Nick Nelson

alskn: One thing I would suggest is using the "Paste From Word" button (http://screencast.com/t/KHxLfNT2D) when you paste in your content. This tends to keep some of the spacing/formatting elements intact.

This week we asked members to share your thoughts on Joe Mauer and the Twins in our blog section, offering up free pizza to all who participated. The response was tremendous. Fifteen of you checked in with entries that incorporated the topic of Mauer, often in very creative ways. For those who wrote, keep an eye on your Twins Daily inbox this weekend for your Papa John's promo code. Here's a recap of the stories that have been shared:Blast From the Past: Mauer's Inside the Park Home Run, by hugelycat: A look back at one of the quirkier moments in Mauer's career. After working the count to 3-2, Mauer rips a pitch from Scot Shields to center. Gary Matthews Jr. makes a valiant try at leaping for the ball, but he can’t get to it. The ball ends up rebounding off the wall, with Matthews rolling to the ground. Where We Are, Where We Are Going, by alskntwnsfn: A deep statistical look at where the Twins currently stand, with analysis of what those numbers mean going forward. The Forums and Blogs could fill volumes about what has transpired, what should have happened, and where we can go from here. However, I'd like to take a more quantitative approach and look at the team versus the rest of the league to see what we can deduce about the team and where they are losing the most ground. Rebuilding From 90 Losses to a Playoff Team, by jay: The Twins are in their fourth straight year of losing baseball. Looking at historical data for other teams, how long will it take to get back to the postseason? The Twins are about to wrap year 3 since 2011's 90+ losses. We're certainly hopeful that the Twins reach the playoffs before 2017 or 2018, but it's feasible to think that could be the case as prospects continue to develop and grow into producers at the MLB level. The Twins appear pretty close to on track for "average" or just ahead. A Mauer Resurgence Will Prove Vital, by Shane Wahl: Looking at how the Twins' lineup will shape up going forward, we can conclude that strong production from Mauer will be key to offensive production. Buxton is going to be in scoring position a lot for Mauer, and the hit and run potential is clearly there. Aside from that, Mauer's OBP in from of Sano, Vargas, and Dozier is going to be huge. Everyone's a Doctor: Joe Mauer, the Injury Bug, and the Notion of "Toughness", by trevor.aufderheide: Digging into the perceptions surrounding Mauer and his willingless (or lack thereof) to play through injuries. In baseball, a game where healthy hitters have a hard enough time hitting 95-mph fastballs, playing someone whose swing and instincts are off due to injury makes no sense. Additionally, most writers and fans lack the medical knowledge and insider information that professional medical staffs possess, so who are they to demand playing time from afflicted athletes? New Hopes, by Twins and Losses: Celebrating this week's return of Obi-Wan Kenob-- er, Joe Mauer. Joe Mauer might be the crazy, old wizard of Minnesota Twins lore at some point, but the former MVP has shown that he still has some magic left. The Rebirth of a Hometown Hero, by kevinhorner: Mauer's return to the field serves as a reminder of all the great skills he brings to the table, and how those skills can benefit the team's fortunes going forward. On Monday night, under the lights of Minute Maid Park, Joe Mauer instilled hope back into the hearts of Twins’ fans after missing essentially the whole month of July with a strained oblique. Secret Cabin, by Minnie Paul and Mary: How does Mauer figure into the team's failures over the last few seasons? He's an easy target, but doesn't deserve the blame. Even when Boston came knocking, we weren't interested. We never were. Trading Joe Mauer was never an option. So when the team started losing, the fans kept asking for more from the man who had never let them down before. The Game, by ashburyjohn: A fictional, yet amusing and eloquent, conversation between Mauer, Morneau and Gardy. Mauer studied the manager for a moment, and then looked at Morneau, who sat as still as if carved out of marble. "There are lots of things Morneau would never say," he told the others quietly, while staring at the Canadian intently. "He'd never say anything vindictive or dishonest, for instance." He pursed his lips thoughtfully. "It's funny," he finally told Morneau slowly. "I think I know you very well. But it's hard to nail down just one sentence I'd never expect to hear from you." How to Save Joe Mauer's Career, by goulik: Perhaps what Mauer needs to do is more closely emulate another famous first baseman in the team's history. Joe is the second coming of the hometown guy. Unlike Hrbek, he sat behind the dish, made a superstar name for himself with the national media, and received the awards and praise denied his predecessor. Pizza and Joe Mauer, by ReturnOfShaneMack: How Mauer's career can be likened to that good old dingy yet delicious pizza place in your hometown. Joe Mauer hasn’t changed. But Minnesotans’ perception of him has. He’s the pizza place’s pizza. He’s the same, reliable (and, let’s be honest, plain cheese) pizza he’s always been. 2016 Twins, by tobi0040: Projecting each position on Twins not next year, but the year after. Joe Mauer will be under contract thru 2018 and it is really hard to see a scenario where Joe is not with the team. His contract is next to immovable, even if he was having a typical .330, 10 HR pace. He, of course is not. I have never been a huge proponent of playing a guy to play for someone else and the Twins aren’t going to do that. Going Green with the Twins, by hybridbear: Various musings on Mauer, the Twins' Spanish broadcasting team and the team's admirable sustainibility efforts. Their efforts to capture & reuse rainwater are well publicized, but some of their other efforts which are less well known also deserve attention. Youth Movement, by Target Field of Dreams: How does Mauer (and other veterans) fit into the organization's prospect-based rebuilding process? While the young guys will take their lumps and struggle, see Trevor May's first start as an example of this, it is exciting to see them get their shots. It's important for them to get a chance to figure things out, so they can help us next year and for the Twins to figure out what they have as they plan their roster decisions for years to come. Monday Morning Madness: August 11, 2014, by Brad Swanson: Mauer and several other topics are covered in another installment of Swanson's excellent MMM series. Eduardo Escobar is tied with Jose Abreu for 10th in the AL with 29 doubles. It seems like a good time to remind everyone that he was behind Pedro Florimon on the depth chart when the season started. Pedro Florimon was batting .108/.194/.154 when the Twins finally switched to Escobar on May 7. When we launched Twins Daily, one of the overarching reasons was that we wanted not only to write about the Twins, but also to read about them. In that spirit, this has been a really fun week for all of us. I hope that those of you who blogged here for the first time as part of this contest will try it again, and that those who are already blogging regularly will keep chugging along. Click here to view the article

