Cody Christie

Twins Daily Roundtable is a weekly series. As part of this series, a question will be posed to the site’s writers and they will respond in 200 words or less (Some writers don’t like to stick to this limit). This will give readers an opportunity to see multiple points of view and then add their own point of view in the comments section. The Fernando Rodney Experience has moved out of the Twin Cities and this means the Twins are looking for a new ninth inning man. With no specific “closer in waiting,” the Twins could be using a variety of players in the final frame for the rest of the season. All of these players might be auditioning for a more important role on the 2019 squad. This week’s roundtable discussion question is: “Who should serve as the Twins closer for the rest of the season?”Cody Christie Closers have started to become a thing of the past in the world of baseball. Organizations and managers are becoming more acutely aware of utilizing their best relievers in high pressure situations. It might not be the best use of a team’s best relief pitcher if the other team’s seven, eight, and nine hitters are due up in the bottom of the ninth inning. That being said, I think Minnesota’s bullpen will get quite the overhaul before the start of next year. This means guys like Trevor Hildenberger, Trevor May, Taylor Rogers, and Oliver Drake need to show they can handle some late inning responsibilities over the season’s final months. If I am picking a closer off the current roster, I would give the May the bulk of the save situations. He’s got a fresh arm since he didn’t pitch in the first half of the season. Hildenberger has been the team’s best relief pitcher at times this season but he might be tipping his pitches. So for me, it’s gonna be May! Jeremy Nygaard I've been anti-closer for very long time. And, hopefully, since the Twins traded their "closer" they are heading towards the anti-closer belief too. The correct answer to this question isn't about who the back of the bullpen guy is, it's a different answer that finally sees the club use their relief pitchers to a) their advantage and to the best of their ability. Alan Busenitz has the highest leverage index of any players who has relieved multiple games and is still in the organization. "So, uh... hey, we have the most confidence in you... but we also don't have enough confidence in you to be on our active roster." What? Tyler Duffey has the lowest leverage index except for Oliver Drake. Both Busenitz and Duffey have FIPs that are really bad. Here's how I'm running the bullpen. The first time I need to face a tough lefthander (with one exception), I'm calling in Taylor Rogers. He's destroyed lefties to the tune of a .408 OPS. The exception is if the tough lefty is followed by a tougher righty. In that case, I'm using Gabriel Moya, who isn't considerably better against lefties than righties, both have a sub-.700 OPS. If I need to face a tough right-handed batter, I'm bringing in Addison Reed. He's not been great lately, but he's getting destroyed by left-handed hitters (OPS over 1.000) this season, so he's not facing those guys. Oliver Drake would be my next choice to face righties and not lefties. The other guys I'd use against batters on either side of the plate at any time. Trevor May and Matt Magill are the two I'd use first. Right now, Hildenberger has seemed to hit a wall, so he (along with Tyler Duffey) would be relegated to lower-leverage situations. The great thing is, these roles are changing as guys have more or less success. If you have a starting pitcher make it through eight innings, but decide he can't pitch the ninth... I'm looking at my opponent’s lineup card before deciding who to warm up. Maybe it's Moya; maybe it's Rogers; maybe it's May... really, it could be anyone. Ted Schwerzler The Twins not having a true closer puts them in a very good situation for the rest of the year. Minnesota needs to figure out what pieces are realistically going to be usable in 2019. If Paul Molitor can work Rogers, Hildenberger, May and Duffey into high leverage, that'd be a great start. Arms like Busenitz, Reed, Curtiss, and Anderson should also see time in the Twins pen over the next month or so. The front office is again going to be in a position to supplement the pen, but giving some consistent run to internal options is a must. Forget who racks up the saves, just make sure to push every arm you have. Steve Lein For once lately, I'm going to agree with the manager’s line of thinking here. There is a "proven closer" option with Addison Reed, but he's been dreadful since returning from the disabled list. Thus, I would go with the matchups in a committee approach and get some experience under multiple pitchers' belts. The options for this include: Trevor Hildenberger, Tyler Duffey, Trevor May, Taylor Rogers, and Gabriel Moya. Those names include three righties and two lefties so counteracting any lineup combination in the ninth should be easy on any given night. If I had to pick one guy, however, I'd be putting Trevor May in that spot. He's got the power pitcher profile inherently familiar to closers, and very quickly has appeared to rebound in his recovery from TJS in the majors. He hasn't walked anybody since returning and has picked up some big strikeouts. I also like his fire and mentality on the mound in that role. So closer by committee for now in a lost season, but I'd be giving an inside track to May. If you missed any of the most recent roundtable discussions, here are the links: Prospect Promotions Hall of Fame Impact Baseball in 2028 Floundered Second Half Star Click here to view the article

As Nick wrote about tonight, it’s hard to know what to do with Byron Buxton for the rest of the 2018 season. The Twins aren’t going to the playoffs and the young star has struggled to stay healthy after showing signs of breaking through in 2017. He came back off the disabled list for Rochester on Tuesday. Was he able to leave his mark with the Red Wings?RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 8, Columbus 0 Box Score Byron Buxton wasted little time making his presence known in the Rochester line-up. He made a tremendous double play in the bottom of the fourth inning before cracking a three-run home run in the top of the fifth. He ended the night by going 3-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Buxton wasn’t the only bat with a strong showing in the line-up. Kennys Vargas reached base four times including a three-hit effort. He added a double and drove in a pair of runs. Nick Gordon finished 2-for-5 with his 13th double and a stolen base. Juan Graterol also had two hits and scored two runs. On the mound, Stephen Gonsalves continued to pitch well. He tossed six shutout innings by limiting the Clippers to three hits. He struck out five and walked two on the way to his ninth win. DJ Baxendale pitched a pair of scoreless innings by striking out two and walking one. John Curtiss finished the shutout as he allowed two hits and had one strikeout in the final frame. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 1, Mississippi 3 Box Score The Lookouts matched the Braves with six hits but the team committed two defensive errors that impacted the final outcome. Tyler Wells allowed two runs in the first frame but he settled in nicely from there and didn't allow another run. He finished six strong innings by striking out seven and walking only one. Devin Smeltzer saw one unearned run score against him as he struck out three in two innings of work. Zander Wiel and Jaylin Davis each reached base three times as part of multi-hit games. Brian Navarreto and Luis Arraez both went 1-for-4 with Navarreto scoring the team’s only run. Overall, the team left 11 men on base and went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 12, Charlotte 13 Box Score Runs were certainly not at a premium in this one as the teams combined for 25 runs on 29 hits including six home runs. Mark Contreras led the offensive charge with two home runs and five RBIs. Royce Lewis had two hits, a home run and a triple. Alex Kirilloff and Jose Miranda both went 2-for-5 with a home run for each. The mound was a mess for the Miracle. Clark Beeker got hit around to the tune of seven runs on nine hits in less than three innings. Colton Davis stopped the bleeding even if it was only temporary. He allowed one run on two hits over three innings. He struck out four. Alex Robinson had some control problems as he walked three batters and allowed four runs on but gave up only one hit. Ryan Mason and Hector Lujan combined to allow only one run over the final 2 2/3 innings. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 0, Quad Cities 5 Box Score Cedar Rapids had a tough time stringing hits together as the club was held without an extra-base hit. In fact, the Kernels had only three opportunities to bat with a runner in scoring position. First-round pick Trevor Larnach went 1-for-4 and added an outfield assist. Trey Cabbage finished 1-for-3 but struck out twice. Tyler Watson took the loss after allowing four runs on four hits in 4 2/3 innings. There were some control issues as he walked five batters but he also struck out five. Jose Martinez surrendered one run, a home run, in 2 1/3 innings. Derek Molina finished the game with two scoreless innings and he racked up four strikeouts. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 6, Greeneville 0 Box Score Elizabethton pitchers combined for their fourth shutout this season. Luis Rijo pitched into the seventh inning (6 2/3 IP) without allowing a run. In fact, he hasn’t allowed a run yet in the Twins organization. Pedro Garcia finished off the game by allowing only one hit in 2 1/3 innings. Every batter in the E-Twins line-up collected a hit. Albee Weiss and Ricky De La Torre each went 2-for-4 and Weiss added his fourth double. Jean Carlos Arias had one hit, a triple, and came around to score a run. Alex Robles and Colton Burns each reached base two times. GCL TWINS TALK GCL Twins 0, GCL Orioles 3 Box Score The GCL Twins struggled on the offensive side of the ball by being limited to three hits. Gabe Snyder and Hunter Lee each reached base twice. Estamy Urena and Charles Mack both went 1-for-5. No one was able to collect an extra-base hit and the team went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Regi Grace started but was pulled in the first inning after allowing two runs on two hits. Andrui Marin pitched 4 1/3 innings and struck out four while walking one. He allowed one run on four hits. Casey Crosby and Steven Cruz combined for three shutout innings to end the game. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Mark Contreras, Fort Myers (3-for-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Luis Rijo, Elizabethton (6.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 K, BB, 5 H) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed. Please note that this Prospect Summary has been updated. 1. Royce Lewis (FM): 2-for-5, HR, 3B, 2 R, RBI, K 2. Alex Kirilloff (FM): 2-for-5, HR, 2 R, RBI, 2 K 3. Brusdar Graterol (FM): Did not play. 4. Nick Gordon (ROC): 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, R, K 5. Stephen Gonsalves (ROC): 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 K, 2 BB, 3 H 6. Trevor Larnach (CR): 1-for-4 7. Brent Rooker (CHAT): 0-for-3, 2 BB 8. Akil Baddoo (CR): Did not play. 9. Wander Javier: Out of for the season 10. Zack Littell (ROC): Did not play. 11. Blayne Enlow (CR): Did not play. 12. LaMonte Wade (ROC): 0-for-5, 2 K 13. Travis Blankenhorn (FM): 1-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 K 14. Lewis Thorpe (ROC): Did not play. 15. Ben Rortvedt (FM): Did not play. 16. Yunior Severino (ET): 1-for-5, K 17. Lewin Diaz (FM): Did not play. 18. Ryan Jeffers (ET): Did not play. 19. Jacob Pearson (CR): Did not play. 20. Luis Arraez (CHAT): 1-for-4, 2 K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Columbus (11:05 AM CST) – LHP Lewis Thorpe (Triple-A Debut) Chattanooga @ Mississippi (7:00 CST) – LHP Dietrich Enns Fort Myers vs. Charlotte (6:00 CST) – RHP Brusdar Graterol (3-2, 4.06 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs. Peoria (6:35 CST) – RHP Randy Dobnak (8-4, 3.43ERA) Elizabethton – Schedule Off-Day GCL Twins vs. GCL Orioles (TBD) – TBD GCL Twins vs. GCL Orioles (Game 2) – TBD Please feel free to ask any questions about Tuesday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

Twins Daily Roundtable is a weekly series. As part of this series, a question will be posed to the site’s writers and they will respond in 200 words or less (Some writers don’t like to stick to this limit). This will give readers an opportunity to see multiple points of view and then add their own point of view in the comments section. There are plenty of reasons for Twins fans to continue to tune in to games the rest of the season. Mitch Garver continues to look like he is coming into his own (even if Paul Molitor continues to bat him in the bottom half of the line-up). Miguel Sano is in “prove it” mode after being recalled from the minor leagues. So what other players can fans keep an eye on? This week’s roundtable discussion question is: ““Which prospect most deserves a look before the season is done?”Nick Nelson There are a number of guys I'd love to see before year's end. But if we're talking about who is most deserving, I think the answer is Brent Rooker. Although he's only about 14 months removed from being drafted, the slugger has emphatically addressed some of his biggest perceived flaws — namely, plate discipline. Rooker's approach was a mess in the early going this year, evidenced by a 29% K-rate and 5% BB-rate in April/May, but he has gradually refined it, improving those rates to 25% and 13% respectively since the start of June. Meanwhile, he has posted some of the best numbers of anyone in the system. Despite his relatively recent arrival in the organization, Rooker turns 24 in the offseason so he's not especially young by prospect standards. He has handled every challenge thrown his way thus far. Because he's a right-handed power hitter who can play first base and the outfield corners, he's also a good fit for Minnesota's short-term needs. Why not give him a shot down the stretch and see how he responds? A strong debut would potentially put him in line to grab a roster spot out of spring training next year. Tom Froemming There are a lot of different ways this question could be answered, and a lot of different names that could be thrown out there, but I'm going to go with urgency. The Twins need to take a look at the prospects they've already got on their 40-man roster. Even narrowing things down that way leaves you with no shortage of options, especially pitchers, but I'm going to go with Fernando Romero (even though he doesn’t qualify as a prospect any more). Romero looked pretty capable in the 11 starts the Twins have given him in the majors this season, and he's been very solid in his first crack at Triple A as well. He hasn't shown the dominating stuff he's flashed throughout parts of his career, recording 97 strikeouts in 125 1/3 innings, but he's still been effective, boasting a 3.59 ERA and 1.24 WHIP between the majors and minors this year. Speaking of that 125 1/3 innings, that marks a new career high already for Fernando. I was concerned about how he faded to end last year, but as long as there isn't a dip in velo or breakdown in his mechanics I'd like to see the Twins push him a bit farther this season. There are some other starting pitching prospects who deserve looks -- Zack Littell, Stephen Gonsalves and maybe even Lewis Thorpe -- but I think the guy most likely to stake his claim on a 2019 rotation spot is Romero. Might as well give him an opportunity to show whether or not he belongs. Cody Christie Stephen Gonsalves seems to be on quite the run in the minor leagues and it wouldn’t surprise me if he gets the opportunity to join the rotation in the coming weeks. He has been one of the strongest starting pitchers in the organization over the last handful of years and I feel like he has earned the opportunity to make his debut. For me, he is the answer to this week’s question. That being said, there are other names that will likely get some innings and at-bats before September ends. Rochester and Chattanooga don’t look like they will be qualifying for postseason play so players from those levels can be called-up for September. Recently acquired Tyler Austin could get some late season at-bats. Zack Littell could get a start or two. Some other relief pitchers also need the opportunity to show they can be part of next year’s pitching staff. Either way, there are plays to be watching over the next month and a half. Ted Schwerzler Assuming Stephen Gonsalves is a given, because he absolutely should be, I think Brent Rooker has emerged as a serious candidate. Earlier in the year it looked like Nick Gordon had earned a shot to show what he could do in a brief stint, but that time has come and gone. Gordon is struggling mightily at Triple-A, and it would be a shock if he's the Opening Day option at 2B in 2019. Rooker has destroyed Double-A pitching, and has been deserving of a promotion for at least a month. If the Twins are willing to get aggressive, allowing him an opportunity for September at bats would be plenty fair. I still believe he should factor into the 1B/DH conversation for 2019, and allowing him to taste that level this season could be a nice boost. Jeremy Nygaard Stephen Gonsalves. He's earned the opportunity and finding innings in September should be easy. Gonsalves is the type of pitcher that should project for 200+ innings and allowing him to continue to pitch after the conclusion of the minor league season makes too much sense. Plus, like I mentioned earlier, he has earned it. SD Buhr It would almost have to be either Nick Gordon or Stephen Gonsalves, I think, and for me the pick would he Gonsalves. He’s simply had a better season than Gordon has. The problem could be finding a spot in the rotation for him. If Ervin Santana were to be traded, that could free a spot. While I suppose bringing him up for a look out of the bullpen would be possible, that wouldn’t seem to be either fair or reflective of his talent, given that he’s always been a starting pitcher. Of course, the guys who “deserve” a late season promotion don’t always get one. Other factors, such as 40-man roster spots and other non-performance related factors usually take precedence over “deservedness.” Steve Lein There are a plenty of guys I would love to see make at least some September call-up appearances, including the likes of LaMonte Wade, Nick Gordon, Nick Anderson, Jake Reed, and Kohl Stewart. I also think Brent Rooker has worked himself into that conversation with the tear he's been on at double-A. But I think the only clear answer here is Stephen Gonsalves. Quite frankly, he's been deserving of that for quite some time already. He's now in his sixth season with the organization, and has performed at every stop. He has 20 starts to his ledger in triple-A (plus two other appearances) and that has come with an 8-5 record, 3.57 ERA, .216 batting average against, and 103 K's in 111 total innings pitched. These are better numbers than the likes of the Zack Littell's, Aaron Sleger's, and Adalberto Mejia's that have gotten their opportunities before him. I've also thought the Twins have moved him in a notoriously slow fashion considering the numbers he has put up, so he should have already been in the majors by now in my opinion. #FreeGonsalves!!! Seth Stohs Deserving is kind of a loaded word. I would love to see a lot of guys get a chance down the stretch. Stephen Gonsalves and Fernando Romero are both ready for an opportunity and deserving. While Brent Rooker's last two-and-a-half months have been terrific, the Twins have to make a decision on Tyler Austin this offseason, and maybe into spring training. LaMonte Wade has had a solid season. He is now injured, but he's deserving. But I'm going lump together a group of players, some are technically "prospects" and a few have surpassed the prospect status. But Alan Busenitz, Tyler Duffey and John Curtiss deserve the opportunity to pitch in the big leagues after they were strong the first three months of the year. They're all on the 40-man roster. Also, Nick Anderson and Jake Reed are quite deserving as well. Anderson was the best minor league reliever through the first two months of the season, and he had a solid July again. Reed struggled early, but he's been really good the last couple of months. And, Luke Bard has had ups and downs, but he can become a free agent at the end of the year, so I would like to see him get a shot with the Twins as well. How do you get six deserving guys to the big leagues? You can't, but they are all deserving. If you missed any of the most recent roundtable discussions, here are the links: Hall of Fame Impact Baseball in 2028 Floundered Second Half Star Sell, Sell, Sell? Click here to view the article

