Nick Nelson

Plans to turn around the Minnesota Twins rotation took a hit today with the news that Trevor May, a big factor in those designs, has suffered a tear to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Read on for details and quotes regarding the right-hander’s very unexpected setback.In a decade of playing professional ball, May has amazingly been able to avoid any kind of significant elbow or shoulder issues. “I’ve literally never missed a day of baseball activity because my arm hurt,” he said. So it isn’t too surprising that when he felt a “grab” on an 0-2 pitch against Andrew McCutchen while facing Team USA on Wednesday night, he downplayed it. When speaking to reporters after the game, he was very positive, signaling no distress or concern. He came in the next morning and felt soreness, and then on Friday the tear showed up on a scan, which even in the pitcher’s non-medical opinion was “pretty conclusive.” Standing outside the clubhouse on Saturday morning alongside top baseball executives Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, May was subdued but searching for silver linings. So, too, was the general manager. “When the results of the MRI came back, it was a little bit unique in the sense that it sounded as if the wear and tear component, or the cumulative impact, was very minimal," Levine said. “It really was an acute injury ... That’s very atypical for a guy who has logged 10 years worth of pitching on his arm.” “That gives us cause for optimism that maybe the health of the overall region is very strong but for this one acute area." Of course, this doesn’t change the basic realities. May will seek a second opinion – no date or doctor has been scheduled as of yet – and there are a few potential options on the table, but Tommy John surgery seems likely. Levine expressed no plans for reactive moves by the team, noting that injuries are always an expectation. “I don’t think you ever have any misgivings that you’re going to go through the process without needing significantly more than five starters. You hate to have it happen at this point to a player who’s put in the that work he’s put in, but the reality is that’s why we built up some of the depth we did coming into camp and it’s going to give other guys opportunities.” Among those guys are Tyler Duffey, Jose Berrios, Adalberto Mejia, Rule 5 pick Justin Haley and non-roster invite Ryan Vogelsong. Duffey pitched well in a road start for the Twins against Miami on Friday and Berrios is preparing to make his first start for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. For May, who was the subject of a feature here on Twins Daily just a couple days ago, it’s a difficult pill to swallow but he vows not to let it derail his determination. "If it comes down to getting good old fashioned Tommy John, I’ll go from there,” May said. "I’m not a guy who’s gonna sit here and mope about how hard I worked and now it’s not gonna happen.” “Yesterday was tough, but I’m probably going to go right back to that little notebook I have with me, and those goals I write down every day are just going to change from this year to next year.” Click here to view the article

I mean, Ervin's results weren't actually that bad. He gave up like two hard-hit balls in four innings. It was mostly tongue-in-cheek since they were the first runs he allowed.

In a pro sports locker room culture largely associated with jocks and meatheads, Trevor May certainly stands out. He isn’t the only major-leaguer with a profile in the gaming community, but his might be the highest. While the right-hander is excited to get his Nintendo Switch so he can play Zelda on road trips, it’s another switch Twins fans are more interested in as he makes the move back from relieving to starting.There was some consternation over Minnesota's lack of offseason action on the starting pitching front, given the horrendous results that unit put forth last year. However, the rotation can potentially receive a huge boost simply by getting May back following his 2016 foray into the bullpen. It’s an opportunity for the 27-year-old to press reset. And the stakes are high for both him and the club. ~~~ Reality is a bit more unpredictable and complicated than the virtual alternative, as May knows all too well. In a baseball sim on PlayStation, you pick your pitch, aim the joystick and press a button to deliver. You needn't deal with days where your stuff isn’t there, or with changes in your role dictated from up top, or with injuries that you just can’t seem to shake. All of these hindrances helped turn May’s 2016 campaign into a nightmarish one. But the righty believes he’s stronger for the experience. “I learned a lot of stuff about myself,” he said. "Getting myself ready, working through things, when I need to shut it down, when I need to battle through.” May’s efforts to battle through recurring back problems proved counterproductive last summer, as his numbers suffered (a 1.89 ERA and .563 opponents' OPS through May 10th gave way to 7.99 and .902 the rest of the way) and a stress fracture was discovered in September. Now, he’s got a strategy in place that he believes will keep those pesky back issues at bay. “The problem with backs, as many people know,” May explained, “is that when you tweak it, it’s hard to relax and not be tight all the time. That’s something I learned a lot about in the offseason.” “I’ve learned how to let myself relax.” ~~~ There are few things more relaxing than cozying up to the keyboard or controller and plugging in. Perhaps that’s part of May’s regimen. He makes no secret of his affinity for gaming, and he also happens to be pretty good at it. In February, he became the only pro athlete on an eSports team when he signed on with Luminosity. Download attachment: mayluminosityplain.png For the uninitiated, eSports is a humongous and rapidly growing industry that involves playing video games competitively for spectators, often while commentating. For May, the game of choice is Overwatch, a cartoony first-person shooter developed by Blizzard Entertainment. He calls the arrangement “kind of an informal thing” but both he and Luminosity have played it up, and