Seth Stohs

The Twins dropped a 5-2 decision to the Tampa Bay Rays at Hammond Stadium in Ft. Myers, Florida, on Wednesday afternoon. Although the score of the game doesn’t matter in the least during spring training, what happens during the game can tell us some information. There were certainly some highlights for the Twins in this game. If this was hockey and you wanted to award three stars, they would be as follows: Third star – Brian Dozier, second star – Chris Herrmann, first star – Tommy Milone.You could possibly argue the order in which those three are mentioned, but nonetheless, each had a good spring training game and has something to build upon. Let’s start where it all starts for a baseball team, starting pitching. Left-hander Tommy Milone made his second spring training start of the season. Before the game, GM Terry Ryan was asked what he would look for in a starter’s second spring start. He said, “Each outing they go, you’re just looking for them to be a little sharper, a little better command. Then there’s pitch count. Stretch him out and keep stretching him out. He threw pretty well the last time out. This should be a good challenge because this is the same team he faced last time out. It’s one of those things that you pay attention to. You see the same team, they got a good look at you.” Last time out, Milone went two innings. The goal was for him to reach three innings in this outing, and he did just that. He completed three shutout innings, allowing three hits without a walk. He also struck out three batters. Milone said that he felt good on the mound. “Throwing the fastball where I wanted, especially in, was pretty important. I think it was good to face a lineup with a lot of lefties. Get some balls inside and then work away.” He was also able to work out of trouble a couple of times. In the second inning, he gave up a one-out double. In the third inning, he gave up a double and an infield single. In both situations, he kept the Rays from scoring, something his manager, Paul Molitor, thinks will be important for Milone. “Tommy did a real nice job with base runners today. (He) contained guys that were trying to run; holding the ball, trying different moves. He’s going to have base runners along the way because he’s not really a strikeout guy. That’s important for him.” Milone said, “Especially early in camp, second game out, it’s nice. Obviously you don’t want to be in those situations, but it’s a learning experience to get through that and get your confidence up there.” Overall, Molitor, was pleased with the lefty. “I thought it was another good day. He’s using his fastball plenty for a guy who’s throwing 86, 87. His deception is good enough. He’s commanded his offspeed pitches so far in his first couple of outings where he’s been effective. He’s jamming right-handers. He’s got them out in front of the change up. A good day.” Milone summarized his outing by saying, “Any time you go out and throw up zeroes, it’s a good day.” Brian Dozier had a terrific game as well. The second baseman made a long running catch on a short liner in shallow right field. However, he also went 3-3 at the plate. His manager was very happy with, not just the results, but with the process Dozier used. “He had a really good day today with the bat. He stayed on a couple of pitches back up the middle. He’s a guy that most of his power is pull, but obviously when we can use more of the field especially deeper in the count, it’s going to be advantageous for him to increase opportunities to get on base. It was good to see. And even in his last at-bat, taking the ball out to right center.” If he can do some of those things, like use the whole field and cut down on the strikeouts, over time he will begin to hit for a higher batting average. The third guy that had a very good game for the Twins on Wednesday was Chris Herrmann. In his first at-bat, he hit a line drive down the left field line that landed fair and bounced into the seats for a ground-rule double. In his second plate appearance, he hit a hard ball that got through the first baseman for an error. In his final at-bat of the day, he absolutely crushed a fastball, beyond the right field fence, beyond all of the seating and to the back of the concourse for his first home run of the spring. After catching in his previous appearances this spring, he got the start in left field on Wednesday afternoon. As I wrote Tuesday, Herrmann was working with a first baseman’s glove and being tutored by Doug Mientkiewicz. The plan is for Herrmann to play some first base on Thursday. Herrmann insisted that he really wants to let people know that he is a catcher first and foremost, but Molitor says that his ability to play other positions will be a factor in his opening day roster decision. “Versatility is important for him. He didn’t really get a chance really to catch at the big league level last year because he was used in the outfield or DH or pinch hit. We’re still considering him for backup (catcher) possibilities, but the fact that he can do other things is one of his advantages as far as his profile and what we’re going to do when filling out the roster. Trying to mix him around. I’m going to get him out there at first base tomorrow in the second half of the game because he’s got to be able to do that too if he’s going to make this team. So, yeah, versatility is one of his assets for sure.” The other key story from Wednesday’s game was that it was the first appearance in a game this spring for Josmil Pinto. He’s been working out more the last full days. Terry Ryan said it was important for him to start getting some game action as spring training is in full swing. Pinto got three plate appearance. He worked a walk in his first plate appearance after fouling off several pitches. He had another long battle with the pitcher in his second plate appearance though he ended up grounding into a double play. He flew out to the warning track in left field his third appearance. Molitor just wanted to make sure he was ready to go. He added, “The last thing you want to do is have a lingering leg injury as a catcher. He told me he was ready. He got through it cleanly today so the plan is to catch him tomorrow unless he comes in tomorrow and says that he had a setback. He said he felt fine during the game today. We’ve got to get him back on the plate, starting tomorrow.” The Twins lost the game 5-2, but there were some very good moments in the game that are encouraging. Of course, spring training is about different things for different players. Many are competing for roster spots or to make an impression. Molitor was asked about Trevor Plouffe who is clearly going to open the season as the team’s starting third baseman. He said, “Spring training is a process. Sometimes you approach things different. For some guys, it just doesn’t happen right away. It’s not a matter of not preparing, or not working hard. It’s just kind of how they’re going about their process of getting ready.” On Thursday, the Twins will be home again, this time against Mike Redmond and the Miami Marlins. Phil Hughes will take the ball to start. Also, minor leaguers hold their first official practice on Thursday. I’ll be there, so again, be sure to check back to Twins Daily, follow Twins Daily and Seth on Twitter, and “Like” Twins Daily on Facebook for updates throughout the day. Click here to view the article

