Ted Schwerzler

Fort Myers, FL - A game day at Hammond Stadium, there was plenty going all over the complex early in the day. MLB Network was in town to give Minnesota their day on the station, and Wander Franco is in the opposing Tampa Bay Rays lineup. While Carlos Correa isn’t quite ready for his debut in the Twins lineup, he did go through his first infield-outfield drills with the club today. Nick Gordon was stationed by Correa at short, but plenty of younger prospects like Royce Lewis and Jose Miranda remained near to pick his brain and observe. Blayne Enlow followed Alcala throwing his first live at-bats since undergoing Tommy John surgery. Talking with him afterward he noted a debut with Double-A Wichita should be on tap in early May. He’d be returning to the mound roughly 11 months after going under the knife. After getting his first live at-bats since the World Series yesterday, he continued ramping up with another session facing Jorge Alcala on the minor-league side. A Forbes report dropped this morning showing the value of each team in baseball. Unlike the lies Rob Manfred tried selling during the lockout, it’s very apparent owning a team is quite lucrative. Minnesota is valued at $1.39 billion, a five percent increase year-over-year. The lowest valuation checks in at $990 million for the Miami Marlins. Prior to the game, Minnesota outfielder Brent Rooker was scratched from the lineup with a right shoulder strain. The Twins announced he is day-to-day. The hope would be that it’s not a long-term absence. Minnesota's bats have struggled with high-velocity pitchers to start out Spring Training, and Drew Rasmussen provided another test for them today. Despite sitting around 96 mph on his fastball, the Twins jumped early. Byron Buxton turned a regular-season triple into a double before Jorge Polanco nearly left Hammond Stadium. Bailey Ober looked very sharp on the bump today. He stretched out to 44 pitches over three innings. The fastball was roughly in the 92-93 mph range, but he generated 10 whiffs against the Rays. With most of their regulars in the lineup Ober's performance wasn't a watered-down one either. With no trade yet completed for another arm, Ober should remain locked into the rotation. There's some growing belief Josh Winder could find himself among the group. John looked at how soon Minnesota needs a full rotation. The Twins tallied seven runs on nine hits in their win over the Rays today. Another good showing from an offensive production standpoint is certainly welcomed. Tim Beckham, who’s likely ticketed for Triple-A, provided the big highlight with a mammoth moonshot immediately trumped by his bat flip. Two weeks out from Opening Day, the Twins announced their theme night packages for the upcoming season. Tickets have been flying off the shelves since the signing of Correa. Minnesota expects to draw increased interest on these special nights again this season. The Twins also partnered with Summit Brewing to release a new team-branded beer. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email View full article

Seven hundred and fifty-two games, that’s how many Carlos Correa has played in the Major Leagues. He’s never lined up anywhere but shortstop, and predominantly, his double-play partner has remained the same in Jose Altuve. After signing with the Twins, that comfort is adjusted as he’ll get to know Jorge Polanco. Minnesota moved Polanco off of shortstop for good last season. He responded by posting an .826 OPS and played in 152 games. After grading out negatively in all of his seasons at shortstop, Polanco posted three defensive runs saved (DRS) at his new position. For the first time in his career, the Twins infielder showed defense as an asset. Looking into Statcast’s outs above average (OAA), Polanco is seen a bit below average. His -1 OAA is noted as being reflective of a struggle going up the middle. Being worth -5 OAA when moving laterally towards third base, Polanco is seen as stretched when dealing with range efforts. That compares interestingly to his OAA as a shortstop. Polanco’s worst season analytically was 2019, and his -22 OAA that season was primarily influenced by a -11 number when coming in on the ball. What bodes well for both Polanco and Minnesota is the new guy standing towards the third base direction of him. While Gold Gloves can sometimes be awarded to players based on offensive acumen, there was no mistake when rewarding Correa last season. He posted an exceptionally strong 20 DRS and checked in with an equally impressive 12 OAA. When breaking down his output, the production came almost entirely from coming in and moving towards third base. That makes a good deal of sense, considering a need to show range in the hole. Good shortstops often brandish a big arm and put it on display when throwing well off their position. How things change as the two are married will be interesting. Looking back at what Correa has come from, Jose Altuve grades out well defensively but struggles to go the opposite direction. Last season Altuve posted five OAA for the Astros, but his eight OAA coming in was drug down by a -4 mark when moving towards first base. It's obviously straightforward that players display strengths differently. OAA is also somewhat reflective of positioning and opportunity. Both Houston and Minnesota shift while being invested in analytics, but not all numbers will be utilized in the same fashion across organizations. There’s no denying that having a defensive wizard at shortstop will help Polanco. That was the case last season as the Twins employed Andrelton Simmons. The former Angels shortstop experienced differing double-play partners in that Los Angeles had second base in flux while Simmons had also switched organizations previously. I’d expect a talent like Correa would seamlessly acclimate to a new situation even with some uncertainty. During his press conference, Correa talked at length about his level of comfort with the Twins organization, which will need to extend on the field. Previously, he hasn’t shared the same jersey with Polanco, but both spent over 100 games in 2013 as teenagers in the Midwest League. Competing against each other and then passing conversation as big-league opponents brings a level of familiarity. The next piece of the puzzle is ratcheting that up to benefit each other professionally. Maybe this winds up being a one-year deal after all, but the success of that one year will be as much determined by the relationship with his new infield partner as it will offensive production and the ultimate win-loss record. We’ve seen growing pains from new teammates before, and few positions are more critical than shortstop. How much do you think Correa’s presence helps Polanco, and do you expect a smooth insertion onto the dirt? MORE FROM TWINS DAILY Latest Twins coverage from our writers Recent Twins discussion in our forums Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email View full article

