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Cody Christie

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Blog Entries posted by Cody Christie

  1. Cody Christie
    At the end of last season, the Twins had plenty of options to play center field for the club. Denard Span and Ben Revere spent most of the year manning that position. Darin Mastroianni made a good fourth outfielder because he could play center field when it was necessary. Joe Benson and Aaron Hicks were on the 40-man roster but there wasn't much room for them with three other players in front of them.
     
    Things have certainly gone from crowded to scarce in a hurry. As most fans know, Span and Revere were traded in the offseason to try and add some pitching depth to a weak area in the organization. This left the club with no starter lined-up for Opening Day but that would change in a hurry.
     
    Hicks, Mastroianni, and Benson would all battle in spring training to be the full-time starter. Mastroianni and Benson were a little dinged up but it didn't matter because Hicks put together some tremendous performances to earn himself the starting role.
     
    News came out today that Hicks will be sidelined for at least two weeks with a left hamstring strain. He suffered the injury while trying to beat out an infield hit during the second game of the Twins' doubleheader in Washington on Sunday.
     
    Hicks' injury leaves the team in a little bit of a jam. Mastroianni will be out until July after undergoing surgery on his ankle. Wilkin Ramirez had been another option in the outfield but he is still dealing with some concussion symptoms. This leaves a lot of center fielders on the disabled list.
     
    The man left standing after all of this mess wasn't even on the 40-man roster a handful of days ago. Clete Thomas was having a decent year for the Rochester Red Wings before he got called up to serve as an insurance policy for Hicks. Since his promotion, Thomas has one hit in ten at-bats (.100) with a strikeout. In parts of four different MLB seasons, Thomas has hit .242/.322/.378 with nine home runs and 23 doubles over 482 plate appearances.
     
    Out of players on the active roster, there are three full-time outfielder, Chris Parmelee, Josh Willingham, and Thomas. Chris Herrmann can play a little bit in a corner outfield spot and Oswaldo Arcia will be promoted to take the place of Hicks. Ron Gardenhire might have to get a little creative with his outfield alignments.
     
    There are not other outfielders on the 40-man roster. So what you see is what you get when it comes to men patrolling the grass of Target Field. An injury to Thomas before one of the other players is healthy would mean another 40-man roster move and another call-up from the minor leagues.
     
    Antoan Richardson has taken over the center field duties in Rochester. This could make him the next in line to join the Twins if there were another injury. In 59 games between New Britain and Rochester, he has hit .314/.451/.386 with three triples and nine doubles. The 29-year old outfielder got a taste of the big leagues back in 2011 with the Braves.
     
    If Richardson wasn't the guy, the Twins could look down to the Double-A level. Angel Morales will be the man taking over the center field duties for the Rock Cats but he is just arriving with the club. He was part of the group of players promoted from Fort Myers after the team clinched the first half championship. Morales has no experience above this level so it seem unlikely for him to be promoted to the big leagues at this time.
     
    When the Twins entered last offseason, it would have been hard to imagine a situation where the club would be struggling to find a man to put in center field. Strange things can happen in baseball and this rash of injuries will test the depth of the organization. Thomas might not be the ideal man for center field but the Twins have to play with the hand they were dealt.
     
    Even if it seems like the hand is a couple cards short...
  2. Cody Christie
    Before the season began, Deibinson Romero wasn't cracking many top prospect lists. As a 26-year old prospect(?), there had been some tough seasons in the minor leagues. He needed multiple seasons in Beloit, Fort Myers, and New Britain. After 2,600 plate appearances in the minors, Romero had never faced a pitch above Double-A.
     
    Things have changed so far this season for Mr. Romero.
     
    This year it took another trip back to the Eastern League for Romero to get back on track and he did so in a big way. He wasn't there long, batting .355/.429/.710 with three home runs and two doubles in eight games. The team promoted him to Rochester and he has continued putting together his best professional season.
     
    Originally posted at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com
     
    In 18 games at Rochester, Romero is hitting .308/.394/.583 with four home runs and two doubles. Those numbers are great but he has been even better in his last ten games. Over that stretch, Romero is hitting .395/.452/.684 with three home runs. This also includes one game on June 3rd where he went 3-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI.
     
    On the defensive side, Romero has continued to improve his play at third. He has averaged close to 20 errors a season over the last four years. So far this year he has three errors in 55 chances. If he continues to hit well and play strong defense it will be hard for the front office not to notice him.
     
    One man who has noticed his recent play is Ron Gardenhire. In an interview this weekend, the Twins skipper said, "He's gotten better and better. He's really brought himself back into the picture here. Another option -- and he is an option for me." This is high praise from a manager who has seen a revolving door at third base since the departure of Corey Koskie many years ago.
     
    The Twins coaching staff was excited at the prospect of getting an extended look at Romero during spring training this year. Unfortunately, Romero got tied up in the Dominican Republic due to a visa issue. This cost him a chance to impress the front office and Gardenhire's staff.
     
    There might be some issues with finding a place for Romero. He is currently not on the 40-man roster so the Twins would need to clear a space for him in order to call him up. The Twins have been willing to move people from the 40-man roster this year so this shouldn't be much of a stumbling block for Romero.
     
    Another obstacle in Romero's way could be the return of a healthy Trevor Plouffe. The last month has been interesting for Plouffe. He was placed on the 7-day concussion disabled list after sliding hard into second base to break up a double play. On the day he was removed from concussion DL, he injured his calf in warm-ups and he had to be placed on the 15-day DL.
     
    Plouffe will be heading to Rochester on a rehab assignment at the start of this week. This could mean his return to the line-up in the next handful of days. Minnesota has struggled since Plouffe went on the disabled list May 22. Entering play on Sunday, third basemen have combined to go 7-for-68 (.103) with one extra-base hit.
     
    There will be a lot of talk about Miguel Sano's promotion from High-A to Double-A because he is the future at third base. However, Romero has been a pleasant surprise this season and it would be nice to see him get an opportunity to prove himself on the big league stage.
  3. Cody Christie
    It's Day 2 of Major League Baseball's Rule 4 Draft and the Twins continued to add some new talent to an already strong organization. A variety of pitchers and one college catcher highlight the Twins second day of making picks.
     
    Those players haven't signed yet but there are plenty of other players already in the system and on the field on Friday night. Let's see how the organization fared under the Friday Night Lights.
     
    Originally posted at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com
     
    Rochester Red Wings 11, Gwinnett Braves 0
    Box Score
    Seven runs in the first inning were enough for the Red Wings to jump all over the Braves. Twelve men came to the plate in that frame and Jeff Clement provided one of the biggest hits with a 3-run home run. Doug Bernier and Eric Fryer had doubles to keep the runners moving around the bases. Poor Eric Farris would account for the first and the last out of the inning.
     
    Clement would end up putting together quite the game. He ended the night 4-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI. Deibinson Romero was 2-for-4 with a home run and three runs scored. The team went 5-for-12 with runners in scoring position as the club pounded out 13 hits.
     
    Andrew Albers was terrific on the mound. He tossed a complete game shutout to improve his record to 4-2 on the season. He allowed six hits and struck out seven without any walks. Albers hasn't lost a game since May 11th and he has picked up the win in his last three decisions. His ERA dropped almost half a point from 3.53 to 3.06 with this start.
     
    It was the third series win of the season for the Red Wings. The club has won 11 of their last 16 games. It was also the first road series win over a Braves Triple-A affiliate since 1995. Rochester returns home for an 8-game, 9-day homestand beginning on Saturday night.
     
    New Britain Rock Cats --, Bowie Bay Sox -- (Postponed--Rain)
    Tropical Storm Andrea not only impacted the Twins game on Friday, it also impacted the Rock Cats game. These two clubs will try and play two games on Saturday but one has to wonder if weather will be a factor for the second day in a row.
     
    So far this month, New Britain has won four of their first five games. Tom Stuifbergen is scheduled to make his start at the Double-A level, if the clubs can ever get back on the field. In Fort Myers, Stuifbergen was 2-3 with a 3.65 ERA with 28 strikeouts and two walks.
     
    Fort Myers Miracle 5, Bradenton Marauders 6 (10 innings)
    Box Score
    The bullpen for the Miracle gave up three runs over the last three innings to see a victory slip away. Corey Williams and Zach Jones were the men held responsible for these runs as the Miracle suffered only their 18 loss of the season. Jones gave up a walk-off home run in the bottom of the tenth.
     
    Matthew Summers started for Fort Myers and tossed five innings before being removed. He gave up three runs but only one of them was earned as Eddie Rosario and Kennys Vargas had errors. Summers struck out eight batters but he needed 85 pitches to get through five frames.
     
    Vargas tried to make up for his error in the field by going 2-for-4 with his 12th home run of the year. With the 2-run home run, he took over the league lead for RBI. Rosario also hit a long ball but it was his only hit in five trips to the plate. Levi Michael had two hits and his sixth stolen base.
     
    The Miracle return home with a chance to clinch the Florida State League South Division first half championship on Saturday. It could be a big night tomorrow so stay tuned.
     
    Cedar Rapids Kernels 1, Quad Cities River Bandits 6
    Box Score
    The Kernels got on the board first in this game by plating a run in the bottom of the first. Cedar Rapids wouldn't cross the plate again and the River Bandits would walk away with the victory and a series win. It was only the ninth home loss of the year for the Kernels.
     
    There wasn't a lot of exciting action on the offensive side of the ball. Dalton Hicks went 1-for-3 with his 20th double of the year and his 51st RBI. No other Kernels were able to get an extra-base hit. In fact, the club only put together four hits in the game. Byron Buxton went 0-for-4 with a strike out.
     
    Christian Powell, a 2012 eighth round pick, made his first start in the Twins organization. Things didn't go exactly as planned for Powell. He gave up six runs on eight hits with five strike outs and one walk. The Kernels bullpen wouldn't give up a run after Powell exited the game but the offense sure didn't help them out.
     
