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Cody Christie

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Blog Entries posted by Cody Christie

  1. Cody Christie
    Something isn't right with Scott Diamond.
     
    The man who was supposed to be a calming force in the Twins starting rotation has become a punching bag for opponents. He hasn't won a game since June 20th and he gave up four runs in a little over five innings in that start. A sophomore slump has hit Diamond hard and it's tough to know what the Twins can do about it.
     
    Since June 9th, Diamond has struggled mightily on mound. In his eight starts during that stretch, he has failed to make it into the fifth inning in four of them including the last three. He's given up 30 earned runs in 40 innings for a robust 6.75 ERA. Overall, opponents are hitting .312/.369/.547 against him and he has given up more than a home run per game in his last eight starts. These numbers are tough to look at but it might have been easy to predict that there would be some struggles.
     
    There were signs of something wrong at the end of last season. Diamond was terrific in the first half by posting a 7-3 record and a 2.62 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP. There was some talk of Diamond making the All-Star team because of his strong pitching performance. The second half didn't go so smooth. His record dropped to 5-6 and his ERA expanded to 4.31 while his WHIP went up to 1.30. The end of his rookie season couldn't get there fast enough.
     

    Originally posted at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

     
    One interesting statistic to look at for Diamond is his batting average on balls in play (BABIP). If you aren't familiar with this statistic, here is a brief introduction lesson. BABIP tells us how many hits a pitcher is giving up when the ball is put in play. In this case, "put in play" means the ball stays fair and in the ballpark, rather than the play resulting in a walk, home run, hit by pitch or error.
     
    Last season, opponents had a .292 BABIP versus Diamond. This mark ranked him in the top 20 in the American League. So far this season, Diamond's BABIP has risen to .319, the 43rd best mark in the AL. The only qualified AL pitchers with a worse BABIP are Bud Norris, Corey Kluber, Justin Verlander, and Joe Blanton. Most fans might think it's good for a pitcher to be on the same leader board as Verlander but that's not the case in this situation.
     
    Another area where Diamond has struggled has been his ability to limit damage when runners get on base. In 2012, Diamond was able to leave runners on base at a 73.3% mark. This ranked him 16th among AL starting pitchers and ahead of players like CC Sabathia, Yu Darvish, and Matt Moore. So far in 2013, Diamond has the third worst LOB% in the AL at 67.4%. The only pitchers with a worse mark are Jerome Williams and Rick Porcello.
     
    Let's take a closer look at the last two starts from Diamond and try and find where some of his struggles might have originated. Take a look at the strikezone plot map from Diamond's start on Sunday versus Cleveland. As you can see, there are a lot of pitches in the zone and a lot of balls left up. This looks a lot different compared to his previous start in New York.
     
    Against the Yankees, Diamond seemed to have a different game plan or he was continuing to struggle with his control. Most of his pitches were well out of the zone and it's hard to believe he got anyone out with this kind of control. He might have been trying to avoid batter's hitting it into the short porch at Yankee Stadium but this might also show why he was only able to last 3.1 innings.
     
    The Twins need to do something with Diamond. A trip to Rochester might be in order to get his head and control back where it needs to be. Fellow Canadian left-hander Andrew Albers also started on Sunday for the Rochester Red Wings. It could make sense to flip-flop these two men for their next few starts. Albers has a 10-4 record on the season and a 2.97 ERA.
     
    Diamond needs to get fixed and this might be the right time for him to be demoted.
  2. Cody Christie
    At the beginning of the season, I devoted an entire week to make predictions about the upcoming MLB season. These predictions can be fun especially with all of the surprises that surround the game of baseball. I had the Toronto Blue Jays winning the AL East... oops. There are going to be a few swings and misses.
     
    With the All-Star Game over and done with, let's take a look back at the first half of the season and see who's in line for each of NoDak Twins Fan's end of the season awards. There are some easy choices and some tough choices at this point in the season. Luckily there is the entire second half for the best players to separate themselves.
     
    Each of the awards below has been named after someone that optimizes that award for the Twins organization. There are some legends from the past and even one current MLB player but all have had a significant place in Twins lore.

    Originally posted at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com 
    Harmon Killebrew MVP: Joe Mauer, C
    Preseason Pick: Joe Mauer, C
    Previous Winners: Josh Willingham (2012), Michael Cuddyer (2011), Joe Mauer (2010)


    Josh Willingham has been banged up. Justin Morneau hasn't been hitting for much power. This leaves one clear option for the first half MVP. Joe Mauer was selected as the starting catcher for the American League All-Stars and he is one of the best hitters in baseball. His 4.0 WAR ranks him 9th among position players and he is the highest catcher on the list. On the Twins, the next closest WAR marks are Pedro Florimon (2.0 WAR) and Brian Dozier (1.7 WAR). Barring any injury to the face of the franchise, Mauer should walk away with the team's MVP award.
     

    Johan Santana Pitcher of the Year: Glen Perkins, LHP
    Preseason Pick: Vance Worley, RHP
    Previous Winners: Scott Diamond (2012), Carl Pavano (2011), Carl Pavano (2010)


    The starters for the Twins have been rough to watch and this makes it hard to consider one of them as the top pitcher. There is a lot of baseball left in the season so someone like Sam Deduno or Kyle Gibson could continue to pitch well and take over this award. For now, the first half honor goes to Glen Perkins. He got elected to his first All-Star Game and he has the highest WAR among the pitchers on the staff. His 21 saves are the 9th most in baseball and he has posted a very good 0.808 WHIP. If the Twins find the right deal, Perkins could end up on another team before the deadline.

    Rick Aguilera Relief Pitcher of the Year: Glen Perkins, LHP
    Preseason Pick: Brian Duensing, LHP
    Previous Winners: Jared Burton (2012), Glen Perkins (2011), Jesse Crain (2010)


    One of the biggest positives this year has been the bullpen. There have been surprise performances from players like Casey Fien and Caleb Thielbar. After a breakout season in 2012, Jared Burton has run into some rough times this year. It shouldn't be any surprise with Perkins being named the winner for the first half. He has been consistent at the back end of the bullpen and fans have grown accustom to "Perk" being a shutdown closer. The lone player with a chance to catch Perkins might be Thielbar especially with the way he has thrown the ball in the last month. For now, Perkins gets the nod as the best bullpen arm for the Twins.

    Rod Carew Rookie of the Year: Oswaldo Arcia, OF
    Preseason Pick: Aaron Hicks, OF
    Previous Winners: Scott Diamond (2012), Ben Revere (2011), Danny Valencia (2010)


    This could turn out to be a pretty good two-man battle but the first half award has to go to Arcia. Hicks was the logical choice at the beginning of the year since he had earned the starting job in center field. A horrific start to the season left some wondering if Hicks would be sent to Rochester. He suffered an injury that cost him a couple weeks and he has been on fire as of late. This could mean he has a chance to catch Arcia by the end of the year. A couple of weeks ago, it looked like Arcia might have a chance to be the AL Rookie of the Year. Things turned south quickly and he now finds himself at Triple-A. He is still near the top of the leader board in a variety of categories for rookies so he gets my vote.
     
    Now it's your turn. What would your ballot look like for the top awards in the Twins organization for 2013? Leave a COMMENT and start the debate.
  3. Cody Christie
    Much like the Major League squads, the best players at the Triple-A level gathered for their All-Star Game on Wednesday evening. The Rochester Red Wings had two representatives, Chris Colabello and Andrew Albers, and they both played roles in different parts of the game.
     
    Colabello was the starting first baseman for the International League team and he batted in the third spot in the order. After not hitting any home runs in the Triple-A Home Run Derby, Colabello looked to make some noise with his bat. He actually got the scoring started with an RBI double in the top of the first. He would end the night going 1-for-3.
     
    Albers pitched the fourth inning and things didn't go exactly perfect. The first two batters reached on singles and a passed ball moved both men into scoring position. He coaxed a ground out for the next batter but that meant a run crossed the plate. With a runner on third and one out, Albers struck out the next batter for out number two. The final batter of the inning was able to hit a ball hard but it was right at the center fielder.
     
    New Britain Rock Cats 4, Harrisburg Senators 3
    Box Score
    The Rock Cats pounded out 11 hits to squeak out a one-run victory over the Senators. The win brought New Britain to within two games of the .500 mark. Since the All-Star Game last Wednesday, the club has posted a 3-4 record. Tomorrow marks the start of an important eight-game home stand over the next seven days.
     
    DJ Baxendale did admirably on the mound by pitching 5.2 innings and limiting the Senators to two runs. He gave up five hits and struck out two batters while walking one. After starting the year 7-0 with the Miracle, his victory on Wednesday put him with a 3-3 record at Double-A. He's allowed two earned runs or less in his last three outings.
     
    Eddie Rosario has been on a tear lately. He's in the midst of a seven-game hit streak and in his last 10 games he is batting .366/.409/.561. In this afternoon's contest, he went 3-for-5 with half of the team's RBI. Rosario is hitting .306/.374/.494 with 12 extra-base hits in his 31 games since being promoted.
     
    Danny Santana did a good job of setting the table ahead of Rosario. He went 2-for-4 in the game with his 16th double and he scored two runs out of the leadoff spot. Santana has a nice five-game hitting streak of his own so he and Rosario are doing a fine job at the top of the line-up.
     
    Fort Myers Miracle 6, Dunedin Blue Jays 4
    Box Score
    Kennys Vargas came up with a big two-run double in the top of the ninth inning to stop the Miracle's losing streak at six games. Recent games had Vargas deep in a 1-for-18 slump and he had already gone 0-2 in the game with two strikeouts. The big hit from Vargas wasn't the only story line to follow from this game.
     
    DJ Hicks, in his Florida State League debut, got the Miracle on the board early with a two-run home run. Byron Buxton helped to add to the lead when he hit a flyball that got lost in the lights. He would end up at third base and he eventually came in to score. Aderlin Mejia, Matt Koch, and JD Williams each added two hits.
     
    Tyler Duffey was excellent on the mound but he ended up with a no decision. He lasted seven innings shutout innings while allowing one hit. Throughout the game, he had to work around four walks but it helped that he was able to strikeout seven men.
     
    The Miracle had been winning in the eighth inning before a rough night from Nelvin Fuentes. He gave up four hits including the go-ahead grand slam. After the Vargas double, Zach Jones game in to earn his tenth save of the season with only one base runner reaching on a walk.
     
    Cedar Rapids Kernels 7, Lake County Captains 6
    Box Score
    This game would continue long into the night as neither club could gain the advantage. Both teams managed big four run innings in the early portion of the game before reaching a stalemate in extra-innings.
     
    Christian Powell was on the mound to start the game and he made it through five innings after a rough fourth. Overall, he gave up five runs on seven hits including two long balls. He wouldn't be around for the end of this game as it turned into a battle of the bullpens. Dallas Gallant was asked to record five outs and he did so by striking out all five of those men. There were some wild moments in between as he had a couple of wild pitches and base runners were on in both frames that he worked.
     
    David Hurlbut also struck out five batters and he had to come into a tough situation with a runner at third base. One unearned run was scored against him but he only allowed one hit in over two innings of work. The Kernels struck out 19 men with the help of two strikeouts apiece for Alex Muren and Tim Shibuya in the last two innings.
     
    Jorge Polanco helped to stop what seemed like an endless game. His RBI single in the top of the 12th inning was the first run for the Kernels since the sixth inning. Earlier in the game Jeremias Pineda hit his second home run of the year, a three-run shot. He ended the night 3-for-5 with four runs scored. Niko Goodrum was 4-5 with two walks in the game.
     
    GCL Twins 3, GCL Rays 4
    Box Score
    The bullpen for the GCL Twins gave up three runs in the final three innings to cough up the lead. The Rays took an early lead by scoring in the bottom of the first. The Twins would come back and score three runs in the fourth and fifth frames to take back the lead. Unfortunately, it wouldn't last and the team dropped one game under .500 and 2.5 games out of first place.
     
