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Some random, small sample thoughts on the Twins performance, based mostly on what the box scores are telling us, as we approach the halfway point of spring training. All the normal caveats about small sample, quality of opponents, and then some. I feel putting it in writing here will let me see how they hold up as spring training ends and we get going into the regular season. _______ The bullpen. The three back end guys are Perkins, Jepsen and May. Good on Molly to give May a start today, th
Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch ---- Ricky Nolasco's performance with the Minnesota Twins has been a disappointment. He was signed into a large 4-year contract after the 2013 season to be the Twins' Ace, a destiny he has yet to fulfill. There has been discussion this Spring that despite that contract, Nolasco would have to earn a position in the 2016 Twins' rotation, and hints that at this point, he might be outside, looking in. A couple of days ago, there were indications
This offseason, the Minnesota Twins had a couple of key areas the organization needed to focus on improving. After inking Korean slugger Byung Ho Park to a free agent contract, the bullpen was worked on through lower-risk, minor league offerings. Internal options seem plentiful to fill out the 25 man roster, and that means a group of players up against a wall will no doubt have to earn their spots. Minnesota had a handful of guys that were out of minor league options as the 2015 season came to
Eno Sarris joins the program to talk Mets, fantasy baseball, BBWAA, Fangraphs+, Beer, Sandwiches and so much more. http://traffic.libsyn.com/midwestswing2/MWS_0009_-_Eno_Sarris.mp3 SUBSCRIBE/REVIEW: https://t.co/1xoMeI67yF A Cold Omaha Podcast Network Production
Prior to the 2014 Major League Baseball season, the Minnesota Twins and Terry Ryan realized they had a deficiency. Coming off of yet another 90 loss season, the team's starting pitching was nowhere close to what it needed to be to compete. The answer was to scour the free agent market, and bring in outside help. Ryan landed to fresh arms that offseason, one has worked, and the other one hasn't. The issue with the one that hasn't; we may not have seen the worst of Ricky Nolasco yet. In terms
When it comes to thinking of baseball talent hotbeds, Minnesota probably isn't high on the list. The state deals with cold weather and snow from the better (or worse) half of the year. Regardless of Twins Territory being a passionate grouping of Major League fans, the high school scene doesn't draw as much national attention. There are the outliers however; the Joe Mauer's, Paul Molitor's, and Logan Shore. Sure, Shore isn't yet on the level of a Hall of Famer, and another guy with the potentia
I went to the Twins vs Orioles game on Saturday. Perfect weather; 75 degrees with partly cloudy skies. Dozier got things going with a leadoff homer, the Twins scored 8 runs in the 6th inning (very sloppy fielding by the O's) and won 13-2 (it was a split-squad team for Baltimore). Also homering were Rosario and minor league catcher Juan Centeno. I was looking forward to seeing Santana and Berrios pitch the first 4 innings. Santana was done in the first after only 7 pitches, but the second star
On Sunday March 6, Twins Territory was reminded of a somber event. It was the 10 year anniversary of Kirby Puckett's death. No doubt one of the organization's all time greats, it's tough to fathom it having been a decade since his passing. For everything that followed him in his final years, Puckett represented everything that was beautiful for baseball and the Twins while he was involved in the sport. In talking about him, we may have found the missing piece in defying new found analytics. Th
With the Twins now having played their first spring training home game, Paul Molitor got to run out a group of nine regulars. Playing in front of the Hammond Stadium crowd against the Boston Red Sox, Minnesota started what appeared to be a very likely Opening Day lineup. With a month left prior to that being set in stone, it's fair to question if it works. Should everything fall into place, meaning players progress as expected, I'd like to see a configuration look like this at some point in 20
During the 2015 season, few areas were worse off than the Twins bullpen. Minnesota didn't strike anyone out, there were largely without reliable arms, and late game leads were far from safe. Coming into 2016, making an improvement in relief was no doubt a priority, but the execution of that decision seemed to come from different trains of thought. Now with the 2016 season nearly here, the Twins bullpen has largely been decided. Glen Perkins, Kevin Jepsen, and Trevor May are all locks. Casey Fi
Baseball Prospecuts’ Michael Baumann joins the program to discuss MLB labor issues, the Phillies rebuilding efforts and of course, college baseball. Michael’s an MLB writer at FanRag Sports and Baseball Prospectus as well as a college baseball scribe at D1Baseball.com. Follow Michael on Twitter (@MJ_Baumann) A Cold Omaha Podcast Network Production Subscribe to Midwest Swing on iTunes or Stitcher! http://coldomaha.com/2016/podcasts/midwest-swing-michael-baumann/
The first action took place on Tom Kelly Field with TK working with Mauer, Park, and Vargas and Gene Glynn working with the middle infielders on fielding grounders and looking toward base runners. Vargas with his trimmed down look is much more agile around first base. My first prediction of the year; Vargas with start the year at DH with Park being sent to AAA to learn the "Twins Way." Things were like yesterday with pitchers warming up in the pen and then alternating between Hammond and the m
