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Cody Christie

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Blog Entries posted by Cody Christie

  1. Cody Christie
    The Twins took care of business in Toronto on Tuesday night and most of the teams in the minor leagues were able to follow their lead. It didn't take long for Kendrys Morales to remember how to hit and Brian Dozier is putting himself into the All-Star conversation at second base.
     
    Minnesota is in the mix for the playoffs and many of their minor league affiliates are fighting for first half titles. Every win is important so let's jump down on the pond to check out the action.
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 7, Gwinnett 4
    Box Score
    James Beresfor, Deibinson Romero, and Chris Collabello all had multiple hit games to lead the Red Wings to their 37th team victory. Romero and Colabello each had two doubles and Colabello added two RBI. Pedro Florimon cracked his second home run of the year to pace the Red Wings. Overall, Rochester pounded out eleven hits and seven runs to end a two-game losing streak.
     
    Trevor May started the game but he only lasted 5.1 innings and allowed three earned runs on six hits. I praised him in earlier in the week during my midseason Twins top prospect rankings so it figures that he would have a little bit of a rough start. Ryan Pressly and Aaron Thompson each earned a hold for combining to pitch 2.2 scoreless innings.
     
    Wilkin Ramirez extended his career-long hit streak to 12 games. He is hitting .333 with 10 RBI during that stretch. The Red Wings finished their nine-game rod trip with a 6-3 record.
     
    ROCK CATS REVIEW
    New Britain 5, Reading 4
    Box Score
    It took a come from behind victory but these Cats were able to claw their way back into the game. New Britain scored in the top of the ninth inning to separate themselves from the Reading Phillies. Tony Thomas was the lone New Britain hitter with more than one hit. Sam Fuld and Kennys Vargas both added home runs to help the cause.
     
    Rock Cats starter Tyler Duffey tossed six strong innings by scattering five hits and two earned runs. He struck out three and walked two. Matthew Summers surrendered the lead but his teammates bailed him out. Lester Oliveros picked up his third win by tossing 1.1 scoreless innings and striking out three. His ERA currently sits at and eye-popping 0.68.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Fort Myers 10, Charlotte 0
    Box Score
    The story of this game was Mr. Tim Shibuya. He flirted with a no hitter for a large chunk of this game before allowing a couple of hits. He tossed seven shutout frames on two hits with no walks and two strikeouts. His record improved to 4-2 with relief help from BJ Hermsen and Alex Wimmers.
     
    On the offensive side of the ball, it was the Stephen Wickens show. He knocked the sixth grand slam of the year for the Miracle as part of a 2-for-4 night. He collected five RBI, hit a double, and scored two runs along the way. Four other Miracle hitters collected two walks to help the team stay alive in innings.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Cedar Rapids 2, Quad Cities 6
    Box Score
    Bryan Haar collected his 23rd extra-base hit of the year on a double in this game but it wasn't enough to help the Kernels to victory. Tanner Vavra and Chad Christensen each tallied two hits but the rest of the team didn't follow their lead. The Kernels committed two defensive errors on the night and are now 1-6 against the Bandits this year.
     
    Aaron Slegers got beat around over 4.2 innings as he allowed five total runs with three of them being unearned. This had to be frustrating. He was charged with six hits but he struck out three and walked one for his third loss of the season. Josue Montanez and Chris Mazza were not charged with a run for the rest of the game. Montanez struck out six over 2.2 frames.
     
    TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
    Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Tim Shibuya, Fort Myers Miracle
    Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Stephen Wickens, Fort Myers Miracle
     
    WEDNESDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS
    Rochester- Scheduled Off Day
    New Britain @ Reading (6:05 CST)- Sean Gilmartin (Listen)
    Charlotte @ Fort Myers (6:05 CST)- Jose Berrios (Listen)
    Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST)- Fernando Romero (Listen)
  2. Cody Christie
    Minnesota added some top-notch talent to the organization at the end of last week. For the third year in a row, the Twins had a top five pick in the MLB Draft. Minnesota's farm system was already considered one of the best in the game and adding top tier talent can only help the organization.
     
    My last prospect rankings were released in conjuncture with the "2014 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook." There have been some changes since that time as minor league teams are almost halfway through their season. Some players have shined and others have struggled.
     
    Injuries have been the story for the Twins top two prospects this year but some pitching prospects have really started to shine, as they get closer to the big leagues.


    For more from Cody Christie, check out NoDakTwinsFan.com

     
    1. Byron Buxton- OF (Previously #1)
    2014 Team(s): Fort Myers Miracle
    2014 Stats: .150/.150/.350, 1 HR, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R (5 Games)
    Even though Buxton has missed most of this season with a wrist injury, he is still considered by many to be the best prospect in the game. The lost playing time is going to hurt some of his development but he was young for the levels he has played at so far. Hopefully, he can get into some games in the second-half of the year and show some positive signs.
     
    2. Miguel Sano- 3B (Previously #2)
    2014 Team(s): N/A Tommy John surgery
    Tommy John surgery took away most of this season from Sano. He won't likely be able to get on the field this season unless it is in a DH capacity at the very end of the year. It seems likely for the Twins to send Sano to the Arizona Fall League to get some extra at-bats before he plays in the Dominican winter league.
     
    3. Alex Meyer- RHP (Previously #3)
    2014 Team(s): Rochester Red Wings
    2014 Stats: 3.30 ERA, 62.2 IP, 75 SO, 28 BB, 51 H (12 Games)
    Meyer will likely be making his big league debut this season and he has made some adjustments at the Triple-A level. He learned a new change-up grip and this has helped to improve his strikeout totals. Opponents are hitting .223 against him for the season. Because of some injury issues last year, he's already closing in on the amount of innings he pitched last year.
     
    4. Nick Gordon- SS (Previously N/A)
    2014 Team(s): N/A 2014 Draft
    The Twins haven't been able to develop a shortstop in the minor leagues for quite some time. Nick Gordon is hoping to be the man to end that trend. He add 15 pound of muscle in the last year and this should help to improve his power numbers. He'll start in the rookie leagues once he signs a contract.
     
    5. Jose Berrios- RHP (Previously #6)
    2014 Team(s): Fort Myers Miracle
    2014 Stats: 2.24 ERA, 64.1 IP, 74 SO, 17 BB, 57 H (11 Games)
    Berrios might be having the best season of any of the top prospects on this list. There have been questions in the past about whether his long-term role was going to be as a starter or as a relief pitcher. He is putting some of those questions to rest with his performance in the Florida State League. I would have moved him higher but I need to see more from him throughout the season.
     
    6. Kohl Stewart- RHP (Previously #4)
    2014 Team(s): Cedar Rapids Kernels
    2014 Stats: 2.67 ERA, 49.0 IP, 36 SO, 15 BB, 37 H (10 Games)
    Stewart's ERA looks great but I was expecting him to strike out more batters. This is one of the reasons he dropped a little. It's still very early into his first full season in professional baseball so he has a lot of time left to develop before reaching the big leagues.
     
    7. Eddie Rosario- 2B/OF (Previously #5)
    2014 Team(s): Fort Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats
    2014 Stats: .350/.409/.450, 1 HR, 1 2B, 6 RBI, 9 R (10 Games)
    Rosario missed 50 games to start the season because of a drug related suspension. He's done fairly well since his return and the team already moved him up from High-A to Double-A. It sounds like Rosario will be playing some in the infield and some in the outfield after transitioning to second base last year. He's still a very gifted hitter and he could make it to Rochester by season's end.
     
    8. Jorge Polanco- 2B (Previously #7)
    2014 Team(s): Fort Myers Miracle
    2014 Stats: .289/.362/.395, 3 HR, 11 2B, 26 RBI, 40 R (57 Games)
    Polanco has consistently moved through the Twins system and he seems to improve at every level. He's hit over .300 each of the last two seasons and continues to add power. The switch-hitter has close to the same batting average from both sides of the plate so he should continue to switch hit as he moves up the ladder.
     
    9. Trevor May- RHP (Previously #13)
    2014 Team(s): Rochester Red Wings
    2014 Stats: 2.80 ERA, 61.0 IP, 63 SO, 24 BB, 45 H (11 Games)
    One of the biggest concerns for May has always been his control. He's made some positive strides this season, as he has been able to limit the amount of walks he's allowing. His numbers are the best of his career and he's another player who is knocking on the door to the big leagues. If he continues to show consistency, the Twins will reward him with a call-up.
     
    10. Lewis Thorpe- LHP (Previously #11)
    2014 Team(s): Cedar Rapids Kernels
    2014 Stats: 9.64 ERA, 4.2 IP, 1 SO, 3 BB, 6 H (1 Game)
    Thorpe exploded onto the scene last year and shot up prospect lists with his performance in the GCL. The Twins had him skip Elizabethton and he got roughed up in his first Low-A start. He's only 18-years old so he's much younger than the competition. The Twins had confidence in him skipping a level so they must believe he is ready.
  3. Cody Christie
    "I've got a fever and the only prescription is less Kubel"
     
    Those words don't taste good coming out of my mouth because I consider myself a Jason Kubel fan. I've liked Kubel since he was a budding prospect in the Twins minor league system. He was supposed to be one of the left-handed power bats to join Joe Mauer in the middle of the batting order. A devastating knee injury kept those dreams from becoming a reality and it's looking more like his time is over in Minnesota.
     
    Things haven't been very good for Kubel this season. He is batting.238/.329/.313 on the year with eight extra-base hits. Those numbers might not seem horrendous but most of his good hitting came at the beginning of the season. According to FanGraphs version of WAR, Kubel has been the second worst left fielder in the American League this season.
     
    Since the calendar turned to May, Kubel has looked like a shell of his former self. He has no extra-base hits this month and his slash line has dropped to .179/.295/.179 with 27 strikeouts. That's right his batting average and slugging percentage match and that's not a good thing. It's tough to stomach Kubel being in the line-up as a corner outfielder with little defensive value. The value Kubel provided in the past was from his offensive power. With his power gone, what value does he provide?
     
    Corner Outfield Crunch
    When Oswaldo Arcia and Josh Willingham were recovering from injuries, it made sense to have someone like Kubel around for some outfield depth. Arcia is swinging a hot bat and he looks to be penciled into a corner outfield spot for the rest of the season. Willingham could be a trade candidate at the deadline so the Twins need him on the field as much as possible. There also might be more left in Willingham's tank compared to Kubel. Hopefully both Arcia and Willingham will be healthy for the rest of the year.
     
