Halsey Hall

Not much goes on during the weekends, as they have off. But yesterday Phil Hughes and Glen Perkins did come out and throw for a little bit. No sense going over today, as usually no action on sundays til reporting date. I expect tommorrow will be a busy day though. The ticket office and a small gift shop did open yesterday.

Really a good article. Ruesse got alot of info while they were sitting there. Neil does have a story, an interesting one. He sounds like a good guy.

I think if Gardy and Anderson were still here the decision would already be pre-determined, but maybe not so with Molly and Neil Allen. I'm probably the loner here, but I give Pelf a good shot at making the rotation. I've heard he's topped out at 95 on the gun. He's got the experience, the drive and hunger to be a starter. I just hope they give him a chance.

Hendriks is with the Jays. He lives down here so works out here until it's time to report.

Wednesday at the park. I got there before 9 and there were many more players working out already. I went down to where the pitchers were throwing. There was at least 20 on the field and more in the weight room. New today were Alex Meyer, and Presley, and rule 5 pick J. R. Graham, who also threw off the mound today along with Liam Hendriks. I had to leave for a meeting after 45 minutes but was told Presley was taking the mound also. There sure is a bunch of faces I don't recognize. Went back after the meeting (which was in the offices right beyond the left field fence of the main stadium, close) and batting practice was going on. One friend said he saw Hughes and thought maybe Perkins there. More fundamentals on the half field of course today. I wandered over to Perry's hill where Perry was playing catch with Vargas with a football. Funny seeing a guy who'd never thrown a football before try to do that. Perry showed him how, but Kennys just couldn't catch on. Afterwards he came over and greeted us all and talked a bit. Really a nice guy. Looks really in shape and lighter than last year. Off to the side was that auto hound Roberts from previous post and Kennys signed 4 bats and 3 balls for him. Brooks Robinson is doing a fantasy camp in Ft Myers, so he probably headed over there. I've watched Roserio alot, and he's just plain lazy. A drill one day Tommy Watkins had them do was fielding ground balls and if they missed they had to do 50 pushups. Minier was the first to miss and got out of the way and did his 50. Roserio had an error and dropped down and did his 50 - but he counted by 5's. Later on he got hollered at by Lepel for not hustling back to his position during the drills. "that's not the way it's done in the majors". Didn't speed up Roserio though. But he has the softest hands fielding and very quick hands with the bat. There's alot of talent there, but he's just hurting himself by not hustling. I did ask about Wimmers today and was told he's fully recovered and fine. I'm hoping there's still a chance for him.

Oops, found the edit button.

Good idea JB, but there's no edit button, so maybe if there's a reply it disappears. So back at it. The rehab pitchers work out together and are on fields running etc, but to use the half field for drills. Joel Lepel and Tommy Watkins hit ground balls to them, as they shift from on position to another, from the mound to first, second, short and third. All scenerios are played out, from routine throws from the mound to first, to eveything imagineable, squeeze plays, double plays, man on third with one out, etc. As always has been, they drill the fundaments down here. The infielders also do their drills on the half field every day. Alot I have no idea of their names but some are: Tyree Davis, Jorge Fernandez, tyler Grimes, Amaurys Minier, along with Eddie Roserio, Levi Michael, and Chris Hermann. Some from the Dominican went home this week for two weeks til they get back. Vargas has been working out in the weight room but hasn't been on the fields yet. No sigh on Sano yet. This week they finally started taking batting practice, with Lepel and Watkins throwing. That's always fun to watch. Not much power here, but Travis Harrison and Chris Hermann managed to lose some over the fence. Wimmers threw this morning to Liam Hendriks under the watchful eye fo Rasmasson. Ruesse is here and interviewed Neal Allen, and there where alot of laughs going on over there, as I'm sure many stories were exchanged. I thought Perkins, Plouffe and Duensing would be around but haven't seen them I also though Pelfrey might be here, but no sign of any major leaguers 'cept for Gibson so far. They should be trickling in any time though. Torii, I heard was coming on the 4th. I do get tidbits of info from reliable sources here, there's a couple of things that kind of troubled me. I really liked Gary Lucas and couldn't understand the organization letting him go. But supposedly, the Twins minor leagues were last in strikeout later in the season last year and all the pitching coaches from the minors were brought together and told we needed more strikeouts, throw heat. But Gary objected with the change in philosphy, and that sealed his fate. I also heard the last couple of years the Twins want to draft tall pitchers that can bring high heat. Looks like they been doing that. Another thing that is unsettling is that Oliva and Carew were told during spring training last year not to give any hitting instructions any more. Tony was really PO'd about that. Interesting that Hicks is working with Carew, but then I can see Rod blowing it off.

