be a wake-up call for the 25-year old shortstop. A change of scenery might be just what the doctor ordered and the Twins hope he can fix himself in the minor leagues.
     
    His replacement on the roster will be Pedro Florimon, a player that joined the Twins organization as a waiver claim from Baltimore in the offseason. Florimon is in his seventh season in the minor leagues and he has only had a brief taste of the big leagues at the end of last season. His .251/.308/.344 batting line doesn't really jump off the page at you so it is hard to know what the Twins were thinking. During his time in the minor leagues, he has been known as a good defensive player so that might be one reason the organization is giving him a longer look. His offensive upside is far lower than Dozier's at this point in their careers.
    When a fan base watched Tsuyoshi Nishioka play 68 games in the middle infield in 2011, any player would seem like an upgrade for the team. Even in his most recent stint with the club, Nishioka looked lost in the field and at the plate. Fans just want consistent play from the middle infield and this only makes sense with a pitch to contact starting rotation. Dozier could provide that hope to a fan base that was trying to forget about the debacle that was Nishioka. Twins Territory was searching for something to cheer about and an up-and-coming shortstop seemed like a logical player for the fans to circle around.
    In a year where the Twins have seemed to be out of contention since the first month of the season, Dozier was given every opportunity to show that he should have the starting job at shortstop. He made his big league debut on May 7th and the coaching staff continued to pencil him in the line-up on an almost daily basis. There were some flashes of brilliance in the field and at the plate; but for the most part, he had a tough time finding his swing and there were some defensive miscues along the way. He hit .234/.271/.332 with 18 extra-base hits in 340 plate appearances.
    Following a season when Dozier was named the organization's minor league player of the year, there were high hopes for him at the start of 2012. As a 25-year old that had only spent part of a season at the Double-A level, some of those hopes might have been a little premature. The team also called him up from Triple-A after only playing 28 games with the Red Wings. He had hardly mastered that level as he batted .276/.339/.371 with eight extra-base hits over 105 at-bats. With his games from 2011 and 2012, Dozier has played less than a season between Double-A and Triple-A. This isn't a lot of time for him to develop in the higher levels of the minor leagues and some of that lack of development showed in his first taste of the majors.
    So the question now remains, what's next for Mr. Brian Dozier?
     
    The Twins want him to be their shortstop of the present but he has shown that there are some holes in his game. Players like Trevor Plouffe and Chris Parmelee took a little bit of time to develop in the minors before showing their ability so maybe some extra time in the minors can help Dozier's swing. But the sad thing fact is that the Twins have not been able to develop much talent in the middle infield in recent years. Last year's first round pick Levi Michael and one of the team's top prospects Eddie Rosario are both playing middle infield but they are a couple years away from debuting at Target Field. The organization needs Dozier to fix his flaws and to be ready the next time he is asked to take over at shortstop.
    With a demotion at this point in the season, it seems that the Twins will let Dozier finish out the Triple-A season with the Red Wings before returning to big league squad. This will give him time to regain some confidence and to work on some of the little parts of his game. He hasn't had a lot of time to find success at the Triple-A level so the next few weeks can give him an opportunity to rediscover his stroke. Earlier this season when Ben Revere was sent back to Rochester, he made some slight adjustments to his swing and the results have been fantastic. Fans have their fingers crossed that the same magic can be worked with Dozier.
    There aren't a bunch of other players knocking down the door to take the shortstop position away from Dozier for next season. Free agency is always an option but the team looked there this season and Jamey Carroll was their solution. It seems that Dozier will have as good of chance as anyone to earn the starting job for 2013 but he could have a leg up on the competition. Since he is under team control for the foreseeable future, the Twins want him to succeed and paying for a shortstop on the open market is usually an expensive endeavor.
    The job is still waiting to be filled by you, Mr. Dozier. Just prove that you deserve it and the team will gladly call you back up to fill the hole at shortstop.
  18. Cody Christie
    Brian Duensing put the Twins in an early hole by giving up two runs in each of the first two innings but the Twins were able to make a game of it versus the Tigers. A big bottom of the third inning helped to even the score with Josh Willingham providing most of the damage with a 3-run home run, his 30th of the season. It is a new career high for Willingham and it breaks the previous record that he set last season with Oakland. Unfortunately, the Twins woudn't score again and the Tigers would come out on top in this game.
    Most of the minor league teams fared better than the Twins so let's take a trip through the minors on a Tuesday night.
     
    ROCHESTER 3, INDIANAPOLIS 1
     
    Things got a little dicey for the Red Wings in the ninth inning with two outs as the team was clinging to a 3-0 lead. Daniel Turpen had already pitched a couple of innings and it seemed like the last out was going to be a little troublesome for him to get. A double followed by a single brought the score within a couple runs. He walked the next batter to have runners at first and second and it was time to turn to another arm. Anthony Slama came in and struck out the final batter of the game on four pitches to earn his 10th save of the year.
     
