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Prior to the start of the Twins, Blue Jays game on Thursday, August 4, 2022, members of the Twins and Blue Jays broadcast teams and press corps shared their memories and lessons learned from the great Vin Scully, who passed away at the age of 94 on Tuesday, August 2. Atteberry clip on Scully being his dad's first LA friend.mp3 Schulman Clip on Scully Grocery List (8-4-22).mp3 Late Tuesday night, America lost the greatest voice to ever sit behind a microphone and call a sporting event; Vin Scully. Mr. Scully died at the age of 94 and was the voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1950-2016, totaling 67 years with the franchise. Although he will be remembered best as the voice of the Dodgers, Mr. Scully was more than a voice for Dodger Baseball. From 1975-82, Mr. Scully called NFL games for CBS in addition to tennis and golf matches aired by the network. In addition to all this, Mr. Scully was a mentor for many, whether directly or indirectly throughout their careers. Prior to the Twins, Blue Jays game at Target Field on August 4, members of both the Twins and Blue Jays broadcast crews and beat report reminisced about Mr. Scully's impact on their careers and lives. Dick Bremer, Twins TV Play-by-play “Growing up I watched as much of the games as I could. But the weekday games are in the afternoon when I was in school, right? With that announcing team, I knew Ray Scott, because back then they would take an announcer from the Dodgers and an announcer from another team. Ray Scott was doing Twins games at the time. Back then as a kid, I had no concept of the fact that this guy had been with the Dodgers going back to the Brooklyn Dodgers. As I grew through adolescence, then adulthood, and developed a career in this business. I was just so incredibly impressed with who he was, what he meant to the game, and how he went about his craft. It was my pleasure to meet him in 2005, and get the chance to express to him as so many others did, how much he's meant to the game of baseball. And for those of us who are trying to do what he did.” “We tend to forget he was a really good NFL and golf announcer. He gave the impression, and I think it was genuine, that there was no place he'd rather be than at that sporting event. That's something that hopefully, now that he's gone, those of us who have been blessed to be able to do this. And especially the younger guys who are going to be doing it now for the next few decades. They appreciate how well he did his job, but also how he did his job. And it wasn't about him. It's never about Vin Scully. It's about the players, and what’s happening to them because that's what people want to know. The irony is people I'm sure tuned in to him just to listen to him. But he never gave you that impression. He was still about what's happening to the people.” Bremer Clip on Scully's Castro bat.mp3 Dan Schulman, Blue Jays TV Play-by-play “I don't remember the first time but it was when I would have been doing ESPN Dodger games in the late 90s. Once I got to Sunday Night Baseball [calling Dodger games], Vin wasn't there because only Sunday Night Baseball was there. So this was a long time ago in the 90s. And he was just the kindest, most considerate man. I'd go up and introduce myself to him, shake his hand and ‘oh, I know who you are.’ He just had time for everybody with such a good soul and a good heart. Indisputably the greatest baseball announcer who's ever been and you could listen to him talk about anything, and it was riveting. That's a skill and a gift very few people have, but he got a double dose of it.” Schulman Clip on Scully Grocery List (8-4-22).mp3 Cory Provus, Twins Radio Play-by-play “I met Vin in 2007, my first year working the Cubs broadcast, and I remember we were out in LA and I asked Pat Hughes - he’s going to be in the hall of fame one day himself - and asked him, ‘Hey can you do me a favor? Can you introduce me to Vin?” He [Hughes] said, absolutely. And then Pat sees Vin and Vin in that beautiful voice says “Paaat”. I was right there, Pat said hello, shook his hand. Then he said ‘I want to introduce you to the new member of our team. This is Cory Provus. ‘Cory, nice to meet you. Vin Scully.” And you never forget that that's all. And this was pre iPhone, I had flip phones I couldn't take a picture of it was never one of those kinds of things. There was a sign outside the Dodgers TV booth. I don't know if it's still there. But it was when Vin was doing games. It said, 'Do Not Enter, On the Air.' It's kind of like, ah probably shouldn't go in. But inside that booth was the most welcoming warm man imaginable. So there’s this uninviting don't enter sign but that was anything but the case for the man inside. He was incredibly kind and welcoming. He was with the Dodgers TV booth, the first booth down this long hallway. I forgot what inning it was but he would do a daily nightly walk down the hallway. The radio booth for the visiting team was towards the other end of the hallway. So you would see then, I don't know if it was the fifth, sixth, or seventh inning, but he