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Some spring training moves are bearing fruit. The question is when they will be most ripe?

Glen Perkins hasn't been especially effective this year, but he still profiles as possible closer long term, with well over a strikeout per inning. Even better, this spring he signed a deal that keeps his salary team-controlled through 2016 at a level considerably below that of a closer.

So how should the Twins play that? On the one hand, they could trade him now to a team that finds a left-handed reliever (with closer potential) especially appealing. Or they could turn him into a closer later the year and (provided he excels and stays healthy) he becomes even more valuable. Or, I suppose, the team could hang onto him in the hope that the next competitive Twins team could still have him around. But that is by far the riskiest of the choices.
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It took almost six hours, but the Twins were able to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Brewers on Sunday. To do so, they needed to overcome another non-quality start from Nick Blackburn, who yielded four runs over six innings in what sadly qualifies as one of his best outings this season.

The right-hander's results weren't bad until Corey Hart took him deep for a three-run homer with two outs in the fifth, but he had been dancing on a tight rope all day. Milwaukee put runners in scoring position in each of the first four innings only to come away with one run; indeed, Hart's back-breaker seemed inevitable.

It was a typically ineffective effort from Blackburn, who has turned in only one quality start in 10 outings this year.
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Late Saturday night, players and coaches assigned to play for the Elizabethon Twins left Ft. Myers on a bus destined for Tennessee. It would mean a 13 hour drive, but for all of the players, they are more than happy to make the trip. Most of the players reported to Twins minor league spring training in early March and remained at Extended Spring Training. Hopping on that bus means they will be playing in the Appalachian League instead of staying in Ft. Myers and playing in the Gulf Coast League. They are excited to play in games that matter.
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No one would blame Liam Hendriks if he wakes up in the middle of the night because of some horrific dreams involving Ryan Braun. After all, the Brewers outfielder tormented Hendriks throughout the afternoon, going 2-for-2 with a pair of home runs and a walk.

Braun has inspired fear in all of baseball’s pitchers - now amassing 19 home runs thanks to his multi-homer day at Target Field - and Milwaukee’s big right-handed bat showed why he’s such a good hitter, grinding through a nine-pitch match-up in the third inning and finally got Hendriks to throw something that he could handle.

After falling behind 1-2 in the count, Braun made Hendriks ...

As the first half comes to a close, I thought I would write about the best moments of the season to this point. 67 games into my first professional season and I already have a number of memories I won’t forget. After 3 more games, we will be exactly at the midpoint. We have a number of stellar players on the way to the All Star game. I will be going home to see my friends and family. ...