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Apparently there is a big football game on Sunday in Houston. The Super Bowl will pit the Atlanta Falcons against the New England Patriots. That has nothing to do with the Twins, or really even with baseball, but like a million-billion people are going to watch it. They watch it for the football, or for the commercials, or maybe even just for the halftime show. But everyone has an opinion. So, I reached out to a ton of current, former and future Minnesota Twins players to get their thoughts on the big game.This page will be updated frequently throughout the day, right up until the start of the Super Bowl. Below you will find the picks of over 70 Twins-related people. Be sure to post your predictions in the comments below. Let's get to the picks: Seth Stohs - Twins Daily Falcons 37, Patriots 20 This is a tough one. First, I will always root for whoever Tom Brady and the Patriots are playing… But, I also would love to see Roger Goodell have to hand over the Lombardi Trophy to Robert Kraft and Tom Brady. But I also think that the Falcons offense will dominate a lot. Jeremy Nygaard - Twins Daily Falcons 28, Patriots 20. Eric Pleiss - Twins Daily Falcons 27, Pats 24 Juan Gamez - GCL pitcher and 2016 draft pick Patriots are winning it 24-21! Tom Brady is by far the greatest player in NFL history! Zack Granite - Chattanooga outfielder, Twins Minor League Player of the Year The final score will be 31-26 Patriots. As good as Atlanta’s offense is I think the Patriots slow them down. My MVP is LaGarrette Blount as he rushes for 146 yards and 3 touchdowns. Book it Lean Marrero - GCL Twins outfield prospect, 2015 draft pick 33-20 Patriots, Brady 320 yards, 3TD Casey Scoggins - Kernels outfielder and 2016 draft pick I'm tired of New England winning, and I'm not a fan of them even though Brady and his squad are solid. I think Matt Ryan and Atlanta have something special this year. So I'm going to say: 35-28 Atlanta wins on a late score in the 4th. Aaron Whitefield - GCL Twins prospect from Australia I'm going Patriots, cause Brady is a stud but low scoring game! 20-7. Travis Blankenhorn - Kernels 2B prospect and 2015 draft pick I'm going to have to go with 28-24 Patriots. Trey Cabbage - Elizabethton 3B prospect and 2015 draft pick I'm rooting for the Falcons, but I think Tom and the Pats will pull it out. 31-23 Pats. Ryan Walker - Lookouts infield prospect ATL 38 NE 23. Hank Morrison - Elizabethton outfielder and 2016 draft pick I am a Steelers fan so I definitely want the Patriots to lose. I think the Patriots will lose, but I think it will be very close 24-17 Falcons! Justin Hazard - GCL Twins catcher and 2016 signee. My predictions for this Super Bowl is Falcons win 24-20. They just have too many weapons on offense and look for Sanu to have a big game with a lot of attention being paid to Julio Jones. Brandon Lopez - Kernels shortstop prospect and 2016 draft pick My prediction is 24-17. Pats take it home! Tyler Wells - Elizabethton RHP prospect and 2016 draft pick I predict that the Patriots will win by a score of 34-28 Kevin Garcia - Kernels and Miracle catching prospect I got the Patriots! It's hard to beat tom Brady although Matt Ryan will put up a fight I still believe the Patriots will come on top. DJ Baxendale - Red Wings RHP prospect My prediction for this years’ Super Bowl is the same prediction as the beginning of the NFL season. Sir Thomas Brady will lead the New England Patriots to another Super Bowl victory! David Hurlbut - Red Wings LHP prospect I have the Patriots over the Falcons 24-21. Tom Brady will seal the deal. But it will be a dogfight with Matt Ryan leading the Falcons. Randy LeBlanc - Miracle RHP prospect 31-27 Pats. Who dat! Daniel Kihle - Miracle outfield prospect and 2015 draft pick I think it's going to be a shootout with the two quarterbacks. My guess is a lot of action with the Falcons winning it late in the 4th quarter. 35-31 Falcons. Alex Kirilloff - Elizabethton outfield prospect and 2016 first-round pick 28-21 Falcons. Tom Hackimer - Kernels RH RP prospect and 2016 draft pick I've got Patriots 42, Falcons 27. Logan Darnell - free agent LHP, spent years with the Twins O'Rourke is going to hate me for this. Falcons 30 - Pats 21. Zack Jones - Lookouts RH RP prospect I want the Falcons to win, but I have the Patriots winning 31-23. Kolton Kendrick - GCL Twins 1B prospect and 2015 draft pick It's really a hard question because I want the Falcons to win, and it's going to be a great game. But I see the Patriots winning 31-24 and the Falcons jumping up early in the game. Pat Light - Twins RH RP prospect Patriots 37 Falcons 21 … Never bet against Tom Brady. Patrick McGuff - Elizabethton