The Minnesota Twins were away today playing the Boston Red Sox across town at JetBlue Park. After an exciting morning highlighted by Carlos Correa’s introductory press conference, it was time to focus on the minor league side of things. The Twins and Red Sox play each other a handful of times every spring training. Given the close proximity of their homes, it makes for an easy opponent as far as travel is concerned. Rather than going across town today, the action with rookie and Single-A teams on the back fields seemed more appealing. Minnesota put 2020 draft pick Marco Raya on the mound to start the game for the Single-A club. He looked the part of beginning to fill out his body and really filled up the strike zone. His stuff played well, and he looked to largely overmatch the Boston lineup. With the 2020 season being canceled and then dealing with injury much of last year, Raya has yet to make an appearance in a professional game. This upcoming season will be exciting for him, and he’s definitely one to watch. Cade Povich drew the start against a loaded rookie-level Red Sox club on the opposite field. Both Red Sox top prospects, Marcelo Mayer and Blaze Jordan started, and Povich handled each of the talented competitors. The former Nebraska Husker struck out the side in one inning today and was largely dominant for Minnesota. He struck out nine batters in 4 2/3 innings. It was hard to be unimpressed with Casey Legumina, who took over for Povich while he was dealing. Strikeouts were added in bunches as he displayed a strong pace and swagger on the mound. There's no assessing velocity without a radar gun on him, but the intent behind his fastball was more than evident. Some general observations include the growth Keoni Cavaco has seen as he fills out his frame. The Single-A club displayed an impressive power outing with three homers in four batters (and a double in between), and despite the wind blowing out, catching prospect Noah Cardenas left the yard in a big way. A few other notes from today include: the roster cutting of six players being reassigned out of big-league camp. None of the names are shocking, but there’s more than a couple here that should be options for the Twins at some point in 2022. Big leaguers Luis Arraez and Alex Kirilloff both got at-bats on the back fields today. Carlos Correa saw his first live at bats since the World Series. Former teammates Sonny Gray and Gary Sanchez worked together during live at-bats today. Catching coach Hank Conger was heavily involved in their exchanges. The experimental rules in the minor leagues also became official today, as did the continuation of what’s incorrectly being dubbed a “ghost runner” in Major League extra innings. Minnesota’s bats woke up en route to a 10-4 victory over the Red Sox today, and the highlight could have been Trevor Larnach’s three-run blast to the big part of the park. Tomorrow Tampa comes to town, although there is a good chance of rain in the forecast. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email View full article

