Parker Hageman

"So Price and Pettitte had single-game episodes of pitch-tipping. Do you know any examples where it was left unchecked to derail a pitcher's whole season?" Supposedly Jeff Smarjajajaza. He said his entire season with Sox was because he was tipping pitches.

"They are trying to fix a guy whose upside is a 6th inning MRP. Its embarrassing that LaVelle would even report on such a non story, instead of focusing on why TR, the Pohlads and company seemingly refuse to spend any amount of real money to fix an obviously shaky bullpen." Frankly -- and maybe I'm alone on this -- but I enjoy baseball related insight more than payroll related ones.

When news broke that lights-out lefty Antonio Bastardo had signed with the New York Mets, Twins faithful were understandably disappointed. After all, the 30-year-old Antonio Bastardo represented everything that the Twins could want: a reliever with a proven successful track record and also just happen to throw with his left hand. As fate would have it, the Twins were in the market for a set-up left-hander to complement the consortium of righties in the bullpen. Nevertheless, they missed out on Bastardo.On the Twins network radio program, general manager Terry Ryan said he was quite content with the assortment of arms he and his staff had already started collecting. In response to missing out (or perhaps sitting out) on Bastardo, Ryan mentioned that he had confidence in finding someone who could provide that kind of production -- specifically naming the recently signed Fernando Abad. As LaVelle Neal from the Star Tribune reported last week, the Minnesota Twins scouts say they feel that Abad had been tipping his pitches in 2015 resulting in the obliteration of many that had he spun toward home plate. When you consider that his home run rate skyrocketed to over two per nine innings pitched, as well as his well-hit average jumping from a career rate under 25% to above 35% in 2015, the theory seems plausible that hitters were tipped off by something in Abad’s methods. Beyond those two high-level metrics, more granular data may also corroborate the Twins’ theory. For instance, when you examine Abad’s chase rate on his two most frequented pitches -- his fastball and curve ball -- over the past four seasons, the numbers show a stark drop in hitters chasing pitches out of the zone. According to ESPN/TruMedia’s data, Abad was able to get hitters to chase after a fastball out of the strike zone 28.5% of the time from 2012 through 2014. This past year, however, hitters held up much more frequently, chasing after 20% of his out-of-zone fastballs. Likewise, opponents followed his breaking ball out of the strike zone 31% of the time from 2012-2014 but chased just 24% of time in 2015. It stands to reason that if hitters were able to pick up on what was coming ahead of time, they would have a better chance at zoning the pitch. Less chance of being fooled would lead to fewer silly swings. Tipping pitches is not exclusive to struggling relievers -- just ask David Price. In the ALCS, Price was cruising along for the Toronto Blue Jays and was shutting down the Kansas City Royals lineup in Game 2. In the seventh inning, however, the Royals began to make loud impact and put four runs on the big lefthander. Later, a member of the Royals staff confirmed to Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci that they had picked up on Price’s tell. When Price threw his change-up, he would take an extra deep breath and hold the ball a fraction longer than when he threw his fastball. In the 2001 World Series, the Diamondbacks jumped all over the Yankees to a 15-2, Arizona chased Andy Pettitte out of the game early based on a tell that gave hitters a head’s up. According to broadcaster Rick Sutcliffe, Pettitte would double-tap the ball in his glove in the set position when he was coming with a fastball. Former Diamondback Jay Bell later confirmed this, saying his team had a “clear picture” of what the Yankee southpaw was going to throw. While Price and Pettitte’s stories are the norm when it comes to tipping pitches, there are other more absurd missteps. In his book “Throwback” former catcher Jason Kendall shared the story of Ted Lilly who would actually silently mouth the word “fastball” or “curve” to his catcher if he thought the hitter was taking a warm- up swing or looking down at the third base coach. Often, Lilly would zone out and simply mouth the pitch he wanted no matter who was looking. So what are the Twins’ scouts and hitters possibly seeing from Abad? Going over several of his outings from MLB.tv, there is one possibility of a pattern that starts to emerge in 2015. Take a look at the images below. The images are captured at the moment Abad brings his hands together before dropping his hands to his belt and delivering the pitch. In the top two images, Abad is about to throw a fastball. In the bottom, a breaking ball. Download attachment: Abad_Fastball.PNG Download attachment: Abad_Fastball2.PNG Download attachment: Abad_Breaking Ball.PNG As you can see, Abad’s hands are much higher when he collects prior to spinning a breaking ball to the Angels’ Kole Calhoun than in the other two pitches above. This seemed to happen several times over this season: His threw a fastball from the lower starting point and spun a pitch when he gathered high. It probably would not take long for a major league hitter, coach or scout to pick up on that pattern. http://i.imgur.com/bTViIMj.gif http://i.imgur.com/Isw4qzS.gif Could Abad’s struggles in 2015 really be sourced to an abundantly obvious tell? Abad’s gopher ball struggles might not be completely related to the pitch tipping (although that likely didn’t help). He also lost a noticeable amount of velocity off of his fastball -- dropping nearly two miles per hour on the heat over the previous season. He also added a very meh cutter to his repertoire. Furthermore, tipping his pitches or not, Abad fell behind hitters far too often this past season. He was getting strike one at a 52% clip which was well below the league average of 60%. Once he was behind, hitters could tee off. And tee off they did. Opponents slugged .963 off of Abad in hitter’s counts -- only five other relievers with 30 or more appearances fared worse (including Minnesota’s Trevor May). A combination of a diminished fastball and an expected fastball count will equal KABLOOIE. The Twins seem confident that they can fix Abad. In addition to eliminating his pitch tipping potential, Abad has one of the game’s best left-handed change-ups that can be harnessed. Opponents languished against the offspeed pitch, hitting just .125 while showing little ability to make much contact. It is no secret that Twins’ pitching coach Neil Allen has introduced methods for using the change-up more effectively and Abad seems like someone who could benefit greatly from that knowledge. As someone who is a year removed from chucking 97 mile per hour darts and holding lefties to a .191 batting average, Abad is a worthy gamble. If the collective scouting brain trust feel like they have some adjustments answers that will help him get back to his 2014 success, Abad stands to be a decent addition. Then again, Abad’s entire body of work over his career isn’t all that impressive. The downside is that the Twins have not secured a suitable left-handed alternative if he doesn’t bounce back. Click here to view the article

