Ted Schwerzler

Tonight, the 2018 Major League Baseball draft gets underway with the first round. As a handful of amateurs begin their professional careers, the event is one of the highlights to take place during the calendar year. After a very good 2017 season, Derek Falvey and Thad Levine won't have the luxury of the first overall pick this time around. Last season, the front office put together what was considered a very strong draft. They'll look to replicate those results this time around. A year removed from being selected, this day gives us an opportunity to look back on where the players taken in the first 10 rounds are at right now. With plenty of impact talent plucked off the board, Minnesota has been able to bolster the system as a whole by utilizing names from the 2017 class. With just around a year of pro baseball under their belts, here's where the newest Twins currently find themselves: Royce Lewis (1-1) As the number one overall pick a season ago, the Twins hit the nail on the head with Lewis. He's excelled at each level in his young pro career, and should jump to High-A Fort Myers shortly after his 19th birthday. Lewis owns a .312/.359/.422 slash line for the Kernels this year, and has been nothing short of a superstar on and off the field. Brent Rooker (1-35) Rooker was going to be put on an aggressive path as a senior sign and bat first player. He was sent to Double-A Chattanooga to begin 2018, and could see time with the Twins as early as next year. The .245/.287/.420 line has room for improvement, but he's been on a tear of late. The power has played plenty for Rooker, and the next hurdle to overcome is plate discipline (59/10 K/BB). Landon Leach (2-37) Participating in Extended Spring Training, Leach has not played in 2018. With the GCL Twins last season, he posted a 3.38 ERA across 13.1 IP. He's still settling in on the mound having made the transition from behind the plate. Blayne Enlow (3-76) One of the steals of the draft, Enlow has been great in his young career for Minnesota. He's pitching with Low-A Cedar Rapids, and despite dealing with some injury issues, owns a 3.81 ERA across seven starts. He's got room to develop into a more swing and miss pitcher, but the early returns have been plenty promising. Charlie Barnes (4-106) Spending all of 2018 thus far at High-A Fort Myers, Barnes has been steady. He owns a 4.42 ERA and has turned in 38.2 IP across eight starts. His offspeed stuff remains some of the best in the organization, and settling in to his other offerings will be key to his development. Andrew Bechtold (5-136) Regarded as another savvy pick by the Twins a year ago, the Juco product was seen as a nice bat. He's struggling at Cedar Rapids this year, positing just a .471 OPS across 40 games. Coming off an .829 OPS at Elizabethton last year, there's plenty of reason to believe he'll right the ship. His alma mater Chipola, just repeated as NJCAA National Champs. Ricardo De La Torre (6-166) Another EST participant, De La Torre has not yet played in 2018. He turns 19 next month, and will be assigned to another short season team. For the GCL Twins last season, he slashed .268/.341/.359 across 42 games. Ryley Widell (7-196) Widell just turned 21 and is currently at EST with the Twins. He played for E-Town last year, and could find his way to Cedar Rapids by the end of the year. He's yet to pitch this season, but posted a 2.43 ERA across 29.2 IP in his first professional season. Bryan Sammons (8-226) After making it to Cedar Rapids in his debut season a year ago, Sammons has spent the entirety of 2018 there. He's made eight starts thus far, and owns a very nice 2.70 ERA. Although the strikeouts have dipped to a 7.9 K/9, he's been very good with command, allowing just 2.7 BB/9. Mark Contreras (9-256) Spending just seven games in Iowa to start the year, Contreras was quickly promoted to High-A Fort Myers. He owns a .797 OPS in 30 games with the Miracle, and he's continuing to develop in the outfield. Calvin Faucher (10-286) Faucher has spent time with both Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers this season. He earned an early promotion, but then scuffled in his first taste of High-A. On the year, he owns a 1.06 ERA with Cedar Rapids in 17.0 IP, and a 7.30 ERA across 12.1 IP with the Miracle. Pushing for more strikeouts and less walks will help him to even things out. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

The Minnesota Twins had to place Byron Buxton back on the disabled list as of May 30. Playing through a broken toe, the pain was simply too much to bear and the decision needed to be made. With center field now up for grabs at the big league level, there appears to be a set of players that could make a lot of sense.First and foremost, the Buxton injury is unfortunate. Back when he first returned from the DL, I was on record as being fine with the decision to skip a rehab stint. Knowing full well that would negatively impact his hitting, the reality was that the outfield was a mess the more often they played without his defense. With the Twins having had the accurate information on the fracture far longer than the public , it’s irresponsible that Buxton was allowed to play despite not being able to swing comfortably. It’s one thing to play through pain, but Minnesota allowing Buxton to jeopardize himself further i\\was silly. What’s done is done at this point however, and Paul Molitor needs to move on with his lineup. The pitching has been there for this club most of the season, and it’s been the lineup that has simply fallen flat. What’s worse is that there aren’t going to be any promotions that immediately spark some sort of a turnaround. Sure, Nick Gordon could’ve (and should’ve) been promoted while Miguel Sano was on the DL. Outside of that though, the Minnesota doesn’t have any offensive impact prospects that present a groundbreaking opportunity. In the wake of Buxton’s injury, there is an opportunity to capitalize on a spark and provide potential future benefits however. Both Zack Granite and LaMonte Wade exist for Derek Falvey and Thad Levine. Following a similar thought process as to why Buxton was activated without a rehab stint, defense is obviously of integral importance for the Twins. Understandably, neither Wade nor Granite will be on par with the best defensive outfielder in the world, but they are also (specifically Granite) capable of playing at a high level on their own. The reality is that the Twins current roster construction forces journeyman Ryan LaMarre to either start in center on a regular basis, or pushes one of the corner guys over to accommodate Robbie Grossman playing in LF. The former option isn’t an awful one defensively, but there’s no upside. After a hot start, LaMarre has hit .111/.126/.111 in his last 31 plate appearances. On top of that, he’s 29 and not part of future plans. Looking at the latter option, there’s not much convincing that needs to take place to argue that Grossman doesn’t belong anywhere with a glove on. Both Granite and Wade have recently returned from time on the disabled list this season, and Zack is hardly producing at the level he displayed during 2017 at Triple A. With just a .206/.292/.224 slash line for Rochester, there’s a lot left to be desired from what Granite is currently doing. That said, it’s his approach that gives him a chance (9/13 K/BB), and he displayed an ability to at least handle big league pitching a season ago (40 G .237/.321/.290). Wade’s numbers are much more respectable (.295/.393/.439) but come at the Double-A level. The jump for a mid-tier prospect is a big one, and won’t come without hurdles. Regardless of what stock is put in either of Granite or Wade’s current numbers, future considerations make a move for one of them look so sensible. Either could slot in as a regular contributor on the 25-man roster in the next few years, and allowing them to get regular playing time while Byron is shelved seems like a no- brainer. Molitor’s current options leave a gaping hole in playing time, so neither prospect would be coming up simply to sit. It’d be somewhat foolish to expect Wade with his good numbers or Granite with his poor ones, to provide some sort of fix-it type spark to the Twins. Going forward though, there’s a significant benefit to getting them the reps currently doled out to LaMarre (or Grossman when he’s in RF) and watching them settle in against the best competition. Both players are on-base threats, and if they can push the envelope while Buxton is out, then you’ve got a decision to make on LaMarre or Grossman when Byron returns. At the end of the day, the Twins are doing themselves no favor by hoping Ryan LaMarre changes course on his career, while instead turning away from opportunities to challenge players with a potential future. Click here to view the article