I thought I'd post this to keep you up to date on what I've observed down here at Hammond Stadium, or as the signs everywhere read "Century Link Sports Complex". The work on the stadium continues. I was told around the 1st of the year that it would be open on Feb 1st, but not to be. Feb 22nd is now the date for the ribbon cutting. Things seem to drag on in the south. The dorms and all that work is completed down the other end, and it looks fantastic. I talked with a guy today that just toured it and he said it's almost unimaginable. Us peons can't get it to see it. This fellow told us the theatre has leather seats, larger than normal, as these kids are big, with Twins stuff on each seat. The dorm holds 108 players, 54 rooms. Each room is numbered 1 thru 54, and in each room is a placard with the all the Twins players that had worn that number. Cool! Julio Becquer's picture was hanging right next to Harmon's and Julio was quite happy about that. The dorm had rehab players in it when I got here, but on Jan 19th was open to anyone who wanted to come early and get a free room and 3 squares a day, providing they worked out. Quite a few took advantage of that including Levi Michael. The players work out every weekday, and have been since I've been here just before the first of the year. There were about 15 here at that time. A few others live in the area and come as they please, like Gibson, Chris Hermann and Alex Wimmers. Gibson shows up around 7:30 and throws the football around with Wimmers or Travis Harrison. He did throw off the mound last week. Since the 19th there's been more here of course and working out. Perry Castillano works these guys hard on Perry's Hill. That's all new this year and so I've seen drills I've never seen before. And one thing Perry is doing this year is having a competition between the players. One drill last week was a kick to watch. There were around 8 guys on each of 2 teams. On the bottom of each side of the hill were about 8 cones lined up horizontally to the hill. Perry stood on top. On his signal one player on each team would then run from one end of the cones to the other, back and forth a few times, finally hitting the center cones and sprinting up the hill. There they grabbed a jump rope and had to jump 25 times. The first to finish got his team one point. They went through this rotation at least twice per player. Of course there was alot of cheering for their teammates on each run. One player was so fast at jumping rope I couldn't even see the rope. He must of done 25 in less than 10 seconds and I saw him do it twice. The same day they did another drill in a sand pit next to the hill. Cones near each end of the pit, and teams facing each other in the center, one guy at a time, they had to run to one end, back to the other, back and forth a few times, and ending at the starting point in the center. There was alot of falling down in the soft sand, and quite a few dives to try to eak out a win. A win was a point for that team. When it ended the losing team each had to do 50 sit-ups. As Perry explained to one of the players while I was standing there, without the competition the guys put out about 85%. but with it, 100. Good idea, Perry! I'll post this and add more in a bit.

For anyone that comes I strongly suggest the practices are a can't miss. Really better than games IMO. Come to the park the days of away games and take it all in.

Okay, I'll start something.

If Joe would have gone to Florida State he'd of played a couple of years and got injured. He then fell back on baseball, but continued to be injury prone and washed out after 5 years in the minors. He'd then be a working stiff like the rest of us, along with his brothers Jake and Billy. He made the right choice.

I look for a big year for Vargas.

Right now there's only 3 catchers working out and that's not enough. This next week it sounds as though pithers will be throwing from the mound and Joel Lepel was mentioning he only had 3 in camp.

That article cracked my up! But Dorsey has to do something for the paper, so this weeks that's it. I was the only one there for a good hour and then he showed up, then later the Roberts guy, who by the way is a pro autograph hound, and works at a golf course, and then the photographer for new press who asked where Dorsey was. Roberts got a tip that Bradley was training and he came down to get auto's from him and Vargas, but settled for Gibson while here. So he was the media source. Usually the Red Sox get most of the paper exposure down here, so at least the Twins got the jump on them this week.

If the Twins have any chance of escaping the cellar the Royals are the team they have to top. And with that bullpen in KC I have my doubts.

If I can figure out how to post pictures, I really should. This mornings happenings were really fun to watch and some photo's on here would of been great. I'm thinking I should just start a Hammond stadium thread. I know some readers get a kick out of what goes on here.

I couldn't help but chuckle yesterday as Vargas and conditioning coach Perry C worked on heartbreak hill. They faced each other on the bottom of the hill and tossed a medicine ball back and forth as they went up the hill sideways. Short little Perry and big Little Papi, quite a sight!

My feeling is that Hicks will take the job and remain there. Schafer will spell him in center throughout the season. All the off season worries about CF will be for naught. A side note: Dorsey has an article on the Twins this morning in the new-press. I could fill in alot for that article.

I totally agree with Gladden. A couple years back they had voting on the Twins site and Gladden was leading. I told Dave St Peter there's no way he should be in. Thankfully they don't have to go by the vote totals. I enjoyed watching Tovar play, and wouldn't mind him getting in. He was the spark of the team back in the day.

Nice reports! I can't help but wonder what kind of merch is in the grab bags. TonyO has his days. Sometimes he just jabbers and jabbers and others, he's quiet. Rod is most always quiet. Even when working with players he's very soft spoken. Once in awhile if there's not many around and I really pay attention I can hear what he's trying to teach, and it's quite interesting. Clyde gave me his card and said if I come to a game, call him, come early and he'll take me on a tour. I've yet to do that, but really should.

Spring training will be different this year, but without TK it'd be totally different. He entertains everyone.

Regarding his suspension by the team, it may have been related to this: On a road trip last year he got stinkin' drunk, and stripped down and was parading around the streets, and got arrested. I think they suspended him for 6 games for that. Or so I was told.

I wouldn't mind a Nolasco one to slap around every 5 days.

It's right now for some of us. Should be a good group showing up down here after Twins Fest on monday. And no fans yet, but me!

Vargas didn't practice today, as he is sick. Hope he's well enough to travel north for Twins fest. Roserio did practice today, and looks sharp.