Nick Nelson

Age: 19 (DOB: 5/11/93) 2012 Stats A: .258/.373/.521, 28 HR, 100 RBI, 75 R, 8/11 SB ETA: 2015 Since his days crushing baseballs in the Dominican Republic, where he attracted the attention of numerous pro scouts, everything about Miguel Sano has screamed "Superstar." The 2011 documentary Ballplayer: Pelotero followed a 16-year-old Sano, along with another teenage Dominican prospect, as they sought to impress the right people and land big major-league guarantees. The film – which I highly recommend – provides a sometimes sobering glimpse into a world where kids are desperately trying to make a name for themselves and earn that bonus that will take care of their families. From the perspective of a Twins fan, watching Sano in the movie is a treat.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] He's a smiley and charmingly cocky kid, larger than life in a culture where baseball is everything. It becomes obvious that Sano is one of the more special talents to come along in the region, on another plane entirely from the typical promising Latin prospect. The Twins reinforced this notion when they ultimately stole him away from the Pirates – who lost their position as front-runners to sign him by engaging in shady negotiation tactics – with a massive $3.15 million signing bonus. It was less than Sano initially expected to get, but still ranked as the second-highest bonus ever for a Dominican and by far Minnesota's largest investment in the international market. Less than four years later, that decision has become the biggest reason for optimism regarding the organization's future. Sano has taken American baseball by storm, quickly developing into one of the game's best power-hitting prospects despite the fact that he won't take his first legal drink for another 15 months. The Good At 6'4" and more than 230 pounds, Sano has already grown into an imposing figure of the Frank Thomas ilk and at 19 he may not be done growing. His prodigious size and unparalleled strength enable him to unleash a ferocious upper-cut swing that sends balls sailing off into the distance like Wilson in Castaway. In a FanGraphs report on Sano written after watching Twins instructs late last year, Kiley McDaniel – who has a scouting background – stated that the third baseman's "power is an easy 80" (on a 20-80 scale) and added this: Sano is the prototypical slugger, capable of punishing mistake pitches and launching highlight reel bombs in instances where it doesn't even look like he's swinging with full effort. He showed the most power in the Midwest League by a longshot last year, piling up 28 homers and 100 RBI in 129 games to lead the way in both categories by a wide margin. In addition, he took massive strides with his ability to lay off bad pitches and draw free passes, boosting his walk rate to 14.5 percent after posting a 7.8 mark at Elizabethton in 2011. These factors, and more, have earned Sano the respect of baseball's scouting authorities. He slid up from No. 23 to No. 12 on MLB.com's Top 100 Prospect list this year and in all likelihood he'll move up from No. 18 in Baseball America's rankings when they're released later this month. The Bad While his transcendent power display was amazing, Sano did exhibit some notable flaws in his game while taking his first stab at full-season competition. He struck out in over a quarter of his plate appearances, racking up 144 whiffs. This contributed to a ho-hum .258 batting average. His defense at third base was beyond sloppy, as he was charged with an eye-popping 42 errors for a lousy .884 fielding percentage. It's difficult to hold the areas where Sano struggled against him, given his age. He was a teenager with 120 pro games under his belt facing players who were generally older and more experienced. Still, these are not superficial concerns. Sano has struck out at a high rate everywhere he's played, and while there's a slim chance he sticks at third it is widely believed he'll end up moving somewhere his offense stands out a little less. Said McDaniel in the previously linked report: "His hands are okay, but his feet are just not quick enough to play third base … right field or first base look like his positional possibilities." Unlike many of the players ranked below him on our list, Sano doesn't have an especially well rounded game. He's never going to be a burner, he's probably never going be a contact hitter and he's almost certainly never going to be a defensive asset. His off-the-charts power and emerging patience make him special, but if his weaknesses persist or worsen they could hold him back. I'd be remiss not to mention the lingering questions about whether Sano's age is actually legitimate (a topic well covered in the aforementioned documentary) and when you see his enormous frame in person it's easy to lend validity to those concerns. If he were actually 23 rather than 19, his progression thus far would be less impressive to an extent. However, given that he's done everything in his power to disprove such rumors, it seems only cynical at this point to doubt him. The kid is a physical freak. Let's embrace it. The Bottom Line It is difficult to overstate Sano's potential. The Twins have not had a hitting prospect of this caliber come along in some time, and while he's still probably multiple years away from appearing in the majors, the optimist would view that as only more time to grow, both physically and mentally. Given the growth he's already experienced in his short career, that's almost scary. View full article

The Twins had a lot of players miss significant time last season, but no one's absence was felt more than Joe Mauer, who sat out 80 games with a variety of ailments. This isn't just because he is the team's best player. It's also because no position carried less depth in the Twins organization than catcher. Mauer was able to start only 47 games behind the plate, and when he was unavailable those nods largely went to Drew Butera, whose miserable .167/.210/.239 hitting line tagged him with the second-worst OPS in the majors among players with 200 or more plate appearances. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Shockingly, Butera might have actually been the best option. When the alternatives are Rene Rivera and Steve Holm – similarly inept hitters who provide less value with the mitt – it's hard to fault Ron Gardenhire for continually writing in Butera's name with the starter sidelined. Gardenhire's affinity for Butera may have played a role in the front office failing to provide adequate depth at catcher, but there's no question that it was a massive tactical misstep displaying a glaring lack of foresight, especially considering that Mauer's health had already shown signs of deteriorating late in the 2010 season. Mauer's health remains a question mark as we head into the 2012 campaign, and even if he shakes his injury concerns there's still a good chance he'll spend significant time away from catcher. Butera remains on the roster, but fortunately there are a couple guys who can legitimately push him for the top backup job this year. Download attachment: jr-towles.jpg One of those players is J.R. Towles, who was signed as a minor-league free agent back in December. Towles, who came up in the Astros system, holds a Butera-esque .187/.267/.315 hitting line in 484 major-league plate appearances. However, while one would expect Butera's horrendous offensive production in the bigs based on his .613 career OPS in the minors, Towles absolutely raked at every level of Houston's system, accumulating a .295/.394/.465 line in 409 minor-league games, including an .831 OPS at Triple-A. Prior to the 2008 season, Baseball America ranked him as the 53rd-best prospect in all of baseball. Towles has failed in numerous short stints in the majors and it's possible he's one of those guys that will never catch on against MLB pitching, but he's still only 27 (younger than Butera) and there's a chance he could be a late bloomer. He's obviously got some ability. The other backstop that will be worth keeping an eye on is Chris Herrmann, whom the Twins drafted in 2009. He has split time between catcher and outfield while coming up through Minnesota's system, but if he can stick behind the plate his bat is very intriguing. Download attachment: herrmann.jpg After struggling at Ft. Myers in 2010, Herrmann got off to a torrid start there last year and earned a quick promotion to New Britain. There, he continued to excel, batting .258/.380/.392 with seven homers and a 68-to-64 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 406 plate appearances. He also obliterated the Arizona Fall League after the season, batting .380/.456/.620 with six doubles, two homers and a 6/7 K/BB ratio in 15 games. Herrmann's outstanding plate discipline, combined with moderate pop and a dash of speed (he totaled six triples and 10 steals last year) gives him a very solid offensive skill set, especially for a backup catcher. If his defense holds up, his only downside is that unlike Butera and Towles, he swings lefty so he doesn't match up as a platoon caddy for Mauer. It's tough to say with much confidence that Mauer will be able to return to catching 130 games this year, but thanks to the presence of guys like Towles and Hermann, a scenario in which the Twins' starting catcher can't do much catching figures to be far less catastrophic than it was in 2011. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: markappel.jpg Who IS This Guy? If you've been paying attention, you already know. Coming off an excellent junior season at Stanford University, Mark Appel was the consensus top pitching talent available in last year's draft, and was widely expected to go to the Houston Astros with the first pick. The Astros decided to pass rather than face the contract demands of Appel and his agent, Scott Boras. The Twins, and five other teams, did the same [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] before the right-hander ended up going to the Pirates with the No. 8 pick. Pittsburgh offered $3.8 million, exceeding the slotted amount ($2.9M) by a significant margin, but still Appel turned them down and elected to return to Stanford for his senior year. He was the only player among 31 first-round picks that did not sign. It was a gamble, to be sure, but one that should pay off handsomely. In his third straight season as the University's Friday night ace, Appel stayed healthy and put up monster numbers, going 10-4 with a 2.12 ERA and 130-to-23 K/BB ratio in 14 starts. Over 106 1/3 innings, he held opposing hitters to a .203 batting average and allowed just two home runs. As MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo puts it: "A year ago, there may have been whispers about why he wasn't dominant, given his pure stuff. There has been none of that in 2013." And so the 21-year-old finds himself in a familiar position: He's got the credentials of a No. 1 pick, but Houston once again holds the cards. With college officially in the rearview mirror, Appel has much less leverage than he did a year ago but it's a safe bet Boras will still be prepared to play hardball. Since there are few questions about his playing ability, Appel's only chance to slip to fourth would seem to stem from his signability. Would the Twins be the team to step up and take him if he's there? They haven't historically been the type of organization that will aggressively go over slot to sign a high-profile name in the draft, but then again, they need pitching and this kid is a hell of a talent. Who Could He Be? At 6'5" and 215 pounds, Appel is lean and athletic with a clean, repeatable delivery. His featured offering is a power fastball, which he routinely throws in the mid-90s; it's also been said that he possesses the Verlanderian ability to reach back for a little more when he needs it, approaching triple digits. In addition to the heater, Appel offers a plus slider (described by some as a slurve) and a developing changeup with great potential. The fact that he dropped to eighth in last year's draft suggests that not all teams were sold on him to the extent they'd throw cost into the wind. Seems like that would never happen with a Justin Verlander- or Stephen Strasburg- type. Then again, Appel only further cemented his elite status with a tremendous senior year, in which he handled pressure and huge pitch counts (he threw 149 pitches in one April outing) with aplomb. He's got the makings of a top-tier MLB hurler. How Soon Could He Be Playing In Target Field? Appel is more highly regarded than Kevin Gausman or Michael Wacha, two prestigious college pitchers drafted in last year's first round who are already in the majors. It has been stated that Appel is "the lone player in this draft who could be ready for the majors right away," although the Twins -- in no rush at this point -- would surely start him in the minors. That said, it'd be no shock if he were sent directly to Double-A, putting himself in the mix for a potential debut later this year or early in 2014. Of course, that's a best-case scenario that assumes Appel experiences no trouble adapting to the pro ranks. And of course, given the presence of Boras, prolonged contract negotiations could be another factor delaying his timeline; as a college senior, the July 12th signing deadline doesn't apply to Appel. If The Twins Draft This Guy, They Messed Up Because… The slotted value of the No. 1 pick is $7.7 million, so Appel and Boras likely have their sights set on a signing bonus in that region, if not higher. The fourth pick, meanwhile, carries an assigned value of $4.5 million. It seems likely that the Twins would have to healthily surpass that figure in order to get Appel signed -- keep in mind that he turned down $3.8 million last year and is coming off a much better season. Under the new draft rules, each team has a bonus pool of money that they can use to sign all of their draft picks in the first 10 rounds, with stiff penalties incurred for going over. According to Baseball America, the Twins have a total bonus pool of $8.2 million for this year's draft. Taking the aggressive steps necessary to bring Appel on board would probably leave the Twins with very little money to spend on their remaining nine selections, lessening their chances of hitting on draft picks in the rest of the high rounds. Given the depth of their success in last year's draft, which yielded not only Byron Buxton but also thriving prospects like Jose Berrios, Adam Walker, Tyler Duffey and D.J. Baxendale, would it be wise for the Twins to essentially put all their eggs in one basket? If The Twins Draft This Guy, They Nailed It Because... He's worth it. Appel might not be an uber-prospect of the Strasburg ilk but he has the hard-throwing ace profile that the Twins have desperately sought to add to their pipeline. By joining Alex Meyer, Kyle Gibson and Trevor May, Appel would give the Twins high-level pitching depth that would become the envy of many organizations, and would significantly accelerate their rebuild timeline. Unfortunately, for that very reason, it seems incredibly unlikely he'll still be there for the taking by the time that fourth pick rolls around. --- This concludes the Twins MLB Draft Profile series. We hope you learned a few things to help prepare you for the next few days! You can find the rest of the entries below: Monday, May 20 -- Sean Manaea, LHPTuesday, May 21 -- Austin Meadows, OFWednesday, May 22 -- Trey Ball, OFThursday, May 23 -- Ryan Stanek, RHPFriday, May 24 -- Clint Frazier, OFTuesday, May 28 -- Reese McGuire, CWednesday, May 29 -- Braden Shipley, RHPThursday, May 30 -- Kohl Stewart, RHPFriday, May 31 -- Kris Bryant, 3B/1BMonday, June 3 -- Jonathan Gray, RHPTuesday, June 4 -- Minnesotans to Watch Click here to view the article

Download attachment: miguel-sano.jpg A slow start in Double-A had suddenly become a distant memory. Miguel Sano was on fire, enjoying his best stretch in what has been an incredible season. Over the course of five days, he had collected nine hits -- including two doubles and four homers -- with five walks and 10 RBI. In less than a week's time, the top prospect had raised his OPS in New Britain from .738 to .895. Following this blistering hot streak, Sano rightfully became the center of discussion in Twins Territory, but unfortunately it wasn't his play on the field that was garnering attention. Instead, it was his behavior following the last of those four homers. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] After launching a majestic bomb last Tuesday, the 20-year-old stood in place for a good five seconds admiring his work, and then smugly flipped his bat before engaging in an exceedingly slow trot around the bases. Brash. Cocky. Provocative. Frankly, they are qualities the Twins could use, even if Sano's action itself could hardly be condoned by anyone. While I think the issue is overblown, there has clearly been something amiss in a Minnesota clubhouse guided by the leadership of the quietly dominant Joe Mauer and the folksy, amiable Ron Gardenhire. I don't like what Sano did, particularly because he's putting himself in danger by showing up opposing pitchers in that manner, but I don't mind the sentiment behind it. This is a competitive sport. It's me against you, and I'm better. I'm going to win. Also, it sounds like there was some sour history between Sano and the pitcher, Bobby Lanigan (a former teammate in New Britain), so that adds another mitigating factor. While this might be the most extreme example yet, Sano has a history of showboating on the field. Considering that he's one of the premier talents ever to emerge from his native country, a top three prospect in baseball, and still a kid at 20 years old, it's naive to think he won't flash an ego and play with some swagger. The Twins know that, and I don't think they're terribly bothered by it. Pimping the home run was not, by itself, an especially worrisome act, but it's also not what resulted in an extended benching at the behest of his manager. Patrick Reusse detailed the events that took place after the game in an illuminating column: There is where you can't help but get a little concerned. The descriptions here are vague but this sounds like something ranging between disrespect and outright insubordination, not only toward his team's manager but toward his organization's general manager. It's a bad sign and something that the Twins are right to punish and strongly discourage, even if the length of the benching -- which lasted four games, until the third baseman returned to the lineup Sunday -- has been criticized by some. Sano's incident adds to a growing trend of problematic attitude outbursts from key prospects in the Twins' system. On the same day as the "Pimpgate" scandal materialized, Oswaldo Arcia was removed from a game in Rochester for lack of hustle; Arcia's boisterous personality also created the occasional stir during his time in Minnesota. Stellar second base prospect Eddie Rosario was benched for a few games in Ft. Myers back in May for what was cryptically termed "his approach to the game." In his previously linked article, Reusse observes this trend and calls out the growing need for a high-ranking Latin American coach in the organization, one who could perhaps better relate with these young men and help set them on the right path. It's a great point. I love the passion I've seen from some of these guys. Arcia is a joy to watch, in large part because he wears his excitable emotions on his sleeve. I enjoyed hearing a story about Sano shouting into the opposing dugout that they'd better respect him when he smashed a long home run immediately after a pitch had buzzed past his head in Ft. Myers back in April. The makeup of the Twins roster has reflected the "Minnesota Nice" stereotype all too well over the years, with a clubhouse that could best be described as vanilla. I wouldn't say there's necessarily anything wrong with that, but I also think many Twins fans would welcome an added edge, which these fiery youngsters seem to bring to the table along with considerable skill. At the same time, it needs to be kept in check, so I have no problem with the measures taken to ensure that these prospects remain respectful and avoid long-term friction with the organization. It's important to remember that these truly are still kids, adjusting to a new culture and set of rules. Sano returned to the New Britain lineup Sunday evening and went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks. I suspect his brief timeout will ultimately be forgotten in the narrative of this breakout season, but hopefully the lesson learned will not. Click here to view the article

