Seth Stohs

I'd be curious to see a list of the thirty 'third catchers' around baseball and see who they might be. Last year, the Twins' guy was Eric Fryer. Garver and Turner will likely be at AA. In AAA with Hicks will be Juan Centeno (who has some big league experience - minimal) and Carlos Paulino, who is very good defensively. So while I don't think they went crazy in the offseason, I think they got their catcher of the future in Murphy and improved the defense overall at the position with depth. I'd literally like to see a 50/50 split with the catchers at the start of the season, even for two full months. Suzuki, when fresh, has generally been solid. Murphy needs reps with all of the pitchers and getting more consistent ABs than when he backed up Brian McCann will give a better idea of what he can be. Once we get to June or early July, the ratio can shift to 60-40, either way depending upon where the Twins are at the time.

I think there is very good chance that Murphy is the primary starter sometime in the middle of 2016, and going forward. Hicks is the #3 guy this year, but could easily be the #2 guy with injury or in 2017. It's a big year for Stuart Turner and Mitch Garver, to see if they can be options for 2017.

On November 11, the Minnesota Twins traded Aaron Hicks to the New York Yankees in exchange for catcher John Ryan Murphy. Exactly three weeks later, December 2, the Twins claimed catcher John Hicks from the Seattle Mariners. The Twins needed to strengthen their catching depth in the offseason, and I guess they also wanted to keep at least one Hicks on their 40-man roster. Twins Daily was able to catch up with John Hicks at Twins Fest.2015 was an incredible season for catcher John Hicks. It was filled with ups and downs. He had a strong spring training, but he got off to a slow start. He turned it around, and he earned his first big league promotion.He got his first hits, and he saw how the game can humble a player quickly too. Following the season, he went through being designated for assignment but then being claimed by another organization. He now finds himself with the Minnesota Twins. Let’s start at those two ultimate moments for any baseball player. For those of us who will never experience it (which is most of us), can you imagine the moment when you first get told that you’re heading to the big leagues? Secondly, can you imagine getting your first major league hit? John Hicks was not expecting the moment when it came. His season started out slow, especially with the bat. “The first few months of the season were not as planned, offensively. I felt good behind the plate all year, and when I got to Tacoma and got in the box, things just didn’t click. Things didn’t come up with me from spring training, I guess.” However, in July, Hicks hit .345/.393/.436 (.830). He slowed some in August, however, Mike Zunino was really struggling in the big leagues, and the Mariners decided to send him down to AAA. In Tacoma on August 27th, Hicks was behind the plate. “We’re in the middle of the game. I’m catching. It’s about the 6th or 7th inning. (Former big leaguer) Pat Listach was our manager in AAA. A couple of innings before, he and I were talking about a hitter on the other team. The next inning, that hitter came up. We ended up striking him out, attacking him like we had talked about. So I ran into the dugout and he asked me about it. I told him. He said, ‘Awesome! Alright, well, you’re done. You’re out of the game.’” Hicks had no idea what to think about that. He did what he was supposed to do, and it was successful, so why was he taken out of the game? What was he to do? He went and sat on the bench. “People were coming up to me and saying, ‘Are you going up? Are you going up?’ And I’m like, ‘I have no idea. He just told me I was out of the game.’” Soon after, Hicks walked back over to his manager. He asked if he should head out to the bullpen to help warm up pitchers. Or do something to stop thinking so much. That’s when he got the news from Pat Listach, ““Nah, nah. I’m waiting for confirmation, but you’re going to the big leagues.” The emotion hit him right then and there in the dugout. “It kind of hit me. It was a rush of emotions, and I couldn’t stop smiling. Then he told me to go in and pack. I went in and called my parents. There’s a three-hour time difference from Tacoma to back home (Virginia), so it was like 1 o’clock at home. I think my parents were fine with me waking them up.” My guess is that they were just fine with that phone call as well. But there was a lot of packing to be done, and quickly. “I flew out to Chicago the next day. They flew out my mom and dad, my two brothers and their wives, and then a good family friend, and they all came out and watched.” A couple of days later, August 30th (one day before his 26th birthday), Hicks made his major league debut in Chicago. The opposing pitcher was Jose Quintana. He didn’t take too long to get that first big league hit out of the way. “It was exciting. I went up, and everybody asked me, ‘Are you going to be really aggressive? Are you going to swing at the first pitch?’ I didn’t really know. I said I’m just going to go up, and if it’s a good pitch that I like, I’ll swing. I got up there and took the first pitch. Then he threw me a cutter that ran in, and I stayed inside of it, and I hit kind of a soft liner over second base, in front of the right fielder. I got to first base, and the first base coach leans over my shoulder and said, ‘Hey, there’ll never be a better BB player than you are right now, hitting 1.000, one hit, one at bat.’ I’m like, ‘All lright.’ It obviously went down a little from there, but it was fun.” It was a struggle from there. He ended the season going 2-32 for the Mariners. His other hit was a double and came off of the Angels’ Jered Weaver. Following the season, Hicks was designated for assignment by the Mariners. They called him to let him know that they had about a week to try to trade him or put him on waivers. “It was a long six or seven days, waiting to hear something. Got the call from the Mariners first. He said ‘I’ve got good news and bad news.’ He said you’re no longer a Mariner, but the Twins picked you up.’ Alright! I was really excited to hear that. Got a call from the Twins, talked a little bit with them.” --------------------------------- Before we look forward, let’s look further back. John Hicks grew up in Richmond, Virginia. He attended Goochland High School where he teamed with Ben Verlander, now a minor leaguer in the Tigers organization. “He’s a couple of years younger than I am. He and I actually work out together in the offseason.” But was there any AL Central trash talking? “We spend a lot of time together working out and hitting. He was very excited for me when I got picked up by the Twins. My oldest brother and Justin (Verlander) went to high school together and they’re still really good friends. Justin and my brother went back and forth, and Justin had a few things to say about when I face him, but we’ll see.” Although he was drafted in the 31st round out of high school by the Angels in 2008, he went to the University of Virginia. He played over 60 games all three years. He hit eight home runs each season. He hit a combined 54 doubles. Following his junior season, he was the fourth round pick of the Seattle Mariners. ----------------------------------------------------- He has primarily been a catcher his whole life. “I pretty much only caught in high school. I started catching when I was 11. I had an older brother. He’s two years older and he was a pitcher, so it just kind of worked out that he needed a catcher. My first two years of college, I didn’t catch every game. When I didn’t catch, I played first base and DH.” Clearly the Twins wanted to improve their defense at the catcher position in the offseason. They let Eric Fryer leave as a free agent, traded Chris Herrmann, and DFA'd Josmil Pinto. They acquired John Ryan Murphy from the Yankees as well. Hicks has always taken a lot of pride in his defense behind the plate. “That’s always been something I took pride in, defense. If I can go out and work with that pitcher, and we can use that scouting report that we get before the game, and use that well, and we post zeroes, we’re going to win games. Whether I go 4-4 or 0-4, if we go out and win, that’s what it’s all about.” He will need to learn the pitchers, as well as gain their confidence. That doesn’t happen overnight. “That takes time. Spring training is very important. Taking the time to get to know him and know how they like to attack hitter. They need to have confidence in you that if they have a runner on third base and a hitter that’s going to chase up there that they can throw that curve ball or split or slider in the dirt and you’re going to block it for them. It should never be a doubt in their mind that you will. For me, that’s huge. If they trust me that I’m going to get it done, then we’ll get somewhere.” Hicks likely starts the season as the Twins third catcher. In other words, he is likely to start the season in Rochester. Should there be an injury to Kurt Suzuki or John Ryan Murphy, Hicks would get the call. That is an important role on a team because catcher is certainly a position where injuries can happen. They can send him up and down without needing to clear waivers, which they needed to do with Eric Fryer as he was out of options. Hicks has two option years remaining. Hicks enjoyed the Twins Fest experience for several reasons. “It’s been good. Like I said, we’re getting to know the pitchers, and the position players too. Putting the faces to the name. Getting to know them a little bit better so when we get to spring training, we can just jump into it. I think it’s huge. And, it’s fun to get out here and see the ballpark and all that.” He will be starting his trek from Virginia to Ft. Myers on the 14th. He’ll make stops in North Carolina and northern Florida before getting there in plenty of time to report. “I’m excited to be here. I think it’s a good situation to be in. I’m excited to get out in spring training and get it going.” Click here to view the article

The only one I've got is "if they feel it gives them a better chance to win."

