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Catch up on all things Minnesota Twins from an insider's perspective without the added slant.

Entries in this blog

Mauer Making Us Reconsider The Hall

10 seasons into his Major League Baseball career, Joe Mauer was a number one overall pick playing for the hometown team, and owned the title of being the best catcher in the sport. Across that span, he had played in 1,178 games slashing .323/.405/.468. With awards piling up, it seemed certain a career was destined to be capped off with a Hall of Fame ceremony, the a traumatic brain injury occurred. Things have been different since, but in 2017, the Twins long tenured star is forcing us to recons
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

8

Like The Outfield, Buxton Now Owns The Plate

In 2017, the early narrative for the Minnesota Twins was again the offensive struggles for Byron Buxton. The uber prospect had slumped out of the gate, and that's putting things nicely. Through May, he was hitting just .201, and a June slump bottomed him out at .195 as of July 3rd. Then things changed, and they've only gotten better since. While Buxton has grown at the plate, it also appears he's able to command it as well.   Early in the season, Buxton struggled with both pitch recognition, and
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

0

Who Are The Twins Adding In September?

As the summer draws to a close, the Major League Baseball season is again set to throw us a roster shakeup. With teams having their rosters expand from 25 players to 40, there will be a host of additions to big league clubs across the sport. For a team like the Twins in the midst of a Postseason race, each call up could prove integral when it comes to squeaking out an extra win or two. The question is, who's on their way up?   To refresh, virtually the only stipulation for September roster expan
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

12

The Other Twins Breakout

August has been an exciting month for the Minnesota Twins. While they have continued to command the second American League Wild Card spot, they've also watched Byron Buxton continue an incredible breakout. Despite all of the praise he's garnering, there's another youngster commanding your attention. Enter 24 year-old, Jorge Polanco.   On June 7, the Twins placed Polanco on the bereavement list. His grandfather had passed away, and the Minnesota shortstop was set to return home to be with family.
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

3

Everything Breaking Right For Twins

Coming off a 103 loss campaign a season ago, there was plenty of room for tempered expectations in 2017. While many feared another lackluster season, the expectation always should have been a generous step forward. Given the uncertainty of youth, a three year span with a boom, buster, and normalization felt appropriate to surmise. As we go down the stretch in 2017 however, the Twins have become much more.   Going into 2017, I felt pretty confident that something in the upper 70's seemed like a r
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

2

Buxton Turning To Process In Redefining Results

On May 13, 2017 Byron Buxton was near rock bottom. 30 games into his season for the Minnesota Twins, he looked lost at the plate, was batting just .168, and owned a paltry .500 OPS. After an exciting September 2016, his new season had gotten off to a terrible start. Fast forward to today and things have changed, but it's the "how" and "why" that tell the story.   Despite continuing to play otherworldly defense, Buxton was once again scuffling at the big league level. Despite raking at every stop
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

2

Emptying Out The Twins Mailbag

It's been a while since I've done a Twins mailbag here at Off The Baggy, and with the Twins playing some really fun and exciting baseball, it seemed like a good time. Soliciting questions from readers on Twitter, there was a handful of solid submissions. As the summer draws to a close, we'll get more concrete answers to some of these.   Before letting the Twins play out the rest of their 2017 season, it seemed like a good time to take a look at some lingering questions about the year that has be
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

3

Twins To Perk-O-Late The Pen

After suffering a severe shoulder injury that required his labrum be reattached over the offseason, Glen Perkins is nearing a return to the big leagues. I was skeptical this day would ever come, but the Twins former closer has worked his tail off to be where he is today. The question remains, can this version of Perkins be an asset in relief for Paul Molitor's squad?   Perkins last appeared on a big league mound on April 10, 2016. It marked two innings of ineffective pitching a year ago. You'd h
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

3

All Strikeouts Are Far From The Same

223. That's the number of strikeouts that Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Mark Reynolds put up in 2009. It's a major league record, and has stood for the past seven seasons. In 2017 however, it's almost certain to fall, and both Miguel Sano and Aaron Judge are chasing it. The question is, are all strikeouts the same?   There's an association with the strikeout that it is representative of negativity. In a certain context, that's a fair principle. At it's core, the strikeout is a non-productive at
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

3

Twins Going Streaking

The 2017 Major League Baseball season has been one that's proven incredibly tough to read for the Minnesota Twins. After pacing the division for much of the first half, there's been multiple times in which the club looks to have lost all hope. As the summer draws to a close however, they've hung around, and it's been in large part to a handful of key pieces getting hot.   Coming off a franchise worst 103 losses, there should have been a massive expectation that this Twins would rebound. While th
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

0

2017 Highlights Twins Postseason Dreams Are Close

The 2017 Minnesota Twins have been among the luckiest teams in baseball. No matter how you define luck, arguably the most indicative stat in the game is run differential. Despite being incredibly lopsided in that category, Minnesota finds themselves sitting at .500 on August 10. While it creates somewhat of a mirage for the current season, it highlights the excitement that 2018 should bring with it.   Coming into 2017, Minnesota was looking to turn the page on a season that resulted in a franchi
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

0

The Vargas Carousel Revolves Again

As the Minnesota Twins are faced with another roster shuffle, it appears Kennys Vargas is in fact on his way back to the big leagues. After Adalberto Mejia went down, Paul Molitor was faced with an open roster spot. Needing another starter in the coming days, the Twins could turn to already rostered Dillon Gee. With an opportunity to bring up another bat, it's Vargas who gets his seventh transaction, and fourth recall, of the year.   While there's plenty of reason to be excited about a player th
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

