Nick Nelson

After once again succumbing to the Evil Empire, the Twins now must set out to avenge this defeat, as the front office seeks to build a roster capable of advancing past the Yankees and reaching the World Series. And... the clock is ticking, with Nelson Cruz set to turn 40 next year and several core players approaching free agency. (Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good...) Luckily, clean books and a deep system mean plentiful resources are available, and a wealth of options will be in play via free agency or trade this offseason. You'll be able to get a detailed look at all of them in the Offseason Handbook, which puts you in the role of general manager tasked with building a championship roster (within certain constraints). By preordering it now, you can get your copy of this digital ebook early. * NOTE: THIS IS A DIGITAL-ONLY PRODUCT! (But you can print it!) * If you have questions, you will likely find an answer by consulting the Offseason Handbook FAQ, but here's a quick rundown of pertinent details. COST: Name-your-price ($10 minimum for preorders, then after the official release, no minimum) RELEASE DATE: Around the end of the World Series (preorders will get theirs before it's officially made available to the public) CONTRIBUTORS: John, Parker, Seth, Tom, myself, and an esteemed stable of guest writers to be unveiled soon (you're gonna love 'em) WHAT'S INSIDE: Payroll and arbitration analysis. Blurbs on every relevant free agent. Copious trade scenarios. Breakdowns of organizational depth at every position. In-depth features on a variety of key topics. And more. Check out last year's edition for a rough idea of what to expect. Assemble your Twins Avengers. Unlock a comprehensive overview of the offseason landscape. And support the writers who work tirelessly year-round to serve up awesome free content here at Twins Daily. Preorder the 2020 Offseason Handbook today.

Losing against the Yankees in the playoffs is a painfully familiar experience for Twins fans, but this is as bad as we've seen it. While Minnesota entered this ALDS on a 13-game postseason losing streak, none of those losses were as lopsided or all-around uninspiring as the two duds we just witnessed in the Bronx. None of the Twins' 13 consecutive playoff losses dating back to 2004 were by a margin of more than five runs. Each of the first two drubbings in this ALDS have been by six. The Yankees have dismantled, outsmarted, and dominated at almost every turn. Few observers truly expected the Twins to win this series but for the club to be so woefully uncompetitive is beyond disheartening. It starts with the pitching staff, of course. In two games at Yankee Stadium, the Twins gave up 18 runs on 18 hits and 16 walks. Previously reliable arms imploded. No one had any answers for the patience and power of New York's lineup. Multiple defensive mistakes contributed to the meltdown. Bafflingly, the Twins allowed all of this damage without three of their best relievers even taking the mound. Trevor May and Sergio Romo didn't appear until Game 2 was already well out of hand. Taylor Rogers, Minnesota's most valuable reliever all year long, still hasn't pitched. Meanwhile, the Yankees have gone to their top guys in every important spot and it has paid off; their bullpen – which was arguably at a slight disadvantage on paper – has allowed only two runs on four hits over 8 1/3 innings. And while it's always easy to second-guess managerial bullpen moves in retrospect, that's the nature of a playoff series, and rookie skipper Rocco Baldelli has made some especially questionable calls that have gone about as poorly as possible. He pulled strings as if operating in regular-season mode, saving bullets for late-game opportunities that never materialized. Why was Zack Littell the first man out of the bullpen on Friday night, in the fifth inning of a 3-3 tie? As effective as Littell has been, he's a rookie who rarely threw in high-leverage spots all year. And on Saturday, why was Tyler Duffey called into an intensely stressful situation, one day after throwing 25 pitches in Game 1? Rogers, May and Romo were all completely fresh. Duffey had a 7.45 ERA and 1.56 WHIP when pitching on zero days rest this season, and he never once made such an appearance after throwing as many pitches as he did on Friday. Baldelli has had a commendable first year at the helm but his decision-making in this series – and particularly those choices, with their utterly disastrous results – will be rightfully scrutinized for some time. At the end of the day, though, the biggest letdown for the Twins in this heralded slugging showdown has been their largely absent offense. Six runs on 13 hits in 18 innings, against a vulnerable pitching staff in one of baseball's most hitter-friendly yards. Completely inadequate and underwhelming. Now, the Twins return home with their backs against the wall. Win or it's over. Given the total breakdowns we've seen in every phase thus far, there's not much cause for confidence, but Monday is a new day, in a new ballpark, in front of a packed home crowd. This team is almost out of chances to not just put an end to the longest stretch of postseason futility against a single opponent in MLB history, but to avoid imprinting 2019 as the new low point in this languishing legacy of losing when it matters most. Coming home, down 0-2, with elimination feeling almost like a forgone conclusion. We've been here before. Will this time be different?

