Cody Christie

As a nine-year old boy going to my first big league game, I tried to soak in everything around me. The sounds of the game, the smells of the Metrodome, and the feel of the warm hot dog in my hand were all part of my exposure. This was an experience like nothing I had felt before and I wanted to cherish every moment. When my family got back to the car, the first thing I did was grab everyone's ticket stub. Maybe they reminded me of the boxes of trading cards I had in my room at home. Maybe they were a cheap way for me to remember the events of the day. Either way it was the start of something more.To this day, I have kept at least one ticket stub from every MLB game I have attended. However, the future is changing and the ticket stub is slowly dying. Ticket stubs are a physical representation of childhood and historical memories. Kirby Puckett's walk-off hit, Target Field's first game, or even the 2014 All-Star Game are all important Twins memories and they are all stubs I proudly display. As technology has increased, the use of actual printed tickets from professional sports teams has declined. Fans can print out their tickets at home or have them sent to their phone. As the Vikings open US Bank Stadium this fall, all season ticket holders will only have electronic versions of their tickets. Major League Baseball wants to see the end of the traditional ticket stubs sales. According to Market Watch, in 2012 "the traditional ticket stub accounted for less than a third of single-game seats sold this past season, down from 55% in 2011." This number will only continue to shrink as most fans have apps on their phones like Apple's Wallet or the MLB Ballpark App that make it easy to transfer tickets at the click of a button. Bob Bowman, President of Business and Media of Major League Baseball, knows it will still take time for there to be a complete shift away from paper tickets. "It's been a tradition of 100 years, and some traditions die harder than others," he said. In 2014, the Los Angeles Dodgers all but did away with paper tickets. They called it a fan enhancement because fans could transfer tickets easily to friends, clients, or sell them on the secondary market. Some fans even started petitions to bring back their paper tickets. When Clayton Kershaw tossed a no-hitter later that year, the Dodgers printed commemorative tickets for their season ticket holders. I recently interviewed Dave St. Peter, the Twins President, about the shift in the ticket market. He said, "Including 'Print at Home' capability, roughly 35% of our total tickets are in electronic form. Less than 10% of our current tickets are used via a mobile device." When I asked him if he sees a time when all MLB tickets will be electronic, he said, "That's certainly a goal, but it's going to take some time for it to become reality." St. Peter went on to say, "The Twins will continue to migrate more fans to digital tickets in 2017 and beyond." However, "That being said, current plans call for 'Print at Home' capability to remain an option." The owner of FAN HQ, a Minnetonka based chain of sports apparel and memorabilia, Shaun Hagglund told me, "It's too bad hard tickets are going the way of printer tickets or even electronic tickets." He continued by saying, "Not only did they serve as a personal memento for a game attended, they were also unique items to have autographed by players who made an impact in a particular game or had a milestone event- first game, 3,000 hit, etc." Ticket stubs will always be part of baseball's history. They are a collector's item that continues to be harder and harder to find. Actual ticket stubs might be relegated to Cooperstown relics but that takes nothing away from baseball's past and the ticket's tiny slice of history. I was at Target Field this weekend but my tickets were in electronic form. The nine-year old kid in me looked through the stands after the game to come away with a rare relic to add to my ticket collection. The ticket stub might be on it's death bed but that doesn't mean fans have to forget about this important part of baseball history. Click here to view the article

