Seth Stohs

OK, he had four starts against left-handers in the second half... my bad.

I agree... They don't care about the money part of it. And, what would they spend it on at this point? They can't spend extra in the draft. They can't spend extra in international signing. I don't think there are any free agents out there still that are worth worrying about.

In the last 2+ months of 2016, he didn't start a game started by a left-handed pitcher. (I haven't gone into B-R.com, but I know he didn't make starts against Sale, Quintana, Rodon and other left-handers. That transition has already happened.

In the excitement of spring training, we can often forget some of the business side of baseball. As we make projections for the Twins Opening Day roster, we often make a lot of assumptions. But there are some little-talked-about rules that could alter the thinking as we move through spring training. There are a handful of Twins players who are working under somewhat non-guaranteed contracts.Back in late November, the Twins had to make arbitration decisions on five players (after releasing Trevor Plouffe earlier). In January the Twins avoided arbitration with all five of those players; infielder Eduardo Escobar, LHP Hector Santiago, and RHPs Kyle Gibson, Brandon Kintzler and Ryan Pressly. Arbitration contracts are not fully guaranteed. In other words, if Derek Falvey and Thad Levine were to release any of the five arbitration players before the 16th day of spring training, they would only need to pay the player approximately 1/6th of their arbitration agreement. If they are released between the 16th day and the end of spring training, they are guaranteed approximately ¼ of their arbitration number. Let’s take a quick look at what that means for the five Twins players. HECTOR SANTIAGO - When the Twins traded Ricky Nolasco to the Angels last August 1st, they sent $4 million with him. The term ‘salary neutral’ was introduced. Nolasco is owed $12 million in 2017. It was likely known that Santiago was going to get about $8 million in arbitration, so the $4 million made the costs neutral (not factoring in Alex Meyer and Alan Busenitz, the other players involved in the deal). The Twins aren’t going to release Santiago within the first 16 days. In fact, he’ll be pitching for Puerto Rico in the WBC. It’s actually assumed and very probable that he will be on the 25-man roster. However, it is worth at least noting that if he were released before Opening Day, the Twins would only owe him $2 million, which would give them $6 million to play with later in the season. Santiago will be in the starting rotation to start the season. A trade is much, much more likely than a release. BRANDON KINTZLER - The right-hander currently sits atop the list as most likely to be the Twins closer. He was reliable in 2016 and should be reliable in 2017 whether it is in the 7th, 8th or 9th inning. Like Santiago, it’s much more likely that Kintzler would be traded than released. If released he would only be paid $731,250 (25% of his $2.925 million arbitration agreement, saving about $2.2 million). KYLE GIBSON - The right-hander, like Santiago, will be in the Twins starting rotation to start the season. One year removed from being the Twins pitcher of the year, Gibson is looking to stay healthy and take a step or two forward in 2017. If released, he would still cost $725,000 (25% of his $2.9 million arbitration agreement, saving just under $2.2 million). EDUARDO ESCOBAR - Escobar finds himself in an interesting position this spring. A year ago, he was finally handed the Twins starting shortstop job. Injury and struggles in 2016 meant that at this time, he’s most likely going into the season as a utility man again, a role he has thrived in. However, with question marks surrounding Jorge Polanco’s defense, Escobar could be valuable as he could move back into the starting role again. However Ehire Adrianza being in the picture complicates that as well. There is a scenario in which the Twins have to pick between Escobar and Adrianza for one spot. In that case, Adrianza (who had agreed to a $600,000 arbitration number with the Giants earlier in the offseason) and his defensive prowess might make more sense. Escobar agreed to a $2.6 million arbitration number. If he is released, the team would save just under $2 million. RYAN PRESSLY - The former Rule 5 pick agreed to a $1.175 million arbitration deal. While he hasn’t been able to put together a full season yet in the big leagues, he has certainly shown the stuff and velocity to become a terrific set up man. $1.175 million is peanuts in baseball terms. If released before Opening Day, he would still get $293,750, so the Twins would be saving about $900,000. As I noted, the most likely scenario is that all five of these guys will be on the Opening Day roster. But the finances have to make sense too. The front office will need to evaluate if the dollars make sense for each of these, relative to the other options at the start of the season. Do you think that this information will, or even should, factor into Opening Day decisions this year? Click here to view the article