Regarding Meyer, from someone in the know, he will go to spring training, competing for a spot in the bullpen. They're not willing to shut the door on him starting since he was arguably the best SP in the International League in 2014, just one season ago. Sometimes players have bad seasons.

I agree... Chargois, Reed, Melotakis, Burdi... they all need to prove it on the mound and overcome their 2014 seasons (each has something to prove based on last year). I'd add that Meyer needs to show something on the diamond too before coming up. Rogers is the one that I think will be ready Opening Day, or could be, though working out of the bullpen is completely new for him. Which is why they do need some stop gaps... maybe it's Pressly, Tonkin, Graham... maybe it's Abad, Kintzler. Even Fien, to some degree.

Did you read the part about him missing two seasons? And also throwing really, really hard? When a guy misses two seasons with injury, why do we care about age so much. He'll probably debut as a 25-year-old despite missing two seasons?

Not as much as I was envisioning... Ha!

I've been thinking a lot about that... Lots of big league potential in that group.

I've posted that pronunciation here and on Twitter quite a bit because it isn't what you'd expect, and obviously not everyone is on Twitter or sees every comment on here, so I'll probably post that from time to time.

Known as “Shaggy” to his teammate, JT Chargois (pronounced Shag-waa) is one of the most intriguing players who will be in Minnesota Twins spring training in Ft. Myers later this month. Blessed with a fastball that reaches into triple-digits, he also throws a slurve and a changeup. “Pretty much just grip it and rip it.” JT Chargois has pitched in 60 games in his four years of professional baseball. 48 of those games came in 2015. Unfortunately, injury and Tommy John surgery cost him both the 2013 and 2014 seasons. He returned to the mound in games in 2015 and earned his way onto the Minnesota Twins 40-man roster. He was invited to Twins Fest last week where Twins Daily was able to catch up with him.In the 2nd round of the 2012 draft, the Twins selected their first of two closers from Rice University. Three rounds later, the Twins selected Rice’s co-closer that year, Tyler Duffey. It was an interesting situation. “If he played first base, or he made a lot of throws, they’d call me in,” Duffey told Twins Daily in spring training. “If I was getting loose, they said ‘You take the 8th and JT will take the 9th.’ It just depended upon the situation. If we needed his bat or something, they wouldn’t mess with him. It was fun though. It wasn’t really a competition, but we kind of fed off each other a bit… We’d have strikeout competitions. It was fun.” Chargois grew up and went to high school in Sulphur, Louisiana, a city of about 20,000 people just west of Lake Charles. Former big leaguers (And Mr. Jennie Finch) Casey Daigle went to the same high school. As a freshman at Rice, Chargois pitched in 15 games and hit in just three games. After that, it was hard to keep him out of the lineup. As a sophomore, he pitched in just seven games. He hit in 63 games. He batted .299/.378/.379 (.757) with nine doubles, three triples and two homers in 63 games. Following the season, he spent time playing in the Cape Cod League. That’s where he made a strong impression on the mound. In 17 games, he posted a 0.43 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. As a junior, hit hit .323/.411/.376 (.787) with 10 doubles in 51 games. However, on the mound, he pitched 37.2 innings over 25 games out of the bullpen. He went 4-1 with eight saves and a 2.15 ERA. He walked 12 and struck out 38. Chargois would start at first base or DH and come into games late. Well, either he or Duffey would. he noted, “We pretty much switched roles in the back of the bullpen. That was fun, challenging each other.” After the draft, Chargois signed quickly and spent the summer in Elizabethton. He struck out 22 and walked five in 16 innings over 12 games. He posted a 1.69 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP. By then he was solely a pitcher. An upper-90s fastball will also make that an easy decision. That was just fine with the right-hander. He pointed out, “Surprisingly, I don’t really miss it (hitting). I have enough going on worrying about pitching.” Chargois’s career was off to a fast start. There was so much to look forward to, and then came the arm issues, and the question marks. Chargois missed the 2013 season. He spent the first half of the season attempting to rehab. Unfortunately, it didn’t take, and in September, he had Tommy John surgery. He also missed the entire 2014 season. Putting it in its most simplistic way, Chargois said, “It was a rough two, two-and-a-half years.” Following surgery, he put in a lot of work. He spoke about the rehab process. “I felt like through the rehab there is so much throwing. There’s more throwing that goes into your rehab throwing than actually pitching in a game. I felt more sore and more exhausted during the throwing program than I actually was throwing in games. It was pretty rigorous.” He returned to the mound in the Instructional League following the 2014 season. He was the player there that was being talked about. Rumors came out that he was consistently hitting 99 mph on the radar gun. “I felt like I was lucky, really lucky. My body responded really well. It’s almost 50/50 whether you’re going to come back, so it’s scary. There’s not a guarantee. As successful as the surgeries are, it’s not a guarantee.” Following rehab, he stayed in Ft. Myers at the Twins complex, something he