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How do we keep Trevor and Miguel in the lineup together? How do we find the right catcher? How do we shore up the bullpen? Should Torii Hunter have a role? Do we need another starter, or just swap out some that we have? Can we afford an ace? How do we do all this under a scenario that the F.O. might actually consider, from an economic perspective? I think it can all be done, by next spring, with relatively few moves. But two of them are big. We would trade Brian Dozier and Kyle Gibson.
Between blogs (hopefully this is your first stop), traditional newspaper outlets, and advanced media such as radio and television, the Twins are well covered in the Twin Cities. Making a regularly scheduled appearance on ESPN Radio with Patrick Reusse, Paul Molitor provided some interesting tidbits yesterday. Over the course of his 45 minute candid appearance, there were some Twins notes that definitely are worth addressing. Paul Molitor is heading into his first offseason having been the acti
With Cole gone on a safari, Zach Bennett and Tom Schreier of Cold Omaha join Brandon in studio to discuss Timberwolves and Lynx basketball and, of course, the Twins. https://www.spreaker.com/user/sbarnard4/the-breakdown-ep-13-the-replacements
As with all major league organizations, the offseason brings change. The Twins have been done with baseball games since the first week of October. Now looking ahead to preparing for 2016, roster decisions begin. The first came with three players being removed from the 40 man roster. Shane Robinson, Eric Fryer, and Aaron Thompson were all outrighted to Triple-A and cleared waivers. Heading into 2015, Robinson was signed strictly as a veteran outfielder to provide depth, a move that the Twins mi
After the 2015 Major League Baseball season that the Minnesota Twins just experienced, expectations for the upcoming 2016 year are at an all time high. Having not made the playoffs since the 2010 season, this offseason is pivotal. Terry Ryan and the Twins brain-trust will be expected to make some key moves to push the Twins over the top. Once again, could it be another free agent pitcher that highlights the winter? Each of the past few seasons, the Twins have made a splash. First it was Ricky
For Twins fans, this is a position that Minnesota has not been in for quite some time. Experiencing a starting rotation drought that had the Twins five at the bottom of baseball for years, a new wave is being ushered in. Now with depth, and improved quality on the mound, Paul Molitor has some tough choices to make going into 2016. However, with more arms than openings, it may be time to consider a more aggressive quality over quantity approach. As always, there's five openings in the starting
In 2015, there's little denying that the catcher position was one of the largest deficiencies for the Minnesota Twins. After an All Star caliber 2014, Kurt Suzuki regressed towards his career norms. Never a good defensive catcher, his offensive production waned as well. Going forward, it's an area that Terry Ryan knows he needs to address. Following a season in which Suzuki slashed just .240/.296/.314 and threw out an MLB worst 15% of would be base stealers, things need to change. Suzuki is wi
The AFL season always carries some interesting story lines going into the offseason. Which prospects are ready to make the last step to the majors? What young talent does an organization want to protect on the forty-man roster for the Rule V draft? What lesser known prospect can make a bigger name for himself heading into 2016? All of these questions could apply to the collection of prospects the Minnesota Twins have sent to Arizona this October. The Scottsdale Scorpions played in three ga
Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch --- postmortem noun medical : an examination of a dead body to find out the cause of death : a discussion or analysis of something (such as an event) after it has ended (Thanks to Merriam-Webster) The Twins' season ended a full two weeks ago, in arguably their only meaningless game this season, and enough time has past to be able to look at what happened in 2015, without the disappointment of not making it to the post-season, even though they w
Cole and Brandon discuss the latest in MLB playoff action, including Jose Bautista's crazy bat flip, share Chris Colabello's amazing story about how a game of poker saved his baseball career, Cole's dog, Baybee is in the studio causing trouble, the guys talk about winter baseball and Cole's experience with Los Tigres de Aragua in the Venezuelan League, and, as always, answer your Twitter questions. https://www.spreaker.com/user/sbarnard4/the-breakdown-ep-12-winter-ball
As the Minnesota Twins look towards the offseason, it will be in that period of time that roster decisions are made in setting the landscape for the year ahead. As always, the 40 man and 25 man roster crunches will be felt by an unlucky few. With Minnesota looking to compete at a high level in the year ahead, there's some household names that may be on the outside looking in. To be exact, the Twins have seven players that are out of options in 2016. With a few of them posing some real signific
After the season the Minnesota Twins just had, it's hard not to get excited about what's to come in 2016. For an organization that has lost 90 games each of the past four seasons, a winning year and Wild Card run was much needed. Now, the way in which Terry Ryan attacks the offseason will help to lay the blueprint for what's ahead. Today, MLB Trade Rumors rolled out their offseason outlook for the Twins (go read it, it's very good). After author Steve Adams appeared way off base on the Twins g
