Seth Stohs

I think there are plenty of reasons not to buy anything of Vargas's July stats... but they were good. The general theory/thought is that in September (and March) numbers have to be taken with a degree of caution because they often happen against younger guys too. It's just a saying.

After it's their life from about Feb 1 through October 5 or so, the "Mental Break" is always understandable.

He participated in the Arizona Fall League two straight years. (I want to say 2013 and 2014) Depends on how much you believe in his success in September. Twins fans, we've been taught to use caution on September stats after Chris Parmelee and Josmil Pinto. Of course, Buxton is about 20 times the prospect those guys were.

The RBI and Walk columns are right next to each other. He had 0 walks and 6 strikeouts... He had 3 RBI. My bad.

A week ago, we ran our first Winter League report of the season (offseason?). Play had begun in Venezuela a couple of weeks earlier. The Dominican Winter League began Friday of a week ago. Last night the Puerto Rican Winter League began its schedule. We are still a couple of weeks from the start the Australian Winter League.Here is a quick look at how Twins players have started in their winter leagues. VENEZUELAN WINTER LEAGUE The following players have played so far in Venezuela: Luis Arraez played five games this past week. He went 5-20 with a double. Overall, in 17 games, he is hitting .270/.288/.349 (.637) with three doubles and a triple in 63 at-bats. Niko Goodrum also played in five games this week for Caribes. He went 5-17 with two doubles and scored four runs. In 71 total at-bats, he is hitting .282/.350/.394 (.744) with six doubles and a triple. Heiker Meneses went 6-18 in his five games this past week. He had a double. In 15 total games and 51 at-bats, he is hitting .314/.375/.471 (846) with three doubles, a triple and a home run. Jairo Rodriguez played in four games this week. He went 4-9, which included a two-run double. In 12 total games and 34 at-bats, he is hitting .294/.300/.324 (.624) with the double and six RBIs. Reynaldo Rodriguez played in five games this week and went 5-12 with a double and a homer. Overall, he has 69 at bats in 18 games. He’s hitting .348/.384/.594 (.978) with three doubles, a triple, four homers and 14 RBIs. He will play for Colombia in the World Baseball Classic next spring. Wilfredo Tovar went 4-21 with two doubles over five games this week. In 18 games, he is already 25-75 and hitting .333/.383/.427 (.809) with seven doubles. Victor Tademo pinch ran once this week. He has played in four games, all pinch-running. He has one stolen base and scored a run. Omar Bencomo made one start this week. In it he gave up two runs on seven hits and a walk in six innings. He struck out five. He has thrown 20.1 total innings in four stars. He is 1-0 with a 2.21 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. Opponents are hitting just .234 off of him. He has two walks and 13 strikeouts. Lefty Nick Greenwood did well in his start. He gave up one run on three hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked none. In his three starts, he is 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. In his 14 innings, he has given up 14 hits, walked two and struck out seven. Opponents are hitting .269 off of him. Ryan O’Rourke pitched in three more games. He accumulated just 1.2 innings and gave up two runs on three hits and a walk. Overall, he has worked 3.2 innings in eight appearances.His ERA is north of 19 and his WHIP is approaching three. Left-handed batters are hitting just .143 against him. However, right-handers are hitting a robust .545 off of him. Edwar Colina pitched a scoreless inning in his only appearance to this point. He gave up two hits. In the DSL this year, he posted a 2.30 ERA in 58 innings. Of these players, Meneses, both Rodriguez’s, Tovar, Bencomo and Greenwood will likely all become free agents following the completion of the World Series. DOMINICAN WINTER LEAGUE Last week, the DSL was just one game old. This week, they put in a full week of action. Daniel Palka has now played in six games. He it hitting .240/.240/.240 (.480). He is 6-25 on the young season with no walks and seven strikeouts. Carlos Paulino has played in seven games and is 6-24. He is hitting .250/.250/.250 (.500). He can become a free agent at the end of the World Series. PUERTO RICAN WINTER LEAGUE The schedule started on Friday night. Juan Centeno went 0-5 last night for Tiburones de Aquadilla. Nelson Molina went 0-2 with a strikeout and a run scored. He is playing for Indios de Mayaguez. A quick glance at the league rosters shows that several Twins players are on rosters. It will be interesting to see who plays when, or if at all. On Molina’s Mayaguez roster are Jose Berrios, Kennys Vargas, and Eddie Rosario. Also, Dereck Rodriguez is on the roster. Hector Santiago, JJ Fernandez and Lean Marrero are on the Carolina roster. AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE The ABL will begin in mid-November. Please feel free to ask questions and discuss these players and leagues. Click here to view the article