would walk down the hallway and you'd see Vin walk right by your booth and say ‘Just my nightly stroll, that's all.' He just a wonderful man and I was lucky enough to meet him just a few times. Provus Clip on Mr. Scully Personal Influence for Broadcasting.mp3 Kris Attebery, Twins Radio Studio Host “I was still doing the postgame show when the news broke. We had one segment left, Gina [producer for Twins radio] looked through the glass and kept saying what’s wrong, and I went, Vin died. And I'm like well, we gotta get through the same segment. So I was on the highlights and then I just said on air, Hey, if I don't sound enthusiastic, here's why that we just kind of off the top expository tribute for a couple of minutes. But yeah, that one hurts.” "Growing up in Montana, I didn’t have any teams but we had AM radio and signals traveled forever. So Vin was game of the week for me, so you would get Vin once a week. Later on, as I got older, you could at night in your car, you could pick up the Cardinals or the Giants and you could get the Dodgers on a good night and you could hear it on the radio. It was amazing." "He would reference a story or a book and I read that book, you know, that's what it was for me. You would come away from listening to Vin do a game and you'd want to do a deeper dive on what he was talking about. He told a story that alluded to x. I should read that when he tells someone about the Odyssey, let me get in on that. I want to read more. He always made you want to, to ask more, learn more, read more." Atteberry clip on Scully being his dad's first LA friend.mp3 Dan Hayes, Twins Beat Writer for the Athletic "Whether it's Dodger Stadium or at Petco Park occasionally you’d run into Vin Scully in the elevator. Even if it was like 30 seconds, it was gonna be the greatest part of the day because he was always beyond cheerful. You could tell he'd never had a bad day in his life, or that day was the greatest day. It flowed out of just how much he loved life and baseball, and he made you, as little stature as you had next to him, feel like a king. The personality was just so generous. It just was something he didn't have to do but he always did." Phil Miller, Twins Beat Writer for the Star Tribune "This is a year after he retired from broadcasting, so I'm kind of surprised to see him there. He was standing outside the clubhouse, hard to miss. It was early in the day, and I don't know where Molitor was, but he said he was just gonna say hi to Molitor. But I guess it's still hard. He asked if I liked working with Paul. I said, great baseball mind. I've learned more from him than anyone I've ever known. And Vin said, ‘Yes, he's got a reputation there for being a good teacher.’ "I said the best coach I ever saw was Jerry Sloan. I covered the Utah Jazz for six years and he was the coach. We stood there for 10 minutes talking about Jazz basketball and Jerry Sloan. Vin’s a great storyteller. but I got some stories about Jerry. He's [Sloan] a singular personality. very driven, very high standards. I just told Vin about all that. How simple Sloan's rules were but how people followed them and what a great teacher he was. That was it but the thing that I remember about it was that he knew Sloan, he knew something about the Jazz, and he seemed really interested about it all and asked 10 minutes of questions. I felt like I was being interviewed a little bit. And I always thought it was too bad that he was retired then because I always thought I'd turn on a Dodger game someday and hear Vin say, ‘And that reminds me about a story about Jerry Sloan.’ But I was just really impressed with how he drew information out. You know, that was the thing he did on the broadcast and shared this stuff that you never thought of, that you have never heard before." These voices from the broadcast booth and press box are only a small sample size of the larger impact Mr. Scully had on those who cover the game of baseball. Rarely are there people like Mr. Scully where their actions and impact of his hard work and kindness can be found in even the smallest of people that work to make sure baseball is played every day. Even if everyone cannot tell a story like Mr. Scully could, everyone still has a Mr. Scully story of their own to keep the legacy of America’s greatest broadcaster alive for generations to come. View full article

