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. There has been plenty of discussion in Twins Territory about Minnesota’s decision to not call-up Byron Buxton for the end of September. In doing so, the Twins are going to gain an extra year of team control. Some feel this is unfair to the player. Some feel it is the team utilizing the rules to their advantage. This week’s question is: “Do MLB and the Player’s Union need to revisit the service time rules as part of the next collective bargaining agreement? Why or why not?”John Bonnes I like linking free agency to service time as a professional player instead of service time as a major league player. I'm cautious because it could conceivably be a radical change, encouraging teams to move players through the minors at a rushed pace, but that might be a positive development. Both sides could embrace that change because it will result in players making it to the majors more quickly (and thus getting paid more) but teams could get more years of control at the major league level. I would think there would be three areas to negotiate: Different tenures of service time based on how a player signs, so 16-year-old international prospects have a higher threshold than amateur draftees, which are higher than college draftees. Something like 12 years/10 years/8 years. This is important for teams.An escalating level of compensation once a player is in the majors that leaves them close to their actual free agent value by the end of their service time, similar to arbitration, but with required changes. This is important for players.Perhaps modifying the service time based on the quality of the player? So exceptional players can make it to free agency a year earlier? I'm not as sure about this aspect, but I expect this would be important for agents.Tom FroemmingYes, the player's union needs to find a way to counteract the adjustment modern front offices have made. Teams know that even the very best players are rarely wise investments once they've surpassed 30. Accordingly, they've stopped throwing out big, long-term contracts to most free agents. At the same time, the system has been set up to suppress the earning potential of younger players and front offices are getting, let's say more creative, in the ways they're finding to delay a player reaching arbitration/free agency. Basically, the owners are winning on both ends of a player's career. Maybe the solution is something as simple as dramatically increasing the league minimum, which was $545,000 this season, or maybe they can find a way for players to reach arbitration/free agency earlier by updating the service time rules. The big issue in the short term seems to be that the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, which just went into effect last season, is in effect through 2021. With that being the case, it's difficult to see the owners to have any urgency to concede anything, unless there's (gulp) a strike. Jeremy Nygaard Absolutely it's time for the rules to be revisited. The problem is that there isn't a great solution. Do you change it from six years of service time to something like six seasons of control after a player's debut? Or five seasons? Can it be only based on a player's age? Or some other counting stat? It's going to be difficult to find a way that a club can't continue to manipulate... but it definitely has to happen. Cody Christie Service time rules will change as part of the next Collective Bargaining Agreement. There was one simple solution I saw during the entire Buxton-saga. After a team drafts a player, they get: High school player= 10 years of team control, 6 years of arbitrationCollege player= 8 years of team control, 6 years of arbitrationEven if a player hasn’t made the MLB level, he would still qualify for arbitration. Some hiccups in this rule would come from international signees. Would teams get 12 years of team control with the final six years being part of the arbitration process? Injuries also present an interesting predicament. If a player misses an entire year because of Tommy John surgery, what would be the options for a team? Could teams get something like a “red-shirt” year where they get an extra year of control because of a season-long injury? Changes are coming but the owners aren’t going to give up too much team control. Steve Lein I definitely think it will be a big part of the discussion on the next CBA. There are always going to be problems (including plenty that could be pointed out with my thoughts below), but there are a couple things I dislike about what is done now: 1. Time on the disabled list counts toward service time. 2. A year of service equates to a full-calendar MLB season. There aren’t many players who play all 162 games in a season, but to get a full year a player is required to be active the entire time. I would look to have only active MLB roster days count, and a full year of service be a number like 120 days. A pitcher needing Tommy John surgery may have only pitched 2 games but earns a full year of service, while another guy who plays 130 games in the field doesn’t. The math is off to me. I don’t like to penalize injuries to a player, but that’s another wrinkle for the player’s union to tackle. This way, teams have a much harder decision to make about keeping players in the minors to “gain” an extra year. Instead of a couple weeks and still getting a guy like Kris Bryant into 151 games during the season (how was that NOT a “full season”?!), it’s a couple of months and maybe 100 games. Something that can really affect a team’s aspirations for the season if that player could be a big part of it. Most of all, I will never understand a rule that keeps potential superstar players, and other deserving ones, off an opening day roster. That is what is beyond stupid to me with the current rules. Ted Schwerzler When looking at the current CBA, how it’s interpreted, and how it’s exploited, I think it’s absolutely fair to question the validity of the current situation. In the case of Byron Buxton, Minnesota is well within their means, but it’s a situation that looks unethical and reflects poorly on the team. When comparing millionaire players and billionaire owners, fans should always side with the product on the field. At the end of the day, there needs to be a better representation when it comes to the Player’s Association and the ideals that are fought over. Common ground can be found here, but there’s opportunity for it to land in more of a middle ground than it currently does. Seth Stohs Does it need to be changed? Probably. Am I smart enough to know what the best system would be? Nope. Will teams try to find