So often college baseball programs in the northern part of the country will travel south, to Florida or Texas or California, to play some early-season ball games. Thursday night, the Gophers baseball team will HOST Hawaii. It’s one nine-inning game. Hawaii is coming to Minnesota to play in the first Dairy Queen Classic (along with Oral Roberts and Iowa) this weekend, and the two teams are playing an extra game tonight. Again, head to US Bank Stadium this weekend for some terrific baseball.Today we bring you another Q&A with a Gophers senior. Let’s get to know a little more about right-handed pitcher Tyler Hanson. The Burnsville native grew up a Twins fan and has spent the last three years playing for his home team Gophers. He came to the University as a pitcher and first baseman, but starting as a junior, he focused strictly on pitching. Get to know: Tyler Hanson Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in Burnsville, were you a big Twins fan? Did you get to many games? Who were some of your favorite ballplayers? Tyler Hanson (TH): Born and raised a Twins fan! I've been to plenty of games at both the Metrodome and Target Field. This may surprise some, but I enjoyed watching Kyle Lohse and Joe Nathan when I grew up. SS: What were some of the highlights of your high school career? TH: My sophomore year at Burnsville, we won the State Championship game to Maple Grove, coming back 5-0 in the bottom of the 7th. SS: What was it about the University of Minnesota that made you decide to play for the Gophers? TH: The U of M was a perfect fit for me academically, geographically, socially, and obviously a strong baseball program that values family and tradition. SS: Have you played summer ball through your college years? TH: Yes, I played three seasons for the Willmar Stingers in the Northwoods League. SS: Which pitches do you throw, and what makes you successful on the mound? TH: I throw a 4-seam fastball, change-up, slider, and a knuckle ball. My success is all a part of throwing off my fastball. Mixing locations and establishing I can command all pitches for strikes. SS: What have been some of the highlights of your time with the Gophers? TH: My personal highlight is crushing my only home run of my college career at Richmond my sophomore year. My favorite moment as a Gopher has to be winning the Big Ten regular season last year. SS: What are your goals for the 2017 season? TH: My goal is to do all that I can on and off the field to give our team the best chance to win games. SS: What is your major, and what are your career goals going forward? (How does baseball fit into that equation?) TH: I am a Sport Management major and am pursuing a career in marketing, hopefully in the sport industry. Hanson has a 4.26 ERA in 6.1 innings so far this season. He earned a win this past weekend against Seattle with 3.1 scoreless innings of work. He will likely fill a long relief type of role in the Gophers bullpen though he may also have the ability to make some spot starts if needed. GOPHER NOTES On Tuesday night, the Gophers hosted NDSU at US Bank Stadium. The Bison won the game 3-1. For the Gophers, Nolan Burchill started and gave up one run in 4.1 innings of work. He also batted seventh and went 0-1. Burchill is a 6-1 freshman from Sioux Falls, South Dakota.Luke Peterson still leads the team in batting average at .667 (14-21).Upcoming Games:Thursday: 5:00 vs HawaiiFriday: 6:30 vs Oral RobertsSaturday: 6:30 vs HawaiiSunday: 3:00 vs IowaTuesday: 6:00 vs South Dakota StateWednesday: 6:30 vs MilwaukeePlease feel free to discuss Tyler Hanson, the Gophers, the upcoming schedule of games or anything you’d like below. Click here to view the article

Thad Levine told assembled media in Ft. Myers this morning that Twins 2016 first-round pick Alex Kirilloff will have Tommy John surgery next week.Kirilloff left a game late last August with elbow discomfort. It caused him to miss the Elizabethton playoff series and Florida Instructional League. He has been in Ft. Myers most of the time since rehabbing. In a recent Q&A with Twins Daily, Kirilloff was optimistic about his rehab and looking forward to spring training. The surgery will be performed by Dr. David Altchek. The Twins Daily choice as the Twins #3 prospect will be away from baseball activities for the next five month and he hopes to be back for Instructional League in nine-months. Several Twins have had Tommy John surgery including Miguel Sano who had the surgery three years ago. Another position player in the organization who has had the surgery is Twins manager Paul Molitor. He had the surgery in 1984 when he was a third baseman for the Brewers. Click here to view the article