did again quite a bit this past offseason. “Last year, being the first year coming back from injury, I wanted to be down there pretty much the whole offseason. I wanted Chad (Jackson) around, Eric Beiser, our strength coach. It worked out. They took care of me. Comfort. Security. It’s just a good situation. Dorms down there. Living arrangement. Quality of food. It’s just a good situation.” In 2015, he was hoping to start in Chattanooga, but the team decided that he should begin in Ft. Myers. He pitched in just 16 Miracle games. In 15 innings, he gave up just four earned runs on 12 hits and four walks. He struck out 19. He was named to the Florida State League All-Star team but was instead promoted to Chattanooga. “I can say coming out of spring training, I was disappointed. I really wanted to play with basically the group that I started with (in Chattanooga). I wanted to be with those guys to start. There was a reason I went to Ft. Myers. I really needed it. I’m glad I did actually. Going up to Chattanooga, I was hitting full stride.” He gave the Lookouts a guy they could rely on in the back of their bullpen. He pitched 33 innings in 32 games for Chattanooga. He recorded 11 saves and posted a 2.73 ERA. He struck out 34, but he also walked 20. But that doesn’t tell the story. In his first 12 games with the Lookouts, he gave up three runs in 11.2 innings and went 1-0 with five saves. He had one clunker. On July 12, he gave up six earned runs on three hits and three walks in ⅔ of an inning. Then he ended the season with a 0.46 ERA in 18 games (19.2 innings) and opponents hit just .164 off of him. He gave up just one more run (on August 27). Note: This is also a reason why looking solely at ERA and WHIP for relievers isn’t the best way to measure their success. During the Chattanooga Lookouts run to the Southern League championship, Nick Burdi pitched the eighth inning. JT Chargois pitched the ninth inning. Jake Reed and Brandon Peterson were also dominant performers in that Lookout bullpen. Though the players were close, there was a measure of friendly competition among them as well. “I loved it. It’s kind of a competition. There are a very limited number of bullpen spots. I love having those guys around. I feel like I text Burdi all the time, wanting to compete. In the stadium. In the weight room. They’re great guys and great teammates. We feed off of each other and it’s a great camaraderie.” And being part of that championship with his teammates, the teammates he started with meant the world to him. “That group has won a several championships already. We won it in Elizabethton. I was really disappointed. I felt I was ready to come back when they won in Ft. Myers in 2014, but they won it then. I don’t know how to explain it. The camaraderie is great. Great talent. At the end of the year no one wants to go home. You want to play and you want to win.” Following the season, Chargois was able to go home. He had pitched enough for his first year back after missing two years. He didn’t go to the Arizona Fall League. He didn’t pitch in a foreign winter league. He was able to enjoy a normal offseason. Most important, he ended the season healthy. “Everything’s good. Following Dr. Andrew’s rehab program and just continued to do that throughout the season, modified it a little bit. Going through an injury like that, you understand the importance of doing all the little things that you have to do for your arm and your body.” Of course, in mid-November, the thought of being added to the 40-man roster comes to mind. It is a big deal for minor leaguers for a couple of reasons. First, financially, it is a nice boost to a minor league contract. Second, and probably more important, it removes one obstacle from an eventual call up to the big leagues. Third, it means you are required to go to big league spring training, an opportunity to be seen and work with the big league coaching staff and players. Though we at Twins Daily felt that it was a lock that he would be added, until he found out and it was official, you never know. “Talking to my agent, the days leading up to it, I was anxious, excited, nervous at the same time. I was on a little mini-vacation in Houston, hanging out. I was headed to the weight room and got the call. It was kind of crazy. Rob Antony let me know. It was really good news, but he also challenged me at the same time. It’s not something that’s just, you can’t take it for granted.” He won’t take it for granted. He’s already working in Ft. Myers, preparing for the season. What are his thoughts heading into spring training? Does he think he can compete for a big league job? “Absolutely! Not trying to waste any time. Mentally I’m ready. I feel like showing everyone in the front office and coaching staff that I can perform. I’ve turned my mindset into performing.” Chargois was last a Target Field after the draft. He saw Minnesota in June. This was his first trip to Minnesota in the winter. However, the opportunity to be there was a highlight for him. He was very excited to be there, meeting fans, as well as future teammates and coaches. “It’s good seeing guys that are accomplished in the major leagues, seeing how they work, seeing their routines. They know how to push things. Know when to back off. Definitely helpful being able being around guys like that. Being able to observe them. It’s cool. It’s really cool. Putting on this jersey, being around this stadium around the fans, the accommodations are really nice. It’s a great life!” It is a life (the big league life) that JT Chargois will need to get accustomed to, and probably soon. Click here to view the article