Not every prospect is going to make it to their ultimate goal. That's the nature of baseball. However, last year's Southern League MVP Max Kepler is sure making hitting at the big league level look pretty easy. A night after becoming the fifth Twins player with three home runs in a game, Kepler cranked another one out in Cleveland. His 13 home runs since June 26 are the most in the American League (two ahead of Brian Dozier). Minnesota's 49 home runs are the most during that same stretch. Are any players following in Kepler's footsteps? Read on to find out.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 6, Pawtucket 3 Box Score With Monday's trade deadline passing, there were a flurry of roster moves that impacted the Rochester roster. Newly acquired pitchers Adalberto Mejia and Pat Light were both assigned to the Red Wings. Trevor Plouffe also joined Rochester as part of his rehab assignment. On Tuesday, Jason Wheeler didn't have his best stuff but he was still able to put the Red Wings in position to come out on top. While pitching into the sixth frame, he gave up three runs on nine hits with two strikeouts and a walk. DJ Baxendale, Sean Burnett and JT Chargois put up zeros the rest of the way to close out the win. Chargois allowed two base runners in the ninth but still earned his ninth save. Trevor Plouffe helped get things started for Rochester as he singled to start the second frame. Adam Brett Walker followed with his 21st home run. Things kept moving with Logan Schafer singling before stealing second base. Wilfredo Tovar doubled in Schafer and John Ryan Murphy capped the four-run inning with an RBI single. Schafer had a three-hit night, reaching base in all four plate appearances. He also threw out a runner for his fourth outfield assist. Plouffe finished 2-for-4 with a run scored. Daniel Palka and Byung Ho Park each added a double as part of the Triple-P (Palka, Park, Plouffe) middle of the line-up. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga --, Mobile -- (Postponed- Rain) After being rained out on Tuesday, the Lookouts sit at 56-51 on the season and 20-17 in the second half. Kohl Stewart was a tough luck loser as he threw six innings and allowed one earned run but still took the loss. Monday's trade deadline impacted the Chattanooga roster as Alan Busenitz, the minor league player included with Hector Santiago, was assigned to the Lookouts. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 5, Burlington 11 Box Score The Kernels tied things up in the top of the seventh inning at 5-5 but the bullpen imploded in the bottom half of the frame. Kuo Hua Lo allowed nine runs, six earned, on eight hits including two home runs. Sam Gibbons started and scattered six hits while limiting the Bees to two earned runs. He struck out two and walked three. Tom Hackimer pitched 1.1 scoreless innings to end the game. Even in victory, the Bees couldn't get Luiz Arraez out in this game. Arraez finished with a career-high five hits along with two RBIs. He is hitting .335 with the Kernels this year. JJ Fernandez collected his 22nd double as part of a two-hit effort. Chris Ibarra also had a double and those were the only extra-base hits for Cedar Rapids. E-TOWN E-NOTES Elizabethton 6, Princeton 12 Box Score The E-Twins offense had plenty of opportunities with runners in scoring position but the club went 2-for-16 in those situations and left nine runners on base. Shane Carrier led the way offensively by going 3-for-5 with a home run, a double and two RBIs. Alex Kirilloff, Amaurys Minier and Travis Blankenhorn all went 2-for-5 with each player adding a double. It was Kirilloff's eighth double and he's up to 21 RBIs. Blankenhorn had a very rough night in the field as he was charged with three errors, one fielding and two throwing. Add an Ariel Montesino throwing error and there were seven unearned runs scored against the E-Twins pitching staff. Tyler Wells couldn't make it through four innings and allowed six earned runs on eight hits. Alex Robinson pitched 2.1 innings and limited the Rays to one run on a solo home run. Austin Tribby was asked to get a few extra outs as four unearned runs were scored with him on the mound. Quin Grogan finished the game with a pair of strikeouts in 1.1 innings of work. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 6, GCL Orioles 1 Box Score Huascar Ynoa put the GCL Twins in a great position to win after hurling five shutout frames. He limited the Rays to one hit with five strikeouts and one walk. Onas Fanfar kept the shutout going with three scoreless frames while striking out three. Moises Gomez ran into a little trouble in the ninth by giving up a run on two hits and two walks. Garrett Kelly finished off the final frame for his second save. Every Twins hitter reached base at least once but the club didn't manage a single extra-base hit. Gorge Munoz drove in two runs as part of a two-hit effort. He also stole his fifth base. Aaron Whitefield scored three runs out of the the lead-off spot. The win moves the GCL Twins to two games over .500 and the team is in the midst of a three game winning streak. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Huascar Ynoa, GCL Twins Hitter of the Day – Shane Carrier, Elizabethton Twins WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester vs Pawtucket (6:05 CST) - LHP Pat Dean (4-6, 5.29 ERA) Chattanooga @ Mobile (5:05 CST) - TBD (Rain delay could alter rotation) Chattanooga @ Mobile (Game 2) - TBD Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30 CST) -LHP Randy Rosario (6-6, 3.60 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs Clinton (6:35 CST) - TBD GCL Twins vs GCL Rays (11:00AM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Tuesday’s games. Click here to view the article

I agree. It would be nice to get something for him.

#OldFriend alert

No point in bringing him up for a taste of the big leagues unless this team was in the playoff hunt and needed the help. If he continues pitching well, he could debut as early as next season. No reason to rush him onto the 40-man roster.

The Lookouts just sent out an email. Stewart will start today. They had some roster moves happen at the last minutes yesterday and that caused the shift in the rotation.

They were going to limit his innings at some point this season by moving him to the pen. The plan is for him to still be a starter.