Today was filled with early action on the farm for the Minnesota Twins affiliates. Each of the four minor league teams played afternoon matinee games, and there was plenty of action. With Omar Bencomo replacing Aaron Slegers at Triple-A, and Jose Miranda putting on a show for the Kernels, highlights were long and across the board.TRANSACTIONS Minnesota Twins- Add RHP Aaron Slegers from Triple A Rochester Rochester Red Wings- Add RHP Omar Bencomo from Double A Chattanooga RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 5, Durham 2 Box Score For the Red Wings, Aaron Slegers was initially slated to start today’s matinee. With the Minnesota Twins having exhausted their bullpen in an extra-innings affair last night, he was needed to provide length in relief. In his place, Omar Bencomo came up from Double A Chattanooga. Bencomo last pitched for Rochester back in 2016. After spending 2017 in the Marlins organization, today represented his 2018 debut with the Twins Triple A affiliate. Suggesting that the outing went well would be an understatement. He shoved for 6 innings allowing just one hit and striking out four while walking none. By the time Rochester’s starter left, they were in command of the game. Facing former Minnesota prospect Chih-Wei Hu, Kennys Vargas homered in the top of the second inning. It was his seventh of the year and second in as many days. The Red Wings would then pile on against Hu in the fourth. Jake Cave drove in Nick Gordon (who picked up his first Triple A triple) on a single, while Chris Carter cleared the bases with a two-run shot. Nick Buss then tripled in Wynston Sawyer to put the away club up 5-0. Alan Busenitz came in to work two scoreless innings, which has become the expectation when he’s on the bump for Rochester. The reliever now owns a 0.54 ERA and a 24/5 K/BB ratio across 16 2/3 innings at Triple-A in 2018. Working the ninth inning, John Curtiss would get himself into a bit of a jam after allowing a walk and hit to give Durham runners on second and third with two outs. A throwing error by Nick Gordon on what would have been the final out allowed both Bulls runners to score. Curtiss would pick up his teammate and record the final out on the next batter however. Tomorrow night, Rochester goes for the three game series sweep. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Birmingham 7, Chattanooga 1 Box Score Kohl Stewart took the mound today for the Lookouts and was attempting to right the ship. After posting strong starts in five of his first six outings, he’d given up six runs in twoed of his last three. Unfortunately for both Stewart and the Lookouts, this one follow the latter pattern. From the second through fourth innings, the Barons hopped all over the Chattanooga starter. Yielding seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits and three walks, Kohl was able to fan just four. Headed into the top of the fifth inning against top 100 prospect Dane Dunning, Chattanooga was staring at a seven run deficit. Recently activated LaMonte Wade helped to push across the lone Lookouts run of the day. On an RBI single in the top of the sixth inning, Ryan Walker came around to score. With just five hits to their credit across the nine frames, Chattanooga wouldn’t be able to do enough to force a comeback. Sam Clay and Paco Rodriguez worked two innings each in relief of Stewart. Both held the Barons scoreless and they struck out three and two batters respectively. With the series knotted at one game apiece, Chattanooga will look to take back the advantage tomorrow evening. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 6, Clearwater 3 Box Score Hometown kid Brady Anderson was on the bump for the Miracle again today, and while he’s had an up and down season for the Miracle, this outing was good enough to keep them in it. Working 5 1/3 innings, Anderson scattered seven hits, allowed three runs, while both walking and striking out four batters. For his efforts, Anderson recorded his first win of 2018. Given a lead in the second inning, a Travis Blankenhorn double pushed across Jaylin Davis for the game’s first run. A wild pitch from Anderson in the third would knot the game at one, but that would be the last time Clearwater would draw even. Jimmy Kerrigan launched his sixth home run of the season in the top half of the sixth inning, and Taylor Grzelakowski doubled to drive in both Davis and Blankenhorn. Although a 4-3 lead may have held up, insurance was added in the ninth. Mark Contreras singled in Blankenhorn and Kerrigan then drove him in with a sharp single of his own. 6-3 into the final half inning was enough to grab the victory. Both Davis and Blankenhorn fueled the offense today for the Miracle, tallying three hits apiece. Blankenhorn busted out of a three game hitless streak in a nice way, while Davis continues to trend towards the .300 mark on the year. Wrapping up the three-game set with Clearwater tomorrow night, the Miracle find themselves positioned for a sweep. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 15, Wisconsin 4 Box Score Early and often was the mantra today for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. With Blayne Enlow on the bump, the home team knew a little run support should get them the victory. Luckily for manager Toby Gardenhire, the run support came in bunches and was highlighted by a massive finish. The Kernels jumped out to a quick lead with Royce Lewis driving in Akil Baddoo on an RBI single; he would then come around to score on a Jose Miranda double. In the second inning, already one time through the order, Lewis doubled in Baddoo and score on an Alex Kirilloff two-bagger. It was in the third inning that Enlow finally ran into some trouble. Giving back the lead, Cedar Rapids found themselves tied at four heading to the bottom half of the third frame. Ben Rortvedt quickly gave the home team some separation with an RBI double in the bottom half however. In the fourth, Miranda then tacked on another run, pushing the lead to 6-4, on his second RBI double of the game. Up by two runs heading into their final hacks, the Kernels decided to turn on the afterburners. In the bottom of the eighth, Miranda started things off with a grand slam, his fourth home run of the year. From there, Jacob Pearson launched his first career homer, and Robby Rinn followed with his first in the Twins organization. Not ready to be done, Jordan Gore doubled in Ben Rortvedt, and Akil Baddoo’s third long ball of the season put a stamp on things. When the dust settled, Cedar Rapids was able to head to the ninth holding a 15-4 lead. Jose Martinez came on for the final frame, and the 11 run lead would stay intact. The Kernels have now hung 21 runs on Wisconsin in the past two games to cement a series victory. They can go for the three game sweep tomorrow night. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Omar Bencomo, 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K Twins Daily Hitter of the Day – Jose Miranda 3-5, R, 6 RBI, 2 2B, GS HR(4) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY 1. Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) – 2-5, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2B 2. Fernando Romero (Minnesota) – 3. Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 1-4, R, 3B, 2 K 5. Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) – 1-4, R, RBI, BB, 2B, 2 K 7. Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 0-4, 2 K 8. Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – 3.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K 10. Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – 1-3, 4 R, 2 RBI, 3 BB, HR(3), 2 K 14. LaMonte Wade (Chattanooga) – 1-4, RBI, K 15. Mitch Garver (Minnesota) – 16. Ben Rortvedt (Cedar Rapids) – 3-4, R, RBI, 2 2B, BB, K 17. Travis Blankenhorn (Fort Myers) – 3-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Durham (6:05PM CST) – LHP Dietrich Enns (3-5, 5.11 ERA) Chattanooga @ Birmingham (7:05PM CST) – TBD Fort Myers @ Clearwater (6:00PM CST) – RHP Clark Beeker (1-3, 2.93 ERA) Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games! Click here to view the article