Can't imagine there are many minor league signings that are 'win-now' types. My only point, bring in depth, guys like this who have been there (Matt Thornton, some like that would be the same thing). I'm a "prospect guy" but I fully acknowledge that you can't just always go that direction.

Clearly the best case scenario would be where the guys that will and can help them win are also the guys with the potential... But, they've lost for long enough... now, at least for me, it's about winning now. The talent will rise to the top in time and when appropriate, but at this point, bullpen roles should go to the pitchers who can help them win. I don't know - and I'm not saying - that means Brandon Kintzler or Ryan Pressly or Nick Burdi or who... that'll play itself out.

The Twins were competing in 2015. It wasn't about further evaluation of players, it was about getting performance, and Boyer was find in that 6th/7th inning role. Again in 2016, it's not about development, it's about winning and getting to the playoffs. It's OK to have depth and let the best pitchers/players make the team, depending upon the role. Don't get me wrong. I think I, and the Twins, would love for the likes of Rogers, Melotakis, Burdi, Reed, Chargois, Meyer, etc., will take a run with a job at some point, but we shall see.

In mid-December, the Minnesota Twins announced a group of minor league signings and non-roster invitations to spring training. One of those names was relief pitcher Brandon Kintzler. Despite the fact that he has spent parts of the last six season in the big leagues pitching for the Twins Border Battle opponent in Milwaukee, Kintzler is not a household name. In an unusual decision for the Twins with a non-roster invite from another organization, they invited him to participate in Twins Fest. Twins Daily had the opportunity to talk to Kintzler and learn a little more about him.But before that, let’s take a look at some of his numbers. He posted a 6.43 ERA in just seven games before missing the rest of the season due to injury. However, in the two seasons prior to 2015, he was a workhorse in the Brewers bullpen. He pitched in 135 games (135.1 innings) he posted a 2.93 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP and walked just 2.1 per nine innings. Of course, the one less encouraging number is the 5.9 strikeouts per nine innings. He is a ground ball machine. For his MLB career, he has averaged about 2.7 groundouts per fly out. He coaxes a ground ball about 58% of the time. He throws a lot of sinking fastballs. He also mixes in a slider with an occasional change up. His path to the big leagues was a bit unusual. The Las Vegas native was the 40th round draft pick of the San Diego Padres in 2004 out of Dixie State College of Utah. He pitched that season and one more in that organization before he was released. He was a starter. “I went to independent ball. I actually played for the St. Paul Saints in ‘09. The Brewers signed me out of there.” After pitching in Winnipeg for the 2007 and 2008 seasons, he made 14 appearances for the Saints in 2009 before the Brewers signed him. They sent him right to AA. In 2010 after pitching to a 0.40 ERA in 20 AA games, he moved up to AAA. He posted a 2.36 ERA in 22 AAA games. In early September, 2010, the then-26-year-old made his major league debut. He was up and down with the Brewers the next two seasons before pitching in 71 games for the big league club in 2013. Kintzler felt great about his usage those years. He said, “The more I’m in there, the better I pitch, the more rhythm I have.” However, toward the end of the 2014 season, Kintzler started to experience some pain in his left knee, his landing knee. “I had knee surgery at the end of 2014. I actually pitched with a torn tendon all of that year. The rehab didn’t go well, so I had to strengthen my leg all last year. I tried to pitch. It just wasn’t happening. That’s probably why my numbers weren’t too good.” Of course, when you’re experience pain in one place on your body, there is a tendency to over-compensate elsewhere. “I’d take a knee over an arm. Problem is that it was affecting my arm. I strained my shoulder at the beginning of ‘14. It was affecting a lot of things. That’s why we basically shut it down for the year, and we took care of it. So now it’s good.” Unfortunately, it took experiencing the shoulder pain to even consider taking a look at his knee. That’s when Brewers doctors found that he had a torn tendon in his knee. That was very frustrating for the right-hander. Following