Cody Christie

Kris Bryant was a star prospect on the way to the big leagues back in 2015, but the Cubs kept him in the minor leagues to pick up an extra year of service time. At least this is what Bryant is alleging in a grievance field with the Major League Baseball Players’ Association. The decision in this case could have ramifications across the baseball landscape with Minnesota’s own Bryon Buxton.Bryant’s Case Bryant is alleging manipulation of his service time that will keep him from reaching free agency until after the 2021 season. Bryant’s agent, Scott Boras, and the MLBPA are arguing that he started the 2015 season at Triple-A, so the club could delay his service-time, a move that is entirely within an organization’s rights. That spring, he had hit .425 with nine home runs in 40 at-bats and those numbers were no accident. In an interview with Sahadev Sharma at The Athletic, Bryant talked about how he trained differently for that spring so he could put up strong numbers and make it hard for the team to send him down. “It was so obvious,” Bryant told The Athletic. “‘Oh, he’s gotta work on his defense.’ Stuff like that. But now I can look back on it and just laugh about it because I was told to work on my defense… and I think I got three ground balls in those games that I played. So it’s like, ‘Oh, now he’s ready.’” He made his big-league debut on April 17, 2015, which meant he only missed 12 days that season. Still, he will fall one day short of being eligible for free agency after the 2020 campaign. Buxton’s Case Buxton’s own service time issue doesn’t exactly mirror Bryant’s, but he could have an argument if Bryant wins his case. During the 2018 season, Buxton struggled through multiple injuries and ended the year on the Rochester Red Wings roster. He wasn’t made a September call-up and this choice didn’t sit well with Buxton at the time. “Yes, I ain’t sugarcoating nothing,” Buxton told the Star Tribune last December. “It kind of didn’t go over well.” Migraine headaches, a broken toe and a strained wrist cost him much of the 2018 season, but his health seemed to be improving in August with Rochester. He batted .365/.400/.596 (.996) with nine extra-base hits in 12 games and he had every reason to think his performance warranted a September call-up. But by keeping him down, the Twins picked up another year of team control. Instead of reaching free agency following the 2021 season, Buxton will have to wait until after the 2022 campaign. Minnesota had reasons for keeping him down including a lingering wrist injury, poor strike zone discipline, and not enough playing time at the big-league level. However, Thad Levine admitted service time played a role in why Buxton was kept in the minors. "I think part of our jobs is we're supposed to be responsible to factoring service time into every decision we make," Levine said. "I still feel pretty resolute in saying that the other three factors were more present for us in this decision-making process than that. We wouldn't be doing our jobs if we weren't at least aware of service-time impacts on decisions we make." Realistically, this is an issue that needs to be addressed in the next collective bargaining agreement. There’s not timeline for a decision in MLBPA’s case for Bryant and there’s no guarantee he will win, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on. Click here to view the article

Royce Lewis has been lighting up the Arizona Fall League with a 1.066 OPS which ranks second in the league. He helped the East to win the Fall Stars Game after he cranked a two-run home run in the first inning. He would go on to be named MVP of that game and it looks like he is ending the year strong after some inconsistencies during the regular season. Minnesota drafted Lewis for his athleticism and the potential he had shown as an amateur. Now there are some questions about his defensive future. What position will Lewis play when he gets called up to Target Field?Shortstop Lewis was drafted as a shortstop and the Twins have given him every opportunity to stick at one of the most important defensive positions. Through three professional seasons, 94.7% of his defensive innings have been played at short. He has been charged with 48 errors in 1076 chances for a .955 fielding percentage. This might not seem terrible, but Jorge Polanco had a .957 fielding percentage this year and there were plenty of people critical of his defense this year. Even with Minnesota continuing to use Lewis at shortstop, there is no guarantee he stays there long-term. As Matthew Trueblood wrote, there have been some “dubious recent scouting reports” about his shortstop play. Lewis could be entering a critical time for his defensive future and shortstop might not be his position in the years ahead. In fact, he has yet to log a defensive inning at shortstop in the AFL. Third Base Minnesota currently has Miguel Sano at third base, but there have been questions about his ability to stick at that position long-term. In fact, he might be better suited for first base or even designated hitter. If there was an opening at third, Lewis might be given the opportunity to take over the hot corner. In 11 of his 18 AFL games, he has started at third base and he has yet to be charged with an error. His time at third was almost nonexistent before the AFL started. During his professional career, he had played four innings at third base and he had yet to start a game at that position. It’s also not like there is a better shortstop prospect ahead of him on his AFL roster. Tampa’s Vidal Brujan has played the majority of the time at short and his own organization rarely uses him at that position (377 2/3 innings over five seasons). Outfield Minnesota’s current outfield looks strong if Bryon Buxton, Max Kepler, and Eddie Rosario are all healthy and on the field. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen very often in 2019 and one must wonder what the future holds for the team’s outfield trio. It also seems possible for one of these players to be dealt for starting pitching help before the beginning of next season. Lewis has played four games in center field during his career and three of those contests have been in the AFL. That still hasn’t stopped him from making a highlight reel catch. Outfield seems like a good back-up plan for Lewis if he doesn’t pan out at either one of the infield positions mentioned above. He has the athleticism to shift to the outfield, but it would take a lot of work to get him accustomed to chasing down fly-balls. Where do you think Royce Lewis will play defensively in the future? Leave a COMMENT and join the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY Handbook Preview: Welcome to the OffseasonHot Corner Consideration: Potential Third Base Alternatives to Miguel SanoTwins AFL Report - Week 4: Lewis Named Fall Stars MVP Click here to view the article

Pensacola just completed their first year of affiliation with the Minnesota Twins and there was plenty to be excited about. Many of the team’s top prospects spent at least part of the season in a Blue Wahoos jersey including top prospects Royce Lewis, Alex Kirilloff and Brusdar Graterol. On Monday, the team was notified of another recognition to be excited about as outfielder Mark Contreras was named a 2019 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winner.Contreras was drafted by the Twins in the ninth round of the 2017 MLB Amateur Draft from the University of California, Riverside. He spent all his pro debut in Elizabethton hitting .275/.319/.421 (.740) while logging innings at all three outfield positions. During the 2018 season, he played the majority of the season as the left fielder in Fort Myers with a .689 OPS. He’d start the 2019 campaign back in Fort Myers but 85 of his 112 games came in Pensacola. Miracle. In 182 total chances, he made no errors and recorded 13 outfield assists. For the Blue Wahoos, Contreras played 46 games in left field, 16 in center field, and seven in right field, totaling 576.1 innings in the Pensacola outfield while maintaining a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. “It’s crazy to think that I just won the Gold Glove for all the minor leagues in left field,” Contreras said. “It’s an honor to be recognized for my defense. It’s awesome and it just goes to show that the hard work is paying off. Everything we did during spring training with the outfield coordinator got us ready to do the right things.” So, what does the award mean to him? “It means a lot. At a young age, every coach I had said ‘Defense helps wins games,’” Contreras added. My Pops always told me if it’s not working with the bat today, you can always go out there and make a play and change the momentum. It means a lot that it’s not only just offense getting recognized, it’s defense.” Contreras got to play with some very good players in 2019 and the culture seems to be changing in the Twins organization. ““It’s a great group of guys. We work hard in spring training with one goal in mind, to play hard and showcase that the Twins aren’t just about winning in the big leagues, but across the minor league system. A lot of the Blue Wahoos from Opening Day ended up making their big-league debuts. It shows that it’s a great group of guys out there doing their jobs and we all are a big family. To say that we made the playoffs again, that’s awesome. That’s the end goal. It was a great year as a whole.” Contreras is still working hard this week even after winning one of the minor league’s top honors. “I’m going back to Fort Myers in November for [off-season instructional] camps,” Contreras said. “It keeps us on our toes and working on the right things in the off-season. It tunes us up for what the organization expects us to show up with in spring training. It’s very helpful to get pointers and work with the coordinators one-on-one. I really enjoy it and it keeps the players on the right track and gives me an understanding of what I need to keep working on.” Congrats to Contreras on the honor. Click here to view the article