While much of the Twins 25-man roster might be pretty well set, there are a few position battles of note. As spring training rolls along, some of them will become more clear. It’s also possible that others could create additional position battles. We’ll certainly be covering those through the spring. One of those position battles that we’ll likely hear a lot about is the backup catcher position. Jason Castro will be the starter, and he will likely start between 110 and 125 games. So who will start the other 35 to 55 games?There are three catchers vying for the backup catcher spot, so let’s consider the pros and cons of each. CHRIS GIMENEZ Let’s start with the most veteran of the group, Chris Gimenez. Thad Levine and Derek Falvey spoke a lot about wanting more veteran leadership on the roster. Gimenez is 34 and has spent parts of the past eight seasons in the big leagues. Over the last three years, he has played for Texas and Cleveland, meaning that Falvey and Levine are very familiar with him. In 684 career at-bats, he has hit .218/.297/.335 (.632). The 68 games he played for Cleveland was his career high despite hitting just .216/.272/.331 (.602). While Gimenez is really the definition of a replacement player, he certainly has some intangibles beyond the leadership qualities. Paul Molitor has said that Gimenez will likely play the corner infield and maybe the corner outfield positions this spring. Last year, he played first base and third base, along with catcher. He DHd a few games, and he even pitched twice. Behind the plate, he is solid. He has thrown out 28% of would-be base-stealers in his career, and 29% last year. His pitch framing should be considered about average. Since Gimenez was signed in January to a minor league deal, he can be sent to Rochester to start the season. It is uncertain if Gimenez has an opt-out in his contract. JOHN RYAN MURPHY Murphy is the incumbent, at least in a way. After coming to the Twins in an offseason trade from the Yankees, Murphy was handed the backup spot a year ago. For many - yours truly included - the assumption was that over time Murphy would gain more playing time. Instead he was back in AAA a month into the season. And things didn’t go real well for him in Rochester either. He came back in September and did a little better. Murphy is 25 years old. He has spent parts of four seasons in the big leagues. Before last year, he was the backup to Brian McCann with the Yankees. In his career (344 at-bats), he has hit .238/.283/.337 (.620). However, before he hit .146/.193/.221 (.413) for the Twins last year, he had hit .267/.311/.374 (.685). In 2015, he played in 67 games for the Yankees and hit .277/.327/.406 (.734) as a 24-year-old. That’s a lot of triple-slash lines, but the purpose is to show that there is plenty of reason to believe that Murphy can and will hit some in the big leagues. Murphy is a quality defensive catcher. He is a good pitch framer, and he has a strong arm. In his career, he has thrown out 30% of would-be base-stealers. Murphy is on the 40-man roster. He also has one option remaining. MITCH GARVER Garver has worked his way up the Twins farm system since the team drafted him in the ninth round in 2013. And “worked” is the correct word. He was the Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Year in 2014 when he played for the Kernels. In 2015, he spent the season in Ft. Myers with the Miracle. He began 2016 in big league camp as a non-roster invite to spring training. While he has continued to get stronger and work on his offensive game, Garver has made his biggest strides defensively. He has gone from what some called below average defensively to now being considered an above average defensive backstop. That was very clear in 2016 when he split the season between AA Chattanooga and AAA Rochester. He was one of the best in minor league baseball in pitch framing, and he threw out 48% of would-be base-stealers. He’s always had a strong arm, having thrown out 38% in his minor league career. He might be the best combination of offense and defense of the group. In 95 games at AA last year, he hit .257/.334/.419 (.753) with 25 doubles and 11 home runs. He ended the season with 25 games in Rochester where he hit .329/.381/.434 (.815) with five doubles and a homer. Garver can also give the Twins some versatility. In 2016, he caught 60 games and played first base 16 times. Because of his bat, he was in the DH spot in most other games. There are a few things that he has going against him in this competition. First, he has zero MLB at-bats at this point, and one could say that he has just 25 games in AAA. He was just added to the Twins 40-man roster in November. So he has all three option years remaining. SUMMARY Nothing can be made of what we’ve seen so far in spring training games. Garver and Murphy have five plate appearances, and Gimenez has three. Murphy and Gimenez have each made one start behind the plate. Garver hasn’t, but he has played in three of the games to just two for Murphy and Gimenez. There is a lot of spring training remaining, and all three should get a lot of opportunities to play. All three have a legitimate opportunity to make the Opening Day roster, at least I would think and hope they would. It may come down to the end. So, what factors do you think will help Paul Molitor and the front office decide who will make the Opening Day roster? How would you rank the likelihood of each option? Click here to view the article