Those were my comments on the Gophers/NIT. He's too nice to have said it. ha!

The mustache game is strong! Today on the minor league side, they had physicals and photo day. So, not many even went out and worked out as tomorrow is the day that it all officially begins.

It’s Wednesday in Ft. Myers. It’s Game Day, and the grounds crew at Hammond Stadium has made this field look pristine. It’s going to be another hot day in southwest Florida, with temperatures nearing 90 degrees. As always in Florida, there is a chance of rain. In fact, a good chance. I had a chance to catch up with several Twins players in the clubhouse this morning, and now I’ll empty out the notebook.MAX KEPLER While fans were talking about Byron Buxton and Eddie Rosario during the Arizona Fall League, Max Kepler had arguably the most productive statistical showing among the Twins prospects. He said that he felt good throughout that seven-week season, but that the experience was terrific. “We had a really good team. Obviously we won a lot of games and the AFL championship, but it was just a great group of guys. There wasn’t one guy who didn’t fit in. And, we won a lot of games. Kepler spent much of the offseason back home in Germany. However, he returned to the States and stayed with his sister in Tampa. He said he feels much more comfortable this year in spring training than he did a year ago. He played mostly in the outfield in 2014. This spring, he has started games in right field and at first base. He said he is comfortable both places. Kepler is hoping – maybe assuming – that he will begin the 2015 season in Chattanooga. He was mostly healthy in 2014, though he missed almost two weeks during the season with strep throat. However, at 6-4 and 230 pounds, the 22-year-old has a chance to hit for a lot of power. ALEX MEYER “It’s been probably the toughest five weeks of my life.” That’s how Alex Meyer described his current situation. First, the dog shared by Meyer and his fiancé died unexpectedly. Just after spring training started, he learned that his grandpa passed away. “It’s been real hard. We were very close, but I guess it’s a part of life. Not the good part, but just have to move on.” Meyer made his spring debut and really struggled with his control. “It was surprising because I had thrown live batting practice at practice and my control was pinpoint, which was surprising to me too.” It’s important not to make much out of a first outing in spring training. That’s where adjustments start to happen. Meyer is excited to be a part of the 2015 Minnesota Twins. He believes that Ricky Nolasco will be really good this year, and Mike Pelfrey can bounce back and be solid. He is excited to be on the same team as Ervin Santana because “his stuff is nasty.” He knows a lot of people are down on the Twins in 2015. “I see when places like ESPN say that we’ll be the worst team in the American League, but I look around this room and see this collection of talent. Every year there are teams that no one expects to win many games and then they surprise people. I don’t see why we can’t do that this year.” JAMES BERESFORD Infielder James Beresford decided not to play in the Australia Baseball League the last two winters. He acknowledges that there is good and bad with that decision. “If I played all offseason in Australia, I would be much more game-ready in the field and at the plate at the beginning of spring training. However, by not playing throughout the winter, and working out and getting stronger, I feel much better, much more prepared later in the season.” In 2015, he had 556 plate appearances in Rochester. And speaking of strength, Beresford doubled his career total home runs. He hit .276 with two homers. One thing that Beresford is happy about is that he didn’t fight jet lag as much when he arrived in Ft. Myers almost a month ago. “The key is, no matter how tired you are, to stay awake during the day as long as you can. If you come here and sleep all day for a couple of days, it’s just going to take longer.” Beresford is a strong defensive infielder. Although he has primarily played second base the last few seasons, he can play all three infield positions well. There may not be an opening for a utility infielder on opening day, but if Beresford is strong in June or July and there is a need, he plans to