Longtime Twins TV voice stuns family, friends, polite society with replacement-level outfielder body art. Fans tuning in to Bally Sports North for Saturday’s Twins/Tigers tilt might notice a difference. Not on the field, but off. Dick Bremer, the veteran broadcaster who has handled play-by-play duties for the Minnesota Twins since 1983, revealed that he got a full-face tattoo paying tribute to Mickey Hatcher, who played for the Twins from 1981-1986. “He FaceTimed me from the tattoo parlor and said he was pulling the trigger,” said Bally Sports North analyst and local former relief pitcher Glen Perkins. “I just thought he was getting a TC on his bicep or something. He did not. It’s troubling.” The multiphase tattoo features a headshot of Hatcher on his left cheek and Hatcher’s powder blue home jersey on his right. Under his left eye is a script “Mickey” with a matching script “Hatcher” under the right. An all caps “HATCHMAN4LIFE” runs along his jawline. “’Hatchman’ wasn’t even the guy’s nickname,” said Perkins. “I’m going to repeat this: It’s so troubling.” Hatcher is perhaps best known for hurting himself catching a gimmick fly ball dropped from the Metrodome roof the day after Dave Kingman hit one through the Teflon. What drove Bremer to celebrate this minor figure in Twins history? One family member has a theory. “We were just sharing Twins memories in the Bremer group chat on Monday,” said Bremer’s son Erik, himself a play-by-play voice for the minor league Pensacola Blue Wahoos. “And my sister, who never responds to these things, pops in with, ‘Hey, remember when Bert Blyleven (Bremer's longtime broadcast partner) swore a bunch on the air? Cry laugh emoji, cry laugh emoji, poop emoji, cry laugh emoji.’ There was no response. She knew right away what she did.” Sources close to the family and organization say Bremer’s years as Blyleven’s foil left him emotionally spent and spiritually broken, and he’s only recently begun to fix that personal trauma. Would an innocent reminder lead to such an impulsive, permanent action? “Every day it was ‘downward plane’ this, ‘circle me’ that,” said a front office source. “He was also so close to Bert’s fart radius. For decades. A lesser man would’ve cracked years ago. That scar tissue is still tender, as is his heavily tattooed face and chin.” Bremer could not be reached for comment to this story or The Athletic’s report about an alleged Rob Wilfong henna tattoo on his left foot. Image license here. View full article

Since 1983, the year after I was born, Dick Bremer has been the voice of the Minnesota Twins on television. After nearly 40 years behind the microphone, I get the sense that some fans are ready to move on from Bremer, at least according to some of the chatter in the Game Threads here. I am here to tell you that those fans are spoiled and don't know how good they have it with Bremer. Dick Bremer was born and raised in Minnesota and has been a Twins fan all of his life. There really aren't too many instances where a hometown kid becomes the announcer of his favorite team. Born in St. Paul and raised in Dumont, Minnesota, Bremer is the fourth-longest tenured radio or television broadcaster in Major League Baseball. He trails only the Royals' Denny Matthews (1969), the Brewers' Bob Uecker (1971), and Texas' Eric Nadel (1979) and is tied with Seattle's Rick Rizzs (1983) and Boston's Joe Castiglione (1983). On that list, only Bremer and Uecker are currently broadcasting games for their hometown teams. With such a long tenure comes an intimate knowledge of the team's history. Cory Provus, who I really enjoy quite a bit on the radio broadcasts, can look up stats and stories from the 1984 season when Kirby Puckett made his debut or watch videos of the 1991 parade, but he wasn't there and didn't live it the same way Bremer did. Not only does Bremer possess a nearly unprecedented wealth of Twins knowledge, but his personality is also a great fit for baseball fans in the Upper Midwest with a dry sense of humor and a large dose of humility. He seems to understand that viewers tune in to watch the games, not for him. That can be rare in today's world. When I was a kid I had two memorable interactions with Bremer. One at Spring Training where I was basically starstruck passing him in the concourse in Ft. Myers. I managed to sputter out "How will the Twins do this year?" and he gave me a thoughtful, long answer and asked me what I thought. As a kid, I felt so cool having a real conversation with a famous adult. Years later in the 2000's, I was settling into my customary Upper General Admission seat in Section 212 for an afternoon game. I looked down the row a bit, and there was Dick Bremer reading a newspaper in the nosebleeds waiting for the game to start. I remember thinking that it was really neat that he would watch a game from up there on a day the game wasn't televised. In fact, I was in that very seat for one of my favorite Bremer calls: In other words, he strikes me as a real fan of the team. This can be bad (In my opinion Paul Allen takes this a bit too far, nothing against him he's great at what he does) but Bremer seems to know how to toe that line perfectly. I still get goosebumps when I watch this highlight from 2009, coincidentally featuring Kubel as well: That is not a forced home run call. That's not a planned out, "A-Bomb From A-Rod" corny home run call. That is a man who is genuinely excited about what he just saw. I think it is natural to get 'sick of' a broadcaster after this long of a time. If you hear anyone every day for over 30 years, they are probably going to wear on you a bit whether it is a spouse, boss, or sports broadcaster. For the folks who wish for a change in the broadcast booth, be careful what you wish for. There can never be another Dick Bremer. The man has seen it all. View full article

