Sherry Cerny

Recently, I had the privilege to sit down with three outstanding wives of Minnesota Twins players. After the meeting was over, I sat back in my chair and took a deep breath because as impressive as the players are, their wives are the real MVPs, and these are their stories. I have been watching baseball for as long as I can remember. I have always loved everything about baseball; the sounds of the park, the food, and every play on the field. I learned a lot watching what happens on the field, in the dugout, and the bullpen, but one thing that I had yet to learn was that the struggle to get to that place meant putting a lot of stuff on hold, including relationships. Since they were in high school, Allie and Sarah have been with their husbands, Brent Rooker and Mitchell Garver, respectively. While the couples have been together for over ten years, "together" is a relative term when you're in a baseball family. The term "grind" was mentioned frequently in the interview because that's what being a baseball player is. When the guys aren't playing, they are training. There is never a time when they aren't getting ready for the next game. Because the guys are always on the go, independence has always been important to the wives. All women have their own lives, careers, and individuality, which is empowering. At the same time, they are proud to be Mrs. Cave, Mrs. Garver, and Mrs. Rooker. Saige, Sarah, and Allie are friends, daughters, career women, and mothers. The time they spent growing up while they supported their spouses, Allie and Sarah didn't know in high school or even early into college that the guys would play baseball outside of college. Contrary to popular belief, the women with their spouses from an early age genuinely don't rely on their spouses "being drafted ." The reality of players making it into the majors is that Less than eleven in 100, or about 10.5 percent, of NCAA senior male baseball players, will get drafted by a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Approximately one in 200 or roughly 0.5 percent of high school senior boys playing interscholastic baseball will eventually be drafted by an MLB team. Allie and Sarah knew that their individuality and success were just as crucial as their husband's baseball careers. Allie and Brent Rooker went to different colleges out of high school, and long-distance didn't stop until after the Minnesota Twins drafted Brent in the 1st round (35th overall pick) of the 2017 amateur draft. Along with Brent being drafted, he and Allie got engaged in 2017. Still, there was no time to get into family mode because Allie graduated as an RN and started working in her field after college. And for Brent, the grind toward the majors began immediately. When the Minnesota Twins drafted Mitch Garver in the 9th round of the 2013 amateur draft, Sarah was in the middle of Veterinary School. They spent more time apart as Mitch found himself playing minor league ball with the Twins and Sarah finished her degree in Oregon. They had been together at the University of New Mexico, but Sarah had goals of becoming a vet, and she knew that would mean more time apart to attend school in Oregon, so while Mitch went off to play baseball in Florida, Sarah went to OSU to complete Vet school and graduated in 2018 with her Doctorate. Even though she graduated, she couldn’t join Mitch yet on the road as she started working in New Mexico. She officially joined Mitch in 2020, just in time for the pandemic. Saige and Jake Cave met when they were a little bit older. Saige had just graduated from college in Florida, and Jake was playing in the New York Yankees minor league system in Tampa. Saige was out walking her dog when they crossed paths, and that is the story. The simplicity of the story is as genuine as they are. She had already graduated college and was a nanny full-time. As a former D2 athlete, Saige vowed that she would never marry an athlete because she knows the grind and the demand, but she couldn't say no to Jake's charm, and the rest is history. They spent a lot of time as a new couple bouncing back and forth in Pennsylvania in the minor-league system. The travel was arduous, but luckily, Saige is from Pennsylvania and had family there. Their lives collided together in 2018 when Jake was traded from New York to Minnesota. The three women were very close and confided in me when I asked, "How important is this circle?" "It's incredibly important." Says Sarah. "I don't know what I would have done without these two," says Saige. "They literally are so welcoming and loving, and we spend all day texting and snap chatting back and forth. Allie sends the funniest stuff." "It's nice to know that someone gets it," Allie says, "Jake and Brent are also really close, and there is a picture of them from Brent's first day on the field smiling and Jake congratulating Brent." The women genuinely care for each other and look out for each other. None of the wives got the opportunity to travel with their husbands to games in 2020, which subsequently was the pandemic year, making 2021 their first full-time travel year. It blew my mind to think about that. These couples put their heart and soul into not only themselves but also grinding through rookie-ball, minor league ball, trades, and finally landing on your feet with a team, and life throws you a literal curve-ball. Their lives aren't all glam and cash-flow, which is how some people think it happens. It's not. The three of them, while they show their strong sides, show concern for what happens on the field. Sarah said that baseball is a day-to-day job. There is no guarantee, as demonstrated by the pandemic and the current lockout. If they don't have their careers, when baseball stops, so does the income, and that's a terrifying idea. All three wives recall their husbands having scary, possibly career-ending injuries and the fear that went into those moments. Brent suffered a displaced fracture of his right forearm on September 13th, 2020, when a pitch hit him against Cleveland. Jake played with a broken back in 2021 and ended up on the sixty-day injured list for rehab. And Mitch took a foul tip to the groin on June 1st, 2021, during a game with Baltimore and ended up on the injured list after emergency surgery late that night. Sarah and Allie both told me that the scariest thing for them was that they were not only not at the games where their husbands were injured, but their phones were blowing up with people asking if their husbands were okay. Having to take in that emotion and sort through the truth and what is being said in the media is very frustrating. "I am already VERY pregnant at this point and very emotional," says Sarah, "and I can't do anything for him right now, and that got to me. Thank God for the medical team." "Yes! The trainers, the Twins medical staff, they are our best friends," pipes in Allie, "They are there waiting for the guys in the waiting room to give us updates and reassure us." "They are literal lifelines," Says Saige, beyond thankful for the staff who helped bring Jake back from a broken back. "He broke his back giving himself to baseball, and it was reassuring that they were dedicated to helping him get better." Between the pandemic and injuries, 2020 and 2021 were stressful, and 2022 isn't any less stressful. While Sarah and Allie have their jobs to help cover the bills. The guys must stay in shape and ready to go to spring training at a moment's notice. Staying in baseball shape and baseball-ready means putting in eight to ten-hour days. It's bad enough when your husband is amid a lockout that threatens his career, but during the season, there are also bad days, bad games, and bad plays that haunt the guys when they come home. While the wives say they certainly need their space after a bad day, they are never petulant, maybe just a little in their head or a little off. What cures their post-game blues? Babies. The adorable babies that they come home to after a game. The kids, Gamble (Sarah and Mitch) and Blair (Allie and Brent), are close together in age and are rumored to be betrothed later in life. The oldest of the crew is Sloane, Jake and Saige's daughter, and she had the job of entertaining us and did a great job! That morning we talked; we were all in our sweats, hair up, kids and dogs everywhere. It was the most laid back conversation, and I realized that these are moms, just like me, like the other women baseball fans. Their main priorities are their families, the kids, and keeping life as simple as possible in a chaotic role. Finding the balance between being an individual, friend, daughter, wife, and mom is not easy. But they do it. And they do it with grace, messy buns, and a smile. Having a solid community is essential because the outside world can be cruel. Their husbands have a bad day at work, and everyone knows about it. What makes it harder about bad games and injuries is what people say about their husbands online. Talking to the women about what they go through, reading, and seeing those things changed my life and outlook on baseball. These three baseball players are not millionaires, as people have been screaming about on Twitter for the past six weeks. But they do fall into the 65% of MLB players who make under $1MM. The lockout is not easy on the families. Mitch is in his second year of arbitration, and makes more than league minimum, but that doesn’t change the impact of the lock out. They may make more than the average Joe, but the average Joe has one home, one State to live in, and a job he can drive to every day. These families have to be prepared for the season with housing for spring training, a house or apartment in the State where they play ball full time, and their place in their home state. Their paychecks ensure that they can afford to play next season and take care of their family in the off-season. Even with all the stress, crazy schedules, the current lockout, I have never seen stronger, happier women. These women not only empower their husbands, but they also empower each other. As a baseball fan, I was shocked that they wouldn't watch baseball without their husbands playing. But, watching their husbands play is one of the most endearing, exciting things they experience. Their first at-bats stick out as core memories for the wives. "Don't strike out" is the only thing Sarah is thinking as Mitch takes the plate for the first time on August 19th, 2017, knowing that is a genuine possibility. They laugh about their passion for the game and how it never leaves their minds. On off-days, any of them can ask their husband, "What are you thinking about?" Saige says, "Usually Jake says, 'my hitting,'" as she laughs. The players are either thinking about training for baseball, their last game, their upcoming game, or their swing. While they don't know specifics about their game day routines or superstitions, one thing they do know is the smiles on their husband's faces as they play the game they grew up loving. As dedicated as the players are to their craft, they are devoted equally at home. All three women talked about how amazing the guys are with the kids. The lockout has left the families stressed, but the ability to have more time together, which none take for granted. Already following in dad's footsteps is Sloane Cave. Sloane loves to play baseball, and Jake loves to help her play. Sloane talks about going on the field with dad and watching him play, but some of her fondest memories she will have with dad allow her to play on her youth team with dad being the coach and the mentor. She loves that one-on-one quality time with Jake. The kids have a unique advantage that many kids don't, and that's watching dad play baseball, going on the field, in the dugout, and hanging out with the other major-league players and their families. When it comes to strength, baseball players are some of the strongest athletes I have encountered. Mentally and physically, players have to be ready for quite literally anything that happens in a game, from injury to a long stretch or dive to get the ball or to be fast enough to round the bases when a line drive hugs the foul line deep into left field. But, what's more, vital to the players are the families that stand behind them. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email View full article