Where has summer gone? Here we are in the August heat with some playoff races heating up. Rochester is 19 games out of first place and nine games back in the wild card race. Chattanooga is in last place in the Southern League North Division but trail the leader by only 5.5 games. Fort Myers is only percentage points behind Charlotte for first place in the Florida State League South Division. Cedar Rapids is in a virtual tie for first in the Midwest League Western Division. The top two teams in the division make the playoffs. Elizabethton is three games up in the Apply League West Division. Let’s dive in and see how Sunday’s action played out.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 6, Pawtucket 3 Box Score With Rochester attempting to employ an “opener,” Pawtucket jumped out early against Alan Busenitz as he allowed a three-run home run in the first inning. From there, Fernando Romero had things on lock-down. Over eight shutout innings, he limited the Red Sox to four hits and struck out eight without walking a batter. In the third inning, the Red Wings started their comeback. With one out in the frame, Gregorio Petit singled and that was followed by walks to Taylor Motter and Nick Gordon to load the bases. Newly acquired Tyler Austin drove in two with his 11th double on the season. Following a Willians Astudillo walk, Andy Wilkins singled to drive in Gordon and the game was tied at three. The top of the ninth saw Rochester take the lead for good. Johnny Field singled before a walk to Jeremy Hazelbaker and a hit by pitch for Juan Graterol. Petit singled to drive in the go-ahead run. After a strikeout by Taylor Motter, Gordon laced a single off the shortstop’s glove to plate two insurance runs. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 9, Mississippi 2 Box Score The Lookouts out-hit the Braves by only one but the team collected six hits with runners in scoring position including a big seven-run inning. Chattanooga loaded the bases in the second with an Alex Perez walk, a Jordan Gore walk, and a Zander Wiel single. Brent Rooker picked up an RBI after drawing a walk. Luke Raley pushed across another run with a force out to put the team up 2-0. In the fourth inning, every batter in the line-up reached base with a walk, a hit or through a fielding error. Without the use of an extra-base hit, the club piled up six singles and a pair of walks to score seven runs. Every batter reached base safely at some point in the game. Alex Perez finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Luis Arraez and Jaylin Davis each reached base four times. Sean Poppen earned his fifth victory after pitching five innings. He allowed two runs on six hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Andrew Vasquez and Cody Stashak each tossed two scoreless frames. Vasquez struck out four while allowing only one hit. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 3, Florida 7 Box Score Florida was in the midst of a 10-game losing streak and Fort Myers had won five straight but both of those streaks came to an end on Sunday. Bryan Sammons ran into some early trouble as he allowed five runs on five hits including a three-run home run. He struck out four and walked two but he was able to pitch only three innings. Dylan Stowell went 2 2/3 innings but allowed a home run. Alex Robinson was strong in relief as he was asked to collect seven outs and he got six of them via strikeout. Royce Lewis reached base three times out of the lead-off spot. Alex Kirilloff had another multi-hit game (2-for-5). Taylor Grzelakowski and Ryan Costello both went 2-for-4. Costello scored two runs and had his first double since joining the Twins organization. Even with the loss, the Miracle won the series from Florida. Fort Myers has won six consecutive series. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 7, Beloit 10 Box Score Cedar Rapids saw an early lead disappear in this one after the Snappers scored seven runs in the eighth inning. Jhoan Duran started and pitched into the seventh inning (6 1/3 IP). He struck out nine and scattered three runs on five hits. Calvin Faucher and Rickey Ramirez ran into some issues out of the bullpen. Faucher allowed three runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. Ramirez only collected one out and he allowed four runs on four hits. Moises Gomez stopped the bleeding as he allowed only one hit over 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Gabriel Maciel had two doubles and two RBI. Jacob Pearson and Trey Cabbage each went 2-for-4 with a double. Akil Baddoo and Ben Rodriguez both went 2-for-5 with two RBIs each. Ryan Jeffers knocked his third home run. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 5, Pulaski 6 (10 Innings) Box Score Josh Winder took the mound for the E-Twins and pitched five innings. He struck out eight and allowed three runs on four hits. Juan Gamez coughed up a pair of runs and was credited with only one out. From there, things calmed down. Tanner Howell pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Johan Quezada was saddled with the loss after the runner starting at second scored in extra-innings. Colton Burns led the offensive charge by going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored. Chris Williams added to his home run total (12 HR) with a two-run shot in the third. He also reached base three times. Andrew Cosgrove drove in a run and added his third double on the season. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Gabriel Maciel, Cedar Rapids (2-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, R) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Fernando Romero, Rochester (8.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 8 K, 0 BB) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed. Please note that this Prospect Summary has been updated. 1. Royce Lewis (FM): 1-for-3, 2 BB 2. Alex Kirilloff (FM): 2-for-5 3. Brusdar Graterol (FM): Did not play. 4. Nick Gordon (ROC): 1-for-4, BB, 2 RBI, R 5. Stephen Gonsalves (ROC): Did not play. 6. Trevor Larnach (ET): 0-for-4, BB, 2 R, 2 K 7. Brent Rooker (CHAT): 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB, K 8. Akil Baddoo (CR): 2-for-5, 2 RBI, 2 K 9. Wander Javier: Out of for the season 10. Zack Littell (ROC): Did not play. 11. Blayne Enlow (CR): Did not play. 12. LaMonte Wade (ROC): Did not play. 13. Travis Blankenhorn (FM): 0-for-4, K 14. Lewis Thorpe (CHAT): Did not play. 15. Ben Rortvedt (FM): 1-for-4, RBI, K 16. Yunior Severino (ET): 1-for-4, BB, 3 K 17. Lewin Diaz (FM): Did not play. 18. Ryan Jeffers (ET): Did not play. 19. Jacob Pearson (CR): 2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, 2 K 20. Luis Arraez (CHAT): 2-for-3, RBI, R, BB MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester – Scheduled Off-Day ***Rochester Red Wings players will join groups of golfers at the third annual Swing with the Wings golf tournament to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association*** Chattanooga vs. Mississippi (6:15 CST) – TBD Fort Myers @ Lakeland (5:30 CST) – LHP Charlie Barnes (5-5, 2.81 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs. Beloit (12:05 CST) – RHP Edwar Colina (5-3, 2.93 ERA) Elizabethton vs. Kingsport (6:00 CST) – LHP Kody Funderburk (1-0, 4.58 ERA) GCL Twins vs. GCL Rays (11:00 AM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask any questions about Sunday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

