Matthew Taylor

I'll answer your question of the day with probably the most obvious answer, Nelson Cruz

Projected WAR didn't play much of a role in how I determined the teams. Just to give an idea of how Fangraphs sees each player this year. 3rd base was definitely the toughest spot to pick a "winner" and a "runner-up". Ramirez definitely could have been the starter, runner-up or 3rd place and I wouldn't have a quibble. Moncada is definitely in the same tier though. His statcast numbers and upward trajectory point to him being a superstar in this league very, very soon. Mondesi is a solid player, but needs to prove that he can stay healthy before being considered for this list. Same with Rich Hill.

Each year in college football, conferences release their “All-Conference” teams, assigning the best player at each position a spot on the team. On the eve of Opening Day for the Minnesota Twins, let’s do the same for the American League Central and see who figures to be the best of the best.For the All-American League Central team, we will form as close as we can to an actual starting baseball lineup. There will be 8 position players, 1 DH, 5 starting pitchers, and 5 relief pitchers. The spots will be awarded based on who figures to be the best player at each position in the 2020 season. Let’s get to it. Catcher: Yasmani Grandal - Chicago White Sox 2019: .246/.380/.468 | 5.2 fWAR2020 projected (via Fangraphs’ ZiPS): .235/.357/.440 | 1.8 fWARAlso Considered: Mitch Garver - Minnesota Twins While the Chicago White Sox made plenty of splashy moves this offseason, none was more impactful than adding Milwaukee’s Yasmani Grandal. Grandal has long been a star catcher in this league but has yet to receive the national recognition that he deserves. Thanks to his splendid work behind the plate as well as his propensity to always get on base, Grandal has amassed more than 4 fWAR in each of the past 5 seasons. The other part of Grandal’s game that makes him so valuable is his durability. Grandal has caught at least 115 games in each of the past four seasons. Mitch Garver broke out last season and showed that he has the bat skills to be the best catcher in the American League Central (or MLB). If Garver can sustain anywhere near that level of play at the plate in 2020, he will surely be on this “All-AL Central” team by season's end. First Base: Miguel Sanó - Minnesota Twins 2019: .247/.346/.576 | 2.7 fWAR2020 projected: .239/.335/.548 | 1.0 fWARAlso Considered: Carlos Santana - Cleveland Indians Miguel Sanó finally became the player in 2019 that Twins fans had been hoping he would become since joining the big league club in 2015. Not only did Sanó produce eye-popping counting stats like 34 home runs, but his peripheral numbers back them up as he finished 2nd in the Majors in exit velocity and hard hit %. How he adjusts to playing a new position will be something to monitor in 2020, but early returns have shown promise and he has all the tools to be a serviceable first baseman. Now that he is starting the season healthy and heading into the prime years of his career, Sanó has earned a spot at first base on the “All-AL Central” team. Carlos Santana had the best year of his career in 2019, amassing a .911 OPS and making the first all-star game of his career. Santana was average in the field, and figures to have another impactful year heading into his age 34 season. Second Base: Luis Arráez - Minnesota Twins 2019: .334/.399/.439 | 2.1 fWAR2020 projected: .309/.370/.403 | 1.1 fWARAlso Considered: Nick Madrigal - Chicago White Sox Heading into last season, Luis Arráez was the 15th ranked prospect in the Minnesota Twins’ system, preparing for a season with the AA Blue Wahoos. Fast forward 12 months and Arráez finds himself as the best second baseman in the American League Central. What happened? Arráez went out and hit .334 in 92 games with the Minnesota Twins, showing maturity, patients, and elite bat-to-ball skills. Arráez