I understand that completely. I love our prospects, I think there are other possibilities for trade than our prospects. I think it’s necessary to have a good arm right now that we wouldn’t have to give up a lot for. We also could spend 150mm on various free agents, there are options!!

Absolutely!!! Experience is important, and I think Bassitt has good experience to help us out.

Bassitt is my number one choice. I think he would be a great fit.

The offseason is upon us again! With the ratification of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), free agency is back, and teams can start making trades again. The Twins made some moves before the lockout, but they are still in need of pitching. There are several pitchers that might be available via trade. The Twins made one minor acquisition before the lockout, adding right-handed pitcher Dylan Bundy. In 2020, he posted a 3.29 ERA and 1.03 WHIP but had a setback in 2021. While the Twins fans were hoping for starting pitching, they weren’t impressed with the last purchase. Now that the lockout is over and baseball can get back to business, here are my thoughts on the top five trade candidates to help the Twins pitching staff.. 5. Luis Castillo Luis Castillo (29/RHP) carries a career ERA of 3.72, with a strikeout rate of 23.9% and a higher walk rate than Tyler Mahle at 9.3%. During the 2021 season, Castillo was tied for the most games started (33) but also tied for the most Base on Balls (75) and losses (16). With one of the highest amounts of innings thrown, there will be negative numbers. Nash Walker wrote about Castillo's impressive ability at limiting home runs which is more significant than worrying about walks. Because his cost for trade is so high, I am ranking Luis Castillo as a last resort because the possibility of a package deal with this player is slim. Luis Castillo is a massive commodity in trade talks right now, and the Angels have shown interest. Castillo still has two years of club control at the price point of around $7.6MM. There has been no speculation about what the Reds would want in return, considering they are shopping three of their pitchers right now. 4. Chris Bassitt Chris Bassitt (33/RHP) has an overall impressive ERA of 3.15 (ERA+ of 130) over his 27 starts and 157 innings pitched in 2021. He has been an above-average pitcher since Tommy John surgery back in 2018. Bassitt was a Cy Young contender the past two seasons and could be a safe bet for the Twins, which knowing the Twins is all they are willing to do when it comes to pitching. One of the best options available for the Twins, Bassitt is on the cheaper end of the trade scale, due for arbitration in 2022, and in 2023 he will be a free agent. He has been a Twins Daily favorite for trade talks in the past. The trade would be worth it to get what the Twins need out of him before he becomes a free agent. It wouldn't be the best trade the Twins could make, but it would be something that could help through the 2022 season with starter pitching. 3. Sonny Gray Sonny Gray (32/RHP) has a solid arm; his age doesn't seem to deter him at all from being one of the Reds best starting pitchers. James Cameron talked about in his Twins Daily post relaying that Gray has the makings of a great starting pitcher for the Twins. One of the things that makes Gray a solid choice is his ability to grow and change. His pitches have made him dangerous on the mound. He has a strong four-pitch mix that has long made him a quality starter. . The Reds have not been shy about shopping Gray, along with his counterparts Mahle and Castillo. Gray is projected to make $10.67MM in 2022 and remains under club control for 2023 via the $12.5MM club option. 2. Frankie Montas Frankie Montas - (28/RHP) The Oakland Athletics have had a solid pitching rotation, including Montas, who slid into the number six position of the 2021 Cy Young Award voting. The 28-year-old right-hander has command of the mound. His fastball was in the range of 90-99mph throughout the 2021 season, contributing to the 26.6% strikeout ratio compared to 7.3% walks and earning him a 3.36 ERA. While he struggled in the minors, he continued to pitch smarter and work harder to create reliable confidence for his team throughout 2021. His age makes him a prime candidate for creating a long-term contract with the organization that picks him up. With Montas's previously moving around from team to team, a long-term solution might be great not only for him but for whoever picks him up. The Twins have pieces to trade to acquire Montas. The A's know what they have in Montas, making him potentially a more challenging trade, leaving the possibility of a three-team trade, but the Twins could avoid that with the right offer. 1. Tyler Mahle Tyler Mahle may not have the name recognition and notoriety that his Reds teammates do, but he's developed into a quality mid-rotation arm over the past two seasons. Mahle owns a 3.72 ERA with an impressive 28.1% strikeout rate against a respectable 8.9% walk rate. Throughout his career, the most considerable concern has been his walks and home runs. Matt Swartz of MLB Trade Rumors projects a $5.6MM salary in 2022 for Mahle. Mahle is the youngest of the possible acquisitions mentioned, so he'll pitch nearly all of the 2022 season at 27 years old. Out of all the Twins' options, Mahle would be a great asset to the Twins starting rotation; Trading for Mahle just might be the smartest option for the Twins to start. Free Agency is going to be insanely competitive in the coming days which could be good for the Twins. That said, due to the competitive nature of free agency and the potential for scorned owners, lots of teams may be looking to trade possibilities. While age is a factor, so is longevity and more and more baseball players are showing age is just a number and can work past their “prime”. Sonny Gray would be a great addition to the Twins rotation, but if it’s money they are worried about, Tyler Mahle will be the best option, in this fan's opinion. What do you think the Twins should be looking for in a pitcher? Should they be looking on the free agency market or play it safe and offer trades? MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