Because the players who will fill many of those holes haven't arrived yet. What I meant is that they have few holes to fill externally via FA or trade. For instance, why would they acquire a third baseman when Sano is on the way? Why would they sign a starter when they've already got Meyer/May/Milone/Gibson/Nolsaco lined up?

Correct, thanks. I got a little bit mixed up, and had meant to mention the Morales trade as well, since it also fits with the general theme of the article.

As the Minnesota Twins have skidded to poor finishes in each of the past three seasons, many fans have been just as frustrated -- if not more so -- with the lack of organizational direction as the losses piled up in recent Augusts and Septembers. Too often there has been ambiguity about whether to buy or sell. Too often there has been reluctance to part with veteran players who weren't part of the long-term plan. Too often there has been inaction. None of that can be said about the front office's decision-making as we head toward another disappointing finish here in 2014.The Twins made only one deal before the non-waiver deadline on July 31st, sending Sam Fuld to the A's for Tommy Milone in what might go down as one of Terry Ryan's niftier pickups, but they've been characteristically active on the trade market here in August. Over the weekend, they dealt Kevin Correia to the Dodgers, making room for Milone in the rotation. And on Monday, needing to free up a roster spot for the return of Joe Mauer, Ryan was able to send Josh Willingham to the Royals. A couple fairly intriguing minor-league pitchers came back in the Correia and Willingham swaps, but the chief imperative there was always to open up playing time for younger guys. The deals also work out pretty well for the departing players, who head from the cellar-dwelling Twins to first-place contenders. Neither Correia nor Willingham has ever made a postseason appearance despite a combined 23 years of experience in the majors. Both have a good shot now. The Twins might not be done. There are still a few relievers on the roster who could draw interest from competing teams and are likely in their final year here -- most notably Jared Burton and Brian Duensing. There are several bullpen arms in Rochester that deserve a look. Additionally, as Mike Berardino pointed out on Tuesday, Ryan might try and find a suitor for Yohan Pino; his 1-5 record and 5.37 ERA won't wow anybody, but his solid peripherals -- in addition to his spectacular Triple-A numbers -- could stir up a bit of interest from a club needing a fifth starter or added rotation depth. The Twins have motivation to move Pino with Ricky Nolasco expected to return from his rehab stint soon. The ongoing rebuild that has been taking place here in Minnesota has been a difficult one to endure, filled with fits and starts, injury setbacks and indecisiveness. But finally, you can really begin to feel some momentum building. The Twins might be headed toward another 90-loss finish, but pieces are beginning to fall into place. May and Milone have arrived. Kennys Vargas is getting his feet wet while Danny Santana continues to build his case for a prominent 2015 role. Prospects are starting to be moved up more aggressively, with Byron Buxton's promotion to Double-A despite underwhelming numbers in Ft. Myers serving as the latest example. It's hard to heap praise on a franchise that has shown little in the way of on-field progress, but the Twins have done a good job of clearing house, and will enter this offseason with relatively few holes to fill. They'll have plenty of money to address those that can't be filled by incoming youth. "Wait until next year" might not be the most satisfying mantra to fall back on, but after a lot of treading water, it feels like we can at least feel confident in saying it now. Click here to view the article

