Cody Christie

Miguel Sano is in his fifth big league season and he has over 1,600 big league plate appearances. He started his professional career already in the limelight because MLB’s investigation into his age. Heck, there was even a movie made about his signing. He looked like a slam dunk big league player, a future superstar. Now, he’s 26-years old and one must wonder if he will ever be able to become the superstar he seemed destined to become.Age Questions Back in 2012, one of the first pieces I wrote for Twins Daily examined the questions surrounding Miguel Sano’s age. MLB completed an investigation into his age, but the results were inconclusive. Sano had to drop his asking price and the Twins were happy to sign the young shortstop for $3.15 million. His family lived in a small dirt floored home in the Dominican, so the influx in money had to be a shock to the system. In that original article, I wrote… “For players from the Dominican, there is plenty of pressure to find some way to lie about their age to escape the poverty they are subject to in their home country. According to Sports Illustrated on average, a 16-year old player brings in about $65,000 with their signing bonus. Add two years to their age and an 18-year old signs for an average of $20,000. That is a big difference in a country where the per capita income is only $8,900. A player who shows any sign of promise is going to try and ‘adjust’ their age to put their family in a better place for the future.” The age issue hasn’t been brought up in recent years and that’s probably a good thing for Twins Territory. His age certainly didn’t take away from his high expectations entering the minor leagues. High Expectations Baseball America had Sano ranked in their top-100 prospects for five consecutive seasons (2010-2014). He ranked as the number nine prospect in 2014 and peaked as the number six overall prospect in 2014. MLB.com had him as the 4th best prospect in 2014 while Baseball Prospectus had him just outside the top-10 (11th). Most of the baseball world expected him to turn into one of baseball’s best players. Sano made his Stateside debut in 2011 and he had a breakout year in Elizabethton. In 66 games, he collected 45 extra-base hits and had a .988 OPS. Out of Appalachian League players (minimum of 45 game), only Eddie Rosario had a higher OPS than Sano. He would head into the off-season as the team’s highest-ranked prospect. Over the next four seasons, Sano continued to pound minor league pitching. He combined for an .893 OPS in 2012, a .992 OPS in 2013, and a .918 OPS in 2015. The only thing that was able to slow him down was Tommy John surgery and that cost him the entire 2014 season. He made his big-league debut in 2015 and there was still potential for him to be a superstar. Big League Career During a strong rookie campaign, Sano burst onto the scene with 36 extra-base hits and a .916 OPS in 80 games. He finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year voting behind Houston’s Carlos Correa and Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor. In 2016, Sano ran into a little bit of a sophomore slump. He still his 25 home runs and 22 doubles, but his OPS dropped to .781 and he struck out 178 times in 116 games. He was elected to his first All-Star Game in 2017 following a tremendous first half (21 HR and a .906 OPS). He cooled off a little in the second half as he only managed 10 extra-base hits and a .742 OPS in 32 games. MLB had to investigate Sano multiple times in 2018 but this time it wasn’t about his age. He was accused of sexual assault by a Twins photographer. The Office of the Commission of Baseball concluded that there wasn’t enough evidence to warrant a suspension. Sano was also driving a car when it ran over a police officer in the Dominican Republic. In traffic court, the police found no intent on his part to hurt the officer. Some of these incidents might have impacted his performance last year. In 71 games, he hit .199/.281/.398 with 27 extra-base hits. Minnesota even sent him down to High-A to try to reset his career. Shifting Expectations Sano is certainly putting up strong numbers this season with a 1.009 OPS in his first 14 games. However, I don’t know if he should be seen in the same light as he was when he was signed as a 16-year old. At that time, he looked like he could be the cornerstone of a franchise, a player to be built around. Now, the perspective has changed. He seems like he could be a good player, but I don’t think he is a player the Twins will build around. Sano had the potential to be a superstar and he could still surprise in the years ahead. That being said, it’s more likely his superstar potential is slowly fading away. Do you think Sano can still be considered a superstar? Would you build future Twins rosters around him? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

The Twins had three picks on the opening day of the MLB Draft. With their first-round pick, the Twins selected SS/3B Keoni Cavaco. During the competitive balance round, the club took Minnesota native Matt Wallner, a college outfielder. With the 54th overall pick in the MLB Draft, Minnesota selected RHP Matt Canterino.The Twins had three picks on the opening day of the MLB Draft. With their first-round pick, the Twins selected SS/3B Keoni Cavaco. During the competitive balance round, the club took Minnesota native Matt Walner, a college outfielder. With the 54th overall pick in the MLB Draft, Minnesota selected RHP Matt Canterino. ***Listen to Across the Meadow's breakdown of the Canterino pick.*** Canterino is a right-handed pitcher out of the Rice University. As a freshman, he led Conference USA with 111 strikeouts in 96 innings. Only two college pitchers have struck out over 100 batters over the last three seasons and he is one of them. He’s been making the rounds as he pitched for the US collegiate national team and he pitched in last year’s Cap Cod League. He even won that league’s All-Star Game. His fastball can reach into the upper-90’s but it typically sits in the low 90s. His slider might be his best pitch as it can reach the mid-80s. He also has a spike curveball with a lot of action. His high strikeout totals show that he can get both righties and lefties out on a consistent basis. The Twins hope he can remain a starter as he transitions to his professional career. Some scouts have been critical of his delivery during his collegiate career. He uses a lot of effort during his delivery and this makes it tough to stick as a starting pitcher. Because of the effectiveness of his other breaking pitches, he hasn’t had to rely on his change-up as much. This could be another thing for him to work on as he moves through the Twins system. Feel free to discuss and check back for more information. Click here to view the article

