Seth Stohs

Yup, if this list was the Top 15 players in Minnesota Twins franchise history, instead of the Top 15 Minnesota Twins Players, Walter John would have been high on the list.

I would say that Gaetti was probably next on the list, along with Perry and Pascual... The thing about Gaetti is his defense was fantastic at the hot corner too. Maybe the CF thing is why I went with Torii.

Fair point to argue for Pascual... The difficulty there is that he only spent six years with the MINNESOTA TWINS. He spent so much time with the Senators, which of course were the Twins before they were the TWins, but these lists (for me at least) are just for the Twins. That said, in his Twins years, he went 88-57 with a 3.31 ERA. His ERA+ was 116 which would put him ahead of a few on this list. Of course, then I'd have to make a case for Jim Perry probably too who had a greater WAR with the Twins, a similar ERA+ and 600 more innings pitched, and a Cy Young. That's the fun, for me, of these lists... discussing and remembering the names so they aren't forgotten.

On Tuesday night at the Star Tribune, 12 writers posted their choices for the Top 10 Minnesota Vikings in the team’s long history. The Vikings came to Minnesota in 1961, the same year that the Minnesota Twins came to Minnesota from Washington (where they were the Senators). Both organizations have long histories and traditions. With the Super Bowl in Minneapolis on Sunday, football has been the primary topic in the state, and it likely will be for the rest of the week. But today I thought it would be fun to post my choices for the Top 10 Twins players of all-time. In fact, just to be a little different, I’m going to post my Top 15 Twins prospects.In April, Aaron Gleeman’s book The Big 50: Minnesota Twins will become available; (pre-order a copy today). In it, you’ll find stories and information on the best players in Minnesota Twins history as well as some of the great stories in the franchise’s years in Minnesota. Now, I’m looking forward to it to see how his top 50 all-time Twins players rankings end up. And, I want to see how his list compares to mine. And, I want to see how my list compares to yours. Give it some thought and rank your top 10 or 15 Twins players in the comments below. ----------------------------------------------------------- 15 - Torii Hunter - bWAR: 26.2, OPS+: 103 Hunter ranks seventh in Twins history in games played, plate appearances, hits and RBI. His 214 home runs in a Twins uniform rank fifth in team history. And yet, it is his defense that made him a star. With the Twins, he won the first seven of his nine Gold Gloves. He returned to the Twins in 2015 after seven years away and was a big part on a Twins team that finished over .500. Imagine how much higher up this list he’d be if he’d stayed. 14 - Frank Viola - bWAR: , ERA+: 111 Viola debuted with the Twins in 1982 and was a fixture in the team’s rotation until he was traded to the Mets at the deadline in 1989. After going 11-25 in his first two seasons, Viola went 101-67 over the rest of his Twins career. He was an All-Star just once. He was the MVP of the 1987 World Series when he won Games 1 and 7. In 1988, he went 24-7 and won the AL Cy Young Award. He was a given for 35 starts and about 250 innings a season. 13 - Bob Allison - bWAR: 30.5, OPS+: 131 Allison made an incredible catch during the 1965 World Series, but he was best known for his bat and his power. A big, burly power hitter, Allison is currently number six on the Twins home run list with 211, just behind Hunter. Allison was an All-Star at the AL Rookie of the Year in 1959 with the Senators. He played in two All-Star games as a member of the Twins. 12 - Joe Nathan - bWAR: 18.4, OPS+: 204 His WAR may not stack up, but his dominance is unquestioned. He became the Twins closer when he arrived in 2004, and went on to record 260 saves, passing Rick Aguilera for the team’s record. His season ERAs from 2004 through 2009 were 1.62, 2.70, 1.58, 1.88, 1.33 and 2.10. In fact, if not for Mariano Rivera, more people might call Joe Nathan the best closer of the era. He struck out 30.7% of batters faced during his Twins tenure, more than 10% more than Aguilera, Al Worthington and Eddie Guardado, the next three relievers on the list. Recently retired, Nathan was a guest at the Twins Daily Winter Meltdown this year. 11 - Chuck Knoblauch - bWAR: 37.9, OPS+: 114 The Twins #1 pick in 1989, he joined the big league club by Opening Day 1991. He jumped in as the team’s leadoff hitter, won AL Rookie of the Year and helped the Twins to their second World Series championship. In his seven seasons with the Twins, he hit .304 and got on base 39% of the time. He played in four All-Star Games, and he won two Silver Sluggers and a Gold Glove Award in a league that included Roberto Alomar. 10 - Jim Kaat - bWAR: 31.7, ERA+: 112 “Kitty” had pitched in 16 MLB games with the Senators before the team came to Minnesota in 1961. Kaat was an All-Star in 1962 and 1966. He won 12 AL Gold Glove awards as a member of the Twins organization (and the team’s annual award for best defensive player is named after him). After being traded to the White Sox in 1973, he won 20 games for them in 1974 and 1975. Kaat was a key cog in the Twins 1965 World Series appearance. He went 189-152 with the Twins. That’s 40 more wins than the #2 on the list. He is Top 5 in many Twins pitching categories. Recently the Twins named him a Special Assistant. 9 - Brad Radke - bWAR: 45.6, ERA+: 113 Radke quietly was one of the best pitchers/players in Twins history. Always calm and poised, Radke threw a ton of strikes, mixed in a great changeup to go with a low-90s fastball. He is second all-time on the Twins list in number of starts, and he’s number three in number of innings pitched. His 148 wins is third, one behind Bert Blyleven. He won 20 games on a 1997 Twins team that won just 68 games. During a two-month stretch (12 starts), he went 12-0 with a 1.87 ERA. He finished third in Cy Young voting and made the All-Star team the next season. Overlooked because he played on some bad teams, Radke was a stabilizing force in Twins rotations for a dozen years. Shoulder issues caused him to retire after his age-33 season. 