Twins Daily Roundtable is a weekly series. As part of this series, a question will be posed to the site’s writers and they will respond in 200 words or less (Some writers don’t like to stick to this limit). This will give readers an opportunity to see multiple points of view and then add their own point of view in the comments section. Two former Twins, Jim Thome and Jack Morris, entered the Hall of Fame over the weekend. Both of them played fewer than two full seasons in a Twins uniform but it is hard to deny their impact on the organization. One willed the Twins to a dramatic Game 7 victory and the other entered the 600 home run club as a member of the hometown nine. This week’s roundtable discussion question is: “Which Hall of Fame player with ties to the Twins had the greatest impact on the organization?”John Bonnes I've followed the Twins since 1972, and in my mind, there is no doubt that Kirby Puckett has had the biggest impact. It wasn't just the World Series championships or the postseason heroics. Indeed that was just a small fraction of what he brought, as was his performance on the field. His personality, specifically his childlike enthusiasm and joy, separated him from any other athlete I've witnessed. He was also fortunate enough to have his career fall into the perfect media landscape: media was ubiquitous, but not chaotic and social. I wasn't able to witness first-hand the greatness on and off the field that Harmon Killebrew embodied, but I have trouble imagining that any player from the 60s could impact an organization and community the way Puckett did in the 80s and 90s. Nick Nelson For me personally, it’d have to be Kirby Puckett. He was easily the team’s biggest star while I was growing up, and had a major impact on my fledgling affinity for Twins baseball at the time. However, given that Kirby’s playing career was relatively brief (by HoF standards) and his greatness somewhat overstated (*ducks*) I’ve gotta go with Harmon Killebrew. I didn’t have the privilege of watching him play, but the numbers speak for themselves: to still own essentially all the franchise’s power-hitting records 30-plus years after retiring is nothing short of incredible. Plus, Killebrew stuck around as a fantastic ambassador for the organization many years after his playing career ended, whereas Kirby faded from the spotlight unceremoniously. Puckett’s legacy is ultimately a complicated and checkered one, but Killer’s is rock-solid through and through. He arrived along with the team from Washington in 1961, on the front end of a legendary run, and will forever be emblazoned in my mind as the eternal face of the franchise. Cody Christie When looking at the organization, Tony Oliva, a player not in the Hall of Fame, might have had the greatest impact on the organization. He’s been a great ambassador for the game and an asset for the organization. However, other players elected to Cooperstown like Kirby Puckett, Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew, and Bert Blyleven have impacted the organization in different ways. Puckett brought multiple titles to the Twin Cities. Killebrew was the heart and soul of the organization’s first pennant winning team. Carew and his Heart of 29 campaign have brought him back into the fold in Minnesota. Even Blyleven and his terrible announcing have left an impact on the organization. If I am picking one player, it has to be Killebrew. His on and off the field impacts have touched every generation of Twins fans. Puckett was my idol growing up but his post career life was filled with various demons. Killebrew wasn’t perfect but his reach goes far beyond Twins Territory. Steve Lein Just to point this out while I go into my why: this is a tough question for me (for reasons discussed below and others I won’t). I grew up as a little kid loving baseball and my home/favorite team won two world series before I was ten years old. My views may be a little skewed because of that and the vivid memories I still have (one of those World Series was the first time I can remember my parents letting me stay up late). Since I’ve grown up and sought to learn much more about the franchise’s history, I know the name Harmon Killebrew should top a lot of our writer’s lists. I don’t know if you could find a Hall of Famer anywhere that without a doubt could be called a better human being. Because of that, while I was in a vintage store this past weekend I was very tempted to drop far too much money on an okay-condition Killebrew baseball card from 1958, while still in a Senators jersey. But as far as impact on the organization for me, the answer to this question will likely always be Kirby Puckett. He’s unquestionably the reason why you came to the Metrodome during his star-studded career, his joy playing the game was apparent every day with his smile, and his charisma was known throughout the major leagues. He also led his teams to those two World Series Championships, so he’s my pick. SD Buhr Given my advanced age, it’s not surprising that I’m going to go with Harmon Killebrew. Many fans may not have an appreciation for just how sorry the Washington Senators franchise was at the time Calvin Griffith moved the team to Minnesota. Washington won the AL pennant in 1933. From that point until the franchise landed in Minnesota, the Senators had three seasons in which they finished in the top half of the A.L. standings (two were during the talent-challenged World War II era). They finished dead last in the standings in four of their final six seasons in Washington. That is the legacy that Calvin Griffith brought to Minnesota. Fortunately, he also brought Harmon Killebrew to Minnesota. With Killebrew as the face of the franchise, the Twins quickly became one of most successful teams of the 1960s.They finished 6th in their debut season of 1961, but finished 2nd in 1962, 3rd in 1963 and won the franchise’s first A.L. pennant in 32 years in 1965. They were runners-up in 1966 and 1967 and then won the first two Western Division pennants of the Divisional era in 1969 and 1970. Under Griffith’s frugal ownership, the Twins became an also-ran during the following decade and a half, until Griffith sold the team to Carl Pohlad. Killebrew was the virtual embodiment of “Minnesota Nice” off the field, while being a cold blooded “killer” when he stepped into the batter’s box. If the Twins had continued their Senators legacy of being the league doormats, it’s not hard to imagine that Griffith would have been forced to sell his team much sooner than he did and who knows whether there would have been much local interest in even trying to keep the team in Minnesota. Thanks to Killebrew and his friends, the Twins were still around when Kirby and his buddies won their Championships. Andrew Thares Now batting, number 34, Kirbyyyyyyyyyyyyy Puckett! In the history of the Minnesota Twins, there isn’t a single player who has had a greater impact on the organization than Kirby Puckett. It would be easy to talk about him being the best player on both World Series winning teams, or reminisce on his brilliant preforming in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series, but really it was how Kirby played the game that left the lasting impact on the organization. As a Twins fan who isn’t old enough to remember Kirby Puckett before he retired, I think it speaks volumes to the fact that he is still my favorite baseball player of all time. Ted Schwerzler While Harmon was a man that has been gone from baseball for quite some time now, I think it's safe to say his impact has been felt over multiple generations. He was consistently a figurehead for the Twins organization even after his playing days, and his instruction towards young players is still disseminated today. He instilled a way in which to go about doing things that has been bought into by players like Torii Hunter, and consistently passed down as those guys give back to the organization today. If you missed any of the most recent roundtable discussions, here are the links: Baseball in 2028 Floundered Second Half Star Sell, Sell, Sell? Fixing the Offense Click here to view the article

Minnesota’s farm system has evolved over the last month. This year’s draft class is settling into their roles with their newly assigned clubs. The Twins have also been active over the last week by trading away Eduardo Escobar and Ryan Pressly for five new players and other trades could still be on the horizon. Players from this year’s draft and newly acquired players had an impact on Sunday’s action.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 2, Louisville 3 (10 Innings) Box Score Rochester took an early lead in this one but it would quickly fade away. Jeremy Hazelbaker drew a one-out walk in the third inning before Taylor Motter cracked a two-run home run. In the bottom of the third, Stephen Gonsalves quickly surrendered the lead. Three singles, a walk, and a sacrifice fly meant the game was tied. Gonsavles pitched six innings with six strikeouts and one walk. On rehab, Addison Reed pitched a scoreless inning without allowing a hit. He had one strikeout and walked two batters. John Curtiss struck out three and walked one over two scoreless innings. Luke Bard took the loss but the only run he allowed was the runner who started on second in extra-innings. Rochester didn’t have much offense outside of that third frame. The team was limited to three hits and five walks. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 3, Tennessee 8 Box Score This game evolved from a pitcher’s duel in the early innings before the Smokies bats woke up. Omar Bencomo pitched into the fifth inning and allowed two runs on five hits. He struck out five and walked two. Sam Clay ran into the most damage. He couldn’t pitch a full inning and he allowed four runs on four hits. Paco Rodriguez and Andrew Vasquez each pitched 1 1/3 innings and allowed a run each. Zander Wiel lead the offensive charge. He went 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair of doubles. Brent Rooker and Luis Arraez both had multi-hit games and Arraez drove in two runs. Jaylin Davis added his 8th double, one of the team’s three extra-base hits. Overall, the team went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 8, Daytona 6 Box Score The Miracle struck the final couple of blows in this back-and-forth contest. Newly acquired Ernie De La Trinidad went 3-for-4 with a three-run bomb and he scored two runs in the game. Alex Kirilloff continued to stay hot as he finished 2-for-5 and his late inning double extended his hit streak to 13 games. He also scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch and drove in an important run in the seventh inning. Travis Blankenhorn went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, and two RBI. Royce Lewis also had a multi-hit game. Mark Contreras reached base three times and scored two runs. On the mound, Bryan Sammons got into some early trouble as he walked five batters in four innings of work. He allowed four earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts but he would be long gone before this one was decided. Colton Davis took over for Sammons but he allowed one run on two hits in his inning of work. Clark Beeker was a savior in this game. He limited Daytona to one hit over the four shutout innings to finish the game. He struck out three and didn’t walk any. Fort Myers has won four consecutive series. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 0, Quad Cities 6 Box Score Cedar Rapids drew a season-high 10 walks but the team was limited to two hits en route to being shutout. In fact, every batter in the Kernels line-up reached base at least once with the exception of David Banuelos. Gabriel Maciel reached base three times out of the lead-off spot. Andrew Bechtold went 1-for-3 and had the team’s lone extra-base hit, a double. Jean Carlos Arias was held hitless but he reached base twice. Jordan Balazovic ran into some early trouble as he surrendered four runs in the first innings. He settled in from there and only allowed one more run over the next five frames. He finished by allowing five runs on nine hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. Melvi Acosta pitched the final three innings and allowed one run on four hits with four strikeouts. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 4, Bristol 7 Box Score Three defensive errors allowed three unearned runs to be scored in this one and that was the difference. Brian Rapp started and lasted four innings. He struck out five and didn’t walk any but allowed four runs on six hits. Austin Schulfer saw two unearned runs score in three frames. He struck out three and walked two. Moises Gomez pitched a shutout inning. Zach Neff walked a batter in the ninth before ran cut this game short. Chris Williams, a 2018 8th round pick, continued his hot hitting. The Clemson product cranked a pair of home runs to up his season total to 11. First-round pick Trevor Larnach reached base twice and collected his second double of the season. Michael Helman added his second home run of the year. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Ernie De La Trinidad, Fort Myers (3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB, K) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Stephen Gonsalves, Rochester (6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 6 K, BB) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed. Please note that this Prospect Summary has been updated. 1. Royce Lewis (FM): 2-for-5, RBI, 2 R 2. Alex Kirilloff (FM): 2-for-5, 2B, RBI, 2 R 3. Brusdar Graterol (FM): Did not play. 4. Nick Gordon (ROC): 1-for-3, BB, K 5. Stephen Gonsalves (ROC): 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 K, BB 6. Trevor Larnach (ET): 1-for-3, 2B, R, BB 7. Brent Rooker (CHAT): 2-for-4, RBI, BB, K 8. Akil Baddoo (CR): 0-for-4, BB, 2 K 9. Wander Javier: Out of for the season 10. Zack Littell (ROC): Did not play. 11. Blayne Enlow (CR): Did not play. 12. LaMonte Wade (ROC): 0-for-2, 2 BB, K 13. Travis Blankenhorn (FM): 2-for-4, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 K 14. Lewis Thorpe (CHAT): Did not play. 15. Ben Rortvedt (FM): Did not play. 16. Yunior Severino (ET): Did not play. 17. Lewin Diaz (FM): Did not play. 18. Ryan Jeffers (ET): Did not play. 19. Jacob Pearson (CR): Did not play. 20. Luis Arraez (CHAT): 2-for-5, 2 RBI MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester vs. Scranton/WB (6:05 CST) – RHP Kohl Stewart (0-3, 4.50 ERA) Rochester vs. Scranton/WB (Game 2) – TBD Chattanooga @ Tennessee (6:00 CST) – TBD Fort Myers – Scheduled Off-Day Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:05 CST) – RHP Jhoan Duran (5-4, 4.73 ERA) Elizabethton – Scheduled Off-Day GCL Twins @ GCL Orioles (11:00 AM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask any questions about Sunday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

Twins Daily Roundtable is a weekly series. As part of this series, a question will be posed to the site’s writers and they will respond in 200 words or less (Some writers don’t like to stick to this limit). This will give readers an opportunity to see multiple points of view and then add their own point of view in the comments section. The winds of change are in the air and I am not just talking about the pending trade deadline. For better or worse, baseball is changing and the game could look quite different over the next decade. Pitch clocks, replay, shifts, home runs, and strikeouts have become common place across America’s Pastime. This week’s roundtable discussion question is: “How do you think baseball will change in the next decade?”Seth Stohs I have no idea, but it needs to. When diehards like myself have a hard time getting through nine innings anymore, something might be wrong. So many pitching changes. Shifting not only on every batter, but dependent on count. So many swings and misses. I know it is no longer cool to say it, but I miss the old game. The crisp pitching, batters not being so passive. There's a reason I tweet "Have I mentioned how much I love watching Eddie Rosario play baseball? That said, I don't think they can or should eliminate shifts. I definitely don't think Jim Kaat's seven-inning game idea is a good idea. Analytics and over-thinking everything are now part of the game and that isn't going away. So I think we're just going to have to grin and bear it. Strikeout. Walks. Home Runs. More bullpen usage. It's all here to stay, and there are some that like that, and it can be fun at times... But it will be hard to grow this game in the States with this pace of play situation as it is and getting worse. My hope is that this great game will continue to evolve, as it has for 140-150 years to make itself better. No one wants to get rid of tradition, but something needs to happen. Tom Froemming In terms of the on-field product, a lot of what may happen will depend upon what happens to the actual baseball itself, in my opinion. If MLB tries to "deaden" the ball, teams will start to value hitters who put the ball in play more often. Otherwise, things will keep escalating in the direction they're going and soon defense will become a relative afterthought due to the lack of balls put in play. The MLB's current labor agreement with the umpires ends after next season. I think we'll see some of the framework for an automated strike zone in their next agreement. While "robo umps" would be a welcome sight, they'd also tie into the devaluation of defense. Catcher framing goes extinct if that ever happens. What else? Expansion, probably. Universal DH, probably. Players continue to fight pace of play changes, resulting in games becoming even longer. The 2028 NL Manager of the Year award goes to a 23-year-old rookie skipper who is a recent computer science grad from MIT. Bartolo Colon leads the league in innings that season. Cody Christie The year is 2028… Separated by two votes in the final tally, Royce Lewis narrowly takes home the American League MVP Award after beating out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Mike Trout could have won his record setting eighth MVP but he finished a distant third. The Twins have been in three straight ALCS but the 2028 season saw the club finally break-through and win the club’s fourth AL Pennant. The World Series came back to Minnesota. While this utopian idea of the year 2028 sounds great to Twins fans, things need to change with the game. Here are some of the things I foresee happening over the next decade. 20 second pitch clockUniversal designated hitterRelievers must face multiple battersShifts will continued to be allowedReplay will be quicker and used more frequentlyExpansion will also add two teams to Montreal, Canada and Portland, Oregon. As I wrote about last October, expansion would mean a shift in the divisions and the removal of two leagues. I also think the number of games will be dropped to around 156. This would also allow for the playoffs to expand to 12 teams with four division winners (first round byes) and four wild card games. SD Buhr I'll let the others dwell on MLB, though I do believe we will have 32 teams and a 154 game schedule. But since the question just said "baseball," I'm going to mention the changes I see coming for minor league ball. The current agreement between MLB and MiLB expires in 2020 and therefore no affiliation agreements have been extended beyond that year. I believe there will be some significant changes, most notably a reduction in the number of affiliations, perhaps even elimination of 1-2 entire classes of minor league ball. Baseball currently has 3 levels of short-season ball, though few teams field teams at all 3 levels. Add 4 full-season levels and that makes 7 minor league levels in the US (plus those in Latin America). I'll predict that one level of short-season will be eliminated and it's POSSIBLE that there will no longer be two levels of Class A ball. MLB was threatening minor league teams with contraction to get them to shore up Congressional support during the debate over minor league pay. But now that they won that battle, there's no reason to think MLB wouldn't contract anyway. Bottom line is that I believe there will be fewer minor league teams and that means roster spots for fewer minor league players. I suspect that means a worldwide draft and/or fewer rounds in the US draft. Ted Schwerzler Given the consistent cries for the pace of play to be addressed, baseball is going to need to change one way or another. I don’t believe the issues are dire, but Rob Manfred seems set on changing the game. I do believe we’ll see electronic strike zones sooner rather than later, and that’s a good thing. Specialization has become a large portion of the game and I don’t foresee that going away. I’m not sure what other on-field changes are in store, but a decade from now it will be fun to see Mike Trout having overtaken the last few of Babe Ruth’s numbers. Steve Lein What will happen and what I’d like to see happen are probably two different things. On the latter side, I think there needs to be a shift in the type of game they try to promote, with the recent All-Star Game being a great example of the problem I see. A new record was set for both the number of home runs (10), and strikeouts (25) by both teams (as would have the 23 K’s in nine-innings). We’re seeing a historically low amount of balls-in-play as home runs and strikeouts have been on the rise. To keep future fans into the game, this trend needs to go in the other direction in my opinion. Nobody likes seeing as much “nothing” happening in a game as there is now. Dingers are sweet, but also alter the pacing of a game negatively. As for the former, I think the juiced ball will get fixed. I also think rules relating to shifting are going to be implemented. I do love the strategy of it on defense, while also thinking hitters should just take the damn base when it’s given to them. But for the prior reasons mentioned above, this just isn’t the game promoted or taught anymore. While this won't increase balls-in-play, it would allow more action to occur during a game instead of groundouts into the outfield. If you missed any of the most recent roundtable discussions, here are the links: Floundered Second Half Star Sell, Sell, Sell? Fixing the Offense Romero’s Rotation Spot Click here to view the article