Fall. My favorite season. It’s always sad to see the summer go, but the colors in Minnesota, ducks and geese flying overhead, and deer rummaging through the woods are some of my favorite things. The fall season, October especially, also means it’s time for the MLB Playoffs, another one of my favorite things. Whether that is because early in my childhood I got to stay up late to watch the Twins win the 1987 and 1991 World Series with my hero Kirby Puckett being magical, or getting to sit in t
The Major League Baseball Arizona Fall League kicks off and with it, a handful of Twins prospects continue their development. Now playing in games against some of the most talented prospects in minor league baseball, they will be given another measuring stick opportunity. Competition regarded as higher than most of what is faced in a typical minor league game, the "All Star" rosters of sorts go at it. For the Twins this season, seven players have been asked to compete for the Scottsdale Scorpi
Following the 2014 Major League Baseball season, Ron Gardenhire was removed from his duties as manager of the Minnesota Twins. Following a fourth straight 90 loss campaign, management decided a change was necessary. Paul Molitor was brought in, Gardy was given a humidor, and that was that. Over the course of this season though, it's became apparent Gardenhire has the itch again, and he may be back in the dugout as soon as 2016. During the season, and while reports flooded from Detroit suggesti
I wanted to stay in a Twins uniform, and I want to win. And we’re definitely headed in the right direction. — Joe Mauer after signing an eight-year, $184 million contract in 2010 All of the vitriol aimed at Joe Mauer right now would have been directed, ten-fold, at Twins management if they had not retained him in 2010. Minnesota had just opened a new publicly-subsidized park, they were coming off a year in which they had won the AL Central and Mauer was named MVP. He was an anomaly: a defensiv
Once again, the Twins and Red Sox took to the diamonds for Instructional League ball. Yet there was a new giddiness in the air as the League is done as of Tuesday and a good deal of these players will head home for the winter. Everyone already has their plans set and everyone has something different in store. Still for now there was baseball to be played and talent to be evaluated. This weekend the Twins front office were visible in the stands with GM Terry Ryan, Special Assistant Bill Smith, Sc
A short blurb from 1909 that ran on page 4 of the Princeton Union of Princeton Minn: ________________________ ."To show that Japan is making rapid progress. in. the. American. game. of baseball. it is only necessary to state that. in. Tokio. alone. seven.. umpires have. already. been. trampled. in. the dust for alleged crooked decisions." . ________________________ Source: The Princeton Union. Princeton, Minn. October 7, 1909, p. 4. Link: http://chroniclingame
The 2015 Minnesota Twins were an exceptional story and breathed life back into baseball fans throughout Twins Territory. From veteran contributions, to rookie additions, Paul Molitor's club had it all. In the year of the rookie, the Twins did their part promoting a handful of youngsters. It's going to be that core, that carries the Twins will into the future. While Miguel Sano and Eddie Rosario were the young names that highlighted the Twins 25 man roster, it's been noted for a while that the
I’m coming here to win. I think that it’s very important to lay that out there, right from the start. Things can change in this game very dramatically at this level. — Paul Molitor at the press conference in November, announcing his hiring as Twins manager It might have sounded corny last winter when I talked about 70-92 and the fine line of being able to at least cut that in half by winning 10 more games or whatever it is. There was enough signs there for me to think that it could happen. — M
The Twins Way, it's a moniker that has been thrown around Twins Territory for years. Often synonymous with feelings of angst, disgust, or displeasure, the Twins Way is more mocked than it is celebrated. Whether it exists or not, the Twins Way may be more in line with the current trajectory of another franchise than it is given credit for. That other franchise won 97 games in 2015, and plays in the National League Wild Card game this season. That other franchise, the Chicago Cubs. Back in the
Just a few days ago, it was reported that the Giants had agreed to terms with highly touted Cuban CF Eddy Julio Martinez. There's a lot of oddities to the saga, like this from MLB Rumors: "One of the most talked-about and highly ranked free agents earlier in the summer, Martinez curiously went months with his name scarcely coming up in news and rumors before the agreement with the Giants was reported." The signing bonus was supposed to reach $10M. The Giants supposedly signed him for $2.5
After the back-slapping is done at Twins Way, the general manager should have time to take a long, hard look at the season that just played out. The Twins won 83 games and were competitive. The season was highlighted by one fine month (May) and a pluckiness that kept them from sinking too far when times got tough. The Twins pitching improved more than their metrics indicated while offensively the team scored more runs than their numbers indicated. The Twins scored 695 runs, while the league av
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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