Baseball transcends beyond the field. It speaks a language felt by players and fans alike. It brings people together, sometimes from very different walks of life. Baseball can bring fans together, in a community like Twins Daily. The players have a special bond, a Baseball Brotherhood, that no one but them will ever understand. For Patrick Mahomes and Latroy Hawkins, baseball gave them a life-long friendship. Recently, I had the privilege of sitting down with former Twins pitchers Pat Mahomes and Latroy Hawkins to talk about their thirty-year friendship. I was all set with my pen, notes, and questions, and was anxiously contemplating how I was going to ask them. However, I found that I didn't need questions at all. The conversation took a fantastic direction, and I was just a spectator listening to the story of their friendship journey. Baseball provided the catalyst. Pat Mahomes was the Twins sixth-round draft pick out of high school in 1988 and started his professional career in the Twins Rookie League at 17 years old. He came from the small town of Lindale, Texas, in the northeast part of the state. At that time, there were only maybe 2,000 people, and almost none of them were white. When he arrived in Elizabethton, Tennessee, to start his career, several teammates told Pat that all the black people lived on a hill in the Appalachian Mountains. Pat refused to go up in the mountains, he didn’t believe he needed to. He knew that he was in the minority, but he refused to let his race determine his place in society or on the baseball team. Pat was not afraid to speak his mind. He didn’t put him into a specific category or let anyone else do it either. He got an apartment in the next city over with one of the first-rounders on the team, and they drove in every day for practice and games. They split rent and gas and lived on $700 per month salaries. LaTroy Hawkins was raised in the much larger city of Gary, Indiana. However, the demographics of Gary were the same as Lindale, nearly 100% black. Hawkins was the Twins seventh-round draft pick in 1991, also out of high school. LaTroy said he wasn't 'treated' a certain way by any of the Twins players, but when he arrived at Fort Myers after the draft and for spring training in 1992, he said the culture shock was looking at people who didn't look like him. It was a whole new world because there were no white kids where he lived and went to school. Mahomes said he had been with the Twins for a few seasons when LaTroy, Jacque Jones, and Torii Hunter showed up to minor league spring training. He knew as a black player what they were about to go through, the same adjustment he went through when he came to camp. Pat took them all out to eat to help them get acquainted and feel comfortable. Maybe even just to let them know that they weren’t alone. The truth was that Pat “didn't have anyone there for him when he came to the organization”, and he wanted to be there for the next generation. They never felt like they were 'outsiders' with any group they associated with: Whites, Blacks, Dominicans, and Pat and LaTroy weren't afraid to get out of their comfort zone. The group of them together loved to talk and engage with other players from other places or countries, pushing others to communicate and engage. Eventually, with their determination to show the players it's good to get outside their comfort zone, Pat and LaTroy became the glue that sealed the groups and team together. They believe their ability to adapt and have confidence in their craft and person made them successful during their careers. Pat and LaTroy didn't spend a lot of time together on the field, a total of two-and-half seasons collectively. Both players were in big-league spring training in 1992 for the Minnesota Twins, and then Pat got called up to the Major Leagues in April. He was the only rookie pitcher that season on the 40-man.roster Pat may have left LaTroy in the minors, but not the friendship. While in the majors, Pat read scouting reports and newspapers on who was up and coming in the organization. Some baseball players pay close attention to the prospects coming up because they are playing for their careers. Pat saw LaTroy's name come up in reports all the time, and he knew he was coming soon. He wasn’t worried about his job; Pat knew they had a special connection, and he was eager to see the rookie doing so well and on the move. Mahomes was living with Scott Erickson in 1995. Erickson got traded halfway through the season, leaving Pat heartbroken. However, the trade made way for Hawkins to come up to the Major Leagues. When a player is traded, league rules required that the team cover rent and continued to do so after Erickson left. So when Pat called LaTroy to congratulate him, he knew he was pitching the next day and invited him to come to live with him (rent-free). That was the beginning of the strongest friendships brought on by baseball. Pat looked out for LaTroy. He always had his back, whether walking into the minors or starting his first game in the big leagues. The relationship isn't one-sided. It runs both ways. The two men could not be farther apart in personality. Pat attributes a lot of his 'grounding' to LaTroy. Pat was the "Wild Child," unafraid to speak his mind when he thought it was warranted. LaTroy, on the other hand, as Pat says, is "a little more professional. A solid guy." They have a good balance in their relationship. One is a little less, the other is a little more, and vice versa. It just depends on the situation. That translates on and off the field. Pat said, "LaTroy was always confident. He never looked like he didn't belong there." If either was pitching and the game was not going the way they wanted, there was no need for alarm. However, if their poise or composure looked out of the ordinary, that's when they would pick up the phone and say, "Okay. What's going on?" No pep talks. No advice. They tell each other what they see. They don't fight. Being blunt and honest keeps it that way. Sure, they may get upset at the other's observation, but that's what family does. Their bond is a lot like brothers, like family. They are each other's keepers. LaTroy confides that while he has blood siblings, there are things that Pat knows that his siblings don't. They look out for each other, and if LaTroy were to call Pat and tell him he needed him, Pat would show up, "No questions asked," LaTroy said, "even if they were going to the moon." Their relationship has poured into the next generation. Hawkins was instrumental in raising Mahomes’s first-born son, Patrick Mahomes II. Pat entrusted the care and his son's life to LaTroy, making him his Godfather. The three of us giggled as we talked about Patrick's love for ketchup that I had read in an article earlier in the week. They both confirmed that ketchup to Patrick was just as important as family and football. As they reminisce over funny memories, they recalled the time they played winter baseball together in Puerto Rico. Patrick never slept, and since Pat had to pitch the next day, LaTroy took Patrick during the wee hours of the night (or morning) to Burger King to get french fries and "hundreds of packets" of ketchup. As Patrick grew up, he got more involved in sports, and they watched him grow and develop. They traveled all over the country, watching him play football, baseball, and basketball. They knew from a young age that Patrick was 'special,' a word they don't use lightly. They knew he would be a professional athlete, but they were not expecting it to take the turn that it did. They both paused as Pat told me about his favorite LaTroy Hawkins moment. It was Patrick’s Super Bowl in 2019, and what it meant to the two of them as friends because it was almost the Super Bowl that never was. LaTroy teared up and said, "He did it." LaTroy teared up again, hearing the story. It wasn't about the win. It was the fact that collectively they impacted Patrick’s life to where he left his comfort zone and took a chance on himself and was living out the dream neither of them could have ever imagined. Patrick almost didn't play football. He had been on the baseball scouts' radar for years. He had natural talent as a baseball player, which was well known, but he had a passion for football. During his final year of high school, Patrick had agents and Major League teams calling him before the baseball draft. During the draft, sitting in the room waiting to be drafted, he leaned over and looked at his dad and said he didn't want to pursue baseball professionally; he wanted to try football. The Detroit Tigers still drafted the younger Mahomes, but only in the 37th round, knowing that he wouldn’t sign. He was headed to Texas Tech to play quarterback. Patrick wanted to take a chance on himself and play the game he loved, football, in college. Pat was worried everything he learned wouldn't translate from high school to college, to the NFL. Pat reached out to LaTroy in true family fashion, not out of concern, but confirmation this was a good choice. LaTroy was in Brazil when he got the phone call from Pat and Patrick. When LaTroy answered, Pat said, "Hey, he doesn't want to play baseball. He wants to play football," and LaTroy said, "Okay." That was it. One word, Okay. The trust that if LaTroy says, "Okay," it's going to be okay, and the rest is history. History is so abundant with these two I didn't have to ask a single question; Pat and LaTroy just told the story of their friendship. It's a story of two young players that went from watching out for each other on the field to two old(er) friends who would do anything for each other at the drop of a hat, even if it means going to the moon. View full article