showed everything you look for in a top of the lineup bat, and figures to build on his outstanding 2019 in the 2020 season. The other player who was considered for the second base spot is another young stud with elite bat-to-ball skills in Chicago’s Nick Madrigal. Madrigal won’t start the season with the White Sox, but should be called up within the first handful of games and make an impact. In 532 plate appearances in the minors in 2019, Madrigal posted a .377 OBP with just 16 strikeouts. Shortstop: Francisco Lindor - Cleveland Indians 2019: .284/.335/.518 | 4.4 fWAR2020 projected: .288/.351/.525 | 2.3 fWARAlso Considered: Jorge Polanco - Minnesota Twins The 2019 season was just another year at the office for Francisco Lindor who casually put up his 5th straight 4+ fWAR season and 3rd straight season with an OPS north of .840. Lindor has been as consistent a presence at the shortstop position as possible for the Cleveland Indians since breaking into the MLB in 2015. Whether its at the plate or with the glove, Lindor does it all. The thing to watch with Lindor in 2020 won’t be whether or not he can produce at the plate, but whether or not the Indians hang onto the superstar shortstop through the season. Also considered for this position was Minnesota’s Jorge Polanco. Polanco got off to a hot start in the 2019 season, posting a .882 OPS and starting the all-star game for the American League. Although he cooled off a bit during the second half of the season (.788 OPS), Polanco provides elite value from the shortstop position and at just 27 years old will be a presence in the 6 hole for the Twins for a long time. Third Base: Josh Donaldson - Minnesota Twins 2019: .259/.379/.521 | 4.9 fWAR2020 projected: .253/.375/.488 | 1.5 fWARAlso Considered: Yoan Moncada - Chicago White Sox Moncada edged Donaldson in fWAR with the 5.7 wins above replacement that he contributed last season, but peripherals and defense give the Bringer of Rain the edge over Moncada on the “All-AL Central” team. In 2019, Moncada recorded the second highest BABIP in the expansion era with a .406 batting average on balls in play. While Moncada is a great young player, history will tell us that’s not sustainable. In 2019, Josh Donaldson finished 8th in the Majors with an average exit velocity at the plate of 92.9 and finished 3rd among all 3rd baseman at the hot corner with 9 outs above average. Donaldson is heading into his age-34 season, but has the all-around game to remain an elite player at 3rd base. Outfield: Max Kepler - Minnesota Twins 2019: .252/.336/.519 | 4.4 fWAR2020 projected: .254/.337/.488 | 1.2 fWARKepler was outstanding with the Minnesota Twins in the season following his contract extension. Kepler was able to add elevation to his swings and it paid dividends with his 36 home runs. Kepler is just entering his prime at 27 years old and if he continues on his current trajectory could wreak havoc on the American League Central this season. Outfield: Eloy Jiménez - Chicago White Sox 2019: .267/.315/.513 | 1.9 fWAR2020 projected: .281/.329/.532 | 2.2 fWARAfter struggling his way through the first few months of the 2019 season, Eloy Jiménez caught fire down the stretch of the season. From August 1 through the end of the season, the rookie posted a .917 OPS with 14 HR in 52 games. The talented outfielder should only build on those numbers in 2020 and earns a spot on the “All-AL Central” team. Outfield: Luis Robert - Chicago White Sox 2019:2020 projected: .263/.307/.509 | 2.1 fWARHe may not be the “best player on the planet” like some have crowned him already, but Luis Robert is really, really good. From his minor league numbers in 2019 (1.001 OPS in 122 games), to his incredible first impressions in Summer Camp, there is so much to like about the rookie for the 2020 season. Robert is the type of 5-tool prospect that doesn’t come around too often. While it might seem a bit hasty, Robert has all the tools on offense and defense to be an