Twins RH RP prospect, 2016 draft pick Patriots, It would feel wrong to pick against the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. Shane Carrier - Elizabethton outfield prospect, 2016 draft pick I've got Atlanta 27, New England 24. Ryan O’Rourke - Twins Left-handed relief pitcher Pats 34, Falcons - thanks for coming. Keaton Steele - Miracle RHP prospect Brady is 4-0 all-time against Atlanta. With that being said, all streaks must come to an end just like the Cubs this past year. I've got Atlanta by a field goal. Zach Strecker - GCL Twins RH RP prospect, 2016 signee I'm hoping the Falcons win like 50-0, but I don't see that happening. But, more like a 34-31 Falcons instead is more realistic. Jake Reed - Red Wings RH RP prospect I got the Falcons! Tight end Levine Toilolo went to the same high school as I did and it would be great to see him win a championship. Travis Harrison - Lookouts Outfield Prospect Patriots 31, Falcons 28. Jeff Manship - Former Twins pitcher, recently signed to play in Korea I'm predicting the Falcons because they are such a high powered offense. Plus, I really want them to win because I like Matt Ryan and I'm sick of the Patriots always being in the Super Bowl. Hector Lujan - Elizabethton RH RP prospect and 2015 draft pick I'm taking the Patriots winning by a score of 24-17. Luke Bard - Lookouts RH RP prospect 31-27 Pats. Can't bet against Tommy. Sean Miller - Miracle infield prospect, 2015 draft pick Can't go against Tom Brady. I think it'll be a good game, but I'm taking the Patriots! Mitchell Kranson - Elizabethton C/3B prospect, 2016 draft pick I have the Patriots winning 35-30. Tyler Benninghoff - Twins RHP prospect, 2016 draft pick I got the Pats winning 31-17! Stephen Gonsalves - Lookouts LHP prospect, Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year Atlanta 28-24. Matty Iceis going to take care of business. Anthony Slama - former Twins pitcher, Slama Time! Patriots 31-24. Ryan throws one interception, Brady throws one interception. New England will win coin toss and defer. Cody Stashak - Miracle RHP prospect I'm going to have to go with Atlanta over New England, 34-31. Callan Pearce - South African, GCL Twins RH RP prospect I'm not too clued up on the points system, but I'll have the Patriots winning 34-24. Cory Provus - Twins Radio Voice 34-24 Falcons. Austin Malinowski - Minnesotan and former LHP in Twins system Patriots by 14. Tom Brady Super Bowl MVP! Brice Zimmerman - The Voice of Miracle baseball 38-31 Falcons. #RiseUp!!!!! Dallas Gallant - Former Twins RH RP prospect Patriots win 27-20. Matt Fiedler - Minnesotan, former Gopher, Big 10 MVP, Cardinals 2016 draft pick I got the Pats winning 21-17! Alex Wimmers - Twins RH RP prospect, debuted in 2016 I'm rocking with the Patriots. I can't go against Tom Brady in Super Bowls. Even though he went to Michigan... He just plays well in big games and the Atlanta defense won't know how to stop them. The Patriots will shut down Julio and the Falcons won't make the right adjustments in which they need to. I got Patriots 31, Falcons 17 with Matt Ryan throwing a Pick-6 at the end of the game when they are trying to mount a game-tying drive at the end of the game. LaTroy Hawkins - former Twins pitcher, spent 21 years in MLB, Twins Special Assistant to Baseball Operations I'm rooting for Brady and the Pats, 27-21. Can't wait for the Commissioner to hand that trophy to Brady/Kraft. Ryan Mason - Elizabethton RHP prospect, 2016 draft pick My prediction for Sunday's Super Bowl: Patriots 27-24 over the Falcons. Go Brady! Josh Rabe - former Twins outfielder, current head coach and Quincy University Patriots 34, Atlanta 31 -- Brady and Bill will find a way. Terry Doyle - former Twins Rule 5 pick I think the Patriots win a close one. 27-24 is my guess. Dan Osterbrock - former Twins LHP prospect Patriots 31, Falcons 24. Tom Brady is the MVP and secretly spits in his hand before shaking Roger Goodell's hand (just like we used to do in Little League after a loss). Steve Blevins - former Twins RH RP prospect 31-28 Patriots. Chris Colabello - former Twins DH, recently signed with Cleveland I'm not a big prediction guy because I think the team that scores the most points will end up winning... haha (that's why they play the game) With all the bias in the world, as a Pats fan… Pats 37-21 with a garbage time TD by Atlanta. But, I actually hope it's close because Super Bowls are way better when they're down to the wire. Matt Albanese - Twins outfield prospect, 2016 draft pick Pats got it ..... Bill and Tom are winners. Todd Van Steensel - Australian, Twin RH RP prospect I reckon Patriots will win 34-17. Ethan Mildren - former Twins RHP prospect I'd like to see the