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After reading the article about the 'pipeline' the other day, see that Barnes and/or Sands fit the profile of the Cleveland pitchers who made it big. Don't have a clue if either will make it, but probably should keep our eyes on these two. Like many, I am thinking it is time to get Julien up a level. But probably best to give him at least a quarter of the season at Fort Myers before making that move. So another two weeks, then lets see this kid in Cedar Rapids. Looking forward to the Saints getting back to .500 sometime during next week's series.

Probably need to win 9 of this current 13 game stretch to have any hope of getting back to .500 by summer to realistically have a chance of getting back into the hunt. With these 3 behind them, that is now 6 of 10, much more possible. Expect KC is going to be a bit tougher than the birds, hopefully, Dobber gets it started tomorrow night.

Great seeing Rortvedt find success with his bat now that he is playing at a level he would have been expected to reach this year. Can't believe how Julien continues his hot hitting as the season's first full month comes to an end.

The return from trading Sano may be better than we think. We don't know how he is going to hit over the next 45+ days. Should he have two week long streaks like the one last week, it could be mid-July and he is sitting around 20 home runs on the season. A team in the hunt for a championship needing a DH/1B just might pay a lot more than we think to fill out a hole in their lineup. And should Sano not work, maybe they trade Cruz to that team and move Sano into the DH spot most games with Kirilloff playing first.

Prefer the option where the Twins extend Jose for at least three additional years. But they need him to say yes or no now and if it is no, then explore the trade market. They aren't being forced to trade him as they could again consider it in the winter or a year from July. So the return must be a younger version of Berrios, say someone currently in AA who should arrive by early summer 2022, and a second prospect of someone like Winder. If they don't get it, Jose stays for the rest of the season and everyone sits down again and talks come December.

Did you mean Kepler? Or is Garlick beat up also?

Will second TopGunn's comment about Dobber being mishandled from the start of the season. Have been thinking for a bit that Refsnyder just may be winning that fourth outfield spot for the rest of the year. Love the style of play he plays, something that would have been huge back when Gardy was running the ship. Don't know what they do with Cave when he comes off the 60-day IL. Maybe a nice three week rehab assignment to showcase him for a minor trade...assuming he is back before the trade deadline.

Great weekly review, Seth, thanks. Love the format. So exciting to see Canterino off to such a great start. As we all hope the FO can develop a Cleveland like pitching pipeline, Canterino sure looks like he could be a big part of that first group to make it. But as you pointed out, until it happens no one knows who, or if, that pipeline will ever get flowing. It also was great seeing Duran back on the hill in St. Paul as he is another candidate who just might help the Twins later this year. Surprised to see Jeffers struggle so much at St. Paul. Really thought he was going to be an important part of the Twins success this year. Hopefully he still can be, whether this year or next. Personally like the six game series with Monday's off. Do you know if the plan is to play some games on Monday's later in the year to make up games lost to weather? Or have they committed to Monday as an off day...period?

Don't understand what you are getting at with this and your previous point, Mike? Will agree that many of the best pitchers were top prospects who broke into the big leagues before they were 26, many of the best well before. But there are always some prospects with circumstances that put them as an exceptions. Jax certainly qualifies considering his being an AFA grad who missed nearly all of his first two years following graduation while on active duty. Toss in the missed year last year and he has what, less than two years of professional experience. I don't have a clue whether or not he has what it takes to become more than a AAAA type pitcher for the Twins. To be honest, I am surprised that they pushed him up to AAA to start this season considering how little experience he has. But it certainly shouldn't be considered a negative that he hasn't arrived with that limited professional experience. And the good point, assuming the CBA doesn't change it, is that the Twins will control his services through most of his best years.

