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Who would trade a player that Hicks was this past season for a catcher that might not even be your starter? I would think its one of two things 1- This catcher is better than what his stats show or 2- Ryan wanted to move Hicks for a non playing reason What do you think?
Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch ----- The Twins have been very busy so far this off-season, making moves that netted them Daniel Palka, Dan Runzler, the ability to exclusively negotiate with Byung Ho Park, and today they traded OF Aaron Hicks to the Yankees for back up Catcher John Ryan Murphy. There has been a lot written about this trade already, so I will not really get into details that you can read (if you not already have) elsewhere, but just want to analyze its potentia
Signing relievers to multi-year free agent deals is a risky proposition. Dave Cameron had these numbers in a study from 2010. I wondered if anything had changed since the study and the new free agency rules. There were 11 non-closer relievers signed prior to the 2013 season to multi year deals. Jeremy Affeldt (2013-2015), 3 years, $18 million: $-6.6 million(Fangraphs) Mike Adams (2013-2014), 2 years, $12 million: $0.1 million(Fangraphs) Jason Grilli (2013-2014), 2 years, $6.75 million: $1
Heading into the offseason, there has been talk about the Minnesota Twins trading Trevor Plouffe more than any other player. To be fair, there's plenty of reasons that a trade would make sense. For everything surrounding Plouffe though, there's another guy that the Twins could look to deal, and the trades wouldn't necessarily need to be an either or. His name, Eddie Rosario. Last season, Eddie Rosario made his big league debut for the Twins at the age of 23. he was the first big time prospect
To say that the Twins have spent the last week and a half making some position juggling decisions would be to put things lightly. It appears that Miguel Sano is headed to the outfield, and Minnesota has found their newest designated hitter. In the midst of it all, Trevor Plouffe still remains in line to man the hot corner, and for good reason. There has been plenty of discussion regarding the Twins looking to deal their starting third basemen. Plouffe is considered to be blocking uber-prospect
Last week, the talk of Torii Hunter's retirement press conference was the idea that Paul Molitor and Terry Ryan were ready to dabble with Miguel Sano moving positions. No, he wouldn't be playing first base, but instead, they asked him to play the outfield this winter. I already explained what that may look like here, but yesterday the Twins added a new wrinkle: Byung-Ho Park. The Korean Baseball Organization superstar Park is definitely a fan of flair. The bat-flipping aficianado (who's since
The first domino has fallen for the Minnesota Twins' 2015-16 offseason, and while some feel the club's (pending) addition of Korean homer machine Byung-ho Park will force the front office to trade Trevor Plouffe, I think it will actually give the front office more flexibility for the year ahead. The Twins still have to sign Park to a contract, they've only won exclusive rights to negotiate with him at this point, but from what reputable media outlets are reporting that shouldn't be an issue. P
The Minnesota Twins can win the World Series next year. They have the lineup, mostly. They just need a bat and more production from the catcher position. The pitching is on the way in the form of Jose Berrios, Tyler Duffey, and Trevor May, and they have the defense. They need a left-handed reliever, a bat, and more production from the catcher position, and hope that Byron Buxton becomes the player we all expect him to be. This blog was originally published at Go Gonzo Journal. Offseason Move
The Scottsdale Scorpions, who host Twins prospects this season in the Arizona Fall League, had a strong week, going 4-1 before Saturday's Fall Stars Game, which featured Twins Adam Brett Walker and Mitch Garver for the East Fall Stars. The East Fall Stars fell 8-3 against the West despite an early 2-0 lead. Read on to check out how each prospect did in week four of the 2015 Arizona Fall League season! Adam Brett Walker - 3 games, 4/11, 3R, 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI, BB, 5K, SB (Fall Stars Game - 0/2
In 2015, the Minnesota Twins finally unleashed their hulking prospect from the Dominican Republic. Signed what seems like ages ago, the 22 year-old took the big leagues by storm. He swatted 18 homers in just 80 games, and pulverized plenty of pitchers. Heading into 2016 though, he's a man without a position, and his next stop could be in the outfield. Following Torii Hunter's farewell press conference, media touched base with both Terry Ryan and Paul Molitor. In speaking with Molitor, we learn
It was the 2002 All-Star Game in Milwaukee. Torii Hunter was an All-Star for the first time. He left his mark in the first inning with a homer-saving catch against the wall off the bat of Barry Bonds. Hunter had plenty of spectacular catches over his career, earning him nine Gold Gloves. But that one in particular is one of the most memorable that sticks out in my mind. I don't think I'm the only one either. Hunter addresses the crowd at the end of the season. It's the e
Cole is back from his safari in Africa! The guys talk about that, Torii Hunter's retirement, speculate on veteran free agents to possibly replace Hunter's leadership, answer your Twitter questions, and more. https://www.spreaker.com/user/sbarnard4/the-breakdown-ep-15-welcome-home-cole