Hank Morrison was the Minnesota Twins 22nd round pick last June. He spent four seasons playing for Division II Mercyhurst. In his senior season, he hit .415 with 10 homers and 53 RBIs. Following signing, Morrison was sent to Elizabethton where his season was split in half. Unfortunately, it was split because of a wayward pitch that hit him in the face. He will head to spring training looking for an opportunity to start the season in Cedar Rapids.Today, we get to know more about Twins outfield prospect Hank Morrison. We thank him for taking time to answer our questions. Please feel free to discuss in the Comments section below. Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in Pennsylvania, which was your favorite team and who were some of your favorite players? Hank Morrison (HM): Growing up my favorite teams were the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers. I always liked watching Andrew McCutchen, and for the Steelers Heinz Ward! SS: What were some of the highlights of your high school years? (What other sports or activities did you participate in?) HM: I played baseball and basketball in high school. A highlight from baseball was winning our district and making it to State, which we hadn't done since 1976. Best highlight from basketball was when I dunked in a game and got fouled and then made the foul shot. SS: What went into your decision to go to Mercyhurst, and what were a couple of highlights from there? HM: The reason I went to Mercyhurst was simply because of the winning tradition. Also, I knew they had a tradition of getting at least one guy drafted a year so I knew I would have exposure. The best highlight from playing at Mercyhurst was going to the D2 national tournament for the first time in school history. SS: Drafted by the Twins in the 22nd round... is that about where you thought you might be selected before the draft? HM: When the draft came around, I was not sure what to think. I was a senior so I knew I didn't have much of an option as to when I got drafted. I am just extremely thankful for the opportunity. SS: What was the biggest adjustment you had to make, going from college to the pro game? On or off the field? HM: The biggest adjustment I had to make on the field was understanding that everyone that I was playing for is in the same situation I am. I was too worried about who people were and if they were supposed to be good or not. Now, realizing that everyone is in the same position no matter the talent and you just have to play your game. SS: In these early stages of your career, what would you say are your biggest strengths as a player? HM: My biggest strength as a baseball player is always playing as hard as I can. No matter if I'm hitting or fielding, I always try to leave it all out on the field. SS: What were some of your focuses during the offseason? What are the things that you feel you need to improve going forward? HM: The things I worked most on in the offseason was simply becoming more explosive. Knowing that this will help every aspect of my game. Run speed, bat speed, and arm strength. Also, I tried very hard to stretch a good amount and do yoga to get as flexible as I possibly can. SS: How did you feel about your first professional baseball season? How did you enjoy your time in Elizabethton? HM: My first professional season was filled with ups and downs. It definitely didn't go the way I was expecting. I played in twenty games; ten in the beginning and ten in the end because I got hit in the head with a fastball and broke my nose. Thus being said, Elizabethton is a very nice place filled with great people! SS: What do you enjoy doing away from the game of baseball? HM: Away from the game of baseball, I enjoy shooting hoops, hunting, bowling, golfing, working out, ping pong and occasionally fishing. SS: Who are some of the coaches and others who have helped you get to this point in your career? HM: My dad is the biggest part of why I was successful. Not only the coaching aspect of it, but he always helped me keep a good mindset, and I think that is huge. Other coaches are Charlie Karstedt, Tom Kenny, Sean West, and Joe Spano. These guys were huge in the development in my game. SS: Favorite Baseball Movie? HM: My favorite baseball movie is Touching Home. Thank you to Hank Morrison. Best wishes for a strong 2017 season. And again, please feel free to discuss below. Click here to view the article

Just a bit more. Here is a list of some guys who were very close: Lewis Thorpe, Jake Reed, Trevor Hildenberger, Mason Melotakis... And here are others that have shown up in rankings. Trey Cabbage, Travis Harrison, Akil Baddoo, Jermaine Palacios, Aaron Slegers, Lachlan Wells, Luis Arraez, Griffin Jax, Jose Miranda, Huascar Ynoa, Tanner English, Brusdar Graterol, Jordan Balazovic, Aaron Whitefield, Jaylin Davis, Randy Rosario... There are several in that group that are at least quite intriguing.