the significance isn’t lost on people like Pete Leisen. You might be familiar with Leisen, though not by that name. He goes by the pseudonym Panda Pete, and makes up one half of the Twins and Losses duo; they frequently post their stuff here on Twins Daily. Pete's been blogging about the Twins since 2014, but he has been a gamer for pretty much his entire life, ever since he fell in love with the original Nintendo Entertainment System as a kid. For a lifelong baseball fan and avid gamer, May presents the ideal intersection of interests. On the field, he's a hell of a pitcher. Off it, he's an obsessive video game player with an entertaining persona. "Being around the same age as Trevor, along with his personality, make him a must-watch," Leisen said. "Sure he's a professional baseball player, but you can tell he loves games by his reactions when things go good and bad." Connecting with May through this medium enables Leisen to scratch two itches at once. "Twins fans, baseball fans, and gamers alike ask him questions about his 'day job' and he almost always gives an honest answer. It's also interesting to see how baseball fans and gamers interact with each other because there are some pure baseball fans who want to support Trevor, and pure gamers who like what he streams." It's safe to say the Twins pitcher is gaining new fans all the time, from all corners. He has a big one in Pete – heck, the two are posing together in his Twitter profile pic. Download attachment: petemay.jpg ~~~ May is openly passionate about his pastime, but serious about his business. He is as self-analytical and reflective as any player you will talk to in the Minnesota clubhouse. He's also constantly looking for ways to improve. If you hold a grudge toward Kevin Jepsen, I don't blame you. Terry Ryan gave up Chih-Wei Hu, an intriguing pitching prospect, to acquire the reliever at the 2015 deadline and Jepsen completely bombed last year when the team needed him after Glen Perkins went down. But Jepsen did leave a parting gift. May credits the veteran with helping teach him a new curveball grip that he implemented halfway through the season with exceptional results. The new technique gives him more 12-to-6 movement and less horizontal tilt. It also comes in much faster. "My swing-and-miss rate on it has gone up a lot since the change," he said after an impressive outing against Team USA on Wednesday. "It's been hit hard a lot less." Who else helped contribute to this evolution? Yet another unpopular Twins castoff. "Ricky Nolasco said, I throw my curveball slow on purpose and I grip it like that" – May repositions his fingers on the ball he's using to demonstrate for reporters, back to his original grip – "because I want it to be slow." "He goes, you want to throw a hard curveball though right? I'm like, yeah. He's like, don't hold it like this then, idiot!" So far, there are positive signs. On Wednesday, the difficulty level was turned up for May when he faced a star-studded lineup that featured – in his words – "the No. 3 hitter from every team." One of the right-hander's biggest pitches was a curve that dived out of the zone and coaxed Nolan Arenado to go too far with a check swing for strike three. Arenado was the actual No. 3 hitter on a team full of them, so that basically makes him the Shao Kahn or M. Bison in this scenario. May's weapon upgrade helped him vanquish the boss. If this reinvention assists in spurring a turnaround for the Twins rotation, Jepsen and Nolasco will be accepting apologies from the boo birds while the end credits roll. ~~~ Video games are fun. The Twins 2016 season, obviously, was not. It was like lag hitting when you're in the middle of a kill streak. It was like a brand new disc freezing at the first loading screen. It was like freaking Superman 64. "We're tired of being that team. It's time to step up and hold everyone accountable," May said. He includes himself in that mandate, and that's why he spent his offseason getting right physically and prepping for a triumphant return to the rotation, where he showed significant promise in 2015 before being shifted to relief. The Twins don’t need him to put up video game numbers. They’ll welcome steady mid-rotation production and May is more than capable of providing it. Click here to view the article

In preparation for its World Baseball Classic tournament play, which officially kicks off tomorrow against Team USA, Colombia came to Hammond Stadium for an exhibition against the Twins. Ervin Santana took his perfect spring record (2-0, 0.00 ERA) to the hill for Minnesota. How did he fare?* In the context of his previous work, Santana’s final line – 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 K, 1 BB – looks awful! But he was satisfied with his outing, which set the stage for a 10-7 Twins victory, and for good reason. Obviously, the results didn’t matter. And while Santana gave up a few hard hits, he threw strikes, got grounders and worked efficiently. The righty made it through four frames while needing a dozen fewer pitches than his allotment of 65. The loudest knock of the day was an opposite field blast to right by Phillies catcher Jorge Alfaro in the fourth inning. Though the homer came on an 0-2 count, Santana didn’t regret his offering. “That was the right pitch, fastball away,” he said. "He got a good swing on it." * Drew Stubbs, who signed a minor-league deal during the offseason, got the start and batted leadoff as he makes his case for a bench spot. Stubbs hasn’t hit much in the past couple of seasons, which is why he couldn’t land a guaranteed contract, but he recognizes his appeal to a team like Minnesota. "I’m a natural center fielder and those are kind of hard to come by when you’re looking for a guy who can fill in,” the 32-year-old said. As I wrote last month when discussing some camp sleepers for the Twins, he veteran’s defensive play this month will likely prove more critical than anything he does with the bat. He didn’t get any real chances to flash the leather in center today but I suspect he’ll get plenty more opportunities to show what he can do out there this month. Paul Molitor said he wants to see more of what Stubbs can