Patriots lose for my beating my Steelers, but I think they are going to win 24-17. Steve Singleton - former Twins 2B prospect, currently Miracle hitting coach Atlanta 35-31. Sean Johnson - Twins Direction of Scouting I'll go 35-31 Patriots. Hard to not bet on Brady. Atlanta puts up some points but won't quite get it done. Tim Shibuya - former Twins RHP prospect Patriots win 24-17. Brian Dinkelman - former Twins 2B/OF, current Kernels hitting coach I'm going Patriots 27-23 . Late TD by Pats wins it. Austin Tribby - Elizabethton LH RP prospect, 2016 draft pick I think the Patriots will win... Tom Brady is the GOAT, and unfortunately I don't think it will be a close game. I'm calling 42-20. Dalton Hicks - Lookouts 1B prospect I think my man Tom is going to have a good day. They are going to win 24-17 ! Go Dolphins! AJ Pettersen - former Twins infield prospect, current head coach Chanhassen HS I'll take Patriots 28-17! Jake Proctor - former Twins OF prospect Pats have been there-done that far too many times. Falcons come out hot with an early lead, but Tom leads a late comeback to remind people. He's the GOAT. Patriots 31, Falcons 28. Isaiah Aluko - GCL Twins outfield prospect, 2016 signee Yes, I am. My prediction is that the Falcons will win 27-24 on a last minute field goal. #Riseup Jacque Jones - former Twins outfielder, current Nationals assistant hitting coach Don't really care who wins. Just wanna see an exciting game. Tyler Beardsley - Kernels RHP prospect, 2016 draft pick Patriots 34-31. Chris Mazza - former Twins RHP prospect, currently in Marlins system Falcons 36-27, and Jones will have over 150 yards receiving and 2 TDs. Griffin Jax - Twins RHP prospect, 2016 draft pick I really do not care who wins. I just love watching football and am excited for a good game! John Curtiss - Miracle RH RP prospect I think the Patriots are gonna win! I like Brady a lot, respect that guy. AJ Achter - former Twins pitcher, currently with the Detroit Tigers I'll go Pats 28-24. As much as I dislike them because I'm a Bills fan, I can't go against Brady, the best QB of all-time, and I believe he will get his 5th ring. Niko Goodrum - Lookouts IF/OF prospect Of course I'm riding with my home team. Falcons all day, every day! Trey Vavra - Miracle 1B prospect They destroyed the Packers... my heart is broke. Go Falcons! 27-23. Austin Diemer - Miracle OF prospect 31-28 Patriots... going to be a competitive game but Brady won't let his boys lose! Logan Lombana - Miracle RH RP prospect Pats 34-31! Trevor Plouffe - former Twins 3B, recently signed with the Oakland A's Patriots 38-35 Dave St. Peter - Minnesota Twins President New England 30, Atlanta 27 (Overtime) Robby Incmikoski - former FSN reporter, now at Root Sports in Pittsburgh Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are playing in their own world right now and everyone else is just a spectator, and it's fun to watch! But here's the rub: I have a REALLY hard time betting against Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. I predict a high-scoring, entertaining game.....and a 34-31 Patriots win! Trevor Hildenberger - Lookouts RH RP prospect (two-time Twins Daily Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year) I think the Pats win by a touchdown or 2. When you give Belichick time to prepare, it helps the Patriots take away what the other team does best. I think the Pats slow down the Falcons enough to win Tommy Watkins - former Twins player, current Kernels manager Patriots 24-21. Will Hurt - former Twins infield prospect Patriots! Michael Theofanopoulos - Miracle LH RP prospect I have Falcons 34, Patriots 28. LaMonte Wade - Miracle outfield prospect Pats 28 Falcons 21. This page will continue to be updated until the Super Bowl starts late Sunday afternoon. As of right now, here is how our picks are leaning. Patriots 59, Falcons 25 Click here to view the article

Here at Twins Daily, we have done a number of Q&As this offseason with current and future Twins players. Today, we present something different. We have a Q&A with a Twins player of recent past. Jeff Manship was the Twins 14th round draft pick in 2006 out of Notre Dame. Three years later, at the age of 24, he made his big league debut with a scoreless innings against Cleveland in August of 2009. Today, we catch up with former Twins pitcher Jeff Manship who found success in Cleveland’s bullpen in 2015. Going into the final weekend of the 2009 season, the Twins needed to sweep Kansas City at home. One of those games was started by Manship. He pitched into the 6th inning for the first time in his short career and recorded his first MLB Win.Manship spent parts of the next three seasons with the Twins but, despite putting up strong