Fort Myers, FL - The Minnesota Twins started their morning in Fort Myers by settling into an auditorium in the Academy. LaTroy Hawkins, Rod Carew, Royce Lewis, and a host of media were present. Scott Boras entered, then did Minnesota’s front office and other dignitaries. Everyone was there for the man of the hour, Carlos Correa. As he put on that #4 jersey, it became official; he’s a Minnesota Twin. If there were two takeaways from this morning’s press conference, Carlos Correa was impressed with Twins leadership and that he’s here to win. Derek Falvey noted his appreciation of the support from ownership in saying, “A momentous day like this, a significant contract like this with a player of Carlos’s stature only happens with the partnership and support of ownership.” Leadership starts at the top, and Correa noted the warmth he felt in an initial Zoom call with Falvey and new manager Rocco Baldelli. “I talked to Rocco, I talked to Derek and Thad, and they made me feel like this was the place for me to be. They made me feel like this was going to be my next home. And when I got off the Zoom call, I told Scott, let’s make it happen. And I told my wife to start packing.” Communication is a big thing for Correa, and in talking through his desires to be in Minnesota, he continued to communicate a desire for winning. Going to a place where he could win was necessary, and there’s no ambiguity as to whether he feels the Twins are a team capable. “I told Rocco, and I told Derek, we’re not seeing this like a one-year thing, we’re seeing this as I want to build a championship culture in this organization, I want to show you guys what I can do, what I can bring to the table, so we can have a long-term relationship at some point.” While there is an opt-out following the first year, Correa’s agent Scott Boras sees this as an opportunity for Carlos to do damage in a place he’s been very successful. “He had told me, 'these are some of the places I see the ball really well.' When he mentioned Minnesota and I went and looked up, and I said, wow, he just has a very small 1.200 OPS over there… I know this, all the AL Central, the Twins have a new explosion weapon, C4.” Correa has played for some great managers in A.J. Hinch and Dusty Baker. Knowing that communication is so vital between the leader of the team and a leader in the clubhouse, it was exciting to hear how glowingly the new shortstop talked of his skipper. “For me, it was just the vibes I got and how they made me feel, especially talking to Rocco and hearing so many great things about him from all the players that played for him. I want to be in a place where I want to feel like I can communicate with my manager, and my manager's going to have my back all the time. That's exactly what I got from Rocco, and he's the guy I'm going to be working closest with. When I feel like I have a manager that I can trust, and I can communicate with, for me, that's a game-changer." A critical focal point remained as the conversation drew on for Correa and the Twins. This was going to be a partnership about winning. Correa has been in situations where the results have taken time, but he’s also experienced the pinnacle of a World Series ring. He said, “The conversations we had were about two and a half hours…it was all about winning. When I get that from them, that makes me excited because I want to take up that challenge. It was not long ago that I was playing for an organization that was last in the big leagues the year before I got there—losing 100-plus games. I know what it takes to build a championship culture within the clubhouse. It starts within the clubhouse and all the way up to the front office. I see that here with the talent that we have, and I see that we can get so much better in order for us to accomplish that goal to ultimately win a championship." Correa was taken the pick before Minnesota Twins Byron Buxton in the 2012 draft. He’s excited to play up the middle with him and has a history of playing alongside him in showcases as they were growing up. He fondly remembers the pre-draft process in Minnesota, “A 17-year-old hitting tanks in Target Field felt pretty cool.” It may be surprising that the Twins are landing such a supreme talent, but Boras thinks that will become more part of the norm. Taking over Correa’s free agency in January after his previous representation went through changes, Boras noted that Minnesota is a place he has young guys like Royce Lewis, Alex Kirilloff, and Austin Martin. Also, in talking about the vast revenues clubs see before the season even starts, he shared a belief talent acquisition will change, saying, “The truth of it is, you’re going to see franchises sign a franchise player, maybe the top franchises will sign two or three. That kind of thing. You’re going to see that with regularity in the game because frankly, it’s a component that is necessary for winning.” At the end of the day, it’s more than apparent that Carlos Correa is extremely excited to be in Minnesota and believes in the ability to lead this organization to a championship and have the leadership in place to supplement him getting there. After a few days focused on public relations, it was back to business for the talented shortstop. He took live at-bats for the first time since the World Series, and he said he hopes to see game action for Minnesota by this weekend. While we may still be pinching ourselves, this is now very much real life. The Twins hauled in a big fish, and it seems like he wants to be here to stay. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