Thank you for your service, and thank you for your story... There are some great memories and stories from that night and that game!

For me, it was a quick look at a combination of what they've done to this point overall, what they could become (Ceiling) and how that would rank in their respective sport.

Twenty five years ago tonight, the Minnesota Twins played in one of the greatest World Series games in baseball. Jack Morris’s ten-inning effort, and Gene Larkin’s deep-enough fly ball single scored Dan Gladden, and the Twins were the 1991 World Series champions. It’s hard to believe that so many of the sports stars who make their in-season homes in the Twin Cities were not even born when that game was played. The Twin Cities is one of 13 Metropolitan areas in the United States to have teams in all four major sports (baseball, basketball, football and hockey). Each of those teams have undergone change in recent years, in the front office, in the coaches, or simply a turnover in players. The strategy appears to be the same for all teams, and it is not a unique strategy. Every organization in every sport wants to develop its own players and build a core which can later be supplemented when the team is ready to compete for championships. It would be fair to say that the Minnesota Vikings are furthest along that track. Despite their loss on Sunday, they are generally considered to be a contender, in large part due to their defense. The Minnesota Wild have played in the playoffs each of the last four seasons. They are looking to take the next step. The Minnesota Twins, or at least their fans, thought the team had turned a corner with their 2015 season in which they were not eliminated until the penultimate game of the season. They then lost 103 games in 2016. The team has not been in the playoffs since 2010, their first season at Target Field. Last night, the Minnesota Timberwolves opened their 2016-17 season. While so young, there are hopes and many reasons for excitement about this team.However, all four teams (and fans of all four teams) should have a measure of confidence, or at least excitement, that things could be better in the not-too-distant future. All four teams are loaded with young players who potentially have big futures in their leagues. And that’s not just homer-speak. Experts in those sports believe that the young talent has a chance to develop into stardom. Some of them are already there. Others are getting closer. Let’s take a look around the Twin Cities sports scene and see just much young talent there is. Below, I will focus on players who are 24 years old and younger. MINNESOTA TWINS Twins fans are sick of hearing about all the young talent that we keep touting, but a lot of it is already here. While many of these names no longer appear on prospect lists, a better way to review an organization’s young talent is to look at a Top Players Under 24 List. I’d put the Twins group up against anyone. My guess is that most would put the Cubs #1, but the Twins would certainly follow very quickly on that list. Miguel Sano - 23 Max Kepler - 23 Jorge Polanco - 23 Jose Berrios - 22 Byron Buxton - 22 These are all prospects that we heard and read a lot about from the time they were signed. Kepler and Polanco signed on July 2nd of 2009. Sano signed a few months later. Buxton and Berrios were the Twins 1st round picks in the 2012 draft. We’ve heard their names and we’ve read of their prospect status for a long time, so it is a good reminder of how young these guys are. Sano struggled some in 2016, but in 196 MLB games, he has 43 homers and 118 RBI. He’ll be fixture in the middle of the lineup. Byron Buxton struggled with the bat, but few have played better center field in the Twins organization, and that says a lot when you consider all the Gold Gloves. His September is a glimpse at what could be. Polanco finally got a chance, and he’s shown that he should be an everyday player in the big leagues, at some position. Kepler was the Twins rookie of the year in 2016 with a solid showing. In fact, he showed more power than he typically has in his career. Jose Berrios took his lumps in his first MLB season, but again, we saw glimpses of the stuff that should make him a quality starting pitcher for years to come. This