The Minnesota Twins dropped their 8th game in walkoff fashion while playing the Kansas City Royals deep into the May 29th evening. Accomplishing that feat means they've surpassed the mark set in each of the previous 13 seasons, and 43 of their 58 in franchise history. While walkoff scenarios can sometimes be a fluke, there's a systemic trend that has Minnesota in the dire position they now face. The pitching is there, but the offense has been nonexistent. Going into the year, Derek Falvey and Thad Levine were vocal about retooling a pitching staff that needed a lift. Despite a successful 2017 campaign, it was clear that Paul Molitor's offense couldn't continue to bail out the pitching staff. Using a franchise record number of starters as well as arms in total, the quality level needed to be increased in order to reduce the quantity. Now nearly through May, it's fair to say that much has been accomplished. Kyle Gibson and Jose Berrios lead the club in terms of fWAR with tallies of 1.4. Each pitcher has put up a clunker or two, but the vast majority of their outings have been very strong. Gibson has picked up where he left off down the stretch and expanded upon it. Now a strikeout pitcher, he's missing bats and keeping the ball in the yard. Jose Berrios has shown a better level of control, which has led to a walk rate nearly halved from a season ago. Even beyond the top two starters on the staff, Garvin Alston's group has been plenty good. Jake Odorizzi has served the part of a capable middle-of-the-rotation arm, while Lance Lynn has turned in two recent starts totaling out to a 1.42 ERA. Fernando Romero has burst onto the scene as a potential ace for the future, and the depth down on the farm looks better than ever. To suggest that this is the best Twins rotation in quite some time would be putting it nicely. Although the bullpen hasn't been quite as sharp, there's a lot to like out there as well. Ryan Pressly looks like one of the best relievers in baseball, while Addison Reed and Fernando Rodney have performed as expected. Zach Duke has been shaky thanks to an uncharacteristic amount of free passes, but the strikeouts have saved him from more trouble. There's room for growth in relief, but the reality is that it's not the significant problem area that the Twins have experienced in the past. Pitching as a whole has made significant strides within the organization, and it's evident when comparing the club to the league as a whole. Although team ERA checks in at 16th currently (finished 19th in 2017), starter ERA sits at 12th (19th in 2017). Arguably the most impressive boost comes in the form of missing bats, something previous Twins teams simply did not do. In 2018, Minnesota starters have the 9th best K/9 in MLB, and they finished at 26th a season ago. All of the above represents some very positive developments. The problem however, is that the lineup is doing very little with what they've been handed. After finishing 7th in runs scored, 10th in extra base hits, and 16th in home runs a season ago, the expectation was for potency from this group. Unfortunately, Minnesota ranks 29th in runs, 29th in home runs, and 19th in extra base hits as of May 30th. Producing at what amounts to a near league worst value, it really doesn't matter what kind of outings Twins pitchers produce. Through their eight walkoff losses, five of them have come against teams with records at .500 or worse. On the season, Minnesota has played 20% of their first 50 games by scoring one run or less. Simply put, there's way too many guys failing at their jobs up and down the lineup. Among starters, the Twins have six players with an OPS below .750. Byron Buxton has given Paul Molitor nothing at the plate, while Brian Dozier has decided to slump for a significant period yet again this season. Miguel Sano has dropped off the table when it comes to forcing a fair amount of walks, and Logan Morrison is still attempting to find his footing after a disastrous transition to his new club. Right now, Eddie Rosario and Max Kepler are the only players providing Minnesota any sort of value in the lineup. Eduardo Escobar's hot streak is long gone, and the bench is made up of a handful of players that really have no business being in the big leagues. What's more dire for the Twins is that answers don't really present themselves outside of the clubhouse. Calling up Nick Gordon could provide a spark, but it would be short lived until Jorge Polanco returns. Chris Carter may provide some thump to the lineup, but he could also be an exact replica of what Sano is currently providing. At the end of the day, it's on the players currently a part of the 25 man (and more importantly the starting lineup) to get their bats going. While veteran leadership off the field is great, there's no better way to lead than by producing while it matters. Sano, Dozier, Buxton, and a handful of others need to get going. The postseason is likely a distant mirage at this point, but turning things around, salvaging something of purpose, and giving the pitching staff much better than they've been afforded are all musts if this collective wants to be taken seriously in the future. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

The NBA Finals are now upon us. A culmination of an 82 game season, along with a tightly contested playoff tree, has led us here. Where exactly is here you may wonder? Well, the exact point that could have been expected way back in October. For the fourth straight season, the Golden State Warriors will meet the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. Given the predictability of the championship series, expecting the sport to be overlooked would be a good bet; it'd also be a wrong one however. Major League Baseball is an incredibly different sport, but the game could learn a lot from Adam Silver's exploits. Providing full disclosure from the get go, I am not a fan of the NBA. I do enjoy basketball, but watch intently through the college realm. The NBA has the superstars, but the regular season is a slog of meaningless minutes and uninspired play. With elevator music going on during the action, it seems the league is determined to keep fans involved during weeknight matchups in any way possible. Regardless of my feelings on the league itself, there's zero denying that a large portion of the formula is right. As the NFL sees ratings take a dip, the NBA has been there to pick up the straggles. Although Roger Goodell is a buffoon, his league remains the most popular in this country. Adam Silver's NBA has quickly risen the ranks however, and now find themselves firmly entrenched as America's number two sport. Marketability in the NBA is off the charts, and a league that's dominated by superstars continues to draw interest levels at an incredible pace. While Rob Manfred struggles through pace of play issues and ways to change the game, drawing from what works elsewhere may be a worthy venture. Having a marketing background, that tends to be my main area of focus when it comes to how the NBA has ballooned into such a cash cow. Superstars are celebrated and adored, while shoes are most have pieces of memorabilia that fans can connect with on a daily basis. The game itself is one of sexiness, and nothing is done to hinder individuality. Although that may simply scratching the surface, those three avenues are paths that Major League Baseball should emulate in any ways possible. First and foremost, baseball is a very regional sport. I understand that makes marketing players to the masses somewhat of a challenge. LeBron James is adored by fans not only in Cleveland but across the globe. In baseball, Mike Trout is far and away the best player in the world, but the sport finds reason to argue whether those from other markets (a la Mookie Betts) can contend at the same level. Trout is heralded among baseball fans, but he's hardly emulated in the same form or fashion as LeBron. Understandably, Mike Trout doesn't have the appeal that LeBron James does to the casual fan. LeBron is a singular name, and while Trout could be argued in that category as well, he doesn't embrace the ability to transcend so many different types of people. James is a walking billboard and pop icon; he embraces those realities. Trout is much more laid back, and ok with taking that route as well. It's hard to suggest baseball is at fault for making its superstars something they are not as individuals, but it's more than fair to question why the individuals aren't given a bigger stage. Doing more to market the Kris Bryant's and Luis Severino's of the sport would lend a hand towards growing a younger demographic. Youth connect to individuals more than teams, and finding a way to capitalize on the current backbone of the game is a must. There was some outcry in regards to Sony's MLB The Show 17 putting Ken Griffey Jr. on the cover, and it follows this line of thinking as well. With so many must see talents today, skipping out on the marketing opportunity was an odd choice. Aaron Judge rectify's that misstep (even with Babe Ruth included virtually this season), and could be a small step down the right path. Continuing along the lines of individuality, baseball needs to avoid taking itself too seriously. Without fostering a meaningless regular season like basketball, the sport could benefit from a higher level of encouraged uniqueness. During basketball's regular season, one-on-one opportunities provide highlight reel plays. Individuals showcase themselves by wearing unique shoes that become must have commodities. Abilities during play become the storylines for plenty of pickup games across the nation. It's hard to fault baseball for failing to drive shoe sales from their superstars. No matter how cool Mike Trout's latest cleat is, the reality is that it will never be applicable for daily wear. That being said, going viral for an attempt to fine a player like Ben Zobrist for wearing PF Flyer's is hardly a good look. On more than just special occasions, MLB should be encouraging players (and footwear companies) to create desirable and individualized looks for wear during the action (the NFL is at fault here as well). Creating more positive buzz about what superstars are wearing allows fans to connect with those they follow in a different way. That level of individuality and emotion shouldn't stop at the uniform however. It's long been time to abandon some of the stingier unwritten rules of the game. Showing emotion after key strikeouts, bat flips after a big home run, or jubilant displays of excitement following a key play should become mainstays in the sport. Basketball thrives off of the big slam and stare down, or the clutch three and finger wave. Plunking players or starting brawls because of emotion has become a true inhibitor of growth. Both participant and fan can quickly assess whether or not something is being done in an attempt to show up a competitor, and outside of that scenario, there's plenty of room for accomplishments to be celebrated. Finally, and pace of play be damned, there's nothing better for Major League Baseball than the big play. Where baseball has dunks and football has touchdowns, a home run is a significantly greater athletic feat. Watching a 90+ mph be turned around to travel something like 400 feet is a modern marvel. Rather than allowing questions of why the ball itself has changed to run rampant through the media, embracing the statistical output should be of peak interest. Despite allowing steroids to get out of hand in the sport, Bud Selig saved his game from itself in the post strike years by encouraging home runs to come at a ridiculous pace. With the amount of slugging power hitters in the game today, seeing lineups like the Yankees launch longballs at record setting paces is something that should be talked about more. Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, and other big blast bombers should be nightly mainstays on the highlight reals, and finding new ways to describe their exploits can be part of the equation. There's a love for the pitcher's duel from baseball purists, but it's always going to be offense that drives the train when it comes to a level of excitement. At the end of the day, it's unfair to expect baseball to be something it isn't. Both football and basketball have a much larger level of action simply in how the sport is played. Knowing that however, it's increasingly detrimental for MLB to stymie the game in ways that it doesn't need to. While four hour slogs aren't good for anyone, the focus should be on marketability of those competing as the backbone of the league, and why you should tune in. There's opportunity for baseball to grow, but the sport itself needs to do a much better job harnessing it. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