the loopholes and ways around whatever a new system might be? Absolutely. SD Buhr I have to imagine that service time is a part of virtually every CBA negotiation and I’m sure that will be the case on the next one, too. I don’t think anyone should expect major adjustments to the current system, though. There almost has to be a line drawn somewhere and wherever it’s drawn, owners are going to do what they can to preserve as much control over a talented player’s salary as possible. Any change that works more to the union/player advantage will come with a cost, of course. The players’ side will need to give up something and I’m not sure this issue has affected enough players to a significant degree that the other 98% of the union membership will be willing to give much to get better terms. I do think the next CBA negotiation is going to be far more challenging than the past couple have been. Draft slotting, international pay limits and almost every issue affecting payroll have all been tilted heavily toward ownership lately and I sense that players are going to negotiate much harder on any number of issues. I could see the owners giving a bit on service time in order to avoid get what they want in other areas of greater priority. If you missed any of the most recent roundtable discussions, here are the links: The Looming Mauer Decision Grading the Front Office Grading Molitor Closing Time Prospect Promotions Click here to view the article

Playoffs in the minor leagues certainly present an interesting set of circumstances. Throughout the minor league season, players can move up and down throughout a team’s roster. Some of the players key to a team qualifying for the playoffs might not even be around for the team’s playoff run. That being said, there was plenty of playoff action for the Twins system. The E-Twins already took home their second consecutive Appy League Championship. Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers were looking to join the championship parade.MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 2, Daytona 6 Box Score After taking the first two games of the three-game series, the Miracle were looking to sweep the Tortugas to take their second FSL championship in five years. Unfortunately, the offense would be few and far between for Fort Myers. With one out in the first inning, Brusdar Graterol surrendered a walk and a single before a double drove in the first run of the game. On the same play, Alex Kirilloff hit the cut-off man, Travis Blankenhorn, to nail the second runner at the plate. Graterol allowed three singles in the third as Daytona pushed their lead to 2-0. Overall, Graterol allowed two earned runs on seven hits. He struck out six and walked one. The Miracle finally broke through in the sixth inning as Royce Lewis lead off the inning with his second home run of the postseason. In the bottom half of the inning, Ryan Mason took over for Graterol and quickly gave back a run. He’d end up pitching two innings while allowing one run on two hits. He struck out three and walked one. Lewis struck again in the eighth inning with his second solo-shot of the game. Fort Myers was within a run of tying the game but that’s as close as the team would come. Colton Davis struggled in the eighth inning as he allowed three runs to score on two hits and two walks. Fort Myers has another shot at clinching the FSL Championship on Monday night. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 0, Peoria 5 Box Score Cedar Rapids nearly took the first lead of the game in the top of the third inning. Trey Cabbage tripled to start the inning but he was thrown out at home during the next at-bat. Akil Baddo grounded to second base and Cabbage broke for home but didn’t make it. One big inning spelled the end of the Kernels season. With Blayne Enlow on the mound, the first two batters reached to start the problem. He struck out the next batter but than he hit a batter to load the bases. Three straight singles and a wild pitch saw five runners cross the plate. The Kernels wouldn’t have a batter reach third base the rest of the game. Cedar Rapids went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on base. Ryan Jeffers and Ben Rodriguez both went 2-for-4. Melvi Acosta pitched four shutout innings out of the bullpen as he only allowed three hits. Moises Gomez pitched a perfect final frame by striking out the side. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Royce Lewis, Fort Myers (2-for-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Melvi Acosta, Cedar Rapids (4.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 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-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R 2. Alex Kirilloff (FM): 0-for-4, 2 K 3. Brusdar Graterol (FM): 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 K, BB, 7 H 6. Trevor Larnach (CR): 0-for-3, BB, 2 K 8. Akil Baddoo (CR): 0-for-4, K 11. Blayne Enlow (CR): 3.0 IP, 5 ER, 2 K, BB, 6 H 13. Travis Blankenhorn (FM): 0-for-3, BB, K 15. Ben Rortvedt (FM): 0-for-2, 2 BB 16. Yunior Severino (CR): 0-for-1, K 18. Ryan Jeffers (CR): 2-for-4 19. Jacob Pearson (CR): 0-for-1, K MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Fort Myers @ Daytona (6:05 PM CST) – RHP Edwar Colina (0-1, 3.94 ERA) -Miracle lead best of five series 2-1 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. Joe Mauer continues to climb the all-time Twins leaderboard as fans have seen him reach some impressive milestones over the last calendar year. Moving forward, there are plenty of questions about what next season will bring for Mr. Mauer. His massive contract extension expires at season’s end and there’s no telling how much longer Mauer will play. This week’s roundtable discussion question is: “What will Joe Mauer decide about next season?”John Bonnes Joe Mauer will decide he wants to play, because he loves to compete. The Twins will decide they want him back, because there are not going to be a lot of top flight first-base-type sluggers available on the free agent market. Plus, the Twins weren't adept at getting on base this year (.314 OBP, 9th in the AL), so Mauer remains a good fit. However, I anticipate some drama, at least privately and probably publicly, around the two sides coming to an agreement. This will be the fourth significant negotiation between Mauer and the Twins: there was the draft negotiation, the long-term deal that bought out his initial free agent year, and the $23M-per-year long-term deal. In all three of those, Mauer never advertised that he was willing to take any kind of hometown discount and pushed the team to its limit. (It's almost, again, like he loves to