    Pinto Needs to Play
    Fitting Kubel into the line-up means that Josmil Pinto has been pushed to the bench. Pinto needs to be in the line-up on a more regular basis for a variety of reasons. First of all, he is one of the best offensive players on the roster and the Twins are struggling to score runs.Just because Ron Gardenhire is scared about having both catchers in the line-upon a given night doesn't mean he should shy away from using Pinto. Secondly,the team should be committed to him as the catcher of the future and that isn't going to happen with him on the bench while the team isn't scoring runs.
     
    Other Outfield Options
    While Chris Parmelee and Chris Colabello have gone through some struggles in the last two seasons, it would be nice for the Twins to continue to give each of them opportunities. Parmelee is barely 26-years old and he has shown the ability to produce at Triple-A. Colabello was the International League MVP a season ago and he produced some monster numbers in the first month of this year. There might be ups and downs with these two but they seem like more viable options than a depleted Kubel.
     
    Kubel was part of many special moments in Minnesota but my fever is hot and it's time for the Kubel to stop ringing.
  4. Cody Christie
    On Tuesday it was announced that New Britain Rock Cats outfield Daniel Ortiz was selected as the Eastern League Player of the Week for the period of May 19th-May 25th. Over six games, he hit .480 with four doubles, a triple, and two home runs. He had at least one hit in all six games and he post back-to-back three hit nights earlier in the week. During the last week, Ortiz lead the league in slugging percentage (.960), OPS (1.460) and tied for the league lead in extra-base hits (7)
     
    Would Ortiz's hot hitting continue this week? Read on to find out.
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 2, Syracuse 10
    Box Score
    Syracuse must have been sick of losing to Rochester. Coming into the game the Red Wings had beat the Chiefs in three straight games and outscored them 24-10.
     
    Scott Diamond is not making it easy for Rochester to win the games he starts. After giving up seven runs in 3.1 innings, his ERA is up to 7.51 and his WHIP is the highest in the International League. He hasn't won a start since May 2 and he's given up five runs or more in four of his nine starts. Yohon Pino, Deolis Guerra, and Edgar Ibarra did their best to clean up the mess as they combined to give up three earned runs over the last 5.2 frames.
     
    There wasn't much to speak of on the offensive side of the ball. Chris Herrmann and Chris Colabello made their return to the Rochester line-up after being sent down on Monday. Herrmann went 2-for-4 with a run scored while Colabello went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts. Chris Rahl had the lone extra-base hit, a double that scored two runs.
     
    ROCK CATS REVIEW
    New Britain 5, Portland 5 (2 Innings-Suspended)
    Box Score
    The Rock Cats didn't get very far into their game with the Sea Dogs but there was plenty of action. New Britain got on the board early with a big five-run first inning. Daniel Oritz continued his hot hitting ways with two hits including a triple. Reynaldo Rodriguez cracked a two-run home run, his eighth of the season.
     
    Pat Dean got beat up in the rainy weather as he allowed five runs on six hits in 1.1 innings. He walked one and struck out one. The game is scheduled to be completed on Wednesday as part of a double-header.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Fort Myers 11, Clearwater 3
    Box Score
    Matt Tomshaw twirled eight shutout innings and he faced just one batter over the minimum. He was able to get around his two walks and three hits because of four double plays turned behind him. It was his fourth straight win in May and he has only allowed two earned runs so far this month. Brandon Peterson had a strikeout as he closed out the ninth inning to preserve the shutout.
     
    Stuart Turner put together a very impressive night at the plate. He went 4-for-5 with two doubles and four RBI. It was his second consecutive multi-hit game and he's hit safely in eight of his last ten games. Five other hitters in the Miracle line-up had two hits or more. Max Kepler scored three runs and Niko Goodrum added a double.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Cedar Rapids 16, Beloit 5
    Box Score
    The Kernels exploded for seven runs in the fifth inning and 16 runs, a season high, over four innings to pound the Beloit Snappers. Every Kernels starter had a hit besides JD Williams and he still scored three runs and had an RBI without recording a hit. Surprisingly, there was only one extra-base hit out of the 16 total hits for Cedar Rapids. Mitch Garver went 3-for-5 with 4 RBI and Ivory Thomas hit a pinch-hit three run homer to cushion the lead.
     
    Jake Mauer was able to use a variety of pitchers in the late innings since his club scored so many runs. Derrick Penilla started things for Cedar Rapids and he went four shutout frames while walking three and striking out two. It was only his second start of the season and it was the most inning he has pitched this year. Brandon Bixler picked up the win but he was charged with five runs in less than three innings. Jared Wilson and Hudson Boyd combined to shutout the Kernels in the last 2.1 innings.
     
    The Kernels improved to 4-2 against the Snappers this season. After the series win, the Kernels won't face the Snappers again in the first half. The two teams meet-up again in August
     
    TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
    Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Matt Tomshaw, Fort Myers Miracle
    Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Stuart Turner, Fort Myers Miracle
     
    SUNDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS
    Syracuse @ Rochester (6:05 CST)- Alex Meyer (Listen)
    New Britain @ Portland- Taylor Rogers (Listen)
    New Britain @ Portland (5:00 CST)- Competition of 5/28 Game
    Fort Myers @ Clearwater (12:00 CST)- David Hulbut (Listen)
    Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST)- Aaron Slegers (Listen)
  5. Cody Christie
    As spring training began in Twins Territory, there were questions about who should be starting at third base when the team headed north. Trevor Plouffe was coming off an underwhelming season where he dealt with some injuries and he struggled defensively at third base. Miguel Sano was ranked as one of the best prospects in the game and his powerful swing looked primed to make his debut.
     
    Flash-forward a couple months and Sano is recovering from Tommy John surgery while Plouffe has continued to look more comfortable at the plate and in the field. Plouffe is never going to be a high batting average player but he's changed some of his offensive approach. Last season, he set a career high in doubles with 22 and this season he's already notched 18 two-baggers. His OPS+ of 113 breaks his career high from back in 2012 when he went HR crazy for a few weeks.
     
    There have been two big changes for Plouffe this season. The first has been his plate discipline and more importantly his ability to coax walks. He has 19 walks to his credit this year but he has increased is BB% from 6.5% in 2013 to close to 10% in 2014. Plouffe has also seen more pitches per game this season than last year. In 2013, he average 4.04 pitches seen per at-bat and that number has jumped to 4.60 in 2014.
     
    Another area of improvement for Plouffe has been his ability to drive the ball to the opposite field. Last season, he had a total of six doubles to opposite field and only two of those balls were to the gap. Already this season he has ten doubles to opposite field and seven of those doubles are in the gap. His line drive percentage has also increased from 24.7% to 28.5%.
     
    Plouffe is in his first year of being arbitration eligible since he qualified as a Super 2 player. His salary bumped up to $2.35 million this season and that number will continue to increase in the years to come. Here's a fun little player comparison between two former Twins first round picks.
     
    Player A: 1544 PA, .260/.336/.444, 86 2B, 48 HR, .184 ISO, .304 BABIP
    Player B: 1544 PA, .242/.305/.413, 78 2B, 51 HR, .171 ISO, .281 BABIP
     
    Player A is Michael Cuddyer, another late bloomer with the Twins. Player B is Trevor Plouffe through Wednesday night's game in San Diego. It took Cuddyer over 1500 at-bats to consistently compile an OPS+ of over 100. Plouffe is around that mark and he just crossed the 1500 career at-bats.
     
    If Plouffe can continue to make small improvements, the Twins are going to have to continue to find room for him on their line-up card.
  6. Cody Christie
    Minnesota starts into a West Coast swing of baseball action on Tuesday. The club will play two games in San Diego before heading up the coast for a weekend series in San Francisco. This means some late night baseball action for Twins Territory, as most of the team's games won't be starting until 8:00 pm or later.
     
    The Twins have won each of their last three series including two out of three from Boston and Detroit. If the Twins want to continue to be relevant in the AL Central, they will need to continue to win series. The Tigers are out to an early lead in the division and they are playing at a very high level.
     
    Down in the minor leagues, there were three very strong starts by pitchers in New Britain, Fort Myers, and Cedar Rapids. Were their teams able to pick up the victory? You'll have to read on to find out!
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 0, Toledo 3
    Box Score
    The loss by Rochester ended a seven-game winning streak and a 10-game home winning streak. It was the third time the Red Wings have been shutout this season and Toledo has done it twice to them. Scott Diamond started and lasted seven innings while giving up three runs on six hits. He tied his season high in strikeouts with six and he hasn't allowed a walk in the last 13.1 innings.
     
    James Beresford went 1-for-4 in the game and extended his hitting streak to seven games. He also has a 13-game home hitting streak in front of the Frontier Field faithful. Doug Bernier started at first base and he has now started at six different positions (1B, 2B, 3B, SS, LF, and RF) for the Wings this season. Pedro Florimon had two hits and his sixth error in the field.
     
    ROCK CATS REVIEW
    New Britain 7, Richmond 2
    Box Score
    Daniel Ortiz powered the Rock Cats past the Flying Squirrels on Tuesday night. Ortiz went 3-for-4 with two doubles and it was his second consecutive multi-hit game. The first four hitters in New Britain's line-up all had multi-hit games and they combined to go 9-for-15 with three doubles and five runs scored. Overall, the team almost .500 with runners in scoring position and this certainly helped the pitching staff on this night.
     
    Sean Gilmartin had plenty of run support and he didn't necessarily need it all. Over 8.0 innings, he allowed two runs on four hits and he struck out a season high nine batters. It was his first win since May 2nd and it was the first time he had pitched more than 6.2 innings this season. Lester Oliveros pitched a perfect ninth inning with a strikeout.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Fort Myers 7, Dunedin 2
    Box Score
    A four-run fourth inning helped the Miracle to break open a tie game. Travis Harrison started the frame with a double and Dalton Hicks followed that up with a walk. A few pitches later Niko Goodrum drove in both base runners with triple. Adam Brett Walker knocked in Goodrum with a single and a few batters later he scored on a Jonathan Murphy single. The Miracle were up 5-1 and they didn't look back.
     