ALDS Game 1 Minnesota Twins (101-61) @ New York Yankees (104-58) Series: 0-0 Start Time: 7:07 PM ET / 6:07 PM CT Forecast: High 50s and clear skies Pitching Matchup: Jose Berrios, RHP vs. James Paxton, LHP Lineups: THE LOWDOWN In this first round, Game 1 is monumental. Time Magazine noted two years ago that "ever since Major League Baseball instituted the best-of-five division series in 1995, 63 of the 88 contests have gone to whichever team won the first game." That's over 70 percent. Since then, seven out of eight Division Series have gone to the winner of Game 1. (It's worth noting that the Twins came out on the short side twice during that span, winning Game 1 but losing the ALDS to New York in both 2003 and 2004, but – channeling Baldelli – NO BEARING!) This isn't the same level of single-game magnitude as the last time these two met in the postseason – a winner-takes-all Wild Card faceoff in 2017 – but it isn't too terribly far off, either. The pressure is on New York, really. They will be in their element at Yankee Stadium, where they played .700 ball this season. They're throwing their hottest starter in Paxton, who went 10-0 with a 2.51 ERA in August and September. They expect to win this game and they probably should. But the Twins have a few distinct things working in their favor as they look to disrupt New York's flow and flip the script. 1: They thrived on the road this year, with their .679 winning percentage nearly matching New York's at home. The Twins haven't lost a series opener on the road since the first week of July. 2: THEY. CAN. MASH. Yankee Stadium is a hitter's haven and that has generally favored New York in these match-ups over the years. But this record-shattering Bomba Squad is another story. They're every bit as good as their counterparts and have been especially effective against left-handers, against whom the Twins are collectively raking to the tune of .285/.351/.521. Speaking of which, let's break down the pitching matchup. BERRIOS VS. THE YANKEES Season Numbers (Overall): 200.1 IP, 14-8, 3.68 ERA, 3.85 FIP, 1.22 WHIP, 8.8 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 Season Numbers (vs. NYY): N/A This will be Berrios's second postseason appearance. The first, of course, came against the same team in the same stadium. Berrios enetered in relief of Ervin Santana during the 2017 Wild Card Game and pitched three innings, allowing three runs on five hits while taking the loss. It wasn't a strong performance. But since then, Berrios has been a two-time All-Star while logging nearly 400 quality innings. He has risen to the occasion in big spots. One instance that comes to mind was his much-hyped start last year in Puerto Rico, where he faced division rival Cleveland and hurled seven shutout innings. He was masterful against that same Indians team on Opening Day this year, blanking them over 7 2/3 frames. But this kind of early-season dominance has become par for the course, and helps explain his pair of All-Star nods. What makes it a little harder to feel confident in the October version of Berrios is the way he's faded down the stretch in each of the past two seasons. This year, after posting a 3.00 ERA and holding opponents to a .238/.283/.388 before the break, the righty dropped to 4.64 and .268/.328/.428 in the second half. Luckily, Berrios saw his velocity and whiffs normalize near the end of the year. This trend, in addition to the extra rest (he's gone six days between starts), offers reason to believe. A full-strength Berrios is capable of keeping this high-powered Yankees lineup in check. Anything less is liable to put a lot of pressure on the Twins hitters and bullpen. PAXTON VS. THE TWINS Season Numbers (Overall): 150.2 IP, 15-6, 3.82 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 1.28 WHIP, 11.1 K/9, 3.3 BB/9 Season Numbers (vs. MIN): 1 GS, 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 K, 3 BB Paxton was New York's marquee offseason addition, acquired via trade from Seattle in exchange for a package of prospects headlined by pitchers Justus Sheffield and Erik Swanson. The 30-year-old left-hander was very uneven in the first half for New York. He missed almost all of May with left knee inflammation, which cropped up during a shortened May 3rd start against Minnesota. As we alluded earlier, though, Paxton pulled it together after the break, leading the Yankees to an 11-0 record in his August and September starts. He was borderline unhittable for much of the second half. This will be Paxton's first time pitching in the playoffs, as Seattle failed to qualify in any of his six seasons there. But given that he notoriously kept his cool when a bald eagle landed on his back at Target Field in April of 2018, it seems safe to say he'll be unfazed by the moment. One thing to watch: Paxton left his last start of the season, against Texas on September 27th, after one shaky inning due to tightness in his left glute. An MRI revealed only "a little nerve irritation," and obviously the southpaw has been cleared to take the hill one week later, but there's a possibility he won't quite be at 100%. Another thing to watch: Paxton has allowed 23 home runs this year, and 21 have been hit by righties. That seems to bear noting as Nelson Cruz, Miguel Sano, and Mitch Garver roll into town. THE TIME IS NOW We look forward to seeing many of you at the viewing party for tonight's game at Brother's in Downtown Minneapolis. It's gonna be wild. It's gonna be intense. It's gonna be loud. But here's hoping that when it's all said and done on Friday night, Yankee Stadium is filled only with the sound of silence. As always, Twins Daily has a live game thread for tonight's game where you can chat and follow along with other users. You can find that thread here.

STARTING PITCHING The Twins have question marks in the rotation, yes, but the Yankees even more so. Minnesota ranks 11th among MLB teams in starting pitching ERA, and seventh in WAR. New York ranks 11th and 17th, respectively. While the Twins may lack a prototypical ace, their top two starters have easily outperformed their Bronx counterparts: Jose Berrios: 200.1 IP, 3.68 ERA, 124 ERA+, 3.68 FIP, 1.22 WHIP Jake Odorizzi: 159 IP, 3.51 ERA, 131 ERA+, 3.35 FIP, 1.21 WHIP Here's take a look at New York's top two starters this year: James Paxton: 150.2 IP, 3.82 ERA, 116 ERA+, 3.86 FIP, 1.28 WHIP Masahiro Tanaka: 182 IP, 4.45 ERA, 100 ERA+, 4.27 FIP, 1.24 WHIP The caveat here is that New York also has Luis Severino, who's likely their best starter on talent alone. But Severino missed almost the entire season with a shoulder injury, coming back to make three appearances in September. He pitched well in those appearances (1.50 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 12 innings) but still... he's barely pitched. CC Sabathia is no more than a mediocre long reliever at this point, and J.A. Happ has had a crummy season though he did finish it strong. Interestingly, both rotations are without key third pieces due to self-created messes. The Twins are obviously missing Michael Pineda, who received a PED suspension in early September. Meanwhile, Yankees right-hander Domingo German was 18-4 with a 4.03 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 153-to-39 K/BB ratio before being placed on administrative leave in mid-September due to domestic violence allegations. Depending on your level of belief in Randy Dobnak, the Twins have either a slight or considerable advantage in starting pitching in the first round – a chasmic difference from a scenario where they would've drawn Houston. RELIEF PITCHING The Yankees spent big to build a power bullpen, and to an extent it has paid off. The $39 million trio of Aroldis Chapman, Zack Britton and Adam Ottavino has been phenomenal. New York has a couple of other rock-solid relief arms in Chad Green and Tommy Kahnle. But they're without an essential fixture in Dellin Betances, who suffered a partial Achilles tear and is done for the year. Minnesota's top three bullpen arms – Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey and Trevor May – are roughly equivalent to New York's prime trio, at about 10% of the cost. But the next wave of depth is where the Twins start to pull away: Zack Littell, Cody Stashak, Sergio Romo, and the electric wild-card that is Brusdar Graterol... these guys have the performance and stuff to inspire confidence. The absence of deadline dud Sam Dyson barely even seems to factor – certainly not the extent of Betances for New York. In terms of season numbers, these two clubs are very comparable. New York ranks second in bullpen WAR at 7.5, while Minnesota is third at 7.3. New York ranks ninth in bullpen ERA at 4.08, Minnesota ranks 10th at 4.17. Minnesota ranks first in bullpen FIP at 3.92, New York ranks ninth 4.15. You could argue that the Yankees are equal or even superior in this department on some of those counts, but in present terms, overall numbers overstate the impact of Betances for New York, and understate the impact of guys like Duffey and Stashak for Minnesota. Since the All-Star break, the Twins edge the Yankees in basically every measure. In fact, since the All-Star break, Minnesota's bullpen is conquering the world according to certain metrics. For example... Top Second-Half Bullpen WAR: 1. MIN - 4.8 2. TB - 3.7 3. NYY - 3.7 4. SD - 3.4 5. BOS - 2.7 That's some gap at the top. Rocco Baldelli told media on Tuesday, "Right now I think we have one of the best bullpens I've ever seen." And really, it's not a ridiculous statement. This unit is a strength unrivaled by any other team in this postseason mix. Given the immense relief struggles the Twins were facing around the deadline, and the total fizzling of their marquee addition at that time, this is a borderline miraculous development. It may be the story of the season in a year where the Twins sent two starters to the All-Star Game and set the MLB home run record. Amidst all the talk of these two powerful lineups clashing, not enough attention is being paid to Minnesota's elite, spectacular bullpen. That depth will come heavily into play as Baldelli attempts to navigate this series with a shorthanded rotation. In all likelihood, neither of these imposing lineups are getting silenced. In a series like this, it's about damage control. That happens to be Minnesota's primary advantage on paper.

Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 9/23 through Sun, 9/29 *** Record Last Week: 5-1 (Overall: 101-61) Run Differential Last Week: +16 (Overall: +185) Standing: 1st Place in AL Central (7.0 GA) Magic Number: 0 101 wins. 307 home runs, a new MLB record. The first AL Central title since 2010. It's been a magical year for the Twins and they closed it out in style, taking care of business against the dregs of the division and even scoring a lopsided win with their "hangover lineup" following Wednesday night's official clincher. The final week of the regular season did not, unfortunately, see much tangible progress on the player health front. In fact, the Twins suffered yet another blow when Luis Arraez went down in Minnesota's meaningless second-to-last game. The rookie infielder collided with Willian Astudillo as the two converged under a pop-up to the mound, and Arraez twisted his ankle before crumpling to the ground in a heap. He was carted off the field in obvious pain, but got relatively good news with his diagnosis: a Grade 1 ankle sprain (the least severe type). Arraez's status for the ALDS is very much in doubt, but there's still a possibility he could return, which seemed out of the question as he tearfully left the field. Meanwhile, Max Kepler still has not swung in a game since the Cleveland doubleheader more than two weeks ago. Marwin Gonzalez also did not play all week after being scratched with oblique tightness ahead of Tuesday's game. But Rocco Baldelli expressed confidence that both will be ready to go by Friday's Game 1 tilt in New York. https://twitter.com/DanHayesMLB/status/1178075435323842561 Ehire Adrianza, who hasn't played since tweaking his own oblique on September 12th, seems much more questionable. The lack of recent in-game reps, plus the likelihood of being less than 100%, cast serious doubt on his viability for the first-round playoff roster. The number of injury concerns heading into the postseason is quite troubling for a club that's already certain to be without Byron Buxton (shoulder surgery), Sam Dyson (shoulder surgery), and Michael Pineda (suspension). But alas, they now have four days to get as healthy as they can. HIGHLIGHTS Jose Berrios is a goal-setter. It's one trait that has helped drive him to such impressive success in his young career. This season, he had his sights set on 200 innings, and in his final start he achieved it. By tossing six innings of two-run ball in Friday night's rain-shortened victory over Kansas City, Berrios crossed this targeted threshold, becoming the fourth Twins pitcher to do so in the past 10 years. https://twitter.com/MillerStrib/status/1177769034126938113 Berrios finishes the season with numbers that are altogether pretty similar to 2018: 14-8, 200.1 IP, 3.68 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 1.22 WHIP, 8.8 K/9, 2.3 BB/9. Even the pattern of his performance mirrored the previous campaign: a stellar first half leading to an All-Star appearance, a sluggish drop-off in the latter part of the summer, and a rebound in late September. The difference, of course, is that this time around he'll get an opportunity to extend his season. Berrios is expected to take the mound for Game 1 at Yankee Stadium on Friday in the biggest challenge of his career to date. In this regard, his aforementioned resurgence offers some reassurance. After uncharacteristically completing six innings just three times in nine starts after the start of August, Berrios did so five of his last six turns, posting a solid-yet-unspectacular 4.34 ERA during that span. In his final starts, the righty saw his whiff rate and velocity both return to comfortable levels. In the surprise twist of the season, it's looking likely that Randy Dobnak will get the ball for Game 2. This would allow an extra day of rest for the bullpen ahead of Game 3, in the event of a short outing from Dobnak, while also moving Jake Odorizzi's start away from Yankee Stadium, which can be treacherous for fly ball pitchers. Dobnak's improbable postseason nod is well-earned, as he put up a 1.59 ERA and 1.13 WHIP as a rookie and delivered his finest effort yet on Wednesday, when he fired six innings against the Tigers while allowing just one unearned run on one hit. It might feel natural to dismiss Dobnak as a mere heartwarming story and overperformer being thrust into this situation out of necessity. To an extent, that's accurate. But his outstanding MLB debut does not carry the indicators of an unsustainable fluke. He's hammering the strike zone with heavy sinking stuff that's inducing grounders at an elite rate, while also missing more bats than Berrios or Odorizzi. In his final start against the Tigers he generated 15 whiffs on 78 pitches, which is fairly remarkable even in light of Detroit's ineptitude. If these are Minnesota's three starters for the playoffs, set to be combined with a heavy dosage of relief work, then the Twins can be feeling a little better about their chances of keeping a potent New York lineup somewhat in check. Of course, their fortunes in the ALDS are likely to hinge on their bats. It was an uneven week on that front, as the offense went through some perturbing quiet spells even before the rollout of backup-heavy post-clinch lineups. There were some positive signs though, like Astudillo putting together a late burst (7-for-18 with a homer and six RBIs after hitting .231 through the first three weeks of September), C.J. Cron hitting his hardest homer of the season in the final game, and Jonathan Schoop finishing on a high note (6-for-19 with a homer and three RBIs). Schoop will obviously be thrust into a far more prominent role in the playoffs if Arraez can't go. LOWLIGHTS The Twins keep trying with Kyle Gibson. They clearly want to find a way to justify a postseason roster for their long-tenured clubhouse leader, but Gibson just isn't giving them much to work with. He appeared in relief three times last week, allowing five hits and two walks over 3 1/3 innings. This amounted to only one run, and to his credit the swing-and-miss stuff has still been there -- he struck out seven and induced 