Nick Nelson

I tend to side more with the players but this comparison doesn't do much for me. If I was making vastly more money than the "intern" (who is doing the exact same job) and we were amidst a massive crisis, I'd probably be okay with taking the larger cut. Isn't that pretty much what we're asking the owners to do? Make a bigger sacrifice because they're in far more comfortable position? It is common for companies to be instituting deeper salary cuts for senior management and higher-paid positions in efforts to stay above water right now. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/24/business/economy/coronavirus-pay-cuts.html

In the wake of a thrilling division title run in 2006, a changing of the guard was afoot for the Minnesota Twins. The clock was counting down on veteran leaders in the lineup and rotation – and also, it turns out, on their long-tenured general manager.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 2007 season. Team Record: 79-83 Finish: 3rd Place in AL Central All-Stars: Johan Santana (SP), Justin Morneau (1B), Torii Hunter (CF) Awards: Torii Hunter (Gold Glove, CF), Johan Santana (Gold Glove, P) Playoffs: N/A Season Overview Coming off one of the best regular seasons in franchise history (and one of the most deflating postseasons), the Minnesota Twins faced a future of change and uncertainty. Torii Hunter was entering his final season under contract, while Johan Santana's own upcoming free agency (after 2008) forced the low-budget Twins to start weighing the possibility of trading their superstar pitcher. Beyond big-picture considerations, general manager Terry Ryan also had plenty of short-term concerns to address – most pressingly, absences in the starting rotation created by Brad Radke's retirement and Francisco Liriano's recovery from Tommy John surgery. In painfully typical TR fashion, the GM signed two low-cost veteran mediocrities to complement a roster with valid World Series aspirations. Ramón Ortiz (5.14 ERA) and Sidney Ponson (6.93 ERA) were both disastrous, and neither made it through May in the rotation. The Twins went 6-11 in 17 combined starts from these two before Ortiz was demoted to the bullpen and Ponson was released. Their spots were soon claimed by two young hurlers who would become staples in the post-Radke (and soon-to-be post-Santana) rotation: Scott Baker and Kevin Slowey. Another right-hander named Nick Blackburn debuted and got his feet wet as a reliever in September. Meanwhile, pitching prospect Matt Garza found his first MLB success at age 23 with a 3.69 ERA in 16 appearances (15 starts). Thanks to solid efforts from newcomers, another excellent season from Santana, a bounce-back year from Carlos Silva, and reliable work from Joe Nathan, Matt Guerrier and Pat Neshek at the back end of the bullpen, this was a quality staff. The Twins ranked fourth among AL teams in runs allowed, ERA and WHIP while leading the league in K/BB ratio. But much like 2005, a lackluster offense and an inspired run from a division opponent spelled doom for Minnesota's chances of repeating as division champs. Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau took steps back after producing MVP-caliber results the prior year, but both were still plenty good, with Mauer registering a 118 OPS+ and Morneau checking in at 122 to go along with 31 homers and 111 RBIs. Hunter was stellar in his walk year, building a strong case for free agency with 28 homers, 45 doubles, 107 RBIs, and his seventh straight Gold Glove. But elsewhere, weaknesses were evident: Second baseman Luis Castillo batted .304 but it was an empty average, as he drew just 29 walks and collected only 14 extra-base hits in 384 plate appearances. At age 31 his signature speed was fading. The Twins traded him to the Mets in July to make way for prospect Alexi Casilla.Following his impressive showing at third base after replacing Tony Batista in 2006, Nick Punto dove (head-first) back into the dumpster offensively, slashing a hideous .210/.291/.271 while drawing the fifth-most plate appearances (536) on the team.The designated hitter spot was a mess as Ryan's perpetual inability to find a capable bat for the position persisted. Among players to draw more than a dozen starts at DH for the Twins in '07: Jeff Cirillo, Mike Redmond, Jason Tyner, Rondell White, Garrett Jones. None finished the year with an OPS above .700. Meanwhile David Ortiz mashed his way to a fifth straight top-five MVP finish in Boston, not to mention a second championship.Hurting their chances significantly, the Twins went 4-14 against a Cleveland Indians team that won 96 games and the division, coming within a game of the World Series. CC Sabathia won the Cy Young Award, ending what should've been a three-year run by Santana. In the only sub-.500 season of their decade-long run from 2001 through 2010, the Twins were stuck in transition, with several notable tenures coming to an end. Staring down the unenviable task of moving on from multiple cherished franchise mainstays in the coming offseason, Ryan stepped aside as GM in September. Replacing him would be his longtime assistant Bill Smith. There never seemed to be much substantive momentum toward Hunter re-signing with the Twins. He inked a five-year contract with the Angels around Thanksgiving. A week later, Smith struck his first big trade, sending Garza and Jason Bartlett to the Rays in exchange for 2007 Rookie of the Year runner-up Delmon Young. Shortly after the calendar flipped to 2008, Santana would be traded to the Mets in exchange for a package of four prospects. With construction officially getting underway on their new downtown outdoor ballpark, the Twins were restructuring for a very different type of future, eliminating the last vestiges of an early-decade core that ushered success back into the Metrodome. This was going to be Mauer and Morneau's team now. Who would join them in taking the lead? Team MVP: Johan Santana (SP) Other Contenders: Jason Barlett (SS), Joe Mauer ( C ), Torii Hunter (CF), Joe Nathan (RP) Santana's final year as a Twin was another excellent one, though undoubtedly his worst since becoming a full-time starter in 2004. Actually, "worst" is too harsh. Let's say "least amazing." While his ERA (3.33), FIP (3.82), and WHIP (1.07) were all the highest in four years, as was his league-leading total of 33 homers allowed, Santana still topped the team in fWAR (4.0) and bWAR (5.0). He was an All-Star for a third straight time, finished fifth in the Cy Young voting, and was awarded his first and only Gold Glove. By now the 28-year-old left-hander was firmly established as one of the very best pitchers in baseball. For him to pitch this well even in a down year almost reinforced just how good he was. The Twins carried some leverage into offseason trade talks as a result, though it was tempered by his one remaining year of control, and a looming monster long-term contract. 