outstanding player out of the gate, and deserves a spot on the All-AL Central team. Also Considered: Whit Merrifield - Kansas City Royals Designated Hitter: Nelson Cruz - Minnesota Twins 2019: .311/.392/.639 | 4.3 fWAR2020 projected: .272/.353/.542 | 2.2 fWARAlso Considered: Jorge Soler - Kansas City Royals So much has been written about the season that Nelson Cruz had in 2019 and how he projects in 2020, that it didn’t even require a second thought to make Cruz the designated hitter on this team. Cruz led baseball in Brls/PA% and eclipsed the 1000 mark in OPS. Soler is no slouch as he casually led the American League in home runs in 2019, but as long as Cruz is still producing like the best hitter in baseball, he’s the best DH in this division. SP: Shane Bieber - Cleveland Indians 2019: 3.28 ERA | 10.88 K/9 | 5.6 fWAR2020 projected: 3.63 ERA | 9.88 K/9 | 1.8 fWARSP: Lucas Giolito - Chicago White Sox2019: 3.41 ERA | 11.62 K/9 | 5.1 fWAR2020 projected: 3.18 ERA | 12.05 K/9 | 1.9 fWARSP: Mike Clevinger - Cleveland Indians2019: 2.71 ERA | 12.07 K/9 | 4.5 fWAR2020 projected: 3.67 ERA | 10.83 K/9 | 1.2 fWARSP: Jose Berrios - Minnesota Twins2019: 3.68 ERA | 8.76 K/9 | 4.4 fWAR2020 projected: 4.24 ERA | 9.13 K/9 | 1.3 fWARSP: Jake Odorizzi - Minnesota Twins2019: 3.51 ERA | 10.08 K/9 | 4.3 fWAR2020 projected: 4.09 ERA | 9.65 K/9 | 1.1 fWARAlso Considered: Rich Hill - Minnesota Twins The American League might just have the best high end pitching talent in all of baseball with four potential, future aces under the age of 30 in Bieber, Giolito, Clevinger and Berrios. Any of these four pitchers could put it all together in 2020 and become one of baseball’s true aces, but all of them will be key contributors to their clubs in 2020. While the first four pitchers in the “All-AL Central” rotation were easy, the final spot was truly a toss-up between a bunch of pitchers. Carlos Carrasco, Kenta Maeda or Rich Hill could have earned this spot, but in the end Jake Odorizzi nabbed the final spot in the rotation. Odorizzi was arguably the best pitcher on the Minnesota Twins from start to finish for the 2019 season, and in a contract season has all the motivation in the world to be great in 2020. Although Odorizzi’s back injury does present some concerns, the Twins are hopeful that he will only miss one run through the rotation and be ready to go in 2020. RP: Taylor Rogers - Minnesota Twins 2019: 2.61 ERA | 11.74 K/9 | 2.1 fWAR2020 projected: 3.24 ERA | 10.44 K/9 | 0.5 fWARRP: Brad Hand - Cleveland Indians2019: 3.30 ERA | 13.19 K/9 | 1.6 fWAR2020 projected: 3.38 ERA | 12.38 K/9 | 0.4 fWARRP: Aaron Bummer - Chicago White Sox2019: 2.13 ERA | 7.98 K/9 | 1.3 fWAR2020 projected: 3.81 ERA | 8.31 K/9 | 0.2 fWARRP: Tyler Duffey - Minnesota Twins2019: 2.50 ERA | 12.80 K/9 | 1.2 fWAR2020 projected: 4.15 ERA | 10.73 K/9 | 0.3 fWARRP: Alex Colomé - Chicago White Sox2019: 2.80 ERA | 8.11 K/9 | 0.6 fWAR2020 projected: 4.09 ERA | 8.59 K/9 | 0.1 fWARAlso Considered: Trevor May - Minnesota Twins Relief pitchers tend to be pretty volatile, but this class has separated themselves as the upper tier of relief pitchers in the American League Central. Taylor Rogers and Brad Hand as the elite closers of the division, Aaron Bummer and Tyler Duffey each had outstanding 2019 seasons with sub-2.50 ERAs, and Alex Colomé posted his fourth season in his 8-year career with an ERA under 3. Trevor May will be knocking at the door to be on this list by the end of the season with his upper-90s fastball, but for now this list is the top tier of relievers in this division. From the 19 spots on our All-AL Central Team here is how many players each team in the AL Central contributed: Minnesota Twins - 9Chicago White Sox - 6Cleveland Indians - 4Kansas City Royals - 0Detroit Tigers - 0Who would make your All-AL Central team? Which players were left off the list? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! 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

