Seth Stohs

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The Twins have had some good success over the years in the Rule 5 draft. Shane Mack became part of the 1991 Minnesota Twins World Series championship team as is one of the more underrated players in Twins history. Garry Wayne had a couple of solid seasons with the Twins as a left-handed reliever. Doug Corbett had a couple of good years and was later dealt to the Angels for Tom Brunansky. Obviously the Twins selection of Jared Camp was terrific because they were immediately able to trade him to the Marlins for one Johan Santana. And two years ago, the team selected Scott Diamond who was arguably their top pitcher in 2012. Will 2012 Rule 5 draft selection Ryan Pressly be able to have an impact on the Twins organization? Well, only time, and spring training success, will tell. Most are aware of the Rule 5 scenario, but just as a reminder, I’ll include the following. A Rule 5 pick (Major League portion) must remain with the big league club throughout the season or be offered back to his previous club. Last year, their Rule 5 pick, Terry Doyle, was returned to the White Sox after a tough spring training. Scott Diamond, chosen the year before, had to be offered back to the Braves. However, Atlanta and Minnesota were able to work out a trade (for RHP Billy Bullock) that allowed the Twins to remove Diamond from their 40 man roster and keep him. [ATTACH=CONFIG]3222[/ATTACH] As they did a year earlier, the Twins selected a right-handed pitcher who performed very well in the Arizona Fall League. Although he posted an ERA of 3.86, in 14 innings he struckout 18 batters and walked just one. Regarding his AFL stint, Pressly remarked, “It went well. I never thought I’d be able to say it, but I threw too many strikes. When I told my dad that, he laughed too. Never thought I’d have that problem. 18 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio, I’ve never had that before. Hopefully it’s going to keep coming along.” Pressly, the 11th round draft pick of the Boston Red Sox in 2007’s Rule 4 draft, had been a starter throughout most of his minor league career. In 2012, he struggled in High-A and AA as a starter and was moved to the bullpen where he began to experience more success. About his move to the bullpen, Pressly sees it as an opportunity. “Obviously I wasn’t throwing as well as I wanted to as a starter, so I thought the change to the bullpen was another opportunity. I want that opportunity. As a reliever, you can go out the next night, so I like the reliever role better.” But it isn’t always easy to make the transition to the bullpen. Pressly said the transition wasn’t too bad. “I picked it up pretty quick. I picked the brains of guys who have been in the bullpen. They just kind of shoved me away. I want to run with it now.” It might be the perfect role for the 6-3 right-hander as he had a tendency to dwell on a bad start for a few days. “The first two days you’re pretty disappointed because you want to go 6, 7, 8 innings. You want to help the bullpen out. I’ve been on both ends of that now, so I know how that feels. Yeah, I would kind of dwell on it a little bit because it would make me mad, more that I didn’t do as well as I could. But now as a reliever, you’ve got to get rid of it the second you’re off the mound.” Pressly added, “As a starter, you have to pace yourself, obviously, but as a reliever, you can come in and reach back and let it go. With my velocity and strikes, I’m just going out and attacking hitters and not holding anything back.” As Jeremy Nygaard wrote about him in the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook 2013, “Pressly throws three pitches: a low-to-mid-90s fastball, a curveball that sometimes looks like a slider and a deceptive changeup/cutter that is developing into a swing-and-miss pitch.” So, what does he consider his put-away pitch? “Whatever the hitter shows me, I guess. It could be the sliders. It could be the curveball. It could be the fastball. Just kind of depends on how he approaches me.” Pressly may not know all the faces of his new teammates, but he is not unfamiliar with the Twins organization. The Red Sox spring training complex is also in Ft. Myers and the two teams and their minor league teams play frequently. So what is Pressly hoping to learn from working with the few veterans in the Twins bullpen like Glen Perkins and Jared Burton? “You can’t learn anything by talking, so I’m just going to out there and not speak unless spoken to. I want to watch and see what they do. See if it helps me. We’ll see what happens.” As generally no more than two or three Rule 5 guys each year remain with the club that selects him, the odds that Pressley won’t be a member of the Twins bullpen on Opening Day. However, it can happen and has happen, and if not else, Spring Training is about opportunity, and that’s how Ryan Pressly is going to look at it. “When they picked me I was pretty pumped. They have had some success with Rule 5 guys and hopefully I can keep that going. We’ll see what happens this spring.”

