Nick Nelson

With only a couple weeks left to go, our Twins have taken a razor-thin lead in the AL Central and are looking to hold on for dear life. Alex Kirilloff has arrived, Rich Hill is back, and it's time to set up our rotation for the final stretch of the season. (And playoffs?)To get caught up on what we're doing here, you can check out the introductory post in the series for an explanation of the premise and setup. But the quick version is this: We're playing a progressive simulated Twins season on MLB The Show 20 on PS4, and y'all are helping guide the ship. In each installment I'll update you on what's happened since the last, and put at least one key decision up for vote. Date In Game: 9/11 Team Record: 84-63 Leading OPS: Luis Arraez (.938 in 472 AB) Leading ERA (SP): Alex Wood (2.64 in 163.2 IP) Leading ERA (RP): Tyler Duffey (1.87 in 62.2 IP) LATEST RESULTS (6-4) Gm 138 vs CLE: W 4-2 (Snell 6.2 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 11 K) Gm 139 vs CLE: L 6-3 (Clippard 1.2 IP, 3 ER, L) Gm 140 vs CLE: W 3-2 (Bullpen: 4 IP, 0 R, 6 K, 0 BB) Gm 141 vs CLE: W 8-6 (Arraez 3-5, HR, 3 RBI) Gm 142 vs CWS: W 7-4 (Arraez 2-5, HR, 4 RBI) Gm 143 vs CWS: L 3-0 (Polanco/Sano/Donaldson: 0-12, 5 K) Gm 144 vs CWS: L 4-1 (Romo 0.2 IP, 3 ER, L) Gm 145 @ CLE: W 3-1 (Odorizzi 6.2 IP, 0 ER, W) Gm 146 @ CLE: W 7-5 (Arraez 2-4, 3 RBI) Gm 147 @ CLE: L 8-3 (Wood 5 IP, 4 ER, L) AL CENTRAL STANDINGS Download attachment: alcstandings911.jpeg THE RUNDOWN In the most critical 10-game stretch of our season thus far, we played the Cleveland Indians seven times and took five of them. As a result, we've gone from a half-game behind in the division to a half-game up, with 15 contests remaining on the schedule. But we are far from out of the woods. Here's what happened since we last checked in: On the final day of August, Blake Snell took the hill to open a crucial four-game home series against Cleveland. And he delivered exactly the kind of performance we hoped for when trading a big haul for him one month earlier: 6.2 IP, 2 R (0 ER), 11 K, 1 BB. The offense's four-run second inning, keyed by Jorge Polanco's two-run single, was all we needed in a 4-2 win. Then the calendar flipped, so we selected these September call-ups, which were voted upon last week by overwhelming consensus: Recalled Rich Hill, LHPPromoted Alex Kirilloff, OF Download attachment: hillstats.jpeg When laying out the options last time, it turns out I overstated the downside of calling up these players, both of whom needed to be added to the 40-man roster. I sorta forgot we had a couple openings left already after our deadline dealings. So those two were brought into the fold with no displacements. Kirilloff debuted the next day, starting in left field and going 0-for-2 with a pair of strikeouts. He followed by going 2-for-4 in the series finale. In that game, Hill made his return with a relief appearance, but looked much more like the guy who was sent down in May with a 9.78 ERA than the guy who'd posted a 2.58 ERA in Triple-A since. Brought in to pitch the eighth with an 8-3 lead, Hill gave up three runs on two hits and two walks while recording only two outs. This narrowed our lead and forced us to use Taylor Rogers in the ninth, though we secured a win to take the series three games to one. Now leading the Central, we opened a series against the White Sox. In Game 1, we headed into the bottom of the ninth trailing 4-3, but rallied against Aaron Bummer to come back and win on Marwin Gonzalez's walk-off three-run homer. Unfortunately the lineup came out flat for the rest of the series, scoring just one run in two games, both losses. Now back in second place, it was off to Cleveland for another showdown. In a 3-1 series-opening win, Jake Odorizzi allowed only two hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings, combining with Clippard, Duffey and Rogers to shut down the Indians. Luis Arraez led the charge with three RBIs in a 7-5 Game 2 victory, pushing us up by a game and a half on Cleveland. But we couldn't quite pull off the sweep, dropping the finale 8-3 with Alex Wood and Hill giving up four runs apiece. That leaves us with a very thin lead in the division, and without much of a fallback; Cleveland leads the wild-card standings currently, but they're effectively tied with Boston and Tampa, and two other teams are within a couple games. Download attachment: wcstandings911.jpeg There will be no breathing room, so we need to keep winning as we head to Detroit. WHO'S HOT Arraez isn't quite hanging with the American League's premier sluggers (J.D. Martinez, Eloy Jimenez, Mike Trout) in the MVP voting, but he deserves to be in the conversation. After another stellar stretch, in which he went 13-for-36 (.361) with three doubles, two homers, a triple and 10 RBIs in eight starts, Arraez is slashing .345/.436/.502 with 13 home runs, 75 RBIs, and 78 runs scored. He's drawn more walks (70) than strikeouts (67) and ranks second behind Mike Trout in batting average and OBP. What a leadoff man. Download attachment: battingleaders911.jpeg I've mentioned this before, but it bears reiterating: Arraez's attributes are actually not outstanding in the video game – his 76 overall rating is 16th on the Twins roster. But clearly, MLB The Show 20 recognizes his scrappy over-achieving brilliance, and that's fun. In the rotation, it's been nice to see Snell settle into a groove and ward off an initial wave of buyer's remorse. His second start of the latest slate (6 IP, 3 ER) wasn't quite as good as his first (6.2 IP, 0 ER) but he did pile up 12 strikeouts, for a total of 23 in 12 2/3 innings. He's got an 11.0 K/9 rate on the season. As our deadline centerpiece finds his stride, the true star of the rotation continues to be Jose Berrios, an absolute workhorse. He's still in search of that elusive 18th win, but doing all he can to earn it. In his first turn against Cleveland he went nine innings, allowing three runs, but the Twins eventually lost in the 12th. Berrios' second start saw him toss eight innings of one-run ball with 10 strikeouts and one walk, but again Minnesota lost in extras. He's been working efficiently, piling up zeroes, and keeping his pitch counts in check, so Berrios is really giving me no reason to pull him in these games. He currently ranks third among American League starters in innings pitched (201.1), trailing only Chris Sale and Justin Verlander. Download attachment: berriosonmoound.jpeg The back end of the bullpen has been absolutely essential in helping us win consistently tight ballgames. Taylor Rogers picked up saves in all six of our wins during the past stretch, and is now 39-for-44 on the year. But while the closer was our bullpen's lone All-Star, it's pretty clear who is its brightest star: Tyler Duffey, now rocking a 1.87 ERA and 1.02 WHIP on the season after four more scoreless appearances in the latest slate. WHO'S NOT It's a bummer to see Rich Hill come back with such a thud after excelling for a few months at Rochester. He did deliver a solid long relief appearance in one of the losses to Chicago, following Snell with three shutout innings, but Hill sandwiched that outing with complete clunkers, coughing up seven earned runs on seven hits and three walks while recording just six outs. I'm not sure he has enough time left to regain trust in time for the postseason. Fellow September call-up Alex Kirilloff has gotten his MLB career off to a rough start, with just two singles to show for his first 19 plate appearances. But we'll keep running him out. Only four strikeouts. DECISION TIME: SKIP A START TO MAXIMIZE BERRIOS? We have 15 games remaining, and we're back at the top of our rotation with Snell, Berrios and Maeda scheduled to start our next three in Detroit. Given the layout of our remaining schedule, we COULD hypothetically skip Odorizzi's upcoming start, and set up our ace Berrios to get an extra turn in the final game of the season. (We could also use this method to get Snell an extra start, but to me Berrios is the clear choice.) Current Plan: 9/11 @ DET: Snell 9/12 @ DET: Berrios 9/13 @ DET: Maeda 9/14 OFF 9/15 vs TEX: Odorizzi 9/16 vs TEX: Wood 9/17 vs TEX: Snell 9/18 vs DET: Berrios 9/19 vs DET: Maeda 9/20 vs DET: Odorizzi 9/21 OFF 9/22 @ SD: Wood 9/23 @ SD: Snell 9/24 @ SD: Berrios 9/25 @ KC: Maeda 9/26 @ KC: Odorizzi 9/27 @ KC: Wood Altered Plan: 9/11 @ DET: Snell 9/12 @ DET: Berrios 9/13 @ DET: Maeda 9/14 OFF 9/15 vs TEX: Wood 9/16 vs TEX: Snell 9/17 vs TEX: Berrios 9/18 vs DET: Maeda 9/19 vs DET: Odorizzi 9/20 vs DET: Wood 9/21 OFF 9/22 @ SD: Berrios 9/23 @ SD: Snell 9/24 @ SD: Maeda 9/25 @ KC: Odorizzi 9/26 @ KC: Wood 9/27 @ KC: Berrios That final game at Kansas City could prove decisive given how close the race is. This plan also would give Berrios a better shot at reaching 20 wins, if you're into that sorta thing. The downside is that it would mean tacking more innings onto his already huge total, and would likely make him unavailable for Game 1 of the ALDS or a wild-card match. (Of course, if the season is clinched by then, we can just throw a bullpen game, or give Pineda or Hill the nod, and Berrios will be extra-rested.) Another consideration is that that while Odorizzi – who'd be losing a start at Berrios' expense – has been our "worst" starter per ERA, he's hardly been bad (13-9, 3.86 ERA, 1.33 WHIP). It's one of our last decisions in this 2020 season and it could be a significant one. Feel free to weigh in with your thoughts in the comments. PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS Part 1: We Can Build This Thing Together (0-0) Part 2: 10 Games In, 6 Games Back (4-6) Part 3: Roaring Back (11-9) Part 4: Over the Hill (17-13) Part 5: Checking In at the Quarter Point (23-17) Part 6: Rising Power (30-20) Part 7: First Place! (Barely) (34-26) Part 8: Drafting and Dropping (38-32) Part 9: Cruz Control (45-35) Part 10: Pulling Ahead (52-38) Part 11: Bashing into the All-Star Break (58-40) Part 12: Deadline Decisions (62-46) Part 13: Inauspicious Debuts (66-52) Part 14: Treading Water as the Clock Ticks (71-57) Part 15: Stretch Race & September Call-Ups (78-59) MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