Fort Myers, FL - Today was a big day for the Minnesota Twins down in Fort Myers. They officially announced Carlos Correa signing the largest contract for an infielder in MLB history. A game against the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves was also on tap. The news of the day was definitely Carlos Correa’s signing being made official. Minnesota put out a few different social media posts and noted that they had designated reliever Ralph Garza Jr. to make room for Correa on the 40-man roster. He will be formally announced to the media tomorrow at 9 am EST. Stay tuned to @tlschwerz on Twitter for live updates from that event. It’s also arbitration deadline day in which players must be tendered contracts to avoid a hearing. As Matthew Lenz wrote up at Twins Daily, Minnesota has three players needing to be sorted out. In that process, Taylor Rogers and Luis Arraez are joined by new backstop Gary Sanchez. Joe Ryan made his Spring Training debut for the Twins. Now working as an assumed big-league starter, this is his first spring with a place on the 26-man roster. Last season Ryan worked just three innings in three games for the Rays. He pitched two innings for Minnesota and worked around three hits. In the first inning, a bit of loud contact was generated, and newly extended centerfielder Byron Buxton kept a two-spot off the board when he robbed a homer from Atlanta’s free-agent first basemen, Matt Olson. Devin Smeltzer was a standout on the mound today for Minnesota. He worked three innings allowing just a single hit and punching out two. Smeltzer never topped 90 mph, but continues to make the lower velocity work. He's no longer on the 40-man roster, but could factor in as a depth rotation arm or someone out of the pen. Despite it being just his second outing of the spring he was stretched out to 46 pitches. Royce Lewis took over at shortstop today for Nick Gordon when substitutions were made. He was wearing his new number 23 uniform, after ceding number 4 to Correa. 23 was last worn by Nelson Cruz, and then Mitch Garver prior to that. Wrapping up the game that didn't count today, Minnesota lost 4-0 to the Atlanta Braves. Spencer Strider came in for Atlanta late and was pumping 100 mph pitches with regularity. It was fun seeing former Twins reliever Michael Tonkin back on the mound. He hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2017 but is trying his hand with Atlanta. It seems we’ll have expanded rosters heading into Opening Day. There had been questions as to whether this would be necessary given the shortened Spring Training slate. Two extra roster spots will give Minnesota an option to carry additional arms or bench players. It also appears we will have a runner start on second base in extra innings again. The Twins first arbitration deal from deadline day is reported on. Taylor Rogers jumps $1.3 million from his 2021 salary. Both Gary Sánchez and Luis Arraez will have arbitration hearings with the Twins. Sanchez was projected for $7.9 million and filed at $9.5 million while Arraez was projected for $2.0 million and filed at $2.4 million. The hearings will take place during the season. If the player loses, they’ll be paid the Minnesota proposed amount. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email View full article

They paid him roughly $30. Truncated means shortened. They only paid him a 60 game prorated portion in 2020. Then last season he made his full $21.75M

Hasn't led to meaningful success? They were coming off two-straight division titles and made the postseason in three of their first five years after Minnesota had not previously been since 2010...

There's virtually never, outside of Mauer, been a point in which the Twins have committed long term to a player. That rarely winds up well, and few players are deserving. Why does it matter when they leave? The front office showing a commitment to that level of player, and the organization being able to acquire them, is what you should want to see.

I guess I'm not sure the point you're making correlates? Rather than being rooted in a singular focus to improve, they adapt.

Last week may have been the craziest in organization history for the Minnesota Twins. There was expected pandemonium coming out of the lockout, and Derek Falvey delivered. In his past and present moves, he continues to display flexibility in roster construction. It bodes well for the Twins' chances. When the deal for Carlos Correa became official, the Twins went from having no shortstop to arguably the best in baseball. Inked to a three-year contract worth $105.3 million, Correa gives Minnesota a strong option at a position of need. However, what immediately became apparent in the deal is that there’s an opportunity for everyone to shift things in the future. Correa’s contract includes a limited no-trade clause for 2022, presumably only being open to contenders. Then there are opt-outs for both 2023 and 2024, with full no-trade clauses should he stay with the Twins. Making $35 million this season, Correa has the opportunity to bet on himself should he desire a long-term deal next offseason. Minnesota can pivot from a star talent if things go belly up, and they could really be on the hook for just $35 million should the former Astros star go elsewhere. Before acquiring Correa, Minnesota moved on from Josh Donaldson and the $50 million remaining on his contract. Spending just two seasons in Minnesota, one of which was truncated due to Covid, Donaldson earned just $30 million of his near $100 million contract after becoming the largest free-agent signing in Twins history. Despite a productive 2021 season, in which his legs remained relatively healthy, Falvey chose to pivot from Donaldson and turn the roster over. We’ve seen this shake out as the front office sent Jose Berrios to the Toronto Blue Jays rather than being the ones to pay him. Instead of inking their frontline starter to a long-term deal, Minnesota picked up top prospects and then swung a trade for another arm that looks very similar to Berrios. A few seasons ago, we watched Minnesota swing a deal for Jaime Garcia, then with the Atlanta Braves, only to make one start before sending him to the New York Yankees. The 2017 club went on to make the American League Wild Card game, but it was buying and selling at the deadline that helped them go from three games below .500 to seven games above. I’ve been adamant that Minnesota didn’t need to dump Donaldson’s contract to sign Trevor Story (or, as we found out, Carlos Correa). The front office apparently agrees with that sentiment as well, and the greater plan was to shift the roster around. Having acquired a new third baseman, catcher, and now shortstop, there’s plenty of talent to challenge the American League Central and beyond. There are more additions coming for this roster, and ultimately it comes down to who Falvey sees as the best combination of talents and personalities. Over the years, we’ve heard plenty about the Twins being reluctant to sign a free agent pitcher to a long-term deal. That’s generally what the market trends have suggested needs to happen, but we are being shown Minnesota’s willingness to get creative for top talent in ways that don’t hamstring future flexibility. Maybe Sonny Gray isn’t with the Twins past the 2023 season, and maybe Carlos Correa decides to go elsewhere after 2022, but there’s no denying that this front office continues to find a way to give themselves flexibility. Adding talent isn’t a straightforward practice, and having dollars doesn’t necessarily mean spending them on the first long-term deal to be accepted is the best get. Patience is hard to practice while holes need to be filled and options fly off the board. You have to give it to this regime, though; they know what they’re doing even if they march to the beat of their own drum. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email View full article