8 - Bert Blyleven - bWAR: 49.3, ERA+: 119 Blyleven came up to the Twins as a 19-year-old in 1970 and went 10-9 with a 3.18 ERA. Over his next five seasons, he won 16, 17, 20, 17 and 15 games. In those years, he posted ERAs of 2.81, 2.73, 2.52, 2.66 and 3.00. It was definitely an era for pitching, and Blyleven was one of the best at the time. He was traded in 1976 and returned in 1985. He was a key veteran starter for the Twins in that 1987 World Series championship. He went 148-139 for the Twins in his career with a 3.28 ERA. He was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame. 7 - Johan Santana - bWAR: 35.5, ERA+: 141 Santana came to the Twins in the Rule 5 draft and became one of the best pitchers in baseball. He spent his first couple of years in the Twins bullpen. When he went down to AAA his second year, he worked with Bobby Cuellar on his changeup and the rest is history. He became a starter in 2004, went 20-6 with a 2.61 ERA and won the Cy Young. He should have repeated as Cy Young winner in 2005 when he went 16-7 with a 2.87 ERA. Then in 2006, he won again after posting a 19-7 record and a 2.77 ERA. He led the AL in ERA twice, in WHIP three times, and in strikeouts three times. In his four Twins years as a starter, he averaged 228 innings. He went to three All-Star Games, finished Top 5 in Cy Young voting each year. He was traded to the Mets before the 2008 season. Last month, the Twins announced that he’s been elected into the team’s Hall of Fame. 6 - Kent Hrbek - bWAR: 38.4, OPS+: 128 The kid from Bloomington spent all 14 of his big leagues seasons with the Twins who retired his #14. His 293 home runs are second only to Harmon Killebrew in team history. He is in the Top 5 in most Twins offensive categories. He hit .282 and got on base nearly 37% of the time. He played in just one All-Star Game, and he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1982 and second in the MVP race in 1984. He was a key cog in the two Twins World Series championships. 5 - Tony Oliva - bWAR: 43.0, OPS+: 131 Oliva won the AL Rookie of the Year in 1964. He won the batting title his first two seasons and a third one in 1971. He was an All-Star his first eight seasons and finished second in AL MVP voting twice. He led the league in hits five times and doubles four times. His 220 home runs rank fourth in team history. Unfortunately in 1972, a major knee injury curtailed his career. When he returned, he was the team’s DH, and he still hit well, just not to the level he had before the injury. He was the Twins hitting coach in 1987, and his uniform #6 was retired. 4 - Joe Mauer - bWAR: 53.4, OPS+: 126 As Mauer enters his 15th season with the Twins, the St. Paul native finds himself in the Top 5 in many Twins offensive categories. He has hit .308 and been on base over 39% of the time during his career. Mauer won the AL MVP in 2009 when he led the league in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. He has been an All-Star six times, won five Silver Slugger Awards and three Gold Glove Awards. He was putting together another monster season in 2013 when he suffered a concussion. He has not regained his form, though he had a strong 2017 season. 3 - Kirby Puckett - bWAR: 50.9, OPS+: 124 Puckett emerged on the scene for the Twins in 1984, and he led the Twins to their two World Series championships. A career .318 hitter, he got on base 36% of the time. He made his first All-Star Game in 1986 and then played in each of the next ten. He finished in the Top 10 in MVP voting seven times. He won six Gold Glove Awards, and he also won six Silver Slugger Awards. He is Top 5 in many Twins offensive categories and no Twins player has scored more runs or had more hits or doubles than Puckett. His career came to an abrupt end before the 1996 season and he was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in 2001. 2 - Rod Carew - bWAR: 63.7, OPS+: 137 Rod Carew was a hitting machine. He was named the AL Rookie of the Year in 1967. He was also an All-Star that year, and in the remaining 11 seasons of his Twins career. He won the AL MVP in 1977 when he flirted with .400, ending the year at .388 (with a .449 OBP). He won seven batting titles in his 12 years with the Twins and recently the award for winning the American League batting title was named in his honor. He is Top 5 in nearly all statistical categories for the Twins, and his bWAR is just about 10 wins higher than the #2 in that list, Harmon Killebrew. Carew ended his career with over 3,000 hits and earned his induction into Cooperstown. 1 - Harmon Killebrew - bWAR: 53.8, OPS+: 148 The Killer was a feared home run hitter during his career. 475 of his 573 career home runs came in a Twins uniform (and 84 came in a Senators uniform before they came to Minnesota). So, he is the Twins leader in home runs by 182. When he retired, he was in the Top 5 in MLB history in homers. He’s the team’s leader in RBI by about 250. He walked about 430 more times than Joe Mauer has in his career, and Mauer is #2 on the Twins list. It’s hard to believe, but Killebrew actually walked more than he struck out during his Twins career. For some reason, it took him four ballots to get into baseball’s Hall of Fame. So there you have my ranking of the Top 15 Twins of all-time… Be sure to add your Top 15. Who moves up? Who moves down? Who moves out, and who moves in? It should be a fun discussion as we continue to wait for offseason news. Click here to view the article

