Seth Stohs

In 2010, I wrote an article discussing the Twins' selection of Joe Mauer as the first overall pick in the 2001 draft instead of legendary college pitcher Mark Prior. It's fun to look back at the quotes from late, great Twins scouting chief Mike Radcliff, about that decision. At that time, he was the organization's scouting director. Ultimately, it was his call to make. Joe Mauer or Mark Prior? Image courtesy of © Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports Here we are, five years after the conclusion of his tremendous playing career. Joe Mauer had his #7 retired by the Twins in 2019. Last summer, he was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame. And on Tuesday, Joe Mauer was officially named a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Let's look back to recall the difficulty of a choice the Twins got so very right. Reminder, this is a 'cleaned up' article that was originally written by me in 2010. It is cleaned up grammatically, but I left in the details from the article, even if 13-14 years later they don't seem or sound quite right. Enjoy! The Minnesota Twins went 69-93 during the 2000 season, which "earned" them the No. 1 overall pick in 2001. Several good prospects were available at the top of that draft, including Georgia Tech third baseman Mark Teixeira, East Tennessee State University pitcher Dewon Brazelton, and Baltimore high-school pitcher Gavin Floyd. Two players were generally viewed at the top of the charts, though: University of Southern California pitcher Mark Prior and Minnesota prep catcher Joe Mauer. Current Twins director of player personnel Mike Radcliff was the Twins scouting director in 2001. In that role, he was ultimately in charge of the Twins draft. I talked to Radcliff, and he said, "We scouted and considered all of [those] players, but it ultimately came down to Mauer and Prior for our selection.” CASE FOR MARK PRIOR The Californian native was well-known in scouting circles. He had been the New York Yankees' first-round pick in 1998 but decided to go to USC. As the 2001 Draft approached, many were calling him the best pitching prospect ever (something that comes around about once every six or seven years). Prior was what every scout loves to see in a pitcher. He was 6’5” and 230 pounds, and had a very projectable, ostensibly durable body type. His fastball reached into the mid-90s. He had an excellent curveball. He had impeccable control. His mechanics were fluid, a perfect example of how a pitcher needed to throw to stay healthy. In his junior season with the Trojans, Prior went 15-1 with a 1.70 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP. In 138 innings, he walked just 18 batters (and two of those were intentional) and struck out 202. Most believed Prior would be able to contribute at the major-league level almost immediately. However, that was a notion that Prior himself shot down at the time, telling USA Today, “I still have a lot to learn. Once you get into the majors - or even the minors - the learning curve is so great. For me to make that jump straight from the college level to the major leagues is kind of far-fetched for me to believe.” THE CASE FOR JOE MAUER Mauer was a prep star from St. Paul's Cretin-Derham Hall High School, a catcher known for a flawless left-handed swing and strong arm. He was a terrific all-around athlete. At 6’5”, he was the National Player of the Year in football and baseball and a two-time all-state performer on the basketball court. But everyone knew that baseball was Mauer’s preferred sport. When he was 16, Mauer played for Team USA in an 18-and-under tournament in Taiwan and won the gold medal. He was the Team USA Junior National Team catcher for three years, and hit .595 in his final season. During his senior baseball season, he hit .600 with 15 home runs and 53 RBIs. Radcliff noted that the Twins were well aware of Mauer early and followed him very closely. “Joe was on our follow list as a sophomore [in high school]. Our scouts watched him compete in all sports throughout his [high school] career. As a senior, Joe was being heavily scouted by most teams. We had someone from the Twins at all of his games that year.” THE CONCERNS WITH MARK PRIOR In baseball circles, the belief was that Prior was looking for $20 million to sign. There were rumors that he would not sign with the Twins if they selected him. After failing to sign other first-round picks like Tim Belcher, Jason Varitek, and Travis Lee, it would have been discouraging if the Twins could not sign another top pick, especially the first overall. At that time, there was no compensation for not signing a first-round draft pick, as there is today. According to Radcliff, Prior’s contract demands were not a concern for the Twins. He said, “We had complete support from the GM and ownership to select anybody we deemed worthy of the number-one pick. There were going to be significant dollars to whoever was selected.” There is an inherent risk with any pitcher for arm injuries. College pitchers are especially risky, as many rack up a crazy number of innings. What do Ben McDonald, Matt Anderson, Kris Benson, Paul Wilson, and Brian Bullington have in common? Each of those pitchers was the number-one overall pick in their draft. Each of them had significant arm injuries that kept them from reaching their potential. Add in top college pitchers (like Darren Dreifort, Kyle Sleeth, and Philip Humber) who were also highly drafted, and you can see the reality is that there is no such thing as a sure-thing pitching prospect. Even in recent years, Stephen Strasburg had to have Tommy John surgery. Regarding Prior, Radcliff said, “There is always a risk for any pitcher to get hurt - most pitchers have had some sort of surgery or extended injury by the time they reach the major leagues. There was no more or less concern with Mark Prior before the draft.” THE CONCERNS WITH JOE MAUER Using a high draft pick on any high-school player carries substantial risk. Teams spend a lot of money on a signing bonus for someone they are projecting may develop into a big leaguer in three years, six years, or not at all. Drafting high-school catchers can be especially difficult, since they have to learn not only to hit at the pro level but also to catch, call a game, work with pitchers, and more. One other concern with Joe Mauer was geographic. High-school baseball in Minnesota (and other northern states) can involve a very short season. While games are usually scheduled to start in early April, in most years, snow still covers the ground until the middle of the month. The short season leads to few opportunities for scouts to see players. Finally, Mauer had a full-ride scholarship offer and had already committed to play football for Bobby Bowden at Florida State (where he also would have played baseball). With his athletic prowess, Mauer certainly had options on which to fall back. THE TWINS' DECISION After years of scouting both players, the Twins made Joe Mauer the first pick in the 2001 MLB Draft. He became the third player to be taken with the top pick by his hometown team. The Twins made their decision three days before the draft. Radcliff was confident in the selection. “The conviction level was the highest it could possibly be for a [high school] selection. The combination of athletic ability, skill level on offense and defense, and makeup was unanimous amongst all of us who were involved with the decision. He had the best swing mechanics and hit approach that many of us had ever seen, and he profiled defensively as a Gold Glove receiver.” "Signability" may have been a greater concern