compete.) So I expect him to ask for more guaranteed years and more guaranteed money than the Twins will expect, and I wouldn't be surprised if we hear rumors of him being courted by other teams, or that an agreement isn't reached until later in the offseason. But ultimately, I think a one-year deal or a team-friendly two-year deal will get done. That might be my heart overruling my head. Or maybe my head is assuming that hearts will hold sway over heads on both sides of the negotiation. Either way, I hope this goes the way of "heart." Seth Stohs Short answer: He'll do whatever he wants. Longer answer: If he wants to play, he'll be signed by the Twins for a 1-2 year deal. He could retire if he no longer enjoys it, but clearly, he's been healthy again the last couple of years and he still contributes to the Twins in multiple ways. Tom Froemming The deeper we get into the season without an announcement, the more I feel like Joe is going to play in 2019. The Mauers are going to be welcoming the third child into their family sometime around Thanksgiving, and I'm sure that's going to play a huge role in what Joe decides about his future. I believe him when he says he hasn't really thought about it or come to a conclusion yet, but I think there will be strong interest, from the Twins, in a reunion. It's impossible to know what's really going through his head, but I think if the Twins make any kind of honest effort to bring him back, as I expect they will, he'll be back. Ted Schwerzler I genuinely think that Joe returns to the Twins in 2019. I initially believed there was room for a 2- or 3-year deal, but think he'll sign a one-year pact this winter. If everything goes well, I could see him returning in 2020 as well. At the end of the day, he's an ideal leadoff hitter, and remains among the best defensive first basemen in all of baseball. The Twins should be doing what they can to push him into returning, and it'd be a good thing for them if he obliges. Cody Christie I’m not sure what to think after some of the decisions made by the front office this week. Falvey and Levine might decide they want to keep him around or they could decide to go in another direction. Mauer could find himself waffling through multiple emotions as well. Joe Mauer has the potential to be in the conversation of best Twins player of all-time. According to FanGraphs WAR, only Harmon Killebrew (59.3 fWAR) and Rod Carew (56.9 fWAR) have amassed more career value in a Twins uniform. Mauer might never catch those two or live up to the legend of Kirby Puckett but he’s still a once in a generation talent. I think Mauer’s competitive side wins out and we will see him back with the Twins next season. Like any player, I believe he wants to make the Hall of Fame and he will need to continue to put up numbers for multiple more seasons to pad his resume. That being said, I think he only plays for another season or two. SD Buhr I’ll make this short. I think Joe Mauer retires. I think the current front office will decide they want to move on from having Mauer as their primary first baseman, they will communicate that to him, and he will choose to retire rather than accept a reserve role. Is it what I would do? No. If I were Mauer, I’d have my agent shop me around for a regular spot with a potential contender, so I could get my ring. But, from all accounts, that’s not what Mauer is likely to do. But with a growing family, financial security and being at risk of further head injuries, I suspect that he will hang up the spikes, rather than accept a role where he’s watching as much as (or more than) playing. If you missed any of the most recent roundtable discussions, here are the links: Grading the Front Office Grading Molitor Closing Time Prospect Promotions Hall of Fame Impact Click here to view the article

A playoff atmosphere is circling the farm system. Fort Myers entered play on Sunday with the opportunity to clinch a second half South Division Championship. Elizabethton was facing a do-or-die Game 3 in the Appy League Playoff Semifinals. Cedar Rapids was amid an eight-game winning streak when play started on Sunday. There were lots of meaningful games so let’s jump right into the action.ROSTER MOVES INF Victor Tademo promoted from Cedar Rapids to RochesterRHP Zack Littell recalled by Minnesota from RochesterRED WINGS REPORT Rochester 6, Lehigh Valley 5 Box Score Rochester used a trio of three-run innings to take down Lehigh Valley. In the second inning, Kennys Vargas led off the frame with a double. Vargas moved to third on a hit-and-run before Zander Wiel brought him in with a sacrifice fly. Jeremy Hazelbaker homered to tie the game 2-2. Vargas was at the heart of the next two-run inning. Nick Gordon started the inning with a single before Vargas clocked his 21st home run on the season. Omar Bencomo started and allowed two runs in the first inning. From there he settled in before running into some trouble before finishing the seventh. He left after allowing five runs on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks. Nick Anderson pitched two scoreless frames with five strikeouts to pick up his eighth win. Rochester trailed by one entering the bottom of the ninth. Jon Kemmer put the tying run in scoring position with a sharp line drive double. Wiel sent everyone home happy with a walk-off two-run bomb. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 1, Jackson 2 Box Score Chattanooga’s offense was little and far between on Sunday. Trailing 2-0 in the final inning, Jaylin Davis doubled to start the frame. After a ground out moved him to third, Jimmy Kerrigan drove him in with a single. The Lookouts rally ended there as Brian Olson struck out and Joe Cronin flied out sharply to center. Kerrigan finished 2-for-4. Overall, the team went 1-for-5 and left seven men on base. Austin Adams started and pitched two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Anthony Marzi allowed one run on five hits in 4 2/3 innings with three strikeouts. Cody Stashak allowed the run that ended up being the game winner. He pitched 1 1/3 innings and struck out one. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 2, Clearwater 1 Box Score On the final day of the regular season, Fort Myers won the second half South Division title. It was the second straight season the team has won the second half crown. The Miracle actually finished with the same record as another team but they owned the head-to-head tiebreaker. Aaron Whitefield had the biggest offensive inning of the game for Fort Myers. In the fourth inning, Shane Carrier singled and eventually stole second base before moving to third on a throwing error. Aaron Whitefield singled to drive him in. He stole second and third before scoring on a throwing error. Brusdar Graterol pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out four and walking two. He only allowed three hits. Jovani Moran picked up the win after he allowed one run on two hits in 2 1/3 innings. Colton Davis earned his fourth save with two scoreless innings to close out the game. Game 1 of the South Division Championship Series starts on Tuesday night at Hammond Stadium. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 4, Beloit 9 Box Score All good things must come to an end and Cedar Rapids saw their season-high eight-game winning come to an end. Beloit needed to win to keep their playoff hopes alive and they have a chance to play the Kernels in the first round. Ariel Montesino and Jacob Pearson hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning to help tie the game. Akil Baddoo finished 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles and an RBI. Ben Rodriguez reached base twice and drove in a run. Rodriguez extended his consecutive game on-base streak to 22. Randy Dobnak started and allowed one run on two hits in two innings. Derek Molina took over and surrendered three runs on six hits. Johan Quezada was charged with the loss even though both runs scored against him were unearned. In the final frame, Jose Martinez allowed three runs on four hits while striking out two. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 5, Kingsport 2 Box Score The E-Twins used a balanced approach to move into the Appy League Championship Series to defend their crown. On the mound, Andrew Cabezas pitched 4 1/3 innings by allowing one run on one hit. He walked five and struck out five. Brian Rapp pitched nearly four full innings out of the bullpen (3 2/3 innings). He saw one run score on four hits while striking out one and walking one. Tanner Howell earned his first save with a perfect ninth. Offensively, there was only one extra-base hit for the E-Twins but there were plenty of other ways to score some runs. Yunior Severino went 3-for-5 as he drove in a run and scored a run. Gillberto Celestino had one of the biggest hits of the night as he collected two RBI on a single in the fifth. DaShawn Keirsey reached base three times and scored a run. Elizabethton will open the Appy League Championship Series on Tuesday night. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Kennys Vargas, Rochester (2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Nick Anderson, Rochester (2.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 K, 0 BB, 0 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): 0-for-4, 3 K 2. Alex Kirilloff (FM): 2-for-3, BB 3. Brusdar Graterol (FM): 4.2 IP, 0 ER, 4 K, 2 BB, 3 H 4. Nick Gordon (ROC): 1-for-3, BB 5. Stephen Gonsalves (MIN): Did not play. 6. Trevor Larnach (CR): Did not play. 7. Brent Rooker (CHAT): 1-for-4, K 8. Akil Baddoo (CR): 2-for-2, 2 2B, RBI 9. Wander Javier: Out of for the season 10. Zack Littell (MIN): 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 K, BB, 6 H 11. Blayne Enlow (CR): Did not play. 12. LaMonte Wade (ROC): 1-for-4, K 13. Travis Blankenhorn (FM): 1-for-4, K 14. Lewis Thorpe (ROC): Did not play. 15. Ben Rortvedt (FM): 0-for-4, 3 K 16. Yunior Severino (ET): 3-for-5, R, RBI 17. Lewin Diaz (FM): Did not play. 18. Ryan Jeffers (CR): 1-for-4, K 19. Jacob Pearson (CR): 1-for-3, HR, RBI, R, K 20. Luis Arraez (CHAT): Did not play. MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester vs. Lehigh Valley (12:05 CST) – RHP Chase De Jong (2-3, 3.41 ERA) Chattanooga vs. Jackson (2:05 CST) – RHP Sean Poppen (5-7, 3.90 ERA) Fort Myers – Playoffs start Tuesday Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (2:00 CST) – LHP Tyler Watson (5-6, 4.78 ERA) Elizabethton – Championship Series starts Tuesday 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. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine are two years into their tenure running the Minnesota Twins. In their first season, the club made a surprise run to the postseason and the team managed to have a solid off-season in 2018. With two drafts and trade deadlines under their belt, the farm system has been rebuilt into one of the best in baseball. This week’s roundtable discussion question is: “How would you grade the front office’s performance? Why?”Nick Nelson Short-term planning is hard sometimes. No one could have predicted last offseason that returning core players like Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano and Ervin Santana — as well as new additions like Lance Lynn, Logan Morrison and Addison Reed — would collectively contribute so little in 2018 after the years they had in 2017. This turn of events completely sabotaged any chance of contention this season, and there's little the front office could have done about it without the benefit of hindsight. I still like the moves they made, especially because they were geared toward big-picture success. The Twins can move on from Lynn and Morrison after this season and managed to reload the pipeline with savvy trades in late July. They've set themselves up for tremendous spending flexibility this winter. Falvey and Levine have shown a penchant for opportunistically acquiring useful talents — such as Tyler Austin, Jake Cave and Gabriel Moya — at low costs. And, crucially, they've also overseen two drafts that look like absolute slam dunks so far, shoring up a sore spot from the latter years of Terry Ryan's tenure. The 2018 season has been a bummer but I feel extremely optimistic about the organization's leadership going forward. Seth Stohs Always a tough question because what's more important, process or results? Obviously results matter, but that's too easy. We all loved the offseason, for the most part, and adding the likes of Lance Lynn and Logan Morrison to one-year deals in spring training was immensely exciting. It didn't pan out. At all. But I think they've continued to add personnel and systems behind the scenes that should have Twins fans excited. In season, I think they've been fine. They've been willing to work and make changes to the 24th and 25th men on the active roster, and they've been willing to grab guys on the back end of the 40-man roster. I may not agree with every single decision, but I do trust the process. I do like what they did at the trade deadline and as they like to say, the way they've developed "waves" of prospects to hopefully put the Twins in a position to compete for playoff spots for the next decade or two! Grade: I don't know. B? Cody Christie Last week’s roundtable revolved around trying to give a grade to Paul Molitor. Managers get