the 2015 season, the Brewers removed Kintzler from their 40-man roster. He had some options, but he chose to sign with the Twins. “There were about five or six options out there. I’ve liked the Twins for awhile. Obviously I was rehabbing all year and they were a team I watched a lot. I felt like, with knowing Eddie Guardado ever since I was a kid, I’ve always wanted to play for him. It seemed like it was a good spot for me to be in.” How did Kintzler know Eddie G? “His agent was my coach when I was a kid, so I just knew him. He always came around and gave advice growing up a little bit. I’ve always heard good things. Now he’s the bullpen coach. I’ve heard a lot of people liked him a lot. I need guys like that, with that kind of attitude. When I was in Milwaukee, I played with Mike Gonzalez. He was kind of like the same attitude, and I had a great year. If I can be around someone like that, it’s good for me.” Twins fans often get frustrated with Terry Ryan for not telling them everything they want to know. However, players (Twins or free agents) appreciate how much of a straight-shooter that Ryan is. That was one of the things that made Kintzler pick the Twins. “I felt like they were going to give me the best chance. I wasn’t looking to be depth anywhere. I felt like I had two good years, in ‘13 and ‘14. Then last year it’s not like I had a bad year, I was just injured. I felt like they were going to give me the best opportunity, the best look in spring training. So, that’s why. They didn’t sign a bunch of guys, which is what I liked. I felt like they weren’t lying to me. It’s the best situation.” Not only was it clear to him that he was wanted when the Twins (and other teams) were courting him, but it has remained the case ever since. “Terry Ryan’s called me. Paul Molitor’s called me. I mean, that goes a long ways with any player. I don’t think the Brewers called me other than when I got released.” Asked what it meant for him to be invited to Twins Fest, again, something that the Twins don’t typically do with non-roster minor league free agents, Kintzler smiled and said it continues to make him feel good about his decision. “The fact that you get invited to this as a non-roster guy is big. I’ve been on the (MLB) roster the last five years, and when you’d see a guy coming in, you think that means a lot. The fact they invited me on the day after they signed me means a lot to me. It just shows that they were serious about the signing. It’s not just we’re going to sign you, and we’re going to lie to you, and you’ll be some depth. They’re really going to give me a chance.They obviously think highly of me if they want the fans to know me and the players to know me. Something I’ve really looked forward to.” Of course, he didn’t really know any of his new teammates having played in the National League, well, except one. “Basically I don’t know anyone, except Mike Strong who we claimed the other day. He’s the only other guy that I know.” Kintzler made it clear that he wasn’t just saying that he is in the best shape of his life, like we often read this time of the year. However, he does feel good for the first time in a couple of years. “I’ve just been trying to stay on the program I learned in my rehab. My legs feel really good. My throwing is great. It’s probably the best I’ve felt in three years. I’m really, really excited about how my body feels. I’ve learned a lot through my training as far as what I need and what I don’t need through the therapist. You learn things as you go. It sucks that I had to miss last year, but if it helps me gain another five or six years, that’s fine with me.” And that’s the right attitude for the 31-year-old to have. He is healthy and optimistic that he can make the team and contribute. “I’ve just been pitching with so many knee injuries, now that I’m finally healthy, I’m really excited for what’s to come. It will be different, but I like the fresh start. I think it was time for me to get a fresh start away from Milwaukee, and obviously they’re doing a fresh start too.” This is the kind of minor league contract that made a world of sense for the Twins. It is a low-risk deal. Though he likely would not be a back-of-the-bullpen option, he could be a guy who throws often and gets a lot of ground balls. He will be given a chance, and if he performs as well as Blaine Boyer did most of 2016, Twins fans should be happy. Click here to view the article

Just guessing, but I just can't see Kepler pitching a lot of innings for the Twins in 2016.