July is quickly flying by and it seems like a good time to check in on the playoff races for all of the organization’s affiliates. Rochester currently has a 44-53 record which puts them 14.5 games out of first in the International League North. Chattanooga sits at 12-18 in the second half and this means the club is five games out of first place in the Southern League North. With a .500 record, Fort Myers is in second place in the FSL South and only 1.5 games out of first. Cedar Rapids has been on quite the roll and the club is up two games in the Midwest League Western Division. Like the Kernels, the E-Twins sit atop their division with a 18-11 record. They are three games up on their closest competition. The GCL Twins are 17-11 and up by one game in the GCL South. Which team's could add to their lead or try and play catch-up on Sunday?RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 5, Norfolk 9 Box Score Rochester began experimenting with a bullpen-style game on Sunday with Trevor May making the start and only pitching one inning. He walked one and allowed a hit but kept the Tides off the board. Zack Littell took over for May and allowed four runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings.. He struck out four and walked four so entering in the second inning might have thrown him off a little. Nick Anderson and Gabriel Moya finished off the game and both ran into some issues that cost the team the game. Anderson allowed a solo home run in 1 1/3 innings. Moya surrendered three runs on three hits with a walk and a strikeout. At the plate, the Red Wings had four players collect multiple hits. Alex Perez and Nick Gordon helped from the top of the line-up as each went 2-for-4 while scoring two runs apiece. LaMonte Wade and Juan Graterol both also joined the multiple hit club. Jon Kemmer pinch-hit for Wade and drove in a pair of runs with his second double. Miguel Sano went 0-for-5 with a pair of strikeouts. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 9, Mobile 4 Box Score A big fifth inning allowed the Lookouts to jump out to a lead that wouldn’t be surmounted. Jordan Gore reached on an error and Tanner English singled to set up the biggest hit of the inning. Zander Wiel pounced for his seventh home run of the season. By the time the inning was done, the Red Wings had plated five runs. Luis Arraez had a big game at the plate as he reached base four times and cracked two doubles. Mitchell Kranson went 2-for-5 with three RBI. With the exception of Brent Rooker, every batter collected at least one hit. Lewis Thorpe picked up his fifth win after allowing two runs on four hits in six innings. He struck out five and didn’t allow a walk. Williams Ramirez struck out four over two innings and allowed one earned run. Paco Rodriguez finished off the game by allowing one run, an unearned run, on two hits KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 8, Lansing 5 Box Score Five runs in the first two innings and 17 total hits allowed the Kernels to take this one from the Lugnuts. Four batters had three hits or more for Cedar Rapids. Jose Miranda was part of the hit barrage as he went 3-for-6 including a three-run home run in the second. Michael Davis led the team with four hits and he scored a pair of runs. Robby Rinn and David Banuelos both went 3-for-5. Jacob Pearson was the lone batter who failed to collect a hit. Jordan Balazovic started and went 1 2/3 innings by allowing four runs on three hits. He struck out three and walked two. Derek Molina picked up his second win after he pitched 3 1/3 scoreless frames. He racked up five strikeouts and walked one. Calvin Faucher gave up a solo home run in three innings of work while striking out four. Jose Martinez earned the save after pitching a scoreless ninth. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton --, Princeton – (Postponed) Weather got in the way of this one. The two clubs will play a doubleheader on Monday so check back tomorrow night to see how the E-Twins came out in those contests. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Jose Miranda, Cedar Rapids (3-for-6, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, K) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Lewis Thorpe, Chattanooga (6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 5 K, 0 BB) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed. Please note that this Prospect Summary has been updated. 1. Royce Lewis (FM): Did not play. 2. Alex Kirilloff (FM): Did not play. 3. Brusdar Graterol (FM): Did not play. 4. Nick Gordon (ROC): 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, K 5. Stephen Gonsalves (ROC): Did not play. 6. Trevor Larnach (ET): Did not play. 7. Brent Rooker (CHAT): 0-for-5, 2 K 8. Akil Baddoo (CR): 1-for-6, 2B, R, K, SB 9. Wander Javier: Out of for the season 10. Zack Littell (ROC): 5.2 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 4 K, 4 BB 11. Blayne Enlow (CR): Did not play. 12. LaMonte Wade (ROC): 2-for-3, RBI, K 13. Travis Blankenhorn (FM): Did not play. 14. Lewis Thorpe (CHAT): 6.0 IP, 2 ER 4 H, 5 K, 0 BB) 15. Ben Rortvedt (FM): Did not play. 16. Yunior Severino (ET): Did not play. 17. Lewin Diaz (FM): Did not play. 18. Ryan Jeffers (ET): Did not play. 19. Jacob Pearson (CR): 0-for-5 20. Luis Arraez (CHAT): 2-for-3, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 BB MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester- Scheduled Off Day Chattanooga vs. Pensacola (6:15 CST) – TBD Fort Myers @ Jupiter (5:30 CST) – LHP Bryan Sammons (FSL Debut) Cedar Rapids @ Lansing (11:05 am CST) – RHP Randy Dobnak (7-2, 3.66 ERA) Elizabethton vs Princeton (4:00 CST) – TBD Elizabethton vs Princeton (Game 2) – TBD GCL Twins @ GCL Rays (11:00 AM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask any questions about Sunday’s games, or ask any questions you may have. Click here to view the article

Miguel Sano’s time in Fort Myers is over and he is being promoted directly to Triple-A Rochester. Sano had left the Miracle to tend to some family matters in the Dominican Republic. After returning to the United States, Sano was informed of his promotion. It’s looking like his chances of returning to the big league level this season are on the rise.Sano’s time in a Miracle jersey is over. In 19 games with the Miracle, Sano hit .328/.442/.453 with two home runs and two doubles. He posted a 21 to 13 strike out to walk ratio. Sano played 10 games at third base and nine games as the designated hitter. He committed one error in 23 chances at third. His time at the big league level this year had been a mess. He was struggling at the plate by hitting .203/.270/.405 with a 66 to 14 strikeout to walk ratio. He had more than twice as many strikeouts as hits. At the time of his demotion, Derek Falvey said the team wasn’t “going to follow the traditional view.” He went on to say, “We wanted to take a step back and blank canvas this a bit and say, ‘What do we think the best next steps are for him?’… We can do a lot of things with the facility we have here, around strength and conditioning and the work you can do from that side.” Step 1 in the process was to head to Fort Myers and restart his once promising career. From there, Step 2 is to head to Rochester and show he is ready to start transitioning to the big league level. What are your thoughts on Sano’s promotion? Will he make it back to the big league level this year? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Twins Daily Roundtable is a weekly series. As part of this series, a question will be posed to the site’s writers and they will respond in 200 words or less (Some writers don’t like to stick to this limit). This will give readers an opportunity to see multiple points of view and then add their own point of view in the comments section. One year ago the Twins sailed into the All-Star break with two players, Miguel Sano and Ervin Santana, representing the club at the Mid-Summer Classic. Neither of those players and a long list of others haven’t lived up to expectations in the first half. It’s been a roster full of flounders. This week’s roundtable discussion question is: “Which Twins player has most underperformed in the first half?”Nick Nelson Sadly it is a pretty long list, but to me the clear answer is Byron Buxton. It doesn't all fall on his shoulders – injuries, bad luck and questionable decision-making from the front office have played their parts – but however you want to apportion the blame, Buxton's season has been a massive letdown. At age 24, and coming off a breakthrough second half that earned him down-ballot MVP votes, Buxton had the looks of a centerpiece. His ceiling was sky-high and the floor seemed to have risen as the rawness dissipated. I think we'd have all been happy with him reproducing the 3.5 WAR he produced in a 2017 campaign marred by prolonged early slumping. Instead, Buxton has delivered -0.4 WAR through the Twins' first 94 games this year. When not on the disabled list or in the minors, he has been a sub-replacement level player, and that's just not something I would've ever imagined. Most alarming: As he continues to whiff at a 30% rate in Triple-A, and now faces another injury-related absence, it's getting harder and harder to see him making any real impact for the Twins in 2018. Tom Froemming I feel like this is a bit of a trick question. Since the specific wording is "underperformed" I'm going to leave out the guys like Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano and Jorge Polanco who just haven't been on the field much. Oh, and toss Ervin Santana and Jason Castro in there ... dang there are a lot of guys who haven't been able to contribute. The free agent addition trio of Logan Morrison, Lance Lynn and Addison Reed immediately stand out as underperformers. Man, even two of those guys are on the shelf right now. Lynn has been pretty frustrating, but he's been pitching better as a whole after a dreadful start. I think there's hope of Lynn at least being a league-average starter from here forward (make sure to blast this out to the other 29 teams in baseball. Wink, wink.) With both Morrison and Reed I have some real concerns they're never going to be assets again. Morrison has been hitting the ball hard and his strikeout rate is down, but the shift is killing him. It feels like the league has figured out how to pitch to him/position against him. Maybe he makes a counter adjustment, but I'm not super optimistic. He also adds no value in the field or on the bases and plays the position that's easiest to replace. No pitcher is going to deal well declining velocity, but a two-pitch guy who loves to pound the zone like Reed is really going to slip. Hopefully he'll rest up, come back refreshed and find those extra couple mph he's been missing, but the fear is that arm has just seen too much wear and tear. He’s been remarkably durable for today's standards, but nobody's immune to aging. Well, except for Fernando Rodney, of course. Final answer: Morrison. Cody Christie There were a trio of players that came to mind when I came-up with this questions. Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton, and Logan Morrison have all underperformed but I went into the season with higher expectations for the first two players on the list. Sano and Buxton were supposed to be the heart and soul of the Minnesota Twins for the next decade. Right now, it’s hard to imagine either of them playing in meaningful games at the big league level in 2018. Sano looked utterly lost at the plate this season and he is down in Fort Myers trying to reset his professional career. Buxton has fought through injuries but he has struggled when he has been on the field at the big league level and at Triple-A. Entering the season, I expected Buxton to take the next step especially after the way he played in the second-half of 2017. He has taken multiple steps in the wrong direction and that’s why he is the player who has most underperformed. Andrew Thares There have been many Twins players who have underperformed during the first half, and one would assume that at least one or two of these guys would bounce back and have a big second half. For me I’m looking at Logan Morrison. While we knew going in that it was unlikely Morrison would repeat his success from 2017, it wasn’t exactly like Morrison was a slouch before then either. While his first half numbers haven’t looked all that appealing at .192/.289/.357 with 10 home runs, Morrison has the potential to find his home run stroke and breakout at any second. Logan Morrison’s peripheral numbers also support the case that he will have an improved second half. The first glaring number that sticks out to me is his .212 BABIP. While Morrison is the ideal candidate to have a lower BABIP than most given how often he is shifted against and his lack of speed, but at .212, he is still well below his .268 career average. The Statcast metrics also support the case that Morrison has been hitting the ball better than his results show. Here are what a few of Logan Morrison’s actual stats look like compared to his expected stats via Statcast. AVG: .192 Expected: .249 SLG: .357 Expected: .483 wOBA: .287 Expected: .356 Those are all really big gaps that suggest that Logan Morrison has been hitting the ball much better than his results show. SD Buhr Talk about a question that has an endless list of possible responses! Byron Buxton? Miguel Sano? Ervin Santana? I mean… one of those guys hasn’t played a game so far and the other two arguable hurt the team by playing in the games they DID show up for. If I have to choose just one, I’ll go with Sano. Santana was supposed to be ready to go by May or June, at the latest. It’s almost August and we haven’t seen him anywhere near Target Field. Buxton couldn’t hit his weight in 28 games with the Twins and hasn’t hit a whole lot better in Rochester since supposedly becoming healthy after injuring a toe. Sano didn’t hit his weight either… though, to be fair, his weight has ballooned to the point where not a lot of MLB players CAN hit at that level. He’s hitting .328 at High-A Ft. Myers so I guess at least he’s hitting his weight at that level… probably. But Sano has hit just 2 home runs in 64 at-bats at Ft. Myers and let’s face it, hitting for power is really the ONLY thing this guy brings to the table at this point. If he can’t do that three levels below the big leagues, that’s more than just a little discouraging. I have some hope that Santana will return and contribute in the second half of the season and it looks to me like Buxton could, as well (though with Cave’s work, there may not really be any rush to get Buck back at this point). But Sano? Maybe if I had read something… anything… about his conditioning being significantly improving, I’d have some optimism. Right now I have none. Steve Lein I am resoundingly in the camp of two players for this question, and they are the two whom were expected to propel the Twins into their next level of competitiveness after they reached the playoffs in 2017. They're also both currently playing in the minor leagues because of their struggles. I'm obviously speaking of Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano. Buxton followed up his blistering second half of 2017, where hit hit .300/.347/.546 (.893 OPS) with 24 extra-base-hits (11 home runs) and 35 RBI in 56 games, with a 2018 line of just .156/.183/.200 (.383 OPS) in only 28 games. This was before and during, but thankfully not after his foot injury, when he was sent to in Rochester to regroup and has just a .679 OPS in eighteen games. Sano followed up a 2017 season that saw him be selected to his first All-Star Game, where he also finished runner-up in the home run derby, with a miserable 37 games with the Twins before they made the what some might call drastic move, in sending him all the way down to Fort Myers. He hit just .203/.270/.405 (.675 OPS) before that move and his road back may be a long one. If they can get even one of those guys back to playing like they had in 2017, things could look better for the Twins in the second half. If you missed any of the most recent roundtable discussions, here are the links: Second Half Star Sell, Sell, Sell? Fixing the Offense Romero’s Rotation Spot Top Prospect Timelines Click here to view the article

Prospects took center stage on Sunday with the MLB’s Future Game being played to kick off this week’s All-Star festivities. The U.S. Future’s Team outlasted the World Future’s Team by a final score of 10-6. Two of Minnesota’s top-20 prospects participated in the game. Alex Kirilloff started the game and batted sixth for the US squad. He went 2-for-2 and scored a run. Lewis Thorpe didn’t fare so well on the mound for the World squad. He allowed four earned runs on three hits (two home runs), while only collecting two outs. He struck out one and walked one. Let’s see how the other members of the organization did on Sunday.ROSTER MOVES RHP Fernando Romero recalled by Minnesota from Rochester.LHP Lewis Thorpe and OF Alex Kirilloff continue to be on temporary leave to take part in the Futures Game.RED WINGS REPORTRochester 1, Scranton/WB 3 Box Score Ervin Santana made the start for Rochester as he continues to get closer to making his season debut. He allowed three runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. Two runs scored against him were on solo home runs, including one from Gary Sanchez (also on rehab assignment). Santana struck out seven and walked one. D.J. Baxendale finished off the game after Santana’s exit. He went 2 1/3 shutout innings and only allowed one hit. He walked four and struck out two. Rochester’s only run came without the team recording a hit. Jon Kemmer coaxed a one-out walk and moved to third on a wild pitch. From there, Edgar Corcino was able to drive him in with a sacrifice fly. The Red Wings were limited to four hits and no batter collected multiple hits. Kemmer reached base twice in three plate appearances. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 2, Montgomery 0 (Suspended- 2nd Inning) The Lookouts jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in this one before the rains began to fall. Andy Wilkins and Mitchell Kranson both walked and Zander Wiel reached on a throwing error to load the bases. This allowed Jaylin Davis to drive in a pair of runs on a single. These two teams will finish the suspended game on Monday and also play their regularly scheduled contest. Check back at Twins Daily tomorrow for the rest of the action in this game. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 4, Lakeland 5 Box Score Royce Lewis is quickly making his mark in the Florida State League after recently being promoted to Fort Myers. On Sunday, he went 4-for-5 with a run scored. Miguel Sano also impacted the game as he delivered a game-tying double in the top of the ninth inning before Lakeland walked it off in the bottom half of the frame. Andro Cutura started for the Miracle and pitched into the fifth inning. He struck out seven and walked two on the way to a no-decision. Overall, he allowed two earned runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings. Jovani Moran took over for Cutura and tossed 3 1/3 innings of one-run ball. He only allowed two hits and struck out four. Alex Robinson took the loss as he allowed a lead-off walk and a two-out single for the winning run to score. Taylor Grzelakowski reached base four times and scored a run. In the series versus Lakeland, he went 7-for-12. Sano finished 2-for-4 and his batting average is up to .328 with the Miracle. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 0, Lake County 4 Box Score Cedar Rapids could only compile four hits as the team was shut out on Sunday afternoon. Trey Cabbage had the team’s lone extra-base hit, a double, and he was the only member of the team to reach base multiple times. Jose Miranda and Jean Carlos Arias each went 1-for-4. Bryan Sammons put together a strong start for Cedar Rapids. He pitched 6 2/3 innings and saw two runs scored (one earned). He limited the Captains to four hits and he posted a 5 to 3 strikeout to walk ratio. Rickey Ramirez ran into some control problems as he had more base runners (three H, four BB) than outs he collected (1 2/3 innings). Jose Martinez got the final two outs without allowing a base runner. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 11, Kingsport 10 Box Score This game turned into quite the slugfest with both teams scoring double-digits and the E-Twins plated nine runs over the last three innings. Six Elizabethton hitters collected multiple hits. Ricky De La Torre reached base four times and scored two runs. Alex Robles cranked a three-run home run, his first of the season, in the seventh that was critical to the win. Chris Williams added his seventh home run in his 23rd game this season. Kody Funderburk started and allowed four earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Blair Lakso pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings by scattering two hits. He struck out four and walked two. Johan Quezada ran into some trouble in the late innings as he allowed three runs without giving up a hit. Zach Neff took a blown save but ended up with a win after his team came back in the final frame. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Royce Lewis, Fort Myers (4-for-5, R) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Bryan Sammons, Cedar Rapids (6.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 5 K, 3 BB) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed. Please note that this Prospect Summary has been updated. 1. Royce Lewis (FM): 4-for-5, R 2. Alex Kirilloff (USA-Futures Game): 2-for-2 3. Brusdar Graterol (FM): Did not play. 4. Nick Gordon (ROC): 0-for-0, entered as a defensive substitution 5. Stephen Gonsalves (ROC): Did not play. 6. Trevor Larnach (ET): Did not play. 7. Brent Rooker (CHAT): 0-for-1 8. Akil Baddoo (CR): 2-for-4, BB, 2 R 9. Wander Javier: Out of for the season 10. Zack Littell (ROC): Did not play. 11. Blayne Enlow (CR): Did not play. 12. LaMonte Wade (ROC): 1-for-3, 2B 13. Travis Blankenhorn (FM): 1-for-4, R, BB, K 14. Lewis Thorpe (World-Futures Game): 0.2 IP, 4 ER, 3 H, K, BB 15. Ben Rortvedt (FM): 0-for-3, 2 BB, K 16. Yunior Severino (ET): Did not play. 17. Lewin Diaz (FM): 1-for-4, BB, K 18. Ryan Jeffers (ET): Did not play. 19. Jacob Pearson (CR): 0-for-3, BB, K 20. Luis Arraez (CHAT): 0-for-2 MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester vs. Louisville (6:05 CST) – RHP Zack Littell (1-3, 2.84 ERA) Chattanooga vs. Montgomery (4:15 CST) – RHP Sean Poppen (2-5, 4.63 ERA) Chattanooga vs. Montgomery (Game 2) – LHP Dietrich Enns (0-3, 3.24 ERA) Fort Myers vs. St. Lucie (6:00 CST) – RHP Clark Beeker (3-6, 3.91 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs. Lake County (12:05 CST) – RHP Randy Dobnak (6-2, 3.65 ERA) Elizabethton @ Kingsport (5:30 CST) – RHP Pedro Garcia (1-1, 7.36 ERA) GCL Twins vs. GCL Orioles (11:00 AM CST) – TBD Click here to view the article

Well, we finally made it to the Top-10 and it is a Top-10 that looks vastly different than a couple years ago. Of the players written about below, only one was in the Top-10 at the start of the 2017 campaign. Former high ranking players like Tyler Jay and Kohl Stewart have dropped in the rankings, while other top players have graduated from this list. Many of the players listed below have been acquired during the new front office regime. These are the players who will be most associated with the success or failure of Falvey and Levine. However, only a couple of them project to play at the big league level in 2018 or 2019. It’s going to be a slow process but there are definitely some names to be excited about.10. Zack Littell – RHP Age: 22 ETA: 2018 2018 Stats (AA, AAA): 1-6, 3.71 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 80.0 IP, 78 H, 26 BB, 84 K 2018 Stats (MLB): 0-2, 18.90 ERA, 3.90 WHIP, 3.1 IP, 7 H, 6 BB, 1 K 2018 Ranking: 11 | 2017 Ranking: NR Seth: 14 | Tom: 11 | Cody: 8 Littell joined the Twins as part of the Jamie Garcia trade last July. He made seven starts (41 2/3 IP) in the Twins organization last year and posted a 2.81 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP with a 33 to 18 strikeout to walk ratio. He did this while being over three years younger than the competition in the Southern League. Littell headed back to Chattanooga to start 2018 and didn’t fare as well. He allowed 15 earned runs in five starts (23 IP) as batters hit .308/.364/.495 against him. Things have gone better in Rochester as he has a 2.84 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in 57 IP. Besides Nick Gordon, he is the youngest member of the Red Wings roster. His big league time has been very limited so there is still plenty that remains to be seen for the 22-year old. 9. Wander Javier – SS Age: 19 ETA: 2021 2018 Stats (N/A): Out for the Season- Shoulder Surgery 2018 Ranking: 6 | 2017 Ranking: 6 Seth: 11 | Tom: 7 | Cody: 10 Javier injured his shoulder near the end of the 2017 campaign but a regime of rest and rehab was assigned for the off-season. He suffered a setback during spring training and underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. He won’t step on the field during his age-19 season as he is expected to miss 6-9 months. Last season with the E-Twins, he hit .299/.383/.471 with 18 extra-base hits in 41 games. 8. Akil Baddoo – OF Age: 19 ETA: 2021 2018 Stats (A): .247/.370/.438 (.808), 15-2B, 6-3B, 8-HR, 16-SB 2018 Ranking: 10 | 2017 Ranking: NR Seth: 7 | Tom: 12 | Cody: 9 Baddoo was Minnesota’s second-round pick back in 2016 and he spent his first two professional seasons in the rookie leagues. He’s been an on-base machine as he hit .323/.436/.527 last season between the GCL and the Appy League. Baddoo is getting his first taste of full-season ball this year and his batting average took some hits as he failed to hit over .250 in any of the season’s first three months. However, he has drawn double digit walks in those three months to help him get on base 37% of the time. He can play all three outfield positions but he has played exclusively in center field for most of his professional career. His combination of on-base percentage, power, and speed make him an intriguing prospect to follow. 7. Brent Rooker – OF/1B Age: 23 ETA: 2019 2018 Stats (Rookie): .266/.319/.492 (.812), 24-2B, 4-3B, 14-HR 2018 Ranking: 7 | 2017 Ranking: NR Seth: 8 | Tom: 4 | Cody: 7 The Twins anticipated Rooker could be a fast mover when they drafted him in the supplemental round of the 2017 MLB Draft. It was the second straight year the team had drafted him (38th round of 2016). He has lived up to that anticipation as he is already playing at Double-A. As a right-handed slugger, Rooker has showed a balanced approach against lefties and righties while posting nearly identical batting averages (one point difference) and on-base percentages (seven point difference). Since the calendar turned to June, he has been killing the baseball. He posted 1.038 OPS with 16 extra-base hits in June. If the Twins continue to be out of contention, Rooker could make his debut as early as this September but a second-half promotion to Rochester seems like a likely first step. 6. Trevor Larnach – OF Age: 21 ETA: 2021 2018 Stats (College): .348/.463/.457 (.920), 19-2B, 1-3B, 19-HR 2018 Ranking: NR | 2017 Ranking: NR Seth: 5 | Tom: 8 | Cody: 6 Larnach, Minnesota’s 2018 first-round pick, was a hero for the Oregon State Beavers on their way to the College World Series Championship. Larnach and the Beavers survived six elimination games on the way to the CWS title. He also helped the club sign multiple other players since he agreed to a $2.55 million deal which was $570,000 less than MLB’s recommended bonus for the 20th overall pick. Larnach improved in each of his three college seasons and that helped to turn him into a first round selection. His best tool is his bat as he has consistently been able to hit for average. However, this season he has shown the ability to add some pop. He had combined for just three home runs in his first two college seasons before knocking 19 home runs during his junior campaign. His college experience could help move him quickly but his professional debut will start with the E-Twins. What are your thoughts on the latest set of rankings? Who’s ranked too high? Who’s ranked too low? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article