17% swinging strikes in those appearances -- but with these kinds of erratic showcases against bottom-tier offenses, how can you feel any confidence? How can he? In five outings since shifting to a relief role, Gibson has a 7.50 ERA and 2.83 WHIP, with opponents reaching base at nearly a .500 clip. I just don't see how you can credibly run him out against the Yankees in any situation. And it pains me to say that because I'd love to see him be part of this so much. Then again, given how hittable Martin Perez has been, maybe loyalty wins out as the deciding factor. The final spot on the pitching staff could very well come down to those two. Neither has made a very inspiring case in the final weeks. Health is going to be the key for Minnesota's lineup heading into the playoffs. It's entirely possible the Twins could trot out a lineup on Friday that is missing Kepler, Gonzalez, and Arraez -- three essential lefty-swinging catalysts with righty Luis Severino the likely opposing starter. And the probable absence of Adrianza inhibits their ability to supplement via depth. Needless to say, the Twins need their remaining healthy horses to carry the load. There's mounting urgency for Eddie Rosario to rise to the occasion. The final week of 2019 for Rosario epitomized his season as a whole. He had some loud knocks -- a homer and a double, with five RBIs -- but that production covered up a general lack of effectiveness. In 16 plate appearances he had only one other hit and one walk, good for a .250 on-base percentage with one run scored. For the season, Rosario finishes with some nice counting numbers (32 HR, 109 RBI) but he also posted his lowest OPS in three years with a significant defensive downturn. By WAR, Rosario was the 11th-most valuable position player on the Twins this year. But we all know he can step up and become one of their most valuable in a hurry. Next week he'll have his chance to change the lasting narrative in what's been a roundly disappointing campaign. TRENDING STORYLINE There's only one storyline now: October baseball. The Twins have until 10:00 am on Friday to lock in their ALDS roster, and some of their decisions might come down to the wire. Can Arraez heal fast enough to be an option? What about Adrianza? Will the internal optimism around Kepler and Gonzalez prove valid? DOWN ON THE FARM The Twins announced their official Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year on Sunday: Trevor Larnach and Dobnak, respectively. These choices matched our top hitter and starting pitcher selections at Twins Daily, so clearly, we agree! Cheers to these two on their tremendous accomplishments this year. It's likely one and perhaps both will play a significant role for the Twins next year. https://twitter.com/Twins/status/1178375943443898369 On another note: What's up with Baseball America souring on Royce Lewis? He's performing extremely well in the Arizona Fall League; last week we featured his offensive and defensive highlights right out of the gate, and he's hitting .364 with a 1.287 OPS with three homers and 10 RBIs through six games, but in BA's newly released league-by-league top prospect rankings, Lewis is all the way down at No. 18 in the Southern League. That's solidly behind Brusdar Graterol (9), Larnach (11), Alex Kirilloff (12) and even former Twins prospect Lewin Diaz (13). I gotta be honest: I'm not exactly sure what BA is going for with these rankings. Are they meant to be an isolated snapshot in time? Because that's the only scenario in which I could remotely understand a list that puts Lewis five spots behind Diaz. I mean – two months ago, one was traded for Sergio Romo while the other was being bandied as a centerpiece for Noah Syndergaard. Yes, Lewis had a quiet season offensively, but he also started it as a teenager and finished it in Double-A. If the negativity was centered on Royce's glove, that might make a little more sense, but BA's Matt Eddy calls him "a strong defensive shortstop with confident hands and a terrific arm." (Notable because ESPN's Keith Law recently offered up the exact opposite take: "Lewis can’t play SS. He has to move somewhere and CF makes the best use of his skills.") Eddy also states that Lewis "plays with flair, and he rubbed multiple observers the wrong way with confidence that borders on arrogance." This really hits me oddly because I've almost always seen the 20-year-old's character and makeup portrayed as an immense strength. If little incidents like bat flips or (which was in fact intended to chide himself) are starting to materially affect his perception, and even seeping into his coverage at reputable prospect websites like Baseball America, that's a damn shame.In any event, it'll be very interesting to see where Lewis lands across major offseason lists, given the obvious variance of opinion around him. LOOKING AHEAD The American League Division Series is on tap! Action gets underway on Friday. You can expect all kinds of previews and breakdowns here at Twins Daily, so stay tuned. FRIDAY, 10/4: TWINS @ YANKEES SATURDAY, 10/5: TWINS @ YANKEES MONDAY, 10/7: YANKEES @ TWINS TUESDAY, 10/8 (if necessary): YANKEES @ TWINS THURSDAY, 10/10 (if necessary): TWINS @ YANKEES Catch Up On Twins Daily Game Recaps Game 157 | MIN 4, DET 2: Odorizzi's Gem Cuts the Twins Magic Number to 2 Game 158 | MIN 5, DET 3: Dobnak the Wedding Ringer Deals in Detroit Game 159 | MIN 10, DET 4: Hangover Lineup Propels Minnesota to Win Number 99 Game 160 | MIN 6, KC 2: Twins Cruise Past Royals to Earn 100th Win Game 161 | MIN 4, KC 3: Cruz Homers, Arraez Injured, Twins Top KC 4-3 Game 162 | KC 5, MIN 4: Twins Lose Finale, Win Home Run Race As a final note, I want to thank everyone who has read this column regularly over the course of the season, and especially those who interacted or offered positive feedback. I hear a lot of nice things about this running series, which is cool because I enjoy putting them together. Week in Review will be back next season, but in the meantime I'll have plenty to say about the upcoming playoff run and all that comes after. Speaking of which, the 2020 Offseason Handbook isn't too far off...

