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Cody Christie

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Blog Entries posted by Cody Christie

  1. Cody Christie
    I made it home after some rest and relaxation in the Arizona sun. It was a great time in the Valley of the Sun but it does feel nice to get back into a normal routine. Plus the weather here in the Upper Midwest is about as hot as it was down there. It has been a strange winter for weather and it makes me want the start of the baseball season to come that much faster.
     
    Since I was gone for most of the week, it was fun to put together this week's version of Friday Links-N-Thinks. It allowed me to get caught up on all of the news I might have missed this week and prepare for a little weekend of watching March Madness. Enjoy!!!
     

    MLB released its social media policy and for the most part it seems to make sense.
    The Twins have started to clear out a little room in the clubhouse at Hammond Stadium by sending some players to the minor league camp.
    There are three weeks until Opening Day and Seth Stohs tried to piece together the 25-man roster that will be coming north for the Twins.
    Twins Fan From Afar wonders if the Twins need to hire a sports psychologist.
    Imagining the Twins starting rotation in 2013 could be scary business.
    Nick over at Top of the 1st has done a little roster analysis of the Twins during the week. Here are his middle infield notes.
    Really Scott Baker?!? I leave for a week and your elbow starts acting up.
    The Baseball Outsider wonders if Brian Duensing could be the LOOGY this season.
    Do veteran pitchers have more of an advantage in spring training? Minnesota Twins Musings tries to address this question.
    When I was in Arizona, there was plenty of talk about the addition of Jason Kubel to a crowded D-Backs outfield. It sounds like they want to keep it that way.
    Michael Cuddyer will be one of the youngest members of the Rockies lineup and that's not a good thing.


    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CsQRRlPRY1k/T2NP6DlnQJI/AAAAAAAABIQ/KtpM9zlHKIg/s320/mlb_g_michael-cuddyer_mb_576.jpg

     

    Two Twins minor leaguers were suspended for PEDs this week but luckily they weren't huge prospects at this point.
    Ozzie Guillen got kicked out of his first game as manager of the Marlins and he did it to protect former Twins player Terry Tiffee.
    Who could be ready for a breakout season this year for the Twins? Jim Crikkett at Knuckleballs tries to find the answer.
    John Sickels at Minor League Ball wants fans to pick out which catching prospect is under pressure and Chris Herrmann made the list.
    Jim Thome is back in the NL and this means he might need his glove a couple of times this season.
    I never had anything against the Dodgers but now I do. Hello Kitty is evil.

    My Weekly Rundown
     

    Tuesday: Playing Pepper: 2012 Minnesota Twins

    Video of the Week: Trevor Bauer was the third pick in the 2011 MLB Draft and he could be ready to make some noise for the Arizona Diamondbacks this year. This video of him throwing long toss before a game is amazing to see. He could be close to setting a world record if his throws were official measured. Check it out.
  2. Cody Christie
    It was a fun week for Twins fans as the first spring training games of the season were broadcast on television. This gave people their first view of the players who will comprise the roster of the 2012 version of the Twins. One of the fun things about spring training games is that a variety of fringe members for the 25-man roster are fighting for their chance to make it to the big leagues. Some players will succeed and others will fail but that is part of life as a professional baseball player.
     
    Below you will find this week's collection of links. The great thing about being in the middle of spring training is there is plenty of coverage from the various media outlets that send staff down to the warmer climate areas. Enjoy the links and have a fantastic weekend.
     

    Earlier this week marked the sixth anniversary of one of the saddest days in Twins history. Rest in peace number 34.
    Lindsay Guentzel, a Minneapolis native, is one of the nine finalists who will be spending the entire MLB season in NYC as part of the MLB Fan Cave.
    Twins Rubes asked an interesting question, "Is Nick Punto a 'Winner'"?
    Seth Stohs tries to prove to Twins fans that there is plenty of upper-level talent in the minor league system of the Twins.
    Stohs also wrote about the passing of former Twins player Dan Mincher.
    MLB 12: The Show came out earlier this week and The Common Man has a good review over at The Platoon Advantage.
    Twins blogger and NBC writer Aaron Gleeman has lost 150 pounds in the last year and he shared his remarkable story.
    Speaking of losing weight, Justin Morneau ranks among the top MLB players who lost weight from last season to the start of this year.
    Andrew from Twins Fan From Afar tried to evaluate what Mauer's off-the-field value is to the Twins.
    Former Twins player Carlos Silva was trying to make the rotation for the Red Sox but a shoulder injury looks to have put him out of the running.
    If you haven't seen the Marlin's home run display, here is a picture and it is already drawing citicism from players.


    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d5p5RlezUAQ/T1l9nY8PYdI/AAAAAAAABIA/IsAZwo2uhvU/s320/marlinsdisplay.jpg

     

    If you had to guess a rookie of the year candidate from the Twins, would it be a pitcher?
    AJ Pettersen, a Twins minor leaguer, shared his thoughts on the beginning of spring training from his prospective.
    This article about Hack Wilson's season in 1930 has a lot of comparisons to Kirby Puckett in it.
    The folks at Crashburn Alley put together an interesting piece about creating the ultimate roster that could win the next 10 World Series.
    David Price suffered a strange injury for the Rays and it isn't the first time he has suffered this kind of pain.
    The White Sox might have AJ Pierzynski bat second in their line-up. So much for speed at the top.
    In other AL Central news, the Tigers are going to score a lot of runs this year.
    Apparently Bobby Valentine tried to warn Nishioka about guys sliding into him at second base but the young man must have forgot to listen.

    My Weekly Rundown
     

    Monday: Span continues to be tested this spring
    Tuesday: Will skinnier Morneau mean more production?
    Wednesday: Who gets the 40-man spot left by Zumaya?
    Giolito suffers elbow injury, ends high school career
    Thursday: Contending or not, Liriano could be gone

    Video of the Week: The fine people over at 1500 ESPN went through the trouble to put microphones on Denard Span and Drew Butera in a recent Twins workout. The results were quite entertaining and I think you will enjoy the clip.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Original Post from NoDakTwinsFan.com
  3. Cody Christie
    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v-gVcJXMUq8/T1giIhWkuAI/AAAAAAAABH4/9whIYbShsB4/s320/LirianoSpring.jpg

    When every team reports to spring training in Florida or Arizona, there is hope surrounding the beginning of a new season. Each team has a clean slate and only one team can call themselves champions from the previous year. Besides the St. Louis Cardinals, every other team left the field last year with an unfulfilled feeling inside and a bad taste in their mouth. Some of that taste has washed away in the offseason but all of the teams will head on the field for Opening Day with no losses to their record.
     
    The harsh reality is that under the new playoff system only ten teams will make it to postseason play and out of those ten teams only two will get to fight for the World Series crown. This leaves plenty of other teams who will not be in contention for the 2012 season. This is just a part of the game and the Twins became well aware of this aspect during the 2011 campaign. With the organization coming off of a 94-win season, there was plenty to be hopeful for at the beginning of 2011 but the Twins would not be in contention for any part of the season.
     
    As the 2012 season begins for the Twins and their fans, it is hard to know what to expect from a team who floundered on the field in 2011. There is hope that a healthy Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Denard Span can improve one of the worst offenses in the American League. But the starting rotation and bullpen are still full of plenty of question marks to get sorted out in the coming weeks.
     
    One of the questions marks that has been talked a lot about in the Twins blogosphere is Francisco Liriano. He is in the last year of being under team control and this means he can test the free agent waters at the end of the 2012 season. The Twins have waited patiently for Liriano to bloom into the pitcher they feel he can be but that player has only shown up sporadically during his career. Now his days could be numbered with the Twins.
     
    There are a few different situations that could take place for the 2012 season and Liriano might be right in the middle of them. As the trading deadline approaches at the end of July, the team might have to make a tough decision in relation to their left-handed starting pitcher. Here is a look at the way the Twins could approach the Liriano conundrum.
     

    Twins in contention >>> Keep Liriano


    If the Twins are in contention, there is a good chance that Liriano will stay with the club until the end of the season. When the Twins made the playoffs in 2010, Liriano looked like he was close to becoming the ace of the staff. The team will need Liriano to get close to that level if they are going to find success on the field in 2012. A successful season from Liriano should mean the team is having a better year. In recent years the AL Central has allowed some teams to stay in the race if they are near the .500 mark around the trade deadline. That situation could play out again in '12 and the Twins should be able to be close to that mark.
     

    Twins out of contention >>> Trade Liriano


    At the trade deadline last year, the Twins didn't get anything for future free agents like Michael Cuddyer, Jason Kubel, and Joe Nathan. The team did end up getting draft pick compensation for some of these players but the collective bargaining agreement rules have changed for next offseason. In order for the Twins to get compensation for Liriano, they would have to offer him arbitration and a one-year contract of over $12 million. At this point, the Twins would be silly to offer this much money to Liriano so a trade could be a possibility. In this situation, the best-case scenario might be for Liriano to be pitching well and for the Twins to have fallen out of contention. Other contending clubs might be willing to overpay for a left-handed pitcher who could help them to succeed in the playoffs.


    "Wild Card Situation"
     
    Twins in contention >>> Trade Liriano


    This is deemed a wild card situation because it is hard to imagine a contending team trading one of their top pitchers in the middle of a pennant race. But as was stated earlier, the Twins would have to offer Liriano a contract of over $12 million as part of the new arbitration process. That amount wouldn't correspond with the 2011 version of Liriano so the team might be ready to part ways with their starting pitcher by the time July roles around. In order for this to happen, the Twins would need to have a replacement ready to step into the rotation. A younger player like Liam Hendriks could be ready by mid-July to take a permenant spot in the rotation. The Twins would also need to get some more consistency out of Nick Blackburn and Scott Baker for the team to be able to trade another arm.
     
    There are so many variables that could impact a trade for Liriano. His performance on the field, the team's performance on the field, and an injury to Liriano could all play a role in the team deciding whether or not to trade him. It will be an interesting plotline to watch in the summer months of the season especially on a team that doesn't have a lot of starting pitchers under contract for 2013.
  4. Cody Christie
    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kf17thJDns8/T1fbH2Wcj3I/AAAAAAAABHw/FdYu8SLXjT8/s320/Lucas-Giolito.jpg

    Maybe one of the only good things about suffering through a 99-loss season with the Twins in 2011 was the fact that the organization would have a very good pick in the 2012 amateur draft. The Twins "earned" the number two selection for the draft this June and this means there should be some very good talent to select from with only the Astros picking before them.
     