Minnesota’s dreams of postseason glory were cut brutally short on Monday night. Target Field was poised to exploded at the first sign of life from the Twins, but that moment would never come. Instead, fans saw the Twins set many dubious records. Minnesota became the first 100-win team to be swept out of the first round of the playoffs and the club has lost an MLB record 16-straight postseason games. As the dust starts to settle, where should the blame be placed? Fans begin to move from the postseason to a time of second-guessing choices made by the coaching staff and the front office.Starting Pitchers After watching Jake Odorizzi on Monday night, plenty of fans were questioning the decision to hold him off until game three. As the series started, Minnesota’s logic was to use Odorizzi, a fly-ball pitcher, at Target Field, which is a less-prone fly-ball park than Yankee Stadium. Randy Dobnak had been a good story for the Twins, but he was a rookie with few MLB appearances. Odorizzi had been named an All-Star and he might have been Minnesota’s best pitcher down the stretch. While Jose Berrios struggled in the second half (4.64 ERA, 1.38 WHIP), Odorizzi posted a 2.86 ERA in August and a 3.27 ERA in September. In a shorter five-game series, Odorizzi might have been the better choice in the second game of the series. Kepler’s Injury Minnesota, like a lot of teams, deal with injuries down the stretch. Luis Arraez suffered what looked like a season-ending injury in the Twins’ last series of the year as he had to be carted off the field. He came back to hit 5-for-11 against the Yankees and he became the first to record to record four doubles in an ALDS. Max Kepler also missed time at the end of the year, but he didn’t fare nearly as well against New York. Kepler did not record a hit in 13 plate appearances and he officially finished the postseason going 0-for-10 with three strikeouts and three walks. Some might question if Kepler was healthy enough to play in the post-season, but the second guessing could come in the team’s decision not to play him in the season’s final series against Kansas City. It’s hard to know if Kepler was healthy enough to play. However, standing in for at-bats against the Royals might have helped him to get some of his timing back after being injured. Bullpen Taylor Rogers didn’t pitch until the third game of the ALDS and Trevor May was limited to one pitch in the entire series. Some might question whether Kyle Gibson should have even been on the roster. In Game 1, Minnesota turned to Zack Littell after only four innings out of Jose Berrios. From there the Twins turned to the likes of Cody Stashak and the aforementioned Gibson. This wasn’t exactly the power bullpen Minnesota had used the final weeks of the season. The results from Game 2 weren’t much better as Dobnak recorded six outs before Duffey struggled in his 2/3 of an inning. By the middle of the second game of the series, Duffey was the lone key relief option to make multiple appearances and the team’s two best relievers (Sergio Romo and Taylor Rogers) had yet to appear. Rocco Baldelli made plenty of good decisions throughout the season, but his bullpen usage in October is something to be questioned. If you are second guessing the Twins, what decision would you change? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Minnesota acquiring Sam Dyson at the trade deadline was one of the team’s highlight moves as the bullpen was conceived to be one of the team’s greatest weaknesses. He was in the middle of a terrific season with the Giants as he posted a 2.47 ERA and a 6.71 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He was brought into Minnesota to be one of the team’s late inning options, but that certainly hasn’t been the case. Dyson has pitched like he is damaged goods since he put on a Twins uniform and now it seems likely that he will undergo shoulder surgery that will cost him parts of this season and next season.In 12 appearances with the Twins, he has struggled to a 7.15 ERA and a 1.33 strikeout-to-walk ratio with multiple trips to the disabled list. His most recent prognosis is that he will miss the rest of the season with shoulder surgery and there’s no guarantee that he will be ready for the start of next season. This would mean the Twins traded three-prospects for 12 appearances from Dyson According to La Velle E. Neal III and the Star-Tribune, the Twins are investigating what San Francisco knew. "According to sources with knowledge of the situation, the Twins have investigated whether San Francisco was aware that Dyson had a sore shoulder when the Giants sent him to the Twins in exchange for three minor leaguers, pitchers Prelander Berroa and Kei-Wei Teng and outfielder Jaylin Davis. As standard procedure before trades are finalized, Dyson’s medical information was examined by the Twins. There were no red flags on the records they examined. Dyson, however, informed the Twins shortly after joining them on July 31 that he has been pitching with some discomfort, dating to a July 15-17 series against Colorado. He said he’s had aches before and and pitched through them." He goes on to say, “The situation led to discussions between the Twins and Giants to determine what they knew about Dyson's condition before the deal was made. The Twins have