    Zach Larson powered the offense with two hits including his fourth home run of the year. Chad Christensen had the only other extra-base hit with a triple and he would come around to score. Alex Swim has a five-game hitting streak after going 2-for-4 with an RBI.
     
    Alex Wimmers continued his comeback from Tommy John surgery. He pitched two innings and gave up one earned run. He was able to strikeout three batters but he did walk a couple of men. Stephen Gonsalves tossed three innings, struck out three, and gave up his first run of the year. Daniel Sattler was charged with the loss after giving up two runs on four hits in one inning.
  4. Cody Christie
    The Twins needed to make some kind of change during the All-Star break because the team scuffled in the week's leading up to the Mid-Summer Classic. There was going to be some players sent packing to Rochester and some fresh faces on the Twins roster. It had to happen and there were going to be some surprising names that would come up in the discussion for demotion.
     
    There is pressure on multiple people in the Twins organization to find a way to be respectable in 2013. Ron Gardenhire is in the last year of his contract and he needs to show the organization something so they will renew his contract for next year. Terry Ryan had a hand in putting together this roster and he needs to see some of the talent translated onto the field.
     
    Coming out of the All-Star break there will be some new names on the bench and in the line-up. Maybe these new faces will help the team to win a few more games. Overall, this wasn't a team that was going to be fighting for a World Series crown so all of their moves need to be focused on the future.
     
    Here is a look at each of the players that was demoted and what the future might hold for each of them.
     
    Oswaldo Arcia
    Season (59 Games): .257/.317/.408, 6 HR, 11 2B, 25 RBI, 63 SO
    Last Month (22 Games): .262/.319/.676, 2 HR, 2 2B, 10 RBI, 26 SO
    The Future: Just a few weeks ago, it looked like Arcia was one of the front-runners for the American League Rookie of the Year Award. A lot has changed in the last couple weeks. Over that time, he hit .108/.132/.108 with 16 strikeouts in 37 at-bats. There was no power from Arcia and one had to wonder if there was some kind of injury bothering him or maybe he was embarrassed about taking a pop-fly to the face. He is too valuable to the club to be at the big league level and not getting consistent at-bats. Something had to be done to get him focused in at the plate.
     
    Arcia is still only 22-years old and he only has a little over 100 plate appearances at the Triple-A level. It might be good for him to get a month or so in the minors. This can give him a chance to get his head back on straight because the Twins need him for the next few years. Chris Herrmann will get some of the at-bats vacated by Arcia and he figures to also be in the Twins rebuilding plans. This gives the club a chance to see a little more of Herrmann at the big league level. Arcia's power hitting ability should be a staple in the Twins line-up as the team tries to rebuild but something just wasn't right going into the All-Star break.
     
    Eduardo Escobar
    Season (55 Games): .214/.268/.328, 3 HR, 2 2B, 9 RBI, 23 SO
    Last Month (11 Games): .120/.154/.240, 1 HR, 0 2B, 1 RBI, 7 SO
    The Future: Escobar surprised a lot of people with his performance in the first month of the season. He wasn't an everyday starter but he hit .378/.395/.541 with three extra-base hits in 38 plate appearances. Minnesota has struggled at different points of the first half to find production from the shortstop role. Pedro Florimon had a rough start to the season and Escobar did a decent job filling in when he was asked to do so.
     
    The Twins are basically swapping out the 24-year old Escobar for 33-year old infielder Doug Bernier. In 92 games for Rochester, Bernier was hitting .295/.370/.407 with 15 doubles. It seems like there is more of a chance for Escobar to have a long-term role as a utility man for the Twins. He is younger than Bernier by almost a decade but age didn't stop the Twins from making the move. This move might allow Escobar to get more playing time at Rochester and then the Twins can see where he fits into their plans. Now the Twins will have aging veterans Jamey Carroll and Bernier as their back-up infielders. Maybe they can swap "back in my day" stories on the bench.
     
    Chris Parmelee
    Season (83 Games): .223/.303/.372, 8 HR, 12 2B, 20 RBI, 66 SO
    Last Month (22 Games): .222/.306/.444, 3 HR, 5 2B, 6 RBI, 20 SO
    The Future: This was suppose to be a make it or break it season for Parmelee. Things aren't really working out in his favor in 2013. He has struggled to make consistent contact at the plate and the power he showed in the minors hasn't translated to the big leagues. Some of his struggles might be from the fact he is playing most of his games in the outfield after being used more as a first baseman in the upper levels of the minors. The Twins still gave him plenty of time to figure out his position and some of his challenges in the batter's box. Maybe a couple weeks at Triple-A will wake up his swing since he had an OPS of 1.102 last season in Rochester.
     
    Since it seems likely for Justin Morneau to be in a different uniform by the end of the month, one would think Parmelee could be the man to take over first base. It now seems more likely for Chris Colabello to be the man to get more playing time at the corner infield spot. Colabello got a brief taste of the big leagues earlier this year but he continues to be a force in the minors. Last year he was one of the top five players in the Eastern League and this season he is in the discussion for the best player in the International League. His batting line of .354/.432/.652 with 24 home runs and 24 doubles look like video game numbers.
  5. Cody Christie
    Sporting News had an interesting article up in the middle of last week, which looked at 20 memorable one-time All-Stars. There are going to be guys every season who make the All-Star team and won't be back for the rest of their careers. Especially with the new rules allowing the managers to add extra pitchers to the team if starters on the roster pitch on the Sunday before the break.
     
    It sure seems like a lot of players end up on the roster and that might not necessarily be a good thing. But that is a different story for a different day.
     
    There are plenty of players in the history of the Twins to make one All-Star appearance with the club. Hall-of-Fame pitcher Bert Blyleven made one All-Star appearance with the Twins. World Series hero Jack Morris also qualified for the Mid-Summer Classic while in Minnesota. Players like this would make other All-Star appearances with other clubs so this disqualified them from the following rankings.
     
    Here are the top five players to make their lone All-Star appearance while being a member of the Twins.
     
    1. Brad Radke: 45.6 Career WAR
    There were some rough seasons during the career of Brad Radke and it seems like he should have made more than one All-Star team with the collection of players on his team. In 1998, Radke made his lone All-Star appearance. He wasn't having that great of a season but he was coming off of a 20-win season in 1997 and a third place finish in the Cy Young voting. Radke pitched the 4th inning of the game and he gave up one run on two hits with a strikeout and a walk. He was able to keep the ball in Coors Field so that was a plus on a night where there were multiple home runs.
     
    2. Kent Hrbek: 38.2 Career WAR
    During his first full season as a big league player, Hrbek was elected to the All-Star Game. It was the 1982 season and the Twins were still working their way back into contention. There were a lot of young players on the roster and Hrbek was hitting over .300 with some power. He was one of four first basemen on the roster and he was one of the last players to get into the game. With a man on first base and the AL trailing by three, Hrbek pinch hit in the top of the ninth inning. He hit a flyball to short center field and his brief All-Star Game career was over.
     
    3. Roy Smalley: 27.8 Career WAR
    Smalley never really put up the offensive numbers that would be worthy of putting him in the All-Star Game. His batting average was always low but he did have a higher slugging percentage. The 1979 season might have been one of his best as a professional. He played in all 162 games for the Twins and he would make his only career All-Star appearance. Smalley hit 24 home runs and knocked in 95 runs that season while playing good up he middle defense. He started the '79 All-Star Game at shortstop and he was the lead-off hitter for the AL squad. Smalley went 0-for-3 in the game with an intentional walk.
     
    4. Scott Erickson: 24.9 Career WAR
    After leaving the Twins, there were plenty of up-and-down moments in the career of Scott Erickson. He would pitch in some of the most important games of his life as a 23-year old pitcher on the Twins 1991 World Series squad. In that season, he tied for the league lead in wins and he finished second in the Cy Young voting. Jack Morris would start the '91 All-Star Game and Twins closer Rick Aguilera would be used as a set-up man. Erickson wouldn't get into the contest and he would never make it back to the Mid-Summer Classic.
     
    5. Tom Brunansky: 21.7 Career WAR
    In 1985, Brunansky wasn't exactly in the middle of one of the best seasons of his career. He ended up hitting .242/.320/.448 with 27 home runs and 90 RBI. His batting average was lower than his career average but he continued to hit for power as a corner outfielder. Since the 1985 All-Star Game was being played in Minneapolis, Brunansky became an important figure for Twins fans to follow. He would compete in the first ever home run derby even though he wouldn't emerge as the victor. In his one plate appearance in the game, Brunansky hit a groundout to the shortstop.
     
    Just missed the list...
    Eric Milton: 15.8 Career WAR
    Milton and fellow Twins pitcher Joe Mays were both elected to the 2001 All-Star Game. A decent first half of the season was probably what got Milton elected. His ERA was under 4.00 and he had eight victories to his name. The second half of the season would be a little rough as his ERA ballooned to 5.01. Mays would make an appearance in the '01 All-Star Game but Milton was left on the bench even though he hadn't pitched in a game for six days.
  6. Cody Christie
    The New Britain Rock Cats didn't have a game on Wednesday evening but multiple players from their team were taking part in the Eastern League All-Star Game. New Britain was also the host city for the event and there were plenty of ESPN personalities at the event since it is so close to the headquarters of the four letter network.
     
    Danny Santana started the game at shortstop and was the lead-off hitter for the Eastern Divison. He went 0-for-2 with a strikeout. Josmil Pinto was the only player on his team with multiple hits. He played the whole game at DH and he went 2-for-4 with a double. Daniel Ortiz started the game in center field but he was held hitless in two plate appearances.
     
    Trevor May was asked to pitch the second inning in front of the hometown crowd. He faced the eight-nine-one hitters for the West squad so it wasn't exactly the meat of the order. He recorded all three men in order with a fly out, a line out, and a strike out looking.


     
    Rochester Red Wings 5, Scranton/WB RailRiders 1
    Box Score
    Chris Colabello continued his tremendous season with his 23rd home run of the season. His 3-run shot put the Red Wings out on top in the first inning and the club didn't look back. It was his second home run in as many nights. He finished the day 2-for-5 and he was the only Rochester hitter with multiple hits.
     
    On the mound, Liam Hendriks looked like the vintage Triple-A Hendriks from previous seasons. He threw eight shutout innings by striking out six and walking two. In his last three starts, he has averaged 7.1 innings and he has a 0.81 ERA. There have been some rough moments for Hendriks this season but he seems to be finding a better groove.
     
    Derek Jeter was on a rehab assignment and he leadoff for the RailRiders. He started the game at shortstop and ended up going 0-for-3 in the game. Hendriks was even able to strike out Jeter looking in the sixth inning. Jeter also had some tough defensive moments at shortstop.
     
    Fort Myers Miracle 0, Jupiter Hammerheads 3 (Suspended- 5th Inning)
    Box Score
    Inclement weather forced the game between the Miracle and the Hammerheads to be suspended. The game was stopped in the bottom of the fifth inning with a runner at first and Andy Leer batting. The plan is to complete the game on Thursday starting at 5:05 pm and this will be followed by Thursday's regularly scheduled game. Look for a full report on both games at Twins Daily tomorrow.
     
    Cedar Rapids Kernels 6, Dayton Dragons 12
    Box Score
    It was a rough night for Kernels pitchers. Christian Powell started the game and got knocked around over three innings. He surrendered six earned runs on nine hits. Caleb Brewer also had a tough night as he gave up five runs on four hits in two innings of relief.
     
    Dalton Hicks hit his 28th double of the year and he knocked in two runs in the game. JD Williams did a good job out of the leadoff spot by going 3-for-5 and he scored two runs. Travis Harrison added two hits. Max Kepler had a rough night as he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. It was the first time since June 29 that he struck out more than once in a game.
     