Rumors swirled for days that the Minnesota Twins were in on signing former Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story. With less than three weeks until Opening Day, things came to a head. In a plot twist, it’s Carlos Correa coming to Twins Territory, and Rocco Baldelli may now have the best shortstop in baseball. Since the beginning of the offseason, it’s been apparent that the Twins needed a shortstop. Andrelton Simmons wasn’t likely to be welcomed back, and Royce Lewis hadn’t played in a game since 2020. Watching options fall off the board, it looked like Story or bust, but mainly because the assumption has always been Correa would return to the Astros. In signing with Minnesota, there’s no denying he immediately becomes the best to play the position in franchise history. Just how good is Correa, though? It’s fair to argue he may be the best in baseball. Recently running down their “Top 10 Right Now” lists, MLB Network slated Correa as the third-best shortstop in baseball. They’ve got him placed behind the oft-injured Fernando Tatis Jr. and the versatile Trea Turner. It’s fair to argue for either of those two as being better, but what exactly does Correa bring to the table? Last season the former Astro won his first Gold Glove. That award can often be scrutinized through the lens of an offensive producer that gets additional consideration defensively for their bat. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth when considering Correa in 2021. His 20 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in 2021 was a career-high, and he’s never posted lower than 4 DRS in a single season. To contextualize that performance, 20 DRS is something like former Twins shortstop Andrelton Simmons in his prime. The caveat for Correa is that it comes with a strong .837 OPS. No matter where you look for metrics, they view Correa in the same vein. Major League Baseball’s Statcast has Correa worth 12 outs above average (OAA) in 2021, which ranked 6th among shortstops across the league. He was also credited with preventing nine runs. The beauty of Correa is that he’s a true five-tool player. For everything noted defensively, it only scratches the surface of his actual impact on the game. Correa’s Statcast percentile rankings from 2021 are basically just the fire emoji. Drafted one pick higher than new teammate Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa is an absolute menace in the box. Under this new regime, the Twins have long been fans of exit velocity and hard-hit rates. Last season Correa’s max exit velocity ranked in the 97th percentile across MLB. His expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA) was a robust .373, and his 41.6% ground ball rate was near a career-low. In the box, it basically boils down to Correa hunting to do damage every time he swings the bat. In a lineup that has some swing and miss, it’s worth noting that Correa’s plate discipline will also be welcomed. Last season a 27% chase rate was a career-low, and his 8.2% whiff rate checked in with the same designation. Swinging at pitches in the zone, Correa makes contact nearly 90% of the time. Considering the approach to doing damage, putting the bat on the ball with pitches that can be handled is about the ideal outcome you can hope for. There’s just no way to summarize any of this other than in the middle of the night Derek Falvey signed the best free agent in organization history and very possibly the best at his position across the sport. Structuring his contract with opt-outs gives both sides future flexibility, and there’s still no hampering any future impact top prospect Royce Lewis could have at the position. Right now, I’d bet Lewis is excited to learn from one of the games best, and Baldelli’s lineup just got infused with an otherworldly talent. Is there a shortstop you’re taking over Correa? The best part of it is that any answer is hypothetical, and this one is now Minnesota’s. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email View full article