    To cap off a solid day of starting pitching by Twins minor leaguers (Cedar Rapids played an afternoon game), Matt Tomshaw went seven frames by allowing two runs on five hits. Both of the runs scored against him were home runs but they were solo-shots to keep his team in the game. He struck out four and walked one. Madison Boer pitched two shutout innings to end the game. He allowed one hit and stuck out two.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Cedar Rapids 4, Beloit 2
    Box Score
    JD Williams played the hero in this game as his pinch-hit, two run single in the bottom of the eighth turned out to be the difference in the game. Bryan Santy had a good day at the plate as he went 2-for-3 with his third double of the season. He also scored two of the team's four runs. Ivory Thomas and Carlos Avila each went 2-for-2 at the dish.
     
    Kohl Stewart didn't figure into the decision but he was outstanding on the mound. He tossed six frames and allowed one run on four hits. He struck out three and walked one. It was the first time he has pitched at least six innings since April 25th and it was only the second time all year he made it that far into a game. His ERA is down to 2.21 for the season over 40.2 innings.
     
    Alex Muren picked up his first win of the season by allowing one run in two innings of relief work. He struck out three and didn't walk any. Todd Van Steensel earned his second save by pitching a scoreless ninth frame.
     
    TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
    Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Sean Gilmartin, New Britain Rock Cats
    Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Daniel Ortiz, New Britain Rock Cats
     
    SUNDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS
    Rochester- Scheduled off day
    Richmond @ New Britain (5:35 CST)- Pat Dean (Listen)
    Fort Myers @ Dunedin (5:30 CST)- David Hulbut (Listen)
    Beloit @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST)- Felix Jorge (Listen)
  7. Cody Christie
    The 1991 World Series will always hold a special place in the heart of Twins fans. Kirby Puckett's heroics in Game 6 and the magnificent pitching performance of Jack Morris are legendary moments etched into the minds of a generation of baseball fans. Many consider this World Series as the best of all time and it all comes into focus in the newly released book "Down to the Last Pitch."
     
    To get a better understanding of this legendary World Series, author Tim Wendel breaks down every game by using the words and stories from the players who were in the middle of the action. Wendel was a founding editor of USA Today Baseball Weekly and he has authored ten books. His years of being around the game of baseball are evident throughout the book's chapters.
     
    This specific World Series will always be marked as a special time in baseball. Changes would hit the game hard in the coming years. Performance enhancing drugs and labor unrest would be baseball's themes for the next decade. "In a lot of ways it will always be a sweet spot in time," said Steve Hirdt of the Elias Sports Bureau. "Not only did this one Series have everything you ever wanted in terms of pressure games and great performances, you also look back on it fondly because of what was to come, the challenges the game would soon face."
     
    Each chapter of this 253-page book is dedicated to one game in the Series. However, Wendel doesn't just retell the story of each pitch or each at-bat. He delves into the back-stories of the players on the rosters for the Braves and the Twins. He explores other stories from around the baseball world like Ricky Henderson's stolen base record, Nolan Ryan's final no-hitter, and Pete Rose being banned for life.
     
    Baseball is never about one team or one player. It is about the stories and the history that takes place on an everyday basis.
     
    One of my favorite stories in the book took place in spring training 1991. The author, a man who covered National League baseball until '91, was trying to get to know the teams and players of the American League. He showed up late one evening to the Lee County Sports Complex in Fort Myers and he heard someone taking batting practice.
     
    What he ended up finding was Kent Hrbek, Chili Davis, and Dan Gladden watching Kirby Puckett taking hacks in the batting cage. Some interesting conversations took place as a strange report showed up to their impromptu batting session but it ended with an interesting back-and-forth between the parties involved.
     

     
    Did those extra spring training BP sessions pay off for the Twins? No one may ever know but the team wound up in the middle of a World Series for the ages. Five of the seven games were decided in the home team's last at-bat, four games were decided on the last pitch, and three games finished in extra-innings.
     
    Wendel's baseball acumen and historical knowledge make this a book for any baseball fan. This isn't just a story of the Twins winning or the Braves losing. It is a snapshot of baseball in the early 1990's, a simpler time when "everyone involved was left with memories of the last fine time in baseball."
  8. Cody Christie
    It has been a rough season for some of the top position players in the Twins minor league system. Eddie Rosario is serving a 50-game suspension after he tested positive for marijuana use. Miguel Sano had to undergo Tommy John surgery and the earliest he could be on the field is very late in the summer. To cap it all off, Byron Buxton, the consensus top prospect in all of baseball, has played a whopping five games this year because of wrist injuries.
     
    Byron Buxton
    Original Outlook (2014): After tearing up both Low-A and High-A last season, Buxton was expected to spend most of the season at Double-A. This would have left him with an outside chance at making his big league debut as a September call-up.
     
    Injury Issue: Buxton missed all of the first month of the season with a wrist injury. This forced the Twins to send him back to Fort Myers to work himself back into form after the injury. He played five games and went just 3-for-20 with a double and a home run before he re-injured his wrist sliding into third base.
     
    Consequences of Lost Playing Time: One of the things that made Buxton move up the prospect charts so quickly was his achievement at each level for his young age. Last season he was two years younger than the average age of position players in the Midwest League. He dominated the Florida State League and he was almost four years younger than players in that league. There are comparisons between him and Mike Trout and Buxton's numbers are even better at the same point. Every at-bat is important for development and he is losing precious development time.
     
    Miguel Sano
    Original Outlook (2014): After producing some of the best power numbers in the minor leagues, Sano was expected to get the majority of his playing time at Triple-A. This would have left him knocking on the door to the big leagues shortly after the All-Star Game.
     
    Injury Issue: Something wasn't right with Sano's elbow for most of the off-season. He wasn't able to fully participate in Winter League action but the Twins wanted him to try to rest his sore elbow. After he reported to big league camp, the reports were mostly positive as he tried to stretch out his arm. It was eventually decided that Tommy John surgery was the only option as he continued to deal with pain.
     
    Consequences of Lost Playing Time: Much like Buxton, one of the reasons Sano was so highly touted was his advanced ability at such a young age. When he was playing with New Britain at the end of 2013, he was almost 4.5 years younger than the competition. He has more professional playing time than Buxton and he reached a higher level even though they are both close to the same age. Sano's injury is frustrating especially since he was dealing with elbow problems for much of the off-season. He'll try and get back in games at the end of this year and this will push back his debut into 2015.
     
    Eddie Rosario
    Original Outlook (2014): After transitioning to the middle infield and getting some extra at-bats in the Arizona Fall League, Rosario was supposed to end up in Rochester to push for the big leagues. He and Sano have followed much of the same path so a late season call-up was not out of the question.
     
    Injury Issue: Rosario reported to Twins camp three weeks after the other minor league players. The only word out from the Twins front office was that he was dealing with "personal issues." After he reported the extended spring training, word came out about his suspension was due to smoking marijuana during the Arizona Fall League. He is also rehabbing a sore elbow.
     
    Consequences of Lost Playing Time: While Buxton and Sano are trying to get healthy and back on the field, Rosario is dealing with a different kind of recovery. He made a mistake in the off-season and he is dealing with the consequences. Rosario's suspension will be over at the end of May so he will likely beat the other two players back onto the field. There was an outside chance of him making his debut this year but that likely won't happen because of his lost at-bats. It will also be interesting to see if the Twins continue to use him at second base because of Brian Dozier's emergence.
  9. Cody Christie
    On last week's episode of Talk to Contact, Darren "Doogie" Wolfson spent some time with us discussing the possibility of a Brian Dozier contract extension. He mentioned that Dozier's agent has already approached the Twins about this possibility. By the end of the interview, he said he wouldn't be surprised if Dozier has a new contract in place by the end of spring training next year.
     
    From the perspective of the Twins front office, there might not be a reason to be in a rush with Dozier. He didn't make his big league debut until the age of 24. His first year of arbitration eligibility is 2016 and he can't be a free agent until 2019. Dozier would be 31-years old before he hit the free agent market and a lot can happen to a player over the course of multiple seasons.
     
    On the other hand, Minnesota might want to lock-up Dozier before he gets to arbitration because of the way he has played since the second half of last season. Dozier's power swing really showed up in the last year's second half. He slashed .253/.313/.443 with 10 home runs and 18 doubles. His batting average is never going to be the prettiest (he's a career .240 hitter) but his combination of stellar defense and base running ability make him very valuable.
     
    A hot start from Dozier in 2014 could mean his cost is starting to rise. He already has nine home runs to his name and his 34 runs scored leads the American League. The addition of Hall-of-Famer Paul Molitor to the coaching staff must also be helping Dozier. One of Molitor's duties is base running coach and Dozier is closing in on a career high in steals. He collected 14 steals a season ago and he already has 12 in 2014.
     
    So what could a Dozier extension look like in the next year?
     
    A starting point for the Twins and Dozier could be the deal signed by Padres second baseman Jedd Gyorko. Gyorko was drafted a year after Dozier and he made his debut on roughly the same timeline. Even though he was still arbitration eligible, the Padres inked him to a 5-year, $35 million contract, which includes a team option for a sixth year. This could mean Gyorko is in San Diego through 2020.
     
    Another second baseman to sign a recent contract extension was Jason Kipnis. Like Dozier, he was drafted in 2009 but he made his debut a year earlier. He also has an All-Star appearance to his name and he was closer to free agency by a year. The Indians gave Kipnis a 6-year, $52.5 million deal with a team option for 2020.
     
    Looking at these two deals I would put Dozier somewhere in the middle of these two players. The Twins should offer Dozier a 5-year deal for around $40 million with a team option for a sixth year. His average salary would be less than Kipnis and higher than Gyorko. I could see it going a little higher than $40 million but not too much higher. This deal would lock up Dozier through his arbitration years and push back his free agent years.
  10. Cody Christie
    In Monday’s Twins game, Danny Santana made his rookie debut as a pinch runner in the late innings. He would collect his first MLB hit later in the game. Tonight he got to make his first big league start at shortstop and he batted ninth in the order. He went 0-for-3 but he showed off his strong arm while turning a tough double play.
     