Itching to talk baseball here on the eve of Opening Day? I'll be hosting a live chat here at 1:00 PM, CT. Bring your questions, comments and grievances as we usher in the 2012 campaign and cover some offseason and spring training topics for the last time. See you at 1! [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Twins Daily Live Twins Chat Click here to view the article

Seth Stohs began writing the Minnesota Twins blog at www.SethSpeaks.net in May of 2003. Over time, it became much more "TwinsCentric." He places a strong emphasis on the Twins minor league system. Seth grew up in Perham, MN, in the heart of Lakes Country in west central Minnesota. In high school, he received nine varsity letters; four in baseball, three in football and two in basketball. He then went to Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, where he played two years of baseball and spent four years working in the Sports Information office. Seth has published 12 annual Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbooks, starting with the 2009 version. He can be hard on a variety of media throughout the upper Midwest including radio stations in Fargo (ND), St. Cloud, Des Moines (IA) and the Twin Cities. Seth can also be heard on several Twins-related podcasts and recently started a new podcast, the Get To Know 'Em podcastin which he talks to Twins players and others around the team about more than just sports. In June of 2009, he became one of the four members of TwinsCentric. TwinsCentric became Twins Daily. E-mail Seth at SethSpeaksNet@hotmail.com. Follow Seth on Twitter at @SethTweets. You can also follow his other Twitter account Twins Birthdays to help celebrate Twins history through wishing a Happy Birthday to Twins players past, present and future. Aside from writing about the Twins, Seth works as a Technical Writer for Marvin Windows and Doors in Warroad, MN. He is also the proud father of a teenage daughter. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: tylerkolek.jpg In each of the past two seasons, Twins pitchers have ranked dead last in the majors in strikeouts. They're on track to do so again this year. It's no coincidence that they've been extremely bad at preventing runs during that time. In today's MLB environment, where strikeouts are rapidly climbing league-wide, a "pitch-to-contact" staff profile doesn't fly. To their credit, the Twins seem to recognize this, and have recently made concerted efforts to add more power arms to the organization. In next Thursday's draft, they might have a chance to bring in the best high school power arm... ever? Who is this guy? Earlier this month, Baseball America's John Manuel put Tyler Kolek's triple-digit fastball in perspective: "According to scouts we talked to, he is the hardest-throwing high schooler of the draft era." The right-hander generally works in the upper-90s with a heavy heater that touches 100 MPH "with regularity" and has been clocked as high as 102. That's pretty much unheard of for an 18-year-old kid, but Kolek hardly looks his age. At 6'5" and 250 pounds, he is absolutely massive and is often described as country strong, owing to the fact that he grew up working on his family's cattle ranch. The numbers that Kolek put up against prep competition as a senior this year at Shepherd High School in Texas are downright silly. In 60 1/3 innings across 10 starts, the fireballer yielded three earned runs (0.35 ERA). He faced a total of 219 batters, allowing only 23 hits and eight walks while striking out 126. Kolek figures to become the second high school hurler from Texas to be drafted among the top five in as many years, joining Kohl Stewart who of course went to the Twins at No. 4 in 2013. Why the Twins will pick him As mentioned before, the Twins have developed a clear focus on adding power arms to the system and you could hardly ask for a more powerful arm than this one. Kolek is considered by many scouts to be a better prospect than Stewart was a year ago, so if he falls to No. 5, the Twins are going to need to look very hard at him. Several teams reportedly have Kolek pegged as the best pitcher in this draft, and he's in the discussion to go first overall. It's awfully tough to pass on the upside of a potential ace who is already throwing this hard as a teenager. In addition to buzzing in at an insane speed, his fastball has pretty good sink so there's a belief that he should be able to pile up ground balls along with strikeouts in the pros. If he can stay in the zone, that would basically make him the ideal starter, and his big frame will hopefully equate to greater durability since he needn't rely as much on his arm to generate velocity. Why the Twins will not pick him Kolek's upside is as immense as his build, but there are plenty of concerns. First of all, the fact that he's throwing 100 MPH at this age raises questions about his long-term outlook. Generally speaking, pitchers have a limited velocity peak, and very few are able to maintain a high-90s heater over a period of 10 years or more, especially as a starter. If Kolek is using up all the gas in his arm at such a young age, it's possible his velocity could already start declining by the time he's ready for the majors in (hopefully) three or four years. That would be a bummer. It'd be easier to stomach if the righty had stand-out secondary pitches to fall back on, but those are all considered works in progress. His curveball and slider have been inconsistent and he has basically never needed to throw a changeup while blowing away high school hitters. An unpolished arsenal is hardly rare for a prep pitcher, but it leads to more uncertainty, and the Twins already took on their fair share of that last year when they selected Stewart. This time around, they might be more apt to go in on a college pitcher like Aaron Nola, who would be slated for a much quicker rise to the majors. Speaking of college, Kolek has a commitment to Texas Christian University. He likely expects to go in the Top 3, so if he drops to No. 5, the Twins might have a tough time enticing him to sign. There's no way they're using this pick on him unless they're absolutely certain they can bring him aboard. At the end of the day, Kolek's huge potential and historical rarity may overcome any such cautionary signs should he drop all the way to five. However, that scenario seems unlikely anyway, as all four teams in front of Minnesota have shown interest. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: lincecum.jpg It's no secret: the Twins are going to be in the market for starting pitching this offseason. In the Offseason Handbook, you'll find a comprehensive list of free agents at the position, along with brief writeups and contract estimates. Here on Twins Daily, we'll take five members of the FA pitching crop that may be of particular interest to the Twins and dive in with a little more depth. Today we start the series with Tim Lincecum. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Also known as The Freak, Lincecum came up with the Giants in 2007 and almost immediately emerged as one of the best pitchers in baseball. In 2008, his second MLB season, he won the NL Cy Young by going 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA and league-leading 265 strikeouts. He followed up with another Cy Young in 2009, when he went 15-7 with a 2.48 ERA and once again led the league in strikeouts. His initial success enabled Lincecum to rapidly reach big paydays. In his third season, he qualified for arbitration as a Super 2 and earned $9 million. His salary continued to escalate over the next three years and this season he made $22 million. However, while his income rose, his performance declined. In 2012 Lincecum posted a 5.18 ERA and led the NL in losses with 15. This year he rebounded to some extent but was still well below average, going 10-14 with a 4.37 ERA while his K/9 rate dropped to a career-low 8.8. Lincecum's name still looms large, but he has experienced worrisome decline as he's aged into his late 20s, with his average fastball velocity dropping from 94 MPH in 2008 to 90 MPH in 2013. Why Does He Fit? Even though his results weren't great this year, Lincecum still piled up strikeouts at a solid rate, averaging nearly one per inning and fanning eight or more hitters on 10 occasions (a feat that, of course, no Twins starter managed all season long). If the Twins are serious about reversing their severe Vitamin K deficiency, Lincecum would be a natural target. Adding to Lincecum's appeal is his relatively low stock. Acquiring a former Cy Young winner under the age of 30 would normally require a massive long-term deal, but the right-hander's regression in the past two seasons will likely scare many suitors away from taking a huge plunge. For his part, Lincecum may be inclined to settle into Target Field for a year or two with the hopes of reestablishing his value. For what it's worth, his xFIP marks in the past two seasons have been 3.82 and 3.56, so the underlying peripherals suggest that -- while he's not the same guy he once was -- he's a better pitcher than his recent results show. Why Doesn't He Fit? It's difficult to trust a guy who has posted a 4.76 ERA over the past two seasons while his velocity and strikeout rates have continued to drop. Lincecum exhibits many signs of a guy who isn't fully functional. Has his arm simply worn down after being put through more than 1,000 innings of work in his first five seasons? That doesn't sound like the kind of player you want to be making a sizable investment in; then again, Lincecum has been incredibly durable up to this point, making 32-plus starts in each of the past six seasons. That's something the Twins value highly. What Will He Cost? Lincecum is a tough one to figure out. In the Handbook, we project that the righty will require four years and $64 million to lock up, but it's not hard to see the cost being significantly higher or lower. It all comes down to a couple key questions. Will general managers around the league focus more on his track record and age, or his declining performance and velocity? Will Lincecum himself be shopping around for the biggest possible offer, or will he opt instead for a short-term deal with the hopes of rebounding and boosting his marketability? Whatever the case, given that Lincecum leads all major-league pitchers in strikeouts since his first full season in 2008 and doesn't figure to be exorbitantly expensive, he should certainly draw some interest from the game's most K-starved franchise. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: gibson.jpg At the outset of camp, it appeared that Kyle Gibson had a very slim chance of claiming a spot in the Twins rotation. He struggled mightily in his major-league debut last year and, unlike his competition for the fifth starter spot, there was no outside urgency to keep him on the 25-man roster. Nevertheless, La Velle E. Neal III is reporting that the Twins have decided on Gibson as their fifth starter. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] This may come as a shock to some, because it isn't exactly business as usual for the Twins, who typically go out of their way to protect assets, but they've said all along that they wanted to bring the best pitcher north and that's what they're doing. Options and such aside, Gibson is the most talented of the pool. There have been several signs that this move was coming. I remarked last night that among the contenders to round out the rotation, Gibson was the only one who has completed five innings in a start. Earlier this morning, the Twins announced the pitchers that were lined up to start the next five Grapefruit games; Gibson was one of them, while Scott Diamond and Samuel Deduno were not. And then of course there was that smart guy Glen Perkins, who told me in the clubhouse on Tuesday not to sleep on Gibson in this race. According to Neal, Deduno will open the season in the Twins' bullpen, while Diamond's fate is unclear at this point. Click here to view the article

Although offense has hardly been a problem for the Twins here in the early going, finding a viable solution at shortstop remains a top-ranking priority for the long-term success of the club. It's one of the most important positions on the field and it's been a frustrating problem area for this franchise for many years. Rarely has the deficiency at short been more noticeable than it is now, with Pedro Florimon batting .115 and sporting a horrendous .366 OPS. At a position where the offensive expectations are relatively low, Florimon has been beyond inadequate. The lowest qualifying OPS for a shortstop is Zach Cozart's .473 in Cincinnati; that still beats Florimon's present mark by more than 100 points. No amount of defensive aptitude makes up for that kind of anemic production at the plate. The Twins need to upgrade. And what's most worrisome is that they don't really have any appealing replacement candidates lined up, now or in the remotely near future. Eduardo Nunez doesn't field well enough to be a regular MLB shortstop, especially on a contact-heavy staff that induces lots of ground balls. After a strong offensive showing in spring camp, the defensively erratic Danny Santana is hitting .268 with a sub-.700 OPS in Triple-A. Jorge Polanco, whose bat looks far more promising, is currently at Single-A and he has committed 11 errors in 21 games at short, suggesting that his glove is a long way from big-league ready (I still think he ends up at second). So if the Twins are truly interested in addressing their shortstop problem with authority, they need to look outside the organization. To that end, Stephen Drew has been a popular name. He's still sitting out there in free agency as clubs have scoffed at the idea of meeting his asking price while also giving up a high draft pick. Here's the problem with trying to sign Drew: either you try to make it happen now, which would require forfeiting a second-round pick in this June's draft, or you make a play for him after the draft, which would remove the pick compensation from the equation but would force you to compete with many other teams who will also be bidding more aggressively. And here's the bigger problem: it's not clear that Drew is all that good. Last year he was a solid offensive contributor, hitting .253/.333/.443 with 13 homers. Quality production from a shortstop, and perhaps quite enticing if you believe he'll match it year in and year out. But in the two seasons prior, Drew hit just .238/.313/.373 with 12 home runs total. He strikes out a ton. And he's already on the wrong side of 30. While he's almost certain to be an upgrade over Florimon, Drew doesn't strike me as being worthy of a sizable investment. So if you want to take the free agency approach, the alternative is to wait it out until the offseason. Try to find some workable stopgap for the rest of this year -- whether that's Santana, Nunez, Eduardo Escobar, or someone else -- and then put some of those hefty cash reserves to use. Who will be available? Let's take an early glance: Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE Download attachment: asdcabrera.jpg Cabrera hasn't been able to back up his breakout campaign in 2011, when he was an All-Star and Silver Slugger with 25 homers and 92 RBI. His numbers have sagged in each of the last two seasons and this year he has really struggled to get going. He also isn't considered a particularly great defender. However, he's still only 28, and even with his numbers dropping off in the past two campaigns he has still managed to total 30 homers with a .732 OPS that is perfectly solid for a shortstop. He's also almost certain to be available, since Cleveland will be transitioning to top prospect Francisco Lindor soon. In fact, if Lindor (currently in Double-A) forces the issue it's possible that the Twins could pull off a midseason trade for Cabrera and then work out an extension. Hanley Ramirez, LAD Here's an interesting name. Ramirez was one of the best hitters in the league last year and garnered MVP votes despite playing only 86 games. He's raking again here in April, with an .857 OPS and a league-leading 11 doubles. There were some reports earlier this spring that the Dodgers and Ramirez were talking extension but it's been all quiet since. If the 30-year-old does hit the market, he's sure to be very expensive but he has the potential to be an offensive centerpiece and one of the most dramatic upgrades imaginable. J.J. Hardy, BAL The Twins misguidedly dumped Hardy after the 2010 season because they wanted to change directions and go with Tsuyoshi Nishioka, who they felt better fit their shortstop mold. Hardy has since won two Gold Gloves and bashed 77 homers in three seasons with the Orioles. It was, without question, one of the most blatantly and inexcusably horrendous personnel decisions this organization has ever made, but there's no use dwelling on it. The question at this point is whether it would be worth exploring the idea of bringing Hardy back. The answer is probably not. He'll be 32 after this season and although his purported lack of traditional athleticism hasn't stopped him from being a high-end shortstop over the past three years, it might be a sign that he won't age particularly well. Plus, would Hardy really want to return to a team that clearly never valued him as they should have? Jed Lowrie, OAK Lowrie is currently making $5.25 million in his final year of arbitration, and is set to hit free agency for the first time in the offseason. He's been a very good hitter in each of the last two years and has looked phenomenal in the early weeks this season, with a .286/.423/.429 slash line that is driven in part by a 13/20 K/BB ratio. He's a switch-hitter with a consistently successful track record, and he's only 30. He's also highly unlikely to re-up in Oakland, with top prospect Addison Russell on the way and the A's typically averse to big-money deals. There are a few older and less interesting names slated to be available, such as Jimmy Rollins, Rafael Furcal and Mike Aviles, but those mentioned above are the ones worth focusing on. Assuming that those guys don't sign extensions, they'll comprise one of the more intriguing free agent shortstop crops in recent memory. With the Twins grasping for answers at the position, and likely to be working with an enormous cash surplus, the timing could hardly be better. Click here to view the article