Tonight's lineup:

Great idea. See you there!

Just registered. Looking forward to learning!

The Twins definitely view Duran as a long-term starting pitching option for them. That's not to say that he couldn't get called up as a reliever for part of this season, but they want him to be a starter for sure.

For the Minnesota Twins in 2019, only two of their seven opening day relief pitchers finished the season in the Twins’ bullpen. Each year the Twins rely on depth from within the organization to fill holes in their bullpen, and 2020 will be no different.By nature, baseball bullpens are extremely volatile. This comes from the randomness that results from one inning appearances as well as the fact that relievers typically aren’t as talented as their starting pitcher counterparts. Bullpen rosters ebb and flow every season, and without a doubt the Twins will need to rely on pitchers down the organization In April last season, Tyler Duffey and Zack Littell were in AAA while Cody Stashak was in Pensacola with the AA affiliate. None of these pitchers were in the Twins’ bullpen plans for 2019, but each of them played crucial roles with the Major League squad down the stretch and even made playoff appearances. Whether by injury or poor performance, the Twins needed to dig into their organizational depth and ended up finding some gems as a result. With the inevitable call ups and bullpen re-shuffling that will come, especially in a compressed season, who will be this year’s Tyler Duffey, Zack Littell or Cody Stashak? Let’s look at the top candidates: Caleb Theilbar While he hasn’t played Major League ball since he was designated for assignment by Minnesota in 2015, Thielbar has put up great numbers at each stop he has made since leaving the Twins. After dominating the Independent League with the St. Paul Saints in 2016 and 2017, Thielbar has put together back-to-back quality seasons with the Detroit Tigers organization. In 2019, Thielbar pitched 76 1/3 innings for the Tigers’ AAA affiliate, posting a 3.30 ERA with a 10.8 K/9. The Northfield native is 33-years-old, but if given a chance to return to the Majors once again could be a contributor for the Twins in 2020. Jorge Alcala The Minnesota Twins traded away an excellent relief pitcher when they dealt Ryan Pressley to the Houston Astros, but they may have gotten a really good pitcher in return with Jorge Alcala. As a starting pitcher, Alcala has not shown the control or consistency you’re looking for, but with the nasty stuff he possesses, he still has what it takes to be a potentially dominant reliever one day. With a fastball that can get into the upper-90s, Alcala has flamethrower setup-man potential, and if given the chance could make a name for himself in the Twins bullpen this season. Sean Poppen Another guy who came up through the organization as a starting pitcher, the bullpen may also be where Poppen eventually finds his place on the Minnesota Twins’ roster. While his 3.84 ERA across 61 innings in AAA in 2019 were impressive, what sticks out most with Sean Poppen are his strikeout numbers. Across his three seasons in the Twins’ organization, Poppen has consistently posted a K% north of 25, and has the stuff to miss bats consistently in the big leagues with his sharp fastball and slider. As stated by Twins Daily’s Seth Stohs, “If (Poppen) is able to tunnel his pitches at all, the combination of (his fastball and slider) could be a nightmare for opposing hitters. Don’t be surprised at all to see Poppen get a bullpen shot this year. Edwar Colina Although he’s just 23-years-old, Colina has impressed more in a short period of time than just about any other prospect in the Minnesota Twins organization. Last season, Colina dominated his way through A+ and AA ball and worked his way up to AAA. Colina has a plus-fastball and plus-slider and has the demeanor of a pitcher that isn’t afraid of any moment. While nominally a starting-pitcher prospect, could Colina get a call up in 2020 and grab hold of a bullpen spot like Zack Littell did last season? Absolutely. Which of the four guys above do you think has the best chance to be this year's Zack Littell or Cody Stashak? Or do you think it will be somebody not listed? Leave a comment below and start the conversation? 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

Update from Rocco Baldelli:

You did a really nice job with this Nick. I found myself getting way more invested in these updates and "decisions" than I should have. Which speaks to your writing and effort you put in!

Love the discussion! And agreed on Dobnak!

Rankings are supposed to be controversial so I appreciate everyone who is commenting with their thoughts and disagreements. That's what makes these so much fun. ^ I definitely agree with you that #37-42 have a much better chance of helping the team this year by being on the active roster, but I'm not sure they are better than Lewis. I do think Dobnak probably could have been ranked higher, but Smeltzer's peripherals don't paint a pretty picture and Thorpe struggled last year. I agree that Bailey may have more opportunity in 2020, but don't think he's a better player when ranking the players on the 2020 roster. He has never been an above-average pitcher for a prolonged period of time and don't think he deserves to be higher than he is. I definitely respect where you're coming from, Seth. I agree that Dobnak could probably be ranked higher, and potentially Thorpe (though he struggled in MLB and should still be considered a 'top prospect type' along with the others). I don't particularly think that Bailey or Smeltzer are all that good and warrant being ranked any higher than they are. I could see having Thielbar higher, but couldn't justify ranking higher a 33 year old who hasn't pitched in the Majors since 2015. Just not sure the ceiling is there for him. Maybe the disconnect is that I wasn't ranking the players based on who will contribute in 2020, but based on who I believe is a better player in 2020. Sure, Telis will probably get the call up in 2020 before Jeffers, but I believe Jeffers is a better player than Telis in 2020. I wrestled with ranking Hill higher, but coming off of elbow surgery I'm not positive he'll be better than Maeda or Odo. My idea of "fringe" is that they don't have a guaranteed spot on the roster. If any of Dobnak, Thorpe or Smeltzer struggle, they could easily be sent down to the "taxi squad" or the non-roster squad. Dobnak may have performed well enought in 2019 to avoid the "fringe" label but still don't think he has a guaranteed spot with the team. I didn't mention anything about Kirilloff's defensive limitations in this article. I said Rooker has limited defensive upside? I agree that Kirilloff is fine in the field at a non-premium position.

