Steven Buhr

I saw him play a handful of games for Beloit in Cedar Rapids back in... 2012 maybe? Sound right? He was in his first year of trying to learn to play 2nd base at the time and I was more focused on that than I was watching him hit. I don't recall being overwhelmed with his prowess at the plate (but then he had Sano and Vargas on the same team and it was tough to be overwhelmed by anyone else when you watched those two). I thought he was smaller than I expected him to be (again, maybe he just looked small compared to the two other guys). My first thought when I saw him in Arizona was that he had really filled out his body (chest and arms). As for the aggressiveness on the basepaths, I suppose we could choose to be optimists and give credit to Molitor. I think Berardino quoted Rosario as saying Molitor worked with him a lot in 2013. Maybe that was primarily on his infield footwork, but I do know that when I talked to Molitor during his trip to Cedar Rapids in 2013, we talked about base-stealing some. I'll paste what part of what he said at that time. (Bear in mind, our subject at the time was Byron Buxton, not Rosario, but I guess I wouldn't be surprised if he had similar discussions with Rosario): There’s two parts of base stealing: The mechanical, finding the best way to get your body to accelerate from a standstill position; and then there’s the mental side of understanding how they’re trying to slow you down and picking good pitches, good counts, reading pitchers pick-off moves, all those type of things. A lot of times, when you get caught is when you should learn the most. Whether you didn’t get a good jump or you ran on a pitch out or you didn’t anticipate the guy going home or you were tentative. There’s a lot of ways to learn to get better. So it’s a process. The more you do it, the better you get at it. We’re glad to see he’s out running. At least not having fear in athat area to this point. It also could simply be that the Twins told Rosario they wanted him to work on that aspect of his game in the AFL.

He's making good contact at times, even when the ball doesn't fall in for a hit, but I agree that you don't want to make bold predictions based on 4 weeks of work, even against AFL pitching. As for his OF prowess, he has good range and a good, accurate arm. From what I saw, if he stepped in to the Twins line up, I think he could immediately become the best defensive regular LF the Twins have had in the Target Field era (granted, that's a pretty low bar to clear).

Regardless of whether you believe the Minnesota Twins' extended search for new manager was thorough or a sham to cover for what was a foregone conclusion all along, the wait is finally over and Paul Molitor is taking over the manager's office at Target Field. The Twins announced the hiring Monday morning and will hold a press conference at 10:00 am on Tuesday to introduce Molitor as their new manager, though the decision was leaked to the traditional media types in Minneapolis days earlier. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/MolitorKelly.jpg Former Twins manager Tom Kelly and new Twins manager Paul Molitor (Photo: SD Buhr) Molitor wasn't my first choice as manager, but I do believe he is qualified and potentially could be a very good choice. In fact, when you boil down all the criticisms of the choice of Molitor, they really come down to two points: He was already employed by the Minnesota Twins. He has never managed at any level of professional baseball. I get that a certain segment of the Twins fanbase flat out did not want a manager who had any prior connection whatsoever to Twins organization. I understand that position, though I do not agree with it. I do believe that part of the Twins' problems has been that, as an organization, it has become a bit too insular. I think that it was important to hire a manager that brings a fresh approach to the manager position and that will be more open to new ideas than Ron Gardenhire appeared to be during his tenure with the Twins. I just don't believe that the only way you get that is to hire someone with absolutely no prior ties to the club. I think we'll quickly notice that a team managed by Molitor is not simply Ron Gardenhire Part 2 (or Tom Kelly Part 3, if you prefer). (This article originally appeared at Knuckleballsblog.com) It sure appears, based on everything I've read and heard from people who know Molitor and have seen him work during his time as a minor league instructor and Major League coach, that he not only genuinely enjoys teaching the intricacies of baseball to young players, but he also continues to strive to learn more about the game, himself. Many former elite ballplayers come across, as they age, as guys who think they already know all there is to know about the game because they were very, very good at it when they laced up their cleats - as though all knowledge of how to play the game is a finite base of knowledge that can never be improved upon. Others simply seem to have trouble teaching the game to young players that, in most cases, simply do not have the kind of natural talent that they had during their playing days. Neither of those factors appear to be the case with Molitor, so while I would be more comfortable with this choice if he did have some managing experience at some level of professional baseball, I don't necessarily believe it should be considered a disqualifying factor for Molitor. I don't believe that General Manager Terry Ryan stretched out the process simply to appease the fan base before making the hire he intended to make all along. I think anyone who does believe that is being extremely cynical. Of course, the Twins have given their fans plenty to be cynical about lately, so it's not altogether unrealistic to suspect the worst in this case. Perhaps I'm just a bigger believer in Terry Ryan than many are, but I trust that he set out to conduct a thorough search for the best candidate and he was not going to announce a hiring until that process was complete. I also think it is possible - though not probable - that Ryan actually preferred Red Sox coach Torey Lovullo over Molitor, but was overruled by Jim Pohlad, who, by multiple reports, has had a strong relationship with Hall of Famer Molitor for years and strongly favored Molitor since the time Gardenhire was dismissed (if not before). Honestly, since we're on the subject of Pohlad's relationship with Molitor, let me just throw out now, for the record, that I won't be one bit surprised if, ultimately, Molitor succeeds Ryan as the Twins' General Manager. I can envision a scenario where Ryan may have favored Lovullo, but was unable to convince Pohlad that Lovullo was such a better choice than Molitor that Pohlad would be willing to risk seeing Molitor to walk away from the Twins organization altogether.. However, since this choice is likely to determine how Ryan's legacy as Twins GM is ultimately judged, it is difficult for me to imagine him agreeing to hire a manager he did not personally believe was the right choice to help him turn the club's fortunes around. I think Ryan is the sort who would resign rather than allow the Twins ownership to impose a manager on him that he did not support in this situation. If, in fact, Ryan had a slight preference for Lovullo, but not so strong as to resign over Pohlad's insistence on Molitor (if such was actually the case), then I could only conclude that the GM is very comfortable with Molitor, as well. In the end, I'm encouraged that Ryan's top two choices for the job both have reputations for utilizing technology and advanced metrics to prepare their teams for success on the field, something Gardenhire had a reputation (deserved or not) for resisting. Along with the rest of Twinsville, I'll be very interested to find out who Molitor and Ryan will decide upon to fill out the Twins' big league coaching staff (could Molitor really bring in Robin Yount as a bench coach, giving the Twins a pair of Hall of Famers in their dugout?). Naturally, I'll also be interested to learn the organization's minor league assignments. It has certainly been an interesting first few weeks of the offseason for the Twins and it certainly appears it will continue to be the case as we move toward free agency season.