The Minnesota Twins recently swapped packages with the New York Yankees and acquired former top prospect, Gary Sanchez. The embattled backstop looks for a change of scenery to reverse his fortunes, but suggesting him as a clone of Miguel Sano sells short the complete picture. There’s no denying that Twins fans know what Miguel Sano is at this point. While a streaky hitter, it’s hard to argue against his body of work being a solid outcome from a prospect projection standpoint. You’d prefer fewer peaks and valleys, but a career .819 OPS is nothing to scoff at. Sano will always rack up strikeouts in droves, but it’s not because he’s lacking ability. In differentiating the two, let’s first understand what Sano is. The Twins' first baseman is a power hitter. He has a significant amount of swing-and-miss in his game, but he also displays a substantial amount of plate discipline. Sano’s hard-hit rate thus far has been 45.1%, often ranking near the top of Statcast leaderboards relative to his peers across the league. A 52.1% hard-hit rate in 2019 is the high watermark, and a 117 mph max exit velocity is nothing to scoff at. Sano’s 16.6% barrel rate is propped up by career-best numbers over the past three seasons. When Sano struggles, it’s a reflection of timing and velocity. A 27.8% chase rate isn’t evidence that he expands the zone often, and Sano has only topped 30% once in his career. At his worst, Sano has pushed the whiff rate near 20%, but he sits at 15.8% to this point. A 63.7% contact rate isn’t ideal but reflects the three true outcomes approach, while his zone contact rating jumps 14% to 77.1%. A steady diet of fastballs is often fed to Minnesota’s first baseman, a rate of 31.7% over his career, as it’s been the pitch he’s had the most against. Summarizing Sano’s output at the plate would suggest thunderous contact with immense power while displaying a good eye but struggling with velocity. He swings with intent, and there’s rarely contact that isn’t loud. Now, how does that compare to Sanchez? Yes, Sanchez, too, is a power hitter, but the outputs are hardly the same. Unlike Sano, Sanchez has never posted a 50% hard-hit rate in his career. Across the totality of his production, the hard-hit rate sits at 37.3%, a considerable drop from his childhood friend. Sanchez also owns a barrel rate 2% lower than Sano and rarely creeps towards the top of exit velocity leaderboards. Production is reflected in a lower HR/FB rate and a lesser line drive percentage. When in the box, Sanchez also expands the zone nearly 5% more often. Despite doing this, the former Yankees backstop whiffs roughly 4% less than his teammate. Sanchez makes considerably more contact, both in the zone and out of it, but it comes at the cost of a desirable swing. If the goal is to get off an “A” swing each time, it’s clear that concessions are being made where results reflect a less-than-ideal process. On the most basic level, comparing these two players boils down to this. One is a power hitter working with those parameters. The other is a power hitter working against those parameters. Miguel Sano has struck out roughly one-third of the time during his career, while Gary Sanchez has done so only one-fourth of the time. Sano takes more walks and is honed in on pitches he can do something with while exhibiting a swing that bears fruit at contact. Sanchez plays into pitcher’s hands while getting off a swing that may not generate desired results anyways. They are very similar hitters that could benefit from one another. Every Twins fan has seen Sano go through periods where velocity ties him in knots. Yankees fans have grown accustomed to Sanchez failing to produce. This regime should hope to find a middle ground where both take walks and utilize loud contact in marrying their hulking pair. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email View full article