This week on Twins Daily, you can earn a free dinner simply by sharing your thoughts on the team. Our friends at Papa John's gave us a bunch of complimentary pizza coupons to give away to our members, so we're going to give one to every reader who posts a blog here on the site between today (Monday) and Thursday at midnight. You write a blog, you get a pizza*. It's that simple. There are only two rules:1) The blog entry must be 100 words or longer. 2) The post must, in some way, incorporate Joe Mauer. Mauer seemed like a natural theme for the week given that he's returning from his oblique injury and his future is in question as he suffers through a career-worst season at age 31. He doesn't need to be the focus of your story, but he must be involved in some way. Other than that, you're free to take it whichever direction you want. If you haven't done so yet, creating a blog here on Twins Daily is extremely easy. Simply click "Blogs" on the top navigation, then click "Create a Blog." Customize a few things and you'll be ready to rock. If you already blog somewhere else and want to simply re-post an entry here with a link back, that's fine. We want people to find your work. On Friday, we will send promo codes for a free large two-topping pizza from Papa John's to everyone who posted a blog meeting the two aforementioned requirements. So keep an eye on your direct message inbox (it's that envelope icon on the upper right part of your screen). We will also pick a couple of our favorite stories and promote them to the front page. Have fun! We look forward to reading. * Free pizza promo codes are valid for Minnesota Papa John's locations only, but if you blog from out of state you can forward yours to someone here in MN as a gift. ----- Hi. This is John adding on to Nick's excellent story with a couple of ideas and a tip. Ideas: You can take the story just about any direction you want. Hate Joe? Love him? Want to put him in a historical context for the Twins? For MLB? Satire? Review his minor league career? Break down this week's at-bats pitch by pitch? Review the contract? Talk to his high school coach? Want to talk about where he should bat in the lineup? His defense? They're all fine. Tip One: One mistake that bloggers often fall into is that they feel the need to hit "Publish" too soon. Your story likely isn't that urgent. After you write it on your PC, save it. Let it marinade. Come back to it tomorrow. Show it to your wife for suggestions or editing. Then publish. You'll be amazed at how your eyes view it differently the next day. Tip Two: Brock just wrote up an awesome post on how to create/enter your own blog on the site. Click here to see it. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: beerbaseball.jpg Are you coming out to TwinsFest at the Metrodome next weekend? Maybe on the fence and looking for some extra incentive to make the trip? Or skipping the event and just interested in having some fun downtown on a Saturday night? Twins Daily will be hosting a get-together at Hubert’s across the street from the Dome on Saturday, January 26, starting at 6:00 PM – right after TwinsFest shuts down. And because we love you all, we’ll be providing a few rounds of free beers and raffling off cool prizes like DiamondCentric apparel, Twins Prospect Handbooks and game tickets. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The gathering figures to last throughout the evening, and the entire TD.com crew will be in attendance, along with a few noteworthy guests. It’s been a long winter and spring training is nearly upon us, so let us prepare by congregating, chatting baseball and enjoying some drinks and food. See you there! Click here to view the article

In most cases I'd agree with you but as I see it, the decision-making here isn't guided by performance. It's about taking every step possible -- call it "kid gloves" if you want -- to protect Meyer's arm and ensure he'll be healthy for next year. That supercedes the importance of him getting a few starts against big-league hitters. There have been too many injuries to this organization's top prospects.

With the Twins once again buried in last place and their starting pitching staff once again ranking among the worst in the league, fans have been asking the same question for much of the summer. When will Trevor May and Alex Meyer get the call?By all appearances, both of the highly rated pitching prospects have been MLB-ready for some time. May and Meyer rank fifth and sixth, respectively, on the International League ERA leaderboard, and they're both in the top three for strikeout rate. Yet, both have been left to dominate in Triple-A while the Twins give starts to lesser talents like Kris Johnson, Logan Darnell and Yohan Pino. We're now almost a week into August, and still there's no clear indication that either May or Meyer is even on the verge of a promotion. It's not hard to see why people are frustrated, but at the same time, there are circumstances at play with both pitchers that need to be recognized. May is very, very close. When he was seemingly nearing a call-up in June, he suffered an ill-timed calf injury that cost him a month, and he's been working his way back. Just now has he finally returned to a normal workload; he threw 99 pitches in his last start, the first time since mid-June that he's gone over 80. He's already on the 40-man roster. Bringing him up is a simple move at this point. I have to imagine that May will be on the Twins within the next turn or two through the rotation. The wait for Meyer will probably last longer. He might not even debut in 2014. And while that's unfortunate to hear, it's not something to get riled up at the organization over. Last year, Meyer missed two months -- more than a third of his season -- with a sore throwing shoulder. It was very scary, especially when you consider that his size and delivery always elicited injury concerns from scouts. Fortunately, the shoulder has been fine this year. He hasn't missed a start and has been making mincemeat of minor-league hitters. But when you look at this pitch count from start to start, it's obvious that the Twins are being very cautious with him. Here are Meyer's inning totals and pitch counts for each outing with Rochester this season: 4/6: 5.0 IP, 79 pitches 4/12: 5.1 IP, 83 pitches 4/18: 3.2 IP, 77 pitches 4/23: 6.2 IP, 100 pitches 4/28: 6.0 IP, 100 pitches 5/4: 4.2 IP, 92 pitches 5/10: 4.0 IP, 92 pitches 5/15: 5.0 IP, 69 pitches 5/22: 5.1 IP, 79 pitches 5/28: 6.0 IP, 88 pitches 6/2: 5.0 IP, 78 pitches 6/7: 6.0 IP, 81 pitches 6/13: 2.0 IP, 51 pitches 6/18: 3.0 IP, 78 pitches 6/23: 3.2 IP, 73 pitches 6/28: 6.0 IP, 77 pitches 7/3: 6.0 IP, 86 pitches 7/8: 6.0 IP, 96 pitches 7/18: 6.0 IP, 88 pitches 7/23: 6.0 IP, 86 pitches 7/29: 5.0 IP, 96 pitches 8/3: 5.2 IP, 91 pitches Looking at the game log, a few things stand out. First, he's only been allowed to pitch into the seventh inning once all season, despite the fact that he's routinely blowing away opposing lineups. Second, only seven times in 22 starts has he been pushed over 90 pitches. Twins Daily member jokin was in attendance during Meyer's latest start in Louisville, and described the performance in a post here on our forums. His writeup noted that Meyer was pulled rather abruptly with two outs in the fifth despite "looking completely in command of the game," as the righty had surpassed the 90-pitch threshold. This observation coincides with what we're seeing in Meyer's pitch count trends. There's a clear effort being made to monitor him very closely and pull him out of games where he's laboring or approaching that triple-digit pitch mark. It's a lot easier to do that in Triple-A, where the games don't really matter, than in the majors. Big-league starters are expected to throw more than 90 pitches. And Meyer, whose command remains spotty despite all his notable strengths, could have some games where he hits that 90-pitch mark pretty quickly as he transitions to the highest level. That taxes a bullpen. As a fan, I am dying to see Meyer pitch in a Twins uniform. But at the same time, I'm not going to fault the organization for taking every precaution with such a highly valuable arm, especially in a lost season. If they just want to get him through a full, healthy campaign, with the idea of having him try and win a spot next spring, I can live with that. At this point, it might not make much of a difference. He has already thrown 112 innings this year, which is eight more than he threw total last year, between the regular season and Arizona Fall League. As careful as they've been with him, it's hard to imagine the Twins letting Meyer top 150 innings this season. That means he might only have five or six starts left. While it would be nice for the fans if a few of those come in the majors, that also requires adding him to the 40-man and starting his service clock. Those aren't huge hurdles, necessarily, but they're factors. Ultimately, it wouldn't shock me if the Twins let Meyer finish out in Triple-A, and it wouldn't really upset me. International League hitters might feel differently. ------------ Since the Twins won on Tuesday, you can get half off your L or XL pizza order from PapaJohns.com on Wednesday with the promo code 'TWINSWIN'! Click here to view the article