numbers in AAA, was never able to turn the corner in a Twins uniform. Following the 2013 season, the Twins let him go. Since then, he has pitched in AAA and the big leagues for the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies. Before 2015, he signed with Cleveland and after a solid spring training was sent down to AAA. However, later in the season, he was called up and pitched very well. In 39.1 innings over 32 appearances, he posted a 0.92 ERA and a 0.76 WHIP. He became arbitration-eligible and Cleveland offered him arbitration. Last week, he agreed to terms with the team and will soon head to Arizona for spring training. Recently, I was able to catch up with Jeff Manship, and he was kind enough to take time and really thoroughly respond to our questions. I have told Jeff that I hope he has a tremendous 2016 season… except when he pitches against the Twins. I’m pretty sure he understands. Let’s get to the questions: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Seth Stohs (SS): Have you taken the time to look back at the numbers you put up in Cleveland in 2015? 0.92 ERA. 0.76 WHIP. How important was it for you to come back up and put up those kinds of numbers? Jeff Manship (JM): Last year was a very special season for me. I had an amazing time playing with Cleveland, and it was a fun run at the end of the season playing for a chance at the wild card. It was very important for me to come up and throw well. I had thrown well in spring training, but the organization decided to start me in AAA. I just used it as a motivator to continue to throw well and earn my way back up. I had altered my mechanics during the offseason, and it proved to be a major transition for me and my career. I feel much more confident out on the mound than I have ever felt before. SS: Let’s go back… What were a couple of the highlights of your six or seven years in the Twins organization? JM: The Twins organization has always held a special place in my heart. They always treated me with respect, and I'm definitely where I'm at today due to the coaching and experiences I had. I have so many great memories, but the biggest highlights were my first major league call-up and outing. They are memories that I still have a very clear picture of in my mind. I can remember receiving a phone call very late in the night after I had already been asleep for hours. It was our AAA manager, Stan Cliburn, who told me to be ready for the first flight out of Buffalo, NY to Minneapolis. My roommate at the time, Rob Delaney, and I frantically packed my bags to catch a cab to the airport. I was running on pure adrenaline that whole day. I remember playing the Royals, but I never threw in the first couple games. My major league debut actually came against the Indians, I believe on the third day after my call-up. I remember facing Shin Soo Choo, Jhonny Peralta, and Travis Hafner. I always tell people how calm I felt during my debut and how I can attribute a large part of that due to the giant blue backstop at the Metrodome. Just seeing the hitter, catcher, and umpire against a blue backdrop made it feel like nobody was even there. I will also never forget game 163 at the Metrodome against the Tigers. To this day, that is still the loudest atmosphere for a baseball game that I have ever witnessed or been a part of. The city of Minneapolis really came out to support us, and to win such a meaningful game in extra innings was unbelievable. Having the opportunity to run around the field and high-five the fans was a special moment in my career. SS: Baseball players are busy all season, but are there any or many of your former Twins teammates that you still keep in touch with fairly regularly? JM: I still keep in touch with some guys. I recently caught up with Jay Rainville, who is a policeman in Rhode Island. I continue to keep up with Rob Delaney, Brian Dinkelman, Nick Blackburn, Cole Devries, Carlos Gutierrez, Danny Valencia, Anthony Slama, Tyler Robertson, and a couple others occasionally. It's always nice to see some of my former teammates like Perkins, Plouffe, Fien, and Dozier when we play the Twins. SS: The Twins let you go after the 2012 season. What kind of emotions did you go through leaving an organization that gave you an opportunity and then several chances? JM: I was upset, but understood the move they had to make. I hadn't thrown too well, and they needed to move on so there were definitely no hard feelings. I felt honored to be able to wear a Twins uniform for parts of 4 seasons and made many lasting friendships and memories. It was also exciting to look forward to a new chapter of my career with a new organization and teammates. SS: You spent time in AAA and the big leagues