Baseball is in her blood. From a young gal who grew up watching the White Sox with her dad who is a 41-year-season-ticket-holder, Betsy Helfand got the baseball bug at a young age. Betsy Helfand grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and, like most kids, would go to the field with her dad to watch her hometown team. She grew up cheering for the 2021 American League Central Division Champions, but she is one of the best Minnesota Twins beat reporters. As a female who loves baseball myself and writing about baseball, Betsy was one of the first people I followed, and she should be one of yours. She is well versed in the sport, has outstanding skill in writing about it, and brings content to Twitter that all Twins fans should see. Betsy left the Windy City to come up to the Minnesota Tundra to attend college at the University of Minnesota. She jumped in both feet into her future of journalism while there, starting immediately with The Minnesota Daily (a 501(c)(3) student-led media organization), providing in-depth coverage of the University's sports teams. She attended various sporting events and games. Betsy worked hard to develop relationships with coaches and players, giving them an element of trust. Trust is huge in the journalist community. Relationships and networking rely on it. Because of her hard work, eventually, Betsy oversaw a team of writers, giving her time to focus on editing and broaden her journalistic knowledge by working with the media teams to create content for the website. Before graduation, she interned with the Pioneer Press as a freelance writer through practicum courses offered at the U. There; she wrote stories on tight deadlines in high school and college sports: getting them written, edited, and up for online content. There was no sport that she didn’t cover or a job that she turned down. Because she was able to cover so many sports and focused more on her writing and content than the team she was covering, it’s easier for her to have neutral feelings about which teams win or lose. She can be objective and bring the story that gives readers the facts, which readers genuinely appreciate. The time, effort, and work Betsy put in throughout college paid off. After graduation in 2015, she landed her first job. She started her career with Major League Baseball (MLB.com), covering the Twins. Because she was working for Major League Baseball, she also covered other teams such as the Brewers, Cardinals, and Red Sox, when she wasn’t covering the Twins. Her assignment was to create content for MLB and MLB At-Bat, previews, game time stories, and news for every Twins game at home. Betsy moved around in the sports journalism world, covering different sports, writing other columns, and even lived in Las Vegas (a KFAN listener favorite) covering the 51's, the Triple-A team for the Mets. As fate would have it, in 2018, she wound up back in Minnesota after a job with the Pioneer Press (where she interned) opened up as the lead reporter for the Twins organization. Betsy's days include a ton of prep work and travel to cover our favorite team. Betsy only missed a handful of the 162 games that the Twins play. Betsy grew up loving baseball, so while it’s her job, she never feels like she is “working.” She truly enjoys watching the game and has a passion for the sport. She doesn’t take the chance to sit down and talk with players for granted. It is one of the highlights of her job. She enjoys the one-on-one time she gets with players and a chance to see things from a different perspective than that of the regular fan. Her vantage point from the press box is pretty cool too. Covid changed all that, though. When the pandemic hit, the in-person interviews changed to zoom interviews, quick, short one-on-ones that made it hard to get a good idea of how the players were feeling because they were being rushed or moved onto the next journalist. If there was a specific question for a player, she would not get to ask her questions because not every player got to come to the "zoom room." 2020 was hard for many reasons, but for journalists, everyone was getting the same quotes, story, and feed for every game. Zoom had its advantages; it was quicker so that journalists could wrap up and edit for print, but it was tough to stick out as an individual when you're telling the same story as everyone else. When the pandemic turned a corner, and 2021 had a regular baseball season, she got the chance to be down on the field every now and then with the players, which she really enjoyed. She got a chance to walk around while players were working out or hanging out by the dugout to ask questions. She also had more access to players and with interpreters Kenta Maeda and Elvis Martinez assisting Spanish-speaking players. She could get back to in-depth questions and share banter with the players. When Betsy arrived early, she enjoyed things like Nelson Cruz taking ground balls at first and second base, which she said was a little bit of a shock, but fun to see! Nelson Cruz was always doing something to practice, improve, or help others. He also was great with journalists. Baseball is a business. Betsy understands that. But when Nelson Cruz got traded, even she felt that one. Her goal is always "Short games and good stories." The reality is that we all get attached to players as we continue to grow in our craft, and Nelson was always a favorite. He loved talking to the press. He was always friendly, outgoing, and willing to share anything he could to help someone get a story. So when he left, along with fans, journalists were also saddened. "Nelson was the exception to the rule [of baseball]." Not all stories that we write are fun or have happy endings, but being a journalist for a sport like baseball means there are a lot of great moments that are covered that tug at the heartstrings in a good way. Getting to cover Tony Oliva and Jim Kaat going to the Hall of Fame was a story she enjoyed covering. In the midst of the pandemic, a lock-out and nothing going on, Tony Oliva was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, giving Minnesota baseball fans a morale boost. Her article is one of my favorites. When I asked her about her articles, I asked if she received any harsh criticism from fans. "Luckily," She said, "I don't get much negativity." When people care about the team, they read what you write. Writing about baseball is not always easy because not everyone understands the new stats and numbers. She likes to be a part of the human story and cover the technicalities. One thing that she is very proud of is her balance in writing. It's essential to be mindful of the audience. Everyone is coming from a different knowledge base, and she does a fantastic job of not alienating the younger crowd or not giving the older fans what they want to know. In this article, Betsy talks about the breakdown between left and right field, and it's enough information for the avid fan and written understandably enough for the average or new fan. Betsy stays busy during the lockdown and the offseason. Just because baseball has shut down doesn’t mean that content for her has. Betsy has been spending time covering the Olympics and recently finished an article on the U.S. Men’s hockey team that is in hopes of winning gold. Off the cuff in the conversation, Betsy brought up that she feels blessed to be where she is in her career. She has a lot of female support in her growth and credits Audra Martin and Marney Gellner as outstanding mentors. She has enjoyed the relationship genuinely with them, and Audra even helped Betsy fix a bruise in Cleveland after Betsy had an unfortunate accident. Betsy is one of the best baseball writers in Minnesota. She is also down-to-earth, kind, and quick-witted. If you are new to baseball or have even been around for a bit, it would do you well to get to know her and read her content. You can follow her articles at: Twincities.com and on Twitter: @betsyhelfand View full article