is a strong group, a strong core, that the Twins and their fans hope will lead the way to a lot of wins in the coming years. Of course, the Twins still have several prospects that can either supplement the five guys above or become part of that core. Pitchers like Fernando Romero, Stephen Gonsalves and Tyler Jay certainly have a chance. Relievers like Jake Reed and Nick Burdi could be up soon. Nick Gordon could be the shortstop of the future. Meanwhile there are more high-ceiling prospects like Alex Kirilloff, Wander Javier and Lewin Diaz who are further down the line. MINNESOTA VIKINGS The Vikings have not played in a Super Bowl for 40 years, not since 1976. The team’s track record of tough playoff losses is well known. In fact, when some say that the Vikings are a Super Bowl contender, there is a large contingent of fans that roll their eyes at the notion. This year’s team is a contender because of their defense. Obviously they have some issues on the offensive line that will have to figure themselves out if they want a better chance, but the defense is legit. While there are several strong veterans around the defense, there are some under-25s that are a huge part of what they do now, or will be a big part of it within the next year. CB MacKenzie Alexander - 22 LB Anthony Barr - 24 OT TJ Clemmings - 24 WR Stefon Diggs - 22 DE Danielle Hunter - 21 S Jayron Kearse - 22 LB Eric Kendricks - 24 RB Jerick McKinnon - 24 WR Laquon Treadwell - 21 CB Trae Waynes - 24 There are several other players under 25 on the roster as well, playing on special teams. Linebackers Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks are both 24 and they’re both Pro Bowl caliber linebackers. Danielle Hunter is still just 21 years old and he is still learning how to be a force. Trae Waynes played little a year ago, but he’s been solid in his opportunities so far this year and will be more important as we go forward. MacKenzie Alexander is in the same situation Waynes was last year. With Andrew Sendejo’s injury, Jayron Kearse may have to learn under fire. Stefon Diggs has become a go-to wide receiver this year after bursting onto the scene the middle of his rookie year a year ago. Jerick McKinnon has been solid, when healthy and when given playing time. TJ Clemmings was placed right into the fire a year ago when Phil Loadholt was lost of the year. He struggled, as expected, but held his own. He’s struggled again at times this year, but I would not give up on him by any means. Finally, Laquon Treadwell is this year’s Trae Waynes. The team’s 2016 first-round pick is patiently waiting an opportunity. What he’s doing behind-the-scenes is more important right now because at some point, he will get a chance and hopefully be a big part of the team’s offense. MINNESOTA WILD The Wild have made it to the playoffs four straight years. Last year they lost in the first round to the Dallas Stars. The three previous seasons they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Wild have a really good mix of veterans and young players. They have veterans like Mikko Koivu, Jason Pominville, Zach Parise, Ryan Suter and Eric Staal.Their goaltender turned 30 about six months ago. However, some of those under-25s have a couple of years of NHL service time. They have decisions to make on some of them after the season. The time table is tough. F Charlie Coyle - 24 F Mikael Granlund - 24 F Nino Niederreiter - 24 F Teemu Pulkkinen - 24 F Jason Zucker - 24 D Jonas Brodin - 23 D Matt Dumba - 22 F Joel Eriksson Ek - 19 Each of those forwards - with the probable exception of the recently claimed Pulkkinen - have had several huge moments in his Wolves career, and even in the playoffs. These are guys who were playing two years ago. Coyle appears to have taken a step forward. Others continue to have their moments yet fight to find a consistency, for whatever reason. Same thing with the defensemen. Dumba’s got the big shot that we all love, but on defense, he has some rough stretches. In fact, he was supposed to be a healthy scratch in a game over the weekend because of poor play. Illness put him back in the lineup and he played a strong game. Erikkson Ek is, of course, a different story. The team’s top pick just 16-months ago just made his NHL debut for the Wild last week. He scored a goal in his first game, and he had three assists in Tuesday’s game in Boston on Tuesday. Obviously the hope is that a new voice, Bruce Boudreau, will be able to get the most out of these young talents. Chuck Fletcher has some tough choices to make. Hopefully he chooses well and keeps some of these guys long-term and they help the team toward its first Stanley Cup. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES After making it to the playoffs eight straight seasons (including that fun 2004 run to the Western Conference finals), the Wolves have not made the playoffs for 12 years. In fact, they have not finished in 12th place in the 15-team conference ten of those 12 seasons. However, this year’s team is full of hope due to their extreme, but incredibly talented, youth. Shabazz Muhammad - 23 Kris Dunn - 22 Zach LaVine - 21 Andrew Wiggins - 21 Karl Anthony Towns - 20 Tyus Jones - 20 It’s interesting to think that Kris Dunn left Providence a year early, and yet he is older than four other former first rounders on his own team. The Wolves acquired Wiggins, the 2014 first-overall pick from Cleveland in the Kevin Love trade. LaVine, who has won the last two Slam Dunk contests, really came into his own in the second half of last season. They earned the #1 overall pick in 2015, and they were wise enough to take Karl Anthony Towns with the pick. They also acquired Tyus Jones from the Cavs in that draft after his stellar career at Duke (...after his stellar career at Apple Valley). photo by Mark J Rebilas, USA Today Towns was the unanimous choice for NBA Rookie of the Year last year, and with improvement this year, he’ll find himself in NBA Best Player conversations soon. Wiggins can score, but he’ll need to show he can do some of the other things in the game. LaVine took off in the second half last year, showing he is much more than just an athletic dunker. He will get to play more at the 2-guard rather than point guard this year, but I believe that time was very valuable to his overall development. Dunn will allow LaVine to not play point guard. He’ll push Ricky Rubio (who, by the way, is just 25 still). He’ll be an integral part of the lineup in the near future. Muhammad has shown his ability in his three previous NBA seasons that he can provide offense off the bench. Jones probably needed a couple more years of college to get bigger, but he has always shown an ability to lead as a point guard. His time will be limited, however, unless there is an injury to Dunn or Rubio. THE CHALLENGE That’s a quick overview of the 24-and-under players for the four major league teams in the Twin Cities. I encourage all kinds of discussion in the comments below. For instance, which team’s “build” was best? Rank which teams will be a championship contender soonest. Which players are most marketable in the Twin Cities, or nationally? But here’s what I would like everyone to think about. I would like you to rank the top five players in the Twins Cities (under 25) by value. It can be value today, or what you think their value will be over the course of the next few years. Yes, that almost undefinable term that MVP voters love to throw around. It’s not necessarily just who is the best player relative to others in their sport, but it is also about intangibles that you may have in your mind? Which are all stars in their sport? Who has a chance to be an MVP candidate? Which ones are just nice, solid, every single day contributors. Just to start it out, here is my list: 10) Mikael Granlund - Wild 9) Zach LaVine - Wolves 8) Charlie Coyle - Wild 7) Stefon Diggs - Vikings 6) Eric Kendricks - Vikings 5) Byron Buxton - Twins 4) Andrew Wiggins - Wolves 3) Anthony Barr - Vikings 2) Miguel Sano - Twins 1) Karl Anthony Towns - Wolves What do you think? How would your ranking look? I left out some big names, like Max Kepler and Jose Berrios, like Kris Dunn, like Danielle Hunter, and like El Nino, Jason Zucker or Jonas Brodin. Maybe it’s easier to make a Top 15 or 20 list. Note - this article will appear on Twins Daily, Vikings Journal and Wild Xtra. Check the Comments between sites. I’m curious if the rankings will look any differently based on your fandom. Let the discussion begin. Click here to view the article