    PJ Walters continues to make his way back from injury as he started the game and threw a little over two innings. He struck out two and only allowed a couple of hits. David Bromberg picked up his first win of the season as a member of the Red Wings in his third appearance since being called up from New Britain. He pitched 4.1 innings of scoreless baseball while giving up three hits.
    Matt Carson did most of the offensive damage by going 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Chris Parmelee continues to punish Triple-A pitching with his 15th double of the season. Danny Lehmann had managed four total hits since being called up from New Britain in the middle of July and he almost doubled that total with three hits in this contest. It was the second time that he has hit two doubles in a game for Rochester.
    The Red Wings improved to 26-16 since July 1, the best record in the International League in that time.
    NEW BRITAIN 5, RICHMOND 1
     
    Deibinson Romero notched his 17 home run of the year and knocked in three runs as the Rock Cats defeated the Flying Squirrels. Oswaldo Arcia scored a couple runs and hit his 16th double of the year with New Britain. Chris Herrmann and Nathan Hanson each went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. It was a very balanced offensive attack for the Rock Cats with 10 hits on the board by the end of the night. Aaron Hicks and Joe Benson were the only players to be held with out a hit in the game.
     
    Logan Darnell was the story of the game for New Britain as he held Richmond scoreless for six innings. He would finish the game with one run allowed on six hits and eight strikeouts. For Darnell, it was his ninth win of the year and his first victory since July 9th against New Hampshire. Bruce Pugh did a good job in relief by striking out four over two shutout innings.
    FORT MYERS 2, JUPITER 6
    Kyle Gibson is continuing his trip back through the minor leagues as he tries to work his way back from Tommy John surgery. Tonight was his first start at Fort Myers since being promoted from the GCL Twins. It sounds like the Twins would like to see him reach Rochester by the end of the season and that would put him in a good position for next season. On this night, he would toss three innings and give up one run on three hits. The third inning could have been worse after he gave up back-to-back hits to start the frame. He worked out of the jam by only allowing one run and his night was done. Madison Boer came in for the next three innings and he was hit pretty hard to the tune of five runs on eight hits.
     
    By the end of the game, the Miracle posted ten hits but only two runs were able to cross the plate. Daniel Ortiz went 2-for-4 with his seventh home run of the season since being promoted from Beloit. Josmil Pinto had a three hit game for the second time in his last five games. His 49th RBI came in the third inning and he ranks second on the team in this category. Daniel Santana had his third multi-hit game in the last five appearances for Fort Myers.
    BELOIT (OFF DAY)
    Back-to-back homers by Miguel Sano and Kennys Vargas gave the Snappers a spark on Monday night to help the team enjoy their off day a little more. Beloit has been on quite the stretch of baseball over the last week and a half as the team has rolled off eight victories in their last nine games. A look at the standings shows the Snappers three games out of first place as they start a series versus the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Miguel Sano has hit another one of his hot stretches by batting .371/.439/.771 in his last ten games. Over that stretch, he has three home runs, three doubles, and a triple. It will be fun to see how high Sano can get his numbers by the end of the season.
    ELIZABETHTON 7, BLUEFIELD 3
     
    A big offensive output in the first inning made it easy for the E-Twins to come out on top in this game. By the time the team loaded the bases in the first, Joshua Hendricks followed with a double and Travis Harrison tripled to clear the bases. A couple batters later Jorge Polanco hit a 2-run home run to put the team up for good. First round pick Byron Buxton went 1-for-4 in the game with a run scored and an RBI. Since being promoted to Elizabethton, Buxton has managed at least one hit in every other game.
     
    Brett Lee won his fourth game for the E-Twins and it was by far his best start since being moved into the rotation. He threw five innings and the only run and the only hit that he allowed was on a home run. His eight strikeouts were a career high and he lowered his ERA to 2.12 over his 14 appearances. Tyler Duffey pitched two perfect innings and struck out four. The E-Twins have won seven games in a row and they are 8.5 games up in the Appalachian League's West Division.
    GCL TWINS 2, GCL ORIOLES 0
    GCL TWINS 0, GCL ORIOLES 3
     
    Gonzalo Sanudo pitched five strong innings to put the GCL Twins in position to come out victorious. Even though he wasn't awarded the victory for his start, he still pitched five scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 2.03 in 31 innings pitched. Alexander Muren threw three perfect innings for his third victory and his first win since the middle of July. Melciades De La Cruz finished the game for his fifth save of the year.
     
    When a team scores two runs, there weren't a lot of outstanding offensive performances. Bryan Haar had the lone extra-base hit for the GCL Twins with a double that lead to a run in the ninth. Javier Pimentel knocked in a big second run in the top of the ninth to give the team a little bit more breathing room.
     
    The second game saw the GCL Twins compile six hits but the team left six runners on base and failed to score a run. There were no extra-base hits for the squad but Jermias Pineda and Logan Wade both had two hits in the contest. Pineda, the player acquired for Danny Valencia, has a .406/.439/.500 batting line during GCL play this season. He is an older player for the league but he seems to be performing decently well.
     