    Elizabethton Twins --, Bristol White Sox -- (Postponed)
    Rain got in the way of this game between the Twins and the White Sox. The game will be made up on Thursday as part of a doubleheader. After getting out to a fast start out of the gate, the E-Twins have struggled so far this week. The club has lost three games in a row but they still have a 12-6 overall record and they sit at the top of the Appalachian League's West Division.
     
    GCL Twins 1, GCL Orioles 2 (10 Innings)
    Box Score
    The GCL Twins couldn't find enough offense to pull out the victory but there were some positives from this game. First round pick Kohl Stewart made his second professional appearance. He tossed three shutout inning with only one hit allowed. Four Orioles were victim to a Stewart strikeout and he didn't walk a batter.
     
    Stewart didn't start the game because Brandon Easton was asked to begin the day on the hill. He pitched the first three innings and scattered two hits. One seemed to be his magic number today as he allowed one run, had one walk, and struck out one batter.
     
    There wasn't a ton of offense to brag about. The team managed four hits in ten innings of baseball. Zach Larson had his fourth double of the season. Brian Navarreto was responsible for the lone run with a solo home run in the second inning.
  7. Cody Christie
    The Twins announced on Tuesday that Michael Tonkin would be called up to make his MLB debut. The 23-year old right-handed relief pitcher has been in the Twins organization since 2008. He was drafted in the 30th round that year out of high school and he spent the last six seasons working his way through the minor leagues.
     
    Tonkin was used as a starter in the lower level of the minors and he got mixed results. In 2009, he started nine games for the GCL Twins and posted a 3.62 ERA with 60 strikeouts over 54.2 innings. The next year he was asked to start 12 games for Beloit and his ERA continued to rise. He threw 65 innings at the High-A level and his ERA ended up being 4.29.
     
    The front office decided to go in a different direction with Tonkin entering the 2011 season. He would be moved to the bullpen to try and take advantage of his ability to strike out batters. It was a tough transition as he threw 76.2 innings for Beloit and had a 3.87 ERA. His WHIP was an ugly 1.383 but he did strikeout 69 batters.


    Originally Posted at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com


     
    It had to be a tough offseason for Tonkin as he took some bruises in his first two trips through the Midwest League. Minnesota would send him back to Beloit for the start of 2012 and it seemed like something finally clicked. He pitched 39.0 innings for the Snappers and had a 1.38 ERA with an eye-popping 53 strikeouts. He moved to Fort Myers and continued to post solid numbers.
     
    The Twins decided to send Tonkin to the Arizona Fall League during last offseason. In what is considered a tough pitching environment, Tonkin held his own. Over 14.2 innings, he had a 2.45 ERA with seven strikeouts and three walks. His 0.75 WHIP was the second best mark on his AFL club. This performance stood out and the Twins were ready to put Tonkin on the fast track.
     
    Tonkin started 2013 by tossing 24.1 innings for New Britain. In 22 relief appearances, he had a 2.22 ERA with 30 strikeouts and eight walks. This was enough to earn him a promotion to Triple-A. Since arriving in Rochester, Tonkin has been very good. He has thrown 14.2 innings and limited opponents to two earned runs. He posted a 0.955 WHIP with 16 strikeouts and three walks.
     
    His 6-foot-7 frame on top of weighing 220 pounds allows him to be quite the presence on the mound. It also helps that he can scare opponents with a fastball in the upper 90s with some movement. His slider is also a very good pitch. It sits in the mid to upper 80s and it can be thrown for strikes on a regular basis. There have been some issues in the past with his mechanics but he seems to have gotten those under control.
     
    Tonkin was just added to the 40-man roster this past offseason. The club probably didn't expect him to make it this far in 2013 so it will be some good exposure for him to get a taste of the big leagues. It sounds like the club could keep him around if he is able to perform well.
  8. Cody Christie
    After an injury plagued 2011 season, the Twins had to take an alternative approach with Joe Mauer and his time on the defensive side of the ball. He started 72 games at catcher, 42 games at DH, and 30 games at first base. It was the first time in Mauer's career when he started played over 100 games and didn't play at least 90 games behind the plate.
     
    In spring training, Mauer made it be known that he wanted to play more time at catcher. Ron Gardenhire and the Twins front office have allowed Mauer to come through on that pre-season promise. Mauer has started 81 of the Twins 86 games this season. He has started 54 at catcher, 22 at DH, and five games at first base. He's up to 484.2 innings and that puts him on pace to get over 900 innings for the sixth time in his career.
     
    Innings at Catcher
    2005: 999.2
    2006: 1059.1
    2007: 777.2
    2008: 1203.0
    2009: 939.0
    2010: 951.2
    2011: 408. 2
    2012: 628.1
     
    Mauer has also been more effective at his natural position. According to the defensive runs saved statistic, Mauer is having his best season. The highest mark he posted in any season to this point is three runs above average. In 2013, he posted his best defensive runs saved mark with five runs above average. Only Royals catcher Salvador Perez has a higher mark among American League catchers.
     
    Another area Mauer has shown improvement in is rSB or "Stolen Base Runs Saved." This stat measures how many "runs" a catcher contributes to their team by throwing out runners and preventing runners from attempting steals in the first place. Mauer is tied with Matt Wieters for first place in the AL with two runs saved. In 2007, Mauer posted his highest rSB with three runs saved so he could be on pace to break this mark.
     
    Runners have found it a little harder to steal bases off of Mauer. For his career, Mauer has thrown out 33% of potential base stealers. This season he has been able to raise his percentage to 46% and the league average is 25%. His caught stealing percentage currently ranks second in the AL behind Yan Gomes of the Indians.
     
    A catcher's ability to frame pitches continues to be something that interests fans. Ryan Doumit is one of the worst catchers at framing pitches and this can be tough on Twins pitchers. Joe Mauer does better behind the plate and umpires are more willing to give him some close calls. Over the course of his career, Mauer has compiled some of the best catcher framing seasons in history.
     
    To think about where the Twins were a season ago with Mauer, it is hard to believe the team has gotten to this point. There were plenty of questions about how much time Mauer should spend behind the plate. It seems that Mauer has put many of those concerns to rest. He is one of the best defensive catchers in baseball and the Twins are a better team when he is behind the dish.
     
    He's also not too bad with a bat in his hand and Twins fans are lucky to watch him on a daily basis.
  9. Cody Christie
    The Minnesota Twins will host the 2014 All-Star Game at Target Field but a plethora of their former players will gather a year early for the Mid-Summer Classic. Seven former members of the organization will join current Twins players Joe Mauer and Glen Perkins. It would have been great to see all of these nine men on the field in Minneapolis so maybe they can all continue playing well for the next calendar year.
     
    Many Twins fans are familiar with the year's being put together by Perkins and Mauer. Here's a look at the season's being put together by the other men that use to call Minnesota home.
    

    American League
    Starting SS: JJ Hardy, Baltimore Orioles (2nd Appearance)
    .251/.290/.432, 15 HR, 16 2B, 46 RBI, 2.0 WAR
    Hardy gets the start at a relatively weak position in the AL. Frequent All-Star starter Derek Jeter has been on the disabled list for most of this season so this opened up a spot for a different starter. His defense continues to be strong and he has shown a good power stroke since joining the Orioles. He is one of three Orioles voted into the starting line-up so he might have gotten a bump from some ballot stuffing in the Baltimore area. He won a Gold Glove last season and he leads all shortstops with 52 home runs from 2011-2012.
     
    Starting DH: David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (9th Appearance)
    .313/.399/.595, 17 HR, 19 2B, 61 RBI, 2.2 WAR
    Ortiz has gone on to quite the career with the Red Sox. This will be his fourth consecutive All-Star Game and his ninth overall appearance. The only member of the AL All-Stars with more appearances is Mariano Rivera with 13 trips to the Mid-Summer Classic. Last season, the Red Sox were a disappointment and the club would end up finishing in last place in the AL East. This season there has been a resurgence and Ortiz has helped the club to one of the best records in the AL.
     
    Relief Pitcher: Jesse Crain, Chicago White Sox (1st Appearance)
    0.74 ERA, 1.145 WHIP, 36.2 IP, 46 SO, 11 BB, 2.5 WAR
    Set-up men don't usually get a chance to make the All-Star Game but Crain has been that good this season. The 32-year old pitcher has been in the big leagues for 10 seasons and this could be his only opportunity to take part in the All-Star festivities. Players in the AL voted in Crain and that also speaks volumes to the season he is having. Earlier this season Crain made headlines by breaking the White Sox franchise-record of 29 straight appearances without allowing a run. He is on the disabled list with a shoulder injury and current Twins closer Glen Perkins filled his spot.
     
    Relief Pitcher: Joe Nathan, Texas Rangers (6th Appearance)
    1.40 ERA, 0.776 WHIP, 38.2 IP, 40 SO, 10 BB, 2.0 WAR
    Nathan has made it to All-Star Games in the past but this one could be special since he is from the New York area. It is the second straight year he will represent the Rangers in the Mid-Summer Classic. He first four All-Star appearances all came with the Minnesota Twins. For his All-Star career, he has pitched five innings while striking out four and walking one. He has given up one run on three hits. His 29 saves are tied for second in the American League behind the Orioles Jim Johnson. The 38-year old relief pitcher continues to be effective even as he gets further into his professional career.
     
    Outfielder: Torii Hunter, Detroit Tigers (5th Appearance)
    .309/.348/.443, 6 HR, 22 2B, 42 RBI, 0.9 WAR
    It seems that more players on the Tigers roster made the All-Star Game than those that didn't get selected. Hunter is one of six players making a trip to New York City. Detroit's manager Jim Leyland is also the AL manager but he only added Justin Verlander as a managerial pick. Hunter has seemed to find a second life in the twilight of his career. Last season was his first year hitting over .300 and the 37-year old outfielder is hitting above that mark again this year. It doesn't look like the 17-year veteran is going to slow down and it will be his first All-Star Game since 2010.
     
    National League
    Outfielder: Michael Cuddyer, Colorado Rockies (2nd Appearance)
    .337/.392/.583, 15 HR, 18 2B, 52 RBI, 1.5 WAR
    Cuddyer made his first All-Star appearance in his last season with the Twins organization. He would leave the team in free agency and he suffered through some injury issues in his first year in Colorado. This season has been a rebirth for Cuddyer. The players elected Cuddyer after he made national news with a 27-game hit streak. He broke the franchise record for consecutive games with at least one hit. One other remarkable streak from Cuddyer was his streak of reaching base safely in 46 consecutive games. After his hot hitting, Cuddyer's batting average is near the top of the National League.
     
    Outfielder: Carlos Gomez, Milwaukee Brewers (1st Appearance)
    .312/.353/.559, 13 HR, 20 2B, 41 RBI, 5.4 WAR
    It will be somewhat of a homecoming for Gomez who made his big league debut with the Mets. Since that point, he has bounced around to the Twins and Brewers before getting this All-Star nod. At the end of last season, there were some positive signs from Gomez and the Brewers rewarded him with a contract extension. He shot out of the gate in 2013 with a hot start and he has been one of the most valuable NL players. According to both FanGraphs and Baseball Reference, Gomez has the highest WAR in the National League. There were plenty of expectations surrounding Gomez at the beginning of his career and he finally seems to be living up to those lofty expectations.
  10. Cody Christie
    Many of the Twins minor league affiliates celebrated Independence Day early with offensive explosions. The Red Wings and the Miracle had men up and down their line-ups knock in runs to help their clubs to come out victorious.
     
    There were a few minor league news and notes that took place on Wednesday afternoon. Catcher Danny Lehmann was released by the club after spending time on the disable list this season. He had only played 18 games this season and he was a career .229/.317/.301 hitter.
     
    It was also announced that Chris Colabello and Andrew Albers will represent the Red Wings at the Triple-A All-Star Game. Colabello was the overall leader in the online fan balloting and he will start at first base for the International League squad.
     