I shot several videos during my trip to Arizona to watch a few AFL games so I thought I would share a few in this post. I saw Eddie Rosario, Max Kepler, Jake Reed and Zach Jones in action during the 3 Salt River games I attended. Enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdIeM0Q4few https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz2buQsUhg0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKtwmBDr3Ho https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR1nywxVE38 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L9AUc8AivA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJixBC4kKYY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1_YC-2oOgM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z0Z6hcS3rk

I'm fine with Molitor, assuming Reusse is accurate. I'm far more concerned with seeing some new thinking from the manager than whether or not he has had prior roles with the Twins and I am confident Molitor will approach things with a very different perspective.

Acknowledging that I tend to get overly optimistic when I watch some of the Twins' prospects, I'll just say I'm coming around to the idea of giving Eddie Rosario a legit shot to win the LF job (maybe even CF) out of Spring Training. Good range, strong arm and making really good contact down here in AFL.

Thanks guys. This morning I'm just hanging out near the pool with my laptop and milking every last minute of warmth I can get before I check out at noon and head to the airport. I'd like to say I'm anxious to get home, but I'd be lying.

Hope I wasn't picking my nose or anything too embarrassing.

The Salt River Rafters made the trip across to the west side of the Phoenix area to Surprise, Arizona, on Wednesday to take on the Surprise Saguaros and, prior to the game, Twins prospects Max Kepler and Taylor Rogers took the time to answer a few questions.Kepler takes a .289/.385/.422 slash line in to Thursday night's game in Salt River, which is respectable for any hitter in the Arizona Fall League, but is perhaps even more impressive for a 21-year-old with no experience above the Class A level. He's happy with his performance, so far. "I think I'm playing consistent ball," Kepler said. "I'm playing solid outfield defense. Yeah, doing everything I can right now." Players in this league have been playing ball since minor league spring training started at the beginning of March, and Kepler confirmed that the wear and tear on the body starts to catch up with them this time of year. "Yeah, it has (been a long year)," Kepler admitted, but he quickly added, "It's been an awesome year, though." This is Kepler's second year in the Arizona Fall League and he said he's definitely seeing a difference in his game this time around. "I'm more confident. I feel more confident against the pitchers," Kepler reflected. "Last year, coming out of low-A ball, I just felt like all these big names were throwing at me and I was just a little guy in the big ocean. (They were) big dudes. Now I just feel like I can handle it." Kepler has been part of two minor league championship teams in his past three years of minor league ball, winning titles with Elizabethton in 2012 and in Fort Myers this past season. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Kepler3-600x400.jpgMax Kepler diving back in to first base on an attempted pick offIn between those championship seasons, Kepler spent 2013 split between rehabbing an elbow injury during the first half of the season and spending the second half of the year with the Cedar Rapids Kernels. He had some good moments with Cedar Rapids, including an opposite field home run in his first home game as a Kernel, that stands out in Kepler's memory ("I remember that short porch really helped me out that first game"), but his thoughts on that season are admittedly mixed. "The fans are unbelievable (in Cedar Rapids)," Kepler said. But at the same time, recalling his efforts to overcome the injury, he added, "It was rough, but I'm glad I got to stick with that good group of guys and I hope we can move up together because we've got chemistry on that team." That "good group of guys" that Kepler played with in Cedar Rapids formed the core of this year's Florida State League championship team. That team was managed by Doug Mientkiewicz, the former Twins first baseman who has been prominently mentioned as a finalist for the Twins' managerial job this fall. The speculation has been that, should Mientkiewicz not get the Twins job, he may move up to manage the Class AA team that will be playing their first season in Chattanooga, Tennessee. "That would be awesome," said Kepler, of the possibility of playing a second year for Mientkiewicz. Kepler also provided some insight in to what it's like to play for Mientkiewicz. "He's wild," Kepler said, while laughing. "I'd say he's a little unorthodox, but it sure worked for us. We kind of went through a lot of ups and downs this year, but when we won, we won a bunch. And then when we lost one game, Doug would get on us, and I mean hard. But when he did, he fixed it and it worked for us. But, yeah, he sure was tough on us when we weren't doing well and weren't focused, but the rest of the year, he was a fun guy to be around. He was just like one of us. Yeah, I loved him." Once the AFL season wraps up, Kepler will take a little time off then begin getting ready for 2015. "The offseasons are getting shorter and shorter," he said. "But I'll do as much as I can with my three months of workout. "I'll travel the states for a little, go to Texas for Thanksgiving," Kepler said of his immediate plans after AFL finishes. "I'll be going home (to Germany) for Christmas and the holidays." While Kepler has been playing several days each week in Arizona, pitcher Taylor Rogers has been not much more than a spectator during the games. Rogers, a 23-year-old lefty who pitched at Class AA New Britain in 2014, was injured in the third inning of his first AFL game when a batted ball was lined off his shoulder. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Rogers1a-600x400.jpgTaylor RogersSince then, he's been sitting. Taylor said Wednesday that he's hoping that's about to change. Rogers said that he is, "finally getting back to square one almost - back to where I can toss a little bit. Hopefully I can get a few more innings in here before the season ends. "It's something I want to do. You sign the contract to play here so I want to finish this thing out and see what I can do. We're probably going to see how these bullpens go." Rogers, along with Kepler, Byron Buxton and Jake Reed, is a Cedar Rapids Kernels alum. Though, unlike the others, Rogers' time in Cedar Rapids barely was long enough to register on his minor league stats line. He struggled a bit during his three games for the Kernels in a very cold April of 2013 before being promoted to Fort Myers, where he had a very good season for the Miracle. "Yeah, you know what, funny what warm weather can do for you," Rogers said, with a smile, then added, "No, it was fun those 14 days or so. It was nice to get out of the cold, but I'm sure if I would have stayed in Cedar Rapids, it would have been a fun year." The weather in Cedar Rapids may have been chilly, but Rogers recalls the warm greeting he and his team mates got upon arrival. "I thought it was really cool how that was the first year of the Twins being there (as an affiliate). What I remember was the fans really welcoming us. That was just really nice to see. Something like that you don't see very often. They were excited to have us there and we felt very welcomed." Click here to view the article

