FlyingFinn

I've mentioned it a few times around here the last year or so, but I will be having a fun little adventure this summer and enjoying a game in every team's home park. I chose this summer so I could also enjoy a World Baseball Classic game or 2. Since I know you all can't get enough of my thoughts, feelings, and opinions on all things baseball, I figured I'd start a blog and share the journey with you. This first entry is to lay out the plan for you so you can see what it's going to look like and I can see what people are interested in hearing about.
Ticket plans: My plans for game tickets to MLB games are to get the cheapest tickets I can to almost every game. I want to see the parks. I want to see what the views are like from different angles and areas. I don't plan to be in my seat for most of the game so I don't want to waste money on expensive seats. The stadium I am most considering getting specific seats to is Fenway. I think it'd be fun to sit on The Monster. So, I may do that. If anyone has insight on other seat locations at other parks that are truly special and really provide a unique vantage point to a game, please let me know!
Travel plans: I don't want to drive in New York, so I will be doing a flight out to Washington and then trains and ubers and rental cars from there on my east coast swing. But the rest will be done in my trusty camper van. That will lead to some long days and tight windows on getting to some games and getting out of town after games, but it'll make for an exciting adventure! The WBC trip will be done solo, but the plan is to bring my dog with on the others. There'll be some hotel nights mixed in when we just need a night indoors with some comfort, but we're hearty, northern camping folk so we'll be good on the road most of the time. This will also allow us to save a few bucks over the flight and hotel option.
Schedule:
WBC/Spring Training- 
3/11 Dominican Republic vs Venezuela in Miami
3/12 Mets vs Cardinals in Jupiter
3/12 Nats vs Astros in West Palm Beach
3/13 Pool C vs Pool D WBC Quarterfinal in Miami
West Coast-
5/1 Colorado Rockies vs Braves
5/3 Sacramento Athletics vs Guardians
5/4 San Francisco Giants vs Padres
5/6 Los Angeles Angels vs White Sox
5/7 San Diego Padres vs Cardinals
5/8 Los Angeles Dodgers vs Braves
5/9 Arizona Diamondbacks vs Mets
5/11 Texas Rangers vs Diamondbacks
5/12 Houston Astros vs Mariners
Northeast-
5/21 Washington Nationals vs Mets
5/22 Baltimore Orioles vs Tigers
5/23 Philadelphia Phillies vs Guardians
5/24 New York Yankees vs Rays
5/25 New York Mets vs Reds
5/26 Boston Red Sox vs Braves
Midwest-
Chicago Cubs either start or end the trip with them depending on a couple other life events
6/22 Chicago White Sox vs Guardians
6/23 Cincinnati Reds vs Brewers
6/24 Pittsburgh Pirates vs Mariners
6/25 Toronto Blue Jays vs Rangers
6/26 Detroit Tigers vs Astros
6/27 Cleveland Guardians vs Mariners
6/28 Milwaukee Brewers vs Cubs
Southeast-
8/9 Kansas City Royals vs Cubs
8/10 St Louis Cardinals vs Phillies
8/11 Atlanta Braves vs Mets
8/13 Miami Marlins vs Pirates
8/14 Tampa Bay Rays vs Orioles
Seattle-
9/22 Seattle Mariners vs Astros
I'm in Seattle for a conference in September so they get their own special stand-alone game.
Minnesota-
Whenever. I live here. So, I'll go when the mood strikes.
There is an ability to move some games around and adjust with most of the schedule. Some of the schedule is pretty tight and that'll be fun and stressful all at the same time. I'm excited for the summer and think it'll be a pretty cool adventure.
Let me know what you think will be fun about it, what you think the pain points will be, and what things you think I should write about. What are you guys interested to know about all the different parks across the country and the challenge of seeing them all in one summer? Anything you're curious about with the WBC games? Let me know and I'll try my best to report back on it all!
Spring training has arrived and baseball season is right around the corner!