Age: 18 (DOB: 05/27/94) 2012 Stats (Rookie): 3-0, 30.2 IP, 1.17 ERA, 0.62 WHIP, 49/4 K/ BB ETA: 2016 The 2012 draft was very important for the Minnesota Twins. Instead of drafting college players, the Twins used their first two picks on high school players. They took OF Byron Buxton with the #2 overall pick. With their first supplemental first-round selection, compensation for having lost Michael Cuddyer to the Rockies in free agency, the Twins took right-handed pitcher, Jose (JO) Berrios. The Twins made him the highest drafted pitcher every from Puerto Rico. It didn’t take long for him to agree to sign for a $1.55 million bonus, exactly the slot amount for the 32nd selection. Berrios had a very impressive debut season. After reporting to Ft. Myers, he began his career with the Gulf Coast League Twins. He pitched in eight games. He was used in relief the first seven appearances before making one start. He went 1-0 with four saves. In 16.2 innings, he gave up just seven hits, walked three and struckout 27 of the 62 batters he faced. On August 6th, Berrios and Buxton were promoted to the Advanced Rookie Elizabethton Twins. Berrios made three starts for the E-Twins and went 2-0. In 14 innings, he gave up just eight hits, walked one and struckout 22 of the 51 batters he faced. [ATTACH=CONFIG]3203[/ATTACH] What made him so successful in his first season of pro ball? According to the Twins new Director of Minor League Operations Brad Steil, “He was confident, aggressive, and attacked with his fastball. He also located his fastball pretty well and used his off-speed more effectively as the year progressed.” The Good Although statistics don’t tell the full story in the lowest levels of the minor leagues, Berrios posted some amazing numbers in the GCL and was even better once he started making starts in Elizabethton. The statistic that jumps off the page is the 49:4 strikeout to walk ratio that he posted. It speaks to his control, but when an 18-year-old kid dominates in a league (Appalachian) where the average age of the hitters is 20.2, we can also conclude that he has some pretty electric stuff. Berrios is blessed with a very strong arm. He touched as high as 98 mph although his average fastball was in the 93-95 range. More important, his fastball has a great amount of natural movement. Along with great control of his fastball, he has some secondary pitches that could become plus big league pitches. He throws a slider that is already quite good. It sits in the low 80s and is sharp. He also is throwing a changeup that has room for improvement but the mechanics with it are very good. Add in that he is very athletic and has a consistent, repeatable delivery. Mike Radcliff is the Twins Director of Player Personnel. Understanding the importance of the 2012 draft to the Twins future, he also played a very active role in scouting. He had several wonderful things to say about Berrios. “He has a very good fastball, with velocity and life. He also has good confidence. He has good command and keeps the ball down in the zone, “he added, “He has a focus, and an aggressiveness on the field and desire and dedication in his daily approach.” Steil said, “I would say that he showed good mound presence and pitch-ability for his age.” The Bad Berrios has a tremendous upside, but let’s not forget that he has a long ways to go to reach the big leagues and much more developing to do. According to Radcliff, “Like all young pitchers, he will have to improve his pitchability. He will have stuff and control, but he will need to develop his approach and style. The development of his breaking pitches and whether or not he’ll be able to use his changeup will dictate his ultimate role and ceiling.” Steil adds, “He will need to locate his off-speed pitches more consistently and develop at least one of them into a go-to out pitch.” Berrios is listed at just 6-0, a height that often is deemed “too short” to be a major league pitcher (or an NFL quarterback, right, Russell Wilson?). But Radcliff does not seem worried about that with the lanky Berrios. “He is a very good athlete with a durable frame. Despite his lesser bulk, he has a resilient arm which allows him to have upside and projection to all of his pitches.” The Bottom Line Although many teams did not think that JO Berrios would be drafted in the 1st round, the Twins were convinced of his talent, his stuff, his make-up and most important, his potential. His first-year, rookie league performance certainly was an indication that the Twins were right in their conviction. He had a remarkable season and showed the characteristics that made the Twins like him. He is just 18 years old and has room for improvement and development, as you would expect. He also has the potential to be a top-of-the-rotation starter. Will Berrios begin his season in Cedar Rapids, and how quickly can he move up? Mike Radcliff said, “Will will be diligent to place him in environments that will allow him to have success and develop simultaneously. His advancement will be determined by his ability to apply his talent along with his natural maturation to handle the pro baseball environment.” Brad Steil added, “I would say that he showed good mound presence and pitch-ability for his age. It’s possible he could move fairly quickly, depending on how quickly his off-speed pitches improve. The Midwest League will be a good challenge for him.” I had done quite a bit of research on potential Twins draft choices. I read quite a bit and watched several videos of Berrios. I immediately liked that the Twins made him the 32nd overall pick last summer. However, when I saw the below video of Berrios showing his reaction to being drafted by the Twins, I absolutely loved the pick. [video=youtube;8p-A5jDpHYk] [TD’s Top Ten Prospects: #10: Max Kepler] [TD’s Top Ten Prospects: #9: Trevor May]

If he was saying he wasn't going to sign for less than $120 million and saying hat he didn't intend to stay... yup. The Twins offered Santana $100 million. They also gave Torii Hunter $42 million at the same time in his career that they gave Joe Mauer his $42 million deal. (which was pretty much the same deal they gave to Santana at the same time in his career).

