Seth Stohs

This one might require some time and digging to make sure I don't miss a trade or a signing.

Hey y'all, I will answer a few more of these at home tonight. Thanks for the quesitons. Please also let me know about this format. Is it something to do more often? Once in awhile? Maybe on a weekend? Maybe during a game? Maybe never, ever, EVER again? Let me know what you think.

I don't see a question in here, ,but I want to respond still, down here in the comments. First... what Kirilloff did in one plate appearance, particularly his first plate appearance of spring is meaningless. He got a hit yesterday. So, that just kind of is what it is. To your bigger point, they aren't going to rush them. They want them up as quick as possible, but they also want them to be ready when they get there. Ideally they wouldnt' have to go up and down. They have an outfield in which Rosario, Buxton, ,Kepler and Cave will get the first opportunities and they've earned a lot of rope. So they don't have to rush Kirilloff. As for Lewis ,he could be ready in July. He might not be ready until early 2021. They have Polanco and Gordon ahead of him ,and that's' a positive thing. They dont' need to feel rushed into rushing him.

Today I want to try something different. This is sort of a mailbag, but also just a way to try to gauge what topics that you are interested in. So, feel free to ask me questions in the comments below. As I have time throughout the day, I will answer as many as I can in the body of the article.So as I like to say when I take questions on Twitter, #Ask Away. Questions can range from the big leagues, spring training, roster or lineup, minor leagues, prospects, the Twins Prospect Handbook, or pretty much anything (within reason). Fill up the Comments with Questions. I'll answer them, and then you can discuss my responses. Here we go: TarheelTwinsFan: "Would you trade straight up any of the current Twins' starting OF for Aaron Hicks? According to Nick, Hicks was the 15th best rated OF in the majors last year." Any of them? Probably all of them. Aaron Hicks was incredible last year. The only concern with him over the years has been staying on the field. But, he's immensely athletic. He's very good in centerfield. He has worked very hard. He has built his body and is very strong. He has a very good approach at the plate. He's got power, and playing in Yankees Stadium 81 times a year helps his HR numbers. I like all three of the Twins starting outfielders, but Aaron Hicks earned that contract, and you could argue that he took a low-ish deal to stay with the Yankees. nasu1970: "Are the Twins done with extensions this spring? I was hoping for a Berrios deal, especially with framework available from the Nola and Severino deals.Everything has been quiet though.Is Berrios just going to wait and attempt to put up more of a Nola or Severino-esque season before inking?" I don't think that the Twins are done talking to players this spring about contract extensions. But there may not be any more signings. Understandably, Berrios and Rosario would be looking for contracts larger than what Kepler or Polanco got. I think, and wrote, that that Severino and Nola deals may have given a good framework for a possible Berrios deal. But those guys took the security over the maximum earning potential. To this point, Berrios hasn't done that. Of course, we don't know what the Twins' offer, if there was one, was. Generally speaking, those talks end on Opening Day,, though we occasionally see an in-season extension. From Glanzer: "What Twins-related insight do you feel you are best equipped to provide compared to the many other bloggers, writers, insiders, and publications that provide Twins mailbags? I suspect you know a lot more about the minor leagues than the typical writer. What do you think?" I am best equipped to provide my opinions or thoughts on topics better than the others you mentioned are at providing my opinions or thoughts. I'm' just a guy. Nothing special. Just enjoy following the Twins. I do think that I can provide some differing perspective and/or opinions on the Twins minor leagues and minor leaguers. As most know, I've got some relationships with people in and around the Twins system and talk to a bunch of people. Still all just presented as my opinions, but I like to think that it is based on some different things (conversations with a variety of people and different levels, in-person evaluation of most of the players, some video review, etc.) From Mike Frasier Law: "If the Twins are in contention this summer, do you see them making a big acquisition to bolster their starting rotation?" I think so. Obviously it will depend on which pitchers are available and how many other teams are searching for the top available pitchers, but I have little doubt that Derek Falvey and Thad Levine would be open to moving prospects for elite pitching talent. And, as we know, the Twins have bolstered their minor league system in several ways (draft, international, minor league signings, trades, Rule 5, etc.) If "Falvine" has shown anything, it's that they won't be afraid to make moves. From the Mask of Zoilo: "Let's say Kirilloff lives up to his "best hitting prospect not named Vlad" status and destroys AA this season. Will the Twins bring him up this year or hold off til 2 weeks into the 2020 season for service manipulation reasons? Will it make a difference if the Twins are contending for a playoff spot?" Again, it's dependent upon several things, including if the Twins are in contention. If they aren't, there is no reason to not play the game, play the system. If they are in contention, and Kirilloff is dominating, then I believe they will be willing to bring him up in July. But even then, that's dependent upon how Rosario, Buxton and Kepler are doing, as well as the first base situation. They wouldn't (and shouldn't) call him up to sit on the bench. From Sconnie: "Huge coaching shakeup in the off season. What is the impact in spring training so far? How are the players accepting and adapting to the new techniques and points of view? How is this perceived as rippling through the minor leagues?" I haven't spent time in Ft. Myers yet this spring, so the Twins Geek might be better equipped to answer that one. However, everything we've read, and the few conversations I've had with some players, it seems like they enjoy it. Shorter, but more efficient practices and workouts. Not as much standing around. Get their work in. And, everything I've heard on the coaches has been positive so far too. Of course, at this early stage, it's not like there is a lot of controversy. From the minor league side of it, again, not being there, it's' hard for me to know for sure. But, there are a lot of minor leaguers down there. They are being coached to some degree by coaches who have been working in lock step with the big league staff. Also, I think it's neat that every game, several of the minor leaguers who arrived early get to go and play in the big league games. That's motivating too. From IMissJoeMauer: "How much do you miss Joe Mauer?" While I think that the Twins will miss Mauer defensively at first base and the quality of at bats he puts together, I will miss Joe Mauer a bit, but I'm nearly certain it won't be as much as you miss Joe Mauer. From Rather Be Golfing: "Why does our front office feel the need to bang our heads against the wall with Miguel at 3B and not just move him to 1B/DH now when that's what he's obviously going to be in 2-3 years?" When healthy and when in decent shape, Sano can play an adequate third base. Not great, but he can make most of the plays. We've seen his athleticism at times. He has an incredible arm. And, frankly, he's much, much more valuable to the team if he can play third base. By Sano being able to play third base, the Twins could go out and add a great bat like Nelson Cruz to DH. They could pick up another 30 homer guy like CJ Cron, and having Marwin Gonzalez around for depth makes a lot more sense. From Carlos Figueroa: "Thoughts on the 2020 starting rotation? Worrisome to me that they only have one starter inked for next season and no spots in the rotation this season for any of the young arms to audition." Starting with Jose Berrios is pretty good. Don't be surprised if the Twins bring back Gibson (or even Odorizzi or Pineda). Fernando Romero and Adalberto Mejia can factor into that again. And those young arms will continue to make their adjustments in Rochester. Also, the reality is that the Twins will likely need 8-12 starting pitchers in 2019, so there will be more audition opportunities. From Tyler Roepke: "Do you think Buxton has any right to be upset about how he was managed towards the end of last season? I know if I performed terribly at my job I would be fired or at least disciplined, and I don't make boatloads of money like he does. I like that he responded by worked out like crazy and working on his skills in the offseason, but I don't think that being a top pick should guarantee anything. I get that he was heating up in Rochester toward the end of the year, but come on baseball is a business. Maybe he needed this wake up call to get him motivated to work out like an animal this offseason." I absolutely think that Byron Buxton had every right to be upset about not getting a September call up. Buxton established himself as a big leaguer in 2017. After a slow start that year, he earned those MVP votes with enough bat and great defense. 