Ted Schwerzler

Sorry I'm just getting back to this, bad with following up on comments sometimes. I don't have access to transcripts but do remember something to that tune. I wouldn't be in a hurry to move Buxton either if it's me personally, and I'd prefer he not go above 6th if he does.

Your 2019 Minnesota Twins are off to a solid start. As of this writing they are in sole possession of the AL Central lead and own the third best record in all of baseball. Rocco Baldelli has this lineup firing on all cylinders, and one of the most intriguing pieces is the emergence of the long-awaited Byron Buxton. Nineteen games in, we’re left wondering if a jump in the order might make some sense?Looking at their ranks across baseball, it’s hard to nitpick anything in the lineup that’s a glaring weakness. This group is second in wOBA, ISO, SLG, and OPS. They are top five in wRC+ and top in in both fWAR and OBP. Scoring an average of 5.63 runs per game, they are producing at the fourth best clip in the sport. All of this has taken place without Miguel Sano and withhaving played a handful of National League games which excluded slugger Nelson Cruz. Now, back to Buck. The former top prospect posted a 3.5 fWAR in 2017 thanks in large part to a ridiculous end of the season. 2018 was a lost year due to injury, but 2019 has started out on a trajectory that has the Georgia native’s arrow pointing way up. He’s already compiled 0.7 fWAR and owns a .283/.338/.517 slash line. Leading the majors in doubles with 12, Buxton has consistently put himself into scoring position from the bottom of the lineup. Operating under the assumption that Baldelli wants to move Byron up, we need to look at the order to figure out where the best fit presents itself. In my opinion, there are three different spots he fits: first, second, or sixth. Leadoff hitters of yesteryear were cut from the cloth that is Byron’s most obvious asset, speed. He can get on and immediately wreak havoc upon opposing pitchers. The two hole is typically one of your best hitters, maximizing the opportunity to score that leadoff batter. Sixth would be a combination of a run production spot, as well as a secondary leadoff type for the bottom half of the order. Making the argument for Buxton to hit leadoff isn’t one considered in a vacuum. The decision must come down to whether you’re better suited with him there than Max Kepler, and if Kepler produces as much value in the six hole. Through 69 plate appearances Kepler has turned in a .242/.319/.435 slash line. His 10.1% walk rate is down just over a percent from 2018, but the heightened hard-hit rate should be inducing a better BABIP than the current result as time goes on. It’s an incredibly small sample at this point, but the inputs don’t jump off the page as problematic. Baldelli needs more than a .319 OBP from his leadoff man, but time for it to trend upwards is still there. I think we can probably rule out the two hole completely. Jorge Polanco is currently hitting in that spot and is among the best hitters in all of baseball at this point. He’s not going to continue posting a 1.083 OPS forever but expecting that bat to play at a high clip has always been the blueprint for the converted second basemen. Allowing Polanco to both drive in and produce his own offense makes him an ideal fit for this spot in the lineup. Although not the massive jump in the order some may like to see, sixth is where Buxton could have the greatest impact. When going at his best, the profile looks the part of a run-producing slugger more than that of an on-base machine. Byron has thrived by attacking earlier in counts and avoiding an opportunity for the pitcher to get ahead. His 6.5% career walk rate doesn’t fit the mold of a leadoff hitter, and while the doubles are plentiful now, some of those balls will leave the park as the weather warms up. Looking at the bats employed by the Twins, and how Buxton’s impact is felt once he’s on the bases (again: he’s fast), there becomes an opportunity cost to factor in. Should Buxton reach and steal ahead of guys like Nelson Cruz, Eddie Rosario, or eventually Miguel Sano, he can score from first base on a large portion of their base hits. Conversely, batting ahead of the bottom half immediately vaults the importance of grabbing an extra base and generating scoring opportunities. In the lower half of the lineup, Byron could legitimately threaten 50 stolen bases. If he’s hitting ahead of the thumpers, there’s less desire for him to be running and therefore an under-utilization of arguably his greatest asset. To generate the level of production Buxton is currently clipping along at he obviously needs to have made strides across the board. That much is evident when looking at his batted ball profile. He’s got a career best 37.8% hard hit rate (nearly 10% north of his career average) and has pushed his fly ball rate over 50% for the first time. As far as contact goes, things have stayed relatively status quo. Byron is still swinging through the same rate of pitches and putting bat to ball as often as he always has. It’s the quality that has allowed results to vastly improve. At the end of the day there’s no denying that this is the Byron Buxton we’ve all (and likely the man himself as well) been waiting for. The presence of a hitter of this caliber anywhere in a big-league lineup is going to be a significant asset. As time goes on, it will be on the Twins baseball staff to decide where his production is maximized. With a couple of options at their disposal, we’ll need to wait and see what route is chosen. This change could be coming sooner rather than later however, and the center fielder forcing his club’s hand is a problem this organization has long awaited. It’s time to hit ‘em off with somethin’ proper, get Buck in here! Click here to view the article

Romero has looked like an absolute mess, so he's not really an option right now. Magill should be back soon, and maybe Moya as well. Reed would be nice to call upon.