Thanks for another good look at the state of the Twins. The only point I will disagree with is Larnach being up for good. I believe it is best for his development that when Buxton returns he goes back to St. Paul. He will have had what, a month of big league experience and although I don't know squat about hitting he probably has lots of things he can work on in AAA. Then after a successful stretch at St. Paul, bring him back for good. Doubt the Twins have it in them to have a 2006 style comeback whether Duran is the second coming of Liriano or not. Hopefully, it will remain clear come July that the FO needs to deal several of these pieces to improve the future of this team. And that could include the biggest trade chip they have, Berrios, if he and his agent are telling him he will not sign an extension. Hopefully the health gods will allow Duran and Balazovic good health the rest of the summer so they can get a real chance of pitching in the 'show' in August and September so the Twins and us fans know what they can be. Now if Buxton can return by the end of the week those of you who see games should be able to enjoy watching the Twins once again.

Don't know if you knew or didn't...Warren Spahn.

Thanks, Seth. Assuming that this FO is successful in developing a Cleveland like pipeline, how long do you see it taking to get to the point that they are getting a couple pitchers from it every/most year(s)? Love seeing Duran hit 99 or 100+, but how hard you throw isn't as important as throwing it where you want to. Expect I have referred to this before, but was at a Legion banquet maybe 20 years ago. A former MLB lefty was talking and in the Q&A follow up some kid asked him how hard he threw. He was a surly old guy and his response was a bit of a put down as he flatly said: 1) He didn't throw all that hard, and 2) Put the ball where you want to and you will find success. He later said he often gets asked that question from people who know he didn't throw hard and is tired of it. In his case success was more MLB wins than any lefty in the history of the game, even after missing a couple early years of his career while serving in combat in WWII.

Great seeing Whitefield with another three hit game. Was this the second or third game this week that the Yankees scored double figures against the not so mighty Mussels? If Duran stays healthy, is it realistic to see him with the Twins at some point this summer?

Don't know whether he should be a starter or reliever. What I do know is that moving him back and forth between the two isn't doing Thorpe or the Twins any good. Make a decision and stick with it. Correct me if I am wrong, but hasn't he started (spot starts) every time he has appeared for the Twins and been used in relief in every outing for the Saints?

Great seeing another fantastic start by Canterino. Ever since I saw Seth's interview this winter, I was excited to see how he does this summer. Sure seems he has an excellent chance of being a better than average starter for the Twins, perhaps as soon as next year. His dominance is screaming for a move down to the plains of Kansas. Great seeing the player movement yesterday. Dobnak and Kirilloff up to the Twins and Rortvedt and Ober down to St. Paul are all good moves both for the future, the two going to the Saints, and today for those joining the Twins. Really excited about following Urbina's every game. Unfortunately, seems he has cooled off this week. Julien is still hitting like a young man in need of a promotion.

Great seeing Dobber return and pitch like most of us know he can. If a certain manager hadn't tried to make a reliever out of a young pitcher who has been a starter most of his life, we would have seen several games just like he pitched last night. Will they keep him in his starters role going forward? If they don't, it will be further proof of mismanagement by this staff. As for where he slots into the rotation, there are a couple obvious choices or even going to a six man rotation with the number of games they seem to be playing without off days.

Great observation, thanks.

Will give Duffey a pass on yesterday's performance. With everything going on behind the scenes, gotta believe his head wasn't into the game. Although Thorpe's outing was not terrible, but disappointing, I will give him a pass. The way he is being used this year has to be tough to work thru. Kind of long relief in St. Paul with 2 and 3 inning outings, then shipped back to the Twins for 24 hours to get a spot start. I believe starting pitchers need to get into a routine which is something Thorpe hasn't been able to establish this year. Hoping they will send Thorpe back to St. Paul to start every fifth game. Then after a few pitchers are traded in July, put both Thorpe and Dobnak in the starting rotation for the rest of the year and find out what they can contribute. Great seeing Sano starting to punish the ball. If he could stay hot for a week or two and then not go back into the K tank for the rest of the year the Twins could be fun to watch again. Doubt they can get back into the playoff hunt, but at least play competitive baseball.