Right, so, don't you want him playing there and trying to improve? He's 23 years old, right at the crux of his development as a player. If they're hoping he can play short long-term, he should be playing there regularly right now. It just doesn't make sense to use him as a place-holder at another position.

In a summer that's been marked by plenty of misfortune for the Twins, Danny Santana's shocking success has been hugely refreshing. The 23-year-old's stellar rookie season raged on over the weekend as he piled up eight hits in a pair of victories on Saturday and Sunday.Through his first 52 big-league games, Santana is hitting .325/.362/.497 with 21 extra-base hits and eight steals. Although his plate discipline hasn't been great -- he has struck out more than four times for every walk and has looked flat-out overmatched in some games -- his "hit" tool certainly looks legit. With another season heading down the tubes, the Twins needed a thriving young player they could point to as a sign of promising things to come. Santana has been that. The Twins needed a speedster that they could plug into the leadoff spot; a spark-plug type that could get on base, run around and disrupt. Santana has been that. He has also, surprisingly, filled another critical need that emerged early on for the Twins. Santana has made 29 of his 45 starts in center field, a position he played minimally in the minor leagues. The athletic Dominican hasn't looked bad in center, where his wheels and arm have been nice assets, but that's not his position of the future. And as much as he's helping the Twins by stepping in and excelling when called upon, he is at a critical point in his development and is hardly getting any reps at shortstop. Santana was already considered a raw defender at short, needing work and polish, and he's not getting the chance to refine his game while spending so much time in the outfield. Ideally, he would spend the majority of his time at his true position for the remainder of the season. But the who takes over center? With Sam Fuld gone, there are basically two choices. The New Guy The Twins snagged Fuld off waivers earlier this year and were able to find his replacement by the same method, claiming 27-year-old Jordan Schafer after he'd been designated for assignment by the Braves. Schafer emerged as a top-tier prospect five years ago, when he was putting up big numbers in the minors thanks to a potent power/speed combo. He has never been able to replicate that success in the big leagues, where he has a .222/.307/.304 hitting line in parts of five seasons. He's not likely to be a very productive hitter (he had a miserable .468 OPS in Atlanta before being cut) but there's some value in running him out there a bunch to get an idea of whether or not he might be worth keeping around next year as a fourth outfielder. Also, he's young enough, and inherently talented enough, that maybe with some regular at-bats you catch lightning in a bottle. It's unlikely, but not impossible. Of course, there's another guy on hand who could also be auditioned for a role next year... What About Aaron Hicks? Sent back to Double-A after another blown opportunity in the majors, Hicks toyed with the notion of giving up switch-hitting and appeared to be running low on confidence. Now, he's got his swag back. He is once again swinging from both sides, and swinging well. In 43 games with New Britain, Hicks is hitting .297/.404/.466. Over his last 10 contests he has a 1.122 OPS. He's taking walks and, more importantly, hitting the ball hard. I know the thought of sending Hicks directly from Double-A to MLB, again, makes some people squeamish. But I don't see a whole lot of benefit in sending him to Rochester. He needs to learn how to hit at the highest level. He needs to make the adjustments to have success against big-league pitching. Being that he's back in a groove, perhaps the time is right to let him try to make those adjustments in a fairly low-pressure environment. A good showing would make it a lot easier to pencil him into the 2015 blueprint, as opposed to a strong finish in the minors. Then again, the Twins could hardly be blamed for wanting to slow things down with Hicks, letting him finish out in the minors while getting increasingly acclimated to the outfield corners. What do you think? Who would you like to see as the regular center fielder the rest of the way, knowing that by this time next year, Byron Buxton might already be entrenched for the next decade? Click here to view the article