    Rochester Red Wings 11, Buffalo Bisons 1
    Box Scores
    The Red Wings had some fireworks on the field on the day before the Fourth of July. Brian Dinkelman, Chris Colabello, and Deibinson Romero all hit home runs. Every batter in the Rochester line-up recorded a hit and some of the men had six chances at the plate.
     
    Doug Bernier had the most hits as he went 3-for-6. Chris Herrmann had a very good game by collecting two hits in four trips to the plate. He had his ninth double and his third triple. Colabello continued his remarkable season by knocking his 21st home run.
     
    In one of his best pitching performances of the year, Andrew Albers tossed seven strong frames. He allowed one solo home run but that was the only run scored on the night. The Bisons had five hits and Albers struck out six men.
     
    New Britain Rock Cats 1, New Hampshire Fisher Cats 6
    Box Score
    Miguel Sano continued some of his struggles at the Double-A level. He went 0-for-4 on this night but he struck out three times. The defensive side of the ball wasn't much better as he committed his sixth error since his promotion. It wasn't only Sano that struggled on Wednesday night because the rest of the offense didn't help the team.
     
    Danny Santana was the lone Rock Cats with two hits. Nate Hanson hit his 14th double of the season and scored a run. Daniel Ortiz continued his powerful season by knocking his 22nd double. The team went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and there were nine runners left on base.
     
    Virgil Vasquez was making his second start at Double-A since being demoted from Rochester. He tossed six innings and gave up four earned runs. AJ Achter did a good job in relief by tossing a perfect ninth inning with a strikeout.
     
    Fort Myers Miracle 11, Bradenton Marauders 5
    Box Score
    The Miracle pounded out 21 hits and the club had no problem coming out victorious. Fort Myers scored three runs in the sixth inning and they topped that in the seventh by scoring six runs. It's hard to know where to start with the offensive explosion.
     
    Byron Buxton went 3-for-5 with a double but he did strikeout two times. The three hit game raised his batting average to .400 since being promoted to Fort Myers. Every batter in the Miracle line-up had a double except for Kennys Vargas. Jhon Goncalves, Mike Kvasnicka, and Candido Pimentel all went 3-for-5 in the game.
     
    Taylor Rogers benefited from the offensive explosion on the mound. He pitched into the seventh inning and limited the Marauders to three runs on nine hits. He struck out three batters and only gave up one walk. Corey Williams recorded the final four outs of the game and collected three strikeouts.
     
    Cedar Rapids Kernels 2, Beloit Snappers 8
    Box Score
    Beloit, the former Twins affiliate, has turned into a tough team for the current Twins affiliate to beat. Cedar Rapids fell again to the Snappers and there wasn't much offense for the Kernels. Beloit scored runs in five different innings to come out with an easy win.
     
    Max Kepler continued his hot start to the season by going 2-for-4 with an RBI. JD Williams had the only extra base hit with his 11th double of the year. Jorge Polanco scored a run and had two hits. The club went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position so some offensive opportunities were missed.
     
    Christian Powell started the contest and pitched 5.2 innings. He gave up 10 hits and six earned runs. Allowing two home runs didn't help him on the way to his second loss of the year. Hudson Boyd and Caleb Brewer only gave up one earned run in the last 2.1 innings. They combined to strikeout three and gave up four hits.
     
    Elizabethton Twins --, Johnson City Cardinals --
    Inclement weather might have been the only thing that could have stopped the E-Twins from winning. Their game with the Johnson City Cardinals got postponed due to some weather issues. The club has a 10-2 record and they will look to continue their winnings ways over the holiday weekend.
     
    GCL Twins 8, GCL Rays 2 (6 Innings-Rain)
    Box Score
    Nick Blackburn returned to the mound for the first time and got some decent results. He threw four innings and scattered seven hits. The Rays scored both of their runs off of Blackburn and he had one strikeout. Leonel Zazueta pitched the fifth inning and he struck out two batters.
     
    Joel Polanco lead the offense with a 2-for-3 day. He hit his first double of the season and knocked in two runs. Amaurys Minier knocked in three runs to help stretch the lead. Adonis Pacheco added his second double of the season.
  11. Cody Christie
    Down the stretch they come!
     
    Well, at least as far as voting goes for the 2013 MLB All-Star Game in New York City. There can be some debate over who should make the club. Some voters like to pick out the players that have had the best first half of a season in 2013. Others look at the last calendar year and try and pick out the rosters based on those performances.
     
    Today I break down the American League roster. There are some tough decisions at a couple positions but there are some ways to break the ties. Take a look at my picks and leave a comment with your roster.
     
    Catcher: Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
    Other Candidates: Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians; Matt Wieters, Baltimore Orioles
    One of the easiest picks in the AL might be the man behind the plate. Mauer easily has the highest WAR among catchers this season and that also holds true for his WAR over the last calendar year. Santana might be the only other man that deserves a chance to start. He hits for a little bit more power than Mauer but the nod should still go to the Twins backstop. Matt Wieters has been a solid player on a good team in the last year but his batting average is pretty low.
     
    First Base: Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles
    Other Candidates: Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers; Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays
    It has been quite the first half of the year for Mr. Chris Davis. He is on pace to hit over 60 home runs and in the last calendar year he has the highest WAR among AL first basemen. Prince Fielder might be the better known name on the list and Albert Pujols could also be in consideration. Edwin Encarnacion might be a surprise person to consider but in the last 12 months he has a higher WAR than Fielder and he has hit 43 home runs. He is actually on the ballot as a DH but I will slide him into this spot since he has started 45 games there in 2013.
     
    Second Base: Robinson Cano, New York Yankees
    Other Candidates: Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox; Jason Kipnis, Cleveland Indians
    This is a tough pick because Cano and Pedroia's value over the last calendar year has been almost identical. Cano hits for more power and Pedroia hits for a higher average. On the defensive side of the ball, Pedroia is probably the better defender so some people might consider him the front-runner. As Twins fans saw earlier this week, Cano can be a one-man wrecking crew in a sub-par Yankee line-up. With many of the other star hitters on the DL, Cano has compiled some great numbers in the first half and he should get the start in New York.
     
    Third Base: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
    Other Candidates: Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles; Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
    There has been a lot of hype around Machado and his tremendous first half. Unfortunately, he plays the same position as the defending AL MVP and Cabrera is having another tremendous season at the plate. He might be the best hitter in all of baseball and he could be fighting for another Triple Crown if Chris Davis ever slows down his home run total. Machado might be the wave of the future at third base in the AL but he will have to wait to make his first start at the hot corner.
     
    Shortstop: Jhonny Peralta, Detroit Tigers
    Other Candidates: JJ Hardy, Baltimore Orioles; Jed Lowrie, Oakland Athletics
    Out of all of the positions in the American League, this might be the weakest one for picking out a starter. Hardy will probably win the fan voting and end up the starter. The Orioles fans have been very good to some of their candidates this season. Peralta and Hardy have put together similar numbers over the last calendar year so it is a tough call. My vote goes to Peralta but it was another tough pick at a middle infield position.
     
    Designated Hitter: David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox
    Other Candidates: Billy Butler, Kansas City Royals; Mark Trumbo, Los Angeles Angels
    DH is such a weird position because fans don't get to pick out a DH from the National League. This can be a benefit to the NL because the manager can just slide a good hitter into the role. As far as the AL goes, Ortiz might be locked into this spot until he retires. Last season, Butler had a good story with the game being played in Kansas City but he won't have the hometown crowd to back him in NYC. After the famous speech in Boston by Ortiz, all of Red Sox nation has been out in force to vote for one of the leaders on their team.
     
    Outfielders: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels; Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles; Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland Athletics
    Other Candidates: Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays; Torii Hunter, Detroit Tigers; Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox
    Mike Trout is probably one of the easiest picks for this team. He had a tremendous season last year and he continues to put up solid numbers in his sophomore campaign. The list gets a little dicey after that point. Adam Jones is going to get voted in by the fans and I am fine with that pick. He has become the face of the franchise for a Baltimore team that continues to surprise people in the AL East.
     
    Picking the last outfielder was the toughest spot for me on this AL squad. Bautista is having a bounce-back season, Hunter continues to play well with his aging body, and Ellsbury was an MVP candidate before some injuries last season. I picked Cespedes because he provides an interesting dynamic to the game. He appeals to the international audience even though his home country wouldn't be able to watch the game. Also, the A's have been near the top of their division and they deserve a starter.
     
    That wraps up my picks for the starting line-up. Who would make your team? Leave a COMMENT and start your discussion.
  12. Cody Christie
    The Twins had a back and forth game on a beautiful afternoon at Target Field. Unfortunately, the club came out on the losing side of their match-up with the Royals. There were home runs from Justin Morneau, Trevor Plouffe, and Clete Thomas but it still wasn't enough. The bullpen gave up four runs in the last four frames for a tough loss.
     
    In minor league news, RHP AJ Achter was transferred to Rochester from New Britain. It will be his first trip to Triple-A. Achter had appeared in 24 games as a relief pitcher. He has a 2.27 ERA with 35 strikeouts and 19 walks in 35.2 innings. In a corresponding move, C/OF Dan Rohlfing was sent to New Britain from Rochester.
     
    There were some close games and some hard fought victories in the Twins system today. Check out all of the action from down on the pond.
     
    Rochester Red Wings 0, Syracuse Chiefs 2
    Box Score
    Liam Hendriks pitched a complete game but the offense didn't give him any support. He struck out four and walked one while limiting the Chiefs to two runs. The loss dropped his record to 1-6 and he hasn't won a game since the beginning of May.
     
    The Red Wings had a tough time getting the offense going. Drew Butera was the lone Rochester hitter to collect more than one hit. Jeff Clement knocked his 10th double but he was the only person in the top five of the batting order to collect a hit. The bottom four batters in the order all had at least one hit.
     
    Today's loss marked the first three game losing streak for the Red Wings since May 13-15. Rochester still ended the month of June with a 17-13 record. This was the second game of a 24 game stretch against opponents in the International League North Division.
     
    New Britain Rock Cats 2, Reading Phillies 8
    Box Score
    The Rock Cats wouldn't score a run until the late innings and the Phillies were well in control by that point in the game. Two New Britain errors from Miguel Sano and Eddie Rosario resulted in some extra work for the pitching staff and the Rock Cats lost their series to Reading. It was their third loss in four games to end the month of June.
     
    Matthew Summers was making his second start since being called up from Fort Myers. He pitched four innings and gave up five runs on seven hits. His control was a little all over the place as he walked four and struck out three. Out of his 87 pitches, 55 of them were for strikes.
     
    Dakota Watts and Edgar Ibarra did a good job to keep the game close in the middle innings. They combined to pitch four innings and they limited Reading to two base runners. Matt Hauser pitched the ninth and he gave up three earned runs in the final frame.
     
    Josmil Pinto didn't start at catcher but he still went 2-for-3 with a run scored from the DH slot. Daniel Ortiz went 2-or-4 with his 21st double of the season. Rosario tried to make up for his error with a double and a run scored but it still wasn't enough for New Britain.
     
    Fort Myers Miracle 4, St. Lucie Mets 1 (Rain Shortened- 6 Innings)
    Box Score
    Fort Myers scored runs in four of the six innings to come out victorious in this rain shortened game. Bryon Buxton seems to be finding his swing at High-A. He went 3-for-3 in this game with his first double and first stolen base at this level. Every time he was on base, he scored a run and his average is up to .333 since being promoted.
     
    Kennys Vargas went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI to get his RBI total up to 61 for the year. With Buxton at the top of the order, Vargas could continue to add to this total in the coming weeks. Jhon Goncalves and Mike Kvasnicka each had a hit.
     
    Jason Wheeler pitched 5.1 innings for his seventh win of the season. He scattered four hits and allowed one earned run. Ryan O'Rourke earned his third save by recording the last couple of outs before the rains came tumbling down. He struck out both of the batters he faced.
     