4

Closers By Creation, Twins Making It Work

Rewind back a few years and the Minnesota Twins knew who would be getting the ball in the 9th inning. For a long time, the answer was Eddie Guardado. The man nicknamed "Every Day" passed the torch to Joe Nathan, and it was then turned over to Minnesota native Glen Perkins. In recent years though, Minnesota has needed to get more creative. As they have done so though, it seems they've consistently created closers out of thin air.   In 2015, Kevin Jepsen was Minnesota's answer to Perkins breaking
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

2

Twins Will Work Harder And Smarter

On August 5 at Target Field, Baseball Prospectus embarked on the bowels of the stadium to have an in depth discussion with General Manager Thad Levine. Speaking on the course of the season as a whole, and the plans for what lies ahead, there were a few key indications as to what changes may be coming for the Minnesota franchise. Arguably chief among them is that the Twins will win as they fine tune their process.   During the course of the conversation, Levine discussed the fact that both he and
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

1

A Deep Dive Into The Twins 40 Man

With the 2017 Major League Baseball trade deadline now behind us, and the end of the season not that far off in the distance, it seems a good time to take a look at the Minnesota Twins 40 man roster. While it's the 25 man collection that draws the most focus, it's the 40 man that represents where answers will come from in any given season. As the club looks to revitalize the 40 man, Derek Falvey and Thad Levine will soon be faced with some tough decisions.   Recently at Twins Daily, prospect gur
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

8

Missing Playoffs Provides A Simple Blueprint

In any given year, there's some sort of an expectation as to how things should go before it gets off the ground. Despite coming off a franchise worst 103 losses in 2016, the 2017 Minnesota Twins were representative of a better team. They weren't expected to make the playoffs, but competing on a nightly basis was a fair ask. As the season wears on, your conclusion is often presented months in advance. At some point, it's wise to adjust how you finish.   With the trade deadline in the rear view mi
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

3

Moves Highlight Front Office Acumen

Over the offseason, the Minnesota Twins hired a new front office duo in the form of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine. They were thrust into a situation where the roster was in flux, and the manager was appointed to them. On top of all that, they were faced with making a critical decision regarding a second basemen coming off one of the best seasons in franchise history. Fast forward to today, and trades have been the highlight that define the new tandem's baseball acumen.   Prior to the 2017 season
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

3

A Change Coming In The Twins Dugout?

Now into the final third of the 2017 Major League Baseball season, the Minnesota Twins have somewhat mapped out their destiny. Selling off short term assets, they will be positioning themselves to make a playoff run in 2018. In the first year under Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, the club was in somewhat of a feeling out period. Over the offseason, the biggest change could come in who heads up the dugout.   Paul Molitor was given a one-year grace period by owner Jim Pohlad. Despite mixed results h
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

10

Fixing The Mound For Minnesota

We're well past the halfway point in the 2017 Major League Baseball season. With the Minnesota Twins now looking at both the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians above them in the AL Central, growth is more the focus than the playoffs the rest of the way. Once again this season, pitching has been a problem for the Twins, and 2018 can be a tide turning moment.   For the past handful of years, the Twins have found themselves in a circular state of rebuild. There's been bumps in the road howeve
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

3

The Dreaded Middle Ground

As the 2017 trade deadline quick approaches, the Minnesota Twins find themselves in what amounts to a less than enviable situation. Despite losing a franchise record 103 games a year ago, the turnaround has put them near the top of the AL Central. At 49-50 on July 26, they find themselves 4.5 games back in the division race. That makes decision making that much more critical.   Thus far, the Twins have suggested they will be buyers of long term assets, yet their only move has been to acquire two
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

5

When Depth Becomes An Issue

When trying to set up a major league team for success over the course of a 162 game season, depth is something that every organization strives to possess. Sometimes however, depth becomes a clogging glut of similarity, and ends up being a detriment when trying to push the needle. Right now, the Minnesota Twins could find themselves in that category. The revolving door has continued on the mound, and there doesn't appear to be an end in sight.   After making his second start for the Twins, Bartol
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

3

Twins Bench Provides Room For Growth

Whether looking at the 25 man roster as it sits currently, or how it will be constructed a year from now, the Minnesota Twins have opportunity through their bench. In winning more games against other big league clubs, the goal needs to be raising the water level of your weakest link. For Paul Molitor's club, there's some ample opportunity for growth.   On July 24, the Twins employ a bench of three players. Due to the extra (and frankly unnecessary) bullpen arm, the reserves rotate between a grou
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

2

The Next Twins Bat Is Ready

As the summer has drug on, the Minnesota Twins have been noted to need some right handed hitting help. Whether the roster is constructed with eight relievers, or the more efficient seven, a boost could be given to the 25 man with a strong hitter on the right side of the plate. For quite some time, Mitch Garver has made a case to be that guy, and it's time to take notice.   Thus far this season, Kennys Vargas has been shuttled between Triple-A Rochester and the big leagues six times. He's often b
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

7

Twins Hoping Rosario Can Make It All Work

Over the course of the past three seasons, no young player has been more polarizing for the Minnesota Twins than Eddie Rosario. Despite being an early adopter on his bandwagon, and ready for a breakout in 2015, I've been nothing short of a skeptic since 2016 and beyond. In 2017 however, he's having his best offensive year as a big leaguer, and small tweaks are the big story.   After a slow first two weeks to start the season (in which Rosario slashed just .186/.239/.209), he's been a necessary l
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

8

Deadline Comes As Twins Time Begins

It's July, so there's nothing that will be asked more often over the next couple of weeks than whether or not competing teams should buy or sell. Maybe surprisingly to some, the Minnesota Twins find themselves in the thick of that discussion. What's important to take note of, is that the Twins time is now.   There's no way to get around 2016 being a complete disaster for the hometown nine. Minnesota lost 103 games en route to a franchise worst season. That club however, was coming off of an 83 w
Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

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