do against left-handed pitching, and plans to get him some more exposure over the next couple of days with southpaws on the probable docket. * Another day, another Danny Santana gaffe. After committing several blunders at shortstop on Wednesday night, Santana got the start in left. In the third inning, after reaching on a fielder’s choice, he left early on a steal attempt with one out and got picked off. On the very next pitch, Brian Dozier smashed a double off the wall in left center that would have likely scored Santana from first. Instead, Miguel Sano followed the Dozier double with a strikeout and the Twins came away empty-handed in the inning. It was another base running flub from a player who went just 12-for-21 on steals last year despite his speed. To his credit, Santana did deliver an RBI infield single a few innings later that put the Twins on the board. * Two contenders for the backup catcher job appeared in today’s game, with Chris Gimenez starting behind the plate before being replaced by Mitch Garver in the sixth inning. Gimenez went 1-for-2 with a single while Garver finished 0-for-1 with a walk and an RBI groundout. It was a somewhat rare chance this spring for Garver, who ranks as our 11th-best Twins prospect. When chatting before the game, he didn’t make it sound like he’d be too crushed if he loses out to more experienced options like Gimenez or John Ryan Murphy, and in fact seemed almost resigned to it. "If they want me to help the team and be a backup that’d be awesome,” he said. “If I’ve gotta be in Triple-A for the year that’s fine with me. I just want to improve my game and be ready when I get there." * Sano struck out in two of his three plate appearances and walked in the other. He’s now batting .167 this spring with 10 strikeouts in 18 at-bats. The base on balls was his first in Grapefruit League play, so clearly the slugger hasn’t brought a very good approach the plate thus far. Is Molitor concerned? Not too much, yet. “It’s funny, when it’s the start of the season or whatever else, and things don’t go well, it kind of jumps out at you … We’ll keep him in a regular rotation and hopefully start seeing better results.” Molitor’s point about small samples, good or bad, sticking out more when they are the only sample is a fair one. But Sano’s 36 percent K-rate last year was three points higher than the qualified leader (Chris Davis) and in fact he would’ve set the all-time record for if he made seven more plate appearances to reach the 502 threshold. So, it’s a little tough not to be distraught by the early contact issues from a player the Twins desperately need to start moving in the other direction. * One player who has caught Molitor’s eye: Benji Gonzalez, a non-roster invite who most recently played in the Mariners organization. The versatile infielder made the most of his four innings after taking over at the hot corner in the sixth. He walked and scored in his first at-bat, singled in the go-ahead run on a hit-and-run in his second, and then launched a towering oppo bomb in his third. Later, his nifty backhand pick and throw on a tough grounder down the third base line mercifully ended a ninth frame that had dragged on with Michael Tonkin and Ryan O’Rourke laboring. “He’s done really well,” the manager said. “We’ve had a chance to have some different people in camp here in that kind of role and – not that these other guys haven’t done some things – but he’s been a pleasant surprise." Click here to view the article

I think it mostly has to do with how the schedule has played out and ensuring he gets enough rest early in the spring. But yeah, it was striking to see how lopsided the distribution was.

He explained that he has put together a good system for managing it and expressed zero concern. I'll probably write about it at some point this weekend, pretty interesting stuff.

The Minnesota Twins faced off against Team USA on Wednesday night in a tuneup for the World Baseball Classic. While this was a low-stakes exhibition even by lax spring training standards, Paul Molitor did roll out a midsummer-caliber batting order and Trevor May took the bump as he competes for the fifth starter job. Read on for notes and quotes from a 3-2 victory over what May dubbed “one of the best lineups that anyone’s ever faced."* The starting pitcher’s description of his opposing lineup was intentionally hyperbolic, but not too much of a stretch. The American WBC roster features plenty of offensive firepower, and had all its starters on display tonight. When the bottom third of your order consists of Daniel Murphy, Andrew McCutchen and Brandon Crawford, you know you’re stacked. May got off to a rocky start, giving up singles to Ian Kinsler and Adam Jones followed by a two-run double from Nolan Arenado that put him in an early hole. But he settled in impressively, allowing only a ground ball single and a couple of walks the rest of the way while completing 3 2/3 frames, second-most for a Twins starter this spring. His two strikeouts – one of Giancarlo Stanton with a high heater, the other of Arenado with a nasty curve – were definitely highlights. It’s probably a leap to say he locked up his rotation spot with this performance, but… maybe not. * Tonight was May’s first time working with catcher Jason Castro, in a game or even a bullpen session. In fact, it was their first real opportunity to interact. “I introduced myself to him today,” the right-hander said with a chuckle. “I walked up and said hi, I’m Trevor.” The righty had strong reviews for the new acquisition as a receiver, complimenting the way he sets up and anticipates pitch movement. There is also the more basic advantage of having a sturdy 6-foot-3 specimen crouching behind the plate. “Huge target. He looks like Joe (Mauer) back there." * May isn’t alone in his lack of experience working with Castro. Previously, the free agent addition had started behind the plate for Kyle Gibson three times, and Ervin Santana twice, but not for any other projected starters. "It hasn’t been as distributed as I thought it would be at this point," Molitor acknowledged. "There’s still plenty of time left. We’re going to try to spread that out a