Seth Stohs

Fans of the Minnesota Twins came into the 2016 season with some high hopes and expectations following their first winning season since 2010. The team went on to set a team record with 103 losses. Fans of the Minnesota Timberwolves came into this 2016-17 season with some high hopes and expectations. They had a new head coach with plenty of experience to work with the Wolves young talent. Even with a win on Monday night against Dallas, the Wolves are still just 12-26 on their season.Obviously there is no perfect way to compare and contrast two teams, especially in different sports. There are a lot of similarities between the two teams right now beyond disappointing 2016 on-field performances. MIGUEL SANO and KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS These are two big men who were signed with big expectations. Sano was considered one of the best amateurs from the Dominican Republic in the last 15 years. The Twins signed him to the top signing bonus of the year. Towns was clearly the top players available in the draft in 2015 after just one season at Kentucky. Towns was the unanimous choice for NBA Rookie of the Year when he averaged 18.3 points with 10.5 rebounds. Sano finished third place in American League Rookie of the Year voting despite not being called up until July. He hit .269/.385/.530 (.916) with 17 doubles and 18 home runs. Sano took a step back in 2016. He hit .236/.319/.462 (.781) with 22 doubles and 25 home runs. He set the Twins record for strikeouts in a season and didn’t find a defensive position. Towns has averaged 21.4 points and 11.6 rebounds per game so far this season, both improvements. Yet there are times when we read that he hasn’t stepped up yet as much as some would like. In both cases, if those are bad seasons, it symbolizes just how much talent each has, and how good they can be in the coming years. BYRON BUXTON and ANDREW WIGGINS These are two tremendously gifted athletes selected high in the draft creating tremendous expectations. Wiggins was the #1 pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014 and soon traded to the Wolves in the Kevin Love trade. Byron Buxton was the second overall pick in the 2012 draft by the Twins and was #1 or #2 in the national prospect rankings three straight years. Wiggins won the 2014-15 NBA Rookie of the Year when he averaged 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds. Buxton struggled in the big leagues until September when he began to show just how good he can be. Buxton hasn’t shown consistency in the big leagues yet. And Wiggins can score 40 in one game and go 2-15 from the field in the next. Both were said to be much stronger defensively than offensively but their athleticism gives hope that they could become all-around players. Buxton has all five tools though he has struggled with the offense for the most part. Wiggins has increased his scoring each year from 16.9 to 20.1 to 22.1 this season. He’s averaging 4.2 rebounds with 2.4 assists. MAX KEPLER and ZACH LaVINE When the Wolves selected LaVine out of UCLA with a mid-first round pickin 2014, it raised some eyebrows. He’s a uniquely-gifted, athletic talent who was very raw when he was drafted. Flip Saunders moved him around a little bit, often playing him at point guard in an attempt to improve his all around game. He has gone from 10.8 to 14.0 to 20.8 points per game. He’s become more than just a flashy dunk champion. He’s become a real three-point threat. He needed more time to develop but he has developed into a key contributor and big part of the future. Kepler was signed in 2009 out of Germany. He needed a lot of development and spent extra time down in the rookie leagues. However, as he moved up the ladder, Kepler started putting up more numbers. As he reached AA in 2015, he was sitting at 6-3 and 220 pounds. He was the Southern League MVP and the Twins choice for minor league hitter of the year. He filled out the stat line, hitting for average, showing power, getting on-base, stealing bases and playing good defense at multiple positions. While there isn’t a slam-dunk contest in baseball, but Kepler’s athleticism gives him a good chance of being a well-rounded player. JOSE BERRIOS and KRIS DUNN Berrios was a supplemental first-round pick in 2012 and debuted in 2016 before his 22nd birthday. He continued to improve and became a Top 25 prospect in all of baseball. Kris Dunn had a solid career at Providence to the point the he became the fifth overall pick in last year’s draft. Berrios certainly struggled in his debut in 2016, posting a 3-7 with an 8.02 ERA and a 1.87 WHIP, but that doesn’t (or shouldn’t) take away any of the luster of his potential. Likewise, Kris Dunn has had a frustrating rookie season. To this point, he is averaging just four points per game, with 2.5 assists and 2.2 rebounds. Then again, he’s been averaging just under 16 minutes per game. Both are known for their work ethic and should have stronger sophomore seasons as they get more opportunity. JORGE POLANCO and TYUS JONES Polanco was signed the same day that Max Kepler was signed. They were added to the 40-man roster in 2013 after strong seasons in Cedar Rapids. Polanco - out of 40-man roster necessity - debuted with two very small cups of coffee in 2014. The same thing happened in 2015. Early in 2016, he came up and sat on the bench most of the time. Finally after Eduardo Nunez was traded, he began playing every day. Given the opportunity, he hit a solid .282/.332/.424 (.757) with 15 doubles, four triples and four home runs. The question with Polanco is more his defense. He struggled at shortstop statistically. He would likely move to second base with a Brian Dozier trade, where he would probably be better, but certainly not a Gold Glove caliber player. Apple Valley native Tyus Jones went to Duke where he won a National Championship as a freshman and was named the Final Four MVP. He decided to come out for the draft and the Cavaliers selected him with the 24th overall pick in the 2015 draft. Flip Saunders made the trade to acquire the point guard. As a rookie, he played an average of 15 minutes in a little less than half of the games. This year, he’s averaging a little over 10 minutes in a little more than half of the game. However, he has improved his shooting, including hitting 44% of three-pointers so far. One would think that if/when the Wolves trade Ricky Rubio, Jones (and Dunn) would both see quite a bit more playing time. Jones has improved his offense and defense. Because he is not a big guy, he will struggle defensively, particularly down on the post. OTHERS? Maybe there are other similarities. Could you compare Gorgui Dieng, a defensive stopper/rebounder to a guy like Ryan Pressly. Both have been around a few years and can be solid performers and may be underrated. Or maybe we could say that Trevor May and Shabazz Muhammad are similar to their teams. Muhammad comes off the Wolves bench and can provide energy and some instant offense, hoping to end a run by the other team and giving the team back momentum. Maybe he could be compared to a Trevor May who is brought into the game to keep the opponents from taking back a lead and can energize the crowd by throwing hard and getting strikeouts. Who is the Ricky Rubio of the Twins? Maybe Eddie Rosario? SUMMARY Maybe a couple of these are stretches, but it doesn’t lessen the thought that there are similarities. The teams are young and their core players are very young. Maybe the concept of ‘veteran leadership’ does have some value. On a smaller roster like the Wolves, it may have an even more important role. The Wolves core - Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine - are all 21-years-old. Kris Dunn is 22. The Twins core - for their next playoff run (we hope) - includes Miguel Sano (23), Byron Buxton (23), Jose Berrios (22), Jorge Polanco (23) and Max Kepler (23). Fans of these two teams should feel excited about the future of both organizations despite all of the losing in these seasons. There is value in taking lumps, making improvements and hopefully becoming a team that knows how to win. Click here to view the article