From the suburbs of Minneapolis, Heather Rule grew up knowing that her heart was in journalism and that her favorite baseball team was the Minnesota Twins. Read about how she went from a Twins fan to a Twins Media Content Creator. Heather Rule's talent and passion for writing and print journalism started at a young age. She grew up sitting down with a book and reading or writing stories. While attending high school in Andover, Minnesota, Heather got her first authentic look at print journalism and reporting and became very active in the school newspaper. She covered the school's activities, sports, and special projects for the paper and worked on the yearbook. While writing and editing in high school, she knew that she wanted a future in journalism and even knew which topic she wanted to write about: Sports. She attended St. Thomas University in St. Paul, where she got her degree in Print Journalism. While attending college, she was a staff writer for the Aquin newspaper (no longer in print) and ended her time there as the sports editor until graduation. She credits her time writing for the Aquin as the catalyst for her passion for sports journalism. Her first full-time journalism job was with the Post-Bulletin in Austin, Minnesota. She didn't initially get to write about sports, but she took every opportunity she could to take every assignment. She got a lot of experience reporting weekly features, education, crime, and other breaking news. Experience that paid dividends as she moved forward in her career. It didn't take long, though. Soon Heather would get a chance to follow her love of sports as she moved from Austin to Albert Lea. At the Albert Lea Tribune, she got to dip her pen back into sports writing, and she hasn't slowed down since. She got chances to interview players, watch and report on sports and write her pieces. While in between writing jobs and waiting for the next opportunity, she took freelance writing jobs and continued to network. Her networking paid off, and in 2015 her journey with the Twins started. MLB created a start-up program for in-game coordination of social media, and Heather heads up the official Minnesota Twins Twitter account during the games. Immediately my heart sank and my anxiety went up, thinking of all the crappy things I tweeted during games not knowing this sweet soul was on the other end of the keyboard. A team of them works together; they have different people for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It's a smooth-running operation and one that keeps them on their toes. Heather says that attention is an important part of it. Her job is timely updates with embedded videos and gifs when there is a home run, an incredible stolen plate, and our favorite, the walk-off. She beams when she talks about her job and her experiences as a part of the media team. Being so quick to the keyboard is not easy, though. She has to be ready to go at a moment's notice, or sooner, and she is! I asked her how hard is it not to take things personally when people are rocketing off comments during the game? She doesn't take it personally because no one is attacking "Heather." That is a calming feeling because this writer is known to have been one of those people. Her smile grows slowly across her face as she starts to talk about some of the things that fans get up in arms about. The lineup? Yep. The daily lineup is the one thing that will get fans just bent out of shape, and I laughed when she said it because I AM that fan. It strikes a chord with us, and we take things like the lineup personally! I am not sure what we expect from responding to the tweet sent out by Heather through the Twins account. Do we expect the social media staff who sees the tweets to tell Rocco Baldelli we are displeased? It seems so comical now, but I suppose in the heat of the moment, as a fan, we get tied up in the possibility that the lineup means another loss. It's not that she doesn't care. Heather cares very much. She is so in love with the sport and our hometown team that she keeps track of her fun statistics and the regular game-time statistics. One of the fun statistics Heather keeps track of is engagements and if the Twins won that game. Creating her statistics for games makes slower games a little more fun to watch. We even giggled about the Rally squirrel, and she burst my bubble when she told me that we did not succeed with the "Rally Squirrel." But it made the fans happy, that's what mattered, and the content it generated for the social media team. She sits down a few hours before the game, whether she is watching at the park or at home, and preps for the game and what players have things coming up: streaks, milestones, hitting records, and fun facts to watch for throughout the game. She notices many things that many of us don't because of her attention to detail and the desire to bring the story to us through game-time tweets. Heather is always ready to get us the best content, images, and gifs she can throughout the game. How does she get the images she does? A fantastic media team. They have videos and photos throughout the whole game. If she sees something happen, she can radio down to the videographers on the field, let them know what she just saw happen, and they will send the clip in to get up on Twitter. That way, if you missed a Miguel Sano home run because you decided to go to the bathroom, or you missed Jorge Polanco stealing another base with that signature smile on his face because you had to let the dog out, she is there to bring you those moments and all the moments in between. And what happens if she has to wait for an image? No fear. She has folders and files of gifs and videos ready to go when a player does something; she has them sorted by a player, by hit, by date, by weather, you name it, she's got it. Heather takes her job seriously and puts in a lot of work to give fans the best image and content she can. I can say that Twins Twitter, both the in-game account action and the tweets and reactions from fans, make the experience a lot more enjoyable. Heather helps create a community during a game that keeps us excited or sometimes pushes our blood pressure up, but she never lets us down. I have a new appreciation for Twins Twitter and the great job that Heather does to bring us all the fun content she does. Make sure to check out Heather’s website and blog listed below! She currently has eight books out including Women in Media, Women in the Olympics, and Sports Greatest Turn-Arounds. All her information is listed below: Website: http://www.heatherrule.com Sports blog: Thoughts from the Stands Social media: Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. View full article