be ready. His parents are planning a trip to the United States to watch their son play this summer. All parties are hoping that they will need to make plans to come to Minneapolis, even if it means altering their route. They’ll happily pay the flight change price. Beresford added, “I’ll happily pick up that cost!” DOUG BERNIER Last September, I had to take a business trip to San Francisco for work. In a Minneapolis airport bookstore, I found a book by John Fienstein entitled “Where Nobody Knows Your Name.” In John Feinstein’s book, he tells many stories about players (and coaches and even umpires) who took a long time to get to the big leagues or maybe even had to work their way back after getting to the big leagues earlier in their career. I read about 100 pages on the plane in September. So, when I flew on Sunday to Ft. Myers, I started again at about page 110. After just a couple of chapters, suddenly there it was. There is an entire chapter on Doug Bernier. As you recall, Bernier had a three-day stint in the big leagues with the Colorado Rockies in 2008. He got in as a defensive replacement one game, and knowing Troy Tulowitzki was coming back the next day, he got a start. In all, he went 0-4. The chapter talks about his time with the Yankees AAA team in 2009 and 2011 (he was with the Pirates system in 2010). He played in big league spring training with some of the greats like Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano. In fact, one spring Jeter was hurt and Bernier had the chance to play a lot of shortstop. I asked Bernier about that book this morning. He said that he had talked with Feinstein before, and one day he called him up. “He basically explained the premise of the book, and I thought it was a great idea. We made a road trip together and talked about all of that information.” Has he read the book? “Yeah. I read it. I read my chapter. I think I’ve read the whole book. What I typically will do is pick up the book and pick a random chapter here and there and read it. I really enjoy the stories. Bernier returned to the big leagues in 2013 with the Twins. He was with the Twins throughout the second half of the season. He was also called up to the Twins last September. The 34-year-old is back in spring training hoping for another opportunity in 2015. QUICK NOTES Spent a little time talking to Trevor Plouffe. He said that he had a pretty regular offseason other than the first month or so doing some rehab. His wife, Olivia, is five months pregnant with the couple’s first child, a son. You can definitely see in his face that he is really excited about it, understandably!AJ Achter is expecting Michigan State to get an 8 or 9 seed, which can be a pretty scary seed. The Spartans are not used to that kind of seeding in an NCAA tournament. “I guess it says something about the program that we’re disappointed in an 8 or 9 seed.” As a Minnesotan, I think Gophers fans would be excited if their team got an 8 or 9 seed in the NIT.Mitch Garver said he expects to get “another five or six days” in big league camp, but he has enjoyed the experience and learned a lot.I talked to Aaron Hicks a little bit. I didn’t ask him about the base running blunder in Tuesday’s game (he forgot the number of outs and was pulled from the game). He knew it was a mistake, and he will learn from it.Before the game, there was a large crowd of Twins fans gathered around the field adjacent to Hammond Stadium. They were getting a show as Miguel Sano and Kennys Vargas were hitting blasts well beyond the outfield fences. They each spent a lot of time on fielding as well. Check back to Twins Daily throughout the day. I’ll post another article or two during the day and through the weekend. Twins Daily will have coverage of Twins spring training leading right up to Opening Day. You can also follow Twins Daily (Or SethTweets!) on Twitter, and be sure to Like the Twins Daily Facebook page for updates and pictures throughout the month. Click here to view the article

If the Twins do sign him for the rumored $4 million price tag, it will be a bit over their slot for international signing. They would need to make a trade or two to acquire more international slot value.

Probably too early to answer that but it was a good sign.

That would be the reason. I mean, he did miss an entire season.