    Cedar Rapids will get a fresh start on Saturday when Kane County comes to town. The Kernels sit three games ahead of the Beloit Snappers for first place in the Midwest League Western Division. The club needs to keep winning to become the first half champions.
  4. Cody Christie
    We are only a couple days away from getting a new influx of talent into the Twins minor league system. The MLB First Year Player Draft will start on Friday night and the Twins have the fourth overall selection. It will be the second year in a row that the Twins are picking in the top five picks.
     
    Last year's first round selection, Byron Buxton, has been a great addition to the organization. By the end of this year, he could be the top ranked prospect in all of baseball. Last week, Seth Stohs moved him ahead of Miguel Sano as the Twins number one prospect.
     
    Let's take a look at how the current crop of minor league players fared on Wednesday before some new players join their ranks in the coming weeks.
     
    Rochester Red Wings 4, Gwinnett Braves 2 (Rain Shortened- 8 innings)
    Box Score
    Through the first eight innings, the Red Wings got out hit by the Braves but they still held a 4-2 advantage on the scoreboard. With one out in the bottom of the eighth, the skies opened up and a rain delay ensued.
     
    Before the rains fell, Cole De Vries put together a very good start. He tossed seven strong innings by scattering nine hits and allowing two runs. He struck out two and walked one. This was the best start of the season for De Vries after some rough starts as he was coming back from injury.
     
    Oswaldo Arcia had two hits for the second time in the last three games. His fourth double of the season scored the team's third run of the game. Chris Colabello knocked in his team leading 41st RBI of the year. The Red Wings left 11 men on base but that didn't matter on this night.
     
    The Red Wings have two more games in Gwinnett before heading back home for an eight-game home stand. With the win, Rochester moves to within four games of the .500 mark. An 8-2 record in their last ten games has moved the Red Wings back into contention.
     
    New Britain Rock Cats 2, Richmond Flying Squirrels 3
    Box Score
    Pat Dean did his best to keep the Rock Cats in the game but in the end it still wasn't enough. An error by third baseman Mark Sobolewski cost the team an unearned run and that would be the difference in the game.
     
    Over 6.2 innings, Dean only allowed two earned runs on seven hits. It was his third straight strong start in a row but it was his first loss during that stretch. With this start, his ERA dropped below 5.00 for the first time since some awful starts in the middle of May
     
    Josmil Pinto continued his hot hitting by going 2-for-3 with his tenth home run of the year. In his last 10 games, he is hitting .355/.459/.581 with two home runs and a double. Reynaldo Rodriguez wasn't in the original line-up but he replaced Daniel Ortiz in the defense half of the second inning. Rodriguez would proceed to go 2-for-2 with his 16th double of the year.
     
    The loss put the Rock Cats three games under .500 for the season. Tonight's game was the first game of a six-game road trip that will see the team play three games in Richmond and three games in Bowie. New Britain has played to a .500 record on the road so the club will look to get back over .500 with a win tomorrow night.
     
    Fort Myers Miracle --, Brevard County Manatees -- (Postponed)
    The game between Fort Myers and Brevard County was postponed on Wednesday due to rain. The teams will make-up the game as part of a double header on Thursday evening. Game one is scheduled to begin at 5:05 eastern with the second game starting 30 minutes after the completion of the first.
     
    The Miracle lost the first two games of this series with the Manatees so the club will be looking to bounce back. If the club is able to sweep Thursday's double header, Fort Myers would gain a split of the four game series. The team hasn't lost a series since the middle of May so they have a lot of work to do tomorrow.
     
    Cedar Rapids Kernels 14, Quad City River Bandits 5
    Box Score
    One inning explained a lot for the Kernels on Wednesday night. In their half of the fourth frame, the Kernels exploded on the offensive side of the ball. They put 10 runs on the board with the power of 12 hits. 15 hitters came to bat and the club had nine straight hits to open the frame.
     
    Byron Buxton returned to action after not playing in a game so far in June. He looked like he hadn't missed a beat as he got hits in his first five at-bats before being retired for the first time. On the night, he was 5-for-6 with two triples, a double, and three runs scored.
     
    Buxton wasn't the only offensive star for the Kernels. Jorge Polanco had four hits including two doubles and Dalton Hicks knocked in four runs with his two doubles on the night. Michael Quesada also added three hits of his own.
     
    Hein Robb made his second start of the season and he pitching into the fourth inning. He gave up five runs on four hits with four walks and five strikeouts. Alex Muren did a very good job in relief. He threw 3.2 innings of scoreless baseball and only gave up two hits.
     
    The Kernels continue their series versus Quad Cities on Thursday night. The club will be looking to win their second series in the month of June before playing a three-game set against Kane County over the weekend.
  5. Cody Christie
    Earlier this week, the Twins made a roster move to bring in some center field help for Aaron Hicks. For most of the season, the club has been without a back-up center fielder because Darin Mastroianni has been dealing with a nagging ankle injury. Even last week, Chris Parmelee had to play a defensive inning in center field in the late portion of a game. The Twins need a back-up center fielder and Thomas was one of the few options.
     
    When Hicks was struggling at the beginning of the season, Thomas was destroying the ball for Triple-A. During the month of April, he hit .362/.456/.621 with four home runs and three doubles. There were some whispers of Thomas being brought up to replace Hicks in the line-up.
     
    A leg injury slowed down Thomas in more recent weeks so he isn't joining the Twins on the kind of tear he was on at the start of the year. In his last ten games with Rochester, he hit .225/.311/.525 with three home runs and three doubles.
     
    Thomas isn't exactly a spring chicken. He is 29-years old and he has 472 MLB plate appearances under his belt. The majority of those plate appearances came with the Detroit Tigers in 2008 and 2009. Since that point, he has bouncing around in the minor leagues. Last season with the Twins, he played 12 games with the club and hit .143/.172/.286 with a home run and a double.
     
    Things have been going better for Hicks at the plate. In the last 12 games, he is hitting .279/.295/.605 with three home runs, a triple, and three doubles. Besides the improvement at the plate, he has also been making some very good plays on the defensive side of the ball. He might not have completely figured out the big leagues but he sure looks better than some of the earlier parts of the year.
     
    It is in the best long term interest of the team to continue to play Hicks on a regular basis. He is going to be the center fielder for this team for the next couple of seasons. Eventually, he might have to shift to a corner outfield role but that would only be to allow a younger Byron Buxton to take over in center field. Hicks needs repetitions so he is able to figure out the big league level.
     
    Thomas took the place of left-handed relief pitcher Tyler Robertson on the 40-man roster. Robertson has some trouble controlling his breaking ball at Rochester as he walked 16 mean in almost 21 innings. His 3.05 ERA is fine but it's not exactly like the Twins will be hurting since he isn't on the roster.
     
    Overall, it's nice to have an option in center field if Hicks needs an off day. For the most part, Thomas should be riding the bench so Hicks can be getting as much playing time as possible. Thomas provides insurance for the club in case of an injury to Hicks.
     
    There was also word out of the Twins clubhouse that Hicks has been icing a foot after games recently. This might not be anything serious but it could be a sign of him dealing with something. Ron Gardenhire could look to give the rookie a day off in the next couple of days. Before Thomas joined the team, there were few options to take over center field.
     
    The Twins have been playing well in the last week or so. This is a good sign but the club needs to continue to think about their future. Thomas is not going to be part of the next winning baseball team in Minnesota but he can help in the present.
     
    Hicks is working his way through some of the rookie stumbling blocks. If the Twins need him, Thomas is there to help out when needed.
  6. Cody Christie
    After some miserable baseball in Twins Territory, this week wasn't so bad for the hometown nine. It helps to play the lowly Brewers but it is still important to win games no matter who the opponent is. There were some close games but the club was able to steal a couple wins in Milwaukee before the two teams switched venues.
     
    The trip back to Target Field turned out to be just as good for the Twins. Minnesota won both games on their home turf. It was also nice to see the team pound out a bunch of home runs against former Twins pitcher Kyle Lohse.
     
    In another Twins training room nightmare, Trevor Plouffe was activated from the 7-day concussion disabled list on Wednesday. That same night, he hurt his calf in warm-ups and ended up back on the DL. The injury situation for the Twins is always an adventure.
     
    Before you head out of the office for the weekend, check out the latest edition of "Weekly Links-N-Thinks." You'll laugh. You'll cry. It's the best of times. It's the worst of times.

    Before the draft is a great time to look at what the Twins already have in the farm system.
    Alex Meyer is missing high and that's not a good thing.
    Advanced stats are part of the game and it was interesting to hear how Cory Provus uses them in the Twins radio booth.
    There have been some struggles for Chris Parmelee and his time might be running out.
    A possible future member of the Twins rotation is serving as the Kernels stopper this year.
    With the draft approaching, it's always fun to look back on previous years. Here is a look back at the 2006 draft.
    This is one of the most important posts about Target Field EVER written.
    So far this year, there have been plenty of underachievers in the Twins line-up.
    It has been quite an interesting year for the Twins starting rotation and it could get even more intriguing as the year goes on.
    Did the Twins already lose the Worley-Revere trade?
    Bryon Buxton jumped all the way to the number two prospect in baseball for ESPN.com
    These two relief arms look to be headed to Target Field at some point.
    Greg Gagne went through a lot in his baseball career.
    Chris Colabello had a rookie mistake when he wore the wrong uniform in Milwaukee.
    Jason Giambi isn't fast so his attempt to steal third base was pretty funny.
    Minnesota's Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year was named and he is from the school I worked at the last couple of years.
    "Casey at the Bat" was published 125 years ago this week.
    Brewers Manager Ron Roenicke has an interesting connection to one Twins player.
    You know you missed this beautiful swing in the Twins line-up this season.
    Skunk on the Field!!!
    Here's the last time each team drafted an All-Star. If you thought the Joe Mauer was the Twins name on the list, you would be wrong.
    There is a shortage of redheads in baseball.
    The Pirates have a new addition to their clubhouse. It's time for the Twins bullpen to have a cool nickname.
    Trevor Bauer gave the Cleveland Indians a terrible anthem for their season.
    One of the best sports physicians in the world, Dr. Lewis Yocum, passed away earlier this week. He was the man that performed Francisco Liriano's Tommy John surgery.

