Cooper Carlson

Matt and Cooper of Twins Daily talk about more Spring Training story lines as they realize Spring Training is kind of boring if you're not in Fort Myers. LINK: https://open.spotify...6YUFak2YNWxFF2SLINK: https://open.spotify...6YUFak2YNWxFF2S Topics covered: Twins play baseballLewis Thorpe left but came backThoughts on Jhoulys ChacinRoyce Lewis getting playing timeWould you give Lewis/Kirilloff a Robert type extension?PredictionsGive it a listen and let us know what you think! MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

The Twins went into the offseason looking to acquire a solid starting pitcher. They missed out on the free agents but were able to swing a trade for Kenta Maeda. Is he as good as the Wheeler, Bumgarner, Ryu group?When Maeda was acquired there were a lot of rumblings about him being just above average and not the “impact” guy the Twins needed. This was coming and is still coming from the same group that wanted Bumgarner to be that savior for the rotation. I personally liked Wheeler and Ryu a lot so it is interesting where Maeda ranks among these three. 2019 statistics: Kenta Maeda: 4.04 ERA, 3.95 FIP, 1.07 WHIP, 6.7 H/9, 3.0 BB/9, 9.9 K/9Zack Wheeler: 3.96 ERA, 3.48 FIP, 1.26 WHIP, 9.0 H/9, 2.3 BB/9, 9.0 K/9Hyun-Jin Ryu: 2.32 ERA, 3.10 FIP, 1.01 WHIP, 7.9 H/9, 1.2 BB/9, 8.0 K/9Madison Bumgarner: 3.90 ERA, 3.90 FIP, 1.13 WHIP, 8.3 H/9, 1.9 BB/9, 8.8 K/9Ryu was statistically the best pitcher of the four with Wheeler, Bumgarner, and Maeda all very close to each other. Now when you bring up the price tag for each pitcher Maeda is much cheaper than the rest, allowing the Twins to make other moves.Wheeler: $21.5 millionBumgarner: $17 millionRyu: $20 millionMaeda: Really weird contract but probably around $11 millionYou could argue that Maeda is at the top of the list or at the bottom, but I think he, Wheeler, and Ryu are extremely close in what they will give next season. Bumgarner is going to fall off a cliff and will be the worst of the four. Another thing about Maeda is that he allowed the Twins to go get someone like Josh Donaldson because of his cheap price. If the Twins had landed Wheeler for the contract he signed, Josh Donaldson would not have ended up in Minnesota. The impact of Maeda/Donaldson is above the impact of Wheeler or Ryu/Moreland or someone like him. I may be drinking the Twins Kool-aid a bit here, but I think landing Maeda was the best case scenario when you take into account price, statistics, future value, and a guy named Josh Donaldson. He may not be the best pitcher, but he is very close to them all and the roster/financial impact is the key to why I would take Maeda. What do you think? Let me know in the comments! MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Matt and Cooper of Twins Daily discuss actual, real Spring Training games. They also give some spicy predictions, and answer some of the strangest fan questions the world has ever seen. LINK: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7wj8JgZguHH4H3EXbDMMn3LINK: htps://open.spotify.com/episode/7wj8JgZguHH4H3EXbDMMn3 Topics discussed: Twins play baseballFernando Romero won’t be hereWhat is your biggest spring training question?Sire of Fort Myers predictionWeekly PredictionsFan questionsBASEBALL GAMESGive it a listen and let us know what you think! MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