The Salt River Rafters made the trip across to the west side of the Phoenix area to Surprise, Arizona, on Wednesday to take on the Surprise Saguaros and, prior to the game, Twins prospects Max Kepler and Tyler Rogers took the time to answer a few questions. Kepler takes a .289/.385/.422 slash line in to Thursday night's game in Salt River, which is respectable for any hitter in the Arizona Fall League, but is perhaps even more impressive for a 21-year-old with no experience above the Class A level. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Kepler2-600x400.jpg Max Kepler He's happy with his performance, so far. "I think I'm playing consistent ball," Kepler said. "I'm playing solid outfield defense. Yeah, doing everything I can right now." Players in this league have been playing ball since minor league spring training started at the beginning of March, and Kepler confirmed that the wear and tear on the body starts to catch up with them this time of year. "Yeah, it has (been a long year)," Kepler admitted, but he quickly added, "It's been an awesome year, though." This is Kepler's second year in the Arizona Fall League and he said he's definitely seeing a difference in his game this time around. "I'm more confident. I feel more confident against the pitchers," Kepler reflected. "Last year, coming out of low-A ball, I just felt like all these big names were throwing at me and I was just a little guy in the big ocean. (They were) big dudes. Now I just feel like I can handle it." Kepler has been part of two minor league championship teams in his past three years of minor league ball, winning titles with Elizabethton in 2012 and in Fort Myers this past season. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Kepler3-600x400.jpg Max Kepler diving back in to first base on an attempted pick off In between those championship seasons, Kepler spent 2013 split between rehabbing an elbow injury during the first half of the season and spending the second half of the year with the Cedar Rapids Kernels. He had some good moments with Cedar Rapids, including an opposite field home run in his first home game as a Kernel, that stands out in Kepler's memory ("I remember that short porch really helped me out that first game"), but his thoughts on that season are admittedly mixed. "The fans are unbelievable (in Cedar Rapids)," Kepler said. But at the same time, recalling his efforts to overcome the injury, he added, "It was rough, but I'm glad I got to stick with that good group of guys and I hope we can move up together because we've got chemistry on that team." That "good group of guys" that Kepler played with in Cedar Rapids formed the core of this year's Florida State League championship team. That team was managed by Doug Mientkiewicz, the former Twins first baseman who has been prominently mentioned as a finalist for the Twins' managerial job this fall. The speculation has been that, should Mientkiewicz not get the Twins job, he may move up to manage the Class AA team that will be playing their first season in Chattanooga, Tennessee. "That would be awesome," said Kepler, of the possibility of playing a second year for Mientkiewicz. Kepler also provided some insight in to what it's like to play for Mientkiewicz. "He's wild," Kepler said, while laughing. "I'd say he's a little unorthodox, but it sure worked for us. We kind of went through a lot of ups and downs this year, but when we won, we won a bunch. And then when we lost one game, Doug would get on us, and I mean hard. But when he did, he fixed it and it worked for us. But, yeah, he sure was tough on us when we weren't doing well and weren't focused, but the rest of the year, he was a fun guy to be around. He was just like one of us. Yeah, I loved him." Once the AFL season wraps up, Kepler will take a little time off then begin getting ready for 2015. "The offseasons are getting shorter and shorter," he said. "But I'll do as much as I can with my three months of workout. "I'll travel the states for a little, go to Texas for Thanksgiving," Kepler said of his immediate plans after AFL finishes. "I'll be going home (to Germany) for Christmas and the holidays." While Kepler has been playing several days each week in Arizona, pitcher Taylor Rogers has been not much more than a spectator during the games. Rogers, a 23-year-old lefty who pitched at Class AA New Britain in 2014, was injured in the third inning of his first AFL game when a batted ball was lined off his shoulder. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Rogers1a-600x400.jpg Taylor Rogers Since then, he's been sitting. Taylor said Wednesday that he's hoping that's about to change. Rogers said that he is, "finally getting back to square one almost - back to where I can toss a little bit. Hopefully I can get a few more innings in here before the season ends. "It's something I want to do. You sign the contract to play here so I want to finish this thing out and see what I can do. We'll probably going to see how these bullpens go." Rogers, along with Kepler, Byron Buxton and Jake Reed, is a Cedar Rapids Kernels alum. Though, unlike the others, Rogers' time in Cedar Rapids barely was long enough to register on his minor league stats line. He struggled a bit during his three games for the Kernels in a very cold April of 2013 before being promoted to Fort Myers, where he had a very good season for the Miracle. "Yeah, you know what, funny what warm weather can do for you," Rogers said, with a smile, then added, "No, it was fun those 14 days or so. It was nice to get out of the cold, but I'm sure if I would have stayed in Cedar Rapids, it would have been a fun year." The weather in Cedar Rapids may have been chilly, but Rogers recalls the warm greeting he and his team mates got upon arrival. "I thought it was really cool how that was the first year of the Twins being there (as an affiliate). What I remember was the fans really welcoming us. That was just really nice to see. Something like that you don't see very often. They were excited to have us there and we felt very welcomed."