with Prior, but the Twins knew Mauer would not be cheap either. Mark Wilson was the area scout who signed Mauer. The $5.15-million bonus the Twins handed him is still one of the largest signing bonuses given to a drafted player. Because Mauer was a two-sport athlete, the Twins could spread out payment of the bonus over five years. The Chicago Cubs selected Prior with the second pick in the draft that year. He signed late in the summer for a signing bonus of $4 million as part of a five-year, $10.5-million, major-league contract. Back in 2009, Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times opined, “What looked like an incredible break - the Twins passing on Prior and taking the more ‘signable’ Mauer with the #1-overall pick - has turned into yet another example of how fate seems to taunt the Cubs and Cubs fans.” In hindsight, it is easy to say that the Twins made the right choice, but it is also fun to consider what would have happened if things had gone differently. What if the Twins would have drafted (and signed) Prior instead of Mauer? Let’s consider. … for the Twins Let’s start with an assumption that the Twins were able to convince Prior to sign. That’s a big assumption, as Prior made it clear that he did not want to sign with the Twins before the draft. But let’s think more positively. The Twins have a strong history of drafting high school hitters and college pitchers. That was even more the case at that time. Looking at some of the pitchers whom the Twins employed in the early-to-mid 1990s, you see a lot of college guys. Starting pitchers included names like Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, Nick Blackburn, Brian Duensing, and Jeff Manship, all drafted out of college. The Twins moved each of them fairly aggressively in the minor leagues, yet compared to Prior, they were very patient. Of course, none were the #2 overall pick or even first-round picks. The Twins likely would have had Prior begin his professional career at Ft. Myers (High-A). He would have maybe spent a half-season there, and after the Florida State League All-Star Game, he may have been promoted to New Britain (Double-A affiliate at that time). Honestly, because the Twins were in the playoff hunt, he probably would have been called up directly from Double A. If not, he would have gone to spring training in 2003 with an opportunity to make the Opening Day roster. And he probably would have. The Twins have been known for taking care of their pitchers, especially young pitchers, at least once Ron Gardenhire took over as manager. Dusty Baker was willing to let Kerry Wood and Prior throw 120 to 140 (or more) pitches late into the season. The Twins would likely have controlled pitch and inning counts much more tightly. Does that mean that Prior would have stayed healthy? There’s no way to know that with any certainty. It is possible that Prior had underlying arm issues that may have caused inevitable injury. Besides, two of his most severe injuries--a shoulder strain in 2003 and a broken elbow in 2005--were freak accidents, having nothing to do with workload. However, it is also possible that he could have been an All-Star, Cy Young-contending starter for the Twins from 2003 through 2008, and maybe beyond. And think about the Twins 2006 team. That roster included the AL MVP (Justin Morneau), a top closer (Joe Nathan), and the AL Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana. They also had Michael Cuddyer, Torii Hunter, Jason Bartlett, Brad Radke, and a strong bullpen. How much could a healthy Prior have helped that team? The thought of Prior and Santana in the same rotation, along with Radke and, ideally, a healthy Francisco Liriano, is sure fun to think about. (Of course, the AL Batting title winner (Mauer) would not have been on the team in this scenario.) … for the Cubs Had the Twins taken Prior, the Cubs would have drafted Georgia Tech third baseman Mark Teixeira, who was said to be looking for a $15-million deal after the draft. (With the Rangers, as the fifth pick, he signed a four-year, $9.5-million big league contract with a $4.5 million bonus.) Teixeira would have moved quickly through the Cubs farm system and put up numbers similar to those he put up with the Rangers, Braves, Angels, and Yankees in his career. But would the Cubs have kept Aramis Ramírez or acquired Derrek Lee? Would they have gone after Alfonso Soriano? I would venture to guess that Teixeira would have been a building block for the Cubs and would likely not have played for as many teams in his career. … for Joe Mauer It makes a lot of sense that the Tampa Bay Devil Rays would have selected Joe Mauer with the third pick in the 2001 draft. The Rays were a team that was constantly building at that time. They had a lot of early draft picks that they used to select several talented high school players. They took Carl Crawford in 1999, Rocco Baldelli in 2000, BJ Upton in 2002, and Delmon Young with the first-overall pick in the 2003 draft. Mauer likely would have thrived with the Devil Rays, had this scenario played out. While he batted third through most of his career with the Twins, you have to assume that Joe Maddon may not have been afraid to bat him leadoff. As earlier adopters of analytics, the Rays would have loved Mauer’s on-base percentage at the top of the lineup. Assuming health, it’s hard to believe that Mauer would not have been equally successful with Tampa. The economic reality is that the Rays would not have been able to keep him through free agency. The Twins actually extended him for two years beyond free agency before giving him the big contract. The Twins had to do the deal for various reasons, including the new stadium, his performance on and off the field, and being a hometown player. If the Rays had pushed him to the big leagues as quickly as the Twins did (likely), he probably would have been traded before or after his 2009 season. At that time, Jorge Posada and Jason Varitek were on their last legs with the Yankees and Red Sox, respectively, so there would have been a big market, and the Rays could have received a lot for Mauer. Mauer would have gone to a team that made the playoffs frequently and had some great playoff and maybe World Series moments. Assuming health, he would have received a significantly larger contract than the Twins gave him. CONCLUSIONS The Twins had to make a huge decision in 2001. Should they draft the All-American, can’t-miss college pitcher from a baseball-rich college program? Or, should they take the tremendous high school athlete with the full-ride scholarship to Florida State for football and baseball - a guy from their backyard with the perfect swing, a strong arm, and great makeup? The Twins chose Mauer, and have never looked back or questioned it. Fortunately for the state of Minnesota, Mauer has proven the Twins right over time, regardless of what Prior did in his career, by being one of the best players in baseball. Even if Prior somehow goes on to win three or four Cy Young Awards, the Twins’ selection is justified. It was not a case of the team being “cheap”: Mauer’s signing bonus still ranks among the highest of all time (in part because of baseball going to the slotting system in the draft). It was not a case of picking the hometown kid over a better player (as the Padres did in 2004 when they picked Matt Bush instead of Justin Verlander). Scouting and the baseball draft can be such an inexact science. The Twins have a solid track record in drafting and player development, but no team is always right. In 2001, the Twins had a difficult decision and made the right choice. View full article