little bit if we can." * Twins lefty Stephen Gonsalves was scheduled to head over to Team USA's side this evening as an extra bullpen arm, but he was scratched due to shoulder weakness, which he initially reported after his outing against the Phillies last Friday. Molitor said Gonsalves was feeling tenderness on the posterior side of his shoulder, which is notably the same area where a strain caused him to miss time in the Arizona Fall League a few months ago. "They tested his strength and it was down just a hair," the manager explained, "so we’re just kind of being cautious there." Molitor didn’t express much concern, and Gonsalves was in good spirits when I spoke to him earlier today in the clubhouse. Still, it’s something to keep an eye on. Here’s what John wrote about the southpaw’s AFL health scare when profiling him as Twins Daily’s No. 2 prospect: * Danny Santana got a chance to play some shortstop, taking over after starter Jorge Polanco came out of the game. He quickly reminded everyone of the good he can do there, ranging into the hole and making a beautiful off-balance one-hop strike to beat Paul Goldschmidt at first. It was, honestly, perhaps a better play than a Twins shortstop made in the entirety of 2016. Unfortunately, he wasted little time in reminding us of the bad. In the next inning, he pulled first baseman Matt Hague off the bag with a wide throw while turning a routine double play. Then, in the ninth, he charged in a slow roller and hastily delivered a terrible toss that skipped past first and moved two runners into scoring position with no outs. Reliever Craig Breslow worked around the damage, getting two outs and then inducing a fly ball to foul territory behind third base that should have ended the game. Santana failed to reach it. That one bugged the manager. “Little disappointed we didn’t catch that ball down the line.” Santana’s athleticism and raw abilities continue to be obvious, but he can ill afford the mistakes that continue to come in bunches when he’s on the field. Click here to view the article

The Detroit Tigers have seen the bottom. In 2003 they set the benchmark for modern era ineptitude with 119 losses, and the franchise seems intent on never going back to that place. Maybe that's why they have eschewed any kind of significant rebuild efforts despite an aging roster and a thin farm system. The window is still open, but it's closing fast, and the lack of a proactive strategy could soon loom large.2016 At A Glance Record: 86-75 Runs Scored: 750 Runs Allowed: 721 Pythag W/L: 83-78 Pitching WAR Leader: Justin Verlander Hitting WAR Leader: Ian Kinsler Season Recap Miguel Cabrera went back into Miguel Cabrera mode. Ian Kinsler delivered one of the best seasons of his career at age 34. Victor Martinez rebounded, Justin Upton arrived with a 31-homer campaign, and Nick Castellanos seemingly turned a corner at third. On the pitching end, Justin Verlander came through with vintage, ace-caliber performance while Michael Fulmer emerged as a stud. It was enough to fuel a major turnaround, which saw Detroit rise from fifth to second in the standings, but not enough to get them to the playoffs. Ultimately, they lacked the pitching depth to keep pace with Cleveland, despite a rotation that boasted the Rookie of the Year along with the Cy Young runner-up, and that's... well, scary. Scarier for Detroit's fan base is that the Tigers front office did little to alter or supplement the roster during the offseason. GM Al Avila showed little outward interest in trading the 34-year-old Kinsler with his value at a high point, a strong signal that title contention remains the plan. Given the Hall of Fame bound cornerstones leading the way, we certainly can't count Detroit out, but will the beast known as Cabrerlander get the help it needs? Why They'll Be Better Year One of the Jordan Zimmermann experiment was a bust, and a costly one for the Tigers. After a brilliant month of April, the $110 million free agent signing went in the tank, posting a 6.84 ERA the rest of the way while losing long stretches to neck and lat injuries. It's interesting to think about how differently things might have played out in the Central if Zimmermann had been able to stay strong, healthy and effective throughout the summer. That's surely what the club is envisioning in this new season. If Verlander and Fullmer can approximate their 2016 performances, while Zim rediscovers the form he consistently showed in Washington, the Tigers have a starter trio that can rival the Indians. This is their best path to overtaking the reigning division champs. The back of the rotation figures to improve also with young talents like Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd assuming bigger roles. The Tigers will score enough, so if the defense and pitching staff can cut down the Runs Allowed total by 50 or so, 90-plus wins is very realistic. Why They'll Be Worse As mentioned earlier, the Tigers came up short last year despite Cabrera, Verlander and several others giving pretty much all you can hope for. It's been a while since the entire core has stayed healthy and productive at the same time, and it's a little tough to count on that keeping up as they age into their mid-30s. Between Anibal Sanchez and Mike Pelfrey, Detroit has $25 million tied up in burnt out veterans who were sizable parts of the problem in 2016. Neither is a lock for the rotation, but the contractual commitments will probably compel manager Brad Ausmus to feed them more innings and opportunities. Detroit's offense should still be solid at the very least, but there isn't much setup for improvement. They didn't sign anyone to fill their biggest hole at catcher – James McCann will get another shot after posting a .629 OPS – and they opened a new one by trading center fielder Cameron Maybin for a middling pitching prospect. The Tigers are set to outspend every MLB team other than the Dodgers and Yankees. Over the past three years, these hefty payrolls have produced not one postseason win. Something's gotta give, which is that I expect Detroit will be a major player at the trade deadline – one way or the other. Three Key Storylines 1. Can fireballing reliever Bruce Rondon build on his impressive 2016 showing and become a late-inning force? 2. Will Jordan Zimmermann rebound from an ugly first year in Motown and start making good on the team's enormous investment? 3. Who will play between Justin Upton and J.D. Martinez in the outfield? Can some combination of Tyler Collins, Mikie Mahtook and JaCoby Jones equate to a palatable solution in center? Click here to view the article