    Fans looking forward to the June draft were dealt a blow on Wednesday as it was announced that one of the projected top five picks would miss the rest of his high school career with an elbow injury. Lucas Giolito is a 6-foot-6 right-handed pitcher who some scouts projected to be the number one pick. This injury obviously changes many of those projections and his stock in the draft will most likely fall.
     
    Nathan Rode of Baseball America was the first to break the news. His sources told him that it was a sprained UCL in his right elbow. This injury won't require surgery but there is 6-10 weeks of rehab involved. If a player tears his UCL, Tommy John surgery is usually required and there is a chance that his sprain could turn into a tear.
     
    The first start of the year was very exciting for Giolito as he came out of the gate smoking. Some radar guns had him hitting 100 mph and he only gave up one hit during the contest. His start on Tuesday was not as good as he made it through 6.1 innings allowing two runs on five hits, three walks and three hit batters. Something was clearly wrong with the young man and the bad news came out on Wednesday.
     
    With 6-10 weeks of rest and rehabilitation up next for Giolito and the draft being around 12 weeks away, there is little chance he will be able to prove he is completely healthy before teams have to make their picks. For fans of the UCLA Bruins, this could be good news. If Giolito were to go to college, he had committed to the Bruins. He might be forced to go to UCLA for a couple of seasons to prove his health is back in order. This will also help him to rebuild his draft status for the future.
     
    A tough injury for the young man as it could cost him millions of dollars. It is lucky for him that it happened at a young enough age that he can recover and make it back to still have a successful career.
  5. Cody Christie
    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xv6524k0fdo/T1dUA9oCeOI/AAAAAAAABHo/yvxKcDWQB6Y/s320/GardyBurroughs.jpg

    The Twins took a chance when they signed Joel Zumaya to an incentive-laden contract. That high-risk deal could have come with some great rewards but Zumaya's time with the Twins was over before it even started. Only 13 pitches into his first workout with the Twins, he walked off the mound with soreness in his right elbow. Now the often-injured flamethrower will go under the knife again but this time it will be for Tommy John surgery.
     
    Zumaya's recent injury means the Twins will now have spot open on their 40-man roster for the beginning of the 2012 season. The team will release Zumaya or put him on 60-day DL, which will open up a spot for an outlying player to make the jump to the 40-man roster. There are a variety of candidates in camp for the Twins who would be more than willing to get one step closer to being on the 25-man roster for the organization.
     
    Here are some brief profiles on a few of the candidates but there is always a chance of another player proving his worth in the rest of spring training.
     
    Sean Burroughs, 3B: The former first-round pick has been on quite the roller coaster ride during the last few seasons. After getting mixed up with drugs and alcohol in the mid-2000s, he found himself completely out of baseball and struggling with life. He has overcome those problems and he made his way back to the big leagues with the Diamondbacks in 2011. Burroughs has a chance to challenge Danny Valencia for playing time at third but at this point that could be a long shot. In 2011 Gardenhire seemed to put Valencia in the doghouse on multiple occasions and Burroughs could be waiting in the wings if that happens again this season. He could also provide a veteran bat off of the bench and this could be his last chance to succeed on baseball's biggest stage.
     
    Brian Dozier, SS-2B: After a break-out minor league season in 2011, the Twins and their fans have been keeping a close eye on Dozier so far this spring. With a pitching staff composed of "pitch-to-contact" pitchers, the Twins saw in 2011 how important defense up the middle can be for the success of the team. There have been some questions about whether Dozier will be able to stick at shortstop for the long-term but it looks like the Twins will give him every opportunity to succeed at that position this spring. Jamey Carroll was brought in on a two-year contract to fill the gap at shortstop but a hot start from Dozier could leave the Twins with little choice but to bring him to Minnesota. Dozier isn't required to go on the 40-man roster until the end of the 2012 season but there are good odds he will be making his debut in the coming year.
     
    Jared Burton, RHP: If the Twins want to fill Zumaya's roster spot with a right-handed pitcher, there are plenty of options in camp for the Twins. One of those options comes in the form of Jared Burton who joins the Twins out of the Reds organization. He has seen some success in the past by posting a 2.92 ERA with a 1.289 WHIP and 94 strikeouts from 2007-2008. The last couple of seasons have been spent trying to recover from injuries such as a thyroid dysfunction, a strained oblique, and a shoulder problem. Now he has a clean bill of health and the Twins will be looking for plenty of arms to step-up and earn a spot in the 2012 bullpen. Even if Burton doesn't make the squad when the team leaves Fort Myers, he could be one of the first options to join the team when there is an injury.
     
    The Twins won't be forced to make this decision on this 40-man roster spot for at least a couple more weeks. This will give each of the above listed players plenty of time to prove they belong one step closer to the big leagues for 2012. With everything he has gone through, the sentimental pick might be the Burroughs comeback story. But the team did struggle to find bullpen options last year, so Burton or another pitcher could be given a chance to start the year. Dozier would be the long-shot at this point; but if the team thinks they will add him later this year, the odds could swing more in his favor.
  6. Cody Christie
    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MEN91q2weg0/T1OmFEAiBWI/AAAAAAAABHI/xWKOZXlzyBE/s320/SpanFall.png

    The Twins are only three games into their Grapefruit League schedule but Denard Span is making sure to put all of his concussion worries behind him. Over the course of the last handful of days, Span has been forced to make numerous plays on the ball that could be troublesome for a player who suffered a concussion last year. Even with all of these rough plays, Span has not suffered any major setbacks and he has started this spring off on the right foot.
     
    The first incident took place during a simulated game on Thursday, which was played on a side field next to Hammond Stadium. Trevor Plouffe was at the plate and he hit a ball that looked to be heading over the fence in center field. Span went back on the ball looking to make a play and he crashed into the fence at almost full-speed. Other than a busted lip from hitting the chain-linked fence, he seemed to be fine following the incident. He would continue to workout with the team for the rest of practice with no lingering effects.
     
    More tests came for Span in the Twins' first action of the spring against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. In the third inning Span went back on a ball and made a falling catch on the warning track. This caused him to get up a little slow but he was able to shake it off and stay in the game. The very next inning he was forced to battle the sun and the wind to make a falling catch. He was very successful from the offensive side of the plate in the game as he went 2-3 with two singles. The more promising sign might have been that both of his hits came after he made the falling catch on the warning track.
     
    The Twins had a split-squad schedule on Sunday with games against Boston and Tampa Bay but four plays from the team were staying back to work on some hitting at Hammond Stadium. Span was one of those players along with Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Josh Willingham. The team has another game on Monday at home so all of these players should be back in the line-up in front of the home fans.
     
    Span tried to make multiple comebacks after he suffered a concussion in the middle of last season. He missed most of the month of June and all of the month of July before making his first comeback at the beginning of August. During that month, he would play nine games before before some other complications forced him to sit out until the last week of the season. In September, he played three complete games and he also played in two partial games. He played a vital role in the Twins 1-0 win in the last game of the season by smacking a double to start the ninth inning and he would eventually score the winning run.
     
    At the time of Span returning to the field with only a handful of games left, it seemed like a questionable move for the Twins because there was a chance he could get hurt again. But by returning to action, he was able to prove to himself that he could get on the field. In those five appearances, he batted .278/.278/.611 with two doubles, two triples, and four runs scored. He seemed to fit back into the top of the Twins line-up as he helped the team to finish out a miserable season. It would have been easy to skip out on those games but Span wanted to prove to the team and to himself that he was able to stay on the field.
     
    The Twins will keep an eye on Span as the spring training schedule continues to play out in the coming weeks. Span has passed quite a few tests in the first handful of opportunities and the hope is that the team won't have to worry about him once the season begins. For the Twins to be successful in 2012, Span is one of the key pieces that needs to be in the line-up on a more regular basis. He is the table setter ahead of the bigger bats in the middle of the batting order and his success can go a long way to determining how the Twins will perform this year.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Original Post from http://nodaktwinsfan.com
  7. Cody Christie
    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FpKkyGDAhMo/T1TtwjjjYPI/AAAAAAAABHQ/jVPsfEuFQMg/s320/SkinnyMorneau.JPG

    When I opened to the front page of the Sunday sports section in the Star Tribune, there was one photo that stood out to me. Justin Morneau was shown taking a swing on a pitch (see photo above) and his size is noticeably different from previous years. This was only one photo from a spring training game but there have been other photos that have trickled out of Fort Myers that show more of the same; Morneau has lost some weight off of his frame.
     
    In one of his initial conversations with reporters he told the assembled media that he changed some of his diet to lose weight and reduce stress on his body. By taking some weight off of his frame, there should be less pressure on his joints and other parts of the frame of his body. For example studies have shown that for each pound of body weight lost, there is a four-pound reduction in knee joint stress.
     
    Besides the concussion issues that plagued Morneau for the last two seasons, there have also been plenty of other medical issues for the Canadian power hitter. His list of injuries from last year saw him suffer through a pinch never in his neck, numbness in his left hand, and left wrist soreness. When the Twins shut down Morneau in September of last year, he was forced to undergo surgery for his left wrist, bone spurs in his right foot, and a cyst in his left knee. One of the hopes for Morneau is that he will be able to avoid some of outlying injuries.
     
    In the middle of May, Morneau will turn 31-years old and the future can be scary for a player who has missed big chunks of the last three seasons due to injury. At Morneau's age, a change of diet can be a good thing for his future health and longevity in the sport of baseball. But one of the downsides to a slugger losing weight is the fact that power hitters use their body to generate a lot of their power. The loss of some of his weight could make it harder for Morneau to smack the ball around the park.
     
    Will there be an impact on his production? Or are the Twins just hoping he will stay healthy and on the playing field?
     
    The Twins have Morneau under contract for the next two years so it would be good to see him get back to his former self. After not having Morneau in the line-up for giant chunks of the last three seasons, the hope could be to just get Morneau on the field for a greater portion of the 2012 campaign. Having a slightly less productive version of Morneau on the field could be better than having no Morneau at all.
     
    Fans of another Minnesota team are familiar with one of their star players losing a little weight and finding success on the field. Kevin Love changed some of his diet and took off a few pounds for the lockout shortened NBA season. This change in his body type has lead to some outstanding production on the court as Love is coming off of his recent All-Star appearance. He is averaging a career high in points per game with over 25 per game and he continues to be a rebounding machine with close to 14 rebounds per game.