On Tuesday (March 17), Dick Bremer's Game Used: My Life in Stitches with the Minnesota Twins will be released. It will be available at bookstores around the Midwest. At Hammond Stadium in Ft. Myers, I had the privilege to interview Bremer on the book, and his life as a Twins fan, and nearly 40 years as the voice of the Twins on TV.The 2020 season will be Dick Bremer's 37th season covering the Minnesota Twins on TV. It also marks the 60th season that the Twins will be play in Minnesota. To mark the occasion, Bremer has been working with Triumph Books on an autobiography of sorts. In his typical self-deprecating way, he wrote about his life with 108 "Stitches" or short stories, most of which somehow tie back to the game of baseball. I truly enjoyed chatting with Dick Bremer in the press box at Hammond Stadium earlier this month. His passion for the Twins comes through very clearly. His passion for the history of this organization overflows. His pride in working with some of the great players in Twins history over his career behind the mic, from Harmon Killebrew, to Tommy John, to Bert Blyelven, Roy Smalley and now Justin Morneau. If you are a fan of the Minnesota Twins and watch them on TV regularly, and if you enjoy the history of the organization, the book is a Must Read, and I think that this podcast is a Must Listen. Earlier this month, Bremer celebrated his birthday. He was born just a couple of years before the Twins moved to Minnesota. He grew up admiring Bob Allison. He wrote about growing up in west-central Minnesota and getting to a couple of games each year. Even when his family moved to Missouri, he was able to listen to Twins games late at night on the radio and remained a Twins fan even though the talented Cardinals were much closer. His family returned to Minnesota. He went to St. Cloud State. There are some fun stories from his years in Cedar Rapids that Kernels fans will certainly enjoy. He's got a bunch of stories about the team in the Metrodome. There are stories of the 1987 and 1991 Twins and the players we all remember so fondly. Sure, there were some lean years too, but there were still some fun stories. There are also some emotional stories from Bremer's life that he shared. The book is comprised of 108 short stories, making it great for the coffee table, or for a bathroom reader. So again, on Tuesday, March 17, Dick Bremer's Game Used: My Life in Stitches with the Minnesota Twins will be available at bookstores around the Upper Midwest as well as wherever you get your books online (where they are already available for pre-order). Join me in this fun, recent conversation with Dick Bremer about the book and about his life with the Minnesota Twins. We even talked about the 2020 Twins, though please note that this conversation took place just over a week before news came out about the delayed started to the season. If you haven't listened to a previous Get to Know 'Em podcast, this is the one to listen to. You can subscribe to the Get to Know 'Em podcast on iTunes. or follow Libsyn for new episodes here as well. Please leave ratings or feedback. And did you know that you can listen to the Get To Know 'Em podcast by asking Alexa to "Listen to the Get To Know 'Em Podcast." PAST EPISODES Episode 1: Get to know Niko Guardado (Actor and son of Eddie Guardado) Episode 2: Get to know Pat Dean, Brent Rooker Episode 3: Get to know Royce Lewis, AJ Achter Episode 4: Get to know Devin Smeltzer Episode 5: Get to know Jaylin Davis, Tyler Wells Episode 6: Get to know: Travis Blankenhorn, LaMonte Wade Episode 7: Get to know: Matt Wallner (and Ten Minutes with Tyler Wells) Episode 8: Get to know: Caleb Hamilton, Austin Schulfer, Nick Anderson Episode 9: Get to know: Andy Young, Billy Boyer (and Ten Minutes with Tyler) Episode 10: Get to know: Wesley Wright (Twins Pro Scout) Episode 11: Get to know: John Manuel(Twins Pro Scout) Episode 12: Get to know: Marshall Kelner(Mighty Mussels broadcaster) Please share your thoughts in the comments below. Not registered? Click here to create an account. To stay up to date, follow Twins Daily on Twitter and Facebook. Click here to view the article

While in Ft. Myers, I chatted with Ft. Myers broadcaster Marshall Kelner in the Hammond Stadium press box on the team's scheduled off day. Kelner is a Minnesota native who has worked in several minor league cities in his young professional career. We discussed growing up as a Twins fan, going into broadcasting, his influences and all those Twins prospects that have played at Hammond Stadium in recent years.Marshall Kelner grew up in Minnetonka and went to Blake High School. He played baseball as a kid but knew early on that he would not reach the big leagues as a player. He listened to Twins Hall of Famer John Gordon call games and knew that is what he wanted to do. He headed west, attended and graduated from USC, and jumped into the world of minor league baseball. Kelner is a great storyteller, and you will hear that in this podcast. His first jobs were quite interesting. Hear about him playing blackjack with Jose Canseco and crazy independent ball travel. Find out who his broadcast influences are. In Minnesota, we are blessed with