Fairly, the Minnesota Twins bullpen has been a lightning rod of discussion in 2019. From talks about what more could be done, to the breakdowns that have cost the club a couple of games, this group will remain under the microscope. With the bright lights on them, internally developed arms have been the anchors at the back of the group. Arguably the most impressive reliever has been Trevor Hildenberger, and that’s a development Twins fans can get behind. Hildenberger was a 26-year-old pitching at Triple-A Rochester in 2017. He owned a 1.57 ERA across 171.2 minor league innings pitched, and as a 22nd round pick out of Cal Berkeley, was never lauded as a top prospect. Despite an impressive 10.5 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9 in his time on the farm, he needed to scratch and claw his way up the ladder to the big leagues. Owning a low-90’s fastball, this was a sidearmer that does it through deception more than velocity. Plenty of things can go wrong for a guy like that, and after initial success, they did. As a rookie in 2017, Hildenberger quickly became one of Paul Molitor’s favorite options out of the bullpen. Across 42 innings he posted a 3.21 ERA backed by a 3.02 FIP and 9.4 K/9 with a 1.3 BB/9. Essentially, he continued to be everything he was on the farm and then some. Going into 2018, Molitor continued to rely on his new toy, but this time likely rode him right into the ground. Posting a 2.06 ERA through his first 36 games, Trevor had been used in almost half of the Twins contests for a total of 39.1 IP. From June 30 forward, Molitor turned to Hildenberger another 37 times for a total of 33.2 IP that saw him turn in a 9.36 ERA. Fast forward to 2019 and we’ve got a fresh Trevor Hildenberger with a few more pen options to turn to. On the season, Trevor has thrown 7.2 IP allowing no earned runs, striking out 11.7 per nine, and giving up free passes at just a 2.3 BB/9 clip. To put it mildly, Hildenberger has been nothing short of exceptional. We have been down this road before however, and Minnesota will need to monitor workload to avoid a second straight season of burnout. The Twins have played 19 games thus far, and Hildenberger has pitched in 11 of them. The 19 inherited runners Trevor has been handed is the most in baseball, and his 14 inherited runners stranded is five more than Rangers reliever Shawn Kelley, who comes in second. Operating as the Twins fire man, Hildenberger has come in during the highest of leverage, and slammed the door at a relatively high clip. It’s not so much that it’s a surprise Minnesota is getting solid production out of Hildenberger. He’s proven capable of performing in big moments for significant stretches over the course of his major league career. What we’ll need to keep tabs on, and be mindful of, is how much this could factor into potential issues down the stretch. Right now, Hildenberger, Taylor Rogers, and Blake Parker have been assets for Baldelli. Ryne Harper has been a nice surprise, and there’s some potential reinforcements on the way. Generating more production that that of just four or five arms is a must, however. Another option must emerge so that it’s not always on Hildenberger to carry the load. Good news is that Minnesota looks to have their developed relief star back to himself in 2019. The flip side is that they’ll need to avoid going down a similar path to what took place a year ago. For now, though, take solace in the fact that when a sidearming righty runs in with runners on, they’re likely to wind up failing to cross home plate. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

At the highest level, one of the Twins most prized pitching prospects settled into a groove for his best start on the young season. A scary scene in Pensacola halted the action in the midst of a victory. Down in Fort Myers, it was a less than ideal way to end a road trip, but home cooking is on the horizon. Read about all the action below.TRANSACTIONS Cedar Rapids OF DaShawn Keirsey Jr. placed on 7-day IL with a right hip strain RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 5, Syracuse 4 Box Score Coming into 2019 Lewis Thorpe was among my favorite picks for a Twins prospect to debut at the big leagues sooner than anticipated. He’d put together a strong 2018, and looks the part of a rotation contributor at the highest level. Unfortunately his 2019 didn’t get off to a great start, but that changed today. Finishing one out shy of making it through six complete innings, Thorpe allowed just two runs on four hits while issuing a single free pass. The eye-popping number during his start was the 12 Syracuse batters he set down on strikes. He was also very efficient on the day, throwing 64 of 94 pitches for strikes. Scoring finally got underway in the middle innings. Randy Cesar drove in both LaMonte Wade and Wilin Rosario on a single to left fielder Tim Tebow. From there, Luke Raley helped to put up another pair of runs on his second homer of the season in the bottom half of the fifth. Thorpe ceded his two runs in the sixth, and while the Mets closed the deficit with single runs in the seventh and eighth, Rochester responded. Rosario, the former Rockies catcher, launched his fourth long ball of the year to put the good guys in the lead going into the ninth. Preston Guilmet was able to shut it down for the save. BLUE WAHOOS BITES Pensacola 5, Biloxi 2 Box Score Rolling through his start looking sharp, as he has all of 2019, Devin Smeltzer turned in four strong innings allowing two runs (one earned) while fanning four and walking one. Disaster struck when he was hit in the head by a comebacker sending him to the floor. He was able to walk off the field under his own power, but it was no doubt a scary scene nonetheless. The Blue Wahoos gave their starter a lead early in this one. Jimmy Kerrigan drew a bases-loaded walk to plate the first run in the top of the first inning. Adding two more in the second, singles from Jordan Gore and Brian Schales scored Joe Cronin and Luis Arraez respectively. After allowing the Shuckers to draw within one in the bottom half of the second, Pensacola added some distance in the sixth. Tanner English drove in Arraez to score his second run of the night, and a throwing error attempting to nail Schales gave Gore the chance to scamper home. Up by three with three innings to play, that was enough for Adam Bray and Sam Clay to slam the door. MIRACLE MATTERS St. Lucie 7, Fort Myers 2 Box Score Identical organizations squaring off as in the Triple-A action today, this one saw the Mets top the Twins farmhands. Jhoan Duran lasted just one out into the fourth inning, and needed 71 pitches to get there. Five strikeouts was a nice tally, but three runs and three walks while allowing four hits could’ve certainly been better. St. Lucie put up all of their damage in the fourth inning. Breaking a 0-0 tie, the Mets plated seven runs and raced out to a big lead. A Ryan Jeffers single in the sixth scored Jose Miranda, but the only other run came on Ryan Costello’s second home run of the year in the top of the ninth inning. Generating just five hits as a team, Fort Myers will look to wake up the offense again tomorrow when they host the Stone Crabs back home. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities Postponed- Rain TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) – 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 12 K Twins Daily Hitter(s) of the Day – Jordan Gore (Pensacola) 2-3, 2 R, RBI, 3 BB PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) – 0-5, 2 K #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - Injured List #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) – Did Not Pitch #4 - Trevor Larnach (Ft. Myers) – 1-5 #5 - Wander Javier (EST) - No Game #6 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) – 1-4, K #7 - Jhoan Duran (Ft. Myers) – 3.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K #8 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) – 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 12 K #9 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Did Not Pitch #10 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) – 0-4, BB, 2 K #11 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - Injured List #12 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) - Injured List #13 - Ryan Jeffers (Ft. Myers) – 1-4, RBI, 2 K #14 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) – Did Not Play #15 - Yunior Severino (Cedar Rapids) - Injured List #16 - Gilberto Celestino (Cedar Rapids) – No Game #17 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - Did Not Pitch #18 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) - Did not play #19 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) - Did Not Pitch #20 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) – 0-3, R WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Lehigh Valley (5:30PM CST) – RHP Zack Littell (0-2, 7.71 ERA) Pensacola @ Biloxi (6:35PM CST) – RHP Griffin Jax (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Charlotte @ Fort Myers (5:30PM CST) – LHP Tyler Watson (0-1, 4.09 ERA) Beloit @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Jordan Balazovic (1-1, 2.79 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games! Click here to view the article

Have been thinking about this piece as I've tweeted my disgust the past two nights. I don't really know what the premise or point of this blog was other than highlighting that the surface numbers were ok. I touched on what lied beneath while giving the front office credit. It blew up way faster than they hoped I'd imagine though, and something needs to be done!