    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AhR_yAiUD9E/T1WIBZorYFI/AAAAAAAABHg/NOlDwjFJXFA/s320/skinnykevinlove.jpg

    It could be a career year for the skinny version of Love and Twins fans would be thrilled with a career year from the new skinny version of Morneau. A career year might be too much to expect from the Twins former MVP for the 2012 season but fans can still hope to see more of a healthier Morneau. The Twins need to be able to score more runs then they did in 2011 and they need Morneau in the middle of the line-up in order to get those runners across the plate. Fat or skinny, it doesn't matter; the Twins just want a healthy Morneau for all of the coming season.
  8. Cody Christie
    It's hard to believe that another week has gone by and the Twins are one step closer to beginning their 2012 season. The first Grapefruit League action for the Twins will take place on Saturday and it sounds like Joe Mauer, Denard Span, and Justin Morneau could all be available to play. Span ran into the center field wall during a simulated game on Thursday and as of right now he only had a cut lip to deal with. Fingers are crossed that he will show up to the facility on Friday without any lingering effects from the collision.
     
     
    All of the minor league players for the Twins are due to report to Ft. Myers on Tuesday of next week. This means the complex in southwest Florida will be overrun by Twins players and coaches from all levels of the farm system. With the severe winter weather that hit a good portion of Twins Territory this week, the Florida sun is sounding pretty good right about now.
     

    The company formerly known as Twins Train has switched their name to Territory Train. They have a variety of great trips scheduled for 2012 so make sure to check them out.
    The top high school pitching prospect for next year's draft supposedly hit 100 mph in his first start of the year. Talk about getting the year off to a good start.
    The tenth inning stretch has a recap of the Twins B game from Thursday.
    Seedlings to Stars composed their first 2012 MLB Mock Draft for the First Round and the Supplemental Round. Who will the Twins snag at number 2?
    Seth Stohs is preaching patience with the bullpen and he had some great guests during his podcast on Tuesday night.
    One of the most valuable pieces of sports memorabilia ever is up for auction.
    After the social media world blew up from some of Morneau's comments, he made some clarifications following a few days of working out with the team.
    Glen Perkins posted a picture of himself with a shark and he made NotGraphs because of it.


    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H8-xEMu10V0/T1AUHh7AjkI/AAAAAAAABHA/lJfV6yxGQh0/s320/GlenPerkinsShark.jpg


    Twins Fan From Afar asks the question, "Did Joe Mauer-- and Twins Fans -- need his 2011 season to happen?"
    Ozzie Guillen is already making headlines in Miami.
    The New Britain Rock Cats were sold to an investment group earlier in the week.
    The Fort Myers Miracle are going to be celebrating their 20th season this year and they have special caps in honor of the milestone.


    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uBSEHaqonI4/T1AOxW2DF4I/AAAAAAAABG4/ix3cJyhfcW8/s320/Miracle20thAniv.png


    A former Twins first round pick retired earlier this week but he never played for the Twins organization.
    The Yankees can't find a better spot than the bathroom to take their team pictures?!?!
    Jose Mijares switched teams this offseason but he still couldn't figure out how to get to spring training on time.
    Twinkie Town wonders if Trevor Plouffe can be the player the Twins need him to be.
    The writers over at Puckett's Pond have been busy with their "Back to Baseball" series so make sure to visit their page and check it out.
    Twins Rubes has started a series call "Our Stadium Adventures." The first post was on Target Field and the second installment was on Safeco Field.

    My Weekly Rundown
     

    Monday: Zumaya's injury leaves right-handed hole to fill
    Tuesday: How long will Dozier stay in the minors?
    Thursday: Tough schedule could put Twins in early hole

    Video of the Week: A tip of the cap to the blog Classic Minnesota Twins! for their post with this video earlier this week. It is Kent Hrbek as a guest on the David Letterman Show all the way back in 1987. The Twins were coming off their first World Series Championship and Hrbek had some fun stories to tell.
  9. Cody Christie
    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--jvPqmEC0Vk/T07zkszcmtI/AAAAAAAABGw/2-kEtGFuqe0/s320/twins-yankees.jpg

    One of the downfalls of having an unbalanced schedule in MLB is that teams will end up facing a lot of competition from the other divisions in their league earlier in the year. For the Twins this means a healthy dose of the AL East and AL West to start the 2012 campaign. The AL East has three of the top teams in the entire American League and the AL West has put together two of the best rosters at the top of that division for 2012. This leaves the Twins with a lot of tough competition when their season gets underway at the beginning of next month.
     
    The Twins start the year in Baltimore but almost all of the rest of the month is against teams that won 86 or more games during 2011. The Angels, Rangers, and Red Sox make trips to Target Field in the first month of the season. An east coast road trip sees the Twins visit New York and Tampa Bay. The month ends with a west coast swing into Los Angeles to face the Angels for the second time in the month.
     
    Overall, it looks like a very tough schedule to start the year so here's a brief look at each of these teams. Following a 99-loss season, the Twins will want to get off to a good start but it could be hard with the teams they will be facing off against.
     
    Los Angeles Angels
    2011 Record: 86-76
    2011 vs. the Twins: 6-3
    April schedule vs. Twins: 9th, 11th, 12th, 30th
    The Angels made some of the biggest waves in the offseason free agent market by bringing in Albert Pujols and CJ Wilson. After seeing the success of the Rangers during the last two seasons, the Angels are looking to unthrone Texas from the top of the AL West. Top prospect Mike Trout could provide a lift to an aging outfield but recent reports have him starting the year in the minor leagues. By the fifth full week of the season, the Twins will have played the Angels nine times with six of those contests coming at Target Field. In the early part of the year, these teams will be very familiar with one another so it will be interesting to see how the match-up shakes out.
     
    Texas Rangers
    2011 Record: 96-66
    2011 vs. the Twins: 3-5
    April schedule vs. Twins: 13th, 14th, 15th
    The Rangers made some of their own noise in the free agent market by paying a kings ransom to sign Japanese phenom Yu Darvish. Former Twins closer Joe Nathan was also lured away to Texas for the opportunity to fight for a World Series title before his career is over. The Twins first weekend series of the year at Target Field is a three-game set with Texas and this could mean Nathan coming out of the bullpen in center field. During the last two seasons, the Rangers have represented the American League in the World Series and they look poised to make the playoffs again in 2012. These two teams won't face each other again until the later months of the season so it will be interesting to see how much these team's change in the middle portion of the year.
     
    New York Yankees
    2011 Record: 97-65
    2011 vs. the Twins: 6-2
    April schedule vs. Twins: 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th
    A four-game series in the Bronx was probably not very high on the Twins early season wish-list but that was the way the schedule was put together. Unlike the other teams listed above, the Yankees didn't make a huge mark on the free agent market but that doesn't mean that they weren't busy with other moves. The biggest free agent signing for the Bronx Bombers was in the form of Hiroki Kuroda a 37-year old starting pitcher. Other than this signing the Yankees also traded away top prospect Jesus Montero for pitching phenom Michael Pineda from the Mariners. The Twins have struggled with the Yankees in recent years and Yankee Stadium has been full of horrors for the Twin Cities squad. Here's hoping the Twins find a little early season luck in the Big Apple.
     
    Tampa Bay Rays
    2011 Record: 91-71
    2011 vs. the Twins: 7-3
    April schedule vs. Twins: 20th, 21st, 22nd
    The Rays have become the model franchise for small market teams with their ability to develop young talent and produce a winning baseball team. Tampa's front office usually stays away from messy free-agent deals because they have the talent in their system to replenish the major league squad. Carlos Pena will make a return trip to Tampa Bay and he represents the biggest offseason signing for the Rays. A stocked rotation with David Price, James Shields, and Jeremy Hellickson will only get deeper with the edition of top pitching prospect Matt Moore. With all of their talent, the Rays will be picked to finish near the top of the AL East for the fourth year in a row.
     
    Boston Red Sox
    2011 Record: 90-72
    2011 vs. the Twins: 5-2
    April schedule vs Twins: 23rd, 24th, 25th
    After a heartbreaking end to the 2011 season, the Red Sox will be looking to get 2012 off to a positive start. Manager Terry Francona left the team following the team's collapse and veteran manager Bobby Valentine replaced him. The only multi-year free agent signing for the Red Sox was former Twins utility-man Nick Punto but they also brought in outfielder Cody Ross to add some depth to their line-up. One of the biggest questions facing this team in spring training a starting rotation that ranked 13th in innings pitched pitched last season with only the ninth best ERA in the AL. The offense should continue to produce if the team can find away to hold the other team from scoring. A rough start by the Red Sox at the beginning of 2011 was the talk of baseball and the team will be looking for some positive conversations to start 2012.
     
    With 16 straight games against this tough competition, the Twins could find themselves looking up in the standings before the team ever faces a AL Central foe. Of those 16 games, 15 of them come in a stretch without a single off day. The Twins could be in good shape for the rest of the year if they can find a way to get out of April without digging themselves a giant hole in the standings.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Original Post from http://nodaktwinsfan.com
  10. Cody Christie
    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q9yTJA0HubY/T0u2kqT2SdI/AAAAAAAABGo/0my5j4SyCow/s320/Dozier+Twins.jpg

    One of the Twins biggest offseason investments was in the form of 38-year old middle infielder Jamey Carroll. The versatile free agent was brought to the organization to help solidify a middle infield that waffled through a gargantuan amount of issues in 2011. He seems to get better with age and the Twins are hoping their two-year investment in the elder statesman can continue to lead to success from this player.
     
    Some look at Carroll as the stopgap to another middle infielder who is working his way through the minor league system of the Twins. Last season Brian Dozier found great success on the field in his time with the Miracle and the Rock Cats. In 2011, he led the Twins organization in runs scored (92) and triples (12) and was third in hits (157), stolen bases (24) and total bases (241). This performance led the Twins to honor him with the team's Minor League Player of the Year Award. Dozier is a former 8th round pick of the Twins back in 2009 and he has spent the last three seasons moving his way up to the Double-A level.
     
    Since he has never seen time at the Triple-A level, there is a good chance he will start the 2012 season in Rochester. But what happens if he gets off to a hot start with the Red Wings? How long would the Twins wait to call him up?
     
    In the middle of May, Dozier will turn 25 and this comes out of the fact that he was drafted out of college and this makes him a little older than some of the other top prospects for the Twins. Many of the other top prospects that he played with in New Britain have already made their debut with the Twins at the end of last year. Joe Benson and Chris Parmelee were both call-ups in September but they had each been in the Twins system for longer than Dozier and they were higher draft picks. Dozier started the 2011 campaign with Fort Myers and the situation was different for Benson and Parmelee. Benson played all of 2011 with the Rock Cats and Parmelee got a taste of New Britain in 2010 and ended up back there for all of 2011.
     
    Out of all of the players in the same draft as Dozier, none of them have made their debuts with the big league squad. Kyle Gibson, the team's first round pick from 2009, seemed like he was on his way to debuting in 2011 but an elbow injury kept him from reaching the MLB level. Chris Herrmann, the club's best catching prospect, has shown the organization a lot of positive things over the last three years but he might still be a year away from making it to Target Field.
     