    My Weekly Rundown

    Saturday: Talk to Contact: Episode 39
    Sunday: Twins Minor League Report (5/26): Arcia Hurt
    Tuesday: The Many Sides of Carlos Gomez
    Twins MLB Draft Profile: Brandon Shipley, RHP
    Wednesday: Twins Minor League Report (5/29): Rochester Comebacks

    Video of the Week: I love old baseball things so this video of Walter Johnson's throwing motion was something I had to share. Ty Cobb once said that Johnson's fastball "hissed with danger." It might be tough to tell if the ball is hissing in this video but is still cool to see him on the mound. These are some must watch clips for every type of baseball fan.
  8. Cody Christie
    Who IS This Guy?
    Shipley is a former shortstop that only moved to the mound full-time last year. He is still among the top 10 talents in the draft because of his low-effort delivery and the effectiveness of some of his pitches. His recent performances for Nevada have him moving quickly up the draft boards.
     
    In the past, he has hit 99 mph with his fastball but he is more consistently in the 92-95 mph range. His best pitch is his changeup, which counters his fastball nicely. His change sits 83-86 mph and he uses great arm speed to deceive the batter. He does have a curveball but he doesn't have a feel for this pitch yet probably because of his inexperience. Overall, he can throw strikes and this is a trait the Twins have coveted in the past.
     
    One NL scout recently said, "When he is firing on all cylinders, he's as good as any pitcher not named Appel in this class." That's high praise and it could be tough for teams to pass him by.
     
    Who Could He Be?
    His arm strength and athleticism make him an intriguing pitching option especially since he is so new to the position. He had a great start to the spring season and some hiccups in the middle. More recent starts have been better and this could help his draft stock.
     
    Shipley will need to work on his curveball if he is going to develop into a top of the rotation pitcher. He doesn't have much feel for this pitch and this is evident in the type of break he gets while throwing it. With more repetition, this pitch could move from the below average range and help to make him more effective.
     
    He might not be in the elite class of college arms in this draft but he isn't far behind. The ceiling for him might be a number two pitcher on most teams. With the Twins, he could end up being a front of the rotation hurler for multiple seasons.
     
    How Soon Could He Be Playing In Target Field?
    Out of all of the pitchers taken early in the draft, Shipley might need the most development time in the minors. His fastball and change-up are great but he is going to need time to work on his curveball. This will only come with repetition in the minors.
     
    If he signed right away, the Twins would likely send him to the rookie leagues for the end of the 2013 season to pitch out of the bullpen. Next season, he would get the chance to be a starter for Cedar Rapids. After spending the entire season with the Kernels, he could move to Fort Myers for 2015.
     
    In 2016, he would make his way to New Britain with a shot at going to Rochester. Because of his inexperience, it would seem that 2017 would be the earliest he could make an appearance with the Twins.
     
    If the Twins Draft This Guy, They Messed Up Because...
    There are more experienced college pitchers in this draft. Shipley could be a wild card especially if his secondary pitches aren't honed in the minors.
     
    His fastball and change-up combination could make him a deadly bullpen weapon. With the fourth pick in the draft, a team doesn't necessarily want a good relief pitcher. The front office and the fans want a front of the line starter and Shipley might not have all of the tools to reach this lofty goal.
     
    It would also take some time for him to develop in the minor leagues and the Twins might be back in contention before he is ready to take over a rotation spot.
     
    If the Twins Draft This Guy, They Nailed It Because...
    The Twins need pitchers with upside. With Mark Appel and Jonathan Gray likely off the board, Shipley is the next best collegiate option. Other prep arms like Kohl Stewart could take even more time to develop in the minor leagues. Some members of this organization might lose their jobs before a younger arm makes it to the big leagues.
     
    Shipley's upper 90s velocity makes him a power arm this organization has been lacking. In recent weeks, he has shown more control over his curveball and this could make him a devastating pitcher.
     
    At the beginning of the spring season, there were other collegiate pitchers in front of him. But by draft day, he could be the third college arm off of the board.
     
    Twins Daily MLB Draft Player Profiles:
     

    Monday, May 20-- Sean Manaea, SP
    Tuesday, May 21-- Austin Meadows, OF
    Wednesday, May 22-- Trey Ball, OF
    Thursday, May 23-- Ryan Stanek, RHP
    Friday, May 24-- Clint Frazier, OF
    Tuesday, May 28-- Reese McGuire, C

  9. Cody Christie
    It has been four seasons since Carlos Gomez last wore the uniform of the Minnesota Twins. At that point in his career, he was a hotshot 23-year old outfielder that was heading to his third club in four years. The defensive side of the ball was his calling card and his offensive game still looked to be in the infant stages.
     
    The Twins acquired Gomez as the top prospect in the famous deal that sent Johan Santana to the New York Mets. He would play 290 games in Minnesota while hitting .248/.293/.352 with 10 home runs, 12 triples, and 39 doubles. This all added up to a 0.8 WAR in two seasons.
     
    Minnesota eventually got tired of the attitude of Gomez and his lack of offensive production. This meant he was shipped across the border to Milwaukee in a deal that netted the Twins JJ Hardy. His first two seasons for the Brewers were filled with ups and downs. He hit .238/.288/.377 in 191 games from 2010-2011. At 25-years old, Milwaukee stuck with Gomez and it seems to be paying off.
     
    Flash-forward to the present day and Gomez is putting together his finest season as a professional. His name is being bounced around as a potential MVP candidate and he could be in line to make his first All-Star team.
     
    Oh, how things have changed for Mr. Gomez...
     
    Twins fans got an up close and personal view of Gomez on Monday afternoon as he put on a personal hitting clinic in Milwaukee. In his first two at-bats, he hit solo-home runs. They were his ninth and tenth home runs respectively.
     
    This wasn't just one miracle game from Gomez. He has been putting up solid offensive numbers all season. His .331 batting average ranks him in the top five in the National League. To go along with his 10 home runs, he has three triples and 13 doubles so there has been plenty of power. His slugging percentage is also in the top five in the NL.
     
    There were positive signs from Gomez at the end of last season. He batted .233/.280/.423 in the first half of 2012 but something clicked after the All-Star Break. He would hit .278/.321/.488 with 14 home runs and 11 doubles in the second half of the year. Gomez has never hit more than 8 home runs in one season so to knock out 19 in one year was quite the power surge.
     
    Brewers General Manager Doug Melvin liked what he saw from Gomez down the stretch so the club signed him to a four-year, $28.3 million extension. At the time of the signing, it looked like the Brewers were overpaying for someone with one half of a good season at the big league level. The performance of Gomez so far this year makes it look like Milwaukee made a wise investment.
     
    This new and improved version of Gomez can leave some fans wondering… Did the Twins get rid of Gomez before the club should have?
     
    There were plenty of other center fielders in the Twins organization. Denard Span, Ben Revere, and Aaron Hicks were all in different parts of their development when Gomez was sent packing. Span looked ready to take over the center field job on a regular basis. Revere and Hicks were still in the minors but on their way to the big leagues.
     
    It also doesn't seem likely that the Twins would have waited for Gomez to try and solve his offensive woes. For Gomez, it took five seasons and close to 2,000 plate appearances to get to this point. With better offensive options in center field, the Twins would have likely passed on Gomez before his offensive explosion.
     
    The future could be interesting for Mr. Gomez. In 2016 at 30-years old, he will be making $9 million. That is almost more than he has made in his entire career up to this point.
     
    Will Gomez be worth that kind of money in four years? Only time will tell...
  10. Cody Christie
    After ending their 11 game losing streak on Saturday, the Twins couldn't make it two wins in a row. The Tigers offense pounced on Mike Pelfrey for five runs on five hits in less than six innings of work. The offense didn't help him out much with three hits and a single run on the board.
     
    There were a few different story lines to follow in the minors so let's see what went down!
     
    Originally posted at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com
     
    Rochester Red Wings 2, Charlotte Knights 3
    Box Score
    Rochester only collected four hits in the game but the team was still able to keep it close against Charlotte. The Knights got on the scoreboard first with three singles in the top of the fourth inning. This lead wouldn't last very long as the Red Wings scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to take back the lead.
     
    The first three batters of the fifth inning reached on a pair of walks and a single. This meant the bases were loaded with Oswaldo Arcia coming to the plate. He struck out for the first out in the frame before Deibinson Romero singled to plate a couple of runs.
     
    The Red Wings would hold the lead until the top of the eighth inning. Aaron Thompson came in to make his second appearance since being called up to Rochester. He gave up a couple of singles and a double in the frame and the Knights would grab back the lead. Thompson saw his 17.1-inning scoreless streak between New Britain and Rochester snapped.
     
    Romero was the lone Red Wings hitter with a multi-hit game. He went 2-for-4 with his first two hits of the season at Triple-A. Before today's game, he had gone 0-for-11 since being called up from New Britain. Clete Thomas and Eric Farris had a hit apiece.
     
    Virgil Vasquez started the game and pitched five strong innings. He allowed one run on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Shairon Martis earned his first hold of the year by throwing two scoreless innings. Anthony Slama made his first appearance since April 22nd and he worked a 1-2-3 ninth with two strikeouts.
     
    Arcia left Sunday's game with an injury to his right (throwing) shoulder. He made a strong throw to the plate and was removed from the game at the end of the inning. According to some reports, he has been bothered by a shoulder injury since spring training.
     
    Rochester is 10 games under .500 but the club has gone 5-5 in their last ten games. The Red Wings continue their homestand with four games against Lehigh Valley.
     
    New Britain Rock Cats 11, New Hampshire Fisher Cats 4
    Box Score
    For the first time since May 6th, the Rock Cats scored double digits in runs. The win also helped to ensure at least a split of their series with New Hampshire. New Britain will try and earn a series win when the teams meet on Monday afternoon.
     
    Trevor May got the nod on the mound and pitched five innings. He allowed two earned runs on six hits with two strike outs and three walks. May has won three of his last four starts and he has lowered his ERA to 3.88. Bobby Lanigan tossed two scoreless innings of relief to close out the game.
     