One of the biggest things I hear about this current front office as it relates to player development. Having individualized development plans with every player is really important. And, while the coaches/coordinators can lead that conversation, the player is expected to be an active participant. Ultimately, it's their career. Attempting to create cookie cutters was one of the biggest issues previously. Another big thing is giving the players anything and everything they can. More coaches. At least one coach at each level who speaks Spanish. More coordinators. All the stats, video and analysis they want

The Twins minor league affiliates announced their 2024 coaching staffs on Monday morning. There are some new names, but the managers at the four levels will remain the same. Player Development is the lifeblood of any strong organization, sport, or other. It's important to hire well, but then work with and train your employees in a way that helps them become the best version of themselves, whatever that is. The Twins minor league affiliates announced their coaching staffs this morning. The Twins usually follow by announcing their entire player development staff, and we will update this article accordingly. Without further ado, here are the 2024 Twins Minor League Coaching Staffs. St. Paul Saints Manager Toby Gardenhire will lead the Saints again. He has been the team’s manager for all three years that the Saints have been affiliated with the Minnesota Twins. 2024 marks Gardenhire’s ninth season as a coach or manager in the Twins system. His Defensive Coach, Tyler Smarslok, is coming back. So is pitching coach Peter Larson. This is Larson’s sixth year in the Twins organization. For Smarslok, this is his fourth season with the Saints (even though they’ve played just three of those seasons. New to the Saints bench include hitting coach Shawn Schlecter and pitching coach Dan Urbina. Urbina is in his sixth year in the Twins system, but this is his first with the Saints. He has been a pitching coach with Wichita for the last three years. Schlecter is a Burnsville native entering his fifth season in the organization. Last year, he was a hitting coach in Wichita and held that same role in Cedar Rapids in 2022. Wichita Wind Surge Ramon Borrego will again be the manager of the Twins Double-A affiliate. He is now in his 15th season as a manager in the Twins organization. He originally signed with the Twins as a player in October 1995 and played in the organization from 1996 to 2002. He’s held several other roles in the system, including coaching the Twins Venezuelan baseball academy for five seasons. Corbin Day moves up from Cedar Rapids to be the hitting coach of the Wind Surge. Yeison Perez will be the Hitting and Development Coach for the Surge. Day is in his second season in the organization, and this will be his first with the Wind Surge. Last year, he was the hitting coach of his hometown Kernels and helped them to the Midwest League championship. The Kernels led the league in runs scored and home runs. This is Perez’s seventh year in the organization and first with Wichita. Last year, he was at Cedar Rapids, and in the two previous seasons, he was in the FCL. He also spent a couple of seasons as a player in the Twins minor leagues. DJ Engle and Carlos Hernandez will be the pitching coaches. Engle is in his fourth season with the Twins, and this will mark his second season with Wichita. Hernandez is now in his seventh season in the Twins organization, but this will be his first with the Wind Surge. He may recall the southpaw pitched for the Astros in the early 2000s. Cedar Rapids Kernels Baseball America’s Minor League Manager of the Year, Brian Dinkelman, will return to the Kernels after leading the team to the 2023 Midwest League Championship. This will be Dinkelman’s fifth season as the Kernels’ manager and eighth with the team. He had spent three seasons as the team’s hitting coach. Before his coaching career, Dinkelman spent eight seasons as a player in the Twins organization and spent time with the big-league club in 2011. Argenis Angulo and Jonas Lovin will be the team’s pitching coaches. Lovin’s first year in the organization was 2023, and he held this role. Last year, the Kernels led the Midwest League in Wins, Saves, Runs Allowed, Earned Runs Allowed, Walks Allowed, and WHIP. Angulo finished a long professional playing career by spending the 2022 season with Wichita. He joined the coaching staff last year with the FCL Twins. Jairo Rodriguez returns to the Kernels. He played for the Kernels in 2013 and has been coaching in the system since the end of his playing days. He was with the Kernels in 2021 and 2022. Last year, he returned to the Dominican Summer League to fulfill the same role with some very young hitters. CJ Baker is new to the organization. He has been a coach in college for the past nine years. His most recent role was the Video, Technology, and Analytics Coordinator for the past two years at Stanford. Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Brian Meyer returns to the Mussels as the manager, a role he’s held for the past three years. He had previously coached in college for 13 years. Richard Salazar and Ryan Ricci will share the Pitching Coach duties. Salazar has been in the Twins organization for seven years, and this is his second straight season with the Mussels. He was a pitching coach in Cedar Rapids in the two previous seasons. Ricci joins the Twins player development staff this year after coaching at Lafayette College for two years and then spending 2023 at his alma mater, George Mason. The Mighty Mussels hitting coaches in 2024 will be Luis Reyes and Mike Ahmed (whose title is Hitting & Development Coach). Ahmed joined the organization from Plex Baseball, where he was a coach. He and his brother, long-time big-league shortstop Nick Ahmed, also run 7 Pillar Health & Performance. Michael Ahmed played seven seasons in the minor leagues. Reyes is in his second season as a hitting coach with the Mussels. He came to the organization late in 2021 and coached in the FCL in 2022. FCL/FTM Complex Seth Feldman is in his sixth season in the Twins organization, and this will be his third as manager of the FCL Twins. Before that, he was the Twins manager in the Dominican Summer League. There will be three hitting coaches and four pitching coaches at the complex in Ft. Myers. The hitting coaches are all returning from last season. They are Emilio Guerrero, Humberto Miranda, and Collin McBride. The pitching coaches are Anders Dzurak, Chris Powell, Kevin Rodriguez, and Jesus Sanchez. Josh Tols remains the rehab pitching coach as well. New to the organization are Nico Giarratano and Tristan Toorie who will serve as "development coaches." The Twins will likely announce their entire Player Development staff later today, and we will update this article when we get that information. DSL/Dominican Complex For the third year in a row, Rafael Martinez will manage the DSL Twins. The hitting coaches are Steven Cardona and Carlos Lara. Cardona was working as a hitting instructor at Infinite Hitting. Lara was a fellow last season, working with the Twins' baseball technology group. Former Twins minor leaguer Ruben Santana will become the infield coach. He was a hitting coach last year. Dylan Hawley and Erick Julio will be the team's pitching coaches. Hawley is from Minnesota and had been working at Driveline. Julio was with the team a year ago. Player Development Staff: Jeremy Zoll: VP/Assistant GM Alex Hassan: VP, Hitting Development and Acquisitions Drew MacPhail: Director of Player Development Brian Maloney: Director, Minor League and High Performance Operations Tommy Bergjans: Director of Minor League Pitching Development Amanda Daley: Director of Player Education Frankie Padulo: Assistant Director, Player Development Josh Ruffin: Assistant Director, Player Development Research Chad Raines: Analyst, Pitching Development Nihar Maskara: Analyst, Baseball Research Coordinators: Kevin Morgan: Minor League Field Coordinator Edgar Varela: Coordinator of Instruction Julio Borbon: Assistant Coordinator of Instruction. Nat Ballenberg: Assistant Pitching Coordinator Bobby Hearn: Complex Pitching Coordinator Bryce Berg: Hitting Coordinator Ryan Smith: Assistant Hitting Coordinator Rayden Sierra: Assistant Hitting Coordinator Tucker Frawley: Infield and Catching Coordinator Mike Quade: Outfield Coordinator View full article