Andrew Albers wasn't in the Twins organization the previous two years but he is now back and making a mark on the International League. Entering tonight's contest in Pawtucket, Albers sported a 9-3 record (97.1 innings) with a spiffy 3.14 ERA and a 63 to 23 strikeout to walk ratio. At 30-years old, Albers isn't exactly considered a prospect anymore but he has helped the Red Wings to get off to a fantastic start this season. Rochester entered the night 16 games over .500 (60-44) and they were only 2.5 games out of the wild card race. Players like Albers deserve recognition for their contributions to the Twins organization. That's one of the main reasons we write these daily minor league write-ups. Players throughout the organization deserve to be recognized for their dedication to baseball even though they won't all be superstars.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 2, Pawtucket 4 (11 Innings) Box Score The Red Wings collected seven hits but no player had more than one. In the second inning, Wilfredo Tovar doubled after a Daniel Palka walk to put two runners in scoring position. Carlos Paulino singled in both runners to give Rochester an early 2-0 but the offense went quiet from there. Andrew Albers did his best to put himself in position for his tenth win for Rochester. Albers went 6.2 innings, scattering seven hits and striking out four. It was the fourth straight start where he pitched at least six innings. Neil Ramirez and JT Chargois kept the game tied at two but Sean Burnett took his third loss after allowing a walk-off two-run shot in extra-innings. Rochester dropped to 60-45 with the loss, their third straight defeat. The Red Wings sit 6.5 games behind Scranton/WB for first in the International League North. They are also just three games back of the wild-card spot. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 9, Tennessee 13 Box Score The Lookouts tried their best to overcome a deficit that stretched to 12-0 at one point but the comeback fell short. Aaron Slegers got hit hard over two innings as he allowed six earned runs for his fifth loss. Brandon Peterson didn't fare much better by allowing four runs in his two frames. Ryan Eades slowed some of the bleeding but still gave up two runs across three innings. In the last two innings, Tyler Jay allowed the final run. With two outs in the fifth frame, Zach Granite smacked his fifth triple. Ryan Walker followed with a single to put Chattanooga on the board. Mitch Garver doubled to push across the second run of the inning. Trailing by a score of 13-4, the Lookouts pushed across five runs in the ninth. Granite, Garver, and DJ Hicks all doubled in the frame but a Stuart Turner double play effectively ended the threat. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 7, Palm Beach 1 Box Score T.J. White wasted little time putting the Miracle up in this contest. He took the first pitch of the game and cranked a 381-foot home run to give Fort Myers a 1-0 lead. White finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs. Four innings later Joe Maloney started a three-run inning with a with a solo-blast of his own. Trey Vavra and Chris Paul joined the hit parade with multi-hit nights. This offensive output was more than enough to back-up a terrific start from Randy Rosario. For only the fifth time this season, he pitched more than six innings. He allowed one earned run over 6.2 innings with three strikeouts and three walks. Luke Bard and Nick Anderson pitched 2.1 shutout innings, each allowing a hit and combining to strike out three. After losing four straight games last week, the Miracle have now won three of their last four and tomorrow they will go for a three-game sweep of Palm Beach. The club (18-5) currently sits 2.5 games behind Jupiter for the second-half title. E-TOWN E-NOTES Elizabethton 0, Pulaski 7 Box Score The E-Twins offense had a hard time getting things going against the Yankees pitching staff. Elizabethton collected three hits, went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, and struck out 14 times. Travis Blankenhorn went 2-for-4 with a double. Bryant Hayman added the other hit, a double, while Amaurys Minier reached base twice on walks. Domenick Carlini was handed his fifth loss after allowing three runs on seven hits. He struck out seven and walked one in five innings of work. Hector Lujan gave up four runs in his three frames while striking out two and walking two. With the loss, the E-Twins five game winning streak is over. The team dropped to 15-17 on the season but they have still won seven of their last ten games. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 5, GCL Orioles 4 Box Score The GCL Twins took a 5-1 lead into the eighth frame before seeing the GCL Orioles claw their way back into this one. Miguel De Jesus put the Twins in position to win by pitching into the sixth inning without allowing a run. Overall, he tossed 5.1 shutout frames with six strikeouts and three walks. Moises Gomez allowed the tying run to score in the seventh inning but earned the victory by stopping the scoring there. He allowed one run on two hits over 1.2 innings. Onas Fanfar pitched the final two innings and allowed three runs (two earned). Offensively, Tyree Davis led the charge by going 2-for-3 including his sixth double. Akil Baddoo drove in a pair of runs and scored a run. Aaron Whitefield reached base three times, stole two bases, and scored twice out of the lead-off spot. The team combined to go 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position while leaving seven runners on base. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Randy Rosario, Fort Myers Miracle Hitter of the Day – TJ White, Fort Myers Miracle WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester at Pawtucket (6:05 CST) - RHP Jose Berrios (10-4, 2.31 ERA) Chattanooga vs Tennessee (6:15 CST) - LHP David Hurlbut (7-5, 3.56 ERA) Fort Myers vs Palm Beach (6:05 CST) -TBD Cedar Rapids @ Kane County (6:30 CST) - RHP Dereck Rodriguez (2-11, 5.73 ERA) Elizabethton at Pulaski (6:00 CST) - RHP Tyler Wells (1-1, 4.80 ERA) GCL Twins @ GCL Orioles (11:00AM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Tuesday’s games. Click here to view the article