What a year it's been, huh? In spite of my endless enthusiasm for it, baseball has been mostly distant from my mind over the past few months. Despite that, my favorite team is stepping up and making me proud.A couple weeks back I wrote about what I felt was a moment of missed opportunity for a Twins player. While I think it's important to acknowledge and reflect upon these moments, it is all the more critical to recognize signs of progress, and to celebrate leaders who rise to the occasion. The Minnesota Twins, as an organization, are making me exceedingly proud. On this site, we spent the past four weeks looking back at every Twins season since 2000. (The last installment published over the weekend, and you can find links within to all past entries.) In running through this two-decade span, one comes to clearly see the profound change that has taken place. At the start of 2000, the Twins were a soft-tossing small ball outfit with the lowest payroll in baseball, facing possible contraction. By the end of 2019, they were the greatest slugging team in history, with a staff full of hard-throwing strikeout pitchers. In 2020 they were set to follow with a record payroll. The growth and progress of this organization is evident to see, and that goes beyond baseball. Nate Palmer wrote a story here recently about offensive comments made by former Twins owner Calvin Griffith in 1978, and the friction they caused with Rod Carew. Pretty brutal and indefensible stuff from Griffith. It would be nice if we could chalk his attitude up as the vestige of a less enlightened bygone time, and to an extent we can, but it's naive to think the systemically ingrained issue of racism has disappeared in this or any other organization. That is why I'm so heartened by the direction the Twins franchise has moved under current ownership, with 2016's complete overhaul – which involved bringing in outsiders to modernize the entire baseball ops department – serving as an inflection point of sorts. For decades, the Twins had developed a culture that was fiercely loyal, but stiflingly insular. A complete reinvention was needed, and it came. Minnesota's advancement is reflected in these remarks from Torii Hunter and LaTroy Hawkins, during a recent roundtable conversation for The Athletic: Hunter: We had a situation, LaTroy and I in our organization — no names. But we had a situation where players were getting called the n-word or being told, “Turn your kind of music down.” Different things like that. And now we’re in that front office. We said, “Hey, do something about it.” And we went to (chief baseball officer) Derek Falvey right away. Bam! Derek Falvey did something about it. That’s what we need. Derek Falvey got the information, didn’t cover it up. He got (this guy) out of there because we can’t do that. It’s time for change. That’s why I have so much respect for Derek Falvey, for listening to LaTroy and I, listening to some of the players on the team, that voiced their opinion about what this guy was saying to them, their problem, their complaint. That’s what it’s going to take. Hawkins: You’ve got to talk about Thad also, Torii (general manager Thad Levine). He went to the high school “Remember the Titans” was about (the movie, released in 2000, was based on the true story of an African American coach and his attempt to integrate a high school football team in Alexandria, Va.). He understands social injustice and wanting everybody to be comfortable in their workplace. When Falvey and Levine came aboard, they pitched themselves on communication, transparency and respect. The perspectives shared by Hawkins and Hunter, who both started as players with the Twins in the mid-90s, speak to an evolution this new leadership helped facilitate. I can't pretend to know how the Twins as an entity, or their most visible faces, would've reacted to an unprecedented crisis-within-a-crisis like we now face, but I do know that I am endlessly impressed by their current handling of this turbulence and tragedy. The Twins were one of the first MLB teams to commit to paying minor-leaguers throughout the lost season. This helped build toward a momentum that eventually nudged the misguided Oakland Athletics into following suit. Doing the right thing sets an example. As matters devolved in Minneapolis, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli was quick to speak out about the injustice of George Floyd's murder, and all that led up to it. An infrequent tweeter, Baldelli was also not shy in later following with what should be a completely uncontroversial statement: Black Lives Matter. Words matter. Actions matter more. And that's why I find myself so grateful to the Minnesota Twins and their ownership for the step they took last week: The Pohlad family has pledged $25 million to the cause of rebuilding our broken community and pursuing racial justice. At a time where the 2020 MLB season is in doubt due to frustrating monetary disputes, it is incredibly refreshing to see this purpose-driven generosity on display toward a city in need from our hometown baseball club, and those behind it. Some might argue it's a small gesture in the grand financial scheme. Sure. So is paying minor-leaguers their tiny slice of the pie. But to the people benefitting, these actions mean a lot. And for those stepping up, it is by no means obligatory, nor conventionally expected. These are important and significant statements, magnified through the platform held by the Pohlad family and Twins in Minnesota. Doing the right thing sets an example. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

False start, setback, hiccup ... Whatever you want to call it, the 2018 season disrupted the newly installed front office's plan, which had begun to unfold the year before, and would come fully to fruition the year after. Lessons were learned and moves were made in 2018 that would contribute to the coming payoff.We're running a 20-part series in which we look back at each Minnesota Twins season of the 2000s. A rotation of different writers will highlight key moments, unearth forgotten details, and share nostalgic tales from the past two decades leading up to the present. This installment covers the 2018 season. Team Record: 78-84 Finish: 2nd Place in AL Central All-Star: José Berríos (SP) Awards: N/A Playoffs: N/A Season Overview By all appearances, the rebuild under Derek Falvey and Thad Levine was proceeding ahead of schedule. In their first year running the organization, Minnesota exceeded all expectations on the way to snapping a long postseason drought. Now, there was a sense of unfinished business, with many long-tenured players and franchise fixtures reaching the ends of their contracts. The front office acted accordingly, bolstering the bullpen with veteran righty Addison Reed, recipient of the largest free agent contract for a relief pitcher ($16.75 million) in Twins history. The additions of starter Lance Lynn and power hitter Logan Morrison late in the offseason contributed to a feeling of energy and urgency as cornerstones like Brian Dozier, Ervin Santana and Joe Mauer returned, all facing down the open market at year's end. But as these veterans all faded and fizzled to varying degrees, it became clear: They were no longer the future, or even the present. The beating heart of the Twins now resided with its next generation of talent, and unfortunately, much went amiss on this front: During spring training, the Twins announced that shortstop Jorge Polanco, whose August surge in 2017 helped propel the team back into contention, had tested positive for PEDs, and would miss the first 80 games.After having a titanium rod surgically inserted in his leg during the offseason, Miguel Sanó never looked right, with conditioning and performance issues reaching a nexus in mid-June when he was sent to Single-A for a full reset.Byron Buxton endured the most trying and frustrating season of his entire pro baseball career, which is really saying something. Migraines, a broken toe, wrist soreness that wouldn't go away ... and a whole lot of struggling, as the 24-year-old tried to push himself through physical ailments in his diminished state. As he rehabbed in the minors late in the season, the front office elected not to recall him in September, bringing a bitter note into the offseason.Max Kepler stayed healthy, but stagnated after a promising age-24 campaign, posting nearly identical numbers across the board. As a completely average offensive right fielder (20 HR, 58 RBI, .727 OPS) with a good glove, Kepler was showing himself to be more role player than building block.Getting his first extended look after a brief MLB debut in 2017, Mitch Garver was solid offensively as the backup catcher, slashing .268/.335/.414 with seven homers in 102 games, but his defense drew heavy criticism. And as a 27-year-old rookie, it wasn't clear he had much room for growth.With each of these players (except maybe Garver), the transformative potential was plainly evident. But for various reasons, they weren't quite ready to unlock it. The dropoff is most succinctly encapsulated by this stat: In 2017, Dozier, Buxton, Mauer, Sanó and Santana combined to produce 16.1 fWAR; in 2018, all five players returned, and combined for 1.3 fWAR. A lack of impact from these five, as well as newcomers like Lynn, Morrison and Reed, left the Twins with little chance to mount a threat against an unspectacular Indians team (Cleveland's 91 wins won the Central, but were fewer than either wild-card team). This wasted some truly strong efforts from players like Eddie Rosario, Eduardo Escobar and the blossoming José Berríos, who represented the Twins at the All-Star Game. At the trade deadline, Minnesota's front office once again went into sell mode, this time with less vacillation and less uproar. Escobar was dealt to Arizona. Dozier went to the Dodgers. Lynn was unloaded to the Yankees. Ryan Pressly, finally reaching his pinnacle after a long journey in the Twins bullpen, was shipped to Houston. By making these deals, which netted several quality prospects, Minnesota made the best of a down year. And even in the absence of a competitive race, fans still got their unforgettable moment down the stretch. Playing in the final year of his historic contract, Mauer's future was an open question that loomed over the entire season. As his performance backslid – he finished with a .729 OPS, tied with 2011 for second-lowest of his career – and concussion symptoms flared up again, optimism waned that the 35-year-old would continue his career. While he didn't officially reveal his intentions until November, the writing was on the wall during an emotional final game of the season, in which Mauer donned catcher's gear and received a pitch for one last time. His exit would be accompanied by that of another local baseball legend: Paul Molitor was dismissed as manager two days after Mauer's touching send-off. With Dozier, Mauer, and Molitor gone, there really was a sense that Falvey and Levine were sweeping out the final remnants of the old guard. Team MVP: Eddie Rosario (LF) Other Contenders: Max Kepler (RF), José Berríos (SP), Kyle Gibson (SP), Eduardo Escobar (3B) As I wrote at Twins Daily when naming him our choice for team MVP after the 2018 season, Rosario's "nod is well earned even if it says more about the surrounding nucleus than him." His 3.4 fWAR was a new career-high, but the lowest team-leading mark in three years. At times during the summer, Rosario was the only source of offense and energy for an offense that frequently slumped. Through exactly half the schedule's games (81), he was slashing .312/.352/.564 with 18 home runs, 23 doubles, and 52 RBIs. He fell off in the latter part of the season, as Minnesota marched toward a distant second-place finish, posting a .659 OPS after the start of August and missing most of September due to a quad injury. Still, Rosario set new career-highs in both fWAR and bWAR, finishing with the team lead in homers (24), RBIs (77), runs (87), and steals (8). 3 Most Pivotal Games April 26nd: Lost @ New York Yankees, 4-3 The Twins had just suffered a painful sweep in Tampa and were now in danger of another one at Yankee Stadium. Riding a six-game losing streak that had dropped them out of first place and below .500, Minnesota was simply trying to escape New York with a win. It looked like they actually might do so for a change. Thanks to a tremendous start from Kyle Gibson, the Twins entered the bottom of the ninth with a 3-1 lead. An error, a single, and a three-run homer from Gary Sanchez were all it took to bury Fernando Rodney and the Twins, extending an astonishing run of futility against the Bronx Bombers. July 15th: Won vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 11-7 The Twins had won eight of 10 heading into the final game before the All-Star break, gaining 4 1/2 games on the first-place Indians in the process. In this series finale against the Rays at Target Field, Trevor Hildenberger blew a one-run save in the top of the ninth and the game went to extras. In the bottom of the 10th, Dozier delivered a walk-off grand slam, putting an exclamation point on the end of a disappointing first half for the team and himself. August 6th: Lost @ Cleveland Indians, 10-0 Heading into Cleveland in early August, the Twins were essentially making their last stand. Trailing in the standings by nine games, and sitting six below the .500 mark, Minnesota's hopes were thin, but a sweep against the front-runners could make things interesting. That notion evaporated quickly, as the Twins suffered a 10-0 drubbing in the series opener. Trevor Bauer dominated with 11 strikeouts over six scoreless frames, and Cleveland's bullpen was perfect over the final three. The Twins managed three hits. After this loss they were never again at single digits in the GB column. Unforgettable Highlights Berríos Shines in Native Puerto Rico With Santana unavailable due a finger injury, Berríos would've been a natural fit for his first Opening Day start, but Molitor opted for Jake Odorizzi in order to put Berríos in line for a bigger honor: facing the rival Cleveland Indians in his homeland of Puerto Rico on April 18th. The young right-hander rose to the occasion, tossing seven scoreless innings and lowering his ERA to 1.63 through four starts on the season. He was headed toward another big accomplishment in July: his first All-Star appearance. Rosario Goes Three-and-Out In early June, the division was still up for grabs, and Rosario was at the height of his slugging prowess. In the last of a four-game set, Minnesota was aiming to take the series from Cleveland and move within 3 1/2 games of first place. It was a ho-hum day for the Twins offense against Mike Clevinger and the Indians bullpen ... everyone except Eddie, that is. In one of the decade's best individual offensive performances, Rosario homered three times, all of them putting the Twins ahead, including the last: a walk-off two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth. Much like when he homered on his first major-league pitch at Target Field three years earlier, Rosario's family was in attendance and looking on. Hello Again, and Goodbye In their highest-scoring game of the season on August 16th, the Twins scored 15 runs, and eight of them came against Tigers starter Francisco Liriano, who was ousted after 1 2/3 innings after a two-run homer by Sanó. By now Liriano was a far cry from the dominant phenom who surfaced with the Twins in 2006, but to his credit, he was still holding down a big-league rotation spot 12 years later at age 34. In addition to reuniting the Twins with a former rotation staple, this game also marked the end of the line for another one: Santana gave up seven earned runs over four innings in the final start of his Twins career. Mauer Crouches One Last Time Before Walking Away It's my pick for the best moment in the first 10 years at Target Field: In the top of the ninth in Minnesota's last game of the 2018 season, Mauer emerged from the dugout in catcher's gear, slowly making his way out to the field as thunderous applause rained down from appreciative fans. This all but confirmed Mauer's intention to retire, ending a career that – much like his M&M counterpart – will always be cherished, but also always subject to endless "What if" discussions. At the very least, his sendoff cleared up this question: What if you pulled off an absolutely perfect farewell for a beloved franchise fixture in the most touching way imaginable? One Detail You Probably Forgot The 2018 Twins used 34 pitchers, second-most in franchise history (surpassed only by 2017 team). This included four different position players – Garver, Chris Gimenez, Willians Astudillo, Ryan LaMarre – appearing on the mound, reflecting a broader trend. Fifteen different pitchers threw more innings for Minnesota than Santana, who was the staff's sturdy workhorse a year prior. Fun Fact By losing 12 games on walk-offs (including the aforementioned crusher at Yankee Stadium), the 2018 Twins tied a franchise record and came within one of the MLB record. I'm not sure if this qualifies as fun but it sure is a fact. ~~~ Previous Installments: The 2000 SeasonThe 2001 SeasonThe 2002 SeasonThe 2003 SeasonThe 2004 SeasonThe 2005 SeasonThe 2006 SeasonThe 2007 SeasonThe 2008 SeasonThe 2009 SeasonThe 2010 SeasonThe 2011 SeasonThe 2012 SeasonThe 2013 SeasonThe 2014 SeasonThe 2015 SeasonThe 2016 SeasonThe 2017 Season Click here to view the article

Dozier getting pissed off and flipping into overdrive after the deadline will always be my best memory of him as a Twin. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is.

Honestly, of all the rule changes going into place I hadn't thought about this one too much. But going through our virtual exercise here really makes me realize how limiting it is.

Option 3: Press "Like This" on this comment (or voice your support below) if you want us to call up LHP Rich Hill and OF Alex Kirilloff, adding our best pitcher and hitter from Rochester, with paths for both to make meaningful impacts. (Both would need to be added to the 40-man.)

Option 2: Press "Like This" on this comment (or voice your support below) if you want us to call up SS Royce Lewis and RHP Jhoan Duran, giving these exciting talents a chance to contribute even though their numbers might not quite show they are ready. (Both would need to be added to the 40-man.)

Option 1: Press "Like This" on this comment (or voice your support below) if you want us to call up RHP Matt Wisler and utilityman Ehire Adrianza, providing experienced depth on the bench and in the bullpen for the final month.

In the last edition, with our team struggling and losing ground in the division at a critical time, commenters voted to shake up the batting order. That move paid off in a big way, and now our 2020 Twins find themselves back in the thick of the race with a pivotal stretch ahead, and September call-ups on the way.To get caught up on what we're doing here, you can check out the introductory post in the series for an explanation of the premise and setup. But the quick version is this: We're playing a progressive simulated Twins season on MLB The Show 20 on PS4, and y'all are helping guide the ship. In each installment I'll update you on what's happened since the last, and put at least one key decision up for vote. Date In Game: 8/31 Team Record: 78-59 Leading OPS: Luis Arraez (.926 in 436 AB) Leading ERA (SP): Alex Wood (2.42 in 152.1 IP) Leading ERA (RP): Tyler Duffey (1.99 in 58.2 IP) LATEST RESULTS (7-2) Gm 129 vs CWS: W 9-1 (Berrios CG, W) Gm 130 vs DET: W 5-3 (Cruz 2-4, HR, 3 RBI) Gm 131 vs DET: W 6-2 (Polanco 4-5, 3 RBI) Gm 132 vs DET: W 7-2 (Kepler 3-4, 4 RBI) Gm 133 @ MIL: W 6-1 (Sano 2-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI) Gm 134 @ MIL: W 13-5 (Donaldson 3-5, HR, 5 RBI) Gm 135 @ TB: L 5-1 (Arraez 2-4) Gm 136 @ TB: L 8-7 (Buxton 2-4, HR, 2 RBI) Gm 137 @ TB: W 5-2 (Wood 8 IP, 0 R, W) AL CENTRAL STANDINGS Download attachment: alcstandings831.jpeg THE RUNDOWN The decision up for group vote last time was whether we should rearrange the batting order, and voters overwhelmingly said yes. The majority opted for a relatively minor shake-up, which involved moving Jorge Polanco and Mitch Garver up, while sliding Max Kepler and Josh Donaldson down. Miguel Sano went from the No. 3 spot to cleanup. I can't say if these changes were directly responsible, but the lineup absolutely TOOK OFF immediately after we implemented them. We rattled off a six-game winning streak while averaging 7.8 runs per game. We then dropped a couple in Tampa, but avoided a sweep by closing that series with a win. That's where I stopped simming. We went through just nine games instead of the standard 10 during this batch. Why? Because an absolutely vital stretch lies ahead and I want your help setting us up for it. But first, let's run back what has happened over these past nine games, and how we drew back within a game and a half of first place. First, we finished our two-game series against Chicago with a blowout victory, riding Jose Berrios' complete game – along with five RBIs from Josh Donaldson and two bombs from Nelson Cruz – to a 9-1 result. Then we rolled over Detroit in a home sweep, outscoring the Tigers 18-7 in three games. Various members of the lineup delivered big results, and most importantly we faced up against our old nemesis in Game 3 and roasted him: Download attachment: woodvnelson.jpeg Crummy ol' Nick Nelson dropped his record to 1-8 in this one. He lasted only 4 1/3 innings, allowing six earned runs on eight hits. Meanwhile, Alex Wood cruised through seven innings of one-run ball and Max Kepler went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs. At long last, our Twins were feasting on the soft part of the schedule – a difficulty sometimes, if you've been following – and it carried over into Milwaukee. The Brewers are basically out of contention (7.5 out from a wild-card spot) and we ran over them, piling up 19 runs in two games. Blake Snell finally delivered his first quality start as a Twin in the first contest, tossing six innings of one-run ball while Miguel Sano's two homers carried the offense. Game 2 was a 13-run clinic – Donaldson drove in five again, Luis Arraez had four hits, Berrios picked up his 17th win. Then it was off to Tampa, where we hit a speed bump. Yonny Chirinos and the Rays bullpen shut us down in Game 1, a 5-1 loss. Game 2 saw Jake Odorizzi go up against Brendan McKay, and in this close match, the tides were turned by Tampa's five-run sixth – keyed by a three-run homer from *gulp* cleanup hitter Eddie Rosario. We rebounded to take the series finale, with Wood hurling eight scoreless frames (what a pickup!) and Byron Buxton producing from the bottom of the lineup (3-for-4, HR). And that's where we now stand. Next up: four games at home versus Cleveland, followed by three games at home against the White Sox. Then, it's an off day, followed by a three-game series in Cleveland. I don't wanna say the division is on the line here, because there are still 15 games left after that second Indians series ... but this stretch is HUGE. And with the date in our sim being August 31st, it's time to expand the roster and bring in some reinforcements. We'll get there shortly. First, to recognize the standouts and stragglers. WHO'S HOT I mentioned Alex Wood's work in the section above but let's just recap: Two starts over this latest stretch, 15 innings, one run, 11 hits, nine strikeouts, one walk. Blake Snell also got on track against Milwaukee as I mentioned, and he is set to kick off our upcoming three-gamer against Cleveland, followed by Berrios and Maeda. The offense is also stepping up its impact, as indicated by the consistent scoring over these past nine games – we tallied five or more runs in all but one. Arraez has his average up to .344, but he's struggling to keep pace in the batting race with Mike Trout (hitting .350 with a cool 1.134 OPS for the 88-49 Angels). Sano is fifth in the AL in home runs, with his 34 trailing only Eloy Jimenez (44), J.D. Martinez (44), Gleyber Torres (39) and Giancarlo Stanton (35). Sano is also eighth in RBIs at 92, followed closely by Donaldson (91, ninth). Our offense hasn't been clicking as consistently as it did in 2019, but it's still been an impressive unit all-around, and lately has been rounding into form. Hopefully we can maintain that momentum for the last month and into the playoffs. WHO'S NOT There have been some suspect performances in the bullpen. Cody Stashak gave up a couple more runs this week and his ERA stands at 9.72 in 8 1/3 innings since being called up. Trevor May also took some lumps and his ERA is up to 3.88; he has the bullpen's highest strikeout rate (12.0 K/9) but also its highest walk rate (6.4 BB/9). Sergio Romo sits with a 4.15 ERA after putting up the following line in three appearances: 4 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 3 K. DECISION TIME: SEPTEMBER CALL-UPS With September upon us and rosters set to expand, we have one finally opportunity to infuse more talent for the final sprint to October. However, this isn't like September roster scenarios of the past. A rule change that was supposed to go into effect in MLB this year called for roster sizes increasing by only two spots (from 26 to 28) after August 31st, as opposed to the unrestricted additions that teams previously enjoyed. That rule is implemented in MLB The Show 20, meaning we'll need to be very thoughtful about whom we select. Here are the viable options, as I see them. After we go over them, I'll present a few two-player packages of varying sorts. Players who are in bold are already on the 40-man. Players who are not would need to be added. Pitchers Randy Dobnak, RHP (AAA): 65 IP, 3.46 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 6.7 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 Devin Smeltzer, LHP (AAA): 138.2 IP, 3.05 ERA, 7.0 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 Rich Hill, LHP (AAA): 128.2 IP, 2.58 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 8.0 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 Matt Wisler, RHP (AAA): 58.2 IP, 1.69 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 8.6 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 Zack Littell, RHP (AAA): 7 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.43 WHIP, 7.7 K/9, 1.3 BB/9 Lewis Thorpe, LHP (AA): 65.2 IP, 5.62 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 6.7 K/9, 5.0 BB/9 Jhoan Duran, RHP (AA): 141.1 IP, 3.63 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 8.5 K/9, 4.4 BB/9 Position Players Ehire Adrianza, UTIL (AAA): 96 G, .270/.348/.391, 11 HR, 49 RBI Alex Kirilloff, OF (AAA): 104 G, .273/.350/.470, 19 HR, 63 RBI Trevor Larnach, OF (AAA): 97 G, .245/.319/.396, 13 HR, 49 RBI Royce Lewis, SS (AA): 90 G, .234/.299/.365, 9 HR, 40 RBI Now, there are a few different strategic approaches we can take here. Should the call-ups be designed to directly impact our team and address areas of need (i.e., the bullpen)? Should they be more geared toward adding depth, so we can better rest up our regulars after five months of grinding? Or should we be aiming to bring top prospects into the fold, giving them a taste of big-league action? Most likely it'll be some combination of these things, but again, having only two roster openings leaves us somewhat limited in the choices we can make. Here are a few of my thoughts: The bullpen could use some help, so calling up at least one pitcher is basically a given. Wisler has been tremendous all year and he's on the 40-man. Littell was pitching decently for the Twins before we swapped him with Stashak a couple weeks ago; I'm more inclined to just reverse that decision than use a call-up spot on Littell.Rich Hill is of course super interesting. Those who've been following may recall that he struggled a ton early on in the Twins rotation, and we DFA'ed him, but he accepted a demotion to Triple-A. He's been flat-out dominant there. Should he be chosem as the pitcher we call up in September – a veteran lefty bullpen weapon (complementing Taylor Rogers) with the potential to step in and start? We would need to re-add him to the 40-man roster, but making room shouldn't be too hard; for example, we have Jhoulys Chacin occupying a spot and pitching in Double-A.I'd love to bring one of our top prospects into the fold. Lewis might be fun with his speed and upside but he hasn't looked great overall in Triple-A (he did bat .308 with 21 RBIs in August). Kirilloff has been playing well for Rochester all year. He was the organization's lone Triple-A All-Star, and he ranks third among International League hitters with 19 homers (trailing Daniel Palka and Matt Adams). Kirilloff could see a lot of playing time in September, joining the Rosario-less left field mix (which currently includes Jake Cave, Brent Rooker, and Marwin Gonzalez). He'd also be auditioning for a potential Opening Day spot in 2021. These things are true of Larnach too, but he simply hasn't performed as well.Download attachment: kiriloffrochester.jpeg With all these thoughts in mind, here are the options I propose. You can vote or share your vision for a different combo in the comments. The Low-Friction Practicality Play: Matt Wisler (RP) and Ehire Adrianza (UTIL)The Lightning-in-a-Bottle Cocktail: Royce Lewis (SS) and Jhoan Duran (SP)The High-Impact Infusion: Rich Hill (SP) and Alex Kirilloff (OF)COMING UP 8/31 vs CLE 9/1 vs CLE 9/2 vs CLE 9/3 vs CLE 9/4 vs CWS 9/5 vs CWS 9/6 vs CWS 9/8 @ CLE 9/9 @ CLE 9/10 @ CLE PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS Part 1: We Can Build This Thing Together (0-0) Part 2: 10 Games In, 6 Games Back (4-6) Part 3: Roaring Back (11-9) Part 4: Over the Hill (17-13) Part 5: Checking In at the Quarter Point (23-17) Part 6: Rising Power (30-20) Part 7: First Place! (Barely) (34-26) Part 8: Drafting and Dropping (38-32) Part 9: Cruz Control (45-35) Part 10: Pulling Ahead (52-38) Part 11: Bashing into the All-Star Break (58-40) Part 12: Deadline Decisions (62-46) Part 13: Inauspicious Debuts (66-52) Part 14: Treading Water as the Clock Ticks (71-57) MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

That's false, even according to the league itself. Per USA Today: "MLB said 2019 revenue was 39% local gate and other in-park sources, followed by 25% central revenue, 22% local media, 11% sponsorship and 4% other." So, in-game revenue already accounted for solidly under half of the total. It is all but certain that those revenue streams outside of in-game would increase with heightened TV viewership, more streaming subscriptions, etc. When you start by basically arguing "I know this is true regardless of contrary evidence" I'm not sure how to address the rest of your comment.

Thanks for sharing your perspective. Just to quickly address a few things: - I don't think it's controversial to say the country is broken. Almost every major city has been embroiled in ongoing protests, amidst a global pandemic. There's been widespread rioting on a level rarely seen in my lifetime. Divisiveness and despair are at sky-high levels. To sit here and act like everything's hunky-dory in this country conveys the same sort of apathetic detachment that rubbed me the wrong way in Max's post. - You talked a whole lot about politics in this post. I was very clear about this: I don't consider it a political issue. It needs to be addressed in the political realm, yes, but justice and equality are basic parts of our society's fabric. Our way of life can't sustain without them. I'm sorry you and others have a visceral reaction to seeing Chris Cuomo's name but acting like the quote "This isn't political" has a partisan slant -- regardless of the source -- is absurd.

Thanks for writing this. I think you echo the feelings of a lot of fans. Personally, I do want to see a baseball season but I have hard time seeing a solution. The players and league are just too far apart. The logistics are so tough. The timeline is starting to crunch. I continue to feel that the best bet is some sort of specialized tournament (a la WBC). Players who want to opt in are able to, others can opt out but still earn something. Maybe they even draft new teams depending on how much participation there is. Use the opportunity to test new technologies, innovations and rule changes. Ump-less games with electronic strike zones? Why not, it's safer. Interactive broadcasts, players mic'ed up in-game... there are a lot of things MLB could try out, many of which might be premium features they could use to drive more revenue.

Yep, he went 27-for-33 in 2001 -- our installment in this series on that season named him team MVP. I was definitely taken by surprise when going back through those early-2000s seasons at how frequently he ran. Double-digit steals in each of the following two seasons as well. I think they were referring to the fact that Hughes was given a chance to pitch again in the final weekend and earn the bonus, but declined. He actually needed only one more out, not a few more innings. "I just didn't think it was right," he said at the time. "If I were fighting for a playoff spot, I'd 100 percent be available. But given the circumstances, I don't think it's the right thing to do."

Thank you writing this piece Nash. It's fantastic. What do you mean "they are the ones trying to get a season going"? Players have pushed openly to return to play, made their own proposals, and made numerous concessions. Here's a plain and simple question for the "I'm with the owners" crowd: why don't they just open their books? We know exactly how much the players make which is what makes it so easy to paint them as bad guys. There are a number of PR elements at play designed to shape perceptions like the one you express here.

In 2014, the All-Star Game came to Minneapolis. Seeing the game's finest players in action at Target Field was a welcome respite for fans amidst a fourth straight losing season – one which would spell the end for their longtime skipper.We're running a 20-part series in which we look back at each Minnesota Twins season of the 2000s. A rotation of different writers will highlight key moments, unearth forgotten details, and share nostalgic tales from the past two decades leading up to the present. This installment covers the 2014 season. Team Record: 70-92 Finish: 5th Place in AL Central All-Stars: Glen Perkins (RP), Kurt Suzuki ( C ) Awards: N/A Playoffs: N/A Season Overview After a scary concussion ended his 2013 season, Joe Mauer and the Twins made the tough decision to hang up his catcher's gear. In 2014, with first base opened up by the absence of longtime tenant (and M&M counterpart) Justin Morneau, Mauer settled in at his new home. Taking over at catcher was free agent Kurt Suzuki, who joined Mauer and a newly solidifying core on Opening Day: Brian Dozier at second base, Trevor Plouffe at third, Aaron Hicks in center field, Oswaldo Arcia in right. Sure, there were some leaky plugs, like shortstop Pedro Florimón and a DH spot being held down by longshot Chris Colabello. There were also some very strained efforts by Terry Ryan at recapturing nostalgia, with non-roster signings Jason Bartlett and Jason Kubel inexplicably making the bench out of camp. (Both predictably struggled, and then were done as big-leaguers. Bartlett actually announced his retirement in April.) But it was easy enough to see Ryan's vision for this team as he laid groundwork for the arrival of top prospects Byron Buxton and Miguel Sanó, ranked ahead of the season by Baseball America as the No. 1 and No. 6 prospects in the game. Unfortunately, things would not go as planned for either of these premier young talents in 2014. Sanó tore his UCL in spring training and required Tommy John surgery, forcing him to miss the season. Buxton was struck by a barrage of injuries – including a scary outfield collision in August that left him momentarily unconscious – and played only 31 games total. As their rising cornerstones stalled out, so too did the Twins in a rebuild largely framed around them. The team managed to hang around .500 through much for the first half, but started to slide as June transitioned to July, and by the break they were 10 1/2 games out of first. A picture-perfect All-Star Game at Target Field, featuring Suzuki and Glen Perkins, was a moment for Twins fans to savor, but there wouldn't be many afterward as Minnesota went 26-42 in the second half, completely fading from relevance. The offense, mostly, did its part. This required some tinkering and rejiggering from its initial state, and not every experiment took (the midseason signing of veteran free agent DH Kendrys Morales serving as one failed gamble), but others did. For instance: After Hicks struggled out of the gates in center (again), he was replaced by rookie Danny Santana, a natural shortstop who took well to the defensive relocation and slashed .319/.353/.472 in 101 games.Once the Twins finally grew tired of Florimón's totally inadequate bat, they turned to Eduardo Escobar as their regular shortstop in the second half and the light-hitting utilityman responded with a breakthrough offensive season, posting a .721 OPS with 35 doubles.On August 1st, slugger Kennys Vargas made his MLB debut, starting at first base and batting sixth. He doubled and drove in two. Over the final two months, Vargas would take over as primary DH, hitting .274/.316/.456 with nine home runs and 38 RBIs in 58 games.Even with Mauer becoming a mere shadow of his former self (.277/.361/.371), he was still reasonably effective. And the strength of this offense was in its balance – 11 different players made 100-plus plate appearances and posted an OPS+ of 100 or better. This was a stark contrast from one year earlier, when they had only three such players. Thanks to these varied contributions, the 2014 Twins finished fifth among AL teams in both runs scored and OPS. A big departure from 2013 (13th in runs, 12th in OPS) and 2012 (10th in both). The pitching staff wasn't such a departure from the status quo, ranking last in ERA and strikeout rate while allowing the most hits of any team in baseball for a third time in four years (they allowed the second-most in 2012). The internal pitching pipeline was providing very little, as evidenced by a season-opening rotation that featured four free agents (Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes from the latest offseason; Kevin Correia and Mike Pelfrey from the one prior) alongside Kyle Gibson. Hughes proved to be a phenomenal find, delivering an historic first season as a Twin, and Gibson was decent in his first full campaign. But that was the extent of positives for the rotation. Nolasco's first season was a disaster as he went 6-12 with a 5.38 ERA. Correia was bad before the Twins unloaded him to the Dodgers in August. Pelfrey battled injuries and made five starts, with a 7.99 ERA. Yohan Pino, Trevor May, Logan Darnell, Tommy Milone all got crushed in their rotation opportunities. In the bullpen, Perkins had another great year generally, but it was marred by a brutal September in which he allowed eight earned runs in 5 1/3 innings with one strikeout before being shut down with forearm soreness, inflating his final ERA to 3.65. Injuries were beginning to impact Minnesota's All-Star closer, who was already nearing the end of a brief-but-brilliant peak. As Perkins cratered down the stretch, so too did the Twins, stumbling to another last-place finish. This was enough for Ron Gardenhire to run out his leash. The second-longest tenured manager in the major leagues (behind Mike Scoscia of the Angels) was fired after the season ended. His endurance of this brutal stretch is a testament to the organization's unparalleled loyalty: Gardenhire became the fourth manager in MLB history to preside over four consecutive 90-loss seasons with the same team. One of the others was his predecessor, Tom Kelly. The other two examples are old enough that the teams managed were the Philadelphia Athletics and the St. Louis Browns. Team MVP: Phil Hughes (SP) Other Contenders: Brian Dozier (2B), Danny Santana (CF), Trevor Plouffe (3B), Kyle Gibson (SP) On the one hand, it's tough to award team MVP to a pitcher on a staff that was clearly the club's downfall. Dozier, Santana, Plouffe and others were all big factors in a lineup that was this team's only saving grace. On the other hand, none of those players were truly extraordinary. Hughes transcended in 2014, and he was basically the only thing preventing this rotation from all-out ruin. In a career-high 209 2/3 innings, he struck out 186 batters and walked only 16. His 0.7 BB/9 rate was the best in the majors, and his 11.63 K/BB ratio was the best in major-league history, topping Bret Saberhagen's record from 30 years prior. Hughes went 16-10 with a 3.52 ERA, 2.65 FIP, and 1.13 WHIP. His 6.3 fWAR led the team with ease, and represents the highest valuation FanGraphs has assigned a Twins pitcher since Johan Santana's Cy Young season in 2006. 3 Most Pivotal Games May 15th: Won vs. Boston Red Sox, 4-3 This game was notable for a few reasons. First and foremost, it was a walk-off win that clinched a series against a formidable foe, and part of a 7-2 stretch that pushed the Twins above .500 in late May. They won behind their newfound ace Hughes, who struck out eight and walked none over six innings of one-run ball, and a walk-off single from the embattled Hicks, who began to find himself at the plate a bit after this big moment. June 18th: Lost @ Boston Red Sox, 2-1 A month earlier, the Twins had won two walk-offs at home against Boston (including the one above) as they seemingly asserted their viability in the American League. Their rematch against the Red Sox at Fenway in mid-June, capped by this sweep-clinching walk-off loss, reflected how much things had changed. The Twins managed to score just two runs in three games, including a sleepy four-hit effort in the finale that wasted Gibson's seven shutout innings. Most painfully, the Twins took a 1-0 lead on Chris Parmelee's home run in the 10th, only to have David Ortiz and Mike Napoli tie and win it on back-to-back solo homers in the bottom half. By now Minnesota was six games below .500, and right in the middle of a 10-game road losing streak. By July 4th they'd be 11 games out of first. August 26th: Lost @ Kansas City Royals, 2-1 The Twins were hopelessly out of contention and spiraling toward the finish line. They went through five different four-game losing streaks in August and September, and were amidst one of them when Kansas City delivered this morale-crusher on August 26th. Nolasco provided a rare good start, firing seven shutout innings, before handing it off to Burton for a scoreless eighth. In came Perkins to protect a one-run lead. Alcides Escobar led off with a single, and Alex Gordon followed with a walk-off homer. Ballgame. It was the first sign of an unraveling to come for Perkins, who posted an 11.37 ERA the rest of the way, striking out two of his final 30 hitters before being shut down. Unforgettable Highlights Jorge Polanco Debuts Five years earlier, Bill Smith had signed a class of international talents that would eventually become transformative. In 2014, Jorge Polanco beat out Sanó and Max Kepler to a big-league debut, appearing mostly out of logistical necessity when the Twins needed an extra man for stretches in late June and July. He appeared for Minnesota only five times – four coming as a late-game replacement – and went 2-for-6 at the plate. Polanco didn't make much impact in 2014, but he became the second-youngest Twins player to debut in the 2000s (behind only Mauer, who was four days younger on Opening Day 2004). His impact would be plentiful down the line. Perkins and Suzuki Close Out All-Star Game In a storybook moment, Perkins was set up for a two-run save in the ninth inning of the All-Star Game at Target Field on July 15th. The hometown success story got a chance to throw to Minnesota's other 2014 All-Star, the catcher Suzuki, and together these Twins worked a 1-2-3 inning to close out the win. Dozier Joins 20/20 Club By notching his 20th stolen base on August 20th, to go along with his 20 home runs, Dozier became the fifth Twin to reach the 20/20 club. Torii Hunter did it twice (2002 and 2004), while Corey Koskie (2001), Marty Cordova (1995), Kirby Puckett (1986) and Larry Hisle (1977) are the other members. Hughes Gets His Phil of Strikeouts That headline might've made you groan, but I bet not as much as this fact: When Hughes struck out 11 White Sox in his September 13th start, it was the first time in 380 games that a Twins starter reached double-digit Ks. In a related note, longtime pitching coach Rick Anderson was ousted after the season alongside his main man Gardenhire. One Detail You Probably Forgot In the first decade of the 2000s, Matt Guerrier enjoyed the best years of his career, and was frequently an essential bullpen fixture. He led the AL in appearances in two consecutive seasons, 2008 and 2009, and was a top-notch setup man more often than not. By 2014, at age 35, he was nearing the end. He signed a minor-league deal with the Twins, was called up in May, and posted a 12-to-10 K/BB ratio in 28 innings through late July before the team moved on. Like fellow throwback signings Kubel and Bartlett, Guerrier walked off into the sunset after a final ride with the team – and manager – that brought him into the big leagues. In retrospect I suppose there's a poetic beauty to it, although I gotta say, at the time it was infuriating because these guys were clearly cooked. Fun Fact Per his contract, Hughes was in line for a $500,000 bonus if he reached 210 innings pitched in 2014 – no small sum for a guy earning $8 million in salary. Seemingly on a mission to reach it, he threw seven-plus innings in nine straight starts to end the year. In his last outing Hughes was through eight frames of one-run ball before a rain delay forced him out, with his season total sitting at 209 2/3 innings. Gardenhire offered him a chance to pinch once more in the final weekend and earn the bonus, but Hughes declined. ~~~ Previous Installments: The 2000 SeasonThe 2001 SeasonThe 2002 SeasonThe 2003 SeasonThe 2004 SeasonThe 2005 SeasonThe 2006 SeasonThe 2007 SeasonThe 2008 SeasonThe 2009 SeasonThe 2010 SeasonThe 2011 SeasonThe 2012 SeasonThe 2013 Season Click here to view the article

Jim: This was addressed in the article and is a lot more simple than you are making it out to be. The demographic I'm talking about is and relatively affluent white people who are less affected by the issues at hand. There is a tendency for individuals in this position to tune out because it's not something that impacts them personally. To me, that is what Kepler's message represented. In neither case do I think it's malicious or reflective of immorality; in fact I think it's often subconscious. For that reason I wanted to create some awareness on the issue.

We did a survey to gain insight on our readership demographics for advertisers. Granted it was several years back, but I have no reason to believe it has changed significantly, especially given the general demographics of Twins fandom. You want me to go back and dig up the actual statistics (which I'm pretty sure we made public) or is this satisfactory to take back your call of shenanigans? With respect, you don't come off as "well reasoned" when you claim an article is "based on flimsy information" because we don't know how Kepler feels. This isn't about how he feels. It's about what he did (or more accurately, what he didn't do). That's literally stated in the title. Here's the "flimsy information" this article was based on: I was sitting on my couch, watching images of the city of Minneapolis burning on my TV, when I happened upon a carefree Instagram post from Kepler saying he's "Not into politics," and then I started working backwards. I'm writing about my reaction to that experience as a fan and a Minnesota resident, who pays considerable money to watch the man play baseball. He might have done all the right things afterward. He might have had all the good intentions in the world. But what he did in that moment is reflective of what far too many people have been doing for many years. "Not my problem, peace." There are plenty of comfortable white men across this state and country who are every bit as oblivious to the severity of this issue as a millionaire 27-year-old from Germany (who should've known better). And that's why I wrote this. There's no flimsy information. It's all in front of us, Linus.

Lack of awareness is not an excuse. Plain and simple. Kepler has lived in the United States for more than a decade and is a 27-year-old adult. No one's asking him to fully understand the intricate historical context of racism and police brutality in America -- Kepler played at Target Field the night Philando Castile was murdered miles away in 2016. It's been one of our nation's foremost social issues for the duration of the time he's lived here and frankly its relevance extends beyond the United States, if you look at the widespread protests taking place across the world (including Germany). And again, no one is accusing him of having any racist feelings. The issue here is apathy and dismissiveness toward a crisis gripping our city and country. If we don't start calling it out, it won't change.

I can say that myself and other owners of the site have already made donations in amounts that vastly outweigh the relatively small money that will be made from ads on this article. But to answer your question directly, I do expect our site will make more formal donations to causes that need it, and will aim to do so on a continual basis because this issue isn't going away after this week. To answer your latter question, Tom shared a list of organizations you can donate to earlier on the thread but it understandably got buried. Here's the link again. Thank you for asking. https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/1jy_Y714oFhb7APUOk4Y4gEPzWpyxswzHa_sylQLVmJ8/mobilebasic

Have you turned on the news in the past week? Protests and riots have broken out in almost every major city across the country, and many across the world. This isn't about TD responding to what happened, it's about humanity responding. Kepler's insensitive remark didn't hit me in a bad way because I was upset about the situation, it hit me in bad way because the city he plays in was on fire and tearing itself apart in anguish when he made it. If you think what's happening right now is solely about George Floyd, I'm afraid you are the one showing a one-dimensional viewpoint. This has been building up for a long time. This is about so much more. I thought that was beyond obvious, personally.