Part of Minnesota's blueprint for success from 2002 through 2010 was taking advantage of the unbalanced schedule and piling up wins against inferior AL Central opponents. Lately that has been an exceedingly tall order, with the division producing pennant winners in four of the last five seasons. Most recently it was the Cleveland Indians, who charged through the postseason before coming up just short of a World Series title. Today we kick off our team-by-team 2017 preview of AL Central opponents with a look at the reigning champs.2016 At A Glance Record: 94-67 Runs Scored: 777 Runs Allowed: 676 Pythag W/L: 91-70 Pitching WAR Leader: Corey Kluber Hitting WAR Leader: Francisco Lindor Season Recap When previewing Cleveland before the season, here was my summation: Cleveland has a wide range of possible outcomes for the 2016 season. With their rotation setup, they can't be discounted as legitimate World Series contenders, but with an offense that wasn't good last year and displays no obvious avenues for significant improvement, they may not score enough to finally get over that hump. As it turned out, the offense improved by more than 100 runs and got them over the hump. Free agent signing Mike Napoli played a big part with his 34 homers and 101 RBI. He anchored a tremendously productive infield that also featured Francisco Lindor, Jason Kipnis and Jose Ramirez. Tyler Naquin's out-of-nowhere Herculean rookie effort led the way in the outfield while Carlos Santana enjoyed a career year at the plate as DH. The Indians trudged through a slowish start, which included series losses to the Twins in April and May, but hit their stride in June and never looked back. Over the final four months Cleveland went 68-43, and then won eight of its first nine postseason games before being thwarted by a Cubs comeback. This tremendous run was driven by outstanding starting pitching – led by the elite trio of Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar – and solid production throughout the lineup, as well as a weaponized bullpen bolstered by the addition of Andrew Miller in July. Why They'll Be Better One of the most amazing parts of Cleveland's 2016 run is that it occurred with virtually no contribution from arguably the club's best position player. Over the previous two seasons, Michael Brantley had batted .319 with an .876 OPS to go along with 35 homers and 90 doubles, twice garnering MVP consideration. But his recovery from shoulder surgery was fraught with setbacks, limiting him to 43 plate appearances last year. He underwent another operation on the same shoulder after the season and is currently easing his way into spring activities. There's no assurance Brantley is going to come back anywhere close to his previous form, but if he does, the Indians are adding a huge impact bat. And he won't be the only one. With Napoli departing via free agency, Cleveland actually managed to upgrade by signing of Edwin Encarnacion. His numbers on average over the past five years have been better than the ones that made Napoli the lineup's best run producer. There's room for regression with a few players (especially Naquin), but the Indians have a very realistic chance to improve again offensively after scoring the league's second-most runs in 2016. Meanwhile, a pitching staff that allowed the second-fewest brings back every key member. Kluber, Carrasco and Salazar will be back at the top of the rotation. Trevor Bauer, still only 26, is a breakout candidate. Boone Logan joins the bullpen as a situational weapon to deploy ahead of Miller and Cody Allen. One of Derek Falvey's biggest early difficulties while running the Twins will be dealing with the juggernaut he helped build in Cleveland. This is a well-rounded squad that is going to be tough to take a series from. Why They'll Be Worse The "gotta stay healthy" stipulation applies to any team, but Cleveland has more prominent concerns than most in this regard. Brantley is of course a wild card at this point. Salazar dealt with a late-season flexor strain and missed the playoffs. Kluber piled up 250 total innings while going max-effort into November. The farm system is solid but most of their top prospects – including catcher Francisco Mejia, who they could really use – are still a ways off. A few major injuries could at least make things interesting, but I think it would take a disastrous turn of events for the Indians to lose their standing as clear favorites in the division and in the league. Three Key Storylines 1. Can Trevor Bauer throw enough strikes to give the rotation a fourth dominator? 2. Will Michael Brantley be able to get past his nightmarish shoulder woes? 3. Can Andrew Miller repeat what he did last year after throwing nearly 100 relief innings? Click here to view the article

Every year at least one player ends up making the Minnesota Twins 25-man roster out of spring training that few expected to do so at the outset of camp. Let's examine a few of the top candidates among this year's non-roster invite group to latch on, and what kinds of roles they might play.There are a number of NRIs who stand a good chance of making the team and shouldn't really be viewed as "sleepers" per se. For instance, I would say Chris Gimenez is the favorite to win the backup catcher job, and Craig Breslow probably has better than a 50/50 shot at making the bullpen, provided his experimentations prove fruitful. ByungHo Park is hardly under the radar, especially after his hot start. The four names below are relative long shots, but any could force his way into the picture by making the right impressions over the coming month. Drew Stubbs, OF The 32-year-old brings with him plenty of experience, which is something Paul Molitor and the front office have