The Gophers played a home series in Minnesota for the first time since the days of the Metrodome. They helped open up US Bank Stadium with a three-game series against Seattle University. Read at the bottom for more on the three games and upcoming Gophers games. Before getting to more details on the series and other Gophers notes, let’s get to know a little more about Gophers senior closer Brian Glowicki. The right-hander grew up in Illinois and went to the same high school as Twins relief prospect Nick Burdi. He played with Burdi’s brother and top White Sox relief prospect Zach Burdi. But Glowicki is going to make a name for himself in the Minnesota bullpen this season.Over the weekend, he was on the mound for the final outs in two of the three Gopher wins. Take a few minutes to learn about Brian Glowicki. Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in Illinois, who was your favorite team and who were some of your favorite ballplayers? Brian Glowicki (BG): My dad has been a huge Boston fan for as long as I can remember so the Red Sox have always been my favorite team. I loved watching Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez. SS: What were some of the highlights of your high school career? Did you play with or against the Burdi Brothers? BG: Winning the regional championship my senior year is a moment that I will always remember. And I went to the same high school as them. Zack is actually one of my best friends and I've played baseball and even football with him since we were in third grade or so. I don't believe I ever played with Nick Burdi but I watched him play a lot in high school. SS: What was it about the University of Minnesota that made you decide to play for the Gophers? BG: I really appreciated the way they went about recruiting and how the University of Minnesota had such a family atmosphere to it. SS: Have you played summer ball through your college years? BG: Yes, my sophomore and junior year summers I played in the Northwoods League for the St. Cloud Rox. SS: Which pitches do you throw, and what makes you successful on the mound? BG: I throw a 4-seam fastball, changeup and slider. I think most of my success comes from how competitive I am. I have the mindset that I am not going to back down from anyone which helps me attack hitters. SS: What have been some of the highlights of your time with the Gophers? BG: Everything about the 2016 season is a highlight. Winning the B1G and making a regional will be two moments I'll never forget. Also, in 2015 when we played against the Minnesota Twins at their spring training complex was a once in a lifetime opportunity. SS: What are your goals for the 2017 season? BG: My goals for the 2017 season are just to build on the success we had as a team last year. Last year we created a great culture within the team and this year I'd like to see us build on that as well as learn from some of the mistakes we made. SS: What is your major, and what are your career goals going forward? (How does baseball fit into that equation?) BG: I am majoring in kinesiology and with that I plan on eventually coaching baseball. I have also put some thought into obtaining a business degree and pursuing accounting or financial aid. GOPHER NOTES On Friday night, the Gophers won 13-4. Going into the bottom of the fifth inning, the Gophers were down 3-0. However, they put up four in the fifth, one in the sixth, and four in both the seventh and eighth innings. Matt Stemper went 3-5 and hit the team’s first home run at US Bank Stadium. Toby Hanson went 3-4 with a walk, a double and a triple. He scored and drove in three runs. Alex Boxwell went 3-6. Micah Coffey was 2-5, and Luke Pettersen went 2-4. Lucas Gilbreath struggled again in his second start. The lefty gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits and six walks in just three innings. He struck out five. Tyler Hanson came on and provided 3.2 innings of scoreless relief. (Read Tom Froemmings article from the Friday night game, including video.) Saturday night, the Gophers notched a 6-3 win. Freshman Brett Schulze made his first college start and gave up two runs on one hit in five innings. He walked two and struck out four. Nick Lackney walked four but got through the next 2.2 innings without allowing a run. Brian Glowicki got the final two outs of the game. Semper and Coffey each had two hits. Boxwell had two hits, including a triple. Toby Hanson and Troy Traxler each doubled. Sunday afternoon was again a close game until the late innings. In fact, Seattle scored a run in the top of the seventh to tie the game at seven. But the Gophers scored one in the bottom half and plated three more in the bottom of the eighth. They won 11-7. Jordan Smith led the offense. The senior went 4-5 with a double and four RBI. Luke Pettersen went 3-4 with a walk. Toby Hanson went 3-5 with a double. Freshman Eli Wilson made his first start and went 2-3 with a walk. Toby Anderson worked the first five innings. He gave up five runs. Alex Farley made his college debut and got the two batters he faced out. Brian Glowicki got the final five outs for the save. Junior Luke Pettersen went 5-8 with a walk in the series. The Minnetonka grad is now 13-17 on the season, a solid .765 average.Junior Toby Hanson was the star of the weekend. The first baseman from Delano went 7-13 in the series with three doubles and a triple.Along with the Gophers first home run in US Bank Stadium, catcher Matt Stemper went 5-14 in the series.Senior Jordan Smith went 5-11 (.455) with two walks and two doubles in the series. The Eden Prairie native plays left field for the Gophers.NEXT UP The Gophers will play a single game on Tuesday night at US Bank Stadium at 6:00 p.m. After sweeping a four-game series at Mississippi Valley State last weekend, the Bison were swept this weekend at Abilene Christian. The Bison have 23 players on their roster who went to high school in Minnesota. Tyler Oakes in the NDSU pitching coach. He spent four years pitching under his father Todd Oakes at the University of Minnesota. He was a starter one season and worked out of the bullpen three seasons. He went undrafted and spent one season with the Rays Appy League team. This is his fourth year as the Bison pitching coach. He also became their recruiting coordinator last summer. On Thursday the Gophers will play a game against Hawaii. Then Friday through Sunday, US Bank Stadium will host the Dairy Queen Classic. The four-team tournament returns and features Oral Roberts, Hawaii and Iowa. I remember going to the Dairy Queen Classic when I was in high school. Georgia Tech was one of the teams in the tournament, so I saw Nomar Garciaparra and Jason Varitek. If you’re able, be sure to check out a Gophers game this week. There are five options!! Click here to view the article