with the Rockies in 2013 and the Phillies in 2014. What was your experience in the National League, hitting, and visiting all of those ballparks? JM: Playing in the National League was a great experience. It's amazing how much different the game plays with no DH and all of the strategy involved. I was always paying close attention to the game because the phone could ring at any moment if the pitcher's spot was approaching. Hitting proved to be a challenge for me, but I never expected much success anyways. With the Rockies, I managed to collect two hits and an RBI while in AAA. My first hit was a slow chopper with bases loaded and the second actually came off Boof Bonser. That hit was something to be proud of, a solid line drive over second. The second hit continues to stand as my last professional hit. I'll never forget having to face Jose Fernandez while with the big league club, and it's something I pray I never have to do again. To my surprise, I made solid contact on my first AB and lined out to right field. He didn't mess around in the second at-bat and struck me out with one of his disgusting sliders. I bailed out like the ball was going to hit me in the face, and upon further review of video, the pitch was right down the middle. While with the Phillies, I received a couple at-bats in an extra inning marathon against the Mets. I had already thrown 4 innings in relief, and was coming up for my second at-bat with a man on 3rd and 2 outs. I hit a high chopper up the middle, which would have been my first major league base hit, RBI, and a game winner, but my body had different plans. I ended up straining my quad running to first base. I'll always defend pitchers when people say we aren't athletes, but in that particular instance I was not an athlete. It landed me on the DL, and was my last AB to date, and that's probably a good thing. The National League has some beautiful stadiums, and I was fortunate to play in almost all of them. Some of my favorites include Dodger Stadium, Petco Park, PNC Park, and AT&T Park. There was never a bad trip while traveling within the NL West. SS: I know you pitched as a starter and a reliever with the Twins, but you were always given that opportunity to start, even with the Rockies and Phillies, so, at what point did you just kind of accept that your were more of a reliever? Was that difficult to accept, or happy to do it? JM: During my initial spring training meeting with Terry Francona, he said that the Indians were going to focus solely on me as a reliever. I was actually very happy to hear that I would stick to one role for the whole season. It was difficult going back and forth between starting and relieving with the different routines that each role commands. I felt that it helped me to become more consistent and kept my arm fresh throughout the year. SS: As you look back, what were a couple of the things that you found out about yourself, and what helps to make you successful on the mound? JM: I had mentioned earlier about altering my mechanics before the 2015 season. It seems extremely simple, but I feel it made me a completely different pitcher. I work with Skip Johnson, University of Texas pitching coach, during my bullpens in the offseason. Last year, we decided to try throwing off of the third base side of the rubber as opposed to the first base side, where I had been for many years. It provided more extension, deception, and an increase in velocity. I think it helped my slider most of all and created a much more effective angle on all of my pitches. In addition, Francona utilized me in a way that helped my success. I threw more consistently, and rarely went more than 3 days without pitching in a game. He also loves to use his bullpen and never sets us up to experience failure. Confidence was key for me this season, and whenever a situation was starting to get out of hand, I remained calm. I had a much easier time channeling my focus without getting flustered. SS: What has this offseason been like for you, kind of knowing where you’re going to be in 2016? Does it change your preparation at all? JM: I continue to prepare in the same way that I have for my whole career. I always try to go into spring training fully prepared and with the mindset to compete and earn a spot on the team. Knowing that I will be with the Indians again next season is refreshing, but hasn't altered my focus or routine in any way. I'm really looking forward to this season. SS: Away from baseball, what do you enjoy doing? I know you’re into hunting. JM: Hunting is always something that I look forward to in the off season. My wife and I recently went camping, which we plan to do more of next off season. We reside in Austin, Texas, where