Note that many, many front office types from around the league, including Twins front office types, are on twitter under aliases...

No one thinks Perkins is done, but I don't think anyone is putting his name in ink in the bullpen, much less the closer role.

Light certainly fits into the equation. We/I shouldn't give up on him base on his poorMLB performance in 2016.

Love it!

He turned his control around this year. And you pointed out the very clear line between what Chargois did before September and then after September 1st. It was like night and day. Maybe he relaxed. Maybe something clicked. But it was great to see. What's exciting for me is that there are more like him (hopefully) coming. If Burdi can ever get healthy, he's equally filthy. Jake Reed will be 95-98 with great movement on two pitches. Melotakis will be in 2017 where Chargois was in 2016. They aren't going to push him too fast. There'll be some things he'll have to do in AA/AAA before they call him up, but he can hit up to 97 and left-handed. Hildenberger doesn't throw as hard, but he's a sidewinder with three pitchers and impeccable control. Add those guys to Pressly, and maybe Trevor May... they don't have to go out and get too crazy. But when will those guys be ready the way we think Chargois is now? We shall see.

It is partly PR, of course.. but regardless of what MLB or the teams do, it'll be about PR. I counter my thoughts on how terrible this is with my belief that people deserve second chances in all facets of life. I'd like to see a harsh penalty for a first, but a means whereby a player can get back and get that chance. But a second situation should be a complete ban, and I'd be OK with that. Do the crime.... do the time... once the time is done, I think second chances are OK so long as there is some method in place to ensure contrition, and that there is a certain level of certainty that nothing will happen again. That's where writing up a specific punishment and path to return is important, but it could be very difficult.

That should be the case, but when you're 10 or 12 and you watch these guys on TV, it happens. Whether it's maturity or not... athletes become role models. It is an awesome responsibility. I should point out that a great majority of them take that responsibility seriously and generally do the right things.