The Twins Daily Winter Meltdown has officially sold out. I hope you got yours. If you have not, and still want to get in the door, we are looking for a few volunteers to help check people in and such. You can find details on how to sign up for that here. Former Minnesota Twins catcher and current Fox Sports North Analyst Tim Laudner has been added to the lineup for the Twins Daily Winter Meltdown this Saturday from 5-8 at The Pourhouse, just two blocks from Target Field and Twins Fest. Laudner will join pitcher Carl Pavano and KFAN's Paul "Meatsauce" Lamber on stage for Q&A and meet attendees. You can still get tickets at a special price right here, but even the additional tickets are running out, so don't delay. Laudner is best known to Twins fans as being the starting catcher of the 1987 World Champion Twins. In that seven-game Championship series versus the Cardinals, he started every game, hitting .318 (with a .444 OBP). He played nine seasons with the Twins, and has since worked as a project manager, run a Big League Baseball Camp and works as an analyst at Fox Sport North and Fox Sports Wisconsin. Not only is the Meltdown going to be a great opportunity to get excited about the 2016 Twins season, and not only will you get a chance to meet Laudner, Pavano and Meatsauce, but there are fantastic door prizes and each ticket is good for two craft beers from get those tickets! Monday Update: Tickets have been added for the Twins Daily Meltdown this Saturday from 5-8 PM. Following Twins Fest, you can walk a couple of blocks and join the Twins Daily community, former Twins pitcher Carl Pavano, KFAN’s Meatsauce and 612 Brew at the Pourhouse in Downtown Minneapolis to get revved up about the 2016 season. Every attendee will get two free craft 612 Brews, a limited edition Twins Daily Meltdown pint glass and be eligible for an array of door prizes including Twins tickets, gift cards and ten Truman Shaving Sets from Harrys.com. Download attachment: PINT GLASS.jpg Starting at 5:30, we’ll have a Q&A session with Carl Pavano, who won division championships with the Twins in 2009 and 2010 and a World Series with the Marlins in 2003. It will be followed by a panel discussion with John Bonnes, Seth Stohs, Nick Nelson and Aaron Gleeman, when they will take your questions about the 2016 Twins. The event will be hosted by Paul “Meatsauce” Lambert, from KFAN’s #1 rated Powertrip Morning Show. You’ll get a chance to meet them all, and while tickets will be $35 at the door, they’re just $25 right now. Click here to grab them. You can’t attend the event without a ticket! Twins Daily’s mission is to build a community of fans passionate around the Twins, so if you’re a regular reader who hasn’t attended one of our events, you’re really only getting a fraction of the experience. Is there a better time to talk baseball than the dead of winter? Is there a better place to do it? (A: Nope.) Gather your friends and grab your tickets now. Thursday Update: Half of the limited tickets for the Meltdown sold on Day One! Click here to order your 2016 Winter Meltdown tickets! Today we're happy to announce the best package of door prizes in the event's history. They include Twins tickets, ten(!) Truman Shaving Sets from Harrys.com, gifts from The Pourhouse in Downtown Minneapolis and 612 Brew and copies of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook, plus some other miscellaneous prizes like some rare pint glasses from previous years' Meltdowns. Download attachment: Harrys_Truman_Set.jpg Of course, every attendee gets this year's Winter Meltdown Pint Glass and two free 612 Brew craft beers with which to fill (and refill) it. Plus, meet former Twins pitcher Carl Pavano, KFAN celebrity Paul "Meatsauce" Lambert, crabby Twins blogger Aaron Gleeman and the Twins Daily writers. And it's all just two blocks from Target Field right after Twins Fest on Saturday the 30th. Again, tickets are $10 cheaper online and are going fast. Get your friends together and get them now. You do not want to be shut out. Wednesday Update: In addition to an appearance by former Twins pitcher Carl Pavano, I’m very pleased to announce that Paul “Meatsauce” Lambert will be emceeing the Twins Daily Winter Meltdown next Saturday following Twins Fest. Meatsauce is the most twisted of the degenerates on KFAN's #1 rated Powertrip Morning Show. His hobbies include eating, making inappropriate comments and comparing Twins losing seasons to a dumpster fire. Meatsauce will be joining Pavano, Pavano’s mustache and the Twins Daily writers at the Pourhouse in Downtown Minneapolis from 5-8 next Saturday (January 30th), just one block from Target Field where Twins Fest will be winding down. Tickets go on sale at 8:00 AM tomorrow (Wednesday) and we have sold out quickly in the past, so please don’t mess around – we don’t want to shut anyone out. They’re $25 apiece if you order early versus $35 at the door (if we have any left), and include two free craft beers from 612 Brew AND a free Twins Daily Winter Meltdown Pint Glass that you can see below. Sauce and The Stache … and more special guests may be announced soon. But if you wait that long the tickets will likely be gone. We'll post the link to buy tickets here as soon as they're available. TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE! Click here to order your 2016 Winter Meltdown tickets! Download attachment: Meatsauce_900.jpg Download attachment: PAVANO_CARL_HATTIP_US_900.jpg Tuesday update: Carl Pavano, who pitched for the Twins from 2009 through 2012, will be a special guest for the 2016 Twins Daily Winter Meltdown, and you can join us. Besides modeling a killer mustache, Pavano helped the Twins win two AL Central championships and also won a World Series championship with the Florida Marlins in 2003. He was an All-Star in 2004 and finished sixth in the Cy Young voting with an 18-8 record and a 3.00 ERA. Finally, he was relatively famous before his MLB career even started, as he was traded for Pedro Martinez when Martinez went from the Expos to Boston. Pavano will join a several other special guests, answering questions about his professional career during the Twins Daily Meltdown Presentation and also meet and greet attendees. Additional guests will be announced over the upcoming days, but don’t wait to hear who they are before you grab your ticket. The limited tickets will be available Wednesday at 8:00 AM and we have sold out in previous years, so set an alarm and get them early! Tickets at $35 at the door, but just $25 for a limited time online. In addition to meeting Pavano and other special guests, attendees get a Twins Daily Winter Meltdown Pint Glass and two complimentary local craft beers from 612 Brew. The event will take place right after Twins Fest, from 5-8 on Saturday January 30th, just one block from Target Plaza at the Pourhouse in Downtown Minneapolis. Any questions? Comment below. And keep checking back at Twins Daily as we announce more special guests. Monday Update: "People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." ~ Roger Hornsby Download attachment: 12508691_950385538361002_2926504929367154206_n.jpg How about we all stare out the window together? On Saturday, January 30th – from 5 PM to 8 PM – Twins Daily will be hosting the 3rd Annual Twins Daily Winter Meltdown. This year’s Winter Meltdown will be held at The Pourhouse in Downtown Minneapolis, less than a quarter mile away from the plaza at Target Field, and will feature the same Twins-related discussion and festive atmosphere that you have come to expect from the Twins Daily community. It is friggin' cold out so let’s fire up the hot stove and think baseball again. New to the Winter Meltdown experience? Here’s what you can expect… MINNESOTA TWINS GUESTS You will get exclusive insight to the game from a former Twins player -- an up-close-and-personal opportunity to pick the brain of someone who played in a Minnesota uniform. In 2014, Scott Erickson regaled the crowd with his tales of pitching in the 1991 World Series. Last year, Jacque Jones told stories from The Team That Saved Baseball. This year? Well, you will just have to wait a few days to find out who the guests will be in 2016. In addition to the special guest speakers, Twins Daily writers will be on hand to discuss and debate some of the hot topics involving the local nine. COLLECTIBLE PINT GLASS No one leaves the event empty-handed either as each Winter Meltdown ticket comes with a collectible Twins Daily pint glass, courtesy of our friends at 612 Brew. And (AND!) with each ticket comes two of 612 Brew’s delicious beers to quench your thirst while you consume baseball. A Twins Daily Winter Meltdown Pint GlassTwo (2) complimentary local craft beers from 612 BrewSpecial Twins guests.Twins talk. Pint glass. Two beers. A lifetime of memories. As a baseball fan, what more incentive do you need? (How about something that hits you right in the feels.) TICKETS GO ON SALE THIS WEDNESDAY And they are limited to be sure to be here on Wednesday morning when ticket sales go live. Check back at TwinsDaily.com or follow the event at Twins Daily’s Facebook page (here) to get the latest information on the details for the 2016 Winter Meltdown. Download attachment: 12508691_950385538361002_2926504929367154206_n.jpg Click here to view the article