Thank you SO MUCH for helping him find that!!!!

This is one of the BEST responses I have ever seen and I really love how well thought out this was! I sat on my article for two weeks, not out of fear, out of assurance that I was RESOLVED in my thoughts/facts/opinions. I am finding more and more love for Sano as this article is read! Thank you so much!

Also, 2021 he had MORE at-bats, less strike-outs (even if it's a slight percentage) and I think Kiriloff ONLY makes sense at first. He's possibly going to be better than Sano there.

That’s great!!! Most fans don’t care for him because of his strike’s. So I am glad I am not alone.

That’s a great rotation. How do you like Miranda? I’m still not overly sold

I counter two parts that he is embarrassing defensively. Only because I don’t recall a good first baseman we’ve had in a long time, in my opinion. when I said “streaky” you are right. Lately they have been getting longer and better. I think it’s fair to say that compared to a lot of other hitters on the team (Kepler, Garver, Polanco), he has more tendency for streaks. thanks for the AWESOME response

Absolutely!!!!

During the Covid-shortened 2020 season, MLB implemented the DH in the National League to see how it would work. It was also done for health reasons and to protect pitchers. Were the changes made in 2020 masked as a "benefit" for the players but lining the owners' pockets. It’s understood that owners want the DH to protect their pitchers, but they do not want to pay for what that would mean. If they want to pay pitchers more and protect them, having another player to pay is the only option. The effect is twofold. First, it's 15 more jobs for which MLB owners wouldn't have to pay premium prices. The National League would then have to pay a decent salary for a decent hitter. Or a position player would have to move into the DH role. So, which is more important to the owners? Are they protecting the pitcher or saving money? The Twins are not strangers to the designated hitter. The American League began playing with a DH nearly 50 years ago. It would not make a difference to the AL teams if Major League Baseball implemented the universal designated hitter. The managers know who they have, what they need, where their strengths and weaknesses are in the lineup. With that stated, bringing on a designated hitter from outside the organization is not in the Twins' best interest (sorry, Nelson Cruz fans). The Twins need a hitter that they can rely on to hit, bring in runners and get on base themselves. After Nelson Cruz was traded, the Twins used several different players as DH, particularly a hobbling Josh Donaldson. When using position players from the roster, while the DH can give a player a break, a team runs the risk of more injuries and fewer players to DH. Players are more likely to get hurt playing their position playing the field, which would remove them from playing DH, putting it on someone else. Having a full-time or tandem DH is what makes sense. It is common knowledge that the front office will find ways to save every penny they can. $30-40 Million left in revenue to spend is a fair chunk of change. However, if the Twins use someone already on the roster, they can use that money to bring in the pitching they desperately need. So what do the Twins do at the designated hitter spot? I am glad you asked. **Takes audible deep breath** Miguel Sano. Hear me out. There is a great divide in the Minnesota fanbase over Sano's ability to hit. He is a very streaky hitter. Last season, he reached 1,000 strikeouts in the fewest games (661) in MLB history. He lacked plate discipline at times. If he sees a ball in his zone, he swings at it. Pitchers are not afraid to pitch to him because of his strikeouts and lack of consistent content. However, they also know that he can hit a ball-into-next week if his timing is right. During the 2019 season, the newly-acquired Nelson Cruz saw Sano struggling and took an interest in helping him improve his plate appearances. Cruz invited Sano to meet with him and hitting coaches Edgar Varela and Rudy Hernandez, who Cruz frequently used to help him improve his hitting and technique. Sano put in the hard work, not shying away from asking questions and even calling Valera or Hernandez to discuss mechanics when they weren't meeting. In 2019 Sano had an outstanding season. His contact was harder, balls went farther and faster off the bat. His stance, timing, and mechanics also improved. His ability to be patient and read pitchers became an asset. Nelson Cruz had not only stepped in as a father figure but also as a friend and a coach. Sano may not have had a 'record-breaking year' in 2021; in fact, he was streaky at best throughout the first half of the season, but because Alex Kirilloff kept getting hurt, Sano stayed in the lineup and worked hard to stay where he was. Last season, Sano had a career-low strikeout percentage (32.3%). He relied on his timing and mechanics shown to him by Cruz and the coaches to help him drive in 75 runs and launch 30 home runs into the stands. Sano made significant improvements to his plate appearances, and he is not the greatest at first base. Taking him off of first base would not be a loss for the Twins. Sano has firm control of his swing, and even in Twins losses, his presence adds excitement to the game and runs to the board. Sano easily is the best choice for a full-time designated hitter. There could be an argument for Josh Donaldson joining in tandem due to his already high-cost contract and consistent hitting. Donaldson may need a break from third base, and a rotating DH position for him wouldn't be out of the question. Donaldson is one of the best hitters on the team for the Twins, he has a batting average of .247 and an equally impressive OPS of .827, but has pre-existing injury conditions and he has a consistently declining batting average. Miguel Sano has less time on Injured Reserve and would be on the roster more consistently than Donaldson. Sano was shown how to get the most out of an at-bat by the best-designated hitter in the league, and he was also not afraid to put in the work to improve. His batting average may be lower than Donaldson’s, but this past season, in 2021, he had more at-bats of any year - showing that he is consistently on the roster more. When Nelson Cruz left on July 22, 2021, Sano quite literally slid into Cruz's pants and poured his heart and work ethic into his plate appearances to show the clubhouse and the fans that in his final season (before the 2023 club option), this is where he deserves to be. Who's on first? So naturally, the next question would be who would play first base? The Twins have moved players up and down from St. Paul to see what fits. There has been success with Alex Kirilloff. First base and the outfield have a few players that could easily take over that position and even leave room to bring up a St. Paul player if needed to another position. Alex Kirilloff has proven to be an asset to the Twins 40-man roster. Kirilloff was drafted 15th overall in the first round of the 2016 MLB draft. He was a hot commodity, and the organization knew it. He has spent his entire career from the minors to the majors with the Twins organization rotating between the corner outfield positions and first base, showing that he has some versatility. Kirilloff is a good outfielder but is best served at first base, and he could potentially be a gold glove contender. Last season, he showed that he deserves to be in the big leagues. In 215 at-bats, Kirilloff hit .251 with eight home runs and a .722 OPS. Barring any complications from his wrist surgery, this writer believes Kirilloff would make an outstanding first baseman. The Twins have an arsenal of players at their disposal for not only the lineup, but it also leaves the ability to move players around and still have depth. The Twins farm system was ranked number 12out of 30 by MLB Pipeline. Alex Kirilloff was ranked number 26 in the top 100 prospects by MLB Pipeline a year ago and was the Twins Daily top prospect. The farm system is doing the work that the Twins need to create a strong team that will hopefully take them to the postseason. What do you think the Twins should do at the Designated Hitter position in 2022? View full article