I would say opportunity hasn't been consistent, and that's part of what's led the play to be pretty inconsistent. You are right in that three of his four years look pretty consistent, but even within those seasons, he was inconsistent from month to month. He's fun to watch when things are going well, and then he'll have a three-week stretch that is tough to watch. I would rather go with him, at 27, than the 35+ crowd.

I mentioned that he had reverse splits his first four seasons as a pro. In 2016, he did slug a bit more against right-handers, but let's be honest, Granite's slugging percentage isn't as important to the type of player he is as his BA and OBP. I should have maybe written that out in the article a little more. As for the value of the numbers in A ball, the same can be said of right-handers. So yeah, it's not a perfect illustration, but when combining his defense, speed and other intangibles, he makes as much sense as any of the veteran types.

As we approach pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training in about two weeks, there are a ton of remaining free agents. The pitchers are understandably getting all of the headlines, but throughout the offseason, there have been a few rumblings about the Twins also looking for a right-handed hitter. Today, let’s take a look at which candidates are out there, and which internal options could flit the bill. Should the Twins target a right-handed hitting fourth outfielder type? Should they go after a right-handed designated hitter type to come off of the bench?There were rumors last offseason about the Twins interest in Mike Napoli. The Twins reportedly offered Napoli more money, but he chose to sign with the Texas Rangers, believing that he would have a better opportunity to get to the playoffs. Napoli, who could DH and play a little first base, is 36 years old and coming off a season in which he hit just .193/.285/.428 (.713), though he still hit 29 home runs. Could he be an option for the Twins in 2018, and if so, can he be more productive given less playing time? Napoli doesn’t need to be the lone right-handed DH. For instance, Jose Bautista remains a free agent. Like Napoli, Bautista is coming off of a disappointing 2017 season with the Blue Jays. He hit .203/.308/.366 (.674) with 23 home runs. Of course, Twins fans know his track record against the Twins, particularly at Target Field. In 62 career games against the Twins, he has hit .302/.393/.699 (1.092) with 17 doubles and 24 home runs. In 25 games at Target Field, he has hit .324/.410/.794 (.1.204) with six doubles and 14 home runs. The 37-year-old has accumulated over $100 million in his long career, but he’d probably be looking at a one-year, $6-8 million deal from someone in hopes of improving on his 2017 season. Matt Holliday is another veteran with a ton of experience. He played in 103 games in 2017 for the Yankees, primarily as a DH and pinch hitter. The 38-year-old hit 19 homers and hit .231/.316/.432 (.748). He made $13 million in 2017, but he should be available, like Bautista, for something in the $6-8 million range for one season. Another $100 million man, Jayson Werth is coming off of a long-term contract with the Nationals. While he was a very good player from 2007 through 2014. He missed about half of the season in 2015 and 2017, and his OPS has dropped. Could he be convinced to sign and primarily get time as a DH and pinch hitter? He’ll likely get a one year deal in that same $6-8 million range. While he’s not a strong outfielder, he could get some time in the corner outfield positions. Those four veteran options certainly have experience. Napoli is known as a very good teammate and leader. Bautista… isn’t. Holliday and Werth are probably somewhere in between. While they don’t have the name recognition, the Twins currently have Robbie Grossman and Kennys Vargas available internally. Grossman isn’t a great defensive outfielder, though he’s better defensively than the options above. He primarily DHd in 2017 and did well. He traditionally has hit better against left-handed pitching. And, in his first year of arbitration eligibility, he’ll make $2 million (25-40% of what those free agents would cost). And, most likely, while he won’t hit as many home runs, his ability to get on base, play some defense and be accepting of a role on the roster. Vargas has struggled mightily with consistency, but he’s also shown an ability to hit the ball really hard and really far. He is a DH who is capable of playing some first base, if not well. But he’s posted OPS of .833 and .758 the last two seasons. He hit 10 homers in 47 games in 2016, and he had 11 homers last year in 78 games a year ago. And, he will cost somewhere around $600,000 in 2018. In addition, Zack Granite is fully capable of playing all three outfield positions well, including center field. While he bats left-handed, it’s important to note that he had reverse splits in each of his first four seasons of professional baseball. In 2016 in AA, hit hit .296/.348 versus right-handers and .291/.345 against left-handers. In 2017, he hit .312/.379/.443 (.822) against right-handers and .325/.369/.412 (.781) against left-handers between AAA and the big leagues. In fact, his OPS against southpaws in the big leagues last year was .979. His first MLB home came off of lefty Blaine Hardy of the Tigers. In last night’s podcast, Granite said, ““I don’t want to say I focus harder, but I feel like I have to stay in there longer. Honestly, when I face a lefty, I’m always scared that if they open up too soon, they’ll hit me in the head. But I know whenever I face a lefty that I have to stay in there longer. I think it helps me that I don’t try to do too much when I face a lefty. I just try to hit line drives right up the middle or the other way, wherever it’s pitched. I think that helps me because I literally try to be as simple as possible. With lefties, I can keep my game as simple as possible.” There are several other free agent outfielders who are still out there. For instance, JD Martinez is still out there. Then again, he turned down (reportedly) a five-year, $100 million deal from the Red Sox, so I don’t think he makes much sense for the Twins. Andre Ethier’s long, huge contract with the Dodgers is finally complete. He’s a free agent, but he’s struggled for years, and he’s left-handed. Carlos Gomez and Carlos Gonzalez are both likely to get $10 million per year or more. Two other free agent outfielders may make some sense.34-year-old Chris Young has played about half the time, maybe a little less, for the Red Sox the last couple of years. He’s mostly played left field. After posting an .850 OPS in 76 games in 2016, he posted a .709 OPS in 90 games in 2017. He could be available for about $4 million. Cameron Maybin will turn 31 years old shortly after Opening Day. He began last year with the Angels before going to the Astros at the trade deadline and winning a World Series title. He posted an .801 OPS in 2016 in Detroit, but that was way above his career OPS of .693. His value comes from strong defense around the outfield. After making $9 million last year, he should be more in the $5-6 million range in 2018. SUMMARY So, if the Twins feel they need a DH type, there are several options, the most realistic of which are upper-30s guys coming off of long-term contracts and tough seasons. Are those guys better than Kennys Vargas (who is 27). If you want a fourth/fifth outfielder, the decision is whether to add a defensive option like Cameron Maybin who hits right handed, or stand by Zack Granite who has had reverse splits in his career and plays terrific defense at all three outfield positions too. And Robbie Grossman can play the corner outfield spots adequately and DH and pinch hit. How does it all play together? Is signing a veteran hitter important? Should it be? And, how do we value that veteran-ness over giving guys like Vargas and Granite an opportunity? Share your thoughts. In my opinion, I think I’d rather just go with the youth and give a shot to Granite, Grossman and Vargas. You’ll probably get equal production for just $3.25 million. And then spend the money not spent on a bat to a package for Alex Cobb or Lance Lynn (or Yu Darvish, if that works).. What do you think? Click here to view the article