They bug me too. Particularly from late innings guys who are coming in to tight games. HOWEVER, that doesn't seem to bug Terry Ryan (or at least that's what he claimed in his offseason interview): PH: [Kevin Jepsen] reduced his walk rate too. Is that something that Neil Allen worked with? TR: I’m going to tell you something about that walk rate. Of course, when you’ve got a relief pitcher and you look at his walk rate, it’s sometimes large. Well, that may be one walk every two appearances. So his walk rate looks a little higher. If it was a starting pitcher, it would concern me a helluva lot more. But when you’ve got a relief pitcher and he gets out there about 60 games and his walk rate is about four, well that’s not quite as bad as if that was a starter. PH: But now you’ve got a runner on base in a late-inning situation, probably in a close game, right? TR: Well, he was a seventh, eighth inning guy for Tampa. So it didn’t concern us quite as much. If it was a closer, it would concern me a helluva lot more. You don’t want to get free passes on a closer, for sure. We’ve gone that path before. That used to really concern me when you’ve got a guy in the ninth and he’s issuing free passes.

It's not what they are not letting the media and fans know, it is what they are telling them. Nothing really has been consistent.

This offseason has been an interesting adventure for Miguel Sano’s positional career path. At Torii Hunter’s retirement press conference, manager Paul Molitor revealed that the organization wanted to have Sano transition to an outfield position in order to accommodate for Trevor Plouffe remaining at third while allowing the DH position to remain open (which would eventually go to free agent signee Byung-Ho Park). The Twins stated that they wanted Sano to take some reps in the outfield during his winter ball season. Shortly thereafter, Sano told Dominican reporters that he would not see actual playing time in the outfield, just shag balls during batting practice. And not long after that, Sano informed his Dominican League team that he was asked by the Twins to stop playing. Meanwhile, Twins GM Terry Ryan refuted that claim, saying it was Sano’s decision. Regardless of whose decision it was to stop, Sano has not been playing in games since the beginning of December. Where is he in terms of outfield preparation?At the Winter Meetings Molitor said that the Twins would be working hard to convert the infielder into a corner outfielder. “We have to develop a little urgency here,” Molitor told MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger, “not just ‘Let’s see how this thing goes.’” Molitor also added that Sano’s conditioning would be monitored to ensure that the 22-year-old would be in the necessary physical condition to play that position. Since then nearly a month has passed without Sano’s presence in Fort Myers. Oswaldo Arcia, on the other hand, has been a fixture at the team’s camp since November, reported KSTP’s Darren Wolfson, and the team’s officials have been impressed with his training process. Wolfson also checked in with the organization to see what the status was for Sano’s transition. His sources told him that they estimate he will be at Fort Myers sometime by the end of January. What has Sano been doing since his departure from his winter league team? According to reporter Juan Carlos Severino, Sano has been working out at the team’s Dominican Republic academy facilities in Boca Chica, putting in six hours of work each day from 6 AM to 12 PM. Sano told Severino that he wanted to continue to play winter ball but he and the team made a mutual decision to focus on his conditioning and outfield play. Although the emphasis has been on learning the new position, Sano said that he was still taking reps at third base because “you never know if they are going to need one.” While Molitor stressed the need for urgency when it comes to preparing a player for a new position, there seems to be a distinct lack of that given that the season is a little over two months away and nary a word has come out on his offseason development. You have to wonder how invested the Twins are in this position change. Click here to view the article