The Minnesota Twins made a two-hour road trip early on Tuesday morning north to Dunedin. A couple of regulars made the trip, but most of the veterans stayed back in Ft. Myers and got in their work. I remained in Ft. Myers as well and made frequent treks between the big league workouts and the minor league workouts and below you can read some of my notes from the day. The Twins won their game in Dunedin 5-3. Kennys Vargas gave the Twins a 1-0 lead with a long home run off of former Twins pitcher R.A. Dickey. He wasn’t the only former Twins player to play for the Blue Jays against the Twins on Tuesday. Danny Valencia played third base and went 2-3. Steven Tolleson, who was on the Twins 40-man roster until they signed Jim Thome before the 2010 season, went 1-2 and played third base and right field. Lefty Andrew Albers pitched a scoreless inning and struck out one. Chris Colabello is also a non-roster invite with the Blue Jays. On Wednesday, the Twins are at Hammond Stadium, so I’ll be at my first of three games this week.It’s starting to get warm in southwest Florida. Some of the guys who live in Ft. Myers pointed out that it is pretty much 75 degrees every day through the offseason, but this week, the highs are in the mid-to-upper 80s. If you are going to Ft. Myers, be sure to bring the sunscreen, and a hat! If you missed it, I wrote a story earlier today about JO Berrios. I talked to him as he was going through Fan Mail and signing a lot of cards. Before diving deeper into some minor league stories, here are some quick observations from big league camp: Chris Herrmann was working with Doug Mientkiewicz over at first base this morning during PFPs (Pitchers Fielding Pactice). Obviously he has the athleticism and the ability to play all over the diamond. He has caught, played both corner outfield positions, some first base, and he played a lot of third base in college. However, when I talked to him he was pretty clear, “I want them to know that I am a catcher. That’s where I want to do the majority of my work.” To that point, he has only caught (and DH'd) in Twins games to this point.Josmil Pinto has been sidelined due to a strained quad. He is yet to play in a game. On Monday, he caught a couple of bullpens and took some batting practice. On Tuesday, he was doing full workout and catching activities as well as taking a round of batting practice. When I saw him launching baseballs well beyond the left-field fence, it appeared to me that he is getting very close to making his spring debut. Brian Dozier was taking some ground balls at third base this morning on Tom Kelly Field. Before you get alarmed, let me explain. They were working on various activities on the field. Sam Perlozzo was working on backhands with Dozier, Miguel Sano and Trevor Plouffe who were standing at third base. So no, we aren’t likely to see Brian Dozier at third base this season.For me, it's always so much fun when I see people from Twins history working with people from the Twins future. On Tuesday, Tom Kelly took time to work with Miguel Sano on some positioning at third base. Sano took it all in. O’ROURKE’S TWINS DEBUT The first person I talked to in the locker room was lefty Ryan O’Rourke. The southpaw received a non-roster invitation to big league camp following a strong season in 2014, all but one game with the New Britain Rock Cats. He is a native of Worcester, Massachusetts, which is just under an hour from Boston. Last Thursday, he made his first Twins appearance of the spring against the Boston Red Sox. O’Rourke, who held lefties to a ridiculous slash line of .114/.162/.129 (.291) came into the game with the bases loaded and Dustin Pedroia up to bat. As you recall, the Red Sox All-Star hit a grand slam. However, Paul Molitor talked to O’Rourke a day later about the outing. He acknowledged it wasn’t an ideal situation, but that he did a nice job of shaking that off and getting the next hitters out. They were also right-handed, big league hitters (including Mike Napoli). O’Rourke has been in Ft. Myers for about three weeks. He spent a little over a month in his hometown this winter. He spent over a month pitching in Venezuela. When he returned to Massachusetts, he taught pitching lessons to kids in the area. It was the first offseason as a pro that he didn’t work a 40+ hour work at a financial firm. He said, “Believe it or not, I did miss that job.” While O’Rourke knows he is a