    Dan Rohlfing went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. He hit his seventh double of the year. Nate Hanson had a couple RBI of his own and his first triple. Danny Santana, James Beresford, and Josmil Pinto all had two hits.
     
    With the win, New Britain is only two games under .500. The club will finish their series with New Hampshire on Monday before heading home for a six game homestand.
     
    Fort Myers Miracle 2, Charlotte Stone Crabs 4
    Box Score
    The Stone Crabs jumped out to an early lead with run in the top of the first inning. They would add to their lead with another couple of runs in the third. Miguel Sano had his 11th error of the year at third base. His error allowed an extra run to score in the third.
     
    It took until the bottom of the fifth inning for the Miracle to get on the board. Jonathan Murphy hit his first home run this season. Kennys Vargas added two hits including his 13th double. Stephen Wickens tried to get a rally started in the eighth with a double but the rest of the team didn't follow suit.
     
    Tom Stuifbergen took the loss but he still did a decent job on the mound. He gave the bullpen a break by throwing eight innings and allowing three earned runs on six hits. He didn't record a strikeout but he also didn't walk anyone. It was the first time all season that he made it through eight innings.
     
    Fort Myers will enjoy an off day on Memorial Day before starting a three-game series with the Bradenton Marauders.
     
    Cedar Rapids Kernels --, Burlington Bees -- (Postponed)
    The Kernels game against the Bees was rained out on Sunday afternoon. The game will be made up as a special Memorial Day doubleheader beginning at 2:00 pm. Both games are scheduled to be seven innings.
     
    Cedar Rapids is in the midst of a four game losing streak and they are in danger of falling out of first place in the Western Division of the Midwest League. The Beloit Snappers are sneaking up behind the Kernels in the standings.
     
    Following tomorrow's doubleheader, the club continues their homestand with a three game series versus the Clinton LumberKings.
  11. Cody Christie
    It was a rough week for the Twins with nine straight losses. The club hasn't won a game since May 13th. Two fifths of the starting rotation was replaced including sending down Opening Day starter Vance Worley. Even on a night where Josh Willingham hits two home runs, the club still can't find a way to win.
     
    Minnesota does have two of the best team's in all of the minor leagues. This can make it fun to dream about the future. Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton could turn into monster MLB players. The Twins will also have a chance to add another very good player when they have the fourth pick in the upcoming MLB Draft.
     
    It was a busy week here at NoDak Twins Fan. Make sure to check out all of my posts and some of the other great work from around the web.

    Oswaldo Arcia hasn't been playing and some recent struggles are to blame for his benching.
    Maybe it is just a case of adjustment period for Arcia.
    I've liked Travis Harrison since the Twins took him in the draft. This Q&A will help you to get to know him a little better.
    Much like the MLB club, the Twins Double-A affiliate has fallen on some hard times. This link is worth a click just to see the picture.
    World Baseball Classic hero Sam Deduno is back in the rotation for the Twins. There will be walks, a few strikeouts, and hopefully some good defense behind him.
    The Twins have been telling the media that Kyle Gibson is staying in the minor leagues to find consistency but is the same standard being held for other pitchers.
    Is there a possibility that Aaron Hicks is improving?
    This Twins fan is keeping a close eye on his alcohol intake. Is it one of the best uses of a stadium promo ever?
    What happened to Vance Worley?
    According to Baseball America, the Twins have the top prospect tandem.
    The Twins Memorial Day jersey's look pretty cool.
    The Twitter feeds for the Twins and the Braves had quite the battle this week.
    Chris Colabello might be baseball's ultimate underdog.
    In 1997, the Twins drafted some very familiar names.
    If you were wondering, the Twins rotation has gotten worse.
    I was watching Seinfeld earlier this week and the kid behind the counter at the movie store was wearing a familiar baseball cap.
    MLB.com has quite the sense of humor when it comes to their error pages.
    The University of Cincinnati's baseball team has taken photobombing to an entirely new level.
    An employee at a Houston Astros game did something really gross this week.
    A rookie catcher for the Braves made a big mistake in a game against the Twins.
    Nick Punto is still making web gem gold in LA.
    A former member of the Twins organization is trying to revive his career after some drug problems.
    Nick Blackburn was very close to the devastating tornado in Oklahoma this week.
    The Royals broadcast sure screwed up a graphic this week. See if you can find all of the errors.
    The Orioles welcomed Kevin Gausman to the majors with lots of donuts.
    What if baseball had five bases?
    I had a dream this week that Francisco Liriano was 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA. Oh wait...

    My Weekly Rundown

    Monday: Talk to Contact: Episode 38
    Who is Caleb Thielbar?
    Tuesday: Soul Patrol: Back with a Vengeance
    Wednesday: Who is Chris Colabello?
    Twins Minor League Report (5/22): O-fer Kind of Night
    Thursday: Twins MLB Draft Profile: Clint Frazier, OF

    Video of the Week: Byron Buxton is already getting local sports media attention and he's still multiple levels away from the big leagues. His tremendous start in Cedar Rapids makes it look like the Twins made the right decision with the second overall pick in last year's draft. His interview skills might need a little improvement but his play on the baseball field is superior to the competition.
  12. Cody Christie
    Who IS This Guy?
    Frazier is a high school center fielder from Georgia. He is widely considered to have the best bat speed in the entire draft. This enables him to have very good raw power. His 5-foot-11 frame has a muscular build at 190 pounds. This makes it tough to project him adding more weight but he looks like an MLB player. He also plays with a ton of energy.
     
    On the defensive side of the ball, there are some questions about whether he can stick in center field. He is starting to track the ball well and he continues to improve his ability to finish plays. His arm strength is very good, even with some tendonitis concerns, but he needs to work on his accuracy.

    Originally posted at
    http://nodaktwinsfan.com

     
    Who Could He Be?
    There is the potential for Frazier to develop into a five-tool player at a premium position. He has the chance to make multiple All-Star teams or be a solid regular player.
     
    One of the biggest holes in his game has been his pitch recognition. He goes up to the plate looking fastball and he can destroy hanging breaking balls. Pitchers have been able to get him out with below average breaking pitches. If this can improve, he could be a monster on the offensive side of the ball.
     
    Tendonitis issues have lowered Frazier’s arm strength from plus to above average. If he could get back to his previous level, his defensive value would pair nicely with his solid offensive projections.
     
    There is some risk with Frazier but he could reward a team by becoming a perennial All-Star.
     
    How Soon Could He Be Playing In Target Field?
    Frazier will be 18 years, 9 months old on draft day. This would put him on a similar path to the major leagues as Byron Buxton. He would spend the end of this coming summer in rookie ball.
     
    Like Buxton this year, he could start 2014 at Low-A. He would spend 2015 at High-A and 2016 at Double-A. This could leave him close to making his big league debut.
     
    The Twins let Aaron Hicks skip Triple-A and Frazier has the potential to make that type of move. If he takes care of some of his flaws, he could be an everyday starter by 2017.
     
    If the Twins Draft This Guy, They Messed Up Because...
    Frazier might end up busting out in the minor leagues. He doesn't have any room to grow into his body so the potential to add power isn't there.
     
    There will likely be better players available at number four. He also has red hair and apparently a good big league player can't have red hair according to old school scout analysis.
     
    The Twins could work out a deal with Frazier before the draft to sign him for less than slot value then the team could use the extra money for a pick later in the draft.
     
    If the Twins Draft This Guy, They Nailed It Because...
    Without risk, there is never any reward. Frazier's bat speed and five-tool potential could help him to move quickly through the system.
     
    Buxton might be the team's center fielder of the future but Frazier could slide into a corner spot and be an above average regular. Imagine the Twins starting outfield in 2017 with Buxton in CF, Frazier in RF, and Arcia or Hicks in LF.
     
    Frazier is an unbelievably hard worker and he shows this on the field. He is a natural leader and he will push himself. There might be work ethic questions surrounding other prep players but there is no doubt about Frazier's make-up.
     
    Plus it would be cool to have a guy with bright red hair in the middle of the line-up on an everyday basis.
     
    MLB Draft Player Profiles:

    Monday, May 20-- Sean Manaea, SP
    Tuesday, May 21-- Austin Meadows, OF
    Wednesday, May 22-- Trey Ball, OF
    Thursday, May 23-- Ryan Stanek, RHP

  13. Cody Christie
    Two men were having very different feelings on Wednesday afternoon in Atlanta.
     
    Chris Colabello continued his remarkable journey by making his MLB debut. The 29-year old rookie failed to get a hit but he made it to the big leagues. There had to be nights along the way where he wondered if it would ever happen. His dream came true today.
     
    It has been a nightmare season for Vance Worley after the Braves roughed him up for 10 hits and eight earned runs in less than four innings of work. His ERA ballooned to 7.21 on the year and his record dropped to 1-5. Following the game, the Twins sent Worley to Rochester to try and work out his kinks.
     
    Alex Meyer was on the mound for New Britain, the Miracle tried to continue their winning ways, and Cedar Rapids faced a familiar foe in the form of the Beloit Snappers. Let's go down on the pond!
     
    Rochester Red Wings (Off Day)
    While the Red Wings enjoyed an off day, two of their best offensive players from the beginning of the year were playing against the Atlanta Braves. Oswaldo Arcia and Chris Colabello put together numbers in the International League that were worthy of promotion.
     
    Now it could become harder for Rochester's struggling offense to put up runs. The team ranks 9th in the International League in OPS and 11th in runs scored. Infielder Dibinson Romero was promoted from New Britain to try and help spark the offense. Romero was hitting .355 in eight games with three homers and six RBI. In a corresponding move, Nate Hanson was sent to New Britain.
     
    Rochester will look to turn things around during an eight game homestand. The club has lost six of their last nine games and they sit nine games out of first place in the International League North. Both of the team's coming to Rochester in the next week are below .500 so this gives the team a chance to make up some ground.
     