Over this past year, Twins Daily has continued to provide you with what we feel is the best-in-class Minnesota Twins site. A place where you can visit to comment, gain information and be entertained. In 2015, an unimaginable amount of words were killed in the name of all things Twins. On a near-daily basis when you land at TwinsDaily.com you will find some combination of Seth Stohs’ unparalleled prospect coverage, Nick Nelson’s thought-provoking analyses, John Bonnes’ quirky humor or my GIF-loaded scouting breakdowns. Or you might discover posts by regular contributors like Jeremy Nygaard, Cody Christie, Steve Buhr and others. Meanwhile, the forums have been alive with debate and conversation like never before. We thank you all for participating in our grand experiment. But before you Uber off for your rocking New Years’ Eve soiree, help us wring one more click out of these bad boys and check out our top ten most read stories from 2015. 10. What’s A Realistic Timeline For Byron Buxton? Download attachment: 1-Buxton.jpg (courtesy of USA TODAY) With the 2015 season still in its infancy and the Twins trying to battle their way back to .500, Byron Buxton was tearing his way through Southern League pitching, hitting .286/.353/.527 over his first 102 plate appearances. Minnesota, on the other hand, needed desperate help at the top of the lineup and something to give the fans some rooting interest in a team that appeared poised to follow the same losing path as the teams over the previous four years. It took a little over a month but the Twins finally heeded Nick Nelson’s advice. Buxton’s first season at the major league level would be truncated by a thumb injury but he undoubtedly showed promise as the season progressed and he hit .304/.333/.652 over the final two weeks. 9. Twins Daily Top Ten Prospects: Nick Burdi Profile Download attachment: 9-Burdi.jpg Twins Daily launched the 2015 Top Ten Prospect list with hard-throwing reliever Nick Burdi. Burdi represented something that had been sorely lacking in the Twins’ bullpen: Triple-digits heat. After a dominant debut in professional baseball (38 strikeouts over 20.1 innings split between Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers in 2014), expectations were understandably high for the fire-baller. Unfortunately he hit a snag in his first foray in Double-A, getting hit around a bit while walking almost seven batters per nine innings. Burdi seemed to have turned things around after the season when he threw eight innings of two-hit ball in the Arizona Fall League. 8. What Should The Twins Expect From Byung-Ho Park? Download attachment: 9-Park.jpg When the surprising news broke that the Twins were the winners of the Byung-ho Park bid, there was some equal parts excitement and head scratching. After all, despite his video game-like numbers in the Korean Baseball Organization, Park’s potential was very much an unknown. In an effort to shed some light on how that power may play at Target Field, I reviewed Park’s home run footage from 2012, 2014 and 2015 to provide some level of insight as what to expect from the new acquisition. 7.Examining The Shortstop Options Download attachment: 7-Tulo.jpg (courtesy of USA TODAY) On July 19th, the Twins were 50-42, second in the AL Central and five back of the Kansas City Royals. Paul Molitor gave Danny Santana the bulk of the playing time at short only to receive a lowly .221/.241/.306 batting line in return. With the trade deadline coming, the external candidates were discussed (including the possibility of landing Troy Tulowitzki) as well as the internal options. As it played out, the Twins eventually (reluctantly?) handed the job to Eduardo Escobar starting in August and Escobar responded by hitting .286/.350/.524 after receiving steady employ. 6. Twins Prospect Max Kepler Continues To Impress Download attachment: 6-Kepler.jpg (courtesy of USA TODAY) Among all the stories in the farm system, Max Kepler’s rise in 2015 on the prospect charts may have been the most impressive. Clearly a toolsy talent, Kepler was as raw as sushi when he arrived in professional baseball and spent some time battling injuries and learning the game. “We all assumed, figured, projected he would hit eventually,” Twins Vice President of Player Personnel Mike Radcliff explained. “This year it is showing up in the box score for sure.” 5. Hicks-Murphy Trade Looks Worse By The Minute Download attachment: 5-Hicks.jpg (courtesy of USA TODAY) The Twins’ offseason began with a flurry of moves which included sending incumbent (and improving) center fielder Aaron Hicks to New York in exchange for young catcher John Ryan Murphy. Not everyone was pleased with this transaction, as evident by the popularity of Twins Daily blogger Tom Froemming’s post which noted the a half-dozen free agent catching options that were signed soon after the Twins’ trade. 4. Will Twins Address Their Most Glaring Weakness? Download attachment: 4-Lucroy.jpg (courtesy of USA TODAY) That’s the question Nick Nelson posed in mid-July ramping up to the trade deadline. As he pointed out, Twins catcher Kurt Suzuki was hitting a pitiful .227/.283/.303 after a 0-for-8 weekend against the Oakland A’s and there were several rumored options on the market (including Jonathan Lucroy and Derek Norris). Obviously the Twins did not make a move to upgrade at that position in-season but they moved quickly during the winter to swap Aaron Hicks for Yankees’ catcher John Ryan Murphy. 3. Twins Add Seven To Their 40 Man Roster, Lose Achter, Pinto Download attachment: 3-prospects.png (courtesy of Craig Gordon & Seth Stohs) In efforts to complete their 40-man roster for 2016, the Twins added seven players from the farm system to their protected roster but exposed pitcher AJ Achter and catcher Josmil Pinto to other teams. Achter was nabbed by the Phillies while Pinto was originally picked up by the Padres only to be waived shortly thereafter and was claimed by the Brewers. 2. Twins Trade Chips Download attachment: 2-Arica.jpg (courtesy of USA TODAY) With a day remaining until the 2015 trade deadline, Seth Stohs outlined the various trading assets for the Minnesota Twins. Among those listed were Jorge Polanco, Eduardo Escobar, Oswaldo Arcia, Eddie Rosario, Kohl Stewart and more. While all may have been discussed at that time with other teams, the Twins ultimately acquired just reliever Kevin Jepsen from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor league pitcher Chih-Wei Hu. AND THE MOST READ TWINS DAILY STORY OF 2015... 1. Twins, Rockies Talk Tulowitzki Download attachment: 1-tulo.jpg (courtesy of USA TODAY) With the Twins in contention at the trade deadline for the first time in years, naturally the interest among the fan base was focused on whether or not the Twins would make some upgrades for an unexpected playoff push. When Twins Daily contributor Jeremy Nygaard reported that he had heard inside information that the Twins were discussing a possible trade with the Rockies for shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, well, the traffic nearly broke our Twins Daily servers. It is almost serendipitous that the trade never happened considering that once the Blue Jays acquired Tulowitzki, he hit just .239/.317/.380 while Eduardo Escobar, as previously mentioned, posted a much better .286/.350/.524 line. Click here to view the article

I can assure you that the GIFs did not select themselves.