some good ones, and several have been willing to help out Marshall along the way. And we talked Twins prospects. So many of the Twins top prospects have played at Hammond Stadium the last couple of seasons. Find out a little more about Lewis, Kirilloff, Larnach, Duran, Balazovic and several other Twins minor leaguers. You can subscribe to the Get to Know 'Em podcast on iTunes. or follow Libsyn for new episodes here as well. Please leave ratings or feedback. And did you know that you can listen to the Get To Know 'Em podcast by asking Alexa to "Listen to the Get To Know 'Em Podcast." PAST EPISODES Episode 1: Get to know Niko Guardado (Actor and son of Eddie Guardado) Episode 2: Get to know Pat Dean, Brent Rooker Episode 3: Get to know Royce Lewis, AJ Achter Episode 4: Get to know Devin Smeltzer Episode 5: Get to know Jaylin Davis, Tyler Wells Episode 6: Get to know: Travis Blankenhorn, LaMonte Wade Episode 7: Get to know: Matt Wallner (and Ten Minutes with Tyler Wells) Episode 8: Get to know: Caleb Hamilton, Austin Schulfer, Nick Anderson Episode 9: Get to know: Andy Young, Billy Boyer (and Ten Minutes with Tyler) Episode 10: Get to know: Wesley Wright (Twins Pro Scout) Episode 11: Get to know: John Manuel(Twins Pro Scout) Please share your thoughts in the comments below. Not registered? Click here to create an account. To stay up to date, follow Twins Daily on Twitter and Facebook. Click here to view the article

It was just a matter of when, not if. On Friday afternoon, Twins President Dave St. Peter announced that Justin Morneau is now a member of the Twins Hall of Fame.Make your plans now. On Saturday, May 23rd, the Twins will be hosting the White Sox at Target Field. On that day, Justin Morneau will be inducted as the 34th member of the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame in a pre-game ceremony. It was just a matter of time, really, as Morneau had an impressive career with the Twins. In 1999, the Twins made the New Westminster, Vancouver, native their third-round draft pick. At the time, he was a catcher, but he quickly moved to first base after an arm injury. He made his much-anticipated major-league debut for the Twins in 2003. If you can recall, he received a standing ovation before that plate appearance. In 1,278 games, Morneau hit .278 with 289 doubles, 221 home runs and 860 RBI. His 221 home runs currently rank third on the Twins all-time list. In 2006, he was the American League Most Valuable Player. In 157 games that season ,he hit .321/.375/.559 (.934) with 37 doubles, 34 homers and 130 RBI. He was an All-Star in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. 2010 was shaping up to be his best season yet. Through 81 games, he was hitting a robust .345/.437/.618 (1.055) with 25 doubles and 18 home runs when he slid into second base and took a John MacDonald knee to the head and suffered a concussion that altered the trajectory of the Twins season and his career. He remained with the Twins through August 31, 2013, when he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates to end the season. He spent the 2014 and 2015 seasons with the Rockies. He owns the 2014 National League batting title when he hit .319 in 2014. He played in 58 games for the White Sox in 2016 before retiring. He joined the Twins as a Special Assistant to Baseball Operations the last two seasons. He has now spent time the last couple of seasons in the broadcast booth with Dick Bremer and will do about 60 games in 2020. On Friday, May 22, the first 5,000 fans in attendance at Target Field will receive a Justin Morneau Hall of Fame pin. The first 10,000 fans to enter on Sunday, May 24, will receive a Morneau Hall of Fame bobblehead. There is a 71-member committee that votes on the Twins Hall of Fame. It includes local and national media, club officials, fan vote and past elected members. Morneau joins the following in the Twins Hall of Fame: 2000: Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, Kent Hrbek, Kirby Puckett, Calvin Griffith 2001: Jim Kaat, Herb Carneal 2002: Bert Blyleven, Tom Kelly 2003: Bob Casey, Bob Allison 2004: Earl Battey 2005: Frank Viola 2006: Carl Pohlad, Zoilo Versalles 2007: Jim Rantz 2008: Rick Aguilera 2009: Brad Radke, George Brophy 2010: Greg Gagne 2011: Jim Perry 2012: Camilo Pascual 2013: Eddie Guardado, Tom Mee 2014: Chuck Knoblauch (elected, but not inducted) 2015: none 2016: Torii Hunter, John Gordon 2017: Michael Cuddyer, Andy MacPhail 2018: Johan Santana 2019: Joe Nathan, Jerry Bell 2020: Justin Morneau Click here to view the article