You realize that this is the exact same approach used by Tom Kelly, right? All it is saying is that you play the game that day, then you play the game the next day then. Any other thinking is what should be considered wrong.

Thanks for blogging. Hopefully you will continue to do so... but, got to add to the discussion: 1.) Gardy/Andy - you don't think that Gardy enjoys having hitters like Morneau, Mauer, Willingham, Doumit, and Plouffe arround? You don't think they appreciated having a healthy, pre-TJ Liriano or Johan Santana or Joe Nathan or healthy Juan Rincon? 2.) Mijares was making a statement of some sort for himself, not for the team. Gardy/Delmon were right. He also didn't exactly pitch well before the Twins decided to let him go, so I can't quite get on board with that one. Orlando Cabrera did a nice job for 2 months with the Twins. He was OK at best the following year (2010) and the Twins brought in JJ Hardy to play SS, and Cabrera was horrible in 2011. It's hard to be upset about not bringing him back. 3.) The Yankees have a no-facial hair policy. How has that been negative for them? Also, I'll let others jump on you for the playing the old "race" card. The Twins have a history with black players and have definitely improved their presence in Latin America in recent years as well.

While a lot of people will be betting on the Super Bowl this weekend, Brian Dozier is looking to show the Minnesota Twins brass and the fans that he is worth betting on for the long haul. Following his 2011 season, during which he was named the Twins minor league player of the year, expectations were high, maybe too high, for the now-25-year-old shortstop from the University of Southern Mississippi at the start of the 2012 season. After starting the season with a month in Rochester, the Twins promoted Dozier to the big leagues. He made his debut on May 7 against the Angels. In the bottom of the 8th inning, he came up and singled to center for his first MLB hit. When he returned to first base, Albert Pujols patted him on the helmet and told him, “Congratulations! You look good up there. First of many!” Dozier certainly experienced some great moments during his rookie season. On May 13, he hit his first big league home run off of Ricky Romero of the Blue Jays. Days later, he hit his second homer against Rick Porcello. Home Run Number 3 game against Chris Sale of the White Sox. He then hit homers against Tommy MIlone of the A’s and Alfredo Aceves before hitting his sixth and final homer of the season off of Cy Young winner David Price. [ATTACH=CONFIG]3185[/ATTACH] However, overall, he hit just .234/.271/.332 (.603) and the day after his homer against Price, he was optioned to Rochester where he finished the season. At Twins Fest, Dozier said, “First time it ever happened to me where stuff carried out into my defense. Trying to change things on offense, I got too much zoned into working on my swing and I got away from my approach. I’ve always been a guy to walk a lot, but my approach was just all over the place, going up there, swinging at pitches I don’t ever swing at. You get away from that. You try to change. You think it’s your swing, but it’s really your approach before you even get up there. “ In addition, Dozier added, “Looking back, I only had two or three bunt base hits. I had about 25 the past two years. I only had eight walks (Seth Note – Actually 16), the year before, I had 60.” After walking in about 10% of his plate appearances in the minor leagues, he walked less than 5% of the time in his 340 plate appearances with the Twins in 2012. Beyond the approach, Dozier also fought his mechanics. “I started off and everything was going good. My hands were up here [Dozier illustrated to the group that his hands were up high, above his back shoulder], and then I started dropping my shoulder, and you can’t do that. You really can’t. You just get comfortable up there. I had a little skid, 0-15 or something, and you think it’s your swing. A lot of information, and I started changing way too many things that you shouldn’t change.” What was Dozier’s biggest take-away from his rookie season? “You’ve got to be consistent, and that’s the biggest thing I learned. You’ve always heard that preached to you. It comes into perspective in that aspect. You’ve got to be real consistent up here and that’s the big thing that I got away from. But, like I said, after I got sent down, I just had to get back to my roots, being a consistent, sound baseball player. So that’s what I’ve done and I’m good to go.” Dozier summarized his first big league experience by saying, “It’s a good rookie year for me,” which may seem a bit strange until hear the rest, “I learned a lot.” It was a full off-season for Dozier. “I went down to Venezuela to get some work in at second base. While I’ve been up here (in Minneapolis), I’ve been working with Molly (Paul Molitor) on turns at second, just to make sure I’m comfortable so when spring hits, whatever Gardy sees fit, and Terry (Ryan).” Dozier was only in Venezuela for a short time, but it served its purpose. “It was good. I got some work in, especially at second base. I got a few at bats too, but I was really down there just to get some work in at second base.” He continued, “Normally in the offseason, I work strictly at short, but this time, I spent a lot of time at second base. I didn’t take time off, to be honest with