    Byron Buxton has been trying to work out the kinks in his swing as he returned from an early season wrist injury. The first few games were rough as he went 0-for-7 with four strikeouts. Understandably, there would be some rust in the early going but could he shake off some of that rust on Tuesday evening?
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 5. Columbus 3
    Box Score
    Rochester jumped out to an early 2-0 lead but the pitching staff couldn't hold on and the offense went cold. Oswaldo Arcia had the team's lone extra-base hit as his double helped to give the team an early lead. Deibinson Romero had two hits and he knocked in a couple runs but he also had his seventh fielding error of the season. A night after knocking his second career home run, James Beresford was quiet at the plate as he went 0-for-3 with a walk.
     
    Kris Johnson was making his first start back in Rochester since he made a spot start for the Twins at the end of last week. He struck out eight and pitched into the sixth inning before running into some trouble. In the end, he was only charged with one earned run. Matt Guerrier took the loss as he gave up three runs on three hits including a home run.
     
    It was the first time Rochester has lost back-to-back games since April 25-26.
     
    ROCK CATS REVIEW
    New Britain 6, Trenton 0
    Box Score
    The month of May has been very kind to the Rock Cats. After finishing the month of April with a 6-16 record, New Britain has won six of their first seven games since the calendar turned. Taylor Rogers certainly helped the club continue their winnings ways. He tossed 6.1 innings of shutout ball by scattering five hits. He struck out five and walked two. His ERA was over 8.00 entering the game but his effort tonight dropped it to under 6.50.
     
    Offensively the Rock Cats got help from all parts of their line-up. Daniel Ortiz and Reynaldo Rodriguez each added a couple hits and they combined for three of the team's RBI. Both of the RBI for Ortiz came with two outs and he is up to 11 RBI for the year. Kennys Vargas was also highly involved in the offense as he knocked in two runs and scored two runs.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Fort Myers 4, Bradenton 0
    Box Score
    In only his third game since returning from injury, Byron Buxton snapped back in a big way. He launched a two-run shot in the bottom of the first innings. The Miracle would stay on top the rest of the way. Max Kepler also hit a two-run homer, his second long ball of the year. Levi Michael and Niko Goodrum both had multi-hit nights to help pace the offense. Goodrum also stole his fifth base of the season.
     
    The Miracle used four different pitchers for the shutout. Replacing scheduled starter Brett Lee, Steven Gruver pitched the first four frames while striking out two and walking two. Tim Shibuya earned his third victory by tossing the next three innings and only allowing one hit. Brandon Peterson struck out the side in the eighth and Tyler Jones shut the door in the ninth.
     
    It was the second straight win for Fort Myers after a four game losing streak to start the month of May.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Cedar Rapids 4, Quad Cities 10
    Box Score
    Bryan Haar hit his fifth home run of the season and JD Williams reached base safely in all five plate appearances. Williams was credited with a single, a double, two walks, and a hit by pitch. This still wasn't nearly enough as the trailed 8-1 after just two innings.
     
    The River Bandits pounced on Josue Montanez early as he was knocked out after only 1.2 frames. He allowed eight earned runs on seven hits with one strikeout and three walks. Todd Van Steensel, Christian Powell, and Alex Muren did a good job of stopping the bleeding. The bullpen crew limited Quad Cities to two runs over the last 6.1 innings to keep the game from getting too out of hand.
     
    Last year's top pick Kohl Stewart will get the start on the mound tomorrow. He looks to set the pace and get the team headed back in the right direction.
     
    TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
    Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Taylor Rogers, New Britain Rock Cats
    Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Niko Goodrum, Fort Myers Miracle
     
    SUNDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS
    Rochester @ Columbus (5:35 CST)- Trevor May
    New Britain @ Bowie (5:35 CST)- Tyler Duffey
    Fort Myers @ Jupiter (5:35 CST)- TBD
    Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:35 CST)- Kohl Stewart
  11. Cody Christie
    Weather played an issue in Minneapolis, as the Twins couldn't get in the first game of their series with the Dodgers. The game will be made up as part of a split doubleheader on Thursday. Kyle Gibson was supposed to start on Sunday before a rainout and now he got pushed back to Wednesday. He should be well rested.
     
    Some of the other speculation for Thursday is about who the Twins could call-up to be their 26th man for the doubleheader. The Twins could be looking at starting pitcher to start one of the games. Some of the options on the 40-man roster are left-handed pitchers Kris Johnson and Logan Darnell. Otherwise Gibson would need to pitch on short rest over the weekend.
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester --, Charlotte -- (Postponed)
    For the sixth time this season, the Red Wings were postponed because of weather. This is their fourth home game that was lost due to weather.
     
    Since Charlotte isn't scheduled to return to Rochester this season, this game will be made up when the Red Wings visit the Knights at the beginning of June. The exact date is yet to be announced but the series runs from June 3rd to June 6th. Rochester will be considered the home team for one of the games and get to bat last.
     
    ROCK CATS REVIEW
    New Britain --, Harrisburg -- (Postponed)
    For the second time in five days, the Rock Cats were unable to take the field because of rain. It's been tough for the Rock Cats to get any rhythm as a club with all of their weather issues in the last month. The team is in the middle of a three game losing streak.
     
    Today's contest is rescheduled as part of a doubleheader on Thursday evening. Taylor Rogers was the scheduled starter so he will be pushed back to one of the other starts in this series with Harrisburg. New Britain needs to find a way to start winning some ball games.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Fort Myers 7, Bradenton 1
    Box Score
    Matt Tomshaw got the Miracle started off on the right foot by throwing four innings of one-run ball. He struck out four and walked one. It was his first start of the season as he has been building up some arm strength over his first three appearances. Tim Shibuya covered the next two frames and only allowed one hit. There have been some rough outings for Shibuya this season so it was nice to see a clean couple of innings.
     
    Five hitters had multiple hit games for the Miracle. Travis Harrison lead the way with a 3-for-5 night including a double and two RBI. It was his second three hit game in his last three appearances. Levi Michael and Aderlin Mejia each added a double of their own to the hit parade. Meijia matched Harrison with two RBI of his own.
     
    The Miracle have been on quite the roll during the last week as the club has won six of their last seven games. They will try to finish off the sweep of Bradenton tomorrow night with Brett Lee on the mound.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Cedar Rapids 1, Kane County 2
    Box Score
    In his longest start of the season, Ethan Mildren pitched six frames and scattered eight hits with four strikeouts. He allowed one earn run to lower his ERA to 2.50 on the season. Brandon Bixler picked a bad time to give up his first run of the season, a streak that lasted 11.1 innings and six games. He gave up a couple of hits and a walk which turned into the winning run for Kane County.
     
    Mitch Garver was the lone Kernels hitter with more than one hit. He went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Chad Christensen ended a streak of 15 consecutive games reaching base after he went 0-for-4. Bryan Haar finally ended a rough hitless streak. He had been hitless in his last 21 at-bats coming into tonight but he went 1-for-4 to end the streak.
     
    TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
    Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Ethan Mildren, Cedar Rapids Kernels
    Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Travis Harrison, Fort Myers Miracle
     
    WEDNESDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS
    Rochester- Scheduled Off Day
    New Hampshire @ New Britain (6:00 CST)- Taylor Rogers*
    Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:05 CST)- Brett Lee
    Kane County @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST)- Josue Montanez
    *Scheduled to changed because of today's postponement
  12. Cody Christie
    This off-season has been a lucrative one for back end of the bullpen pitchers. Former Twins closer Joe Nathan signed with the Detroit Tigers for 2-years and around $20 million. That's good money for a man closing in on age 40 that had Tommy John surgery not that long ago. The Braves also locked up their ninth inning man, Craig Kimbrel, to a 4-year, $42 million contact that will see him be one of the highest paid closers by the end of the deal. It's safe to say it's a decent time to be a closer.
     
    Things took a different path in Twins Territory this off-season. The Twins weren't looking to strike a new deal with their closer Glen Perkins because he signed a deal a couple of seasons ago that would have under team control through 2015. Perkins approached the team about signing a long-term deal so he could be a Twin even longer. The Minnesota native wanted to make sure the majority of his career was played in his home state.
    It wasn't that long ago that Perkins and the Twins looked like they were heading for an ugly break-up. In 2010, Perkins filed a grievance against the Twins for the way they handled his shoulder injury that season. He was sent to Triple-A while dealing with a shoulder injury and he felt like he should have been on the MLB disabled list so he could accumulate more big league service time. Oh, how things have changed!
     
    Perkins will now make $22.5 million from 2014-2017 with a team option for 2018. This new deal means he will be in Twins pinstripes into his mid-30's at a relatively cheap price. The top 25 highest paid relief pitchers are all scheduled to be paid over $5 million this season. With Perkins new deal, he will get a little over $4 million. The most Perkins will make under his new deal is $6.5 million in 2017 and that amount would only rank him 13th on the current list of relief pitcher salaries. If MLB contracts continue to rise, the Twins will have a very good deal by the end of this contract.
     
    It has been hard to ignore how valuable Perkins has been since he shifted to a relief pitcher role. When compared to other left-handed relief pitchers, Perkins is in some elite company. Over the past three seasons among lefty relievers with 150 innings, his 5.5 WAR ranks second to Aroldis Chapman and their ERAs are eerily similar, 2.43 for Chapman and 2.45 for Perkins. Where Perkins ranks the best is when it comes to strikeout to walk rate, his 4.2 SO/BB rate is the best in this category by a significant margin.
     
    Minnesota has one of the best farm systems in baseball and now the team won't have to worry about the back-end of the bullpen during the club's rebuild. Perkins took a hometown discount to be part of the rebuilding process and this means the team will have extra money to spend on other parts of the roster. Perkins has become an integral part of the Twin Cities community and his value goes far beyond what happens on the diamond.
  13. Cody Christie
    Every offseason fans can sit back and reflect on the year that was for the Minnesota Twins. There are usually some high points and some low points for any team no matter what their place in the standings. Unfortunately for the Twins, there have been more low points than high points over the last three seasons.
     
    Last year's roster featured a few players in the midst of a breakout season. Brian Dozier set the franchise record for home runs by a second baseman and he backed that up with terrific up the middle defense. It was a long time coming for Dozier who struggled during his first taste of the big leagues 2012. Anthony Swarzak took over the long relief role and compiled his best numbers as a professional. He also led all of baseball in innings pitched by a relief arm.
     