He's been invited to big-league spring training in 2021, 2022, 2023, and now 2024. The news in the Doogie tweet is Winkel getting an invite. The Twins really like Winkel, both offensively and defensively. Will be interesting to see if they also invite Chris Williams, Noah Cardenas and Andrew Cossetti.

I enjoy lists like this, especially for those who play fantasy baseball. I am in one keeper league with a 29-man roster and a 30-man minor league roster. Definitely interesting. Dynasty is a keeper league in which once you have a player on your roster, you have that player until you make the decision to let them go. You could draft Justin Verlander and have him for 1 or 2 years, or you could draft Jackson Chourio and have him on your roster for the next 20 years. With that background, Baseball America is in the middle of a series in which they have been ranking the top 50 players by position in terms of their value in a dynasty league today... (please click on the link for much more... but discuss here). They ranked the top 75 shortstops. Here are Twins, AL Central players, and whoever is #1... I'll split these up by position so that we can get into more depth on the individuals. Outfielders: #1: Ronald Acuna, Braves #2: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners #12: Luis Robert, White Sox #17: Mike Trout, Angels (son of former Twins prospect Jeff) #18: Riley Greene, Tigers #34: Eloy Jimenez, White Sox #38: Walker Jenkins, Twins #43: Steven Kwan, Guardians #45: Spencer Steer, Reds #46: Max Clark, Tigers #51: Matt Wallner, Twins #55: Kerry Carpenter, Tigers #57: Chase DeLauter, Guardians #69: Emmanuel Rodriguez, Twins #70: Byron Buxton, Twins #72: Max Kepler, Twins #80: MJ Melendez, Royals #83: Alex Kirilloff, Twins #84: Brent Rooker, A's #89: Parker Meadows, Tigers #91: Drew Gilbert, Mets (Stillwater, MN, native) #95: Nelson Velazquez, Royals #96: Whit Merrifield, Royals Again, no real surprises here as it is a Dynasty League. Obviously if you are drafting for just a 2024 season, Walker Jenkins won't even get drafted, but considering his ceiling and what many hope he can be for a dozen or more years to come.

I enjoy lists like this, especially for those who play fantasy baseball. I am in one keeper league with a 29-man roster and a 30-man minor league roster. Definitely interesting. Dynasty is a keeper league in which once you have a player on your roster, you have that player until you make the decision to let them go. You could draft Justin Verlander and have him for 1 or 2 years, or you could draft Jackson Chourio and have him on your roster for the next 20 years. With that background, Baseball America is in the middle of a series in which they have been ranking the top 50 players by position in terms of their value in a dynasty league today... (please click on the link for much more... but discuss here). They ranked the top 75 shortstops. Here are Twins, AL Central players, and whoever is #1... I'll split these up by position so that we can get into more depth on the individuals. Shortstop: #1: Bobby Witt, Jr, Royals #24: Carlos Correa, Twins #38: Brooks Lee, Twins #43: Brayan Rocchio, Guardians #63: Austin Martin, Twins #69: Kevin McGonigle, Tigers Obviously there has been a major influx in high-caliber shortstops called up in the past year or so. (Think, Elly De La Cruz, O'Neil Cruz, Jackson Holliday, etc.) Those players will be around for a long time which is what matters in dynasty drafts. Similarly Brooks Lee and Austin Martin made the list. Looking around the AL Central, Bobby Witt Jr is awesome, the best all-around prospect I've ever seen in person before the big leagues. However, Javier Baez isn't on there. Is Rocchio the Guardians shortstop from Day 1 in 2024? Who will play SS for the White Sox in 2024?