I think he was talking more about learning about what 1.) going through spring training will be , and 2.) how to get through a first full season of minor league ball. Both really need to be done before you can really know. They didn't really have Instructs for pitchers. That usually gives the guys some idea of what spring training will be like.

Tonight at 8:00 (central time), Episode 4 of Seth's Twins On Deck Podcast will go live. Tonight, he'll be joined by three Minnesota Twins prospects, including one with a strong opportunity to start the season with the big league club, and another senior on the Minnesota Gophers roster. Tonight, he'll also be joined by a gentleman who scouted a lot of Chattanooga Lookouts games in 2017. Tune in at 8:00 tonight to listen live. If you can't listen live, it will be available at the same link shortly following the show's completion. You can also search iTunes and subscribe to it. (search Minnesota Sports Weekly)Tune in live at 8:00 central time tonight when Seth will again be joined by five guests. Leading off will be a guy who could be in the Twins leadoff position at times throughout the 2018 season, Zack Granite. He burst onto the prospect scene when he was the Twins Minor League Player of the Year in 2016. He built upon that success with another strong 2017 which included his MLB debut and a spot on the Twins playoff roster. Baseball in Puerto Rico continues to be very strong. On this show, we'll be joined by infielder Nelson Molina who spent most of the 2017 season in Ft. Myers with the Miracle, though he also got some games in Chattanooga. Lewis Thorpe missed two seasons due to Tommy John surgery and illness, but he made his return in 2017 and pitched very well with the Miracle. Following the season, he was added to the Twins 40-man roster and recently participated in his first Twins Fest. Chris Blessing is a prospect writer for Baseball HQ and USA Today Sports Media. One of the teams he saw most frequently was the Chattanooga Lookouts. We'll discuss some Lookouts players for his thoughts, but also about the art and science of scouting a ballplayer. Finally, we will be joined by another member of the Minnesota Gophers baseball program. (Still awaiting verification and will update with a name at that time. If you have any questions for any of these guests, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. I'll ask them during the show. If you are listening during the live show, I will also ask for questions on my Twitter feed, so you can ask questions there as well. You can listen live, or you can listen later. Either way, you'll want to listen and learn more about some Twins minor leaguers and more. PREVIOUS EPISODES Episode 1: Twins (LaMonte Wade, Stephen Gonsalves, Tyler Wells), Gophers (Luke Pettersen), MLB.com's prospect guru Jonathan Mayo. Episode 2: Twins (Aaron Slegers, Alex Kirilloff, Brent Rooker, Royce Lewis), Gophers (Toby Hanson) Episode 3: Twins (Bryan Sammons, Ryley Widell, Zack Littell, Travis Blankenhorn), Gophers (Alex Boxwell) Click here to view the article

I disagree that his 'ceiling' is 4th outfielder. With his approach at the plate, ability to get on base, how he uses the whole field and his defense, he can be a solid MLB starting left fielder. If the power - which I fully believe he has - shows up in games, he can be a little more than that. Maybe 4th outfielder is what is most likely, and with the Rosario, Buxton, Kepler group starting ahead of him (and Wade also batting left-handed), he may wind up being a 4th OF/backup 1B, but I don't think that's his ceiling.