    The organization was impressed with the way that Dozier handled himself in the Arizona Fall League at the beginning of this offseason. In 26 game for the Mesa Solar Sox, Dozier hit .296/.358/.454 with 27 runs scored and 11 extra-base hits. In an interview on 1500 ESPN on Monday, Paul Molitor talked about Dozier needing to work on his consistency and this could be one of the reasons the team decided that Dozier needed time in the AFL. If he can continue his patient approach at the plate, the consistency should follow him to the start of his big league career.
     
    In a farm system in desperate need for middle infielders, Dozier stands out as the one player most ready to make an impact for the Twins in 2012. In search of other middle infielders, the Twins have switched Eddie Rosario, one of the organization's top prospects, from outfield to second base. All of last season was spent in the Appalachian League with Elizabethton for Rosario so he still has multiple seasons before he could make it to the big leagues. This move might help the Twins with their long-term plans but right now Dozier is the one middle infield prospect who looks ready to become a major league player.
     
    How long will fans have to wait for this to happen? Only time will tell...
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Original Post from http://nodaktwinsfan.com
  12. Cody Christie
    Well spring has sprung across the baseball world. Pitchers and catchers from MLB teams have reported for duty in Florida and Arizona. The position players for the Twins have also made their way to Ft. Myers and the team will begin full squad workouts in the coming days.
     
    It is a great time of year to be a fan of baseball. There is hope in the air and every team is on an even playing field. There can be surprises around every turn and no one knows who will take home the World Series Trophy at the end of the year.
     
    I got my season tickets delivered this week and I got to pick out seats for Opening Day at Target Field. The offseason is over and it is time to get the 2012 campaign underway.
     
    Enjoy this weeks version of "Friday Links-N-Thinks" with plenty of headlines coming out of camps at this early juncture of spring training.
     

    To correspond with the start of a new season, a brand new Twins mega-site was launched by the TwinsCentric crew. Make sure to bookmark Twins Daily as some of my work has already been featured on the site.
    A Minnesota Twins fan has made the top 30 finalists for the MLB Fan Cave. Lindsay Guentzel is headed to Arizona to see if she can make it to NYC for 2012.
    The Twins Armchair GM looked at the Keith Law's Top 50 prospects for the June Draft and how the Twins will fare with the number two pick.
    In preparation for the draft, Seth Stohs took a look back at the Twins draft history since 1987.
    NBC's Hardball Talk site gave Ron Gardenhire the quote of the day earlier this week.
    Over at Twins Rubes, they tackled the issue of who should start in CF for the Twins.
    After I posted the Rays terrifying new mascot in last weeks links, they have a promotional giveaway that might be just as scary.
    Twins Fan From Afar tries to decide what the Twins should do with Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Brian Dozier at the start of 2012.
    The Twins haven't had an All-Star left fielder since before I was born.
    Former Twins prospect Wilson Ramos showed up to Nationals camp with a new tattoo as a reminder of the horrific events surrounding his kidnapping in Venezuela.


    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z2U8jAZbyLI/T0bE40f7RKI/AAAAAAAABGY/JKhzcfqxNSo/s320/RamosNewTatoo.jpg

     

    Everyone kind of already knew the Yankees didn't push themselves to win the division in 2010. They were content getting healthy and playing the Twins in the first round.
    Former Twins infielder Cristian Guzman found his way back into the AL Central.
    Prospect list continue to trickle out with Baseball America releasing their top 100. Miguel Sano is high on the list but who else joins him?
    Is there one postseason award the Twins could be favored for this year?
    Seedlings to Stars tried to make sense out of the new CBA and how it will impact the 2012 MLB Draft.
    Puckett's Pond posted about the players who are out of options for the Twins and there is a good chance that not all of them will make the team.

    My Weekly Rundown:
     

    Monday: Twins will use Nathan's blueprint for Zumaya
    Tuesday: Blackburn shooting for a bounce back season
    Wednesday: To block the plate or not to block the plate?
    Thursday: Twins headlines turned into Oscar movie plots: 2012 edition

    Video of the Week: As I mentioned before, Lindsay Guentzel is trying to be one of the fans selected to watch every MLB game this season from the comfort of the MLB Fan Cave. First she made the top 50 finalists and now she has qualified for the top 30. This means she is getting closer to representing Twins Territory on a big stage. Here is a look at her audition video:
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Original Post from http//nodaktwinsfan.com
  13. Cody Christie
    Last year I had fun writing a post about two of the things I am passionate about, the Twins and the Academy Awards. It was a fun post for me to compile and I got positive feedback from multiple sources after last year's post. With the Oscars around the corner and spring training already started in Florida, I figured it was time for another rendition of my "Twins headlines turned into Oscar movie plots."
     
    Below you will find all of the films nominated for Best Picture in this weekend's ceremony and a Twins plotline that connects to that film. I hope you enjoy the following.
     
    Lights, camera, action...

    The Artist
     
    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PguB5faDmEA/T0W-K_ZOUvI/AAAAAAAABFQ/AwhXBZazxlI/s320/Slide1.jpg


    Plot Summary: In Hollywood during the year 1927, a silent movie star George Valentin wonders if the arrival of talking pictures will cause him to fade into oblivion. As the movie goes on, he sparks with Peppy Miller, a young dancer set for a big break.
     
    Twins Plot: A former top prospect tries to find a spot on the Twins roster before he fades into oblivion. Could he beat out a younger third baseman for the starting role in 2012? Only time will tell if the veteran player has enough to make an impact.

    The Descendants
     
    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lhKigOCmJFc/T0W-QYExlFI/AAAAAAAABFY/l4937VpkJr0/s320/Slide2.jpg


    Plot Summary: A land baron tries to re-connect with his two daughters after his wife suffers a boating accident. The eldest daughter informs the father of his wife's extra-marital activities and he sets out on a path to find his wife's lover.
     
    Twins Plot: A center fielder tries to re-connect with his team after he suffered an accident at home plate last season. He tells the team that he is ready for the rigours of the season and he sets out on a path to prove the doubters wrong.

    Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
     
    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NP0T8JkYqY4/T0W-hRhGbRI/AAAAAAAABFg/Fo94Amfx0yM/s320/Slide3.jpg


    Plot Summary: A nine-year-old amateur inventor, Francophile, and pacifist searches New York City for the lock that matches a mysterious key left behind by his father, who died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
     
    Twins Plot: A 23-year-old former first round pick, outfielder, and speedster searches the Target Field outfield for any balls that come his way. He follows in the footsteps of other great center fielders like Puckett and Hunter as he tries to find his place in the big leagues.

    The Help
     
    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8EH91bya-Us/T0W-0Pc87PI/AAAAAAAABFo/0PeipvzvCFs/s320/Slide4.jpg


    Plot Summary: An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African-American maid's point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.
     
    Twins Plot: An aspiring shortstop during a rough time for the Twins is asked to take over a role in the outfield. His transition to this new position could be "the help" that the organization needs to succeed in 2012.

    Hugo
     
    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UOMjV7kSmVM/T0W_Fxtco8I/AAAAAAAABFw/mJKeOPeHk0I/s320/Slide5.jpg


    Plot Summary: Set in 1930s Paris, an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station is wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton. The mystery he uncovers jeopardizes his secretive way of life.
     
    Twins Plot: The secretive way of life for this superstar player was brought into question during the previous year. The organization is paying him to be the face of the franchise and to perform on the field. Can this young man step out of his secretive ways and lead the team?

    Midnight in Paris
     
    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w4dy63tS6Pc/T0W_Q2cZAQI/AAAAAAAABF4/s-uEA4WuxY0/s320/Slide6.jpg


    Plot Summary: A family travel to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple who are forced to confront their differing views of a perfect life. A young man finds out there is plenty of truth to the phrase about the grass being greener on the other side.
     
    Twins Plot: A player travels to another country to try and succeed after a disastrous year. His view of a perfect life has fallen apart in the last 12 months and he will try to see if the grass can get greener on the other side.

    Moneyball
     
    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WpHV1dLfS00/T0W_dLMJ7_I/AAAAAAAABGA/UopY_6ig_sU/s320/Slide7.jpg


    Plot Summary: Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to put together a baseball club on a budget by employing computer-generated analysis to compile his roster.
     
    Twins Plot: The Twins turned the reigns over to their former GM to try and scale back the payroll while still producing a winner on the field. He was able to lead the team to success in the past but how will he fair during his second time around?

    The Tree of Life
     
    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MU24UXrjKII/T0W_pbwUJJI/AAAAAAAABGI/8MoxuElI64g/s320/Slide8.jpg


    Plot Summary: A family with three boys growing up in the 1950s has to deal with an overbearing father. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence and is changed for the future.
     
    Twins Plot: A former MVP slides into second base and sees his entire life changed for the future. He must deal with the nagging effects of concussion symptoms as he tries to prove to the team he can still succeed on the field.

    War Horse
     
    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WPfR2Q3-EUg/T0W_0ieXklI/AAAAAAAABGQ/KBwvuefVKGA/s320/Slide9.jpg


    Plot summary: Young Albert enlists to serve in World War I after his beloved horse is sold to the cavalry. Albert's hopeful journey takes him out of England and across Europe as the war rages on.
     
    Twins Plot: The Twins enlist a variety of players to try and piece together a bullpen that can find success on the field. There is a full cavalry of players in camp for the team and it is hard to know who the team will turn to in the late innings.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Original Post from: http://nodaktwinsfan.com
  14. Cody Christie
    Original post from http://nodaktwinsfan.com
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    One of the hottest topics across the baseball universe as pitchers and catchers have reported is surrounding whether catchers should block the plate. The Giants suffered a major blow last season when their budding superstar Buster Posey was bowled over at home plate by outfielder Scott Cousins. As a result of the collision Posey suffered a broken leg and ligament damage that required multiple surgeries to repair the damage. The Giants offense suffered without their star and the manager of the Giants felt that changes needed to be made for 2012.

    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zeD5_88el9k/T0RMnNl4faI/AAAAAAAABEw/95WNdofUJ4M/s320/buster-posey-injury.jpg

    On Monday Giants manager Bruce Bochy announced that Posey would no longer be blocking the plate. He told reporters that the decision was "out of Buster's hands," and he went on to say, "As a manager, that's my job. I certainly don't want people to think he's backing off on his own. It's something we'll work on with him this spring." Bochy is a former catcher so there might be lessons he could teach his young catcher about the art of making plays at the plate.
     