Unfortunately, Gary Sanchez won’t have the privilege of seeing those beautiful center field trees at Target Field, but he does get the benefit of changing zip codes. Maybe a change of scenery is all the former Yankees backstop needs? When the Minnesota Twins acquired Sanchez in exchange for Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, much was immediately made about the former top prospects’ struggles. He’s certainly been bad behind the dish, and he hasn’t been much good in the box of late either. However, not long ago, there was a time that he was a force to be reckoned with. Finding that again will be the key for the Twins. Not unlike Sanchez, Sonny Gray was also recently acquired by the Twins. Also, similar to Sanchez, a change of scenery was a great prescription for his career as well. New York initially dealt for Gray because he owned a 3.45 ERA across his five years in the Majors. With Oakland, Gray had established himself as a frontline starter while picking up an All-Star nod and nearly winning a Cy Young. Then he got to New York. The first 11 starts resulted in a workable 3.72 ERA, but the walks hit a career-worst rate, and so did the home runs. The Yankees went just 4-7 in his 11 starts, and it was clear the Cracker Jack box that is Yankee Stadium was doing Gray no favors. The following season, 2018, things got even worse. Gray posted a 4.90 ERA, and there was plenty of media pressure. It was more than clear things weren’t working out. Fast forward to 2019 after signing with the Cincinnati Reds, Gray was once again back to his dominant self. A 2.87 ERA was nearly a career-best, and his 10.5 K/9 represented the first time he’d averaged double-digits during his career. Despite Great American Ballpark being a hitter’s paradise, Gray dropped the HR/9 back below 1.0 to 0.9 before suppressing it further to 0.6 in 2020. Gray’s 2021 wasn’t as great. He was above the 4.00 ERA mark again and did give up too many homers, but it’s still a smashing success to see the 3.49 ERA across 68 starts with Cincinnati. I’d imagine a few tweaks were made along the way by a new staff, but it’s hard not to note that a guy who was once good with Oakland was good again when escaping New York. Sanchez has experienced a similar career path. After being a highly-touted prospect, he came out to the tune of a .923 OPS and 53 homers across his first 175 games. He struggled in 2018 but then rebounded with a. .841 OPS in 2019. Since 2020 however, Sanchez has played in 166 games for the Yankees and posted just a .698 OPS. He was benched regularly for Kyle Higashioka, and the media had a field day with his defensive woes. While no longer a kid at 29-years-old, I can’t imagine that didn’t weigh on him. Coming to Minnesota, Sanchez gets to settle in with a group he knows well. Latin players are prevalent all over the Twins roster, and there are long-established friendships with Miguel Sano and Jorge Polanco. Rocco Baldelli and his staff will look to make inroads with their new backstop, but it could be the relationships Sanchez has established from earlier in life that help acclimate him most quickly to his new home. I don’t know that we’ll ever see Sanchez receive MVP votes again or capture a Silver Slugger, but I think there’s a better case than not to bank on him performing better than he did the last few years in New York. What are your thoughts? Does a change of scenery help a person? Is the New York media that damaging? MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email View full article

Over the weekend, Derek Falvey flipped 2021 1st round pick Chase Petty to the Cincinnati Reds for Sonny Gray. Minnesota needed a top-end starter, and they wound up with a guy who profiles very similar to someone Twins Territory is familiar with, Jose Berrios. Last season the front office decided against extending Berrios and flipped him to the Toronto Blue Jays for Austin Martin and Simeon Woods-Richardson. Getting two-top 100 prospects for a guy under team control for just one more year was an excellent come-up for Minnesota. If they had decided against paying him, that level of return is certainly a welcomed one. They had to replace Berrios, though. Going back to 2019, Berrios owns a 3.66 ERA, 9.2 K/9, and 2.4 BB/9. He’d put up dominant outings at times and then see late-season slides. Home runs got him every once in a while, but he was every bit a staff ace for Minnesota. After passing on virtually all of the free-agent starting pitching market, they found something of a clone. Looking back to 2019 for Gray, the Reds hurler owns a 3.49 ERA, 10.6 K/9, and 3.5 BB/9. It's almost as if the Twins had determined they had a "type" when it comes to a frontline starter. Minnesota had squeezed more out of Berrios under pitching coach Wes Johnson, and while Grady is older, it's not crazy to think they may be able to teach him some new tricks. Gray exits a Reds team looking to tear everything down, and he also has the benefit of escaping a hitters paradise in Cincinnati. Berrios is the slightly harder thrower of the two, averaging 94 mph on his fastball. Gray has seen diminished velocity as he ages but still sits at 92.6 mph. Gray gives up less hard contact, but we’re splitting hairs on the differences between the two when it comes to whiff rates as well as CSW% (Called+Swinging Strike Percentage). Looking at each of their Statcast profiles from 2021, it’s actually Gray that sees the scales tilted his way when diving into more analytically based outputs. Another interesting note on Gray is that while he has seen diminished velocity, his stuff ranks extremely well. Highlighted multiple times by Rob Friedman's Pitching Ninja account, and noted in a tweet by The Athletic's Eno Sarris, there's more to pitching than simply pumping velocity. For Gray, as the fastball might have dipped, he's added substantial shape through movement to his pitches. In attempting to keep batters off balance Gray has worked on crafting pitches that miss bats. Although Minnesota's Johnson is seen as a velocity guru, it's the analytical additions to pitching development that have pushed guys to get more from their overall repertoire. Gray will have a whole new pool of information to work with. At the end of the day, Minnesota accomplished a few things in the entirety of their starting pitching scenario. They dealt a guy they weren’t going to pay and got peak value for him. They then acquired an older starter for a highly volatile return and have to pay him substantially less. All of that takes place while the on-field returns could very comfortably be projected to be even. Fangraphs’ ZiPS projects Gray for a 3.78 ERA and 9.8 K/9 in 2022. The same projection system has Berrios at a 3.84 ERA and 9.3 K/9. If the track records of similarity don't provide something to key in on, there's at least an upcoming season in which both are expected to provide similar levels of value. What do you think about the Twins swap of top starters? Would you rather have Berrios purely from a pitching perspective, or are you good with Gray, the similarities, and all of the additional prospect capital? MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email View full article