The hitch is not that big of an issue. You've probably heard Roy Smalley reference it several times on a broadcast but when I spoke to Brunansky about that, specifically in regards to his inability to hit pitches up in the zone and if he felt that the hand load was the reason. "That's just poor pitch selection," he said. "Those are pitches he needs to realize that he can't attack. If he has to with two-strikes, yeah, we'll try to fight that off but he likes the ball down in the zone." Now, it's obviously ludicrous to compare a hitter like Arcia to Barry Bonds but Bonds had a similar load process where the hands dropped substantially in the process -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUTW4FsMeNQ. Bonds, however, had an unbelievable understanding of his zone. Arcia definitely lacks that. The head movement is far more egregious and the Twins have tried to get him to still that a bit more. Pull his front side out against lefties is another major issue. His swing is by no means perfect but the pros outweigh the cons in my opinion.

When I wrote about the Twins changing hitting philosophy throughout the system earlier this month, it was spurred by an interview of outfielder Joe Benson conducted by Baseball Prospectus in 2011. At that time four years ago Benson said that the team stressed staying as quiet as possible and getting your foot down early. That alone had the feel of something from a bygone era -- sort of like finding out that team doctors would slap leeches on a pitcher’s arm if he felt something snap -- and it was obvious why the Twins take heat in comparison to the forward-thinking and -preaching organizations. Over the years people have decried Minnesota’s outdated practice of trying to get hitters to fit into a certain swing mold rather than allow their natural athleticism shine through. Those who have had power potential, like David Ortiz or Carlos Gomez, left the system feeling as if their development was suppressed by the outmoded philosophy when they couldn’t conform. While it may not be noticeable on the surface, this philosophy has been changing within the system and the five hitters below are prime examples of the shift in direction.It may not be overwhelmingly apparent but the team has gone to lengths to embrace the louder, more athletic mechanics in their players. Evidence exists up and down the organizational ladder of hitters eschewing the old patterns for their natural swing. What follows is by no means selected from a comprehensive list as the amount of footage available for the players in the system is limited. There could be hitters in Elizabethton, the GCL or the Dominican Summer League with beautiful hacks that are not captured on the Internet. Based on their swings, these are five players within the Twins system that deserve your attention over the next few years to see if the new methods pay dividends. LaMonte Wade // 21 years old // Elizabethton (Rk) & Cedar Rapids (Low-A) http://i.imgur.com/w6jgHU7.gif The Twins drafted Wade out of the University of Maryland this past year and he immediately exceeded expectations. Projected to be a top of the lineup-type bat, Wade hit .302 but popped nine home runs in 64 games with the Elizabethton Twins. It was strange considering he had hit all of seven over three collegiate seasons while playing with metal bats. The above clip is a bad angle but it highlights Wade’s hands. Watch the load process and how he gets his barrel on plane with the pitch quickly (unlike Adam Walker’s swing which you will see below). That type of barrel movement should result in plenty of contact. Wade’s lower half work is where he generates power. The below clip is a take but watch his front leg and the hip start to rotate as he watches the pitch go by. http://i.imgur.com/RQ8u0II.gif In all, there are a lot of good movements from Wade in his swing and an indication that he is able to generate some power. In recent Twins history, as a leadoff-type and center fielder, Wade would have been the prime candidate to receive an overhaul to quiet his mechanics. He still has plenty to prove as he faces better competition and the organization may tone down his swing yet, so keep an eye on him as he advances up the ladder. Oswaldo Arcia // 24 years old // Minnesota (MLB) & Rochester (AAA) http://i.imgur.com/4IOzAsG.gif I love to hate to love Oswaldo Arcia’s swing. There’s so much to love -- from the leg kick to the gather process -- but there is also just enough hesitation in his decision-making that it seems one miscue can throw the entire system all kattywompus. There are times when I think he could benefit from calming everything down but that seems to defeat the purpose. His swing is one of the rare loud movement swings that somehow slipped into commission at some point in 2013 after years in the minors of using the toe-tap. It almost felt defiant. When he times a pitch properly and finds a pitch below his belt, he can hammer it a long way but when Arcia started to struggle as opponents adjusted to him in 2014, I fully expected the Twins to revamp his swing. Twins hitting coach Tom Brunansky said that was not his style. “You can't come and change,” Brunansky said in regards to Arcia’s approach. “The hardest thing to do is tell a young hitter who has had success in the minor leagues who needs to to change it at the major league level because they are going to say 'I hit like this'...how are we to say it doesn’t work?” There’s no question that Arcia’s swing has flaws. After all, it seems that only Rush Limbaugh has had more issues with lefties in his career than Arcia. That is a significant flaw that the front office was hoping the outfielder could correct in his stint in Rochester this past year. Despite an insane stretch in July in which he hit eight home runs, Arcia failed to show any progress against southpaws and his performance tanked in AAA. Out of options, Arcia still has the basis of what could be a fundamentally potent swing and the Twins could certainly benefit from having home run power from the left side of the plate. Adam Brett Walker // 24 years old // Chattanooga (AA) http://i.imgur.com/0nGtUiL.gif When you watch that swing, you don’t fully appreciate how far Adam Brett Walker’s swing has come until you compare it to where it was at while playing in college. In 2015 Walker did what he had been doing for most of his career -- socked a bunch of extra base hits and then struck out a ton in the other at-bats. His 31 home runs for the Lookouts finished second only to Miguel Sano for home runs in the organization but his 195 punchouts topped Sano for the dubious honor of most K’s in the system. While the jump in the competition was partially responsible for the increase of an already elevated strikeout rate, Walker also unveiled a refined swing which showed much more emphasis on his lower half. The leg kick certainly generated power but his inability to recognize pitches also witnessed a ton of silly swings where Walker was well out in front at the point of contact and turned over or missed a lot of pitches. Even with the struggles, it is a good direction for Walker and for the Twins. There is no doubting that Walker was a raw power talent coming out of Jacksonville University but his swing was basic, almost something the Twins would have instructed just a few years ago (hands still, get that foot down early). Now they have outfitted him with a superior swing that should give him a better opportunity for success. http://i.imgur.com/QLZ3iv7.gif Walker has obvious pitch selection issues and his barrel doesn’t stay on plane long so he will never likely hit for average and always strikeout at a high clip but the light tower power is unquestionable. Lewin Diaz // 19 years old // GCL Twins (Rk) & Elizabethton (Rk) http://i.imgur.com/IqDV8cw.gif MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reported that some unidentified scouts said that Lewin Diaz reminded them of the Phillies’ Ryan Howard when the Twins signed him in 2013 for a cool $1.4 million. While the body type comp may hold true, upon inspection you can see from the GIF above that Diaz is much more athletic in his swing that the small stride, . Not to detract from Howard’s approach -- as a career 357 home runs speaks for itself -- but Diaz is clearly a different style of hitter. Diaz’s mechanics have a mid-level leg kick and barrel tip toward the pitcher before bringing the bat through the zone. While he may share a shape similar to Howard's, his swing structure actually has more in common with someone like . The Twins were famously derided by Papi for tinkering too much with his swing. Hopefully the lesson learned is that they will allow a prospect like Diaz to continue to work with this swing model rather than revamp it for an antiquated approach. Max Kepler // 22 years old // Chattanooga (AA) & Minnesota (MLB) http://i.imgur.com/oM6PqBY.gif Of all the swings that I’ve watch this season, Max Kepler’s is my favorite. It is even more impressive when you consider what he swing looked like as a high school kid in Germany. After entering the Twins system, the organization seemed to outfit him with the standard low movement swing that was a staple of all their outfielders over the last decade. However, in 2015, the Twins went the other direction and got him to get more athletic with his swing. Lookouts hitting coach and former Twin Chad Allen said the staff worked hard to get Kepler to become more aggressive -- partly with his mechanics and partly with his mentality at the plate. At six-foot-four, Kepler has the stature to provide power. So why try to reduce that potential by toning everything down? Now that he has reached the point where he has caught up to the game, it will be fun to watch what he does with the proper swing. Click here to view the article