Proven closer... In a baseball world full of analytics and new statistical analysis, what does the term "proven closer" even mean? Old-school baseball minds would tell you that a "proven closer" is the player a manager always turns to in the ninth inning of a close game. He has experience collecting saves and pitching in high leverage situations. It doesn't matter the match-ups for the final frame because the "proven closer" will be out there on the mound. However, not every team has a proven closer and every closer needs to start gaining experience somewhere to earn their "proven closer" badge of honor.Terry Ryan, the Twins recently fired GM, was no stranger to this adage. Entering the 2012 season, Glen Perkins had been dominant in relief the year before but he was hesitant to give him the closer role. "He doesn't have any experience in that role," said Ryan. "I think you're wise to ultimately see if you can find a guy with experience." Perkins would serve as closer that season and he has been a three-time All-Star since 2012. Flash-forward to the 2016 season and the Twins have shuffled through multiple players at the back-end of the bullpen. Glen Perkins began the year with the closer title but he was limited to two appearances before requiring season-ending shoulder surgery. Kevin Jepsen was fantastic at the end of 2015 so he stepped back into the closer role. However, he posted a 6.16 ERA and was recently released by the club. Enter Brandon Kintzler, a 31-year old who the Brewers organization didn't want in the off-season. Since earning his first save on June 8, Kintzler has posted a 1.69 ERA and a 10 to 2 strikeout to walk ratio in 17 appearances. Opponents are slashing .238/.262/.317 and he has yet to blow a save. There's been a shift with the former 40th-round draft pick this season. In previous season's he stayed in the low to mid 90's but this season he has hit over 95 multiple times. Another significant change in 2016 has been his use of his sinking fastball. For his career, he has used this pitch 52.8% of the time but this season he has bumped that total up to 83.4%. Kintzler's sinking fastball has also resulted in 15 strikeouts this season which is 75% of all of his strikeouts this season. Over the course of his career, this pitch has been the out pitch in 53.2% of his strikeouts. He ranks third in the American League in ground ball percentage. This pitch has also been effective because he has hit nearly 96 mph with it but he can also drop it all the way down to 87.6 mph. The myth of the "proven closer" might still be out there in some baseball organizations. Kintzler has been good and hopefully someone would like to pay for Kintzler and his new closer title as the trade deadline approaches. Because he seems to have "proven" himself. Click here to view the article

Defense wins championships. While in baseball that adage might not completely apply, the defensive side of the ball is a big part of the game. Teams can make up for other holes in the roster by playing solid defense and doing some of the other little things right on the field. The Twins needed their defense to help this team to take the next step. Many of the regular players on the roster have been sub-par at their primary defensive position and this has only added to some of the first-half frustrations.During last week's All-Star Break, SABR released their updated rankings for the SABR Defensive Index (SDI). According to SABR, the Defensive Index draws on and aggregates two types of existing defensive metrics: those derived from batted ball location-based data and those collected from play-by-play accounts. The SDI rankings were updated through games as of July 10, 2016. It allows fans to compare the defense of their everyday players in relation to other players at the same position in the American League. Zero is the baseline score for SDI so a player with a positive score is doing well and a player with a negative score is not doing so well. Here are the position players that have qualified so far this year and how they compare to other players at their position in the American League. Joe Mauer, First Base SDI Score: 2.8 While Mauer's bat might have cooled off a little in recent weeks, his defense continues to be strong at first base. Mauer trails only Mitch Moreland in the AL SDI rankings for first base. This is a vast improvement over Mauer's play even as recently as last season. In 2015, Mauer posted a -0.1 SDI score and finished ranked tied for the fourth worst defensive AL first baseman. It might be tough for Mauer to catch Moreland for the top spot in the AL but he should be a Gold Glove finalist at first base. Brian Dozier, Second Base SDI Score: -4.5 I wrote about Dozier's defensive ineptitude during the off-season in hopes that he could make a turn-around similar to Jose Altuve. Unfortunately, Dozier's defense hasn't improve and he might actually be getting worse. Only Johnny Giavotella of the Angels ranks lower than Dozier according to the SDI. Last year, Dozier was able to finish ahead of only Robinson Cano and Giavotella. He finished with a -6.1 SDI score last season so it looks like Dozier will shatter that mark in 2016. Many Twins fans associate Dozier with playing good defense but that's not the case. He struggles to get to balls that are routinely gotten to by other players at his position. Eduardo Escobar, Shortstop SDI Score: -1.1 While Eduardo Nunez has taken over the full-time shortstop role, he had played over 60 fewer innings at shortstop compared to Eduardo Escobar when this update was released. Nunez will likely be featured on SDI updates the rest of the season. However, he likely won't score very well and he might not be in a Twins uniform by the end of the month. Only four shortstops in the AL have posted positive SDI marks this season. Escobar ranks fifth on the list ahead of players like Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts, and Elvis Andrus. In the final 2015 SDI rankings, Escobar finished ninth in the AL (-1.4 SDI score). Overall, he has moved up in the rankings but his score is trending in the wrong direction. Kurt Suzuki, Catcher SDI Score: -2.5 Suzuki has never been known for his defensive prowess. He has a hard time throwing out runners but Twins pitchers like throwing with him behind the plate. Suzuki currently sits in ninth place in the AL which ranks him ahead of five qualifying catchers. He was the worst ranking catcher according to SDI last season with a -8.4, a total that was more than four times worse than the next qualifying catcher. At this juncture of the season, only one everyday player has a positive score which is scary considering the state of the Twins pitching staff. Young players like Max Kepler and Byron Buxton haven't played enough innings to qualify but they both should score well in future updates. With Miguel Sano's recent struggles at third base, Minnesota's infield is almost entirely composed of sub-par defensive players. With young pitchers like Tyler Duffey and (eventually) Jose Berrios trying to establish themselves, it's imperative for the defense behind them to be strong. Right now, there are some holes in Minnesota's defense but the next month could see some changes as veteran players are dealt away. Did any of the SDI scores surprise you? Who would you put in Minnesota's best defensive line-up? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