While I agree that Romero (and Graterol) have bigger fastballs, I often think that Gonsalves's "stuff" is often underappreciated. While those righties throw 95-99, Gonsalves is 90-94 with his fastball, certainly enough, particularly when he has a plus changeup. I think his addition of the cutter a couple of offseasons ago could be a huge pitch for him that will play up. I was also encouraged when he said on my podcast a few weeks ago that he's working with David Wells this offseason, and Wells had one of those big, loopy curveballs that worked out pretty well for him. Is his stuff as overwhelming as Romero's? Probably not, but there is a reason that Gonsalves is generally ranked higher in most rankings.

Bailey Ober was sidelined with a couple of injuries that cost him time during his second year of college in 2015 as well as his red-shirt junior year in 2017. So after the Twins made him their 12th round selection in June, he missed a little extra time before reporting to Ft. Myers. He had a better, or at least more exciting, reason for missing time. Before reporting to Elizabethton, Bailey Ober got married. Soon after, he reported to Elizabethton where he went 2-2 with a 3.21 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP in 28 innings.He played a part in the E-Twins Appalachian League Championship. Recently, Seth was able to catch up with the lanky right-hander. Continue reading to get to know more about him.Bailey Ober grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. Charlotte doesn’t have a major league team nearby. The Charlotte Knights are the AAA affiliate of the White Sox. In 2014, they moved into a new downtown stadium. So for Ober, he didn’t have a favorite team. Instead, he had favorite players. “I enjoyed watching a lot of college baseball and pro ball. I just grew up watching and loving the game. There were a couple of guys, but they’re everyone’s favorites. Guys like Chipper Jones or Ken Griffey, Jr. I liked Randy Johnson because of how tall he was. I kind of emulated him, trying to throw like him because I knew I was taller than everybody else. Now that I’ve got to where I’m at, I realize that’s a little out there considering he was a lefty throwing 100.” Ober stands 6-8 now. Sure, he played high school basketball through his sophomore season, but he knew when he was very young what he wanted to be when he grew up. Ober said, “I knew what I wanted to be by first grade. I wrote a letter to my teacher saying I wanted to be a professional baseball player.” During his high school summers, Ober played on the travel circuit, spending time in Florida and Georgia for “a couple weeks at a time.” Ober spent the final two years of his high school career at Charlotte Christian, the same school that the Bard brothers attended. Over those two seasons, he went a combined 20-1 and helped the team to two state championships. Upon graduation, he got something memorable in the mail. His first grade teacher mailed him the letter he wrote. “That was pretty cool. Obviously it hadn’t yet come true, but I was going to play college baseball, so there was something there.” Bailey Ober said he talked to a few scouts while in high school, but knew that college was the right decision for him and let it be known. “I wasn’t really physically mature at that time, so I chose to go to college.” Matt Heath was the pitching coach at the College of Charleston and happened to see Ober pitch a few times. “He wanted me to come down to Charleston as soon as I could. I went down there the next week and committed on the spot.” He continued, “It’s hard, when you come down to Charleston, to not want to go to school there. The city is unbelievable.” He arrived the next fall in Charleston and didn’t pitch much because of “a tiny little fracture.” He wasn’t sure what kind of freshman season he might have, but when the spring season began, he made a quick first impression. “In my first college game, against Chapel Hill, the starter went just four innings due to pitch count. Coach Heath went to me, and I went the final five innings, scoreless. I got the win in my first ever college baseball game. From there, it just kind of took off.” In that freshman season, Ober went 10-3 with a 1.52 ERA in 106.2 innings. He was the Conference Player of the Year and he was also the national Freshman of the Year. That summer, he pitched for a Team USA roster that also included Tyler Jay. But in the fall, he started experiencing some arm issues. As he notes, “I was throwing, and after a curveball, I felt a little pull in my forearm. It wasn’t technically my elbow, but it wasn’t right. I just walked off. I had an MRI, and it just showed some inflammation in my flexor tendon.” He took a few months off and started throwing again in January. “My first bullpen back, the same thing happened. I felt a pull. This time it was a little worse. It still wasn’t technically in the elbow. I was told to be cautious, but no surgery. I started rehabbing and just as the season was about to start… Again.” This time, it was a little worse. He went to get a second opinion. He said, “The doctor said that I could keep rehabbing and returning, or you can go ahead and get surgery done.” So that’s what he did. He missed the entire 2015 season. He received a redshirt. He went through the long process of rehabbing following the surgery and says that the elbow has been perfect the last couple of years. He returned to the mound in 2016. He went 7-4 with a 3.53 ERA in 15 starts. In 97 innings, he struck out 96 batters. As a red-shirt sophomore, he was draft-eligible, and he was selected by the Dodgers in the 23rd round. “After Tommy John, it was a big up and down year. I didn’t feel 100% until the last month where I had four starts that I felt I was back. They (teams/scouts) didn’t have a lot to go on with me. The cross-checkers didn’t really get to see me pitch the first half of the year, I knew it was going to take a lot for me to come out because I was a red-shirt sophomore. I would have two years of eligibility left. I was 20 years old, still young.” So he went back for his fourth college season. He went 7-2 with a 4.50 ERA in just ten starts due to a back injury. As it relates to the draft, simply put, he was ready to make the move to pro ball. “This past year, I was ready to come out, ready to start my career. I knew this was the time for me to come out.” He wasn’t sure where he would go in the draft, and he understood that it was really out of his control. The Twins took him in the 12th round, and he was happy about it. “When I heard that the Twins drafted me, I was so excited. I knew this is where I was supposed to be. I knew this was supposed to happen, and I’m just excited to be a part of it.” As we mentioned, Ober got married shortly after signing and then reported to Elizabethton. Playing there was something that Ober really enjoyed, and it wasn’t too terribly far from home. “To me, it was a great experience. It was the first time I was really just focusing on baseball and that’s it. Doing your job everyday. Going to the field early every day. Making sure you’re getting your workouts in. I just love the daily routine. The town is small, but it works. It has a great feel to it, and we had a great group of guys that played together and really came together.” A quick scouting report on Ober tells us that he has four pitches. His fastball reached up to 92 and 93 mph. He is said to have a plus changeup and both a curveball and a slider. At 6-8, he’s got that downhill plane that Bert Blyleven likes to talk about as well. According to Ober himself, “I’m able to command all of my pitches and really just work in and out with my fastball, up and down. I primarily pitch off my fastball. It’s one of my strengths. Keep hitters off balance, mixing my speeds. I’d say my changeup is probably my best offspeed.” Ober is enjoying his first offseason as a pro ball player. He says he’s spending time on the links. “I’m a big golfer. I like to golf.” Ober’s family is close and he spends a lot of time in Charlotte with them. His brother plays baseball and UNC-Charlotte. Ober says, “Whenever I go home, it’s good to hang out with my family, and to hang out with my brother.” He and his wife, who is finishing up her schooling, also have spent time in Charleston with some college buddies. “There’s lots of stuff to do down here. We go to the beach. Or we find a good restaurant that we haven’t discovered yet.” As for the baseball in his first offseason, it has been a little challenging. He notes, “It’s challenging because you don’t know what the Twins are looking for. This spring training will definitely be an eye opener. Next offseason, I’ll know more what to do during the offseason. The stuff that I’ve been working on is the mechanical issues. Not really any big ones, but just trying to make them cleaner. Also, I’m just working on spinning the ball and staying healthy.” His goals as he approaches his first spring training are pretty simple, at least in theory. “The main thing is just to stay healthy and adjust to a 5-man rotation. I just want to stay healthy and prove to myself and other people that I can get through a full season.” And that is the key. There is a lot of upside in Bailey Ober. Consider his size and projectability. Consider what he did in his first year of college, before the Tommy John surgery. If he can stay healthy, Ober has a real chance to be a steal in the draft in the 12th round. You can follow Bailey Ober on Twitterand Instagram. Click here to view the article