3 Most Pivotal Games April 23rd: Lost vs. Cleveland Indians, 7-3 The Indians came to town on April 23rd trailing Minnesota by 1 1/2 games in the standings, and looking to overtake sole possession of first place in a two-game series. They did just that. In the first game they scored four runs against Jesse Crain – who'd soon be shelved for the rest of the season due to shoulder issues – in the 14th inning to close within a half-game. Veteran reliever Roberto Hernández was credited with the win for Cleveland. The next day, the Indians completed a two-game sweep at the Dome, with a different Roberto Hernández picking up the W. Except at that point, he was known as Fausto Carmona. The Twins would never again see first place. August 5th: Won vs. Cleveland Indians, 1-0 To their credit, the Twins did hang around in the AL Central, balancing out losing spells with winning streaks to stay within range of .500 and on the fringe of a race playing out between Cleveland and Detroit ahead of them. Heading into the third of a four-game home series against the Indians in early August, Minnesota had won five of its past seven – including three against Cleveland – on the strength of great pitching, whittling their deficit in the Central from nine games to 5 1/2. On this date, Baker hurled eight shutout innings and Nathan slammed the door as the Twins won to move back within five games of first. The three-way race was on. August 29th: Lost @ Cleveland Indians, 4-3 Or was it? Unfortunately the Twins followed that triumphant victory by dropping seven of eight, and when late August rolled around they'd failed to gain any more ground. Still, when the Twins headed to Cleveland for a series against the frontrunners, they were 5 1/2 games behind with a chance to move within striking distance. Instead, they dropped the first two games behind Silva and Boof Bonser. And in the finale, as they sent their ace Santana against the eventual Cy Young winner Sabathia to try and avoid a sweep, the Twins were sunk by a four-run first inning from Cleveland. This left Minnesota 8 1/2 behind. They'd finish 17 games out after an 11-16 September. Unforgettable Highlights Doubleheader Derby By this point the rivalry between the Twins and White Sox was white-hot. So it was extra-satisfying when Minnesota enjoyed one of the greatest doubleheaders ever on July 6th, scoring 32 runs across the day-night twin bill in front of Chicago's home fans. In the first game, a 20-14 win, the Twins pounded out 21 hits with Jason Kubel driving in seven runs and Mauer five. The nightcap was a 12-0 laugher, fueled by six shutout innings from Garza and three home runs from Morneau. Jason Tyner Finally Goes Yard As he stepped to the plate for his first at-bat of the day in Cleveland on July 28th – the 1,319th of his major-league career – Tyner still had yet to hit his first MLB home run. The dry spell became a bit of a running joke among Twins fandom (and in the clubhouse, I'm sure). But on this fateful day, Tyner finally got his first one, a meager 352-foot shot against Jake Westbrook. The slap-hitting outfielder's baton for longest home-run drought was handed to his teammate (for a couple more days at least), the second baseman Castillo. Johan Santana Sets Twins Single-Game Strikeout Record While this season wasn't Santana's best as a Twin, it did feature his most dominant performance. On August 19th, facing the Texas Rangers at Target Field, Santana was at the height of his effectiveness, logging an astounding 17 strikeouts over eight shutout innings. That's a Twins franchise record, as is the 19 totaled in the nine-inning contest, with Nathan adding two in his save. Making this outing all the more impressive is that Texas was always within one swing of tying or taking the lead, as Minnesota scored once in the second and never provided further run support. Target Field Breaks Ground In the midst of an ongoing land dispute, a ceremonial groundbreaking was held at the site for Minnesota's then-unnamed new pro baseball stadium on August 30th. Located across downtown from the Metrodome, this new facility was to be built upon a strikingly small patch of land. Plenty of creative planning and architecture would be required in bringing its bold vision to life. While Target Field would become a marvel of modern engineering, its groundbreaking – originally scheduled for August 2nd – had been delayed by a haunting failure of engineering one day prior, when the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed just blocks away from the Metrodome. Baker Flirts with Perfection Postponed along with the Target Field groundbreaking on August 2nd was the Twins' home game scheduled for the same day, against Kansas City. It was instead played on August 31st, as part of a doubleheader. In the second billing that day, Baker pitched the best game of his career and one of the best in Twins history, carrying a perfect game into the ninth inning before John Buck drew a leadoff walk and Mike Sweeney snapped the no-hitter with a one-out single. Since the 1980s, only two Minnesota pitchers have posted a higher Game Score than Baker's 93 in this start: Eric Milton in his 1999 no-hitter, and Santana in his 17-strikeout game 12 days earlier. One Detail You Probably Forgot Tommy Watkins is familiar to current Twins fans as Rocco Baldelli's affable first base coach, but he did have a very brief and successful career as a major-league player. A 38th-round draft pick in 1998, Watkins worked his way through the minors for nearly a decade – more a likable organizational soldier than a legitimate prospect. In August of 2007, he received his first big-league promotion at age 27, much to the delight of people throughout the organization. In 28 at-bats, Watkins collected 10 hits (all singles) before suffering an abdominal injury late in the month. He wouldn't appear again in the majors, retiring with a .357 batting average, but his impact on the organization was far from over. Fun Fact When he dropped a force-out throw from Bartlett in the first inning of a June 6th contest against the Angels, Castillo snapped a streak of 143 straight games without an error. It was an MLB record for a second baseman, although Detroit's Placido Polanco was already in the midst of surpassing him with a 186-game streak that lasted into 2008. Castillo was a streaky guy in general; his 35-game hitting streak with Florida in 2002 also set an MLB record for second basemen, later tied by Chase Utley. ~~~ Previous Installments: The 2000 SeasonThe 2001 SeasonThe 2002 SeasonThe 2003 SeasonThe 2004 SeasonThe 2005 SeasonThe 2006 Season Click here to view the article