    After losing four straight games at the beginning of the week, the Miracle have won two straight games. The team will close out the series with St. Lucie on Monday evening.
     
    Cedar Rapids Kernels 6, Peoria Chiefs 5
    Box Score
    The Kernels had won nine straight games coming into Sunday's contest with the Chiefs and it looked like their winning streak was going to come to an end. It took a little bit of magic from the Kernels in the bottom of the ninth to pull out their 10th straight wins. Max Kepler's RBI single was the only hit of the inning and it made the team walk-off winners.
     
    Tim Atherton made his first start for the Kernels after appearing in 20 games as a relief pitcher. He pitched into the fourth inning and allowed three runs even though one of them was earned. He walked three batters and struck out two. Alex Muren and Tyler Jones pitched the last three innings and one unearned run was scored against them. Jones picked up his fourth win of the season.
     
    The offense was lead by Jorge Polanco with two hits and two runs scored. Travis Harrison hit his 24th double and knocked in a couple of runs. In the game, Harrison did have his 17 error of the season at third base. Niko Goodrum got a start at first base and he added his 17th double while scoring a run.
     
    Mike Pelfrey will make a rehab start for the Kernels on Monday night. It will be the final game of the series against the Chiefs and the club will be going for win number 11 in a row.
     
    Elizabethton Twins 5, Kingsport Mets 1
    Box Score
    The E-Twins kept up their winning ways in the early portion of their season. Randy Rosario won his second decision after he threw five innings by striking out seven and allowing one earned run. The Mets only managed three hits against him and he didn't walk a batter.
     
    Austin Malinowski and Brandon Peterson each pitched two frames and combined to give up two hits. Peterson struck out four batters and he has yet to let a run cross the plate. Malinowski had a good bounce back performance after allowing three runs in his last appearance.
     
    Dereck Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored. He also stole third base for his fourth steal of 2013. Bryan Haar hit his third home run of the season. Mitch Garver and Romy Jimenez also hit long balls and for each of them it was their first home run.
  13. Cody Christie
    Another week of baseball's regular season has come and gone.
     
    For the Twins there was plenty of news this week. The Marlins turned out to be pesky but they have been surprising more than one team in the National League so far this season. Kyle Gibson will be making his big league debut on Saturday and this is a moment to get a little bit excited about. Twins fans have heard his name for multiple seasons.
     
    Ryan Doumit had a cool slide, Byron Buxton is good at baseball, and the trade deadline is approaching. All these things and more in the latest edition of "Links-N-Thinks.”
     

    Stuart Turner, a 2013 Twins draft pick, was honored with the Johnny Bench Award. This award is given to the nation's best division one catcher.
    Here's a look at how Kyle Gibson did in each game this season for AAA-Rochester.
    Now that Gibson will be part of the rotation, one pitcher is going to have to lose his job.
    Clete Thomas has changed his swing and this has helped him to be more productive.
    The traded deadline is a little over a month away and it's tough to know if there is a trade market for Morneau.
    Logan Darnell is one step away from the big leagues after a very good season thus far.
    If you want to geek out a little, check out this article that looks at OPS minus batting average.
    Who should be blamed for the struggles the Twins have incurred against the Yankees?
    The back story of Max Kepler is one of the best in baseball.
    Kernels fans can't watch Byron Buxton any more but a German-born player could be the next to take that team by storm.
    Speaking of Buxton... It can be fun to examine the tools he has as a player.
    Buxton and Miguel Sano will represent the Twins in MLB's Futures Game.
    The Twins minor league system might be ahead of the curve in this new type of training.
    Are the Twins a fascinating team? Maybe when Buxton and Sano get here.
    Joe Mauer is chasing Mickey Vernon.
    Scientists may have unlocked the mystery in the evolution of pitchers.
    Is there a way to improve umpiring in MLB without increasing replay?
    Michael Cuddyer has been having quite the season for the Rockies.
    In this clip, Nick Punto has to fight some fans for a foul ball. You could also listen to it just to hear Vin Scully's voice.
    Matt Garza could be the best pitcher available at this year's trade deadline.
    I love collecting ticket stubs so this is one of the saddest trends in baseball right now.
    Cleveland has sure been making some noise in the AL Central.
    Kerry Wood made a scary discovery while paddling around in a boat.
    There is more than one reason why Bull Durham is a good movie.
    I know you want to see Hawk Harrelson in an outfit that is strangely similar to the Hamburglar.

    My Weekly Rundown
     

    Talk to Contact: Episode 42
    Monday: 2013 Minnesota Twins Trade Candidates
    Wednesday: Twins Minor League Report (6/26): Sano's Big Day
    Thursday: A Checklist for Kyle Gibson

    Video of the Week: Ryan Doumit had to get a little creative on this play at the plate. He missed the plate on his first pass and he had to sneak back behind the catcher to score a run. I'm sure Oswaldo Arcia was happy since it added to his RBI total but it was still a funny play to watch unfold. Watch it again and enjoy your weekend!
  14. Cody Christie
    The 2009 MLB Draft has to feel like eons ago to Mr. Kyle Gibson. He was supposed to be a high first round pick but some injury concerns caused him to drop to the Twins with the 22nd pick. In 2010, he went on a tear through the Twins farm system as he started in High-A and finished the year at Triple-A. The club named him the minor league pitcher of the year and he looked to be one step away from the big leagues.
     
    Tommy John surgery would halt his progress in 2011 and he has been slowly working his way back to get ready for a special moment this weekend. On Saturday afternoon at Target Field, Gibson will get to walk out onto a big league mound for the first time. A life-long dream will be realized and there can be plenty of pressure when a person is making their MLB debut.
     
    Here are some important tips for Gibson to keep in mind as he prepares for Saturday.
     
    1. Don't shoot for a perfect game
    Only 23 pitchers in major league history have accomplished this feat so it might not be the easiest mark to shoot for in your debut outing. There have been even fewer rookies to throw no-hitters (20) so this might also not be a realistic goal. The only pitcher to toss a no-hitter in his first major league start was Bobo Holloman in 1953. He only pitched one season and accumulated a 5.23 ERA. The last American League rookie starter to have a no-hitter was Clay Buchholz in 2007 and he did it in his second major league start.
     
    2. Don't try to strike everyone out
    There can be some worries surrounding pitchers as they come back from Tommy John surgery. Will they be able to regain their old form? Are they still going to be consistent on the mound? In his first full season back from Tommy John, Gibson has averaged 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings. During April, that number was close to 8.7 but he wasn't able to pitch further into games and his other numbers suffered. In 2010, his last full season before Tommy John surgery, Gibson averaged 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings. He spent the first two months of the season dominating High-A so those numbers can be a little skewed.
     
    3. There are going to be some rookie moments
    Bert Blyleven gave up a home run to the first batter he faced and he still went on to have a Hall-of-Fame career. At some point, Gibson will give up a long ball and runs are going to get scored against him. For the most part, he had done a good job of keeping the ball in the park this season by limiting opponents to four home runs in 92.2 innings. In his minor league career, he had a 1.22 WHIP and he average 8.5 hits per nine innings. There will be some base runners but it's important how he reacts when those runners are on base.
     
    4. This season is about development
    While the Twins are still in the vicinity of the .500 mark, this season is all about preparing players for the future. The key for Gibson is to be able to control his fastball. From there, his other pitches can be more effective. One of his biggest weaknesses this spring was some of his off-speed offerings. He's had almost 100 innings this season to get back his comfort level with his breaking pitches. Big league hitters can tee off on badly placed fastballs especially if there isn't a threat of a breaking pitch being anywhere near the plate. He needs to use all of his pitches and find some consistency.
     
    5. Success can come in a variety of forms
    Some Twins fans might consider this the team motto for the last couple of seasons. Gibson isn't going to be Matt Harvey or Gerrit Cole. Fans might think Gibson is that level of prospect because his name has been around in the Twins organization for a few years. Let's make something clear... he isn't an elite pitching prospect. In this Twins rotation, he could turn into the ace of the staff but that's not saying much. If he reaches his full potential, he should be in the Twins rotation for the better part of the next decade. He can be a solid number two or number three starter if he gets everything right. There will be flashes of brilliance and some rough outings along the way. He's the first of some high level pitching prospects to reach the majors and there will be plenty of pressure on him to succeed.
  15. Cody Christie
    MLB made it official on Wednesday afternoon.
     
    Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton are the "future" and they will both be participants in this year's MLB Futures Game. This game features some of the best talent in the minor leagues from each organization. The teams are broken up into a World Team and a US Team so Sano and Buxton will be on opposite squads.
     
    Because of some rainouts on Tuesday, there were a ton of games in the Twins system on Wednesday. Let's see who else is part of the Twins future.
     
    Rochester Red Wings 9, Indianapolis Indians 7
    Box Score
    It took a whole lot of offense and some nail biting in the late innings but the Red Wings were still able to pick up their 40th win of the season. The win also assured the team of their first winning month of the year and their first winning month since last July.
     
    Chris Colabello continues to destroy the International League. He went 2-for-4 with his team leading 18th home run. So far this season, he is hitting .369/.437/.663 with Rochester. Jeff Clement added two hits and his seventh double. Doug Bernier and James Beresford had two hits apiece. Colabello, Clement, and Beresford each had two RBI.
     
    After going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI in his first Triple-A game, Aaron Hicks wasn't as lucky in game two. He played in center field for the first time on his rehab assignment. He went 0-for-2 with an RBI and a walk. He was pulled early from the game.
     
    Rochester's starter Cole De Vries pitched through five innings and kept the team in the game. He allowed four runs on eight hits including a home run. Cody Eppley ran into some trouble in the late innings as he gave up three earned runs in a little over an inning of work. Shairon Martis had to pitch the last 1.2 innings for his fourth save.
     
    New Britain Rock Cats 9, Altoona Curve 2 (Completion of 6/25)
    Box Score
    The transition to Double-A hasn't been the easiest for Miguel Sano and the hits have been few and far between. After going 1-for-3 with a home run, maybe it was a sign of some good things to come. He has been hitting the ball hard but pitchers have been careful with him.
     
    Curt Smith had a fantastic day at the plate by going 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. Nate Hanson only had one hit but he made it count with a triple and two RBI. Josmil Pinto punched his 17th double and he came around to score.
     
    Matthew Summers had been the starter on Tuesday before the rains came. Bobby Lanigan picked up the game on Wednesday and he would earn his third win. He threw three innings and gave up three hits. Dakota Watts and Matt Hauser didn't allow an earned run in the last four innings.
     
    New Britain Rock Cats 6, Altoona Curve 3 (7 innings)
    Box Score
    With his home run earlier in the day, something must have clicked for Sano. He went 2-for-4 in the second game of the day with a double and a triple. Out of his nine hits at Double-A, six of them have been for extra bases. Between the two games, he went 3-for-7 with three extra-base hits.
     
    Tom Stuifbergen earned his second win with the Rock Cats. Over five innings, he spread out eight hits and limited Altoona to three earned runs. He struck out two batters and walked one. Edgar Ibarra finished off the last two innings while allowing one hit and securing his second save.
     
    Daniel Ortiz went 2-for-4 with his third triple. Jordan Parraz hit a two-run home run to cap off a six-run first inning for New Britain. This huge first inning would be all the runs the Rock Cats would need. The club went 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position and the win brought the team back to within two games of the .500 mark.
     
    Fort Myers Miracle 3, Jupiter Hammerheads 5
    Box Score
    The Byron Buxton era in Fort Myers isn't off to the best start. The club hasn't won in his first two games since his promotion. He got his first RBI at the High-A level in this contest. Buxton went 1-for-4 and he's had at least one hit in each game.
     
    Tyler Duffy was making his fourth start since being called up from Cedar Rapids. He made it through six innings but he got knocked around for 12 hits and five earned runs. He struck out two batters and he didn't issue any walks. It was his third loss and he given up five runs in his last two starts. Corey Williams threw two innings in relief and he struck out four.
     