There are often events outside of the game remind us to put the game into perspective. The most morbid example of this came in late September when Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez passed away in a boating accident. Another situation involves arrests of athletes. In the NFL, there is the case of Josh Brown. The New York Giants kicker was suspended one game by the NFL for a domestic abuse case. When reports came out of his detailed journals of his abuse against his wife, the Giants didn’t have him fly to Europe with the team. He has since been added to the Commissioner's’ Exempt list and likely will never play in the NFL again. Same thing happened with Ray Rice. The Vikings Adrian Peterson missed a year due to domestic abuse.Unfortunately, baseball hasn’t been immune to the same issues. Cubs reliever Aroldis Chapman closed out the NLCS by tossing nothing but 100-103 mph fastballs. Last offseason, unfortunately, it wasn’t Chapman’s fastball that people were talking about. In early December, a dozen police officers were called to Chapman’s home. He shot a gun eight times into his garage. That was after an incident in his home in which he allegedly choked his girlfriend and pushed her against a wall in his home theater. No charges were filed because stories changed and conflicted, but there was enough there in MLB's eyes and Chapman was given a 30-game suspension by MLB. The Reds traded Chapman to the Yankees. Almost a week before the July 31st trade deadline, Theo Epstein OKd a trade to the Cubs. Chapman has continued to be what he is, which is the best, most dominant closer in the game. For Chicago sports fans, the moral dilemma is a familiar one. It is a situation that played itself out a year earlier when Blackhawks’ star Patrick Kane was arrested for rape (though he was never charged). In a New York Times story, Chapman said, “People are thinking it’s something serious; I have not put my hands on anyone, didn’t put anyone in danger.” Sure. That’s why his girlfriend called 911 while hiding in some bushes outside the house. He added, “It was just an argument with your partner that everyone has.” (emphasis mine) My assumption, hopefully not naive, is that Chapman’s thinking is in the minority, that most ballplayer and most people in general do not think like that. Last offseason, Jose Reyes was with his wife at a resort in Hawaii. Police reports stated the Reyes grabbed his wife by the throat and threw her against a sliding door. He was suspended 51 games by the league, through May 31st. At that time, the Rockies released him. He later signed with the New York Mets. It’s also interesting and maybe a little scary to see teammates quickly support their friend. Giants players were put in an awkward position when they were asked about the Josh Brown situation. Several, including their coach, chose to say that they wanted to support their teammate. A nice gesture, but not really something that many would want to defend. Following the Chapman and Reyes suspension announcements, David Ortiz was asked about it. He said, “These are good guys. I feel so bad for them. I know Jose well. He is not a troublemaker. He’s a good guy.” It’s hard to blame Ortiz for that comment. He was asked and gave an answer. The reality is that we don’t necessarily know everything that happens in the homes of our friends and neighbors. We may not know if there is physical abuse occurring. Even more difficult to know in many cases is the psychological abuse that can happen. Those scars may not be visible, but they can last for a long time. In 2006, Phillies pitcher Brett Myers was arrestedfor punching his wife in the face in Boston. “Police showed up after a 911 call and saw severe swelling on the left side of her face — he used his pitching hand — and she said he had punched her. He was arrested on the spot, and he was released on $200 bail ... paid by his wife.” Also in 2006, Tigers infielder Dmitri Young was arrested. He was 32, and his 21-year-old former girlfriend reported the incident three days later. “They said she had bruises on her hip and leg, the newspaper reported, and photographs showed scratches on her neck, upper body and leg.” In 1995, Atlanta manager Bobby Cox was arrested for punching his wife and pulling her hair. In 1997, Wil Cordero was arrested for threatening to kills his wife in the presence of police officers. Originally the Red Sox did nothing, but when they learned of a previous domestic abuse charged they chose to suspend him for eight games. The league did nothing. In 2003, the Astros released Julio Lugo after he was arrested for hitting his wife and slamming her face into a car hood. The Rays signed him soon after and he played in the big leagues through 2011. The Minnesota Twins have also been hurt by a couple of cases, though in both cases, the events occurred following their playing careers. You will remember, just a couple of years ago, the Twins announced the 2B Chuck Knoblauch was going to become a Twins Hall of Famer. After reports came out of his arrest for grabbing, hitting and even throwing a humidifier at his wife, the Twins chose to cancel Knoblauch’s induction. Knoblauch had been arrested five years earlier on similar charges. And, soon after Kirby Puckett was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, in 2001, reports came out of his infidelity and other transgressions. In October of 2002, he was arrested for “sexual assault and false imprisonment for allegedly groping a woman after pulling her into the bathroom of a Minnesota restaurant.” The 2003 Sports Illustrated article by Frank Deford opened up all of our eyes. Puckett was a hero to many, yours truly included. In it, it talks about Puckett’s then-wife (December 2001) calling police and telling them that he had threatened to kill her. She said that he previously had strangled her with electrical cord. He had used a power tool to break through a door she had locked to get to her. He even once had a gun to her head and threatened to pull the trigger. Kirby Puckett was my last hero. I find it now important to separate what happens on the field of play and the person, even if that person is someone who does so much good in the community or owns a Roberto Clemente Award for community service. Even after the reports, arrests and allegations, Puckett still had his front office job with an office at the Metrodome. To this day, those that knew him speak only glowingly about their teammate and friend. MLB and their players association have set up some domestic abuse policies. These include annual training and support and emergency hotlines, as well as framework for punishment. It’s a good start, and hopefully they will continue to improve upon it. It is a difficult subject to read about. It’s difficult to write about as well. With Aroldis Chapman pitching the Cubs to the World Series and getting a ton of credit, maybe it’s the perfect time to broach the subject. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy watching Aroldis Chapman pitch and watching for the radar gun readings after each and every pitch. Likewise I’ll never forget the joy that watching Kirby Puckett play gave me from the time I was eight until I was 19. Domestic abuse happens, far too often, in professional sports, and baseball has had far too many cases over the years. It happens to people in every profession, in every walk of life. It happens to the rich, and it happens to the middle and lower classes. Maybe it can create a discussion about hero-worship among athletes, about putting them on a pedestal. It can create discussion between fathers and sons, between husbands and wives. If nothing else, maybe this article can be read by someone who will choose not to verbally or psychologically abuse their spouse or significant other. Maybe it can give courage to one person who suddenly realizes that she or he is a victim. Click here to view the article

He'll be a free agent, unless they sign him.