I would add Morneau's home run off a 100 MPH heater from Joel Zumaya to the list of unforgettable highlights. That was the one moment that sticks in my memory above all others from his four-month MVP run full of huge hits.

Option 3: Press "Like This" on this comment (or voice your support below) if you want us to switch to this regular batting order: 1. Luis Arraez, 2B 2. Byron Buxton, CF 3. Max Kepler, RF 4. Miguel Sano, 1B 5. Josh Donaldson, 3B 6. Jake Cave, LF 7. Mitch Garver, C 8. Nelson Cruz, DH 9. Jorge Polanco, SS

Option 2: Press "Like This" on this comment (or voice your support below) if you want us to switch to this regular batting order: 1. Luis Arraez, 2B 2. Jorge Polanco, SS 3. Mitch Garver, C 4. Miguel Sano, 1B 5. Josh Donaldson, 3B 6. Max Kepler, RF 7. Nelson Cruz, DH 8. Jake Cave, LF 9. Byron Buxton, CF

Option 1: Press "Like This" on this comment (or voice your support below) if you want us to stick with this regular batting order: 1. Luis Arraez, 2B 2. Josh Donaldson, 3B 3. Miguel Sano, 1B 4. Max Kepler, RF 5. Mitch Garver, C 6. Jorge Polanco, SS 7. Nelson Cruz, DH 8. Jake Cave, LF 9. Byron Buxton, CF