We know about the negative trends: three straight years of losing, a spring marked by consistently low offensive output and several veterans whose numbers have been on the decline. Those trends are no fun to think about, especially here in a young season that remains full of possibilities despite some discouraging early signs. Today, let's focus on some positive trends that emerged last year and will hopefully serve as precursors of things to come. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Nolasco's Nifty Second Half Run After being traded from the cellar-dwelling Marlins to the contending Dodgers last summer, Ricky Nolasco went on quite the run. In his first 12 starts with LA, Nolasco went 8-1 with a 2.07 ERA and 62/17 K/BB ratio in 74 innings while holding opponents to a .213 average. He turned in a few clunkers in the final weeks of the season, taking some luster out of his second-half numbers, but the impressive stretch was a reminder that Nolasco can dominate when he's locked in. His overall results last season (best since 2008) certainly seem to bode well, even if his first start for the Twins left a bit to be desired. Colabello's Improved Discipline During his initial exposure to major-league pitching, Chris Colabello looked pretty overwhelmed. Understandably, he seemed rattled early on, posting an atrocious 18-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 55 plate appearances through the end of July. Yikes. The International League MVP made some impressive adjustments at the plate, striking out 40 times against 19 walks in 126 plate appearances from the start of August through the end of the year. Nothing great, but a huge step forward. He continued to control the strike zone well this spring, with 10 strikeouts and eight walks. We know that when Colabello hits the ball he can generate some legit power (that was on display Monday when he drove a double deep to right in the ninth inning) but keeping his K/BB ratio in check will be vital to his success at the plate. Download attachment: colabello2.jpg Jerry Lai, USA TODAY Sports Escobar's Awakening Serving as a backup infielder for the Twins in the first half last year, Eduardo Escobar was simply brutal at the plate. When he was sent down in mid-July, his batting line was an anemic .214/.268/.328. The demotion to Rochester proved to be just what Escobar needed to jolt his slumbering lumber. In 43 games at Triple-A, he hit .307/.380/.500 with 22 extra-base hits and 17 walks. Very nice all-around production for the 24-year-old. He returned to the Twins as a September call-up and batted .324 the rest of the way. Escobar has never hit much in the past, so it's tough to put too much stock in the strong second-half performance, but he's seen by many as a late bloomer and if he can develop into a remotely effective offensive threat off the bench (or as a replacement for a scuffling infield bat) it would be a big boost for this club. Swarzak Settling In After spending his first few seasons as a swingman and long reliever, Anthony Swarzak transitioned to a full-time relief role last year, and over the course of the season he was given more and more opportunities to pitch in shorter late-game situations. He figures to see more of those chances this year, with Sam Deduno presumably taking over the primary right-handed long man role. That's good news, because Swarzak thrived in full-time relief duty, posting career bests in ERA (2.91), WHIP (1.16), BB/9 (2.1) and K/9 (6.5). He was especially effective in the latter part of the season, putting up a 2.70 ERA while holding opponents to a .603 OPS in the final three months. Pelfrey's Progression Many people are down on Mike Pelfrey due to his overall production in 2013, which certainly wasn't good, but I'm actually feeling confident in his ability to rebound and give the Twins a solid season. He made a too rapid return from Tommy John surgery last spring and it showed in the early months, but in the second half of the campaign he was downright respectable, with a 4.39 ERA and .730 opponents' OPS from July through September. Those are perfectly adequate numbers for a back-end starter making $6 million, and of course, now that he has gone through a normal offseason of rest and preparation, it's possible we haven't seen his best. Click here to view the article

The top end of the Minnesota Twins Top 10 Prospects list has unfortunately been marred by misfortune this year. No. 2 prospect Miguel Sano's season was over before it began, as he went under the knife for Tommy John surgery in March. The top guy, Byron Buxton, still hasn't been able to shake a nagging wrist injury that figures to cost him the first half of his season at least. Meanwhile, No. 5 prospect Eddie Rosario is finally set to return from a 50-game suspension next week. Glancing further down the list, we find some real positive stories that should help offset some of the disappointment surrounding the club's best hitting prospects. Today I'll take a look at the three prospects among our preseason Top 10 that have remained healthy and have improved their stock markedly over these first couple months: Trevor May (Preseason Rank: 10) 2014 Stats (AAA): 8 GS, 43 IP, 3.35 ERA, 47/17 K/BB, 1.09 WHIP May appears on this list rather than Alex Meyer not because he's the better prospect, or even because he's having a substantially better season. May is here because his performance has been most encouraging relative to what we've seen in the past. The big right-hander barely slipped into the back of our list this spring. He didn't show the kind of progress last year that we wanted to see in his second turn against Eastern League hitters. Although May slightly improved in most key categories, he didn't dominate the way you'd hope a 23-year-old with his stuff would while repeating Double-A. His ERA (4.51), WHIP (1.42) and BB/9 rate (4.0) were all simply too high. So we all wondered how he'd fare as he moved up a level to take on Triple-A for the first time. And through eight starts, May has been fantastic across the board. He's averaging more than a strikeout per inning. His walk rate is down to 3.6 BB/9, continuing a three-year trend of improvement. He has allowed only two home runs in 43 innings. And he's holding opposing hitters to a .196 batting average. May has completed six or more innings in four of his last six starts, including eight shutout frames in his last turn. He's already on the 40-man roster, so we could be seeing him in Minnesota sooner rather than later. Jorge Polanco (Preseason Rank: 8) 2014 Stats (A+): .319/.400/.425, 2 HR, 22 RBI, 31 R, 5/10 SB Last year, Polanco was the youngest qualifying second baseman in the Midwest League but still managed to dominate offensively, posting an .813 OPS while controlling the strike zone and playing strong defense. Download attachment: top-prospects-08-jorge-polanco.jpg This year, he has taken the step up to the Florida State League, a notoriously pitcher-friendly environment, and hasn't missed a beat despite once again ranking as one of the youngest players. Polanco ended a 20-game hitting streak with Ft. Myers on Tuesday night. He has shown tremendous plate discipline, with 22 walks and only 18 strikeouts in 185 plate appearances. Here's another big development: After spending most of his time at second base last year in Cedar Rapids, Polanco has played shortstop exclusively with the Miracle. I remain somewhat skeptical that he'll stick at short long-term, but this suggests that the Twins still have belief in his ability at the position. Obviously, if he turns out to be an adequate defensive shortstop it raises his value considerably, particularly in this organization. J.O. Berrios (Preseason Rank: 6) 2014 Stats (A+): 8 GS, 43.1 IP, 2.70 ERA, 45/16 K/BB, 1.31 WHIP Berrios has a lot of things working against him in his quest to become a standout major-league starting pitcher. He's undersized at 6'0" and 185 lbs. He has not, historically, been able to induce a lot of ground balls. And he doesn't have the big assortment of plus secondary pitches that are often requisite for a starter. But this kid just continues to get results against hitters who are older and more experienced. He has managed to post the above numbers for Ft. Myers despite the fact that he doesn't turn 20 until next week. No pitcher who has thrown in the FSL this year is younger than Berrios. And right now, the teen hurler is gaining steam. Coming off two straight shutout performances, Berrios had perhaps the best game of his career in his most recent start, fanning a career-high 10 hitters over seven innings of two-run ball. In the past, I've held reservations about the righty's true upside, but he's pitching as well as he ever has at this point and it really looks like the sky is the limit. Along with May and Polanco (not to mention Meyer and Kohl Stewart, who have been expectedly strong), Berrios is a reason to feel good about the farm system, despite some unsettling developments with the top names. [/hr]The Twins beat the Padres last night so on Wednesday you can get a half price large or extra-large pizza from PapaJohns.com with the promo code TWINSWIN. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Willingham.jpg Likely Starter: Josh Willingham 2012 Stats: .260/.366/.524, 35 HR, 110 RBI, 85 R Potential Backups: Darin Mastroianni, Ryan Doumit Since joining the Minnesota Twins last winter, Josh Willingham has been destroying long-standing conceptions in addition to baseballs. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] There was a belief that prominent free agents wouldn’t sign in Minnesota. Yet Willingham, coming off a big season in Oakland, came aboard on a favorable three-year deal that at the time looked like a bargain and now looks like an absolute steal. There was a belief that right-handed power hitters couldn’t consistently put the ball over the fence in Target Field’s spacious confines. Willingham christened his new home park with homers in three straight games, and ultimately totaled 21 jackjobs on the year at the Bullseye. There was a belief that Willingham’s historical durability issues made him a poor bet to stay healthy through a full season at age 33. Then he went out and set a career high with 145 games played, avoiding the disabled list for the entirety of the campaign. Terry Ryan has had a disturbingly high whiff rate on free agent signings, but with Willingham the general manager connected for a long shot into the left field seats. The slugging outfielder was everything the Twins could have hoped for in Year One of his contract, anchoring the cleanup spot through the summer while racking up homers and driving in runs at a fantastic rate. On a better team, he may have collected MVP votes. Now Willingham comes face to face with another conception: that a player aging into his mid-30s, coming off a career season marked by unprecedented health, will be hard-pressed to replicate the feat. That is undoubtedly true. Willingham’s first season in a Twins uniform was quite amazing, exceeding anything he’d previously accomplished in his career, and now he’s another year older at 34. But on the bright side, the imposing masher’s value comes