Over the past decade, pitch framing has become a hot topic, not only in how we've begun to identify its value, but also in finding methods to quantify it, and coming to grips with its influence on the game. However, I contend that our focus has been far too narrow, and we must look beyond the catcher- in fact, past the backstop, into the stands, up to the media boxes, and directly at the role of play-by-play broadcaster. How the game's on-camera talent describe the action shapes our measurement of every pitch, even when most telecasts have live strike zone graphics present. In this post, we'll be looking at the tendencies of long time Twins play-by-play broadcaster Dick Bremer, who has a very specific methodology: Since it sounds more impressive when a pitcher hits the corner of the strike zone, any and all parts of the strike zone and its immediate surroundings qualify as "The Corner", and will be described as such when the opportunity arises. Our analysis will include video breakdowns of the 11 instances of the word 'corner' being used by Bremer during the Twins' April 17th game versus the Toronto Blue Jays. To quantify each pitch, we will use an Actual Corner Value (how close a pitch actually comes to a corner of the strike zone) as well as a Broadcaster Corner Value (how close the pitch comes to the corner, as perceived and presented by Dick Bremer). Pitch #1: Bottom 2nd, 2 outs, 1-2 https://twitter.com/GoTwinkiesGo/status/1118572113256833025 Pitcher: Aaron Sanchez Throw: 96 mph fastball Result: Strike 3 Dick's call: "On the outside corner, didn't waste it at all. Buried it on the outside corner." Analysis: On a 1-2 pitch, Toronto pitcher Aaron Sanchez throws a 96 mph fastball at the outside edge of the plate, though it lands in the center third of the height of the zone with room to spare. Already, at this first sighting, we understand the challenge presented to Dick due to working on a television broadcast rather than radio, where pitch framing is sometimes less of an art and more the act of a used car salesman, free to invent whatever fiction will sell their desired narrative. Here, on TV, viewers can plainly see that this pitch is not on a corner. Dick, however, is unfazed, and reaches into his bag of tricks, declaring it on the corner not once, but TWICE - and not only stating its location, but insisting that it was BURIED there. This is the act of a seasoned professional, understanding that repetition and commitment are key to manipulating our perception, if not our very understanding of reality. Actual Corner Value (ACV): 4/10 Broadcaster Corner Value (BCV): 10/10 Adjusted score: +6 Pitch #2: Bottom 3rd, 2 outs, 0-0 https://twitter.com/GoTwinkiesGo/status/1118754724696641536 Pitcher: Aaron Sanchez Throw: 96 mph fastball Result: Strike 1 Dick's Call: "Strike on the outside corner." Analysis: Someday, electronic strike zones will lord over our game as unfeeling adjudicators, but until that day, they serve merely as proxy armchair quarterbacks - a tool we rely on as viewers to feel validated in our desire to maim and/or injure the home plate umpire for their imperfections. On this pitch, Fox Trax smugly refuses to fill in the outline of the ball's arrival point, declaring that this pitch was a ball and all those who disagree are filthy heretics. How comforting it is, then, for Dick to step in and remind all of us that in the end, the strike zone is defined solely by what the umpire says it is, no matter how many cameras and scanners say otherwise. This pitch is not outside. It is on the corner. The umpire's corner. ACV: 7/10 BCV: 8/10 Adjusted score: +1 Pitch #3: Top 4th, 1 out, 1-0 https://twitter.com/GoTwinkiesGo/status/1118755023842729984 Pitcher: Kyle Gibson Throw: 94 mph fastball Result: Strike 1 Dick's Call: "And now an outside corner fastball to even the count." Analysis: Kyle Gibson started the 2017 season as someone fans understood to be roster filler, but ended it on an underappreciated upward trend. In 2018, he broke out with his best season to date and cemented his position at the front of the Twins rotation. Now, in 2019, he has started off somewhat shaky, with a suspect ERA and the need to make it deeper into ball games. On this pitch, Dick has his pitcher's back, finding the corner where one does not exist. Catcher Mitch Garver positioned his glove exactly on the corner, and while Kyle missed his target high, he still found the edge and a called strike. For Dick, this is enough. He has earned approbation in the eyes of the telecast. ACV: 5/10 BCV: 8/10 Adjusted score: +3 Pitch #4: Top 6th, 0 outs, 0-1 https://twitter.com/GoTwinkiesGo/status/1118755338788851712 Pitcher: Kyle Gibson Throw: 93 mph fastball Result: Strike 2 Dick's Call: "On the outside corner with a fastball." Analysis: Freddy Galvis must be listening to Dick through AirPods under that helmet, because his face says what we all know in our hearts: That was a meatball of a pitch, and Dick Bremer is a hero for carrying on the cause, however lost it may be. ACV: 2/10 BCV: 7/10 Adjusted score: +5 Pitch #5: Top 6th, 2 outs, 0-0 https://twitter.com/GoTwinkiesGo/status/1118755513288626176 Pitcher: Ryne Harper Throw: 74 mph breaking ball Result: Strike 1 Dick's Call: "Breaking ball on the outside corner, strike one." Analysis: Is this pitch actually in the corner of the strike zone? Yes! The arc of the baseball tucks itself into the furthest nook available to it. In times like these, where no deception is necessary, you might expect that Dick Bremer would bluster and harangue us with unfettered righteousness, knowing that there can be no doubt as to where the ball landed. However, Dick finds a gentle touch in his commentary, content to let the pitch speak for