As our interactive simulated 2020 season marches into late August, the Twins are failing to put a run together, and losing ground in the AL Central race as a result. We've fallen 3 1/2 games behind Cleveland with 34 left to play. Can we take the division with a late push, or is it time to turn focus toward a wild-card berth?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: 8/19 Team Record: 71-57 Leading OPS: Luis Arraez (.929 in 395 AB) Leading ERA (SP): Alex Wood (2.62 in 137.1 IP) Leading ERA (RP): Tyler Duffey (2.04 in 57.1 IP) LATEST RESULTS (5-5) Gm 119 @ KC: W 6-4 (Berrios 7.1 IP, 3 ER, W) Gm 120 @ KC: W 7-2 (Sano 2-5, HR, 2 RBI) Gm 121 @ BOS: L 7-6 (Maeda 4 IP, 5 ER) Gm 122 @ BOS: L 4-0 (Wood 6.1 IP, 0 ER, 11 K) Gm 123 @ BOS: W 11-4 (Rooker 3-5, 2 HR, 6 RBI) Gm 124 @ BOS: W 8-7 (Cruz 3-4, HR, 5 RBI) Gm 125 vs KC: W 3-2 (Arraez walk-off RBI single in 13th) Gm 126 vs KC: L 7-6 (Rogers 1 IP, 3 ER, L) Gm 127 vs KC: L 4-1 (Cruz 3-5, RBI) Gm 128 vs CWS: L 9-2 (Snell 4 IP, 4 ER, L) AL CENTRAL STANDINGS Download attachment: alcstandings819.jpeg THE RUNDOWN Per last week's lopsided vote, we decided to send down Zack Littell and replace him in the bullpen with Cody Stashak, who'd been pitching brilliantly in Triple-A. Things... did not go well in Stashak's initial run with the Twins. He has thrown four innings over four appearances, allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits and two homers, for a 15.75 ERA and 2.50 WHIP. That's not quite "Let's reverse the decision and send him back down" territory, but it's pretty close. While Stashak arrived with a thud, it was another reliever whose failure turned the tides on a promising run. We were 5-2 through our first seven games of the latest stretch, seemingly headed toward 6-2 as we entered the top of the ninth of a home game against Kansas City leading by two. In came All-Star closer Taylor Rogers, who was knocked around for three earned runs on four hits, blowing the lead and the game. Our Twins lost the next two without putting up much of a fight, getting outscored by the Royals and White Sox 13-3. As recently as late July, we were tied with the Indians for first place. But a 7-9 record so far in August, along with Cleveland playing consistently good ball, puts us 3 1/2 games out as September approaches. A string of games starting at the end of August where we play Cleveland seven times in 10 games looms very large. Failing to succeed there could potentially doom us, and that's if we keep pace up until then. The good news, I guess, is that we are still in playoff position, holding the second wild-card spot behind Texas (71-55), but leading Houston (69-57) by only one game. Download attachment: wildcardstandings819.jpeg We need to buckle down and rattle off some wins if we want to avoid missing the playoffs. It's discouraging that our biggest deadline acquisition has thus far been a bust (as I'll cover shortly) while big bats are failing to step up. But there's still time left. WHO'S HOT Brent Rooker has been hitting very well since being recalled after the Eddie Rosario trade. He balled out in our 11-4 victory at Fenway, homering twice and doubling while driving in six runs. Since being recalled in late July, Rooker is hitting .283 with three home runs and nine RBIs in 13 games. Jake Cave is also performing very well, with a .308/.394/.495 slash line in 27 total games on the season, so the platoon is thus far minimizing the impact of Rosario's absence. Meanwhile, leadoff man Luis Arraez keeps on collecting hits. His .339 batting average trails only Mike Trout (.344) in the AL batting race. In the rotation, Alex Wood's rough debut in a Twins uniform (4.1 IP, 6 ER vs. HOU) has since given way to three strong efforts: 8/6 vs. KC: 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 K, 1 BB8/11 @ BOS: 6.1 IP, 0 ER, 11 K, 3 BB8/16 vs KC: 7 IP, 4 R, 0 ER, 7 K, 2 BBHe's still searching for his first win in a Twins uniform due to a lack of support from – alternatively – the offense, bullpen, and defense. But he's been a hell of a lot better than his fellow deadline rotation pickup. Download attachment: alexwoodtwins.jpeg WHO'S NOT Blake Snell has made four starts since we traded Rosario and Jordan Balazovic to Tampa for him. The results: 8/2 vs HOU: 5.1 IP, 5 ER, 5 K, 1 BB8/7 vs KC: 6 IP, 4 ER, 5 K, 7 BB8/12 @ BOS: 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 7 K, 4 BB8/18 vs CWS: 4 IP, 4 ER, 5 K, 3 BBZero quality starts in four attempts. Routinely erratic control. Failure to capitalize on soft home match-ups. He's got time to make good (especially since we have him for three more years after 2020), but Snell's 7.40 ERA through four starts is definitely instilling some buyer's remorse. Offensively, the once-potent lineup has been lagging at times, and Max Kepler's drop-off is a prime culprit. When he started in right field at the All-Star Game, he was slashing .289/.373/.462 with 13 home runs and 57 RBIs. A month later, his overall line has dropped to .267/.365/.426, and he has added only two homers and 13 RBIs in 29 games. This is especially problematic since Kepler has stepped into the cleanup spot left vacant by Rosario. Which brings us to this weekend's decision up for vote. DECISION TIME: SHAKING UP THE BATTING ORDER We made big rotation additions at the deadline, and we've been pretty active with promoting and demoting relievers. I'm not sure what else we can do to right this wayward ship, other than something as straw-graspy as moving people around in the batting order. While the once-leading Twins still rank second in the majors in runs scored – albeit distantly, behind the Angels (679 to 639) – our offense has clearly tailed off in recent weeks. With hindering issues, such as Kepler slumping in a key spot, maybe a major shakeup will make a real difference. Here's the core lineup I've been running out against righties: Luis Arraez, 2B (.339/.438/.491, 11 HR, 62 RBI)Josh Donaldson, 3B (.261/.364/.471, 29 HR, 79 RBI)Miguel Sano, 1B (.268/.368/.513, 30 HR, 85 RBI)Max Kepler, RF (.267/.365/.426, 15 HR, 68 RBI)Mitch Garver, C (.281/.375/.470, 16 HR, 39 RBI)Jorge Polanco, SS (.262/.347/.402, 12 HR, 39 RBI)Nelson Cruz, DH (.269/.342/.480, 25 HR, 79 RBI)Jake Cave, LF (.308/.394/.495, 4 HR, 10 RBI)Byron Buxton, CF (.216/.284/.309, 3 HR, 17 RBI)Against lefties, I usually swap in Rooker for Cave and move Cruz up a spot. And of course, there are backups routinely rotating through. But this is the A1 order. One thing we won't consider here is moving Arraez out of the leadoff spot; he was voted into it by readers ahead of the All-Star break, and has been phenomenal in that role with his .438 OBP (second only to Trout in the majors). But I'm otherwise open to pretty much anything. Here's one re-shuffling we could try, which moves the struggling Kepler and underwhelming Donaldson down a bit while elevating Polanco and Garver: Luis Arraez, 2B (.339/.438/.491, 11 HR, 62 RBI)Jorge Polanco, SS (.262/.347/.402, 12 HR, 39 RBI)Mitch Garver, C (.281/.375/.470, 16 HR, 39 RBI)Miguel Sano, 1B (.268/.368/.513, 30 HR, 85 RBI)Josh Donaldson, 3B (.261/.364/.471, 29 HR, 79 RBI)Max Kepler, RF (.267/.365/.426, 15 HR, 68 RBI)Nelson Cruz, DH (.269/.342/.480, 25 HR, 79 RBI)Jake Cave, LF (.308/.394/.495, 4 HR, 10 RBI)Byron Buxton, CF (.216/.284/.309, 3 HR, 17 RBI)Or... here's another thought. Buxton's been fighting it at the plate all season long. He started slow and has simply never been able to get going. In that respect, having him at the bottom of the lineup has been logical and beneficial. But maybe a change of routine could jumpstart his game. Getting Buxton going at the plate would be such a catalyst for this offense. So here's a more radical reconfiguration we could try:Luis Arraez, 2B (.339/.438/.491, 11 HR, 62 RBI)Byron Buxton, CF (.216/.284/.309, 3 HR, 17 RBI)Max Kepler, RF (.267/.365/.426, 15 HR, 68 RBI)Miguel Sano, 1B (.268/.368/.513, 30 HR, 85 RBI)Josh Donaldson, 3B (.261/.364/.471, 29 HR, 79 RBI)Jake Cave, LF (.308/.394/.495, 4 HR, 10 RBI)Nelson Cruz, DH (.269/.342/.480, 25 HR, 79 RBI)Mitch Garver, C (.281/.375/.470, 16 HR, 39 RBI)Jorge Polanco, SS (.262/.347/.402, 12 HR, 39 RBI)The risk is that Kepler and Buxton keep slumping, and our run-scoring issues worsen. But I think they're gonna heat up soon. It's not like they have bad player ratings in the game, far from it. If anyone has any other ideas, I'm all ears. Feel free to share them, ask questions, or vote for your favorite lineup in the comments COMING UP 8/19 vs CWS 8/21 vs DET 8/22 vs DET 8/23 vs DET 8/25 @ MIL 8/26 @ MIL 8/28 @ TB 8/29 @ TB 8/30 @ TB 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) 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