long-shot to make the Twins opening day roster, he is thrilled to have been given this opportunity to work with the Twins coaches and learn from some veterans. That said, he is very competitive and is competing for a job, if not now, then if needed during the year. JASON KANZLER AND THE MUSTACHE It’s funny. You never know what is going to grab people’s attention. Jason Kanzler’s mustache is one of those things. People ask me all the time about it. Yesterday, I wrote that he had the mustache, but it included some beard too. He said that he was planning to clean it up last night for the opening of the minor league practices. This morning, when he was between fields, he came over and I was able to get the first picture of his 2015 mustache. You have to enjoy the twists at the end of it. The Mustache gets a lot of attention, but Jason Kanzler is certainly worth getting to know. Mitch Garver, Kanzler’s teammate when he was with Cedar Rapids last year, was the choice for Minor League Hitter of the Year in 2014. Kanzler came in fourth. Between Cedar Rapids and Ft. Myers, he hit .282/.344/.444 (.788) with 11 doubles, nine triples and 12 home runs. He also stole 27 bases. He has played all three outfield positions, but he is best in centerfield. He was a two-time Gold Glove outfielder in college. He spent the offseason in Houston working out and feels really good going into the season. He said, “Getting here early and getting to hit against live pitching before the official minor league workouts really feels good.” LEWIS THORPE THROWS LIVE BATTING PRACTICE As you know, Lewis Thorpe’s offseason ended near the close of the regular season last year because of a “slight tear of his UCL.” Obviously that news created a lot of concern among the Twins and their fans. He has rehabbed in Ft. Myers for much of the offseason. On Tuesday, he warmed up in the bullpen. Moments later, he was on the mound. He said, “It was my first time facing hitters since my last outing last season.” Obviously it was a big step for him. He threw about 40 total pitches. He didn’t quite have his control all of the time, but obviously that isn’t the concern. That will come. He was happy with the outing. He said afterwards, “I felt good. Just control was a bit of a problem. Fastball was coming out real well, and my breaking ball and change-up need some touch up.” COREY WILLIAMS IN A BULLPEN Left-hander Corey Williams was the Twins third round pick in 2011 out of Vanderbilt. Last year at this time, he started feeling some elbow pain when he pitched. On April 1st, he had Tommy John surgery and missed the entire season. He has spent most of the offseason in Ft. Myers, though he was able to get away for a few weeks to get married and go on a honeymoon. He has been working out and building up that arm strength. As an observer of his bullpen session, he really only threw fastballs, but they had good life, some good velocity. After his bullpen session, he said his elbow felt really good and continues to get stronger. He said that he is scheduled to face live pitching for the first time on Friday. As for whether he’ll be ready for opening day, he isn’t really thinking about it. He said he’s still got some things to get through before worrying about that. However, he thinks it is a real possibility to break with a club. The best scenario might be for him to stay in Ft. Myers with the Miracle so he can be monitored by the staff here. NICK GORDON The Twins top pick in 2014, Nick Gordon, is listed at 6-0 and 160 pounds. He may not be much heavier than that, but considering his size, he really has some pop in his bat. I’ve seen him hit quite a bit the last couple of days. He has a very smooth, fluid left-handed swing. He uses the entire field very well. He has good confidence at the plate. However, when he gets a good pitch, and he’s swinging hard, he can hit the ball well beyond the outfield fence. He has done that several times. One person with the Twins told me, “He has a chance to be really good.” Again, lots of photos of Day 2 have been uploaded to the Twins Daily Facebook Page and also the Twins Daily Twitter account. Be sure to “Like” and “Follow” those sites, respectively. Continue to keep story ideas coming from both the major league and minor league sides. Minor leaguers reported on Tuesday. On Wednesday, they have physicals and photos. Thursday is their first official workout. Click here to view the article