I don't think it's realistic - or probably fair - to expect him to make the Opening Day roster. I would expect him to go to Chattanooga and get some work. However, at that point, once he's comfortable, able to work back-to-back days, stuff like that, it's really just a matter of time. And, there's no real way to know how everything will come together post-TJ Surgery.

I did notice that the majority of the winners of the shaving kits were bald guys and guys with full beards.

For me, it was really fun talking to him because he had such great energy. He was truly excited to be at Twins Fest and hanging out with the other players. At the same time, he is really driven and excited to be back. And, we can't really look too much at his minor league numbers as a starter as any indication of what he can be as a reliever. He has the potential to be terrific.

Bullpen has been the talk in Twins Territory throughout the offseason. It becomes more intensely debated each time a left-handed reliever signs or is traded. Tony Sipp. Antonio Bastardo. Jake McGee. Those are the big names, but one pitcher to watch this spring training is lefty Mason Melotakis.One of the biggest question marks for the Twins this offseason, and throughout Twins Fest weekend, is the bullpen, specifically, left-handed options for the bullpen. Brian Duensing and Neal Cotts are gone. Fernando Abad has a chance to be a quality arm. But two internal options will get an opportunity to make the team as well. Taylor Rogers and Mason Melotakis were added to the Twins 40-man roster in November and each has a chance to be very good. We wrote a lot about Taylor Rogers during the last few seasons since he was the Twins 11th-round pick in 2012 out of the University of Kentucky. He was our choice for Starting Pitcher of the Year in 2013 and has moved up a level each year since, as a starter. However, his numbers against left-handers indicate that he could be very good out of the bullpen. We may know less about Mason Melotakis. So today we’ll get to know a little more about him. He grew up in Grapevine, Texas, where he was a big Texas Rangers fan. “I was always a Rangers fan growing up. Me and my dad used to watch them every night. I’ve bled baseball ever since I can remember. We’ve always been at the field, but the Rangers are who we watched until now.” Now? “Oh, I’m a Twins fan!” He was a good pitcher in high school, but following his graduation he was not drafted. “I was undersized in high school. I was tall, but I didn’t get weight. I didn’t get any of my weight until college. I was under the radar in high school. When I got to college, I got weight, muscle came, velo came. Things started to all come together at that point. That’s when being drafted was a possibility.” He was the Twins 2nd-round pick in 2012 out of Northwestern State University of Louisiana. He was a reliever in college, but he was tried as a starter early in his career. He split the 2013 season between the rotation and the bullpen. In 2014, he made two starts before the organization decided to keep him in the bullpen for good. It is a decision that Melotakis fully supports. “I think I’m just going to be a bullpen guy. I enjoy the bullpen. I like that crazy attitude coming in when the game’s on the line and they need you. I like that mentality. I was a closer in college, so having that kind of pressure situation is something I’ve been accustomed to over the years. I enjoy that role.I enjoy relieving, being able to compete every day.” Unfortunately, a month after being moved back to the bullpen, he started to feel some pain. “It was all of a sudden. I had never had arm problems. It felt good that day. I was actually throwing harder, and then one pitch, it just kind of happened. It seems like the horror story for everybody.” He tried for two months to rehab in Ft. Myers, hoping to avoid the dreaded Tommy John surgery. However, on October 14, Melotakis was in New York where Dr. David Altcheck performed the surgery. It meant that he had to miss the entire 2015 season. He was very disappointed, frustrated. “It was a frustrating season especially since I was on that Chattanooga team. It was also a big season for me. I wanted to prove myself and show my worth and compete. Sitting out that season was a little frustrating, but it also let’s you know what you’re working toward and kept me motivated.” Knowing he would need to spend the 2015 season and offseasons in Ft. Myers, Melotakis made a big purchase. “I bought a house (in Ft. Myers) when I found out about surgery, so now I’m going to continue this (workout out there). The guys we have down there, the training staff, the amenities are fantastic.” Melotakis followed the plan