It's always fun to see an underdog rise to the major leagues in a Twins uniform — especially when they experience an unlikely wave of initial success. Willians Astudillo and Ryne Harper come to mind as recent examples. Fans may recall that Andrew Albers reached the big leagues in 2013, a few years after fizzling out of affiliated ball, and fired 17 1/3 scoreless innings in his first two starts. Looking back a little further, there was Australian third baseman Glenn Williams, who reached the majors in 2005 after nearly a decade toiling in the minors and batted .425 in his first (and only) 40 MLB at-bats. Fun stories, but nothing more. It was fairly evident at the time that these were flash-in-the-pan moments, lacking a sustainable formula to turn them into anything more. Dobnak's backstory is as good as any before him, if not better. As I wrote in the latest Week in Review column, "In a season full of a good stories, Randy Dobnak might have 'em all beat." Here we have a guy who went undrafted out of Division II Alderson-Broaddus College in West Virginia, but kept chasing his dream in independent ball as pitcher for the Utica Unicorns in Michigan. The Twins, somehow, took notice of the right-hander and signed him. After a stunning two-year ascent through the minors that saw him post an ERA of 3.14 or better at every stop, the 24-year-old who famously boasted of his 4.99/5.00 rating as an Uber driver was called up the major leagues and made his debut on August 9th, hurling four shutout innings in a critical game against Cleveland. He has since continued to turn in consistently sterling results, and on Wednesday he added yet another chapter to his inspirational tale, logging his finest start yet as a Twin (6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER) and picking up the win in Minnesota's division-clinching victory. Soon after, he was off to Maryland for a wedding this weekend, which was only planned with such poor timing because when he got engaged two years ago, this was not a conceivable possibility in his (or anyone else's) mind. Dobnak's journey has been unreal up to this point and it's only gonna get crazier when he all but certainly takes the mound as a starter for one of Minnesota's upcoming playoff games against the Yankees. But unlike so many short-lived sensations before him, there's legitimate reason to believe that Dobnak's story is only beginning. It's not just his 1.59 ERA through nine appearances with the Twins (seventh-best among AL pitchers with 20+ IP since the start of August) -- it's the way he's achieved it. Consider these secondary numbers: Dobnak has a 52.9% ground ball rate. That would rank sixth among qualified MLB starters. Dobnak has a 12.9% swinging strike rate. That would rank 15th among qualified MLB starters. Dobnak has thrown 68% strikes, and owns a 4.2% walk rate. That would rank fourth among MLB starters. So, to recap, Dobnak has gotten grounders, missed bats, and attacked the zone at either a borderline elite (or just flat-out elite) rate. That is essentially a failsafe recipe for success as a pitcher. There are zero qualified starters in the league with equal or superior marks in all three categories. This is not a guy getting fat off crappy opponents. (In fact, five of his nine appearances have come against Cleveland, Washington, or Boston.) Nor is it a guy who's simply taking advantage of scouting reports that have not yet caught up. I mean, that might be the case to an extent, but Dobnak is not floating on a smoke-and-mirrors type fluke. This is real. That's why he's got a better chance to hold his own against New York in the ALDS than you might expect. And it's why he has rapidly turned into a substantive factor in the team's future rotation planning. Pretty damn cool to see. Uber-cool, one might say.

On October 6th, 2010, a 29-year-old Rocco Baldelli went 0-for-3 against Texas as DH for the Rays in Game 1 of the ALDS. This is noteworthy both because they were the final at-bats of Baldelli's major-league career, and also because – about 1,000 miles north of Tampa on that same day – the Twins were opening a series against the Yankees. Of course, Minnesota was swept by New York (again). And they haven't won the AL Central or returned to the ALDS since. That is to say, they hadn't. Until now. Nine years later, Baldelli is rookie manager for the upstart club that ended Cleveland's division dynasty and shocked the baseball world. His team's 52nd road win of the year in Detroit (!), combined with a Cleveland loss to the White Sox, shaved the Magic Number down to zero. Not so long ago, Minnesota was a league-wide punchline when it came to power hitting and power pitching. But here in the instantly legendary year of 2019, they have broken the franchise record for strikeouts and the major-league record for home runs. And in the process they've restored their long-forfeited status among MLB's premier class. Baldelli coming in as a 37-year-old with zero managerial experience, and overseeing one of the best finishes in Twins history (with a division clinch on his BIRTHDAY, no less) is an amazing story easily lost in the shuffle of a season absolutely brimming with them. And it's not over. With 98 wins in the books, this is already the second-winningest team in Twins history and they have four games left to match the record of 102 from 1965. Then, it's time to bring one of the most powerful and imposing lineups in MLB history into New York, as clear yet capable underdogs. Their first-round foes will be all too familiar, but this Minnesota squad is not. With power throughout the lineup and a deep, daunting bullpen, the Twins are not to be discounted. You know we'll be covering it all exhaustively from every angle at Twins Daily. For the first time in this site's history, the Minnesota Twins are preparing for a postseason series. We can't wait to share the journey with all of you. But for now, soak it in. Pour a glass of champagne. After nearly a decade in the dumps, the Twins have retaken the American League Central.

In projecting the playoff bullpen, we need to set a few parameters. We'll presume that the Twins carry 12 pitchers, which is generally the most you'll see given the reduced need for starting depth. Even the Brewers, who last year bullpened their way through the playoffs, carried only 12 pitchers. So, we can safely assume that six of those pitchers will be Jose Berrios, Jake Odorizzi, Taylor Rogers, Trevor May, Tyler Duffey, and Sergio Romo. Next, there is a batch of borderline locks: Randy Dobnak, Martin Perez, Devin Smeltzer. The length these guys provide is essential, especially with Minnesota possibly planning on multiple bullpen games in a series. One might quibble with Perez's presence in that second group, but I think his effectiveness against lefties (.592 OPS) solidifies his bid, given the lack of specialist alternatives. That leaves us with, at most, three open spots for the taking. And that's if the Twins elect to carry a shorthanded bench in favor of additional pen flexibility. Here are the candidates, listed from most-to-least viable as I see it: 1. Cody Stashak, RHP Stashak has ever-so-quietly put together a dominant showing in his major-league debut, posting a 23-to-1 K/BB ratio through his first 22 innings with an elite swing-and-miss rate. Control and stuff: two traits you absolutely want in your bullpen against imposing lineups filled with sluggers. The only question is how Stashak, a former 13th-round draft pick who opened this season in Double-A, will handle the pressure of such a stage. There's been zero indication to this point that he'll be rattled much. 2. Zack Littell, RHP In his second appearance of the season, Littell wore one against the Rays, giving up eight runs over 4 1/3 innings in mop-up duty. Since then, Littell has a 0.94 ERA over 25 appearances. He vacillates between a 94 MPH fastball and 87 MPH cutter in equal measure, and the formula's been very effective for him. Littell has recorded five or six outs in three of his past four appearances, so he's primed to handle a couple innings. That's very handy for the Twins in their situation. You could make a fair case that Littell should be No. 1 on this list, or even in the lock category. 