Tracy Perlman grew up in Minnesota cheering for the Twins, and now she covers the team behind-the-scenes for WCCO-TV. Get to know her and how her love for sports shows through in her job. Recently, Tracy and I sat down during my lunch break on a Tuesday afternoon. She and I had spoken previously during a chance meeting through a mutual acquaintance, but this was the first time I really had the chance to get to know her and pick her brain. When I tell you I went through a full range of emotions during our chat, that would be putting it lightly. It was the most informative, amusing, heartfelt conversation I have had with another baseball fan to this point in my life. Tracy has an infectious personality. She is passionate about baseball, and she is one smart woman. She knows the game. She gets the game. She lights up when you talk to her about not only her job but the players as well. She has created a strong relationship? with players past and present. Tracy is everything that Minnesota sports encompass. From a young age, she wore number 6 after her favorite player (Tony Oliva) and today can ask the hard-hitting questions of the players because they respect her. Before going to college at the University of Kansas, Tracy had her sights set on being a sports reporter. She had grown up a Minnesota sports fan and was excited at the prospect of reporting on her favorite childhood teams or any teams wherever she landed. However, that all changed when she had her mentorship with Darcy Pohland in 2009 at WCCO. During her internship, she had a chance to see how things were done behind the scenes, the creation of the story, and then bringing it to life. She fell in love instantly with the idea of creating an account of a story that the fans would love. Being a fan herself, she knew that helping the public understand their hometown favorites was vital to the sport and the community as a whole. When she completed her degree, she worked a short stint in Kansas City at WDAF-TV (FOX) where she produced morning and weekend newscasts before coming back home to Minnesota. Tracy found herself back at WCCO, where her passion for producing first started. She started working with faces like Don Shelby, Amelia Santanello, Frank Vascellaro, and Mark Rosen. She also met Peter Nelson. Peter ran a blog covering the Minnesota Twins. Blogging was a new idea to the sports world; giving people a different perspective of the game outside of highlights and "SportsCenter" moments. The blog was a split from regular sportscasting. The blog was more or less a relaxed version of things that happen at Target Field. Stories like "Eating our way through Target Field" - a piece where they ate every food on the concourse to give the fans their experience and what to expect and how things taste. They undoubtedly brought some laughs and probably stomach aches. Tracy loved the blog. Brimming with ideas and armed with her knowledge of the sport from watching it her whole life, and her drive to bring Minnesota the unknown side of sports, Tracy soon found herself on the field, in the dugout, and in the clubhouse. She spent time creating relationships with the players that have solidified not only her spot as a producer for WCCO but also as a friend to the players. They trust her, and sometimes in a media scrum, they will ask her first over reporters if she has any questions. Because she has earned the players' respect, she has also earned the right to ask hard-hitting questions as well. Tracy got to spend a whole day with the grounds crew to give fans an inside experience of what game day is like for the guys. It was one of her favorite days spent at Target field. The blog was an opportunity to not only grow in her passion for baseball but professionally as well. Tracy is now the point person for all Twins events for WCCO because she knows what a good experience is for Twins fans and doesn't shy away from an assignment or event. Tracy's respect for the players is so apparent. While she understands that getting the news is important, what’s even more important is treating the players as what they are: people. It’s important for her that people see the human side of the game, the people that make the game happen, and the fun the players have off and on the field. When we sat down to talk, there was not a moment when a smile was not on her face talking about our hometown team. She told me her favorite memories, about the players that she caught on the diamond over her years as a producer. One of my favorite stories was about Brian Dozier. Dozier learned Spanish in college because he knew that if he was going to play baseball, he would need to know how to not only understand the language himself but speak it for his teammates who couldn't speak or understand English yet. She loves learning little nuances about the players because it helps her form a story for the nightly news or the blog she helps to oversee. Tracy is the producer for sports segments Sunday through Thursday for WCCO. She has also won an Emmy, but I had to find that on google because, in her humility, she didn’t bring that up. She is so humble she makes me rethink my goals for my life in sports and the glory of behind-the-scenes work. She works long hours, but they don't feel long because she does what she loves. We talked about the "behind the scenes" of the stories she gets to hear on the field, see in the dugout, and bullpen. One thing I was not expecting was to hear how excited about Opening Day she was, only to not be able to enjoy it like other fans. Opening Day of baseball for Tracy, one of Minnesota's biggest fans and season ticket holders is a little different these days. Instead of watching the game and seeing the guys take the field, she is in the writing room, working on getting out information, editing, and creating footage for the news that evening, making sure she gets the things that fans want. As a fan, she knows what resonates with people. She knows that fans want to know: information like new foods at the field, deals for tickets, opening day information, special giveaways, events, and the little surprises that the fan only catches a glimpse of to get them excited for what is coming up next in a game or news story. In the half-hour of news that we see every night, only three minutes of that is set aside for sports. Her job is to write, edit, and organize the sports segment for all sports teams in Minnesota. Of those three minutes, if there is a feature story, only one and a half minutes is dedicated to that feature. That is not a lot of time to bring you every single highlight, so she has to know … which is why it's so important to know the who, why viewers would care about the who, and what it means to the community. On TV, the audience sees a three-minute sports segment. Behind the scenes, anywhere from four hours to three days of work went into it. There are sometimes stories that Tracy doesn't have planned. That happened one day with Twins' favorite Tony Oliva. During a Twins event, Tony grabbed Tracy and said, "Follow me. Record this." Tracy, completely confused, followed Tony because, let's be honest, who wouldn't, and what she saw confused her even more. Tony grabbed a jersey and handed it to a lady who immediately broke down in tears, hugged Tony, and was on her way. Confused, Tracy found out later just what the story was, and the beginning of the story made the two minutes she caught worth everything. It is those moments that Tracy lives for. The stolen moments and the respect of the players make them want to come to her with not only their ideas but also their appreciation. Tracy shows up. She doesn't make a scene. Tracy remembers that baseball is a "good ole boys club" and that she is in their space when at Target Field. She keeps in mind that she represents the team, WCCO, herself, young women, and Minnesota whenever she steps into her role at work. She garners respect by carrying her self-confidence, knowledge, kindness, and hard work ethic. She is intelligent, funny, and her laugh is contagious. Tracy may be behind the scenes, but she is in front of the Twins bringing us all the things we want to know as fans, a Queen of the Diamond. You can follow Tracy on Twitter: @partray. View full article