I would sell off the expiring contracts this July but it isn’t a rebuild. I am going the 2024 Tigers route. They traded off four expiring contracts and let the players in their system have a chance to play. All four played significantly in their first half in #2 starter Jack Flaherty, lefty reliever Andrew Chafin, catcher Carson Kelly and Mark Canha. They replaced Flaherty with an opener and Tyler Hilton and Beau Brieske emerged. Brant Hurter was the lefty reliever. Spencer Torkelson returned from his exile to the minors and had a .945 OPS in August. Dillon Dingler got his feet wet at catcher. I am guessing the plan was to see what they needed for 2025 but it resulted in a couple rounds of playoff baseball.
That means we trade Willi Castro. That will hurt. Not Jack Flaherty hurt but it will hurt. Keaschall will be returning and let’s look at Austin Martin.
We trade lefty specialist Danny Coulombe. That will hurt. The bullpen is very thin. Everyone is healthy and two on the current roster don’t look to be major league ready. Is it time to see Connor Prielipp in a relief role? Maybe not. The plan for a full healthy season is a priority. If not then Funderburk gets off the shuttle and gets a two month consistent shot.
Can they get anything for Paddack? Take what they can get and make sure Festa, Matthews and Woods Richardson have a spot in the rotation the rest of the year.
Can they get anything for France? The return for Canha was little but the open spot gave a chance for Torkelson to earn back some trust. Maybe Clemens gets a good share of 1B. Maybe Julien returns here. What does Keaschall look like at 1B? Miranda’s last stand?
It might mean paying some of the contract for Vazquez but let’s do it. Let’s see Mickey Gasper at  catcher for two months. Teams will run against him. In AAA he gives up a stolen base every 6.5 innings while Camargo is one of the best and gives up a stolen base every 9 innings. It amounts to an extra stolen base every three games. Can his bat make up the difference even if it a stolen base per game at this level? Let’s see about the rest of his game at catcher. Marco Raya had some very positive things to say about Gasper behind the plate.
Bader will hurt too. Will Rodriguez be healthy? Probably not. That leaves an opening for Carson McCusker or Walker Jenkins. They might also send out Keirsey now and bring up Martin. Get Keirsey some at bats for a few weeks and maybe he gets a real shot with the bat when he returns.
Anyone else? Justin Topa is not matching his 2023 season. I would trade him. The bullpen already has holes to fill today. Maybe the return for some of the other players is a failed starter or a blocked minor league reliever they give a chance in the pen for the final two months.
Why not rebuild? There are a few reasons.
The largest is I want the new owners to be able to shape this club. If they want to go for it in the next few years they need Joe Ryan, Jhoan Duran and to a lesser extent Griffin Jax. Selling this players is easy. New owners wanting to replace them will be hard. The new owners need to be able to set the direction.  The sweet spot for selling is the deadline with 1 season remaining. They have two. The return for them will not be that much less next summer and it gives the Twins a better chance to compete next year. I suppose someone could argue that they may get injured. It is also true that the key prospect we get in return for them this year could get injured. There are some players they need to make decisions on to help build next year’s roster. Many have shown flashes in the majors and shown success in the minors. This winter’s decisions will be more informed if they open these 7 spots. I endorse the Tiger Plan

Hey Twins fans! This is the fifth post in my series about Minnesota Twins baseball cards. This post is in a little different order than prior posts. Because I tend to dive most deeply into the most obscure player of the set (we all know about Tony, the Killer, and Carew not to mention Puckett, Hrbek, Mauer, and Morneau), this post will start with a write up of the player I deem to be most obscure in this set. Also “best” and “favorite” might be the same card, hence no different write up. If my favorite is different than the best, I will certainly say so. In previous posts, I struggled to differentiate between best and favorite. That’s not the case for the 1973 Topps, my favorite is definitely different from the best (which, I’m sorry tends to trend toward the most valuable).
Anyway, here we go…
1973 Topps
I love the look of the 1973 Topps baseball cards – the black border on the picture, the white border of the cards, and especially the silhouette of the player and his position in the lower right corner. The player’s name and team are listed at the bottom of the card. These cards are the standard 2.5” x 3.5” which started in 1957. The complete set has 660 cards. The Twins have 29 cards in this set including two variations of #49, the Frank Quilici manager card with his coaches. One of the variations has palm trees in the backgrounds for two of the coaches. www.PSAcard.com states the values of the two variations are the same and the number of each variation graded by PSA are similar.
               