From the time I've been in there Eduardo Escobar appears to be a uniter. He and Dozier are obviously very close, but he's often talking to the young, Spanish-speaking players. And I definitely don't think it's accurate to say that Mauer and Dozier aren't doing those things. Ervin Santana may or may not be. I've seen him with Berrios, but that's about it. (I'm not in there enough to know for sure what all happens. Then again, when anyone from the media is there, we don't see how the players are when it matters, behind the scenes.)

We return today with another Q&A with a Twins 2016 draft pick. Casey Scoggins was the Twins 39th round pick from the University of Tampa. The senior signed quickly and reported to Elizabethton. A week later, he was promoted to Cedar Rapids where he primarily led off and played centerfield for the Kernels as they made their playoff run. A little more on Scoggins from the scouting report of the outfielder (from the 2017 Twins Prospect Handbook): 8]Scouting Report: No stranger to south Florida, Scoggins grew up on the east side of the state in Port St. Lucie and went to Jensen Beach high school. He went to Santa Fe CC in Gainesville where he was the mid-Florida Conference Player of the Year as a freshman when he hit .400/.515/.438. He had a down year as a sophomore. He went to Tampa University for the final two seasons. He hit .352/.425/.421 (.846) and then .348/.431/.548 (.979) as a senior. All four years of college he walked more than he struck out. In addition, he was a two-time ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove winner and the national defender of the year. For a 39th round pick, Scoggins has some tools. He’s got above average speed. He is a terrific defensive outfielder. And he has good leadoff hitter qualities. Let’s get to the Q&A. Get to know a little bit more about Kernels outfielder and Twins 2016 draft pick Casey Scoggins. Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in south Florida, which was your favorite team and who were some of your favorite players? Casey Scoggins (CS): Growing up I didn't really have a favorite team. I like different players such as Torii Hunter, Barry Bonds, Jim Edmonds, Derek Jeter, and David Eckstein. Torii was my favorite outfielder because he always made sick plays and robbed home runs and David was my favorite infielder because he was small and scrappy like me. SS: What were some of your best memories from high school baseball? Did you play other sports? Participate in other activities? CS: My favorite memory from high school was playing in the State Tournament my freshman year. A lot of my favorite memories came from playing summer ball throughout high school on a team called Team Worth we were always the underdogs every tournament we went to because we didn't have any big-name kids on the team. We would beat some of the top teams, and it was just a good feeling. I also played football and soccer in high school. SS: What were your options coming out of high school? What was it about Santa Fe College and then Tampa that made them the right place for you at those times? CS: Well coming out of high school I didn't have the grades and a lot of colleges, especially Jucos, told me I was too small and not big enough to play. Coach Wiggs at Santa Fe gave me a chance to walk on my first year, and I did what I had to do to make my way into the starting line up. After freshman year of college, I verbally committed to the University of Florida for my junior junior year. Some other D1 schools recruited me also and the long story short, things didn't work out with Florida, and I fell in love with Tampa and felt at home when I went on my visit. SS: You won a couple of college Gold Glove awards. How much pride do you take in your defense and what makes you so good, in your opinion? CS: Defense is what I take pride in. I'm not the biggest guy offensively, so I told myself I want to be the biggest threat defensively. It started growing up with my dad. He was an outfielder for the University of Florida. He started me with baseball. But, I’ve got to give credit to my mom also because at all my dad’s softball games growing up, she was the one that threw me fly balls, and I always liked running them down and trying to rob home runs. So between my parents, I was literally taking fly balls almost every day growing up for fun and I had no idea. But winning a Gold Glove made me feel like I'm getting somewhere, but I can still get better. Hopefully I get one at the next level. SS: Did you talk