more from sheer strength than speed or agility, and that’s not a skill that tends to deteriorate as much with age. Sure, he’ll probably have a tough time reproducing his numbers from 2012. That is the very nature of a career year. But prior to that season, Willingham had been a remarkably consistent hitter, so the smart money is on another .850 OPS, 25 HR type of season. The Twins will take that in a heartbeat. If there’s one area we could expect to see Willingham meaningfully decline this year (aside from games played) it would be his defense. That’s a bit worrisome since he’s already had his fair share of adventures in left field. It’d be no surprise if the Twins start plugging him in at DH more and more often over the course of the campaign, favoring younger and more fleet options in their ballpark’s expansive outfield. This brings us to the position’s depth, which is an interesting subject. At the outset of the season, Darin Mastroianni will likely serve as Willingham’s primary backup, but there are a number of moving parts that could come into play here. Joe Benson and Oswaldo Arcia are both prospects vying to emerge as viable MLB options at some point during the summer. Minor-league veterans Brandon Boggs and Wilkin Ramirez will be on hand. It’s not unthinkable that Trevor Plouffe could be nudged back to a corner outfield spot if he hits but his defense at third isn’t up to snuff. Any of those players would also be an option in right field, and that may be the more likely destination if Chris Parmelee ends up sliding to first. But, as mentioned above, Ron Gardenhire could become inclined over time to help his contact-heavy pitching staff by replacing Willingham in the field with a superior defender, and of course given his history there’s a good chance the seasoned slugger will be nicked up at some point. But make no mistake about it: Whether he’s occupying the area on defense or raining line drives with his ferocious pull-heavy swing from the batter’s box, left field belongs to Josh Willingham this year. And after his prodigious performance in that role last season, Twins fans should be willing set their conceptions aside and enjoy the show. Click here to view the article

Sponsored by Switch My Trip [/hr]In his entire minor-league career -- which spanned 365 games over four seasons -- Brian Dozier hit a total of 16 home runs. I keep coming back to that astonishing number as the second baseman launches bomb after bomb after bomb for the Twins. After going deep twice at Target Field over the weekend, Dozier now has 11 homers this season, tying him for fourth in the American League. According to the Star Tribune's Phil Miller, Dozier "laughed at the notion that he's now a power hitter" after hitting his 10th jack on Friday night. Then, perhaps while still chuckling, he went out on Saturday and delivered a three-run homer that lifted the Twins to a 4-3 victory. [/hr]The Twins are looking to switch things around this year. Every week, Metro Transit recognizes a Twins player who successfully switched the outcome of a game for the better. [/hr] It's not surprising that Dozier doesn't want to be pigeon-holed as a power hitter. After all, he's been arguably the most effective leadoff hitter in baseball. His on-base percentage is up to .374, he's 12-for-15 on stolen base attempts and he leads the league with 40 runs scored. Those are the types of things we might have expected based on his track record in the minors, where Dozier was a speedy on-base machine with a disciplined approach and a good glove. But his power was very slow to develop. He didn't hit his first home run as a pro until his 126th game, and up until last year he had never reached double-digits in homers for a season. Then, the switch flipped. Since the start of the 2013 campaign, Dozier has piled up 29 home runs in 189 games. That might not sound like elite pop, but when you account for his position, it is. No second baseman has put more balls in the bleachers over the last two seasons. Download attachment: dozierswing.jpg Photo by Jesse Johnson, USA TODAY Sports So while he might be many other things as well, there's no doubt that he is a power hitter. And that transformation probably has the Twins thinking about making a switch of their own. Although Dozier has been spectacular as a leadoff man, the impact of his frequent long balls hasn't been maximized. All but two of his 11 homers have come with the bases empty, and despite being one of the most prolific power hitters in the league Dozier ranks fourth on his own team in RBI. Trevor Plouffe, who has been regularly occupying the third spot in the lineup, has gone cold after a hot start. A rough month has dropped his hitting line to .245/.330/.399 and his penchant for knocking in runs has all but disappeared, Sunday's 2-RBI effort notwithstanding. The lack of a suitable replacement at the top of the lineup might be the only thing holding Ron Gardenhire back from sliding Dozier down to a spot where he'd have more opportunities to drive men (and specifically Joe Mauer) home. [/hr] Speaking of driving home, why drive yourself home after a Twins game when it means fighting traffic and paying for parking? Say 'Switch My Trip' for the next Twins game. Metro Transit can provide you and your whole family a train ride to the game. Planning your trip is as easy as clicking on this link. Click here to view the article

On Tuesday night, the Twins stole another one away. You'd have a hard time arguing they outplayed the Rangers, who outhit them 9-6 and had a one-run lead entering the ninth before Joakim Soria uncharacteristically blew a save (his first of the year, in fact) and took the loss when he misplayed a nubber back to the mound with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. Hey, a win's a win. That's been a good mantra for the Twins, who find themselves within a game of .500 as the end of May approaches, despite the fact that they haven't really played all that well. Offensively, they rank ninth out of 15 American Leagues teams in runs per game, and 11th in OPS. Their team ERA is the worst in baseball. Despite all that, this team is keeping it interesting. After Tuesday's thriller, they are now 6-2 in one-run games in the month of May. They have heftily outplayed their Pythagorean W/L, which registers at 21-28. Not exactly a sustainable recipe for success, but it doesn't need to be. The Twins have been succeeding in spite of a lot of correctable problems, so there's plenty of reason to expect improvement over the next four months. Let's flesh out a few of those reasons: 1) Jason Kubel will be replaced. Harsh, I know. But are you aware just how bad Kubel has been since the first two weeks of the season? Since April 13, when his red-hot start basically came to an end, the veteran's slash line is .187/.293/.206. Yes that's a .206 slugging percentage over a period of seven weeks from a player who was brought in almost solely for his ability to hit. The Twins seem to have a blind spot for Kubel, as they've evidently never doubted his enduring offensive aptitude despite the poor numbers in 2013, but even they can't run away from these blatant struggles. He's been given 163 plate appearances up to this point but has sat out two of the last three games and is amidst an 0-for-14 slump. It would have been great to see this one work out, but the Twins are going to cut bait on Kubel. Maybe as soon as Wednesday, when he is due a 60-day roster bonus of $150,000. He'll be replaced on the roster by a more capable bat (maybe Triple-A performer Deibinson Romero) while his at-bats will go toward guys like Oswaldo Arcia, who appears to be back on track after last night. Download attachment: arciahomer.jpg Photo by Jesse Johnson, USA TODAY Sports 2) Center field also has to get better. Now that he's given up switch-hitting, Aaron Hicks is either going to improve substantially or get replaced. The Twins are pretty clearly running out of patience with him and it's not hard to see why; Hicks' .585 OPS is worse than all but nine qualified big-leaguers, and is almost identical to last year's paltry mark. The Twins have gotten worse production in center than any MLB team outside of Boston. They lack viable replacements for Hicks, which is part of the problem, but eventually they're bound to find an upgrade somewhere if he can't get it going. That said, I'm hopeful the big change leads to a resurgence. Hicks is not this bad. 3) Pitching help is on the way. As mentioned above, Minnesota's pitching staff has the highest ERA in the majors, in large part because as a team they are averaging only 6.1 strikeouts per nine innings. That's the lowest rate in baseball, and if it holds this will be the fourth straight year of the Twins being the most contact-heavy staff in the game. But maybe it won't hold. Down in Triple-A, both Alex Meyer and Trevor May are turning heads with their bat-missing stuff. The Rochester teammates rank first and fifth in the International League in K/9 rate, respectively. Swapping one of those guys in at some point for, say, Kevin Correia -- whose ERA hasn't been below 6 since mid-April -- could change the look of this rotation considerably. 4) Joe Mauer, guys. This has been a frustrating year for Mauer. He's trying to learn a new position, he's been getting squeezed by umpires like never before, and now he's battling a back issue that is apparently more serious than we were led to believe. But at the end of the day, this guy is still one of the best hitters in the sport, and if he can get healthy he's going to find a way to be a positive offensive contributor. He has done that this year to some extent -- a .364 OBP isn't exactly a liability in the two-hole -- but we can't pretend that his power output has been acceptable for a first baseman. Mauer's OPS is currently lower than any mark he's finished with in his entire career, even in that miserable 2011 campaign. Maybe something's really wrong with him, but I'd rather presume that it's just a slow start and he'll make up for it with the big second half we know he's capable of. [/hr] Tuesday night's walk-off victory means that you can get half off your online order from PapaJohns.com on Wednesday. Just use the promo code 'TWINSWIN'! Click here to view the article