The Minnesota Twins are entering 2020 with higher expectations than this team has experienced in years. Some teams might back away from these expectations, but this team is hungry to win. Players and coaches are not afraid of the challenge ahead of them. They are embracing it.Spring training is officially underway, and for the Twins, things are a lot different than last season. Instead of coming off a disappointing 78-84 record with a new manager and questions everywhere, the Twins will begin this season as favorites to win the division. They are generating hype in the national media like Twins fans have never seen before and it’s still hard to believe this is happening to the Minnesota Twins we have all known for our whole lives. With all the expectations surrounding the Twins, you may think there is a lot of added pressure. Fortunately, this team is embracing it all and they seem to be aware of how special of a season this could be. Rocco Baldelli, who has openly said to the players that they are here to win a World Series, had this to say about unfinished business in 2019 per Phil Miller of the Star Tribune: “We proved ourselves a little bit going out there and having a very successful year. We want to go out and do more than that.” Last spring it was a lot of Rocco putting together a successful blueprint with no real expectations laid out and we weren’t quite sure what to expect. It is already noticeable that this year the Twins mean business. Players like Jose Berrios, Nelson Cruz, Trevor May, and Marwin Gonzalez have spoken on what to expect this season. Berrios commented on the message from Baldelli about getting to the World Series to the Star Tribune as well: “It was a good feeling to hear him say that. He said ‘We’re here to win a World Series’, and it makes you say, yeah, we can do that.” Nelson Cruz, who was brought in last season to contribute both at the plate and in the clubhouse, also knows what this team can achieve. He said Baldelli’s message “was a great message. [The World Series] should be the goal.” Marwin Gonzalez is someone who may have to win back some respect from the fans, but this quote from the Star Tribune should help: “The team we have right now is better than last year, and even though we got out in the first round, a lot of players saw what it’s like to play in the playoffs.” Finally, my favorite quote from a player is what Trevor May said about the message from Baldelli to Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com: “I think that now that we’ve had that experience, going into the playoff experience, we’ll have a lot more belief. A little bit more of a chip, a little bit more of a ‘We don’t want to go home right now.” Ultimately what I get from all of these quotes is something we haven’t really seen from the Twins. It’s a mentality of "We know we’re good and we’re not scared of anyone." Watch out for the 2020 Twins. In previous seasons we have heard players saying they want to compete and fight for a playoff spot, but this is different. Everyone has their eyes on the World Series and anything less would be disappointing. Players and coaches are not afraid of the challenge ahead of them. They are embracing it by aiming as high as they can. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

I joined Twitter a little over a year ago and was consistently saying the Twins would win the AL Central. It feels good saying it again this year but with a lot more support.

Matt and Cooper of Twins Daily discuss the Kenta Maeda trade, the start of Spring Training, and the Houston Astros cheating scandal. Baseball is so close to returning so come listen to us discuss some baseball! LINK: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Va5lpWMDfeVF5OlqRTIaKTopics discussed: The Astros cheated?!Spring Training begins.Graterol for Maeda trade completed.Predictions (new segment)Fan questions?Looking ahead:BASEBALL GAMESGive it a try and let us know what you think! Click the link below to listen LINK: https://open.spotify...MDfeVF5OlqRTIaK MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

The offseason is coming to an end so naturally I will be looking ahead to next offseason today. The Twins don't have too many players coming off the books, but three of the most expensive players will be. Come find out who could be leaving Minnesota after 2020.Honorable mentions: Alex Avila, Ehire Adrianza, Tyler Clippard, 5. Trevor May, RP, Age 30 May has spent his entire major league career in Minnesota since he was called up in 2014. He began as a starter but once he became a reliever things started to click. 2019 was his first full season since 2016 after Tommy John surgery and it was a great year for May. He had a 2.94 ERA, 3.73 FIP, and 29.7 K% and he will play another big role in 2020. His contract expires after this season so this could be the last season Twins fans see May in Minnesota. 4. Rich Hill/Homer Bailey, SP, Age 41/33 I’m pairing these two together because they were both signed for just one season this offseason and we don’t know how much they will contribute. Rich Hill is 41 years old and Homer Bailey is 33 but he has been really bad for a while. The upside for Hill is ace level stuff for half a season and Bailey could contribute number two or three pitcher numbers if everything goes right. They could both also fall short of expectations due to injury with Hill or due to just not being good at baseball for Bailey. With both contracts expiring, I don’t expect either to be back next season. 3. Marwin Gonzalez: UTIL, Age 30 All the talk surrounding Gonzalez right now is about the cheating scandal when he was with the Astros. Luckily he was the first player to apologize that actually benefited from the cheating which will hopefully put it behind him so we can focus on 2020. He is still the ultimate utility man who will play every day but rarely plays the same position twice in a row. The bat dropped off a bit early last season but he was just fine most of the season. I wouldn’t expect the Twins to bring him back with guys like Nick Gordon pushing for an opportunity. 2. Nelson Cruz, DH, Age 39 Cruz has been rumored to be in extension talks with the Twins even though he is nearly 40 years old. The way this man ages will forever be a mystery to the rest of the baseball world, so I’m not complaining. I expect Cruz to have another very productive season in the middle of the best lineup in baseball. His impact off the field has been just as large as his impact on the field, so even if he drops off he still has a lot of value. I would bet on Cruz receiving an extension for another year or two. 1. Jake Odorizzi, SP, Age 29 Odorizzi is coming off his first all-star season in 2019 and the Twins have him back on the qualifying offer for 2020. It is probably a good thing he didn’t test the market after seeing the money everyone else got. Odorizzi could possibly get the most money out of any starting pitcher free agent next offseason without the qualifying offer attached so it will be tough for the Twins to bring him back. I’m not sure if I expect him to be back because it will depend completely on how he performs this season. Hopefully he can rack up a few playoff wins to add to his value. The Twins overall won’t have too many impact players to bring back but hopefully they can lock up a couple of these guys. Who do you hope the Twins keep? Comment below! MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Hi Matt