It's getting to that point in the season where minor league teams need to decide if they are contenders or pretenders. Players get promoted and demoted but each team has the goal of reaching the playoffs and finding success in the post-season tournament. Twins minor league squads have fared well in recent years. Can this year's crop of teams live up to those that have come before them? Read on to see which teams are trending in the right direction.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 6, Durham 7 (10 Innings) Box Score It was Christmas in July night in Rochester but the Red Wings took a while to open their gifts to their fans. Darin Mastroianni led off the first inning with a triple and was driven in by a James Beresford sacrifice fly to put Rochester up 1-0 before the offense went into a Christmas freeze. Things picked up again in the eighth inning with Rochester trailing 6-1. After Wildfredo Tovar reached on a single and Logan Schafter walked, Darin Mastroianni was hit by a pitch to load the bases. James Beresford, who is in the midst of an eight-game hitting streak, drove in another pair of runs with a single. Jorge Polanco cleared the bases with his ninth home run. Pat Dean started for Rochester and allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings of work. Marcus Walden took over for Dean and gave up a pair of runs (one earned) in two frames. J.T. Chargois took the loss as he was asked to come out for a second inning of work and he couldn't make it out of the tenth. After getting the first batter to fly out, the next two men reached and he exited. Sean Burnett was on the mound when the go-ahead run was scored but it was charged to Chargois. Rochester remains 4.5 games behind first place Scranton/WB, which also lost on Tuesday night. It was the second straight extra-innings affair between these two teams with Durham winning both contests. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 3, Lakeland 5 Box Score Keaton Steele got off to a rough start in this one as the Flying Tigers pounced on him for two first inning runs. He would recover for a few innings before surrendering three more runs in the fifth inning. Steele went five frames and scattered seven hits while striking out six and walking three. His nine losses are tied for the second most in the Florida State League. The bullpen did well to keep the Miracle within striking distance. John Curtiss, Michael Theofanopoulos, and Nick Anderson combined to toss four shutout innings on three hits. None of the relief arms allowed a batter to get further than second base. It took a while for the Fort Myers offense to wake up in this one but the team tried to mount a comeback in the late innings. Alex Perez led off the eighth inning with a single in front of a TJ White walk. Following a ground out and a pop out, the runners were still in scoring position. LaMonte Wade brought them home with a three-run home run. It was the second straight loss for the Miracle after winning three straight over the weekend. The club currently sits at three games over .500 for the entire season. In the second half standings, they are 15-11 and are near the top of the Florida State League South. E-TWINS E-NOTES Elizabethton 9, Kingsport 8 Box Score If you are a fan of offense, there were plenty of fireworks in Elizabethton on Tuesday night. The E-Twins pounded out 13 hits but it took multiple comebacks for the squad to end up the victors. Elizabethton entered the sixth frame trailing 7-2 as starter Tyler Beardsley couldn't make it out of the fifth frame. He was charged with five earned runs (seven total runs) in 4.2 innings while striking out three and walking one. Quin Grogan and Johan Quezada allowed one unearned run the rest of the way to set the stage for what was to come. The E-Twins scored three runs in the sixth inning but only managed one hit in the frame, an RBI single from Alex Kirilloff. Before Kirilloff's hit, the first two batters reached with walks. Then a force attempt coaxed a throwing error by the second baseman to load the bases. A wild pitch and a ground out scored two runs before Kirilloff drove in the third run of the frame. In the next inning, the club continued their comeback. Mitchell Kranson singled and moved to second on a Caleb Hamilton walk. Andre Jernigan cracked his third double to drive in both runners and the score was now tied at 7-7. After allowing an unearned run in the top of the ninth, the E-Twins needed to find one more comeback. With one out, Jernigan reached on a fielding error to put some pressure on the pitcher. Luis Martinez flew out for the second out of the inning but Ariel Montesino walked to put the game-winning runner on base. After a pitching change, Shane Carrier ripped a double to score both runners and send the fans home happy. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 4, GCL Rays 2 Box Score After giving up a first inning run, Bo Hellquist settled in nicely for the GCL Twins. He scattered six hits over five innings while striking out seven and walking none. His season ERA dropped to 2.08 and this was his first professional victory. Hellquist, a Minnesota-Duluth product, set career highs in innings pitched and strikeouts. Garret Kelly picked up his second hold in relief of Hellquist by limiting the Rays to one base runner in two shutout innings. Callan Pearce got in a little trouble in the later innings but not enough to surrender the lead. He allowed one run, an unearned run, while striking out three and walking two in two innings. It was his second save and he has yet to allow an earned run this season. Jean Carlos Arias came up with the first big hit for the Twins. He drove in a pair of runs after Jhon Alvarez walked, Gorge Munoz was hit by a pitch and Heiker Meneses singled. This put the GCL Twins up 2-1 in the third frame. Things got a little wild in the sixth frame. Joe Cronin was hit by a pitch with one out in the inning. This was followed by a pair of wild pitches that allowed Cronin to move all the way around to third. Zach Featherstone drove him in with a sacrifice fly to push the lead to 3-1. Tyree Davis didn't want the scoring to end there. He singled and stole second before advancing to third on a throwing error by the catcher. He would come in to score on a wild pitch to cap the GCL Twins scoring for the day. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Bo Hellquist, GCL Twins (5 IP, 1 ER, 7 K, first professional win) Hitter of the Day – Tyree Davis, GCL Twins (3-for-4, 2 doubles) WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Durham @ Rochester (10:05 AM CST) – TBD Chattanooga @ Jackson (7:05 PM CST) – RHP Kohl Stewart (3-4, 3.78 ERA) Lakeland @ Fort Myers (6:05 PM CST) – LHP Randy Rosario (5-6, 3.73 ERA) Bowling Green @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CST) – LHP Lachlan Wells (2-1, 1.27 ERA) Kingsport @ Elizabethton (6:00 PM CST) – LHP Domenick Carlini (1-3, 4.71 ERA) GCL Twins @ GCL Rays (11:00 AM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Tuesday’s games. Click here to view the article