The year was 1973 and the Dominican Public had already become a breeding ground for baseball players. With the country producing multiple success stories, yet another chapter being written was hardly a far-fetched idea. Fast forward to May 24, 2018 however, and baseball fans have been blessed with 45 years of Bartolo Colon.Stated multiple times during his brief tenure with the Minnesota Twins a season ago, Colon noted that he had told his late mother he would pitch until age 45. Despite that seeming somewhat unlikely at points throughout this offseason, the now-Texas Ranges hurler has posted 56 1/3 IP and has reached his 45th birthday. Of course Colon isn’t the pitcher he was when he debuted at the age of 24 in 1997. He doesn’t have the scintillating fastball, and he’s put on a few pounds since then. Even looking back to the middle of his career, a run with the Angels in which he was hucking 93 mph cheddar, Colon’s days of overpowering hitters are long gone. What’s most impressive about the rotund thrower of baseballs is just how good he continues to be at reinventing himself. This season with the Rangers, Colon’s fastball has averaged 90 mph. Despite throwing at a lower velocity, he’s slightly boosted his swinging strike and chase rates. Colon has generally been good at avoiding both hard contact and the longball, both of which have plagued him some this season. He’s throwing his sinker more often than at any point in his career, and his fastball is at a career low usage rate. What’s maybe most important is that Colon isn’t hurting himself. With over one-third of the season in the books, Colon owns the league’s best BB/9 rate at 0.8 and also the best K/BB rate at 7.20. It’s a formula that works, and one that another recently jettisoned Twin hung his hat on as well. If Bartolo Colon is a portrait of longevity, Phil Hughes may end up going down as somewhat the opposite. Nearing his 32nd birthday, the former Twins starter could be looking at the beginning of the end. Thanks to a shoulder injury that forced him to undergo thoracic outlet surgery, a procedure with poor recovery rates across the sport, Hughes never was the same pitcher that Terry Ryan rewarded with an extension back in 2014. It is in 2014 and 2018 though, that Hughes and Colon find themselves intertwined. During his first season with Minnesota, Hughes burst onto the scene as a legitimate Cy Young contender. He would end up finishing seventh in the voting, his first time ever receiving a tally. With a 3.52 ERA and a 16-10 win/loss record for Ron Gardenhire’s squad, the 28-year-old looked incredible. The secondary numbers, as with Colon in 2018, are what set Hughes apart. He completed the year walking just 0.7 batters per nine innings, and his 11.63 K/BB ratio is currently an all-time major league record. Although Hughes didn’t use a blistering fastball (albeit with a bit more bite than that of Colon’s current offering), he too worked on the premise that he was best suited for success by limiting self-inflicted damage. Should you have decided to stick with me this long, I’d like to be fair and offer up that there may be no bigger point to this piece. Both Colon and Hughes’ exploits in these highlighted situations are minor data points in a sea of much larger careers. What I think we see here however, is what a great storyteller the game of baseball can be. Although neither Colon nor Hughes may ever be remembered among the most elite arms in the game, they’ve each given us as baseball fans plenty to be in awe of. For one pitcher, the game isn’t going to be done until he decides that there’s been enough. For the other, the operating table may have been the final blow to an otherwise promising career. No matter how the dust settles or the sun sets, Bartolo Colon and Phil Hughes have provided us with story lines like those that the sport is built upon. To Big Sexy himself, Happy Birthday. To Phil Hughes, thanks for that magical summer. Click here to view the article

Lots of action took place on the farm today. Miguel Sano homered for the second straight day during his rehab assignment and Ervin Santana began to work his way back up to the Twins. Specifically among minor leaguers though, Nick Gordon debuted at Triple-A, and Jacob Pearson made his stamp on the Twins organization. There's a lot to dive into here, so let's get started.TRANSACTIONS Cedar Rapids Kernels Placed OF Akil Baddoo on the DL with right hamstring spasms Received OF Jacob Pearson from Elizabethton Fort Myers Miracle C Robert Molina transferred to Elizabethton C Mitchell Kranson reinstated from the DL Chattanooga Lookouts P Ervin Santana begins MLB rehab assignment RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 3, Lehigh Valley 2 Box Score For the second night in a row, former Twins third basemen Trevor Plouffe would get the scoring started between these two clubs. A fifth inning home run, his third of the year, wasthe first damage off Red Wings starter Zack Littell. The Iron Pigs then tacked on a second off of Littell using a sixth inning sac fly to center. Despite ceding two runs, the Rochester starter was again sharp. He held the home squad scoreless through four innings, and ended his night twirling six innings of two- run ball. The former Yankees prospect gave up just five hits, while walking one and fanning seven. Better late than never was the mantra for Rochester tonight, and the damage started to come down in the eighth inning. Willians Astudillo launched a solo shot, and rehabbing Miguel Sano homered in the top of the ninth for his second in as many days. The longball parade wasn’t over, and Astudillo notched his second of the night (fifth of the year) in the ninth inning to put the Red Wings in the lead for good. Nick Anderson continues to be great in relief for Rochester, working one inning and striking out the side. John Curtiss earned the win, his second, by posting two scoreless innings of relief. Down to a 1.65 ERA on the year, he remains on the shortlist of possible relievers the next time Minnesota needs someone. In his first game at the Triple-A level, Nick Gordon went 1-4 with a strikeout for the Red Wings. He took over at shortstop and manned the two hole in the batting order. After leaving Chattanooga completely on fire, it will be worth keeping an eye on just how hot he can stay at the next level. Playing all nine innings at first base this evening, Sano went 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI. He’s hitting .375 during his rehab stint, and could be activated by the Twins soon. With Joe Mauer on the shelf and Sano getting work in at first, it’s worth wondering if he’ll rotate in some with Logan Morrison, leaving Eduardo Escobar entrenched at third base. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Montgomery 8, Chattanooga 1 Box Score Ervin Santana was in Tennessee making his first official rehab start for the Minnesota Twins. On the bump for Chattanooga, he tossed two innings, giving up two runs on four hits. A leadoff home run could’ve been more damaging to Santana’s psyche, but he settled in from there. The Biscuits were able to manufacture a run in the second when Minnesota native Ryan Boldt stole second after a leadoff single. He came around to score on a single by the next batter. Piggybacking Santana, Lewis Thorpe worked the next 5 2/3 innings. Five runs crossed the plate on four hits, but none of the tally was attributed to Thorpe. Two runs scored on a throwing error in the fourth made by Lookouts second basemen Alex Perez. Montgomery then plated another in the inning increasing the lead to 5-0. Chattanooga would commit two more errors on the night, further rendering the two plated runs in the eighth unearned against Thorpe. By the time they had just six outs left to rally, the Lookouts found themselves with a 7-1 deficit and three errors accounting for the bulk of the damage. The Biscuits added one more in the ninth, and getting just three hits on the evening, Chattanooga didn’t have it in them to answer. The Lookouts can even up the five game set with a win tomorrow evening. MIRACLE MATTERS Bradenton 7, Fort Myers 6 Box Score Early and often was the theme for Bradenton and Fort Myers today. The two teams combined to score 13 runs on 20 hits and needed extras to determine a winner. 2017 draft pick Charlie Barnes was on the bump for the Miracle, and he turned in six innings of three-run baseball. Allowing just six hits and striking out five while walking none, a quality start was in the books. The Miracle gave Barnes an early lead with Caleb Hamilton and Mark Contreras scoring on a Brandon Lopez double and a wild pitch respectively. That third inning lead wouldn’t hold up though, as Bradenton knotted things at two in the top half of the fourth. Barnes was touched up for a solo homer in the sixth, and Fort Myers saw their first deficit of the ballgame. Down 5-3 in their last at-bats, the Miracle decided this one wasn’t over. Jaylin Davis continued to display a hot bat, and his single drove in Jimmy Kerrigan. Newly activated Mitchell Kranson doubled home Travis Blankenhorn and the two sides found themselves tied at 5. In the 10th, Tom Hackimer came on for Fort Myers, but found himself in a tough spot and surrendered two runs. Needing another comeback, the Miracle could only muster one run on a Luis Arraez fielder’s choice. After walking off Bradenton on Tuesday, this rally came up just short. Paco Rodriguez, who was recently acquired by the Twins, did extend his scoreless innings streak to 5 2/3 by working 1 2/3 scoreless in this one. Fort Myers now heads out on the road for a seven-game trip. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 8, Kane County 7 Box Score In a flip-flop of yesterday’s tally, the Kernels and Cougars traded places. Again accounting for 15 combined runs in the game, it was Cedar Rapids that came out on top Wednesday. Bailey Ober got the start for Toby Gardenhire’s squad and turned in five innings of work allowing four runs on eight hits. Cedar Rapids jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top half of the first inning thanks to runs from Jordan Gore and Jose Miranda. Unfortunately their lead would be short lived as Kane County answered with three of their own in the bottom half. In just his second at-bat during his Kernels and Twins organization debut, 2017 third-round draft pick Jacob Pearson notched an RBI single to bring Cedar Rapids back even. Ben Rodriguez also scored in the inning, and once again the Kernels had the lead at 4-3. Shane Carrier then decided to steal the show in the middle innings. A third inning solo shot, his third of the year, gave the away team a two-run cushion. In the fifth, an RBI single drove in Pearson and Gore, putting Cedar Rapids up 7-3. The Cougars worked at chipping away, getting back runs in both the fifth and seventh innings against Kernels pitching. After a Jose Miranda RBI single in the ninth though, Cedar Rapids had an 8-5 lead to protect with just three outs remaining. Working a second inning of relief, Carlos Suniaga made things interesting by walking the first batter and promptly allowing a double to begin the last half frame. Two runs would eventually come around to score, but the third and only important one, was stranded at second base. The top-pick factory continues to roll on for Gardenhire’s club. Even with both Royce Lewis and Alex Kirilloff out of the lineup tonight, Pearson’s debut was a highlight. The Kernels continue to run top tier talent out on the diamond each evening, and wondering who’s going to be the guy that day is always fun to ponder. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Zack Littell 6.0 IP 5 H 2 R 2 ER 1 BB 7 K Twins Daily Hitter of the Day – Willians Astudillo 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 HR (4,5) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY 3. Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 1-4, K 7. Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 0-2, 2 BB 11. Zack Littell (Rochester) – 6.0 IP 5 H 2 R 2 ER 1 BB 7 K 12. Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) – 5.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K 16. Ben Rortvedt (Cedar Rapids) – 0-3, BB, K 17. Travis Blankenhorn (Fort Myers) – 0-3, R, BB, K THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Lehigh Valley (6:05PM CST) – LHP Stephen Gonsalves (3-1, 2.95 ERA) Montgomery @ Chattanooga (6:15PM CST) – RHP Kohl Stewart (3-1, 4.70 ERA) Fort Myers @ Charlotte (5:35PM CST) – RHP Andro Cutura (2-0, 5.48 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Kane County (6:30PM CST) – RHP Blayne Enlow (0-1, 4.34 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games! Click here to view the article