you. I was going to take a little time to re-charge, but you know what, you’ve got to stay sharp. “ He also had a pretty good role model and teammate to talk with. He spent a day this offseason hanging out with Josh Willingham and his family. “We always talk. We hit just two days ago at Target Field.” Dozier is excited for the opportunity to work with the Twins new hitting coach Tom Brunansky. Brunansky was Dozier’s hitting coach in 2011 at New Britain, and the two worked together again last season in Rochester. “Joe (Vavra) is awesome, and he’s helped me a lot. But me and Bruno have worked together the past two years. He’s a good one. He really is. (We) have developed a good relationship, not just with baseball, but with everything. He’s a good one, a guy that spent 13 or 14 years in the Bigs, he knows his stuff. He knows it, the grind and everything. I was hitting at the field the other day, and he sneaks in behind me, and right there, he says, ‘I like that. I like that.’ He’s ready to go. He’s fired up.” Manager Ron Gardenhire said that there will be competition in spring training for the middle infield positions. He also would like to see the situation resolved in camp. “Well, I hope it’s resolved. I mean, I hope we have a little better inkling of it. I think we have some talented people, and we’re going to throw them out there and let them go at it. Try to figure out the best combination, and if it turns out to be combinations, we’ll just go that way. Whatever’s going to help us win ball games, and catch the ball.” Speaking of the competition in the middle infield, Dozier says, “Competition is good. That excites us. Competing against a bunch of good players, but at the same time, I’m ready. I’ve got a lot to prove.” Is Dozier under the impression that he is going to be a second baseman? “Let’s not rule out shortstop, first of all, because I feel really comfortable at short.” As he acknowledged, 2013 will be a big year for Brian Dozier. He learned a lot from that rookie season and hopefully he will be able to take that information, learn from the struggles, and get back to the basics. “You’ve got to make adjustments along the way, but you also have to stay within yourself… I’ve got to get back to sound baseball, and I was getting away from that.” “We’re good. You guys put that (in your articles). We’re Good!”

When the offseason began, most Twins fans had high hopes that the organization would finally dive into free agency and grab an upper-level starting pitcher. No one realistically expected the Twins to jump through hoops and go after Zach Greinke or Anibal Sanchez, especially after the market for starting pitching went crazy early. However, a second-tier guy like Edwin Jackson was seemingly a realistic dream. Instead, the Twins have signed Kevin Correia and Mike Pelfrey in an attempt to assist the starting rotation. Many Twins fans wanted the team to go after a veteran middle infielder after watching Brian Dozier and Pedro Florimon struggle in their first real big league opportunities. Although the Twins acquired some quality pitching from Washington and Philadelphia, it came with the loss of centerfielders Denard Span and Ben Revere. So, there are some fans that wanted the Twins to go after a centerfielder in free agency. Hey, Michael Bourn is still out there, right? There is, however, a case to be made that the Twins have been true to themselves and to the players brought up through their organization. It has long been a slogan of the organization. The Twins prefer to build from within. That’s true in the front office, and it’s true on the field. It is how the Twins have done it for over 30 years, and it is a belief that has proven successful over time. It is the best way to build sustained success. [ATTACH=CONFIG]3176[/ATTACH] Unfortunately, the Twins minor league system since the middle of the past decade has not been able to supply the big league roster with players. Because of that, just one offseason ago, GM Terry Ryan was aggressive in his pursuit of free agents Josh Willingham, Ryan Doumit and Jamey Carroll. So what changed this offseason? Well, several of the Twins top prospects made positive strides in the 2012 season and made themselves ready for their big league opportunity. Some even got their first taste of the big league life. This offseason, the Twins have added Alex Meyer and Trevor May, and now have several pitchers that are close. Because of that, it appears, the Twins may not have been as aggressive in free agency. Why? Because the Twins have a very nice core of minor leaguers that are going to be ready to debut in 2012. Others have shown that they have nothing more to prove in the minor leagues and deserve the opportunity to show if they can make it in the big leagues. 