In Monday night’s first round, the Minnesota Twins had the 13th overall pick and used it to select Keoni Cavaco, a high school third baseman. Minnesota drafted him as a shortstop. He has big power, a great throwing arm, and the ability to stick on the left side of the infield.Minnesota was picking near the middle of the first round so there were plenty of options available. Cavaco turned 18 on Sunday and comes in at 6-feet-0 and 185 pounds. He bats and throws right-handed. He comes from East Lake High School in Chula Vista, California. It's the same high school as former number one overall pick Adrian Gonzalez. He is currently committed to San Diego State but the 13th pick is slotted to receive a $4.2 million bonus. Cavaco wasn’t well known entering this past spring season. He wasn’t invited to many of the summer showcase events. These events allow scouting departments and front office personnel to see top-tier players face some of the best young pitchers. MLB.com ranked him as the 28th best prospect in the draft. In the fall, he was invited to a showcase. At the Angel Elite showcase, he was able to really exhibit some of his power potential. He has the potential to be a five-tool player as he has a very strong arm so this should help him to stick at third or short. He’s athletic, has great hands with a good set-up at the plate. Also, he has shown some speed as he can get home to first out of the box in less than four seconds. Being the 2019 draft season’s biggest riser, means there are some things still to work on. There are some questions surrounding his hit tool, especially since he wasn’t part of the summer showcases. It’s tough to know what he would do against that level of talent, but the Twins believe his power tool will continue to grow. Minnesota drafted him as a shortstop, but many think he might have to end up back at third base. Minnesota could save money on signing Cavaco because of where he was projected to be drafted. This could be used to offer over-slot deals to other picks. Besides the 13th pick, the Twins have a pick in the competitive balance round (39th overall), which is sandwiched between the first and second round. The club’s second round pick is 54th overall. Feel free to discuss and check back as there is more to come… Click here to view the article

Craig Kimbrel and Dallas Keuchel are almost done waiting. Two of the biggest names on last year’s free agent market are still unsigned, but that will likely change in the next week. On Monday night, the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft is scheduled, and this means the draft pick compensation tied to these two players will no longer be in effect. Could either of these arms end up in Minnesota?Minnesota’s Changing Perspective Before spring training started, Minnesota wasn’t exactly sure of what this season would bring. The front office was happy with the additions of players like Nelson Cruz, Marwin Gonzalez, CJ Cron, and Martin Perez. However, it was tough to know if the Twins were going to be able to outlast Cleveland in a division the Indians have dominated for the last three seasons. Flash-forward to the present and Minnesota has a very clear view of the division and of their current roster. The Twins entered play on Saturday atop of the AL Central by 10.5 games. Cleveland, the division favorite this spring, sits tied with the White Sox for second place and they are actually closer to the bottom of the division than the top of the division. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have also seen the strengths and weaknesses of the current roster. Minnesota offense is one of the best in the game. There doesn’t seem to be a weak spot from the top to the bottom. On the pitching side, Minnesota’s has outperformed many of the expectations entering the season but Kimbrel or Keuchel would certainly be welcomed in the Twin Cities. Minnesota Rumors Locally, Judd Zulgad of SKOR North said the Twins could be in on one of the pitchers once draft pick compensation was no longer part of the equation. Kimbrel might be a better fit in Minnesota even though he’s coming off a postseason where he had a 5.91 ERA in nine appearances. He has over 330 career saves and an ERA under 2.00. It remains to be seen if Kimbrel would be willing to accept a non-closer role on a playoff contending team. Minnesota hasn’t used a traditional closer this year and they may not want to mess with a good thing. There are also questions about how long it will take for either pitcher to be prepared for pitching in a big-league game. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman also listed the Twins as a possible destination for Keuchel. He also included other teams like the Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Rays and Yankees. Last season in Houston, Keuchel made 34 stars and went 12-11 with a 3.74 ERA. Scouts have been watching Keuchel throw simulated games in the weeks leading up to the draft. Other Rumors As recently as Saturday, Ken Rosenthal reported that the Cubs are showing interest in Kimbrel. One of the difficulties for them is their lack of payroll flexibility, because Chicago wants to stay under the luxury tax thresholds. Other teams might be able to outbid the Cubs or Chicago would need to get creative with Kimbrel’s contract. Jim Bowden of SiriusXM reports that the Braves have legitimate interest in both free agent pitchers. Atlanta currently sits in second place in the AL East and they are tied with San Diego for the second Wild Card spot. Tampa Bay, Minnesota’s opponent this weekend, is also interested in adding Keuchel or Kimbrel. Ken Rosenthal and Josh Tolentino report the Yankees remain interested in Keuchel. The AL East can be a beast especially with the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays all vying to be the king of the hill. Kimbrel is well familiar with the AL East, and he might want a revenge tour against Boston. Tampa is usually a little strapped for cash, so this might not be the best fit. Do you see either pitcher ending up in a Twins uniform this week? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Minnesota is on top of the baseball world. The club has the best record in baseball, expectations are high, and the team should be well represented at the 2019 All-Star Game in Cleveland. It's a golden opportunity to crash their AL Central's rivals' party.Voting Changes Major League Baseball altered their voting process for the 2019 All-Star Game. Two phases of voting will be held, “The Primary” and “The Starters Election.” Fans remain in charge of selecting the All-Star starters, but this new process allows for more fan involvement in an Election Day. All the pitchers and reserve position players will continue to be chosen through Player Ballots and selections from the Commissioner’s Office. “The Primary” round of voting opened earlier this week. For 25 days, fans can vote from a ballot of players submitted by the individual clubs. This round concludes on June 21 at 3 pm CST. The Primary round will determine the top-three vote-getters at every position (including nine outfielders). “The Starters Election” will take the top vote getters from “The Primary” and open an all-out voting war. Starting at 11 am CST on June 26, fans will have 28-hours to vote for the starters. Sorting Through the Candidates Jorge Polanco’s 2019 performance has inserted him in the early MVP discussion. He’s currently tied with Mike Trout for the most WAR among position players. He’s on nearly every American League offensive leaderboard as he ranks in the top-5 in batting average, OBP, hits, total bases, triples, runs created, and extra-base hits. Polanco looks like a smart baseball bet to be one of the club’s representatives. Eddie Rosario is another top candidate and he’s clearly a team leader on and off the field. His 17 home runs and 47 RBIs rank him at the top of AL. Besides that, he’s also in the top-10 for slugging %, runs scored, and total bases. The AL outfield is a little tough to crack with players like Mike Trout, George Springer, and Mookie Betts. To beat out these well-known stars, Rosario is going to have to continue to produce. The team’s other two outfielders, Max Kepler and Byron Buxton, also rank well in the AL. Kepler is coming off AL Player of the Week honors, but he isn’t as well known outside of Twins Territory. Buxton’s name has been in baseball circles since he was a top amateur and he leads the AL in doubles. Both players will run into the same problem as Rosario; casual fans are going to vote for more well-known players. CJ Cron’s 13 home runs are tied for the most among AL first baseman. Defensively, he’s also elevated himself into the Gold Glove conversation. At one point, Mitch Garver looked like the club’s best hitter. However, an ankle injury has him on the DL and he doesn’t appear on the ballot. Jason Castro’s season has also been strong, but Garver looked like Babe Ruth at one point. Even though fans don’t vote for pitchers, Minnesota has some strong candidates. Jake Odorizzi already won AL Player of the Week. He has the league’s best ERA and a microscopic 0.99 WHIP. Jose Berrios, Minnesota’s lone 2018 All-Star, has the AL’s best BB/9 average while ranking highly in other areas. Martin Perez’s journey from cast-off reliever to top starter has been one of the team’s best stories. Minnesota’s bullpen is also full of worthy candidates like Blake Parker, Taylor Rogers, and Ryne Harper. Could Minnesota wind up with four or more All-Star selections for the first time since 1988? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

It’s been quite the journey for Devin Smeltzer. Some of his former teammates were playing in the minors as he was busy tossing six shutout innings in his big-league debut. Those teammates are hoping to follow in his footsteps to baseball’s highest level. Who could be the next one to join him?TRANSACTIONS LHP Devin Smeltzer promoted to Minnesota. OF Jimmy Kerrigan activated from the IL with Pensacola. LHP Jovani Moran placed on IL with Pensacola. C Janigson Villalobos assigned to Elizabethton from Fort Myers. OF Albee Weiss promoted to Fort Myers. 2B Hunter Lee promoted to Fort Myers. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester --, Scranton/WB – (Postponed) Rochester’s game against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre was postponed on Tuesday because of severe weather. To make up for the game, the teams will play a doubleheader on Wednesday with the first game scheduled for 4:05 pm CST. This is the seventh postponement of the season already for the Red Wings. BLUE WAHOO BITES Pensacola 7, Mississippi 0 Box Score Bryan Sammons started for the Blue Wahoos and he had an up and down night. On the good side, he limited Mississippi to no runs on three hits with eight strikeouts. On the bad side, he allowed five walks and could only pitch through the fourth inning. Lucky for him, the Blue Wahoo offense was more than enough on this night. Alex Kirilloff started the second inning with his sixth double. He didn’t have to wait long at second as Caleb Hamilton knocked a two-run bomb, his fourth home run of the year. Jimmy Kerrigan added to the lead with a lead-off homer in the sixth. Mitchell Kranson launched his fourth home run of the season in the seventh. It was a two-run shot after Hamilton singled to start the inning. Jordan Gore capped the inning with a home run of his own. Kirilloff wouldn’t be shown-up as he added his first Double-A home run. Adam Bray pitched one shutout inning. He allowed one hit and struck out one. Tom Hackimer earned his first win as he struck out five batters in three perfect frames. Sam Clay completed the shutout with a hitless ninth. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 7, Florida 5 (10 Innings) Box Score Royce Lewis got things started with a bang as he cranked a solo shot in the top of the first inning. It was his second home run of the year. Fort Myers would take an early 1-0 lead, but this game was far from over. Edwar Colina started on the mound and quickly surrendered the run back to Florida. He settled in nicely from there as he lasted six innings. He allowed two earned runs on eight hits while striking out seven and walking one. The Miracle offense really got rolling in the fourth inning. Ryan Jeffers and Jose Miranda both knocked singles before Michael Helman brought them both in with a triple. Aaron Whitefield used a sacrifice fly to score Helman and the Miracle were back up by a score of 4-1. Johan Quezada pitched two very strong innings in relief. He didn’t allow a runner while striking out two. It was his third straight appearance where he pitched two innings and didn’t allow an earned run. Hector Lujan took over for the ninth and ran into a little trouble. After a single to start the inning, catcher David Banuelos allowed a passed ball. Following two ground outs, the runner was at third. Lujan tossed a wild pitch and the game was tied. It was his first blown save. Fort Myers made quick work in extra innings. Lewin Diaz scored on Trevor Larnach’s fourth hit of the night. Ryan Jeffers singled to put runners on the corners. With one out, Helman added another RBI with his second hit. Banuelos made up for his passed ball with an RBI single to cap the extra-inning scoring. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids --, Burlington – (Postponed) Cedar Rapids was scheduled to have a series opener with Burlington, but the weather didn’t cooperate. Inclement weather forced the teams into having a doubleheader on Wednesday. Game one of the series is scheduled to begin at 5:00 pm with both games being scheduled for seven innings. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY TD Pitcher of the Day- Tom Hackimer, Pensacola (3.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 5 K, 0 BB) TD Hitter of the Day- Trevor Larnach, Fort Myers (4-for-5, 2B, RBI, R) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) – 1-5, HR, R, RBI, 3 K #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) – 2-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) – Did not pitch #4 - Trevor Larnach (Ft. Myers) – 4-5, 2B, RBI, R, K #5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – No game #6 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) – No game #7 - Jhoan Duran (Ft. Myers) – Did not pitch #8 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) – No game #9 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – No game #10 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) – Injured List #11 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – No game #12 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) – No game #13 - Ryan Jeffers (Ft. Myers) – 2-5, 2 R, K #14 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) – Did not play #15 - Yunior Severino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List #16 - Gilberto Celestino (Cedar Rapids) – No game #17 - Zack Littell (Minnesota) – Did not pitch #18 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – No game #19 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) – Did not pitch #20 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) – 1-4, HR, R, RBI, 2 K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Scranton/WB (4:05 CST) – RHP Randy Dobnak (5-0, 1.81 ERA) Rochester @ Scranton/WB (Game 2) – LHP Lewis Thorpe (3-3, 6.31 ERA) Pensacola vs. Mississippi (6:35 CST) – LHP Charlie Barnes (Double-A Debut) Fort Myers @ Florida (5:00 CST) – RHP Blayne Enlow (High-A Debut) Cedar Rapids @ Burlington (5:00 CST) – RHP Andrew Cabezas (1-3, 3.68 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Burlington (Game 2) – RHP Austin Schulfer (4-2, 2.41 ERA) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Tuesday’s games. Click here to view the article

Minnesota announced on Tuesday morning that Michael Pineda is being placed on the 10-day injured list due to right knee tendinitis. In a corresponding move, Devin Smeltzer was added to the 40-man roster and he will be scheduled to make his big-league debut on Tuesday night against MilwaukeeMichael Pineda had one bad inning last night, but he rolled through the rest of his innings. He didn’t appear to be in any discomfort last night. It was his four consecutive quality start. He won’t be eligible to come off the DL until June 7. Currently, the Twins have two scheduled off days before June 7. This could mean the team uses a four-man rotation until Pineda is available to return. Pineda has made 11 starts this season and he has a 5.34 ERA. He missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery and a torn meniscus, which was also in his right knee. Smeltzer’s start on Tuesday might be a little bit of a surprise. He’s has been dominating in the minor leagues, Martin Perez was scheduled to start on Tuesday. This might be a sign that he isn’t fully healthy either. The Twins have been rolling so far this year and the rotation has exceeded all expectations. At some point, injuries were going to happen and now the club will have to rely on other pieces in the organization. Smeltzer came to the Twins from the Dodgers organization as part of the Brian Dozier trade last year. He dominated in four starts at Double-A to start the year as he went 3-1 with a 0.60 ERA. He struck out 33 in only 30 innings on the mound. Since being promoted to Rochester, he has a 1.82 ERA during four starts. Seth did a Get to Know You episode with Smeltzer last week. He is taking the 40-man roster spot that had been occupied by Austin Adams. You can listen to the 23 minute podcast here: What are your thoughts on the injury situation? Should fans be worried about Perez as well? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Most people are running out of superlatives for the 2019 version of the Minnesota Twins. The club is an eye-popping 20 games over .500 and they sit atop the AL Central by 10 games. Everything seems to be clicking with a power-packed line-up. Pitchers are having career years. Even a bullpen full of cast-offs seems to be clicking on all cylinders. With Minnesota continuing to steamroll inferior opponents, one must wonder what this team can achieve? Is this one of the best Twins teams of all-time?First World Series Run Since the club moved to Minnesota, the 1965 squad was the lone team to win over 100 games. With a 102-60 record (.630 W-L%), the team also has the highest winning percentage of any Twins team. During the 2019 campaign, the Twins have a .692 W-L%. It seems unlikely for the club to continue on that pace but it seems like they could get to 103 wins. Minnesota’s line-up that season featured greats like Harmon Killebrew, Tony Olivia, Bob Allison, and Earl Battey. Shortstop Zoilo Versalles would be named the AL MVP. The rotation consisted of some strong arms as well. Mudcast Grant, Jim Kaat and Jim Perry all had sub-3.30 ERAs, while Kaat and Grant combined to pitch over 534 innings. The Twins ran into the Dodgers and Sandy Koufax in the World Series, which stopped the club from being a champion. Still the 1965 team, might be one of the best teams from top to bottom. Baltimore Blues Teams Two of Minnesota’s best team contenders also fell short of their World Series goal. Both the 1969 and 1970 squads were able to qualify for the ALCS. Unfortunately, the Baltimore Orioles made quick work of the Twins in both years. Jim Perry was in quite the two-year stretch for being in his age-33 and age-34 seasons. He led the team in WAR in 1969 but he was actually awarded the AL Cy Young in 1970. In these two seasons, he combined to have a 44-18 record with a 2.93 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. He averaged 270 innings pitched and along with 160 strikeouts per season. Tony Oliva’s best professional season was in 1970. He 7.0 WAR led the team. He also led the American League in hits and doubles. Killebrew was also in the prime of his Hall of Fame career. Between the two seasons, he hit 90 home runs. Killebrew would take home the 1969 MVP. Oliva would finish second in the MVP voting one year later. World Series Wins Minnesota’s first World Series winning club didn’t exactly have a stellar regular season. The 1987 Twins finished the regular season at 85-77, which was two games better than the Royals. If the Twins were in the AL East that year, their record would have placed them fifth. The Tigers had trounced through the AL East that year with a 98-64 record, but the Twins were able to dispose of them in five games. Minnesota had to go to seven games against the Cardinals, but they won every game in the Metrodome to clinch the title. Frank Viola was the MVP and a poor regular season record was long forgotten. Minnesota’s second World Series winning club managed a better regular season than the first. They finished the year at 95-67, which was the best record in the American League. Do you know who lead the team in WAR that year? According to Baseball Reference, Kevin Tapani, Shane Mack, and Scott Erickson were the team’s top three players. For many, the 1991 World Series is considered the best Fall Classic of all-time. There were three extra-inning games including both games six and seven. Five of the seven games were decided by one run or less. All Twins fans know how this one ended. Puckett ended Game 6 and Morris dominated in Game 7. Metrodome Era Minnesota won the division five times from 2002-2009 with Ron Gardenhire at the helm. The 2002 club was deemed “The Team that Saved Baseball.” While that club shocked many by making the ALCS, the 2006 club might have been the best club in the Metrodome era. On the mound, Minnesota had the best one-two punch in the game. Johan Santana was in a stretch of being the best pitcher in the game. To join him, a young Francisco Liriano was showing he had the stuff to be among the league’s best. Liriano tried to pitch through pain in August but by November he was scheduled for Tommy John surgery. It’s hard to imagine any team that would have been able to beat Santana and Liriano multiple times in a seven-game series. Not to mention, Joe Nathan was anchoring the backend of a solid bullpen. At the plate, Joe Mauer was putting it all together at the big-league level. He won his first batting title, his first Silver Slugger, and he was an All-Star for the first time. Justin Morneau would be named the American League MVP as he beat out the likes of Derek Jeter, David Ortiz, and Frank Thomas. For many, Liriano’s injury cost the Twins a shot at World Series title. How good is the current team? Is it better than the 2006 squad? Is it better than the World Series clubs? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Offense was a theme for most of the Twins farm system on Sunday. Three clubs had 10 hits or more (Rochester did it twice) and two teams scored 11 runs or more. Even with the offensive output, there were some strong pitching performances as well. Which bats had the most pop? Which pitchers shined? Read on to find out.TRANSACTIONS RHP Sean Poppen promoted to Rochester. C Janigson Villalobos promoted to Fort Myers. OF Trey Cabbage placed on the suspended list with Fort Myers (Suspended by team). AWARDS The Twins announced their weekly Hitter and Pitcher of the Week: Hitter of the Week: Ryan Jeffers, Fort MyersJeffers played in six games for the Miracle, hitting .400 (8-for-20) with two home runs, four RBI, three walks and a .478 on-base percentage. Jeffers, 21, was drafted by the Twins in the second round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.Pitcher of the Week: Austin Schulfer, Cedar RapidsSchulfer made one start his week on Wednesday against Burlington. He and Jose Martinez combined to throw a seven-inning no hitter. He pitched five shutout innings while striking out seven and walking one. Schulfer, 23, was drafted by the Twins in the 19th round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 9, Pawtucket 2 (Completion of suspended game 5/25) Box Score Rochester was already up 6-1 before Saturday’s contest got rained out. Randy Dobnak, in his Triple-A debut, had started the original game. He allowed one run on one hit and struck out one. Sean Poppen started on Sunday. He would pick up his second win after he pitched six strong innings. He struck out seven, walked three, and allowed one earned run. Trevor Hildenberger allowed one hit, but he was able to finish off the ninth. Nick Gordon, Tomas Telis, and Jordan Valdespin all went 2-for-4. Telis and Valdespin both collected three RBI and Gordon added his seven double. LaMonte Wade reached base twice knocked his first triple and scored two runs. Rochester 6, Pawtucket 7 (8 Innings) Box Score Rochester got out a head in this one with a couple runs in the third. Jack Cave and LaMonte Wade walked to put two runners on base. Zander Wiel cracked his ninth double to score both runners. Rochester was up 2-0 but the lead wouldn’t last long. Gabriel Moya pitched two scoreless innings to start the game. Fernando Romero took over in the third but he ran into some trouble in the fourth. He allowed four runs on three hits and he didn’t make it out of the inning. Jake Reed allowed one run on three hits in 1 2/3 innings. This game was supposed to be over after seven frames, but LaMonte Wade wouldn’t let the Red Wings go quietly. With Rochester down two, he smacked his two-run shot to tie the game. Andrew Vasquez quickly saw the lead disappear. A triple with a runner on second was followed by a single to push a second run across and the Red Wings were back down by two. Rochester cause some fuss in the bottom of the final frame, but it wouldn’t be enough this time. BLUE WAHOO BITES Pensacola 11, Tennessee 10 Box Score Pensacola scored runs in the final six frames to cap a come from behind victory. Andro Cutura ran into some early trouble as he didn’t make it out of the second inning. He allowed four runs on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts. Jeff Ames calmed things down as he limited Tennessee to one hit over the next two innings. He struck out four and walked two. The next couple relievers didn’t do as well. Cody Stashak allowed three earned runs in 1 2/3 innings. He struck out one and surrendered four hits. Ryan Mason pitched less than an inning and allowed three earned runs. Tyler Jay and Williams Ramirez put up zeros over the final two innings to help the Blue Wahoos stay in the game. Travis Blankenhorn provided quite the offensive punch. He finished the night 4-for-6 with a home run and four RBI. His ninth inning home run gave the team the lead for good. Obviously, he wasn’t the only one. Ben Rortvedt drove in three runs and hit his first Double-A home run. Mitchell Kranson almost matched Blankenhorn in hits as he went 3-for-5. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 3, Daytona 5 Box Score Royce Lewis got things started early as he tripled to start the game. Lewin Diaz drove in Lewis with a sacrifice fly. Trevor Larnach followed with his third home run of the season. Fort Myers had an early 2-0 lead. After Daytona tied it up, Jose Miranda hit a solo home run in the fourth. Unfortunately, that was the end of the scoring for the Miracle. Jhoan Duran recorded 18 outs and 14 were by strikeout. He allowed one earned run on one hit. He reached 101 mph on the gun and hit triple-digits four times in the first inning. Calvin Faucher took the loss in this one after he took over for Duran. He allowed three earned runs on four hits. Alex Phillips pitched the final 1 1/3 innings. He struck out three and walked one. Fort Myers went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 14, Peoria 1 Box Score Cedar Rapids used a huge seven-run second inning to distance themselves from Peoria. The club never looked back from there. Every hitter in the Cedar Rapids line-up collected a hit. In fact, all but two players reached base multiple times. Yeltsin Encarnacion had one of the big hits in the second inning, a three-run home run. He finished 3-for-6 and he scored three runs. Jacob Pearson had a three-run double in the same inning. He led the team with four RBI. Gabe Snyder and Gilberto Celestino joined Encarnacion in the three-hit club. Celestino add a triple, his first of the year. Josh Winder was able to sink into cruise control mode on the mound. He tossed seven strong innings by allowing one run on four hits. He struck out seven and walked one. Jose Martinez tossed two scoreless frames to finish the game. He only allowed two base runners. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY TD Pitcher of the Day- Jhoan Duran, Fort Myers (6.