too much of the credit when a team wins or loses. For the front office, it takes a long-term approach to revamp an entire organization. The Twins were amid some bad seasons, but the farm system had some good pieces. There are lots of things to consider when looking at the front office as a whole. In their first season leading the organization, Falvey and Levine kept a lot of the previous front office pieces in place to reevaluate everyone. They started overhauling some of the pieces last off-season so it’s hard to know how well those pieces have worked out. Even though the wins haven’t piled up, I’d give the front office an A for last off-season. It helps to have the number one overall pick, but the minor league system has moved from middle of the road to a top-10 system in all of baseball. I’d give them a solid B+ for their drafting so far with the potential of it moving higher based on results in the years ahead. I feel their approach with Sano and Buxton this season was also appropriate. There are few teams that would send a former All-Star all the way down to High-A to “find themselves.” All things considered, I’d give them an A- at this point. Tom Froemming This is a tough question to answer, given that Derek Falvey has only been around since October of 2016. There are a lot of areas where I would give an incomplete grade at this point, but overall, I'd give them a C. Nothing jumps out to me that suggests they're either clearly above or clearly below average. What's really going to make or break this front office in the end is how they draft. So far, they appear to me to be very good at draft strategy, though having the No. 1 overall pick their first year certainly didn't hurt. I liked how decisive they were at this year's deadline, but there have been a number of odd scrap-heap additions while guys performing down on the farm have struggled to find opportunities. The more Falvey and Thad Levine put their fingerprints on the org, the more we'll know. I think the next 12 months could be particularly telling Ted Schwerzler I've considered this as a significantly loaded question at multiple points during this 2018 season. The offseason was one in which the front office hit it out of the park. They aimed high (Darvish), and they shot often (multiple FAs). When the dust settled, they brought in a crop of players that signified a large talent leap and did so by boasting an all-time high payroll. From there, things went downhill. A good number of those new players flopped (which isn't the fault of the front office), and the answers sought seemed less than satisfactory. I haven't found myself a fan of many roster moves made during the season and think more games could've been won with better promotions from the farm. As a whole, it's been a strong step forward from the late years of the Terry Ryan regime, but this duo isn't yet to the point of breaking through. Jamie Cameron It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day minutia of what the front office does and doesn't do, particularly with roster management. While some of the roster decisions have been odd (if not extremely poor), there are so many facets of the organization the front office has excelled at. Early indicators suggest the front office has drafted well in both drafts. Additionally, the Twins offseason was both strong and opportunistic (despite not translating on to the field). Finally, the team worked hard to acquire some exciting pieces at the deadline and took advantage of impending free agents. One other key lever when examining the front office. We tend to give equal weight to all aspects of the work of the front office in evaluating them. In reality, the number -one pick decision is vastly higher leverage than in-season roster management in a season where they were unlikely to reach the playoffs anyway. While the front office has some areas for refinement, their biggest decisions have been huge wins for the organization. Steve Lein Two years into evaluating any long-term “plan” Falvine and company may have is still a bit quick on the trigger, but I am on board with a lot of the things they have done to this point in the short-term sense. I liked that they struck on a colder free agent market to bring in guys like Addison Reed, Zach Duke, Lance Lynn, and Logan Morrison on short deals. On paper they improved some areas that needed it after a playoff appearance, which is what we all asked for. I’ll concede this didn’t work out, but when it didn’t they unloaded those and other short-term assets for future returns. I also approve of how they seem to be running the minor league system. For once, I don’t have the impression prospects are being held back as a whole. Top prospects Royce Lewis, Alex Kirilloff, and Brusdar Graterol were all promoted after a half-season in Cedar Rapids, where such prospects often would spend an entire season no matter how they performed under old leadership. Fernando Romero made his MLB debut after just four starts in Triple-A, as examples. What I haven’t liked is their usage of the 40-man roster, both heading into the season with whom they protected/lost, and who has been bypassed with moves on the waiver wire. Small potatoes here, but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows with them yet. To assign a letter grade, I’ll say B-minus, trending up. SD Buhr The best “grade” I can give this front office is “Incomplete.” It hasn’t had time to fail, but the results on the field haven’t been anything to get TOO excited about, either. I’m sure some will give them a partial pass simply because they were not allowed to hire their “own man” as manager, instead being required by ownership to retain Paul Molitor. I think that’s a cop out. “Falvine” has only had one full offseason and I think most of us felt they did a decent job assembling a roster over the offseason. I’m also certain that a lot of people are impressed with the way this FO has modernized its approach to everything from scouting to assembling and utilizing advanced data. I just think running a professional baseball organization is about more than that. It’s also about relationship building – with players, agents, other GMs/executives, affiliates, fans, media and, I’m sure, many more stakeholders. It’s just too early for me to give a pass or fail grade at this point. If you missed any of the most recent roundtable discussions, here are the links: Grading Molitor Closing Time Prospect Promotions Hall of Fame Impact Baseball in 2028 Click here to view the article