#Mastroianna That scenario sounds about right.

In the world where the Twins KNOW what they have in him.

The Minnesota Twins released their list of non-roster invitees to spring camp. The list included several of the usual suspect and some of the more recent additions. Surprisingly, also included was 30-year-old outfielder Ryan Sweeney, who was last seen in the majors as a Chicago Cubs roster crunch causality heading into the 2015 regular season. So what could the Twins possibly want with him?Sweeney’s addition is a depth move for the organization, placing him alongside Darin Mastroianni and Joe Benson as candidates for a fourth outfielder role. A once lauded prospect, Sweeney was considered among Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects from 2005 through 2007 and was projected to be a source of power based on his 6-foot-4 frame. Even at the upper levels of the minor leagues that power never manifested but his ability to play all three outfield positions allowed him to maintain steady employment among a variety of teams. READ: A Look At The Latest Signings Injuries, however, cut into his playing time during what should have been his peak years. In 2012, while playing for Boston, Sweeney punched a wall at Fenway Park, required surgery to repair the injury and cost him 59 games. Meanwhile, in 2013, Sweeney found his niche once he was recalled to the Cubs in May. From May until the end of June, he hit .295/.342/.527 with four home runs in 121 plate appearances. However, Sweeney wound up cracking a rib in a collision with Safeco’s wall that took him out of action for six weeks. When he returned to the lineup, he hit just .225/.300/.338. Nevertheless, the Cubs re-signed Sweeney shortly after that to a two-year, $3.5 million contract, betting that he could rebound to his pre-injury production. In a part-time capacity in 2014 Sweeney never hit well enough (.251/.304/.338) to merit more exposure, and a hamstring injury in May sidelined him for an extended stretch. "I don't know why I pulled my hamstring. I hadn't done it in seven or eight years,” told the Chicago Tribune while rehabbing the injury in Mesa at the team’s training facility. “But I was dealing with other stuff with my leg, so maybe I was overcompensating for it. Any time I've (injured) it, it has been on the base paths. So to do it while running after a fly was new to me." When the Cubs had to make their final roster decision heading into 2015, they opted to go with an additional infielder in Jonathan Herrera rather than the veteran outfielder, and designated Sweeney for assignment, paying him $1.5 million in the process. While he never played for another team over the rest of the season, Sweeney’s representative said in an email that the seven-year veteran had other playing options for 2014 but choose instead to recover from the various injuries including the hamstring issue and also a case of plantar fasciitis that affected his performance over the last several years. Heading into his age-30 season, Sweeney was committed to coming into 2016 at one hundred percent. READ: Should Mauer Be In The Outfield? What does Sweeney’s signing suggest about the team’s confidence in their outfield? There appears to be a glaring lack of confidence in their center field options but not enough commitment to upgrade with a Rajai Davis-type (who was just signed by the Cleveland Indians). Outside of Bryon Buxton, the Twins have Danny Santana and have cited Eddie Rosario as a potential option. They have brought in Mastroianni and Benson. Sweeney certainly possesses a small level of intrigue as he is capable of playing above average defense with an outside chance of contributing with the stick. However, he will battle two known commodities in Mastroianni and Benson. With Eddie Rosario and Oswaldo Arcia ahead of him, Sweeney’s left-handed presence gives him little advantage in a cluttered outfield. That being said, Sweeney can provide depth at the position and can be a recall candidate playing in Rochester if anything goes sour in Minnesota. Click here to view the article

Puckett's power surge has a fascinating background: http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/how-did-kirby-puckett-become-a-power-hitter-r3387

Absolutely. That's why I found Dollar Sign On The Muscle to be a fascinating book -- there were reports from late 1970s/early 1980s prospects that you could follow up on later to see if the ol' bird dogs had been right. Would love to go through what some of the Twins' old reports were like.

