Top 25 Twins Daily Most-Viewed Articles of 2023: Part 5 (1-5)

[Seth Stohs]

We have reached the final day of 2023, and we have also reached the Top 5 most-viewed articles at Twins Daily in 2023. This is a different, unique group of articles. Some certainly make sense to rank where they do. Others? Maybe not. Enjoy! Comment! And then have yourself a very Happy New Year! 

Image courtesy of Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

We have a repeat at #1 on this year's list. That is to say that the author of the #1 most-viewed Twins Daily article of 2023 also had the most-viewed article of 2022. And while he didn't have any others that ranked in the Top 25, it probably won't surprise you who that author is. 

It's been fun looking back at 2023 through these articles. It's been fun remembering the highs of the season and the playoffs and some of the transactions. It's been OK to look back at some more difficult decisions before or even during the season that fortunately didn't keep the Twins from the playoffs. There are also some fun, random articles included that just remind us that baseball and baseball fans can enjoy the game differently, and that's OK. 

Happy New Year to our Twins Daily readers!! Best wishes for a very happy (and ideally prosperous) 2024 to you... and the Minnesota Twins! 
 

#5 Time for Twins to Address the Elephant in the Room 
by Theodore Tollefson
May 18 

Emilio Pagan struggled in 2022. In 59 games, he posted a 4.43 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. In 63 innings, he gave up 12 homers, often in the most inopportune of times. Frankly, he hadn’t been very good since his 2019 season with the Rays. But the Twins front office offered him arbitration and another opportunity in 2023, all because his “stuff” really does have something to it. In 2023, he gave up a single run in his first outing. Then on April 20th in Boston, he gave up six runs on eight hits in 1 2/3 innings. Then nothing but zeroes until mid-May when he gave up a run on May 15th and three runs on May 17th. At that time, his season ERA was 5.60 despite a FIP at 3.09. Some fans were ready to cut the proverbial Pagan cord. From this point forward, he pitched in 50 games and posted a 2.09 ERA. He was as reliable as any other Twins reliever the rest of the way. Then, when the season came to an end, he very quickly signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds. 

#4 Trading Gio was a Mistake 
by Cody Pirkl 
Feb 5 

Like this offseason, the Twins offseason a year ago started fairly slowly. However, very early in the offseason, they traded Gio Urshela to the Angels for 19-year-old right-hander Alejandro Hidalgo who spent the 2023 season in Cedar Rapids. We spent the offseason assuming that Max Kepler would be traded at some point, especially after they signed Joey Gallo in mid-December. With reports that Kepler was unlikely to be traded (once the calendar turned to February), it was clear Gallo would likely get a lot of time at first base since there were still so many questions about Alex Kirilloff’s return. But at some point, Kirilloff was expected to come back. With the keys at third base being handed to Jose Miranda, Urshela could have been insurance at third base, a platoon option at first base, and get some time at DH and as a pinch hitter. Ultimately Miranda struggled and played hurt. Kirilloff had moments and got hurt. Joey Gallo struggled. Fortunately, the Twins had added the likes of Willi Castro and Donovan Solano and Kyle Farmer. Unfortunately, Urshela’s season came to an end late in June after 62 games due to a broken pelvis. 

#3 Does Either Former Twins Slugger Have Anything Left?  
by Ted Schwerzler
Jan 21 

Two big-time sluggers with very different public personas were still available in January last year. The Twins didn’t pick up the 2023 option on Miguel Sano’s contract, making him a free agent. In addition, Nelson Cruz made such a strong impact on the Twins and their fans that if he’s available, there will be some that want the Twins to sign him. Shortly before this article was published, Cruz signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the San Diego Padres. Miguel Sano ultimately didn’t play at all in 2023, not until winter ball. For Cruz, it sure looked like the end. After just 49 games, Cruz was released by the Padres and didn’t sign with another team. So, for the first time in a long time, it’s very possible that the free agent market for Miguel Sano might be higher than that of Nelson Cruz. 

#2 LOL Mets Owner Steve Cohen Gets Petty on Twitter about Carlos Correa
by John Bonnes
Jan 7

More from the Carlos Correa saga, but honestly, this may be just be the moment when Twins fans let themselves again open up their hearts and minds to the possibility of Correa and the Twins reuniting. After the Giants backed out on a deal with Carlos Correa, the Mets owner was very quick to announce an agreement between Correa and the Mets. But weeks later, the Mets were in process of backing out of the deal and at the same time renegotiating. When Cohen started “Liking” tweets of Mets fans saying they didn’t really care of Correa signed with the Mets, it was quite clear that there was an opening. 

#1 MLB Apologizes to Yankees 
by RandBalls Stu
April 27 

For the second straight year, the most-viewed article of the year was authored by the great RandBalls Stu! It happens most every season, but maybe more with the new schedule (teams play all teams every year). The Twins and Yankees played seven games in April of 2023, and none the rest of the season. The Twins won four of those seven games to take the season series. That is when RandBall Stu went to work on this article. As you would expect, it is hilarious. And, maybe it helps when the Bronx Bombers are on this side of satire, but it was an incredibly popular article. Who knows? Maybe because in the eyes of some Twins fans (or any non-Yankees fan), it doesn’t seem to be too far-fetched.

What were your favorite stories of 2023 for the Twins? On the field? Off the field? Do certain articles pop into your head?

We certainly hope that you have enjoyed looking back at the 25 most-viewed articles of 2023 at Twins Daily. If you missed any of the segments, click below.  

Part 1 (21-25)
Part 2 (16-20)
Part 3 (11-15)  
Part 4 (6-10)
Part 5 (1-5) 

View full article

[saviking]

Steve Cohen should thank his lucky stars; we took Correa off his hands. He would have gone right on top of that big bond fire .. 

[ashbury]

Ha ha, mention a New York team in your headline and watch the page hits roll in, ha ha.