He's not on the 40-man roster, so they're not as worried about the injury concern with him as they would be with Sano (who is on the 40 man roster). That said, I think he'll go down fairly early because they'll want to stretch him (and Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey and Jason Wheeler) out so they're ready to start when the minor league seasons start. I'd be surprised if he's up by July, but nothing he does will totally shock me.

Rosario is the one of that group with the best chance of starting at Rochester. The other two will definitely start in Chattanooga.

I don't know if Miracle players aren't eligible to live in the dorm, but a lot of them are moving out toward the end of the week. It can be difficult because some guy who think they'll start with the Miracle may start in Chattanooga or Cedar Rapids.

I walked into the Twins clubhouse at Hammond Stadium this morning. There were a couple of games of cards being played. Some players were on their phones at their locker. 20-year-old Jose (JO) Berrios sat at his desk quietly. He had a stack of envelopes in his locker and one on the floor next to his chair. He had a Sharpie in his hand and was carefully writing his name on the baseball cards with his picture on them.As I approached him, he extended his hand and said, “Hi Seth. How are you doing?” After exchanging pleasantries, I said to the young pitching prospect, “Wow! That is a lot of envelopes! Is that normal?” He nodded and said, “Every day! It is this many almost every day.” Such is life for the Twins prospect, but he seems to enjoy it. Letters from all over the country and from his native Puerto Rico. Each starts with “Hi Mr. Berrios. You are a very good pitcher.” Or at least something to that effect. Some letters are long, and some are short. He takes the time to read them and sign. This isn’t JO Berrios’s first trip to big league spring training. Two years ago, Berrios was able to work out with the Twins during major league spring training because he had been named to Puerto Rico’s World Baseball Classic roster. He pitched out of the team’s bullpen as an 18-year-old that year. This year, his experience has already been different. He said, “That year, I was just here because I was training for the World Baseball Classic. This time, I am here competing for a spot.” The Twins supplemental first-round draft choice in 2012 took a big step forward in his career in 2014. He was named the Minor League Pitcher of the Year by the Minnesota Twins, as well as the Twins Daily Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year. He began the season in Ft. Myers and finished his season with a start on the final weekend for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. He started the Florida State League All-Star game as well as MLB’s Futures Game at Target Field. Overall, he went 12-8 with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. In 139.2 innings, he struck out 140 batters while walking just 38. This spring, he has pitched twice, both two-inning stints. Asked how he was feeling, Berrios said, “Everything is good. Arm feels really good.” He is also happy that his wife and their daughter are in Ft. Myers with him during spring training. They attend the home Twins games, and he enjoys being able to go home to them at the end of each day. Most likely, Berrios will begin his 2015 season at Double-A Chattanooga, but he is focused. That doesn’t surprise anyone who has seen the videos of his workout and the drive that he has. At this point, who are we to put it past him? Click here to view the article