    Looking forward to the 2014 season, there are a variety of players who could be poised to make a big impact this year.
     
    Oswaldo Arcia, OF: There were some positive signs from Arcia in his rookie year but the Twins would like to see some more offensive consistency from their 22-year old outfielder. In the minor leagues, Arcia was a career .314 hitter and he had a slugging percentage over .530 for the last four seasons. A few rookie nerves meant a drop in his batting average to .251 and his slugging percentage topped out at .431. He should be a regular starter in 2014 and the Twins would like him to get back to the numbers he put up in the minor leagues.
     
    Kyle Gibson, RHP: With the logjam of staring pitching on the 25-man roster, Gibson might be forced to start the year in Rochester. It still could be a make or break year for the 25-year old as he is in his second season back following Tommy John surgery. There were plenty of struggles from Gibson during his big league debut. His ERA was over 6.50 and his WHIP was closer to 2.00 than 1.00. Thankfully, there is still hope for the former first round pick since he put up some impressive numbers in the minors before his elbow surgery. Gibson may never be a number one or number two starter but he could fit into the rotation for the next five years.
     
    Michael Tonkin, RHP: Like the other men on this list, Tonkin debuted in 2013 but he played a much more limit role. In 2012, Tonkin pitched at High-A and Low-A so this meant he flew through three different levels last season including his MLB debut. Over the last two seasons, he has average 10.0 SO/9 or more in the minors. Minnesota's bullpen was a strength last year and Tonkin could end up playing an important late inning role for the club. Glen Perkins and Jared Burton will still figure prominently in the eighth and ninth inning but Tonkin could be asked to collect some important outs in tights games.
     
    Dark Horse Candidate (Well kind of...)
    Aaron Hicks, OF: The Twins wanted Hicks to be a breakout candidate in 2013 but those plans didn't exactly work out. There's a chance that he will begin the year in Rochester and this could be good for his confidence. Last season's poor performance has to be weighing on him and he should play with a chip on his shoulder for most of 2014. With Byron Buxton shooting through the minor league system, Hicks needs to prove himself now or get out of the way.
  14. Cody Christie
    ESPN's Sweetspot blog posted an interesting entry earlier today looking at the top teams in relation to their "core five" players. They took the top five men from each roster and compiled their Baseball Reference WAR totals to come up with a top ten list. Obviously the better players you have, the more likely you are to be a very good team. Out of their top ten list, eight of the teams qualified for the postseason last year.
    There's no surprise that Minnesota didn't crack the top ten list. However, the Twins were on a different top ten list within the same post. Minnesota finished in eighth place because 74% of the team's total WAR came from the club's top five players. Against other American League teams the Twins would have come in fourth place.
    Here's a look at the Twins "core five" players and how their WAR helped the club last season:
    1. Joe Mauer: 5.4 WAR
    Mauer missed a big chunk of time in the second half due to his concussion symptoms and he still easily led the team in WAR. In fact, Mauer accounted for 26% of the team's total WAR in 2013. His defensive WAR of 0.9 was helped by his time behind the plate so it will be interesting to see how much the switch to first base impacts his defensive value in 2014. His 4.6 offensive WAR was one of the lowest totals of his career so fans could expect a jump in WAR value from Mauer moving forward.
    2. Brian Dozier: 3.8 WAR
    Dozier's breakout season at the plate and in the field helped him to finish second on the team in WAR. His 1.5 defensive WAR was second on the team behind Pedro Florimon. He finished second to Mauer according to offensive WAR. Dozier finished first on the team in home runs and he will be the top returning RBI man from 2013. Plus, who didn't love seeing his long locks making diving plays at second base?
    3 (tie): Pedro Florimon: 2.1 WAR
    Most of the WAR value produced by Florimon comes on the defensive side of the ball. He was tops on the team when it came to defensive WAR and he hardly made a blip on the radar offensively.If Minnesota wants to get back to winning games, there is no way Florimon should be in the team's top three of their "core five." His 2.1 WAR was over 10% of the team's total WAR for 2013 and that's just way too much for a player whose skill set is completely on defense.
    3 (tie). Glen Perkins: 2.1 WAR
    In his first All-Star season, Perkins was good enough to have the highest WAR of any Twins pitcher. The next three pitchers on the list threw 96 innings or more so Perkins was providing his value in shorter pieces of work. It's great to have Perkins as a core member of the team's roster but it would be much better to see some starting pitchers on this list ahead of him. This could change with the additions of free agents Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes.
    5. Trevor Plouffe: 1.9 WAR
    Hope were high for Plouffe entering last season as fans hoped to witness some more of the power he had shown in the minor leagues. Some injuries force Plouffe to change his approach at the plate and this took away some of his power. The former first round pick is still trying to prove his value to the Twins and this could be an important year for him. Is he part of the long-term core in Minnesota? Only time will tell...

    Predicting 2014's "Core Five"
    1. Joe Mauer
    2. Ricky Nolasco
    3. Oswaldo Arcia
    4. Brian Dozier
    5. Phil Hughes


  15. Cody Christie
    Members of the Minnesota Twins struck out 1,430 times last season. In the history of the Twins organization, no team had struck out more than 1,121 times (1997 team). That was the only year since the team moved to Minnesota that the club recorded more than 1,100 times.
     
    Over the last three seasons, Minnesota strikeout totals have increased every year. It has been a rough couple of seasons and there have been some inexperienced players trying to make their mark at the big league level. Players like Brian Dozier, Trevor Plouffe, and Oswaldo Arcia all struck out more than 100 times last season and the Twins know this is an area that needs improvement.
     
    One player consistently praised for his approach at the plate is Joe Mauer. His ability to work counts and get on base at a high rate has been one of his trademarks. Over his 10-year big league career, he has a .405 OPS and he averages 78 strikeouts per 162 games played. These are impressive totals but his strikeout totals have been rising along with the team's increase over the last couple of seasons.
     
    Mauer didn't play a game in September last year after suffering from a concussion near the end of August. Even missing the end of the season, he still set a career high with 89 strikeouts. This came a year after he struck out 88 times. Prior to 2012, Mauer had never struck out more than 64 times and that happened back in 2005, his first full season in the big leagues.
     
    Last season, Red Sox pitcher John Lackey owned Joe Mauer. Over seven at-bats, Mauer managed one hit, a single, and he struck out five times. Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Rich Hill did surprisingly well against Mauer with three strikeouts over five plate appearances. Anibal Sanchez was the only other pitcher to strikeout Mauer more than twice and those three strikeouts happened over eight at-bats.
     
    Mauer's Most Strikeouts vs. Pitchers
    1. CC Sabathia 19 SO (52 Plate Appearances)
    2. Justin Verlander 10 SO (74 Plate Appearances)
    3. John Danks 8 SO (60 Plate Appearances)
    4. Ryan Dempster 7 SO (13 Plate Appearances)
    5. CJ Wilson 7 SO (24 Plate Appearances)
     
    In Twins team history, the most strikeouts in a season occurred in 1972 when Bobby Darwin struck out 145 times in 145 games. The only other men to strikeout more than 140 times for the club are Carlos Gomez (142 in 2008), Harmon Killebrew (142 in 1962), and Josh Willingham (141 in 2012). Mauer might not be on his way to the 140 strikeout plateau but he was on pace for 100 strikeouts just a season ago.
     
    Former Hall of Fame players for the Twins, Kirby Puckett and Paul Molitor, never struck out more than 100 times in one season. Puckett cracked 90 in four different seasons with 99 strikeouts in 1986. Molitor's highest total was 93 and that came when he was a member of the Brewers organization.
     
    Young pitchers are getting better and there isn't as much of a stigma around striking out on a consistent basis. Mauer will most likely be on the field on a more regular basis with his switch to first base and this could mean a continued increase in his strikeout totals. If it's up to his new coach Paul Molitor things might change for the Twins next year. He said, "We need to try and find a way to minimize strikeouts before the epidemic gets any worse."
     
    After last season in Twins Territory, that sounds like a good philosophy to follow.
  16. Cody Christie
    Earlier this week, the Sporting News released their list of the most iconic moment for each MLB team. Some teams are tied to some of the best moments in the history of the sport while other teams top moments aren't too memorable outside of their home market. That's the nature of these kinds of lists.
    For Twins fans, it is pretty easy to put Kirby Puckett's walk-off home run in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series at the top of the list. The '91 World Series might be the best Fall Classic of all time and this was one of the signature moments that helped it to stand out above the rest of Twins history.
    There have been other iconic moments throughout the history of the franchise. This got me thinking about what other moments would end up on the Twins most iconic list. I polled the Twitter universe to see what other ideas people could come up with and there have been plenty of other iconic moments in the team's history.
    How would you rank the following moments in relation to how iconic they were for the Twins? The following moments are listed in chronological order starting with the most recent. Click on each link for a video or clip about the moment.
    Alexi Casilla's Walk-Off Hit, Game 163 (2009): For the younger generation of Twins fans, this is the closest thing to a walk-off World Series moment. It also helps that the game was back and forth with both teams seeming to be near a victory. The team got to swarm onto the field and celebrate in front of a packed house and it was a great way to say goodbye to the Metrodome's final season.

    This game belonged to Jack Morris but it's hard to call one entire pitching performance an iconic moment. Larkin's hit over the outfielders heads allowed Dan Gladden to trot home and the Twins to be World Series champions for the second time in five seasons. Morris was one of the first to meet Gladden at home plate and the legacy of this World Series was cemented in time.
    Before his walk-off heroics later in the evening, Puckett made a defensive play for the ages. His leap up against the Plexiglass outfield wall might have been the highlight of the game if not for his "See You Tomorrow Night" home run. The smaller sized Puckett seemed to defy gravity with his leap to pull in a sure bet extra-base hit.
    For Braves fans, this moment still burns deep in their souls. It is another story for Twins fans as this moment could have been one of the early turning points in the series. Hrbek might have helped to pull Gant off of the base but the umpires still called him out on the play. In recent years, this moment was immortalized in bobblehead form and it doesn't get much more iconic than that.
    While the 1991 World Series was full of iconic moments, it is tough to find one iconic moment from the Twins first championship run. Hrbek's grand slam in Game 6 helped Minnesota to push the Cardinals to a decisive Game 7. This would lead to Hrbek's leap at first base after collecting the final out of the team's first championship. Both of these moments were iconic but the home run was more important to the outcome of the series.
    The front office for the Twins wasn't expect more than a few thousand fans to welcome the Twins home after clinching the team's first AL Pennant since 1965. By the end of the evening the Metrodome was packed to the brim with fans even having to sit in the stairs to get a view of the team. Members of the 1987 team always talk about this moment and for them it might be the most iconic.Harmon Killebrew's 520 foot HR (1967): A seat still hangs on the wall at the Mall of America to commemorate this Ruthian blast off the bat of Killebrew. As the first face of the franchise, Killebrew never had a championship winning moment. His 1965 team made the World Series but fell short to the Dodgers. Out of all of his moments in a Twins uniform, this might be the one that stands the test of time.