    The Twins have millions and millions of dollars tied up in their MVP catcher so the thought of Joe Mauer getting taken out at the plate is a scary thought for fans to process. Twins General Manager Terry Ryan told the Star Tribune that Mauer wouldn't be told to stop blocking the plate. The Twins claim that their All-Star catcher knows plenty of techniques to help protect himself in event of a collision. But even knowing this, there will be a collective gasp from Twins Territory every time there is a collision involving Mauer.
     

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1RixgKLmfYE/T0RaYzZAR8I/AAAAAAAABFA/iTQwhZzX9J8/s320/jackson_mauer.jpg

    The debate over plays at the plate has intensified with the spotlight shining so brightly on Posey's return to the Giants. Executives from across baseball have discussed a potential rules change and it seems there are strong opinions on both sides of the issue. Regardless of all of the talk, it seems that a rule change will not be coming in the near future. Even though the play at the plate can be dangerous, it is part of the history of the game and it is very hard to make a significant change to the rules in baseball.
     
    After Posey's ugly injury last year, I wrote a piece about the debate over collisions at home. In that post I took a look at the history of plays at the plate. The most famous home-plate collision came in the 1970 All-Star Game when Pete Rose charged into Ray Fosse. Fosse's left shoulder was injured on the play and he, at age 23, was never the same player again.
     
    At the end of July in 2004, the White Sox and Twins found themselves in the heat of a pennent race. That heat would turn into an all-out fire when Torii Hunter leveled White Sox catcher Jamie Burke on a play at the plate. Burke would suffer a mild concussion as a result of the hit he took at the plate. The Twins would be spirited by this play and some look at the collision as the turning point for the team on the way to their third consecutive AL Central Division Championship.

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bZURUbs2M7c/T0Tk0A-lOuI/AAAAAAAABFI/ejtOaXzznBY/s1600/ToriiHunterCollision.jpg

    In the end the question still remains, should catchers block the plate or should they try to avoid collisions?
     
    The moral of the story seems to be for catchers to be smart about how they go about blocking the plate. If catchers are taking the proper precautions and setting themselves up in the proper position, the risk of injury can be greatly reduced. Sometimes the speed of the play and the throw to the plate can put a catcher in a precarious position. It is important for the catcher to also know the tendencies of the runner who is coming in hard. Will that runner slide to try and avoid a tag or is that runner not planning on slowing down until he crosses the plate?
     
    Teams like the Twins and the Giants have a lot invested in keeping their catchers off of the disabled list. The debate will continue in regards to plays at the plate but for now it looks like they are still part of the baseball world.
  15. Cody Christie
    Original Post from http://nodaktwinsfan.com
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    It seemed no one was safe from the plethora of injuries suffered by Twins players in 2011 as it seemed to hit every part of the roster. From position players to the pitching staff, there was hardly anyone who was safe from the injury bug. One of the players that missed a big chunk of the second half of the year was Nick Blackburn. In the midst of a multi-year contract extension, Blackburn was limited to 148.1 innings and 26 games on the mound.
     
     
    After averaging 200 innings pitched in 2008 and 2009 with a 4.04 ERA, the Twins locked up the rest of Blackburn's arbitration eligible years by signing him through 2013 with a club option 2014. Since Blackburn was still under team control for multiple seasons, a long-term contract extension seemed a little pre-mature. The Twins wanted to make a commitment to him and the results of this commitment have not been the greatest.
     
     
    The 2010 campaign was a nightmare for Blackburn as he suffered through inconsistencies on the field and he was even sent back to Rochester at one point in the year. For the months of June and July, Blackburn posted an ERA of over 10.00 and he finished with a record of 1-6 in those months. After his pit stop in Rochester, the numbers did improve slightly to leave hope open for Blackburn entering the 2011 season.
     
     
    Blackburn started the 2011 season slow out of the gate as he fumbled his way to a 1-4 record in the first month of the year with a 5.14 ERA and a 1.643 WHIP. The month of May would be his best month of the 2011 season as he pitched a season high 42.2 innings. Over the course of the month, he posted a 2.53 ERA with an outstanding 1.102 WHIP. The rest of the season would be a downhill fall before ending up on the disabled list with a right forearm injury.
     
     
    This leaves the Twins with plenty of questions entering the 2012 season. What can they expect from Blackburn? Can he stay healthy and on the field for the entire season? Is there any way he can get back to pitching the same way he did in 2008 and 2009?
     
     
    On the FanGraphs.com website there are two player projection estimates for Mr. Blackburn as the 2012 season is about to begin. Bill James has him pitching 162.0 innings to the tune of a 6-12 record over the course of 28 starts. Using the James estimation system, Blackburn would finish with a 5.00 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP during the coming season. The other prediction tool on FanGraphs is from RotoChamp and it aligns pretty closely with the Bill James projection. RotoChamp has Blackburn finishing with a 9-9 record, a 4.44 ERA, and a 1.52 WHIP in 160 innings pitched.
     
     
    Almost all of the Twins starting rotation will be free agents at the end of the coming season. The only member of the projected starting rotation that has a contract for next season is Blackburn. Francisco Liriano, Carl Pavano, Scott Baker, and Jason Marquis will all need to show the Twins they are worthy of another contract during the 2012 season. Blackburn doesn't have this immediate burden on his shoulders but he could still be looking to the future. Following the 2013 season, the Twins will have a club option on Blackburn for $8 million. The Twins need to see more of the Blackburn from the early part of his career to make that option a little easier to swallow.
     
     
    The Twins are never going to look at Blackburn as the ace of their staff but he can provide productivity as a fourth or fifth starter. Some of the other pitchers on the staff are looking directly at free agency but Blackburn needs to show the Twins he was worth the investment they made in him a few seasons ago. 2012 should be the year for him to turn the corner and for him to prove his doubters wrong.
  16. Cody Christie
    One year ago the Twins were working with a relief pitcher who wanted to show he had fully recovered from an elbow injury. Joe Nathan had spent the last year trying to recover from Tommy John surgery. He hadn't been on a mound in a major league regular season game since the playoffs in 2009. When pitchers and catchers reported to spring training, he was ready to show the team everything he had and he told the team that he didn't "want to be babied if I don't need it."
     
     
    Fast-forward to 2012 and the Twins find themselves in a very similar situation. There is a hard throwing relief pitcher who is trying to come back from a major injury to his elbow. Joel Zumaya hasn't been on a mound in a major league game since his horrific injury at Target Field in 2010. Now he is in camp for the Twins and he is ready to prove he can regain the form he showed during his rookie season in 2006. He is in the similar mindset as Nathan as he told the team, "Don't baby me; I'm here to go full out now." The coaching staff stated on Sunday that they would take a similar approach to Zumaya as they did with Nathan in 2011.
     
     
    For Nathan there were many milestones along the way as he tried to prove to the Twins that he belonged as the team's closer. These milestones started in the spring with his first bullpen session, his first game action, and they would eventually lead to his first regular season action. The Twins knew the mindset of Nathan and this would lead him to be very eager to get back on the field. Ron Gardenhire and the Twins coaching staff put together a plan for easing him back in because they wanted to avoid another injury to a key piece of the bullpen.
     
     
     
    Even with the cautious approach towards Nathan there were some speed bumps in the early part of 2011. He struggled in the first month of the season as he ended April with an ERA of 10.00 with two blown saves out of five opportunities. He turned the closing duties over to Matt Capps to try and help the team be more successful. By June he would find himself on the disabled list with right elbow soreness but he found his way back in the second half of the season. His ERA dropped from 5.82 in the first half to 3.91 in the second half and he posted a 1.000 WHIP.
     
     
    Nathan found out during the regular season that he would need to change his approach as a pitcher. The Nathan that Twins fans were accustom to seeing on the mound threw hard most of the time to try and retire the batter. The post-Tommy John Nathan would need to use more than just fastballs to get batters out. During last year, I wrote this post about some of the changes in pitch speed from Nathan. It looks at him before the injury, at the beginning of 2011, and later in the season.
     
     
    The Twins have plenty they can learn from Nathan's injury and apply it to their situation with Zumaya. During the 2011 Grapefruit League schedule, Nathan appeared in seven games for a total of 6.1 innings pitched. Not all of these outings were good but he showed enough for the Twins to give him the closers role. In 2012 the Twins won't be looking at Zumaya for the closers role so that takes a little of the heat off of him. If the Twins are following the same type of plan with Zumaya then fans can expect to see him make about seven appearances during the spring schedule.
     
     
    Another interesting aspect for fans to watch will be how the Twins approach the use of Zumaya during the regular season. There has been some talk of the Twins not using him in back-to-back games at the start of the regular season. If the Twins are going to get a healthy season from Zumaya, it will be important to watch his workload. He has not pitched over 40 innings in a season since 2006 and the Twins will need more from his right arm in 2012.
     
     
    In the end, the Twins were given a blueprint for handling relief pitchers trying to comeback from a major elbow injury with Nathan during last year. Both of these pitchers didn't want to be babied but the Twins are still going to take a cautious approach. Zumaya could be one of the most valuable assets the team added this offseason but there won't be any value gained if he doesn't make it out of spring training as a healthy pitcher.
  18. Cody Christie
    The Minnesota Twins announced the signing of outfielder Carlos Quentin to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league camp. The 33-year old last appeared in a game for Tacoma, the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. His last big league appearance was in 20014 with the San Diego Padres.
     
    The former two-time All-Star was first round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2003. He played parts of two seasons at the big league level in Arizona before being dealt to the Chicago White Sox for Chris Carter. His debut season in Chicago was his best as he hit .288/.394/.571 with 36 home runs and 100 RBI while finishing fifth in the American League MVP vote. His 36 home runs were one behind Miguel Cabrera for the league lead.
     
    Quentin would make another All-Star team in 2011, his last year in Chicago. The White Sox would trade him to the Padres in the offseason. Injuries limited him to averaging under 75 games played per season in San Diego. In 2014, he batted just .177/.284/.315 and he has long been a below-average defender. Plus, there have been just three times in his career where he's played in 100 or more games in a season.
     
    Entering the 2015 season, he was sent to Atlanta as part of the deal that brought Craig Kimbrel and Melvin Upton to the Padres. The Braves released him and he signed with Seattle before retiring last May. He cited chronic knee injuries as his reason for stepping away from the game before his 33rd birthday.
     
    During his nine-year career, he hit .252/.347/.484 while hitting 13 home runs or more in six consecutive seasons. From 2008-2013, he hit .260 with an .860 OPS while averaging 30 homers per 150 games.
     