to a lot of scouts before the draft? Specifically, did you talk to any of the Twins scouts? CS: I actually talked to a handful of scouts at the end of my junior year and throughout my senior year. The Twins didn't come into play till Day 3 of the draft. SS: Drafted by the Twins in the 39th round... is that about where you thought you might be selected before the draft? CS: Absolutely not. I thought I would go way before that based on how the scouts were talking to me. But, being a senior sign, I figured it might happen, but not as late as it did. It just gives me more motivation. I'm very thankful that the Twins are giving me an opportunity to show what I can do. SS: Did you watch or listen to the draft? Where were you and who were you with when you found out? How busy was your phone at that time? CS: I was at home with my parents and now fiancé and some friends. I didn't want to listen to the draft, but my parents did, so I gave in. My phone didn't get busy until Day 2 and 3. That's when the phone calls started coming in pretty steady. SS: In these early stages of your career, what would you say are your biggest strengths as a player? CS: My biggest strengths, I would say, are my defense and my aggressiveness, chippy play. Also, my ability to work counts and get on base. SS: What was the adjustment like, on and off the field, going from college to pro baseball? CS: Honestly I adjusted pretty easy. Joe Urso at Tampa runs his program like pro ball so I did pretty well with the overall adjustment. But, if I had to pick, I would say pitching was the biggest adjustment for me. Just seeing better pitching. In E-town, my at-bats weren't the best, but then when I got to Cedar Rapids, I was able to get comfortable. SS: Were you surprised to move up to Cedar Rapids so quickly, and what was the atmosphere like during the playoff push and in the playoffs? CS: Oh yes, I was very surprised especially with my slow start in E-town. It caught me by surprise, but I knew that I was a better player than what I was showing. I felt more comfortable moving up. The playoffs were great even though it wasn't the outcome we wanted. The atmosphere overall was awesome. The baseball, it just felt different. The series with Clinton, even though they didn't have a lot of fans, the baseball was like playing in the College World Series again. SS: What do you enjoy doing away from the game of baseball? CS: I enjoy spending time with my family and my fiancé. I like to try and travel as much as I can. I also like to try to help my old coaches from college anyway I can with what they need if I see them or see a player they might like. I was lucky enough to form great relationships with my college coaches so that's why I can go them if they need any help. SS:Do you have any specific personal goals for 2017? When do you head to Ft. Myers? CS: My goals for myself is to have a better season than last. Definitely get a lot more stolen bases. Just don't put too much pressure on myself. I go back to Ft. Myers the beginning of March, but I'll probably go back a little earlier if I'm allowed just because I'm getting bored here on the east coast, and it's not bad to get settled in early. SS: Who are some of the coaches and others who have helped you get to this point in your career? CS: A lot of people helped me along the way. My dad and mom obviously, but it started in Little league, then my travel-ball coaches. They helped me develop and get to college. Now, my college coaches polished me and help me mature and develop to make it to pro ball. Coach Wiggs at Santa Fe and Coach Urso at Tampa, they put me in position and pushed me to get better and put me in position to be seen. SS: Favorite Baseball Movie? CS: As a kid it was Little Big League. Now it’s Moneyball. Thank you very much to Casey Scoggins for taking the time to respond to our questions. Click here to view the article

Brandon Lopez played a lot of shortstop for the E-Twins as did Ariel Montesino. It's mostly about giving him the opportunity to play more regularly (though guys always get days off in the rookie leagues, some splitting of time). I don't know what they (The Twins) see in him as a top end. Most players in the rookie leagues are playing multiple locations and I don't think they make any final determinations based on a half-season. But, playing around the infield will benefit him long-term.

Use promo code FWD15 to get 15% off of paperback books... (was working this morning still, according to Cody...

That's awesome. Very good idea!