    In only their fifth season since moving to Minnesota, the Twins were in the World Series. Minnesota would win the first two games at The Met and Allison's catch helped to keep Game 2 close. His slow dive down the left field line took away what was sure to be an extra base hit. Los Angeles would only score one run in the game and this might have been one of the first iconic moments in the club's history.

    CLICK HERE to rank the moments above.

  17. Cody Christie
    A lot of the buzz coming out of Target Field this weekend surrounded top prospects Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano. The lines for autographs from these two players was very extensive and neither of them has an at-bat at higher than the Double-A level. This is a lot of hype surrounding two men who are a few months removed from being teenagers.
     
    If Minnesota is going to get out of the rut of the last three seasons, top prospects like Buxton and Sano will have to come up and perform at a high level. These men are supposed to provide the light at the end of the tunnel but how much is riding on these top prospects panning out?
     
    I've given each of the top five prospects in the organization a "Franchise Future Ranking" between 1-10. A ranking of one would mean the franchise should be able to survive without this prospect making a huge impact at the big league level. A ranking of 10 would mean the franchise is going to continue to lose unless this player comes up and lives up to his potential.
     
    Byron Buxton, OF
    Considered by many to be the best prospect in baseball. He is closer to being ready than Mike Trout was at the same age but it's tough to compare anyone to what Trout has done at the big league level. Buxton should be a perennial All-Star with his name in the MVP discussion. In a couple years, the AL MVP race could be decided between Trout and Buxton instead of Cabrera versus Trout. The Twins need Buxton to turn into the face of the franchise as Joe Mauer's career starts to wind down. If the Twins had a weaker system, he would like get a 10 ranking but for now he gets a nine.
    Franchise Future Ranking: 9
     
    Miguel Sano, 3B
    Before Buxton entered the Twins system, Sano had a lot of pressure on him to be the cornerstone of the Twins franchise. The emergence of Buxton has taken some pressure off of Sano but he is still arguably the best power-hitting prospect in the minor leagues. Some compare him to Miguel Cabrera but he probably won't develop the ability to hit for a higher of average. His power swing hasn't stopped at any level in the minors and his defense is passable enough at third to stay there. Minnesota's line-up could be one of the top offensive threats with Sano and Buxton batting in the middle of the order.
    Franchise Future Ranking: 8
     
    Alex Meyer, RHP
    When Terry Ryan took back over as Minnesota's GM, there was clearly a lack of power arms in the system. Ryan did his best to help the future of the franchise by trading for Meyer. A few injury issues marked his first year in the organization but he still managed to pitch a significant amount of innings between the regular season and the Arizona Fall League. The Twins need Meyer to be a top of the rotation pitcher so he can pave the way for younger arms like Kohl Stewart, JO Berrios, and Lewis Thorpe. He might not be a Cy Young candidate but his importance can't be understated.
    Franchise Future Ranking: 8
     
    Kohl Stewart, RHP
    The list of homegrown pitching prospects that will compete for a starting rotation spot with the Twins next year is short. In fact, Kyle Gibson is the only man on that list. Stewart is one of a few younger pitchers in the lower levels of the Twins system trying to help change the future of the franchise. He is multiple years away from the big leagues but the three men above him on this list should already be at Target Field by the time he arrives. There are a lot of variables that could hold Stewart back from being a front of the rotation starter. He's got the potential but the Twins have insurance policies with some of the younger arms in the system.
    Franchise Future Ranking: 7
     
    Eddie Rosario, 2B/OF
    Brian Dozier seemed to handle himself pretty well at second base last season so this could make it difficult for Rosario to break into the big leagues. Rosario is widely touted as one of the best hitting prospects in the organization. He probably doesn't project to have enough power to fit into a corner outfield spot so a switch back to the outfield doesn't seem likely. His suspension to start the year is going to hurt some of his development time but the franchise could likely survive without him being an All-Star level player. If Dozier continues to shine, it would be nice to see a Rosario trade for more pitching depth.
    Franchise Future Ranking: 5
    

    Obliviously, these are five of the best prospects for the organization. This means they are going to rank higher than some of the other players in the system.
     
    Now it's your turn. How would you rank these players in relation to their importance for getting the team out of their recent losing ways? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.
  18. Cody Christie
    As the Twins get closer to heading to Fort Myers, there will be plenty of decisions to make in relation to the 25-man roster. Some positions are likely set in stone while others are still questionable. In this series called "25-Man Roster Dissection." I have selected the men I believe will spend the most time on the 25-man roster next season and I try to predict each player's 2014 performance.
     
    There seems to be one logical place to start with the roster and that's with the club's 23-million dollar man.
     
    Joe Mauer is the face of the Twins franchise and he will be for multiple years to come. After an injury plagued 2013 season, the Twins and Mauer decided to permanently move him to first base. This change has impacted multiple parts of the 25-man roster and there are multiple ripple effects for years down the road.
     
    2013 Recap: .324/.404/.476, 11 HR, 35 2B, 47 RBI (113 Games)
    Mauer played in under 115 games for the second time in three seasons. His time on the field was productive as he knocked more than 10 home runs for the first time in the Target Field era. He was selected to his sixth career All-Star Game and he was given his fifth silver slugger award as the top hitting catcher in the American League. For his career, Mauer caught 7883 innings behind the plate but August 19, 2013 will go down as his last time behind the plate and it was his last game in 2013.
     
    Forecasting 2014: .315/.410/.470, 15 HR, 40 2B, 90 RBI (150 games)
    With the shift to first base, Mauer should be able to avoid taking as many days off to rest his legs. This also means he will be able to set a new career high in games played. I believe Mauer will also try and push him self to hit for more power with his shift to a corner outfield spot. He is one of the best hitters in the game and he could be a top tier first baseman if he pushes himself in the right direction. The cloud of concussions from last year will loom over him but Mauer is ready to get past the problems of 2013.
     
    25-Man Roster Safety: Locked In
  19. Cody Christie
    It could be easy for Twins uber prospect Byron Buxton to approach this offseason with a big head. He is coming off of one of the best minor league seasons in Twins history. Baseball America recently honored him with their top award as the best minor league player for 2013. Buxton is being compared to super-star players like Mike Trout and that can make it tough to motivate yourself.
     
    When a player is considered head and shoulders above his peers, an attitude of complacency can emerge. Buxton destroyed the competition in the Midwest League and the Florida State League to show why the Twins were right to draft him with the second overall pick in 2012. He could look at the rest of the competition and be fine with the level he played at. Why make any improvements if you are already the best?
     
    In a recent video interview with the Star Tribune, Buxton discussed different parts of his offseason workout. He works on his hitting and route running on an almost daily basis. His father works with him for hours on some of the different parts of his game. Even though it's hard to believe, he could be getting faster as he recently set a new personal best by running a sub-4.40 40-yard dash.
     
    Buxton also saw different parts of his game improve throughout the season last year. According to the interview, he improve his approach at the plate and this helped him to get more comfortable in at-bats. He also mentioned that he got better when it came to pitch recognition. In the last full month of the season, Buxton posted his best OBP of the year so the numbers would seem to back-up his feelings at the plate.
     
    Another area he discussed as improving throughout the season was his ability to drive the ball to the gaps. While he might have believed that to be true, his numbers seemed to show that he was better at driving the ball in the first half of the year. He had a .559 slugging percentage with Cedar Rapids and that number dipped to .472 with Fort Myers. Even considering that his BABIP was very similar between the two levels (.402 in Low-A vs .404 in High-A).
     
    Situational hitting marked another area of Buxton's improvement. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Buxton hit .328/..430/.552 with eight extra-base hits and 24 RBI over 67 at-bats. Buxton also felt his teammates were able to drive him in on a consistent basis. His 109 runs scored with the second most in the entire minor leagues. In May alone, he scored 30 runs out of the 30 games he played in.
     
    As one reporter asked Buxton, "What do you want to get better at?" His simple answer... "Everything."
  20. Cody Christie
    Josmil Pinto is one of the top prospects in the Twins organization. Make sure to order the 2014 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook to learn more about the Twins minor league system. Click here to see more of what's in the book.
     
    After the Twins and Joe Mauer announced the All-Star Catcher wouldn't be playing catcher moving forward, Minnesota's name was rumored to be involved with many of the top catchers on the free agent market. AJ Pierzynski and Jarrod Saltalamacchia were two of the most talked about names but both of these player decided to sign with other clubs.
     
    This leaves Minnesota in a bit of a pickle. The club was impressed with rookie Josmil Pinto and his strong September performance. He hit .342/.398/.963 with four home runs and five doubles in 76 at-bats. This came on the heels of possibly his best minor league campaign as he slugged over .880 at Double-A and Triple-A.
     
    Minnesota might be fine with heading into next season with Pinto as the primary catcher. He will turn 25 at the end of March and the team could be ready for him to take over a full-time role. It would be nice for him to have more than 75 plate appearances at Triple-A but the club might be out of other options.
     
    Many fans will remember the poor start to last season by Aaron Hicks, another top prospect in the organization. Hicks was coming off a break-out season at Double-A and the team handed him the starting center field job after a strong spring. He would struggle through his rookie season and the team might now be questioning what his long-term value is to the organization.
     
    One of the advantages for Pinto is he already has some major league experience under his belt. His success at the end of last year is something he can build off moving forward. There could still be some struggles at the start of next season so what will be the back-up plan if Pinto needs some time at Triple-A?
     