    At this point, it seems like Quentin is being added as organizational depth and he'll have to prove himself healthy and ready with Rochester. There are already plenty of first base and corner outfield options on the Twins roster including Joe Mauer, Byung Ho Park, Eddie Rosario, Miguel Sano, and Oswaldo Arcia.
     
    It seems hard to see him cracking the Opening Day roster unless the injury bug hits the team hard in Florida.
     
    What are your thoughts on the signing? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.
  19. Cody Christie
    President Barack Obama will be giving his final State of the Union address on Tuesday evening. He is entering the last year as the Commander and Chief and most Presidents like to paint a picture of hope for the future before their term is over. The Twins gave fans hope last year as they were relevant in the final weeks of the season for the first time in half a decade.
     
    Let's imagine we are all sitting down to hear a message directly for Twins Territory. What is the State of the Union for the Minnesota Twins?
    ---------------------------
    Mr. Ryan, Mr. Molitor, Members of Twins Territory, My Fellow Americans:
     
    We are over a decade and a half into this new century. Sixteen years ago the Twins were wallowing after years of futility in the AL Central. Things looked bleak and it was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. At that time, a young core of players was on the horizon and a new manager took over for the most famous manager in team history. There was hope and hope would result in multiple division championships as the team moved to Target Field.
     
    From there things would turn dark. Players moved on, young talent didn't produce, and the club found themselves back at the bottom of the American League. It was hard to stay positive in these dark times. However, the night is always darkest before the dawn.
     
    But this season, we turned the page. This season, after a breakthrough year for the Twins, our team found themselves relevant when other's assumed they would continue to dwell in the cellar. Our prospects have arrived and some were even better than expected. Our pitcher's earned run average is now lower than before the losing season crisis. And we are as free from the Yankee dynasty as we've been in almost 20 years.
     
    This season, for the first time since 2010, our team was in playoff contention in the second half of the season. Six years ago, the team was composed of veteran players like Morneau, Cuddyer, Hudson, Thome, and Pavano. Today, the team includes Sano, Buxton, Rosario, Gibson, and Dozier. We salute the sacrifice made by the previous generation. We are grateful for your service because you paved the way for the current generation of players.
     
    Twins Territory, for all that we have endured; for all the losses and meaningless second half games required to improve; for all the improvements that are still on the path, know this: The shadow of the of the losing crisis has passed, and the State of the Twins is strong.
     
    In this hour -- with a blooming farm system, disappearing losses, a new direction -- we have risen from the losing crisis with a brighter future than in any time in our generation. It's up to the organization to decide on the path for the team to follow over the next decade and for decades to come.
     
    Will we accept the years of futility that have plagued our past? Or will we commit to a new order that generates a winning attitude that palpitates throughout the baseball universe?
     
    Will we approach the coming seasons with the thoughts of dread and fear that rang through Twins Territory in previous years? Or will we recapture the winning spirit of 1987 and 1991 that united the Twin Cities and Twins Territory with a common goal and purpose?
     
    In under four weeks, the pitchers and catchers of our organization will report to Florida with a new sense of purpose. And in the weeks ahead, the position players will join them. There will be decisions to be made and checklists to follow as the roster is whittled down to the final grouping.
     
    It begins with our minor leagues. Six years ago, Miguel Sano was waiting to sign a contract. His prospect status was high. There were questions about his age. For a young Dominican player, this should be the greatest time in his life. The hope of getting his family out of poverty was within his grasp.
     
    As questions about his age arose, Miguel's contract offers had all but disappeared. As Major League Baseball investigated his actual age, it looked like he'd have to take what every offers were left over. The Twins looked past all of this and gave the young slugger an opportunity. There was promise in his bat and his future looked bright.
     
    "I'm very thankful to get this chance to sign with the Twins," Sano said at the time. "I'm going to work very hard to try and get to the majors in two years."
     
    His estimation was not quite correct but these types of lofty goals were what would help put the team back on the right track. This is the type of attitude that has now become an expectation in the organization. Hard work will result in positive changes and eventually new winning ways.
     
    Twins Territory, a culture of winning has begun. Over the last three seasons, there have been multiple championships won in the Twins system. The Elizabethton Twins won the Appalachian League in 2012. The Fort Myers Miracle won the Florida State League in 2014. The Chattanooga Lookouts won the Southern League title in 2015. Winning is happening and it is happening now.
     
    Names like Dalton Hicks, Niko Goodrum, Adam Brett Walker, Max Kepler, DJ Baxendale, and Brett Lee have been part of all three of these championship teams. Top prospects Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton, and Jose Berrios were part of those rosters at different times. Winning is contagious and changing a losing culture starts with a fresh crop of players.
     
    My first son was born this winter and he has yet to know a baseball season. I want him to grow up in world where the Twins are consistently relevant. Where a fan base can cheer their club to multiple division championship on their way to long playoff runs. That we can overcome the losses of our past and that he can grow up in a united Twins Territory.
     
    My fellow baseball fans, we, are a strong and passionate force. We have made it through the hard times. The dust has settled and a new sun is rising on the horizon of winning ways. This club will get better and this organization is ready to burst from the cellar. Let's start the winning together-- and let's start the winning in 2016.
     
    Thank you. God bless you. God bless this game we love. Thank you.
  20. Cody Christie
    Ranking prospects within an organization is no easy task. The internet has opened up a wave of new information for writers as they can analyze video, sort through higher-level statistics, and prioritize scouting reports from a plethora of experts. This level of information can be overwhelming at times but it helps to separate prospects at different levels.
     
    One of my favorite parts of working on the 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook is looking at the old prospect lists from yesteryear. It's entertaining to see some of the players that were once thought of as being near the top of the Twins organization. Seth's lists go further back than Jeremy and I and that can be even more entertaining. His 2008 Top-4 Twins prospects included Deolis Guerra, Tyler Robertson, Anthony Swarzak, and Kevin Mulvey.
     
    I started my blog in the spring of 2010 so my first prospect list was for the 2011 season. There are some very familiar names on the list and some other names that have disappeared from the baseball world. "Where Are They Now?" will help to find out how these top prospects are doing at this point in their careers.
     
    1. Miguel Sano, 3B
    2015 Team (Level): Minnesota Twins (MLB), Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
    Entering the 2011 season, Sano was just coming off his first professional action in the Dominican Summer League and the Gulf Coast League. I already had high hopes for the young slugger even though he only had just over 200 ABs under his belt. In 2015, Sano made his big league debut and finished in third place in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting. He was named the Minnesota Twins team MVP even though he only played half of a season. Next season will be his first full season at the big leagues and his future looks bright.
     
    2. Kyle Gibson
    2015 Team (Level): Minnesota Twins (MLB)
    The Twins had been aggressive with Gibson back in 2010. He pitched at three different levels from High-A all the way up to Triple-A. Using his college experience, Gibson had pitched well with an ERA under 3.00 and most Twins prospect lists had him as one of the top choices entering the 2011 campaign. This past season Gibson was named the team's best starting pitcher after he lead the team in most statistical categories. He had to overcome Tommy John surgery and some struggles at the big league level but he has established himself as one of the Twins best pitchers before his 28th birthday.
     
    3. Aaron Hicks
    2015 Team (Level): Minnesota Twins (MLB), Rochester Red Wings (AAA)
    Hopes were still high for Hicks following the 2010 season as he had established himself as one of the best prospects in the game. Baseball America had Hicks as the 19th best prospect in baseball and Baseball Prospectus had him ranked 26th. Since that time, Hicks would put together other strong seasons in the minor but his MLB time was a little underwhelming. For the 2015 campaign, he made subtle strides on the offensive side of the ball and his defense continues to be strong. The Twins traded Hicks to the New York Yankees this offseason for catcher John Ryan Murphy.
     
    4. Joe Benson
    2015 Team (Level): Gwinnett Braves (AAA), Binghamton Mets (AA)
    After the Twins took Benson with their second round pick in 2006, he had established himself as one of the team's top prospects. He had hit 27 home runs between Double-A and High-A before being asked to play in the Arizona Fall League. Benson would debut with the Twins in 2011 but he has yet to be back to the big league level. He's bounced around from organization to organization including the Rangers, Marlins, Mets, and Braves. Last year, he played the entire season at Triple-A with the Braves and he hit .248/.351/.361. Minnesota signed Benson as a minor league free agent so he will be back in the organization for the 2016 campaign.
     
    5. Alex Wimmers
    2015 Team (Level): Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
    Wimmers and Gibson were both first round draft picks with similar college experience. This gave Twins fans some great expectations for Wimmers especially after a some strong numbers with Fort Myers in his professional debut (1 ER, 0.70 WHIP, 23 K, 15.2 IP). His trip through the Twins organization has been rocky at best. There have been some high moments but his issues with control have deterred him from living up to his first round draft status. The last two seasons he has been over a year and a half older than the competition at his level while splitting time as a starter and reliever.2016 will be big if he wants to stay in the Twins organization.
     
    6. Ben Revere
    2015 Team (Level): Philadelphia Phillies (MLB), Toronto Blue Jays (MLB)
    At the end of the 2010 season, Revere would make his big league debut before becoming an MLB regular in 2011. Revere, another first round pick on this list, showed the ability to make consistent contact in the minors while stealing bases and playing strong outfield defense. He would become a fan favorite during his couple years playing in Minnesota before being dealt to the Phillies for Trevor May. He's stolen 30 bases or more in four of his last five seasons and he lead the NL in hits back in 2014. Philadelphia dealt him to the Blue Jays at the end of last season to help with their playoff run.
     
    7. Oswaldo Arcia
    2015 Team (Level): Minnesota Twins (MLB), Rochester Red Wings (AAA)
    Arcia was already showing his power potential in 2010 as he finished the season with a 1.096 OPS for Elizabethton in the Appalachian League. He wouldn't debut with the Twins until 2013 and he would crank 20 home runs at the big league level in 2014. Arcia is still in the Twins organization but he struggled through 2015 to the point where he wasn't given a call-up last September. With the emergence of Miguel Sano and the addition of Byung Ho Park, it will be interesting to see what kind of role Arcia will have in 2016. He could be a good power option off the bench.
     
    8. Liam Hendriks
    2015 Team (Level): Toronto Blue Jays (MLB)
    Hendriks played at both Low- and High-A for the Twins in 2010 before getting on the fast track to the big leagues in 2011. He'd debut as 22-year old and win nine games as a 23-year old but he'd be out of the Twins organization following the 2014 season. Since then, he has pitched in the Royals and Blue Jays systems. Last year, he was a very effective relief pitcher for the Blue Jays as they went on to win the AL East. This offseason he was traded from the Blue Jays to the Athletics for pitcher Jesse Sanchez.
     