    New Britain Rock Cats 3, Binghamton Bees 8
    Box Score
    Two costly errors from Rock Cats shortstop Danny Santana lead to a couple of unearned runs that were hard for New Britian to come back from. Santana had 18 errors last year at shortstop and he his two errors today push his 2013 total to 17. He hasn't been getting on base or hitting for much power so he needs to make some strides on the defensive side of the ball.
     
    Alex Meyer started the contest and pitched into the seventh inning. Over 6.2 innings, he gave up three earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and three walks. It was the first time all season where he recorded an out in the seventh inning. For the month of May, it was his best start and one can hope that he is turning a positive corner for the rest of the year.
     
    On the offensive side of the ball, Daniel Ortiz put together a three hit effort. He hit his 15th and 16th doubles of the year and scored a run. In his last ten games, he has a .333 batting average with six doubles. Reynaldo Rodriguez added his 11th double of the year. In his first game since being demoted, Nate Hanson went 0-for-4.
     
    The Rock Cats have lost 9 of their last 10 games so it has been a rough stretch of baseball. The team can still salvage a split of their series with Binghamton if they can win on Thursday. Over the long weekend, New Britain will play a four-game set against New Hampshire.
     
    Fort Myers Miracle 1, Lakeland Flying Tigers 4
    Box Score
    The Miracle scored a quick run in the top of the first inning and then the Lakeland pitching staff proceeded to put a lot of zeros on the scoreboard. Fort Myers wouldn't score another run in the game and the Flying Tigers pounded out 13 hits.
     
    Matt Koch was the only Miracle batter to collect more than one hit. He went 2-for-4 with his 1st triple of the year. Miguel Sano and Kennys Vargas, the three and four hitter, combined to go 0-for-7. Fort Myers had plenty of opportunities as the club left 10 runners on base and went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
     
    Taylor Rogers pitched admirably by throwing five innings and allowing one earned run. He scattered nine hits but he was able to limit the damage. In the second, third, fourth innings he was able to leave the bases loaded to end the frame.
     
    In a perfect eighth inning, Zach Jones struck out two batters and lowered his ERA to 0.90. Adrian Salcedo was saddled with his first loss of the year by giving up two runs over two innings. It was the first time he had allowed a run in the month of May.
     
    The Miracle are 32-13 and they wrap up a seven-game road trip with their game against Lakeland tomorrow night. Following that game, Fort Myers will head home for a weekend series with the Charlotte Stone Crabs.
     
    Cedar Rapids Kernels 6, Beloit Snappers 7
    Box Score
    The Kernels tried their best to be the only Twins affiliate to win on Wednesday with a ninth inning rally. Trailing by three runs at the start of the frame, Candido Pimentel walked before a fielding error allowed Byron Buxton to reach. Niko Goodrum stepped to the plate as the tying run but he grounded into a double play. Jorge Polanco was the next batter and he sent one over the fence to cut the lead to one. But in the end, Dalton Hicks popped out to the catcher in foul territory to end the game.
     
    Hudson Boyd coughed up seven earned runs in a little over five innings on the mound. The Snappers pounded out three home runs against him and he was limited to four strikeouts. Josue Montanez and Manuel Soliman would combine to shut down the Snappers for the rest of the game. In fact, Beloit would only get one more hit.
     
    None of the Kernels hitters were able to knock more than one hit. Byron Buxton went 1-for-4 with his 5th triple and 20th stolen base on the year. J.D. Williams had an interesting line as he went 0-for-1 but collected three walks in the game. Travis Harrison got his 15th double.
     
    Cedar Rapids has two more games in Beloit before returning home for a six-game homestand. The Snappers are the team right behind the Kernels in the standings so these next two games are important to the team.
  14. Cody Christie
    I originally posted this story back in spring training under the title "Chris Colabello continues his fairy tale." With the recent news of his promotion to the Twins, I thought it would be appropriate to move it back to the front page of this blog. I have added in some information about his season so far.
    One of the best stories in the Twins organization in 2012 was the tale of a 28-year old man that got his first taste of baseball with an affiliated club. Chris Colabello had molded himself into one of the best hitters in the Canadian-American Association before the Twins signed him to deal. He spent all of last season being the elder statesman of the Eastern League while showing off his skills at the plate.
     
    The story of Colabello could get even better this year when he is asked to make his MLB debut. He would be a 29-year old rookie and the thought of him being in the Twins line-up isn't too hard to imagine. Let's look back at what got him to this point and look ahead to what could bring him to the Twin Cities.
     
    After growing up and attending college in Massachusetts, Colabello wanted to continue his professional baseball career. No major league organization drafted him out of college so he found a team in the independent leagues. For six seasons, he played in the Canadian-American Association and he developed himself into one of the best hitters in this league.
     
    From 2005-2011, Colabello hit over .300 in every season. Those seven seasons saw him hit .317/.390/.514 with an average of 14 home runs a year. He showed the ability to play both corner infield positions and even a little outfield. The skills were there but no MLB teams came calling.
     
    Before the 2006 season, Colabello got to try out for the Italian World Baseball Classic team. He didn't make the squad but the Tigers took notice and invited him to spring training. His spring was good but he didn't make the club and he went back to the CAA. His persistence would finally pay off but not for another half of a decade.
     
    The 2011 season would be an eye-opening year for Colabello because he would put together the best numbers of his career. He hit .348/.410/.600 with 20 home runs and 32 doubles. He finished second in the league in home runs, batting average, RBI, and hits. He led the league in doubles and slugging percentage. At the end of the season, he would be named the Independent Leagues Player of the Year by Baseball America.
     
    Minnesota would offer him a chance for the start of the 2012 season. There weren't any promises made by the Twins and he didn't get a signing bonus but he was getting an opportunity. If he made a minor league team, he would be making less money then he had in the CAA but sometimes it's not about the money.
     
    Colabello would be sent to New Britain for the entirety of the 2012 season. He would hit .284/.358/.478 over 134 games. His numbers would be good enough to lead the Eastern League in doubles and he finished second in RBI, fourth in runs, and fourth in home runs. Darin Ruf would walk-away with the Eastern League MVP but Colabello would have strong runner up finish.
     
    He was finally living his dream and that dream has only gotten better so far this spring.
     
    The Twins wanted Colabello back in the organization and his performance last year was good enough for Team Italy to add him to their roster for the 2013 WBC. Italy would make a surprise trip to the second round of the WBC and Colabello was a key figure for their team. He hit .333/.368/.667 and he lead the team in home runs (2) and RBI (7).
     
    Things were off to an even better start with the Rochester Red Wings this season. He was hitting .358/.417/.659 with 12 HR, 17 2B, and 39 RBI. Colabello was leading the team in almost every offensive category and the Twins offense hasn't exactly been firing on all cylinders. Hopefully, he can insert some offensive pop into a dull line-up.
     
    The fairy tale ending for Colabello will be when he steps onto the field for his first big league game. It has been quite the journey but he has earned this opportunity. He might not be a prospect to build around but his story is one of the best.
     
    Fairy tales are great but Colabello gets to live out his dream and play major league baseball.
     
    That sounds like a fairy tale ending to me...
  15. Cody Christie
    It has been quite the wild ride for Mr. Caleb J. Thielbar on his way to the major leagues.
     
    The 26-year old left-hander was called-up by the Minnesota Twins on Monday after the team demoted fifth starter Pedro Hernandez. Thielbar is not a starter so the team will need to make another roster move before Friday's game to fill out the rotation. Options for this spot include Kyle Gibson, Sam Deduno, and PJ Walters.
     
    Thielbar was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 18th round of the 2009 MLB Draft. The Minnesota native went to college at South Dakota State University. He would spend the first two years of his professional career in the lower levels of the Brewers’ system.
     
    During his first season in rookie ball, he posted a 6-1 record with a 1.53 ERA. Most of his appearances were out of the bullpen as he was asked to make two starts. Over 48 innings, he struck out 48 and walked eight. These were the type of numbers that one would expect from a college age pitcher in rookie ball.
     
    In 2010, Thielbar found a few more bumps in the road as he tried to make his mark in the minors. He played nine games at rookie ball and his ERA jumped to 3.68 over 14.2 innings. His time in Low-A produced even worse numbers. Over 30 games, he had a 5.60 ERA and a 1.491 WHIP. He struck out 43 and walked 14 over 53.0 innings.
     
    The Brewers would cut ties with him and it was time for Thielbar to make some changes as he headed to independent baseball.
     
    Thielbar would find a new team to latch on with for 2011. The St. Paul Saints were looking to add some depth to their bullpen and Thielbar seemed to fit the mold. He would pitch 49.2 innings for the Saints with a 2.54 ERA and a 1.128 WHIP. He had a decent strike out to walk rate as he struck out 62 and walked 15.
     
    The Minnesota Twins took notice of Thielbar's numbers and he signed a deal with the club. Since it was so late in the year, he was limited to three appearances with the Fort Myers Miracle. It was enough to earn his first win as a member of the Twins organization. He didn't allow a single run and he gave up one hit in 7.1 innings.
     
    Last season was a whirlwind for Thielbar. He pitched very effectively at three different levels in the Twins system. On a return trip to the Florida State League, he pitched 12.1 innings with a 0.00 ERA and a 0.486 WHIP. The next stop was New Britain where he threw 25.0 innings with a 1.80 ERA and a 0.840 WHIP. Rochester was his final stop and he threw 40.1 innings with a 3.57 ERA and a 1.438 WHIP.
     
    Minnesota wanted to see more out of Thielbar so he was sent to the Arizona Fall League this past year. He had pitched close to 80 innings in the minors so he had tired by the time the AFL started. Over 13 innings, he posted an 11.08 ERA. He gave up 21 hits, walked eight, and struck out 12. There was still enough there for the Twins to add him to their 40-man roster.
     
    To start the 2013 season, Theilbar was sent back to Rochester. He was 1-1 with a 3.76 ERA in 17 relief appearances at Triple-A. In 26.1 innings, he struck out 34 and walked eight while holding lefties to a .159 batting average. Since his primary responsibility with the MLB club should be to get out lefties, he seems to be up to this task.
     