    The Twins currently have two other catchers on the 40-man roster after the recent trade of Ryan Doumit to the Atlanta Braves. This leaves the Twins with little experience behind the plate. Chris Herrmann and Eric Fryer could also see some time at catcher. Herrmann offers some versatility as a corner outfielder while Fryer got a brief call-up at the end of last year.
     
    Some veteran catchers are still available on the free agent market even with bigger names already under contract for next year. The Twins have checked in on Kurt Suzuki, who hit .232/.290/.337 in 94 games with the Nationals and Athletics last year. Minnesota has also shown interest in John Buck. Last season, Buck played for the Mets and the Pirates and he has averaged 16 home runs the past four seasons. He has also worked a lot with newly signed pitcher Ricky Nolasco so that could give the Twins a reason to sign him.
     
    Before the Doumit trade, it seemed like Minnesota was comfortable heading into spring training with Pinto being Plan A with a veteran catcher not being part of the picture. The team will want Pinto to be an everyday player and adding a veteran back up might not be the best for Pinto's growth. The back-up plan at backstop seems to be one of the men on the 40-man roster but a veteran could be added in the coming days.
     
    This leaves the Twins hoping Pinto can continue his offensive success from the end of last year.
  21. Cody Christie
    Over the weekend, word came out that the Twins would sign Mike Pelfrey to a two-year $11 million deal. This is the third free agent starter the Twins have added this season as the team already agreed to terms with Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes. With Kevin Corriea under contract for another year, Minnesota's starting rotation is filling up rather quickly but there are still some questions to about the final rotation spot.
     
    The Twins had one of the worst starting rotations in all of baseball last year. In order to remedy the problem, the team has done their best to be aggressive on the open market. There was even word over the weekend that the Twins were still aggressively chasing veteran starter Bronson Arroyo. If the Twins were successful in signing Arroyo, this would leave a packed rotation for the start of spring training.
     
    Minnesota has a handful of players under team control for next season and they have to be wondering what happened. Scott Diamond, Sam Deduno, Kyle Gibson, and Vance Worley were all part of the rotation at different points last season and it's looking more like a few of these players won't be with the organization when the team leaves Fort Myers.
     
    Scott Diamond, LHP
    After a rookie campaign where Diamond was the best starter for the Twins, his sophomore season was met with a slump. He walked more batters in fewer innings and struggled to keep the ball in the park. He looked better in his time at Rochester but he is out of minor league options. This could mean the Twins would have to try and sneak him through waivers and there is a chance another club would be interested in his services.
     
    Sam Deduno, RHP
    Deduno surprised a lot of people in his first year with the Twins as he tended to give up walks and hits but he found a way to get out of some jams. His second season with the Twins was even better as he lowered his ERA by half a run per game and his WHIP dropped from 1.54 to 1.35 over close to 30 more innings. Like Diamond, Deduno is out of options but it seems like Deduno would have the inside track for the fifth starter spot.
     
    Kyle Gibson, RHP
    There were high hopes for Gibson entering the 2012 season. The former first round pick had looked good in last year's Arizona Fall League and the club was hoping he could make an impact during his rookie season. Gibson struggled throughout his rookie campaign. He still has options remaining so it's looking like a lock for him to start the year in Rochester. His performance there will dictate when the Twins bring him back to the big leagues.
     
    Alex Meyer, RHP
    Considered by many to be the top rated pitching prospect in the Twins organization, Meyer will be knocking on the door to the majors next season. He pitched all of last season at Double-A and he culminated his year with a strong showing in the AFL. There is no need to rush him at this point but it could be hard to find a rotation spot for him unless a rash of injuries hit the guys in front of him. He has options left so the Twins will send him to Rochester for the start of the year.
     
    Vance Worley, RHP
    Last season's Opening Day starter struggled throughout his first season in a Twins uniform. His WHIP was almost 2.00 and his 7.21 ERA was tough to swallow. When Minnesota traded Ben Revere, Worley was supposed to add some depth to a struggling pitching staff. A year later and it is looking more like Worley might not be part of the organization. He's out of options and the Twins will likely put some of the names on this list ahead of him for the fifth starter spot.
     
    Put yourself in Terry Ryan and Ron Gardenhire's shoes. Who gets the fifth starter spot? Is the player currently on the roster? Leave a COMMENT and start
  22. Cody Christie
    There are some benefits to Minnesota's finish near the bottom of the AL for the third straight year. Later this week, the Twins will have a top five pick in this year's Rule 5 Draft. For those not familiar, the Rule 5 Draft allows MLB teams to claim players not protected by their parent club on the team's 40-man roster. There obviously some rules to this process.
     
    Players first signed at age 18 must be added to 40-man rosters within five seasons or they become eligible to be drafted by other organizations through the Rule 5 Draft process. Players signed at 19 years or older must be protected within four seasons. A team that selects a player pays $50,000 to the team from which he was selected. The receiving team must then keep the player on the Major League 25-man roster for the entirety of the next season or offer him back to his original club for $25,000.
     
    Prospects that fit a certain type of mold in the Rule 5 Draft are more likely to stick with an organization. Power arms that have above-average velocity so they can slide into a bullpen role. Teams are always looking for left-handed pitchers. Speedy middle infielders and center fielders can be used as defensive replacements and pinch runners. Corner outfielders and first basemen could provide power off the bench.
     
    In recent years, the Twins have used Rule 5 Draft picks on Ryan Pressly, Terry Doyle, and Scott Diamond. Pressly stuck with the Twins for all of last season and proved himself to be a valuable piece of the bullpen. Doyle didn't pan out with the Twins and he was offered back to the White Sox before he headed over to Japan. The Twins worked out a trade with the Braves to keep Diamond in the organization and this way he didn't have to stay on the 25-man roster for the entire season.
     
    Here's a look a few of the players the Twins could be targeting on December 12th:
     
    Junior Arias, OF, Reds: He doesn't have a lot of experience in the higher levels of the minor leagues as he finished last year at High-A. He would turn 22-years old before the start of next season and he offers a unique skill set. He hit 15 home runs last year and stole 60 bases. This combination of speed and power could be valuable to multiple clubs.
     
    Fit with Minnesota: He could be used as a defensive replacement in the outfield, a late-inning pinch runner, and he has enough power to be a threat off the bench.
     
    Danny Burawa, RHP, Yankees: Control is the biggest issue for Burawa but he definitely fits the mold of a power arm. He missed all of 2012 due to injury and pitched fairly successfully out of the bullpen at Double-A last year. He has a three-pitch offering but his secondary pitches need some work. Burawa had a great second half of last season and his mid-90s fastball could be enough for a team to take a chance.
    

    Fit With Minnesota: He could slide into the bullpen much like Pressly did in 2013. The Twins relief pitching is strong but another power arm could always help.
     
    Marcus Hatley, RHP, Cubs: Hatley has already made it to the Triple-A level with some success out of the bullpen. He's a monster on the mound at 6-foot-5 and his fastball can hit into the mid-90s. There are some issues with his command as he walked 35 batters in 60.2 innings this season. Although, the 25-year old did have a 11.0 SO/9 rate to cancel out some of his control issues.
     
    
Fit With Minnesota: His advanced experience in the minors makes him intriguing. His strikeout ability could be added to the bullpen and become a valuable piece moving forward.
     
    Stephen Kohlscheen, RHP, Mariners: Kohlscheen seems to fit the mold of pitchers the Twins have looked for in the past. He has a low-90s fastball but he was dominant at Double-A last year. Over 66.2 innings, the 24-year old struck out 11.5 batters per nine innings. His 6-foot-6 frame is opposing on the mound and he could fit into a rebuilding team's bullpen. One would have to wonder if he would be able to strikeout batters as consistently at the big league level.
     
    
Fit With Minnesota: His success last year in his first full season at Double-A could signal a sign of bigger things to come. Minnesota could add him to the bullpen and hope his success continues.
     
    Fred Lewis, LHP, Yankees: He's left-handed and he throws in the low-90s so this should be more than enough to get a team interested in his services. Lewis has been used as a reliever and a starter but his path to the big leagues is likely out of the bullpen. The Yankees sent him to the Arizona Fall League this year but it still wasn't enough to protect the 26-year old. Most of his innings this past year were at Double-A Trenton.
     
    
Fit With Minnesota: The Twins have other left-handed arms in the bullpen so he might not be the perfect fit. The potential is there so it might be worth taking a chance just because he is left-handed.
     
    Who would be the best fit for the Twins? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.
  23. Cody Christie
    One of the benefits of being a bad team for multiple seasons is the fact the Twins have been able to replenish some of their farm system with high draft picks the last two years. Add these players into a group that already included some top-notch talent and the future of the Twins organization continues to look bright.
     
    Throughout the offseason there will be plenty of prospect lists released by a variety of media outlets. There are always differences between how people view the particular talent in an organization. Does a pitcher with more upside in the lower levels of the minors rate higher than someone at Double-A? Should a slugger with terrible defense rate higher than a light-hitting middle infielder?
     
    Those questions and more are all things to consider compiling a list like the one you see below. At the beginning of last week, I released the first portion of my top 20 list so make sure and check those out.
     
    1. Byron Buxton- OF
    2013 Team(s): Cedar Rapids Kernels, Ft. Myers Miracle
    2013 Stats: .334/.424/.520, 19-2B, 18-3B, 12 HR, 77 RBI, 55 SB
    There were questions and doubts about Buxton as the season started. Could he consistently hit? Would he be able to generate enough power? How good was his defense? All of those doubts and more were taken care of in his first full professional season. He is widely regarded as the best prospect in the game and the sky seems like it's the limit for this young man. There are other hurdles to jump before he gets to Target Field but Twins fans have to be excited about his promise moving forward.
     
    2. Miguel Sano- 3B
    2013 Team(s): Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats
    2013 Stats: .280/.382/.610, 30-2B, 5-3B, 30 HR, 103 RBI, 11 SB
    For the first time since the inception of this blog, Miguel Sano's name isn't at the top of my offseason top 20 prospects list. He didn't do anything negative to move down a spot but Buxton was just that good. Sano's defense continues to improve at third base and he might be the best power-hitting prospect in the minor leagues. Fans will likely see Sano at Target Field in the next year and the hope is that he can stay there for a long time.
     