On Twins Spotlight, the hope is to talk to Minnesota players of the past, present and future. Sawyer Gipson-Long was an intriguing pitching prospect for the Twins, but he was traded to the Tigers at the trade deadline in 2022. He made his MLB debut in September 2023, with 20 impressive innings. Image courtesy of © David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports Sawyer Gipson-Long was the Twins' sixth-round draft pick in 2019, out of Mercer University. The Georgia native signed with the team, and after being waylaid by the pandemic, he eventually reached Double-A Wichita with the Twins in 2022. At the July trade deadline, he was sent to the Tigers in exchange for RHP Michael Fulmer. Fulmer pitched just fine for the Twins down the stretch and became a free agent after that season. He signed with the Cubs for 2023. Gipson-Long finished his campaign at Double-A Erie. That's where he began his 2023 season, but after a short time with Triple-A Toledo, he was called up and made his MLB debut on Sept. 10. He made four starts and went five innings in each. In his debut, he gave up two runs against the White Sox and recorded his first win. His next outing was in Los Angeles, against the Angels. He had 11 strikeouts in five innings and gave up just one run. Overall, it was an impressive rookie run. We caught up with the two-time Twins Spotlight guest and just called it Catching Up. Here are some of the highlights and topics we discussed. 2:35: Trade Deadline 2022 - What was it like getting traded? 3:55: What is the mental side of getting traded? 5:05: Joining the Tigers. Any big differences between the Twins and Tigers, or is baseball baseball? 6:30: Miguel Cabrera. What was it like being part of being around a legend, even if only a couple of weeks? 9:20: The Call. Were you expecting it? How did you find out? 11:20: Who were the first phone calls after you found out? 12:35: Memories on the mound. Were you nervous? 14:12: Were you surprised at the success, and what was working for you? 16:20: Conversations with coaches and coordinators heading into the offseason, and what have you been working on this offseason? 18:00: How do you see yourself fitting into the Tigers rotation in 2024? Bullpen? 19;40: How 'bout those paychecks and the fun of paying taxes. 20:08: Keeping up with the Twins 2019 draft class and more. Let us know who else you want to see on Twins Spotlights in the future. In the meantime, how do you feel about the trade of Gipson-Long for Fulmer, and what do you expect if and when the Twins see him in games against the Tigers this year? View full article

Sawyer Gipson-Long was the Twins sixth-round draft pick in 2019 out of Mercer. He rose through the Twins organizational ladder until the trade deadline in 2022 when he was traded to the Tigers for reliever Michael Fulmer. This September, he received his first call to the big leagues and was fantastic in his debut and his first month in the big leagues. Find out more about his fun story, his call up, his stuff and his debut, but also how he continues to keep close tabs on many other Twins 2019 draft picks, like Louie Varland and Brent Headrick and others. View full video