The winds of change are in the air around Target Field. The Twins removed Terry Ryan from his position as general manager. Minnesota will immediately begin their search for Ryan's replacement and the hope is to have someone new in the position by season's end. So here's where the rubber meets the road... what kind of candidates are available to get the Twins back to their winnings ways?Candidate: Jason McLeod Role: Cubs Senior VP of Player Development McLeod has worked with Epstein since the beginning. McLeod has been rumored to be a top GM candidate for years and Chicago's recent turnaround will only help push the envelope. Some of his player development successes include Dustin Pedroia, Kris Bryant, and Anthony Rizzo. He's also done a good job of finding undervalued pitchers like last year's NL Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta. If I were running the Twins, McLeod would be the candidate I would spend the most time pursuing. As recently as last season, he wondered what it would be like at the helm of his own organization. Minnesota might provide the right opportunity, with a budding farm system and talented young players already on the roster. Candidate: Ben Cherington Role: Former Red Sox GM Cherington, the man who took over for Epstein in Boston, left the Red Sox front office last August after the team hired Dave Dombrowski as the new president of baseball operations. This basically took away any decision-making power from Cherington. At the time, he indicated that he wanted a break from the baseball work and he turned down opportunities to interview for the GM openings in Seattle and Philadelphia. In his four years at the helm in Boston, he finished last three times and won the 2013 World Series. He is currently teaching at Columbia University in the sports management program. Candidate: Kim Ng Role: MLB Vice President for Baseball Operations Minnesota could really make a splash by hiring the first female GM out of the four major sports. While previously working as an assistant GM with the Yankees and Dodgers, she has interviewed for various GM jobs with the Dodgers, Mariners, Padres, and Angels. She has worked in her current position at MLB since 2011 where she works under Joe Torre. When taking the position, she made it clear that her career goal remains being a GM as other executives have made the jump from the Commissioner's Office to a GM position. Candidate: Thad Levine Role: Rangers Assistant GM Levine has worked well with Jon Daniels in Texas so it would take quite the offer to remove him from his current position. The duo was behind one of the best trades in Rangers history that sent Mark Teixeria to Atlanta for a bushel of prospects including Elvis Andrus. Before joining the Rangers eight seasons ago, Levine worked in Colorado as the Rockies' Senior Director of Baseball Operations. Levine was a candidate for the Diamondbacks job in 2014 but he withdrew his name before Arizona hired Dave Stewart. Candidate: Hal Morris Role: Director of Pro Scouting for the Los Angeles Angeles Ryan had a deep background in the scouting world so the Twins might want to go in a different direction than Morris. However, Morris does have an MBA from Stanford so he could be good at handling the business side of the GM position. Morris also served as a scout for the Red Sox and Pirates before taking his current position. He has been a candidate for the Diamondbacks and Angels GM positions in recent years and many people in baseball circles think highly of him. What names stand out to you? What kind of characteristics should the Twins be looking for? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