Download attachment: miguelsano.jpg The Twins dropped two of three in Washington over the weekend, widening their deficit in the AL Central to 7.5 games. For the big-league club, things are looking rather grim. That was to be expected, however, and fortunately things are considerably brighter down on the farm, which is where fans should be focusing their attention for signs of positivity this year. Immediately after slugging his 15th and 16th homers of the season for Ft. Myers on Sunday, Miguel Sano received his much anticipated promotion to New Britain. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]The top prospect had made a mockery of the Florida State League, and will now take his talents to Double-A, where at age 20 he'll become one of the level's youngest players. If he continues to excel, there's a reasonable chance that Sano could join the Twins as a September call-up later this year. Headed to New Britain along with Sano are Eddie Rosario and Angel Morales. Rosario was ranked by Twins Daily as the organization's No. 7 prospect prior to the season and was hitting .329 for the Miracle while flashing solid defense at second base. Morales, a once highly regarded outfield prospect who's been derailed by injuries and other issues, was enjoying a productive season in Ft. Myers and now has a chance to put himself back on the major-league track at age 23. Another advancement that didn't generate quite the same amount of buzz was James Beresford's promotion to Triple-A. The 24-year-old infielder had been batting .323 for New Britain and now joins a Rochester club hurting for production at second base. By no means is Beresford a great prospect, but he's got a good glove and has shown the ability to get on base at a solid clip. The Australian is now just one step away from the Twins, who have gotten an abysmal .610 OPS from their second basemen this year. Just another reminder that, even though things have looked plenty ugly at times for the Twins, help is on the way. What are your thoughts on these promotions? And who would you like to see moved up next? (I think I can guess one name...) Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Kevin Correia2.jpg Terry Ryan has seemed exasperated when discussing his efforts on the free agent market this offseason. In an interview on MLB Network shortly after the Ben Revere trade took place, the Twins' general manager reacted incredulously to Ken Rosenthal's suggestion that it might behoove him to get on his horse and sign a pitcher. "We've tried," Ryan chuckled. "Sometimes you just can't give your money away." Well, Terry, you have finally managed to accomplish that much. The pitching-starved Twins finally made their first foray into free agency on Monday night, inking right-hander Kevin Correia to a two-year, $10 million deal. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Here's what we had to say about Correia in the Offseason Handbook: The final parenthetical sums it up nicely. We predicted he'd land a one-year, $2.5 million contract – similar to what Jason Marquis got last year – and that's probably around where the Twins started. But in this inflated market, there is apparently no such thing as a one-year deal. Not even for a 32-year-old who has only once topped 171 innings, has one of the worst strikeout rates in baseball, and hasn't posted an ERA+ above 100 since 2007. Correia was a fourth-round pick out of college who reached the majors quickly and had some early success. But as he's aged, the quality of his stuff has diminished. When he was 26, he struck out 18.3 percent of the batters he faced. Last year, 12.2 percent. As the Handbook blurb mentions, he was bumped from the Pirates rotation midway through this past season. And he gets $10 million. This is depressing because it means one of two things. Either that Ryan actually believes a player with these attributes is worth jumping on when there are plenty of other names on the board, or that he is having so little luck attracting free agents of any caliber that he felt the need to lock up the first offer that someone – anyone – finally accepted. The GM may have feared that if he didn't act on an opportunity, he might be left with nothing. Then again, nothing probably would have been preferable to Correia. He's been a bad pitcher in the National League over the past three years and he's aging into his mid-30s. It's not clear that he's a significantly better option than Liam Hendriks or Sam Deduno, particularly if you're building toward a future contender. And he gets $10 million. This is one of the most outrageous contracts in an offseason that's been full of them. It's too bad the Twins had to be the ones to sign it. They'd have been better off adding that $10 million on top of an offer to a pitcher who could actually make a difference. Maybe not even that would be enough to entice a legitimate starter to join this club. If that's the case, then the 2013 Twins truly are hopeless. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: diamond.jpg The hits have just kept on coming for the Twins over the past two seasons, leaving those who believe in karmic balance to wonder just when a spell of good fortune would come along for a change. Apparently we're still not there yet, as La Velle E. Neal III indicated on Friday that reigning No. 1 starter Scott Diamond is "really iffy" to be ready for Opening Day after undergoing offseason elbow surgery. Diamond is a prime regression candidate, but he's the only player in the rotation mix who put together a full, successful season last year, making him the club's most reliable starting pitching commodity by default. Now he'll have a lingering injury concern on top of the question marks about his ability to sustain a breakout performance. As if Twins fans needed more bad news when it comes to the starting corps. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Diamond underwent the elbow scope to remove a bone chip in December, after late-season soreness (which may or may not have contributed to his September struggles) carried into the winter months. At the time of the surgery, Darren Wolfson was informed that "Diamond will be ready for Spring Training 2013." It would seem that the lefty has fallen behind schedule if he's now being deemed "iffy" to be at full tilt in seven weeks. And as much as I'd like to believe that this revised timetable is based on some minor setback or a conservative overall approach, the last time we saw a player wait until December to undergo a purportedly minor offseason surgery was Joe Mauer two years ago. Like with Diamond, the club began to express some reservations about Mauer's status in the early stages of spring training, and we all know how the rest of that story played out. The thought of reliving anything similar with a young pitcher that the Twins absolutely need to get solid production from this year is a bit nauseating. But the past does not dictate the future. This is a different situation from Mauer's, and hopefully one that will carry a vastly different outcome. We're about due for that, right? Click here to view the article