throughout his season of rehab. He was at 11 months (following surgery) when the Twins Florida Instructional League began in late September. He didn’t pitch in games, but he was able to participate. “ I was throwing bullpens, but it wasn’t in games. I wasn’t able to throw an inning. But I was able to face some guys in a game-like situation, but it was batting practice. It was nice to face hitters and feel like you’re in a game, but nothing’s better than the real deal.” Reports came out of Ft. Myers that Melotakis was hitting 97 mph again with his fastball. One year after Tommy John surgery, that is quite impressive. More encouraging, he didn’t need to try to come back at that time. He still had the entire offseason to keep working and try to be ready for spring training. Those reports likely made the Twins’ decision of whether to add him to their 40-man roster, but right before Thanksgiving, Melotakis received a call he had been waiting for but wasn’t sure if he would get. “I was actually been working toward this. I was hoping, but I knew, having Tommy John, that it was going to be a tough decision for them. I got a call when I was in Ft. Myers, and I was ecstatic. I was by myself. I had just flown in from Texas for three days, and I got a call there. I was celebrating by myself. So when I got home (to Texas), I was able to see my parents and give them a hug and we were all very happy” It was Rob Antony who called Melotakis. After gathering himself on the phone, Melotakis informed Antony of his plans. “It’s something you work toward all your life. I told him, honestly, I’m honored to be on the 40- and, but I’m excited to be on the 25-man.” Lofty goals, but certainly attainable. The Twins will likely be cautious with Melotakis since he has not pitched in a game situation since August of 2014. That said, when spring training starts in mid-February, he will be at 16 months following his surgery. He will be given a shot to make the Opening Day roster. “I’m going to compete. I plan on competing and getting my name in contention for breaking with the team out of spring training. That’s my goal. It’s been my goal ever since I knew I would be back. I’m looking to compete. I”m hoping to make a name for myself and hopefully earn a spot.” It really isn’t a case of IF Mason Melotakis will pitch for the Twins. The only question really is WHEN. Will it be Opening Day? There is a chance. Will it be in 2016? There is a very good chance. When a left-hander has the ability to throw 97 mph, he will get an opportunity. But having started, he also was able to develop his other pitchers. “I actually worked on my change-up a lot when I was rehabbing, and it was actually a good pitch. I’m going to do a three-pitch mix. It’s a fastball, with a two-seam as well, a slurve, and a change-up.” When this Twins Daily writer was approaching Melotakis in the clubhouse to request an interview, he had to wait a couple of minutes. Torii Hunter was back there, chatting with Melotakis and his parents. Melotakis and his father excitedly got a picture taken with the Twins newest Hall of Famer. What a moment for pitcher and family! This was Melotakis’ first Twins Fest, but it was not his first trip to Minneapolis and to Target Field. After being drafted by the Twins in 2012, he came to town to take a physical and sign with the team. “It was beautiful,” He quickly added, “Not that it’s not beautiful now, but it’s fun to see a different season and seeing snow and seeing how Minnesota would be in your mind. Being here just makes you even more hungry.” Melotakis enjoyed Twins Fest. He knew most of the players, but he was excited to meet the veterans as well and learn from them. He wants to join them at Target Field in the regular season. “I want to be here. That’s the main thing.” It was also important for him to bring his parents to Twins Fest. He knows that when he gets The Call to the big leagues, they will be there. “They’re just ecstatic for me. They've been the best supporters that I could possibly want. I just know that they’ll be there, whatever day it is. I get that call. I know they’ll be right there with me.” Melotakis (pronounced Melo-TACK-is) is a very intriguing player for Twins fans to watch in spring training. If he performs, he could make the Opening Day roster. More likely, he’ll start the season in Chattanooga just to get some innings in. Since he will be 16-17 months post-Tommy John, it really is just a matter of time and confidence. Like all those other big-time relief pitching prospects in the Twins system, Melotakis has a chance to be a real difference maker in the back of the Twins bullpen for years to come. Click here to view the article

Completely agree.