With the 2016 Major League Baseball slate set to get underway (or at least the tune-up games that is), the Twins enter the season with a fresh sense of hope. Really, every team does at this point of the year, but Minnesota is looking to take the next step. After narrowly missing out on the playoffs a season ago, playing for October is once again the goal. For Paul Molitor's club though, luck seems to be a large deterrent towards that effort. A season ago, the Twins finished at 83-79. Coming in
Monday morning found bright sunny skies, temps in the mid 70's, and lots of fans watching the workouts. Everyone was watching Tom Kelly Field where TK himself was putting the infielders through drills. There were a lot of guys switching off at first base; Park, Mauer, Carlos Quentin, Max Kepler, and a much lighter Kennys Vargas. Nothing much of note except when Dozier threw a double play pivot over the fence beyond first. On Hammond field the outfielders were fielding throws and throwing to t
A big point of contention for Twins fans over the past calendar year has been the bullpen. And while expectations were low heading into 2015, the team exceeded them. The bullpen, however, did not. Absent context, the bullpen’s numbers don’t look that bad, right? The team cobbled together a 3.95 ERA, a nice 6.9 K/9 and was one of just a handful of American League bullpens to issue fewer than three walks per nine frames. Nothing about that necessarily stands out to the untrained eye, but nothing l
The snow has melted, the season has changed, and the Twins have embarked on Florida. Spring Training is now well underway, and the Twins are set to kick off their slate of games. As the team positions itself for the meaningful contests in April, it's the March matchups that will pave the way. On the mound to set the action off for the Twins will be Phil Hughes. The question is, what does that mean going forward? Paul Molitor made the announcement that Hughes will be the starter for the Spring
What is baseball going to do about teams tanking? That question, framed in one manner or another, is being posed incessantly by baseball media’s talking heads as Major League Baseball prepares to kick off the 2016 season. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/tanking2-600x355.jpg There’s no question that teams like the Washington Nationals, Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs have emerged from prolonged periods of ineptitude to become not only competitive, but, in the case
Sunday will be the 10th anniversary of the death of Kirby Puckett, one of the most beloved Twins of all time. I just thought it would be nice to offer some memories of Puckett as a Twin – from his infectious smile to his game-winning 1991 World Series Game 6 home run. What's your favorite memory of Kirby Puckett?
As a new Major League Baseball season approaches, a renewed sense of hope imparts itself upon Twins Territorians. After a near playoff run a season ago, Paul Molitor's club will be looking to take the next step forward in the year ahead. Typically, that step isn't taken by every player, as regression candidates rear their heads. By now, you're probably aware that for 2016, my pick is none other than Eddie Rosario. Should that narrative play out, we find ourselves staring at one of the Twins most
Miguel Sano is listed by Baseball-Reference at 260 pounds. This LEN3 article has him at 263. If you've ever seen him up close, you know that Miguel Sano's true weight is probably something closer to thirty-seven billion pounds. It's also possible that he has no weight, but rather that the Earth's weight is measured in terms of the effect Sano's gravitational pull has on it. He's a large man, is what I'm saying. He's one scary, seriously oversized muscle with a face. That's an unusual-enough t
Wednesday's storms brought sunny skies, cool temps (low 60's) and strong winds to Ft. Myers. Got to Hammond a little later than usual (bad traffic) and pitchers were already into bullpen sessions. The first 5 pitchers I watched were Hughes, May, O'Rourke, Abad, and a lefty Pat Dean. As in other years Hughes' control is terrific and Abad is a big lefty, 6-1, 220 lbs. Neil Allen, Eddie G., and Latroy Hawkins were behind the mounds watching. The next 5 were Gibson, Jepsen, Brandon Kintzler (AAA
It's become a point of contention in some circles that the Minnesota Twins may not have a level of certainty at the shortstop position. Unfortunately, that notion couldn't be further from the truth, at least for the time being. Going into 2016, there's no doubt Eduardo Escobar has earned the right to start every day, and the expectation should be that he'll succeed. Way back when, I touched on the Twins continuing to benefit from the trade that sent Francisco Liriano to the Chicago White Sox.
I did something recently that I hadn’t done in probably 15 years. It used to be a habit. In fact, in retrospect, it may have actually become my very first true habit – something I came to feel I needed. Whether it was a good habit or a bad habit is probably open to debate, depending on one’s perspective. (This article was originally published at Knuckleballsblog.com) http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/carlinquote-2-600x400.jpg The habit had its roots in my youth.
On Saturday, Tait went 2-for-4 with a walk and his 17th double. The 19-year-old is hitting .219 with 17 doubles and 15 home runs at High-A Cedar Rapids.
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