    3. Kohl Stewart- RHP
    2013 Team(s): GCL Twins, Elizabethton Twins
    2013 Stats: 0-0, 1.35 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 20.0 IP, 4 BB, 24 K
    Minnesota entered the 2013 Draft looking for a starting pitcher who could change the course of the franchise. This is a lot of pressure to toss on an 18-year old kid from Texas. There were some impressive signs from Stewart in his professional debut and there is a long road ahead for this young man. He has all the tools and ability to be the ace fans have craved since Johan Santana was traded away. The only question remaining could be, "How fast can he get up to Minnesota?"
     
    4. Alex Meyer- RHP
    2013 Team(s): New Britain Rock Cats, GCL Twins (Rehab)
    2013 Stats: 4-3, 2.99 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 78.1 IP, 32 BB, 100 K
    When the Twins traded away two-thirds of their starting outfield last offseason, the acquisition of Meyer signaled a shift in the Twins system. The team needed talented arms to rebuild a franchise coming off of some terrible seasons. Meyer missed a little time in 2013 with a shoulder issue but he built up some innings in the Arizona Fall League. He will likely start the year in Rochester but this means he is one injury away from making his big league debut.
     
    5. Eddie Rosario- 2B/OF
    2013 Team(s): Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats
    2013 Stats: .302/.350/.460, 32-2B, 8-3B, 10 HR, 73 RBI, 10 SB
    Rosario has been in the news lately but for all the wrong reasons. He will be suspended 50 games at the start of next season for taking a painkiller while he was recovering from an injury. This is a tough blow for one of the best hitting prospects in the organization. Rosario was on pace to make his debut in 2014 but this could get pushed back because of his suspension. His defensive transition to second base continues to take form and the club will need to decide if Brian Dozier or Rosario is the future at that position.
     
    6. Jose Berrios- RHP
    2013 Team(s): Cedar Rapids Kernels
    2013 Stats: 7-7, 3.99 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 103.2 IP, 40 BB, 100 K
    The small stature of Berrios doesn't fit the normal profile of a starting pitcher but that doesn't take anything away from what he has done since being drafted by the Twins. He continues to prove he could team with Meyer and Stewart to form a formidable top of the rotation trio. Berrios will likely spend most of 2014 in Fort Myers and it will be interesting to see how he fares in a league that is considered tough for hitters.
     
    7. Jorge Polanco- SS/2B
    2013 Team(s): Cedar Rapids Kernels
    2013 Stats: .308/.362/.452, 32-2B, 10-3B, 5 HR, 78 RBI
    Minnesota is desperate to develop some middle infielders in the organization. Polanco fits this mold and he is slowly working his way into the organization's long-term thoughts. He continues to improve on the offensive side of the ball but there are still a few wrinkles to iron out defensively. This was one of the main reasons he continues to see time at both middle infield positions. His bat is for real and he was able to prove this in a full season league for the first time this year.
     
    8. Josmil Pinto- C
    2013 Team(s): New Britain Rock Cats, Rochester Red Wings, Minnesota Twins
    2013 MILB Stats: .309/.400/.482, 32-2B, 1-3B, 15 HR, 74 RBI
    2013 MLB Stats: .342/.398/.566, 5-2B, 0-3B, 4 HR, 12 RBI
    This is the name on the lips of many fans as the organization has decided to move Joe Mauer to first base. His outstanding offensive numbers in the month of September make it easy to get excited about his future. He put together some very good numbers in the minor leagues as well and this has helped him move up prospect lists. His defense continues to improve but the Twins will likely want him to get more seasoning at Rochester before they will hand over the starting catching spot.
     
    9. Max Kepler- OF/1B
    2013 Team(s): Cedar Rapids Kernels
    2013 Stats: .237/.312/.424, 11-2B, 3-3B, 9 HR, 40 RBI
    An arm injury cost Kepler part of this season but he still showed some promise in 61 games. His batting average wasn't the greatest but power is still part of his game. He was used primarily as an outfielder in his first three years in the organization but the club shifted him to spending more time at first base. With a healthier 2014 and some graduations off the top of this list, he could see his stock rise in the coming years.
     
    10. Adam Walker- OF
    2013 Team(s): Cedar Rapids Kernels
    2013 Stats: .278/.319/.526, 31-2B, 7-3B, 27 HR, 109 RBI, 10 SB
    Walker burst onto the scene with a power-packed performance in 2013. He led the Midwest League in home runs and he made improvements to most other offensive areas. If he can continue to improve, Walker could turn out to be a steal as a third round pick. He'll jump to Fort Myers next year and the Florida State League will test his offensive chops.
  24. Cody Christie
    The Twins were doing their own shopping over the busy Thanksgiving weekend.
     
    According to multiple reports, starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco will sign a four-year, $49 million contract. When this deal is finalized, it will be the largest free agent contract in the organization's history. Minnesota had been rumored to be pushing hard for Nolasco and they were able to land their man.
     
    The Twins didn't stop there as reports surfaced on Sunday night of the Twins agreeing to terms with Phil Hughes. Reports have Hughes signing a three-year, $24 million contract. Starting pitching was the Twins biggest offseason need and adding Hughes and Nolasco was a fast paced start.
     
    As the old Twins campaign slogan stated, "Get to Know 'Em"
     
    Ricky Nolasco- RHP
    Last Season: 3.70 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 165 SO, 46 BB, 199.1 IP
    Last 3 Seasons: 4.29 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 438 SO, 137 BB, 596.1 IP
     
    His Story: Nolasco pitched his entire big league career in Marlins organization until a trade in the middle of last season sent him to the Dodgers. According to Baseball Reference's version of WAR, Nolasco was good for a 1.8 WAR in 2013, the second highest mark of his career. His best season by this metric was in 2008 when he pitched 212.1 innings with a 3.52 ERA. Since that season, he's averaged 192 innings a year with 161 strikeouts and 43 walks.
     
    The Contract: In a market with pitchers like Ervin Santana and Matt Garza, Nolasco's signing was a big step for the Twins. This is a deal unlike any other in the history of the club because of the value and the fact the Twins haven't signed a free agent starter like this before. He can be in the middle of their rotation for the life of the deal as the club waits for younger organizational talent to mature. He won't be a Johan Santana but his career numbers are similar to Brad Radke and that's an improvement to next year's starting rotation.
     
    Phil Hughes- RHP
    Last Season: 5.19 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 121 SO, 42 BB, 145.1 IP
    Last 3 Seasons: 4.85 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 333 SO, 115 BB, 411.2 IP
     
    His Story: Hughes was supposed to be a budding prospect in the Yankees organization but things didn't work out that way. His fastball doesn't have a ton of movement and he keeps it high in the zone. At home run prone Yankee Stadium, this can be a recipe for disaster. According to Baseball Reference's WAR, he was worth a -0.7 WAR last year. His best season in relation to WAR was 2009 when he was worth 2.6 WAR and he pitched 86.0 innings with a 3.03 ERA. New York can be a tough pitching environment and a move to the Midwest could be good for Hughes.
     
    The Contract: In my offseason blueprint, I had the Twins signing Hughes for two-years and $16 million. His actual contract will be for one more year and $24 million so around the same amount per year. It's tough to know where the Twins and Hughes will be at the end of this deal. Minnesota hopes to be contenders by 2015 or 2016 and Hughes might not be able to be in the rotation of a contending team. That being said, there can be some value in switching organizations and he is only 27-years old so fingers are crossed that he will be able to figure it out with the Twins.
  25. Cody Christie
    Word is slowly starting to trickle out about a 50-game suspension that will be handed down to Twins second base prospect Eddie Rosario. He apparently told the manager of his winter league squad that he wouldn't be able to play because of his pending suspension. The official suspension won't be announced until the league can resolve an issue on their end.
     
    Rosario is a converted outfield who by most accounts is top ten prospect in the organization. His quick wrists have helped him to become one of the best hitting prospects in the organization. In a recent poll I took of seven different Twins bloggers for the Twin Minor League Handbook, he ranked as the second best hitting talent in the team's farm system.
     
    This past season Rosario encountered some rough patches at Double-A while dealing with some injury related concerns. According to the reports, he took some pills during his rehab that lead to his positive test. If this is the case, it is a tough pill to swallow for the organization.
     
    Rosario positioned himself to make his big league debut in 2014. With a pending 50-game suspension, there is a good chance this won't happen next year. It's certainly a tough blow for a player on the rise.
     
    When it comes down to it, there is going to be some finger pointing that occurs in the next couple of weeks. Who is to blame for the suspension of one of the team's best prospects? Here are some of the men that should shoulder the load.
     
    The Player
    Word of Advice: "Don't put anything in your body. Especially strange pills."
    Most of the blame should be put here. There can be a lot of pressure on athletes to perform at the highest level. This can be especially tough when minor league players are trying to return from injury and make their way towards the big leagues. Unfortunately, this can mean taking some shortcuts and it sounds like Rosario made a mistake. At this point in his career, it's a big mistake because it will impact his debut and the point when he will be eligible for arbitration. Don't do drugs, kids.
     
    The Training Staff
    Word of Advice: "Keep a close eye on the organization's star prospects."
    Obviously, the training staff can't watch over a player 24-hours a day but it sounds like Rosario's incident happened while he was trying to recover from injury. Maybe it's a case where the training staff can continue to remind players of what they can and can't put into their bodies. Team's put a lot of money into their younger players and it's important to keep these men on the field and working towards the big leagues.
     
    The Coaching Staff
    Word of Advice: "Continue to monitor players as they come back from injury"
    As outsiders, we don't know what goes on behind closed doors. New Britain wasn't in the playoff hunt so there wouldn't have been pressure to get back on the field to help the team. There can be a lot of pressure on managers to take care of the day-to-day on-field tasks. Even Ron Gardenhire gave up on giving injury up-dates this past season and he left this to the men in the front office. With everything on the plate of the coaching staff, it would be easy to delegate one of the coaches to be in-charge of checking in with injured players.
     
    The Front Office
    Word of Advice: "Makes plans to stop this sort of thing from happening in the future"
    Accidents are going to happen and the world of drug testing is far from a perfect science. There can still be things done within the farm system of an organization to teach players about the right way to take care of their bodies. The overall theme should be to not ingest any unknown substance. Posters should be hung up in locker rooms and lectures should be given to players throughout the season. By having an organization take the right approach, this sort of thing doesn't have to happen again.
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