Steve Buhr is in Arizona, taking in a couple of Fall League games. Be sure to follow him on twitter @JimCrikket. A year ago, Jake Reed was beginning intrasquad workouts in Eugene, Oregon, as he prepared for his junior year at the University of Oregon. In the subsequent 12 months, the Twins' prospect has seen a lot of the U.S.A. while pitching for the Ducks, then the Twins Rookie level team in Elizabethton, Tennessee, followed by the Cedar Rapids Kernels, and a trip to Fort Myers for instructional league. Now, he's a member of the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League.Reed was the Twins' fifth round draft pick back in June, which means you won't find him on any of last offseason's "Top Twins Prospects" lists. You won't likely have to look too far down this year's lists to find his name, however. After signing with the Twins, he made four appearances in Elizabethton before being promoted to Cedar Rapids. Between the two stops, he put up a 0.29 ERA over 20 relief appearances. He struck out 39 batters, while walking just three. That kind of work earned him a coveted spot in the Arizona Fall League where, as difficult as it may be to believe, he's actually improved his ERA to a perfect 0.00 in his first six appearances for the Rafters. As you might expect, Reed is pretty happy with how his professional career has thus far gone. "It's been just a great experience," Reed said on Tuesday, before the Rafters beat up the Glendale Desert Dogs 14-2. "Just from the time I got drafted, with my parents there in Eugene with me, to sitting here now in Arizona. To still be playing in the fall, it's pretty special. It's been a great ride. I couldn't have wished for a better first half-season." Reed was one of two Twins prospects, along with outfielder and top Twins prospect, Byron Buxton, who were named to represent their team in the AFL's "Fall Stars Game" this Saturday. Not bad for a guy who was surprised when Kernels manager Jake Mauer and pitching coach Ivan Arteaga gave him the news that he was headed to Arizona this fall. "When {Mauer) called me in, there was a couple weeks left in the season. I knew the Miracle were going to be in the playoffs, so I thought I was maybe going to be going up there to help them," Reed recalled. "But they sat me down and originally Ivan kind of played a joke on me and asked if I wanted to go play (winter ball) for him in Venezuela. I was like, 'oh yeah, make four grand a month,' and I said, 'absolutely.' He said, 'No we were just kidding. We're sending you to fall league.'" Most AFL players have at least reached Class AA, but organizations are allowed a very limited number of roster spots for players who have not reached beyond Class A ball. That says something about how the Twins view Reed. Mauer and Arteaga told Reed that the Twins minor league director, Brad Steil, had contacted them and asked whether they thought Reed was ready for AFL, where he'd be facing a number of the top prospects in baseball. "They thought I was," said Reed. "They asked me if I wanted to and obviously I wasn't going to turn that down. "It was a big surprise for me. I was pretty shocked. I'm not saying I don't think I deserved it, but with the guys that come out here normally, it's the bigger prospects and it's my first half season, so in that aspect, I didn't expect it much." http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/JakeReed2.pngJake Reed gives a helping hand to a grounds crew member who took a corner a bit sharpOften, organizations are cautious about sending pitchers to Arizona the year they are drafted due to the number of innings they've racked up on their arms, between their final college season in the spring and their first partial season of professional ball in the summer. That wasn't an issue for Reed, however. "I'd started my first two years of college so I was accustomed to going 100 innings a year and I threw 40 maybe in college and 30 in the summer, so I was only at 70. I had more in my tank. The inning limit hasn't been an issue at all." It's not like they overtax the arms in Arizona, anyway. Each club carries about 20 pitchers to make sure none of them are overworked. Even relievers, like Reed, typically will pitch an inning or two and then get a couple days off before their next appearance. Fall League is an opportunity for Reed to show what he's got in front of a large group of scouts from literally every organization in professional baseball, but it's also a chance to hone his craft. Reed was told the Twins wanted him to work on his change-up, on "tightening up" his breaking ball and on stopping the running game. Of course, his 0.75 WHIP means he's not getting many opportunities to work on controlling that running game this fall. "I haven't thrown a change-up much," Reed admitted, "but my breaking ball, at times, has been a lot better than it had been. I think the biggest thing, though, is just maintaining the command that I had all