As the calendar shifts closer to July 24 there are a multitude of angles to explore regarding the 2020 season for the Minnesota Twins. One of the most interesting of these is looking at the players on the 60-man roster and how they stack up against each other for this upcoming season.In ranking the players on the 60-man roster for the Minnesota Twins, we will only be looking at their value to the Twins for the 2020 season. This is different from the Twins asset rankings that Nick Nelson did this winter where he ranked the Twins players in terms of the long-term value they bring to the club. In these rankings top, young prospects might be ranked lower than aging veterans and past production will typically trump future projection. In the simplest of terms, these rankings will answer the question, “Who would you rather have for the 2020 season?” Tier 8: AAAA Guys The lowest tier of players for the 2020 Minnesota Twins are the players that I’m referring to as the AAAA guys. AAAA guys are players who are mostly in their 30s and have made their careers bouncing between AAA and spot stints in the Majors. These guys are on the roster for their experience, but most won’t sniff the majors in 2020. 59. Juan Graterol 58. Jack Reinheimer 57. Tomas Telis Telis is a part of the 60-man roster because of his ability to play the catcher position. In his 12-year career, Telis has played nearly 1,000 games in the minor leagues, posting a career .744 OPS across all minor league levels. 56. Wilfredo Tovar 55. Ryan Garton 54. Danny Coulombe 53. Drew Maggi 52. Lane Adams 51. Dakota Chalmers Chalmers sticks out from the rest of the group as he is not a minor league journeyman like the rest of his tier-mates. Chalmers is just 23-years-old and while he pitched well in high-A in 2020, his lack of experience will keep him from playing for the big league club in 2020. 50. Caleb Thielbar Tier 7: Fringe Pitchers The next 14 players in our rankings are grouped together in a tier designated as “fringe pitchers”. These are pitchers who all have the ability to make appearances for the Twins big league club in 2020, but none of whom are slam dunks to be consistent contributors. Seeing any of these pitchers move up or down a tier by the end of the season wouldn’t be a surprise. 49. Jorge Alcalá 48. Sam Clay 47. Cory Gearring 46. Jhoulys Chacín 45. Sean Poppen 44. Homer Bailey While Homer Bailey very well may be in the starting rotation to open the season, he will have to perform to stay there. An early DFA for Bailey wouldn’t be a shocker if he doesn’t start the season well. 43. Matt Wisler 42. Fernando Romero 41. Edwar Colina 40. Jhoan Duran 39. Devin Smeltzer 38. Lewis Thorpe Lewis Thorpe has some of the best pure stuff in the Minnesota Twins organization. In 2019, he had the highest K/9 and swinging strike rate among all AAA pitchers. Can he finally put it together in 2020? Or will Randy Dobnak pull away from the Smeltzer/Thorpe/Dobnak pack? 37. Randy Dobnak Tier 6: Fringe Batters Similar to the tier above, the next 10 players on our rankings are “Fringe batters”. Some of these players will be on the opening day 30-man roster, some will appear mid-season, and some might not appear at all. They all have the ability to perform, but have yet to show they can be legitimate threats at the plate at the Major League level. 36. Gilberto Celestino 35. Royce Lewis Lewis remains the Minnesota Twins’ top prospect, but at the age of 21, Lewis still has yet to show that he can hit consistently against top talent. In 127 games of High-A and AA last season, Lewis only posted a .661 OPS. 34. Zander Wiel 33. Willians Astudillo 32. Travis Blankenhorn 31. Ryan Jeffers In looking at who could potentially be “The Next Luis Arraez”, Ryan Jeffers looks to be a prime candidate. In his second year with the Twins, Jeffers moved up to AA where he posted a .856 OPS. Should anything happen to Garver or Avila, Jeffers could definitely get a look and make a major impact in 2020. 30. Nick Gordon 29. Lamonte Wade Jr. 28. Ehire Adrianza 27. Alex Avila Tier 4: Corner/Power Guys The next four players are in a tier called “Corner Power Guys”. These four players are all in their 20s, have power upside, with limited defensive ability at the infield or outfield corners. Jake Cave is a sure thing to make the Twins’ opening day roster while the other three have a great shot to get called up during the season. Which of these four will make the greatest impact to the 2020 club? 26. Brent Rooker After being drafted by the Twins in 2016, Rooker has shown a power stroke at each stop through the Minnesota Twins farm system. He now looks ready to make an appearance with the Twins in 2020. In 65 games with AAA Rochester last season, Rooker posted an impressive .933 OPS. His upside in the field is limited, but his bat should earn him playing time in 2020. 25. Jake Cave 24. Alex Kirilloff 23. Trevor Larnach Although not initially thought of as a prospect on the same level of Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach has changed that narrative after being named the Twins’ “Minor League Player of the Year” in 2019. Larnach quickly moved through high-A up to AA last season where he posted a .842 OPS. Alex Kirilloff didn’t adjust to AA pitching quite as well in 2019, which is what gave Larnach the slight edge over him in these rankings. Tier 3: Best Bullpen in Baseball? Famously this offseason, Rocco Baldelli was quoted as saying that he believes the Minnesota Twins have, “the best bullpen in baseball”. While that may have been hyperbole, the Minnesota Twins certainly proved last season they have assembled a really good bullpen with excellent depth. 