    Over his last eight appearances with the Red Wings, he had not allowed a run. In those 11.1 innings, he struck out 15 and limited his walks to five. Things seemed to be clicking on all cylinders for him and the time was right to have him join the Twins roster.
     
    According to the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook, (which you can still order here for a discounted price):
    "When Thielbar was pitching in the Brewers system, he threw a fastball in the mid-80s. After being released, he completely reworked his mechanics and got himself in much better shape. In 2012, he was hitting 92 mph. He has very good control of his curveball, and also throws a change-up. Some compare his delivery to that of fellow-Minnesota left-handed reliever Glen Perkins."
     
    One of the strengths of the Twins has been their bullpen and Thielbar can be another important piece of the puzzle. It looks like he is ready for the big leagues and this will complete quite the journey to get to this point.
  16. Cody Christie
    It wasn't the best week for the Twins as the team lost the rubber game of their three game set with the Orioles on Sunday. This was followed by losing two out of three games to the dreaded White Sox.
     
    Even with the poor play, Joe Mauer continues to be one of the best hitters in the game (.519/.594/.704 in the last 7 days). Aaron Hicks showed off all of his skills in one game to help the team to their only win of the week. It wasn't all bad for Justin Morneau either as he hit over .460 for the week with four doubles.
     
    Things don't get much easier from here as the Boston Red Sox come to Target Field for a weekend set. Clay Buchholz takes the hill on Friday for the Sox. He has been one of the best pitchers in the American League this season but the Twins got to him in their last match-up a little over a week ago.
     
    Boston's in town for a three game series but don't forget to check out some of the top baseball news from the last week.

    Byron Buxton smashed a walk-off grand slam and his teammates even let him get all the way around the bases! (The Kernels didn't do this on a walk-off a couple weeks ago.)
    Is there a connection between pitching to contact and the runs a team scores?
    Tom Brunansky is starting to get a feel for his new job. It also helps to have one of the best hitters in the game for the players to watch every day.
    With his performance earlier this week, there certainly has to be hope for Hicks.
    Some might even call it "The Aaron Hicks Game."
    Sometimes it helps to have 20/20 hindsight when it comes to free agent pitching.
    In the heart of the Twins offense, there has been a strong core this year.
    Chris Colabello took a different path but he certainly is making some noise this season.
    Sickels also wrote some prospect notes on a recent trip to see Cedar Rapids. Harrison and Walker were the subject of one post while Goodrum and Polanco headlined the other.
    Sports Illustrated's Fortunate 50 list came out and Joe Mauer ranks 20th.
    More top prospects are playing up the middle positions and this has cut back on production with first basemen at the big league level.
    Joe Mauer took over the active leader board for career batting average. Take that Pujols and Ichiro!
    Twins minor leaguer and Minnesota native Nate Hanson picked baseball over hockey.
    The offense has been great for Fort Myers but the pitching is helping the team to win games.
    There have been plenty of mock drafts posted in recent days and there starting to be a consensus for the Twins with the fourth pick:
    MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo: #4 Sean Manaea
    Baseball America: #4 Kohl Stewart
    ESPN's Keith Law: #4 Kohl Stewart
    Minor League Ball's John Sickels: #4 Kohl Stewart
    Here are some interesting notes on how players fared in games when their bobblehead was given out.
    Torii Hunter has changed his approach and the results have been very good for the veteran.
    The Marlins believe new manager Mike Redmond has their back (even if their team isn't very good)
    This deployed dad sure made a memorable return home.
    Mariners shortstops are hitting worse than pitchers so far this year.
    A campaign has started to push Mariano Rivera to start this year's All-Star Game. Apparently, they want to "Start Mo."
    Rawlings is changing some of the standards when it comes to baseball helmets.
    Have you ever wondered what Yankee Stadium would look like if it was made out of match sticks?
    A player in Korea celebrated a knock like it was a home run... then the outfielder caught it on the warning track.

    My Weekly Rundown

    Saturday: Talk to Contact: Episode 37
    Monday: Mauer's hot streaks and chasing doubles
    Tuesday: Are the Twins a .500 club?
    Wednesday: Contemplating Cole De Vries
    Twins Minor League Report (5/15): Colabello Crushes

    Video of the Week: As mentioned multiple times in this post, Aaron Hicks put together quite the effort earlier this week. In one game, he hit two home runs and he took a home run away from Adam Dunn. Like Puckett, Hunter, Span, and Revere before him, Hicks can scale the wall and bring one back into the park. Check out the smile on his face when he shows off the ball he caught.
  17. Cody Christie
    The Twins concluded their three-game series with the White Sox by playing a little Wednesday afternoon baseball. With how bad the White Sox looked in recent weeks, it seemed like the Twins should be able to earn a series win. That didn't happen as the Sox took the final two games of the three-game set.
     
    Joe Mauer has been on fire lately and his recent hot streak has him in some rarefied air. He took over the active career leader board for batting average. Albert Pujols (.323 BA) had been on the top of the list followed by Ichiro Suzuki (.321 BA). Those two players are on the decline and Mauer looks to be in the prime of his career.
     
    On the most recent edition of the "Talk to Contact" podcast, we had Baseball Prospectus' Jason Parks on the show to talk about some of the big names in the Twins farm system. It is a great interview and you should make sure to download the episode if you haven't heard it yet.
     
    There were plenty of games today down on the farm. Here's a look into the Twins farm system...
     
    Rochester Red Wings 7, Durham Bulls 10
    Box Score
    Cole De Vries continued his rehab trail with a start in Rochester on Wednesday night. His previous two starts had been with the Fort Myers Miracle and the New Britain Rock Cats. With a Triple-A start under his belt, his rehab time could be coming to an end. His performance on Wednesday would play a pivotal role in the team's decision. I wrote about De Vries and contemplated his place with the Twins now that he is healthy.
     
    For De Vries, his start with Rochester didn't go perfectly. He got knocked around over four innings for a total of 11 hits and six earned runs. The fifth inning was where most of the trouble happened for De Vries. He had allowed three runs in the first four frames before not recording an out in a three-run top of the fifth.
     
    Rochester's offense faired pretty well against one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. Jake Odorizzi made it through 5.1 innings but he surrendered six earned runs and three long balls. Chris Colabello had a monster game as he went 3-for-4 with two home runs and a double. His five RBI were great but it wasn't nearly enough to keep pace with the Bulls. Eric Farris extended his hit streak to nine games with a single in the bottom of the fourth.
     
    The loss puts the Red Wings ten games under .500 for the first time this season and for the first time since May 28, 2012. The club has also lost six of their last seven contests. There are two more games left in the series with the Bulls and the Red Wings have to find a way to get back to playing winning baseball.
     
    New Britain Rock Cats 3, Bowie Baysox 10
    Box Score
    Pat Dean is going to want to forget about the bottom of the second inning on Wednesday night. The Baysox gave him a rude awakening and knocked him out of the game early. The first batter of the frame hit one over the fence and it didn't get much better from there. He would give up six more hits including another home run and he would be charged with seven earned runs in a little over an inning of work.
     
    Danny Santana was the only Rock Cats hitter with two hits. He is in the midst of an eight game hit streak and he has six multi-hit games during that stretch. Over the last ten games, he is hitting .425/.465/.550 with three doubles and a triple. Daniel Ortiz had his 12th double of the year and his 23rd RBI.
     
    New Britain's bullpen was counted on to eat up a lot of innings tonight. Blake Martin threw two hitless innings and struck out two batters. Aaron Thompson continued his impressive work with one hit and two strikeouts in an inning of work. His ERA dropped to 0.61 for the year and he has only given up one earned run in his last ten outings.
     
    The Rock Cats sit one game over .500 but the club has lost their last three games. Tomorrow night marks the last game in their series with Bowie before the club returns home for a weeklong home stand. By only trailing Portland by three games in the standings, the next week could be important.
     
    Fort Myers Miracle 4, Dunedin Blue Jays 5
    Box Score
    The Miracle jumped out to an early lead in this contest but the offense slowed down for six innings before waking up in the bottom of the ninth. Dunedin held a slim 3-2 lead before tacking on a couple of insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning.
     
    Fort Myers scored two runs of their own in the ninth without recording an out. With Angel Morales at second and Eddie Rosario at first, Andy Leer attempted a bunt and the pitcher was able to get the lead runner at third. Levi Michael was the next batter and he struck out. Aderling Meijia was walked to load the bases but Stephen Wickens struck out looking to end the game.
     
    There were plenty of opportunities for the Miracle but the team left seven runners on base. The club also went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position including a couple of untimely double plays off the bats of Miguel Sano and Kennys Vargas. Sano went 0-for-3 and he only has one home run in his last ten games. Vargas went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
     
    Even though Leer couldn't get a successful bunt down in the ninth, he hit his third home run of the season earlier in the game. Rosario didn't start the game but he was used as a pinch hitter in the critical ninth inning. He almost hit a game tying home run but it went foul. He settled for a single to keep the inning alive.
     
    Kyle Davies started the game for the Miracle. The seven-year MLB veteran was making a rehab start with the club. Minnesota signed him as a free agent in February and this was his first appearance with the organization. He tossed five innings and allowed three runs on seven hits.
     
    It was only the tenth loss of the year for the Miracle and the club will finish their four-game series with Dunedin on Thursday night. From there, the club will head on a seven-game road trip that includes stops in Charlotte and Lakeland.
     
    Cedar Rapids Kernels 6, Burlington Bees 5 (7 innings)
    Box Score
    In the first game of a double-header, the Kernels used a couple of late inning runs to slide by the Bees. Cedar Rapids had nine hits in the game and over half of those hits were for extra-bases. The team went 4-for-7 with runners in scoring position and they needed every one of those runs in this game.
     
    Jorge Polanco paced the offense with a 2-for-3 night. Both of his hits were for extra bases including his fifth triple and tenth double of the year. Dalton Hicks had a big two-out double in the fifth inning to tie the game. Byron Buxton reached base in two of his three plate appearances. He finished the game going 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored.
     
    Jeremias Pineda would come in as a pinch runner in the bottom of the 6th and wreak havoc on the bases. He stole second base, advanced to third on a ground out, and then scored what turned out to be the winning run on a wild pitch.
     