They count his innings in Extended Spring Training and his innings from Instructs, so most likely he pitched 120-130 innings last year. Hopefully he can get to 145-150 this year. But, the fact that he missed so much time with Tommy John surgery, it is ok to be a little more patient, especially that first year returning.

Twins Rankings of Romero: Twins Daily: 1 Seth: 2 Nick: 1 Jeremy: 2 Cody: 3 BB America: 4 BB Prospectus: 3 John Sickels: 3 MLB Pipeline: 4 Keith Law: 2

I wonder if the $11/$8 tickets aren't just at US Bank. The prices you mentioned may be at Siebert Field.

Twins Rank for Gonsalves: Twins Daily - 2 Seth - 1 Nick - 2 Jeremy - 4 Cody - 2 BB America - 2 BB Prospectus - 5 John Sickels - 2 MLB Pipeline - 3 Keith Law - 4

His velocity wasn't what Romero's was... However, he had better secondary stuff, and that can all come back. We're all quite curious about the plan with him and how he'll return.

Thorpe should be ready to go this spring, though they'll likely have him start in EST just to keep him in Ft. Myers and be able to control his work load a bit before sending him to either Cedar Rapids or with the Miracle. He was close to the Top 20, strongly considered. If healthy, he could rise again, but they are going to be cautious with him. Just like they were with Romero this year.

So far so good. He was in his regular routine right when he started this spring. I believe it was a relief that he was able to make two more starts in the AFL after the injury last year.

He'll likely start the season and spend 1/3 to 1/2 the season in Chattanooga. He'll spend the final 3-4 months in Rochester. He'll need to be added to the 40-man roster following the season. He threw 140 innings, plus about 10 more in the AFL... So, if he were to move up 25% from 150 innings, that'd be about 185 innings that could be his max this year. I would guess that a lot will depend on his innings. But I think mid-2018 is probably the most likely scenario for his call up.

Position is one of a whole bunch of factors and everyone weighs them differently. I don't put much value on the actual numbers (in the cases of Rortvedt and Kirilloff). To me, that first season (following the draft), the numbers mean very little.