22. Cody Stashak 21. Zack Littell After finally getting moved to a full time bullpen role in 2019, Littell proved what he is able to do in limited innings for the Minnesota Twins. In 37 innings of work, Littell posted a 2.68 ERA, highlighted by a stretch of 22 appearances where he allowed just two earned runs. 20. Sergio Romo 19. Tyler Clippard 18. Tyler Duffey Duffey was one of the best stories from the Minnesota Twins in 2019. The Doof began the season in AAA and was not in the Twins’ plans at all after posting a horrendous 7.20 ERA in 2018. Duffey made the most of his chance last season, though, as he quickly became one of the Twins’ most important arms. In 57 2/3 innings of work in 2019, Duffey posted a WHIP just over one with a strikeout rate of 34.4%. Though his 2019 numbers merit being higher in the rankings, he will need to show year-to-year consistency before he can get moved up higher. 17. Trevor May Tier 2: Pretty Darn Good The second-to-last tier of players in our 2020 Minnesota Twins rankings are what you would guess, pretty darn good. Each of these guys will play a key role for the Minnesota Twins in 2020 and will have a large impact on how far the club can go. Whether its because of limited upside or lack of track record, they don’t quite have what it takes to make it into the top tier of players, but each of these guys will be vital to the 2020 Twins season. 16. Michael Pineda 15. Rich Hill Ranking a 40-year-old pitcher coming off of elbow surgery this high might not seem like the wisest thing to do on the surface, but in a shortened 60-game season, Rich Hill could be the Twins’ best pitcher in 2020. Hill’s ability has never been what has hampered him, it has always been his health. In such a short season, Hill has a much better chance to stay healthy, and when he’s healthy he is dominant. Per Twins Daily’s Nash Walker, only Clayton Kershaw, Max Sherzer, Justin Verlander and Corey Kluber have a lower ERA than Rich Hill (3.00) since 2016 (min. 400 IP). 14. Marwin González 13. Eddie Rosario 12. Byron Buxton Similar to Hill, a 60-game season really benefits Byron Buxton, who can never seem to stay healthy throughout a 162-game season. Through 60 games in 2019, Buxton had a .837 OPS, led the team in doubles, and was playing the best defensive center field in baseball. 11. Jake Odorizzi 10. Kenta Maeda 9. Luis Arráez With such a small sample size of 60 games in 2020, we could see some crazy statlines posted by season's end. One of those could be a .400 BA posted by the Minnesota Twins’ second baseman. In his 92 games with the Twins in 2019, Arráez showed the patience and intelligence of a dominant hitter and could move his way up to the top tier by season’s end. 8. Taylor Rogers Tier 1: 2020 Team MVP Candidates 7. Mitch Garver 6. Miguel Sanó First in Hard Hit %, first in Barrels/BBE %, second in average exit velocity. The numbers that Miguel Sanó posted at the plate in 2019 were absurd. With a healthy body and a healthy wallet (Hello, $30M extension!), Sanó could absolutely build off of those numbers in 2020 and be the Twins’ best hitter this season. How he adjusts to playing a new defensive position will be something to watch, but with those bat skills Sanó will bring immense value to the 2020 Minnesota Twins. 5. José Berríos 4. Jorge Polanco 3. Nelson Cruz Nelson Cruz is coming off of one of the best hitting seasons ever from a 39-year-old, will he be able to follow it up in his age-40 season? Cruz led all of baseball in 2019 in Barrels/PA with 12.5%. He led the Minnesota Twins with 41 home runs and a ridiculous 1.031 OPS. Nelson is not only the team leader, but arguably their best hitter. His upside will always be limited due to him being a designated hitter, but the Bomba Squad wouldn’t be the Bomba Squad without Nellie. 2. Max Kepler In his first season following his five-year extension with the Twins, Kepler proved himself to be a great investment as he put together an extraordinary 2019 campaign. Kepler led the 2019 Minnesota Twins with 4.4 fWAR thanks to his outstanding bat and glove. Heading into his prime years as a 27-year-old, there is reason to think that Kepler will improve in 2020 and could easily be the Twins’ best player this season. 1. Josh Donaldson The number one player on our Twins rankings for the 2020 season is no other than the Twins' newest addition to the club, Josh Donaldson. His accolades are off the charts, and though he is 34-years old, he has shown no signs of slowing down. In 2019, Donaldson finished 11th in MVP voting, thanks to his .900 OPS at the plate as well as his elite play at the hot corner where his 8 Outs Above Average was 3rd in baseball. If you think those numbers are impressive, in 2020 Donaldson will be playing at Target Field where he owns a career 1.283 OPS. Buckle up, Twins fans! What qualms do you have with the rankings above? Who was ranked too low? Too high? Who would earn your #1 spot in your ranking of the 2020 Minnesota Twins? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! 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