News broke last month that the Cleveland Guardians are close to selling 35% of their ownership to David Blitzer.The potential for a corporate investor could shake things up, making the newly-minted Guardians a force to be reckoned with in the near future. A LOOK BACK AT THE CLEVELAND OWNERSHIP Cleveland had a dynamic decade. Playing them was always a daunting task. They have been blessed with outstanding pitchers such as Shane Bieber, Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer, and Mike Clevinger. The hitting and defense of players like Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez, and Carlos Santana moved them swiftly through the playoffs before losing the 2016 World Series to the Cubs. Terry Francona is still at the helm, and there is still solid pitching and Jose Ramirez, but their payroll has been reduced significantly due to several big trades. The Cleveland ball club has not had payrolls this low for over a decade. Their payroll in 2018 was $134 million, per Cot’s. . A year ago, it was just $49 million. Whether those cuts in payroll are because the Dolan family is tired of investing money, or whether they are trying to make the organization more attractive to investors. It might not matter. Either way, a new investment in the franchise could benefit the fans. And the fans could use a break. One of the biggest examples of payroll cutting was the trade of fan-favorite, Francisco Lindor, to the Mets before the 2021 season. While fans in Cleveland were not surprised, it knocked the wind out of the community. USHERING IN A NEW ERA With all the decisions the Dolan family has made, this deal with David Blitzer to become a minority owner seems to be a good one for the Cleveland fans. While he has not invested in baseball yet, there was a whisper of interest regarding buying the Mets before Steve Cohen purchased them. David Blitzer of HBSE is rumored to have acquired a significant stake in the Guardians; some estimate 35%. It was known that co-owner John Sherman needed to sell his 20% because he took partial ownership of another team, the Kansas City Royals, in 2019. But Sportico is reporting that the deal includes another 15%, and includes a path to majority ownership. HBSE is not new to investing in professional teams. David Blitzer seems to have made it his life's work to take over teams that seem to be falling apart or fading quickly. In fact, he took hold of the 76er's (2011) and the New Jersey Devils (2013), breathing new life into their franchises. Neither team has won a title since their acquisition. Still, both teams have remained intensely competitive because Blitzer realizes the value of good players and does not have any issues paying for them. When HBSE took over, the 76ers were in a meager state. During Sam Hinkie's three seasons as General Manager of the 76ers, he was able to acquire strong players, Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Dario Saric, that led them to their first playoff run since Blitzer took over. Blitzer's willingness to sink cash into big names (and more importantly, big talent) creates fan bases that have just as much excitement about their teams as the players. The 76ers are relevant again, and players want to play there because they know they will get paid and play to win. BRING BACK THE COMPETITIVE EDGE Let's admit it. Watching the White-Sox win, the division in 2021 told us a lot about the teams in the Central Division. Cleveland's competitiveness has disappeared along with their roster. But Cleveland has a number of hidden strengths. The Guardians are still a competitive team. In 2021, the Guardians won 80 games last year, despite the fact that most of the veterans had either been traded or spent time on the Injured List. If Blitzer has a say in player acquisition and retention, he could create a dangerous lineup, comparable to what he did with the 76ers and the Devils. A good veteran core, along with the Guardians' coaching staff, could make a team that could stay strong for years. Cleveland has a solid farm system. MLB.com ranked Cleveland as the #13 farm system in MLB this last August, specifically calling out the amount of talent they have age 21 years old and younger. That is rare for an organization nearing the end of their competitive window. It either gives them a head start if they decide to do a full rebuild, or trade assets if they decide to reload. Cleveland could use a culture change. New ownership for the Guardians could bring about a huge culture change. Blitzer's staff is known for shaking things up from coaching to players. The teams Blitzer has invested in ended up producing large fan bases, strong player core, and culture for corporate ownership. The fan base has slowly dwindled over the years as fans lost faith in the front office and, subsequently, the team. If there is one thing about the Ohio fan base, they are loyal, and what teams put into them, they give back ten-fold. The Guardians just got a new name and are proposing a $435 million stadium renovation that would include a new lease for fifteen years. With a complete stadium renovation and re-branding, this is a huge opportunity to get fans back in the seats at Progressive Field. Some empty seats were due to the pandemic, the team ranked 21st this past season in attendance. Corporate ownership, or investment, can have its perks when it comes to ownership: more money, more growth opportunities, and an overall better atmosphere. Given their struggles with payroll, and several other hidden advantages that the Guardians have, bringing Blitzer and his investment team into Cleveland’s ownership group could bring resources and stability the franchise and their fan base has craved. It could be very good news for the Guardians. And bad news for the Twins. View full article