The Twins shocked almost everyone who has been around the team for a while by swinging a huge trade involving a top prospect. Kenta Maeda was acquired for Brusdar Graterol and he will fill an important hole in the rotation. Here are the four main pitches he throws.Four seam fastball: 92.1 MPH, thrown 33.7% of the time, 21.1 whiff%.280 BA (.255 xBA), .517 SLG (.465 xSLG), .385 wOBA (.357 xwOBA)The fastball for Maeda is definitely the worst pitch of the three that he throws at least 10% of the time. The velocity is one of the slower average fastballs in baseball at just around 92 MPH and the spin on it is also one of the worst. Despite that, the expected statistics for batters against the fastball suggest the stats against it should improve this season. Something notable about this pitch is that right-handers have a really tough time against it but lefties destroy it. The AL is loaded with right-handed hitters. Twins Daily writer, AJ, posted some videos that I’ll be using: Slider: 83.5 MPH, thrown 31.5% of the time, 40.7 whiff%.155 BA (.175 xBA), .288 SLG (.275 xSLG), .210 wOBA (.215 xwOBA)This seems to be the best pitch we will see from Maeda this season. The Twins have become really attracted to pitchers who throw a nasty slider. Fangraphs ranked this as the sixth best slider in MLB last season so the Twins are also sticking to finding someone with at least one elite pitch and building off of that. The best part of it might be that right-handers literally can’t touch this pitch (.196 wOBA) so he throws it over 50% of the time, and left-handers are only mediocre against it as well. Here is some excellent video and stats from Alex Fast, the VP at PitcherList. Changeup: 84.9 MPH, thrown 31.7% of the time, 36.2 whiff%.183 BA (.224 xBA), .288 SLG (.275 xSLG), .242 wOBA (.256 xwOBA)The changeup we will see from Maeda is another excellent pitch and it is the one he throws the most against left-handed batters at around 40%. He will only throw it around 5% of the time against right-handers. The reason he throws it so often against left-handers is the .174 BA, .292 SLG, and 37.3 whiff% he gets out of it. The changeup and slider are both thrown more than the fastball depending on what side the batter is hitting from. The slider is elite against right-handers and the changeup is elite against left-handers. Curveball: 78.0 MPH, thrown 7.4% of the time, 27.5 whiff%.294 BA (.313 xBA), .588 SLG (.569 xSLG), .345 wOBA (.361 xwOBA)The curveball is another pitch for Maeda that he only really throws against left handers and that is still only around 12% of the time. It is his worst pitch of the four listed and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Twins have him throw it even less while increasing the slider and changeup usage. Thanks again for the video, AJ. What are your thoughts on Kenta Maeda? Did you like the trade? Do you think he can be the impact pitcher the Twins have been looking for? MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

It looks like the Twins and Jose Berrios are on their way to an arbitration hearing after not agreeing on a contract for 2020. They would likely want this to be avoided so maybe they are quietly working on an extension. I looked at three recent extensions that give us an idea of what Berrios could get.Jose Berrios will enter 2020 with three years of team control remaining until he becomes a free agent. In his four year career he has a 4.21 ERA, 4.10 FIP, 1.26 WHIP, 23.1 K%, and 7.7 BB% in 596 2/3 IP. He is still only 25 years old and in his first year of arbitration. There are two pitchers who recently received extensions that compare very similarly to Berrios. Carlos Martinez: Extended after 2016 season.He was 24 years old.He had three years of service time remainingCareer stats at extension:492 2/3 IP, 3.32 ERA, 3.36 FIP, 1.29 WHIP, 22.5 K%, 8.6 BB%Extension total: 5 years/$51 million ($10.2 MM)Aaron Nola:Extended after 2018 season.He was 25 years old.He had three years of service time remaining.Career stats at extension: 569,0 IP, 3.35 ERA, 3.24 FIP, 1.14 WHIP, 25.7 K%, 6.7 BB%Extension total: 4 years/$45 million ($11.25 MM)Both of these extensions are something I would give to Jose Berrios. Buying out his arbitration plus one or two more years of his free agency for just $10-$12 million would be a good move. The age and service time for both extensions are nearly identical to Berrios'. The career ERA and FIP for both Nola and Martinez are nearly a full run better than Berrios', but the K% and BB% are pretty close so I think these comparisons are fair. If the Twins expect Berrios to take another step to become a true ace then this would be an excellent extension, but would Berrios take it? It was noted he actually rejected an extension offer last offseason. If Berrios won’t take the contract extension similar to Nola or Martinez because he wants more money, then this comparison does not work. Miles Mikolas: Extended after 2018 season.He was 29 years old.He had four years of service time remaining.Career stats at extension: 3.61 ERA, 3.76 FIP, 1.18 WHIP, $17.1 K%, 5.2 BB%Extension total: 4 years/$68 million ($17 MM)This one doesn’t have as many similarities as the first two but the main thing I was looking at here was the total amount of money. Mikolas locked up a four-year contract worth $17 million per season and maybe that is what Berrios is looking for. If he does take that next step like the Twins hope then this would end up being a fair contract for Berrios, but that is a really important “if” for the team. I think Berrios would take this extension, but would the Twins offer it? With the Twins and Berrios currently headed to a hearing over less than $500k, the two sides being involved in extension talks makes sense. I hope both sides can come to an agreement so there isn’t any bad blood entering 2020 and beyond. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