been unable to find any evidence that the Giants had knowledge of an injury.” Back in 2016, the San Diego Padres and general manager A.J. Peller were penalized for a similar situation that changed some of the medical record process for big-league squads. Peller was suspended for 30 days after the league determined the Padres had hidden some health issues regarding left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz. When Minnesota traded Jaylin Davis, Prelander Berroa, and Kai-Wei Teng, they had no idea this was the type of pitcher the club was getting in exchange. Dyson has one more year of team control, but it doesn’t seem likely for the Twins to pick-up his multi-million-dollar arbitration offer if he is going to miss a majority of the season while recovering from shoulder surgery. Do you think MLB should step in and deal with this trade between the Twins and the Giants? Were the Giants trying to hide something? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Note from John Bonnes: a paragraph in this original story has been edited as it was not accurate. Originally, the story stated: There seems to be something fishy happening from the Giants perspective and the Twins are trying to prove the Giants were aware of Dyson’s injury prior to their deadline deal. According to La Velle E. Neal III and the Star-Tribune: It is not reported that the Twins are “trying to prove” anything, though one is welcome to try and deduce that. The paragraph was changed to: According to La Velle E. Neal III and the Star-Tribune, the Twins are investigating what San Francisco knew. "According to sources with knowledge of the situation, the Twins have investigated whether San Francisco was aware that Dyson had a sore shoulder when the Giants sent him to the Twins in exchange for three minor leaguers, pitchers Prelander Berroa and Kei-Wei Teng and outfielder Jaylin Davis. As standard procedure before trades are finalized, Dyson’s medical information was examined by the Twins. There were no red flags on the records they examined." Click here to view the article

It has been a unique season for two of the players perceived to be part of Minnesota’s long-term plan as a winning club in the American League Central. Miguel Sano missed time at the beginning of the year because of a freak off-season injury and now he has become the team’s record-breaking 30-home run hitter. Byron Buxton showed flashes of his superstar talent this year, but he hasn’t been able to stay healthy and on the field. So which player will provide more long-term value for the Twins, Sano or Buxton?Last week’s discussion over the future value of Luis Arraez garnered plenty of discussion so it made sense to look at two cornerstone pieces of Minnesota’s roster. Here are the arguments for Buxton and Sano. Argument for Buxton When Buxton is healthy and, on the field, there is no doubt that he is an impact player at the big-league level. Even with his injury struggles this season, he is arguably the best defensive player in the game. SABR’s Defensive Index had him tied for the league lead among outfielders through games played on August 18, which is quite the feat considering how games he has missed this season. Buxton provides the bulk of his value by being able to produce in all aspects of the game because he has all the skills of a five-tool player. He has shown flashes of being one of the best players in baseball, but he hasn’t been healthy enough to stay on the field consistently. Prior to this season, there were plenty of questions about his offensive approach. He continued to modify his swing to try to make more consistent contact. In 87 games this season, he hit .261/.314/.513 (.827) with 44 extra-base hits including 30 doubles. If Buxton is able to keep up that level of offensive production, with his defensive skills, there’s the potential for him to be in the MVP conversation at season’s end. Argument for Sano Sano wasn’t able to debut this season until mid-May because he suffered a freak injury while celebrating his team’s Winter League Championship. He has clearly made his mark on the Twins offensive line-up since being inserted back into the fold. His 33 home runs are a career high and his .927 OPS would also top his .916 OPS from his rookie campaign when he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. Buxton has played fewer than 100 games in all but one big-league season and Sano has surpassed that total in three of the last four seasons. Also, there’s a chance Sano moves to first base or even becomes a full-time DH. Sano might not provide much value on the defensive side of the ball in the years ahead, but he has been able to stay on the field more consistently. Earlier in the season, I made the argument that I don’t think Sano would ever reach the superstar potential he seemed destined for as an amateur. Minnesota signed him with the potential to be a top-tier player in the league and I think expectations have shifted for him throughout his professional career. As he has shown this season, he can be a very good player that contributes to a great team, but I don’t think he will be considered the team’s top player. The Minnesota Twins need Sano and Buxton to both play over 140 games in the same season to see what their true value could be as a dynamic duo. Buxton has shown superstar flashes, but his ability to stay healthy continues to be a question mark. Sano is having a break-out offensive campaign, but his defensive ability could be a long-term concern. Which player do you believe will have more long-term value for the Twins? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Nelson Cruz clocked his 40th home run over the weekend and in the process became a member of the 400-home run club. Earlier in the year, I wrote about his unlikely quest for 400 home runs with the biggest caveat being that he didn’t hit his first home runs until he was 26 years old. Now he’s on the brink of one of the best seasons ever for a 39-year old player and it certainly looks like the Twins stole him on the free agent market. So how does Cruz stack up against the other top free agents in Twins history?Nelson Cruz (2019) Baseball Reference WAR: 4.0 Cruz has smashed almost every designated hitter record in Twins history. He became only the third player in franchise history to hit 40 home runs following in the footsteps of Harmon Killebrew and Brian Dozier. He set the team’s DH records for home runs and RBIs and will add to those totals with a handful of games remaining this season. The influence of Cruz goes well beyond the numbers he has put up on the field as he has served in a mentor role to many players on the Twins roster. There’s no doubt in my mind that Miguel Sano wouldn’t have hit 30 home runs this season if not for the mentorship provided by Cruz. Josh Willingham (2012) Baseball Reference WAR: 3.3 Willingham doesn’t get as much reignition for his impact because he played on a pair of bad Twins teams. However, his 2012 campaign was one of the best in franchise history for a free agent signing. His defense was atrocious in the outfield, but he clubbed 35 home runs and collected 110 RBI, both career highs. He’d be out of the league after two more seasons, but it doesn’t take anything away from his first year in a Twins uniform. Like Cruz, he was credited with being a mentor to other players and he helped Brian Dozier turn in to a power-hitting threat in the years that followed his signing. Jim Thome (2010) Baseball Reference WAR: 3.6 At his signing,Thome was near the end of a career that led him to be enshrined in Cooperstown, but he had a little magic left in the tank during Target Fields’ first season. He hit 25 home runs, but it sure felt like a lot more with his foul pole shot and walk-off hits to help the club. Target Field was packed on a nightly basis and Thome was certainly helping the club on their way to the AL Central title. Heck, even Sports Illustrated did a story on him that season and it takes a lot for them to make their way to Minnesota. He hit his 600th home run while in a Twins uniform, but his impact on the club was felt long after he had left the city. Jack Morris (1991) Baseball Reference WAR: 4.3 Jack Morris only played one season in a Twins uniform, but it was certainly a memorable one. He went on to be an All-Star that season and pitched one of the greatest games in baseball history. At age 36, it would be his last All-Star appearance and it would be the last season he pitched over 245 innings. He led the American League in games started for only the second time in his career and he had 10 complete games to his credit by season’s end. He was a workhorse on a team that needed starting pitching help to reach the ultimate goal. Other pitchers like Kevin Tapani and Scott Erickson were able to outperform expectations that season and maybe Morris and his example were able to play a role in helping the team. These are just a few of the team’s best free agent signings. Who was left off the list? Who would you rank as the team’s best free agent signing? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Eddie Rosario is one of five Twins hitters to hit 30 home runs or more this season to help the team set a new standard at the big-league level. He was arguably one of the team’s best players during the 2018 campaign and he has helped the Twins to get to where they are this season. That being said, he might have cost the Twins the game on Wednesday night. Does that mean the team should think about benching him for not hustling?Minnesota’s offense was sputtering against the White Sox as they used most of their bullpen to preserve a one-run lead. Rosario stepped up to the plate in the eighth inning with two outs already recorded. He smashed a ball to the right-field wall, but took some time admiring it in the box. The end result turned out to be what many consider a baseball sin… being thrown out at third for the final out of an inning. In a year where home runs are flying out at a record pace, Rosario might have thought he had hit another home run. There’s also a chance that he didn’t think the center fielder would get over to help out on the play. Any of these excuses could apply to the play as it unfolded, but it still doesn’t make