    Candido Pimentel was the lone Fort Myers hitter with more than one hit. He went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Mike Kvasnicka hit his fourth home run and it was only his 14th game. The Miracle will finish up their road trip with a three-game series against Jupiter.
     
    Cedar Rapids Kernels 5, Burlington Bees 2
    Box Score
    In the month of May, Jose Berrios had yet to earn a victory but that streak came to an end on Wednesday. Last year's supplemental first round pick tossed seven outstanding innings. He struck out nine batters and didn't allow a walk. The Bees scored two runs off of him on five hits. In his last ten starts, it was the first time Berrios made it through seven innings of work.
     
    Max Kepler continues to do his best to replace the offense lost with Buxton's promotion. Kepler hit his second home run in as many nights. Dalton Hicks went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Niko Goodrum and Jorge Polanco each added a double to their impressive numbers this season.
     
    The Kernels improved to 46-28 with the win. Since the All-Star Break at the beginning of last week, the club is a perfect 6-0. They will look to continue that streak in the second game of the series against Burlington.
     
    Elizabethton Twins 5, Princeton Rays 4
    Box Score
    The E-Twins pounded out 15 hits and the club needed everyone of them to improve their record to 6-1. Bryan Haar went 1-for-4 with his first home run of the season. With three hits in the game, Bryan Santy had his first multi-hit game. Dereck Rodriguez, Javier Pimentel, and Ryan Walker all had two hits.
     
    Felix Jorge pitched 5.2 strong innings by allowing one hit. He struck out six, walked three, and earned his first win. Austin Malinowski had a tough time finding the plate with three walks and his three runs allowed helped to keep the Rays in the game.
     
    Dallas Gallant and Brandon Peterson finished off the last 2.1 innings. They limited the Rays to three hits and no runs. Each of these players struck out a batter and they have yet to allow a run this season.
     
    GCL Twins 5, GCL Orioles 4
    Box Score
    Scoring two runs in each of the first two innings put the GCL Twins ahead but the GCL Orioles would claw their way back into the game with a three-run eighth inning. The Twins turned out to have just enough offense to win their third game of the year and the club is now one game over .500.
     
    Mexican pitcher Leonel Zazueta made his second appearance of the year and his first start. He threw four shutout innings by scattering three hits and striking out two. He didn't walk a batter but he wouldn't figure into the decision.
     
    Bruce Pugh got hit around a little in his inning of work. He was charged with all three runs but he did strike out three batters. German born pitcher Markus Solbach earned his first professional victory with two scoreless innings of relief.
     
    Zach Larson hit a two-run home run to help the Twins to their early lead. Adonis Pacheco went 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored. Alex Swim added two hits of his own. Overall, the team left six runners on base and they went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
  16. Cody Christie
    The end of June is quickly approaching and this means it is a little over a month away from the July 31st trade deadline. Things have started to look a little better for the Twins but the club is still in the bottom half of the AL Central. This should mean the club will be sellers at this year's trade deadline.
     
    As I have stated previously, the Twins focus should be on contending again by 2015. Joe Mauer will be the veteran bat in the middle of the line-up surrounded by other young players like Oswaldo Arcia, Miguel Sano, and Eddie Rosario. Even last year's number one pick Byron Buxton could be ready for the big leagues at some point in 2015.
     
    Minnesota has one of the best minor league systems in baseball and the organization has the opportunity to improve their depth by trading away some pieces this July. Power hitters and members of the pitching staff can be valuable commodities at this time of year.
     
    Let's look at a few of the names that could be floating around as baseball's hot stove starts to heat up.
     
    Position Players
    Justin Morneau, 1B
    The former MVP is in the final year of his contract and it doesn't seem likely for him to be part of the next winnings baseball team in Minnesota. His ability to play first base and hit for power might be intriguing to more than one contending team. Morneau might be even more desirable for a team that has suffered an injury to their first baseman. That being said, there are some recent injury concerns for Morneau and his power has been almost nonexistent in 2013. A team trading for him wouldn't be making a long-term commitment so this could help to strengthen his market.
     
    Josh Willingham, LF/DH
    There were a few trade rumors swirling around last season when Willingham was in the midst the best season of his career. Things haven't gone as smoothly in 2013 but that still doesn't mean other teams won't be interested in adding him for the stretch run. Willingham is under contract for all of 2014 at a reasonable amount and this could also help to add to his trade value. He will turn 35-years old before next season and some teams might be scared away by his aging body especially teams in the National League where there isn’t a DH.
     
    Dark Horse: Trevor Plouffe, 3B
    Minnesota has seen some flashes of good signs from Plouffe and this could make some other clubs interested in him. The former first round pick didn't work out as a middle infielder but he continues to improve at the plate and on the defensive side of the ball. Miguel Sano is working his way through the Twins system and he looks to be the Twins third baseman of the future. Deibinson Romero has also compiled some solid numbers in the minor leagues and it might be worth giving him a look at third base. This makes Plouffe expendable if the Twins want to move him.
     
    Pitchers
    Kevin Correia, RHP
    There isn't going to be a ton of starting pitchers available at the deadline and this could be a positive for the Twins. So far this year, Correia has put together the numbers that the front office thought he would produce when they signed him to an offseason free agent deal. The Twins gave Correia a two-year deal so he is still under contract for 2014 at a rate of $5 million. It would be nice to dump that salary on a team looking to add a back of the rotation starter for their playoff push. He might not net a big haul but he could be worth a mid-range prospect or two if the market continues to be weak for starting pitching.
     
    Jared Burton, RHP
    Things have been a little rough on the mound in the last couple weeks for Mr. Burton. After last season's outstanding job as the team's set-up man, the Twins gave Burton an extension. Something isn't quite right with Burton and this might be a reason for the organization to ship him out of town. Contending teams can usually use another relief arm especially a veteran arm like Burton. He even got the opportunity to close a few games and some teams value this "skill." In the month of July, he will need to show some flashes of the pitcher he was last season or other teams aren't even going to consider him an option.
     
    Dark Horse: Glen Perkins, LHP
    Reports were out last week that Twins general manager Terry Ryan is going to want a haul in return for Perkins. The team's closer is under contract through 2015 with a team option for 2016. It's a very team friendly deal and that's a good thing for the Twins and their fans. If Perkins stays with the Twins, he could be the closer on Minnesota's next winning team. Ryan could also get an offer that is too good to pass up and this could mean Perkins is in another uniform by the end of July. It seems like a long shot at this point but anything can happen around the deadline.
  17. Cody Christie
    The Twins put together a solid series against the White Sox to earn a three-game sweep. The rival Sox are plummeting in the AL Central but it is still nice to beat a hated foe. Powerful offensive performances and some decent pitching helped to club in the series. Now it will be time to see what the team can do when they head out on the road for a couple of series.
     
    Some of the other Twins headlines from this week included: Justin Morneau finally ended the longest home run drought of his career, Kevin Corriea put together a couple of solid starts, and Sam Deduno continues to impress. Everything seems to be going good in Twins Territory but this has been a streaky team this season and it's going to take more than a few wins to impress the fan base.
     
    Here are some of the most enjoyable stories from around the web in the last week. Make sure to check them all out before you head out for the weekend.

    Byron Buxton has mastered the art of being good.
    Buxton is also putting up better numbers in Cedar Rapids than Mike Trout did when he played for the club.
    Two roommates on the Cedar Rapids Kernels continue to impress with their performances so far this year.
    Antoan Richardson has put together a great season in the minors and this interview will help you to learn a little bit more about him.
    It's interesting to see how pitchers are approaching Miguel Sano since he transitioned to the Eastern League.
    One of my favorite prospects, Max Kepler, is going to need to try and reestablish himself.
    Mike Pelfrey has endured a few struggles this season but there are a few keys for him to find success.
    In the history of the Yankees and Twins, this play has to be one of the most frustrating in recent memory.
    According to the most recent numbers for Twins on Twitter, my followers have gone up 3.6% in the last six weeks. I think we can improve that number for the next update.
    This might be the most entertaing article I read this week because it includes two thing I love, trading cards and the Minnesota Twins. Plus there's a Duck Tales reference so that's awesome.
    Kevin Correia might be one of a few starting pitchers available at the trade deadline.
    When it comes to fantasy baseball, Brian Dozier shouldn't be on your team.
    Aaron Hicks and Chris Parmelee are near the top of the list for most Web Gems this season.
    Pat Neshek's brother works for the Twins and he made a fantastic grab as the ball boy earlier this week.
    The Fort Myers Miracle are always creative with their promotions and this one for Miami Heat fans that exited Game 6 early is pretty good.
    What happened to the ball from Kirk Gibson's famous 1988 World Series home run?
    I've seen the sausage race in person and now it's celebrating 20 years in the big leagues.
    The story of the Black Sox scandal is one of the best known in baseball and now you can own a unique piece of memorabilia from that famous series.
    A complete replica of Wrigley Field was built but this one is unique because it is made of almost 58,000 Legos.
    Torii Hunter hit his 300th home run and it just had to come against the Twins.
    They have all-time great players but are the Tigers an all-time great team?

    My Weekly Rundown

    Sunday: Talk to Contact: Episode 41
    Monday: The Future of Trevor Plouffe
    The Curious Case of Kyle Gibson
    Wednesday: Those Damn Yankees: Chuck Knoblach
    Twins Minor League Report (6/19): Sano's 1st AA Blast

    Video of the Week: After ending the longest home run drought of his career, the Twins had a little fun with their Canadian first baseman. Justin Morneau came into the dugout and he had to give high-fives to his invisible teammates. His real teammates were told by the manager to give Morneau the silent treatment. It was a funny moment especially since it had to be a big weight off of his shoulders to finally hit one out.
  18. Cody Christie
    The Cedar Rapids Kernels are in the midst of their All-Star break so they were out of action on Wednesday night. This didn't stop the Twins from announcing that one of their top prospects, Max Kepler, would be joining that club. He had been at extended spring training as he worked to recover from an elbow injury. The power hitting outfielder will take over a corner outfield spot since Byron Buxton is manning center field in Cedar Rapids.
     
    Liam Hendriks was also reinstated from the disabled list and this meant another move had to be made. Right-handed pitcher Virgil Vasquez was sent from Rochester to New Britain as the corresponding move. It has been a rough season so far for Hendriks and it would be nice to see him put together some strong starts in the second half of the year.
     
    Here's a look at Wednesday night's action in the Twins farm system.
     
    Rochester Red Wings 7, Scranton/WB RailRiders 10
    Box Score
    Liam Hendriks returned to the mound on Wednesday night after missing over a month with right elbow inflammation. It was his first start since May 9th and there was certainly a little rust to work through. Over four innings, he surrendered seven runs on nine hits including two home runs. Out of his 77 pitches, 47 were for strikes but he limited his walks to two.
     
    The bottom four hitters in the Red Wings line-up all had an RBI. Doug Bernier went 3-for-5 with four RBI and a triple. Dan Rohlfing, James Beresford, and Drew Butera all knocked in a run. Jeff Clement and Chris Herrmann each added a double.
     
    The Red Wings had plenty of opportunities with runners in scoring position. Over the course of the night, Rochester went 5-for-15 with men in scoring position. The club also left 11 runners on base. Antoan Richardson stole his 14th base since joining Rochester and he now has 27 steals on the year between Double-A and Triple-A.
     
    Rochester started the year 2-11, hot play in recent weeks has gotten the Red Wings closer to the .500 mark. The team has still won six of their last eight games and they are within striking distance of a wild card spot. A win tomorrow would split the two-game set with Scranton/WB.
     
    New Britain Rock Cats 1, Erie SeaWolves 2
    Box Score
    After starting his Double-A career 1-for-17 with a single, Miguel Sano finally notched his first home runs since being called up to New Britain. His long ball broke a scoreless tie to put the Rock Cats ahead in the top of the seventh inning. Sano's home run wouldn't be enough as the SeaWolves scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning.
     