Just when you thought the Twins had done enough this weekend to keep us on our toes, Derek Falvey went ahead and blew the roof off. A blockbuster with the Yankees started as Jon Heyman suggested a catcher was coming to Minnesota. Then the bomb dropped that Josh Donaldson was moving, and things got crazy. Another deal in which the player totals aren’t even; the Twins sent the additional talent this time. Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Ben Rortvedt are going to New York. In exchange, Minnesota gets catcher Gary Sanchez and third basemen Gio Urshela. There’s no level of this deal that shouldn’t make your head spin, so let’s break it down into smaller pieces. Third Base This is straightforward. Josh Donaldson is moved off the position, and Minnesota is no longer on the hook for his contract's remaining $50 million. Set to make $21.75 million in 2022, a team with something like $35 million in payroll flexibility just pushed that number over $50 million. Donaldson wound up playing just 163 games across two seasons with Minnesota. The shortened pandemic season didn’t help the longevity, but his nagging calf issues were present the first season. There was never a reason why the Twins should’ve considered a cash dump regarding Donaldson and his salary. Still playing at a high level in 2022, any move needed to come with a certain level of return. Ultimately, that’s what ended up happening. Gio Urshela debuted with Cleveland back in 2015 but posted just a .587 OPS through his first 148 Major League games. After a short stint in Toronto, he wound up in New York, and boy did Gio arrive in a big way. During 2019 Urshela posted an .889 OPS with 21 homers. He all but replicated that in 2020 before lacking power production last season. His 96 OPS+ basically was league average, however, and he’s just 30-years-old. He’s not the defensive stalwart Donaldson is at the hot corner, but he’s hardly a butcher either. What Urshela does offer is an easier path to playing time for the likes of Jose Miranda. Should the newly acquired piece continue to decline or start slow, Minnesota won’t hesitate to promote the 2021 standout prospect. Urshela is owed just $6.55M this season, and Miranda will get his opportunity to push for playing time at the hot corner. This is also another area that Luis Arraez could contribute. Shortstop Minnesota had its Opening Day shortstop for something like 35 hours. After acquiring Kiner-Falefa, he was sent to New York, who has been tied to the biggest names at the position. Kiner-Falefa was basically a replica of Andrelton Simmons, minus the weirdness, and now Falvey will go back on the hunt there. Urshela has accumulated just over 200 innings at shortstop, but he shouldn’t be considered an option there. Jorge Polanco is not moving back across the diamond, which again turns us back to the market. With so much cash while both Carlos Correa and Trevor Story are still on the market, there’s reasonable speculation that Minnesota could have their sights set there. Both presumably want long-term contracts, and neither Royce Lewis nor Austin Martin are slam dunks to remain at short. Catcher A former All-Star and Silver Slugger, Gary Sanchez joins the Twins as a backup for Ryan Jeffers. He’s not good defensively, and his bat has been lost since 2019, but maybe Minnesota can turn it around for the 29-year-old. Sanchez has solid on-base skills and does show a good amount of discipline in the box. His power potential is immense, with two 30+ home run seasons to his credit, but the key will be finding consistency. If it wasn’t apparent when the Twins dealt Mitch Garver, it’s certainly clear now that they’ve leaned all the way into Jeffers as their regular. Ben Rortvedt also went to the Yankees, and he’d be considered the most well-rounded defender of that trio. Jeffers obviously has made enough strides to feel comfort in pairing him with Sanchez, and there shouldn’t be an emphasis on splitting time evenly. Removing Donaldson opened up a rotational designated hitter spot for Minnesota, but it should be immediately accounted for by Sanchez, who will see regular starts there as well. It’s clear that Minnesota has solidified their plan at catcher, however. This was a huge move, the second of the day for Minnesota. Now with so much payroll flexibility and an arrow pointed towards competing, there’s no guessing how crazy this front office will get next. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email View full article