Entering play on Monday, the Cedar Rapids Kernels will have a shot at clinching the second-half championship. The Kernels are 40-23 in the second half and sit 3.5 games up on the Peoria Chiefs. In the second half, the Kernels are the only team in the entire league to win at least 20 games at home and on the road. Needless to say, Monday’s game could be a very important one for the Kernels.ROSTER MOVES INF Victor Tademo promoted from GCL Twins to Cedar RapidsINF Andrew Bechtold placed on DL with Cedar RapidsRED WINGS REPORTRochester 2, Syracuse 3 (10 Innings) Box Score Byron Buxton fell a home run short of the cycle but the bats and the bullpen faltered in extra-innings. With the Red Wings trailing 1-0 in the fifth inning, Buxton cracked a two-run triple to take the lead. Unfortunately, that’s where the scoring would stop. Kennys Vargas reached base three times in five trips to the plate. Rochester loaded the bases in the top of the tenth but failed to push across a run. In fact, the team was 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Syracuse was able to score the winning run off of Jake Reed in the bottom half of the frame. Lewis Thorpe started and pitched 5 2/3 innings. He allowed one run on five hits. He struck out six and walked two. Tyler Duffey was charged with a blown save after he allowed the game-tying run in the bottom of the eighth. Andrew Vasquez was pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts and three walks. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 2, Jacksonville 1 Box Score Chattanooga was able to jump out to an early 2-0 lead and hold on for the one-run victory. Andy Wilkins put the team on top with a lead-off home run in the second inning. In the third inning, Tanner English tripled and was brought home on a Luke Raley sacrifice fly. Austin Adams was asked to serve in an “opener” role. He pitched two scoreless innings as he only allowed one hit. He whiffed three batters and walked one. Dietrich Enns finished off the final seven innings as he limited the Jumbo Shrimp to one run on three hits. He struck out eight and walked two. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 1, St. Lucie 5 Box Score Edwar Colina made his High-A debut on Sunday but the Miracle offense didn’t give him a ton of offensive support. Colina pitched into the fifth inning (4 2/3 innings), allowing three runs on six hits. He struck out two and walked three. Jovani Moran finished off the fifth and pitched the next two frames. He allowed two runs on three hits with a pair of strikeouts. Hector Jujan pitched one shutout inning and struck out two. Fort Myers managed only three hits and two of those came off the bat of Aaron Whitefield. Alex Kirilloff went 1-for-4 and scored the team’s only run. Caleb Hamilton reached base on a walk. Overall, the club went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. After winning nine consecutive series, the Miracle have dropped three straight series. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 10, Kane County 4 Box Score For the third straight games, the Kernels scored at least one run in the first inning. Gabriel Maciel doubled with one out and moved to second on a walk to Michael Helman. Ryan Jeffers drove in the first run on a single. Ben Rodriguez made the score 2-0 with a sacrifice fly. However, the biggest hit of the inning was a two-run bomb from Jacob Pearson. Michael Davis doubled to started off the second inning with his ninth double. Davis moved to third on an Ariel Montesino single and that’s when things got crazy. With Akil Badoo batting, Davis stole home and Montesino stole second on the same play. Cedar Rapids plated another three runs in the fourth inning. Montesino attempted a sacrifice bunt after two singles from David Banuelos and Michael Davis, but a throwing error allowed two runs to score, he moved to third on the error and then scored on a Gabriel Maciel sac fly. Tyler Watson retired 10 straight batters at one point and tied a season high with seven innings pitched. He struck out eight and walked three on the way to his fifth victory. Moises Gomez pitched the final two frames and allowed a two-run home run in the final inning. Cedar Rapids improved to a season-best 12 games over .500 overall at 72-60. The Kernels secured their fourth consecutive series win. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 9, Bristol 4 Box Score Elizabethton pounded out 19 hits and was able to cruise to a Sunday evening victory. Trevor Casanova lead the offensive charge by going 4-for-6 with two doubles. Albee Weiss matched Casanova with four hits. Yeltsin Encarnacion reached base four times and drove in two runs. Alex Robles, Chris Williams, and Yunior Severino all had multiple hits. Kody Funderburk pitched into the sixth inning (5 1/3 innings) and allowed four runs on eight hits. He struck out four and a walk. Pedro Garcia pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings to finish off the game. He struck out two and walked two. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Trevor Casanova, Elizabethton (4-for-6, 2 2B, R, RBI) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Dietrich Enns, Chattanooga (7.0 IP, 1 ER, 8 K, 2 BB, 3 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): 0-for-4 2. Alex Kirilloff (FM): 1-for-4, R, K 3. Brusdar Graterol (FM): Did not play. 4. Nick Gordon (ROC): 0-for-4, 2 K 5. Stephen Gonsalves (MIN): Did not play. 6. Trevor Larnach (CR): Did not play. 7. Brent Rooker (CHAT): 0-for-3, BB, K 8. Akil Baddoo (CR): 0-for-5, 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-4, BB, 2 K 13. Travis Blankenhorn (FM): 0-for-3 14. Lewis Thorpe (ROC): 5.2 IP, ER, 6 K, 2 BB, 5 H 15. Ben Rortvedt (FM): Did not play. 16. Yunior Severino (ET): 2-for-5, R, BB, 2 K 17. Lewin Diaz (FM): Did not play. 18. Ryan Jeffers (CR): 3-for-4, 2 R, RBI, K 19. Jacob Pearson (CR): 1-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, R, K 20. Luis Arraez (CHAT): 0-for-1 MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Syracuse (5:35 CST) – RHP Fernando Romero (5-5, 3.40 ERA) Chattanooga vs. Jacksonville (6:15 CST) – TBD Fort Myers vs. Bradenton (6:00 CST) – RHP Brusdar Graterol (4-2, 3.75 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs. Kane County (6:35 CST) – RHP Randy Dobnak (9-5, 3.23 ERA) Elizabethton vs. Pulaski (6:00 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. Paul Molitor is nearing the end of his fourth season as the Minnesota Twins manager. During his first season, the Twins pushed for a playoff spot into the season’s last weeks. There were over 100 losses in 2016. He won AL Manager of the year in 2017 after the Twins bounced back to earn a Wild Card spot. Now in his fourth season, the club is sitting below the .500 mark. This week’s roundtable discussion question is: “How