When we ranked infielder Jorge Polanco as the eighth-best prospect in the Minnesota Twins organization this spring, we noted that a strong first-half performance in High-A could put him on the fast track to the majors. Of course, we never would have suspected it would be this fast. On Thursday, the Twins announced that they have promoted Polanco directly from Single-A to the majors. At age 20, he becomes the youngest player to don a Minnesota uniform since Joe Mauer back in 2004. Now, before you get too worked up, it bears noting that this move is most likely born out of necessity, and not permanent. With Trevor Plouffe and Eduardo Nunez already on the disabled list, the Twins were left dangerously thin on infielders after Danny Santana pulled up lame while rounding the bases on Wednesday night. Polanco was the only available player on the 40-man roster with the ability to play everywhere in the infield, so calling him up was the only way for the club to add infield depth without substantial roster tweaking. Having said that, Polanco deserves plenty of credit for putting himself in a position where Ron Gardenhire and the Twins aren't afraid to potentially put him up against big-league competition. While playing in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League and playing primarily at shortstop, the Dominican was hitting .289/.363/.404 with 20 extra-base hits (five homers), eight steals and a 42-to-35 K/BB ratio in 329 plate appearances. Download attachment: top-prospects-08-jorge-polanco.jpg Polanco was the third-youngest qualified position player in the FSL. Now, he becomes the youngest player in the majors, outside of Texas' Rougned Odor. In all likelihood, Polanco's stay will be a short one. He's probably being brought up as insurance and might not even get a start. With Plouffe expected to return from the disabled list on Monday, the Twins can slide Pedro Florimon or Eduardo Escobar back into a backup role. Still, this is a pretty cool and unusual story. Hopefully we'll be able to see the kid get a chance in the coming days. To make room for Polanco on the 25-man roster, starting pitcher Yohan Pino was optioned to Triple-A. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: mauerandmorneau.jpg * Parallels between the aftermaths of Joe Mauer's mid-August concussion and the one that derailed Justin Morneau's career in 2010 are frighteningly numerous. Much like Morneau, Mauer suffered his injury on a seemingly innocuous play -- a hard foul tip to the helmet, not noticeably different than the hundreds that had preceded it. Like with Morneau, the Twins did not initially express great concern over the severity of the incident. But, like Morneau, Mauer has been sidelined longer than expected, and is still experiencing "bad days" weeks after the blow. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Mauer and Morneau have always been linked -- the M&M Boys, the MVPs, the heart of the lineup -- so to see Mauer following down the same depressing path that robbed Morneau of perhaps his best years is hard. Of course, there's no reason to think Mauer will experience quite so many long-term complications, and in fact it sounds as though the Twins still expect him to play sometime during the last couple weeks of the season. If he does, it certainly won't be at catcher, and whether or not he will return to his native position at all figures to be a central talking point this offseason. * After being shut out in their own park on consecutive nights Friday and Saturday, the Twins rebounded Sunday to win the finale in their weekend series with the Rays. Nevertheless, the Twins are now 4-16 in their last 20 games at Target Field. They haven't won a series at home since sweeping the Astros at the beginning of August. Brutal to see the team playing so poorly in front of the local fans. * When the A's came to town last week and throttled the Twins, discussion naturally turned to the subject of team payrolls. Oakland, with its modest $68 million payroll, is in first place in the AL West, ahead of the Angels ($142 million) and Rangers ($127 million). In light of this fact, 1500 ESPN's Phil Mackey argued that the solution to the Twins' woes is not to start spending wildly, but rather to emulate the A's. I'd love it if the Twins could replicate what the Athletics have done, building a contending team cheaply by selling high on talent, drafting and developing scores of young pitchers, and identifying high-value free agents. Unfortunately, they have shown no ability to excel in any of those areas recently. As Mackey himself points out, the only two starting pitchers that the Twins have drafted and guided to the major-league ranks in the past eight years are Kyle Gibson and Jeff Manship. When you put yourself in such a situation, spending (some would say overspending) on established talent is pretty much the only course of action, unless you're looking to remain in a perpetual rebuilding state. For what it's worth, Jim Pohlad seems to recognize this. He recently assured Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press that the Twins would spend "any amount of money" on adding a player they like provided that the deal doesn't involve an extremely lengthy commitment. Will the frugal Terry Ryan, who has been notoriously wary of putting big money into free agency, be able to embrace such a philosophy? We shall have to see. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: correia.jpg Many were frustrated when the Twins signed Kevin Correia to a multi-year contract in December of 2012. It wasn't the price -- $10 million over two years is a fair rate for a No. 5 starter. It was the fact that, after a 99-loss season in which the rotation was terrible, their biggest offseason signing was a No. 5 starter. To his credit, unlike so many free agents, Correia came as advertised, and maybe a little better. He's been completely healthy in his two seasons with the Twins and has posted a 4.40 ERA. While below average, that's not a terrible mark for the guy at the tail end of your rotation. Of course, Correia hasn't really functioned as the fifth starter. He's been the one stable yet mediocre piece in a starting corps that has been baseball's worst over the past two seasons. He has given the Twins innings, but that's about where his value ends. Or is it? WHY TRADE HIM Because, why not? There's some talk that the Twins need to make room for prospects like Trevor May and Alex Meyer, but I doubt finding space will be a problem whether or not Correia's here. Nevertheless, the Twins are basically out of contention and while Correia might be marginally better than the alternative who would fill his spot, such as Yohan Pino or Kris Johnson or Logan Darnell, the Twins gain more from looking at anyone with a potential future in Minnesota at this point. WHY KEEP HIM Because it's possible that nobody else wants him. Correia has a 4.76 ERA this year at a time where the league average is around 4.00. Teams at the top of their divisions will aim higher in searching for impact arms at the deadline. The type of club Correia might appeal to is one that is more on the fringe of the playoff picture and looking to simply add stability to the back end of its rotation without spending much. WHO NEEDS HIM It's tough to find competitive teams for whom Correia would provide a clear, meaningful upgrade. The Yankees could use some pitching help but Correia is not a fit in that park. You could maybe look at the Indians, who have been juggling young arms with varying success. There are a couple teams in the National League that could have some interest. But the bottom line is that the market will be thin, and it will be very much a "take what you can get" situation. SUMMARY If the Twins can receive anything of even modest value for the 33-year-old vet, they'd have to be pleased. I would expect nothing more than a low-upside mid-level prospect, but Terry Ryan has had a knack for fishing hidden gems out of other organizations in the past. It will be interesting to see if he can find a buyer within the next week. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: eduardo-nunez.jpg The Minnesota Twins announced on Monday during their home opener that they have traded LHP Miguel Sulbaran to the New York Yankees in exchange for infielder Eduardo Nunez. Sulbaran was acquired as the player to be named later in last year's deal that sent Drew Butera to the Dodgers. He is 20 years old and has yet to pitch above low Single-A. As a diminutive lefty with strong numbers in the minors, Sulbaran's most likely big-league role is a southpaw in the bullpen, though he's still got a ways to get there. Nunez, 26, has played in 270 games for the Yankees since debuting in 2010.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] He fills a clear organizational need for the Twins, who are thin on quality reinforcements in the middle infield at Triple-A with Eddie Rosario still absent for personal reasons and Danny Santana looking questionable defensively. If Pedro Florimon's bat can't get going, Nunez provides a nice insurance policy. He's nothing special, but he is a .267/.313/.379 career hitter in the majors. Last year Florimon hit .221/.281/.330 with the Twins, and he entered Monday's contest with one single in 19 plate appearances this season. For now, Nunez has been added to the 40-man roster and will be sent to Class-AAA Rochester. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: flatline.jpg Tuesday's 3:00 PM trade deadline came and went with Minnesota, for a second consecutive year, standing pat. There's a lot of frustration being directed toward the Twins, who – unlike other cellar-dwellers around the league – weren't able to unload assets for impact prospects. Their only trade sent Francisco Liriano to the White Sox for a meager return. In short, the franchise did very little to aid its rebuilding effort. But, in reflecting on these past days, there's one very important point to keep in mind: no trade is better than a bad trade. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Dealing away Liriano was essentially a no-brainer, given that he'll be a free agent at year's end. Shipping out Carl Pavano and Matt Capps would have also been obvious moves, even if there wasn't much coming back, but unfortunately both are sitting on the disabled list indefinitely (and still could be traded in August). The rest of the team's trade candidates, from Denard Span to Josh Willingham to Justin Morneau to Jared Burton to Glen Perkins, are all under control beyond this year. These aren't guys you trade just to trade. Given that every single one of those names has appeared in reported trade rumors over the past few days and weeks, it seems clear that Terry Ryan was busily working to assess their markets and find a sensible deal. In the end, he didn't get the kind of offers that he felt merited giving up pieces with long-term value. It's tough to blame him for that. There will be other opportunities to shop these players in the future (in fact, I suspect we'll see Span and Morneau's names floated quite a bit during the offseason). Earlier this week I wrote about a hard truth that became evident in the Liriano trade and also through some of the quotes surfacing from rival general managers about the the Twins' sky-high asking prices for their trade chips. For various reasons, despite the increased number of buyers, teams around the league just weren't willing to pay up for what the Twins were selling. In a situation like that, standing pat was really the only logical course of action. And it leaves Ryan with plenty of options during the offseason. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: byron-buxton.jpg The Twins announced Tuesday that they will be sending seven players to the Arizona Fall League this year. The list of prospects includes Byron Buxton, Alex Meyer, Trevor May, Max Kepler, Eddie Rosario, A.J. Achter and Zach Jones. It's an impressive group, to be sure. The first five names comprised half of Twins Daily's Top 10 Twins Prospects this spring, and Buxton has of course solidified himself as the best young talent in all the minors with a phenomenal campaign between Cedar Rapids and Ft. Myers. While Buxton is the highlight, the most interesting players to follow may be the two pitchers acquired in trades last offseason. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Meyer displayed dominating strikeout stuff in New Britain this year and has reportedly flashed 100 MPH heat in recent outings, but he missed two months with a shoulder injury and will finish the season with fewer than 100 innings pitched. He badly needs the additional work to build arm strength, but could become a factor for the big-league club in 2014. May has had a disappointing and inconsistent first year in Minnesota's system, but he has displayed a powerful arsenal and could improve his standing with a good showing in the AFL. Buxton and Kepler aren't on the verge of the majors but they may rank as the organization's top two outfield prospects with Oswaldo Arcia graduated and Aaron Hicks amidst a year-long slump. Rosario will continue to refine his skills at second base and should be in the mix to make his big-league debut next year. Achter and Jones are stand-out relief prospects. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: hicks.jpg On April 13th at Target Field, Aaron Hicks went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, dropping his batting average to .047. It was the seventh time in 10 major-league games that he'd notched multiple strikeouts, and in total the rookie had whiffed in a whopping 43 percent of his plate appearances. With the season two weeks old, even Hicks' most staunch supporters were facing the reality that his struggles amounted to more than a mere slump.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] He was overwhelmed and his issues at the plate were compounding rather than clearing. At this point the Twins had begun feeling pressure to make a move of some kind ("I'll let you know when we do that," Ron Gardenhire told an inquiring reporter, "so you don't have to ask every day anymore"), and surely they were weighing their options. Ultimately, they decided to stick with Hicks, albeit while sliding him down in the batting order, and it sounds like the decision was heavily influenced by another ambitious rookie -- first-year hitting coach Tom Brunansky. When Gardenhire told Pioneer Press reporter Mike Berardino of the decision to keep Hicks around, Berardino inferred that "Brunansky lobbied hard to keep working with [Hicks]." Said Gardenhire: "Talking with Brunansky, his feeling is he wants to work with this kid. He believes he can get him right. I'm with Tom." That's pretty bold for Bruno, who's still in his first few weeks on the job as a major-league hitting coach. Hicks appeared totally lost in the woods, which is not necessarily shocking for a 23-year-old straight out of Double-A, prompting many to believe he should spend some time in Rochester. Of course, Brunansky knows a little bit about fast rises. In his playing career, he rocketed through the minors and was an effective full-time big-leaguer by the age of 21. His coaching career has followed a similarly steep ascent; he rejoined the Twins organization as a rookie-league hitting instructor in 2010, and has climbed from there to Double-A to Triple-A to the majors within a span of three years. Perhaps, through that experience, Brunansky can offer some perspective to the discombobulated Hicks. Whatever they're doing right now, it seems to be helping. In four games since the three-strikeout performance against the Mets, the center fielder has drawn six walks, and he hadn't struck out until fanning on a full count in his fourth trip on Sunday. There's been a visible and dramatic improvement in his previously broken plate approach, and if he can keep it up, his slump-busting RBI single will only be the start of a full-fledged turnaround. Presently he's still hitting .059, but Hicks is seeing the ball better, working into favorable counts and heading to the box with more confidence. If sustained, those trends will lead to a rapid rise in his batting average. With a little help, he seems to be finding his way. Click here to view the article

On Monday night, the Twins will make their highest draft pick since they selected Joe Mauer first overall back in 2001. They'll also pick twice in the supplemental round, making this a big day for the future of the franchise. You can chat with other fans about the picks made by the Twins and other clubs on the first day of the draft on our forum thread here. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Download attachment: buxton.jpg Will prep outfielder Byron Buxton be the guy? Click here to view the article

After giving up four runs in a brutal relief outing on Tuesday night, Matt Guerrier was designated for assignment on Wednesday, following in the footsteps of fellow failed reclamation projects Jason Bartlett and Jason Kubel. The Twins raised some eyebrows during the offseason when they brought back the three former fixtures on minor-league deals. It was hard to find fault with those moves at the time, as they were non-guaranteed contracts that inherently carried no risk.Unfortunately, it appears that each of the signings came with an implicit assurance that the player would receive a chance in the big leagues, regardless of what they did to earn it. I can't think of any other way to explain the way things played out. Bartlett won a spot on the 25-man roster out of spring training despite a horrible camp, then looked predictably lost before taking himself out of the picture by retiring less than three weeks into the season. Kubel also made the team in spite of a poor showing in March, and was allowed to slump for almost two months before finally being let go. Guerrier got the call in early May even though he had put up a 7.20 ERA over four outings in Triple-A as a 35-year-old. None of these guys did anything to actually merit a spot on a major-league roster, and none of them were even good last year, but they all got their opportunities, taking away playing time from younger and more pertinent players. Why? As far as I can tell, it's based mainly on familiarity and comfort. The whole fiasco seems to epitomize what's wrong with the way this organization has been operating. The Twins are in their fourth straight year of being one of the worst teams in baseball, but you'd hardly know it with the way they continue to stay the course and stringently adhere to many of the same principles. When they needed an extra man in the front office, they brought back former assistant Wayne Krivsky. When they shook up the field staff, they moved some people around and brought up a couple coaches from Triple-A, also adding Paul Molitor, but infused no fresh blood from outside the organization. In general, I don't think that being loyal to your people and promoting from within are bad things, but there have got to be limits and exceptions. The Twins have been stuck in a losing rut for almost half a decade now, yet they haven't brought one prominent outside voice into the mix during that entire span. In some respects, this team is evolving and embracing the changing landscape of the game, both economically and philosophically. But the Twins have got to stop making so many decisions based on familiarity and past accomplishments. Going 0-for-3 on Bartlett, Kubel and Guerrier demonstrates either a worrisome lack of evaluative ability, or a very flawed process when it comes to deciding who should receive innings and at-bats on a rebuilding club. Either way, it makes it tougher to have confidence in the plan that is being executed. [/hr]Wednesday's victory over Cleveland means that on Thursday you can get a half-price large or extra-large pizza at PapaJohns.com by using the code 'TWINSWIN'. Click here to view the article