    9. Kyle Waldrop
    2015 Team (Level): None
    Waldrop had just made his debut during the 2011 campaign following back-to-back seasons pitching at Triple-A. He'd appear in 24 games for the Twins between 2011 and 2012. He'd pitch one more season professionally in the Pirates organization but he never made it back to the big leagues. Waldrop hasn't pitched at any level since 2013.
     
    10. Max Kepler
    2015 Team (Level): Minnesota Twins (MLB), Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
    Kepler was coming off his professional debut back in 2010 but he was part of a strong international signing class that included the aforementioned Sano. Kepler seemed to have all the tools necessary to be a five-tool prospect but there were a lot of unknowns surrounding a young player that spent time developing in Europe. He would spend most of his minor league years around the edge of the Twins top-10 prospects before a magical 2015. Kepler was outstanding this season on the way to making his big league debut. He was named Southern League MVP and he helped the Lookouts to win the league's championship.
  21. Cody Christie
    The champagne is on ice and it's almost time for the ball to drop in Times Square. 2015 will move over to make way for 2016 and it will be time for resolutions and the hope of a new year.
     
    The Twins offered plenty of hope to their fan base in 2015. After four straight seasons with at least 92 losses, many major media sources expected the Twins to again finish near the bottom of the AL Central. Thankfully, they were wrong and the Twins surprised many by staying in the playoff hunt until the final week of the season.
     
    Here is a look at five of the top stories that surrounded Minnesota in 2015.
     
    Molitor Takes the Reigns
    The Twins don't like change when it comes to their manager. The last two managers in Minnesota, Tom Kelly and Ron Gardenhire, combined to manage from 1986-2014. Paul Molitor invigorated the Twins clubhouse on the way to an 83-79 record. He did all of this despite the Twins have no one in the top 10 in the American League in batting average, home runs, RBI, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, strikeouts, or ERA. Because of all of this, Molitor finished third in the balloting for the American League Manager of the Year Award.
     
     
    Twins In Playoff Hunt
    When a team has lost over 90 games for four consecutive seasons, it's refreshing to have a club back in the playoff hunt. Minnesota wasn't eliminated from postseason contention until the second-to-last day of the season. The club used a historic May record of 20-7 to finish the month in first place. It was the first time the organization won at least 20 games in a month since 1991. With 83 wins, the club finished with an above .500 record for only the second time in the Target Field era.
     
    Hunter Plays Final Season Back Home
    Not all fans were excited about the Twins giving over $10 million to an aging Torii Hunter last offseason but the Twins wanted to add his veteran leadership to what would turn out to be a young clubhouse. By most accounts, Hunter played better than expected and finished the year with 22 home runs and 81 RBI. Shortly after the season ended, Hunter announced that he would be retiring to spend more time with his wife and family. He played 12 of his 19 seasons in a Twins uniform.
     
    Perkins, Dozier Named All-Stars
    Even though the Twins were one of the top teams in the AL during the first half of the season, it looked like the club was only going to have one representative at the Midsummer Classic. Glen Perkins didn't blow a save in the first half of the season and he was an easy choice for his third consecutive All-Star Game. Brian Dozier had to fight his way into the game as he was included on the Final Vote candidate. He wouldn't get in through this method but he'd be named as an injury replacement to cap off a week where he finished one of the most dramatic wins in recent Twins history. Both players impact the All-Star Game as Dozier hit a home run and Perkins closed out the win for the AL.
     
    Top Prospects Debut
    Big names prospects like Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton earn legendary status before ever seeing a big league pitch. Sano lived up to the hype as he collected 18 home runs, 17 doubles, and 52 RBIs in 80 games on his way to being named the team's MVP. Buxton's debut didn't come with as much flare as Sano but he's still considered one of the top prospects in the game. Eddie Rosario made an impact as he attained double digits in home runs, doubles, triples, stolen bases, and outfield assists. Tyler Duffey made a big impact on the mound winning five games to help keep the team in the hunt. Max Kepler was given a September call-up after being named the Southern League MVP and helping the Lookouts to win the league's championship.
     
    Baseball is a game of hope and the Twins offered their fan base plenty of hope in 2015. It would seem the team is trending in the right direction for 2016 with a more experienced manager, a young core, and a chance to get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
     
    Raise a glass to toast 2015 and let's keep hope alive for an even better 2016 in Twins Territory.
  22. Cody Christie
    Tis the season... well it's not baseball season but fans can still be in the baseball mood. Back in 2010, I wrote a version of this poem that had become a little outdated after half a decade. The Twins had a different manager and GM at the time and the team's biggest offseason move was bringing in Tsuyoshi Nishioka.
     
    So here is an update version to help us survive this holiday season. May your holiday be filled with plenty of blessings (and maybe a free agent signing by the Twins).
     

    Twas the night before Christmas, when all through Target Field



    Not a worker was stirring, for every door had been sealed;


     

    The stockings were hung by the dugout with care,



    In hopes that a free agent soon would be there;


     

    Every fan was nestled all snug in their beds,



    While visions of championships danced in their heads;


     

    And Terry Ryan in his 'kerchief, and Molitor in a cap,



    Seem to be spending the offseason on a long winter's nap;


     

    David Price had signed and still no deals had been made,



    On many fans minds this problem heavily weighed;


     

    When out on the field there arose such a clatter,



    Ryan sprang from the bed to see what was the matter;


     

    A star from Korea with a bat that could bash,



    Left fans hoping that his contract wouldn't be too brash;


     

    Target Field lay under the new fallen snow,



    While the rest of the offseason moves seemed to come slow;


     

    When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,



    Thoughts of new pitcher would let the fans cheer;


     

    Molitor wants a new team with power in their swings,



    With hopes that it will result in multiple rings.


     

    Hunter retired after much fortune and fame,



    A title in the Central will be hard to reclaim;


     

    The team is young and expectations are high,



    2015 was great but now it's time to say goodbye ;


     

    There are roster quandaries as youth starts to take hold,



    For Twins Territory, the losing was getting old;


     

    With the new year, changes will come,



    It is still hard not to feel glum;


     

    A star pitcher would make the fans clamor,



    Or a bullpen pitcher who can drop the hammer;


     

    The wish list is long for fans this holiday season,



    Trying to overcome the Royals is definitely the reason;


     

    Fans want a plan so they can be merry,



    Because making no moves seems all too scary;


     

    A Christmas signing wrapped in a bow,



    Could make up for this excess of snow.


     

    Back to sleep I will go with the hope of a good dream,



    For the Twins will continue to be our baseball team;


     

    There is still plenty of offseason to make things right,



    Until then "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night."


  23. Cody Christie
    The final touches are being put on the 2016 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook and fans can look for ordering details shortly after the new year. In the aftermath of writing profiles on every prospect in the Twins system, it's hard not to get excited about the direction the team is heading in 2016 and beyond.
     
    Predicting the future can be a tough task when it comes to prospects especially when trying to decipher who will part of the next playoff team in Minnesota. There are a plethora of high-end prospects ready to make an everyday impact but the crystal ball can be a little murky when gazing into the future.
     
    Let's do our best to try and have our own lightsaber Force vision of the future. When the Twins are ready to make consistent playoff runs, what will the line-up look like in 2018?
     
    Catcher: This position is one of the hardest to get a read on as we look into the future. The Twins have a group of young catchers moving through the system. Mitch Garver, Brian Navarreto, and Alex Swim could all play well enough to get some big league playing time. For now, it seems like Stuart Turner will be the team's likely option at backstop. The Twins have been aggressive with him during his time in the organization and he could make his big league debut this season. He has an experienced approach at the plate but his offense isn't his calling card. Turner is a defensive first catcher but that could be enough to give him the starting job by 2018.
    2018 Prediction: Stuart Turner, Back-Up Plan: Mitch Garver
     
    First Base: It's crazy to think Joe Mauer's contract will come to an end at some point but that's exactly what will happen after the 2018 season. Mauer can be a free agent as he will be in his mid-30s at the time with the potential to still have some baseball in front of him. It's hard to know if that future will be in Minnesota but there doesn't seem to be a situation where he won't be part of the line-up in 2018. There will be other options on the roster. Newly signed Korean slugger Byung Ho Park has experience at first and he could be getting more playing time at first in the next few years. As Miguel Sano continues to grow into his body, it wouldn't be surprising to see him end up playing at first as well.
    2018 Prediction: Joe Mauer, Back-Up Plan: Byung Ho Park
     
    Second Base: Brian Dozier is coming off an All-Star season but he's struggled offensively in the second half of 2014 and 2015. Minnesota just signed him to a deal through 2018 and he will be 31 years old by the end of that deal. This makes it pretty easy to hypothesize that Dozier will still be there by 2018. The Twins do have other infielders making their way through the system. Jorge Polanco has ranked high on Twins prospect lists and he's had a brief taste of the big leagues. There are some questions about his defensive abilities at shortstop so a switch to second base might be just what the doctor ordered. If Polanco continues to show promise, the Twins might be willing to deal Dozier before his contract expires.
    2018 Prediction: Brian Dozier, Back-Up Plan: Jorge Polanco
     
    Third Base: The Twins have seen Trevor Plouffe evolve into a very good player at third base. The former first round pick will be a free agent before the 2018 season so it seems likely that the organization will part ways with him. This could mean a shift for Miguel Sano back to the hot corner. There is talk from the Twins of Sano playing some outfield this season and that might be the only way to get all of their sluggers in the line-up at the same point. Sano will be entering his fourth big league season and he could still have something to prove if he hasn't played a ton of third base up to this point in his career. While someone like Polanco could switch from shortstop to third, the other options at third might be someone like Trey Cabbage.
    2018 Prediction: Miguel Sano, Back-Up Plan: Jorge Polanco
     
    Shortstop: Shortstop has been a black hole in the Twins organization. The Twins have added multiple players like Nick Gordon and Wander Javier over the last couple seasons to try and turn a weakness into a strength. Javier signed for a ton of money but he won't be ready by 2018. This means the Twins future shortstop could be left in the hands of Nick Gordon. He has the potential to be an All-Star and a top-of-the-order hitter. The Twins have been aggressive with him so far in his professional career so it wouldn't be a surprise for him to spend the 2018 season as the club's primary shortstop. Engelb Vielma is another top-20 prospect that has all of the defensive skills to stick at the position. If Gordon isn't ready in '18, look for Vielma to fit the role.
    2018 Prediction: Nick Gordon, Back-Up Plan: Engelb Vielma
     