With LaTroy Hawkins, Torii Hunter and now Michael Cuddyer retiring in the same offseason, baseball will lose three players identified, raised and groomed within the Minnesota Twins’ development system that provided value across multiple teams in the league. Although the members of that trio were drafted, signed and developed in different years, they each shared a lengthy and, with the exception of Hawkins, All- Star caliber careers. And while we know what they all eventually became as players, with the advent of the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Diamond Mind collection, an archive of the game’s scouting reports over the years, we rewind and look back on who these players were before they reached the majors. Check out these scouting reports from the former Twins.Unfortunately, the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Diamond Mind scouting report collection does not have any reports on Hunter’s amateur days archived but it does have several reports on Hawkins and Cuddyer. Hawkins’ two reports – both from 1995 and both from Chicago White Sox scouts – paints the picture of a talented yet immature pitcher. The first, dated June 1995, followed a Hawkins start while with the Minnesota Twins’ then AAA affiliate, the Salt Lake City Buzz. White Sox scout Ed Pebley was fairly nonplussed by the future major leaguers’ immediate potential, considering his fastball which sat at 88-91 MPH in this particular outing “fringe average” (Hawkins would late hit 94.2 average fastball while with the Astros in 2009). Pebley labeled him a “Chance ML Prospect”, gave his blessing for the Sox to acquire and felt that Hawkins “could work his way into a rotation or be a good middle man for somebody” and that Hawkins would “be worth some kind of value down the road that could help a club out in some role.” Download attachment: Hawkins_Pebly.jpg In 1995 Hawkins entered the season rated as Baseball America’s 30th overall prospect in the game but, like Pebley inferred, Hawkins did experience a sizeable dip in strikeouts once he hit the minor league’s highest level. With a near one-to-one strikeout-to-innings pitched ratio from rookie ball through AA, Hawkins apparently lost some zip on the fastball while attempting to work through some mechanical issues. At six-foot-five with gangly arms, Hawkins battled for years to find a consistent delivery and when he arrived to Salt Lake, the Twins organization worked on fixing his mechanics at the expense of his velocity. In the Pacific Coast League that year, Hawkins finished the season 9-7 with a 3.55 ERA in 22 starts but he would rack up just 74 strikeouts over 144.1 innings. With little pitching available with the parent club that year (the Twins would allow an AL-worst 6.17 runs per game), the Twins gave the 22-year-old six starts to see what the future might hold. READ: LaTroy Hawkins’ All-Time Best Teammates The Twins sent Hawkins to the Arizona Fall League that winter where he would refine his approach. It was with Peoria that the White Sox’s scout Mike Sgobba took in a four-inning outing for Hawkins in November 1995. Unlike Pebley, Sgobba would anoint Hawkins a “[Definite] ML prospect” and that he has the chance to be a “2nd or 3rd starter in ML when he gets in sync”. Like a true scout, Sgobba added that he would “like to be his agent”. Download attachment: Hawkins_Sgobba.jpg Hawkins, of course, would eventually make it as a starter like Pebley and Sgobba projected, just not a successful one: In 98 starts, he amassed a 26-44 record with a rotund 6.11 ERA. Instead, Hawkins’ talent was better suited for the role of a reliever, which he performed admirably over 944 appearances, accumulating 127 saves and owning a 3.32 ERA. His 1,042 games played in rank 10th all time. Unlike Hawkins, the Baseball Hall of Fame only has a scouting report on Michael Cuddyer archived from his high school days. And not just his pre-draft scout report, this report comes from Brad Kohler of MLB’s scouting bureau who was following Cuddyer’s summer season between his sophomore and junior year. While teams often sign 16-year-olds out of Latin America, it still seems rather difficult to try to project what someone will be like physically five or six years later. With American-born players, teams are afforded the luxury of following a prospect around for several more years of maturation before committing them to their pipeline. Still, Kohler’s report provides a glimpse of where Cuddyer stood as a 16-year-old prospect. Download attachment: Cuddyer_Kohler.jpg The teenaged Cuddyer played his summer ball for East VA Commonwealth where Kohler found him to have a “strong, compact” build. Kohler projected Cuddyer to have major league potential and viewed him as a line drive hitter with the possibility of adding major league-type power to his swing. Described as a straight away and opposite field hitter, Cuddyer’s career would eventually make him more of a pull-type but he distributed balls evenly across the field and showed a great deal of straight away power that was muted once the Twins left the Metrodome. Ultimately, Kohler summarized, Cuddyer had the “ability to be [a] front line prospect in 1997” when he was eligible for the draft. READ: Nearing The End Of An Era Much like free-swinging sluggers, scouts miss a lot too. Kohler, for example, was profiled in the Washington Post just a few short months after watching Cuddyer’s performance. In it, Kohler was particularly excited about a player out of Pennsylvania by the name of Justin Hazelton and told all the scouts represented at the showcase and anyone who would listen that this kid could play. The Tigers had a scout near Kohler and, maybe because of Kohler’s influence or possibly because of the scout’s own review, Detroit snapped Hazelton up in the 10th round of the 1996 draft. As it turned out, Hazelton couldn’t play. At least not in the professional ranks. After making it as high as low-A ball, Hazelton* retired with a career line of .187/.309/.267 and three home runs. *After calling it quits, Hazelton would later resurface as the Cardinals’ Matt Adams’ personal offseason hitting instructor -- both hailing from the tiny Pennsylvania town of Phillipsburg (pop 2,770). Hazelton’s story highlights just how difficult it can be to predict a high school player’s future. Cuddyer continued to progress as a prospect while at Great Bridge High School and was eventually drafted by the Twins ninth overall in 1997. Just eight picks later, Cuddyer’s teammate pitcher John Curtice was selected by the Red Sox and the pair became the first high school teammates to be drafted in