2018 was an injury-filled season, so if he was truly healthy, there was no baseball reason to not call him up. Likewise, it was clearly within the Twins front office's rights to do what they did and hold him back for service time issues. Well, they couldn't say that too loudly, but it was clear that was the reason. We chuckle at it when it happens to Kris Bryant and Vlad Guerrero and Ronald Acuna at the very beginning of their career and we say it makes sense. It isn't normal with guys once they establish themselves. Most important, Buxton handled it incredibly well. I have no problem with him voicing his anger and disappointment. I can only imagine how much he wanted to be there for the Mauer stuff at the end of the season. Good for him for voicing it. But better for him for putting in the work, for using that anger as a motivation to get bigger, stronger. We'll see how it pans out, but the key with Byron is health. If he's healthy, he can be incredible. In 2018, he was just not healthy. From Mike Sixel: "When do you think we'll see Lewis playing in Minnesota, thanks!When do you think we'll see Lewis playing in Minnesota, thanks!" My assumption is he will start the season in Ft. Myers and spend half of the season in Chattanooga. That timeline would be identical to what Joe Mauer did in his second full minor league season. Mauer began that next season (2004) on the Twins Opening Day roster. So, I think that is the aggressive route, and well, 15 years later, service time is a much bigger deal to teams and Lewis would likely spend the first 3 weeks of the season in Rochester next year. I think that, like Terry Ryan, Falvey and Levine won't be afraid to rush an elite hitter prospect to the big leagues if they deem him ready. But, if you asked me for the most likely range of time when Lewis will debut, I would say July 1, 2020. And if things go incredibly for Lewis, and there is a need in the big leagues, I won't be completely shocked (though quite surprised) if he is in the big leagues by July 15th, 2019. From goulik: "Kiriloff and Lewis seemed to really connect last year. Their relationship reminded me a lot of Joe M. and Justin M coming up together but with more chemistry that affected their teams. Any chance they are both together in AA to start the season or are they going to be separated this year due to the bigger role defense plays at short? How far behind Kiriloff will Lewis be in making his debut?" There are some similarities between the Lewis/Kirilloff combo and the Mauer/Morneau combo, but there are plenty of differences too. Lewis is the most charismatic of that group of four. Kirilloff and Morneau are pretty similar. My assumption is that Lewis will start at Ft. Myers because he got there about 4-5 weeks later than Kirilloff. Also, the Twins can and should be very cautious with Lewis's oblique situation so that it doesn't linger. I think Kirilloff starts in AA. But I do expect them to spend time in Pensacola together this year. Using my previous answers on their timelines, I think that the Twins could have them debut together, if all goes well for them. I could see them both getting called up together three weeks into the 2020 season. I think that's aggressive and realistic for both. Who knows? Maybe Rooker gets called up that same day? And maybe Graterol too? From rdehring: "First, how have you been?Still juggling two jobs, TD and that window company?Also, still living up on the border?" Hey Roger... we need to go out to eat again sometime if/when I get back down there! Things are OK. Just had an appointment and have a bit of TMJ, so that isn't fun! Ha! Yup, still two jobs. Window Company and Twins Daily. And parent... Still up on the border. Good times! From DannySD: "Who is an under-the-radar guy in the system you think will make their big league debut this year?" Good question because a lot of the starting pitchers we will see in 2019 made their MLB debuts in 2018. Lewis Thorpe isn't under the radar. Jake Reed has been on the radar for so long but could he be under the radar? So, going more under the radar... How about... Cody Stashak as a long-ish relief pitcher. He had a real strong 2018 season. We've talked a ton about Tyler Wells at Twins Daily in 2018 and if he continues to take strides, we could see him. As for a hitter, we might see Zander Wiel at some point in 2019. From The Billy Goat: "Looking at the top of the national prospect lists, Lewis and Kiriloff are among a small amount of top prospects who are not expected to graduate in the first half of this year. Do you think that there is a chance that the Twins could have 2 of the top 3 or 4 prospects in all of baseball by the end of the year? Also, who do you see following Kiriloff's last year by making a big jump in prospect rankings?" Assuming things progress nicely across the board, there is a decent chant that both Lewis and Kirilloff are Top 5 prospects in baseball one year from now. As a Brusdar believer, I think if he can have success in the upper levels, stay healthy and improve those secondary pitches just a little (I know, that's a lot of IFs), he could be a Top 10 type. Guys who could jump like Kirilloff nationally? I'm a big believer in Wander Javier, and I think that if he can stay healthy, he could fit into a Top 50 or two nationally. He was 90-something in Baseball America a year ago, as was Kirilloff before 2017, so it would be a very similar story. From bobs: "Your best bets to have big/bounce back year among...bullpen, rotation, lineup?" Bullpen: I expect Hildenberger will have a strong year, but I don't think that would surprise anyone. I do believe in Matt Magill's stuff, and if he gets the opportunity, I think he'll take advantage. Rotation: I think Odorizzi will have a solid year. I think Pineda gives them a nice power arm. I actually think that Perez has the kind of stuff that could make him good. I feel like the likelihood of a bounce back is probably in that order (Odo most likely). Lineup: I think Jonathan Schoop will have a really big year again offensively. I think that Sano and Buxton will both make strides as well. If those two are healthy, I have no doubt they'll be valuable players. I don't 'think Kepler needs a bounce back as much as just to take the next step. From iowaguychris: "Tell us more about Michael Pineda - I know we signed and let him sit an entire year - is he a potential difference maker that will get us 20 wins in 2019?" Pineda was an All-Star back in 2010 with the Mariners. Then he was traded to the Yankees for Jesus Montero. He's now had two Tommy John surgeries, but in between, he had three solid, mid-rotation type seasons for the Yankees (ERAs mid-4s). He throws hard (95-97). Big guy. Strikeouts. Has a chance to be good if healthy. From iowaguychris: "Haven't heard much from Spring Training about us trying the "opener" pitching role.With the manager's first hand experience with it - do you think we'll try it at all from the beginning of the season - or just wait until the standard rotation potentially doesn't work out so well for us?" I don't think anyone WANTS to use an opener. Ideally, a rotation has five guys who can get through 6-7 innings most times out and don't have a huge slide in the third time through the rotation. I don't think they've gone into spring training hoping to use it, but obviously they wouldn't be against it. Tampa Bay used it, let's not forget, in large part becuase 2-3 of the young starters they anticipated in their rotation had Tommy John surgery (I'm remembering DeLeon and Honeywell?) so they had to be creative. The Twins used it to give more guys a look in September. But by the end of spring training, if Pineda isn't fully ready, they could do that with him. From bluechipper: "Stephen Gonsalves was sitting in the low 90's in his first spring start compared to mid 80's at this time last year. What type of impact do you think he can have with that regained velocity?" If Gonsalves is at 87-89, he has to be very fine. And in doing so, the walks can go up because of just-missing spots. If he can be 91-94, he can be a little more aggressive. Also, it will make his plus-changeup an even better pitch, as well as his other secondary pitches. It will certainly help. But he can be successful around 90 as well. From Tuba: "Whats your Twins bench look like right now? Gonzalez/Garver/?/?" For me, assuming a four-man bench, I would say Garver, Cave, and Gonzalez (though Gonzalez would start likely 135-145 games at a number of positions). The fourth spot is tough. If it was me, I think I'd keep Adrianza, but I think that Astudillo is currently the favorite for that final bench spot. From Dantes929: "Don't see much on here or the mlb site about daily game summaries for Spring Training. Is therea site to go to for that? I see Kepler's name as a possibility for 1st base in the near future.I assume that is with the idea that Kiriloff would be playing right field. Who is faster?Kepler plays a pretty good right field.Do you think it would make more sense for Kiriloff to be slated as 2020 1st base or Kepler?" Tom's Game Reports will start with the regular season. If anyone would like to start writing up Game Threads in the forum, I'm sure that would be just fine! Personally, I would have Kirilloff spend a couple of days a week playing first base and also move from RF over to LF once in awhile. Kepler is a great athlete. He's faster. He can play 1B, but he's a great defensive OF. Kirilloff can be a good outfielder. Not quite as fast. Similar arms. From EGFTShaw: "Warroad? Former EGF-er myself. Who will they draft this year?If not a player, a position and H.S versus College. I remember Keith Law being down on their selection of Berrios, I think he was a supplemental pick, but that has turned out awesome." Yes, from Warroad. Big Warroad/EGF game tonight. It's hard to know what direction the team will go in the draft, especially when they have a draft pick in the teens. They will subscribe to the Best Player Available thinking since the player won't be (likely) ready for a couple of years (more if it's a high school kid). Michael Busch from North Carolina (via Simley High School) and Matt Wallner (via Forest Lake HS) are two legit possibilities. Thank you for all of the questions. Now feel free to use the Comments to discuss. Click here to view the article

If you listen to the interview/podcast, I actually mention that, that I figured I would refer to him as Niko Goodrum at least once during the interview. I didn't. And as I wrote this, I thought about it every time.

To listen to the full interview with Niko Guardado, click here. In 1996, “Everyday” Eddie Guardado pitched in an American League-leading 83 games. Following that season, Guardado and his wife, Lisa, welcomed their first child, a son named Niko. While Eddie Guardado had struggles early in his career, he became a two-time All Star and a member of the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame. Niko, now 22, recently learned that he will have one of the lead roles in the upcoming reboot of Party of Five. Recently, I caught up with the talented young actor to discuss his memories from his dad’s career, and his transition into acting. Oh, and he frequents Twins Daily because he remains a huge Twins fan. (Full audio podcast available at the end.)Many of Niko Guardado’s earliest memories were following his dad throughout his baseball career. While many Twins fans are thrilled that the Twins have moved from Metrodome to Target Field, Guardado can’t help but maintain a soft spot in his heart for the Homer Dome. He recalls, “I miss the Dome. The Dome was amazing in my opinion. I loved it. It was my second home. I was constantly there, almost 24/7.” The Guardado family lived in northern California, and that’s where Niko was born on Christmas Eve in 1996. But Minneapolis, the Metrodome and the Twins were such an important part of his childhood. “I have really early memories. I can remember back to when I was about three or four. Me and my siblings were very blessed to go to the ballpark with my dad almost every day.” But it wasn’t all glamorous for the Guardado kids. Eddie made sure they earned the right to go into the clubhouse and on the field. “My dad taught me at a very young age that if you are going to want to come into the clubhouse, you’re going to have to work for it. We had to polish shoes. We had to do the laundry, vacuum the floor. We had to clean up the kitchen, wash the dishes. And then after the work we would play and go shag BP and play catch on the field in the Dome.” When Niko was about six, the family moved to southern California. That’s where he went to school, but his summers were spent in Minnesota. “As soon as school got out, the day after, we would fly to Minneapolis and spend the whole summer there until a week before school started.” Twins fans loved (and still love) those Twins teams from the late '90s and through the early aughts. You likely remember the ESPN Magazine cover featuring several Twins players with the title “The Team That Saved Baseball.” Those were the teams that endured a lot of losses in the late '90s, endured the threat of contraction, and brought winning back to Minnesota. Eddie Guardado was a big part of that turnaround, and he was a leader and a prankster on the roster. Niko Guardado got to know the stars from those teams. He says he has a good friendship with Torii Hunter and Jacque Jones and keeps in touch with David Ortiz at times. He has great memories of playing with Hunter’s sons, as well as Casey Radke and “Little” Joey Mays. LaTroy Hawkins has always been a fixture in the life of Niko Guardado. “I talk to LaTroy almost every day. I call LaTroy my Uncle Hawk. He’s the one guy, besides my dad, that we really became close. He’s really become a mentor to me in all aspects of life.” Eddie Guardado pitched in the 2002 and 2003 All Star games. Niko remembers attending the 2002 All Star game in Milwaukee. He was excited to meet Barry Zito (“That was the one guy I wanted to meet. I met him and my life was made.”). But as a five year old at the time, it was the mascots that really stood out to him. Following the 2003 season, Guardado signed with the Seattle Mariners. He spent time with the Reds and the Mariners, but in August of 2009, he was traded back to the Twins from the Rangers. Niko says he vividly remembers hearing the news. His mom was driving him and his siblings to dinner when she told them, “Dad’s going back to the Twins.” Niko, then 11, recalls, “We were super excited! Obviously going back to a place that was dear in our hearts, but I think the people too. The friendships that we made there and we were going back to. The kids room where all the babysitters that practically raised us, we would get to see again. The workers around the field. The fans. I think Minnesota is just really special when it comes to the fan base.” Now that he is older, Niko admits he has a bigger appreciation for the opportunities he had. “Going to the field every day, I am more and more grateful to have experienced it.” While Niko loved baseball and played sports throughout his youth, it wasn’t his passion. He chose his own path. While he found his true calling in the acting world, baseball remains a big part of his life.”I was about 10 or 11 when I stopped playing baseball and started getting into acting, but I still enjoyed it. I still loved going to the field and hanging out with the equipment managers, the clubbies and helping out. It’s still one of my favorite things to do to this day.” Click here to download the podcast/interview or set up alerts for future podcasts. ------------------------------ Niko Guardado will appear on an episode of Schooled on ABC at 7:30 Central Time on Wednesday, February 27. ------------------------------ At a very young age, Niko said he was always standing in front of the TV, rewinding the VCR. He was studying actors and characters, and his love of performing only grew from there. However, it wasn’t easy for Niko to tell his dad that he wanted to be done with baseball and focus his attention on baseball. No kid wants to disappoint their dad. “I sat down with my dad and I was just bawling when I told him I didn’t want to play baseball anymore. I was so afraid of what he might say. But he was very, very supportive and said to do what you want to do. I’m just very glad I have parents that support me in all my decisions.” Niko Guardado entered the entertainment industry at an early age. His mom got him a print agent when he was about two years old and he was in several Target ads in Minnesota. In southern California, he did some commercials. However, when his younger sister was diagnosed with autism, Niko stepped away from acting for a little bit. But when his dad retired from baseball, Niko was able to get back into it. What we have learned is that there are are a lot of similarities between Eddie Guardado and Niko Guardado. It is a good reminder that there are some similarities between the world of athletics and the entertainment industry. He had guest roles on several Nickelodeon shows. He was on an episode of Sam & Cat (the Ariana Grande vehicle). “I grew up watching Zoey 101, Drake & Josh, Victorious. When I booked it, I think my initial reaction was I get to work with Dan Schneider, which is the guy who built my childhood. He made all the Nickelodeon shows back to All That. He was in my favorite movie growing up, which was Good Burger, if you remember that one.” I do remember that one. But I also remember Dan Schneider in the excellent, late '80s sitcom Head of the Class. Getting to work with Schneider was exciting and nerve-racking, but again, he was able to lean on his dad’s playing career. “Being able to work with him was so amazing. I was definitely so nervous walking into the set that day. But I think once the cameras roll, it’s like when my dad pitches. When he warms up he gets anxious, nervous. But when he gets on the mound, as soon as the camera starts rolling, it’s automatic, I know what I’m doing, it’s like I’ve been here before. It’s almost instinct and those concerns go away. ” However, for every role that Niko got, he lost out on several roles. That can be tough, but he was able to lean on his dad and his baseball career again. “I’ve been doing this for nine, ten years now. The amount of jobs I haven’t got is ridiculous. But it all comes back to… my dad. (He’d say) ‘Failure is failure. It’s going to get you sometimes. Just wave at it. Say goodbye. Go on to the next one until success comes your way and be grateful for the ones you get.’” Niko was able to learn so much from his dad and his playing career. “From my dad, it’s just never give up. I know it’s cliche, and I wish I could give you a better answer. It’s huge. Focusing on what you want, your dreams, and sticking with it no matter what. Especially because the entertainment industry and sports kind of coincide with how competitive it is. Being able to hold your head up high when you fail and just get back up and go get them the next time. That’s probably the #1 thing I’ve been able to learn, and I’m glad I learned at a young age, to treat failure as a best friend, and be OK with it, and not let it affect you as much because your time will come if you keep at it. ” While he learned from his dad, it’s important for him to point out how important his mom was in his growth and development as well. “(She is) 100% the backbone. Growing up, with my dad in-season, my mom raised us. We didn’t have the same circumstances, of course, but it was almost like being a single mom eight months out of the year. We had to go to school. My sister was diagnosed with autism during my dad’s career, so a lot of stuff was put onto my mom. She had the courage. She was being a mom. I could not have been blessed with a better mom. The sacrifices she made, not only for us but for my dad. She truly is the backbone of the family.” Over time, Niko began getting more guest roles, but in 2016, he was cast as one of the leads in the Nickelodeon mini-series Lost in the West. In 2018, he played the role of Scroggins in the feature film A-X-L. Starting in 2016, he was case in the ABC sitcom The Goldbergs. His recurring role as Ruben Amaro, Jr. has appeared in 17 episodes. In the role, he has been fortunate to play a jock, something he is very comfortable with. Niko Guardado said, "“I’m blessed to play a jock on The Goldbergs. I mean, I know it so well. You’d be surprised how many actors can’t throw a ball. It’s fun. I’ve always wanted to do my own stunts. I want to do this, and I want to do that. Whenever stunt work comes into play, I enjoy it so much.” He also had the opportunity to meet former big league outfielder, former Phillies GM and Red Sox coach Ruben Amaro at a Red Sox game a couple of years ago. Amaro even talked about how much fun it would be to get to play Niko’s father on the show. That opportunity came in an episode last year. *ASIDE: A search of Baseball-Reference tells us that Ruben Amaro, Jr. faced Eddie Guardado one time in the big leagues. Amaro singled.* On The Goldbergs, Niko got to work with Minnesota native and the star of classics such as the Back to the Future Trilogy and Howard the Duck, Lea Thompson. She is one of the show’s directors. “Lea Thompson is amazing. She’s an actor, so she really knows how to step into the actor’s show and describe what the director and producers want from an Actor’s point of view. That helps speed things up and helps us perform at our best.” Thompson has also been involved in the sitcom Schooled. In fact, on Wednesday night (February 27 at 7:30 CT on ABC), Guardado will be on an episode of Schooled opposite the talented Tim Meadows. “They’re doing such a good job with it. It’s a spin-off of The Goldbergs. They have the same writers, same producers. It’s funny. The episode I’m in is basically a 10-year reunion episode.” Just recently, Freeform announced that they had placed an order for episodes of a reboot of Party of Five and that Niko would be one of the lead characters. As you recall, the late-90s drama was about five kids whose parents passed away unexpectedly and they were left to fend for themselves. In the upcoming Party of Five, Niko plays one of five children whose parents get deported to Mexico. Like the original, the kids are left to struggle to make it without them. “Super excited to be a part of it. It’s very timely.” Guardado continued, “Since getting the job, I started watching (the original show). While the shows are different and the characters are not identical, Niko said his character likely compares most similarly to Scott Wolf’s Bailey character. The cast filmed the show’s pilot in November and December. The show was picked up by Freeform in January. Now Guardado awaits word of when filming for the first season will begin. In the meantime, he is continuing to go to auditions. He is also working on more episodes of The Goldbergs and excited to get started on Party of Five. He also gets to several Angels games, though he does so with a grudge. “I go to a lot of Angels games whenever my friends want to go. But I never cheer for the Angels. Not even when Torii was on the team. I still have that ‘02 grudge. I’ll never get over it. It sucks. That was the year that we moved here. (The Twins) lost, and my dad came to his new house and all he saw was Rally Monkeys and Angels fans.” He also enjoys going to his younger brother’s baseball games. He is a junior on his high school team. “My little brother is the athlete. He wants to be like dad. His dream is to be a pro.” Niko also tries to bring awareness to autism whenever he gets the chance in honor of his sister who was diagnosed at age 2. “She’s just a little genius. She loves learning. She’s just a bookworm, super smart, super intelligent. She’s such a hard worker. She’s taught me work ethic more than anybody. ” Niko Guardado is happy. Clearly the decision to go into acting has worked out well for him. “The best thing is getting to go and do something I love. I’ve found something that I really enjoy. I really haven’t worked a day in my life, doing this. It’s a passion that I have being able to finally... Getting a TV show has always been a dream of mine. It’s just all so surreal. In terms of days on the set. It can vary. They can go long. They can be 13-14 hour days sometimes. You’re not complaining. You just kind of look at the clock and see we’ve been here for 12 hours.” Niko Guardado has a ton of talent. Despite his relative youth, he has already had a lot of success in his career, particularly over the last five or six years. It’s clear that his career is on an upward trajectory. It will be fun for Twins fans to follow Niko and see where his career will take him. Be sure to follow Niko on social media: @Niko_Guardado (Twitter) @nikoguardado (Instagram) Be sure to listen to the full interview with Niko Guardado on the audio player below. In it, we discuss many more topics. He tells several more stories about his dad's time in the big leagues and their relationship. We also got into much more detail on the process of auditioning for guest roles and for lead roles. We talk more about The Goldbergs and Party of Five, but also about an upcoming short field called Gigi Boy that he stars in. We talk about his favorite actors to watch and emulate. And, much more. Thank you very much to Niko Guardado for taking the time to chat with me in this 48 minute interview. Thanks to John Bonnes for his help editing the podcast, and to Riggs Bonnes for the music in it. Click here to download the podcast/interview or set up alerts for future podcasts. Thank you for your feedback and questions. Click here to view the article

I'll say Jake Reed. I don't see a hitter. I do think Nick Gordon will have a strong camp.

Is it necessary to take something away from a Get to Know 'Em article?

Should be Astudillo if baseball is what's important (as opposed to keeping around a popular player). Adrianza gives them a real backup at SS. Gonzalez can play 7 positions OK. Cave can play 3. Adrianza can play 5. Astudillo has played 5, but C and 3B are really the only that he can be adequate at. And, remember the days when having a 3rd catcher was about the worst thing that Gardy could do? Ha! Also of note... We're assuming a four-man bench but at some point they're likely to go to a 13-man pitching staff which means three bench spots. Taht's when it gets really interesting.

Romero is an exciting option in th bullpen with his fastball/slider combo. He's also intriguing to me as a starter. I would have left him as a starting option... but he is exciting as a bullpen arm.

I love the Schoop signing. There's almost no down side. I mean, obviously if he gets hurt, that would be, but can't predict that. If he is just what he was last year, that wouldn't be good, but almost a break-even for the team at the position. And he's got just a ton of offensive and defensive upside. WAy more than LeMaheiu, for sure. As for Gordon, he's got to prove himself in AAA, but he was really good when they asked him to return to AA to start last season and did add some power there (which is why he (and LaMonte Wade) went back there. He is so impressive to talk to. The value of his genetics comes in at a time like this. Dee and Tom both had rough spots and could counsel him. Nick's very mature when it comes to baseball (mentally). He's just got to show that he can hold up physically over 140 games (much less 160). The Schoop signing allows them to be more patient, and that's OK.

Alex Hassan grew up in the Boston area. Following three years at Duke, he was drafted by the Red Sox. Five years later, he made his big league debut with his hometown team. After his playing career ended, Hassan took some time away from baseball, but last offseason, newly-appointed Twins Director of Minor League Operations Jeremy Zoll reached out and offered him an opportunity to be the Twins Assistant Director of Minor League Operations. He accepted and is working with the Twins player development team to help improve the Twins minor league system. Recently, we had the opportunity to chat with the Twins Assistant Director of Minor League Operations. His is an interesting story. It’s fun to learn about and understand his story and how it can help him in his current position. Let’s Get to Know Alex Hassan.Alex Hassan grew up in Quincy, Massachusetts. He was a four-year letter winner in baseball at Boston College High School. He recalls, “I played almost exclusively baseball during high school. I say ‘almost’ because I played one season of basketball my freshman year. Let’s just say I was not nearly as committed to becoming a good basketball player as I was committed to becoming a good baseball player. "I was a good player in high school, and I worked really hard during my four years at Boston College High School to improve and get better as a player. I was fortunate to have a really good coach in high school who invested a lot in my development, Norm Walsh.” “A good player in high school” may have been an understatement. Following his senior season, he was named the Louisville Slugger Massachusetts Player of the Year. In addition, his AAU team won two state championships and his Legion team won a state title too. He had a few options coming out of high school, but he chose to head south and play at Duke. “I had some options coming out of high school, but my final choices came down to Duke, Notre Dame and Boston College. Ultimately, having grown up in Massachusetts where I was relegated to training indoors for a good portion of the year due to the weather, I decided I would attend the best academic school I could get into that was the furthest down South, and that happened to be Duke.“ At Duke, he was able to be a two-way player. As a freshman, he made 11 starts and won two games. Over his final two seasons, he moved to the bullpen. His sophomore season, he went 5-0 with five saves and a 1.30 ERA in 17 appearances. His junior season, he worked in 16 games and went 2-2 with eight saves. He was also a strong hitter in the Blue Devils lineup. He batted in 49 games and hit .262 with 17 extra base hits as a freshman. His sophomore year, he hit .353/.458/.486 (.924) with 17 doubles and four homers. He also stole 14 bases. His junior season, he hit .342/.424/.498 (.922) with 17 doubles, four triples and three homers. Over those final two seasons, he walked 56 times and struck out just 38. “I really enjoyed my time at Duke. I spent three years there from 2007-2009 before being drafted by the Red Sox after my junior year. Similar to high school, I put a lot of time and effort into becoming a better baseball player at Duke. I also made lifelong friends, many of whom were in my wedding.“ Hassan had put together a strong resume in his three years at Duke on the field and in the classroom. He also played well in his time in the Cape Cod League. However, just a few weeks before the draft, he pulled his oblique and didn’t pitch at all as the draft approached. So, he wasn’t sure at all what the draft would bring. “I figured that would hurt my draft stock, as more teams were looking at me as a pitcher than as a position player, but I had no idea by how much.” He did have to wait a while to hear his name, even to start getting calls from teams. “On draft day the first call I received was in the 10th round but the team calling was not willing to offer me the amount of money I was asking for so I told them not to take me-- they ended up passing on me. As the rounds went on, each subsequent call I received from teams were offering less and less money- things were not trending in the direction I was hoping. At a certain point, I decided I would just return to Duke for my senior year.” Certainly there was some disappointment, but then things started picking up again. “In the 20th round a scout from the Cubs called me and told me they were taking me with their next pick, so I was glued to streaming draft feed on my laptop waiting for the Cubs to pick me.” But then a surprise, a pleasant surprise. “In the 2009 draft, the Red Sox were slotted two or three picks before the Cubs, and when it was time for the Red Sox to make their pick in the 20th round, I saw my name pop up. I was completely shocked, but elated at the same time that I had been drafted by the team that I rooted for my whole life growing up.” A dream come true, to be certain, but even then the process took time to develop. Hassan found himself waiting, and wondering. “I ended up not signing right away with the Red Sox and instead went to Cape Cod where I played the field and pitched. By the end of the summer the Red Sox wanted to sign me as a position player and not a pitcher and offered me a contract, which I ultimately signed.” After signing, he played 26 games of rookie league ball and ended with eight games in Low A. In 2010, he spent the season in High-A, though he did spend three games in AAA. In 2011, he spent the full season in AA. He was hurt some in 2012 but played in AAA. He was limited to just 55 games in 2013 at Triple-A. In 2014, he started the season in AAA again. But late in May, he got the call that every ball player dreams of. “We had a night game in late May at home in Pawtucket and I remember it was a fairly uneventful game for me. I showered and went home like I normally would and when I got home I received a call from my manager Kevin Boles telling me that he needed me to come back to the field. When I got back to the stadium I went into his office and he had a big smile on his face and congratulated me and told me I was going to the big leagues and gave me a big hug. Nothing was official until the following day, so I think I only told my now wife and parents. The night before I went to the big leagues, I did not sleep one minute; I was too excited.” On June 1st, he made his major-league debut at Fenway Park. Can you imagine jogging out to your position at the ballpark you frequented as a kid, with family and friends in the stands? “The most memorable moment was running out to right field for the top of the first inning thinking that once the first pitch is thrown, I will officially have made it to the big leagues and there isn’t anything that would ever change that. I was really proud of that accomplishment because of just how difficult the path to getting there was for me.” In the game, he played right field and went 1-for-3 with a walk. But his bigger memory was an interesting, and scary, feeling he had in the field. “The other thing I remember was how bad the sun was shining in my eyes standing in right field the first game that I started. It was a day game and if anyone hit a fly ball in my general direction I was going to have a really hard time picking up its trajectory because the sun was directly in my line of sight. To make matter worse, Jon Lester was on the mound that day, and I found him to be an extremely intimidating person. Very nice guy, but also very intense and intimidating. So, most of the day I was praying that no one hit a fly ball to right field because if they did I was almost certainly not going to catch it. Luckily for me, no one did.” Two days later, he was back in the lineup and went 0-for-4 in Cleveland. He was sent back to the minors. He was called back up in mid-August and got one more at-bat. And that was it for his big-league career. Three games. Nine plate appearances. One hit. But a lifetime of memories and a huge accomplishment. “I was really, and still am, really proud of making it to the big leagues. I was not the most naturally gifted athlete but I put a lot of time and effort into refining my skills over the years. Trying to become a good major league baseball player is an extremely difficult pursuit, and the lessons I learned along that journey are still serving me to this day.” He spent 2015 playing in AAA in the Blue Jays, A’s and Rangers system. In 2016, he spent the season on the AAA roster of the Dodgers, in Oklahoma City. Following that season, he knew it was time. He was ready to retire from playing the game. “The decision to move on was really easy for me as towards the end of my career I could no longer physically perform at a level I would need to in order to give myself a chance to get to the major leagues. Injuries had compounded over the years, and I did not do a good enough job managing those, so by the end of 2016, I was physically ready to move on.” At Duke, Hassan had studied psychology. Upon his retirement, he returned to the school and graduated in 2017. His season in the Dodgers organization allowed him a great networking opportunity, one that eventually led him to his current job with the Twins. “Luckily for me, Jeremy Zoll and Gabe Kapler gave me the opportunity to get some exposure to the player development side of the Dodgers front office while I was finishing school. I traveled out to Glendale during my spring break to get a sense of what working in the front office might look like and also made a few trips to affiliates during my time in school.“ He noted that the timing just wasn’t right for he and his wife to join the Dodgers full -time. They moved back to Boston, and he got a job with Dell Technologies for a little while. He took time away from the game of baseball, something he feels was important for him. “I think getting away from the game for a period of time was good and healthy for me. This time away reinforced to me just how passionate I still was about baseball and how eager I was to continuing to learning and developing in the game.” However, months later, the situation changed. “After about six to eight months, Jeremy reached out to me about his new opportunity with the Twins and gauged my interest in getting back into baseball. Jeremy and I first began talking when I was a AAA player with the Dodgers in 2016 and he was working as the assistant farm director for the Dodgers. I remember asking him a lot of questions when he would come in town in OKC and he was always extremely approachable and willing to talk to me. From day 1 he really blew me away with his baseball and general intelligence. When I had the opportunity to join him with the Twins, my wife and I were in a better situation in our personal lives and we were really excited to make the jump.” He was offered the job as the Twins Assistant Director of Minor League Operations. In the position, he is involved in several aspects of the minor leagues and player development. “I’m responsible for assisting in the oversight of the minor league system. I work with player development leaders- Jeremy Zoll (Farm Director), Edgar Varela (Field Coordinator), and all of minor league coordinators regarding on-field philosophies, training, and special programs that we’re running. Also, I aid the Research and Development department in the implementation of various initiatives and findings with our coaching staff and our players.“ In his role, he will spend spring training in Ft. Myers and throughout the season, he will travel to see each of the Twins seven minor league affiliates multiple times. He recently passed the one-year mark in the job and has found a lot about it enjoyable. “What I’ve enjoyed the most is how much I’m learning about the game of baseball and that I’m in a position where I have the ability to impact people to help them improve and reach their goals.” Alex Hassan reached the big leagues, something the great majority of the minor leaguers haven’t done yet and dream of being able to do. His experiences as a player, good and bad, help him to better understand what the players are dealing with from day to day. Understanding the game helps him understand the players and their struggles. “The thing I would like to bring from my experience as a player to this job is never forgetting just how difficult this game is. Sometimes, the further you get from your playing career the easier the game seems to be. I try to never forget just how challenging this game was for me and how hard I had to work to just be a below average player. I would like to think I bring a great deal of empathy to this job.” When you consider the technology used in the Twins minor leagues, the addition of coaches and coordinators, and new ideas and thinking on development, Twins fans should be excited about the direction of the organization as it relates to player development. “I think Twins fans should feel really good about the direction the player development department is headed. What I’m most proud of is the team that we have built and how we’re collectively working toward a shared purpose of making the players better. As part of that, we’re all collectively striving to improve ourselves, ask the better questions, and not being afraid of what we don’t know. We, and more specifically, Jeremy has fostered a culture of continual improvement and my hope and goal is that a couple years from now we’ll still have the same mentality as we did on Day 1- that we still have so much improvement ahead of us.” Hassan and his wife moved to Minneapolis in August. “So far, we have really loved it. It is quite cold in the winter.” Click here to view the article

Yes... Stuff matters. Starting with May, Rogers, Hildenberger, Reed and Parker is solid. Romero in the bullpen is really exciting. Magill increased his average fastball in 2018 to 94.7 as well as his spin rate. Mejia could be out there. Vasquez and Moya have big potential. I'd be fine with adding a guy like Warren on a minor league deal. He's still relatively young.

The alternatives being signing the 2nd-tier guys for reasonable money and less years and with about the same odds of staying healthy after 30. Or, Turning things over to a Fernando Romero. I'm not saying any of those are sure things. None of them are.

Reed is a great example of why I have no problem with the Twins staying away from signing 30+ relievers. Reed had been healthy and really good for 7+ seasons, and he was only 29 and getting over-used over 2-3 years, he finally broke down. Kimbrel's a little older and has been used a lot as well (not even considering playoff innings/games). If healthy, however, Reed is really good, here's hoping he does return to form. Hildenberger is going to be just fine as well. Again, when he went well, he got used all the time... when your arm gets tired, you lose mechanics, which is what Hildy is saying affected his command.

I think we will. First, I hear he graded out very well defensively. Second, after the long college season, they weren't going to have him catch a ton last year. In the rookie leagues, ,the teams typically have 3-4 catchers and they play pretty equally behind the plate. Of course,, Jeffers' bat was going to be in the lineup still.

Ryan Jeffers was recently named by Twins Daily as the Twins #13 ranked prospect. He was a walk-on at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington and didn’t start often as a freshman. He wasn’t on the MLB Top 200 draft prospects in 2018. So when the Twins used their secnd-round pick last year on the catcher, eyes were raised. And Jeffers is just fine with that. I caught up with the talented catcher at Twins Fest about his background, his game, and proving people wrong.Ryan Jeffers grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he became a star on the baseball team at Sanderson High School. He played on Perfect Game and Impact teams nationally as well as Dirtbags, a developmental team that has many MLB alumni including Chris Archer, Wil Myers and Kyle and Corey Seager. Jeffers competed on the organization’s top team. For college, he made the two-hour drive south from Raleigh to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. “I had a couple of options. Wilmington wasn’t the highest offer, but I felt the best going there. That was going to give me the best place to develop, and best coaching staff, and I really felt comfortable there. So I made the decision to go there. I didn’t play a ton as a freshman, but I worked really hard and earned my spot, earned my starting job.” As a freshman, he played in just 13 games, but he hit .348 (8-for-23) with three doubles and a homer. After that, Jeffers became a starter and made the most of it. As a sophomore, he played in 53 games and hit .328/.422/.604 (1.026) with 19 doubles and 10 triples. He was even better as a junior in 2018. In 62 games, he hit .315/.460/.635 (1.095) with 22 doubles and 16 home runs. As he got more playing time, the scouts certainly took notice. Jeffers noted, “Sophomore year, we had a lot of really good players, so there were a lot of scouts there all the time. So they got to see me play a little bit then. Then my junior year, it just kind of started exploding on me. A lot of people were talking, and I had a lot of conversations.” Last June, the Twins surprised a lot of people, a lot of “experts” when they made him their second-round pick. His selection was aired on MLB Network and their panel talked about how he wasn’t even in their Top 200 draft prospects. They said that he was definitely considered a bat-first catcher, that he could hit, but there were a lot of questions about his defense behind the plate. Jeffers watched. He heard his name called and all of his question marks put out on national TV. His response to that discussion should please Twins fans. “It’s kind of fun. It’s kind of my story, coming through high school. I actually walked on at UNC-W. So I’ve kind of always earned my spot. Coming into the draft, being under the radar there too, and it’s just been the story of my career.” But as we know, it just takes one team to take a chance. Jeffers continued, “The Twins believed in me. The Twins loved me. But still there’s a lot of doubters out there, doubt if I can still catch, doubt if I can do that. All I can say is just watch me. Just watch me. I bet you I’ll prove you wrong.” Jeffers has always been a catcher. “I grew up as a catcher. When I got to high school, I just kept catching.“ He was a catcher at Wilmington. He spent a little time in left field to keep his bat in the lineup, but to keep his legs fresh behind the plate. He’s heard the questions about his defense time and again. It has become a source of motivation. “It’s happened to me for so long. It adds a little fuel to the fire, but it’s always been my goal to be the best catcher that I can be. Obviously the offense is going to be there, but my goal is to be the best catcher I can be, and that’s something I plan to do for the rest of my career. I plan on catching here at Target Field one day, hopefully in the near future.” While it’s great to have that motivation, Jeffers knows that it is an area where he has room to improve. He touted the value of having minor league catching coordinator Tanner Swanson present, particularly throughout the offseason, to work with him on the technical aspects of the position. “That’s always been the part of my game that I need to work on the most. Yeah, I work on offense, but it’s something that's been a lot more natural to me. Defensively, I think I’m such a quick learner and have the aptitude to learn so fast. In college, I never had a catching coach. I was pretty much self-taught, and I still had numbers that were comparable with some of the better receivers in the nation. When I got to pro ball, I worked with Tanner (Swanson), I just soaked in so much knowledge and I’ve been feeling better than ever behind the plate. Worked hard this offseason getting ready for the year behind the plate.” In fact, reports from a variety of sources indicate that his defense impressed people in and around the organization, both by the eye test and through some statistics, specifically his pitch framing. Jeffers adds, “Receiving is the most important aspect of the catcher’s job, by far. Tanner always tells us, ‘Think of how many times you receive the ball versus how many times you throw the ball per game.’ It’s like 200 to maybe one or two.That’s the part where you, as a catcher, can make your biggest impact on the game. That’s what I’ve really taken into the offseason to focus on.” Another part of the fun of catching is trying to think with and even out-think the opposing batters. It is an aspect of the game that Jeffers really enjoys. “I was a physics major at school. I’m very scientific, analytic, a really good thinker. So I love that kind of strategic part of catching, calling the game, reading the hitters, reading the pitcher, reading emotions. I love that part.” As a side note, I asked Jeffers if he plans to return to college to finish up his college physics degree. “I still have a year left. I’ll eventually,” and then he paused, “maybe, but hoping that I never have to go back to school. I don’t feel like hopping back into Quantum Mechanics or anything like that.” Now let’s get to the fun stuff. Let’s talk about Ryan Jeffers’ bat, the aspect of his game that he is known for. What a first impression he made in his professional debut. He began by playing 28 games in Elizabethton. He hit an impressive .422/.543/.578 (1.121) with seven doubles and three homers. “I wasn’t surprised. I think I surprised a lot of people. I think a lot of people believed in my bat, but I don’t think a lot of people expected what I did do. I knew that was what was going to come. I knew that’s how I played. But I think it did surprise people... I mean, you’re going to surprise a lot of people when you hit .422 in rookie ball. That’s kind of who I am.” He finished the season with 36 games for Cedar Rapids. Things weren’t quite as easy for him, but he still more than held his own. He hit .288/.361/.446 (.807) with 10 doubles and four homers. It was a strong debut. Jeffers showed some power, got on base, and generally put the ball in play. So what kind of hitter is Jeffers? In his own words, “I think I’m a very well-rounded hitter with a lot of power. That’s how I would describe it. I can hit for power. I can hit for average, like I’ve shown, but I also take pride in trying to walk more than I strike out. I don’t strike out a lot normally at all. I put the ball in play. A higher average, but also a lot of power that I can utilize and get to a lot in games.” While Jeffers says that he isn’t necessarily one to set a lot of goals for himself, it does enjoy taking that analytic approach to his game and to his numbers. “I’m playing to do the best I can do. I can take information very well. So I can look at numbers and say if I want to get to this point, I need to do a little better here or a little over there. People say that you shouldn’t look at your stats, but stats tell you how you’re doing. I like to look at my stats. If I’m struggling a little bit, it’s going to show up in your stats. Some let stats affect them the wrong way.” Jeffers' season ended following the Kernels run in the Midwest League playoffs. He headed back home to Wilmington, but his stay wasn’t very long. Hurricane Florence was bearing down on the east coast and heading straight for Wilmington. “I had just gotten back from the season the day before. We evacuated the day after I got home. I didn’t even unpack, just left the suitcases in the car and headed out.” Fortunately Wilmington is doing well and Jeffers quickly returned. With no school classes to worry about, Jeffers still returned to school to keep on working to better himself. “We have a really good facility down at UNC-W where I’ve been working out with a bunch of other pro guys. We have the weight room and the batting cages to get in and really get a good workout in. From there it was nutrition-focused and focus on stuff that is going to make me a better baseball player and not have to focus on anything outside of baseball.” He made the trek down to Ft. Myers a couple of time to participate in camps with teammates, trainers and instructors. “I went to pretty much every strength camp which is working out with Ian (Kadish), the strength coach. We worked on moving the body right. They watched how we do it, and then send home with a work out. Then Instructs and catching camp were both after the season.” When he’s not doing baseball activities, Jeffers enjoys what Wilmington has to offer. “I really am down with the beach. Wilmington is on the beach. We love just to be down there. Just spend as much time as we can, me and my fiance, just touring around and hanging out really.” You can call it what you want. A chip on his shoulder. A little extra fuel for the fire. Extra motivation. Ryan Jeffers has the attitude and the drive to prove a lot of people wrong. His bat may carry him, but he believes he can be a strong defensive backstop too. Jeffers will soon be starting his first full season as a professional baseball player. Most likely he will begin with some more time in Cedar Rapids, but he could move up to the Miracle in Ft. Myers quickly. For Jeffers, he will just keep working hard to prove people wrong on his way to the big leagues. Click here to view the article

Of course, pitchers today were basically just throwing 80% fastballs and curveballs with a little spin on them, rather than worrying about getting hitters out.

I asked him about that on twitter but didn't get a response. Not sure why an injury to his non-throwing shoulder would affect his throwing shoulder.

Correct... If you have 30ish good prospects, there's a better chance that one or two of them become really solid MLB regulars than if you only have 10 good prospects. I'm also really impressed with what Jeremy Zoll and all of those coordinators are doing on the player development side. Much more instruction. Much more technology and individual learning to go with games and regular things. We'll see how it works, but it's very much encouraging.

The Twins locked up outfielder Max Kepler and shortstop Jorge Polanco to long-term contract extensions this past week. The logical question is: Will there be other more young core players extended before the season starts? Specifically, will they be able to sign All-Star pitcher Jose Berrios to an extension? If so, what might it look like? For that, we may have been given a couple of clues this week of what range a Berrios contract could approach.That the Twins locked up Max Kepler and Jorge Polanco to long-term extensions doesn’t give us any clue what it might take to lock up other young, core Twins players. We only know that Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have made it clear that there have been other conversations with other players. But also in the last week, two young All-Star pitchers signed long-term extensions which will keep them with their current teams through and potentially beyond their arbitration years. AARON NOLA - PHILLIES The Phillies signed 25-year-old RHP Aaron Nola to a four year, $45 million with an option for a fifth season. It buys out three arbitration seasons, a free agent season and possibly a second free agent season. Nola was the seventh overall pick in the 2014 draft. He debuted with the Phillies in 2015 and went 6-2 with a 3.59 ERA in 13 starts. In 2016, he went 6-9 with 4.78 ERA in 20 starts. However, he took off in 2017. He went 12-11 with a 3.54 ERA. He finished third in National League Cy Young Award voting in 2018 when he went 17-6 with a 2.37 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP in 212 1/3 innings over 33 starts. Over 380 1/3 innings in the last two seasons he struck out 408 batters (9.7 K/9). LUIS SEVERINO - YANKEES The Yankees signed RHP Luis Severino to a four year, $40 million with an option for a fifth season. It buys out his four arbitration seasons and provides an option for his first free agent season. Severino made his MLB debut in 2015 when he went 5-3 with a 2.89 ERA. However, in 2016, he went just 3-8 with a 5.83 ERA over 22 games (11 starts). However, in 2017, he made 31 starts and went 14-6 with a 2.98 ERA in 193 1/3 innings. He finished third in the American League Cy Young vote that season. In 2018, he was 19-8 with a 3.39 ERA in 32 starts. Over 384 2/3 innings in the last two seasons, he struck out 450 batters (10.5 K/9). JOSE BERRIOS - TWINS The Twins 2018 All-Star will turn 25 in late May. He made his debut in 2016 and in 14 starts, he went 3-7 with an ERA of 8.02. He came back better in 2017. In 26 games (25 starts), he went 14-8 with a 3.89 ERA. In 2018, he made 32 starts and went 12-11 with a 3.84 ERA. Over these past two seasons, he has thrown a combined 341 strikeouts in 338 innings of work (9.1 K/9). TIMING IS EVERYTHING As you can see from the above, Berrios is essentially one year behind Severino and Nola in terms of service time. 2019 was the first arbitration season for both Nola and Severino. In Severino’s case, it was his first of four arbitration seasons. Berrios will have three arbitration years, starting in 2020. While Berrios has had two straight seasons with sub-4.00 ERAs and an All-Star Game appearance, Severino and Nola each has had a third-place Cy Young finish, better ERAs (in their past two seasons) and a higher strikeout rate. That said, most believe that there is more potential in Berrios’s arm and we all hope to see that in 2019. If that is the case and he puts up a mid-2s ERA instead of a mid-3s ERA, Berrios will be in the same position as Nola and Severino were this year when they signed their extensions. In other words, if we look at the extensions of Nola and Severino on a year-by-year basis, Berrios should be slightly below those numbers, though he should ask for the same type of numbers. What might a potential Jose Berrios extension look like relative to the Nola and Severino deals? In the below chart, we look at the actual year-by-year breakdown of the Nola and Severino contracts. The third column shows how a similarly-built Berrios contract might look. The final column shows how that contract could be front loaded (similar to Max Kepler’s Unique Contract). NOTE: A1 (1st arbitration season), FA (Free Agent), PA (Pre-Arbitration), O$ (Option Year) So what do you think? A five year, $41 million contract for Jose Berrios? If the option was to be picked up, it would be approximately a six year, $53 million contract. Even if Berrios’s option is picked up, he would be a free agent at the age of 30 and able to get another big deal. Click here to view the article