2013 is a great opportunity for many players to take a positive step forward in their career, and if a couple of them are able to take big strides and show that they can be consistent and counted on for the future, that is the perfect scenario. Chris Parmelee – The 24-year-old will get an opportunity to start the season in right field for the Twins. Last year in 64 games at Rochester, he found his power. He hit .338/.457/.645 (1.102) with 17 doubles and 17 home runs. He got time with the Twins and certainly did not look intimidated. He deserves this opportunity to play every day and see what he can become. Liam Hendriks – We all know that Hendriks struggled most of the 2012 season with the Twins, but he has little to prove in AAA any more. In 16 starts, he went 9-3 with a 2.20 ERA and a 0.98 ERA. His minor league strikeout rate is 7.9 K/9, although that number dropped to 6.9 K/9 last year. He had elbow surgery in October but says he will be ready this spring. (Vance Worley had the same surgery in August, and Scott Diamond did in September.) Brian Dozier – Yes, he really struggled in 2012 with the Twins, but many players struggle in their first big league opportunity. We can all see that he was handled wrong last year. He was over-touted in spring training, brought up too quickly in early May, and then sent down too late. But it would be silly to completely give up on him. No one is expecting him to be an All Star, but can he be a solid every day starter? I’m not yet willing to say he is not. He will turn 26 during the season, so it will be a big year for him. Pedro Florimon – I’m less confident that Florimon will ever hit in the big leagues, primarily because he has never hit in the minor leagues. Last year, his defense with the Twins wasn’t very good either. At 26, this will be a big year for him to show that his defense is worth the (lack of) bat. Having the stable Jamey Carroll around, along with Eduardo Escobar, will certainly lower the risk. Joe Benson – Like Parmelee, Benson will turn 25 during Spring Training. 2012 was a lost season for him. He was hurt all season and his play on the field showed it. He should be healthy in 2013, and when he has been healthy, he has produced. One year ago at this time, he was the Twins #3 prospect by Baseball America. He will get an opportunity to start the season as the centerfielder. He is a great athlete and can play all three outfield positions. Like others, it’s a big year for him to show what he can do. Aaron Hicks – Hicks will be 23 years old throughout the 2013 season. He blossomed in 2012 when he hit .286/.384/.460 with 21 doubles, 11 triples, 13 home runs, 100 runs scored, 61 RBI and 32 stolen bases. He is also a tremendous outfielder with a very strong arm. Since the Span and Revere trades, Hicks has been receiving most of the attention and will certainly be given a real shot at opening the season as the Twins centerfield. If it doesn’t happen on Opening Day, it will happen sometime during the season. Oswaldo Arcia – Between Ft. Myers and New Britain in 2012, Arcia hit .320/.388/.539 with 36 doubles, eight triples, 17 home runs and 98 RBI. He will go to his second spring training as a 21 year old. He is a long-shot to make the Opening Day roster, but at some point during the season, it would not be surprising to see him make his debut. Kyle Gibson – The Twins top pick in 2009, he was on the fast track to the big leagues until he underwent Tommy John surgery late in the 2011 season. His rehab in 2012 went as scripted and he will be ready to debut with the Twins sometime in 2013. Will it be Opening Day or not? Will it be as a starter or a reliever? He will be up early in the season. Scott Diamond – Yes, he is a given to start the season in the Twins rotation (assuming his elbow allows), but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t still questions about what his future holds. Hopefully what he showed in 2012 is the true Scott Diamond, but again, we will find out more in 2013. Alex Meyer and Trevor May – he two prospects received in the December trades are both Top 10 Twins prospects who have work to do in the minor leagues. Both are intriguing, hard-throwing, high-upside prospects. Although both will likely debut in 2014, if all goes well, they could see time in 2013. Caleb Thielbar and Tyler Robertson – These two lefty relievers may be competing for one bullpen spot in spring training, particularly if the Twins decide to carry a third lefty reliever (since Glen Perkins will be the closer). So, there are 13 players I’ve mentioned above could be seen in a Twins uniform in 2013. Some of these players are top prospects. Some of them have somewhat graduated from the minor leagues and deserve an opportunity to succeed or fail in the big leagues. Some guys will make their debuts and deserve an opportunity to show what they can do. If some of these guys can become the core of the next sustained Twins success, that would be best case. Within the next few seasons, there will be an influx of additional talent coming through the farm system. Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario and some of those college pitcher draft picks from 2012. Beyond that, names like Byron Buxton and JO Berrios will be coming. In my mind, 2013 is the beginning of what will hopefully be the sustained success that we hear so much about. Consider all of the players that the Twins brought up from 1999 through 2006, and what it meant for Twins fans over the better part of a decade. Yes, it’s been a long couple of seasons, and 2013 could be equally long. However, when you can see the plan, there is at least reason for optimism. The Twins front office could have gone out and signed players who would, in essence, block these players. However, if we can all agree that the best way to sustained success is to build from within (and them supplement your core with free agents when they are close to competing), then it is more difficult to argue with the strategy. Sometimes it is important to clear the path.