there is plenty to do outside. We try to be outdoors as much as possible and enjoy hiking and exploring the various parks in the area. SS: If you were to look back at your time with the Twins, who are some of the people, coaches, front office types that you have respect for, and why? JM: There are plenty of people that I have a great amount of respect for in the Twins organization, but some of the most memorable are Terry Ryan, Bobby Cuellar, Gene Glynn, Steve Mintz, Rick Anderson, and Ron Gardenhire. I know I'm probably unintentionally leaving a few names off my list. Terry Ryan is someone who has done so much for the Twins and the game of baseball. He is respected throughout baseball and rightfully so. I always enjoyed my conversations with Terry and the advice and tips he would give. Bobby Cuellar was one of my favorite pitching coaches that I have worked with in my career. He has been around baseball for a long time, and has collected vast amounts of information and wisdom. He was always able to help me with my mechanical struggles, and was passionate about helping his pitchers be the best they could be. I only played under Gene Glynn for one season in AAA Rochester, but he left a lasting impression. He was one of the most positive coaches I have played for. The team had a rough couple years before Gene arrived, but he was able to reverse that and create a winning atmosphere in Rochester. He always went about things respectfully, which should command the respect of any player. Steve Mintz was my pitching coach for my first full season in Low-A Beloit. He too, was a very positive influence on my career. Not only was he a talented pitching coach, but he was a great person. I can remember all the assistance outside of baseball that he would provide to the players. Many of the players were new to professional baseball, and Steve provided a very helpful presence. For me personally, he made the transition from college baseball to professional baseball much easier. Rick Anderson and Gardy were the first major league manager and pitching coach that I had so they are special to me. They, too, are great people and I really enjoyed playing for both of them. The Twins have always been a model organization of how to play the game the right way, and they are a huge part of that philosophy. I also enjoyed all of the major league veterans that were involved with the organization. As a young player, it was great to meet so many legends and get to learn from some of the best. One of my fondest memories was having dinner with Harmon Killebrew at JD Hoyt's. He was a true professional and great man. SS: What was the experience of going through the arbitration process like for you? JM: The arbitration process was an exciting time. My agent really did all of the work, but it was fun to get updates on the progress made with the team. It was a good feeling to be tendered a contract by the Indians and have a sense of belonging in the organization. SS: What are your personal goals for the 2016 season? Are there certain numbers that you look at to judge yourself? JM: I wouldn't necessarily say that I'm looking for certain numbers, but I want to contribute as best as I can. Hopefully I can earn a lot of holds and keep the ERA and WHIP low again. Last year was a lot of fun because I felt that I contributed to meaningful games, especially towards the end of the season when we were making a push for the wild card. Overall, my goals are to stay healthy, be a positive contributor in the bullpen, and, of course, to win a World Series. SS: A lot of people think that with Cleveland’s starting staff, they will contend in the AL Central in 2016? What is the excitement level for pitching for a contender again? JM: I think that our team is fully capable of being a contender next season. The starting staff is very impressive and is always seen as our strong suit. They are all young with an immense amount of talent that can easily carry us. This off season, the team added some solid players to help both defensively and offensively. The biggest thing for us is to have a strong start to the season. With all the acquisitions made by every team in the AL Central, though, it should provide for an intense season until the end. Pitching for a contending team creates more excitement. It’s a lot of fun showing up to the field everyday with something to play for and trying to achieve team goals. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Again, Thank You very much to Jeff Manship. Please feel free to ask questions and leave comments. Jeff has always been terrific, on podcasts, at Twins Fests, on the Winter Caravan, etc. It’s always fun to catch up. Click here to view the article