summer. Getting ahead of guys, not walking guys. "As long as I keep throwing strikes, I think I'll keep doing all right." While Reed and half a dozen other Twins farmhands have been toiling in the Arizona sun, Twins General Manager Terry Ryan has been looking for a new manager. Reed and the others are following that story closely, as you can imagine. "Absolutely," Reed confirmed. "Ultimately, that's where we want to end up and ultimately, we want that to be our manager. Right now it seems kind of far-fetched, but hopefully, that's the guy we're going to be playing for eventually. "Yeah, we all follow everybody on Twitter, so we all see what's going on. We keep up with it. All the Twins are next to one another in the locker room. Whenever we see a new Tweet about another guy, we're always talking about it. But you know what, we trust Terry (Ryan), we trust everybody else in our organization to get somebody that will turn this thing around for us. We hope to be a big part of that, especially the young guys in our organization." http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/JakeReed3.pngJake Reed watching team mate Vincent Velasquez (Astros) warm upReed and the others are getting a little taste of what it's like to be treated like a big leaguer during their time in Arizona. Games are played at major league spring training facilities and Salt River plays their games at the complex shared by the Diamondbacks and Rockies. The Rafters use the D'Backs' big league clubhouse. It didn't take Reed long after arriving to figure out he was no longer at the Twins' minor league facility in Fort Myers, where he had been working during his time in the postseason instructional league. "The facilities in Ft. Myers are great, don't get me wrong, but going from a big locker room with hundreds of lockers to the big league locker room at a big league facility, it honestly kind of took my breath away," Reed said. "There're 12 TVs in there, I mean everything you can imagine in a locker room. Unbelievable. Then obviously, getting to play here every day, it doesn't get old, for sure." Reed had a chance earlier in the summer to get another glimpse of what it means to be a major leaguer. Joe Mauer and Rick Nolasco had concurrent rehabilitation assignments in Cedar Rapids and that experience stands out in Reed's mind as a highlight of his time with the Kernels. "When Joe and Ricky came, that was pretty special. Joe Mauer is such a great guy, and Ricky is, too, but just having him in the locker room was pretty special. Just seeing him go about his work and how he respected the game when he was playing and how he talked to other guys on the other team when they'd ask him questions. Just a great guy. "On his way out, before he left, he went around the locker room and shook everybody's hand. So that was unbelievable to me, a guy of that stature being able to take the time to shake every single person's hand in the locker room was pretty special." The Twins are already showing signs that they may be rebuilding their big league bullpen in 2015. Reed's performance at all levels this year has him in position to be fast-tracked by the organization if he can keep performing. Reed's success has even altered his own expectations of himself heading toward 2015. "It's definitely different now than it was when I signed and playing in Cedar Rapids," he acknowledged. "I don't know what's out of the picture for next year, because I haven't had the chance to talk to Terry or anybody else in the organization. They want to see guys excel in the minor leagues and prove that they're ready for the big leagues, but I'm not sure. I'm sure I'll have a better idea here pretty soon. We'll see what happens. We'll see where I go for spring training. There's just a lot up in the air." Reed has not heard, yet, whether he'll be getting an invitation to the Twins' big league spring training camp. "No, that's the thing, too. I think I'll have a better idea here pretty soon, because it's kind of important when you want to get your body ready for a certain time, you want to be in shape for a certain time. So hopefully I find out soon." Reed started to say he would not be disappointed if he doesn't get the invitation to the big league camp in February, but then smiled and corrected himself. "I will be disappointed," he admitted, "but I'll understand. Ultimately, it's not up to me, I just need to keep pitching well and hopefully it works out in my favor." But that's a matter for another day. Right now, Reed has a couple more weeks of pitching in the Arizona heat and then a well-deserved break. "I've literally been pitching for over a year straight," Reed said, alluding to having started his workouts at Oregon a year ago. "I'm starting to kind of feel it now. A break off of throwing would be nice." Pitchers and catchers report to Fort Myers by the middle of February, so it may not be a very long break for Jake Reed. Click here to view the article