Last in December, Baseball America was handing out its final awards of the year. One of those awards was minor-league manager of the year, and Cedar Rapids Kernels' Brian Dinkelman earned the honor. Look back at his story, from his playing days to his coaching and managerial career. And hear from several member of the 2023 Midwest League championship about what makes "Dink" such an admired coach. Image courtesy of Steve Buhr (photo of Brian Dinkelman talking hitting with then-prospect Royce Lewis in 2018) Recently, Baseball America named Cedar Rapids Kernels manager Brian Dinkelman the 2023 Minor League Manager of the Year. I caught up with several of his players about what it was like to play for him. The Minnesota Twins moved their Low-A Midwest League affiliate from Beloit, Wisconsin, to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, before the 2013 season. That first season, the Kernels roster included the likes of Byron Buxton, Jorge Polanco, Jose Berrios, Max Kepler, Tyler Duffey, and several other future big leaguers. Adam Brett Walker was the league’s leader in home runs and RBI and the league's MVP. That team made the Midwest League playoffs. Every season since then, the Kernels have made the playoffs. The only year they haven’t made the playoffs was 2020, when there was no minor-league season. Since 2021, the Midwest League has jumped up to a High-A league. It was a special season in Cedar Rapids in 2023. In my mind, expectations were low for this team. Their roster consisted of a lot of very talented but very young and inexperienced prospects. The pitching staff started with some 2021 draft picks but, by season’s end, was filled with starting pitchers finishing up their first full seasons. On paper, I thought this was a good year for prospects in Cedar Rapids, but it likely wouldn’t be a winning team. But, they don’t play the games on paper. They play the games on milb.tv. In the first half, the Kernels went 40-26 and won the Midwest League West division by seven games. That clinched another playoff spot for the Kernels. Then, in the second half, the Kernels were even better. They went 42-24 and led the division by six games. They had a +126 run differential overall and an 82-50 record, which was 13 games better than anyone else in their division. In the playoffs, the Kernels topped Peoria in three games. In the finals, they topped Great Lakes in three games to win their first Midwest League championship since 1994. Brian Dinkelman was not a highly-touted prospect coming out of Centralia (IL) High School. He made the 43-mile drive west to Lebanon (IL), home of McKendree University. Just east of St. Louis, the population of Lebanon is just over 4,000 people. McKendree is an NAIA baseball program. (Time Out for some Trivia: When Brian Dinkelman debuted in the big leagues, he became just the second player from Centralia High School and the second player from McKendree University to play in the big leagues. Both of the other players have ties to the Minnesota Twins. Who is the other former big leaguer from Centralia HS and McKendree U? Answers at the end of this article.) Over his four college seasons, “Dink” broke just about every McKendree hitting record. He led the team to four straight conference tournament championships. One could argue that he is among the best players ever to play NAIA baseball. When he graduated, he held NAIA records with 373 hits, 96 doubles, 303 runs scored, 670 total bases and 679 fielding assists. He was an NAIA All-American three times, including first-team twice. He was the conference Player of the Year three times after he was named the Freshman of the Year in his first season. He was inducted into the McKendree Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2006, the Twins selected Dinkelman with their eighth-round pick. He gradually, maybe even slowly, worked his way up the Twins organizational ladder. He was willing to play anywhere, learning the outfield (and becoming solid defensively). He was a solid all-around, line-drive hitter. He was a Harmon Killebrew Award winner for community service once. Finally, in June 2011, Dinkelman got The Call to the big leagues. Trevor Plouffe was optioned, and the Twins selected Dinkelman's contract. He made his big-league debut on June 4th in Kansas City against the Royals. What an interesting debut. Dinkelman reached by being hit by a pitch, walking, and with a single. Approximately two weeks later, he was returned to Rochester when Joe Mauer came off the 60-Day IL. In September, he returned to the Twins roster for the season's final month and played almost daily. He had three hits against the White Sox in his first game back. From September 17-21, he had a five-game hitting streak. He had three hits, four hits, two hits, one hit, and then two hits in those games. Overall, he had 78 plate appearances over 23 games. He hit .301 with a double. He stole two bases. He played 11 games at second base and five in each corner outfield spot. He was outrighted after the season and quickly re-signed with the Twins. He spent two more seasons with the Red Wings but never reached the big leagues again. After a year back in Centralia, the Twins contacted Dinkelman about coaching. He was interested and joined the organization as a hitting coach in the GCL. In 2016, he joined the Kernels as a hitting coach under Jake Mauer, Toby Gardenhire, and Tommy Watkins. In 2019, he became the Kernels manager and has a 300-223 record over those four seasons. He committed to the area when he joined the Kernels in Cedar Rapids as a coach in 2016. He and his wife moved to Cedar Rapids and live there year-round. He is active with the organization, community, fans, and front office. He knows how to coach, manage, and lead baseball players and young men. And most of the young players he interacts with have grown to appreciate him. Here are some thoughts from some 2023 Kernels in their own words: RHP Malik Barrington “Brian is one of the best managers I’ve played for. I think it comes from his time as a player. He understands us as professionals, what we need, and how to communicate with us, whether just joking with us daily or breaking down the fundamentals of the game. As a pitcher, I didn’t get “coached” by him a lot because we have pitching coaches, but to see him day in and day out work with and develop the infield guys, whether in BP or early work. He’s able to relate to the guys and makes it a fun atmosphere and team to be on.” Barrington recounted one day in particular. “I got to the field super early, and I was bored. So, as any pitcher would do, I hopped in the batting cage for some swings. As I’m in there by myself, Brian comes in. I’m expecting to get scolded for being in there, but instead, he hops in after me and starts to take some swings himself, and it just becomes a game. That’s the type of manager he is - just fun to be around and always welcomes anyone in.” LHP Jaylen Nowlin: “What makes Dink such a great manager, in my opinion, is his experience as a former player. He really understands how the game has its highs and lows. There was a time we went on a losing streak, and instead of telling us everything we needed to do better, he just reminded us that things like that would happen. So keep playing your game.” RHP Mike Paredes “What makes Dink such a good manager is his ability to keep the clubhouse relaxed and motivated. With his personal playing experience in both the minor and major leagues, you can tell he knows how to build strong team chemistry throughout an entire season.” He added, “Playing for Dink is a privilege. He’s one of my favorite managers to play for, and he truly understands what it takes to push through the hard times and to stay motivated through the good times.” LHP Christian MacLeod “Playing for Brian this past year in Cedar Rapids was a blast. He was fun to be around and always kept things loose, but he also had high expectations for the guys to work hard and play hard. Having Brian as the manager and an awesome group of guys in the locker room made the 2023 season one of the most fun years of baseball I’ve had.” RHP Regi Grace “What makes him a good manager is that he has already experienced what it’s like to be between the white lines. He knows the day-to-day frustrations and mindset it takes to prepare for baseball games.” He added, “We were at batting practice once, and I had a hat backward. All he did was whistle, and I know what that meant - turn my hat around. There’s power in people that don’t have to speak much.” RHP Kyle Jones “I really respected how he was the same guy every day regardless of how the team was playing or what happened the night before. One thing I will say is that I was with the Kernels since opening day, and I can't remember anyone on the team ever having an issue with anything he did or how he ran the team. Spending a whole season with a manager like that made the season much better and probably contributed a lot to our success this season. OF Kala’i Rosario “Brian’s got a good feel for the players, and he knows the game well, so it makes it easy for us to trust him and follow his lead. We started the year a little slow, but Dink always said we just had to get through April, and we’ll be fine. Right after that month, we took off and never looked back. (It was) Very easy to play for him. We know that he trusted us and that we would do our job, so it made the game a lot easier knowing that we all had that confidence in one another.” The 2023 Midwest League MVP continued, “I’ve got lots of respect for Dink. He’s got a lot of experience in the game, and we know he knows how to get us to the next level. Always a good vibe with him, and I believe it’s what made our team chemistry elite.” OF Willie Joe Garry “He’s a Skip who I really enjoyed playing for because we shared the same position. I valued his thoughts on the outfield positions. He’s a hustle-first type of coach, and his pushing on me helped my game in so many ways. For example, we were in a game, and I hit a single the other way on my first at-bat. I made it to first but didn’t get out of the box hard, so there wasn’t even an idea of going to second for the hustle double. I ended up at third, and he got on me for not getting out of the box hard because 'there’s a chance the left fielder bobbles the ball, and we can snag second.' Well, fast-forward to my very next at-bat. I hit the ball in the same spot and busted it out of the box. Of course, the left fielder bobbled the ball, and I got to second base easily. I looked at him and just laughed. It’s the small things like that that I feel add up and help players progress to the next level. Just another reason he’s so admired by players and coaches.” C Noah Cardenas “Dink has been one of my favorite coaches since I’ve been in pro ball. His ability to feel out situations and keep up with the players is great. What makes him such a good manager was that he brought a great attitude and personality to the field every day.” C Andrew Cossetti “There is nobody more deserving than Dink for that award. He is the ultimate players' coach. He can joke around with you and have fun but also put his arm around you and tell you what needs to be done. I think being a former big leaguer helps. Having the experience helps him to understand what players want in a manager. He’s a guy I can go up to and ask for advice on anything because I know he’s been there before. He has his players’ backs, and we all had his. I’d run through a wall for Dink. He made me play the game harder, knowing I could get him the ring he deserved.” Congratulations to Brian Dinkelman on a well-deserved honor! Answers When Brian Dinkelman made his MLB debut, he became the second person from Centralia (IL) High School to play in the big leagues. The other? Twins Hall of Famer Gary Gaetti attended Centralia High School before going to Lake Land College and then Northwest Missouri State. He was the Twins first-round pick in the 1979 draft and played parts of 10 seasons with the Twins. He spent 20 total seasons in the big leagues. The two-time All-Star won four Gold Glove Awards in his time with the Twins and later won a Silver Slugger Award. When Brian Dinkelman made his MLB debut, he became the second person from McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois, to play in the big leagues. The other? Infielder Jay Ward came to the Twins in a July 1962 trade with the Kansas City Athletics (for Bert Cueto). He played in nine games for the 1963 Twins and 12 games for the 1964 Twins.He hit a combined .174 in 21 games and 53 plate appearances. played for several other organizations and even in Japan before he made his return to the big leagues with six games for the Cincinnati Reds in 1970. View full article

The arrest wasn't good, but yes, he definitely was the brunt of jokes that were accepted at that time as OK... no longer.