would you rank Paul Molitor’s managerial performance? Why?”Seth Stohs I think he's doing fine. A manager's role in wins and losses is vastly overstated (wins or losses). As for the lineup, I'd say he does just fine. He mixes it up pretty well and isn't married to certain hitters in certain spots. Bullpen usage is where most find fault. I definitely think he has a tendency to overwork the reliable relievers which, practically, is understandable. But he will need to find a way to trust others to try to keep those top guys from wearing down. He's obviously well respected in the clubhouse, but I don't know what we can really comment on his role in there. We just don't know. A manager can't be at all places. In terms of analytics, he certainly has the people around him that will encourage it. This is an impossible question to answer with any certainty. Managers usually get too much credit when the team wins, and they get too much of the blame when things go bad. Tom Froemming I'd give him a D. We're not at the point where I'm demanding he be fired, but I definitely think the team would be better off with someone else running the show. I'm happy to see the Twins are bunting much less frequently this year, but I'm still depressed at how inefficiently the bullpen has been managed. There's also no shortage of strange lineup decisions. He seems to have no interest in providing opportunities for younger players and caters to the veterans far too often. I have a lot of respect for Paul Molitor. He's certainly knows more about baseball than I do, but expertise doesn't always translate to management. Cody Christie Expectations were high for the Twins heading into the 2018 season and things haven’t exactly gone as planned. Falvey and Levine seemed to have put together some strong pieces to build off of last season’s playoff run. However, no one could have predicted the lack of production from Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton, and Brian Dozier. There’s little a manager can do if the team’s best players aren’t performing or aren’t even on the roster. I honestly think the front office will decided to go in a different direction this off-season. I believe Falvey and Levine are going to want to bring in someone younger that fits the mold of “being their guy.” They could give Molitor one more chance to see what he does with the club next year but Minnesota won’t have the likes of Sano and Buxton around forever. If the time isn’t now, when will it be? Overall grade, C- but he moves to a C+ with extra credit for AL Manager of the Year. Ted Schwerzler Molitor was put in a difficult position, but he also hasn’t done himself any favors. This front office likely would’ve hired their own guy had they not been mandated to do otherwise. He saved his skin by winning Manager of the Year in 2017, but he’s continued many of his poor habits this season. Bullpen usage has been questionable, in-game strategy leaves something to be desired, and lineup configuration has been head-scratching at times. Nothing he’s done has been egregious, but the sum of all parts seems average at best. It’s hard to gauge his relatability to this roster without being in the clubhouse, but I tend to believe there’re better options in that department. On a grading scale, I’d tag him with a C-. Regardless of his three-year deal, which did seem odd, I don’t know that Falvey and Levine won’t move on this winter anyways. Steve Lein I'll begin this one by pointing out the cliche that managers get too much of the credit for winning and too much of the blame for losing. The players hit, pitch, and play defense while managers really can only make personnel decisions and have situational influence. But that is where good managers can make their mark. As far as personnel decisions go, Molitor doesn’t get a passing grade from me. Overuse of bullpen pitchers has quite clearly affected their performance. Platoon advantages have not been utilized enough. At times I've thought it was like he's spinning a roulette wheel with players names on it to figure out the lineup order he'd throw out. The up and down records of his his teams during his tenure also tells me he may not have that special sauce that extracts the best out of most of his players consistently. That's one idea I do think the great managers accomplish. When it comes to the situational side during a game, outside of his use of the bullpen, I do think Molitor does well. He's embraced shifting on defense, I don't think they've done much bunting, and based on his Hall Of Fame playing career I know he’s seen it all. I trust him to make the correct decisions in that sense. Overall, I’d rank him around the middle of MLB managers, but his time is running out. SD Buhr This is really a tough question. Obviously, you can’t say Paul Molitor has been an incredibly good manager at this point, based on the results on the field, even though last season’s second half was certainly encouraging. But I’m not really sure you can lay the lack of success this season purely at his feet, either. While most of us were looking for a strong year as they prepared for spring training, I think if you’d have told us then that Polanco and Santana would each miss the entire first half of the season and Sano and Buxton would spend so little time on the active roster, our expectations might have been more muted. I’m not sure you can blame the manager for not winning more games when those major pieces were absent. Personally, I’d probably give him an overall grade of C+ and, based on that, I won’t really have any objection whether the front office decides to keep him around or bring in someone new. If you missed any of the most recent roundtable discussions, here are the links: Closing Time Prospect Promotions Hall of Fame Impact Baseball in 2028 Floundered Click here to view the article