The Twins used their 14th round draft selection in June to take Andre Jernigan, a four-year shortstop at Xavier University. He signed quickly and went to Elizabethton where he started off slow before he took off. From the 2016 Recap in his profile in the 2017 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook (which is now available in paperbackand pdf): “Jernigan made his professional debut in the Appy League. In his first eight games, he went 1-for-16 with 10 strikeouts and three walks. Over his next 14 games, he batted .302/.327/.528 with seven extra-base hits and 11 RBI. During the season’s final 14 games, he got on base 37% of the time.” He made the adjustment offensvely while learning a new position defensively and adjusting to life as a professional baseball player. Today, we are happy to share a Q&A that Jernigan was gracious enough to participate in for us. We thank him for doing so.As a red-shirt junior in 2016, Andre Jernigan was the Big East Player of the Year. He was also named to the Big East All-Academic team for the third year in a row. Let’s get to know him a little bit. Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in Indiana, which was your favorite team and who were some of your favorite players? Andre Jernigan (AJ): In Indiana, we don't have any MLB teams, but my father has always been a huge Chicago Cubs fan so naturally my brother and I grew up Cubs fans also. As far as favorite players I grew up watching, I'd say Ken Griffey Jr. And Barry Bonds. Some greats I looked up to included Barry Larkin, Reggie Jackson, and Ricky Henderson. SS: What were some of your best memories from high school baseball? Did you play other sports? AJ: There are far too many to list. There were so many great memories from back then. I'd have to say that of all those memories, the best was all the time spent with teammates and friends I grew up playing with and against. I played basketball for a little bit, then focused on baseball. SS: What were your options coming out of high school? What was it about Xavier that made it the right place for you? AJ: Going to play college baseball was a longtime goal of mine. Coach Googins made it an achievable goal when he offered me a scholarship to play at Xavier University. I absolutely loved the family-like feeling of the team and university along with the quality of education it offered. The hard-working, blue-collar culture that Coach Googins instilled in the program made my decision even easier. SS: Did you talk to a lot of scouts before the draft? Specifically, did you talk to any of the Twins scouts? AJ: I filled out a fair share of questionnaires leading up to the draft. Jay Weitzel was the Twins scout that I had the most contact with. SS: Drafted by the Twins in the 14th round... is that about where you thought you might be selected before the draft? AJ: Going into the draft I was not exactly sure where I was going to be selected. I had been told anywhere the second day of the draft, up to early the third day. At the time I was trying to stay concentrated on helping Xavier win a conference tournament and playing in a regional down in Nashville. SS: Did you watch or listen to the draft? Where were you and who were you with when you found out? How busy was your phone at that time? AJ: I was back home in Indiana with my parents, younger brother, grandmother, and cousin when I found out the news. I've always watched the draft but this year was certainly a bit more exciting. SS: What was the biggest adjustment you had to make, going from college to the pro game? On or off the field? AJ: One of the biggest adjustments was getting use to the everyday grind and getting into a routine on a daily basis. Having played shortstop my entire life, moving over to second base and learning the position this season was also quite an adjustment. I found it important for me to begin to concentrate more on the mental side of the game such as having different approaches that change with the day, pitcher, and situation. SS: How did you feel about your first professional baseball season? How did you enjoy your time in Elizabethton? AJ: I felt like it was certainly a fun experience. It was far different than the previous college seasons I had been a part of. Playing everyday and being at the field for the vast majority of the day was exciting for me. The fans of Elizabethton, along with my coaches and teammates made for an unforgettable experience. Looking back on it, I absolutely enjoyed my time there this past summer. SS: In these early stages of your career, what would you say are your biggest strengths as a player? AJ: I am always looking to learn more about my game and about the game of baseball as well. With that being said one of my biggest strengths is being able learn different things quickly. I believe my athleticism allows for me to be able to apply those learnings efficiently. SS: What were some of your focuses at Instructs? What are the things that you feel you need to improve over the offseason and going forward? AJ: I worked a lot both with an approach at the plate as well as making a few swing adjustments to help with consistency. Defensively, I worked on smoothing out my movements and actions at second base. I also spent some time working and playing third base. I always feel the need to improve consistency both offensively and defensively as a baseball player, so I'm always striving to make adjustments to allow that to happen. SS: What are some of your plans for the offseason? Baseball Training, but also what do you enjoy doing away from the game of baseball? AJ: I've spent the majority of my time getting ready for spring training in March. However, I have spent my fair share of time relaxing. Getting away from baseball allows for me to clear my mind for the time being. Being the person I am though, a week into the offseason and I was already looking forward to starting up again on the spring. SS: Who are some of the coaches and others who have helped you get to this point in your career? AJ: My mom and dad introduced me to the game at a young age so I have to thank them. Coach Googins and all of the coaches at Xavier helped get me to where I am today. Finally, a former summer coach of mine by the name of Quentin Brown has been a great mentor to me over the years. SS: Favorite Baseball Movie? AJ: Hardball Long live G-Baby! Thank you very much to Andre Jernigan for answering our questions and giving us the chance to get to know him better. Feel free to leave comments and ask questions down below. Click here to view the article

Yeah, that was my prediction over the weekend. Someone asked me when the Dozier trade would go down, and I said that it would happen a couple of days after the Handbook came out... so, we're looking at the next couple of days for a Dozier deal.

It's OK to do both. Ha! For me it's fun to see people skimming through it while at a Twins game or spring training, or seeing pictures of people getting autographs in it. That's why it will always be available as a paperback. But the pdf also has its advantages too. 1.) it's on your computer, and 2.) it's available to download as soon as it is purchased. You don't have to wait a week or ten days to start reading it. I've talked to a lot of people who order the paperback to get that process going and then buy the pdf just to start on it right away. Ha! I am curious... those of you who read this... how many of the Handbooks do you have? Which ones?

6-1, 186 (at spring training).