    Since this was a seven inning game, the Twins only had two pitchers take the mound. Yorman Landa pitched the first three innings and was charged for three runs on two hits with four strikeouts. His three walks allowed came back to haunt him and he was charged with his second loss in as many starts. Kuo Hua Lo pitched the last four frames without allowing a run. He gave up a couple hits but struck out five without walking a batter.
    ---
    Players of the Day for August 14, 2012

    Pitcher of the Day: Logan Darnell (6.2 IP, 1 ER, 8 SO)
    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bln4Q51iMEI/UCsJPDj-ocI/AAAAAAAADIU/m03T8embCMI/s320/LoganDarnell.JPG
     
    Hitter of the Day: Matt Carson (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI)
    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4qQ4cxEc-Fk/UCsJ984TsyI/AAAAAAAADIc/lcod7Mrpens/s320/MattCarson.jpg


    ---
    A Look Ahead- Wednesday, August 15th Schedule
     
    Rochester vs. Indianapolis- RHP Esmerling Vasquez
    New Britain vs. Richmond- RHP BJ Hermsen
    Fort Myers vs. Jupiter- RHP Matthew Summers
    Beloit vs. Wisconsin- RHP Cole Johnson
    Elizabethton @ Bluefield- RHP Hudson Boyd
    GCL Twins vs. GCL Rays- TBA
     
    ---
    If you have any questions or comments on the minor league system, leave them in the comments section and someone will certainly answer them.
  19. Cody Christie
    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NTcG4nofx3g/UCmmRQdddOI/AAAAAAAADIE/iD7UqsRBjrY/s320/ScottDiamond.jpgStarting pitching has been one of the biggest weaknesses for the Twins in 2012 and it is tough to look to the future and think that there will be help on the way. The Twins seem to be parading every starter that they can from Rochester at different points of the season and the rest of the upper minors is not overflowing with top pitching prospects. The last two pitchers taken by the Twins in the first round, Kyle Gibson and Alex Wimmers, have both undergone Tommy John surgery and there are always questions marks surrounding a major surgery like this. It's bleak to try and piece together the players that will be given an opportunity to fit into the starting rotation for the start of next season.
    Here is a look at some of the names that will be tossed about by the Twins front office when they are making decisions for next year's rotation in the offseason.


    The Lock???



    Scott Diamond, LHP: If the Twins don't sign a high caliber free agent, Diamond might be considered the ace of the staff for the team next year. The good news for the Twins is that Diamond is under team control for the foreseeable future but the team needs him to continue to pitch at a high level. His 2012 season has been one of the nicest surprises for the club especially considering that he wasn't in the plans for the team at the beginning of the year. His ERA is under 3.00 and he has a very good WHIP of 1.187 in 18 games started in 2012. If the 26-year old lefty can keep this up for the next couple of seasons, the Twins would be extremely happy.



    MLB Performance Issues



    Nick Blackburn, RHP: At this point, it is looking like Blackburn will be the most veteran pitcher to make the rotation for the 2013 Twins. There have been plenty of times where it looked like the Twins would give up on Blackburn since his performance has dipped so much in the last three seasons. In 2008 and 2009, he had been an adequate pitcher with an ERA around 4.00 while pitching almost 200 innings per season. This year has been a nightmare as Blackburn has a 7.33 ERA with a 1.682 WHIP in 18 starts. For better or for worse, Ron Gardenhire continues to put his faith in Blackburn and it looks like the team is going to stick with him for next season.
    Liam Hendriks, RHP: The Twins gave Liam Hendriks a spot in the starting rotation at the beginning of this year but there were some injuries and other situations that prevented some players from being ready. For the second consecutive year, Hendriks struggled during his time on the mound at the big league level. His time at Rochester has been a completely different story as he has been putting up very good numbers at Triple-A. He is averaging over 6.5 innings per start and his 1.99 ERA and 0.946 WHIP are off the charts. There is a good chance that the Twins will give Hendriks another shot when the season is over for Rochester and it will be up to him to show the team that he can translate his minor league performance to the big leagues.



    Tommy John Recovery Crew



    Scott Baker, RHP: When Scott Baker ran into elbow trouble during spring training, it was a tough blow to a starting rotation that had some question marks. He was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery and he is in the process of rehabbing from this injury. Since he didn't have the surgery until this spring, it is going to be hard for a team to know what they are getting from Mr. Baker but he has stated that he wouldn't mind staying with the Twins organization. He will be a free agent in the offseason but the Twins could sign him to an incentive-laden deal to remain in the organization. It would be nice to have a healthy Baker in the rotation but health is always the question with him.
    Kyle Gibson, RHP: Gibson might have already been a staple in the starting staff for the Twins if not for an elbow injury that caused him to miss most of the last calendar year. He is back pitching in the minor leagues for the Twins and the team moved him up to High-A in the last week. In his close to 15 innings pitched so far, he has been on a strict pitch count and he has yet to throw more than three innings. Reports from the minor leagues have him throwing harder than before the surgery and the team would like him to reach Rochester by the end of the season. There is also a good chance that the Twins will send Gibson to the Arizona Fall League to get some more innings under his belt.



    Minor League Journeymen



    Sam Deduno, RHP: The 29-year old righty is on his third team in the last three years but the Twins seem to be getting the best version possible of Mr. Deduno. He is undefeated at the big league level in 2012 and he has a very respectable 3.35 ERA in seven starts with the Twins. His walk rate is far to high for him to continue this level of success so it will be interesting to see what he can do in the coming weeks. The Twins have given him a chance and he is making the most of this opportunity.
    Cole DeVries, RHP: It has been a great story to see the Minnesota native work his way through the Twins system over the last six seasons. At 27-years old and with his tendency to give up home runs, it is hard to imagine him being a long term solution for the organization. There have been some good starts for DeVries but there have also been multiple starts where he has been charged with seven earned runs. He adds depth to the pitching of the organization but fans hope the Twins won't have to turn to him next season.