Another top Twins prospect is set to make his big league debut. Stephen Gonsalves will take the place of the injured Ervin Santana. Since being promoted to Triple A this season, Gonsalves has posted a 2.96 ERA with 95 strikeouts in 100.1 innings. The 24-year old lefty has been one of the team’s top pitching prospects throughout his time in the organization. Before Gonsalves makes his debut, there was plenty of other Sunday action down on the farm.ROSTER MOVES OF Robbie Grossman returned to the Twins after ending his rehab assignment with Rochester.RHP Alan Busenitz was recalled from Rochester to Minnesota.RED WINGS REPORTRochester 3, Toledo 4 (10 Innings) Box Score Kennys Vargas got the scoring started for the Red Wings with a solo home run in the fourth inning. It was his 19th long ball of the season. Vargas also drove in the tying run in the top of the ninth. Byron Buxton and Gregorio Petit had both walked before Vargas popped a single to left. In extra-innings, Juan Graterol drove in LaMonte Wade, the runner that started on second. Rochester was up 3-2 but it wouldn’t last. On the mound, Ryan Eades pitched four scoreless inning, striking out five and walking one. Luke Bard surrendered two runs on three hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings. Ryne Harper calmed some of the storm with 2 1/3 scoreless innings while adding a pair of strikeouts. John Curtiss took the loss, his fourth. He allowed one earned run (two total runs) on four hits in the final frame. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 2, Montgomery 6 Box Score Chattanooga was staked to an early lead after a two-run double off the bat of Brian Navarreto. Jaylin Davis and Chris Paul had both drawn two-out walks to get on ahead of the Navarreto extra-base knock. Unfortunately, that’s where the scoring ended for the Lookouts. Jorge Alcala pitched into the fourth inning (3 2/3 innings) by allowing three earned runs on five hits. He struck out six and walked four. Cody Stashak took over for Alcala and limited the Biscuits to one hit in 2 1/3 innings. Anthony Marzi allowed one earned run (two total runs) on five hits with two strikeouts in two innings. The Lookouts left eight men on base and went 2-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Navarreto was the only batter with an extra-base knock. Zander Wiel reached base three times out of the lead-off spot. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 0, Clearwater 2 Box Score Fort Myers had won nine straight series but that came to an end on Sunday. Griffin Jax started and went six innings for the 11th time in his last 13 starts. Both runs scored came on the same play. Jax gave up an RBI triple but then the relay throw soared into the Miracle dugout. Jax struck out four and didn’t walk any. The Miracle bullpen combined for three scoreless frames. Hector Lujan was asked to get one out. Ryan Mason allowed two hits and struck out one in 1 2/3 innings. Kevin Marnon finished off the game with a scoreless ninth as he struck out one. Alex Kirilloff went 3-for-4 and is hitting .375 in the Florida State League. He extended his on-base streak to 31 games. Aaron Whitefield added his fifth double as part of a two-hit day. Caleb Hamilton had one hit but it was his 17th double. Overall, the team went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. Charlotte lost on Sunday so Fort Myers remains 0.5 games back in the second half South Division standings. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 3, Wisconsin 2 Box Score Edwar Colina set a career high with 10 strikeouts as he helped the Kernels to improve to 66-59 on the season. It was the sixth consecutive quality start for Colina as he only allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings. He also took over the team lead for strikeouts (95) by passing Bailey Ober (88). Michael Helman gave Colina some early support as he cracked a solo shot in the first inning. It was his first Midwest League home run. The Kernels added to their lead in the seventh after David Banuelos hit a double and moved to third on an error. Akil Baddoo drove him in with a single. In the ninth inning, Michael Davis gave Cedar Rapids an insurance run with a solo home run. Trevor Larnach went 2-for-3 and reached base a third time with a walk. Moises Gomez earned a save the hard way by tossing 2 2/3 innings. He allowed one run on two hits and struck out a pair. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 5, Johnson City 3 (Game 1- 7 Innings) Box Score In the completion of a game suspended on August 1st, the E-Twins were able to pull away from Johnson City. Elizabethton had scored a first-inning run after Lean Marrero and Trevor Larnach notched back-to-back doubles. Marrero helped add to the lead with an RBI single in the fourth frame. Colton Burns would also single to push the club up 3-1. Johnson City tied things in the bottom of the fourth but the E-Twins found a way to get back on top. Ricky De La Torre collected a one-out single and moved to second after Jared Akins was hit by a pitch. Robert Molina singled to drive in the go-ahead run. Luis Rijo had originally started the game and went two innings by allowing one earned run. He struck out two and walked one. Carlos Suniaga pitched all five innings on Sunday. Two unearned runs were scored against him but he still earned his second victory. He struck out six and didn’t walk any. Elizabethton 0, Johnson City 6 (Game 2- 7 Innings) Box Score Johnson City jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and didn’t look back. Josh Winder started and allowed two earned runs on six hits. He struck out five and walked one. J.T. Perez pitched a pair of scoreless innings before running into trouble in the seventh. He allowed four runs on two hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings. Juan Gamez got the final two outs but he did allow so inherited runners to score. The E-Twins only had four opportunities to bat with runners in scoring position. Ricky De La Torre had his eighth double, the team’s only extra-base hit. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Alex Kirilloff, Fort Myers (3-for-4, 31-game on-base streak) Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Edwar Colina (6.1 IP, 1 ER, 10 K, 3 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): 0-for-4, 2 K 2. Alex Kirilloff (FM): 3-for-4 3. Brusdar Graterol (FM): Did not play. 4. Nick Gordon (ROC): 0-for-4, K 5. Stephen Gonsalves (MIN): Did not play. 6. Trevor Larnach (CR): 2-for-3, BB -(ET): 1-for-1, 2B, RBI (Completion 8/1) 7. Brent Rooker (CHAT): 0-for-4, 2 K 8. Akil Baddoo (CR): 1-for-5, 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): 0-for-3, R, BB 13. Travis Blankenhorn (FM): 0-for-4, K 14. Lewis Thorpe (ROC): Did not play. 15. Ben Rortvedt (FM): Did not play. 16. Yunior Severino (ET): 0-for-7, R, BB, 3 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): Did not play. MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester – Scheduled Off-Day Chattanooga @ Montgomery (6:35 CST) – RHP Tyler Wells (0-2, 1.69 ERA) Fort Myers – Scheduled Off-Day Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (12:05 CST) – LHP Tyler Watson (4-6, 4.87 ERA) Elizabethton vs. Johnson City (5:00 CST) – TBD Elizabethton vs. Johnson City (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

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? 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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