3. Brusdar Graterol, RHP The 21-year-old's initial exposure to the majors has had its ups and downs, but the invigorating high points reaffirm his potential impact. Graterol is the kind of weapon you like to have at your disposal in tight contests, bringing triple-digit heat that's tough to square up when he locates it. Obviously there's an added level of risk and uncertainty at play here, but I think the Twins will wisely accept that in tandem with his upside. 4. Lewis Thorpe, LHP Now we're getting into the "outside looking in" group. Thorpe is an interesting case, because he offers length the Twins might value in front-to-back bullpen games. But he has a 6.15 ERA and 1.71 WHIP. There have been moments where Thorpe's looked really good, and his competitive moxy would fit right in with the intensity of October, but it's hard to imagine the Twins calling on him for multiple innings in a playoff game. He hasn't been good against lefties so match-ups don't really factor. 5. Kyle Gibson, RHP The Twins have given Gibson every chance. His last three appearances cascaded into catastrophe, systematically eroding the notion that he can help in any kind of postseason role. First, Gibson came back from an IL respite and got bashed for six runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. Then, he made a relief appearance and promptly gave up a costly home run. Most recently, he was an erratic mess against Kansas City, failing to complete two innings. Over his past five appearances, opponents are hitting .413 against Gibson. The physically-hampered righty continues to miss bats even in this diminished state, which is the only solace I'll take in the (likely?) event that the team carries him out of sheer loyalty. 6. Fernando Romero, RHP At the beginning of the season, it would've been easy to envision Romero at the head of this conversation. But that was a long time ago, and the 24-year-old has since had a rough go of things. Constantly wrestling with his command, Romero has seen his upper-90s fastball fail to garner the desired results, in both Triple-A and the majors. There's still a glimmer of intrigue in that raw arsenal, but he's been too shaky to merit any trust. 7. Ryne Harper, RHP It's a raw deal for Harper. He was a vital bullpen fixture in the first half. He's a great story. I'd love to see him playing a role in the postseason. I just don't think the Twins can justify carving out a spot for him. Harper's heavy reliance on a big slow curveball, supplemented by a sub-mediocre fastball, was solved by big-league hitters after about three months, resulting in a 5.51 ERA and .318 opponents' average since the break. The idea of serving those pitches up against a bloodthirsty Yankees or Astros lineup is... discomforting. 8. Trevor Hildenberger, RHP Given his history, Hildenberger might've nudged his way back into the postseason picture -- despite his immense struggles over the past year-plus -- had he managed to string together a few shutdown performances here in September. But that hasn't happened. The righty looks awful. In three appearances since returning to the Twins, he's allowed six runs on six hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings, with two swinging strikes on 59 pitches. He's not usable. 9. Kohl Stewart, RHP Stewart's last three appearances for the Twins have come against likely postseason teams: OAK, NYY, ATL, WAS. Here's how that went: 7 IP, 13 H, 10 ER (12.86 ERA), 6 K, 3 BB, 2 HR. He serves no purpose outside of mopping up meaningless innings and that's just not a guy you need around in a five-game playoff series. 10. Jorge Alcala, RHP The fact that he has made one appearance since being called up 10 days ago, as the sixth pitcher in a game that slipped out of hand late, tells you all you need to know about where he stands in this bullpen hierarchy. Alcala is merely an extra emergency arm to have around for September, and it's become clear he was never auditioning for anything more. Based on these rankings and the supposition of a 12-man staff, here's how I see the ALDS bullpen shaking out: Berrios, Odorizzi, Rogers, May, Duffey, Romo, Dobnak, Perez, Smeltzer, Stashak, Littell, Graterol. What do you think? Would you rearrange these rankings? How many pitchers do you foresee them carrying? Have any creative thoughts on strategy and deployment? Sound off in the comments.

Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 9/16 through Sun, 9/22 *** Record Last Week: 5-2 (Overall: 96-60) Run Differential Last Week: +2 (Overall: +167) Standing: 1st Place in AL Central (4.0 GA) Magic Number: 3 The Twins got Marwin Gonzalez back last week. The versatile vet returned on Monday following a three-week absence, starting six of the team's seven games. Max Kepler, however, remains sidelined. He played only one inning all week, appearing briefly at the end of Saturday's loss to Kansas City as a pinch-runner and center fielder. He hasn't taken an at-bat since the doubleheader in Cleveland two weekends ago, and there is still no firm timeline for him to rejoin the lineup. Adding to the team's injury woes is Mitch Garver, who came out of Sunday's game midway through with right hip tightness, which seemed to be affecting him at the plate beforehand. His removal was deemed precautionary, but at this late stage it's worrisome to see the club's best hitter dealing with any kind of new health issue. HIGHLIGHTS In a season full of a good stories, Randy Dobnak might have 'em all beat. The pitching staff on its own has a number of inspirational and remarkable rookie narratives, from Ryne Harper to Devin Smeltzer to Cody Stashak and beyond. These are underdogs contributing to one of the greatest teams in Twins history, each with his own uniquely heartwarming backstory. But Dobnak has got to take the cake. The story detailed by Dan Hayes at The Athletic pretty much says it all: Dobnak has a wedding coming up on September 28th and he had to sheepishly ask his manager for permission to attend it. Why, you might ask, would a baseball player schedule a wedding for the final weekend of the MLB season? Because two years ago, when the date was set, what's happening now was not even on the radar. Dobnak was an undrafted pitcher out of the GMAC, throwing in Utica for an indy team before the Twins signed him in 2017. While not the most flashy or dominant, all he's done since coming aboard is shut down hitters. He improbably flew through the minors on that strength and now is logging big innings during a pennant race. On Friday, Dobnak fired 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball against the Royals, lowering his ERA to 2.01 through eight appearances. It seems very likely he'll be on the playoff roster. A case can even be made for him as their Game 2 starter. Unreal. Another starter building confidence as October approaches: Jake Odorizzi, who was in dominant form against Chicago on Wednesday with nine strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball. With 13 swinging strikes on the night, Odorizzi notched double-digits for a 10th straight turn. His 13.9% whiff rate over that span ranks 12th in baseball. The Twins can't count on Odorizzi giving them much length – he has completed six innings only once in his last 15 starts, and hasn't pitched into the seventh since early May – but he has