Every year around this time the talk is about how hope springs eternal; how the slate is wiped clean and every team is 0-0; how every club is tied for first place. For these 2013 Twins, optimism is noticeably subdued. For most people, a realistic form of “hope” involves approaching a .500 record and avoiding the cellar for a third straight year. The Twins have more question marks dotting their roster than perhaps any other team in the American League. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The odds are against them this season. Literally. Vegas set the over/under for Minnesota at 64.5 wins. Ouch. There's too much talent on the roster to call this team hopeless, but in order to be true contenders in the AL Central, the Twins will need several core players to put forth optimal seasons. They’ll need prospects to emerge and make an impact. They’ll need multiple injury flyers to pan out. Likely? Not especially. There's not much margin for error. But this is spring, so we can hope. Grapefruit League results and reports from Ft. Myers will give fans a window to the early progress of some players who could prove pivotal to this year's effort. Here are some of the key storylines worth following over the next six weeks leading up to Opening Day: 1) Center field Fittingly it will be the center of attention in the coming month, as three contenders vie for the billing as starting center fielder and, in all likelihood, leadoff man. These are big cleats to fill. Nearly each man who has spent significant time roaming center field in Minnesota over the past decade – be it Torii Hunter, Carlos Gomez, Denard Span or Ben Revere – has gained notoriety with highlight reel catches and a dynamic offensive game. It seems clear that ultimately the next in that line will be Aaron Hicks, who has all the skills necessary to generate excitement in the same way as those listed above. The only question is whether he’s ready, with no experience above Double-A. As such, he’ll be under a microscope in camp. He’s likely the leading candidate right now, but if he falters the door will be wide open for Darin Mastroianni or Joe Benson. It will be interesting to see how Hicks responds to this pressure in what could be a defining point in his young career. 2) Who rounds out the rotation? The new-comers are all but locked in. Kevin Correia and Vance Worley are sure bets to claim spots, and all reports indicate that Mike Pelfrey will surprisingly be at full tilt by the start of April. That leaves two rotation slots up for grabs, with organizational incumbents largely comprising the candidates. Scott Diamond would have probably been Opening Day starter if recovery from elbow surgery hadn’t pushed back his timeline, leaving his status for the start of the season in doubt. Kyle Gibson and Liam Hendriks, the Twins’ best MLB-ready pitching prospects, are the leading contenders for the final two spots if Diamond can’t go, but Hendriks’ struggles last year and Gibson’s surgically repaired arm could come into play. Beyond these three, there are a number of fringe contenders – such as Brian Duensing, Nick Blackburn, Rich Harden, Sam Deduno and Cole DeVries – that cannot be discounted. 3) Keystone questions We find four players in the middle infielder mix: Brian Dozier, Pedro Florimon, Jamey Carroll and Eduardo Escobar. It’s not a particularly intimidating assembly but the Twins seem comfortable with what they’ve got. At this point it appears that Ron Gardenhire favors Dozier and Florimon as starters, with Carroll and possibly Escobar serving in utility roles, but you’d have to assume that’s subject to change, based on the fact that neither Dozier nor Florimon has accomplished anything to earn the honor. No scholarships, right? 4) Pen pals Every year there are a few spots at the end of the bullpen up for grabs and this year is no different. Beyond Glen Perkins, Jared Burton, Duensing and maybe Anthony Swarzak, this unit appears to be wide open. Last month, I ran through all the candidates to fill those remaining spots. 5) Rehab central The Twins gambled on several pitchers recovering from major injuries during the offseason. Pelfrey is the headliner, and while all signs have been positive that's almost always the case in February. Still, he remains a far safer bet than Rich Harden, whose shoulder woes have limited him to 174 innings over the past three seasons, or Rafael Perez, a formerly dominant left-handed reliever who underwent his own shoulder surgery in September and will apparently be tried as a starter. The chances of either Harden or Perez sticking in the rotation are extremely low, but both carry intriguing upside, even as potential bullpen options. The way they're throwing this spring should give us a good idea of what can realistically be expected. 6) How will the Opening Day roster shake out? This will be dictated by health, performance and circumstance over the coming weeks. Here's my mid-February guess at how the roster and batting order will shake out on April 1: LINEUP CF: Aaron Hicks C: Joe Mauer LF: Josh Willingham 1B: Justin Morneau DH: Ryan Doumit 3B: Trevor Plouffe RF: Chris Parmelee 2B: Brian Dozier SS: Pedro Florimon BENCH C: Drew Butera IF: Jamey Carroll IF: Eduardo Escobar OF: Darin Mastroianni ROTATION SP: Vance Worley SP: Kevin Correia SP: Mike Pelfrey SP: Liam Hendriks SP: Kyle Gibson BULLPEN RP: Glen Perkins RP: Jared Burton RP: Brian Duensing RP: Casey Fien RP: Alex Burnett RP: Anthony Swarzak RP: Rafael Perez Download attachment: fridaygame.jpg Click here to view the article