MOST OBSCURE PLAYER
The 1973 Topps set has about half a dozen decent options for the most obscure Twins Player in the set, but one of these never played for the Twins. Meet Mr. Ken Reynolds.

Reynolds was originally drafted by Philadelphia in the fourth round of the 1966 draft. He was primarily a starting pitcher in their minor leagues. He started 25 games in 1971 and 23 games in 1972 for bad to awful Phillies teams. He had a crazy bad record of 2-15 in 1972. Reynolds came to the Twins in a November 1972 trade. The Twins traded fan favorite and future Twins Hall of Famer Cesar Tover for Joe Lis, Ken Sanders, and Reynolds. It seems like Philadelphia won that trade but it wasn’t robbery. Tovar played only one season for the Phillies and had a WAR of 0.9 WAR. The players the Twins received totaled -1.4 for the time they played for the Twins. That -1.4 WAR does not include Reynolds as he never played for the Twins and was traded to the Brewers in March 1973 for Mike Ferraro. Ferraro also never played for the Twins and the organization released him in May. Reynolds had a 7.36 ERA in two games for the Brewers. Reynolds later pitched for the Cardinals in 1975 and the Padres in 1976, finishing his MLB career with a 7-29 record. He stuck around the minor leagues until 1979.
An interesting tidbit I discovered while researching Ken Reynolds was that he played for the Hawaii Islanders in 1976 which was a AAA team and part of the Pacific Coast League. I went to Hawaii three weeks ago. It took me 4-5 after coming home to readjust to the time change. It seems like having Hawaii in a North American league would make travel exciting but brutal for those minor leaguers who experienced it. According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_Islanders, the Hawaii Islanders were surprisingly part of the PCL from 1961 thought 1987. I found the entire Wikipedia entry to be fascinating and would encourage your perusal. Hall of Famers Barry Bonds and Tony Gwynn played for the Islanders. This is something this blog series has done for me, introduce me to interesting parts of the game I never knew.
THE BEST
The Rod Carew #330 is the most valuable Twins card in this set. I like the stance, the pose, the background, and just the general look of this card. And I just love the look of this set in general.

PERSONAL FAVORITE
There’s something about the Tony Oliva card (#80). I think it’s a great picture, great pose, and mine is autographed (with his phenomenal signature). In the 1960s, there are many players photographed standing in Yankee Stadium with an inauthentic stance or pose. Tony’s stance may not be overly competitive but the pose, to me, looks better than average. But it’s not my favorite card.

The Harmon Killebrew (#170) is one of my favorite autographed cards in my entire collection (again, an exceptional autograph). This action shot seems to show an aggressive stance like he’s ready to release his energy and hit a blast. Where is he? The catcher’s red and blue pant stripes and the stadium background suggests Cleveland to me. I’m not sure. What do you think? I love this picture. But it’s not my favorite card.

As an aside, seriously, whose autograph is better Oliva or Killebrew? I’ve heard many say Killebrew’s signature is the best, but Tony O’s is similarly clear, legible, and smooth. Please share your opinion below.
Even though I have those two autographed cards of Hall of Fame players, neither ranks as my favorite Twins card from 1973. That honor easily belongs to another Hall of Famer – the #530 card of Jim Kaat. I think it’s absolutely awesome that Topps chose a photograph of a pitcher, Mr. Jim Kaat, batting. I love that this 1973 Topps card was issued, ironically, during the first year of the Designated Hitter. American League pitchers simply did not bat in 1973. Kaat could probably be considered a very good hitting pitcher. He batted .185 in his 25-year career, .289 in 1972, and .375 in 1981 (but only 8 at bats). I love all of that, which makes this my favorite Twins card in the 1973 Topps set.