openly coveted. Stubbs has piled up more than 3,000 plate appearances in the majors, contributing to multiple playoff teams. Even though he batted .195 during brief stints with the Rangers, Thad Levine liked what he saw enough to go get him. As a strikeout-prone power hitter, his offensive profile is a bit redundant. But if the Twins want to add some veteran balance on an offensive unit that projects six regulars 26 and under, carrying Stubbs over Danny Santana might be the best way to do it. Much will depend on how Stubbs looks in the field; a team carrying Robbie Grossman as fourth outfielder can't afford another defensive liability as the fifth. J.B. Shuck, OF Another vet angling to overtake a very vulnerable Santana. Shuck faces longer odds than Stubbs, to be sure, but could gain an edge if he's clearly better with the glove. A low-power contact hitter in the Piranha mold, he hasn't produced in the big leagues but had a .380 OBP in the minors. Shuck has all the traits of a solid final bench guy, and would complement the slow-footed Grossman well in the outfield reserves. Ben Paulsen, 1B During his first two seasons in Colorado, Paulsen batted .284 with an .809 OPS. Good production, and the type that Minnesota would love to get at the DH spot. Unfortunately, it was a small sample (420 PA) buoyed by hitter-friendly Coors Field and tainted by poor plate discipline. Last year, the bottom fell out and Paulsen spent much of the summer in Triple-A. This spring he would need to significantly outshine both Park and Kennys Vargas, as he undoubtedly enters camp trailing both. Swinging from the same side as starting first baseman Joe Mauer also works against him. Still, Paulsen does have some things working for him: he's still fairly young (29) but has logged more MLB time – with better overall numbers – than either Vargas or Park. The message coming into this camp has been clear: nothing is being handed to anyone. Therein lies Paulsen's advantage. Ryan Vogelsong, RHP There are some people in the know who tell me Vogelsong is an odds on favorite to make the roster as long as he holds his own this spring. I'm not sure I really understand that, but his appeal is apparent enough. The righty has been around the block, with nearly 300 appearances in the majors since debuting all the way back in 2000. Vogelsong experienced a late-career renaissance, making his first All-Star team at age 33 and then following with another quality season. But he hasn't been good in four years and is about to turn 40, with almost every measurable trending the wrong way. It sounds like the Twins value the veteran for more than simply his production. Commending Vogelsong's leadership, assistant GM Rob Antony said shortly after the signing: "I think he communicates well with the younger pitchers and tries to help them. From all accounts, he’s got really, really good makeup.” A later quote from Antony seems to tell the story: “He could give some of our younger guys more time to develop if they’re not ready.” Click here to view the article

Over the last two weeks, Twins Daily unveiled its choices for the Top 20 prospects in the Twins system. Today, we'll review that list and shake out some key takeaways gleaned from a look at the current state of the farm.We were spoiled. For a run of several years, Minnesota was constantly gracing national top prospect lists with premier names. Byron Buxton has been near the top of every ranking since he became a pro, with kids like Miguel Sano, Jose Berrios and Max Kepler also scoring high placements. Now, each of those bright young talents has graduated to the majors, leaving this once-elite system looking rather ordinary. At least, from an outside perspective. It's been a long time since the Twins have been so sparsely represented on these national lists. But when you account for the high-caliber players who are no longer eligible, and the sneaky starpower this system offers, there's more here than meets the eye. Here's a recap of our Top 20, with one-sentence synopses for each: 20. Justin Haley, RHP: Polished righty could make fast, albeit limited, impact. 19. Ben Rortvedt, C: Raw teenage catcher is a potential fast riser on the list. 18. Engelb Vielma, SS: Defensive whiz with minimal offensive punch. 17. Nick Burdi, RHP: Fireballing reliever must get healthy after lost year. 16. Zack Granite, OF: Speedster has makings of a versatile fourth outfielder. 15. LaMonte Wade, OF: Perhaps the system's most disciplined hitter. 14. Daniel Palka, OF: Enormous power hindered by severe contact issues. 13. JT Chargois, RHP: Closer potential if he commands ferocious stuff. 12. Felix Jorge, RHP: Exquisite control, but will pitches play at high levels? 11. Mitch Garver, C: Bolstered stock both at plate and behind it in 2016. 10. Lewin Diaz, 1B: Will slugger's huge raw power translate to games? 9. Travis Blankenhorn, 2B: Standout prep bat holding up well in pros. 8. Kohl Stewart, RHP: Scouts bullish despite lack of K's and iffy control. 7. Adalberto Mejia, LHP: Burly southpaw will go as far as improving slider. 6. Wander Javier, SS: 18-year-old infielder oozes upside as two-way asset. 5. Tyler Jay, LHP: FB/SL combo beyond legit, though SP transition in doubt. 4. Nick Gordon, SS: Well-rounded skill set with excellent pedigree and genes. 3. Alex Kirilloff, OF: Hitting tools are off the charts, but has a long way to go. 2. Stephen Gonsalves, LHP: Lanky southpaw has dominated everywhere. 