The final days of the Winter Meetings is highlighted by the annual Rule 5 draft. The Twins lost hard-throwing relievers Nick Burdi and Luke Bard, but when their pick came up, they selected a pitcher with a similar profile to the two players they’d lost. The Twins selected right-hander Tyler Kinley from the Miami Marlins. At Twins Fest, Kinley talked to a few assembled media about being selected and what he hopes he can be as a member of the Twins, if he’s able to make the team and stick with them through the season.Why would the Twins have interest in Kinley, who will turn 27 at the end of this month? He split 2017 between High-A Jupiter and AA Jacksonville. He dominated the Florida State League, but he posted a 5.19 ERA in the Southern League. However, he has a couple of pitches that do make him intriguing, do make him worthy of a strong look during spring training. Here is the Scouting Report on Kinley that you can find in the 2018 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook: Scouting Report: Kinley is a big lad. He stands 6-4 and a little over 200 pounds. His potential is to be a power arm out of the bullpen. He has a fastball that sits between 96 and 98 mph. He’s got a slider that can be a dominant pitch. It sits in the upper-80s and hits 90. Both pitches can miss bats. Control has been a struggle for him throughout his career, but he has been able to stay healthy for the most part. That’s right. He can throw gas, and that slider has the ability to miss bats when he’s sharp. Kinley describes his pitch mix as “a hard fastball, typically 95 and above. A hard slider typically in the low 90s, high 80s. A good changeup.” Kinley got the news that he had been selected by the Twins while in his hotel room in the Dominican Republic where he was dominating the Winter League. “I was in the hotel room in the Dominican Republic and my agent had the Rule 5 playing live. He’s the one that kept me informed because we had heard some positive feedback from teams, but you know how drafts are, you never know until it happens. And then Minnesota happened, and Thad called me and some other guys called me, and it was awesome.” At the time of the Rule 5 draft, he hadn’t allowed a run in his first 18 innings. He ended his time in the Winter League having given up just one run in 19 innings. He struck out 32 batters, but he also did walk 11 hitters. In the Marlins organization, Kinley has been a teammate in recent years of former Twins minor league pitchers Matthew Tomshaw and Chris Mazza. Upon being drafted, he heard from both of those players. Kinley noted, “They both called me right after and told me that I was in good hands and what a good spot I would be in here in Minnesota.” Right-hander Chris Mazza, who recently received his first invitation to big league spring training for the Marlins, had a lot of good things to say about Kinley. “This is definitely a guy that Twins fans should get excited about. Other than being a good pitcher and baseball player he’s an even better person. He definitely a guy that you want to be friends with and get to know. He’s a great teammate and great guy to have in your clubhouse. I’ve been fortunate enough to get to know and become friends with Tyler or “TK” as most of his teammates call him, for over three years now. I can’t say enough about the guy. He’s truly a great person and an awesome friend and wish nothing but the best for him as he starts this new journey in his career with the Twins.” Another connection is former Twins minor league starter David Hurlbut who he played with in the Dominican Winter League this year. Hurlbut recently signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers after pitching in the Twins organization from 2011 through 2017. Kinley noted, “I’d also played with David Hurlbut down in winter ball, and he only had the highest things to say about the Twins.” Of Kinley, Hurlbut said, “He's a guy I can't speak highly enough about. Just from the time I was with him in the Dominican, I could already tell he was one of the more driven guys that I've come across. He was super easy to get along with, and throughout winter ball was focused on honing his craft. I think that him being picked up in the Rule 5 draft speaks enough for his talent and I'm just glad that he is going to be able to get a shot at the big league level this spring. Obviously fans and coaches need to see he can compete, but i have no doubt he will do just that. Definitely someone fans can get excited about.” The Twins have added three veterans to the bullpen so far this offseason. Fernando Rodney will begin the season as the team’s closer. Addison Reed and Zack Duke will set him up, along with the likes of Trevor Hildenberger, Taylor Rogers, and Ryan Pressly. Kinley will compete with the likes of Alan Busenitz, Tyler Duffey, JT Chargois, John Curtiss and others for one or two spots in the bullpen. It certainly will not be an easy task, particularly since the Twins should be very competitive in the AL Central and in a potential Wild Card race in 2018. So what are Tyler Kinley’s goals now as spring training fast approaches? “I’d say I’m trying not to put too much pressure on myself because it’s the same game. So my goal is to go in there and build relationships with the guys in the clubhouse, and try to fit in with them and be part of their unity. On the field, I’m going to put my best foot forward always and let the rest take care of itself.” Click here to view the article