    Right Field: Minnesota's 2018 outfield could be littered with talent. Top prospects like Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, and Eddie Rosario will all need homes especially if they establish themselves as everyday players. All three of these players have shown the ability to play center field so two of them will have to get pushed to the corners and combine for a solid defensive grouping. Kepler seems like the logical choice for right field since he could grow into his body more and he's played the position in the minor leagues. After being named the team's minor league player of the year, hopes will be high for Kepler but he has the chance to be an All-Star. A back-up plan could be slugging outfield Adam Brett Walker especially if he keeps mashing home runs.
    2018 Prediction: Max Kepler, Back-Up Plan: Adam Brett Walker
     
    Left Field: With Kepler occupying right field, Eddie Rosario gets the reigns to left field. Rosario is coming off a very good rookie campaign where he showed some positive signs at the plate. If he can continue to develop offensively, he could nestle snugly into a everyday player that fits nicely into the second half of the line-up. Walker would be another back-up option for this position as he has played both corner outfield positions during the last two seasons. A middle of the order with Sano, Park, and Walker could be a murder's row for opposing pitchers in the American League.
    2018 Prediction: Eddie Rosario, Back-Up Plan: Adam Brett Walker
     
    Center Field: The land once occupied by the likes of Kirby Puckett and Torii Hunter seems close to becoming the land of Byron Buxton. Baseball's top rated prospect for much of the last two seasons should be a regular by the time the 2018 season roles around. He has all the skills to be a five-tool player and he could be on his way to multiple All-Star appearances and potential MVP awards. There is still a lot left for him to prove but most of the baseball world seems confident that Mr. Buxton will be able to put it all together to be a well above-average player.
    2018 Prediction: Byron Buxton, Back-Up Plan: Max Kepler
     
    Designated Hitter: When Minnesota signed Park this offseason, they made sure to refer to him as a designated hitter. Twins general manager Terry Ryan made reference to his ability to play first base but the Twins have another player entrenched at first base so this means Park will have to get playing time at another spot. There are also plenty of other names on this list that could fill into a DH role by 2018. Mauer might be aging too much to play first base or a combination of Sano and Walker could definitely add some power to the DH role. As long as Park adjusts well to baseball in the States, it seems like the DH role is his to lose.
    2018 Prediction: Byung Ho Park, Back-Up Plan: Mauer/Sano/Walker
     
    What would your 2018 line-up look like? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.
  24. Cody Christie
    Over at Twins Daily, we have been counting down the Twins system's top prospects as part of our midseason update. This allows for players like recent first round pick Tyler Jay to fit into the Twins overall prospect rankings. There is plenty of depth in the Twins system so there are some very good players outside the top 10 rankings.
     
    Some players like Byron Buxton and Eddie Rosario will likely use up their rookie eligibility this season and graduate out of the rankings. This means other players just outside the top 10 will find themselves in the mix for a higher ranking spot during the coming off-season.
     
    These are my rankings so there are some differences from the Twins Daily compiled list (Alex Meyer was in the top 10 at Twins Daily and he checks in at number 12 below). Check out the rankings below and feel free to start a conversation about these players in the comment section.
     
    11. Lewis Thorpe, LHP
    2015 Level(s): N/A (Tommy John surgery)
    Thorpe had Tommy John surgery this spring and will miss all of the 2015 season. This still takes nothing away from the type of impact pitcher he could be. He's still a teenager so at this stage missing an entire season shouldn't impact his long-term potential. Thorpe was almost four years younger than the other pitchers in the Midwest League last season. He's a player to be excited about and he should be back in the Twins Top 10 Prospects by the end of the season.
     
    12. Alex Meyer, RHP
    2015 Level(s): AAA, MLB
    It hasn't been the start to the 2015 season that Alex Meyer imagined. After struggling in the rotation to begin the year, Meyer has been moved to the bullpen to regain some confidence. Things have been going well for Meyer so it will be interesting to see if the Twins use him as a bullpen arm the rest of the season or if they will move him back into the rotation. The Twins are going to want him to be a starter but that might not be the role he is destined for at the big league level.
     
    13. Chih-Wei Hu, RHP
    2015 Level(s): High-A, AAA
    Hu burst onto the scene last season by compiling some stellar numbers at Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids. He's pitched most of this season at Fort Myers with even better results. The Twins have so much confidence in him that they allowed him to make a spot start at Rochester. Hu was six years younger than the average age of the other pitchers in the International League. He's not going to blow people away but he could be a good middle of the rotation starter.
     
    14. Adam Brett Walker, LF/RF
    2015 Level(s): AA
    Walker hits the ball and he hits it a long way. There are some issues with making consistent contact as his strikeout numbers continue to rise as he moves through the Twins system. On a team that includes Miguel Sano and Max Kepler, he's leading the minor leagues in home runs. There are some flaws with his game and that's one of the reasons he isn't ranked higher. Because of those flaws, it will also be interesting to see how the Twins approach his promotions for the rest of the season.
     
    15. Tyler Duffey, RHP
    2015 Level(s): AA, AAA
    Duffey pitched his way from High-A to Triple-A in 2014. This left some high expectations for him entering the 2015 campaign. He pitched very well in the Southern League to start the season and has since gotten the bump up to Rochester. There have been a few hiccups since his promotion but he's still only 24 and he's seen his strikeout rate make a big jump this season. If that trend continues, he could get a chance to start with the Twins in the next couple years.
     
    16. Nick Burdi, RHP
    2015 Level(s): AA
    Burdi opened the year in many Twins Top 10 lists. He's collegiate record and success last season made many think he'd be a fast riser in Minnesota's system after the team took him in the second round a year ago. Things have gone poorly this season as Burdi is walking a lot of batters and giving up hits by the bushel. The batters are more experienced at Double-A but Burdi's going to need a strong second half or he might drop out of the Twins Top 20.
     
    17. Travis Harrison, RF/3B
    2015 Level(s): AA
    Harrison can get lost in the shuffle of some of the bigger named power prospects in the Twins system but he continues to compile some decent numbers. He's moved through the system consistently and his slugging percentage is over .400 again this season after being below that mark last year. Harrison's playing right field for the first time in his career and he's already matched his career high with three outfield assists. He could still surprise some people if he makes some subtle improvements.
     
    18. Taylor Rogers, LHP
    2015 Level(s): AAA
    The 2014 season marked the first time in his career that Rogers didn't pitch at multiple levels in the Twins system. He still put up some strong numbers at Double-A and the team rewarded him with a trip to the Arizona Fall League to face some of the best prospects in the game. He pitched well in the AFL and some of that experience has helped him to be successful to start the 2015 campaign. Rogers might never make a Twins rotation but he's left handed and he continues to find success.
     
    19. Stuart Turner, C
    2015 Level(s): AA
    Turner has struggled offensively to start 2015 but the Twins have a lot riding on some of the younger catchers in the organization. In fact, the Twins took three catchers in the first nine rounds of the 2013 draft. Turner's real claim to fame is his defensive skills and ability to call a game. Some of his offensive struggles could be from the Twins moving him aggressively. Time will tell if he can make the adjustments and turn himself into an everyday big league catcher.
     
    20. Felix Jorge, RHP
    2015 Level(s): Low-A
    Jorge struggled so much during his stint with Cedar Rapids last season that the Twins sent him back to Elizabethton. This year has been much improved as Jorge has been a mainstay in the Kernels' rotation while showing better control and command of the strike zone. Minnesota might have to take the slow and steady approach with Jorge but there's enough upside to keep an eye on him.
  25. Cody Christie
    As the 2012 MLB Draft approached, there were plenty of rumors swirling about who the Astros would take with the first overall pick. Byron Buxton was considered by many talent evaluators to be the best available player but the Astros had surprised people before and other names had popped into the discussion.
     
    On draft night, the Astros steered in a different direction than Buxton by selecting Puerto Rican shortstop Carlos Correa, who shot up draft boards in the week prior to the draft. Houston was able to sign him for a below slot value and this allowed them to go over slot later in the draft for a pitcher like Lance McCullers.
     
    Minnesota was happy to have Buxton still on the board at number two as he had been the player they were targeting since their dreadful finish in 2011. Minnesota had to pay full slot value for their prized possession but they were more than willing to cover this costs. Buxton was quickly rated as one of the best prospects in the game and he has continued to rank highly over the last three seasons.
     
    Buxton and Correa have each dealt with some ups and downs during their professional careers. However, each player seem destined for success at baseball's highest level.
     
    Correa got off to a slow start while playing in both rookie leagues during his professional debut. In 50 games, he hit .258/.305/.400 with 19 extra-base hits in 190 at-bats. He did show offensive improvements after making the jump from the GCL to the Appalachian League.
     
    Buxton followed a similar path to Correa in his professional debut. Like Correa, he struggled in the GCL before making some strong strides in the Appalachian League as the Elizabethton Twins headed towards an Appy League Championship. Buxton hit .248/.344/.448 with 19 extra-base hits in 189 plate appearances.

    Correa and Buxton continue to follow each other in 2013 as each debuted in the Midwest League. Correa played the entire season at Low-A but he improved all of his offensive numbers. He finished the season hitting .320/.405/.467 with 45 extra-base hits over 450 at-bats. His defense also improved as he posted a .973 fielding percentage at shortstop.
     
    Buxton started the season in the Midwest League but unlike Correa, he would only play half the season at Low-A before being moved to High-A. Overall, Buxton emerged as the best prospect in the game by hitting .334/.424/.520 with 49 extra-base hit and 55 stolen bases in 488 at-bats. Buxton also played tremendous defense in center field.

    The 2014 season would be marred by injures for both players. Correa was limited to 62 games after he fractured his fibula. Buxton suffered multiple wrist injuries and his season eventual ended after a brutal concussion in the outfield during his Double-A debut. He was limited to 31 games and another 13 games in the Arizona Fall League.
     
    After shortened 2014 seasons, Correa and Buxton are healthy and back on the field and showing why they are considered two of the best prospects in the minor leagues. Correa played so well at Double-A (.327/.398/.607) that he's already made his Triple-A debut and some Astros fans are clamoring for him to make his big league debut as soon as possible. Buxton has played the entire season at Double-A while hitting .262/.329/.497 in 191 at-bats.

    Even with some injury concerns taking away playing time, it looks like Correa and Buxton are both have the potential to be budding superstars. Correa's value continues to rise and his current path could have him making his MLB debut before Buxton. After a slow start, Buxton has seen his offensive numbers improve over the last month and one has to wonder how long the Twins will wait to move him up to Triple-A.
     
    Correa and Buxton's careers have just barely begun and it will be fun to look back over the next decade as each player progresses. The Astros had a tough decision back on draft night in 2012 but it looks like both teams might come out as winners with Buxton and Correa.
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