Download attachment: zumaya injury.jpg For Twins fans, the image is tough to forget. Joel Zumaya was pitching to Delmon Young in the eighth inning of a late June game at Target Field. On a full count, the right-hander reared back and unleashed a 99 mph fastball, which Young fouled off. It was immediately obvious that something went very wrong with Zumaya on the pitch, as he quickly clutched his right elbow and collapsed to the ground in extreme pain. His right hand was shaking violently as his coaches and teammates huddled around him near the pitcher's mound. Download attachment: 215px-Gray212.jpg As it would turn out, Zumaya suffered an elbow fracture on the delivery, specifically to the olecranon, which is the top-most point of the ulna (shown to the right). It was the latest in a long line of arm injuries for the righty – is the nature of the beast when your game is built around hurling triple-digit heaters – and it's kept him off the field for the last year and a half. Zumaya can't have fond memories of Target Field, but it looks like he'll return to pitch at the site of his most gruesome injury, as he's reportedly agreed to terms with the Twins on a one-year deal. Pending a physical – which is no simple formality in this case – the reliever will earn a base salary of $800,000 plus incentives to serve as a much-needed right-handed power arm at the back end of the bullpen. While auditioning in front of an army of scouts back in December, Zumaya was reportedly registering between 93-96 mph with decent command. That's a step back from his previous elite heat (his fastball was averaging 99.3 mph in 2010 before he went down) but it would still qualify him as the hardest thrower on the Twins' staff, and he'll likely add some ticks in spring training if he can stay healthy. That's a big "if," obviously, as the newly added setup man will join a lengthy list of health question marks in Ft. Myers. Still, Zumaya is only 27, and broken bones tend to heal more reliably than torn ligaments. If the fireballer can finally make his way through a full season with good health – something he hasn't done since his rookie year in 2006 – he could provide a huge boost from the right side in the late innings. And if things don't work out, the Twins won't be out much money, as his deal is non-guaranteed and his base salary is barely more than the club would've paid to keep Jose Mijares around. This is the kind of low-risk, high-upside signing that Terry Ryan should be looking to make whenever he can, especially with the payroll restrictions that have been imposed upon him. The fact remains, though, that if Zumaya's arm fails him as it has in five straight seasons, Alex Burnett stands to be the top fallback option. We'll see if Ryan is done shopping for relief help. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: radio_microphone.jpg With Mr. Bonnes still out of town, I stood in as the geek of the week with Aaron Gleeman for the latest GATG podcast. We spent about 100 minutes babbling about baseball and the Twins, discussing our favorite free agent pitching deals thus far and talking big picture for the local nine. Check out the latest episode via any of these channels: the podcaststhe rss feed if you want to subscribe and the podcast on iTunes. Click here to view the article