Please, I would love to see your opinions, criticisms, and suggestions in the comments below. I really want to know. Let’s have fun with this! And Go Twins.

I read somewhere on Twins Daily that the MVP for the Twins in 2023 was depth. After losing a lead in 2022, the Twins added several depth pieces to their roster along with keeping Carlos Correa after it appeared that he would leave due to free agency. Adding to the starting pitching staff by acquiring Pablo López wasn't directly adding depth to the rotation, but adding a solid starter moved Bailey Ober out of the rotation temporarily, so when injuries eventually occurred, they had Ober and Louie Varland ready as the sixth and seventh guys to take the ball. The Twins traded for Michael A. Taylor and with Byron Buxton's inability to play center, that depth piece became a regular. Correa's signing meant that Kyle Farmer, pegged as the regular shortstop, could assume a utility role and the Twins signed Willi Castro, a speedy guy with the ability to play several positions, as another depth piece. Nick Gordon had flourished in the latter part of 2022 and was another player capable of manning several positions. Finally, the Twins signed Donovan Solano late in the winter. He proved to be a vital hitter with the ability to fill in at three different infield spots. 
Many, including myself, lauded the front office for the foresight to be ready for the inevitable injuries and underperformances. As mentioned, Buxton never got to center field and only played in 85 games as the DH, José Miranda, coming off a nice rookie year was both disappointing and injured and only played in 40 games, Projected starters Jorge Polanco and Alex Kirilloff both started the season on the IL and went back on the injury list later in the season. Every position player starter spent time on the IL, one rotation member (Mahle) was lost for the season before the frost was out of the ground and yet the depth (and reinforcements) kept the Twins above water and finally carried them to a comfortable division flag. 
So, this year seems to be totally different. While the Twins appear to have a pretty solid 26-man roster, they have only added a lottery ticket to their bullpen. I know it's only January, but the lack of activity seems telling. There hasn't been any speculation that the Twins were in on a substantial free agent. The club has announced they will be cutting payroll, perhaps to the point that any payroll additions would have to be countered by subtractions. There hasn't been a replacement added for either of the two rotation members who left by free agency and so far no activity to bolster the center field mix minus Taylor. It looks to me like the Twins are going to try to fill these gaps internally, a complete departure from 2023. 
I have belief that players on the roster or in St. Paul can fill those gaps. I think Austin Martin will be a capable outfielder with good speed and bat to ball skills. I think Miranda will come back and capably fill the role that Solano handled so well in '23. I think Brooks Lee will be a future star as soon as this year.  I expect that the current five-man rotation will be among the best in the American League. However, beyond those just mentioned, my confidence is not nearly as high. There will be injuries to the pitching staff and to position players. Most everyone on the 40-man roster will be on the major league roster at some point in the season. I don't see the proven depth to step in when the inevitable rash of injuries occurs. 
I guess the front office is gambling that a) injuries will be manageable and b) the internal options will adequately fill the gaps in the Opening Day roster. I am not so sure, but do understand how tough it is to acquire the help needed with the payroll constraints. 