reliably held opposing offenses in check. The recipe in October will call for him to get through five solid frames, with Minnesota relying on its bullpen depth to handle the balance. That bullpen, for the most part, continues to deliver. Trevor May gave up two solo homers to the White Sox Tuesday in his worst outing since July, but came back with a vengeance, striking out six over 2 2/3 innings against Kansas City. His save on Friday night, which saw him strike out the side on 13 pitches, was one of the most dominant appearances we've seen from a Twins pitcher all year. At least, up until Tyler Duffey did it on 12 pitches in the fifth inning Sunday, running his scoreless appearance streak to 25 in the process. Stashak added onto his quietly fantastic rookie campaign with seven strikeouts over three scoreless innings. Stashak has a 3.13 ERA and 23-to-2 K/BB ratio in 23 innings since being called up, and his swinging strike rate is eighth-highest among AL relievers since the All-Star break – one spot behind Duffey. With his outstanding ability to pound the zone and miss bats, Stashak is making an ironclad case for inclusion on the postseason roster. Offensively, Miguel Sano is driving the bus. He was an absolute slugging force last week, piling up four homers, a double, and a triple (!) while driving in 11 runs. He struck out only eight times in 31 plate appearances, with four walks. It is just a joyous delight to watch that powerful swing connect: https://twitter.com/Twins/status/1175845330329489409 Nelson Cruz broke out of his minor slump on Thursday, launching a pair of homers with five RBIs, and the DH added five more hits over the weekend. On Sunday he boomsticked his 40th home run of the season and the 400th of his career. Best free agent signing in Twins history? He could lock up that title with a big October. I would be remiss not to mention LaMonte Wade Jr.'s awesome week. He didn't get a ton of ABs, but made the most of them, going 5-for-13 with a monster home run and contributing a key play on the base paths as a pinch-runner in Tuesday night's thrilling win. He has quietly been tremendous during his rookie stint, showing zero signs of intimidation. The Twins have gotta be feeling quite good about their outfield depth moving forward. LOWLIGHTS Flashy contributions from Sano and Cruz notwithstanding, the offense has been rather tepid of late. You'd like to see hitters getting fat against the weak pitching staffs in town over the past week, but the lineup was silent for long stretches, and put forth a couple of strikingly sub par efforts – most notably when they were no-hit through five innings in a one-run effort against Chicago in a bullpen game Wednesday. Sunday's 12-run outburst marked Minnesota's first time since August 30th reaching double digits, their second-longest such drought of the year. The Twins' team OPS in September is the lowest of any month by 50 points. They've been held to two or fewer runs seven times, which is already more than any previous month. Yes, some of this does owe to injuries – Kepler's absence looms large – but there's also been a lack of thunder and/or consistency from some players the Twins are counting on. Eddie Rosario had a couple big games, but also went hitless in three of seven, with his undisciplined plate approach and generally questionable effort level causing some frustration. Jonathan Schoop went 1-for-14 on the week. Willians Astudillo's (0-for-6) at-bats have become so uninspiring I had to finally pull the plug on the Willians Watch weekly tracker. If they are to have any hope of moving past the first round of the playoffs, the Twins will need their offense to rise to the occasion, plain and simple. Because, despite the bullpen's impressive rise and Odorizzi's potency, this pitching staff isn't offering much reason to believe. Jose Berrios lapsed on Saturday night against Kansas City, coughing up five runs over six innings. His performance wasn't as bad as the numbers show, but nevertheless it was another poor result for Minnesota's likely Game 1 starter. Kyle Gibson might've pitched his way off the postseason roster on Thursday with an abhorrent performance that saw him fail to get through two innings. Gibson walked four of the 12 batters he faced, threw only 25 of 52 pitches for strikes, and visibly ran out of gas in a hurry. He's scheduled to get one more start in Detroit on Tuesday, but I'm not sure what he can do at this point to convince the Twins they can trust him in any capacity. With Gibson becoming a nonfactor, the Twins will be pressed into relying on Martin Perez, who looked flat-out awful while surrendering an egregious 18 hits over seven total innings in two starts against poor lineups. They'll also need maximum efficacy throughout the bullpen ranks, which is why it was troubling to see Taylor Rogers lit up by Kansas City on Saturday night, when he gave up three runs on three hits while recording only one out (on a sacrifice). It was his first time allowing multiple runs in an outing since the grand slam against Cleveland seven weeks ago, so hopefully nothing but a late-season hiccup for the closer. TRENDING STORYLINE How are the Twins going to piece together enough quality innings to have a chance against New York or Houston in a short series? That's the urgent question with one week to go until the playoffs. Impressions made here in the final days of the season are going to matter; Rocco Baldelli has only two viable starters and a shortage of experienced, established relief arms. He will need to ride his hot hands to some extent. Can Gibson do anything to salvage the end of his season? Can Perez inspire any semblance of faith? How will the back end of an October bullpen come together, with numerous deserving candidates for a limited number of spots? These are pivotal questions needing answers. DOWN ON THE FARM Action is underway in the Arizona Fall League, and Minnesota's top prospect has wasted no time putting on a show. On Thursday night Royce Lewis started in center field and made a dazzling catch that brought to mind visions of Byron Buxton: https://twitter.com/wboor/status/1174872875062312961 Shortly thereafter, he uncorked a towering home run to left field: https://twitter.com/MiLB/status/1174883543165657088 It's certainly been interesting to see Lewis, who played shortstop almost exclusively for the Miracle and Blue Wahoos this season, make starts at both center field and third base in his first week in the AFL. This is a necessary machination in a league where many prospects need to be fitted into lineups, but it's especially interesting to monitor with Lewis, whose future defensive home could very well be one of these positions. Given his speed and instincts, it always stood to reason that Lewis could be an asset in center. It was fun to see the skills manifesting on the field. LOOKING AHEAD The best road team in baseball heads out for a final midwest swing, which will bring them through Detroit and Kansas City to close things out against the dregs of the AL Central. They should theoretically be able to wrap up the division before the weekend, then start prepping for the ALDS. All eyes will be on the health status of guys like Kepler and Garver, who now have about one week left to get right. TUESDAY, 9/24: TWINS @ TIGERS – RHP Jake Odorizzi v. RHP Spencer Turnbull WEDNESDAY, 9/25: TWINS @ TIGERS – RHP Kyle Gibson v. LHP Daniel Norris THURSDAY: 9/26: TWINS @ TIGERS – TBD v. RHP Jordan Zimmermann FRIDAY, 9/27: TWINS @ ROYALS – RHP Jose Berrios v. LHP Eric Skoglund SATURDAY, 9/28: TWINS @ ROYALS – LHP Martin Perez v. RHP Glenn Sparkman SUNDAY, 9/29: TWINS @ ROYALS – RHP Jake Odorizzi v. RHP Jorge Lopez Catch Up On Twins Daily Game Recaps Game 150 | MIN 5, CWS 3: Berrios Tosses a Strong 7.1 Innings Game 151 | MIN 9, CWS 8: Twins Win Wild Game on a Walk Off Hit-By-Pitch Game 152 | CWS 3, MIN 1: Twins’ Offense Absent Against Chicago Bullpen Game Game 153 | MIN 8, KC 5: Nelson Cruz Crushes 2 Homers in 8-5 Win Game 154 | MIN 4, KC 3: Randy Dobnak Continues to Dominate in 4-3 Win Game 155 | KC 12, MIN 5: Twins Blow Lead, Implode in Ninth Game 156 | MIN 12, KC 8: Twins Offense Erupts for Twelve Runs Over Royals