We apologize and hope sincerely that the wait will be worth it... and hasn't caused you any pain.

I have a hard time cutting my list down to 10. I have a current stance on the PED guys. If they played before there was formal testing and penalties for usage, they're in if they qualify. Guys like Manny Ramirez and Rafael Palmiero, who failed tests and were suspended would not make the list. That, of course, is subject to change, but that's where I'm at for now. My 10: 1.) Bonds - Best hitter of the last 50 years if not ever 2.) Clemens - One of the best pitchers of the last 30 years 3.) Ivan Rodriguez - arguably one of the best catchers ever 4.) Tim Raines - final time on the ballot, and if not for Rickey, he's one of the top leadoff men in history. 5.) Mike Mussina - weird, but it's amazing how quietly he had a tremendous career. 6.) Curt Schilling - definitely a Hall of Famer, silly that people are using his political comments/thoughts to not vote for him 7.) Gary Sheffield - nearly 2700 hits and 509 homers. Intimidating hitter. After that, it becomes more difficult for me as there are 6 guys I would most consider for the remaining three spots. (numbers rounded) Jeff Bagwell - OPS+ 149, 2300 hits, 450 HR (1B) Vlad Guerrero - OPS+ 140, 2600 hits, 450 HR (Corner OF) Fred McGriff - 134 OPS+, 2500 hits, 493 HR (1B) Jeff Kent - 123 OPS+, 2500 hits, 377 HR (as a 2B) Trevor Hoffman - 61-75, 601 Saves, ERA+ 141, 9.4 K/9, 2.5 BB/9 Billy Wagner - 47-40, 422 Saves, ERA+ 187, 11.9 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 For Comparison, I'm going to put Mariano Rivera (clear HOFer) and Joe Nathan (2nd best closer over that same era in the AL) Rivera - 82-60, 652 Saves, ERA+ 205, 8.2 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 Nathan - 64-34, 377 Saves, ERA+ 151, 9.5 K/9, 3.4 BB/9 With that... 8.) Trevor Hoffman 9.) Jeff Bagwell 10.) Fred McGriff And I will apologize to Guerrero, Wagner and Kent. I strongly considered going with Kent ahead of Bagwell because Bagwell will probably get in and Kent may struggle to stay on the ballot, and he's one of the better second baseman (offensively, at least) in MLB history. Not easy to keep it to 10!

Today we are pleased to present the below Q&A with Twins left-handed pitching prospect, Lachlan Wells. He began 2016 in extended spring training, ready to go to Elizabethton after pitching in the GCL in 2015. Instead, in late June, he was sent to Cedar Rapids and was very good for the Kernels the rest of the season. In 12 starts, he went 6-4 with a miniscule 1.77 ERA. In 71.1 innings, he walked 16 and struck out 63. Very impressive numbers on their own, but when you consider he will not turn 20 until late February, it is even moreso. “Wells grew up in Newcastle, Australia, and played cricket through age 14. That’s when he began to focus more on baseball. At age 15, he was already working in the upper-80s and was seen by Howie Norsetter. In 2015, Wells went 5-2 with a 2.09 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP in the GCL. In 47.1 innings, he walked 11 and struck out 49. As the season ended, he traveled to Japan for the 18U World Cup. Wells now sits in the low-90s. He has a good curveball, and his changeup is probably his best pitch. He has a funky delivery with a lot of arm action. He can be deceptive to hitters as well. His twin brother Alexander signed with the Orioles organization late in 2015 and made his pro debut in 2016. ” That was an excerpt from Wells’ profile in the 2017 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook which you will be able to order for yourself today! The Prospect Handbook will be available in paperback and as a pdf for immediate download. Get your copy ordered today!A year ago, we did a Get To Know ‘Em Q&A with Lachlan Wells following his debut season in the GCL. Today, we dig just a little bit deeper to find out his thoughts about his 2016 season and more. Seth Stohs (SS): We’ll start right from the beginning of 2016. It was your first spring training in the States. What was the experience like? Was it what you expected? Lachlan Wells (LW): Well, getting to spring training and seeing a lot of guys there compared to extended spring in 2015 was very nerve wracking, and it wasn't what I expected it to be. So that was a bit of a shock. But once I got settled in, I was fine. SS: What things did you focus on during extended spring training? LW: I focused on pitch location and first-pitch strikes a lot in extended becoming more consistent with all my pitches for strikes and being able to improve of putting guys away in 0-2 and 1-2 counts. SS: Were you expecting to go to Elizabethton from extended, and were you surprised to go to Cedar Rapids? LW: I had my bags packed and ready to go to Elizabethton. Then a couple of days before the bus was leaving to Etown I got called in Brad Steil’s office, and he said I was staying in Fort Myers for a few more days, then joining Cedar Rapids after the All-Star break. SS: You were one of the younger players on the Kernels roster the rest of the season. How was the adjustment to the clubhouse in Cedar Rapids? LW: The adjustment from extended to Cedar Rapids was a little nerve-wracking, but I had a lot of help getting to know what goes on up there and the way they go about their business by Sam Gibbons which helped me a lot. SS: You put up remarkable numbers throughout your time with the Kernels. In you opinion, what were some of your keys to success? LW: I just went up there and tried to be the best I could, and not taking a step back just because I was younger than a lot of guys. Also, in between starts I would work a lot with (Kernels pitching coach) JP (Martinez) with video or in bullpens just to make little adjustments that would help me. SS: What were your goals heading into the 2016 season, and how do you feel you did in accomplishing them? LW: My goals were to play in Cedar Rapids and to improve/learn as much as I could during the season. I accomplished by listening to all the advice that had been thrown at me by all the pitching coaches I've worked with and taking (that) into bullpens then into games. SS: What has your offseason been like? What are some of the things you done to stay away from baseball? LW: My offseason has been nice and relaxed. I've been playing a lot of golf and going to beach or hanging by the pool with friends. SS:A what point do you start your workouts and throwing programs for the 2017 season? LW: I started my throwing program in December, and I've been working out since October. SS: What pitches do you throw? What did you consider your out-pitch through the season? LW: I throw a fastball, curveball, and change-up. I would have to say my out-pitch would be my change-up. SS: Have you started to think about your goals for the 2017 season yet? LW: My goals for the 2017 season would be pitching in Fort Myers with the Miracle and just to improve my pitching in all areas. SS: Is it possible that you could pitch in the WBC this spring? You’ve pitched in international competitions before. What does it mean for you to represent your country? LW: It is possible that I could be pitching in the WBC. There is no better feeling to be out on the field wearing the green and gold, and I would love to do it again. SS: What are the areas of your game that you would like to spend time working to improve in the offseason and going forward? LW: I'd like to improve my strength, so I'll be in the weight room working hard to improve on that as much as I can. Also, my fitness, so I'll be running a bit more this offseason to improve that. SS: What is the best piece of advice you got from a teammate or coach in 2016? LW: The best advice I got was just have fun. SS: What music do you listen to before a start or on the bus rides? LW: I liked listening to a bit of everything. Doesn't really worry me. SS: Favorite movies from the long bus rides in the Midwest League? LW: When I wasn't sleeping on the bus, I'd say Eastbound and Down TV series. Always a good laugh. We certainly wish him continued success during the 2017 season and beyond. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to discuss below. Click here to view the article