Typically there's only about 2-3 "1st Bowman" cards per team in any given Bowman product. Since many of the Twins top guys have had theirs already, it's probably a tough act to figure out who's worth including from a value standpoint. I'd imagine they'll have 3 or 4 in Bowman Chrome later this year.

Once a standalone competitor of the Topps Company, Bowman was acquired following the 1955 Major League Baseball season. Fast forward to 1989 and Bowman has become a staple in the card collecting space. Focused on delivering minor leaguers or up and coming prospects, the yearly offerings are gobbled up like candy by those interested in the hobby. Bowman Baseball 2019 hits shelves on April 17, and this new offering is not expected to be any different. For each mainstream Bowman offering, the collecting focus is placed on a few key areas. First and foremost, the cards producing the highest level of desire are those designated as a player’s “1st Bowman” card. Chrome holds more value than paper base cards, and colored parallels generate an even higher level of scarcity. Obviously, the autographed cards carry the highest premium, and the collector’s focus is to view the product through the lens of a stock market. With many unproven players, holding until a certain level of production creates the most value is where Bowman draws most of its allure. The Twins have one of the best farm systems in baseball, but many of their top prospects are already beyond “1st Bowman” cards. At any rate, there’s plenty to be excited about here for Minnesota fans. Base Set Split into base sets featuring both prospects and big leaguers, Minnesota is well represented in Bowman Baseball 2019. On the big-league side, there’s rookie cards of Willians Astudillo and Jake Cave. The veteran duo includes Jose Berrios and Eddie Rosario. Looking at prospects, Minnesota touts Brusdar Graterol, Brent Rooker, Royce Lewis, Alex Kirilloff, and Ryan Costello’s 1st Bowman card. Each of the prospects also has a chrome version to chase. Inserts Bowman isn’t a checklist focused on inserts, but there’s a handful of subsets to be made from the master. The Top 100 and Talent Pipeline inserts are mainstays, and Sterling Continuity returns this year. You can find Kirilloff, Lewis, Graterol, Rooker, and Nick Gordon represented among these offerings. Each of the insert cards should be of the chrome variety. Hits Bowman is traditionally a hit driven product, with the chrome prospect autographs carrying the biggest premium. There’s no relics in this product, and everything will be signed on card. You can expect a couple of players to be offered through redemptions. The Twins have two cards in the chrome prospect autograph checklist. Costello debuts his 1st Bowman autograph, and Andrew Bechtold joins this group with his 1st as well. Royce Lewis will have signed versions of his Top 100 card, and Brusdar will offer up his signature on the Bowman Sterling set. With just four total autographed cards in the entire product, group breaks should have you picking up the Twins on the cheap. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Today is a day like many other days during the Major League Baseball season. There’s both day and night games, and teams across the nation have scheduled contests. Unlike other days, today is a day in which every major leaguer will wear number 42. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, and his digits forever remain retired paying homage to his efforts. More than just a color barrier though, this is a story of equality. Although baseball has come a long ways in that vein, there’s still one large stain on the sport. The reality is that minor league baseball is the lifeblood of future major league generations. It’s on the farm that baseball dreams are realized, and the players earning those promotions are effectively rising towards the ultimate goal. Regrettably, minor league baseball is classified as an apprenticeship, stifled on an earnings scale, and publicly lobbied against in respect to livable conditions. It’s been a problem for years, and the discussion is finally heating up. Exactly one month ago today, a writer from Michigan flipped the conversation on its head. Emily Waldon, an emerging talent recently hired by The Athletic, penned a piece that effectively dropped a bomb on Minor League Baseball as a whole. No longer was the discussion regarding the minor league pay scale cordoned to select avenues of Twitter or held back by the small audience passionately discussing the topic. Waldon’s piece, in which she talked with a handful of people directly impacted by the harsh reality, reached and audience a long time coming. When the story originally came out, the Tweets we’re shared thousands of times. The lines were poured over, the story itself was retold and rippled throughout baseball. Waldon not only presented factual and accurate information, but she did so in a way that was conveyed with the utmost journalistic ability. Heartstrings were tugged, action was demanded, and thought was provoked. Emily didn’t know she’d be here, she didn’t realize this would be a path she’d blaze, and she certainly couldn’t have predicted being this catalyst. “Honestly, I never had the goal of being involved on the minor league circuit, it just sort of fell in my lap…The track that led to the farm system was purely to fill a need for the site I was writing for and just sort of unfolded from that point.” Even after writing such an impactful piece, Waldon realizes this isn’t about her and sees the issue as something needing to be addressed. Rather than credit what has taken place, or acknowledge the necessary discussion sparked, this has just been the culmination of work she is passionate about. “There have been many people before me who have written about these issues. My piece was really just a move to try and shed more of an honest light into how the season goes for the players and their families.” It's because of her ability, track record, and previous work that this was even able to come to fruition. “I've wanted to write that piece for a long time. The issue and biggest challenge was gaining enough trust from the players for them to give me their experiences.” Clearly, it’s not lost on Waldon that there’s much more than a story being uncovered here, and the lasting impact is something that is an actionable goal when the dust settles. As we jump back to today, change has occurred and while it isn’t monumental in number, it’s massive from an impact standpoint. Just three days after Emily’s report the Toronto Blue Jays announced that minor leaguers would receive a 50% pay raise. Obviously MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark approved of the decision, but it’s one that the major league union needs to put more pressure on. Working towards a livable wage presents a competitive advantage for Toronto’s organization, and while that shouldn’t be a driving factor, it making a production-based impact for even one prospect would provide significant return on investment. Staying true to how she has represented herself, Waldon saw the reaction to her piece through the eyes of humility and gratefulness. A landscape altering article, from the hard work of someone who has risen to national prominence on her own, the reaction was simply thankfulness. ” The response blew me away. It's what I wanted but had no idea what to expect. Players were very pleased, and I received a lot of good feedback from team officials, as well. I was very humbled by how well it was accepted.” For as much good has come from this reality being placed in a greater light, and for as much notoriety has been shed on the abilities of Emily Waldon, this is just the beginning. The Toronto Blue Jays took swift and measured action, but right now, they are alone. Minor League ballplayers are still grinding away at their craft. Small cities across the country play host to teams with a couple thousand fans in attendance. Although not every one of these players is the next Mike Trout, each of them is putting in the work to help their organization achieve the ultimate goal. Discussing equality doesn’t always take place regarding the same circumstances. There’s never going to be a time in which any avenue of society should cease striving to be better. We’re always working towards something, and with this story Emily can end us like this, “My hope is more players get on board with what the Blue Jays have done. The players aren't expecting Major League salaries, but they need to know their organizations support them enough to boost compensation.” No one is looking for a change that shatters expectations, but the game of baseball continuing to be one that does truly breed equality needs to trickle down a few levels farther. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Ask any long-standing Minnesota Twins fan and one of the most repeated mantras they’ll have heard about the goals of the big league team is pitching to contact. We’ve seen an adjustment in that department with minor leaguers pushing triple-digit heat, and a pitching coach known as a velocity guru. Another oft-repeated principle is slapping the ball the other way, and that may be dying before our eyes.Across major league baseball, the shift is now commonplace in an attempt to get batters out. Every team does it, and in fact, Minnesota is an organization that employs it at one of the highest clips. With the shift on, your goal is to downplay the strengths of an opposing batter. It’s less about worrying whether a bunt gets dropped down, or the hitter can change their approach and simply “go the other way” on some smoke, than it is taking away the highest percentage of batted balls. Truly beating the shift isn’t about going around it, but rather, going over it. The launch angle revolution is something that’s caught on across the big leagues, and while keyboard managers everywhere debate its viability the principles are sound. Hitting the ball in the air, harder, is going to produce positive results far more often than anything on the ground. Although often this is mentally categorized simply as fly balls, both home runs and rocket line drives fall into this optimal category as well. David Ortiz, arguably the largest stain on Terry Ryan’s career, getting away was in part because of an inability for the organization to work within a player’s abilities. Rather than get left behind in the current game, it seems Minnesota is maybe leading the charge in some respects. Back in 2017 Minnesota owned the third-lowest ground ball to fly ball ratio. They improved upon that factor a season ago, finishing with the second lowest tally in the big leagues. While the sample size is tiny, Rocco Baldelli’s club currently owns a 0.86 GB/FB ratio, trailing only the Seattle Mariners (0.83). So, what can we deduce from this information? The reality is launch angle isn’t useful on its own, as is the case with many advanced metrics. Pairing launch angle with exit velocity however gives you a formula for some quantifiable positive. That is to say, hit the ball higher, harder, and watch what happens. Seems like common sense right? Here’s what the Twins are doing right now, today, with that second-lowest GB/FB rate. Currently they’re only 20th in hard hit percentage. Mitch Garver is actually leading the club in barrels per plate appearance, and he’s top-10 in the big leagues with his output. Also let’s remind ourselves that fly balls include line drives, and Minnesota’s 19.4% is only 20th in all of baseball for that category. Where the outlook appears a bit shinier, the Twins' .315 BABIP is eighth best in all of baseball (Seattle’s .328 is 4th). With the numbers above, we can see that the results of an updated process currently look like. Now, let’s add some context to who is actually generating these inputs. Over the winter the Twins front office added thumping bats like Nelson Cruz, Jonathan Schoop, and C.J. Cron. Right now, Cruz owns the 10th highest hard hit rate in baseball, with Schoop not far behind at 22nd. Stretch a bit further and Jorge Polanco is just under 50% hard hit, but checks in one place ahead of superstar Mike Trout. Generating hard contact, like we discussed with launch angle, is not all that valuable in a vacuum. Pairing it with zone control, and optimal launch angle, is a formula for strong production though. This is where the idea that teams wanting big power guys and not caring about strikeouts breaks down. What we know is that strikeouts are as damaging as any of the other 27 outs within a game. They aren’t more detrimental, and sometimes, they can be even less harmful. Shying away from a player because he strikes out isn’t a worthwhile proposition for organizations today. The guys who succeed however, are not those who do so despite the strikeouts, but rather in spite of them. Joey Gallo, Giancarlo Stanton, and Khris Davis all fanned at least 175 times in 2018, but each of them had an OPS north of .800. Their strikeouts weren’t a problem because of the ability they showed to command the zone in any other situation. Rather than making soft contact, or simply putting the ball in play, they were taking walks or doing damage each time they were at the plate. I’m not here to suggest that Cruz, Schoop, Cron or any number of Twins hitters is going to finish 2019 in the upper tier of power hitters. What I do think is worth watching however, is whether or not a consistent command of the zone and strong plate approach becomes a regular expectation for these guys. If that does wind up being the outcome, it appears Minnesota’s strategy to get the ball off the ground and hit it hard, will result in a positive outcome this organization has long not achieved. Click here to view the article

On the farm today, the Twins system had a split between day matinee action and nighttime offerings. Across the system, there were a couple of strong starting performances, and despite early offense, a few games saw things get a bit too close late. Check out all of the action below.TRANSACTIONS Minnesota Twins Recall LHP Andrew Vasquez Option RHP Chase De Jong to Triple-A Rochester Red Wings Received RHP Sean Poppen from Double-A Pensacola RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 8, Syracuse 2 Box Score Sean Poppen was promoted prior to the game in order to make his Triple-A debut. Although not lights out, he was more than good enough on Wednesday. Turning in five innings of work, Poppen scattered five hits and two runs while walking three and fanning five. In line for the win when he bowed out, the bullpen got the job done and secured his first victory at the new level. Rochester jumped out to an early lead in this one against former Twins starter Hector Santiago. Veteran Wilin Rosario smacked a two-run shot in the first that put the good guys in the lead. Damage against Poppen came in the form of a single run each of the next two innings, and the game headed to the third inning deadlocked at two. Another former Twins hurler, Ryan O’Rourke, was on the bump for Syracuse in the sixth when he uncorked a wild pitch. Jordany Valdespin made it hurt as he crossed home plate and put the Red Wings back on top. Looking for some breathing room, Rochester broke out in a big way to start the ninth inning. Randy Cesar ripped his third double to drive in LaMonte Wade. A Wynston Sawyer single scored both Cesar and Wilin Rosario pushing the tally to 6-2. Valdespin