Matt Tomshaw was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 42nd round of the 2011 draft out of Jacksonville University. Upon signing, he went to the GCL, but soon he was used by the Ft. Myers Miracle. Impressively, he became the Miracle’s best starter the last month of the season. Tomshaw is a 6-2, 200 pound left-hander who may not throw hard, but he knows how to pitch. In 2012, he began the season in the Beloit bullpen. It wasn’t long before he was in the rotation. He missed a month with injury, but he proved to be a consistent, quality starter for the Snappers. Overall, he was 4-6 with a 3.02 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 86.1 innings. He should spend the 2013 season back with the Ft. Myers Miracle. [ATTACH=CONFIG]3167[/ATTACH] He recently answered some questions for our newest 12 Questions segment, and it begins now. TWELVE QUESTIONS WITH… Matt Tomshaw 1.) Growing up in New York, who was your favorite team and who were some of your favorite players? MT: My favorite team growing up was the New York Yankees. When I started to fall in love with baseball at a young age Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Tino Martinez, Mariano Rivera, and Roger Clemens were all the Yankees that I would imagine myself being while playing in the back yard with my friends and family. 2.) Tell us about your high school career (baseball and/or other extra-curriculars). MT: Baseball by far was my favorite sport in high school, but I ventured out quite a bit, playing football in my first two years, and basketball for two years in the later part of my high school career. I had to stop playing football because of my crazy schedule with baseball. Traveling all over the country during the summer prohibited me from training with the football team so I gave that up and “fall ball” didn’t really give me time for basketball some years. All that time spent traveling really helped me to get seen and signed by Jacksonville University. Basketball is my second love. I am not the best at it but it pushed me to work harder trying to keep up with the guys that were faster and taller than me. I played varsity baseball for three years under Mike Groppuso, a former first round pick by the Houston Astros back in 1991. I developed and matured as a person under his watch. 3.) What were some of the highlights of your college playing days at Jacksonville U? MT: Some of the highlights I remember most from college include, going to two regional tournaments both in Gainesville, Florida, my sophomore and senior years were an experience that I will cherish forever. The atmosphere where every game was win or go home, every big play that was made I felt like a kid again. So happy to be playing baseball. One of my biggest wins was against University of Florida during the regular season at their stadium. They just came off taking two from Vanderbilt that weekend. At the time, Florida was ranked 4th in the nation, and we ended up beating them 11-2. After the College World Series was over and Florida finished 2nd only to South Carolina, did it hit me how big of a win that was. Also in my senior year in game 1 of the conference tournament against Eastern Tennessee State University, I threw a complete game allowing 5 hits, 1 unearned run and winning 2-1. 4.) The Twins drafted you in the 42nd round of the 2011 draft... were there a lot of other scouts talking to you? The Twins have drafted several players from the college. MT: Well truthfully the Twins were the only team that talked to me at all. Another reason why the UF game was so big my senior year was because that was the first time that any scout showed interest in me, at least to my knowledge. I didn’t receive letters or questionnaires at all during the season. The next game they came to watch me pitch was in that game one of the conference against ETSU. After the game, my coach let me know that the Twins were interested in drafting me. The final day of the draft I was watching the computer screen in my room wondering if I would have to go get a “real job” or get to play this game that I love some more. When I saw my name go across the screen I just fell backwards onto my bed and smiled. I was and am so thankful that someone gave me a chance to play baseball at the professional level. I’ve always dreamed about making it to the MLB ever since tee ball. I have to say it is pretty cool seeing some of the guys I played with in college like Jamaal Hawkins, Adam Brett Walker and Jonathan Murphy in the same farm system. It’s nice to see familiar faces and have relationships through the long season with all the ups and downs that occur. 5.) You signed quickly and went to Ft. Myers. After several appearances for the GCL, you moved across the parking lot to help the Ft. Myers Miracle, becoming one of their best pitchers down the stretch. How would you describe your adjustment to pro baseball and what did you learn from that first season? MT: The adjustment from college to professional baseball was something I liked. I liked going to class and taking tests and all, but I have to say after I graduated and went to Fort Myers, I was happy to just be waking up at the crack of dawn to play baseball. Some of the challenges I had were making the adjustment and staying mentally focused the entire day. The days in the GCL included an entire practice before every game, every day. One of the attributes that I like a lot is the laid back feel of pro baseball. Yes, you concentrate and work hard at improving yourself, but you also take a step back and have a good time because you’re doing what you love. 6.) You moved to the Midwest League and had a very good season despite missing some time with injury. You started in the bullpen but quickly became a mainstay in the starting rotation. What are your highlights from this 2012 season in Beloit, the team and the full-season? MT: Working with Gary Lucas, the pitching coach, was a blast. He brought all of his experience and knowledge that he attained from his Major League career and helped mentor us throughout the year on and off the field. I’m originally from New York and I have lived in Florida now since I finished with school so the Midwest wasn’t exactly a familiar place to me. Seeing all the farms and meeting such nice people everywhere made the year more enjoyable. In my first full season, I had some growing pains. After the injury, I knew what I had to do as far as maintenance for the arm which made it easier on me mentally, just knowing that everything is okay in there. The guys on the team were awesome. Playing with guys like Sano, Rosario and Vargas bring a comedic atmosphere to the ball club, which helps ease the tension when times are tough. 