    It was another tough luck loss for Pat Dean as he suffered his third consecutive defeat. In two of the three outings, he surrendered two runs or less and pitched into the seventh inning. The Rock Cats offense hasn't been able to support him when he is on the mound.
     
    Matt Hauser did a fantastic job in relief of Dean. He recorded the last four outs of the game on four strikeouts. His ERA lowered to 1.23 and he has only allowed one run since being promoted to New Britain at the end of May.
     
    Following last night's four hit game, Danny Santana had a couple of hits and his fifth double of the year. Eddie Rosario went 1-for-3 and he has hit safely in five of his six games since joining New Britain. Daniel Ortiz was the only other player to record a hit.
     
    Fort Myers Miracle 5, Palm Beach Cardinals 8
    Box Score
    Jason Wheeler failed to pitch through the fifth inning for the first time since May 21 and the Miracle weren't able to dig themselves out of an early hole. It marked only the second time this season where Wheeler was saddled with the loss. He threw 4.1 innings, gave up eight runs, and got knocked around for seven hits.
     
    The Miracle bullpen did a fairly good job in relief. Nelvin Fuentes, Jose Gonzalez, and Corey Williams pitched 4.2 innings and allowed two base runners while striking out seven. Fuentes entered in a tough spot with the bases loaded and he allowed all of the inherited runners to score. From there, he was able to settle down and the zeros started to pile up.
     
    Kennys Vargas continued his power hitting ways with a double and two RBI. He finished the night 2-for-4 and he has had multiple hit in his last two games. Candido Pimentel and Mike Kvasnicka added a hit apiece. Stephen Wickens went 2-for-3 as he continues to get closer to a .250 batting average.
  19. Cody Christie
    Love 'em or hate 'em, the Yankees are headed to town in early July. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the first of four Twins postseason defeats at the hands of the Bronx Bombers, so we thought we'd take the opportunity to look back at what has been a lopsided -- but always entertaining and memorable -- rivalry between the two franchises. Over the next couple weeks leading up to the Yankees series at Target Field, various writers here at Twins Daily will look back at some of the Yankee moments that stick in our minds.
    

    Chuck Knoblauch
     
    The name alone can bring up a wide-range of feelings for Twins fans. From World Series champion to the business end of a sea of flying hot dogs, Knoblauch suffered through some highs and lows in Minnesota. Those opposite ends of the spectrum are what make his story so intriguing.
    

    One of the brightest highlights in Knoblauch’s career had to have been the Twins' run to the 1991 World Series. The rookie second baseman put up strong numbers in the Series, hitting .308/.387/.346. In the pivotal seventh game, Knoblauch and shortstop Greg Gange appeared to deceive Lonnie Smith, who was on first base. Terry Pendleton hit a clear double but Knoblach pretended to start a double play and Smith, buying the fake, only made it to third base. This run, or non-run, turned out to be crucial in a tight game.
    

    Originally posted at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com

     
    During his time with the Twins, Knoblauch compiled some very good numbers. From 1991-1997, he hit .304/.391/.416 with 210 doubles, 51 triples and 43 home runs. His best three-year stretch was from 1994-1996 when he batted .330/.422/.491. Before he was traded, Knoblauch accumulated a career total of 37.8 WAR which puts him in some elite company for the Twins.
    

    Knoblauch's Twins' tenure didn't end well as he suffered through some of the toughest years in Twins Territory history. He wanted to go to a winning team; the Twins didn't look to be moving in that direction. The club traded him to the Yankees following the 1997 season for a package of players. Minnesota got his best years and there would be some dark moments ahead for him.
    

    Two future All-Stars, Cristian Guzman and Eric Milton were among the players who were part of the Knoblauch deal. In a bit of a strange turn, Knoblauch left town because he wanted to win and the players he was traded for became part of Minnesota’s new winning tradition. Here is how the package of players fared in their Twins careers:
     

    Eric Milton 14.7 WAR (6 seasons)
    Cristian Guzman 7.5 WAR (6 seasons)
    Brian Buchanan 0.3 WAR (3 seasons)
    Danny Mota 0.0 WAR (1 season)

     
    While the Twins got back a value of 22.5 WAR, Knoblauch produced 7.4 WAR during his time in a Yankees uniform. He helped New York to three consecutive World Series Championships from 1998 to 2000. Knoblauch had important home runs in the 1998 and 1999 series and the Yankees won the American League pennant every year he was with the team.
    

    Things weren't all positive during his years in New York, though. In 1999, he began to have a tough time making throws to first base. This condition would worsen enough in 2000 that he began to spend more time at DH. In 2001, he didn't play a game at second as the team moved him to left field and this allowed Alfonso Soriano to slide into the line-up.
    

    One of the most memorable moments in Metrodome history took place after Knoblauch moved to the outfield. When the Yankees visited Minnesota at the beginning of May, 2001, things turned ugly in the outfield stands. It was "Dollar Dog Night" so fans had access to plenty of cheap ammo. Minnesota was still trying to get back to respectability in the AL so tickets were cheap. This led to some poor decision-making from the Metrodome faithful.
    

    In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Twins took a three run lead on a Matt Lawton single. The fans had had plenty of rounds of beer and hot dogs in them by this time. As excitement ran through the crowd, hot dogs and other objects were thrown on the field. PA Announcer Bob Casey did his best to calm the raucous crowd but it wasn't until manager Tom Kelly walked out and spoke with the fans that things finally got back to order.
    

    Overall, Knoblauch put together some solid numbers in his 12-year MLB career. His post-playing career has been filled with more than one black eye and this has tarnished some of his on-the-field legacy. A portion of Twins fans remember the solid second baseman who helped the club win a championship. Others think of flying hot dogs and steroid accusations.
     
    Either way, Knoblauch is a very polarizing figure. It also doesn’t help that he was a Damn Yankee.
  20. Cody Christie
    The middle of June has come and gone and there is no sign of Kyle Gibson in the Twin Cities.
     
    Teams like the Rays and the Mets are calling up top prospects like Wil Myers and Zack Wheeler because the deadline has passed for players to qualify for Super Two status. This means the Rays and Mets can control these high level players for a big chunk of the next decade.
     
    Gibson has a different story than some other players. The former first round pick entered the Twins system with three years of college experience. This allowed him to move through the organization at a fast pace in 2010. Tommy John surgery was the only thing that could slow him down on his way to the major leagues.

    Originally posted at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com


     
    Now Gibson has worked his way back to the form he showed before his injury. Over his last 10 games, he has a 6-2 record with a 2.89 ERA. In 65.1 innings pitched, he has 54 strikeouts and 20 walks. He also has two complete game shutouts during that stretch and that's more than he's had in any professional season.
     
    It sure seems like Gibson is ready so what's the hold-up?
     
    At the beginning of June, the reasoning used by Twins general manager Terry Ryan was the team was looking for more "consistency." In his three starts since that interview, Gibson has pitched at least six innings and he has given up three earned runs or less while striking out a total of 14 batters. By looking back even further, Gibson hasn't been pulled from a game before the sixth inning since the middle of May.
     
    The consistency is there but Gibson isn't getting the call.
     
    One of the problems for Gibson is the improved performance of the Twins starting rotation. In the month of May, the Twins staff had the third worst ERA (5.06) in all of baseball. They ranked last in strikeouts and opponents had a higher batting average against the Twins than any other team. This lead to some changes like Deduno’s call up and Vance Worley's demotion.
     
    Since the calendar switched to June, the Twins pitching numbers have been greatly improved. Minnesota ranks seventh in all of baseball for team ERA this month. The club's WHIP and hits allowed are right in the middle of the pack.
     
    During the team's last 18 games, the team has gone 11-7 and the starters have helped to keep the team in games. So far in the month of June, here is what the starting rotation has done:
    1. Sam Deduno (3 Starts): 2.00 ERA, 18 IP, 1.28 WHIP
    2. Kevin Correia (3 Starts): 4.00 ERA, 18 IP, 1.50 WHIP
    3. Scott Diamond (3 Starts): 5.51 ERA, 16.1 IP, 1.47 WHIP
    4. PJ Walters (3 Starts): 2.41 ERA, 18.2 IP, 1.55 WHIP
    5. Mike Pelfrey (2 Starts): 4.05 ERA, 13.1 IP, 1.05 WHIP
     
    The Twins have said that Gibson will be on an innings limit and it is expected to be in the range of 130-140 innings. He currently sits at 85.2 innings and that means his next start will likely push him over the 90 innings mark. This would leave him with less than 50 available innings at the big league level this season.
     
    All of the Twins moves this season should be focused on the future. It might have been good for Gibson to get some more experience at the Triple-A level and his performance this spring proved that he needed to work on some things this season. It is just tough to know how much longer the Twins can wait to call him up.
     
    As the starters continue to pitch well, Gibson gets one step closer to reaching his innings limit with each start in Rochester. If the Twins don't call him up before his limit, the club will be missing out on a opportunity for him to gain some big league experience. Rookies can have some ups and downs and it would be nice to get some of those out of the way in 2013.
     
    Gibson is part of the plan for the future but it's hard to see what the club's plan is for the present. The 25-year old has been through a lot in his professional career and it’s time to take the training wheels off and see if he can make it ride at the big league level.
  21. Cody Christie
    Plouffe reentered the Twins line-up this weekend with a bang. This was great to see from the former first round pick but one has to look at the future of Twins baseball and wonder what his place will be with this organization. It seems as if the Twins are still a couple years away from contending and that could mean some changes for the 27-year old Plouffe.
     
    Twins fans will best remember Plouffe for his Ruthian like hot streak during the middle of last season. In a stretch of 14 games, he hit .375/.397/.982 with 10 home runs and four doubles. It looked like the Twins had found their man at third base but a hand injury would slow him down. Fans were left wondering what version of Plouffe the Twins would have in 2013.

    Originally posted at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com


     
    So far this season, Plouffe has missed time on the 7-day concussion DL and this was quickly followed by another DL trip for a leg injury. He has played in 39 games and he has hit .264/.344/.457 with five home runs and 10 doubles. His batting average is higher than any point at last season and this has helped some of his other numbers to improve.
     
    One of the problems facing Plouffe in the future could be the players coming up through the minor league system behind him. Deibinson Romero has put together strong numbers this season at Double-A and Triple-A. This leaves him a step away from the big leagues and the Twins might be willing to give him a look at some point this season.
     
    Further behind in Plouffe's rear-view mirror is uber prospect Miguel Sano. The Twins recently promoted Sano to Double-A and some of the best prospects in baseball don't even make a stop at Triple-A. Sano will probably be in New Britain for the rest of this season but that doesn't mean he couldn't be in the mix for the starting third base job in 2014.
     
    In the past, there have been some questions about Sano's ability to stick at third base. He was a little raw at the hot corner and one of his biggest improvement areas over the last couple of years has been his defense. Last season, he had 42 errors in 361 chances at third. This season he has 12 errors in 170 chances.
     
    As we gaze into our crystal ball and look toward the future of Twins baseball, there are a few different situations that could transpire for Plouffe...
     
    1. Move to a corner outfield spot: When Michael Cuddyer didn't work out at third base, the club moved him to a corner outfield spot and this is where he truly began to flourish. He would earn his lone All-Star selection as an outfielder and he became a strong veteran presence in the clubhouse. Plouffe would need to continue to make improvements at the plate and if he can make those adjustments, this seems like the most likely path.
     
    2. Stay at third base: If Sano has to be moved from third base to first base, this would leave a hole at a corner infield spot. For the majority of his minor league career, Plouffe was a shortstop so he has been learning some of his third base skills on the fly. Plouffe has been below average on defense when compared to the rest of the league so he would need to continue to improve.
     
    3. Find another team: There is a strong crop of minor league players moving through the organization and this youth movement could push Plouffe to the side. The Twins have control of Plouffe through the arbitration process until 2018. He would be 32-years old and his production level might be less than what the Twins would have to pay him. This could mean a new organization for Mr. Plouffe.
     