A year ago, Jake Reed was beginning intrasquad workouts in Eugene, Oregon, as he prepared for his junior year at the University of Oregon. In the subsequent 12 months, the Twins' prospect has seen a lot of the U.S.A. while pitching for the Ducks, then the Twins Rookie level team in Elizabethton, Tennessee, followed by the Cedar Rapids Kernels, and a trip to Fort Myers for instructional league. Now, he's a member of the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League. Reed was the Twins' fifth round draft pick back in June, which means you won't find him on any of last offseason's "Top Twins Prospects" lists. You won't likely have to look too far down this year's lists to find his name, however. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/JakeReed11.png Jake Reed After signing with the Twins, he made four appearances in Elizabethton before being promoted to Cedar Rapids. Between the two stops, he put up a 0.29 ERA over 20 relief appearances. He struck out 39 batters, while walking just three. That kind of work earned him a coveted spot in the Arizona Fall League where, as difficult as it may be to believe, he's actually improved his ERA to a perfect 0.00 in his first six appearances for the Rafters. As you might expect, Reed is pretty happy with how his professional career has gone, thus far. "It's been just a great experience," Reed said on Tuesday, before the Rafters beat up the Glendale Desert Dogs 14-2. "Just from the time I got drafted, with my parents there in Eugene with me, to sitting here now in Arizona. To still be playing in the fall, it's pretty special. It's been a great ride. I couldn't have wished for a better first half-season." Reed was one of two Twins prospects, along with outfielder and top Twins prospect, Byron Buxton, who were named to represent their team in the AFL's "Fall Stars Game" this Saturday. Not bad for a guy who was surprised when Kernels manager Jake Mauer and pitching coach Ivan Arteaga gave him the news that he was headed to Arizona this fall. "When {Mauer) called me in, there was a couple weeks left in the season. I knew the Miracle were going to be in the playoffs, so I thought I was maybe going to be going up there to help them," Reed recalled. "But they sat me down and originally Ivan kind of played a joke on me and asked if I wanted to go play (winter ball) for him in Venezuela. I was like, 'oh yeah, make four grand a month,' and I said, 'absolutely.' He said, 'No we were just kidding. We're sending you to fall league.'" Most AFL players have at least reached Class AA, but organizations are allowed a very limited number of roster spots for players who have not reached beyond Class A ball. That says something about how the Twins view Reed. Mauer and Arteaga told Reed that the Twins minor league director, Brad Steil, had contacted them and asked whether they thought Reed was ready for AFL, where he'd be facing a number of the top prospects in baseball. "They thought I was," said Reed. "They asked me if I wanted to and obviously I wasn't going to turn that down. "It was a big surprise for me. I was pretty shocked. I'm not saying I don't think I deserved it, but with the guys that come out here normally, it's the bigger prospects and it's my first half season, so in that aspect, I didn't expect it much." http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/JakeReed2.png Jake Reed gives a helping hand to a grounds crew member who took a corner a bit sharp Often, organizations are cautious about sending pitchers to Arizona the year they were drafted due to the number of innings they've racked up on their arms, between their final college season in the spring and their first partial season of professional ball in the summer. That wasn't an issue for Reed, however. "I'd started my first two years of college so I was accustomed to going 100 innings a year and I threw 40 maybe in college and 30 in the summer, so I was only at 70. I had more in my tank. The inning limit hasn't been an issue at all." It's not like they overtax the arms in Arizona, anyway. Each club carries about 20 pitchers to make sure none of them are overworked. Even relievers, like Reed, typically will pitch an inning or two and then get a couple days off before their next appearance. Fall League is an opportunity for Reed to show what he's got in front of a large group of scouts from literally every organization in professional baseball, but it's also a chance to hone his craft. Reed was told the Twins wanted him to work on his change up, on "tightening up" his breaking ball and on stopping the running game. Of course, his 0.75 WHIP means he's not getting many opportunities to work on controlling that running game this fall. "I haven't thrown a change up much," Reed admitted, "but my breaking ball, at times, has been a lot better than it has been. I think the biggest thing, though, is just maintaining the command that I had all