they definitely all deserve to be recognized!

On Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. central, you will be able to order the 2017 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook ($15.99) in paperback or pdf form ($10.99 and available immediately upon purchase). Cody Christie, Jeremy Nygaard and I are really excited about the book being available, and not only because it has been a busy three month process to complete it. We’re really proud of the book and hope that you’ll enjoy it.This year’s Twins Prospect Handbook is comprised of over 130 pages of Twins minor league content. If you can believe it, this is the ninth annual Twins Prospect Handbook. When the minor league season ended, we handed out our minor league awards. We’ve got some in-depth, get-to-know-’em stories on the Twins Daily Hitter of the Year (Daniel Palka), Starting Pitcher of the Year (Stephen Gonsalves), and Relief Pitcher of the Year (Trevor Hildenberger). Some Twins Daily contributing writers also contributed to the book. Steve Buhr, Ted Schwerzler and Tom Froemming each wrote an article that was included in the book. Of course, the proverbial meat and potatoes of the Prospect Handbook… the profiles. This year, we profiled over 160 Minnesota Twins minor leaguers from Rochester to the GCL. If they have prospect status, they’re profiled. Jeremy took care of the format again this year, and it looks great. He put together the information on each player such as how they were acquired, 2016 stats, when they are Rule 5 eligible and when they can become a minor league free agent. Cody covered the 2016 Recap, taking a deep dive into the statistics of the players’ seasons. He goes beyond the basic stats. Finally, background and scouting reports are covered by me, Seth. They come from talking to a lot of people as well as personal observation from Ft. Myers during spring training and Cedar Rapids from May. It’s really a lot of information on each player. All of that leads to our individual Top 30s. Not to give away too much, but Cody, Jeremy and I all have different #1 Twins prospects heading into the season. It also shows our historic Top 30s. Yes, we don’t mind admitting when we’re wrong, though we prefer to note when we were right. Back for a second straight year is a fun discussion between the three of us, using all of the information from before (and a crystal ball) to guess who might be the Twins #1 prospect at this time next year. We also are very excited that this book has many, many more pictures than last year. There aren’t even a handful of players that do not have profile pictures. The articles have images. Speaking of images, we need to thank Linwood Ferguson who take a lot of pictures of Ft. Myers Miracle games. It’s a labor of love. Jeremy, Cody and I don’t make much money on this, but we still believe that the Twins minor leaguers deserve recognition for the work they do. That’s been a staple of all nine handbooks and will continue to be going forward. We certainly want to thank all of you for your support of this project which is the culmination of all of the minor league coverage you get throughout the year here at Twins Daily! (Note - if you follow Seth, Jeremyand Codyon Twitter, there may be some information available before official release about ordering your paperback copies a little early.) Click here to view the article

Could they also find a way to get a third team involved to add another prospect. What if they were able to trade a veteran (not a core type) for a package of 2-3 B-/C+ prospects and spin them to the Twins (obviously knowing the specifics of such a deal). Those sanctions on the Dodgers (not being able to spend more than $300K on any signing) is a HUGE thing. Makes me very glad that the Twins were wise enough not to do that. I like the idea of including some IFA dollars.