then notched his first double of the season to score Zander Wiel and Sawyer. The 8-2 score went unchanged as Austin Adams locked it down and recorded his first save of the season. BLUE WAHOOS BITES Pensacola 5, Jacksonville 4 Box Score Twins prospect Jorge Alcala was on the bump for this one, and he improved to 2-0 on the season after another strong outing. Going five innings, he ceded just two runs while issuing no free passes and striking out four. Leaving the game with a 4-2 lead, the bullpen and lineup made sure to preserve the victory. Drew Maggi started off the scoring in the second inning with a solo blast, his first dinger in the Twins organization. Jimmy Kerrigan then doubled to score Brian Schales and Pensacola headed to the third up 2-0. After a Brian Schales fourth inning homer, also his first of the year and in the organization, the Blue Wahoo stepped out to a 3-0 tally going into the 5th inning. The Jumbo Shrimp began to claw back making it 3-2 before the bottom half of the fifth, but a Jaylin Davis solo blast gave Pensacola some breathing room once again. Schales then helped the cause again in the seventh. After Jacksonville drew within one, his second double of the season plated Davis to put the Wahoos back up by two at 5-3. Jacksonville got within one before this contest was over, but Ryan Mason worked 1 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball to secure the victory and pick up his first save on the season. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 4, Dunedin 0 Box Score After having Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in their lineup the past few days, Dunedin looked to take the field without the uber-prospect today. Fort Myers gave Royce Lewis his first day of rest this season, and the Miracle threw up a shutout in the matinee. Bryan Sammons earned his first victory on the year finishing one out shy of six innings pitched. He allowed just two hits on the afternoon and fanned eight batters while walking three. Scoring in this one was hard to come by, and after the Miracle jumped out to an early lead, that was enough to be the difference. A three-run second inning was sparked by doubles from Aaron Whitefield and Mark Contreras. The two teams would go scoreless until the 8th when Lewin Diaz, last night’s hero, drove in Jose Miranda on a sac fly. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 5, Kane County 4 Box Score Looking for their second win on the young season the Kernels sent Blayne Enlow to the mound. Hoping to rebound from an ugly 2019 debut, the Twins prospect left after five quality innings. Generating five strikeouts and walking just one while allowing only one run, this is a start the Louisiana product can build off of. Cedar Rapids found themselves in a 1-0 hole after the first inning, but they rebounded quickly with a run of their own in the second. Jean Carlos Arias reached first on a throwing error allowing Trey Cabbage to notch the first run for the home team. From there, the Kernels looked to put distance between themselves and the Cougars. A four-run fifth inning had the home team up by a 5-1 tally. Yunior Severino singled to right, and Chris Williams grabbed his first double of the season. Up 3-1 after those two at-bats, Williams came across after an error on a Trey Cabbage at bat, and Andrew Bechtold singled to drive in Cabbage. With the bases juiced in the eigth inning things got a bit dicey for Cedar Rapids. The Cougars ripped off a bases-clearing double that reduced the deficit to just one run. Joe Record came on in the ninth to slam the door however, and grabbed his first save of the season while striking out the side. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K Twins Daily Hitter(s) of the Day – Wilin Rosario (Rochester) – 1-4, HR(2), 2 R, 2 RBI PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) – Did Not Play #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - Injured List #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) – Did Not Pitch #4 - Trevor Larnach (Ft. Myers) - 2-4 #5 - Wander Javier (EST) - No Game #6 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) – 0-4, K #7 - Jhoan Duran (Ft. Myers) - Did Not Pitch #8 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) - Did Not Pitch #9 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K #10 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) – 0-4 #11 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - Injured List #12 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) - Injured List #13 - Ryan Jeffers (Ft. Myers) – Did Not Play #14 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) – 0-2, R, BB, 2 K #15 - Yunior Severino (Cedar Rapids) – 1-4, RBI #16 - Gilberto Celestino (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4, R #17 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - Did Not Pitch #18 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – 2-3, 2 R, BB #19 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) – 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K #20 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) – 1-3, R WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Syracuse (12:05PM CST) – LHP Lewis Thorpe (0-1, 20.25 ERA) Jacksonville @ Pensacola (6:35PM CST) – RHP Brusdar Graterol (0-0, 193 ERA) Dunedin @ Fort Myers (12:00PM CST) – RHP Jhoan Duran (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Kane County @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Jordan Balazovic (1-0, 1.80 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games! Click here to view the article

Over the winter, the Minnesota Twins invested heavily on their infrastructure throughout the organization. Not only were a handful of new coaching and developmental staff brought in, but new technology was introduced to generate more production out of the same players. We’re just a couple weeks into the 2019 season, but there’s some very promising developments that have taken place on the 25-man roster. Any number of storylines could be generated from the early performances a handful of Twins players have put up. Without a bit more substantiation to the numbers though, I think it’s just worth noting some of the eye-popping production that has taken place thus far. Jorge Polanco began his 2019 with a bang, becoming the 11th player in Twins history to hit for the cycle. Just a couple days later, he missed the feat by falling a double short. Through nine games, his 0.8 fWAR is tied for 8th in baseball, and is already half of his career best season (2017). A 51.6% hard hit rate is almost double his career average, and the contract extension is looking like a massive bargain for the Twins. Mitch Garver owns the second highest fWAR among Twins position players, and his 16.7% barrels/plate appearance ranks 6th in all of baseball. He became the third player ever to hit two home runs off Jacob deGrom in a single game, and his offensive prowess looks as evident as ever. Behind the dish his defensive adjustments have been evident and generating extra strikes by presenting a stronger zone has seemed to show up plenty. Jose Berrios has been as advertised. A dark horse Cy Young candidate, his 0.7 fWAR is tied for third in baseball among pitchers. Command has been sharper than it’s ever been, and the addition of a devastating changeup has him looking like a whole new level of lethal. Across three starts, he’s absolutely dominated the two better teams (Cleveland and Philadelphia), en route to posting a 2.18 ERA. He’s looked the part of a staff ace for a while, but the emergence to a true ace is something that would be more than welcomed. Byron Buxton is familiar with slow starts, but 2019 hasn’t been anything close to that. He’s batting .292 and owns an .846 OPS through his first 26 plate appearances. Looking more aggressive at the plate, Buxton has sat on pitches to generate a career best 33% hard hit rate. He’s laid off the breaking ball down and away, and he’s ripping off doubles at an impressive pace. Staying healthy will remain a key focus here, but it looks like the breakout we’ve been waiting for is finally upon us. We’ll need to wait for things to play out in order to draw any concrete conclusions this season. With over 150 games still to go, we’re just getting started. If any of these early indications for the Twins turn out to hold significant weight as the schedule draws on though, we should be in for quite the ride. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Going into the 2019 Major League Baseball season there were few areas on the Minnesota Twins 25-man roster that looked more questionable than the bullpen. After bringing in Blake Parker and no one else, the front office turned away from opportunities to significantly bolster their relief corps. We’re just eight games in at this point, but so far, it appears the decision to look internally may be a warranted one. Despite Minnesota having a ridiculous amount of off days to kick off new year, Rocco Baldelli has turned to relievers for a grand total of 30.0 IP thus far. Across those innings, the new skipper’s faith has been rewarded to the tune of a 2.70 ERA, good for sixth best in baseball. From there, the secondary numbers tell a more cautionary tale, but it’s in avoiding real damage that the group has succeeded. Coming into the game at key points following a starter’s initial work, avoiding blow ups or added opportunity is the goal of a reliever. Although the ERA of the group is a shiny tally, the strikeouts and walks are a bit concerning. Minnesota relievers have fanned just 7.8 batters per nine innings (22nd) and have allowed 5.1 walks per nine (7th worst). Dancing around the danger is a result of the ball staying in the yard. Owning the second-best HR/9 rate (0.30) in the big leagues, along with a major league best 3.0 HR/FB rate, has helped the pen to keep runners stranded. Usually working with runners on base is a less than idea reality, but if you’re going to work around it, generating soft contact is a must. The 19.5% hard hit rate is a major league low by nearly 7%, and it’s allowed this group plenty of opportunity for outs when the ball is put in play. Over the past two seasons, the Twins have shifted more than almost any other team in baseball. By playing to the percentages, while generating suboptimal contact, you can expect a good deal of success. Obviously as the season goes on and the sample size grows, a 5.0 BB/9 rate won’t be sustainable. Minnesota needs guys coming on that can put the ball by hitters and send them back to the dugout. Given the relative uncertainty of the group and specific pitchers, handing out free passes is also not a good plan. Those things do need to change, but there’s a pretty good skeleton to work from at this point. Baldelli, and Wes Johnson, will be tasked with empowering their staff all season long. Parker is far from a proven closer, May is still getting settled, Mejia is new to relieving, and Harper is still more story than track record. Trust will be built up well into the summer, but it’s also been displayed early. Between letting Adalberto Mejia come back after a long outing to get pivotal outs against the Phillies or asking curveball master Ryne Harper to get out of a high leverage jam ,the Twins staff is setting forth a plan with eyes on October. Given the relative volatility of relievers, and even more so when they are green and unexperienced, keeping regression at bay is a must. Taylor Rogers looks like a bonafide star, and Trevor Hildenberger has become a proven commodity. The rest of the group following their lead and giving Rocco a greater sense of comfort should build rapport for necessary work months from now. The Twins relievers have been great in the results department to date, even if there’s warts under the surface. The opportunities will remain present, and the belief in these guys from the front office will be a key focus the rest of the way. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Here’s the reality, the 2019 Minnesota Twins are plenty talented. This team is good enough to challenge the Cleveland Indians for the AL Central division title, and they’re built to win a postseason series. They aren’t a juggernaut however, and that’s more than OK. Teams like the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics of 2018 exist because they win in situations where the outcome is somewhat left to chance. Through their first five games, Minnesota has stolen opportunity when left up for grabs, and that couldn’t have been more apparent in than the final game in Kansas City on Wednesday afternoon.Setting the stage a bit: Kyle Gibson had a less than ideal outing. Although he cruised through four innings ceding just one run, there’s no denying that he danced around a certain level of danger. In the fifth, the good fortune ran out and the Royals hung a five spot on the Twins starter. After building a 3-1 lead the inning prior, Rocco Baldelli’s club found themselves looking at a 6-3 deficit with just four innings to play. What took place from that point forward is where this story begins. The Twins lineup put up runs in three of the next four innings, heading into the bottom of the ninth clinging to a 7-6 lead. This lineup, which has been infused with power bats and fresh faces, took good hacks at the plate while forcing counts in their favor. Coming back from a three-run deficit, they allowed the bullpen an opportunity to steal a win out of what looked like a defeat. In the bottom of the ninth inning Whit Merrifield stepped to the plate, and the tone was set. Mitch Garver, who was more than overwhelmed defensively in 2018, took over the game. Trevor May had gotten behind to the tune of a 3-1 count and poured in a fastball on the outside corner of the zone. Garver stuck the pitch and attacked it, allowing home plate umpire Jeff Kellogg to accurately call it a strike. A season ago, Garver likely lets the pitch get in on him or drift, and it would no longer present as a pitch within the strike zone. Download attachment: pjimage (2).jpg After generating that strike, which Merrifield believed was ball four, May went back to the corner of the zone but slightly missed his spot. Garver set up low and Trevor’s fastball drifted outside and off the plate. Because Garver was able to grab the strike just a pitch earlier in the at-bat, the Royals outfielder chased this one and rolled a weak grounder to second base. With such a strong hitter at the plate, and only a one run lead to protect, that at-bat set up the Twins to hang on in the game. We’re far too early in the season to put any stock in advanced defensive metrics. That said, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone closely observing the Twins not taking notice of Garver’s step forward. He’s got a much stronger command of the zone, is setting up behind the plate in a way that allows the umpire a better vantage point, and in general his defense appears to have taken significant strides forward. For both Garver and the pitching staff, this is a development that will no doubt equate to a few more wins over the course of a full season. On top of this specific instance, Minnesota won their second one-run game of the season by closing out the Royals. A season ago the Twins went 15-21 in one-run contests. They didn’t win their second one-run game on the road until June 28th. In completing the two-game sweep of Kansas City, Minnesota busted out the brooms over a full month earlier than last year. Winning the close games, and beating a team they should, are two areas of welcomed development for this big-league slate. It’s early and will remain that way until spring turns to summer. Taking care of business as often as possible helps to set up a much more manageable path to the postseason, however. Minnesota leads the division by a game currently. They haven’t experienced a 2.0 game lead since June 15, 2017 and haven’t led by more than 3.0 games since October 3, 2010. Continuing to put themselves in a position where they can win in these small scenarios, or key instances, is what will eventually vault this team to a place to which they aspire. Mitch Garver setting up an important out in April isn’t a huge deal. Coming back to win a one-run game against the Royals before May likely gets forgotten. Replicate these situations as often as possible however, and you’ll have a season in which a strong process is driving equally strong results. Click here to view the article