Aiming for their fourth consecutive division title, the 2005 Twins fell short in a transitional season that saw the lineup endure growing pains (and actual pains). It was a year fraught with frustrations, but one bearing the fruits of a promising future.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 2005 season. Team Record: 83-79 Finish: 3rd Place in AL Central All-Stars: Johan Santana (SP), Joe Nathan (RP) Awards: Torii Hunter (Gold Glove, CF) Playoffs: N/A Season Overview On July 28th of 2005, Torii Hunter chased a ball into the deepest corner of Fenway Park's strange outfield contour, breaking his ankle against the wall and ending his season. Six weeks later, Kyle Lohse would break manager Ron Gardenhire's office door with a baseball bat. But for all intents and purposes, Minnesota's hopes for a fourth straight division title had been shattered long before either of these events, in a season where several Twins hitters endured downswings and a division rival rose far above the field. Let's start with what went right for the 2005 Twins: pitching. The staff ranked fifth among AL teams in ERA, second in ERA+, second in WHIP, first in BB/9 and 10th in K/9 rate as the perfect embodiment of pitching coach Rick Anderson's "pitch to contact" philosophy in successful practice. Fresh off his breakout Cy Young campaign, Johan Santana earned his first All-Star nod, maintaining his status as the American League's best starting pitcher even if the postseason award voters failed to validate it (more on that later, ugh). Brad Radke did his usual thing with 200 innings of above-average work. Carlos Silva had a season for the history books, issuing only nine walks in 188 1/3 innings for a 0.4 BB/9 rate that ranks seventh in baseball history. (Everyone else in the Top 25 on that leaderboard accomplished the feat before 1900.) As good as the rotation was, the bullpen might've been better, led by the enduring dominance of Joe Nathan in the closer role. Making his second straight All-Star team, he notched 43 saves on 48 tries, with a 2.70 ERA and 94-to-22 K/BB ratio over 70 innings. Joining him as a lights-out back-end reliever was 23-year-old Jesse Crain, who enjoyed one of the stranger statistical seasons in memory – he posted a 2.71 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 79 2/3 innings despite issuing more walks (29) than strikeouts (25). He was also credited with 12 wins despite never making a start; a vulture after the heart of Tony Fiore's (an inferior but similarly lucky reliever who "earned" 10 wins in 2002). Juan Rincón, J.C. Romero and Matt Guerrier joined them as oft-used and ultra-reliable weapons in Gardenhire's bullpen. Not only was this staff effective, but also remarkably healthy. Five different starters made 26-plus starts. Minnesota used only 15 total pitchers all year, fewest of any Twins team in the 2000s (or 1990s, for that matter). Unfortunately, this steady and reliable pitching corps was doomed to lose a whole lot of low-scoring games, as fledgling young hitters and fading veterans throughout the lineup took their lumps. A tour through the doldrums: Joe Mauer returned after an injury-ruined rookie year and delivered a solid first full season, albeit one that scratched the surface of his true potential. Learning the MLB ropes at age 22, and still seemingly somewhat hampered by his surgically repaired knee, Mauer slashed .294/.372/.411 with nine homers and 55 RBIs. This qualifies as a major highlight of the offense.Justin Morneau, handed the reins with Doug Mientkiewicz gone, batted .239 with a .741 OPS and 22 homers in 141 games. Viewed as one of the best prospects in the game before his arrival in '04, Morneau's luster started to wear off.After FINALLY giving up on Luis Rivas, who put up a .580 OPS in the first half before the team cut bait, Gardenhire found his new muse: light-hitting Nick Punto, who would start 63 games at second in his first of many seasons as a safety blanket for the skipper. The entire second base unit was brutal enough that Terry Ryan traded for a washed-up Bret Boone in July. Boone went .170/.241/.170 in 58 plate appearances as a Twin, then retired.Miscast as a third baseman, Michael Cuddyer struggled defensively and slashed a mediocre .263/.330/.422 with 12 homers at age 26. Now with 1,000 big-league PAs under his belt and little progress to show for it, doubts swirled around the touted talent's true upside.Matt LeCroy plodded to a .798 OPS with 17 homers as a defensive zero, and after the season, Ryan finally cut bait on his former first-round pick. By now, the gravity of the GM's misstep in hitching his wagon to LeCroy as DH in 2002, when David Ortiz was released, was coming into full focus. In 2005, Ortiz drove in 148 runs for the Red Sox and finished as MVP runner-up.Hunter went down midway through the season and the outfield crumbled around him. Lew Ford fell off a cliff after his otherworldly 2004. Jacque Jones and Shannon Stewart were unexceptional, winding down their tenures with the team.Plagued by poor offensive performances, which led to hitting coach Scott Ullger being moved out of his role after the season, the Twins finished last in the AL in runs scored with 688. Maybe it's just as well, since even a stellar campaign likely wouldn't have propelled them past the divinely endowed Chicago White Sox, who won 99 games in the regular season and then went 13-1 in the playoffs en route to a bewilderingly snag-free World Series title. The true tragedy of Minnesota's offensive ineptitude in 2005 is the way it screwed over Santana. He was the AL's best pitcher by almost any reasonable measure, but missed out on the Cy Young because oblivious voters fancied the lesser Bartolo Colon's 21 wins to Johan's 16. Does three Cy Young Awards, as opposed to two, change the Hall of Fame argument for Santana, who fell off the ballot after his first year of eligibility? Who knows, but I'll always have a bitter taste in my mouth from this season for that atrocity alone, despite its many charms. Team MVP: Johan Santana (SP) Other Contenders: Joe Mauer ( C ), Joe Nathan (RP), Torii Hunter (CF), Brad Radke (SP) There's really no competition for Santana here. No other Twins player was on his level in 2005. He was the league's best pitcher, Cy Young debacle be damned, leading the AL in ERA+ (155) and WHIP (0.97), while pacing the majors in strikeouts (238) and FIP (2.80). The Twins went 24-9 in his 33 starts. Santana was good in the first half but found another gear after the All-Star break, pitching to a 9-2 record and 1.59 ERA in 15 starts while holding opponents to a .192/.231/.292 slash line. 3 Most Pivotal Games May 1st: Lost vs. Los Angeles Angels, 2-1 Despite a strong month of April in which they went 15-8, the Twins found themselves trailing the White Sox, who'd jumped out to a 17-7 start. Seeking a series sweep against the Angels at home, Minnesota sent out its ace Santana, who was 4-0. Despite throwing eight innings of two-run ball, Santana took the loss as his offense managed just one run on four hits against Colon and relievers Scot Shields and Francisco Rodríguez. The Twins fell to 3 1/2 games out of first place, which is as close as they'd be for the rest of the year. June 16th: Lost vs. San Francisco Giants, 14-7 In mid-June, the Twins were trying to hang in the division race, trailing the White Sox by five games. Seeking a win in the rubber match against San Francisco, the Twins raced to a 4-0 lead in the first thanks to Mauer (two-run HR) and Morneau (two-run single) but Joe Mays frittered it away. Eventually the Twins and Giants entered the ninth in a 7-7 tie, but Nathan uncharacteristically melted down in a top of the ninth where Minnesota gave up seven runs. From an early big lead, to a tight game, to a blowout loss. Five days later the Twins were 10 games out of first. July 5th: Lost @ Los Angeles Angels, 2-1 Another 2-1 loss to the Angels with a guy named Santana on the mound. Except this time it was Ervin Santana starting for the Halos and combining with three relievers to shut down the unimpressive Twins offense, which never scored after Mauer's one-out RBI single in the first. This loss pushed Minnesota 10 1/2 games back, and it was only downhill from there. Another noteworthy aspect of this game is that a rookie pitcher named Scott Baker made his first MLB start for the Twins, allowing two runs over five innings. Unforgettable Highlights Silva Oozes Efficiency His complete-game victory against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 20th really epitomized Silva's successful '05 formula: throw strikes, let hitters get themselves out, and call it a night. He needed only 74 pitches to get through nine innings, holding the Brew Crew to one run on five hits. Silva induced only three swinging strikes in the game, but of course issued zero walks. The entire contest took less than two and a half fours, despite the Twins scoring seven runs and Milwaukee using five pitchers. Glenn Williams Makes His Mark Mention his name around any fan who followed the Twins around this era, and you'll instantly see their eyes light up. Glenn Williams, a 27-year-old Australian native and fairly anonymous minor-leaguer, came up for a short stint in June and collected hits in each of his first 13 games, going 17-for-40 (.425) before injuring his shoulder on a slide late in the month. He went on the disabled list and never played again in the majors. To date, he remains the all-time MLB leader in career batting average ... among players with at least 40 plate appearances. Lohse Loses His Cool On September 6th, Gardenhire pulled Lohse after two innings in a start against the Rangers where the hurler had surrendered five earned runs. Apparently displeased, Lohse took a baseball bat to the manager's office door, busting off the doorknob and injuring his finger in the process. Liriano Debuts The month of September was mostly a bummer for the Twins, marred by the aforementioned dramatics and a whole bunch of a losing from a defeated team. But one big highlight was the arrival of an exciting pitching prospect who'd been acquired from San Francisco two years earlier alongside Nathan in the A.J. Pierzynski trade. Francisco Liriano joined the Twins as a September call-up, making six appearances (four starts) at age 21. Though he posted a 5.70 ERA in the limited sample, Liriano's nastiness was evident as he held opponents to a .221 average and struck out 33 in 23 2/3 innings, with an 18% whiff rate. The fun was only beginning. One Detail You Probably Forgot It's easy to forget how tremendous of a baserunner Mauer was, especially in his youth. Despite coming off knee surgery and playing a defensive position that punished his legs, Mauer went 13-for-14 on stolen base attempts in 2005. He'd never reach double digits again. Fun Fact In early May, the Twins were informed that their standout reliever Rincón had tested positive for a banned PED. He was suspended for ... 10 days, and came back to post a 2.45 ERA over 63 appearances thereafter. It was a different time. ~~~ Previous Installments: The 2000 SeasonThe 2001 SeasonThe 2002 SeasonThe 2003 SeasonThe 2004 Season Click here to view the article