Unless you want a catcher that can field and not hit like Navarreto, Wilson doesn’t have a replacement on the farm. Grossman is a solid OBP guy trending upwards, and there isn’t a logical replacement there either. Nick Gordon is better than Adrianza, but he can’t come up and sit. You bring up guys that have room to be replaced, but the answers aren’t in the system.

After making the hard, but correct, decision to move on from Phil Hughes, the Twins put some roster shuffling into motion. Trevor May, Ervin Santana, and Miguel Sano are all due back to the big league roster in short order. Paul Molitor's club is putting some heat on the scuffling Indians and the time to strike for Minnesota is right now. How they construct the 25 man going forward remains somewhat up in the air, but here's a few guess on what things may look like. Phil Hughes replaced by Ryan LaMarre The outfielder is on his way back to the big leagues. After being a spring training surprise, LaMarre posted a .718 OPS across 38 plate appearances in 20 games for Minnesota. Since heading down to Rochester, he's continued to stay hot. At Triple-A, he has a .371/.436/.543 slash line across nine games and 39 plate appearances. The Twins don't really need six outfielders on the 25 man roster, and especially not with the talent embedded among their starting trio. That said, there's really no infield options that make sense here. It's too late for Nick Gordon as Sano isn't far off, and there aren't any more veteran placeholder types to call upon. This move could be short lived for LaMarre, but he appears to be destined for the 25th spot as of now. Jake Cave replaced by Trevor May While noting that LaMarre's time with the Twins could be short lived, it's also true that Cave could be the guy optioned in about a week. Trevor May is eligible to come off the disabled list on May 28, and every inclination is that he'll be activated that day. Having made starts with both Fort Myers and Rochester, May has been great in his seven innings pitched since returning from Tommy John surgery. The velocity has been there, and he's posted 10 strikes (with 5 walks), giving up just one run on four hits. Yes, he's working as a starter, but I just don't see room right now. Should the Twins tab May for the spot Hughes was occupying in the pen, he can continue to stay stretched out in working as the long man. With the ability to give Garvin Alston two or three innings of work at a time, May provides some nice bullets in relief and also doubles as a fallback option in a spot start scenario. Gregorio Petit replaced by Miguel Sano Just a bit further out than May, Sano's return looms for the Twins. He's yet to play a full nine innings in the field during his three game rehab stint, but that's the next hurdle he'll overcome. There's no doubt he's a big boy, and adding that wrinkle to a hamstring injury doesn't help things. If the malady is behind him though, Minnesota could use that extra thump in their lineup sooner rather than later. Once he's fully cleared, Sano should slide back in at third base moving Eduardo Escobar back to shortstop. It's unfortunate Escobar can't hack it defensively at short like he can at third, but the bat upgrade over Adrianza should be a noticeable one. Matt Magill replaced by Joe Mauer Here's where the dart throws begin in this whole process. First and foremost, we aren't sure when Mauer will be ready to return to the Twins lineup. Going on the DL effective May 19, the Twins first basemen is eligible to return on May 29th. Given his history of concussion related issues, it's far from certain that he'll be cleared in the given 10-day timespan. Ideally, Mauer returns in short order and provides Minnesota the Gold Glove caliber defense they've come to trust at first. It's hard to imagine he'd replace a position player, as the Twins bench would be significantly dwindled in that scenario. With eight relievers, Magill would seem to be the odd man out. He's posted a 1.54 ERA and 7.7 K/9 while owning a great 0.8 BB/9 across his 11.2 IP. A move like this would be just a tough luck situation for the reclamation relief project. TBD replaced by Ervin Santana Call it a cop out, but I'm not ready to put a name on this move. Simply put, the Minnesota Twins have way too many moving parts in the starting rotation to determine who Santana will replace just under a month from now. I'd be shocked to see him before the middle of June, and making his first rehab start this week, he'll need at least three or four good turns to be big league ready. Sure, it's an easy call if things stay like they are now. Lance Lynn being ineffective would bump him to the DL for a time and Santana could slot right in. Fernando Romero having his innings limited and being sent back to Triple-A could be an option. The real answer may have not yet presented itself and there may be an injury that allows Minnesota to have the decision made for them. The only thing worth banking on is that Santana will have a spot when he's ready. Where he slots in remains of little importance. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

In regards to launch angle, this piece is linked above: http://offthebaggy.blogspot.com/2018/04/kepler-committing-even-if-hes-not-all-in.html In regards to P/PA, I too agree that there isn't some magic formula. I don't think guys need to necessarily see more pitches over the course of the season to feast on them. The suggestion was more in line with the idea that if you're doing everything right but aren't quite seeing the results, waiting for a bit juicier pitch, being more choosy, or developing a bit more patient pitch recognition could spark something in the short term.

As good as Eddie has been thus far in 2018, I'm still more confident in Max long term.