1. Fernando Romero, RHP: Possesses body and repertoire of workhorse SP. Positional Breakdown Catchers: 2 Infielders: 5 Outfielders: 4 RH Pitchers: 6 LH Pitchers: 3 With nine pitchers and 11 position players, the Twins strike a good organizational balance. The one unrepresented spot is third base, but Blankenhorn could end up there and so could any of the three shortstops (though Vielma's bat seems unlikely to play). There is a dearth of 1B/DH types, which would seem to increase the need for Diaz to develop. But many suspect Kirilloff will end up at the position, and either way, sluggers who can stand at first are not in short supply these days. Starters on Deck There was quite a bit of consternation over the front office's lack of action during the offseason when it came to addressing the rotation, but the truth is that it makes little sense to crowd the unit with veterans right now. Starting pitchers comprised half of our Top 10. One finished the year at Triple-A and three at Double-A. The one who finished in Single-A, Romero, is catching up after missed time and could beat everyone else to the majors. The Twins need to maintain flexibility so that they can usher these arms into the big leagues as they become ready. Ace in the Hole I can see how Romero is not a particularly compelling No. 1 prospect in the context of his placements on national lists. But this is a byproduct of the lack of data on him; he has made only 31 starts in five years as a pro. The big right-hander finally got healthy and showed his stuff last year, and it appears likely his injury troubles are behind him (knocks furiously on wood). If that progression continues, I fully believe he will be viewed as a better asset than Jose De Leon – the coveted prospect Minnesota passed up in Brian Dozier trade talks – a year from now. Maybe even three months from now. That really changes the complexion of this system in a big way. More Help on the Way Beyond the potential for Romero and a few others to rise fast, the Twins are also set to add more top-tier prospect talent this summer. Obviously they have the top selection in June's draft. They'll also get a competitive balance pick (35) and the first pick in the second round (37), not to mention the first selection in every subsequent round. The recently restructured amateur scouting department could hardly ask to be dealt a more favorable first hand. Arrival Timelines Based on the ETAs we laid out, here's a loose idea of when you can expect these 20 players to start contributing to the big-league club: 2017: Mejia, Garver, Chargois, Palka, Haley 2018: Romero, Gonsalves, Gordon, Jay, Stewart, Jorge, Granite, Burdi, Vielma 2019: Wade, Diaz 2020: Kirilloff, Blankenhorn 2021: Rortvedt 2022: Javier Again, this reinforces the mindset behind avoiding hard commitments in the rotation. Romero, Gonsalves, Jay, Mejia and Stewart all figure to arrive within the next two years, and all are Top 10 prospects with very legitimate shots at panning out in the majors. As a rebuilding club, the Twins are wise to avoid setting up additional roadblocks. The Clearest Weakness The evident strength of this system right now is pitching, and that's exactly how it should be. But suddenly there's not a whole lot of assurance on incoming bats. There is some significant upside with guys like Kirilloff, Diaz and Javier, but they are all several years away. With the closer players like Gordon, Garver, Granite and Vielma, it's not totally clear they'll hit enough to be impact big-leaguers. Quite the reversal from years past when names such as Sano, Buxton and Kepler led the way, but therein lies the relief: the projected Twins lineup features six regulars 26 and under. Final Thoughts I can honestly say that, in my view, this is the most exciting time for the Twins system since I've been closely following the team. Not just because of the players currently coming through the pipeline, but even more so because the prospects we've been following so obsessively over the past few years have arrived. Buxton, Sano, Kepler and Polanco will all probably be in the Opening Day lineup. Jose Berrios ought to be in the rotation. Each has taken some initial lumps in the majors. The heralded core looks ready to jell, and there is plenty of intriguing talent on the way, with a critical opportunity to reload coming up in June. 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^^ Arbitrary endpoint I admit but I just think it's very relevant to look at the way he finished, given the circumstances.

Not at all, especially in light of the looong layoff. He got better as the summer went on. In his last 7 starts with Fort Myers, Romero struck out 45 in 39 innings (10.3 K/9, 30.4%). No pitcher in the FSL with 100+ innings even had a 24% K-rate.

Ever since Byron Buxton broke out in his first full season in the minors, he's been an easy choice as the top piece in Minnesota's system. From 2014 through 2016, Buxton was named either the No. 1 or No. 2 prospect in the game on basically every preseason prospect list, making his placement atop Twins-specific rankings a mere formality. Last year, Buxton graduated out of qualifying status, opening up this distinction for the first time in what feels like ages. In this new world, Twins Daily's choice for the top Twins prospect goes against the grain.Age: 22 (DOB: 12/24/94) 2016 Stats (A/A+): 90.1 IP, 1.89 ERA, 90/15 K/BB, 0.90 WHIP ETA: 2018 2016 Ranking: NA National Top 100 Rankings BA: NR | MLB: NR | ESPN: 65 | BP: NR Fernando Romero presents, I think, a unique situation in my time writing about the Twins. The process of creating our TD rankings involves congregating national perspectives, factoring in our personal preferences, and making adjustments based on what we've seen or heard directly. We found more variance across all those facets this year than I can ever recall. There was no obvious pick for the top billing on this list, and if there was, it certainly wouldn't be Romero. He does not appear in three of the four national Top-100 rankings that we lean on for outside context. Even Keith Law of ESPN, who favors him, had the right-hander outside his top fifty. In the 2017 Prospect Handbook, each of the three collaborators (Seth, Jeremy and Cody) had different picks for No. 1 in the system – none chose Romero. Yet, when the time came for our editorial group to settle on the official Twins Daily rankings, he felt like the natural choice despite being completely absent from last year's Top 20 (and even Aaron Gleeman's Top 40). So just what is it about this 22-year-old with fewer than 200 pro innings that earns him our nod as best Minnesota Twins prospect? At the end of the day, the buzz is just too loud to ignore. What's To Like In late 2011, the Twins signed Romero as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic when he was 16. They outbid at least two other teams who were deeply interested, locking him up for a reported $260,000. That's a fairly hefty sum and Romero made good on it with some promising early returns in rookie ball. Minnesota put him on the fast track by sending him to Class-A Cedar Rapids as a 19-year-old in 2014, but the righty lasted only three starts before succumbing to a barking elbow. He underwent Tommy John surgery in June and went on to miss the entire 2015 season. For a long time, Romero was simply out of sight. Even if you consider yourself a well-informed Twins fan, there's a decent chance you've never heard his name before. But his return to the scene in 2016 was so impressive, and such a vivid reminder of his immense potential, that there's now no ignoring his huge presence (both figuratively and literally) in Minnesota's pitching pipeline. In November, when the time came to shield minor-leaguers from Rule 5 eligibility, Romero was among the prospects elevated to a precious 40-man roster spot. For many unfamiliar onlookers, it was a curious move. For anyone who followed his resurgent campaign, it was the opposite of a surprise. After opening the year in extended spring, Romero was unleashed upon the Midwest League in late May, and needed only a month there to convince the front office he was ready for the next step. At Fort Myers, he put together a brilliant 11-start stretch, allowing just one home run over 62 innings with a 65-to-10 K/BB ratio. His best work came at the end of the summer, when he rattled off three consecutive scoreless starts with 28 strikeouts and two walks before hitting a predetermined inning limit. These are extraordinarily encouraging signs from a kid who is coming back from reconstructive elbow surgery and almost a two-year absence. He exhibited zero rust, bypassing the initial control issues that often plague Tommy John survivors. And the stuff? It caught everyone's attention. "He's an extremely special talent," said Jeff Smith, manager of the Miracle. "Talent like he has doesn't come along very often." "He's probably got some of the best stuff in our organization," opined Henry Bonilla, the pitching coach for Fort Myers. Brice Zimmerman, who recently moved on from the Miracle's media department, took his praise a step further, calling Romero the "best arm I've seen in six years" with the team. The positive reviews are contagious, and why wouldn't they be? Even over long outings, Romero can maintain mid-90s velocity with the heater and he's been known to dial it up to 100 MPH. He adds a hard cutter, and locates a power slider that consistently puts hitters away with two strikes. Even his changeup is more advanced than most at his age. Romero delivers from a large sturdy frame, which presents a cautionary factor in the eyes of some. At 6-feet-even, he surely weighs a good bit more than his listed 215. He's a big boy. I've heard exaggerated physique comparisons to Bartolo Colon and I don't think they were intended to be flattering. But then again, Colon is still pitching effectively in the majors at age 43 and continues to pile up huge inning totals year after year. This isn't to say Romero should be content to let himself balloon, but as long as he stays on top of his conditioning I don't see his build as a mark against him; quite the contrary in fact. Big pitchers with tree trunk legs who generate power from the lower half tend to hold up better against the punishing workload demands of starting in the majors. Romero combines the stuff, command, intuition, poise and physical foundation to project as a workhorse at the front of the rotation. That can't be said about anyone else in the organization, and arguably there hasn't been a Twins prospect to embody all those qualities in many years. This is why we feel confident in labeling Romero as the cream of the system's prospect crop heading into the 2017 season. What's Left To Work On All that remains is for Romero stay healthy and do his thing. His arsenal will play at any level and any mild concerns over his control evaporated over the course of the season (he walked six of 170 batters in his final eight starts). Obviously, any guy who hasn't yet totaled 100 innings in a season has much to prove in the durability department, but Romero gives little reason for concern. He handled everything thrown at him in his first year back and got stronger as the summer wore on. I will note there has been some apprehension expressed over his delivery. Said Law: "Romero over-rotates in his delivery and lands wide open, which often causes a pitcher to yank pitches to his glove side. Romero hasn’t had that problem yet, but for command’s sake and the health of his elbow, he should be landing online to the plate." This is an area where where the developmental impact of Derek Falvey, a noted student of pitching mechanics, could be particularly beneficial. What's Next Where the Twins choose to start Romero could prove quite telling with regard to their plans for him. No one would blame the organization for sending him back to High-A, with an eye on repeating the strong start, then earning a midseason promotion to Double-A and maybe a late trip to Rochester or even a September call-up. But his 11 starts with the Miracle last year made it pretty clear he's ready for the next challenge. If he starts in Chattanooga, a fast start immediately puts him on the big-league radar, since he's already on the 40-man roster. He'd potentially be ahead of guys like Tyler Jay and Kohl Stewart – who already have experience in Double-A – in line for an MLB debut. ~~~ Read up on our previous installments in the Twins Daily top prospects series: TD Top Prospects: #20-16 TD Top Prospects: #15-11 TD Top Prospects: #10 Lewin Diaz TD Top Prospects: #9 Travis Blankenhorn TD Top Prospects: #8 Kohl Stewart TD Top Prospects: #7 Adalberto Mejia TD Top Prospects: #6 Wander Javier TD Top Prospects: #5 Tyler Jay TD Top Prospects: #4 Nick Gordon TD Top Prospects: #3 Alex Kirilloff TD Top Prospects: #2 Stephen Gonsalves TD Top Prospects: #1 Fernando Romero Click here to view the article

I've seen several scouting reports that envision him ending up at first base. That's not necessarily the worst thing, though. Twins don't have a long-term answer there after Mauer.