Nope, that was 2009. Mauer actually didn't play in these playoffs. But all the awful breaks against the Yankees sorta blur together, don't they?

It has indeed been implemented in the game. That's my leaning as well.

Option 3: Press "Like This" on this comment (or voice your support below) if you want us to stick with Zack Littell, who's been an altogether respectable last reliever in the bullpen.

Option 2: Press "Like This" on this comment (or voice your support below) if you want us to call up Blaine Hardy

Option 1: Press "Like This" on this comment (or voice your support below) if you want us to call up Cody Stashak

As our interactive simulated 2020 season eclipses the trade deadline and moves into August, we've pulled the trigger on two major deals to add starting pitching. Unfortunately, the new guys didn't make great first impressions, and the Twins now find themselves once again looking up at Cleveland in the standings.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: 8/8 Team Record: 66-52 Leading OPS: Luis Arraez (.935 in 365 AB) Leading ERA (SP): Jose Berrios (3.24 in 155.1 IP) Leading ERA (RP): Tyler Duffey (2.18 in 53.2 IP) LATEST RESULTS (4-6) Gm 109 vs LAD: W 2-0 (Berrios 8.1 IP, 0 ER, W) Gm 110 vs LAD: L 6-4 (May 0.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 BB, L) Gm 111 vs HOU: W 6-5 (Cave 3-4, 2 R) Gm 112 vs HOU: L 5-4 (Wood 4.1, 6 ER, L) Gm 113 vs HOU: L 11-1 (Arraez 4-5, 4 RBI) Gm 114 vs CLE: W 8-5 (Gonzalez 3-4, 5 RBI) Gm 115 vs CLE: L 4-1 (Donaldson/Sano/Kepler 0-11, 5 K) Gm 116 vs CLE: L 6-4 (Odorizzi 1.1 IP, 6 ER) Gm 117 @ KC: L 6-4 (Wood 6 IP, 2 ER) Gm 118 @ KC: W 8-4 (Avila 2-4, HR, 4 RBI) AL CENTRAL STANDINGS Download attachment: alcstandings88.jpeg THE RUNDOWN In our last edition, with the trade deadline bearing down, I proposed four different deals I felt we could pull off. Options No. 1 and 4 tied for the most votes, so I went ahead and made both. On July 27th we struck two trades to bolster the rotation: Traded LF Eddie Rosario and RHP Jordan Balazovic to Rays for LHP Blake SnellTraded SS Nick Gordon and RHP Tyler Wells to Dodgers for LHP Alex WoodWith the two new starters coming aboard, Homer Bailey was designated for assignment. Michael Pineda was bumped to a long reliever role. Adapting to the loss of a key lineup fixture in Rosario, we recalled Brent Rooker, and we're more or less platooning him with Jake Cave in left. Both players have performed well in the elevated roles; Cave went 9-for-23 with two home runs and four RBIs in six games, Rooker went 7-for-21 with a homer and three RBIs in six games. The team overall, though, hasn't fared as well. We went 4-6 in the last 10 while Cleveland went 7-3, leaving us three games behind the division lead. Both of our newly acquired starters made had rough debuts with the new team. Here's a quick recap of the latest stretch of games, broken down by series: Split home series vs Dodgers, 1-1 We won the first game behind a tremendous effort from Jose Berrios, who took a shutout into the ninth before giving way to Taylor Rogers and a two-out save. We lost the second game, with All-Star starter Kenta Maeda unable to get through five, and Trevor May taking the loss in an erratic relief appearance. Lost home series vs Houston, 2-1 Like the last series, we won the first game, this time scoring five runs in a second inning highlighted by Miguel Sano's three-run double. Fending off an Astros comeback, the Twins held on 6-5. The second game saw newly acquired Alex Wood make his Twins debut. Bringing in a 2.53 ERA from his first four months with the Dodgers, Wood was hit early and often by the Astros, giving up six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings of work. We lost 6-4. (Of note: Pineda – now in a long relief role, tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings after replacing Wood ... who just supplanted him in the rotation.) In the third game, Snell made his first start in a Twins uniform, opposite the reigning Cy Young winner (and recent All-Star Game starter) Justin Verlander. It wasn't a great night for either pitcher, as they posted identical results: 5.1 IP, 5 ER. But Houston's bullpen bested Minnesota's. And... okay. Check this out. Tyler Duffey came into this game with a 1.45 ERA. He's been the best reliever on the team and one of the best in the league. On this day against the Astros, he entered the eighth inning of a tie game. His line: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 ER. He got one out, put five runners on, and they all scored. In his three other appearances over the past batch, he allowed zero runs while striking out seven. It says a lot that, even after a week marred by that disastrous outing, Duffey still leads this excellent bullpen in ERA at 2.18. I'm not trying to say the Astros are still banging garbage cans and this video game is accounting for it, but. Actually that is what I'm saying. Only possible explanation. Damn you Houston. Lost home series vs Cleveland, 2-1 This one was painful. We had a big opportunity at home against the team we're battling for first place and ... we fell flat. Once again the Twins took Game 1, this time keyed by a five-RBI effort from Marwin Gonzalez. But Cleveland took the next two, with Jake Odorizzi completely imploding in the third: 1.1 IP, 6 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 0 K. (Of note: Pineda relieved him and gave us 4 2/3 scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 3.68.) Split first two of four on road vs. Kansas City, 1-1 In the first game, Wood took the ball again and looked much better, holding the Royals to two runs over six innings, striking out six. But Rogers gave up a one-run lead in the ninth, and Hunter Dozier launched a walk-off homer against Zack Littell in the 12th. The second game saw another rough effort from Snell, who allowed four earned runs and seven walks over six innings. Luckily the rest of the team lifted him up. Nelson Cruz and Alex Avila each homered, combining for seven RBIs. Sergio Romo and Duffey combined for three scoreless frames in an 8-4 win. And that's where we are at. Since our rundown was quite extensive, I'll skip the hot/cold trends for this week. Let's talk bullpen upgrades. DECISION TIME: CALL UP A RELIEVER FROM AAA? While we made two major rotation additions at the trade deadline, we elected not to upgrade the bullpen. And that's justifiable, because the unit has generally been really damn good. But we might want to think about replacing Littell. His numbers are okay: through 46 2/3 innings, he has a 4.44 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, and 33-to-15 K/BB ratio. But he has allowed eight home runs – most in the bullpen – and that includes the aforementioned walk-off shot in Kansas City. He just hasn't been very reliable, and in terms of overall rating in the video game, his 68 is worst on the current 26-man roster. Download attachment: lowestratedtwins.jpeg We've got two relievers performing extremely well in Triple-A. I propose that we call up one of them to replace Littell. Option 1: Cody Stashak, RHP. In 28 innings of work for Rochester, he has a 27-to-8 K/BB ratio, 0.96 ERA, and a 0.82 WHIP. As we know, he's already had some big-league success. Option 2: Blaine Hardy, LHP. Though sidelined in real life by Tommy John surgery, Hardy is still healthy in the virtual realm, and throwing well. He's got a 2.08 ERA and 1.07 WHIP through 34 2/3 innings, with a 23-to-7 K/BB ratio. He would give us a lefty option in the bullpen, which we currently lack outside the closer Rogers. The other option is to stick with Littell. Feel free to state your preference in the comments. COMING UP 8/8 @ KC 8/9 @ KC 8/10 @ BOS 8/11 @ BOS 8/12 @ BOS 8/13 @ BOS 8/14 vs KC 8/15 vs KC 8/16 vs KC 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) 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

Ahh, that would make sense. Admittedly I didn't watch with sound on. It just seemed like there was a huge gap in enthusiasm between the players on the field and fans in the stands.

I see your point but ... is it really a "year of development"? I just have no idea what participation on this taxi squad is going to entail.

Looking to deliver an encore after winning the division and narrowly missing the World Series in 2002, these Twins came out flat and flirted with self-sabotage by keeping their best pitcher relegated to the bullpen. But a couple of key midseason moves helped right the ship as the Twins defended their title and settled in to reign over the AL Central.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 2003 season. Team Record: 90-72 Finish: 1st Place in AL Central All-Star: Eddie Guardado (RP) Awards: Torii Hunter (Gold Glove, CF) Playoffs: Lost to NYY 3-1 in ALDS Season Overview The 2003 season represented a big opportunity for a Twins franchise that was looking to repeat as division champs for the first time in more than three decades (1969-70). They had come within three wins of a World Series berth the prior season, and the AL Central was again ripe for the taking. Cleveland sunk below .500 in 2002 as they pivoted into a rebuild following a dynastic run in the division. The Royals and White Sox were mediocre coming into '03, and the Tigers were unspeakably atrocious. This was seemingly a moment for Minnesota to ramp up and capitalize, but instead, it sticks in the memory as a prime example of this organization's inability to make impact moves and get over the hump during Terry Ryan's winning window. One of Ryan's most eventful years at the helm featured more bad than good. Following a 2002 season that saw each of Minnesota's top three rotation staples – Brad Radke, Eric Milton, and Joe Mays – regress, starting pitching was an open question mark. Ryan passed on free agents or trades, trusting the trio to rebound and succeed alongside veteran Rick Reed and young talent Kyle Lohse. In early spring training, the Twins received a grim revelation: Milton needed knee surgery, and it would cost him most the season. The lefty's workload – 970 innings pitched in the majors through age 26 – had taken a toll. He made it back to pitch a few times in September and the playoffs, but would be traded that winter. The silver lining of Milton's absence meant that a path was open for Johan Santana, coming off a rather sensational showing as swing man in 2002. But here Ryan made one of his most infamous and infuriating decisions as GM. Rather than entrusting the 24-year-old Santana and his brilliant stuff, Ryan decided to sign 38-year-old free agent Kenny Rogers, a soft-tossing lefty who embodied the term "rubber arm." Rogers was expectedly mediocre, joining the status quo in a rotation with no standouts. Santana worked in a long relief and spot starter role, posting a 2.86 ERA over 66 innings in this capacity before finally joining the rotation full-time in mid-July. By then, Mays had a 6.57 ERA through 18 starts, courtesy of an egregiously long leash. Reed was proving to be totally gassed at 38 (he retired after the season). Radke was battling through the worst season of his career. Lohse was spiraling after a great start. At the All-Star break, Ron Gardenhire's Twins were looking woeful, back 7 1/2 games in the standings and sinking. Two moves are rightfully remembered as catalysts in the massive second-half turnaround to come: On July 11th, Santana joined the rotation for good after three dominant months in the bullpen. He didn't miss a beat with the role switch, posting an 8-2 record and 3.22 ERA in 15 starts, then starting Game 1 of the ALDS.On July 16th, Ryan traded outfielder Bobby Kielty to the Toronto Blue Jays for Shannon Stewart. As a disciplined, OBP-minded veteran leadoff hitter, Stewart filled a hole that had existed since Matt Lawton's departure. Displacing the incumbent rotation of Kielty and Dustan Mohr (aka Dusty Kielmohr) in right, the newcomer slashed .322/.384/.470 with numerous clutch hits in 65 games for the Twins, finishing fourth in AL MVP voting.Even with Stewart's addition, Minnesota's offense was far from dazzling. The entire division-winning lineup from 2002 had returned, with one glaring exception: David Ortiz, released by Ryan in the offseason to make room for Rule 5 draft pick José Morban, who never played as a Twin. Ortiz signed with Boston and immediately blossomed, posting a .961 OPS with 31 homers and 101 RBIs. He finished fifth for MVP, one spot behind Stewart. The disastrous Ortiz decision haunted Minnesota's power-hungry lineup in 2003, and for many years to come. Absent Ortiz, Gardenhire cycled through many promising young bats in the system, with mixed results. Young outfielders like Lew Ford and Michael Restovich made good impressions in short stints. Former first-round pick Matt LeCroy saw his most extensive action yet, hitting 17 homers in 107 games at age 27. First base prospect Justin Morneau got his feet wet, slashing .226/.287/.377 with four homers in 40 games as a rookie. With a mix of new and familiar faces, the Twins rallied to erase a big deficit down the stretch, going 37-18 after July 31st and putting the Central on ice with an 11-game winning streak (all against division opponents) in mid-September. On September 23rd, they clinched their second straight division title with a win over Cleveland at the Metrodome. You can watch the (strangely subdued?) celebration ensue after All-Star closer Eddie Guardado records the last out around the 1-hour, 53-minute mark in this video: Next up was Minnesota's first-ever postseason matchup against the New York Yankees. The Twins won Game 1 by a score of 3-1 in the Bronx, with the starter Santana tossing four scoreless innings, and then Minnesota's offense completely shut down. They scored one run apiece in the next three games as New York cruised to the ALCS (and eventually a World Series loss to the Marlins). Coming up short against the Yankees in October would become a new norm for the Twins, but across the roster, longtime fixtures were in flux. The arrival of Morneau suggested Mientkiewicz's days in Minnesota were numbered. Meanwhile, Pierzynski had to be wondering about his own future with Joe Mauer fully affirming his status as baseball's No. 1 prospect, conquering Double-A and making a clear case for MLB readiness. Team MVP: Shannon Stewart, LF Other Contenders: Johan Santana (SP/RP), Corey Koskie (3B), A.J. Pierzynski ©, Torii Hunter (CF) With this choice, I'm betraying my own analytical scruples. It's tough to make a pure statistical case for Stewart being the team's MVP in 2003. I mean, he played only 65 games with the Twins, ranking fifth among their position players in both fWAR and bWAR. Was he really more valuable than guys like Koskie, Pierzynski and Hunter, who put forth quality production all year long while providing excellent defense at key positions? In this case, the narrative wins out. Stewart finished fourth in AL MVP balloting – behind Álex Rodríguez, Carlos Delgado and Jorge Posada – as observers everywhere took notice of the Twins' total transformation following the trade. And this narrative isn't totally baseless; despite being with Minnesota for less than half a season, Stewart led the team's position players in Win Probability Added (2.17). 3 Most Pivotal Games July 17th: Won vs. Oakland Athletics, 6-2 In the first contest out of the break, Stewart made his Twins debut, with Minnesota sitting a season-high 7 1/2 games out of first. The big addition had a quiet night, finishing 0-for-5, but nonetheless the Twins notched a big win thanks to five first-inning runs against Tim Hudson (owner of a 2.71 ERA coming in). The victory sparked a five-game winning streak, as the Twins ignited their second-half surge. September 18th: Won vs. Chicago White Sox, 5-3 On September 15th, Minnesota completed a four-game sweep in Cleveland and took sole possession of first place for the first time since June. Next up: a chance to widen their half-game lead, with three home tilts against the White Sox team they'd just supplanted. The Twins won the first two games behind Radke and Rogers. In the third, Lohse outpitched Bartolo Colon while Jones homered twice in another sweep-clincher. It pushed Minnesota up by 3 1/2 games in the standings with only eight left to play. October 2nd: Lost @ New York Yankees, 4-1 The Twins rode their momentum into October with a stunning Game 1 victory at Yankee Stadium, as five pitchers combined to hold New York to a single run. The strong pitching would continue, but in Game 2, Minnesota's bats went silent and stayed that way. Andy Pettitte worked seven innings and Mariano Rivera followed with two as the Twins managed just one score – a solo homer by Hunter in the fifth. The Twins were similarly shut down by Roger Clemens and David Wells in the next two games, and it was over. For now. Unforgettable Highlights Burying Buehrle In 2003, White Sox starter Mark Buehrle was just getting started in a long career full of tormenting the Minnesota Twins, against whom he would win more games (30) than any other opponent. But on one rare and glorious day, May 16th, the Twins got the best of Buehrle, pounding him for 10 runs (nine earned) over 3 1/3 innings in an eventual 18-3 laugher. Kielty drove in five runs and Hunter drove in four. Pierzynski went 4-for-4. Jacque Jones Sets Record for Leadoff Homers On June 7th, in his native city of San Diego, Jones blasted his 20th and final leadoff homer as a Twin. The upcoming addition of Stewart would spell the end of Jones' days as an unorthodox low-OBP, high-SLG No. 1 hitter, but his franchise record for dingers out of the leadoff spot would hold for 14 years until Brian Dozier broke it in July of 2017. New Leaders of the Pitching Staff Make a Statement The Twins lost at home against Cleveland on August 13th by a score of 5-0. So why was this game special? Because up until relievers Juan Rincón and J.C. Romero combined to give up five runs in the top of the 14th inning, the Twins had shut down Cleveland's offense via a trio of hurlers who represented the best of Minnesota's pitching in 2003. Santana fired eight shutout innings. LaTroy Hawkins followed with four strikeouts over two scoreless frames. Guardado then delivered two perfect innings of his own. It's a shame the offense couldn't do anything in this one ... but a fitting preview of the postseason. Hawk Spreads His Wings Two years earlier, Hawkins torpedoed Minnesota's playoff chances with a second-half meltdown as closer. Here in 2003, pitching ahead of Guardado, Hawk reached the height of his prowess as setup man with a 1.86 ERA and team-leading 4.13 Win Probability Added. He was pivotal in the team's rally to the postseason, allowing one run over 24 mostly high-leverage innings in August and September as the Twins surged. In Game 1 of the ALDS, under the brightest spotlight at Yankee Stadium, Hawkins entered in the seventh with no outs and a man on first, Twins leading 3-0. After giving up a leadoff single, Hawkins mowed down six straight, four on strikeouts, bridging to Guardado who closed it out. The Twins have won only one playoff game since. After the season, Hawkins and Guardado both departed as free agents, going out on major high notes. One Detail You Probably Forgot I mentioned earlier that Restovich and Ford had nice showings as young outfielders getting looks in the big leagues, but neither were quite at the level of Mike Ryan, a 25-year-old middling prospect who had one of the wildest and most random Twins stints this side of Glenn Williams (see: 2005). Called up in mid-August, Ryan played semi-regularly down the stretch as Minnesota completed its AL Central comeback, slashing .393/.441/.754 with five homers and seven doubles in 68 plate appearances. His 1.195 OPS in 2003 remains the highest of any season in franchise history for a player with 50-plus plate appearances. Fun Fact Micheal Nakamura, a Japanese-born side-arming righty reliever out of Australia, was a fun project that sadly didn't work out. He signed with the Twins in 1997 and debuted in 2003, but posted a 7.82 ERA in 12 appearances, and was waived the following spring. He had a short stint in Toronto, allowing Gary Sheffield's 400th home run in his second-to-last MLB appearance, then signed with NPB in Japan in 2005, joining the Nippon Ham Fighters alongside an 18-year-old phenom named Yu Darvish. ~~~ Previous Installments: The 2000 SeasonThe 2001 SeasonThe 2002 Season Click here to view the article