the first round. Curtice would wash out of baseball at the high-A level but Cuddyer would go on to have a lengthy career which included the development of major league power as Kohler projected (197 career home runs) as well as a batting title in 2013 (.331 average with the Rockies). Here are some other scouting reports on other notable past and present Twins players: Willie Banks: “Reminds me of Bob Gibson….not only will be a high draft pick, but is capable of pitching in the big leagues very quickly becoming an ‘impact player’. Billy Blitzer, Cubs scout Tom Brunansky: “LF arm or 1B. Bat potential and running speed with physical assets. Has signed letter of intent to Stanford University for football. He would prefer baseball. Goin to cost $40,000 or more to buy him out of top school. I pass on him.” Tom Ferrick, Kansas City Royals scout “Would or will be tough sign. Has scholarship to Stanford. Comes from college oriented family. Would go $25,000 but believe his is willing to sign if he gets $60,000 to $75,000. Not worth it.” Joe Stephenson, Boston Red Sox scout Greg Gagne: “I wish he could hit at all…makes all the plays…but right now bat shows no promise.” Larry Monroe, White Sox scout Jacque Jones: “Arm is fringe average as is speed down line but knows how to make best use of both. Swing can get long and needs more patience on breaking ball. Power is fringe…Solid OF who will fit somewhere because of his bat and ability to run down ball. Could live with in but could also play LF. Great fourth OF at worst.” George Bradley, White Sox scout “Trouble with off speed pitches. Must learn to stay back. Has loop in his swing…Comes to play. Can make things happen. Has a chance to hit and with a little pop. Will be able to steal a few bases and play solid defense.” Gary Pallent, White Sox scout Matt LeCroy: “Play will be best suited to play 1B, lacks physical tools to be a catcher…potential to be impact offensive player at ML level with hitting for AVG/HR’s/&RBI’s.” Kevin Burrell, White Sox scout “Built like offensive guard in the NFL. Will have to watch body in the future and won’t have any problem seeing it…Has an outside chance to survive in minor leagues as C, but could only be a back-up at the big-league level.” Doug Laumann, White Sox scout Bobby Kielty: “Similar build to Jeremy Burnitz (Brewers); solid frame with athleticism; exhibits some “raw power” in batting practice; switching hitter that makes contact however has free swinger tendency…Extra OF projections in future.” Phil Rossi, New York Yankees scout Chuck Knoblauch: “Has some correctable fielding mechanics. Arm might be a bit shy from the hole…Plays game much like Dan Gladden or Wally Backman. Intelligence plus desire may allow him to move up quickly.” Marty Esposito, Minnesota Twins scout “Unanimously voted top prospect in the Cape League by scouts. He can do it all. With excellent attitude and is a gamer and a hustler who can beat you in many ways. Loves the game, and his mental approach is excellent. I really like this kid and I’m convinced he will play in the ML someday. Should go in the first.” Donald Labossiere, San Diego Padres scout Dave McCarty: “Has put on the best power display I’ve seen in a long time – hit long and high home runs that no park will hold. Great power” Bill Werle, Indians scout, 1991 “Can drive ball but does not have power-type swing.” John Cox, Orioles scout, 1995 Doug Mientkiewicz: “Very slow and does not show defensive tools…Arm is short as is range, hands are adequate. Does not move well around [first base] bag…Saw enough to make a believer out of me with the bat and has really improved home run stroke. Would move back to catching where he was in HS and see if arm would be better would take a chance on LH bat who might catch or be utility.” George Bradley, White Sox scout “Bat makes him a fringe prospect. Possible fill-in type guy at the corners. Left-hand bat off of bench. Also has caught some in past. Turned down good money from Blue Jays out of high school. Probably not signable for worth. Bill Meyer, White Sox scout Joe Mauer: “Future ML All-Star behind the plate… Advanced hitting approach for younger player. Stays inside the ball very well…Hits most balls from center to left field line. Rarely pulls, but feel that will be the next step-has the ability now to hit some pull HRs, but seldom strays from current approach…Chance to jump to AA next year, but only 19.” Jim Pransky, Oakland A’s scout Joe Nathan: “Has slight nervous twitch in face and head which is noticeable.” John Tumminia, White Sox scout Carl Pavano: “Not well proportioned pitchers body. Gained 15-20 LBS this winter. Needs Weight Watchers program. Not signable this round with LSU scholarship.” John Tumminia, White Sox scout Glen Perkins: “Weight is something that he might want to watch in future…Team’s #1 – will be Friday guy in Big 10 conference…poised lefty with workman-like approach…FB is best pitch and knows how to use it both sides of the plate…Our kind of guy.” Jim Pransky, Oakland A’s scout AJ Pierzynski: “Sunken chested and could use upper-body development…Poor speed but doesn’t stop being aggressive…Aggressive in everything he does. Intense. Has a ML ego and some showmanship. Getting a lot of attention and ESPN filmed a special on him today. Very young – not 18 until December – and fame maybe taking a toll.” George Bradley, White Sox scout Mark Redman: “I see him having the type of career and being the type of pitcher that Charlie Leibrandt was.” Doug Laumann, Kansas City Royals scout Roy Smalley: “Is Gene Mauch’s nephew. No question about his arm or fielding – his bat is what keeps him from getting the kind of money he thinks he should get. Would if possible draft him and see what would happen.” Joe Stephenson, Boston Red Sox scout Shannon Stewart: “Gave him a 2 arm because he has two arms.” Ed Creech, Pirates scout Jim Thome: “Plays a good college SS [at Illinois Central College], but lacks the range and quickness this position requires at the pro-ball level. I believe he would be a solid [defensive third baseman], because he has good hands, handles the slow roller well, has two step lateral movement for 3B and may have a plus arm from there. Will hit for average and supply the power this position requires.” Tony Levoto, Kansas City Royals scout Click here to view the article

According to Berardino's report, Ryan told reporters that he specifically did not shut Sano down. It may have come from someone else in the organization (Brad Steil?) but it did not come from Ryan.

Twins say it was entirely Sano's decision. Sano told DR media that it was Twins. Interesting.