The other thread one what you're watching is like 35 pages deep, so I thought it would be good to start a new one. What are you watching? What have you watched? What are your recommendations? I'm all over the place in what I enjoy watching. I've watched stuff from a variety of genres. I feel like I should start a blog on all the different stuff I've watched. Maybe that would make it worth all the hours I've binged shows. Ha!

I LOVE '80s music!! (and early '90s) I often point out that 1986 is the greatest year in music history... 1987 too... but I would guess that most people's favorite era is their age 10-12 range.

My favorite song from the '80s... Glenn Medeiros ... Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You... I liked it because he was only a couple of years older than me, but he was able to hit low and high notes and transition so well. Of course, if you're on Tik Tok, you may follow his daughter, Lyric. She was also on American Idol. She's usually on with her mom, but her dad is now on quite a bit. He's something like a principal at a school in Hawaii now.

One of my favorite '80s singers, 20ish years later, and I think this appearance is fun. Billy Ocean... Suddenly... Love this song!

I've posted this a few other places... Lionel Richie's "Hello"... Great Song!! Incredibly Creepy Video!!

I enjoy lists like this, especially for those who play fantasy baseball. I am in one keeper league with a 29-man roster and a 30-man minor league roster. Definitely interesting. Dynasty is a keeper league in which once you have a player on your roster, you have that player until you make the decision to let them go. You could draft Justin Verlander and have him for 1 or 2 years, or you could draft Jackson Chourio and have him on your roster for the next 20 years. With that background, Baseball America is in the middle of a series in which they have been ranking the top 50 players by position in terms of their value in a dynasty league today... (please click on the link for much more... but discuss here). Here are Twins, AL Central players, and whoever is #1... I'll split these up by position so that we can get into more depth on the individuals. Third Base: #1: Gunnar Henderson, Orioles #4: Jose Ramirez, Guardians #6: Royce Lewis, Twins #14: Colt Keith, Tigers #26: Maikel Garcia, Royals #27: Bryan Ramos, White Sox #28: Michael Busch, Dodgers (Minnesotan) #30: Justyn Henry-Malloy, Tigers #41: Nick Loftin, Royals #43: Yoan Moncada, White Sox #44: Deyvison De Los Santos, Guardians #45: Mac Horvath, Orioles (Minnesotan) Good to see Royce Lewis up so high on the list. Yeah, I do think he could be a little higher, but this is a good spot, just ahead of Manny Machado. Fun seeing a couple of Minnesotans on the list too. Share your thoughts.

I enjoy lists like this, especially for those who play fantasy baseball. I am in one keeper league with a 29-man roster and a 30-man minor league roster. Definitely interesting. Dynasty is a keeper league in which once you have a player on your roster, you have that player until you make the decision to let them go. You could draft Justin Verlander and have him for 1 or 2 years, or you could draft Jackson Chourio and have him on your roster for the next 20 years. With that background, Baseball America is in the middle of a series in which they have been ranking the top 50 players by position in terms of their value in a dynasty league today... (please click on the link for much more... but discuss here). Here are Twins, AL Central players, and whoever is #1... I'll split these up by position so that we can get into more depth on the individuals. Second Base: #1: Mookie Betts, Dodgers #11: Andres Gimenez, Guardians #14: Edouard Julien, Twins #15: Luis Arraez, Marlins #29: Jace Jung, Tigers, #31: Jorge Polanco, Twins #39: Juan Brito, Guardians #44: Austin Martin, Twins #50: Michael Massey, Royals Betts is moving to 2B for the Dodgers. He's played there quite a bit and that's where he was originally playing as a pro. I'm biased, but I feel that Julien could be a little higher because he's so young and his on-base/power combo. Interesting to see him and Luis Arraez back-to-back. Age and injury likely have Polanco down the list. Question marks and opportunity might have Martin where he is at, but it'll be good to see him debut soon. What are your thoughts?

I enjoy lists like this, especially for those who play fantasy baseball. I am in one keeper league with a 29-man roster and a 30-man minor league roster. Definitely interesting. Dynasty is a keeper league in which once you have a player on your roster, you have that player until you make the decision to let them go. You could draft Justin Verlander and have him for 1 or 2 years, or you could draft Jackson Chourio and have him on your roster for the next 20 years. With that background, Baseball America is in the middle of a series in which they have been ranking the top 50 players by position in terms of their value in a dynasty league today... (please click on the link for much more... but discuss here). Here are Twins, AL Central players, and whoever is #1... I'll split these up by position so that we can get into more depth on the individuals. First Base: #1: Matt Olson, Braves #7: Spencer Torkelson, Tigers #9: Vinnie Pasquantino, Royals #10: Josh Naylor, Guardians #13: Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Reds #16: Spencer Steer, Reds #17: Kyle Manzardo, Guardians #18: Andrew Vaughn, White Sox #21: Alex Kirilloff, Twins #24: Michael Busch, Dodgers (Minnesotan) #41: Luke Raley, Rays #44: LaMonte Wade, Giants Injuries are part of the game, and I believe that if Alex Kirilloff was able to stay healthy, he'd be the top 1B in the AL Central. But the reality is that he hasn't stayed healthy. It is interesting to see both CES and Steer on the list, especially when seeing that they have Jeimer Candelario ranked 25th on this list. What are your thoughts?