    Overall, the Twins hope Plouffe's performance on the field makes it an easy decision to keep him around and in the line-up on a daily basis. Sano might have a lot to say about Plouffe staying at third base but a corner outfield spot might be a welcome sight for Plouffe as he gets closer to 30.
     
    There are a lot of variables to the equation of Trevor Plouffe's future. Fans can hope he figures things out at the plate and in the field to become a strong veteran player on some Twins team's that should be back near the top of the American League Central.
  22. Cody Christie
    After a rough road trip over the last week, the Twins returned home to face a Phillies team with it's own share of struggles. Minnesota won the first two games of the series but both games were close. The Tigers come to town for Father's Day weekend and this marks the start of nine straight games against AL Central opponents.
     
    This can become a crucial part of the schedule if the Twins want to stay in the hunt for a division crown. The club has a winning record so far in June and that is a good way to get back to the .500 mark. So far this season, the Twins are 9-15 versus AL Central foes.
     
    There has been plenty of news from around Twins Territory this week so let's dive into the latest edition of "Friday Links-N-Thinks."

    While watching the FSN broadcasts, it might not seem like advance stats are being used but Dick Bremer continues delve deeper into this world.
    Miguel Sano was promoted to Double-A this week and there were a variety of reasons why he was ready.
    Bookmark this site as there will be plenty of coverage from New Britain on Miguel Sano and Eddie Rosario.
    With the move to Double-A, is it time to shift Sano over to first base?
    A couple of Twins prospects have been terrorizing the minor leagues.
    Paul Molitor sees a lot of what happens in the Twins minor league system.
    There is plenty more to the Cedar Rapids Kernels beyond Byron Buxton.
    The pitcher the Twins got back for Denard Span is suffering some shoulder soreness and that can be a bad sign for the future.
    Target Field has more than enough options when it comes to stuffing your face.
    Joe Mauer has eyes in the back of his head.
    The Twins had an interesting situation play out on the mound earlier this week. It sure seems like a time when a bullpen car would have been helpful.
    Former Twins prospect Wilson Ramos suffered another set-back as he reinjured his ailing hamstring. That's not a good injury for a catcher to be suffering through.
    My favorite baseball movie of all-time turned 25 years old this week.
    The Twins might have interested in the always injured Grady Sizemore.
    Next year's draft is less than a year away! It's never too early to dig into who are some of the top college arms.
    It's impossible to hit the ball over Carlos Gomez's head.
    As Twins fans know, Alexi Casilla can make some outstanding plays on the defensive side of the ball.
    The Royals farm system was one of the strongest a couple years ago but those names haven't panned out. This serves as a good reminder for Twins fans that prospects aren't always sure things.
    A sick Oakland A's fan used a robot to throw out a first pitch.
    JJ Hardy really doesn't like the center fielders for the Angels.
    Be careful when you walk behind the mound in Texas.
    Mariano Rivera continues to deliver pizza to important employees as he makes his last trip around the American League.
    It turns out that Superman was bad at coaching baseball.

    My Weekly Rundown

    Sunday: Deibinson Romero is knocking on the door
    Monday: Twins' center field depth to be tested
    Wednesday: Twins Top 10 Prospects: Post-Draft Edition
    Twins Minor League Report (6/12): Double-A Debuts

    Video of the Week: Byron Buxton and the Cedar Rapids Kernels were featured on FSN North earlier this week. Buxton didn't disappoint as he had a great day at the plate and he made one of the best defensive plays you are going to see all year. If you haven't seen this catch yet, here it is. If you have seen it, you should probably watch it a few more times. It never gets old.
  23. Cody Christie
    With two rainouts on Tuesday, there was a duo of double headers on Wednesday night. Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario, and Angel Morales all made their Double-A debuts. Jason Wheeler helped the Miracle to win even with a new core of players in their everyday line-up. The Kernels had a chance to clinch a playoff birth.
     
    
Earlier today I released an updated list of the top 10 prospects in the Twins organization. There was a new name at the top of the list and two other players sneaking into the top 5. Newly drafted high school pitcher Kohl Stewart is on the list but where does he rank?
     
    Lots of members from my top ten list were in action on Wednesday. Let's see what happened down on the farm!
     
    
Rochester Red Wings (Schedule Off Day)
    It's the last scheduled off day of the month for Rochester. In fact, the club will play 20 games in the last 19 days of June. The Red Wings have lost four of their last six games so the team would like to get back on track as they play four games at home over the weekend.
     
    Rochester has a 30-36 record and the team sits eight games out of first place in the International League North. Over their last ten games, the Red Wings have gone 6-4 so things are moving the right way. The first goal is to try and sneak back closer to the .500 mark and that can start this weekend.
     
    New Britain Rock Cats 1, Altoona Curve 7 (7 Innings-Game 1)
    Box Score
    The Double-A debuts for Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario, and Angel Morales didn't exactly go as planned. New Britain's pitching staff was roughed up for seven runs in the loss. The new trio of players went 1-for-6 with a run scored and an RBI.
     
    Sano made three plate appearances that resulted in a walk, a ground out, and a deep sac fly. Rosario had one of the team's three hits in the game and he scored the lone run. Reynaldo Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with the only extra-base hit for the Rock Cats. As a team, New Britain went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
     
    Pat Dean lost his second consecutive start and he was hit around a bit in less than six innings of work. He surrendered nine hits and five earned runs while striking out one. 62 of his 86 pitches were strikes so he was near the plate for most of the evening.
     
    New Britain Rock Cats 1, Altoona Curve 3 (7 Innings- Game 2)
    Box Score
    For the second game in a row, the Rock Cats struggled to push runs across the plate. Only three players were able to collect hits and that will make it tough to score. Danny Santana went 1-for-3 and scored a run. Eddie Rosario picked up his second hit at Double-A and Sano added his second RBI on a sac fly. The team left five runners on bas and went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.
     
    Trevor May started on the mound and he did his best to keep the Rock Cats in the game. He pitched into the seventh inning and allowed three runs on five hits. He struck out eight and limited his walks to three. He was out pitched on this night by former Twins minor leaguer David Bromberg. In six innings, Bromberg gave up one run on two hits and struck out 12.
     
    The loss drops New Britain three games under .500 but the team will look to salvage the last game of the series with Altoona tomorrow.
     
    Fort Myers Miracle 6, Daytona Cubs 3 (7 Innings- Game 1)
    Box Score
    Jason Wheeler continued his stretch of strong starts in the Florida State League. In the make-up of Tuesday's washed out contest, Wheeler tossed five strong innings and limited the Cubs to two runs on four hits. There was a little trouble with control as he walked five batters and struck out three. It was his sixth win of the season and he improved his record to 6-1.
     
    Anderlin Mejia paced the new look Miracle line-up with three hits including his fifth double. Jhon Gonclaves and Stephen Wickens each added a double and two RBI. Former Gopher Mike Kvasnicka had his first multi-hit game since joining the team earlier on Monday.
     
    Zach Jones picked up his seventh save of the season by getting the last four outs of the game. Three of the four batters he faced ended up striking out and he lowered his ERA to 1.46. Over his last ten games, Jones has only given up four hits and two earned runs.
     
    Fort Myers Miracle 5, Daytona Cubs 4 (7 Innings- Game 2)
    Box Score
    Dayton made things interesting by scoring four runs in the last three innings but the Miracle were able to hang on for a nail-biting win. It was the club's 43rd victory and the team has only lost 20 games.
     
    Some of Miguel Sano's powerful swing must have stayed at third base for Fort Myers. Stephen Wickens was playing in the position formally occupied by Sano and he hit his first home run of the season. For the game, Wickens went 2-for-4 with a couple of RBI. Aderlin Mejia and Jairo Rodriguez each had two hits and an RBI.
     
    Matthew Summers only pitched four innings but he didn't allow a run and he struck out six. After not walking more than three batters in any of his last 10 games, Summers issued five free passes in this game. Taylor Rogers was credited with the win and Corey Williams picked up his ninth save.
     
    Cedar Rapids Kernels 12, Quad Cities River Bandits 4
    Box Score
    A huge eighth inning helped the Kernels to clinch a first half playoff birth. Cedar Rapids entered the frame tied with Quad Cities but the club would see eight runs cross the plate. With their win and the River Bandits loss, the Kernels are guaranteed one of the two playoff spots for the first half.
     
    Jose Berrios pitched six strong innings by not giving up an earned run and striking out six. There were multiple errors on behind him that meant two unearned runs ended up on his final line. Steven Gruver would pick up the win but this came after allowed two runs to score in the seventh.
     
    Travis Harrison might of had his 15th error at third base but he continued his strong season at the plate. He went 2-for-3 with his 10th home run. Jorge Polanco collected four hits including two doubles and two RBI. Uber-prospect Byron Buxton went 3-for-6 with his 15th double and his 48th and 49th RBI.
     
    Since the Kernels have now clinched, Buxton will probably be making his way to Fort Myers in the next week or so.
  25. Cody Christie
    At the beginning of the spring, there was a question about what the Twins would do with the men behind the plate. Joe Mauer and Ryan Doumit were locks to make the roster. Minnesota carried three catchers for most of 2012 so one would assume that a third catcher would be on the roster in 2013.
     
    The year started with Mauer and Doumit being the only members of the Twins catching core. Drew Butera and Chris Herrmann were in the running for the third catcher role but both players ended up in Rochester for the start of the season.
     
    It would be a short run for Butera at Rochester. In his first at-bat, a pitch hit him on his hand. His pinky finger was broken and he hasn't been back on the field since that point. At 29-years old, Butera isn't exactly up-and-coming. He has over 500 plate appearances at the big league level and fans know what to expect from him.
     
    The front office has made some interesting choices with Butera so far this year. He could have been dropped from the 40-man roster on multiple occasions. The Twins have five total catchers on their 40-man roster and Butera's .183/.232/.265 batting line is far below replacement level. His time might be running out in Minnesota especially with other player’s performances.
     
    Herrmann is getting his second taste of the big leagues after being a September call-up last season. His brief MLB stint didn't leave too many memories but he is back with some more positive results. On Sunday afternoon, he hit his first career home run as part of his first multi-hit game.
     
    The ability of Herrmann to play multiple positions also makes him an intriguing roster option. On Sunday, he was starting in left field and this is a trend that has continued from the minors. Over the course of his five seasons in the Twins system, he has played 169 games in left field and 220 games at catcher.
     
    When some other members of the Twins roster begin to get healthy, it could start to get tough for the Twins to send him back down to Rochester. He is 25-years old but he only has 43 games of Triple-A experience. As the long 162-game schedule continues, the Twins are going to want a third catcher and it's looking more and more like that will be Herrmann.
     
    Josmil Pinto is the other catcher on the Twins 40-man roster. He has played the entire season for Double-A New Britain. After a very strong season for Fort Myers last year, Pinto is putting together what might be his best season as a professional. Through 55 games, he is batting .332/.426/.535 with nine home runs, 12 doubles, and 42 RBI.
     
    New Britain has used him as a catcher and a DH this year but he is still very good behind the plate. He has thrown out 31% of potential base stealers. Pinto has also done a good job with some of the best young pitchers in the organization. Pitcher like Trevor May, Alex Meyer, and Logan Darnell could be on the same path to the big leagues as Pinto.
     
    Mauer and Doumit will continue to get most of the time behind the plate in the next couple of seasons. Herrmann can be a solid third catcher and part-time outfielder for the present and he is a viable option to take over the role of Doumit when his contract expires. If Pinto keeps playing like this, it will be hard to keep him out of the big leagues for very much longer.
     
    The present members of the Twins catching core continue to make their mark on the club. Players like Herrmann and Pinto make it fun to look to what could be more permanent fixtures down the line. For now, the future of Twins catching looks to be in good shaping moving forward.
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