Today is report day, so many minor leagues are just flying in today. Tomorrow is photo day and they get their physicals. They'll still do workouts, but it won't be the full squad, full practice stuff. I think that you can tell if a player has grown (physically or just as a ballplayer). It may not always show up in the stats, but I think a person could tell. Obviously the closer you are to that person, the more you'd notice for sure.

Good thing I put that toward the end!!

For the next month, Twins Daily will be in Ft. Myers, filing daily reports from The Fort. Seth made the trek to southwest Florida. On Monday, he arrived at Hammond Stadium. Despite few players being at the stadium, we were able to see a lot of baseball action and talk to a few players. Below you will find a quick report from Day 1.TWO TEAMS ON THE ROAD The Twins played two games in Bradenton on Monday. The regularly-scheduled game ended in a 1-1 tie, the Twins lone run coming on a long home run off the bat of Miguel Sano. The teams also played a “B” game earlier in the day and the Twins won that game 2-1. That game was for some of the guys in camp who don’t play as much, or needed to get innings. Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey and Jason Wheeler each pitched. They are in big league camp, but they need to be stretched out so that they can be ready to start when the minor league games start next month. The players who headed north left early, so I got there just after the bus left. So, it was a little quieter around Hammond Stadium. However, Torii Hunter and Joe Mauer remained back and worked. There were a lot of pitchers who stayed back as well. Phil Hughes and Mike Pelfrey threw bullpens. Glen Perkins was going to throw a bullpen, but he continued to experience pain in his right side. According to the Star-Tribune, he is going to see the Twins physicians on Tuesday. Other pitchers worked on Tom Kelly Field, with Tom Kelly and Doug Mientkiewicz, on more pitcher fielding ractice. Mauer fed them ground balls from first base. When the pitchers were done, they went to the bullpen and worked on bunting with Rod Carew. It was kind of interesting to see relievers working on bunting, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared for anything. HANSON HELPS THE BIG LEAGUE CLUB Because of the lack of numbers for the big league workout today, Nate Hanson was called over to Hammond Stadium to help out. Hanson was the Twins 28th round pick in 2008 out of the University of Minnesota. He became a minor league free agent for the first time this last offseason, but after weighing his options, he chose to return to the Twins. During PFP’s, he played at 3B and caught the throws from the pitchers after the bunts. After the first “bunt” thrown by Tom Kelly, the pitcher threw to Hanson. It was a perfect throw, chest high, and Hanson caught it. He tossed it back to the pitcher and readied himself for the next throw. Before that happened, Kelly yelled “Great play, Nate!” He chuckled, and after most throws from the pitchers throughout the rest of the drills, they would say, “Great play, Nate!” as he tossed them back the ball. He took batting practice, and at one point, he hit two, long home runs over the left field wall that were hit further than others on the day. It will be an interesting year for Hanson. He has spent time in Rochester each of the last two seasons, though most of those seasons were spent in New Britain. In his professional career, he has played first base, second base, third base, left field and right field. He is usually the third hitter on his team and teammates describe him as “professional.” The former Gopher told me he was at the Gophers/Twins game last Wednesday night. He is still friends with some of the Gophers players, coaches and other personnel. MINOR LEAGUE CAMP Tuesday marks the official report day for Twins minor leaguers. However, in talking with Tommy Watkins, he said that there were 93 minor leaguers there on Monday to work out. When their first full workout takes place on Thursday, there will be as many as 145 on the four back fields. I had to ask if he thought that having the new Twins academy so conveniently close was the reason. He nodded and said that it definitely helps. The players are able to get three meals and live there for very little. The players there are fed three meals a day. There are nutritionists as well, so they do not have options that are not healthy. There are not “bad” options such as pop for the players. Understandably, the Twins invest money in these players and in their development. Nutrition is a part that had not been a focus. It was talked about, but having the academy allows them to push it even further. After spending time stretching and running, hitters took batting practice. Several pitchers threw live batting practice to the hitters. Pat Dean, Stephen Gonsalves, Ethan Mildren and Aaron Slegers were among pitchers who threw to hitters from the mound. HARRISON HOPES FOR A BIG YEAR 2011 Twins supplemental first-round pick Travis Harrison came over and spent a few minutes with me after the day’s workout. He spent the 2014 season in Ft. Myers where he hit .269/.361/.365 (.726) with 33 doubles, a triple and three home runs. He was also playing the outfield for the first time as a professional. Asked how he felt about his progression in the field went, he said, “It wasn’t bad at all. I played outfield in high school, including centerfield, so it wasn’t a problem.” He said that he is expecting to have a big year. He said, “I learned a lot about hitting last year from Doug (Mientkiewicz).” Despite the lack of home runs, he has no question that he can hit a lot of home runs. He has always had tremendous strength, but he said that he is stronger than he has ever been. For the first time, he spent the offseason in Ft. Myers. He worked out with Kyle Gibson and Twins Minor League Strength and Conditioning Coordinator Erik Beiser. He says he can’t control where he starts the season but really believes that he’ll start in Chattanooga. THE RETURN OF DINKELMAN The Twins have several new coaches in the minor leagues in 2015. JP Martinez and Virgil Vazquez will be pitching coaches for the GCL Twins. Javier Valentin will be a coach in the GCL. Twins fans will also be interested to know that Brian Dinkelman will be a hitting coach in the GCL. I had a chance to talk to him at the end of the workouts on Monday. He arrived in Ft. Myers last Tuesday and has been working with the players who are there. Asked if he was always planning on coaching, he said, “It has always been something I knew I’d want to do. I spent last year coaching high school baseball, and then this opportunity came up.” THE RETURN OF THE MUSTACHE One of the most interesting stories of the 2014 season was the mustache of Jason Kanzler. It was one of those things that needed updated pictures throughout the season. The mustache is back, though on Monday, there was some beard that went along with it. After posting the above picture of the current mustache situation, Kanzler assures his fans (or the fans of his mustache) that he will “clean it up tonight. Me and the 'stache are coming out hot tomorrow.” Twins Daily is making an effort to get the first photo of the 2015 Mustache. If you like the six photos in this article, be sure to “Like” Twins Daily on Facebook and follow Twins Daily on Twitter. You can also follow Seth on Twitter as he will be tweeting from the stadium often. There were over 75 photos posted to the Facebook page, and more will be there throughout the week. There is so much going on between the seven fields that it is impossible to catch it all. However, my goal will be to see as much as I can and report it here again tomorrow. Click here to view the article