itself, a simple declaration of its corner-ness being satisfactory. It needs no help, and will be allowed to lift its own weight. ACV: 9/10 BCV: 9/10 Adjusted score: 0 Pitch #6: Bottom 6th, 0 outs, 0-0 https://twitter.com/GoTwinkiesGo/status/1118755746894639104 Pitcher: Aaron Sanchez Throw: 94 mph fastball Result: Strike 1 Dick's Call: "Strike on the outside corner." Analysis: A location extremely similar to pitch #2, though now delivered with an additional hint of defeat, as it arrives against the hot bat of Jorge Polanco. Immediately after listing his current bona fides, Polanco falls victim to the quantum state of the umpire's zone. While he was fooled, Dick was not, and he wearily sheds the burden he has carried throughout this pitch, allowing us all to taste from the tree of knowledge. ACV: 9/10 BCV: 9/10 Adjusted score: 0 Pitch #7: Bottom 7th, 2 outs, 0-0 https://twitter.com/GoTwinkiesGo/status/1118756058548170752 Pitcher: Thomas Pannone Throw: 74 mph breaking ball Result: Strike 1 Dick's Call: "Breaking ball over the inside corner." Analysis: The work of a true master is present here, and we must parse the commentary carefully. The Twins are behind, but the tying run is at the plate. Now is the time for hope, and Kepler has watched a first pitch strike sail past him. Does the pitch find the corner? By exact definition, no. However, it is an excellent pitch - if one ignores that catcher Danny Jansen is set up on the exact opposite spot of the strike zone. Dick refuses to give Pannone the total satisfaction of finding the corner - stating that it is simply OVER the corner - while still testifying that it is a fine pitch. By Dick's standards, this is a backhanded compliment. ACV: 8/10 BCV: 9/10 Adjusted score: +1 Pitch #8: Top 8th, 0 outs, 2-2 https://twitter.com/GoTwinkiesGo/status/1118756254917120000 Pitcher: Tyler Duffey Throw: 95 mph fastball Result: Strike 3 Dick's Call: "On the outside corner. 95 on the outside edge or thereabouts, one away." Analysis: NO! This is Duffey's first game back in the majors this season, and wanting to bolster his confidence, our protagonist has overextended himself, daring to go where others fear to tread, well outside the zone and at the exact vertical center. Corners have not existed in these parts since the days of Marty Foster's gift-wrapped delivery of Joe Nathan's 300th save. And yet, with zero hesitation, Dick plants his flag - immediately realizing that he has made a grave error. It will not be enough to double down on his argument, as was the case on Pitch #1. He knows when he has been beaten, and he retreats at the first opportunity. It must also be noted that at the end of the clip, one can hear a chuckle from today's analyst, Jack "Back in My Day" Morris. This will be one of the few times during today's broadcast that I agree with him. ACV: 1/10 BCV: 0/10 Adjusted score: -1 Pitch #9: Bottom 8th, 0 outs, 3-0 https://twitter.com/GoTwinkiesGo/status/1119309223332986880 Pitcher: Joe Biagini Throw: 94 mph fastball Result: Strike 1 Dick's Call: "On the outside corner." Analysis: Matter of fact. All business. The pitch arrived enough within the margin of error that Bremer presents his truth with the cadence of a trusted newsman. ACV: 7/10 BCV: 8/10 Adjusted Score: +1 Pitch #10: Bottom 9th, 0 outs, 0-0 https://twitter.com/GoTwinkiesGo/status/1119309442338541568 Pitcher: Ken Giles Throw: 87 mph "fastball" Result: Strike 1 Dick's Call: "On the outside corner, strike 1." Analysis: The drama is beginning to rise, as the Twins are down to their final 3 outs, behind by a single run, and sending Nelson Cruz to the plate as a pinch hitter. Once again, the ball is only in the corner's general aura, but Dick knows we are too excited to notice, and continues past it without pause. ACV: 6/10 BCV: 8/10 Adjusted score: +2 Pitch 11: Bot 9th, 1 out, 3-1 https://twitter.com/GoTwinkiesGo/status/1119309817019944960 Pitcher: Ken Giles Throw: 97 mph fastball Result: Strike 2 Dick's Call: "Strike two on the outside corner... 97 in a REAL GOOD SPOT." Analysis: Perfection. Mastery. Finally, near the climax of this game, we find what has eluded us: A true corner, spotted in the wild for all of us to enjoy, and Dick refuses to let it go to waste. His initial hushed tones give way to wonder and amazement, before his final accentuation that not only hammers home the exact precision of this corner, but makes us feel that we too knew it all along, even if we didn't happen to be looking at the TV at the time. Even if we didn't know what a strike zone was. All of us, collectively, knew what we had seen. We are enlightened and made whole. We are one with baseball, and one with each other. ACV: 10/10 BCV: 12/10 Adjusted score: +2 Final Score: +20 Adjusted Corner Value This concludes part one of this series. Stay tuned for part two, when we extend our gaze to the rest of the strike zone, and learn about the subtext necessary when one is not allowed to call a professional baseball player a 'belly itcher' and get away with it for long. In the meantime, for my research purposes, please share any high-BCV highlights for your team of choice in the comments.