up for not hustling out of the box. White Sox analyst Steve Stone called out Rosario after the play. “Eddie Rosario did not hustle out of the box and it’s a good thing for the Sox," Stone began. "He poses. If he's hustling, there's no play at third base." Stone went on to say: "I mean, he's been doing this the whole series. And apparently the Twins are fine with it. This could cost them a ballgame. In the grand scheme of things, it might not keep them out of the division title, but you’ve got to hustle out of the box whether you think it’s a home run or not." The Twins will still likely win the American League Central in the days ahead, but a close game against an inferior opponent isn’t exactly the time to let down your guard. Rosario is a leader on this team, and he needs show that on and off the field. Twins Manager Rocco Baldelli didn’t seem too concerned about the play after the game. Minnesota might not have other options in the outfield either with Max Kepler continuing to be banged up. Rosario is back in the line-up on Thursday night, but maybe it’s time for Baldelli to send a message. Do you think Rosario should have been benched? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Major League Baseball has rookies every season that are deemed as the next wave of stars. However, this rarely comes to fruition as plenty of players can have success over a small sample size and then fade after repeat exposure at the big-league level. Luis Arraez might be the exception to the rule. He has hit at every level throughout his professional career and he looks like h might have more big-league value than originally thought.Prospects break into the big leagues every season and there was no shortage of big names on this year’s breakthrough prospects. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Yordan Alvarez and Eloy Jimenez are just a few of the players from the current rookie class to find early success. Guerrero and Tatis were two of the top prospects in the game and they didn’t slow down after their call-ups. MLB.com released their list of rookies with the most potential value moving forward. After the breakout season from Arraez, it seemed like a no-brainer to have him high on the list. According to FanGraphs, Arraez has been the been the ninth most valuable rookie in all of baseball. However, MLB.com doesn’t see his future value as being so high. As a 22-year old, he barely cracks the top-30. There isn’t exactly a cornucopia of well-known players ahead of Arraez on MLB’s list. Other second baseman on the list near him include Tampa’s Brandon Lowe, Miami’s Isan Diaz and Pittsburgh’s Kevin Newman. All these players could have great careers ahead of them, but Arraez might have a little something more to add to the equation. Few MLB players have been able to do what Arraez has done in his first 300 plate appearances. Only three players rank better than him in batting average among 22-year-olds in the past 100 years Among the other players on the list include Ted Williams, Stan Musial, and Joe DiMaggio. This isn’t exactly a random list of players that had good seasons as a young player. All three of these names are inner circle Hall-of-Fame members that are among some of the best all-time hitters. Value can come on both sides of the ball for a player. In the case of Arraez, his defensive value seems limited, but he has shown the ability to play multiple positions. He seems destined to be Minnesota’s second baseman. That doesn’t mean he can play left field with over 130 innings out there and over 120 innings at third base. His bat will play no matter what position he is playing in the field. Arraez may never reach the level of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. or Fernando Tatis Jr. This still doesn’t take anything away from what he has been able to do at the big-league level. There aren’t 28 rookies better than Arraez this season and he will prove his value in the years ahead. How valuable do you think Arraez can be in the years to come? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

The Twins all but locked up a playoff spot over the weekend after sweeping a doubleheader from Cleveland on Saturday. Now fans can start looking ahead to the playoffs and wondering how the club will fare against some of the other top squads in the American League. With Michael Pineda’s recent suspension, there are plenty of questions about how the Twins will use their starting pitchers in the weeks ahead. Beyond Jose Berrios and Jake Odorizzi, who would start for the Twins in the ALDS Game 3?Kyle Gibson W-L 13-7, 4.76 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 151 K, 50 BB, 155.0 IP Minnesota used Kyle Gibson as a reliever on Sunday and things didn’t go exactly to plan. He entered the game after Fernando Romero had already put multiple runners on base and then Gibson surrendered a three-run home run. Only one of the earned runs was charged to Gibson, but the big hit came when he was pitching. One of the bigger issues for Gibson are the health issues he has been battling for most of the season. In spring training, he was also diagnosed