That’s fair for sure. I just think he has the tools and he would be on quite a few MLB rosters.

He had a .348 OBP in the MLB and played fine defense. He would be an average player.

This Twins front office has emphasized building a sustainable winner since they took over and they seem to have succeeded so far. Their strategy has worked so well that they now have a good problem of having to deal with a surplus of MLB-caliber outfielders who the Twins simply don’t have room for.The Twins will begin the 2020 season with Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, and Max Kepler in the outfield. That is a group many teams would love to have, both offensively and defensively. If one of them goes down the Twins can easily turn to Jake Cave, Marwin Gonzalez, or LaMonte Wade jr. and they will be just fine playing every day. If everything went absolutely horribly wrong, the Twins could turn to any of Brent Rooker, Alex Kirilloff, or Luke Raley to play every day and they would likely be just fine. Basically what I’m saying is the Twins have A LOT of outfielders ready or almost ready to play in the majors. Where will they all fit? Here is every MLB outfielder and every minor league outfielder who will be ready to contribute by some point in 2021: Current major league players with years of team control remaining: Eddie Rosario: Two yearsByron Buxton: Three yearsMax Kepler: Five yearsJake Cave: Five yearsLaMonte Wade Jr: Six yearsProspects expected to arrive within the next two years:Luke RaleyAlex KirilloffBrent RookerTrevor LarnachRoyce Lewis? Will all three current starters be on the team in coming years? Let’s take a look. Eddie Rosario: I don’t expect Rosario to be on this team past his arbitration years which means 2021 will likely be his last year in a Twins uniform. The cost is rising too much for a corner outfielder who is trending downwards and the Twins obviously have the depth to replace him. This will open up a spot for someone, but unless he is traded it will take until the start of the 2022 season. Byron Buxton: It’s tough to say what the future holds for Buxton in Minnesota. Even if he leaves after arbitration that won’t be until after the 2022 season and the Twins have been rumored to want to extend him. I don’t think he will be leaving any time soon so that locks one outfield spot for well past when these prospects should be ready to take over. Max Kepler: This one is easy. Max is staying in Minnesota for at least the next five years. I believe he is a budding star and is on one of the most team friendly contracts in baseball. He won’t be traded or released so that locks up another outfield spot for the long run. After going over those three we are left with Buxton and Kepler likely being locked into starting spots for the next three to five years and Rosario as the only one who will likely be replaced. One spot to take with many top prospects upcoming will mean they’ll have to make room somehow. Here are a couple options… Someone becomes the new designated hitter: Nelson Cruz is on the final year of his two-year contract so if the Twins don’t bring him back then perhaps a prospect can take over that role. Kirilloff, Rooker, Raley, and Larnach are all much better offensively than defensively so maybe that would work. Trade prospects for pitching: This just makes a ton of sense and seems inevitable, right? The Twins will need that impact pitcher and they have more than enough outfielders to be successful for a long time. Eventually the Twins will have to pay the price for that player to put them over the top. What do you think about the great problem the Twins have coming up? Honestly the fact that I am writing about the Twins having too many good players just shows how good this team is. Let me know your thoughts in the comments! MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