As 2015 came to an end, optimism reigned among Twins fans. The team was coming off of an 83-win season, their first winning season since 2010. Miguel Sano had come up and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. Paul Molitor was considered a Manager of the Year candidate. Things were looking positive. The playoffs seemed a realistic hope. As we head into 2017, the feeling among Twins fans is much different. The team won just 59 games in 2016. The playoffs appear far off again.As we take a look back at the 2016 season there are a lot of memories and storylines, both positive and negative. Today we reflect on the Minnesota Twins of 2016. At the end of 2015, the Twins won the rights to acquire Byungho Park. He was going to help provide additional power to the lineup maybe even making up for some of the offense the team might be losing with Torii Hunter's retirement. Park hit some homers, but by July 1st, he was sent to Rochester where he hit more homers, until he needed surgery for his wrist. Spring taining was deemed successful. The team generally played well, and they went into the season relatively healthy. (Here are the Twins Daily Reports from the Fort.) And then… they started the season by losing their first nine games. On May 13, the team was 8-26. On May 24, they were 11-34. On August 17, the team was 49-71. However bad that record still is, there was a 75-game stretch where they went 38-37. That was the team that we all expected, a .500 team or slightly better. Unfortunately, they ended the season by going 10-32 over their final 42 games. 59-103. The worst record in Minnesota Twins history, “besting” the 1982 Twins team that went 60-102. And because of it Terry Ryan was fired in mid-July, after 30 years in the organization. Rob Antony was appointed the interim GM and left in charge with an important trade deadline looming. Eduardo Nunez came into the season expected to be the team’s utility player, able to play four to six positions. When Eduardo Escobar was injured in the season’s first few weeks, Nunez took over at shortstop and played tremendously. He didn’t give up the job. In 91 games for the Twins, he hit .296/.325/.439 (.764) with 15 doubles and 12 home runs. He also had 27 stolen bases which led the league at the time of his trade. Nunez earned his spot on the American League All-Star team. Rob Antony turned the veteran utility infielder into left-hander Adalberto Mejia who had just been ranked #91 in Baseball America’s Midseason Top 100 prospects. On August 1, Antony traded veteran lefty Fernando Abad - who had been signed to a minor league contract and pitched well for the Twins - to the Red Sox in exchange for hard-throwing 25-year-old Pat Light. Light was awful in his brief big league time, but he has the velocity to make him intriguing, a nice lottery ticket. Later that day, Antony surprised many by dealing Ricky Nolasco and Alex Meyer to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for Hector Santiago and Alan Busenitz. Twins fans were shocked that he was able to find a taker for Nolasco, sending him home to California,where he pitched OK for the Angels. Santiago struggled through his first four starts with the Twins, but settled in after that. DEBUTS Several Twins players made their Major league debuts in 2016: Byungho Park - April 4thTaylor Rogers - April 11thJose Berrios - April 27thPat Dean - May 11thJT Chargois - June 11thAdalberto Mejia - August 20thAlex Wimmers - August 26thJames Beresford - September 10thTHE GOODEven in a 103-loss season, there were some positives. Brian Dozier’s season was remarkable, one of the best in Twins history. His 42 homers were the most by any Twins player not named Harmon Killebrew. He set the record for most homers for an American League second baseman. Despite hitting just .185 in late May, he was amazing the remainder of the season. It was a remarkable turnaround.Ervin Santana had a good season.Minor League SigningsBrandon Kintzler came up at the end of April and pitched very well. With the injuries, especially Perkins', he became the team’s closer and saved 17 games.While most fans wanted the Twins to pony up for lefties like Tony Sipp or Antonio Bastardo, the Twins signed Fernando Abad to a minor league deal and during his time with the Twins, he pitched very well.When the Twins signed Buddy Boshers, we assumed there was little chance he would surface with the Twins. He ended up spending about half the season with the Twins and pitched well, with about two exceptions.Juan Centeno was brought in for catcher depth, but when John Ryan Murphy tanked early in the season, Centeno came up and hit pretty well. He's not a good defensive catcher, but he did provide some offense.Robbie Grossman was signed the day after he opted out of his minor league deal with Cleveland. He spent one day in Rochester before coming up. His approach at the plate, patience and ability to crush left-handed pitching made him a valuable piece for the Twins. His defense… not so good.Max Kepler and Brian Dozier each had a three-homer game.The Twins added OF Torii Hunter and broadcaster John Gordon to the Twins Hall of Fame. The ceremonies were in August.THE BADLet’s be honest, there was a lot of bad, and I’m sure I’m only catching a small part of it. Kevin Jepsen was so good for the Twins after they acquired him at the July 2015 trade deadline from Tampa. He pretty much couldn’t get anyone out in 2016 for the Twins. He was DFAd by July. Chih-Wei Hu, the pitcher the Twins sent to Tampa in the deal, has become one of the Rays top prospects.Casey Fien came back and was DFAd by the end of April. The Dodgers claimed him. He spent time in their bullpen. He recently signed an MLB contract with the Mariners.The Twins 2014 Rule 5 pick, JR