While most of the baseball world was focused on the MLB All-Star Game in San Diego, there was a smattering of minor league games on the docket. Stephen Gonsalves was scheduled to make his fourth start since being promoted to Double-A. He allowed eight runs in his first 8.2 innings with Chattanooga but he bounced back nicely with six shutout frames in his last outing. Which version of Gonsalves would show up on Tuesday night? Read on to find out.CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 4, Tennessee 0 Box Score For the second straight start, Stephen Gonsalves pitched six shutout innings. He struck out a season-high 11 batters while scattering four hits and not walking a batter. He had walked 11 batters in his first three appearances with Chattanooga. Gonsalves continues to pile up strikeouts as he has 30 strikeouts in 20.2 innings since being promoted. Jake Reed took over for Gonsalves and kept the shutout alive with two clean frames. He allowed one hit, walked one and struck out one. Trevor Hildenberger closed out the ninth with a perfect inning while striking out two. Levi Michael had a huge night at the plate. The former first-round pick went 3-for-3 with a triple, two RBI and a walk. Shannon Wilkerson reached base four times and scored a pair of runs. Leonardo Reginatto stole his seventh base as part of a multi-hit night at the plate. Mitch Garver was named Twins minor league player of the week after batting .455 last week but he went 0-for-4 tonight. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 6, GCL Orioles 4 Box Score Aaron Whitefield reached base three times including a pair of hits and his fourth stolen base of the season. Ben Rortvedt went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Jorge Andrade scored two runs and reached base twice. Overall, the team went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position while leaving seven runners on base. Tyler Fox started for the E-Twins and made it through three frames. He allowed three runs on five hits with three strikeouts and no walks. Moises Gomez picked up his first victory after pitching three innings and allowing only an unearned run. Clark Beeker earned his first save as he pitched three perfect innings and struck out one. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Stephen Gonsalves, Chattanooga Lookouts Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Levi Michael, Chattanooga Lookouts WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Chattanooga @ Tennessee (11:05 am CST) - RHP Kohl Stewart (2-4, 4.21 ERA) Ft. Myers @ Tampa (6:00 CST) - RHP Keaton Steele (4-7, 3.84 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Lake County (6:00 CST) - RHP Cody Stashak (5-5, 3.17 ERA) Elizabethton @ Danville (6:00 CST) - RHP Tyler Beardsley (0-0, 3.00 ERA) GCL Twins vs. GCL Orioles (11:00 am CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Tuesday's games. Click here to view the article