    The Reliever



    Brian Duensing, LHP: In an ideal world, Duensing could have spent the entire 2012 season in the bullpen to see what kind of pitcher he would be in a relief role. The team thought that he was a relief option in 2009 and 2010 before being forced to use him as a starter and that same story line played out in 2012. He has shown the ability to get lefties out at a very good clip but righties continue to hit him and that makes it difficult to succeed in a starting role.
    5 Predictions for the 2013 Rotation:
    1. Diamond, Blackburn, and Hendriks will all start the 2013 season in the starting rotation
    2. Gibson starts at Triple-A but he will be in the majors by the end of April
    3. Baker will resign with the Twins but he won't make an appearance until the middle of the season
    4. Blackburn won't last the year as a starter
    5. Another move will be made through trade or free agency to add at least one more starter



  20. Cody Christie
    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-phUKBdlfscc/UChmJR7CrSI/AAAAAAAADH0/o2k7nbhMiWo/s320/HicksArcia.jpgWhile the 2012 season has been a little bit painful at the big league level, there have been plenty of positive stories out of the minor leagues for the Twins. Miguel Sano, the player widely considered as the best in the Twins organization, is showing his power potential by sitting near the top 10 in nearly every offensive category for the farm system. Byron Buxton and J.O. Berrios were the top two picks for the Twins in June's draft and they have both already been promoted to Elizabethton in the last week. Berrios has been nearly untouchable so far in his outings and Buxton has put together some decent numbers on the offensive side of the ball.
    But searching for positive performances is not just relegated to the lower levels of the minor leagues for the Twins. Oswaldo Arcia and Aaron Hicks are putting together their best seasons as professionals at the Double-A level with the New Britain Rock Cats. Hicks has spent the entire season with the Rock Cats and Arcia started the year at Fort Myers before being called up in the middle of June. Both of these players have been highly thought of in the past and they each seem to be putting together a season worth getting noticed for in 2012.
    Hicks was the Twins first round pick in 2008 when the Twins took him out of high school with the 14th pick. His minor league career has been somewhat of a roller coaster ride since that point but he has always had the tools to be thought of as one of the top prospects for the Twins. The switch-hitting outfielder has struggled in the past to even out his splits from each side of the plate. This season has seen some improvement as he has hit .293/.371/.526 with 13 extra-base hits in 116 at-bats from the right side of the plate. When he switches to the left side, he is batting .276/.385/.427 with 25 extra-base hits in 279 at-bats. His 12 home runs this season are split evenly between both sides of the plate and his 27 steals are a career high.
    Arcia is a year and a half younger than Hicks and he missed part of last season with an injury. This explains some of the reasoning that the Twins used to start Arcia in the Florida State League at the beginning of the year. He has made up for lost time since being called up to the Eastern League as he is hitting .330/.406/.553 in 49 games. Between both levels in the minor leagues, he has 31 doubles and 14 home runs with 78 RBI. He has appeared in a career high 104 games in 2012 so it is good to see what Arcia has been able to do over the course of what is really his first season of being healthy in the full season leagues.
    With Hicks batting at the top of the order and Arcia batting in the middle of the line-up, the New Britain Rock Cats find themselves in the middle of the playoff chase in the Eastern League. While fans of the Twins might not be concerned about the chase by the Rock Cats for the playoffs, it could have an impact on when (or if) the team will call-up these two young players at some point in September. Last season, the Twins looked to two position players to have a chance in the final month after the Rock Cats had been eliminated from contention. Chris Parmelee and Joe Benson got a shot to show what they could do with their first taste of the big leagues. Ben Revere got called up from Double-A at the end of the 2010 season and he only got 28 at-bats in 13 games with the club. This year it could be time for Arcia and Hicks to put on the Twins uniform and let the MLB coaches take a closer look at the future of the franchise.
    Looking ahead to September, it might be hard for the Twins to find at-bats for both of these up-and-coming players. They are both outfielders and the current roster for the Twins is not short in the outfield department. Denard Span, Ben Revere, and Josh Willingham have been relatively healthy in the outfield for the Twins so it would be tough to take at-bats away from these already established players. There could be an injury that would allow the Twins to give extra at-bats to a September call-up but all three of the current outfielders are going to want to finish the season on a strong note. Span took a tumble on Sunday and he might have to miss a little bit of time and there is always a chance of an injury with the way Revere goes after balls in the outfield. An injury to one of the starters might be the only way to free up a chunk of at-bats for Arcia or Hicks.
    Another obstacle in the way for Hicks is the fact that he is not currently on the 40-man roster for the Twins. Because Arcia was an international signee, the organization was required to add him to the 40-man roster during last offseason even though he is younger than Hicks. During the coming offseason, Hicks would have to be added to the 40-man roster so it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to see him added in September. The consistent play at the plate and in the field would need to continue for each player over the rest of August but they both seem to be hitting better as the season progresses.
    For both of these players to get a chance with the Twins in September, it is important for the at-bats to be there for them with the big league squad. There are certainly things that each of them could learn from sitting on the bench but it is much more important to be in the line-up on a regular basis against big league pitching. With both players being under 23-years old, it would be nice to see them get their feet wet in a season that is a lost cause for the Twins. They are two of the biggest bright spots in the organization for 2012 and they deserve to be rewarded for their production on the field. That reward should be a chance to step onto the grass at Target Field for the first time.