Glen Perkins tweeted the below this morning:

Ohhhh... Mean ASIATA joke!!

Thank you... It's fun to do them and get to know the players... but doing the podcast has been huge to. I can get 5 guys interviewed in 90 minutes and then I don't have to transcribe. ha!

100% in English and he didn't even want a translator.

Fernando Romero is healthy, and he’s ready to contribute to the Minnesota Twins as soon as they deem him ready. I had the opportunity to catch up with the hard-throwing Twins minor league right-hander at Twins Fest this past weekend. We discussed his first full season back from Tommy John surgery, his hopes for 2018 and more.Fernando Romero grew up San Juan, in the Dominican Republic. It is a city less than three hours from the country’s capital city of Santo Domingo. While he played baseball throughout his youth in the Dominican, he eventually signed while playing in the United States. He was pitching in a Perfect Game event in Jupiter in 2011 when Twins scout Fred Guerrero signed him. He pitched in the Dominican Summer League in 2012 before he came to the States and pitched in the GCL in 2013. That’s where he became a known prospect. In 12 games and 45 innings, Romero went 2-0 with a 1.60 ERA. He walked 13 and struck out 47. Reports began coming out that Romero was sitting in the upper-90s and touching 100. Early in the 2014 season, he was promoted to Cedar Rapids where he pitched well in three starts. Unfortunately, he was shut down and soon after had Tommy John surgery. He missed the rest of the 2014 season and the entire 2015 season. Not only was he recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he needed knee surgery in 2015 as well. While he began 2016 in extended spring training, he went back to Cedar Rapids in mid-May. He made five starts and went 4-1 with a 1.93 ERA in 28 innings. He moved up to Ft. Myers where he went 5-2 with a 1.88 ERA in 11 starts. Combined, he worked 90.1 innings on the season. 2017 was his first full season after surgery, and it was a good one. He went 11-9 with a 3.53 ERA for Chattanooga. In 24 games (125 innings), he walked 45 and struck out 120 batters. Romero noted, “My last six starts, I had an inning limit.” Over that time, he was limited to five innings, regardless of the pitch count. In fact, he went five innings or less in his final ten starts, and that was the plan. He was shut down with one more start to go in the regular season, and he did not pitch in the Southern League playoffs. So, how did Romero feel about his first full season after returning from Tommy John surgery? Romero said, “It was not bad, but it was not good enough. I’ll take it. I’ll take it.” He has really good stuff, but he is working hard to bring it all together. Romero certainly has more than just an upper-90s fastball. He has the potential to have three plus-plus pitches. According to Romero, “I try to use all the pitches, but one of my best pitches is the slider, so I’m trying to get them out with that pitch.” But, fastball command is where it all starts. “That’s all we do. Try to command the fastball and get them out with the slider or change up. Doesn’t matter.” And he has really worked hard to develop his changeup as a go-to pitch too. “”I’ve been working on development of my changeup. But I’ll be better this year. I’ve been working on it. I’m going to keep it up.” With Romero’s stuff and his success at AA in 2017, he might just be close to big-league ready. What would it mean for the 23-year-old to get The Call, the call to the big leagues that every baseball player dreams of? “That would be amazing. That would be good. That would be a great moment for me and my family.” It’s taken a lot of really hard work to develop and to come back from injuries for Romero. “Oh yeah, man. That’s all we do (work hard). That’s what we do.” It won’t surprise you to hear what Romero’s primary goal is for 2018. “Really, really it is to be in the major leagues. But we’ve got a little more to do.” Romero is already in Ft. Myers preparing for the 2018 season. When big league camp opens next month, he will be there for the second time. Last year, he was just trying to catch his bearings and make an impression. He did. When Romero was sent down to minor league camp last spring, manager Paul Molitor told Twins Daily that he loved Romero’s potential. In fact, he was so intrigued by his stuff that he may have wanted to see Romero in 2017 in a different role. “Very confident kid, who we still think has the potential as a starter. I can see him as a reliever, but I think that people envision him being a very high-end starter, so we're going to stick with that here in the short-term and try to get him stretched out,” He continued, "I asked because I see the power, and you can see how he could be a