If someone would have told me at the beginning of the season that Eduardo Nunez would be the Twins All-Star representative, I would have laughed in his face. Nunez is having a great first half of the season but he doesn't exactly conjure up thoughts of being one of the best players in baseball. Every team gets an All-Star and there could be a lengthy discussion over the validity of this practice. It gives each team's individual fan base someone to root for in the game. The best players might not always be on the field but that's not always what the Mid-Summer Classic is all about. There have been some bad Twins teams throughout the franchise's history. The early 1980's and mid 1990's come to mind as some rough times in the not so distant past. Over the last handful of years, there have been some of the organization's worst teams but those teams still get an All-Star representative.Here are my picks for the top five worst All-Star selections in Twins history. I took into consideration the player's career WAR total and the season in which the player was elected but there have been some bad players who were able to put the title of All-Star next to their name. 5. Joe Mays, 2001 All-Star (Career 9.0 WAR) The 2001 season was the only year Mays finished with an ERA under 4.00 and it was also his lone season of pitching more than 200 innings. He would actually lead the entire league in ERA+ that season but the rest of his career was hardly All-Star worthy. He struggled with injuries and posted a career 5.05 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. Almost all of his WAR value was accumulated during the 2001 campaign when he finished in the top 10 for WAR. 4. Dave Engle, 1984 All-Star (Career 3.9 WAR) Engle, the brother-in-law of Tom Brunansky, was the team's lone representative in 1984. He wasn't even having that great of a season when he was elected. He hit .266/.308/.353 with four home runs and 20 doubles during the 1984 campaign. He actually finished ninth on the team in WAR behind the likes of Kent Hrbek, Kirby Puckett, and Gary Gaetti. Maybe he was being rewarded for his 1983 season where he combined for a .800 OPS with 34 extra-base hits. 3. Tim Laudner, 1988 All-Star (Career 3.2 WAR) The two catchers on the AL roster in 1988 were Terry Steinbach and Tim Laudner. Minnesota was coming off the World Series victory and more of the team's players were represented on the roster including Kirby Puckett, Frank Viola, Jeff Reardon and Gary Gaetti. Laudner played in a career-high 117 games in 1988 and hit .251/.316/.408 with 13 home runs and 18 doubles. However, he allowed the second most stolen bases in the AL and he would play only one more season at the big league level. 2. Eduardo Nunez, 2016 All-Star (Career 2.1 WAR) Nunez is thriving in one of his first opportunities to play on a regular basis. He played in 112 games for the Yankees in 2011 but those games resulted in a negative WAR total for the season (-0.5 WAR). His time in Minnesota has been more productive as he has been worth 3.7 WAR over the last three years. The Twins are bad this year and someone had to represent the team. My vote would have been for Brian Dozier but they didn't ask me. 1. Ron Coomer, 1999 All-Star (Career 1.4 WAR) The 1999 version of the Twins went 63-97 so there wasn't much to be excited about. Players like Corey Koskie, Jacque Jones and Terry Steinbach might have been more deserving of an All-Star selection as Koskie's WAR ended up being more than three times that of Coomer. Mr. Coomer was in a stretch of five straight seasons with 12 home runs or more and he combined for a .744 OPS during that stretch. In an era where baseballs were flying out of stadiums at a record pace, Coomer got to be on the same roster as the likes of Ken Griffey Jr., Manny Ramirez, and Jim Thome. There are my top-five worst Twins All-Stars of all-time. Should someone else have made the list? Who would be your worst Twins All-Star? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

When the Twins drafted J.T. Chargois in the second round in 2012, there were plenty of unknowns. The right-handed pitcher out of Rice University played both sides of the ball in college. This limited him to just 72 combined innings on the mound across three college seasons. After signing with the Twins, he was assigned to Elizabethton and served as the team's closer in the middle of the playoff hunt. The E-Twins would go on to win the Appalachian League Championship and Chargois would combine to post a 1.69 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP across 16 innings. His fastball could hit the high 90s and it looked like he could move through the system very quickly.Chargois did not make it out of extended spring training in 2013 as he dealt with elbow issues. In fact, he wouldn't take the mound in 2013 or 2014 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. Most pitchers miss one year because of this injury and surgery but he missed two years because the Twins wanted him to try rehab before going under the knife. By 2015, Chargois was ready to return. He made 48 appearances between Fort Myers and Chattanooga as he combined for a 2.62 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP, and a 53 to 25 strikeout to walk ratio. He ended the year on quite the run. Over his last 18 appearances (19.2 IP), he allowed one earned run and posted a 24 to 9 strikeout to walk ratio as opponents were limited to a .164 BA. Chargois was clearly back on the prospect radar and the Twins added him to their 40-man roster. He ended the 2015 season at Double-A and that's where he started the 2016 campaign. After posting a 2.73 ERA with the Lookouts last year, Chargois lowered that mark to 1.54 on the way to collecting seven saves. His time in Rochester might be even better as he has posted a 30 to 5 strikeout to walk rate along with lowering his WHIP from 1.32 at Double-A to 1.02 at Triple-A. His MLB debut was a disaster as he allowed five earned runs in 0.2 innings. He walked a pair of batters and failed to record a strikeout. His 67.50 ERA at the big league level is tough to look at but it hasn't impacted his performance in the minors. The Twins were faced with a bit of a roster crunch so this was the only MLB appearance Chargois has made. One would have to think that it left a bad taste in his mouth. Maybe his Futures Game roster spot was a reward for being sent down after his rough debut. There are only 10 pitchers on the U.S roster so there is a good chance that he will get to collect at least an inning of work. This will be the 18th edition of the Futures Game and it will take place on Sunday, July 10, at Petco Park in San Diego (6 PM CST on MLB Network). Click here to view the article