with E. coli that he contracted while doing mission work during the off-season. He entered camp around 200 pounds, which is down about 15 pounds from his desired weight. Recently, he returned from the 10-day IL after missing time because of ulcerative colitis. Gibson struggles when batters get repeated looks at him in the same game, especially for the third time. His first time through the batting order he has held batters to a .248/.315/.376 (.691) slash line with a 63 to 18 strikeout to walk ratio. His third time through the line-up results in batters hitting .333/.386/.558 (.944) with eight of his 22 homers allowed coming in this situation. Martin Perez W-L 10-7, 4.89 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 125 K, 64 BB, 152.2 IP Perez didn’t even start the year in Minnesota’s rotation, but he was a breath of fresh air when he was added to the rotation in mid-April. From April 15-May 23, he looked like one of the best pitchers in the league as he posted a 2.17 ERA and held batters to a .644 OPS. His cut fastball was a revelation and it helped him to strike out 44 batters in eight games. He looked like a candidate for the All-Star Game and it certainly seemed like Minnesota had made something out of nothing. In his 18 starts since May 23, Perez has not looked like the same pitcher. His cut fastball, that had been his bread and butter during his hot start, has not looked the same. He has allowed more than a hit per inning and he’s only managed 69 strikeouts in 94 2/3 innings. With 16 home runs allowed, he has surrendered nearly a home run per appearance. Right-handed batters have compiled an .817 OPS against him throughout the year. This isn’t good news for the Twins that will be facing the Yankees or the Astros in the ALDS and both clubs are very right-hand heavy. Only New York and Houston have higher OPS totals than Minnesota this year so there doesn’t seem like a scenario where Perez would be asked to see their line-up multiple times in the same game. Bullpen Game After Friday night’s botched rainout, the Twins were left no available starting pitchers for Saturday’s doubleheader. This left the team with a unique strategic situation and a full September roster of bullpen arms. In Game 1, the Twins were able to shut out the Indians behind three innings from Devin Smeltzer and more than one inning from Zack Littell, Tyler Duffey and Taylor Rogers. During Game 2, Lewis Thorpe was the lone pitcher to surrender any runs as he struggled with command throughout his appearance. Cody Stashak and Trevor May joined the shutout crew from Game 1, but the most impressive appearance was from 21-year old Brusdar Graterol. Over two innings, he was regularly sitting in triple-digits with his fastball and this pitch had more movement than any of his other big-league appearances. Add in a strong slider and he looked lights out. During last year’s playoffs, the Milwaukee Brewers used a bold strategy as they used Wade Miley as the starter and he only pitched to one batter. Manager Craig Counsell was hoping the Dodgers would load their line-up with left-handed hitters and then the Brewers quickly switched to a left-handed pitcher. Teams are likely more aware of this type of strategy, but it is something a team could try during October, especially one like the Twins with few starting pitching options. What strategy do you think the Twins would use in Game 3 of the ALDS? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Minnesota called up Jorge Alcala on Saturday to help with the homestretch of the season. A two-game day on Saturday means the club will need as many pitchers as possible, especially after using Jake Odorizzi in a cancelled game on Friday. Alcala came to the Twins as part of the Ryan Pressly trade and he provides a unique option for the Twins over the next couple weeks.The 2019 season marked Alcala’s first full season in the Twins organization. He began the year as a starter in Pensacola, but he would eventually end up pitching out of the bullpen at Double- and Triple-A. There were some ups and downs as a starter, but his time as a reliever saw some positive improvements. As a starter, he posted a 5.86 ERA in 16 starts (73 2/3 innings) with a 1.43 WHIP and a 75 to 22 strikeout to walk ratio. There were some issues with control as he hit five batters and allowed nine home runs. His posted an impressive 9.2 SO/9 which was even higher after the first month of the year where he had a 4-1 record with 11.0 SO/9. Switching to a relief role seemed to help some of Alcala’s peripheral numbers. Across 15 appearances (36 2/3 innings), he allowed 19 earned runs on 34 hits. His strikeout rate increased from 9.2 SO/9 as a starter to 10.1 SO/9 as a reliever. He added in 41 strikeouts, but he walked 17 batters, which was almost as many as his time as a starter. Some scouting reports critique parts of Alcala’s mechanics. He doesn’t use his legs enough and his effort with his pitching hurts his ability to repeat his delivery. There are times when he can overthrow and that impacts his control at the plate. His fastball is very good, but he needs to be able to