When he joined the organization as a first-round draft pick, Gibson looked a fast-track type pitching prospect, especially while rocketing through three levels of the minors in his first full season. While the Twins were making a playoff run in the first season at Target Field in 2010, a 22-year-old Gibson was rapidly climbing through the minors, coasting through Single-A, Double-A and Triple-A with outstanding numbers at each stop. He entered the 2011 season as Baseball America's No. 34 prospect, imminently ready to step in as Minnesota's next rotation centerpiece. But just as he was seemingly knocking on the door around the summer's midpoint, his numbers at Triple-A took a dive. A torn UCL was discovered he went for Tommy John surgery. Gibson's meteoric ascent came to a crashing halt. He spent most of 2012 rehabbing, and came back strong. Gibson reached the majors in 2013 and struggled, as many rookies do. In 2014, he – somewhat surprisingly – made the big-league rotation out of camp, and put together a respectable first full season, with a 4.47 ERA and 3.80 FIP in 180 innings. Gibson took another step forward in 2015, posting a 3.84 ERA and 3,96 FIP in 194 innings, albeit with modest strikeout and swing-and-miss rates. At 27, it looked like he had arrived as a quality mid-rotation piece whose raw stuff might never reach its pre-surgery potential. Then, in 2016, things went south for Gibson, as they did for most of the team. His velocity sagged to career lows and hittability became a major issue. Though his surgically repaired elbow was holding up, Gibson was now afflicted by nagging back and shoulder soreness. He admitted later that he didn't make a start all year without anti-inflammatory medication. In the ensuing offseason, Gibson decided to take radical action with hopes of relieving the pain and turning around his career. He visited the Florida Baseball Ranch, where he embarked on a program designed to develop – in the words of Star Tribune's Phil Miller – "an entirely new way of delivering the baseball, about as fundamental a change as a pitcher can make." The new exercises and drills, Miller wrote, were "meant to retrain Gibson and alter his throwing motion, so he holds the ball more upright, at an angle of less than 90 degrees, which enables him to reach his release point more directly. That, combined with a de-emphasis on extending his arm after releasing the ball, has dramatically reduced the amount of stress on his pitching shoulder." The overhaul did not pay immediate performance dividends, as Gibson scuffled through the first half of 2017 and finished June with a 6.11 ERA. But in the latter half of the year, he began to find it. The velocity was ticking up. The breaking balls gained sharpness. His strikeout rate rose. Posting a 3.55 ERA in August and September, and propelling the Twins to a 9-2 record in his starts, Gibson was a key factor in Minnesota's unlikely post-deadline charge to the wild-card. In 2018 he kept it rolling. With the highest strikeout rate of his career (8.2 K/9), the right-hander turned in a 3.62 ERA over 197 innings, ranked second among Twins pitchers in WAR (2.6), and put his vastly improved arsenal on display with an 11.5% swinging strike rate that shattered his previous watermark. Heading into his final year before free agency, Gibson had come full circle. His path was hardly straight or smooth, but finally the former first-round pick was a valued staple in the rotation, boasting legitimate standout stuff and worthy results. And then – of course – calamity struck again. On a mission trip to Haiti and the Dominican Republic last winter, Gibson contracted E. coli. The illness took a physical toll on him, causing him to drop a ton of weight from an already somewhat slender frame. He showed up to spring training looking gaunt, and by his own admission wasn't quite back to full strength by the start of the season. Nevertheless, he shook off a few bad early starts and pretty much resumed where he left off. As recently as early August, Gibson's ERA sat at 4.02 and he looked like a playoff starter. But in the late stages of this 2019 campaign, the righty has unraveled completely, amidst the revelation he's been dealing with ulcerative colitis and its ravaging effects since spring. At this point, the 31-year-old is a mere shell of what he was even two months ago. His stamina has tanked. His command is gone. His outings have grown increasingly poor, with Thursday night's total meltdown (1.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 BB with 25 of 52 pitches for strikes against the hapless Royals) setting a new low. It would be surprising – and, frankly, upsetting – to see him pitch in a Twins uniform again this year. A role in the playoffs is essentially out the window. It sucks. For him most of all, I assure you. So many fans, for whatever reason, hold a scornful disdain for Gibson. They lament his every misstep, they accuse him of "nibbling," and they dismiss whatever success he's experienced as flukey and fleeting. But let's be clear: Gibson was no flash in the pan. From August 1st, 2017, through July 31st, 2019 – a full two-year span – he logged a 3.75 ERA (to go along with a 4.03 FIP and 3.78 xFIP) over 376 innings, compiling the 22nd-highest WAR among MLB starters. He emerged as a legitimate second-tier pitcher and he did it through a willingness to do whatever it took. “It wasn’t easy at first, because there’s a lot of modern thinking about the throwing motion and I’m more of a traditional baseball guy,” Gibson said in 2017 of his trip to the Florida Baseball Ranch, and his adoption of its unconventional methods. “I had to open up a little bit to accept new ways of thinking. And I’m glad I did.” It paid off until he was completely derailed by circumstances that go beyond baseball. The Twins will face an interesting decision this offseason, as a free agent exodus opens up several vacancies in the rotation. The decline of Gibson obviously comes with bad timing for him, but could create an intriguing opportunity for whatever team is willing to take a chance on him. He's shown when healthy that he can be a force. Even this year, with all the embattlement, his swinging strike rate is tied with Yu Darvish for 13th-best in the majors. Gibson could very well be a bargain for someone. Perhaps familiarity and cost-efficiency will lead to the Twins being that team. Or, perhaps Minnesota's front office will look elsewhere for a fresh start with a more known commodity. If so, this is a somber end to Gibson's time with the organization that drafted him a decade ago. In some eyes, I'm sure his legacy will be viewed poorly, but I think that's really unfortunate. The fairer narrative portrays a very talented pitcher who repeatedly got dealt bad blows, and went above and beyond to overcome them – including a total mechanical overhaul in his late 20s. Through it all, he's been a good organizational soldier, an appreciated teammate, a forthcoming favorite for media interviews, and a generous contributor to the community. The story of Gibson as a Twin (if this is the end) is an inspiring and admirable one. I hope fans won't let the fact that it's ending the same way it began – defined by injury and disappointment – cloud the general traits of resilience and reinvention he has embodied, all the way up until the bitter end.