summer. Getting ahead of guys, not walking guys. "As long as I keep throwing strikes, I think I'll keep doing alright." While Reed and half a dozen other Twins farmhands have been toiling in the Arizona sun, Twins General Manager Terry Ryan has been looking for a new manager. Reed and the others are following that story closely, as you can imagine. "Absolutely," Reed confirmed. "Ultimately, that's where we want to end up and ultimately, we want that to be our manager. Right now it seems kind of far-fetched, but hopefully, that's the guy we're going to be playing for eventually. "Yeah, we all follow everybody on Twitter, so we all see what's going on. We keep up with it. All the Twins are next to one another in the locker room. Whenever we see a new Tweet about another guy, we're always talking about it. But you know what, we trust Terry (Ryan), we trust everybody else in our organization to get somebody that will turn this thing around for us. We hope to be a big part of that, especially the young guys in our organization." http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/JakeReed3.png Jake Reed watching team mate Vincent Velasquez (Astros) warm up Reed and the others are getting a little taste of what it's like to be treated like a big leaguer during their time in Arizona. Games are played at Major League spring training facilities and Salt River plays their games at the complex shared by the Diamondbacks and Rockies. The Rafters use the D'Backs' big league clubhouse. It didn't take Reed long after arriving to figure out he was no longer at the Twins' minor league facility in Fort Myers, where he had been working during his time in the postseason instructional league. "The facilities in Ft. Myers are great, don't get me wrong, but going from a big locker room with hundreds of lockers to the big league locker room at a big league facility, it honestly kind of took my breath away," Reed said. "There's twelve TVs in there, I mean everything you can imagine in a locker room. Unbelievable. Then obviously, getting to play here every day, it doesn't get old, for sure." Reed had a chance earlier in the summer to get another glimpse of what it means to be a Major Leaguer. Joe Mauer and Rick Nolasco had concurrent rehabilitation assignments in Cedar Rapids and that experience stands out in Reed's mind as a highlight of his time with the Kernels. "When Joe and Ricky came, that was pretty special. Joe Mauer is such a great guy, and Ricky is, too, but just having him in the locker room was pretty special. Just seeing him go about his work and how he respected the game when he was playing and how he talked to other guys on the other team when they'd ask him questions. Just a great guy. "On his way out, before he left, he went around the locker room and shook everybody's hand. So that was unbelievable to me, a guy of that stature being able to take the time to shake every single person's hand in the locker room was pretty special." The Twins are already showing signs that they may be rebuilding their big league bullpen in 2015. Reed's performance at all levels this year has him in position to be fast-tracked by the organization if he can keep performing. Reed's success has even altered his own expectations of himself heading toward 2015. "It's definitely different now than it was when I signed and playing in Cedar Rapids," he acknowledged. "I don't know what's out of the picture for next year, because I haven't had the chance to talk to Terry or anybody else in the organization. They want to see guys excel in the minor leagues and prove that they're ready for the big leagues, but I'm not sure. I'm sure I'll have a better idea here pretty soon. We'll see what happens. We'll see where I go for spring training. There's just a lot up in the air." Reed has not heard, yet, whether he'll be getting an invitation to the Twins' big league spring training camp. "No, that's the thing, too. I think I'll have a better idea here pretty soon, because it's kind of important when you want to get your body ready for a certain time, you want to be in shape for a certain time. So hopefully I find out soon." Reed started to say he would not be disappointed if he doesn't get the invitation to the big league camp in February, but then smiled and corrected himself. "I will be disappointed," he admitted, "but I'll understand. Ultimately, it's not up to me, I just need to keep pitching well and hopefully it works out in my favor." But that's a matter for another day. Right now, Reed has a couple more weeks of pitching in the Arizona heat and then a well-deserved break. "I've literally been pitching for over a year straight," Reed said, alluding to having started his workouts at Oregon a year ago. "I'm starting to kind of feel it now. A break off of throwing would be nice." Pitchers and catchers report to Fort Myers by mid February, so it may not be a very long break for Jake Reed.