locate all of his pitches to be a successful starter or reliever. In the 2019 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook, this is what we said about Alcala: The first thing to know about Jorge Alcala is that he throws hard. His fastball sits anywhere from 93-99 MPH, but he frequently hits triple-digits, topping out at 102 MPH. Because of the velocity, his secondary pitches can be effective if they are merely average. His slider sits between 87 and 89 MPH, with a little bit of late movement. His changeup sits more in the mid-80s. It doesn’t move much, but he uses the same arm motion. Those secondary pitches aren’t consistent, and at best they’re average, and they will be the key in determining whether his future is as a starter or a late-inning reliever. Right now, it looks like he will be a reliever and that’s what the Twins might need at this point in the season. What are your thoughts about the Alcala call-up? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

It can’t be argued that Minnesota is having one of their best seasons in the Target Field era. Rocco Baldelli and his coaching staff have helped to get the most out of their core group of players and have this team on pace for close to 100 wins. For the front office, there could be some blame thrown around for not doing enough at the deadline, but they certainly added enough pieces last off-season to put this club on the winning track. Minnesota looks like a team on the rise and this could mean other teams come looking for coaches and front office personnel.Boston shocked a lot of the baseball world on Sunday as they fired General Manager Dave Dombrowski less than a calendar year after he delivered the team a title. The Red Sox are entering a tumultuous time in their organization and the ownership didn’t feel Dombrowski was the right man for the job. He was hired to do what he did, win the World Series, but it could be time for the franchise to rebuild and he might not fit that mold. Besides the Red Sox, there will be plenty of other organizations searching for upgrades in the front office and to their coaching staffs. Every team is looking to gain a step up on other organizations. Here are three names that could be with different organizations this offseason. Daniel Adler Current Role: Director, Baseball Operations Adler took a unique route to his current position with the Twins organization. His professional experience started as an intern in the MLB’s Labor Relations Department where he worked on the CBA including baseball’s compensation system. He spent a couple of years in the private sector before joining the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. With Jacksonville, he headed up a brand-new Football Research and Development Department. Baseball organizations are finding some of the best minds in unique ways. Plenty of the game’s operating leadership have degrees from Ivy League universities. Adler holds a Harvard law and business degree. He has spent time in multiple fields and has a way of changing an organization’s system. “Finding things yet to be identified is important,” said Adler, “but being able to utilize the things you already know is more important.” Jeremy Zoll Current Role: Director, Minor League Operations Zoll has been on the fast track throughout his professional career as he is the youngest person in his role among all 30 MLB teams. He is in his second year in the Twins organization after he came to the club from the Dodgers organization. With Los Angeles, he served as their Assistant Director of Player Development for multiple seasons. He worked to develop player plans and assisted the Research and Development department. "His reputation, even at a less experienced, younger age, of galvanizing staffs and creatively (instituting) development programs for players, really got our attention," said Thad Levine. "He's got the ability to communicate very clearly to the 16-year-old Venezuelan kid or the college senior.” "There's a presence about him that probably belies age. But I think the backbone of it really was he had such rave reviews from the senior staffers that he worked with in the past." James Rowson Current Role: Hitting Coach It’s hard to argue with what Rowson has done during his tenure in Minnesota. During his first year on the job, the Twins scored 815 runs and cracked 206 home runs. Both totals were in the franchise’s top four best season before the 2019 campaign and the introduction of the Bomba Squad. It would be hard to list out everything this offense has done this year and Rowson is a key cog in the Twins hitting machine. “I think the environment that we’ve created here as an organization allows everybody to feel comfortable in their own skin,” Rowson said. “Each guy is just worried about having the best at-bat they can and there’s nothing holding them down mentally. They’re clear-minded, and that creates good at-bats, and that gets contagious. Will all three of these names be back with the Twins next year? Who else do you think could be raided from the Twins this winter? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article