About 45 days early with this piece, Matt. Between now and then, the Twins FO must sit down with Berrios' agent and discuss whether he will consider an extension, even one more expensive than they would like. Let's admit it, Jose hasn't taken that last step to become a true ACE, yet, he is awfully good and worthy of near ACE money. If the answer is yes, they have to get it signed by July. If no, or hell no, then you hit it right on the head...move on this summer. Trading him to a team in the hunt for a championship this year should get them a top starting pitching prospect who is close to being MLB ready and at least one more very good starting pitching prospect. Say a pitcher who could become as good as Berrios was when he was moving up from AA to AAA ball and another prospect similar to say Winder or Canterino today. They have to walk away with potentially one and a half future starters with one being at least a future #2 and the other a solid #3 or #4, albeit a couple years away.

2021 is an outlier for the Minnesota Twins. Is it? Not so certain. But we will all know a lot more come mid-July when those trades should be made if the FO determines they need to re-tool.

Great article, thanks Lucas. Try to watch a few games on MiLB when Canterino is on the mound. Hopefully, he will continue getting good results and move up to Wichita by early summer. That could put him on track to join the Twins mid-season, 2022. One player I would love to hear more about is the young outfielder at Fort Myers, Urbina. Continue to be amazed when other teams have some young 20 year old break-in and become a star. Always ask, why can't the Twins be so fortunate. Right now the one young kid that appears to have a chance of becoming that young star is Urbina. But that optimism is based solely on his initial good results at low-A, being signed as a top prospect when he was 16, and the fact he just turned 19.

After watching Jax pitch a wonderful game last time out, the results last night were disappointing. Hopefully, he will get back with a good game next time out. Great seeing Enlow getting 10 K's. Recall many wondering why the kid with the best curve in his draft class not getting many previously. And Urbina and Julien sure are becoming beasts at the top of the Fort Myers lineup. Will continue to hope that Urbina becomes that quick moving stud who joins the Twins late next year when he is only 20 years old.

Haven't seen hardly any games this year, so don't know about Duffey's pitch. Although sounds like the Sox manager was ok with it. Not seeing what Ober was throwing, was surprised by something I read in the Strib this morning. He has pitched six games...SIX...above class A. Gotta believe with more experience he will be an asset to the Twins pitching staff. How good remains to be seen, but certainly an interesting prospect. And wasn't it good to see the big man finally wake up. Seems like there were hints of it coming the past few games. Can he lead the entire team to a turn around? And if he does is it already too late? Or are there too many problems with the pitching staff?

He isn't under the radar, Seth, just not well known because he is so young. But the player I really want to see succeed and move up is Urbina. Was excited reading your comments, especially when I saw he had six stolen bases this week...six! Great seeing Jeffers hitting like we learned to expect last summer, but didn't like your comment that the first 13 base stealers against the Saints were successful. Yes, Jeffers isn't the only catcher, but I believe he caught most of those games. In the games I watched, I saw several pitches in the dirt that weren't blocked and became wild pitches. I know nothing about catching but believe that some of those should have been be blocked. Can hardly believe the start Miranda is having. I know he was highly thought of several years ago, then had a couple so-so seasons. Can't remember, but believe 2019 was better, but nothing to indicate we could have expected this start. Yes, it is still a SSS, but if this continues is he the answer to replace Donaldson in a couple years? What do you know about his defense, Seth? I always heard that D was Bechtold's strength, but don't remember anything about Miranda. I guess spending big dollars on Latin 16-year old's doesn't always work, eh? Are Javier, Sano and Severino the three biggest International signings ever for the Twins? Maybe Urbina can change that disappointing run. Thanks again for this report, love it. No need to change anything other than getting all four to have winning records.

Great start by Dobnak with an excellent 2 inning stint from Thorpe. Which do you think will fly west with the Twins and start one of the games in Thursday's doubleheader in L.A? See that Whitefield wasn't in the lineup yesterday. If memory serves, he was also out on Saturday. Is he banged up? Or maybe driving to St. Paul? Great seeing Javier with a multi-hit game. But even better seeing Urbina with another 2 hit game. Seems like he is settling in and could/should be on the move to Cedar Rapids by summer. Could we finally have one of these young stars who breaks in at 20 or 21 years old?