Starting 2019 with two divisional series gives the Minnesota Twins some immediate opportunity. Rocco Baldelli’s club took the opening series against the AL Central favorite Cleveland Indians, and they’ll now have a chance to grab more important victories against the Kansas City Royals. Looking back at 2018 and how it played out, it’s clear that the key to this club taking the next step lies in grabbing the victories they’re supposed to. Last season the AL Central was historically bad. Minnesota played into that futility, but they certainly didn’t find themselves in the doldrums inhabited by the White Sox, Tigers, and Royals. Knowing how bad those three clubs were, it was important for the hometown club to get fat while competing against them. They accomplished that feat going 12-7 against both Chicago and Detroit, but a 9-10 record against Kansas City certainly wasn’t going to get it done. Looking over the results put up against the competition, there’s lots of area for extra wins to be squeaked out. The Royals are the most notable club in which Minnesota must wallop, but the reality is that they need to play much better against everyone outside of the division as well. Baldelli is going to want to improve upon an 8-12 interleague record and being on the wrong end against too many American League foes was a suboptimal reality. Beyond the teams they lost too, it was the losses themselves that were unfortunate as well. In one run games, the Twins went 15-21 a season ago. There’s a decent amount of luck in close games, but there’s also bullpen factors that generally didn’t play in favor of the Twins. Blowout games had last year’s club looking at a 20-22 record with a -39 run differential. Although not incredibly lopsided, the run differential led to a Pythagorean win total of one game less than where they ended up. It’s unfortunate that Minnesota doesn’t see Cleveland more while they’re dealing with injuries here in the early going. They do get Kansas City for two though, and then have ten games against the Blue Jays and Orioles within a two-week span to end the month. It’s those opportunities that have the potential to be season defining for this collection. Beating teams they should needs to be a mantra in 2019, and there’s a trio of opponents within the division that fall into the same category. There’s no reason to draw significant conclusions from the early going in a 162-game regular season, but the reality is that taking care of business from the get-go sets up a road that is much more manageable down the stretch. Baldelli can’t let this team leave April with a record reminiscent of the 9-15 they were last season, and there should be plenty of opportunity for them to be much better than that. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

In what equates to the smallest of sample sizes, the Minnesota Twins thumped the Cleveland Indians all over the diamond to begin the 2019 season. Jose Berrios, Jake Odorizzi, Michael Pineda, and Martin Perez baffled Tribe hitters, and the home team looked like one worthy of competing in the AL Central division. Sure, this Terry Francona lineup was watered down in almost every way imaginable, but that’s really the backbone of this argument isn’t it? Through his team’s first three games, Francona has needed to trout out Eric Stamets, Max Moroff, and Jordan Luplow for meaningful at bats. Brad Miller started at second base despite being inked to a deal just a week ago, and Tyler Naquin struck out in six of his seven at bats. 23-year-old Jake Bauers is the starting left fielder after being moved on from by the Rays, and Roberto Perez looked as much like Drew Butera behind the plate as he did standing in front of it. Sure, Francisco Lindor is not in this current lineup, and Jose Ramirez is still probably shaking off some lingering effects caused by a near-serious injury. All offseason though, the talk of this team surrounded the possibility of dealing one or both of Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer, which only further highlights the notion of pitching and not much else. Lindor and Ramirez are truly an elite tandem for the Indians, but can they be expected to top what amounted to career years a season ago? Even if they do, with a watered-down sum of parts, will it matter for Cleveland? We are nowhere near a point that conclusions can be made regarding the Twins, Indians, or the division. This small of a sample size only gives us numbers that are fun to illogically dream upon. The opening that was wondered about over the offseason appears to at least be a potential reality as the games begin to matter. The Twins did what they needed to in taking a series at home from the reigning division winner. They did so by executing in multiple facets of the action, and it was a ball being put in play away from a sweep. For both clubs, we’ll need to at least head into June before any real conclusions can be drawn. Rocco Baldelli will continue to have his team prepared on a game-by-game basis until that point, but you can bet the goal will also be to put distance between themselves and the club that did little to stay on top. Ownership for the Indians has publicly stated that players like Lindor may not be affordable for the long haul, and we’ve already seen them fail to supplement for an offseason. Further lack of fan interest and an emergence from this Twins club should continue to spell disaster for the 2016 runner up, and in Twins Territory that’s all we can hope for. It certainly helps that the bottom trio of divisional opponents should spend the year in the doldrums, but the reality is that Minnesota was always going to need to knock off Cleveland for any real run of significance. Doing so out of the gate is something to build upon, and they’ll have plenty more opportunity to do so as the year progresses. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Opening day 2019 is nearly upon us, and while the Minnesota Twins look to take the next step toward a return to the postseason, they’ll do so with as green of a manager as possible at the helm. The Woonsocket Rocket is just 37 years old, and Rocco Baldelli has coaching experience in only one other organization. Working with the Tampa Bay Rays since 2015, he comes to Minnesota bright-eyed and with lots of promise. When we boil it down though, it’s results that matter.For the most part, managers in major league baseball are generally an “old boys club” of sorts. Talent is often recycled, and significant ties necessitating an interview are often present. While we’ve gotten to a period of progressive thinking from an organizational standpoint, many teams go with a relatively predictable commodity to head up the clubhouse. Looking back over the past decade or so, there’re only a handful of managers loosely relatable to what Minnesota will embark upon this season. Marrying the circumstances into more of a perfect storm, the sample size gets even smaller. Of the foursome examined, Chip Hale is the elder of the bunch. A former Twins player, he was selected as the Arizona Diamondbacks skipper at the age of 50. Interviewed and hired in the same cycle that Minnesota went with Paul Molitor, Hale entered a similar situation as the St. Paul native. The Diamondbacks were coming off a 64-win season and needed some life breathed into the club. Hale produced initially getting the Dbacks to a 79-83 record in his debut season. The finish was only good enough for third in the NL West however, and came in three games under their expected win total. A ten-game decline in 2016, on par with the expected win total, got Hale ousted from the job. With an affinity for former catchers myself, the longest tenured of this group is Mike Matheny. He was 41 back when St. Louis hired him in 2012, and he was brought into a great situation. Heralded skipper Tony La Russa called it a career and turned the reins of a World Series winning club over to the former Cardinals catcher. Matheny would lead St. Louis to six straight winning seasons, capturing division titles three times, and finishing third only in his second to last year. The message from the clubhouse had grown stale by 2018 though, and it was apparent there was little continued benefit to his leadership going forward. As the organization underwent somewhat of a transition from the old guard toward looking to the future, it became apparent that 2018 was a worthy time for a split. It’d be impossible to perform better in year one than Alex Cora did with the Boston Red Sox in 2018. The 42-year-old was gifted a 93-win team that failed to meet expectations. John Farrell had seemingly lost focus of the clubhouse, and this isn’t an organization that celebrates Postseason berths. After dipping out in the ALDS the year prior, Cora directed Boston to an MLB best 108 wins, and they dropped just three games en route to a World Series victory. Arguably the most interesting name of the group is also the most controversial. Also 42 years old, Gabe Kapler joined the Phillies with zero coaching experience. Working as a baseball analyst, he hadn’t been directly involved with a big-league team since he retired in 2010. Known and regarded as an outside-of-the-box thinker, and someone not afraid of trying new things, plenty was made about what the reception of Kapler would be in the clubhouse. He inherited a 66-win team and generated a 14-win improvement (beating the expected total by four games) during his first 162 game slate. Reviews from players around the league have been mixed on his style, but turmoil hasn’t spilled out of the clubhouse, and it’s hard not to be intrigued by what the next step forward could look like. For Minnesota, Baldelli isn’t the contrarian that Kapler is, but he certainly represents a similar level of green ability. Yes, he’s had a brief amount of experience in the coaching realm, but being the man is completely new to him. That said, there’s almost no better marriage between the initiatives of this current front office and the direction of the organization than what it appears he will provide. While Paul Molitor might have gotten a raw deal, it’s seemed that the vision of this front office is to have a manager who can be a driver for the principles and tactics deemed important by the baseball ops department. While not only being open to knew ideas, the right guy is likely someone who can also get buy-in from players and coaches across the board. Until the games are played, it’s impossible to quantify how the fit itself will work. Judging by the history above, we’ve seen that some initial success is directly correlated to what you’re being handed. This isn’t a revolutionary principle by any means, and while Minnesota took a step backwards winning 78 games in 2018, there’s a good set of puzzle pieces in this blueprint. Knowing that so much went wrong for the squad a year ago, a good deal has been added to the talent pool, and since the manager is handpicked and aligned with the front office, Baldelli should hopefully have been put in the optimal position to succeed. At the end of the day, there’s only so much statistical difference that can be felt from the man writing the lineups. Philadelphia likely won’t attribute all 14 games of improvement to Kapler directly, and that’s the same scenario Baldelli faces. Sure, he’s not going to be the lone piece of the puzzle, but he can be a key cog in a successful machine. As time goes on, we’ll figure out how a green manager, and a handful of newly appointed big-league coaches, work out. The opportunity is there for this group though, and much credit will be given to them if they’re able to run with it. Click here to view the article

Right now they're at $119, which is about $10MM under. It's also Opening Day payroll that was a record last year. It'd be great if the Twins are in a position to add as the season goes on, but it's starting out committed that's more impressive to me.

This week Gypsy Queen hits the market as the latest baseball offering from Topps. While it’s not a product that should be expected to produce massive hits, there’s plenty of excitement coming out of these boxes. Continuing with a consistent theme, the throwback to tobacco cards is present, but it’s also supplemented with a good deal of popping color. Available at both hobby and retail stores, there’s a few different avenues to rip into this product. If you want to go the route of guaranteed hits, expect to drop something near $100 on a hobby box. For the more budget conscious collector blaster boxes and gravity feeds will be present at local Target or Walmart’s. Getting your hands on the product shouldn’t be tough but knowing what you’ll want to look for from a Twins perspective is where we’re really focused here. Base Set Featuring a 300-card base set, the Minnesota Twins have 11 cards to account for. You’ll see many of the regular suspects, with nice appearances by Addison Reed, C.J. Cron, and Tyler Austin. Rookie cards include Jake Cave as well as fan favorite Willians Astudillo. There’s also a few short prints and variation subsets, and while Minnesota is not represented in all of them, both Eddie Rosario and Jose Berrios show up in the 20 card Player’s Weekend variation checklist. Inserts Gypsy Queen doesn’t do a ton of insert subsets, with just four in total. No Twins are featured on the Tarot of the Diamond, Power Performer Portrait, or Fortune Teller cards. Going away from the Glassworks oversized box topper cards of previous years, the product introduces a 100 card Chrome checklist for 2019. Minnesota lands three players (Rosario, Berrios, and Max Kepler) in this set, with an autograph version for former great Torii Hunter. Hits With booklets, unique relics, and on-card autographs, Gypsy Queen truly has some great hits to offer. From a traditional autograph standpoint, it’s Rosario and Hunter that appear on the checklist for Minnesota. This makes another product Topps has Torii in for 2019, and it appears he’ll be a key focus for the year ahead. The auto/patch booklet set has Berrios showing up with 20 cards and a 1/1. Both Rosario and Byron Buxton have auto/relic cards in the Bases Around the League checklist, and those cards are both serial numbered to 20. With the already mentioned Hunter chrome auto rounding out the group, that wraps up the 22-card offering for Twins fans. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz