Seth Stohs

As the 2018 World Series is set to start tonight in Boston, indications would seem to be the the Twins are down to just a couple of final candidates for the next team manager. Twins bench coach Derek Shelton, Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde, and Rays Major League Field Coordinator Rocco Baldelli appear to be the favorites, though it is entirely possible that there are other candidates that we just aren’t hearing as much about. So instead of dissecting each candidate, let’s take a moment to consider what we, as fans, would want to see from the next Twins manager. What traits do you think are important, and why?Instead of regurgitating old, tired discussions about why the Twins needed to fire Paul Molitor (or Ron Gardenhire before him), let’s be a little more productive. Let’s not jump to hyperbole and automatically bash everything about the Twins brass. Like all of us, there is good and not-so-good in everybody. People have strengths and areas for improvement. What are the areas of strength that you find most important for a manager? So, for the sake of important, meaningful discussion, let’s limit this discussion to the manager role. Today, I’m going to post several qualifications that I think are either important for an MLB manager or that come up often in discussions. Feel free to discuss the qualifications in the comments, but mostly, use this article to start thinking about who you would like to see replace Paul Molitor. MANAGERIAL EXPERIENCE (BACKGROUND) Do the Twins need to hire someone with experience as a big league manager? If so, does it need to be a manager who has put together World Series championships, or could you consider a candidate who wasn’t good in his first manager job but meets many other requirements? (Note that none of the three men generally presumed to be the Twins finalists have any major league managerial experience.) How about minor league managerial experience, and if so, how much? Do you prefer a candidate who has been second-in-command in a winning organization, for instance, a respected bench coach? Can the candidate be a former player, or would the negate him as a possibility for you? While they probably couldn’t officially ask, does age factor into the decision? ANALYTICS This is one that people think that the Twins are so far behind on, but with Derek Falvey on board, it’s now known as an organization that embraces analytics. So what level of analytical skill or curiosity is enough, or maybe even too much? And how do you evaluate that? A manager may not always go by the analytic book. A manager has to go by the gut sometimes, based on factors that we as fans may not see or ever know about. Players need rest. Players may have other things going on. COMMUNICATION Which leads to a pretty important topic; how does the manager communicate? How should the manager communicate with the front office? How much voice should he have in the conversations about any number of topics? How should the manager communicate with his coaching staff? How should the manager communicate with the players? We often hear the term “lose the clubhouse.” That didn’t happen with Paul Molitor, but it is always a topic when a team loses. How much screaming and yelling do you want from a manager? Or do you prefer a manager be more laid back and professional in his communication? In other words, do you want someone with "fire in his belly" like Ron Gardenhire, or someone generally more calm and collected like Paul Molitor? While less important than the above, what would your expectations be for a manager with the media? Ron Gardenhire was great, gave good, fun answers, and often didn’t say much. Paul Molitor was terrific with the media as well, very smart and thoughtful in his responses. As fans, we want to know everything and we want to know the real reasons for whatever situation, but that’s not always best for the team. So, what would you want? PLAYER DEVELOPMENT How much input should the major league manager have in the development of philosophies on the minor leagues and player development? How can the manager be helpful in the transition from minor league baseball to the big leagues? How much of this is delegated to the coaching staff? How can a manager help players continue to develop once getting to the big leagues, and how do you evaluate that? Player development is rarely linear. For example. Miguel Sano came up in July of 2015 and played so well that he was named the Twins MVP. In 2016, he took a step backward. But then in 2017, he played well in the first half and was an All Star. And then he got hurt, and 2018 was a mess. How much of that is on the manager? Every manager (and hitting coach, and pitching coach) will have his successes and failures, so how should it be evaluated? BULLPEN USAGE Bullpen usage has been a topic as it relates to Ron Gardenhire and Paul Molitor. Both were often accused of not being very good at it. How do you expect bullpen arms to be used? How much usage is too much usage? How much negativity would come up when a top reliever is given an extra day off and a secondary reliever comes in instead and gives up a lead? But over the long haul, was it the right thing? How is it evaluated when there are only three or four reliable options in the bullpen? How do the manager and the pitching coach share responsibility in this? WINS AND LOSSES At the end of a day, Wins are what any manager will be evaluated by, right or wrong? What are the expectations for Win total in 2019, and how does that change if the Twins front office makes more July deadline deals, or if a couple of major contributors get hurt? How long are you giving a manager to ‘Win”? Two years? And does that mean winning an AL Central title, or are you talking about a playoff series, or even a game? Or, a World Series title? MISCELLANEOUS How do you define “Success” with the next manager? What should the clubhouse atmosphere be like under a new manager? What should the atmosphere between the manager and the front office personnel be? How does the managerial candidate feel about building from within? How does that manager candidate create a culture of accountability with his players, coaches and himself? Which current major league and minor league coaches would be let go, and who would you bring back? WHAT DO YOU THINK? All right, now it’s your turn? What are the most important qualities that a Manager can bring to an organization? I brought up a lot of topics, and how do you go about acquiring those kinds of players? Put yourself in the shoes of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine. You need to decide which manager will lead your vision. What does that look like, and how embodies that? Again, I appreciate this thread not turning into yet another negative, bashing thread, but instead, let’s be productive and each of us jot down our thoughts on what makes a good manager, and what type of candidate we would support for the Twins. Click here to view the article

I like the show Young and Hungry. It's from Free Form. Five seasons. I guess that it got cancelled, but I enjoyed it. Atypical... finished Season 2 recently. I think that it is fantastic. Ozark - I watched Season 2 ,, and I thought it was better than Season 1. American Horror Story - This is where I catch up when new seasons become available. Iv'e watched a bunch.

I watched it last week. I enjoyed it a lot. It's' somewhat scary, definitely has some scary parts, but I enjoyed how it was put together and the mental/psychological thriller parts too.

At the All Star break in 2017, I wrote up an article discussing the Twins Core Four. During the Twins recent poor seasons, there was a lot of hope tied to these four Twins prospects who were now playing in the big leagues. As the 2017 season was nearing its completion, and the Twins were marching toward the playoffs, I wrote that the Twins might just have a Core Seven. Three other prospects that didn’t come up with quite the hype as the top four, but were still borderline Top 100 prospects too. Here we are, one year later, and the Twins front office has a lot of big decisions to make, and potentially a lot of money to spend. How do these seven players factor into this offseason?Throughout the really rough Twins seasons from 2011 through the surprising 2015 season, and then through the equality surprising - and incredibly disappointing - 2016 season, the hope the so many Twins fans held on to involved the highly-touted prospects. The New York Yankees had their Core Four - Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera. They were the key to those four-straight Yankees championships in the late 1990s. Sure, they had help, but building a core from within is vital to any sort of championship run. While my expectations for the Twins core of minor league prospects wasn’t going to be for them to win multiple World Series titles, the hope was certainly for them to bring the Twins back to a competitive state. It was for them to get back to the playoffs and be a perennial contender for the World Series. That core of players came up between 2015 and 2016 and were a big part of the Twins run to the AL Wild Card game in 2017. But then there were struggles by several of these core players, as well as some of the free agents that were brought in to contribute, and 2018 was a disappointing season. Today, let’s take a look at that Core Seven and see how they’ve done and where they stand going into the 2018-2019 offseason. ADALBERTO MEJIA Admittedly, Mejia was an add-on to the list. When he came to the Twins from the Giants in a deadline deal with the Giants for Eduardo Nunez, he had recently been named in a midseason Top 100 Prospect ranking by Baseball America. He made the Twins Opening Day roster in 2017, and he had some ups and downs. While he usually struggled to complete five innings, he showed that he had some decent stuff. And, he was just 24 as the 2017 season came to an end. Mejia didn’t make this roster to start the 2018 season. In fact, he didn’t make an appearance for the Twins until the end of June. He was fantastic for the Red Wings starting in June and July. He made four appearances for the Twins in late July and early August. In those four games, he gave up just two runs over 18 1/3 innings. Over his final three appearances (against Boston, Cleveland and Cleveland), he gave up just three hits (and four walks) over 13 1/3 innings. Unfortunately, he left that game with a sore wrist and forearm and didn’t pitch again in 2018. Give some thought to which pitchers will comprise the Twins starting rotation in 2019. Where does Mejia fit into that group? Is he part of a Core? Probably not, but maybe as we see more Openers or the Brewer Bullpen strategy, Mejia’s ability to get through three innings might be valuable. JORGE POLANCO Out of options, the Twins had to keep Polanco in the big leagues throughout the 2017 season. In June, he was hitting just .213 (.570) with little power. Paul Molitor gave him several games off. Over the final two months, Polanco hit .316/.377/.553 (.931) with 15 doubles and 10 home runs. He became the team’s best hitter down the stretch and hit third in the lineup. There was excitement surrounding Polanco as spring training began, but in mid-March, news came that Polanco had been suspended for 80 games for a performance-enhancing drug violation. He returned to the team in early July. While it took him a little while to get going, he ended up hitting .288/.345/.427 (.773) with 18 doubles and six homers. Polanco is yet to reach arbitration, so he will be an important part of the 2019 Twins season. Will he play shortstop or second base? That may be a question for the Twins front office to determine. Polanco has another year before he hits arbitration. EDDIE ROSARIO Rosario put together an impressive rookie season in 2015. He struggled early in 2016 which earned him a trip back to Rochester for a month, but really since then, he’s been one of the Twins more consistent hitters. In 2017, he hit .290/.328/.507 (.836) with 33 doubles and 27 home runs. In 2018, he hit .288/.323/.479 (.803) with 31 doubles and 24 home runs despite missing the final 12 games of the Twins schedule. He was the Twins Daily choice for team MVP. Rosario will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason and should get a hefty raise, earning eight-to-ten times as much as he did in 2018. He’s earned it, and he should remain the Twins left fielder. MAX KEPLER Kepler signed with the Twins on the same day as Jorge Polanco in 2009. Kepler really didn’t get a lot of prospect fanfare, at least not nationally, until his monster 2015 season in Chattanooga where he won the Southern League MVP and helped the Lookouts to the league championship. That season, he hit .322/.416/.531 (.947) with 32 doubles, 13 triples and nine home runs. Through his first three MLB seasons, Kepler has been remarkably consistent. Often that is a good thing, but it would be great to see him taking steps forward. His OPS in those years have been .734, .737, and .727. He has hit 17 home runs, then 19 home runs, and on the final day of the 2018 season, he knocked his 20th home run of the season. But it’s also important to remember that his WAR (Wins Above Replacement) according to fangraphs have been 1.2, 1.4, and it jumped up to 2.6 in 2018. Kepler should remain a part of the Twins future and at least their 2019 plans. His defense is strong, even when he played centerfield. He has some power, and he remains full of power potential. He is Super-2 arbitration eligible this offseason. So while Kepler has been valuable while making close to league minimum, he may have to start taking those strides forward starting in 2019. BYRON BUXTON Buxton has been highly-touted since the Twins used the #2 overall pick in the 2012 draft on the athletic outfielder. He was the #1 overall prospect in all of baseball two years. He was rushed up to the big leagues in 2015. Since then, he has endured long slumps. He has had a variety of injuries, many caused by how hard he plays the game or slamming into walls. He has bumped up and down from the Twins to Rochester and back and forth several times. In 2017, he played in 140 games, and he showed exactly why so many are so excited about. After a slow start through his first 18 games, he hit .274/.333/.452 (.785) with 12 doubles, six triples and 16 home runs over the final 122 games. Add in that he is the best defensive center fielder in baseball. He won the AL Gold Glove and the AL Platinum Glove (best overall defensive player in the league). But 2018 was a major disappointment for Buxton. He got off to a slow start, and then he had a migraine. He fouled a ball off of his foot, and broke his big toe. He missed a little time, but he came back before the bone had healed, and the struggles continued to affect him. He went on the DL later in the season and stayed in Rochester the rest of the year. As we know, he was sent home rather than joining the Twins for September. So what does that mean for 2019, especially considering Jake Cave came up and hit very well. It should be obvious that the Twins should not trade Buxton. At 25, he still has the world of potential. He just needs to get healthy and stay healthy. Plus, it would be selling very low on Buxton. Don’t give up on Buxton. 2019 is Buxton’s first of potentially four years of arbitration. MIGUEL SANO Sano was a consensus Top 10 overall prospect in national rankings as he climbed the ladder. He may have been up in the big leagues in 2014, but Tommy John surgery ended his season. He came back in 2015. He was called up to the Twins in July, and had a huge rookie season. In fact, the Twins media voted him as not only the Twins rookie of the year but also their MVP. In 2016, he took a couple of steps backwards and missed time with a couple of injuries. In 2017, he had a big first half and made the All Star team and was runner up to Aaron Judge in the home run derby. His 2017 season ended early with a leg injury that resulted in a titanium rod being placed in his leg. During the holidays, he was accused of assault. He was not suspended, but his reputation took another hit. He started the season in a big slump, filled with strikeouts. He went on the DL in late April for a month. He returned, and he really struggled, looked lost at the plate. The Twins made the decision to option him all the way to Ft. Myers. He returned in late July, looking different, but the play was the same. He played in just one of the team’s final 24 after a late slide re-aggravated his leg injury. And, just over a week ago, he was detained for an incident in the Dominican Republic that was deemed an accident. The Rise and Fall of Miguel Sano has been incredible, and we certainly hope that there will be another rise in the equation. Like Buxton, trading Sano should not be an option. He’s still young and still has talent and huge power potential. It would be selling very low. Can Sano stick to his plan and maintain his weight loss? Can he play third base, or should he shift to first base? Can he find a way to strike out at a reasonable clip?Those questions all still need to be answered. Sano is arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason. JOSE BERRIOS Berrios was the Twins supplemental first-round pick (32nd overall) in 2012. He gradually moved up prospect rankings and his hard work became a social media marvel. He continued to pitch well and move up. He was the Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year in 2014and 2015. He debuted with the Twins in 2016 and really struggled. He came back in 2017 and was much improved. He went 14-8 with a 3.89 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. In 2018, he was even better, especially in the first half when he earned his first All Star appearance. On the season, he went 12-11 with a 3.84 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. He ended the season with 202 strikeouts in 192 1/3 innings. He was the choice for Twins Daily Pitcher of the Year. While he may not be a Justin Verlander-like ace, the Twins should be excited about the potential of the hard-throwing Berrios. Along with counting on him for 2019, the Twins should consider locking him up to a long-term contract extension to keep him at the top of the Twins rotation for years to come. He has one more year before he becomes arbitration-eligible. It started with The Core Four, and by the end of 2017, it became somewhat of a Core Seven. 2018 created more question marks regarding most of these players than it provided answers. How many from this group do you feel remain part of the organization’s core? How many should? Who should be handed jobs heading into 2019? Who should be on the potential trade block? These are some of the questions the Twins front office will have to answer in the offseason. You'll be able to go through the Twins 40-man roster, consider potential free agents and trade targets and develop your own blueprint by using our 2019 Offseason Handbook, which is available for preorder. Claim your copy now, get it before its official release. Yesterday we revealed the front cover and our star-studded lineup of guest authors. Click here to view the article

Yeah, they just all had to wait until Larnach signed. Once he signed, they could go to Sands and Mack and get them taken care of, which also happened on that last day. My guess is that Helman was willing to sign for whatever was still available. Working the draft signings is a science.

While Twins 2018 draft pick Michael Helman is just 22-years-old, baseball has kept him on the move in recent years. The infielder from Lincoln, Nebraska, has played in Hutchinson (Kansas), College Station (Texas), Elizabethton (Tennessee), and Cedar Rapids (Iowa). And, he just completed his first camp in Ft. Myers (Florida). Recently, Twins Daily caught up with the talented second base prospect and 11th round pick in 2018. Get to know a little more about him on and off the field.“Growing up, I loved the game and being around it. I played pretty much 24/7; playing fall ball, playing spring ball, and in the winter, I was usually doing something related to baseball.” Michael Helman was born 22 years ago in Lincoln, Nebraska. While football is life in Lincoln (yes, even now), baseball was the sport for Helman. While he did play basketball and football, once he got to high school, it was all baseball all the time. But that started when he was young. Helman notes, “When I was a kid, I was watching baseball movies all the time. I was watching Roy Hobbs and The Natural, and Field of Dreams with Kevin Costner. I always had a passion for the game.” It was a passion that was shared in his home. “I was always playing catch with my dad, and I have a twin brother. We always played on the same teams. Even where we used to live, there was a cruddy little baseball field behind our house. We got out there a lot to play catch and our dad would throw to us. It was fun. I loved baseball, and it was how I grew up. I had a dream to make it one day.” He also appreciates his youth coaches for continually pushing him on the field and driving his passion. “Growing up, I played some travel baseball. Probably second grade to eighth grade. I had some great coaches, and I have to thank them for the kind of ballplayer and person that they made me into.” In Lincoln, most baseball fans are Kansas City Royals fans. It is the nearest MLB team to the city, but also the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate is in Omaha. Helman was a Royals fan, but not solely a Royals fan. “I was a Royals fan by default, and then I was also a Twins fan for awhile just because I have a twin brother. So we followed the Twins for a while. Actually I grew up being a Mets fans. Kind of weird. I loved Mike Piazza. ” Helman went to Lincoln’s Pius X High School. Baseball in Lincoln may not be as strong as in Omaha, but there have been several players to go to Division I schools and more playing at Division II schools, or other colleges. Speaking of Omaha, while Helman didn’t get the chance to play in the College World Series, it is an event that he has attended most years. “I would go almost every year. I went when I was in junior college. This past year, even though we didn’t make the College World Series, I was still able to go to some games. It’s like a carnival there.” Upon graduation from high school, Helman made the decision to head south and play baseball at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kansas. Despite a solid career in high school, Helman found himself without any college offers. He added, “The only reason I got hooked up with Hutch was because a kid that went to my high school went there and then went to the University of Nebraska. He called them up and said ‘Hey, take a look at this kid.’ They invited me to a camp, and they happened to have one spot open. They offered me a spot on the team, and I took that.” Whatever the reason, Helman took full advantage of the opportunity presented to him. As a freshman, he hit .416/.473/.654 (1.127) with 20 doubles and nine home runs in 57 games. The next year, he played 60 games and hit .487/.567/.829 (1.329) with 17 doubles and 17 home runs.In addition, he walked 34 times and struck out just 13 times that season. Despite such gaudy numbers, Helman went undrafted. Scouts were there to watch his teammate, pitcher Nolan Hoffman. He filled out the questionnaires and sat down with scouts, but nothing too major. During the draft, he did receive some phone calls, but by then he was pretty set on going to Texas A&M. He had several Division I offers, but he knew he wanted to play for the Aggies. A fellow Lincoln native Logan Foster was heading there, and so was Hutchinson teammate Nolan Hoffman (who was drafted in the fifth round by the Mariners in 2018). In addition, one of Texas A&M coaches had gone to high school at Lincoln Southeast High School and the University of Nebraska. That coach is Jeff Christy who was the sixth-round pick of the Minnesota Twins in 2006. He played in the Twins organization through the 2009 season and reached the Triple-A level. “It was nice to have guys I was familiar with at A&M.The coaches at Hutch really helped me out with everything. Coach Ryan Schmidt, he was great through the whole process and stuck with me the whole way, and I’m glad it worked out at Texas A&M..” His junior, and sole, season, at Texas A&M, Helman played in 61 games. He hit .369/.452/.520 (.972) with 15 doubles and six home runs. This time, Helman was ready to make the jump to pro ball. He noted, “I knew I wanted to play professional ball once I got to A&M, and I knew A&M was a great place to get more looks and have that opportunity.” Greg Runser is the Twins area scout for southeast Texas and Louisiana. He was in occasional contact with Helman. But there were several other teams that expressed interest as well. Helman said, “Close to the draft day, I know I got calls from him and calls from a bunch of other teams. It looked like the Rockies were probably most interested, and they were planning on taking me anywhere from the third to seventh round. Obviously that didn’t happen.” Helman fell to the 11th round, and the Twins were thrilled to take him with the first pick of the third day. In a story in the Lincoln Journal-Star, Helman noticed that he had likely been drafted thanks to social media and a familiar Twins website he follows. He told the newspaper, The Twins sent Helman to Elizabethton to begin his career. He was excited to get going. He thought that the time in Elizabethton was beneficial just in terms of getting back into the proverbial swing of things. “The Twins ended up coming through, and I was glad to start my professional career. I was definitely trying to get back into it because I hadn’t played for a month and a half while we were waiting for Trevor Larnach (to sign). It was nice to get back into it and see that pitching. There were a lot of good arms there, though it was all stuff that I’ve seen before. It just took time to adjust again.” It didn’t take him long to adjust at all. He played just twelve games and got just 40 at-bats in Tennessee. He hit .375 (1.010 OPS) with a triple and two home runs. In early August, Helman was surprised that he was promoted to Cedar Rapids. He made an assumption that he would spend the remainder of the season in E-Town. “Honestly, I was playing maybe three times a week. I wasn’t planning on getting called up. I brought my car to Tennessee so I could drive back home. After I got called up, my dad flew to Tennessee and drove my car up to Cedar Rapids. I was pretty shocked when I got called up. I didn’t figure I’d be up there that quick, after just 12 games, and ended up playing every single day, which was an adjustment for me. It was great.” It’s not unusual for college players to play every other day in Elizabethton as they re-adjust to playing after time off between their college season, the draft and signing. But once he got to the Kernels, he was in the lineup almost every day. And, he had fans in the stands. “It was great to be there. It was a little closer to home so my family could come up and watch. It just felt a little more like home. The competition definitely upped itself a little bit once I got to Cedar Rapids, but nothing too drastic changing from Rookie to Low A.” Soon after, the Kernels had four members of the 2018 Twins draft on its roster. First-round pick Trevor Larnach played right field most days. Second-round pick Ryan Jeffers split time catching and at DH. Helman played second base, and 25th-round pick Michael Davis played shortstop. All four found success and helped push the team forward as they prepared for the Midwest League playoffs. The four players fit in and got to know each other. “It was great to help out the team and do our jobs, to be team players. We all just kind of clicked together and we all feed off of each other, hitting the ball and on defense. We hang out together all the time, and being around those guys is great.” Helman contributed strongly in the middle of the lineup. In his 27 games with the Kernels, he hit .355/.398/.486 (.884) with six double and two home runs. As a hitter, Helman tries to keep it simple and put the ball in play. “My whole life I’ve loved swinging the bat. My whole approach at the plate has been established through my junior college play and at Texas A&M. I just figure, put the ball in play and anything can happen.” How about power? Could he add some power to his game? Helman insists. “I say I have a little power, it just hasn’t been unleashed yet. I pretty much spray the ball to all parts of the field. I’m just trying to drive the ball, and sometimes I hit the ball on the ground in a hole and can beat it out. Bunt for hits. I just compete, a scrappy player, I would say.” Defensively, he has primarily played second base the last few years, and it is a position at which he is continuing to gain confidence. “I played one game at shortstop in E-Town. It wasn’t bad, it was just getting readjusted to it because I played a little shortstop in high school. But my whole life, I was a catcher. The first time I played second base consistently was at Hutchinson. I got recruited as a second baseman, and I got drafted as a second baseman. I’m really comfortable over there. I enjoy being over there. I’m willing to play anywhere, outfield ,left side of the infield, but most comfortable at second base.” He continued, “I definitely need to work on my defense a little bit. I’ve only been playing second base for three years. There’s always room to get better in every part of my game, defense, base running, anything like that.” Helman is a very competitive, very talented player who works really hard on the field, something he considers his biggest strength right now. “I would say it’s my ability to compete, not necessarily in the box, but even making plays in the field, making the routine ones, laying out for balls that are borderline, and helping the team in any way that I can.” Away from the game, you won’t be surprised to read one of his favorite things to do. “I play Fortnite with my roommates. I love playing Fortnite. He will spend a large part of his offseason back at College Station. Winter in Texas is generally a bit warmer than in Lincoln. He’ll be able to play catch outside, take ground balls and hit on the field. But he will head back home to Nebraska a few times during the offseason. “I really want to get back to Lincoln and see a Husker football game because I’m a die-hard Husker football fan at heart. Even though they’re not playing well, things are crazy, it’s a great atmosphere.” Helman just returned from his first Instructional League. Now he’ll enjoy his first offseason as a professional baseball player. He’ll work out for baseball, and he’ll play a lot of Fortnite. Click here to view the article

As I always note... Age to level of competition is pretty meaningless to me for college pitchers who aren't top half of the first round picks. They get up to the big leagues when they're ready.

Of note... these are all "internal" candidates, but candidates brought in during the Falvine Administration. So hopefully we don't get any of that old complaining if it were to be any one of these candidates.

Maybe conservative... but we do need to assume that the Twins rotation will include Berrios, Gibson, Pineda, maybe Odorizzi, Romero, Gonsalves, Thorpe, Littell, De Jong, Stewart... Now wells may pass by all of them... but he's made just 6 appearances in AA... He'll likely spend most of 2019 in AA, possibly move up to AAA later in the season, and probably start 2020 there. That's if things go well It's tough, but honestly, it's nice to know that there is that much depth that at least have some reason for optimism.

Which two spots?? I'll guess LHP, but other than that, I'm not sure...

The Minnesota Twins minor league season has been done for about a month. At Twins Daily, we have handed out a lot of awards since then. We conclude that series today by presenting the Twins Daily 2018 Twins Minor League All-Star team. Scroll down to find out who made the 13-man team. The Twins Daily minor league writers voted for each of 13 positions. There was some variance in terms of positions that certain guys were placed at, as you’ll see below. Quickly, here is a list of the Twins Daily 2018 minor league awards: Short-Season Minor League Pitcher of the Year - Andrew CabezasShort-Season Minor League Hitter of the Year - Chris WilliamsTwins Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year - Andrew VasquezTwins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year - Tyler WellsTwins Minor League Hitter of the Year - Alex KirilloffAnd here are the Twins Harmon Killebrew Awards for 2018:Rochester Red Wings: Jake ReedChattanooga Lookouts: Chris PaulFt. Myers Miracle: Tyler WellsCedar Rapids Kernels: David BanuelosToday, we would like to announce our choices for 2018 Minnesota Twins All-Stars. Our Twins Daily minor league report writers were asked to vote for a catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, three outfielders, a DH, a left-handed starting pitcher, a right-handed starting pitcher, a left-handed reliever and a right-handed reliever. The player at each position who received the most votes takes the spots. Read through our choices for each position. Check out how each of our writers voted. And then discuss and cast your votes as well. Let’s get started. The Twins Daily 2018 Minnesota Twins Minor League All-Star Team Catcher: Taylor Grzelakowski - Ft. Myers Miracle Acquired: non-drafted free agent from Madonna University (by way of the USPBL) 2018 Stats: .298/.370/.458 (.828) with 23 doubles, 8 homers and 40 RBI Before the season, I included Taylor Grzelakowski (“Gelly”) as one of my Spring Standouts. He signed late last season as a non-drafted free agent out of Madonna University. After playing just 12 games in the Gulf Coast League last year, it was surprising to see that he made the jump all the way up to the Ft. Myers Miracle. His is a great story, but he has also worked very hard to turn himself into a very good player. Not only did he make that jump, but he played well and hit in the middle of the Miracle lineup. He hit for average, got on base a lot, and showed good power, particularly for the Florida State League. He played some in the outfield and a little at first base, along with catching and DHing. ETA - August 2020 First Base: Zander Wiel - Chattanooga Lookouts, Rochester Red Wings Acquired: 12th round pick in 2015 from Vanderbilt 2018 Stats: .297/.367/.442 (.809) with 27 doubles, 10 homers and 65 RBI Wiel has really been a consistent performer since signing out of the baseball hot-bed that is Vanderbilt. In his first full season, he led the Midwest League in RBI. He was a middle-of-the-lineup bat for the Miracle in 2017. 2018 was another strong season for Wiel. He hit .311 with an .827 OPS for the Chattanooga Lookouts before ending the season with the Rochester Red Wings. While he took some lumps in that short AAA experience, he also had some highlights including a walkoff home run. Wiel split his time in 2018 between first base and left field. He also spent a lot of time hitting in the leadoff spot for the Lookouts. ETA - August 2019 Second Base: Luis Arraez, Ft. Myers Miracle, Chattanooga Lookouts Acquired: signed as international free agent in November 2013 from Venezuela 2018 Stats: .310/.361/.397 (.758) with 20 doubles, 3 home runs and 36 RBI. 2017 was a tough season for Arraez. After winning the Midwest League batting title at .337 as a 19-year-old in Cedar Rapids in 2016, Arraez hoped for a big start with the Miracle in 2017. In this third game, he tore up his knee and needed surgery which cost him the full season. He returned a couple of weeks into the 2018 season with the Miracle. While he started out slow (1-24, .042), Arraez returned to form quickly. In his next 54 games, he hit .353/.403/.466 (.868). He was the choice for Twins Daily Hitter of the Month in June when he hit .449 with 13 extra base hits. He was promoted to the Lookouts in early July. He hit .298 for the Lookouts, as a 21-year-old. Arraez will need to be added to the 40-man roster in November or risk being lost in the Rule 5 draft. ETA: July 2020 Third Base: Jose Miranda - Cedar Rapids Kernels, Ft. Myers Miracle Acquired: Twins 2nd-round in 2016 from high school in Puerto Rico 2018 Stats: .264/.319/.417 (.736) with 27 doubles, 16 home runs and 82 RBI. Miranda was a shortstop in high school, but when the Twins drafted him, they knew his future was not at that position. He has spent time through his career at second base and third base. His 2018 season went along with the weather in Cedar Rapids. He started out cold, but he continued to heat up as the temperatures rose. He began the season by playing primarily at second base, but he spent most of the second half at third base. Most believe that he will grow and add a lot of power. In 2018, he showed that with both the doubles and the home run power. He ended his first year of full-season play with a promotion to the Ft. Myers Miracle, helping them to the Florida State League Championship. He’s a big part of The Twins Big 4 from the 2016 Draft. ETA: June 2021 Shortstop: Royce Lewis - Cedar Rapids Kernels, Ft. Myers Miracle Acquired: 1st round pick in 2017 out of high school in California 2018 Stats: .296/.333/.454 (.788) with 21 doubles, 14 homers and 74 RBI The Twins used the top overall pick in the 2017 draft out of JSerra Catholic High School. He homered in his first professional at-bat in the GCL, and he finished the season helping the Cedar Rapids Kernels to a playoff berth. Lewis also impressed in his first full season of pro ball. He returned to Iowa to start the season and earned a spot on the Midwest League All-Star Game. A couple of weeks later, he was promoted to the Miracle where he helped lead the Miracle to the playoffs on the final day and all the way to a championship. Lewis showed off the range of tools that made him the top pick and has pushed him into the Top 10 on most national prospect lists. He has shown a strong hitting acumen. While we (fans) thought he could have been pushed to Ft. Myers sooner, his extra month with the Kernels let him show serious increased power which carried over to his time with the Miracle. He came into the season with question marks at shortstop from some, but those concerns quieted some over the course of the year as he showed terrific range and a strong arm. He’s got really good speed. He led the organization in stolen bases. It will be fun to watch him develop and see how quickly he can work his way up the ladder. In addition to immense talent, Lewis has the leadership and charisma to be a difference-maker, a building block on the way to a championship-caliber team. ETA: April 2020 Outfielder: Alex Kirilloff - Cedar Rapids Kernels, Ft. Myers Miracle Acquired: Twins 1st-round draft pick in 2016 out of high school in Pennsylvania 2018 Stats: .348/.392/.578 (.970) with 44 doubles, 7 triples, 20 homers and 101 RBI Kirilloff was the Twins top draft pick in the 2016 draft, selected with the 15th overall pick. The Twins were on him early and were as impressed with his maturity as they were with his immense power potential. He had a successful pro debut, hitting over .300 in Elizabethton. Unfortunately, his season ended with an elbow injury, and in March 2017, he had Tommy John surgery which cost him that season. So while people believe in Kirilloff’s bat, no one could have imagined how well Kirilloff would play in his return in 2018. He went 1-for-12 in his first three games, and then he hit the rest of the year. He hit .333/.391/.607 (.999) in 65 games in Cedar Rapids. He played in the Midwest League All-Star Game. He finished the season with 65 games in Ft. Myers and hit .362/.393/.550 (.943). He went 2-for-2 in the Futures Game. He had a long streak of games with multiple hits. His 44 doubles led all of minor league baseball. He had home run power and drove in over 100 runs. He was a big part of the Miracle FSL championship. Like Lewis, Kirilloff will be near the top of most national prospect rankings this offseason. ETA: July 2019 Outfielder: Jaylin Davis - Ft. Myers Miracle, Chattanooga Lookouts Acquired: Twins 24th round draft pick in 2015 out of Appalachian State 2018 Stats: .273/.347/.412 (.759) with 24 doubles, 11 home runs, 53 RBI. When the Twins drafted Jaylin Davis out of Appalachian State, they knew he had immense power. However, at the time, he was hurt and missed the rest of the 2015 season. He began play in Elizabethton in 2016, but when he hit seven home runs in 12 games, he was moved up to Cedar Rapids. He has been productive and provided a lot of power. Davis showed improvement in 2018 in a couple of key areas in his development. He increased his walk rate and decreased his strikeout rate. While the FSL depressed his power a little, he had a really strong season. It will continue on Tuesday as the Arizona Fall League begins and he’ll be playing for Tommy Watkins and the Salt River Rafters. ETA: September 2019 Outfielder - Akil Baddoo - Cedar Rapids Kernels Drafted: Twins 2nd-round (compensation round) pick in 2016 out of high school in Georgia 2018 Stats: .243/.351/.419 (.770) with 22 doubles, 11 triples, 11 home runs and 40 RBI. If you only look at his batting average, you may think that Baddoo had a disappointing season. While it will be nice to see Baddoo increase his batting average, it is important to look at all of his numbers and see how well he fills the stat sheet. Another member of the 2016 Big Four, Baddoo was the third of four picks that year. He was the Twins Daily 2017 Short-Season Hitter of the Year. He spent his first full season hitting at the top of the Cedar Rapids Kernels lineup and playing a lot of centerfield. He reached double-figures in doubles (22), triples (11), home runs (11) and stolen bases (24). Baddoo has all the tools. Many believe he will hit and he is very strong and should continue to develop power. He’s got great speed on the bases and his defense really improved. If he has one tool lacking, it might be his arm. His approach at the plate is terrific. He knows the strike zone and gets his pitches. He takes a lot of walks, but he is aggressive in the zone. ETA: August 2021 Designated Hitter: Brent Rooker - Chattanooga Lookouts Acquired: Twins 1st-round (compensation) draft pick in 2017 out of Mississippi State 2018 Stats: .254/.333/.465 (.798) with 32 doubles, 22 homers and 79 RBI After selecting Brent Rooker late in the 2016 draft,the Twins took him in 2017 with a compensation pick right after the first round. He bet on himself and came through with a Triple Crown in the SEC. With four years of college, Rooker is considered an advanced hitter, and the Twins have aggressively promoted him. After a brief time in Elizabethton, the Twins pushed him to Ft. Meyers where he continued to show incredible power. The aggressiveness continued when the Twins sent Rooker to Double-A Chattanooga for the 2018 season. He struggled the first couple of months, but in both June and July he posted OPS over 1.000. He will have the opportunity to continue to grow offensively while playing more outfield defense in the Arizona Fall League. In spring training, he spent some time with Justin Morneau at first base as well. While the strikeouts will continue to be something he needs to work on, his power potential is legit. ETA: July 2019 Right-Handed Starting Pitcher: Tyler Wells - Ft. Myers Miracle, Chattanooga Lookouts Acquired: Twins 15th round in 2016 out of Cal State-San Bernadino 2018 Stats: 10-6, 2.49 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 2.3 BB/9, 9.1 K/9 2018 was a fantastic season for the 24-year-old Tyler Wells. He began the season in Ft. Myers where he pitched well and earned his spot on the Florida State League All Star team. He went 8-4 with a 2.80 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP in 18 starts for the Miracle. He moved up to Chattanooga where he made six appearances for the Lookouts to end the season. He posted a 1.65 ERA over 32 2/3 innings. He struck out more than a batter per inning while throwing a lot of strikes. He was the 2018 Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year for his efforts. In addition, he did a ton of work in the community and was the 2018 Harmon Killebrew Awards for Community Service recipient for the Ft. Myers Miracle. ETA: August 2020 Left-Handed Starting Pitcher: Stephen Gonsalves - Chattanooga Lookouts, Rochester Red Wings, Minnesota Twins Acquired: Twins 4th-round pick in 2014 out of high school in California 2018 Stats: 12-3, 2.76 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 4.8 BB/9, 9.0 K/9 On the final weekend of the season, Stephen Gonsalves called his 2018 season “probably one of the worst seasons of his career. Well, other than getting called up here.” He called his big league call up “A dream come true.” I mean, consider that he was the Twins Daily Starting Pitcher of the Year in both 2016 and 2017, and he was the runner up to Jose Berrios for the award in 2015. He has set the bar high throughout his minor league career. And based on finding himself as the Twins Daily choice for top left-handed starting pitcher, it’s clear that it was still a very strong season for the southpaw from San Diego. If you look at his numbers across the board, he had another strong season. 12-3 with a 2.76 ERA. That’s very good. He struck out a batter per inning. However, as he noted, “The walks were a mystery to me.” At times, he just couldn’t find command. And yet, he pitched well and finally earned his first big league promotion in August and Paul Molitor kept having him pitch through some early struggles. After Berrios won two straight Starting Pitcher of the Year Awards, Gonsalves followed with two. Berrios really struggled mightily in his first big league opportunity, but he has turned things around. Hopefully Gonsalves can do the same thing in his major-league career, starting as early as 2019. ETA: August 2018 Right-Handed Relief Pitcher: Cody Stashak - Chattanooga Lookouts, Ft. Myers Miracle Acquired: Twins 12th-round draft pick in 2015 out of St. John’s University 2018 Stats: 2-1, 4 Saves, 2.87 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 2.3 BB/9, 11.2 K/9 Stashak is probably the least-known member of the 2018 Twins Daily All-Star team, but he put together a strong 2018 season in Chattanooga, beating out several of the bigger-named relievers in Rochester for this honor. Stashak was drafted out of college as a starting pitcher, and he did a nice job for the Miracle in 2017. He ended 2017 with six good innings out of the Lookouts bullpen. He pitched very well out of the Lookouts bullpen throughout the 2018 season as well. He was able to pitch in multiple roles. He could work one inning, or he could use his starting background to reach a few innings. That may be the role for him as he moves up. Not a big guy, Stashak surprisingly worked in the low-90s as a starter, and he was able to add a couple of ticks out of the bullpen. ETA: May 2020 Left-Handed Relief Pitcher: Andrew Vasquez - Ft. Myers Miracle, Chattanooga Lookouts, Rochester Red Wings, Minnesota Twins Acquired: Twins 32nd-round draft pick in 2016 out of Westmont College 2018 MiLB Stats: 1-2, 6 Saves, 1.30 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9, 14.0 K/9 2018 was a whirlwind season for Andrew Vasquez. He began the season in Ft. Myers and spent the first half of the season there. In fact, he pitched in the Florida State League All Star game. After the game, he was promoted to Chattanooga where he continued to thrive for about a month. He was promoted to Rochester in late August and about a week later, he was called up to the Twins on September 1st. While he had some rough moments in the season’s final month, he ended the season by striking out the side in his inning of work on the season’s final game. Andrew Vasquez tops out at 90, maybe 91 at times, but his best pitch is a tremendous slider the he is able to get a lot of swings and misses with. With Taylor Rogers and Gabriel Moya in the big leagues, Vasquez could split time in 2019 between AAA and the big leagues. Did I mention the 14 strikeouts per nine innings? ETA: September 2018 PREVIOUS Twins Daily Minor League All-Stars Looking Back: 2016 Twins Daily Minor League All-Stars C: Mitch Garver, 1B: Zander Wiel, 2B: Luis Arraez, 3B: Nelson Molina, SS: Nick Gordon, OF: LaMonte Wade, Zack Granite, Daniel Palka, DH: Adam Brett Walker. RH SP: Fernando Romero, LH SP: Stephen Gonsalves, RH RP: Trevor Hildenberger, LH RP: Michael Theofanopoulos. Looking Back: 2017 Twins Daily Minor League All-Stars C: Mitch Garver, 1B: Jonathan Rodriguez, 2B: Travis Blankenhorn, 3B: TJ White, SS: Jermaine Palacios, OF:LaMonte Wade, Zack Granite, Akil Baddoo, DH: Brent Rooker. RH SP: Clark Beeker, LH SP: Stephen Gonsalves, RH RP: John Curtiss, LH RP: Andrew Vasquez. The Votes So there you have it. The second annual Twins Daily Minor League All-Star team. Who would get your vote? Below are the votes/selections of our 2018 Twins Daily minor league writers: Seth: C: Taylor Grzelakowski, 1B: Brent Rooker, 2B: Luis Arraez, 3B: Jose Miranda, SS: Royce Lewis, OF: Alex Kirilloff, Zander Wiel, Akil Baddoo, DH: Zander Wiel, RH SP: Tyler Wells, LH SP: Stephen Gonsalves, RH RP: Cody Stashak, LH RP: Andrew Vasquez Cody: C: Taylor Grzelakowski, 1B: Zander Wiel, 2B: Luis Arraez, 3B: Chris Paul, SS: Royce Lewis, OF: Alex Kirilloff, Jaylin Davis, Akil Baddoo, DH: Brent Rooker, RH SP: Tyler Wells, LH SP: Stephen Gonsalves, RH RP: Cody Stashak, LH RP: Andrew Vasquez Tom: C: Taylor Grzelakowski, 1B: Zander Wiel, 2B: Luis Arraez, 3B: Jose Miranda, SS: Royce Lewis, OF: Alex Kirilloff, LaMonte Wade, Akil Baddoo, DH: Brent Rooker, RH SP: Tyler Wells, LH SP: Lewis Thorpe, RH RP: Cody Stashak, LH RP: Andrew Vasquez Ted: C: Ben Rortvedt, 1B: Zander Wiel, 2B: Luis Arraez, 3B: Jose Miranda, SS: Royce Lewis, OF: Alex Kirilloff, LaMonte Wade, Akil Baddoo, DH: Brent Rooker, RH SP: Tyler Wells, LH SP: Stephen Gonsalves, RH RP: Jake Reed, LH RP: Andrew Vasquez Steve: C: Willians Astudillo, 1B: Zander Wiel, 2B: Luis Arraez, 3B: Jose Miranda, SS: Royce Lewis, OF: Alex Kirilloff, Brent Rooker, Taylor Grzelakowski, DH: Ryan Jeffers, RH SP: Tyler Wells, LH SP: Lewis Thorpe, RH RP: Cody Stashak, LH RP: Andrew Vasquez Jeremy: C: Willians Astudillo, 1B: Zander Wiel, 2B: Luis Arraez, 3B: Jose Miranda, SS: Royce Lewis, OF: Alex Kirilloff, Jaylin Davis, Akil Baddoo, DH: Brent Rooker, RH SP: Tyler Wells, LH SP: Stephen Gonsalves, RH RP: Alan Busenitz, LH RP: Andrew Vasquez Click here to view the article

Miguel Sano was detained in his hometown of San Pedro De Macoris, Dominican Republic, for a traffic incident involving a police officer. He was released from jail but will need to return on Monday. We will continue to update this article as details emerge.According to a variety of reports, Sano left a club around 3 a.m. The exact details are still not clear, but it appears the vehicle Sano was in made contact with an officer. ESPN has additional reporting Monday morning that sheds additional light to the situation. The entire article is worth reading, but here's the main takeaway: "Sano, who was leaving a nightclub in his native San Pedro de Macoris at 3 a.m. on Sunday in the company of his wife, had been speaking to police officer Argenis Emilio Gillandeux in front of the club. After the exchange, he went to back up his white pickup truck without realizing that Gillandeux had not moved his motorcycle from behind him, a spokesman for the Dominican national police, Coronel Frank Duran Mejia, told Enrique Rojas on Monday." Click here to view the article

That's very kind to say, but Ryan was a terrific interview and it all just kind of flowed. It was fun. Hopefully we'll do several more of these.

Nope. Not heading down there. I wish!

I linked to the article explaining the situation that I wrote in May or June in the article. Here is that link: http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins-minor-leagues/griffin-jaxs-baseball-career-resumes-r6715

October 9th (next Tuesday) is Opening Day of the 2018 Arizona Fall League. Tommy Watkins will serve as the manager the Salt River Rafters, a team consisting of prospects from the Twins, Nationals, Rockies, Diamondbacks and Marlins. Eight players from the Twins organization will be on the team and today, we discuss them and get their thoughts on the opportunity. Below, find out how they learned about their invitation and what they’re looking forward to in the AFL.Sure, he played for the Twins in the big leagues for a little while, but as a player, Tommy Watkins never had the opportunity to play in the Arizona Fall League. However, the 38-year-old former infielder turned minor league hitting coach turned minor league manager learned in late July that he will lead the Salt River Rafters through their Fall League schedule. It’s an opportunity that Watkins is looking forward to. “The opportunity to manage in the Fall League means a lot to me. The responsibility to coach our prospects, as well as prospects from other teams, is an honor. I am humbled that the Twins trust me with this role, and I plan to work tirelessly to exceed the expectations of the Twins, my fellow coaches and my players. Like the players in the Fall League, the managers and coaches are also trying to work on their crafts and learn from others. “For coaches and players, the Fall League is the perfect setting to grow and learn while turning heads and having some fun in the process. Personally, I am looking forward to being reunited with some of my former players, developing all the players on our team and learning from the other coaches on my staff.” Watkins will be tasked with managing an entire team, but for the Twins Daily audience, you’ll primarily want to know which Twins prospects he will be managing. The Twins announced in late August that they are sending eight players to the Arizona Fall League. They are sending hitters Brent Rooker, Luke Raley, Travis Blankenhorn and Jaylin Davis. Four Twins minor league pitchers will also be pitching in the Fall League. They include RHP Griffin Jax, Adam Bray, Hector Lujan, and LHP Devin Smeltzer. Soon after Watkins learned he would be the manager, he was able to inform some of his Chattanooga Lookouts players that they would be joining him. Brent Rooker noted, “I got the to the park early one day in Chattanooga and Tommy had just found out that he would be managing and I got an invite. He called me into his office and gave me the news.” For the players in Ft. Myers with the Miracle, they were told by Twins minor league director Jeremy Zoll. Hector Lujan said, “I learned about the Fall League through our farm director Jeremy Zoll. Waking up to a text from him saying if there was a spot for me if I’d like to participate in the Fall League. It was a pretty exciting start to the day! ” When the initial rosters were announced, hard-throwing lefty reliever Alex Robinson was on the list. He had been placed on the Disabled List by the Miracle in late August with some shoulder issues. In his place, right-handed pitcher Adam Bray, the Minnesotan who came to the Twins in a March trade from the Dodgers. Bray didn’t hesitate, “I was invited by our farm director. He asked me if I would be interested, and I immediately said ‘Yes’!” Bray understands that it is an honor to get the chance to play in the AFL. “I am very excited and honored to be chosen to play and represent the Minnesota Twins in the AFL! I have heard that you are playing against very good competition and that it’s a big honor to get selected for this.” While the Fall League isn’t just about top prospects, it is a strong gathering of talent from around baseball. For instance, players from countries that have a Winter League are not able to participate without getting a waiver from their Winter League team. However, there are exceptions. Several years ago, the Twins got approval from Eddie Rosario’s team in Puerto Rico and he played in the AFL. Players are excited about the opportunity to play in the Arizona environment. Another former Dodgers prospect, who came to the Twins on July 31st with Luke Raley in exchange for Brian Dozier, is Devin Smeltzer. He noted, “I’ve heard it’s an awesome experience on and off the field. Best of the best competition. Really looking forward to it.” Travis Blankenhorn said, “I’m thrilled the Twins are giving me the opportunity to represent the organization in the Fall League. I’ve heard some things about the AFL, and they were all good, so I am looking forward to heading out there.” Due to some first-hand stories, Jaylin Davis is excited to be in the Fall League too. “I’m really excited about getting the opportunity to get to play in the AFL. I played with some guys this season that went last year. So I got a chance to pick their brain a little and ask them about their experiences.” Lujan is looking forward to participating in the AFL for several reasons. “My thoughts for the Fall League are that I think it’s a great opportunity to get new experiences and to be able to compete with other players from different organizations. I think it’s a challenge in a good, but I believe it should be a great learning experience for myself and my fellow teammates that are participating as well. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the Fall League.” And knowing his AFL manager and having played for him before doesn’t hurt either. “I heard that it’s a very fun atmosphere and knowing that Tommy Watkins is going to be our manager makes it very exciting too since he was my manager last year in Cedar Rapids. It should overall be a great time.” Rooker’s thoughts pretty well sum up what the entire group thinks. “It’s a very exciting opportunity. Obviously there’s a ton of talent in the league so it will be a lot of fun getting to compete against some really good competition. Everyone I’ve talked to says it’s one of the most fun baseball experiences they’ve ever had. I’m really looking forward to it.” But it is more than just a fun experience. It is an opportunity to showcase their skills, not only for the Twins but for the other 29 MLB clubs who will have coaches, scouts and front-office types at the games. 40-man roster decisions can be made on some players based on seeing something. Some players are sent to the AFL to work on specific things. Travis Blankenhorn is choosing to keep things simple for himself. “I am looking forward to playing and just going out there and giving it my all.” Adam Bray’s looking forward to testing himself. “There are always things to work on. I think facing good competition and being challenged in this league is going to be what I am looking forward to!” Same thing for Jaylin Davis, “I think the biggest thing for me is going out there and getting to compete against some really good guys.” Hector Lujan, the Twins 2017 Harmon Killebrew Award winner for the Cedar Rapids Kernels, is looking to work on a new pitch, but also continue to by a positive influence in the community. “The Twins have discussed things to work on, and I also have things in mind that I want to work on. I would like to work on my splitter to get more comfortable throwing it, and continue to keep developing consistency on my pitches, and just to continue to keep doing what I can to develop myself as a pitcher. Hopefully I can reach out to the community and kids around the neighborhoods we will be playing. Just over all really excited for this!” Devin Smeltzer was drafted as a starter and was a full-time starter in his first full season of pro baseball last year. He began the 2018 season as a starter as well, but when the calendar turned to July, the Dodgers moved him to the bullpen. All ten of his appearances with the Lookouts this year came out of the bullpen as well. So, it may not be surprising to hear what he wants to work on and work through. “For me it’s just to get more experience out of the bullpen, see some high competition, and enjoy the experience.” Brent Rooker started 46 games at first base in Chattanooga in 2018. He also made 44 starts out in left field. He’ll obviously continue to work on his offense, but he will also get more opportunities to work on his defense too. “I think the plan is for me to play outfield while I’m there. So it’ll be a great opportunity for me to just continue to get more reps and experience in left field. Doing that, along with getting the at-bats against some of the best arms in the minor leagues, should put me in a good place developmentally going into next season.” The Arizona Fall League’s final regular season game will be Thursday, November 15th. The championship game will be on Saturday, November 17th. Rooker may have an opportunity to represent the Twins in the Bowman Hitting Challenge on Saturday, October 13th. He also is a likely participant in the November 3rd Fall Stars Game. However, if the Rafters make it to the championship game, Rooker will not be able to participate. But he’s got a good reason. He’s getting married. He said he will just have to “leave Arizona about five days early.” The AFL season starts next Tuesday. Steve Lien will again be providing weekly updates throughout the AFL season, so be sure to check back often to see how this group is performing. Click here to view the article

Fair question... but he's at the same level as Jose Miranda who they think will likely stick at third, though they may try to keep him at second base for awhile too.

In late July, infielder Ryan Costello was putting together a solid season for the Clinton Lumberjacks. In fact, he was on the brink of a promotion to High-A. After batting practice, he was called into manager Denny Hocking’s office and told that he had just been traded to the Minnesota Twins as part of the deal that sent lefty Zach Duke to the Seattle Mariners. Along with moving to a new organization, Costello also moved up a level, joining the Ft. Myers Miracle for their championship run. It was an interesting 2018 season for Costello. Recently, he chatted with Twins Daily and let us get to know him.Let’s start at the beginning. Ryan Costello grew up just outside of Hartford, Connecticut. Yes, he was a Red Sox fan. “When I was a kid, I was a big Nomar (Garciaparra) fan. Then I remember Pedroia came up. I was always a big fan of Dustin Pedroia.” As you child, he played soccer, basketball, flag football and other sports. When he got to be about ten years old, he said, “It was just basketball and baseball mostly.” He played Little League and other youth sports, but it didn’t take him long to come up with his “When I grow up” dream job. “Once I got to high school, that’s when I really started to realize that was what I wanted to do when I went to college. I wanted to play professional baseball and that was what I was aspiring to do. After my freshman year of high school, I quit basketball and just focused on baseball more and be able to work out more in the offseason and do more sport-specific stuff.” His high school team was good but not great. “Junior year, we went 13-7. Senior year, we were 12-8. My junior year we went on a run for awhile and made it to the semi-finals of the state. One kid on that team ended up going to the same college that I went to, so we ended up being college teammates.“ After high school, Costello stayed close to home and attended Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Connecticut. “I went and checked out Central. I liked it. I had known about Central my whole life. I’m only 15 minutes from the school. I had gone to their basketball games and I’d heard that the program was good. So when the time came, a couple of weeks later, I hadn’t heard from many other schools. It was … I wanted to go there. I didn't wont to make them wait. I made a decision early in the recruiting process and it ended up working out.” As a youth, Costello and his family went to several New Britain Rock Cat games. As you recall, the Rock Cats were the Double-A affiliate of the Twins for many years. “I remember thinking that was pretty cool and thinking there were some big time players who came through Connecticut.” He was a part-time player as a freshman, and after a strong start to his sophomore season, a broken finger ended his season early. Then as a junior, he had a strong, full season. In 58 games, he hit .296/.423/.532 (.955) with 22 doubles and nine home runs. It was a process and a lot of work to develop his power. “I would say knowing myself and maturing physically too, getting bigger throughout those years definitely helped, getting stronger. We had a good strength program, so as a team we were always in the weight room, five days a week. Putting on some weight, getting stronger, definitely contributed.” In addition to the added power, Costello had a really strong approach at the plate. He walked 45 times and struck out 38 times. It was all part of his development and maturity. “(The development was) Maturity-driven, understanding that as the year progressed, in certain situations, they weren’t going to give me much to hit, especially in big situations in a game. I was ready to hit. I would tone it down and look in a specific area because I knew that they were going to try to flip me stuff and get me to chase. So that kind of led to more walks than strikeouts.” And that’s when the scouts started showing up to the small Division I school in the north. “It was more during my junior year. That was when I started getting more contact, getting some questionnaires. Was seeing more interest in teams looking to me becoming a professional baseball player.” The Mariners used their 31st round pick to select Costello. He found himself on a bus when his name was selected. “I’m not as superstitious as I used to be, but at that time I was pretty superstitious. I knew a couple of kids that were really good ball players that were on scouts’ radars that didn’t get picked up that year. So, I tried to treat everything as if I wasn’t getting drafted. So I was actually in Vermont, on a bus, playing summer ball when I got the call.” As a junior, Costello had some leverage and could have returned to college for his senior season. But for Costello, it wasn’t about the money, and he put a lot of thought into his decision to sign. “I knew that the money wasn’t going to be bigl I wasn’t going to be a Top 10 guy, where I was and where I was playing college ball. To get exposure and get cross-checkers to come take a look at you is a little bit more difficult.” Costello continued, “For me, it was just important to take the next step. I was willing to go a bit later instead of staying another year.” He made his professional debut a year ago with the Mariners’ rookie Arizona League team. In 2018, he began the season with the Clinton LumberKings. His manager was former Twins utility man Denny Hocking, and he really enjoyed the experience. “It was amazing. I connected with Denny really well. He really knew how to take the different personalities that were on our team and understand how to communicate with them, and I was one of those guys. Clinton, Iowa, isn’t the nicest area. We were a team built for that. We had a lot of tough guys, college guys. He was really good about bringing a positive environment every day. We just rolled with the punches of the season. Having him at the helm of the team really gave up a good environment to play in.” For the LumberKings, Costello played well, hitting in the middle of their lineup. In 101 games, he hit .266/.360/.486 (.845) with 24 doubles, 16 homers and 70 RBI. He participated in the Midwest League All Star game with Kernels’ representatives Jared Finkel, Alex Kirilloff, and Royce Lewis. On the day he was traded, he was participating in batting practice when the team’s other first baseman told him that he was now playing first base. When he came into the clubhouse at the end of batting practice, he was called into his manager’s office. “What’s going on? Did I do something? Did I upset him?” These were the thoughts that entered Ryan Costello’s mind. When he got to Denny Hocking’s office, he saw the entire coaching staff and his roommates sitting in there. He was a bit confused. “I had no idea the trade deadline was coming.” Hocking said, “Do you know why I took you out of the lineup today?” Costello responded, “Well, did I do something wrong?” Hocking giggled. Costello continued, “Well, either I got promoted, or I got traded.” “Which one do you think?” “I’m going to say promoted.” “Nope. The other one.” For any young player traded, there are a couple of emotions that come into play. Obviously it’s difficult leaving one organization and all of the relationships that have been developed. At the same time, there is another organization that likes you enough to acquire you. “It’s a little of both. You always hear that being traded is a good thing in the minor leagues. It means that an organization likes you. They want you. Obviously it’s still tough. I had just spent three or four months with this team, built some great relationships. Initially, it was a bit up and down for me. I didn’t really know how to think about it at first because I knew it was a good thing, but I was still sad that I was leaving my boys and that coaching staff that I had really blended well with.” Along with the trade, Costello also received a promotion from Low-A to High-A, being sent to the Ft. Myers Miracle. Costello wasn’t completely shocked by that news. “Not really to be honest with you. There was talk with the Mariners that I was possibly getting promoted soon. When I found out about it, Jeremy Zoll called me and before I could even process anything, he filled me in on some details and told me I was going to Ft. Myers. When he said that, I was still trying to process everything that was going on, and by the time stuff slowed down and I realized I was headed to Ft. Myers to play for the Miracle, I wasn’t too surprised.”] When he got to the Miracle, there were a couple of familiar faces. “From the Midwest League All Star game, I had met Alex Kirilloff and Royce Lewis. So coming in, I knew they were on that team. So it was cool rolling in there and having some relationship and were on a first-name basis and knew who each other were off the field a little bit.” First professional season. Traded to a new organization. Earning a promotion. And, Costello joined a team that was about to go on a very strong run to end the season. He was ready, and h was excited for the opportunity. “It was really awesome. It’s definitely cool coming into an environment where you’re thrown into pressure right away. I remember the day I got there, I was in the game and I think we were two games back at the time. I got filled in on what was going on. Everything matters right now. Every pitch. Every play. Every at bat matters. I took it as a blessing coming from, I think we were 8 games back in Clinton. I had the opportunity to play some playoff baseball this year, might as well take advantage of it.” And he certainly took advantage of it. In the final game of the Miracle season, a win that gave Ft. Myers the Florida State League championship series, it was Ryan Costello’s three-run homer that gave them a lead that they never gave up. “That was awesome. That was a high during the moment, and eventually to have the season end that night and end on such a high note, it was pretty awesome.” Ryan Costello added four home runs (during the regular season) to finish the season with 20 home runs. “It was kind of a goal. It was something in the back of my mind. It was something I knew I could achieve if I put together a good season and stayed consistent throughout. I had written down some things for myself going into the season that I wanted to check back at the end. Hitting 20 home runs was on that list.” While he hits for power, he doesn’t want to be deemed solely a power hitter. He notes, “I would like to be more of a well-rounded hitter. I’m not all about hitting home runs. Mentally I try to stay line-drive driven and let the other stuff happen. But as the season went on this year, I was getting close to the 20-home run mark and I was like ‘this is pretty cool.’ I wouldn’t say that I consider myself just strictly a power hitter. I would like to be a more well-rounded hitter who can hit for power.” Like many, Costello was a shortstop on his high school team. In college, he played primarily third base. However, in his first professional season, he made 110 starts at first base and just four starts at third base. Over the course of the season, he got more comfortable at the new position. While he had a solid first full professional season on the field, he thinks that his greatest skill at this point is in his head. “I would say my ability to stay positive through tough times and understand that it’s part of the game and ups and downs are going to come. But if I can stay more level-headed and put myself in a position mentally to be successful, then things will kind of work themselves out a little bit.” As he enters the offseason, there are several things he plans to work on. “I want to improve my batting. I want to get stronger. I want to be a bit more consistent in the box. The second half this season this year didn’t go as well as I would have liked it to. I think that was an adjustment to playing so many games and a couple of things in my swing or in my approach. So, I’m going to take a step back and look at that and break it down from the bottom to the top and try to come back and be just a little more consistent at the plate.” But he also will spend some time away from the game of baseball before jumping back into his preparation for 2019. “Golfing and fishing. My dad has a bass boat and has had it since I was a kid. The first thing we do when I go home is go fishing. I’ve been home for seven days, I’ve been out fishing about four of those days. I live about five minutes from a river, the Connecticut River, so we go fishing on the river a lot.” Ryan Costello was a late-round pick, but he had a very solid first full season as a professional baseball. He has a lot of positives to build from as he looks to year two. Click here to view the article