This was an awesome series, Nick. Thanks for organizing it. Looking forward to the PDF!

I’m really jealous that you wrote 2 paragraphs about Dawel Lugo!

Alas, baseball is here. Finally, we can talk about real rosters, real games, and real schedules. In the midst of all of the announcements regarding the upcoming 60-game season, we have learned how the MLB schedule will look and who the Twins will be facing in 2020.While we still don’t know the exact dates of the games or the order in which the series will be played, Jayson Stark of The Athletic provided fans with the nuts and bolts of what the baseball schedule will look like in 2020. Here’s how the schedule will break down: All teams will play 10 games against each of their divisional foes, making up 40 of the 60 total games.The remaining 20 games will be played against the corresponding interleague division. In the case of the American League Central, this will mean playing 20 games versus the National League Central.Six of the interleague divisional games will be played against a team’s closest natural “rival”. In the case of the Minnesota Twins, this will be the Milwaukee Brewers.The remaining 14 interleague divisional games will be split between the four remaining teams in series of three or four games.The way that the schedules shook out for the 2020 season is about the best scenario that the Minnesota Twins could have asked for. The American League Central was the worst division in baseball in terms of winning percentage in 2019. While the White Sox should be improved with the offseason additions they made, the Cleveland Indians have potential to go the other way as they parted with their ace pitcher, Corey Kluber and have been rumblings of them potentially looking to deal Francisco Lindor. Additionally, the American League Central is home to two of the worst teams in baseball in the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals. All in all the Minnesota Twins were 50-26 against the American League Central in 2019. Being able to play 60% of their games against a division that they had so much success against last season spell success for the Twins heading into the 60-game super-season. Another advantage that the Minnesota Twins have with the way the 2020 schedule shook out is that they avoid playing the American League East and American League West altogether. It’s no secret that the Twins have struggled against the New York Yankees, but additionally the Twins avoid having to face the Houston Astros, Oakland Athletics, and Tampa Bay Rays. All four of those teams are arguably better than the second best team in the American League Central. Switching to their interleague divisional foes, the Minnesota Twins once again came up fortunate by getting to face the National League Central, the weakest division in the National League in 2019 according to 2019 winning percentage. While the Cincinnati Reds made some strong offseason additions, the Pirates figure to be one of the worst teams in baseball, and none of the Cardinals, Cubs and Brewers were projected to have more than 87 wins according to PECOTA’s March projections. Further, by facing the National League Central the Twins avoid having to face the juggernauts in the National League of the Braves, Mets, Nationals and Dodgers. In addition to avoiding the best teams in baseball on the American League and National League sides, the Twins will also avoid having to face the best pitchers in baseball. With the way the schedule shook out, the Minnesota Twins will not have to face any of the top-seven pitchers in the MLB according to fWAR, evading the likes of Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander and Charlie Morton in the American League, and Jacob DeGrom, Max Scherzer, and Stephen Strasburg in the National League. While all of this sounds great in theory for the Minnesota Twins’ outlook in 2020, an easier schedule doesn’t promise a divisional title. The Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox will have the same schedule as the Minnesota Twins, and the amount of parity that will exist in a 60-game season has been well documented. The games still need to be played, and the Twins still need to perform, but with the schedule they’ve been given, they’re starting off on the right foot. How do you feel about the way the 2020 schedule shook out for the Minnesota Twins? Who do you think will be their toughest opponent? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! 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

Congrats to Nelly!