Graham, came to spring training 2016 down about 40 pounds, but it didn’t help him on the mound. He struggled in AAA and came up out of desperation. He made one appearance and the Twins DFAd him. He was claimed by the Yankees.Kyle Gibson posted a 5.07 ERA on the season. That was second-best among Twins starters with more than 58 innings.Miguel Sano in right field. I don’t blame the Twins for trying it, for asking Sano to work at it. It wasn’t an unrealistic hope. It went badly, and hopefully has come to an end. In addition, his injuries cost him the opportunity to show whether or not he can play third base.Remember the David Murphy situation? The Twins signed him in mid-April and asked him to spend two weeks in Rochester at which point they would call him up. They made room for him by designating catcher John Hicks. Hicks was claimed by the Tigers, which (of course) isn’t a big deal at all. But when Murphy decided that he didn’t want to play anymore and went home to his family, it didn’t look good.THE INJURIESThere certainly were some injuries throughout the season. Yes, every team deals with injuries through the season, but the Twins were hit hard. Less than a week into the season, Danny Santana went on the DL. It was his first of three trips to the DL.Ten days - and two blown saves - into the season, Glen Perkins went on the DL. He stayed on it the whole year and ended up having major shoulder surgery.Trevor Plouffe went on the DL on April 19, July 4 and September 10th.On April 26, Kyle Gibson and Ervin Santana both went on the DL. Santana missed just two weeks. Gibson missed six weeks.Eduardo Escobar went on the DL on May 8th.Miguel Sano went to the DL on June 1st for about a month.Phil Hughes and Trevor May went on the DL on June 10th. Hughes didn’t pitch again during the season and ended up having thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. For May, it was his first of three trips to the DL.There were more DL trips, like Darin Mastroianni and Tommy Milone. TWINS DAILY AWARDS Minor League Hitter of the Year - Daniel Palka Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year - Stephen Gonsalves Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year - Trevor Hildenberger Short-Season Hitter of the Year - Lewin Diaz Short-Season Pitcher of the Year - Huascar Ynoa Twins Most Improved - Brian Dozier Twins Best Rookie - Max Kepler Twins Pitcher of the Year - Ervin Santana Twins Most Valuable Player - Brian Dozier NEW REGIME On October 3rd, the Twins were given the OK to announce that they had hired Derek Falvey as the Chief Baseball Officer of the Twins. He would not report to duty for his job until Cleveland’s playoff run came to an end, which it didn’t until after Game 7 of the World Series. On November 3rd, the Twins announced that Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine was taking over as the Twins General Manager. The two have said all the right things but they know they have their work cut out for them. Rob Antony remains as the Twins assistant GM. Most of the rest of the current front office also remains and will likely be evaluated by Falvey over the next nine or ten months. How will they handle the expectations that are changing? How will they adapt to the thinking of Falvey? It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Terry Ryan joined the Phillies as a special assignments scout. Bill Smith was also told he will not be back with the organization. The organization also announced that Deron Johnson had been promoted to Senior Adviser of the Scouting Department. Also, Sean Johnson was promoted to Director of Scouting. In late November, the Twins announced the former players, Michael Cuddyer, LaTroy Hawkins and Torii Hunter were coming back as special assistants in the Baseball Operations department. They will be involved in all aspects of the organization, on field and off the field. SINCE THEN… The Twins front office has stayed busy since the new guys took over. They immediately went to the GM meetings and have taken a lot of time to learn the way things have worked for the Twins in the past, as well as everything they can learn about every player in the organization. They added six players to their 40-man roster. That was after non-tendering Trevor Plouffe, DFAing Adam Brett Walker, and releasing Yorman Landa. The six players added to the roster were pitchers Fernando Romero and Felix Jorge, catcher Mitch Garver, infielder Engelb Vielma and outfielders Daniel Palka and Zack Granite. The Twins targeted former Astros catcher Jason Castro, and they got him. They signed the defensive-minded backstop to a three year, $24.5 million contract. While he won’t hit, the theory behind the signing is that his pitch-framing efforts will directly help improve the team’s pitching. We woke up on December 10th to the news that Yorman Landa had passed away in an auto accident in Venezuela. Last week, Bravos de Margarita honored him by retiring his number. In November, it was announced that hitting coach Tom Brunansky and first base Coach Butch Davis would not be back in 2017. The rest of the coaching staff remained. In early December, it was announced that James Rowson would be the new hitting coach. Then in late December, it was announced that Miracle manager Jeff Smith would become the Twins new first base coach. Jeff Pickler was also added to the MLB coaching staff. He will also be the team’s coordinator for MLB development. So there is your way-too-long 2016 Minnesota Twins Year in Review. Is it possible I left anything out? 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I would love to see the Braves get involved since they have so much high-end pitching prospect talent.

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