7.) How would you describe yourself as a pitcher? What pitches do you throw? What is your out-pitch, and tell us about… “The Thing.” MT: I think I’m a pitcher in the traditional sense; I mix up my pitching sequence and the speeds to hinder the batter’s sense of comfort in the batter’s box. I do my best to get hitters out with the minimum number of pitches thrown. I try to induce as many groundball outs as possible. That keeps the defense on their toes and in the game, and for the most part keeps me in the game as long as possible. The pitches I throw include two seam (sinker), four seam fastball, curveball, changeup, cutter, and what I call a knuckle split. I rely a lot on the two seam for the majority of the groundballs that I get. Well I started throwing “The Thing” when I was around 10-11 years old. My father was a good baseball player and knows quite a bit about the game and told me that I wasn’t allowed to throw any off speed like my friends because my arm wasn’t developed or strong enough to regularly throw them. Growing up a Yankees fan, I watched Tim Wakefield quite a bit. I tried to replicate the grip that he held the ball with, but I eventually found a grip that worked and my father approved. As a kid I always wanted to throw things as fast as I could and that didn’t change when I throw “The Thing”. Ever since then I’ve thrown it at every level. Usually everywhere I go, the pitching coaches are weary of it because it’s not what they are used to working with. I remember my freshman year of college my pitching coach wouldn’t call the pitch, but with a little bit of persuasion he allowed me to throw it and it created more opportunities for me. The reason I call it a knuckle split is because I hold it like one and when I throw it, I throw it with around the same effort level as the fastball but because of the grip it has a knuckling movement back and forth, with drop off when it reaches the batter. Some days I find myself getting around it a little more than normal and it will cut into a righty. Most of the time it will break down or even occasionally away from a righty. That messes with catchers sometimes. As for an out pitch I would like to say the knuckle split, but I also like to use my curveball to get out of many jams. The curveball is a safer pitch to throw with runners on base because of the fact that the knuckle split has a later break and with a little bit more of spontaneity. 8.) When did you start preparing for the 2013 season, and what did you learn from your first full season to help you prepare for the length of the season? MT: I started preparing right away. When I say that, I didn’t go right from Beloit to home and start working out. I would spend time thinking about what Gary Lucas suggested I worked on this off season, and what shoulder programs I would do to keep my arm as strong as possible. The first season was filled with new learning experiences for me when it came to eating healthy and preparing your body for the everyday grind that is asked upon all of us. Eating healthier will be my objective this year. It’s hard getting out around 11 at night and getting the proper nutrients to get you ready for the next day. I have some things I will be doing to ensure I’m making the right food choices majority of the time. 9.) Who are some of the people who have helped you get to this point in your career as a baseball player? MT: No doubt, without my parents’ support and help, I would have never gotten any of these opportunities that I have been grateful for. My father literally went on every tournament, every showcase all over the country with me. They both supported me and kept me on the right path to success. Every coach that I have ever had has shaped me in some way or the other to be the baseball player I am today. From my friend’s dad back in Tee Ball, Billy Stote, to my Travel coaches Bob Brinkman, Bob Schlanger and Bill Buckman, to my high coaches Mike Groppuso, T.D. Mills, to my college coaches Terry Alexander, and Tim Montez, to the pitching coordinator Eric Rasmussen and the pitching coaches Ivan Arteaga, Steve Mintz and Gary Lucas. All of the teammates I’ve had have played a big part as well in my development. 10.) If you weren't playing baseball, what would you be doing (your career of choice)? MT: Well if baseball wasn’t an option, I would use my degree in finance and work somewhere in the financial world. This offseason I had a job as a Mortgage Professional helping people try to refinance their current mortgages. Before I could be licensed to be a Loan Officer I had to leave that job to start training longer and harder, and the hours didn’t mesh well with my throwing and training schedule. 11.) Favorite baseball movie? MT: I would say I’m torn between The Rookie and Major League. Major League is so funny and I can watch it multiple times a year and still laugh at the same jokes and antics every time like it’s my first time. But The Rookie just always gives me hope that one day I will be blessed enough to make it to the Majors and do my best. 12.) Favorite baseball book? MT: “The Science of Hitting” by Ted Williams was a book my uncle gave to me as a kid. I still can picture to this day the hitter’s zone that Ted illustrated in the book showing where his weaknesses and strengths were as a hitter. I remember the different colors that were attributed with each zone. As a pitcher, I always shoot for the gray color zones which for Ted was in the outside bottom third of the zone where he would average a batting average between .230-.270. Thank you Matt! Best of luck in spring training and throughout the 2013 season!