Sports have given us some of the greatest father-son duos imaginable over the years. From the Mannings in football, to the Griffeys in baseball and even the Earnhardts in NASCAR, we have been treated to the best of the best. In light of Father’s Day, what are some of the best father-son duos in Minnesota Twins history?Andy MacPhail - Former Minnesota Twins GM Father - Lee MacPhail - Former MLB Executive Grandfather - Larry MacPhail - Former MLB Executive Although his last name would have you think otherwise, Andy MacPhail was quite a baseball genius in his time with the Minnesota Twins. MacPhail joined the Minnesota Twins in 1985, in the midst of a 15 year playoff drought. Upon joining the Twins, MacPhail hired Tom Kelly and traded for the likes of Jeff Reardon, Dan Gladden and Joe Niekro — helping lead the Twins to their first World Series championship in 1987. Following a last place finish in 1990, MacPhail signed Jack Morris en route to another World Series championship in 1991. The MacPhail family is the first family to have four generations affiliated with Major League Baseball, with Andy’s father, grandfather and nephew all in executive roles. Andy’s grandfather, Larry, served as the GM for the Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees. Andy’s father, Lee, was also an MLB executive, working as the GM for the Yankees and Orioles. Both Larry and Lee have been inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame. Mike Bell - Minnesota Twins Bench Coach Father - Buddy Bell - Former MLB Third Baseman and Manager Grandfather - Gus Bell - Former MLB Outfielder Although it feels like it happened a lifetime ago, Mike Bell was just hired on with the Minnesota Twins earlier this offseason to replace bench coach Derek Shelton. Bell joined the Twins after a stint with the Arizona Diamondbacks as their Director of Player Development. Bell previously played in the Majors for one season as the 3rd Baseman for the Cincinnati Reds. Bell also comes from a multiple-generation baseball lineage as his father and grandfather were both former baseball players. Bell’s father, Buddy, had an 18-year career as an outfielder, highlighted by his time with the Texas Rangers. Buddy was a 6-time Gold Glover and 5-time all-star. Bell’s grandfather, Gus, played for 15 years in the Majors, making 4 all-star appearances. Roy Smalley III - Former Minnesota Twins Shortstop Father - Roy Smalley Jr. - Former MLB Shortstop Roy Smalley III ranks 15th all time in with 20.8 career bWAR in Minnesota and is arguably the best shortstop in Twins history. Smalley played 10 seasons with the Twins, collecting over 1,000 hits. Smalley III is now making his mark as a Minnesota Twins broadcaster, working alongside Dick Bremer to call Minnesota Twins games. Shortstop runs in the blood of the Smalley family as Smalley’s father, Roy Smalley Jr., was also a Major League shortstop. Smalley Jr. had an 11-year MLB career with the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies. In his career, Smalley Jr. recorded 601 hits and 61 home runs. Pat Mahomes - Former Minnesota Twins Pitcher Son - Patrick Mahomes - NFL Quarterback The final notable father/son connection from Minnesota Twins history isn’t an all-baseball connection but rather a baseball/football connection with former Minnesota Twins pitcher, Pat Mahomes, and his son, Patrick Mahomes. Pat Mahomes was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 6th round of the 1988 Minnesota Twins. Mahomes didn’t exactly light Twins Nation on fire during his time with Minnesota, tossing a 5.82 ERA in 5 seasons. While Pat Mahomes didn’t have much of a decorated career in the Twin Cities, his name has been brought up much more in Twins’ circles of late because of the success of his son, Patrick, on the football field. Patrick Mahomes has become the best player in football and is coming off of a Super Bowl Championship. At only 24 years old, Patrick Mahomes figures to collect much more hardware in the NFL and bring more accolades to the Mahomes name. What names come to mind for you when you think of father-son connections with the Minnesota Twins? Happy fathers day to all the writers and readers of Twins Daily! 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

Haha I appreciate the feedback. Meant it in the informal way, "particularly impressive or remarkable"