late-inning game guy, but they say he's got sustainability in terms of being able to carry that kind of stuff throughout the course of a game. He'll be able to get more work and more innings and more experience. I can see down the line with innings and his injury past that you could protect his workload sometime during the season.” He got the work in during the 2017 season. He worked in more situations than had he been used as a reliever. And while he is likely to remain a starter at least to start the season, it is also now feasible to see him called up to the Twins to fill a need in the bullpen. And with his fastball/slider combo, he could dominate in that role too. So what does Romero think of that idea? Is he OK with the idea of moving to the bullpen? “I am, man. I’ve got no problem at all with it. I’ll do it. If I can be a closer, I’m going to be. It doesn’t matter, just trying to help the team always. Anything you’ve got the chance.” Most important for the Twins brass to consider, what is best for the long-term future of Fernando Romero? That is most likely what is best for the long-term future of the Twins as well. He’s been able to go through a more normal offseason this year. He’s been able to rest his arm. He’s been able to play a lot of another game that he loves. “I love to play pool. Oh yeah, that’s what I do. Most of the time, that’s all I do, play pool.” 2018 will be Romero’s second year back from Tommy John. Based on the 25% rule (some ‘experts’ believe that if a pitcher works more than 25% more innings than the previous season, he may be more susceptible to injury), Romero could work as many as 140 innings in 2018. Who knows, maybe several of them will be for the Minnesota Twins, and maybe out of the bullpen. For that to happen, he’ll need to keep working, keep developing and stay healthy. Fair to say, as spring training fast approaches, Romero is ready. “I’m feeling healthy. I’m ready to compete. I’m feeling good.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chris Blessing from Baseball HQ watched Romero pitch several times. Here is a report he submitted on Romero: Click here to view the article

So, first of all, I'm testing out a name for the podcast. I really feel that because my podcast will primarily be chatting with minor leaguers, the phrase On Deck makes a lot of sense. It is obviously a baseball term for the next batter up. Next up. That's a phrase we often hear players in the upper levels use when saying they need to be ready because if someone gets hurt or another transaction occurs, they could be the next player called up. It's a work-in-progress, but it's much better than Seth's Twins Talk, right? Anyway, we've got five new guests on tonight's podcast. Tune in live at 8:00 central time, and we'll likely go just shy of 90 minutes again this week.Tonight, I am joined by another solid group of Twins minor league prospects as well as another senior of the Minnesota Gophers baseball team. I'll be joined by two more members of the 2017 draft class, a prospect acquired by the Twins at the trade deadline, and a toolsy prospect with a ton of upside. Here are the guests, starting with the Golden Gopher. Alex Boxwell is a senior outfielder for the University of Minnesota. The Coon Rapids native hit .253/.329/.438 (.767) with a double, four triples and six home runs. LHP Bryan Sammons was the Twins 10th round pick in 2017 out of Western Carolina University. After seven games with Elizabethton, he moved up to Cedar Rapids where he made five starts and a relief appearance before the end of his pro debut season. Another left-hander from the 2017 draft class is Hawaiian Ryley Widell who the Twins took with their 7th round pick out of Central Arizona. He debuted with Elizabethton where he struck out 41 batters in 29.2 innings. The Twins received RHP Zack Littell along with LHP Dietrich Enns in exchange for LHP Jaime Garcia before the July trade deadline. He was an impressive 20-1 (counting a playoff win for Chattanooga) in 2017 and was Minor League Baseball's Starting Pitcher of the Year. After the season, he was added to the Twins 40-man roster. He attended Twins Fest this past weekend. Travis Blankenhorn was another Twins Fest participant this week. He spent the 2017 season in Cedar Rapids where he hit .251/.343/.441 (.784) with 22 doubles, 11 triples and 13 home runs. He also stole 13 bases, including a dramatic steal of home! Tune in live at 8 tonight. For each guest, I'll be sure to ask questions that you submit down below, or via twitter, so feel free to participate by asking questions. If you can't listen live, it will be available here right after the completion of the podcast. To find it on iTunes, search "Minnesota Sports Weekly" and find this podcast. Click here to view the article