Baseball's latest plan to return features a number of alterations designed to accommodate a shortened schedule and circumstances that are beyond unusual. Part of this reshaped framework (per CBS Sports): 30-man active rosters with a 20-man taxi squad for reinforcements. What might an expanded short-season roster look like for the Minnesota Twins?Once we swim through the mountains of logistical hurdles involving health, safety, and finances, this is one of the practical matters I find most intriguing: Which players will be part of the 2020 season, either from the start or as readily available fill-ins? We'll start with the obvious: the projected 26-man roster (per my final offseason status update, which was published approximately seven years ago). Position Players: Mitch Garver, Miguel Sanó, Luis Arraez, Josh Donaldson, Jorge Polanco, Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Nelson Cruz, Marwin Gonzalez, Ehire Adrianza, Jake Cave, Alex Avila Pitchers: José Berríos, Jake Odorizzi, Kenta Maeda, Homer Bailey, Jhoulys Chacín, Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Trevor May, Sergio Romo, Tyler Clippard, Matt Wisler, Zack Littell, Cody Stashak. Little has changed that would affect any of the above players' chances of making the team. But one new player might now be in the mix: Rich Hill, whose recovery from elbow surgery would've delayed a normal start. A season starting in July would line up with his expected return, and Hill believes he'll be ready to go. Luckily, he doesn't need to supplant anyone else, since the Twins will have four extra active roster spots to work with. So presumably Hill gets one. As for the others, I would guess we'll see a couple more arms and one other position player. Something like Randy Dobnak, Devin Smeltzer, and Willians Astudillo. The taxi squad is where things get interesting. First, with no minor-league seasons taking place, I'm wondering how these players stay sharp and ready for action. Regular scrimmages and sim games? Regardless, the makeup of such a player group will also be fascinating. My initial thought was that the Twins start by carrying every spare piece on the 40-man roster. But that doesn't necessarily make sense. Are they really gonna want to dedicate spots to raw talents like Gilberto Celestino and Dakota Chalmers, who aren't especially close to getting big-league shots? I would guess, at least, that these MLB-experienced or nearly-ready players from the 40-man will on the taxi squad: Jorge Alcala, Jhoan Duran, Sean Poppen, Fernando Romero, Lewis Thorpe, Travis Blankenhorn, Nick Gordon, LaMonte Wade Jr.. That's eight. Next, it is probably most instructive to look at the list of non-roster spring training invites from February. That list includes pitchers Charlie Barnes, Chacín (already in, per our projection), Sam Clay, Edwar Colina, Danny Coulombe, Ryan Garton, Blaine Hardy (out for season), Griffin Jax, Jake Reed and Caleb Thielbar; and position players Juan Graterol, Ryan Jeffers, Ben Rortvedt, Tomás Telis, Royce Lewis, Jack Reinheimer, Wilfredo Tovar, Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach and Brent Rooker. The Twins will surely want at least a couple of extra catchers available, given the position's heightened injury risk and intensive physical toll. And of course they'll probably want to load up on pitchers to the extent they're able – especially with the likelihood of increased doubleheaders and decreased off days. At this point it becomes very much a guessing game, but I'll wager the Twins want to lean mostly on experience and reliability at these positions, while mixing in a bit of prospect upside, so I'll go with... Catchers: Juan Graterol, Tomas Telís, Ryan Jeffers Pitchers: Danny Coloumbe, Edwar Colina, Ryan Garton, Jake Reed, Caleb Thielbar So now we're at 16 members of the 20-man taxi squad. Who fills those last four spots? Given that the Twins now have all their bases covered with multiple contingencies at every position, they might want to make a few of their very best prospects available as potential wild-cards for an all-in sprint. Then again, maybe not? This is where I really get stuck. Do these prospects need to be added to the 40-man roster (or some expanded version) in order to feature on this taxi squad, thus starting their service clocks? If so, is it worth doing so just to keep them on hand as longshot possibilities to contribute? Is it even wise to push these crucial future talents into such an odd situation, as opposed to just letting them work out on their own and come back strong in 2021? But if that happens, do they not get paid at all? Is it a slap in the face? There's also the matter of Michael Pineda. It seems he'll still be on suspension for the first part of the year. Does he require a "roster spot" on the taxi squad? Are those really even considered roster spots under any traditional definition? He's still occupying space and consuming the resources of any other player. (He's also not supposed to get paid during the suspension, so what happens with that? I assume he's not just gonna throw himself in harm's way for free.) The litany of questions that begin to sprout up as you ponder these consequential factors is flat-out overwhelming, which is also true of MLB's daunting health-and-safety protocol at large. We'll need a lot more clarity before we can give serious credence to the very idea of a season happening, let alone how the Twins' roster will shake out. But the specificity around roster sizes at least gives us the ability to speculate a little, which is more than welcome after weeks of being completely in the dark. Given our limited information, I'm gonna guess the Twins choose to preserve their three best prospects – Lewis, Kirilloff, Larnach – but carry Rooker, along with the minor-league vets Tovar and Reinheimer. I'll also assume Pineda gets a taxi spot. So here it is, my shot-in-the-dark guess at what a Twins 2020 roster and taxi squad might look like under the altered format. Feel free to air your quibbles and make your own guesses in the comments. (Active-roster players in bold.) CATCHERS: Mitch Garver, Alex Avila, Willians Astudillo, Juan Graterol, Tomas Telís, Ryan Jeffers INFIELDERS: Miguel Sanó, Luis Arraez, Josh Donaldson, Jorge Polanco, Marwin Gonzalez, Ehire Adrianza, Travis Blankenhorn, Nick Gordon, Wilfredo Tovar, Jack Reinheimer OUTFIELDERS: Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Nelson Cruz, Jake Cave, LaMonte Wade Jr., Brent Rooker PITCHERS: José Berríos, Jake Odorizzi, Kenta Maeda, Homer Bailey, Jhoulys Chacín, Rich Hill, Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Trevor May, Sergio Romo, Tyler Clippard, Matt Wisler, Zack Littell, Cody Stashak, Randy Dobnak, Devin Smeltzer, Michael Pineda, Jorge Alcala, Jhoan Duran, Fernando Romero, Sean Poppen, Lewis Thorpe, Danny Coloumbe, Edwar Colina, Ryan Garton, Jake Reed, Caleb Thielbar 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

Just gonna leave this here John Twins 2002 leaders in fWAR: 1. Corey Koskie - 5.1 2. Jacque Jones - 5.0 3. Torii Hunter - 4.2 4. Johan Santana - 3.4 5. Eric Milton - 3.2 6. Bobby Kielty - 2.7 7. Doug Mientkiewicz - 2.2 8. A.J. Pierzynski - 2.1 9. Dustan Mohr - 2.1 10. Brad Radke - 2.1 11. Rick Reed - 2.0 12. J.C. Romero - 1.6 13. LaTroy Hawkins - 1.6 14. Eddie Guardado - 1.2