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 14 K, 2 BB) TD Hitter of the Day- Travis Blankenhorn, Pensacola (4-6, HR, 4 RBI, R, 2 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) – 2-4, 3B, R #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) – 1-5, R, BB, K #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) – Did not pitch #4 - Trevor Larnach (Ft. Myers) – 1-4, HR, R, RBI #5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – Did not play #6 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) – Injured (wrist) #7 - Jhoan Duran (Ft. Myers) – 6.0 IP, ER, H, 14 K, 2 BB #8 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) – Did not pitch #9 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch #10 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) – Injured List #11 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 2-4, 2B, R, BB #12 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) – Did not pitch #13 - Ryan Jeffers (Ft. Myers) – 0-4, 2 K #14 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) – 1-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB #15 - Yunior Severino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List #16 - Gilberto Celestino (Cedar Rapids) – 3-6, 3B, RBI, 2 R #17 - Zack Littell (Minnesota) – Did not pitch #18 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – 2-7, 3B, HR, 4 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 2K #19 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) – Did not pitch #20 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) – 1-4, HR, R, RBI, 2 K MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester vs. Pawtucket (12:05 CST) – RHP Kohl Stewart (3-2, 3.52 ERA) Pensacola – Scheduled Off-Day Fort Myers – Scheduled Off-Day Cedar Rapids vs. Peoria (12:05 CST) – RHP Austin Schulfer (4-2, 2.41 ERA) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Sunday’s games. 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Most of Twins Territory is riding high with the Twins remarkable start to the season. Minnesota’s offense looks like it is one of the best in the league. The starting staff is outperforming most expectations and the bullpen has been able to hold its own. With the best record in the AL, the Twins are making it tough to be negative. However, there are some weaknesses with this team. Which weakness could hurt the team in the long run?The Offense Minnesota’s offense has ranked as one of the best in the league. There are few weaknesses from top to bottom in the line-up. The Twins rank second in the AL in batting average, SLG, OPS, home runs, and hits. They have also scored the most runs and hit the most doubles. Of regular starters, Marwin Gonzalez has the lowest OPS on the team (.722) and he got off to a slow start. He ended the first month of the season hitting .167/.244/.256 with three extra-base hits. Since the calendar turned to May, he is hitting .358/.427/.552 with seven extra-base hits. Minnesota’s biggest offensive weakness this season has turned it around. Yesterday, I wrote about the team’s trend of barreling up the ball. Minnesota’s catching core has been unreal at putting the barrel on the ball. As one would expect, Nelson Cruz ranks near the top of the league. Other players like CJ Cron and Byron Buxton have also made some stark improvements. Minnesota’s offense was expected to improve but this has to be beyond the wildest dreams of most fans. The Starting Staff Even with a strong offense, a poor starting staff can destroy a season. Twins starting pitchers have outperformed many of the expectations entering the season. Coming off an All-Star season, most people knew what to expect from Jose Berrios. The rest of the staff has also gone above and beyond. Jake Odorizzi’s 1.6 WAR ranks him fourth in the AL among pitchers. He has the second-best ERA, the fourth best hits per 9 IP, and the seventh best WHIP. His ERA is almost 1.5 runs lower than his career mark. Earlier this month, he won the AL Player of the Week and he has continued to perform well. Martin Perez has also been a breath of fresh air. Since joining the rotation, he has a 2.01 ERA and a 41 to 13 strikeout to walk ratio in seven starts. This spring with the help of Odorizzi and Johan Santana, he was able to start developing a cutter. He uses this more than his other pitches and teams are having a tough time figuring it out. Kyle Gibson and Michael Pineda have seen some ups and downs. Pineda is in his first season back from Tommy John, so some struggles were expected. Even with the struggles, Pineda has produced quality starts in his last three starts. Depth at the back end of the rotation could be a weakness. If one of the top three starters were to be hurt or start underperforming, the rest of the rotation could struggle. Stephen Gonsalves, Kohl Stewart, Lewis Thorpe, and Zack Littell are waiting in Rochester. Could they be trusted taking over a spot in the rotation? The Bullpen At this point in the season, the casual fan might consider the bullpen to be the team’s greatest weakness. Most of this thought process comes from the team having a non-traditional bullpen. There is no designated closer and four different players have earned saves this season. Blake Parker, Ryne Harper, Matt Magill and Taylor Rogers all have ERA’s of 1.80 or less. Trevor May has made the most appearances out of the bullpen. Even though he has allowed eight earned runs in 18 IP, he has 17 strikeouts. Manager Rocco Baldelli has been able to turn to most of these pitchers with confidence in any situation. Trevor Hildenberger, a key component of the 2017 team, struggled through the beginning of the season. In 14 innings, he allowed 13 earned runs and it seemed like his breaking pitch wasn’t doing what he wanted it to do. He is down in Rochester trying to work through some of his struggles. Adalberto Mejia was another player that struggled (11 earned runs in 11.1 IP), but he is now on the injury list. Fernando Romero has been transitioning to a bullpen role between the MLB and Triple-A levels. Lots of other relief pitchers have been struggling in Rochester. Maybe the switch to using the MLB baseball has impacted their numbers. Perhaps, top pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol could be used in a bullpen role later in the season. What do you see as the team’s biggest weakness? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Minnesota’s offense has been one of the best in the American League. It’s been looking more like the club has few weaknesses from top to bottom in their line-up. They have also been able to produce at a high level with players like Nelson Cruz, Mitch Garver, and Miguel Sano spending time on the injured list. So how has Minnesota’s offense emerged this season? It’s all about barreling up the ball.Barrel of Fun Entering play on Tuesday, Minnesota ranks as the top team when it comes to barreling up the ball. Minnesota has barreled up the ball on 2.0 % of pitches. Atlanta is Minnesota’s closest competition in the barrel department with a 1.7% total. The big-league average is 1.35%. No other AL Central teams rank in the top 15 and Cleveland has the fifth worst total in all of baseball. Download attachment: Barrels by Club.png Catcher Power It’s no secret that Minnesota’s catchers have been producing at quite the rate to start the year. Neither Jason Castro or Mitch Garver qualify for the league leader in Barrel % but they are both near the top on the Twins leaderboard. When it comes to Barrel %, Castro’s 26.7% mark is nearly 10% higher than the second place Twins player, Nelson Cruz. Garver is tied with C.J. Cron for third on the team with a 16.9% Barrel %. Barreling up the ball also shows up in some of the catcher’s other StatCast data. Castro and Garver only trail Cruz when it comes to average exit velocity. Castro’s 92.9 exit velocity ranks as the 18th best in all of baseball. Garver is 0.9 mph behind Castro which is good for 41st overall. Also, Castro only trails the recently activated Miguel Sano in Hard Hit %. Team Effort Minnesota’s catchers have been strong, but other players have also helped the team’s early offensive output. Cruz has been a prolific power hitter for most of the last decade and that trend has continued in a Twins uniform. He has the seventh best exit velocity in all of baseball and he has the AL’s fifth best average. Cruz’s 17.2 Barrel % is in the top 5% of the league and he ranks in the top 2% when it comes to xwOBAcon. CJ Cron has also been a pleasant surprise in the Twins line-up. Cron ranks in the top 15 in barrels per plate appearance, which places him in the top 7% of the league in Barrel %. Since both catchers don’t qualify currently, Cron only trails Cruz on the team’s Barrel % leaderboard. Byron Buxton is another player getting a lot of attention and Parker did a great job of analyzing his swing yesterday. From 2016-2018, Buxton’s exit velocity averaged near 85 mph. This season he has increased to 91.5 mph. Last year, his hard hit % was 27.0 and this year he has jumped to 42.5. One of Buxton’s biggest jumps is in Barrel %. He was at a very low 1.6% and he has improved to 9.4% this season. Overall, Minnesota ranks in the top 1% in the league in relation to Barrel %, XSLG, XWOBA. They rank in the top 3% in xWOBAcon and WOBA. Also, the team ranks in the top 7% in WOBAcon. Can the Twins keep up this pace? How will more Miguel Sano impact the numbers? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Major League Baseball is using a juiced baseball. At least that is the belief of a lot people watching the game. Even scouts have complained about the difficulties in evaluating talent between the minor leagues and the big leagues. Triple-A teams started using the same baseball as the big leagues this year and it has certainly impacted the game. How do Rochester’s numbers stack up with the switch to the new baseball?2018 Season Recap In 140 games last season, Rochester hit .227/.304/.346 (.650) with 97 home runs, 24 triples and 193 doubles. For players that made at least 70 appearances with Rochester, Willians Astudillio led the way with a .782 OPS. Kennys Vargas ranked second with a .752 OPS. Vargas was first on the team in home runs (21) and doubles (23). Astudillo ranked second in both of those categories with 12 homers and 17 doubles. Rochester was below the league average in most hitting categories. International League teams hit .252/.320/.389 (.709). The Red Wings ranked second to last in home runs and last in doubles. However, Rochester struck out the fourth least in the league and ranked in the middle of the pack in walks. Download attachment: Batting 2018.PNG Rochester pitchers tossed over 1200 innings last year. In those appearances, the club averaged a 3.39 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP, an 8.5 SO/9 and a 3.3 BB/9. Stephen Gonsalves started 18 games and posted a 2.96 ERA with a 95 to 55 strike out to walk ratio. Zack Littell’s 15 starts were second on the team and he had a 3.57 ERA while striking out 98 and walking 40. Red Wings pitchers fared better than hitters when compared to league averages. Rochester’s 3.39 ranked as the best in the league. The club was also one of seven teams to have double-digit shutouts. Only one team allowed fewer hits and Rochester was one of four clubs to allow fewer than 100 home runs. Download attachment: Pitching 2018.PNG 2019 Season Explosion With the new baseball this season, International League teams are hitting .263/.342/.441 (.783). That means slugging percentage is up 52 points and OPS is up 74 points. After being well below league average last season, Rochester hitters are near league average this year as they are hitting .260/.334/.439 (.773). Three players have over 90 plate appearances and an OPS of .878 or higher (Jordany Valdespin, Drew Maggi, and Luke Raley). Download attachment: 2019 Batting.PNG While Rochester’s hitters have improved, the pitchers have gone the opposite direction. International League pitchers have combined for a 4.88 ERA with a 1.44 WHIP and 9.1 SO/9. Red Wings pitchers have the second worst ERA in the league (5.91) and they have allowed the fourth most home runs (57). Also, the club’s 1.52 WHIP is the third worst total in the league. One positive sign is the club has the second highest SO/9 total in the league (10.4 SO/9). Lewis Thorpe has started the most games for Rochester this season. In 41 2/3 innings, he has a 6.70 ERA with a 1.37 WHIP with 53 strikeouts and 12 walks. Zack Littell has thrown the most innings for the Red Wings. He has a 4.19 ERA in 43 innings with 45 strikeouts and 16 walks. Download attachment: 2019 Pitching.PNG Are the new baseball’s going to impact how scouts look at Triple-A players? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article