    Hudson Boyd started the game and allowed five runs on five hits over five innings. He struck out four batters and walked three men. Josue Montanez would earn his first win of the year in only his third appearance with the Kernels. He tossed two scoreless innings by allowing one hit and striking out two.
     
    Cedar Rapids Kernels 4, Burlington Bees 6 (7 innings)
    Box Score
    The Kernels and the Bees had to play two on Wednesday to make-up a game from April 23rd. After powering their way to a win in the first game, the Kernels bats fell a little flat in the second game until the last inning. Cedar Rapids scored two in the bottom of the ninth but the team still fell short.
     
    Steven Gruver pitched three innings in a spot start for him. He gave up three earned runs on three hits but he struggled with command and walked four batters. Alex Muren made his second appearance with the Kernels and pitched three innings while allowing two earned runs. Josh Burris pitched the final frame and gave up a run. It was the fourth consecutive outing that he gave up at least one run and his ERA sits above 12.
     
    Byron Buxton played DH in the second game of the double header. He would strike out twice in the game but he notched his 10th double of the year. Tyler Grimes added a 2-run home run but the team only managed a total of three hits. The club struck out 13 times and left six runners on base.
     
    Cedar Rapids will play the final game of their series with Burlington tomorrow night. Over the weekend, the club will play four games with Kane County. The Cougars are a .500 club and they will be looking to make an impression on the current leaders of the Midwest League, the Kernels.
  21. Cody Christie
    Episode 37 of the Twins baseball podcast, Talk To Contact (@TalkToContact), is now available for download via iTunes or by clicking here.


    http://assets.podomatic.net/mymedia/thumb/2324540/285%3E_8237541.jpg

    On Episode 37, Cody and Eric are joined by Baseball Prospectus‘ Jason Parks to talk about the Twins Minor League system. Jason Parks has plenty to say about Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano, as well as some of the pitching prospects.
    Before Jason Parks comes on to the show, Cody and Eric go through the Twins news, including the pitching performances of Kevin Correia, Mike Pelfrey and Scott Diamond; Joe Mauer’s Fenway expertise, and the explosion that is Oswaldo Arcia.
    To close out the show the guys name a Listener of the Week, go Down on the Pond with Michael Tonkin, and regardless of what they’re drinking (juice?!) they take a quick tour of the biggest news stories around the league.
    80 minutes of fun!

    You can follow me on Twitter (@NoDakTwinsFan) or read his writing here at NoDakTwinsFan. You can follow Paul on Twitter (@BaseballPirate) or read his writing at Puckett’s Pond. And of course, you can find Eric on Twitter (@ERolfPleiss) and read my writing at Knuckleballs!
  22. Cody Christie
    The Twins keep finding ways to surprise as the team still sits around the .500 mark and it is close to a month and a half into the season. Minnesota's bats finally woke up in Boston with some big numbers put up in the four game series by Oswaldo Arcia and Joe Mauer. The club took three out of the four games to close out their recent road trip.
     
    This weekend the Baltimore Orioles are coming to Target Field for a three game set. Baltimore is off to another good start after last year's trip back to the postseason. The Orioles are near the top of the AL East and they have a very good 12-8 record on the road entering Friday's game at Target Field.
     
    Hopefully, the Twins recent offensive explosion will carry over to their home ballpark. The club is sitting in fourth place in the AL Central but there are a lot of team's grouped together in the middle of the division. If the team could get hot, they might find themselves on the heels of the Detroit Tigers.
     
    For now, enjoy some of the best Twins and MLB coverage from around the web. There are some good interviews, Puckett stories, sports video games, and a whole lot more!

    Aaron Hicks was in a little hot water this week after a play on the defensive side of the ball.
    The anniversary of Kirby Puckett's big league debut was on Thursday.
    Do you want to know what Puckett's original scouting report looked like?
    So far this year, Vance Worley has been unlucky so don't lose faith yet...
    Scott Diamond did an interview with FanGraphs that you should check out.
    Later in the week, FanGraphs published an interview with Glen Perkins
    Trevor Plouffe invited Watertown police officers to Thursday's Twins vs Red Sox game.
    A match-up between the last year's first two draft picks was put on hold.
    According to the Twins Minor League Director, there could easily be six to eight guys that make the majors from Cedar Rapids.
    This year's Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook has been discounted and I was a co-author so pick up a copy.
    The rise of Josmil Pinto is something to keep an eye on.
    In this video, Miguel Sano talks about his favorite thing to do in baseball.
    Who is going to be the odd man out when Darin Mastroanni is healthy?
    Carlos Santana became a fan of Sam Deduno during this year's WBC.
    There are two big name pitchers to watch at the top of this year's draft board.
    Baseball America released their first mock draft and the fourth pick could be a tough spot for the Twins.
    The Twins have apparently narrowed their possible draft picks to a few names.
    ESPN spent the week ranking the top 25 sports video games of all-time. Which one have you played the most?
    Carlos Gomez was always good on defense but now he has figured out the offensive side of the ball.
    It turns out Gomez was the prize of the Johan Santana trade.
    Sometimes there is value in really beat-up baseball cards.
    Nationals fans revolted against a new ticket policy and it worked.
    Here is a cool interactive graphic to compare the salaries of all 30 MLB clubs.
    You've been waiting for it... "The History of Baseball Stadium Nachos"
    Matt Kemp did something very cool for a fan this week.
    It turns out that baseball is big in Manipur, India

    My Weekly Rundown

    Sunday: Talk to Contact: Episode 36
    Tuesday: Which Team's Aces Did the Twins Miss?
    Wednesday: Twins behind in the golden age of leadoff hitters
    Twins Minor League Report (5/8): Gibson Shows He's Ready

    Video of the Week: The Twins are usually creative with their advertisements and the club has even won some awards for their advertising campaigns. A unique commercial was released this week and the stars of the show are all bobbleheads. It is a very unique ad and it showcases one of the things that fans love about going to Twins games. Here is a list of ten awesome details about the commercial and the video to go along with it.
  23. Cody Christie
    On Tuesday over at ESPN's Sweetspot, an article was penned about the golden age of leadoff hitters. Major League Baseball could be in the middle of one of the best year's ever for the leadoff hitter. 1965, 1975, 1987, and 2004 were some other great years for men at the top of the order but this year could be historic.
     
    Players like Shin-Soo Choo, Austin Jackson, Alex Gordon, Ian Kinsler, and Carl Crawford are leading a pack of leadoff hitters that are among some of the best in all of baseball. These men could help to make this season one of the best for the men at the top.
     
    For the Twins, the club has struggled to get a ton of production from the leadoff spot. Batters in the first position for the Twins are hitting .197/.243/.244 with only three extra base hits. This .487 OPS is the lowest for any batting spot in the Twins line-up and it's well below the league average.
     
    Overall, MLB hitters have an OPS of around .722 while leadoff hitters are even higher than that with a .759 OPS. Minnesota is almost .300 points behind the average for leadoff hitters. MLB leadoff men are have helped to push the average runs per game to 4.3, while Twins leadoff men have kept the Twins lower than average with a 4.2 runs per game mark.
     
    The team is also having trouble in the steals department. Aaron Hicks is the team leader in steals with three. Brian Dozier and Pedro Florimon follow him with two apiece. Minnesota has gotten three total steals out of their leadoff spot. Over 650 plate appearances, that would translate to a little under 20 steals while the rest of baseball's leadoff hitters are on pace for 22 steals or more.
     
    Hicks got most of the starts in the leadoff spot at the beginning of the year. His early season struggles brought down some of the team's totals from the leadoff spot. Dozier became the next man to take over the leadoff role and he has put together a solid performance in this role. Jamey Carroll has made a few appearances at the top and even Escobar has gotten a chance.
     
    2013 Twins Leadoff Hitters
    Hicks (10 Games): .047/.109/.047, 3 R, 0 SB
    Dozier (13 Games): .304/.333/.411, 7 R, 2 SB
    Carroll (3 Games): .286/.333/.286, 5 R, 0 SB
    Escobar (1 Game): .000/.000/.000, 0 R, 0 SB
     
    For the Twins to continue by successful on the field, there needs to be production from the top of the order. Hicks is suppose to be the leadoff hitter of the future but his struggles were evident in this role. Dozier has put together some positive numbers but it is hard to know if he will be able to sustain this level of output.
     
    Since Hicks has moved down in the order, there have been some improvements to his approach at the plate. If he can continue those improvements (and not miss the cut off man on the field), he could find himself back at the top of the order by the end of the season.
     
    The Twins hope Hicks can take back the leadoff spot because this will be a better team with a natural leadoff hitter at the top.
     
    MLB might be in the golden age of leadoff hitters but the Twins have some work to do to catch up to the rest of the pack.
  24. Cody Christie
    CAUTION: This exercise is meant to be a fun. There is obviously a lot that goes into finding a starting pitcher for the top of the rotation. In the past, the Twins have had the opportunity to draft some of the top pitchers in the game.
     
    The Twins have struggled to accumulate starting pitching. This stems from a variety of factors. Their drafting strategy, their ability to sign international players, and their willingness to spend big money on the free agent market are all factors that have gone against this club's ability to acquire big name starters.
     
    Here is a look division by division at the ace for each pitching staff and the players Minnesota selected ahead of them in the draft. At the end of each division, there is a summary. For some teams, it was hard to select a best pitcher since most of the starters were mediocre.
     
    AL East
    Boston Red Sox Ace: Jon Lester (2002 2nd Round, 57th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: Denard Span (20th overall)
     
    New York Yankees Ace: CC Sabathia (1998 1st Round, 20th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: Ryan Mills (6th overall)
     
    Baltimore Orioles Ace: Jason Hammel (2002 10th Round, 284th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: Denard Span (20th overall), Jesse Crain (61st overall), Mark Sauls (92nd), Alex Merricks (122nd), Clete Thomas (152nd), Pat Neshek (182nd), Rick Barrett (212th), Adam Lind (242nd), Doug Deeds (272nd)
     
    Toronto Blue Jays Ace: R.A. Dickey (1996 1st Round, 18th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: Travis Lee (2nd)
     
    Summary: The Twins even had one of these aces in their system but Dickey hardly looked like the Cy Young winning player he was in 2012. Skipping over Sabathia for Mills was a tough decision especially for a club that was trying to rebuild into the early 2000s. A rotation with Sabathia and Santana at the top could have been golden in Minnesota.
     