I like Mientkiewicz but I don't see him as some kind of "top prospect" as a manager that you worry about "blocking" him and risk losing him to another organization. Not based on 2 Class A seasons in which he had rosters that were flat out loaded.

We were discussing on some thread somewhere (I lose track) the fact that Dave Martinez not only wasn't interviewed for the Twins job, but really never mentioned for any other manager opening. Maybe we just found out why. Since Maddon had a 2 week window after their GM left to opt out of his contract, it might make some sense that the Rays would not grant permission for other teams to talk to him, just in case this sort of thing happened. Have to assume he would be a front-runner for the Rays' job now.

Excellent point.

If the Twins don't even reach out to contact Maddon's agent, it can only mean one thing... they've already made a decision and an offer and it has been accepted. Just waiting to announce.

I think you're wasting your breath, Nick. For some people, anyone who can accurately spell "Twins" would be considered too much of an insider and should not be considered for the manager position.

Generally, MLB teams are not permitted (or at least strongly dissuaded by the MLB office) from making any newsworthy announcement during the World Series. They MAY be allowed to make announcements on off-days during the Series.

Now, contrary to what LEN3 of the Strib reported, Terry Ryan is saying he has talked to everyone he has to about the manager search and a decision will be coming shortly. "There is no timeframe, but we are in the home stretch." Interesting. http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Twins_GM_Terry_Ryan_We_are_in_the_home_stretch_of_manager_search102314

You'd honestly want an external candidate hired in a rush without a thorough vetting? That's the LAST thing I would want. And I just don't get the whole thing about how it's supposedly impossible to conduct a thorough internal and external search and then conclude that one of the internal candidates is the right choice. Frankly, that happens all the friggin time in the business world. Considering outside candidates should never preclude you from hiring an internal candidate if that's what ends up being your best choice. It's not a waste of time in the least, because you learn something with every interview. So it took longer to be thorough. Big deal. The GM of a MLB team doesn't owe his fans an apology for taking the time he feels he needs to make an educated choice based on the best information he can gather.

Not to drag this too far off topic, but since Ryne Sandberg's name was brought up, it may be relevant to note that he had 6 years of management experience in the minors, 5 of which were winning seasons and 3 of which were at the AAA level, before being named the Phillies manager. A year ago, I don't know many Twins fans who wouldn't have jumped at the chance to hire him to replace Gardenhire. Just goes to show, nobody is a sure thing and no manager can overcome really stupid moves by the front office.

You originally asked for "evidence" of his baseball smarts. I'm honestly not sure what kind of evidence you need. As I indicated, there is ample "testimony" out there and if you've read/heard any of Gardenhire's comments about Molitor today, those would be added to said testimony. But, to my knowledge, there's no baseball IQ test to provide objective evidence of a person's baseball knowledge. You either take the word of people who have worked with that person or you don't. You could say winning World Series as a manager might be evidence, but, let's be honest, good teams with dumb management have won WS rings.

And it appears that I will be down there next week to catch games Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Don't use up all the nice weather while you're down there.