Note that these are my projects as spring training games start. They won't make any final decisions on the roster for 3+ weeks yet. This is very much subject to change, and I don't have Milone's name in Red. I think May, Meyer and Pelfrey have a chance. I just think that Milone is the favorite (slight as it may be) heading into camp. I also think that if Pelfrey can hit 94-95, as he has in the past, he has the kind of stuff that could play very well out of the bullpen.

What's wrong with Santana? I assume nothing. I mean, Hunter and Dozier and Mauer and Plouffe and Arcia weren't in the lineup against the Gophers either. From all we've heard, he's participating fully at shortstop so far this spring.

I'm just saying that they may want to keep both of them and determine that what is best for the Twins is to keep Plouffe at 3B and maybe Sano elsewhere. .Just that we don't know what situation is going to present itself.

When the calendar turned to 2015, I posted my first Minnesota Twins Roster Projection for 2015. It’s been two months since then, so it’s time today for Roster Projection, version 2.0. Spring training is less than two weeks old, but the Twins played their first exhibition game last night against the Gophers. Tonight, their Grapefruit League schedule begins with a game against the Red Sox. There are still a few jobs available and there will be plenty of competition. Twins Daily will again be in Ft. Myers starting Monday and through the rest of spring training.When a player becomes a “given” for the roster (in my opinion), I will highlight the player’s name in red. Trades and signings can happen at any time between now and opening day, but that just means that even “givens” can change. We will also be able to learn, over time, what it is that Paul Molitor will look for from his roster. Feel free to discuss below. Catchers (2): Kurt Suzuki, Josmil Pinto Kurt Suzuki is the clear-cut starter and deservedly so after last year. Josmil Pinto goes into camp as the favorite to be the team’s backup catcher, but it will be a competition. Pinto certainly has the ability to hit and hit for power. The defense remains the question mark. Chris Herrmann is also on the 40-man roster. He has the ability to play the corner outfield positions, and the corner infield positions, in a pinch. He’s a very athletic catcher with a strong arm. Offensively, he has been unable to hit much in his stints with the Twins. Eric Fryer remains in the organization, and Dan Rohlfing was again a non-roster invite to big league camp. Infielders (7): Kennys Vargas, Joe Mauer, Brian Dozier, Trevor Plouffe, Danny Santana, Eduardo Escobar, Eduardo Nunez We will likely hear that there may be competition for a utility infield spot, but I did change Eduardo Nunez to a given. Things can happen, of course. There could be injuries, or a shortstop could be pushed back to centerfield. Those things could alter the opening day roster. Mauer, Dozier and Plouffe will man the bases. There will be some competition for the shortstop position, but Santana and Escobar will both be on the roster to start the season. Nunez is the one question mark, but he does have the ability to play at least five positions on the field. He may not be great at any of them, but his versatility is valuable. His competition for the job comes in the form of non-roster invites. Fair or not, guys like Eric Farris, James Beresford and Doug Bernier would have to play significantly better than Nunez to take the job. That’s not to say that it couldn’t happen, but it is a long shot at this point of the spring. Obviously guys like Jorge Polanco and Miguel Sano could factor into the infield situation by the end of the year. Outfielders (4): Oswaldo Arcia, Torii Hunter, Jordan Schafer, Aaron Hicks Torii Hunter will be the right fielder. Oswaldo Arcia will play left field. Center field will likely remain a question mark through much of spring training. I still believe that the number one option is likely for Aaron Hicks to take charge of the position and show the Twins brass that he is ready this time. Fans, of course and understandably, won’t care what kind of numbers he puts up this spring or how ready he looks, they won’t believe it until he’s had a solid month in the big leagues. Jordan Schafer will be on the roster, but will he be the starting centerfielder or the fourth outfielder? If Hicks starts the season in Rochester, I think Shane Robinson has a good chance to be the fourth outfield or a platoon partner in center field with Schafer. If Byron Buxton has two doubles every time he plays this spring, he enters into the equation already, though it’s much more likely he will arrive late in the season or even in 2016. Eddie Rosario will also be given an opportunity to compete for the center field job, and he might be the first guy called up during the season if there were an injury. Starting Pitchers (5): Phil Hughes, Ervin Santana, Ricky Nolasco, Kyle Gibson, Tommy Milone As we know, Phil Hughes, Ervin Santana, Ricky Nolasco and Kyle Gibson have the first four rotation spots. There are four or five candidates for the fifth starter position. Last month, I looked at five5th starter candidates (Trevor May, Mike Pelfrey, Alex Meyer, Tommy Milone and Tim Stauffer). My personal opinion right now is that Tommy Milone has a slight edge over Trevor May in that competition while Meyer and Pelfrey will also be given long looks. Stauffer will likely go to the bullpen. However, it will be a real competition and may not be decided until April. Bullpen (7): Glen Perkins, Casey Fien, Brian Duensing, Tim Stauffer, Caleb Thielbar, Mike Pelfrey, JR Graham. The first five on the above list are givens. After that, there are a lot of arms who will compete for just two more jobs. Paul Molitor indicated earlier this week that he intends to start the season with 12 pitchers. Of course, the “losers” of the fifthstarter battle play a large role in this decision. Mike Pelfrey, depending upon his velocity, could be a good option for the bullpen. Alex Meyer and Trevor May have the stuff to be very good out of the bullpen at some point, but I would think the Twins would want them to keep starting at this point. JR Graham was the Rule 5 pick, so he will need to be kept on the active roster or offered back to the Braves. Michael Tonkin is at the point in his career where the Twins need to find out what they have. He throws hard, but will he ever take the next step and be a reliable late-inning option? Pressly was the Rule 5 guy two years ago. The Twins were able to keep him all year and then use his first option last year. Lester Oliveros throws hard and recorded a lot of strikeouts in his first year back after Tommy John surgery. AJ Achter has been one of the most reliable bullpen arms in the Twins farm system the last three years. Mark Hamburger is not only one of the most intriguing stories of the spring, but he throws very hard and has a good mix of pitches thanks to all the time he has spent as a starter. What are your thoughts? What does your roster look like one month from Opening Day? Click here to view the article