Likely Starter: Justin Morneau 2011 Stats: .227/.285/.333, 4 HR, 30 RBI, 19 R, 0/0 SB Download attachment: justin-morneau.jpg Potential Backups: Joe Mauer, Luke Hughes, Ryan Doumit, Chris Parmelee, Sean Burroughs, Steve Pearce, Aaron Bates Through a couple weeks of camp, this much can be said for Justin Morneau: he hasn't raised any warning flags yet. He's been able to get through all his workouts, he's participated in a few exhibition contests and he laced a hard double in yesterday's 'B' game that impressed spectators. But we've been through this song and dance before. A year ago Morneau made it through spring training without issue, then endured a nightmare season that was marred by numerous injuries and cut short in August by persisting concussion complications, the effects of which lingered deep into the offseason. All of this has fans wondering: will we soon reach a point where Morneau can play no more? [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The first baseman has come to terms with the reality of his situation, and candidly admitted to reporters recently that if concussion symptoms are a problem again this year, he'll probably have to call it quits. He's not going to be doing himself or the team any favors by going through a repeat of that 2011 campaign. In a best-case scenario, Morneau will shrug off his multitude of ailments and begin to once again resemble the elite slugger that anchored the middle of the Twins' lineup prior to his 2010 concussion. From 2006 to 2009, Morneau averaged 30 homers, 118 RBI and an .880 OPS. He was on pace for a career year in 2010 prior to the incident in Toronto. It really wasn't that long ago that he was among the best hitters in the league and a perennial MVP candidate. If Morneau could hold down first base and provide even league-average production at the position (last year that equated to .271/.340/.452), it would be a huge relief. Given his various maladies, though, it's tough to envision him playing 140-plus games, and even if he does there's a good chance that he'll spend a good chunk of time at designated hitter. So who fills in at first base? If Morneau's able to play there a majority of the time, Ron Gardenhire will probably be able to fill in the gaps with Joe Mauer, who will hopefully see an alleviated workload at catcher this year, and Luke Hughes, who has the advantage of being a righty that can be plugged in situationally. If Morneau moves to DH full-time or simply can't play, the situation becomes more complicated. Chris Parmelee has shown some promising signs recently and currently looks like the organization's best long-term option at first, but he still hasn't had a single at-bat in Triple-A yet. If the Twins need a regular first baseman and want to give Parmelee more time to develop, they'll probably look to one of the several minor-league veterans they have on hand. Newcomers Sean Burroughs and Steve Pearce have reasonably strong track records in the minors, as does Aaron Bates, who posted an .847 OPS in Rochester last season. Chances are that someone from this group could emerge as a palatable, if not ideal, option in Morneau's absence. Whatever happens, the focus should be on getting reasonably solid offensive production from first base this season. Last year the Twins got 18 homers and .809 OPS from the position, thanks largely to Michael Cuddyer playing there frequently and hitting extremely well when he did, but with him gone they'll need to develop a new fallback plan behind Morneau. Fortunately, like with catcher, there's enough depth to inspire some confidence. Predicted 2012 Hitting Line for Morneau: .270/.325/.425, 10 HR, 50 RBI Click here to view the article

A year ago, the Twins went into the regular season with a bench consisting of Drew Butera, Jason Repko, Matt Tolbert and Jim Thome. In other words: three guys who possessed only defensive value, and one who possessed only offensive value. It was a pretty limiting group, and the lack of flexibility caused headaches for Ron Gardenhire with starters shuttling in and out of the lineup all summer. Repko, Tolbert and Thome won't be back this year, and that's probably no coincidence. Nor is it coincidence that catcher J.R. Towles was signed during the offseason to give Butera some competition for the third catcher spot. The Twins will be hoping to boast a more well rounded bench this year, and that's definitely the right idea. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The two candidates who could be considered locks, presuming they're healthy, would be Trevor Plouffe and Luke Hughes. Neither is a stand-out defender at any spot, but both can play multiple positions and have the potential to provide legitimate value with the bat. That's what you look for in a solid backup. If all goes to plan, Plouffe will draw occasion starts in the outfield and perhaps at DH, while Hughes will fill a Brendan Harris type role, subbing in against left-handers at various infield positions. Butera is probably close to a lock, as the Twins are almost guaranteed to carry a third catcher and they're familiar with him, but team officials have been reluctant to anoint him. It would seem that the door is open for Towles to swoop in with a big spring, and while he's been a Butera-esque hitter in his big-league career up to this point, he's certainly got more offensive potential. The end of the bench will be dictated by how many pitchers Gardenhire wants to carry, and by how comfortable he is with using Plouffe or Hughes at shortstop in a pinch. My assumption is that 12 pitchers will come north, since that's how they Twins have generally operated in the past and they've got a whopping 33 hurlers in camp this year (several of whom are out of options and one of whom is a Rule 5 draftee). If that's indeed the route they go, there's only room for one more bench player beyond the three mentioned above. Who will it be? That brings us to the matter of shortstop security. Jamey Carroll will need days off and could obviously get hurt, but I'd argue that the presence of Alexi Casilla along with Plouffe and Hughes – who both can play the position in an emergency – should be enough to offset any concerns. With that said, if Gardy is committed to having a true backup shortstop on his roster, he'll likely insist on carrying Tsuyoshi Nishioka, who started 59 games there as a rookie last year. Does it really make sense to carry Nishioka as a utility man, though? He's not an asset as a pinch hitter, or pinch runner, or defensive replacement. And relegating him to a bench spot would seemingly indicate that the Twins have given up on developing him into a starter despite their $15 million investment. Unless he shows significant advancement in his skills this spring, I think the Twins would be wise to start Nishioka in Rochester. That would leave an opening for the final bench slot, which could be used in a number of different ways. Sean Burroughs looks interesting as a potential platoon partner for Danny Valencia at third base and occasion fill-in at first and DH. Darin Mastroianni could fill the same fifth outfielder/pinch runner role that Jason Repko has in the past. Guys like Steven Pearce and Aaron Bates have the potential to provide some right-handed pop off the bench while serving as Justin Morneau insurance. The composition of the bench may seem like an afterthought, but those four players that opened the season there last year wound up totaling 866 plate appearances. It's important to round out the roster with players that can be assets in a variety of ways. Fortunately, there are a number of candidates to do so this time around. Download attachment: dugout.jpg Click here to view the article