    AL Central
    Detroit Tigers Ace: Justin Verlander (2004 1st Round, 2nd overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: None
     
    Kansas City Royals Ace: James Shields (2000 16th Round, 466th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: Adam Johnson (2nd), Aaron Heilman (31st), Tagg Bozied (42nd), J.D Durbin (54th), Colby Miller (72nd), Jason Miller (102nd), Edgardo Lebron (132nd), Ronnie Corona (162nd), James Tomlin (192nd), Henry Bonilla (222nd), Ken Holubec (252nd), Kelley Guledge (282nd), Josh Rabe (312th), Jason Kubel (342nd), Shane Boyd (372nd), Cory Agar (402nd), Jeff Lincoln (432nd), Dan DeCola (462nd)
     
    Cleveland Indians Ace: Justin Masterson (2006 2nd Round, 71st overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: Chris Parmelee (20th), Joe Benson (64th)
     
    Chicago White Sox Ace: Chris Sale (2010 1st Round, 13th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: None
     
    Summary: To be fair, a lot of team's missed out on Shields when he wasn't taken until the 16th round. For the Twins, there are a lot of names on that list from 2000 that are pretty embarrassing. The team did score a late round find with Kubel but there were no pitching prospects from that draft for the Twins. From the 2006 draft, it would be nice to have Masterson in the Twins rotation. The jury is still out on what Parmelee and Benson can offer for the future but it seems like the Twins missed one there.
     
    AL West
    Texas Rangers Ace: Yu Darvish (International Signing)
    Twins Picks Ahead: N/A
     
    Oakland Athletics Ace: Tommy Milone (2008 10th Round, 301st overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: Aaron Hicks (14th), Carlos Gutierrez (27th), Shooter Hunt (31st), Tyler Ladendorf (60th), Bobby Lanigan (92nd), Daniel Ortiz (126th), Nicholas Romero (156th), Brett Hermsen (186th), Daniel Osterbrock (216th), Jeff Lanning (246th), Michael Gonzalez (276th)
     
    Seattle Mariners Ace: Felix Hernandez (International Signing)
    Twins Picks Ahead: N/A
     
    Los Angeles Angels Ace: Jered Weaver (2004 1st Round, 12th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: None
     
    Houston Astros Ace: Lucas Harrell (2004 4th Round, 119th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: Trevor Plouffe (20th), Glen Perkins (22nd), Kyle Waldrop (25th), Matt Fox (35th), Jay Rainville (39th), Anthony Swarzak (61st), Eddie Morlan (91st)
     
    Summary: The two best aces in this division were international signings so the Twins didn't necessarily have a draft pick they wasted instead of selecting them. Milone and Harrell aren't exactly front of the rotation guys so it might be fine that the Twins passed on them. There are obviously some misses on the Twins draft board from both of those years because Rainville and Morlan aren't making an impact on the big league club.
     
    NL East
    Atlanta Braves Ace: Tim Hudson (1997 6th Round, 185th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: Michael Cuddyer (9th), Matt LeCroy (50th), Michael Restovich (61st), Greg Withelder (93rd), Bob Davies (123rd), Peter Blake (153rd), Nate Melson (183rd)
     
    Washington Nationals Ace: Stephen Strasburg (2009 1st Round, 1st overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: None
     
    Philadelphia Phillies Ace: Cole Hamels (2002 1st Round, 17th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: None
     
    New York Mets Ace: Matt Harvey (2010 1st Round, 7th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: None
     
    Miami Marlins Ace: Jose Fernandez (2011 1st Round, 14th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: None
     
    Summary: Maybe the best division for the Twins as far as not missing out on starters. Many of the aces in this division are high-ranking draft picks from the years when the Twins were near the top of the AL Central. Hudson was a tough miss for the club. Cuddyer turned himself into a solid major league player but many of the other players from that draft have faded off into oblivion. It would have been nice to have Hudson around for the club's rebuilding years.
     
    NL Central
    St. Louis Cardinals Ace: Adam Wainwright (2000 1st Round, 29th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: Adam Johnson (2nd overall)
     
    Cincinnati Reds Ace: Johnny Cueto (International Signing)
    Twins Picks Ahead: N/A
     
    Pittsburgh Pirates Ace: A.J. Burnett (1995 8th Round, 217th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: Mark Redman (13th), Jason Bell (43rd), A.J. Hinch (72nd), Jay Hood (100th), Doug Mientkiewicz (128th), Shane Gunderson (156th), Mike Moriarty (184th), Will Rushing (212th)
     
    Milwaukee Brewers Ace: Yovani Gallardo (2004 2nd Round, 46th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: Trevor Plouffe (20th), Glen Perkins (22nd), Kyle Waldrop (25th), Matt Fox (35th), Jay Rainville (39th)
     
    Chicago Cubs Ace: Jeff Samardzija (2006 5th Round, 149th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: Chris Parmelee (20th), Joe Benson (64th), Tyler Robertson (96th), Whitney Robbins (119th), Garret Olson (126th)
     
    Summary: The Johnson pick at number two is going to haunt the Twins for decades but it sure would be nice to have Wainwright as the ace of the staff. Gallardo has also turned into a decent pitcher for Milwaukee and it would be nice to throw him into the middle of the Twins rotation. The Twins had five of the first 40 picks in '04 and they didn't get a single starter out of that group. Burnett and Samardzija aren't really front of the rotation guys so it's a little easier to know why the team passed on them.
     
    NL West
    San Francisco Giants Ace: Matt Cain (2002 1st Round, 25th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: Denard Span (20th)
     
    Colorado Rockies Ace: Jhoulys Chacin (International Signing)
    Twins Picks Ahead: N/A
     
    Arizona Diamondbacks Ace: Ian Kennedy (2006 1st Round, 21st overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: Chris Parmelee (20th)
     
    Los Angeles Dodgers Ace: Clayton Kershaw (2006 1st Round, 7th overall)
    Twins Picks Ahead: None
     
    San Diego Padres Ace: Edinson Volquez (International Signing)
    Twins Picks Ahead: N/A
     
    Summary: In 2002, the Twins passed on quite a few top of the rotation players to take Span. His name has been featured on this list multiple times. This past offseason the Twins turned Span into a potential front of the rotation pitcher in Alex Meyer so maybe his selection turned out to be the right decision. It's hard not to look at Cain and not want him in a Twins uniform since he has already helped the Giants to two World Series rings.
     
    So which ace did the Twins miss out on the most? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.
  25. Cody Christie
    The Twins continue their longest road trip of the year so far with games in Cleveland over the weekend. A four game series with the Boston Red Sox is looming at the beginning of next week but Minnesota needs to concentrate on beating opponents from the AL Central.
     
    To the surprise of many experts and fans, the Twins are still sitting around the .500 mark. The team recorded their 12th win on the first day of May. Last year, the Twins didn't record win number 12 until May 17 so it is easy to see that the club is off to a better start.
     
    The first month of the minor league season ended and many of the Twins top prospects are doing very well. Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton put up numbers to have themselves in the discussion for best hitter in the minors. Kyle Gibson, Alex Meyer, and Trevor May have all shown positive signs on the mound.
     
    There were plenty of other stories from the week in baseball. Let's take a look at this week's edition of "Friday Links-N-Thinks."

    It was a tough choice picking out the Minor League Player of the Month. Who won Byron Buxton or Miguel Sano?
    Both Buxton and Sano top this list of the best minor league players through April. Their actual ranking in the post is "Conflagrent."
    Baseball America named the Fort Myers Miracle as April's top team in the minors.
    The folks at Baseball America also named a couple of Twins players to their All-Prospect Team for April.
    Mike Pelfrey has been frustrating to watch so maybe it's time to put Pelf on the shelf.
    What is the matter with Joe Mauer? Or maybe it is nothing at all...
    Have the Twins already won the Francisco Liriano trade?
    Compared to the last two seasons, the Twins start this year has to bode well for the club.
    Is there a pitching resurgence in Minnesota?
    Glen Perkins sure came through for a Twins fan on Twitter. Maybe I should hit him up for tickets the next time I am in town.
    So Liam Henriks baseball cards can be worth $380!?! It's a rare card but still...
    Aaron Hicks hit his first career triple on a 101 mph pitch from Bruce Rondon. It was the fastest pitch hit for extra bases since 2010 and then he did his best Superman impression.

     

    It's tough to see a future Hall of Famer go out this way.
    Delmon Young made his first appearance with the Phillies and proceeded to smack a home run.
    The bat used (possibly) by Roger Maris to tie Babe Ruth's all-time HR mark is up for auction.
    Would MLB be better without the playoffs?
    Former big league pitcher and actor from the movie "Little Big League" passed away this week.
    Last month was the strikeout-i-est April in baseball history. Some members of the Twins helped to make this a reality.
    A.J. Pierzynski returned to Chicago for the first time as a member of the Rangers and he was hit by a pitch in his first at-bat.
    The seven most mammoth home runs of April include one former Twins player.
    Here are the candidates for longest name of the year in baseball.

    My Weekly Rundown:

    Monday: Talk to Contact: Episode 35
    Tuesday: How valuable is Eduardo Escobar?
    Wednesday: The Future of Ron Gardenhire
    Minor League Report (5/1): Darnell Dominates
    Thursday: Miracle Blogapalooza: Game Balls

    Video of the Week: The first episode of the Miracle Insider Show came out at the end of last week. Since the club was named as the best team in the minors for the first month of the year, it seems only fitting for fans to take a behind the scenes look at the club. Miracle shortstop Stephen Wickens and pitcher Ryan O'Rourke are each featured in the episode. If you are a fan of the Twins minor league system, it is a must watch series to follow.
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