  21. Cody Christie
    The Twins seem to have found a nice little grove over the course of the last week. In their six games since last weekend's edition of "Friday Links-N-Thinks," the Twins have posted a respectable 4-2 record with plenty of offense along the way. Jamey Carroll, Justin Morneau, and Ryan Doumit all hit over .400 in the last week and Morneau, Doumit, and Josh Willingham each had multiple home runs during that span. Ben Revere saw his hitting streak reach 21-games before he was held hitless against Cleveland on Wednesday. It was an overall positive week for the Twins and they find themselves a game and a half out of the cellar in the AL Central.
    It was a slow week here at NoDak Twins Fan because I was in the midst of moving to a new apartment in Fargo and I had no access to internet for the last seven or so days. I had to get creative with how I connected to social media and I turned to my smart phone a lot to stay updated on the latest happenings. The internet got hooked up at my new place yesterday morning so it felt great to be able to type out a post for Friday morning after a short hiatus. I will be back next week with a full slate of Twins coverage including my regular Tuesday night minor league update and plenty of other news from across the organization.
    For now, get ready for a great weekend but make sure to check out the links that I provided below with some of my favorite stories from the last week. As always, there will be a few surprises along the way. Enjoy!

    Tsuyoshi Nishioka had a series to forget against Cleveland but the Twins are sticking with him at least until Trevor Plouffe is healthy.
    It is good to see Max Kepler putting it all together in the last month for the E-Twins.
    As the Twins saw this week, the Indians are a mess but they still ended their 11-game losing streak with a victory versus Minnesota.
    Former Twins slugger Jim Thome is going to miss another month of play and he might not play again in 2012.
    The outfield for the Twins could be fun to watch in 2014.
    While the future outfield looks bright, the current outfield has been very good for the Twins.
    There are plenty of former Twins players that you may have lost track of in recent years.
    Alex Wimmers will be following the same recovery template that Kyle Gibson did with the Twins.
    In what seems like a surprise move, the Twins top two picks from this year have already moved up a level in the minor leagues.
    After missing most of the last two seasons, Morneau seems like he can finally hit offspeed offerings again.
    Frank Viola pitched in a Game 7 of the World Series and that was nothing compared to watching his daughter compete in the Olympics.
    If the Twins are willing to trade Morneau in the coming offseason, there are other options for the Twins to fill his spot.
    Jose Mijares was let go by the Twins in the offseason and now it seems that hardly anyone wanted the lefty when he was put on waivers. I enjoyed this explanation that he might just have bad b.o.
    Have you ever wondered what MLB does to warn a pitcher if he takes too long between pitches?
    Eric Thames literally made sparks in a game earlier this week.
    There are 18 creepy hats on sale at MLB.com and Twins mascot TC is part of one of them.



    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pWcsHb_ULrU/UCP-pKueZVI/AAAAAAAADHk/ORh3rIyexuw/s320/mascotcaps.jpg

     

    It took 29-year old Jim Henderson 10 years to make it to the big leagues and he is already the closer for the Brewers.
    Clint Eastwood has a new movie coming out and it looks like it is an anti-Moneyball movie with a whole bunch of story lines.
    On Wednesday, it was the anniversary of the White Sox wearing their horrible jerseys with shorts. They should have brought them out of retirement for the day.
    I wish I could make finds like this at the thrift store.
    Mike Trout is not only the best player in the American League, he also celebrated his 21st-birthday by hitting the ball out of the park.
    It's dangerous to have your parents be White Sox fans.
    The Houston Astrodome continues to stand even though it can't be used any more.
    Buster Posey is the first MLB player to have his own iPhone game.
    I love listening to Vin Scully and his translation of Jim Tracy's on-field meltdown was classic.

    My Weekly Rundown
     

    Monday: Should fans have expected more from Valencia?

    Video of the Week: As already mentioned, Nishioka is back in the big leagues. That leads to some wonderful defensive plays like this. Even as a Twins fan, it is funny to see how awful he has been on the defensive side of the ball but any player can lose a ball in the sun... right...
  22. Cody Christie
    It's the first Friday in August and that means the trade deadline came and passed in the last week. There was plenty of speculation that the Twins might be in the midst of a fire sale with the team on pace for their second straight 90-loss. Denard Span, Josh Willingham, and Justin Morneau were some of the players that other teams asked the Twins about but all of these players are still with the organization. Francisco Liriano was the only player to find himself wearing a different jersey over the course of the last few days. Many fans were disappointed with the players that the Twins got in return for Liriano and it is hard to think that the Twins turned the franchise around with this lone trade.
     
    On the field, the Twins have been in the midst of a very good stretch of baseball with the team winning five of their six games since last Friday. The Indians came to town last weekend and the Twins went on an offensive tear in the series by scoring 28 runs in the three game set. Good starting pitching has put the team in position to win contests as some of the starters try to prove that they belong in the rotation for the 2013 season. It was an overall good week for a team that has struggled to get any closer to the .500 mark over the course of the last few months.
     
    It's been busy for NoDak Twins Fan this week as I have moved from the Twin Cities back to NoDak to live and work with in Fargo, ND. If my posts are sporadic in the next week, it might be for the fact that I don't have internet service in my new place and my sister is getting married next weekend. I will do my best to keep the content flowing here. But for now, enjoy this week's edition of "Friday Links-N-Thinks."
     
     

    One negative piece of news from the week was the fact that former first round pick Alex Wimmers was forced to have Tommy John surgery.
    As mentioned above, the Twins didn't do anything at the deadline and it might have been a good thing.
    Others find it very disappointing that the Twins didn't do anything before the deadline.
    Liriano made his first start with the White Sox at Target Field so that meant he was going to be good.
    The Twins farm system might be weak but check out this in-depth look at the top 50 prospects for the club.
    Sam Deduno has looked good in his two starts in the last week but his fastball is all over the place.
    How many things did you hate about the Liriano trade?
    The Fort Myers Miracle had a weird moment in their game this week. An umpire threw out the sound guy for playing "Three Blind Mice" when the umps made a bad call.
    At least the Twins aren't the Astros.
    Terry Ryan might have to wait until the offseason to move some players like Span and Burton.
    Have you ever wondered what players increased/decreased their WAR the most from one season to the next?
    Trevor Plouffe and Danny Valencia are friends that are fighting for the same job with the Twins.
    So far this season, it seems like the Twins are just (Red) Wing(ing) it with their starting pitching.
    Rene Rivera had a big hit for the Red Wings earlier this week and it came the day before his birthday.
    The last two years have been a little crazy at the trade deadline for Span with all of the rumors swirling around him.
    Jerome Williams gave up five runs for the Angels and still earned a save this week. A former Twins player holds the record for most runs given up while still earning the save.
    Twins fans got use to some weird behaviors with Carlos Gomez but now he is revolutionizing the home run.
    One member of the Twins pitching staff can call himself an Olympian.


    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1G8szXohQdQ/UBsq3A5pslI/AAAAAAAADHE/G4-jJ8LXNtM/s320/Brian+Duensing+Olympics+Day+8+Baseball+HTFitr-tNKLl.jpg

     

    In a related note, baseball should be brought back to the Olympics.
    That large set of vintage baseball cards found in an attic were sold at action this week.
    Dave St. Peter is going to be answering questions at the MLB Fan Cave tomorrow and you can leave a question on their Facebook page.
    Here are some reactions from across the baseball world about Lew Ford being back in the big leagues (see more on Ford below).

    My Weekly Rundown
     
     

    Monday: Fans frustrated even when Liriano is dealt
    Tuesday: Ford completes long journey back to MLB
    Wednesday: Twins rebuilding strategy is going to be slow

    Video of the Week: Since the Twins were quiet at the deadline, the best story line to follow for the week was the return of Lew Ford to the major leagues with the Baltimore Orioles. He hasn't played in at the MLB level since 2007 with the Twins. During the meantime, he has played in independent leagues, in Mexico and in Japan. The 35-year old outfield didn't waste any time making the highlight reels as he gunned down a runner in his first game back. A couple of games later, his first hit since September 2007 was also a special moment.
  23. Cody Christie
    Original post from North Dakota Twins Fan
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r7yl9XAx0lM/UBihSU6hJiI/AAAAAAAADG0/gi0SivModSI/s320/LirianoWhiteSox.jpg

    When the trade deadline passed on Tuesday afternoon, the Twins were left with all but one of the veteran players on their roster. Francisco Liriano was the only player to be dealt and that happened over the weekend. Before and after that time, there had been plenty of rumors surrounding players like Denard Span, Josh Willingham, Glen Perkins, Jared Burton, and Justin Morneau. All of those players found themselves still wearing Twins uniforms for their contest against the Chicago White Sox at Target Field. It was a quiet ending to what had been a very rumor filled deadline for the Twins.
     
    For the second year in a row, the Twins stood pat at the trade deadline even though the team didn't seem to be in contention. The 2011 version of the Twins had teased fans with some good play in the middle months of the season but the team would go on to one of their worst finishes in franchise history. Players like Joe Nathan, Michael Cuddyer, Jason Kubel, and Matt Capps were all scheduled to be free agents at the end of the season and it seemed like the Twins should try and deal some of these players to contending teams. During last season, the Twins did have the possibility of getting draft pick compensation if some of these free agents left the club. Cuddyer, Kubel, and Nathan found plenty of money in new cities and the Twins were compensated for them leaving for greener pastures.
     
    Many of the names being tossed around with the Twins at this trade deadline have multiple years of team control left before each player will be a free agent. This left the Twins in a position to want to be overwhelmed by a deal before considering an offer for their veteran players. In the case of Span, Willingham, Perkins and Burton, their contracts will all be very reasonable for next season if the Twins keep them for 2013. Morneau is owed around $20 million for the rest of this season and all of next season so a trade for him might have been more of a challenge to accomplish. There were no overpowering offers for these players so the Twins decided to stay the course with their rebuilding process.
     
    The problem for fans of the Twins as the look at the rebuilding process from the outside is trying to understand what the organization's plan is for making this team back into a contender. It is the third season of being in a beautiful new stadium but fans aren't going to come out and watch a sub-par team on the field. The minor league system is ranked in the lower half out of all of the farm systems in baseball and that makes the road to rebuilding an even slower process. When the team makes one move before the deadline and it is for two very marginal minor league players, it is hard to view the organization as making a complete overhaul. From the sounds of quotes from Terry Ryan, the Twins wanted starting pitching back and other teams weren't offering the right packages.
     
    Ryan and the Twins front office have another option when it comes to all of the players listed above. Since each player is still under team control for next year, there could still be trades made by the Twins during the offseason. The Winter Meetings for all of the GMs across baseball brings out plenty of trade speculation and it can be expected that all of these players will hear their names on the rumor mill again. Some of these veteran players are in the midst of their best seasons as professionals so there could be even better offers for the Twins if the players continue on this pace for the remainder of 2012. The Twins might be out of contention but plenty of the players in the line-up are competitive enough to be striving to finish the season on a strong note. There was no need to rush into a deal before July 31st and now the Twins will have the next few months to make a plan for the offseason.
     
    One of the scariest thoughts for the future is the fact that the Twins might be looking at cutting payroll for the second straight offseason. In the first couple of seasons at Target Field, the Twins had a total team payroll of over $100 million and now the team sits under the $100 million mark for 2012. The first cut in payroll was hard for many fans to swallow since the team had a lot of revenue with their new ballpark. Another cut in payroll for the start of the 2013 season could bring out the torches and pitchforks from fans across Twins Territory. Terry Ryan has been able to put together some very good teams in the past with a small payroll but the Twins have a $23 million franchise catcher to pay and not many cheap minor league players ready to make a difference. It also always helps to be able to have extra money to pay for all of the parts to fill up a roster.
     
    After a decade of excellence for the Twins franchise, it would be nice if the turnaround were quick and efficient. Unfortunately, it looks like it will be a slow process to rebuild this franchise into a contender for multiple seasons. The big league rotation seems like it is in shambles and there are holes at multiple levels in the minor leagues. It is going to take time and patients from fans to bring the team back to prominence in the American League. That's one the great things about the game of baseball; a team can be good for multiple seasons and then go through a rough patch for multiple years. The Twins are in the middle of one of those rough patches and it is going to be a slow process to get to the light at the end of the tunnel.
  24. Cody Christie
    Original post from North Dakota Twins Fan
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RWiLv8JtTfQ/UBdQeXeo7lI/AAAAAAAADGk/7td5fRBR3v0/s320/LewFordOrioles.jpg

    It has been quite the journey for Lew Ford since he last played in the big leagues for the Minnesota Twins during the 2007 season. Since that point, he has played baseball in Japan, Mexico, and the Atlantic League. But on Sunday afternoon for the first time in half a decade, the soon to be 36-year old outfielder was in the line-up at the big league level. It is hard to believe that the players that achieved cult status with Twins fans has made it back to the major leagues but he took the hard road to earn his way back to the biggest stage.
     
    The Baltimore Orioles were the team that gave him a shot with their organization in May when he was sent to their Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk. With the Tides, he got off to a blistering pace by hitting .386/.426/.596 in the first month with the club. His numbers would cool down a little of the next few weeks but he was still hitting the ball at a very good clip. In 62 games at Triple-A, he hit .331/.390/.550 with 11 home runs, 14 doubles and 40 RBI. Those numbers were too good to ignore for the Orioles and he made what seemed like his second major league debut on Sunday.
     
    Through his first two games with the Orioles, Ford has failed to get a hit by going 0-for-3 on Sunday with a walk and 0-for-4 on Monday night. He has drawn one walk during his eight plate appearances and he had a nifty defensive play during his first game back (see video here). The Orioles are in the thick of a pennant race and Buck Showalter was not afraid to write his name down in the middle of the line-up. He has played in front of the hometown crowd in Baltimore and his second time in the line-up was at Yankee Stadium, a far different venue than some of the places he played in Japan and Mexico.
     
    Ford made a name for himself with the Twins as a scrappy outfielder that put together a couple of decent seasons with the Twins during their runs to multiple division titles in the late-2000s. He debut with the team as a 26-year old rookie in 2003 and his best season with the Twins would come the following year. During the 2004 season, he batted .299/.381/.446 with 15 home runs and 72 RBI. He even managed to get a few MVP votes by the end of the season. It was downhill for Ford from this point as he battled injuries and inconsistent play before he and the Twins parted ways.
     
    It seems that Ford is elated to be back in the major leagues and his performance in the first two games might be signs that he is suffering from a few jitters. He just joined Twitter at the end of March and he took to the social media site to share some of his thoughts when he got called up.

    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--5Xjkbmjd9M/UBdLH_fqTQI/AAAAAAAADGU/q-4MrY1k6ls/s320/LewFordTweet.png

    The second time around sounds like it might be sweeter for Ford since he had to work so hard to get back to this level. He had a smile on his face when he played with the Twins but that smiles is even wider now that he has completed this journey. In interviews, it sounded like he was content to stay in the Atlantic League with the Long Island Ducks to try and help that team win a championship. He hadn't been given a chance in so many years that he thought it might never happen. The Orioles have given him the chance and now it is up to Ford to prove that he belongs in the middle of the pennant race for a contending team.
     
    There might have been other options for Baltimore in the midst of one of their best seasons in years but there were plenty of people that put their faith in Ford. Before his first game on Sunday, Ford thanked many of the coaches and front office people for the Orioles that gave him this second chance. Buck Showalter said before the game, "That's one of the great things about this jobs is that I get to take in those moments." The Orioles hope Ford can continue to find some magic and provide the team with many more special moments in the coming months.
     
    Fans from across Twins Territory might not have a team fighting for a playoff spot this season but the story of Ford is something for everyone to follow. Chants of "LLLLLLLLLLEEEEEWWWW" will be heard across the upper Mid-West as people dust of their number 20 jerseys and shirts with the name Ford on the top. Baseball is a wonderful game and it's stories like this that make following the sport with every minute.
  25. Cody Christie
    Original post from North Dakota Twins Fan
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dIPIYAGfOY8/UBXy-kYuy4I/AAAAAAAADGE/zS9ZpCGr_NE/s320/mlb_g_franlts_576.jpg

    The moment many Twins fans had been waiting for over the course of the last week finally happened during the weekend; Francisco Liriano and his expiring contract were dealt away from the Twins. After seeing other teams walk away with huge halls for rental players like Liriano, the expectations were decently high for the Twins to pick up something of value in a trade. When the news broke late on Saturday, fans were left scratching their heads over the "haul" the organization received back for their hard throwing lefty.
     
    As many have probably already heard, Liriano was sent to the White Sox for IF Eduardo Escobar and LHP Pedro Hernandez. The White Sox have one of the worst minor league systems in baseball and neither one of these players is ranked very high among their up-and-coming players. It is not often that teams will make a deal in the division but Liriano will only make a handful of starts for the White Sox before becoming a free agent. Twins GM Terry Ryan took the best deal that he was offered and unfortunately, it doesn't look like a great deal for the organization.
     
    Escobar has spent most of the time at the big league level this year but he is not much of an offensive threat. He struggles to get on-base at a decent clip but his defense is very good at multiple infield positions. The 23-year old infielder has hit .207/.281/.276 in 36 games with the White Sox this year. In 104 plate appearances as a big leaguer, he has managed five extra-base hits with no home runs. During his time in the minor leagues, he hit .270/.315/.354 over the last six seasons. His defensive skills have been focused on third base at the MLB level but he mostly played shortstop in the minor leagues.
     
    Hernandez is a left-handed pitcher that has split time at Double- and Triple-A this year with one start at the big league level. During his big league debut, he got hit pretty hard by giving up three home runs at Fenway Park against the Red Sox. The 23-year old pitcher tossed four innings and allowed eight runs on 12 hits with two strikeouts. He fits the mold of most Twins pitchers by not throwing very hard and trying to command the strike zone. His numbers at Double-A this season look good, 7-2 record with a 2.75 ERA, but he has only made seven appearances at the Triple-A level. The Twins will give him some time to get more experience in the minor leagues.
     
    Liriano's time with the Twins could be described with many words but frustrating seems to fit the bill. The Twins acquired Liriano along with Boof Bonser and Joe Nathan from the San Francisco Giants for AJ Pierzynski. For the Twins, it was a deal to make room for Joe Mauer to take over the catching duties for the club. It is now seen as one of the most lopsided trades in the history of the organization. Bonser put together a couple of decent seasons with the Twins but Nathan and Liriano became parts of multiple division winners for the club. Nathan became one of the best closers in the game and the team's all-time saves leader before leaving the team in free agency at the end of last year. Liriano looked to be one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball before an elbow injury changed his future.
     
    On September 5, 2005 in front of a crowd that didn't have many of the 15,627 ticket holders left in their seats, Liriano made his much anticipated debut for the Twins in a relief role. He came in during the ninth inning of a game that the Texas Rangers already had in hand by a score of 6-0. From my seat in the upper deck of the Metrodome, I couldn't make out every piece of action on the field but Liriano's fastball looked faster than anything I had seen in person since Randy Johnson. He was hitting speeds on the radar gun that I had never seen before and he seemed like he was going to be able to strike out any batter at will. Gary Matthews Jr gave Liriano his welcome to the majors moment by crushing a fastball to the upper reaches of the home run porch. The ball was absolutely destroyed but this one at-bat would not define Liriano's career.
     
    His rookie season was magical to watch as he looked like the best pitcher in baseball by striking out 144 batters in 121 innings pitched. His ERA was 2.16 and he posted a WHIP of 1.000 over the course of his 28 games and 16 starts. Along with Johan Santana, Liriano looked to be another front end started that the Twins would need to make a deep push into the playoffs. Something happened during his start on August 7 at Detroit that would change his career forever. Liriano only lasted four innings on that day and he wouldn't appear in another game until September. That start in September was a chance for the Twins to see if Liriano had worked his way back from whatever was bothering him. It didn't work and he was forced to go under the knife.
     
    Since coming back from Tommy John surgery, Twins fans had been aching to see the Liriano that took the mound for his rookie season. Santana had been traded away and the team needed a pitcher to step up and be an ace. Liriano's career would be a roller coaster ride for the rest of his time with the Twins. Following his surgery, he would post a win-loss record of 37-47 with a 4.69 ERA in 122 games. There were moments of excellence like his no-hitter versus the White Sox and seasons like 2010 where he seemed to be putting it all together. On the other hand, there were plenty of low points like the multiple times that he was relegated to the bullpen to try and get himself back to pitching the way the Twins thought that Liriano should be able to do.
     
    Years from now, fans of the Twins might look back at Liriano's time with the team and not be frustrated. Maybe they will be able to look back fondly on his rookie season, the 2010 campaign, and his no-hitter in 2011. In the meantime, fans are going to be frustrated with the way Liriano pitched during the last couple seasons and the mediocre return the team got from trading away his rights. Twins Territory will watch closely as Liriano dresses in the colors of the hated White Sox. If he succeeds with that team, fans will be frustrated with the deal that gave him away. If he pitches like the inconsistent Liriano of old, White Sox fans will feel their own frustration. "Frankie" is no longer the Twins headache and that might be a good thing for fans of the Twins.
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