Each week, we provide an update from the Twins minor leaguers who are playing in the Arizona Fall League. While it may or more not be weekly, we will also occasionally provide an update on Twins players in the various Winter Leagues. There are Caribbean Leagues in Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Puerto Rico. We'll also keep you updated on the Australian Baseball League as well. Here is a quick update on how some Twins players have fared in the early going.The Twins help players get opportunities in these winter leagues. Early in the season, you will see some of the younger players get some opportunity. As the season moves along, you'll start seeing more veteran types play as they prepare for the playoffs as well as their spring trainings. Some US players head down to these leagues for some extra at-bats or some additional innings. Sometimes a player will spend as little as two weeks with a team. Others will decide to stick around for a while. But especially in the Caribbean Leagues, winning matters. If a player isn't playing well, especially an American, they will be released and sent home. VENEZUELA The Venezuelan Winter League got started a couple of weeks ago already. Here are the Twins players who have spent time there so far. Luis Arraez had a terrific season in Cedar Rapids this year. He went home and has been playing for Navegantes del Magallanes. He is hitting .279/.311/.372 (.683) with two doubles and a triple in 43 at bats. Victor Tademo is a 17-year-old who hit .311/.388/.429 (.817) with 16 doubles, a triple and a home run this year in the Dominican Summer League. He also stole 21 bases in 25 attempts. He's an example of a young guy who will get a little bit of time but will also have the opportunity to watch and work with veterans. He is just 1-3 so far, also for Navegantes del Magallanes. Heiker Meneses split his season between Rochester and Chattanooga. Unfortunately, he also spent nearly half of the season on the disabled list. He is playing for Tiburones de La Guairra. He is hitting .303/.361/.515 (.876) with two doubles, a triple and a homer in 33 at-bats so far. Jairo Rodriguez is catching for Tigres de Aragua. He is hitting .240/.241/.240 (.481) in just 25 at bats so far. Reynaldo Rodriguez already has 57 at-bats this winter for Aguilas de Zulia. He is hitting .333/.333/.561 (.895) with two doubles, a triple and three home runs so far. Wilfredo Tovar was the Red Wings shortstop throughout the 2016 season. For Leones del Caracas, he is hitting .389/.441/.481 (.922) with five doubles in 54 at-bats. I wrote earlier this week that Niko Goodrum has re-signed with the Twins for 2017. He would have become a minor league free agent following the World Series, but he will stay with the Twins (unless he's selected in the Rule 5 draft). He is playing for Caribes de Anzoategui. In 54 at-bats, he is hitting .278/.333/.389 (.722) with four doubles and a triple. While the hitters are spread around the league, there are currently three Twins pitchers in Venezuela and all of them are playing for Bravos de Margarita. This is where you need to consider small sample size. Omar Bencomo, who will be a free agent after the World Series, has pitched 14.1 innings over three starts. He has a 1.88 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP. He has one walk and eight strikeouts. Ryan O'Rourke has pitched a total of two innings over five appearances. He has given up six earned runs on four hits and two walks. Nick Greenwood has made one start and went three innings. He gave up five runs on six hits and two walks. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC The Dominican Winter League began its schedule with a game on Thursday and the rest of the schedule began on Friday night. Catcher Carlos Paulino has played two games already and is 1-7 for Gigantes del Cibao. Daniel Palka is playing for Leones del Escogido. On Friday night, he went 1-4. It was a single. Also on the roster is former Twins outfielder Lew Ford. Confesor Lara is playing for Estrellas de Oriente. He signed late in the year and pitched for Ft. Myers. On Friday, Darren Wolfson tweeted the following: Ruiz gave up three runs on five hits and a walk over the first 4.1 innings. He struck out four. PUERTO RICO The Puerto Rico Winter League begins next weekend. The Twins have several players from the island in the organization. Many of them choose to play in the Winter League. AUSTRALIA The Australian Baseball League will begin November 17. We'll check back from time to time, maybe it'll even be weekly if the readers would like that. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have about the players or the leagues. Click here to view the article

Like I wrote above, and tweeted a few days ago, the Twins have already signed Niko Goodrum to bring him back in 2017.

Grossman had an opt-out in his contract that he used. At the time, Cleveland's OF was full, Naquin was playing well, Marlon Byrd might have been around and Michael Brantley was about to come back. . Little did they know that they'd need him a few weeks later.

Which is why I might advocate trades like the Nunez/Mejia deal where they're giving up middling veterans for near-ready talent (whatever the position, but obviously focusing on pitching).