One of the most logical candidates to have a breakout season for the Minnesota Twins in 2018 was right fielder Max Kepler. The talented German had flashed ability to do it all down on the farm, and despite being a solid regular for Minnesota, didn't yet seem to have put it all together at the highest level. Now just under two months into the regular season, we've seen the start of the breakout, but rest assured that there's more to come. In early April, I wrote about Kepler's approach at the plate. He's been relatively vocal about not intending to increase his launch angle, and instead hit the ball hard on the ground. Thankfully he hasn't followed through with that practice, and he's benefited from elevating the baseball in 2018. Getting more loft on the ball, while continuing to hit it hard, is absolutely a strong blueprint for success. What's even more encouraging for the Minnesota right-fielder is that we haven't seen the results indicative of just how good the approach has been thus far. On the season, Kepler has posted a career best .803 OPS. He has 19 extra base hits through his first 169 plate appearances, and he's already tallied six longballs. The .250 average is just a slight bump from his .243 resting spot a year ago, but the .337 OBP is indicative of an approach that has yielded an incredible 22/20 K/BB ratio. After struggling to hit lefties last season, even to the point of being platooned against them, he's flipped the script entirely. Kepler owns a 1.120 OPS vs LHP in 2018, while posting a .694 OPS against RHP. The expectation should have always been that he'd hit both types of pitchers given his minor league track record, but this level of production is a very nice surprise. As good as Kepler has been for Paul Molitor though, the best part is that we're probably just scratching the surface. In 2018 thus far, Max owns just a .256 BABIP to go with his .250 average. That number seems unsustainably low given the numbers surrounding it. With as well as Kepler is elevating the ball, more impressively yet is how hard he's hitting it. The 44.1% hard hit rate is a career best by over 10%, and he'd putting the ball on the ground a career low 37.8% of the time. Despite those factors working in his favor, his 10.5% HR/FB rate suggests there's plenty of room for growth. On top of the quality generated behind contact, Kepler isn't getting cheated at the dish either. His 7.7% swinging strike rate is a career best, and he's chasing pitches just 26.5% of the time, a career low. He's also setting another career high with an 83.5% contact rating. If anything, Kepler could be a bit more choosy in an effort to boost his pitchers per plate appearance above 4.0 (currently 3.91) in an effort to see something more juicy. Trying to tie a bow on what the numbers are telling us, Max Kepler has basically put the big leagues on notice. He's driving the ball with authority, and creating the best contact numbers of his career. On top of that, he's doing it against pitchers who attack him from both sides of the plate, and he's created a blueprint that should only help his counting stats to further balloon from here on out. While Eddie Rosario and Eduardo Escobar have paced the Twins in the early going, a blistering stretch from Max could very well be right around the corner. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

In talking with him, May has suggested that the back issues were something less related to relieving as they were to an actual injury he has since targeted and believes is behind him.

The Minnesota Twins are anxiously awaiting a couple of reinforcements for their big league club. Jason Castro is not coming back, and Jorge Polanco remains out for some time. Trevor May’s return is quickly approaching however, and Ervin Santana shouldn’t be far behind him. When focusing on the righty venturing back from Tommy John surgery, it’s worth taking a look to see where he fits.At this point, May has made two rehab starts in the Twins organization. His first came for Fort Myers and he went 3.0 IP allowing no runs on one hit, three walks and five strikeouts. He then made the jump up to Triple-A Rochester and tossed 4.0 IP allowing one run on three hits while walking two and striking out five. The strikeouts are an encouraging tally, while the walks highlight some lack of control as he settles back onto the mound. Regardless of the numerical results, what we do know is that May has made two starts in which he’s thrown 58 and 60 pitches respectively. He’s being stretched out to start, but the lack of growth between outings suggests that Minnesota is OK with drawing out the process some. Currently on the 60 day DL, May is first eligible for activation on May 28. Rochester is currently scheduled to play 11 games from now until May 28. With that schedule in mind, the Twins hurler should get two more turns in the rotation prior to his opportunity to be activated. I find it somewhat interesting that the pitch count wasn’t increased a bit further in his start for Rochester, but that number will be one worth monitoring in his next couple of outings. Going forward, there’s a collision course with a decision that Minnesota will need to make. Once May is eligible to be activated, where does he go? My first thought, and I think the one that suits him best, is to immediately take over for Phil Hughes in the bullpen. Hughes is holding down a spot that’s been virtually used to waive the white flag in games, and has all but reduced the Twins usable relievers by one. Allowing May to go multiple innings keeps him primed for a spot start if necessary, and he provides a significant upgrade to a bullpen that could use some added length. Used exclusively as a reliever for the Twins in 2016, May posted a career best 95 mph average velocity on his fastball. That’s over a full mph faster than he was able to register as a starter. The 8.7 K/9 average over his first two seasons also took a big jump to 12.7 as a reliever in 2016. Command and control have both evaded May at times, and his 3.6 BB/9 during his last full season with the Twins would be less than ideal out of the rotation. Over the course of his career thus far, we haven’t seen anything that screams May needs to be written into the rotation with a pen. The stuff is good, but it’s also been underwhelming at times. That being said, he has also been victimized as a product of his environment. Despite a career 5.14 ERA, he’s posted a 3.71 FIP across 203.0 IP. May generates ground balls just over one-third of the time, and he gives up hard contact less than that amount. Either way, it’s a formula that should work just fine in front of a much improved Twins defense. Sometime in July, the Twins will be tasked with adding Ervin Santana back into the fold as well. It’s at that point that I think juggling the rotation makes more sense. While Lance Lynn has been nothing short of a train wreck, it’s pretty difficult to cast aside a career 3.53 ERA and 8.5 K/9 because of eight starts in a new uniform. Minnesota is going to pull out all of the stops to get that figured out, but putting May in that spot doesn’t jump off the page as being the right answer. I don’t have a problem with Minnesota keeping Trevor May on a starting track through his recovery. Yes, it likely increases the time frame, but it also gives both the pitcher and the ball club options going forward. Without any certainties as to what type of pitcher he’s going to be in the short term (and really still feeling out his long term abilities), allowing Trevor to fire bullets in brief bursts seems like a smart decision. At the end of the day, the Twins pitching depth will grow even a bit more in the coming weeks, and that’s something that all involved have to be excited about. Trevor May is going to be welcomed back with open arms; it just shouldn’t be assumed that his place will be in the rotation. Click here to view the article

I love what Brent is doing on this hot streak as I've always expected that bat will play. My one big fear is still the plate discipline. That 42/6 K/BB is well...yeah