Alex Kirilloff and Royce Lewis are two Twins players that have a lot in common. Both guys were high draft choices who reached top prospect status. Both guys have missed most of the last two seasons with injuries and started this season on the Injured List due to serious injuries suffered last year. Both returned to the team this year and prompted speculation that their arrival might propel the Twins this year. 
While there is a lot to like, I think neither of these guys is playing like an instant star. I also think that if the Twins aspire to be more than a near-.500 team, it will be because of one or both of these young players. Here's my view of their abbreviated seasons so far this year:
Kirilloff had a second surgery on his troublesome right wrist and it was thought that he might be ready to to be on the roster on Opening Day. That didn't happen. Alex didn't face live pitching until late in spring training and he was placed on the Injured List to start the season. Kirilloff used all of his 20-day rehab and hit well at each level with no signs of wrist discomfort or impairment. Still, with the club in first place and Joey Gallo hammering a lot of homers and playing a good first base, Kirilloff was briefly optioned to St. Paul in early May. Injuries quickly opened a spot and Alex was back! In his first week back, he looked like a future batting champion, taking walks, swinging at strikes and frequently hitting the ball hard. He's tailed off since then and hasn't hit for much power. AK has mostly played first base, but has also logged quite a few innings in the outfield corners. Kirilloff has been shielded from left handed pitching, not starting several games against lefties and he's frequently been replaced by a pinch hitter. Significantly, Kirilloff hasn't missed a game due to injury.
Lewis suffered his second consecutive torn ACL in June last year and was placed on the 60-day IL when the season started. He also didn't face live pitching during the spring. Royce began his 20-day rehab within a day or two of the earliest date possible and was activated from the Injured List on the first day he was eligible. Lewis made an immediate impact with a homer in his first game and a key late inning hits as the Twins played better for a spell. Royce is currently sporting a batting average over .300 with three homers and a dozen RBI. Good numbers, for sure. He hasn't been turned loose on the base paths yet and he's only walked a couple of times while being prone to the strikeout. Except for one inning in a blowout game, Lewis has exclusively played third base. He's made a number of athletic highlight reel plays, but also made some errors.game due to injury.  
I think the time for both Lewis and Kirilloff is soon, but not now. Lewis has had many of his best at-bats with the most on the line. Kirilloff is much more consistent in his at-bats, but so far hasn't done that much damage. Lewis is prone to more non-competitive plate appearances, but has risen to the occasion quite a few times already. Baldelli has batted Kirilloff in the top half of the order against right handers and hit Lewis lower (5th -7th). I would expect that Lewis could move to the top of the order when he becomes more selective. Lewis has been given off days since returning to the Twins, probably a wise move considering Royce's injury history. 
Expecting Royce Lewis and Alex Kirilloff to lead the Twins to the promised land of a division championship and playoff success is probably asking too much this year. Having them be contributors beside Buxton, Correa and Polanco is a more reasonable expectation. Maybe as soon as next year they might be headliners. I hope and expect that their games will round off--that AK will hit with more power and that Lewis will show a more complete overall game. It's important that they are healthy and their futures still look bright. 
 

The Good:
The ballpark was amazing. It had such a nice feel, the people were friendly and the cost of concessions were far less than an MLB game. I think the ballpark fit around 10,000 people and I think the attendance was around 7,000.  Most of the players were no names, but the fans definitely get behind their team. The players I did recognize were Seth Gray, Yunior Severino and obviously Brooks Lee.  One player I hadn't heard of was a young kid from the DR Yoyner Fajardo. He had 4 hits and scored 2 runs and was aggressive on the basepaths, one at bat he dug for 2 right out of the box and slid in safe with a double. He also stole 2 bases, which was quite enjoyable. He may never make it to the majors but I became a fan of his. He plays the game the way I like, always looking for the extra base. The Bad:
To say I was disappointed that Brooks Lee didn't get the start would be an understatement. He came in as a pinch hitter where he walked and then was caught stealing which really killed the little bit of momentum the team had. He ended up taking another walk in the bottom of the 10th. The 10th inning. It was ugly. A 2-2 game quickly became an 8-2 final due to 2 HBP, a walk, a fielders choice that ended with 0 outs. a sac fly, a single, a double, another walk, and yet another walk before they were finally out of the inning. The bullpen was wild and ineffective. The Wind Surge weren't able to get a run across in the bottom of the inning. What was a close guys quickly became a blow out and most fans were heading to the exit before the top of the 10th ended.  
My take:
Great place to catch a game! I will definitely be going back and hope to see some of the names in the big leagues in the future.