Twins Video
For starters, let's get this out there: You don't need me to tell you what to read. You're smart enough to make that decision for yourself. These are simply my suggestions, with the underlying current being this: read everything! We are lucky to have access (er, Access?) to so many different perspectives and voices in this market.
I consider myself an enthusiast of writing even more so than baseball, so I tend to evaluate the craft as much as the analysis/reporting when I read. Maybe that's why Souhan's clumsily constructed diatribe struck me in an especially bad way.
But Souhan is, in most cases, a pretty dang good writer. So I'll lead with him.
Jim Souhan, Star Tribune: He was right about this much in his blog post: Souhan has been covering the team intensively for decades. He's written many great columns. That, much more than having Tom Kelly's phone number, earns him credibility. He also has his occasional off-days and whiffs, as we all do. The profile linked below is undeniably stellar work.
Piece Worth Checking Out: Twins' Corrigan a Hall of Fame scout who can't quit the game
Patrick Reusse, Star Tribune/1500ESPN: Like Souhan, Reusse has been around the game forever and his writing is colored by a depth of experience few can match. One of the most enjoyable parts of being in the Hammond Field press box is Reusse occasionally passing through and announcing his latest hot take to whomever will listen. He's an entertaining guy and a quality scribe, even if he falls into the vitriol-stirring trap a bit too often.
Piece Worth Checking Out: Falvey's smartest move? Bring back Molitor
Phil Miller, Star Tribune: I have had the chance to read a lot of different beat guys and gals regularly since first taking an interest in baseball as a kid. I truly don't think I've ever encountered a better pure writer than Miller. His words capture the magic and spirit of the game so effectively. It's always a joy to read game stories and longform pieces.
Piece Worth Checking Out: Talented Twins outfield trio has finally come together
La Velle E. Neal III, Star Tribune: The longest-tenured Twins beat writer and an institution in the press box. A veteran journalist and a pro's pro.
Piece Worth Checking Out: Rebuilding White Sox waiting for tide to rise
Mike Berardino, Pioneer Press: Mike's a hustler who grinds all day, and serves the hardcore baseball junkie like no one else on this beat. The amount of content he churns out, on his own, is truly amazing to me, and he has strong writing chops as the Bartolo Colon column below illustrates.
Piece Worth Checking Out: Bartolo Colon provides levity, wisdom in Twins clubhouse
John Shipley, Pioneer Press: I haven't seen many people talking about Shipley this summer. Maybe it's because he doesn't go out of his way to attract attention. I hope he's not being overlooked because I believe he's been writing some of the best Twins columns of anyone in the mainstream press.
Piece Worth Checking Out: Twins are ticked. They should be, says Derek Falvey
Derek Wetmore, 1500ESPN: Derek does a nice job covering the beat in a full-digital format, and manages to find unique story lines others miss. His article linked below – discussing a delivery flaw that Byron Buxton spied while standing in against Kyle Gibson – uncovers a great nugget. Buxton went from being unable to recognize any pitches in April, to diagnosing critical issues in Twins pitchers in September. That tells you how far he's come.
Piece Worth Checking Out: Byron Buxton may have helped Kyle Gibson take the next step
Jake Depue, 1500ESPN: You may know him better by his old moniker, "Curse of Punto." Depue is a success story for the blogging age: he toiled anonymously to hone his craft and develop an audience, then eventually found a prominent platform. He deserves it, and his presence gives 1500ESPN's minor-league coverage some teeth. Jake is currently in Tampa covering the Twins/Rays series so keep an eye on his stories.
Piece Worth Checking Out: Zack Littell, prospect in Jaime Garcia trade, prides himself in command, durability
Rhett Bollinger, MLB.com: Rhett is pretty much everything you could ask for in a team-employed beat writer. He tweets a bunch. He's very interactive with fans. He provides useful insights, routinely supplementing the viewing experience with Statcast measures and other tidbits. He doesn't dogmatically toe the company line (evidence). We're lucky to have him.
Piece Worth Checking Out: Buxton returns, records fastest triple in 2017
Aaron Gleeman, Baseball Prospectus: His days of churning out daily Twins content on his own site are long gone, but AG still frequently focuses on the team in his columns at Baseball Prospectus, and he's got a book coming out next spring. Forever one of the most skilled writers and sharpest analysts on the local scene, he's a must-read for the hardball intellectual. [insert Cinnabon joke.]
Piece Worth Checking Out: A Child Shall Lead Them
Twinkie Town Team: Myjah runs the show and fosters a playful, light-hearted atmosphere with TT's big stable of writers and commenters. Stu's weekly satirical submissions (like the one linked below) are always worth your time. Louie Opatz also does really nice work.
Piece Worth Checking Out: Area woman realizes how many of her kids she likes less than Byron Buxton
Zone Coverage Team: Tom Schreier's venture into New Journalism has produced Zone Coverage, which functions as a hybrid of the modern and traditional media models. It's access-driven beat-style coverage without the space constraints of print, and with heavy multimedia infusion. Schreier and Brandon Warne work hard.
Piece Worth Checking Out: 9/3 GAME NOTES: Swing, Swing, Swing — Twins Drop Game, Series to Royals with 5-4 Loss on Sunday
Twins Daily Team: You're already here, so if you're new I'll encourage you to explore the articles, blogs and forums, and judge for yourself. We take a lot of pride in the community we have here – smart, passionate baseball fans from all over the globe. It makes engaging with people on TD a truly enriching experience. Plus, there is simply a ton of high-caliber writing to be found virtually every day. Whether it's Seth, Jeremy, Cody, Ted, Steve, Tom or one of our many other frequent contributors, you're going to find something worthwhile. I highly recommend staying up on Mr. Froemming's daily game recaps and all of the minor-league reports.
Piece Worth Checking Out: The Perfect Crime: A Look Back at the Twins' Trade for Joe Nathan by Dan Wade
I'm surely still missing some (and would love if you all added them in the comments section below) but this is a quick-and-dirty list I put together of prominent local people writing regularly about the Minnesota Twins. They've all earned their platforms and there's no need to bicker about hierarchies or velvet ropes.
There are a lot of content sources out there. The good news is that there's a hungry audience, and it's likely to grow in the coming years if the product on the field continues to trend the way we all hope.
The guiding mission of Twins Daily has always been to highlight and promote great Twins writing, wherever it resides – whether a downtown skyscraper or mom's basement. Here's to more and more talented folks entering the scene and adding to the well.
If you'd like to try your hand, I can't urge you enough to utilize the blogging feature on our site and get your own thoughts out there. There's never been a better time.
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