The Minnesota Twins had all four affiliates in action today, while both the Fort Myers Miracle and Cedar Rapids Kernels played doubleheaders. With lots of baseball action throughout the farm system, there were plenty of highlights to go around. Top prospect Brent Rooker's eight game hitting streak was capped off by his 4th homer of the year, and Dietrich Enns turned in a nice start for the Red Wings.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 6, Syracuse 4 Box Score Facing the Chiefs today, the Rochester Red Wings ran into a familiar Twins name. Former big league starter Tommy Milone was on the bump opposing the Minnesota Triple-A affiliate. Fortunately for the Red Wings, they chased him early putting up five runs on three hits and three walks before he was able to record a second out. Jake Cave started the scoring for the home team with a triple that plated both Ryan LaMarre and Zack Granite. Nick Buss doubled in both Cave and Jermaine Curtis, while Leo Reginatto drove in Wynston Sawyer with a first inning sac fly. After getting five strong innings of two-run (one earned) ball by Dietrich Enns, the Red Wings watched their lead be trimmed to one. A D.J. Baxendale wild pitch in the top of the sixth inning allowed Irving Falu to score for Syracuse and Rochester led just 5-4 at that point. The five runs would be enough however, and a Willians Astudillo single in the bottom of the eighth scored Brock Stassi to provide some extra cushion. Luke Bard worked two scoreless innings for Rochester grabbing his first hold of the year. He’s now up to 5 1/3 shutout innings since rejoining the Twins organization. Nick Anderson worked the ninth and struck out one, allowing no hits, en route to his first save of the season. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 8, Tennessee 6 Box Score After getting behind by two in the top of the third inning, the Lookouts answered back with two and would keep scoring throughout this affair. LaMonte Wade was responsible for the first two runs of the game for the home team, driving in both Ryan Walker and Tanner English on a single. Brian Olson then scored in the bottom of the fourth on a fielding error to give Chattanooga their first lead of the contest. Brent Rooker kept up his hot hitting, and extended his hitting streak to eight games with a homer (his fourth) in the bottom of the fifth. With Tennessee having retaken the lead 5-4 in the top of the sixth inning, Chattanooga used a nice rally in the bottom of the seventh to recapture it. A wild pitch allowed English to cross the plate during a Zander Wiel at-bat, and then the first basemen did damage on his own with a single that drove in Rooker. A T.J. White double brought Wiel around to the plate and the Lookouts entered the eighth with an 8-5 lead. Sam Clay worked two innings in this one to get his first save of the year. While he did allow a ninth inning run to give the Smokies just a two run deficit, he held them there. Tyler Jay replaced starter Anthony Marzi earlier in the game and pitched 1 2/3 innings while allowing no runs on three hits. MIRACLE MATTERS Jupiter 4, Fort Myers 3 (Game 1, 7 innings) Box Score Fort Myers got out to an early lead in game one of the twin bill, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough as they were walked off in the bottom of the seventh. Taylor Grzelakowski’s first inning solo shot gave the Miracle their only lead of the contest. Jupiter answered back with a two-run homer in the bottom half of the first, and added another run on a fielder’s choice in the second. As he’s done all year, Jimmy Kerrigan came through for Fort Myers in the top half of the fourth inning, driving in Travis Blankenhorn on a single. Although the bats went somewhat cold in the middle innings, Mar Contreras singled to knot the game up at three in the top half of the seventh. With Logan Lombana on the mound for Fort Myers, a deep double to left field allowed Jupiter’s Aaron Knapp to come around and score the game-winning run. Kevin Marnon and Lombana split the game almost evenly, going 3 and 3 1/3 innings respectively. Jupiter 3, Fort Myers 2 (Game 2, 7 innings) Box Score Hoping for a different result in game two of the doubleheader, the Miracle found themselves in a very similar scenario. Jupiter was able to muster nine hits yet again, and came away with a one-run victory. Fort Myers struck first with Blankenhorn cracking a triple in the fourth that drove in Luis Arraez. He was then able to touch the plate after Jared Foster singled on a looper into centerfield. That lead wouldn’t last however as Jupiter answered with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. The 3-2 tally in the fourth was the extent of the scoring in this one and the Hammerheads closed it out in seven innings. Paco Rodriguez made his organizational debut for the Twins and tallied two innings of scoreless ball as the starter in game two. He allowed two hits and struck out a pair while walking one. Ryan Mason, who has been excellent for the Miracle, had a tough outing in game two as his two innings of relief yielded three runs on five hits. KERNELS NUGGETS Quad Cities 6, Cedar Rapids 2 (Game 1, 7 innings) Box Score Also playing a doubleheader today, the Kernels found themselves needing to dig out of a big hole early. With Tyler Watson on the bump for Cedar Rapids, five unearned runs came around to score in the top half of the second inning. Errors up the middle from second basemen Jose Miranda, and shortstop Royce Lewis, wiped any statistical blame from Watson’s line. Cedar Rapids would battle back a bit in the bottom of the fifth inning, as a Miranda double scored Ben Rortvedt for their first run of the day. Akil Baddoo then tallied a double for himself to drive in Miranda and the deficit was cut to three. Unfortunately for Toby Gardenhire’s squad, that was where their scoring ended, and a Quad Cities solo shot in the top of the seventh put the final tally at 6-2. The Kernels recorded just four hits and three walks in game one of the twin bill. Quad Cities 8, Cedar Rapids 4 (Game 2, 7 innings) Box Score Looking to rebound from their game one loss, Cedar Rapids found yet another tough test in game two. A two-run bomb by Shane Carrier gave them the early lead in the bottom of the first inning, but it was again the second inning that proved costly. Royce Lewis committed his second error of the day, this one of the throwing variety. The River Bandits took that momentum and put up another second inning five spot. Randy Dobnak got the call in this contest and allowed all eight runs on 11 hits over 4 2/3 innings. After being down by six after the fifth inning, the Kernels once again put runs on the board. In the bottom of the sixth, Miranda drove in Jean Carlos Arias with a bases loaded fielders choice. A wild pitch with Baddoo at the dish allowed Ben Rodriguez to score the Kernels final run of the evening. Swept in the doubleheader, the Kernels dropped game two by four runs. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Dietrich Enns, 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K Twins Daily Hitter of the Day – Brent Rooker 2-3, 2 R, RBI, HR TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY 1. Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4, 3 BB, 3 K 5. Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) – 0-5, R, 2 BB, 2 K 7. Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 2-3, 2 R, RBI, HR(4) 10. Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – 2-7, RBI, 2 2B, BB, 3 K 13. Lewin Diaz (Fort Myers) – 1-3 14. LaMonte Wade (Chattanooga) – 2-5, R, 2 RBI 15. Mitch Garver (Minnesota) – 1-4, R 16. Ben Rortvedt (Cedar Rapids) – 1-3, R, 3B, K 17. Travis Blankenhorn (Fort Myers) – 2-6, 2 R, RBI, 2B, 3B 19. Tyler Jay (Chattanooga) – 1.2 IP, 3 H WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Syracuse @ Rochester (10:05am CST) – RHP Trevor May (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Chattanooga @ Biloxi (6:35pm CST) – TBD Fort Myers @ Jupiter (9:30am CST) – LHP Charlie Barnes (1-3, 4.61 ERA) Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CST) – Bailey Ober (0-1, 13.03 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games! Click here to view the article