Sometimes, there's an applicable use for the statement "elephant in the room," but when it comes to the Twins catching problem, that might not do the situation justice. Kurt Suzuki was less than mediocre in 2015, and there isn't much help on the horizon. Those developments put the Twins in an interesting position. What remains to be seen is whether or not they'll dole out the big payday Matt Wieters has coming to him. ESPN, Twins Daily, heck even here at Off The Baggy, Wieters has been linked
In recent seasons, the Twins have been more than well known for taking some flyers on the players of yesteryear. There was Matt Geurrier, Jason Kubel, and even Jason Bartlett. While Torii Hunter had more appeal than those players, more often than not, it's not a winning strategy. However, in 2016, it could actually be a path that makes a lot of sense. To be fair, there's plenty of reason to tread cautiously. Geurrier all but forced his way to the big leagues with his contract suggesting he be
You play to win the game, a phrase many a coach has muttered. While it's not the feelings of some, you can count me among the group that thinks participation medals and pats on the back have no place in competitive sports. You win or you lose, there is no gray area. When you lose, you've come short of the ultimate goal. In professional sports though, where there is a clear cut number of teams, and only one ultimate winner, what defines success? Looking at the Twins and Royals, this has become an
The day after the World Series comes to a close may be one of the saddest in baseball. With the realization that the offseason has officially commenced, it's time to buckle in for the winter. For the Twins, 2016 represents that start of what should be a renewed run of playoff contention. To accomplish that, modeling after both World Series teams seems to be a good starting place. In taking a top down view at both the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals, both teams have relatively apparent str
The Scottsdale Scorpions, whom host Twins prospects this season in the Arizona Fall League, had a dominant week with a 5-1 record. They outscored their opponents 41-21 and Twins prospects had a lot to do with that. The Scorpions are now tied with the Salt River Rafters atop the Eastern Division at 9-6. Taylor Rogers had a fantastic start on Wednesday but was betrayed by his bullpen (not his fellow Twins prospects), one catcher continued his hot hitting, and Adam Brett Walker came up big in mul
"You never know what you're gonna get" (from Forrest Gump), this little witticism also applies to baseball players. Every front office projects what their prospects will become, but it is never a sure bet. Consider two current Minnesota Twins: Brian Dozier came to the Twins as a shortstop, thought to be fundamentally sound in the field, but without great tools. As a hitter, he had never hit below .274 and never exceeded nine homers in a season, with his top year yielding at .320 average in a y
Cole is still on safari in Africa, so Zach Bennett and Tom Schreier are joining Brandon again to discuss the World Series, the Wolves' first game, Flip Saunders' legacy, Torii Hunter's retirement, and a lot more. Check out Zach and Tom's work at @ColdOmahaMN. http://www.spreaker.com/user/sbarnard4/the-breakdown-ep-14-save-it
Torii Hunter has officially announced his retirement from baseball. For fans around Twins Territory, this should come with mixed emotions. While Hunter was a player beloved by many, he was an aging player well past his prime. Now with the Twins set to move on, they can focus on crafting their outfield for the future. What exactly does that look like however? In 2015, Hunter started 121 games in right field for the Twins. He contributed 1,035 innings, made 231 putouts, and added six outfield as
Last night, Torii Hunter decided to officially hang up his cleats after 19 seasons playing Major League Baseball. Having spent the majority of his career with the Twins, the fan favorite no doubt will go down as one of the most celebrated Minnesota sports figures ever. What he should not do though is see his number hung from the rafters (er above Barrio in left field). Instead, his next stop should be the mound for a ceremonial first pitch. There's little denying that Torii Hunter gave both th
After 19 seasons, and a final farewell, Torii Hunter has decided to hang up his cleats. There was no tour as he completed his final 139 games, there was no final moment, and there wasn't even an at bat in the Twins final game. For Torii, things ended the same way they started, on his terms. After being the 20th overall selection by the Minnesota Twins in the 1993 Major League Baseball draft, Hunter debuted in 1997 at the age of 21. Becoming a regular two years later, the 23 year-old would go o
The Minnesota Twins club in the Arizona Fall League, the Scottsdale Scorpions, went 2-4 on the week to put their overall record at 4-5. Bullpen arms from the organization had a stellar week, one catcher continued to hit and another continued to showcase his defense, and all of Adam Brett Walker’s skills were displayed. Read on to check out how each prospect did in week two of the 2015 Arizona Fall League season! (links provided to each player’s overall stats by clicking their name) Adam
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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