I enjoy lists like this, especially for those who play fantasy baseball. I am in one keeper league with a 29-man roster and a 30-man minor league roster. Definitely interesting. Dynasty is a keeper league in which once you have a player on your roster, you have that player until you make the decision to let them go. You could draft Justin Verlander and have him for 1 or 2 years, or you could draft Jackson Chourio and have him on your roster for the next 20 years. With that background, Baseball America is in the middle of a series in which they have been ranking the top 50 players by position in terms of their value in a dynasty league today... (please click on the link for much more... but discuss here). Here are Twins, AL Central players, and whoever is #1... I'll split these up by position so that we can get into more depth on the individuals. Catchers: #1: Adley Rutschman, Orioles #8: Bo Naylor, Guardians #19: Salvador Perez, Royals #20: MJ Melendez, Royals #23: Mitch Garver, Mariners #25: Ryan Jeffers, Twins #36: Edgar Quero, White Sox #46: Dillon Dingler, Tigers #47: Jair Camargo, Twins Personal Opinion... Ryan Jeffers is way too low... With his relative youth (26) and the production he had offensively in 2023, I think he could be up another 10 spots. Fun to see Camargo here. No Christian Vazquez, obviously. What do you think?

We have reached the final day of 2023, and we have also reached the Top 5 most-viewed articles at Twins Daily in 2023. This is a different, unique group of articles. Some certainly make sense to rank where they do. Others? Maybe not. Enjoy! Comment! And then have yourself a very Happy New Year! Image courtesy of Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports We have a repeat at #1 on this year's list. That is to say that the author of the #1 most-viewed Twins Daily article of 2023 also had the most-viewed article of 2022. And while he didn't have any others that ranked in the Top 25, it probably won't surprise you who that author is. It's been fun looking back at 2023 through these articles. It's been fun remembering the highs of the season and the playoffs and some of the transactions. It's been OK to look back at some more difficult decisions before or even during the season that fortunately didn't keep the Twins from the playoffs. There are also some fun, random articles included that just remind us that baseball and baseball fans can enjoy the game differently, and that's OK. Happy New Year to our Twins Daily readers!! Best wishes for a very happy (and ideally prosperous) 2024 to you... and the Minnesota Twins! #5 Time for Twins to Address the Elephant in the Room by Theodore Tollefson May 18 Emilio Pagan struggled in 2022. In 59 games, he posted a 4.43 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. In 63 innings, he gave up 12 homers, often in the most inopportune of times. Frankly, he hadn’t been very good since his 2019 season with the Rays. But the Twins front office offered him arbitration and another opportunity in 2023, all because his “stuff” really does have something to it. In 2023, he gave up a single run in his first outing. Then on April 20th in Boston, he gave up six runs on eight hits in 1 2/3 innings. Then nothing but zeroes until mid-May when he gave up a run on May 15th and three runs on May 17th. At that time, his season ERA was 5.60 despite a FIP at 3.09. Some fans were ready to cut the proverbial Pagan cord. From this point forward, he pitched in 50 games and posted a 2.09 ERA. He was as reliable as any other Twins reliever the rest of the way. Then, when the season came to an end, he very quickly signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds. #4 Trading Gio was a Mistake by Cody Pirkl Feb 5 Like this offseason, the Twins offseason a year ago started fairly slowly. However, very early in the offseason, they traded Gio Urshela to the Angels for 19-year-old right-hander Alejandro Hidalgo who spent the 2023 season in Cedar Rapids. We spent the offseason assuming that Max Kepler would be traded at some point, especially after they signed Joey Gallo in mid-December. With reports that Kepler was unlikely to be traded (once the calendar turned to February), it was clear Gallo would likely get a lot of time at first base since there were still so many questions about Alex Kirilloff’s return. But at some point, Kirilloff was expected to come back. With the keys at third base being handed to Jose Miranda, Urshela could have been insurance at third base, a platoon option at first base, and get some time at DH and as a pinch hitter. Ultimately Miranda struggled and played hurt. Kirilloff had moments and got hurt. Joey Gallo struggled. Fortunately, the Twins had added the likes of Willi Castro and Donovan Solano and Kyle Farmer. Unfortunately, Urshela’s season came to an end late in June after 62 games due to a broken pelvis. #3 Does Either Former Twins Slugger Have Anything Left? by Ted Schwerzler Jan 21 Two big-time sluggers with very different public personas were still available in January last year. The Twins didn’t pick up the 2023 option on Miguel Sano’s contract, making him a free agent. In addition, Nelson Cruz made such a strong impact on the Twins and their fans that if he’s available, there will be some that want the Twins to sign him. Shortly before this article was published, Cruz signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the San Diego Padres. Miguel Sano ultimately didn’t play at all in 2023, not until winter ball. For Cruz, it sure looked like the end. After just 49 games, Cruz was released by the Padres and didn’t sign with another team. So, for the first time in a long time, it’s very possible that the free agent market for Miguel Sano might be higher than that of Nelson Cruz. #2 LOL Mets Owner Steve Cohen Gets Petty on Twitter about Carlos Correa by John Bonnes Jan 7 More from the Carlos Correa saga, but honestly, this may be just be the moment when Twins fans let themselves again open up their hearts and minds to the possibility of Correa and the Twins reuniting. After the Giants backed out on a deal with Carlos Correa, the Mets owner was very quick to announce an agreement between Correa and the Mets. But weeks later, the Mets were in process of backing out of the deal and at the same time renegotiating. When Cohen started “Liking” tweets of Mets fans saying they didn’t really care of Correa signed with the Mets, it was quite clear that there was an opening. #1 MLB Apologizes to Yankees by RandBalls Stu April 27 For the second straight year, the most-viewed article of the year was authored by the great RandBalls Stu! It happens most every season, but maybe more with the new schedule (teams play all teams every year). The Twins and Yankees played seven games in April of 2023, and none the rest of the season. The Twins won four of those seven games to take the season series. That is when RandBall Stu went to work on this article. As you would expect, it is hilarious. And, maybe it helps when the Bronx Bombers are on this side of satire, but it was an incredibly popular article. Who knows? Maybe because in the eyes of some Twins fans (or any non-Yankees fan), it doesn’t seem to be too far-fetched. What were your favorite stories of 2023 for the Twins? On the field? Off the field? Do certain articles pop into your head? We certainly hope that you have enjoyed looking back at the 25 most-viewed articles of 2023 at Twins Daily. If you missed any of the segments, click below. Part 1 (21-25) Part 2 (16-20) Part 3 (11-15) Part 4 (6-10) Part 5 (1-5) View full article