As Joe Mauer eyes his 2,000 hit, the Minnesota Twins, the state of Minnesota, and the man himself will have delivered a monumental milestone not to be taken lightly. While it’s the 3,000 hit club that all but guarantees enshrinement in Cooperstown, Joe will become just the 288th player ever to reach the 2,000 hit mark (of the 18,013 players to appear in a game per Fangraphs). Being a one-percenter, Joe not only shows us the greatness that is, but also helps us to appreciate the greatness that was.In a Twins broadcast early during the 2018 major league baseball season, Dick Bremer stopped and offered a comment to his partner Bert Blyleven. He noted that with Joe getting close to such a monumental mark, he will definitely make sure to give the achievement its due. Carrying more weight than those words themselves, Bremer noted that the reasoning behind it was him having called Kirby Puckett’s 2,000 hit. The last Twins great to eclipse the 2,000 mark was well on his way to 3,000 and it seemed all but a foregone conclusion. Given that we know how that story ended, Bremer’s purpose was to never again overlook something that could take a lifetime to repeat itself. Having grown up on the Metrodome, and eventually settling into Target Field, Joe Mauer is as synonymous with Minnesota baseball as Puckett himself was. While Kirby was the Chicago native who the state embraced as the every-man type player, Joe is the milk-drinking, yeah-sure-you-betcha type who has shown that talent is best utilized when forced to work hard. He’s the only catcher ever to win three batting titles, he’s got an MVP award to his name, and there was a time that looked as if Mauer would be looking up only at a man named Bench. Although Puckett’s great injury took away the game he had made a career of, Joe’s sapped him out of a position he’d revolutionized. Despite having to relearn the game at the age of 31 from an entirely new position, Mauer took it all in stride. He’s no doubt heard the unfair criticisms regarding his pay or availability, and yet there’s been no slowdown in regard to the way he attacks each opportunity. After trudging through three years of disappointment, Mauer returned to a form he had once patented. Tallying 412 hits from 2014-2016, Joe put up a 160 hit season in 2017, and donned a shiny .305 batting average. Having played 141 games, it seemed the a regular mix of rest as well as exploiting ideal opportunities, were a solid recipe for success as he continued into his twilight years. We don’t have any idea what’s left for Joe Mauer at this point in his career. He’ll be a free agent at season’s end, and despite it seeming like there’s more in the tank (and potentially a Gold Glove or two left on the table), it will come down to whatever decision he feels is best for his family. Should Joe return and give this organization a few more years, it’s more than likely he’d eclipse the 2,304 hits Kirby currently can claim as the team record. We’ve been down this road before however, and the reality is that nothing is ever guaranteed, and looking on to the next great thing generally has us missing what’s right in front of us. I’m sure Dick Bremer will be cracking a wide smile as he exuberantly exclaims that Joe has done it. It may come on the heels of a two-hit night, in the midst of a 10- game hitting streak. It may also not come until the weather decides to cooperate with the game of baseball. No matter when it comes though, the man in the booth, the one standing on the base and the guy up above will probably all know that this moment is something special. Click here to view the article

At 8:00 central time tonight, the Seth's Twins On Deck podcast was live. You can listen to it here. Seth was joined by Fox Sports North's Twins voice Dick Bremer. Twins prospects RHP Jake Reed and infielder Jordan Gore were also on the show. So was Gophers second baseman Luke Pettersen. We chatted briefly with former Twins pitcher Pat Mahomes before technical difficulties cut it short. But we'll have him on again next week.Dick Bremer has been the TV voice for Minnesota Twins baseball games for over 30 years. He's worked with some of the best players in Twins history, and in 2018, he'll work with Bert Blyleven, Jack Morris, Roy Smalley, Torii Hunter, LaTroy Hawkins and Justin Morneau. He has been the emcee of the Diamond Awards and is very involved in the community. We'll talk broadcasting and Twins baseball. Jake Reed is in big league camp again, attempting to make an impression on Paul Molitor, new Twins pitching coach Garvin Alston and the front office. He split 2017 between Chattanooga and Rochester. Jordan Gore was drafted by the Twins in 2017 out of Coastal Carolina. After 18 games in Elizabethton, he ended the season with 27 games in Cedar Rapids. Luke Pettersen is a repeat guest. He will lead off for the Minnesota Gophers on Thursday night when they play an exhibition game against the Twins at Hammond Stadium. In last weekend's Gophers trip to Georgia for four games, Pettersen went 8-20 (.400) with two doubles. Pat Mahomes was drafted by the Twins in 1988 and debuted with the team in 1992. He spent parts of five seasons with the Twins and then played for five other MLB teams in his career. We talked about his debut and his relationship with Tom Kelly and Scott Ullger. When he joins again next week, we'll discuss more about his Twins career as well about his son, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and more. There will also be at least one surprise guest, so you'll want to tune in. (Just waiting for final verification) ----------------------------------------------------------- If you have any questions for any of these guests, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. I'll ask them during the show. If you are listening during the live show, I will also ask for questions on my Twitter feed, so you can ask questions there as well. To listen to Monday night's show, click here. Either way, you'll want to listen and learn more about some Twins minor leaguers and more. Also, if you subscribe to Minnesota Sports Weekly on iTunes, you'll also be able to listen to these shows. PREVIOUS EPISODES While you're eagerly anticipating tonight's show, tune in to some of the previous episodes... Episode 1: Twins (LaMonte Wade, Stephen Gonsalves, Tyler Wells), Gophers (Luke Pettersen), MLB.com's prospect guru Jonathan Mayo. Episode 2: Twins (Aaron Slegers, Alex Kirilloff, Brent Rooker, Royce Lewis), Gophers (Toby Hanson) Episode 3: Twins (Bryan Sammons, Ryley Widell, Zack Littell, Travis Blankenhorn), Gophers (Alex Boxwell) Episode 4: Twins (Zack Granite, Nelson Molina, Lewis Thorpe, Josh Rabe), and Baseball HQ prospect guru, Chris Blessing. Episode 5: Twins prospects Charlie Barnes, Alex Robles, Tyler Watson, David Banuelos. Episode 6: Twins prospects Clark Beeker and Hector Lujan, Gopher senior infielder Micah Coffey, and Twins radio voice Cory Provus. Click here to view the article