The Twins obviously still have at least two question marks in their rotation and with the offseason coming to an end it wouldn’t hurt to add some depth. Taijuan Walker gives you that depth with a lot of added upside. Walker should be the finishing touch on this Twins offseason.Spring Training is rapidly approaching and starting pitcher Taijuan Walker is still available to be signed. He was the fourth overall prospect in baseball in both 2012 and 2013, but he hasn’t had much luck in his career. He has a career 3.95 ERA and 4.21 FIP and he is surprisingly only 27 years old. So why hasn’t anyone signed him? Well, he has played a total of 14 innings since the start of 2018 due to injuries. He missed all but 13 innings in 2018 due to Tommy John surgery and then dealt with many nagging injuries that only allowed him to play one inning in 2019. He has not been healthy in two years and that has derailed his career. A player that once showed ace potential at the top of the draft and the top of prospect rankings is now struggling to find a team. I think it makes a ton of sense for the Twins to target him, and the Twins seem to agree. According to LaVelle E. Neal III at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Twins have expressed interest in bringing him in as a possible non-roster invitee for Spring Training. The rotation currently has only three locks to make it with Rich Hill and Michael Pineda out to start the season and you never know what you'll get from Homer Bailey. It makes sense to add Walker in order to avoid starting the season with two rookies and to add some depth. There really isn’t a downside to adding Walker and the upside could be really high for the former top five prospect. It makes a ton of sense if the Twins think he is healthy again and can get back to his former self. What do you think of Taijuan Walker? Is it enough of an upgrade to the rotation? I think it would be very interesting so I hope the Twins finish the offseason with Walker. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

The Minnesota Twins have had a successful offseason. It is difficult to quantify just how good it has been, but using overall fWAR to calculate how many wins the Twins have added is effective. The rotation, bullpen, infield and outfield all have very interesting results so come check it out.Starting pitching: Players acquired (2019 fWAR): Homer Bailey (2.9), and Rich Hill (0.9)Players lost (2019 fWAR): Kyle Gibson (2.6), Martin Perez (1.9)Total +/- this offseason: -0.7 fWARThe additions of Homer Bailey and Rich Hill give the Twins little to no improvement to their starting rotation. Rich Hill is a very good pitcher, but you can’t expect much from him coming off an injury halfway through the season and post-season elbow surgery. Best case scenario is he dominates the second half and the playoffs. Bailey is comparable to Kyle Gibson because you know what you’re getting with him. Nothing great, but good enough to fill out the rotation. A trade for a starter still seems likely to happen around the trade deadline. Relief pitching: Players acquired (2019 fWAR): Tyler Clippard (0.7), and Matt Wisler (0.4)Players lost (2019 fWAR): Sam Dyson (-0.2)Total +/- this offseason: +1.2 fWARThis unit the Twins have built has become one of the best in baseball, and it has only improved this offseason. The bullpen is led by Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, and Trevor May with guys like Brusdar Graterol and Zack Littell ready to prove they belong in the majors. Tyler Clippard is a solid veteran who will add stability in the middle of this group while Matt Wisler is on the 40-man roster so he will likely get a shot to prove himself this season. Infield (C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS): Players acquired (2019 fWAR): Alex Avila (1.3), and Josh Donaldson (4.9)Players lost: Jason Castro (1.6), Jonathan Schoop (1.3), and C.J. Cron (0.3)Total +/- this offseason: +3.0 fWARJosh Donaldson turns this article into a positive one instead of a negative one. The impact he provides simply can’t be overstated as he will transform the infield and the lineup to become much better. That is proven here as his 4.9 fWAR are more than the three infielders the Twins didn't bring back combined. The catching situation is interesting as well. Avila had less fWAR than Castro last season but his role on this team is to provide solid defense while playing one or two times a week. Outfield: Players acquired: NonePlayers lost: NoneTotal +/- this offseason: 0.0The Twins outfield is looking like it will remain exactly the same despite trade rumors about Rosario, Cave, and occasionally Buxton. Opening Day will once again see Rosario in left, Buxton in center, and Kepler in right unless someone is injured or traded. Jake Cave and LaMonte Wade Jr. will likely be the next two on the depth chart with a surplus of outfielders waiting for their turn including Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach, and Brent Rooker. It will be interesting to see how this group shakes out over the next couple of years. Overall: fWAR acquired: 11.1fWAR lost: 7.5Total +/- this offseason: +3.6 fWARSigning Josh Donaldson took the Twins from a negative amount of WAR added to being three and a half wins positive. The front office lived up to their promise and acquired a true impact player when the window opened. Now the only thing left to do is add a starting pitcher at some point. I would personally hope they sign someone like Taijuan Walker before the season and then trade for a Jon Gray type at the deadline. What do you think of the Twins offseason? Do they still need to do more before the season? Let me know in the comments! MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article