For the first time in several years, Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau has been able to enjoy an offseason free of concussion symptoms. “I feel good. I’ve been able to do everything I want to do. I feel strong. It’s a good feeling. I can use the cliché of ‘best I’ve ever felt’ or ‘Best shape of my life.’ I feel good. I have been able to do everything I’ve done in the past to help me prepare for the season.” That’s the kind of news that Twins fans should be excited to hear. His season came to an end a few games early because of the recurring wrist issues he was having last season. “I started swinging after New Year’s, but I started working out, building up the strength gradually. I took about five weeks off.” [ATTACH=CONFIG]3156[/ATTACH] Morneau won the AL Most Valuable Player Award in 2006 when, as a 25-year-old, he hit .321/.375/.559 (.934) with 37 doubles, 34 homers and 130 RBI. In 2008, he played in all 163 Twins games and hit .300/.374/.499 (.873) with 47 doubles, 23 homers and 129 RBI. He finished second to the Red Sox Dustin Pedroia in AL MVP voting. In 2010, Morneau was hitting .345/.437/.618 (1.055 OPS) with 25 doubles, 18 homers and 56 RBI. Unfortunately on July 7, he suffered the concussion that cost him the rest of the season. Its side effects lasted throughout the 2011 season. Following a healthy offseason, Twins fans may hope that Morneau can return to those same MVP-caliber levels, but does Morneau think that he can be that productive again? “I don’t see why not. I mean, I’m not 38 or 39 or 40. It’s something that I expect. I’m still young enough to produce and produce the way I expect myself to. I don’t feel like I’m too far off... I don’t see why I can’t get back to that point.” In 2012, Morneau was able to play in 134 games and had 570 plate appearances, his most since 2008. He got off to a slow start in April, and then he really struggled in June after returning from the DL with the wrist injury. In July and August, he posted OPS of .848 and .850. When asked whether he thought his season was a success, he replied, “I don’t know. What did we finish with, 96 losses or whatever? We finished last.” When he was asked to discuss his personal success, he continued, “I’ve said it before, personal success doesn’t matter if the team doesn’t do well. I mean, I’m not ever happy just to play. Obviously getting out there is good, but you want to be successful. It’s a hard way to gauge it. Yes, I’m glad I got to play, but am I happy about the year? Definitely not. It’s one of those things. It’s good, but I expect more.” With the Twins losing seasons and Morneau’s contract, his name came up frequently in trade rumors last July as well as during the offseason. Does he think about trade talks and where he might be late in the season if the Twins season is not a success? “I’m not going to look on the negative side of it. I’d rather think that we’re adding players at the deadline at this point (rather) than trading anybody. So that stuff will be out of my control when it does come about. Whenever the deadline does come, it won’t really be up to me. So, hopefully we play well enough that we’re adding players and don’t have to worry about that.” One thing Morneau is looking forward to is the World Baseball Classic and being healthy enough to play for his native Canada. “It should be fun. It’s always good to get together with the Canadian boys. It’s a good time. It’s a different experience. (Also) gives us a little break from spring training, which will be good too.” Team USA is in the same bracket and will play Canada. Could Glen Perkins be brought in to face Morneau? “If he’s in the game, that means we’re either up or it’s close, so he’s in to face all nine left-handed hitters that we run up there.” (Morneau added that the Canadian team does have right-handed hitters Brett Lawrie and Russ Martin.) Morneau is also excited to see what his Twins lineup can do this season. “We’ll be deep. We’ll have (Trevor) Plouffe at seventh or eighth or wherever he’s hitting, and (Chris) Parmelee all year. Hopefully all the experience over the last couple of years will do him well. Left. Right. Left. Right. Pretty good balance, and power. It’ll be interesting to see, whoever is hitting leadoff, or if we move guys up in the order to not worry about the new 1-2 hitters. That’s Gardy’s job. I feel like we have a deep lineup with power. We have a chance, and that’s all you can ask for.” Morneau is entering the final season of his six year, $80 million contract that he signed in January 2008. He and Michael Cuddyer had a joint press conference to announce their multi-year deals before Twins Fest that year. In his comments, it certainly appears that Morneau is not concerned heading into a contract year. “I’m already pretty set in life. I’ve been through enough to know I love the game. I missed the game when I was away. I enjoy every day. It’s hard for me to look too far into the future. I try to take every day, every game and realize when something is taken away how much you miss it. That stuff will take care of itself. It’s out of my concern. My job is to play first base and help win games. The rest will happen when it happens.” He understands the business side of the game as well. In his home, he has a picture of the 2006 Twins hanging. Recently, he was looking at it. “It’s amazing how many guys are still playing. When you win, it seems like you stick around for a while, like Cuddyer, (Matt) Guerrier, (Jesse) Crain and (Joe) Nathan and a bunch of guys. Pretty good turnover since then.” “Hopefully we get back to winning and that’s really what we’re here for.”