For the Minnesota Twins in 2018, two of their most important pitchers in the rotation and bullpen are Jose Berrios and Fernando Rodney. With Berrios serving as the rotation's bonafide ace, and Rodney bringing up the rear in games with a lead, Paul Molitor needs both of them to be right far more often than they aren't. Unfortunately, both have gone through a dry spell in 2018, but it appears a couple of tweaks has each right back on track. Starting in the rotation with Berrios, we've seen both ends of the spectrum through the first two months of the season. Across his first four starts of 2018 for the Twins, Berrios own a 1.63 ERA and was allowing opposing hitters to compile just a .378 OPS against him. He tallied 29 strikeouts to pair with just five walks. For a guy who has had command issues in the past, the results were nothing short of greatness. Then however, we got to April 24th. In the first game following his dominant outing in Puerto Rico, Berrios came up against the Yankees. He surrendered five runs on six hits in the Bronx and took his second loss of the year. Things didn't get better from there, and the four game stretch would turn ugly by the time the dust settled. From the 24th through May 10th, Berrios posted an 8.84 ERA and allowed a 1.027 opponent OPS. His stuff had seemingly left him, and it was his curveball that appeared most out of whack. Working with pitching coach Garvin Alston during a bullpen session, reports suggested the curveball had been fixed. On Tuesday night against the St. Louis Cardinals that appeared to ring true. Berrios posted a 2,389 RPM on his curve against St. Louis, despite averaging just a 2,327 RPM mark over his previous four starts. He also got swinging strikes on the pitch 15.7% (16/102) of the time, as opposed to the 10.6% (35/330) he generated in the four starts prior. With more bite on his breaking pitch, it appeared that Berrios was back to his normal self on the bump. Out of the bullpen, the Twins needed Fernando Rodney to make a tweak as well. Despite still throwing gas at an advanced age, it has always been his changeup that Rodney has relied upon and thrived with. For whatever reason, he decided to abandon the pitch in coming over to the Twins. During his first 8 outings, Rodney threw 6.2 IP while balooning to a 6.75 ERA with a .991 OPS against. He was tossing his changeup just 18.6% of the time, and finding very little success. Fast forward to today, and he's gone another 7.0 IP with a 0.00 ERA and a .350 OPS against. In that time span, he's been using the offspeed pitch 27.1% of the time. Without having conversations with the closer, it's hard to determine why he'd abandon a regular usage of arguably his most effective pitch. Given the start to the Twins season weather wise however, it's worth questioning if the snow or cold may have played an effect. Grip can be tough on a major league baseball as is, throwing in suboptimal weather conditions no doubt only increases that reality. Right now though, it appears Rodney has things back in control and is utilizing his changeup more closely to his career norms. With a 35.6% career usage rate on the pitch, it's still a bit below where he's been, but things are trending in the right direction. The Fernando Rodney Experience is always going to be a rollercoaster, but having him pitch out of the closer role is the most optimal scenario for the Twins. Allowing pitchers like Addison Reed and Ryan Pressly to be deployed in high leverage at any point during the game is of massive value. The same can't be said about Rodney, and keeping him effective in the 9th allows the Twins to best position themselves for wins on a nightly basis. Minnesota continuing to push the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central will rest heavily on the shoulders of both Berrios and Rodney throughout the year. Making quick tweaks when necessary is extremely valuable, and keeping their respective focuses on point is imperative for sustained success. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Seven starts into his 2018 season with the Minnesota Twins, Lance Lynn has been nothing short of an abomination. He owns a 7.34 ERA, 1.981 WHIP, and is surrendering 6.6 free passes per nine innings. All of those numbers are ugly, but what's most interesting, is that Lynn's secondary numbers suggest he could be very good if he stops doubting himself. Now to be sure, doubt may not be the most appropriate word to describe what is going on with Lynn. At the core of his issues is simply the fact that he has decided not to throw strikes. Over the course of his career, Lynn has been in the zone 41.6% of the time. In his early years with the Cardinals, he attacked the zone at an even higher percentage. While not the same measurement, in 2018 for the Twins, Lynn has thrown strikes on just 58.5% of his offerings. In his first season back from Tommy John surgery last year, that number was 59%. In 2015 it was 61.5%, and in 2014 it was 62.6%. Across the board, the most glaring issue for the Twins free agent acquisition is his inability to work in or near the zone enough to entire hitters. In fact, if we look at some of Lynn's secondary numbers, his stuff is actually playing a bit better than career norms. His 2,300+ spin rate on average for pitches thrown this season is up from last year, and his velocity has seen about a one mile per hour spike as well. He's generating swinging strikes 10.8% of the time, which is a career best. His 30.4% chase rate is the 2nd best mark of his career, and he's allowing contact at a career low 75.9% mark. Doing so many other things rate, it's fair to question where that leaves him. There's a couple of things at play for the big righty. His repertoire seems to have shifted some this season. The four seam fastball usage is up nearly 8% over last year, and the sinker has dipped 10% to make up for it. In looking at the density of his pitches in the zone, we can see he's attacked completely opposite sides as well. Instead of working the left side and inner part of the zone against righties as he did so often in 2017, his 2018 balls have traveled to the right side of the zone with many of them floating over the heart of the plate. By taking a look at how he's attacking batters, or in this instance isn't, we can gather a good idea of what his batted ball numbers should look like. Issuing 6.6 walks per nine and over 11 hits in that same span, opposing batters are invited to be patient. As such, Lynn is issuing a career worst 40.8% hard hit rate as well as a 21.4% HR/FB ratio. Despite generating ground balls at a 48.5% mark, which is a strong total, he's allowing opposing hitters to sit back, swing hard, and deposit baseballs into the seats. Of the 164 plate appearances Lynn has been on the bump for this season, 108 of them have presented scenarios in which either the batter or pitcher is ahead in the count. Across those scenarios, Lynn has been behind an astounding 65% (70/108) of the time. In the 70 plate appearances where Lynn has been pitching from behind, he's ceded 25 walks and allowed opposing hitters to compile a 1.251 OPS off of him. Conversely, when working ahead in the count, Lynn has given up zero walks while striking out 16 despite still allowing a .947 OPS. Over the course of his seven year big league career, no one would suggest that Lynn is a command artist. A career 3.5 BB/9 for a starter is a bit above what you'd like to see. However, he's routinely made the process work because he's been able to throw plenty of strikes, get ahead of hitters, and put them away. Right now, Lynn has decided to nibble around the zone, strike out batters in part due to confusion, and be burned by his own inefficiency. The good news is that Lynn had next to no spring training and has plenty of time to turn things around for the Twins. The bad news is that his room for error is becoming incredibly small, and we've reached the point in which he either needs to throw the ball over the plate or changes need to be made. The stuff is there for a very good pitcher to emerge. Lynn's overall ability, repertoire, and stuff is in a better place than it was a year ago. If he isn't in a place where he believes that it plays within the parameters of the strike zone however, it doesn't much matter. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

The Minnesota Twins just finished up a four game set with the Los Angeles Angels. By the time Fernando Romero was done with his five innings against Shohei Ohtani, Paul Molitor was tasked with utilizing a bullpen coming off an extra inning affair and quite a bit of recent work. What the Minnesota skipper was also having to deal with, was being a man short from beyond the outfield fence. Phil Hughes was available, but he isn't an option either. Hughes was jettisoned to the Twins bullpen after flopping in his first two starts of the year. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine likely saw this outcome coming given their decision to start Hughes on the DL out of spring training due to an "injury." Out of the pen, Hughes has been used in only the lowest of leverage situations, and has essentially taken on the role vacated by Tyler Kinley. Unlike the Rule 5 draft pick however, Hughes hums a fastball in at just 91 mph and doesn't really make anyone miss. The obvious elephant in the room here, is the $26.4 million owed to the former New York Yankees pitcher through 2019. Terry Ryan made an unwise decision in extending Hughes less than a third of the way into his first deal with the Twins. Rather than seeing more of a sample size, the veteran pitcher was given a guarantee after posting an MLB record breaking season in 2014. On the flip side, it'll be on both Falvey and Levine to come to grips with that number being a sunk cost. Right now, Paul Molitor and Garvin Alston are playing with a deck a few cards shy of a full set. The Twins have employed eight relievers often in the past few years, and that only highlights the importance placed on having quality options available out of the pen. As of May 14th, there's really only seven usable arms at Molitor's disposal. When going the extra reliever route, a team is suggesting that they're comfortable with a three-man bench. Minnesota has a trio that includes Bobby Wilson, Gregorio Petit, and Robbie Grossman. Outside of Grossman's bat, that group is a combination of journeyman that have more of a scrapiness to them than any distinct characteristics. In short, the lack of another option is a trickle down effect from what is currently taking place in relief. As things stand now, the Twins are leaving themselves short in the bullpen as well as off the bench, solely because a logical decision on Phil Hughes is being delayed. At Triple-A, Alan Busenitz is making the choices at the big league level look even more interesting. The owned of a 95 mph fastball and strikeout stuff, currently owns a 1.13 ERA and a 13/2 K/BB ratio across 8.0 IP. A year ago in 35.1 IP, Busenitz posted a 1.78 ERA and 9.9 K/9 for the Rochester Red Wings. Having made four appearances thus far with the big club in 2018, Busenitz has numbers that need improvement. Allowing three runs in just 4.0 IP, his 6.75 ERA isn't pretty. That small sample size doesn't overshadow the 1.99 ERA he posted in 31.2 IP a season ago however. In fact, I think the realistic performance lies somewhere in between. Busenitz is a better strikeout pitcher than the 6.5 K/9 he tallied in 2017, but he's probably not quite the guy who totaled just a 1.99 ERA either. At any rate, having Busenitz at his disposal would give Paul Molitor another necessary option out of the pen. Rather than subjecting Zach Duke to overuse against righties, or taxing arms like Taylor Rogers and Trevor Hildenberger, Busenitz could be worked into the mix and provide yet another quality option in a relief corps that's been significantly revamped from a year ago. Really what it comes down to is that Phil Hughes is the linchpin holding up multiple more adequate roster scenarios for the Twins. It's a tough pill to swallow when you're talking about that kind of money. Deciding to DFA Hughes isn't admitting defeat however. The reality is that he was trending downwards prior to his TOS surgery, and the list of successful recoveries is not a long one. It's time to thank him for what he's done, and push the water level of the club a bit higher. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz