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Cody Christie

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  1. Cody Christie
    One of the highlights of the off-season for a core of Twins fans is the release of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. Seth Stohs has worked to put together this fantastic book for the last seven years. In 2012, he gave me my first taste of helping with the book. By 2013, I was writing an article for the annual and for the last three years I have been among a trio of writers that includes Jeremy Nygaard, Stohs, and myself.
     
    In the first part of my top 30 list there are a core of young pitchers moving through the system. The second part of my list includes a surprise or two but there are some powerful prospects. I have some differences compared to the other authors but that's what makes this fun. To see their top 30's, you're going to have to go and pick up a copy for yourself.
     

    ***Get your copy of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook now (
    Paperback or PDF). Use the code: TREAT before the end of the year for 25% off the print version***

     
    1 – Byron Buxton – OF – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats
    2014 Stats: .234/.307/.395, 4-2B, 2-3B, 4 HR, 16 RBI, 6 SB
    Buxton entered the 2014 season as the consensus top prospect in all of baseball. He suffered multiple injuries and was limited to just 31 games. This still takes nothing away from what his potential could be. His combination of speed, power, and hitting could result in him being a perennial All-Star and the player that leads Minnesota out of the bottom of the American League. However, he's going to have to avoid the injury bug because he can't afford another lost season.
     
    2 – Miguel Sano – 3B – Did Not Play
    2014 Stats: DNP
    Sano didn't play in 2014 after undergoing Tommy John surgery during spring training. There was a chance that he would make his debut in 2014 but now he will have to show he is ready for 2015. Some questions remain about his long-term defensive position or his ability to make consistent contact as he moves up the ladder. For now, he's still considered elite because of his power potential. If everything goes right, he'll be at Target Field before the end of the year.
     
    3 – Kohl Stewart – RHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels
    2014 Stats: 3-5, 2.59 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 87.0 IP, 24 BB, 62 K
    The gap between Stewart and Berrios is small but I give a slight nod to Stewart. He compiled decent numbers at Low-A as a teenager. There were some shoulder issues near the end of the season but I don't think this is going to impact him long-term. As a multi-sport athlete in high school, this was his first full season focusing on baseball. He will continue to rack up innings and figure out the art of pitching. He has the chance to be a future ace.
     
    4 – Jose Berrios – RHP – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats, Rochester Red Wings
    2014 Stats: 12-8, 2.76 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 140.0 IP, 38 BB, 140 K
    Berrios had the best season of any player in the Twins farm system. Even though he is small is stature, he has the work ethic to mold himself into a top-notch big league pitcher. His fastball can hit into the mid-90s and his secondary pitches continue to improve. He pitched out of his mind this past season so it will be interesting to see where he starts in 2015 and how fast he gets to the big leagues. There's no reason to rush him but he might force the Twins hand.
     
    5 – Nick Gordon – SS – Elizabethton Twins
    2014 Stats: .294/.333/.366, 6-2B, 4-3B, 1 HR, 28 RBI, 11 SB
    Gordon marked the third straight top five pick for the Minnesota Twins with Buxton and Stewart already being featured on this list. He comes from a baseball family as his dad played in the majors and his brother was an All-Star last season. Most reports say he will be able to stay at shortstop for the long-term and he has the potential to be dangerous at the plate and on the bases. He's a long way from Target Field but he could be part of a solid core in the future.
     
    6 – Alex Meyer – RHP – Rochester Red Wings
    2014 Stats: 7-7, 3.52 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 130.1 IP, 64 BB, 153 K
    There isn't much left for Meyer to do in the minor leagues and it sounds like the Twins might give him the chance to make the Opening Day roster as a bullpen arm. His command wasn't the best this season but he can strikeout a ton of batters. If everything breaks right, he could be a top of the rotation guy or he might end up being a solid bullpen option. The time is now for Meyer.
     
    7 – Jorge Polanco – SS – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats, Minnesota Twins
    2014 MiLB Stats: .288/.353/.395, 23-2B, 6-3B, 7 HR, 61 RBI
    2014 MLB Stats: .333/.500/.833, 1-2B, 1-3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI
    When the Twins were in a roster crunch, they looked all the way down to High-A to pluck Polanco up to the majors. He saw limited action but showed off some of his skills. He's switch-hitting ability and powerful swing could make him dangerous. There's questions about if he will stay at shortstop but he made improvements at the position throughout the year. He'll need more time in the minors but his make-up will mean he's only a phone call away from being back with the Twins.
     
    8 – Trevor May – RHP – Rochester Red Wings, Minnesota Twins
    2014 MiLB Stats: 8-6, 2.84 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 98.1 IP, 39 BB, 94 K
    2014 MLB Stats: 3-6, 7.88 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, 45.2 IP, 22 BB, 44 K
    His big league numbers don't look the greatest but May made some strides in 2014. He lowered his walk rate and posted a better WHIP during his time at Triple-A. After some rough outings in his first handful of appearances, May calmed down a little. He struck out 41 and walked nine in his last seven starts to end the year on a positive note. He'll be in the running for the final rotation spot coming out of spring training and he might be the front-runner at this point.
     
    9 – Eddie Rosario – OF/2B – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats
    2014 Stats: .243/.286/.387, 20-2B, 3-3B, 8 HR, 40 RBI, 9 SB
    Rosario started the year with a 50-game suspension for violating the minor league drug policy. Before this season, he had shown the ability to hit at every level. There might have been some issues adjusting to better pitching at Double-A. He put together some impressive numbers in the AFL by hitting .330/.345/.410 with four doubles and two triples. He also stole 10 bases in 14 attempts. Minnesota tried him out at second base for a couple seasons but it looks like he'll have to make the big leagues as an outfielder.
     
    10 – Nick Burdi – RHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels, Ft. Myers Miracle
    2014 Stats: 2-0, 2.66 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 20.1 IP, 10 BB, 38 K
    Burdi had to finish up his run through the College World Series before the Twins could get him into action this year. He has all the tools to be a very solid back-end of the bullpen option for the Twins in the very near future. He can hit triple-digits with his fastball and he counters that with a good slider and an occasional change-up. Burdi could debut in 2015 but it might be more realistic to look for him during the 2016 campaign.
     
    For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com
  2. Cody Christie
    One of the highlights of the off-season for a core of Twins fans is the release of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. Seth Stohs has worked to put together this fantastic book for the last seven years. In 2012, he gave me my first taste of helping with the book. By 2013, I was writing an article for the annual and for the last three years I have been among a trio of writers that includes Jeremy Nygaard, Stohs, and myself.
     
    I already released the first part of my top 30 list and there are some strong prospects making their way to Target Field.. I have some differences compared to the other authors but that's what makes this fun. To see their top 30's, you're going to have to go and pick up a copy for yourself.
     

    ***Get your copy of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook now (
    Paperback or PDF).***

     
    11 – Lewis Thorpe – LHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels
    2014 Stats: 3-2, 3.52 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 71.2 IP, 36 BB, 80 K
    Thorpe exploded onto the prospect scene a year ago and seemed to be busting his way into Twins top 10 prospect lists across the country. A year removed from that explosion and things have come back down to earth. He held his own in the Midwest League while being four years younger than the other pitchers in the league. Thorpe will likely miss all of 2015 after spraining his ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow.
     
    12 – Max Kepler – OF – Ft. Myers Miracle
    2014 Stats: .264/.333/.493, 20-2B, 6-3B, 5 HR, 59 RBI
    Kepler has been one of the most intriguing prospects in the Twins organization since they signed him as a teenager out of Europe. His batting average improved in each month of the season and he got on base over 33% of the time. He continues to be a strong defensive outfielder but his power numbers will need to improve to stick at a corner spot. Kepler did very well in 18 AFL games this season with an .806 OPS including four doubles and three triples.
     
    13 – Stephen Gonsalves – LHP – Elizabethton Twins, Cedar Rapids Kernels
    2014 Stats: 4-3, 3.02 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 65.2 IP, 21 BB, 70 K
    Behind Thorpe, Gonsalves is the second highest ranked left-handed pitcher in my top 30. He did well at Low-A even though he is only 20-years old. He has some room to grow into his body and he has shown the ability to throw strikes. If Gonsalves continues to make strides at High-A, he could be a top 10 prospect by next off-season.
     
    14 – Travis Harrison – OF/3B – Ft. Myers Miracle
    2014 Stats: .269/.361/.365, 33-2B, 1-3B, 3 HR, 59 RBI
    I've liked Harrison a lot since he joined the Twins organization but I didn't like his dip in home runs this season. He was hitting in the tough FSL and he did collect 33 doubles. Some positives were his ability to hit to all fields and he cutback in the strikeout department. He's young and still has some untapped potential.
     
    15 – Stuart Turner – C – Ft. Myers Miracle
    2014 Stats: .249/.322/.375, 16-2B, 2-3B, 7 HR, 40 RBI
    I've always liked catching prospects and Turner's defense is enough to carry him to the big leagues. His bat will be the question mark but all of his appearances came in the FSL. As he moves up the ladder and pitching improves, it will be interesting if he can make the adjustments to stay relevant at the plate. I think he makes strides next year and finds himself just shy of the top 10.
     
    16 – Adam Brett Walker – OF – Ft. Myers Miracle
    2014 Stats: .246/.307/.436, 19-2B, 1-3B, 25 HR, 94 RBI, 9 SB
    Walker killed the ball in the pitcher friendly FSL. However there are still questions about his ability to make consistent contact and he strikes out a lot since he has trouble recognizing the off-speed offerings. It seems like he will have make some offensive adjustments in the years to come or be relegated to a lesser role at the big league level.
     
    17 – Felix Jorge – RHP – Elizabethton Twins, Cedar Rapids Kernels
    2014 Stats: 6-7, 4.97 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 105.0 IP, 34 BB, 84 K
    I'm higher on this guy than basically anyone else that does a Twins prospect list. He struggled mightily at Low-A but made some positive adjustments when he moved back to E-Town. Jorge lost a little mojo with his fastball this year and his off-speed offerings continue to improve. He still has a high ceiling and I'm higher than anyone else about him.
     
    18 – Amaurys Minier – OF/1B – GCL Twins
    2014 Stats: .292/.405/.520, 11-2B, 2-3B, 8 HR, 33 RBI
    Minier made solid improvements in his second trip through the GCL. He's still a teenager and he will move up in the system in 2015. He has very good power from the left hand side of the plate but there are questions about how his approach will fare as he moves up. There are some holes in his defensive skills but he is one player that could breakout in 2015.
     
    19 – Taylor Rogers – LHP – New Britain Rock Cats
    2014 Stats: 11-6, 3.29 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 145.0 IP, 37 BB, 113 K
    After breaking out at both Low-A and High-A last season, Rogers was able to hold his own at Double-A for all of 2014. He's left-handed and he has a pulse so that puts him a little higher on this list than he might be if he was right-handed. His strikeout rate improved this season and he tossed the most innings of his career. He might not be a starter at the big leagues but he can definitely get lefties out.
     
    20 – Tyler Duffey – RHP – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats, Rochester Red Wings
    2014 Stats: 13-3, 3.67 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 149.2 IP, 30 BB, 113 K
    In only his third year in the system, Duffey cruised his way to Triple-A. He started the year at Fort Myers and the majority of his innings were at Double-A. He was almost four years younger than the other pitchers in the International League. His fastball sits in the low-90s and his change-up was much improved this year. This could make him dangerous moving forward.
     
    For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com
  3. Cody Christie
    "Making a list, checking it twice.


     

    Terry Ryan got what he thought was nice."


     
    Even though the Twins are coming of four straight 90-loss seasons, there wasn't a ton of things the club needed to accomplish this off-season. The team seemingly had one one position player spot in the corner outfield. Terry Ryan also wanted to add depth to the starting pitching core. Just days after the winter meetings and the Twins have crossed both of these needs off their holiday wish list.
     
    At the beginning of December, Minnesota signed Torii Hunter to a one-year, $10.5 million contract. This checked off the Twins corner outfield need. Near the end of the winter meetings, word came out of the club's interest in starting pitcher Ervin Santana.Over this past weekend, the club signed the righty to a four-year, $54 million contract, the largest free agent deal in franchise history.
     
    With the ink drying on over $60 million worth of free agent contracts, what's left for the Twins to accomplish this off-season?
     
    If the Twins add any more pitching, it will likely be a cost effective bullpen option. Minnesota took J.R Graham during last week's Rule 5 Draft and he will be in the mix for a bullpen role. There are plenty of options for the back end of the rotation and to complete the bullpen. Mike Pelfrey, Trevor May, Tommy Milone, and Alex Meyer will already have quite the battle on their hands this spring.
     
    One name that popped up over the weekend was former club ace Johan Santana. Darren Wolfson reported that the left-handed pitcher will be trying to get into action by the end of the month in the winter leagues. With all of Santana's health issues in recent years, he could be a very cheap option that could eventually be used in a bullpen role. Even if he had to start the year in the minors to prove he was healthy, it could still work out for the club.
     
    Besides pitching depth, the team could also be looking to add a couple of bench bat option on minor league deals. Apparently, the club has reached out to free agent and Twin Cities native Jack Hannahan. A shoulder injury limited the infielder to 26-games last season so if there is interest from both parties, he could end up in Fort Myers for spring training.
     
    So if your Christmas dreams included another big deal for the Twins, I wouldn't get your hopes up. It seems as if all of the big presents were opened early this year.
     
    ***Get your copy of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook now (Paperback or PDF). If you follow me on Twitter and send me a DM, I will send you a coupon for 30% off a print copy (Offer good through Dec. 15)***
     
    For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com
  4. Cody Christie
    One of the highlights of the off-season for a core of Twins fans is the release of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. Seth Stohs has worked to put together this fantastic book for the last seven years. In 2012, he gave me my first taste of helping with the book. By 2013, I was writing an article for the annual and for the last three years I have been among a trio of writers that includes Jeremy Nygaard, Stohs, and myself.
     
     
     
    There is a ton of work that goes into the creation of this book. I don't know if we could create this without the help and push from the other writers involved. Besides profiles of all of the prospects in the Twins system and articles on topics from across the baseball world, one of the best parts of the book is our top 30 prospect lists.
     
     
     
    Over the next few days, I will be counting down my top 30. I have some differences compared to the other authors but that's what makes this fun. To see their top 30's, you're going to have to go and pick up a copy for yourself.
     

    ***Get your copy of the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook now (
    Paperback or PDF).***

     
    21 – Chih-Wei Hu – RHP – Elizabethton Twins, Cedar Rapids Kernels
    2014 Stats: 8-2, 2.15 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 71.0 IP, 15 BB, 64 K
    Hu had one of the most surprising seasons in the entire Twins organization. He could be on his way to being much higher on this list if he continues on his current trajectory. He doesn't strike out a ton of batters but he controls the strike zone. He had dominant stretches in Low-A as a 20-year old and could be a sleeper pick
     
    22 – Michael Cederoth – RHP – Elizabethton Twins
    2014 Stats: 4-2, 3.55 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 45.2 IP, 18 BB, 42 K
    One of a core group of hard throwing college pitchers the Twins have selected in recent drafts. Because of some of his up-and-down track record, he could be a good candidate to end up in a bullpen role. His professional debut didn't go perfect but he should improve as he moves up the ladder.
     
    23 – Niko Goodrum – SS/3B – Ft. Myers Miracle
    2014 Stats: .249/.337/.336, 19-2B, 5-3B, 3 HR, 49 RBI, 35 SB
    Goodrum has ranked higher on my list in previous years. His speed and on-base abilities make him a threat once he reaches base. However, he struggled to make consistent content this year at High-A. He also doesn't flourish at any specific defensive position. The transition to Double-A could be tough and it might be a make-it or break-it season for Goodrum.
     
    24 – Jake Reed – RHP – Elizabethton Twins, Cedar Rapids Kernels
    2014 Stats: 3-0, 0.29 ERA, 0.45 WHIP, 31.0 IP, 3 BB, 39 K
    Reed was a fifth round pick in 2014 out of Oregon. He put up impressive numbers in his professional debut as he threw strikes and overpowered the opposition. Cederoth throws a little harder than Reed and that's why he's higher on the list. His fastball hits up to 95 and he has a decent slider to keep hitters off-balance.
     
    25 – Zack Jones – RHP – GCL Twins, Fort Myers Miracle
    2014 Stats: 0-0, 3 S, 1.74 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 10.1 IP, 6 BB, 14 K
    Jones got into limited action in 2014 after having shoulder surgery at the end of February. Doctors found that he has an aneurysm in his shoulder that was causing circulation problems. Jones served as the closer for the Miracle in their run to the FSL title. He pitched well in the AFL to cap off his 2014 campaign. Over 11 appearances, he didn't allow an earned run and struck out 11.
     
    26 – Engelb Vielma – SS – Cedar Rapids Kernels
    2014 Stats: .266/.313/.323, 13-2B, 4-3B, 1 HR, 33 RBI
    Vielma made some huge strides in the jump from rookie ball to a full season league. He got on base over 31% of the time and his batting average increased by 32 points. Vielma's biggest strength might be his defensive ability and his fielding percentage jumped 42 points. If he can continue to make offensive improvements, he could rise in the years to come.
     
    27 – J.R. Graham – RHP – Mississippi Braves
    2014 Stats: 1-5, 5.55 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 71.1 IP, 26 BB, 50 K
    The Twins just selected Graham in the Rule 5 Draft so there is a chance that he's back with the Braves organization before the season starts. He spent time as a starter and a reliever. His strikeout rate has dropped in recent years. For him to stay with the Twins, he will have to fill a bullpen role for the entire 2014 campaign.
     
    28 – Fernando Romero – RHP – Cedar Rapids Kernels
    2014 Stats: 0-0, 3.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 12.0 IP, 5 BB, 9 K
    Romero was three years younger than the competition in the Midwest League. He was limited to three starts after tearing his UCL at the end of June. He underwent Tommy John surgery and will likely almost all of next season. He threw hard before Tommy John surgery so he could move through the system quickly if he can get back to his previous level.
     
    29 – Jason Wheeler – LHP – Ft. Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats, Rochester Red Wings
    2014 Stats: 11-9, 2.67 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 158.1 IP, 37 BB, 115 K
    Wheeler had arguably the best professional season of his career as he cruised through three different levels and finished the year at Triple-A. He fits the mold of pitch to contact as he throws a lot of strikes and doesn't strikeout a ton of batters. Wheeler's impressive season was rewarded as he was added to the 40-man roster so there's a chance he could debut in 2015.
     
    30 – Brett Lee – LHP – Ft. Myers Miracle
    2014 Stats: 10-5, 2.45 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 106.1 IP, 33 BB, 54 K
    Lee pitched all of 2014 for the Fort Myers Miracle. His strikeout rate is terrible and he will need to improve this area if he is going to find any sort of success in the higher levels of the minors. Even saying that, he was able to limit runs scored against him and he posted career best marks in wins and ERA.
     
    For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com
  5. Cody Christie
    There are plenty of ways to go about trying to fix the Twins team but some patience might be required as the club waits for some younger pieces to work their way through the minor leagues. The Twins Daily crew put out some solid information in the 2015 Offseason Handbook. One of the best parts to read about this document is the blueprint plans put together by the writers.
     
    There are plenty of options for the Twins but here is how I would go about trying to fix the team. Some of these ideas will happen and some won't but that's what makes this fun.
     
    Starting Line-Up
    C- Kurt Suzuki- $6 million
    1B- Joe Mauer- $23 million
    2B- Brian Dozier- $1 million
    3B- Trevor Plouffe- $5 million
    SS- Danny Santana- $0.5 million
    LF- Colby Rasmus- $12 million
    CF- Aaron Hicks- $0.5 million
    RF- Oswaldo Arcia- $0.5 million
    DH- Kennys Vargas- $0.5 million
     
    -------------------------------------------------
    $49.0 million committed to nine hitters
     
    Breakdown: Colby Rasmus is the only free agent acquisition that I have the Twins adding this off-season. He's young at only 28-years old and he could regain some value by signing a one-year, $12 million deal. This would set him up to hit the free agent market again before his age 29 season. The Twins could use him in a corner outfield spot and have him be a center field fill-in. Aaron Hicks earns the Opening Day starting job for the third straight season. Hopefully Paul Molitor can get Hicks back on the right track to being an everyday player in Minnesota. If things go right, Miguel Sano could be up by the middle of the season but this could be a line-up that scores a decent amount of runs after finishing fifth in the AL in runs scored a year ago.
     
    Bench
    C- Josmil Pinto- $0.5 million
    IF- Eduardo Escobar- $2.0 million
    1B/OF- Chris Colabello- $0.5 million
    OF-Jordan Schafer- $1.5 million
    -------------------------------------------------
    $4.5 million committed to four bench positions
     
    Breakdown: Eduardo Escobar proved to be a very valuable asset but I believe his long-term role with the club will be as more of a utility infielder. Jordan Schafer will complement the other outfielders nicely. Josmil Pinto will get some opportunities to catch especially with how much Kurt Suzuki got beat-up last season. Chris Colabello will get one more opportunity to stick on the big league roster but he will be one of the last men to make the 25-man squad.
     
    Starting Pitching
    1. Phil Hughes- $8 million
    2. Ricky Nolasco- $12 million
    3. Kyle Gibson- $0.5 million
    4. Alex Meyer- $0.5 million
    5. Justin Masterson- $10 million
    -------------------------------------------------
    $31.0 million committed to starting rotation
     
    Breakdown: The top three spots in the rotation are likely locked into place. These leaves the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation up for grabs. I think the Twins will actually go with Trevor May in the number four spot but I would much rather throw Alex Meyer out there every fifth day. This would also give May the opportunity to pitch out of the bullpen which I think will be his eventual resting spot. Minnesota is going to spend some money on a free agent starter and I think Justin Masterson is the right guy. He's coming off a tough year but he could bounce back nicely in the friendly confines of Target Field. Fingers are crossed that he could be this year's version of Phil Hughes and a one-year, $10 million contract is easy enough to swallow for a team with some wiggle room.
     
    Bullpen
    Righties: Casey Fien, Michael Tonkin, Trevor May, Mike Pelfrey- $8 million
    Lefties: Caleb Thielbar, Tommy Milone- $4 million
    Closer: Glen Perkins- $4 million
    -------------------------------------------------
    $16 million committed to seven relievers
     
    Breakdown: This is quite a conglomeration of players. I hate having Mike Pelfrey on this team coming out of spring training but the Twins are going to eat his salary at the beginning of the year even if that's what I would do. As I said in the starting pitcher section, May gets moved to the bullpen where he can continue to develop and the Twins can use him in a variety of roles. I don't think the Twins are ready to let Tommy Milone loose after acquiring him at the end of last season. He will get arbitration as a Super 2 player and his salary will be around $3.5 million. Two names you will likely see gone from this list are Brian Duensing and Anthony Swarzak. Duensing is getting too expensive for what his role is with the team and Swarzak gets pushed out by the likes of Milone and Pelfrey.
     
    Minnesota Twins 2015 Checkbook
    Starting Line-Up: $49.0 million
    Bench Players: $4.5 million
    Starting Pitching: $31.0 million
    Bullpen: $16 million
    -------------------------------------------------
    $100.5 million committed to Opening Day 25-man roster
     
     
    What are your thoughts on this roster? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.
     
    For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com
  6. Cody Christie
    The 2014 season was a breakout year for Brian Dozier. He seemed to be maturing as a hitter right before the eyes of Twins fans. He combined power and speed to be the first Twins player in a decade to record a 20 HR-20 steal season. However, there was more behind his season than the numbers that will appear on the back of next year's trading card.
     
    Dozier finished third in all of baseball in the amount of pitches seen in 2014. The only American League player to finish ahead of him was the presumed MVP Mike Trout. He saw 115 more pitches than the next closest man on the list and Dozier was the only member of the Twins to finish in the top 40 in the entire American League.
     
    Only one other Twins player has finished in the top 10 in pitches seen since 2002. Joe Mauer barely squeaked into the 10th spot in the 2012 season by finishing seven pitches ahead of the Brewers Rickie Weeks. Mauer actually saw more pitches per plate appearance that season (4.32 P/PA) than Dozier did in 2014 (4.18 P/PA).
     
    So what was Dozier able to accomplish with all of these extra pitches?
     
    By seasons end, Dozier had accumulated the third most in walks (89 base on balls) in the American League. He recorded six more walks than Trout who finished ahead of him in pitches seen. Carlos Santana finished one spot behind Dozier in the pitches seen standings but he was able to draw 24 more walks. Jose Bautista finished in 10th place in pitches seen and he drew 104 walks.
     
    All of these extra pitches seen resulted in more walks and Dozier ended up scoring the second most runs in the American League. He was only three runs scored behind Trout and he was 11 ahead of a third place tie between Bautista and Miguel Cabrera.
     
    Many of the extra at-bats Dozier was able to accumulate in 2014 were because of his placement near the top of the Twins batting order. In only five of his 155 games started, he didn't bat out of the lead-off or number two spot in the batting order. It will be interesting to see if new manager Paul Molitor continues to utilize Dozier near the top of the line-up.
     
     
    It would be great to see Dozier make some strides to increase some of his other offense numbers. He's a career .241 hitter but he got on base over 34% of the time last year. If he can continue to see a ton of pitches, drawing walks and scoring runs, there is no reason to think Dozier won't continue to master the art of seeing pitches.
     
    For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com
  7. Cody Christie
    In one of the most surprising pieces of Twins from the off-season, word has slowly trickled out that the Twins will be sporting a new look when it comes to their home uniforms. The first major change to their home uniforms since the 1987 season, the first World Championship year.
     
    According to multiple sources, the team is shedding their pinstripes from their home whites for 2015. The letting will stay the same on the front of the uniforms but the club will add gold as a drop shadow behind the letting. The team's alternate cream heritage jersey will remain unchanged and it does contain pinstripes.
     
    Another uniform change will be the addition of gold trim on the team's cap. There is no word yet if this will be the full time cap or if it will just be an alternative. However, it seems logical that the club would wear the gold trim cap with the gold trim jerseys.
    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uolOmJWJ8vk/VFo3BQaIvVI/AAAAAAAAF6c/yqdRDa-rdfE/s1600/Rod%2BCarew%2BWhite%2B1970s%2BJersey.jpg
    In the past, Minnesota has dropped the pinstripes from their jerseys for over a decade. From 1972 through 1986, the Twins sported a non-pinstripe look. After moving from Washington, the Twins wore pinstripes until the switch in the early 1970's. The pinstripes popped back up for the team's 1987 World Series run and they have been with the club every since. In recent years, the Twins had removed the pinstripes from their gray road uniform.
     
    The Twins will announce the official change in a jersey unveiling ceremony next week.
     
    For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com
  8. Cody Christie
    There are a few items on the Twins off-season checklist. Starting pitching seems to be the Twins biggest priority but the club also has a hole to fill in the outfield. The club likely won't be pushing for any of the big names on the outfield free agent list but that doesn't mean the club couldn't look to add a veteran free agent for this role.
     
    Reports came out at the beginning of this week that the Twins have expressed interest in signing free agent outfielder Torii Hunter. It seems that Hunter's preference would be to return to the Tigers or another squad that will be in contention next season. If none of those teams make him a decent offer, he could be more willing to finish his career back where he started in Minnesota.
     
    Hunter's offensive skills have aged fairly well. Over the last three seasons in Detroit and Los Angeles, he's hit .301/.339/.455 while averaging 17 home runs, 31 doubles, and 86 RBI. While his offense has continued to be strong, his defense in right field took a turn for the worst last season. He's now considered below average in a corner outfield which is a far cry from the Gold Glove caliber defense he played in Minnesota.
     
    It doesn't seem likely for the Twins, a team that has lost at least 92 games in the last four seasons, to be in contention in 2015. Hunter turned 39-years old in July which means he will be 40 after next year's All-Star break. What benefits would there be from having a 19-year veteran on next year's Twins roster?
     
    The Twins are in a rebuilding mode and Hunter's presence on next year's roster would mean lost at-bats for other younger player the Twins could be trialing at the big league level. Hunter would need time in the outfield and at DH which could mean fewer at-bats for the likes of Oswaldo Arcia, Kennys Vargas, and Josmil Pinto. These younger players need to be in the line-up everyday and not fighting for at-bats with an aging veteran.
     
    Hunter's leadership would be a welcome addition to the clubhouse especially under first year manager Paul Molitor. However other players on the Twins roster like Brian Dozier and Glen Perkins have taken on leadership roles over the last couple seasons. The addition of another voice in the clubhouse might be too many voices to listen to for the younger Twins team.
     
    During the beginning of last season, the Twins brought in a variety of different players from their division title years to fight for spots on the roster. Jason Kubel, Matt Guerrier, and Jason Bartlett all made the team out of spring training but none of them made a significant impact during the season. They would all be jettison before the middle of June. Hunter has played better than those players but the Twins don't exactly have a positive track record in bringing in former players.
     
    This team might be taking some bumps and bruises in the early part of the season with a new manager and a younger roster. That's fine because the overall goal is to get back to playing winning baseball. Gaining experience for the young core of talent is what is going to get this team back on the right track.
     
     
    Hunter will not be part of the next winning team in Minnesota so let's hope the organization doesn't bring him back for a reunion tour.
     
    For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com
  9. Cody Christie
    The Minnesota Twins are in the midst of the search for their next manager. As an organization, they are looking hard at candidates that are already inside the organization like Paul Molitor and Doug Mientkiewicz. They are also considering some other men from outside the organization and that's where I come in.
     
    I would like to throw my name in the hat as a candidate for the next manager of the Minnesota Twins. I might not have the pedigree of a Hall-of-Famer or a World Series ring on my finger but I have the drive and passion to bring the Twins out of the dumpster.
     
    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-crKStjWKNg8/VD1g6P-GN4I/AAAAAAAAF4U/z99jYJIJJbE/s1600/Billy%2BHeywood%2BTwins.jpg

    Cody Christie



    North Dakota/Twins Territory | nodaktwinsfan@gmail.com


    Education
    University of North Dakota (Grand Forks, ND)
    Bachelor of Science in Education
    I graduate from the same university as Twins President Dave St. Peter so that has to count for something.
    I have the hard Midwest work ethic that will get the job done!

     
    Experience/ Qualifications
     
    JV Head Coach Fastpitch Softball
    I worked with young players moving through the system trying to make the varsity team
    The Twins will have many young players comprising the core of the team in the coming years
    I can work with these younger players to improve their basic skills and eventually succeed at the highest level

    Varsity Head Fastpitch Softball Coach
    I ran the team, organized practice plans, and was in charge of in-game strategy
    The Twins need an in game manager with the ability to meet the skill level of the players on the roster
    We might not have won a ton of games but we tried hard and worked on succeeding at the basics of the game.

    Twins Blogger
    I've written about the team extensively during the Target Field era.
    The Twins need a manager with a combination of sabermetric analysis and old school style.
    My knowledge of the Twins minor league system and current 40-man roster will help to make the tough decisions that need to be made.

    Plan for Recovery
    Let the Kids Play
    Young players like Danny Santana, Kennys Vargas, and Oswaldo Arcia were successful this past season
    Alex Meyer will be in the rotation on Opening Day
    Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton will make their debuts in 2015
    There might be some bumps and bruises from these players next season. Hopefully these scrapes will be out of the way by the end of the year and it can set-up a successful 2016 season.

    Chicks Dig the Long Ball
    The Twins scored a lot of runs last season and that needs to continue
    If the team isn't going to spend money in the off-season on pitching, the offense is going to have to score more runs.
    Might as well let the kids go up there hacking away at the ball
    More fans will come to Target Field to see a 10-8 game than a 1-0 pitchers duel

     
    Managerial Influences
    Billy Heywood- Minnesota Twins
    Young and energetic about the Minnesota Twins
    Joe Riggins- Durham Bulls
    Ability to work with veteran players and rising stars
    Lou Brown- Cleveland Indians
    Ability to win with a team no one thought he could
    George Knox- California Angels
    Uses a little help from above to get the team back on track

    There you have it. Start spreading the word so I can get an interview with the Twins and we can get the team back to winning baseball.
  10. Cody Christie
    The Twins announced on Monday that Ron Gardenhire will not return as the team's manager for 2015. Only two managers in the history of the game had survived four straight 90-loss seasons. One of those men was Gardenhire's predecessor, Tom Kelly. Minnesota is a very loyal organization but it seemed like the time was right to make a change.
     
    When a manager wins over 1,000 games with an organization there are going to be some ups and downs. The Twins won six division titles in the Gardenhire era but the club found minimal postseason success under his reign. "You lose this many games, you've got to do something," Gardenhire said, "He called me in this morning, I said 'Terry, you don't have a choice here; do what you have to do.' "
     
    There were some important wins in the history of the Twins during the Gardenhire era. Here's a look at the five wins Gardenhire will remember most as he leaves the Twin Cities.
     
    ALDS Game 5 (2002)
    The Twins used a strong pitching performance from Brad Radke and an AJ Pierzynski home run to squeak past the very strong Oakland A's. Brad Radke pitched into the seventh inning while limiting the powerful Oakland offense to one run. Eddie Guardado made things interesting by allowing three runs to score in the bottom of the ninth but he got the last out. Gardenhire had led his team to the ALCS in his first year at the helm but it would be the club's only postseason series win with him as manager.
     
    Game 163 (2009)
    The final victory in the Metrodome era was a game for the ages. The back and forth effort between the Twins and the Tigers is the closest thing to a World Series memory for a younger generation of Twins fans. It took seven pitching changes and multiple pinch hitting appearances but the Twins got the win. It also helped to have the speedy Carlos Gomez on the bench as a pinch runner for extra-innings. Things wouldn't go so well against the Yankees but the Twins had won the AL Central for the fifth time under Gardenhire.
     
    Game 162 (2006)
    The Twins were already guaranteed to go to the playoffs but this game took on a very different feel. During the course of the game, Joe Mauer was announced as the AL Batting Champion. This wouldn't be the only celebration on the day. After the Twins game finished, fans stuck around in the Metrodome to watch the Detroit Tigers lose to the lowly Kansas City Royals, a club that finished with 100 losses. The loss meant the Twins were division champions and a huge celebration erupted on the field in front of those that stuck around.
     
    Win Number 1,000 (2014)
    There have only been 10 managers in the history of the game to win 1,000 games with one club. Gardenhire is part of this elite group. The wins were few and far between over the last four years but Gardy survived long enough to pick up win number 1,000. He's respected enough across the baseball world that he could add to this win total with another organization but his final win in a Twins uniform came on September 27, 2014. It was his 1,068th win and the first time the Twins reached 70 wins since the 2010 season.
     
    Ending Oakland's Winning Streak (2002)
    This victory took on an entirely different meaning with the movie adaptation of the novel Moneyball. The Twins would also spoil Billy Beane's postseason plans by defeating the A's in October. Oakland went on to win their next three games so without this Twins victory their streak could have stretched to 24. It took a masterful performance from Brad Radke to stop the streak. He threw a complete game shutout with five strikeouts and one walk. Gardenhire had to leave Radke out there for 113 pitches and over 27,000 fans got to see the A's first loss in a month and a half.
     
    Most of these wins happened many years ago and that's one of the many reasons Gardenhire is on the way out.
  11. Cody Christie
    Clayton Kershaw is in the midst of one of the best pitching seasons in baseball history. He looks to be a lock for the National League Cy Young and there's a chance he could win the NL MVP. Even after missing a chunk of games at the beginning of the season, he has rebounded to post one of the best seasons on record.
     
    Starting pitching seems to be one of the areas the Twins are struggling to find success. There hasn't been a player of Kershaw's caliber in the Twins rotation since the Johan Santana days in the Metrodome. However, there have been some very good seasons from past Twins pitchers.
     
    Last week ESPN tried to rank the top 20 pitcher seasons of the last 50 years. There were no Twins on the list but some Minnesota members were on the honorable mentions list. For the purposes of this post, WAR is the average between the Baseball Reference and FanGraphs version of the statistic. ERA+ is ERA that is adjusted for home park and league context. Postseason performance was also considered.
     
    1. Bert Blyleven, 1973
    W-L: 20-17 | 2.52 ERA | 325.0 IP | 258 SO | ERA+: 156 | WAR: 10.5
    "[blyleven's] best season came in 1973, when he went 20-17, with a 2.52 ERA in 40 starts. He pitched 325 innings and tossed nine shutouts. But in 10 starts in which he allowed one or two runs, he went just 5-4 -- even though he pitched at least 8 1/3 innings in all of those games."--- David Schoenfield, ESPN's SweetSpot Blog
    The sheer number of innings thrown by Blyleven at such a high level makes this season the most impressive in Twins history. His record could have been even more impressive if the Twins would have given him more run support. The Twins finished with a .500 record so there was never a shot for Blyleven to strut his stuff in the postseason that year. Surprisingly Blyleven received one lone vote in the AL Cy Young balloting that year. Jim Palmer won the award because he had more wins and a lower ERA. Blyleven bested him in innings, complete games, and shutouts. He also struck out over 100 more batters.
     
    2. Johan Santana, 2004
    W-L: 20-6 | 2.61 ERA | 228.0 IP | 265 SO | ERA+: 182 | WAR: 8.1
    "He's the only guy I know who at times has a 20-mile-per-hour differential between his fastball and his change-up. Usually guys have a 10-mile-per hour difference." --- Brett Boone, Seattle Mariners second baseman
    The toughest choice on this list was between Santana and Blyleven for the top spot. Santana was so dominant in 2004 that it was painstakingly hard not to put him in the top spot. His season didn't even get off to the best start. Through his first 12 starts, he had a 5.50 ERA and he had allowed 12 home runs in just under 69 innings. Things turned quickly as he had a 1.64 ERA and 75 strikeouts over his last 55 innings before the All-Star break. He got even better after the Mid-Summer Classic. He started 15 games with a 1.21 ERA and struck out 129 in 104.1 innings. He walked 23 and batters were only able to muster a .443 OPS and they only coaxed 23 walks.
     
    3. Bert Blyleven, 1974
    W-L: 17-17 | 2.66 ERA | 281.0 IP | 249 SO | ERA+: 142 | WAR: 8.3
    "It (his curveball) was nasty. I'll tell you that. Enough to make your knees buckle. Bert (Blyleven) was a terrific pitcher -- a dominating pitcher." --- Brooks Robinson, Hall of Fame Third Baseman
    In the follow-up season to his best professional season, Blyleven continued his dominating form. Many of his numbers dropped off but he was still very good. He was especially good in front of the Metropolitan Stadium crowd. In home games, he had a 1.91 ERA and he threw 12 completed games. He struck out 150 over 160 innings and he limited his walks to 45. The second half of the season was also particularly strong for Blyleven. He had a 2.00 ERA and he struck out 107 in just under 113 innings. Over his last 12 starts, he threw 98 innings with a 1.65 ERA.
     
    4. Johan Santana, 2006
    W-L: 19-6 | 2.77 ERA | 233.2 IP | 245 SO | ERA+: 162 | WAR: 7.3
    "Santana fiddled with a change-up before 2002, but that was when the pitch blossomed. After Minnesota sent Santana to Class AAA Edmonton to covert him from a reliever to a starter, Bobby, Cuellar, the pitching coach there preached about the significance of trusting his change-up in any situation." --- Jack Curry, The New York Times
    The 2006 season was the last season in a very dominant three year stretch for Santana. He led all of baseball in ERA and strikeouts and he had the most innings pitched and games started in the American League. Among pitchers who compiled a minimum of 600 innings between 2004 and 2006, Santana led in ERA, ERA+, strikeouts, and K/BB ratio. He was the undisputed best pitcher in the baseball world even if it was only for three seasons.
     
    5. Frank Viola, 1987
    W-L: 17-10 | 2.90 ERA | 251.2 IP | 197 SO | ERA+: 159 | WAR: 6.9
    "It's a tremendous feeling. MVP is a great, great honor but I couldn't do it without the other 23 guys and they all should share in this."--- Frank Viola, 1987 World Series MVP
    Some people might look at Viola's 1988 campaign as being more dominant since won the Cy Young that year. His 1987 campaign gets moved into the top 5 on this list because of his playoff performance. Viola was credited with three of the team's eight postseason victories that season. His Game 1 and Game 7 starts at the Metrodome were particularly strong as he pitched eight innings in both games and he limited the Cardinals to three runs. During the regular season, he allowed under 100 runs for the first time in his career and he posted the best ERA+ mark for his entire 15-year career.
     
    6. Johan Santana, 2005
    W-L: 16-7 | 2.87 ERA | 231.2 IP | 238 SO | ERA+: 155 | WAR: 7.4
    In his first All-Star season, Santana lost some Cy Young support because of his low win total. He struck out more batters than everyone else in the baseball world. There were seven starts during the season were Santana didn't allow more than two earned runs and he was either charged with a loss or given a no decision.
     
    7. Frank Viola, 1988
    W-L: 24-7 | 2.64 ERA | 255.1 IP | 193 SO | ERA+: 154 | WAR: 6.9
    Vioal road a World Series high into the 1988 season and rattled a league high 24 victories. He posted double-digit victories at home and on the road. Over the first half of the season, he had a 14-2 record with a 2.24 ERA including five complete games. In the month of May, he was a perfect 6-0 with a 1.53 ERA including two complete game shutouts.
     
    8. Bert Blyleven, 1971
    W-L: 16-15 | 2.81 ERA | 278.1 IP | 224 SO | ERA+: 126 | WAR: 6.9
    There wasn't much of a sophomore slump for Mr. Blyleven. The 1971 season marked the beginning of a six year stretch where he would post an ERA of 3.00 or lower. It would also be the start of an eight year stretch where he threw a minimum of 11 complete games. Blyleven was starting his march toward the Hall of Fame.
     
    9. Dean Chance, 1968
    W-L: 16-16 | 2.53 ERA | 292.0 IP | 234 SO | ERA+: 124 | WAR: 6.6
    Chance was coming off a 20-win season during his first season in Minnesota. His ERA was .20 points lower in 1968 and he tossed more innings. He had 15 complete games and six of those starts were shutouts. His 234 strikeouts were a career high that he would never break and his 0.98 WHIP was the only time he finished a season below 1.00 in this category.
     
    10. Bert Blyleven, 1975
    W-L: 15-10 | 3.00 ERA | 275.2 IP | 233 SO | ERA+: 129 | WAR: 6.4
    The 1975 campaign would be Blyleven's last full season in Minnesota before he came back a decade later. His 20 complete games were his second highest total as a Twin behind his 1973 season. He struck out over 220 for the fifth straight year. In seven of his losses or no decisions, he pitched at least seven and gave up three runs or less.
     
    Honorable Mentions: Dean Chance (1967), Camilo Pascual (1962), Dave Goltz (1977), Jim Perry, (1970), Jim Katt (1966), Jim Katt (1967), Jerry Koosman (1979), Francisco Liriano (2006)
     
    Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Who would be in your top 10 list?
  12. Cody Christie
    "To win the game, you've gotta score more runs than the other team"--- Ricky Henderson, baseball's all-time running scoring leader


     
    Baseball can be a very simple game but it always comes back to scoring more runs than the other team. This has always been the case and teams are challenged by how they should go about accomplishing this task. Should a team try and out slug the opposition to win in a high scoring fashion? Should a team use small ball to try and poke their way back into a game?
     
    The 2014 Twins have actually done a very good job when it comes to scoring runs. Their 4.39 runs per game are seventh highest total in all of baseball. Where the Twins fall short is in the run prevention department. They allow 4.84 runs per game and that is the third worst total in baseball.
     
    To get back to the franchise's winning ways, the Twins are going to need to find a way to allow fewer runs to score. Again that might seem like a simple answer but the ways to improve this area might not be easy.
     
    Improvements from the Starting Staff
    The Twins starting pitchers have a combined 4.53 ERA, the fourth worst mark in baseball. Phil Hughes is the only starter with an ERA under 4.00. If you took Hughes out of the equation, the staff numbers wouldn't look too great. Every pitcher seems to have a clunker every now and then but it's important to limit damage. Some pitchers are obviously better at this than others.
     
    While Hughes in the middle of his best professional season, there can be some expectations that there will be some regression next year. If the Twins can get small improvements from Ricky Nolasco, Kyle Gibson, and Trevor May, the team will be heading in the right direction. Alex Meyer's eventual debut could also help to improve the starting staff.
     
    The pitching staff also needs to find a way to strikeout batters at a higher rate. Meyer should help in this area but he won't be the staff savior. Minnesota's staff gives up a lot of contact and the best way to lower runs is by not allowing the ball to be put in play.
     
    Better Defense
    The Twins have been rough at a few different defensive positions this season. For the purposes of this article, SABR's Defensive Index will be used. This is one of the pieces that is used to select the Gold Glove Winners.
     
    Catcher: Out of qualifying catchers, Kurt Suzuki has been fifth worst in the American League. He has a negative rating through games of September 7, 2014. The Twins signed Suzuki to an extension around the trade deadline this year. That means the organization won't likely be improving defensively in this area.
     
    First Base: Joe Mauer's transition to a new position has been fairly smooth. He already had a little experience at first base and he is an athletic person. Only Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera rank higher than him among AL first baseman. It wouldn't be surprising to see him at the top of the list as early as next year.
     
    Second Base: Many fans might think Brian Dozier deserves a Gold Glove for his defense. He makes some spectacular plays but he also has plenty of misplays and errors. Dustin Pedroia and Ian Kinsler are way ahead in the AL second base rankings because they don't make mistakes. If Dozier could improve defensively, his value would increase even with some of his recent struggles at the plate.
     
    Third Base: Trevor Plouffe's defense might be the most surprising of all this year. In previous seasons he's looked like a stiff wall at third base. He is becoming more comfortable at the position and he ranks fourth in the AL at the hot corner. It will be interesting to see where Plouffe's future lies. Is it at third base or will he have to move for Miguel Sano?
     
    Shortstop: The plan wasn't for Eduardo Escobar to be at short when the Twins left spring training but that's how baseball works. He hasn't been spectacular at shortstop but it's still good enough to rank third in the AL. Former Twin JJ Hardy is well ahead of the rest of the shortstop world and he's a free agent this off-season. Could Danny Santana do as well as Escobar at shortstop? The Twins haven't wanted to find out.
     
    Outfield: The Twins filtered through a variety of outfielders this season so none of their players figure into the SABR Defensive Index. Minnesota will keep Oswaldo Arcia in one of the corner spots even though he is below average in the field. Center field could be a question mark. Santana has been adequate and he could get better with more repetitions at his new position. Left field could be up for grabs. Byron Buxton and his strong defensive ability could debut next year but that would come later in the season.
     
    Shortstop and left field seem to be the areas where the Twins could improve the most defensively. If Aaron Hicks could make a huge leap offensively, his defense would be a welcome addition in the outfield. It would be nice to have a defensive upgrade at shortstop but the Twins have struggled for years to fill that position.
     
    Even the Twins can make some small improvements to allow fewer runs, that'd be great. Otherwise, they are going to have to hope they can out slug their opponents to get back on the right track.
  13. Cody Christie
    It has been a year of good and bad performances in Minnesota. Unfortunately, there has probably been more bad than good.
     
    On the positive side of things, Phil Hughes has put together the best season of his professional career, Danny Santana has done some good things as a rookie, and the duo of Kennys Vargas and Oswaldo Arcia seem to be able to mash the ball out of any park.
     
    There have been some players that haven't lived up to expectations for various parts of the year. Those players are trying to right the ship over the next couple weeks before 2014 comes to a close. Ending this year on a good note could help each of the following players to rebound in 2015.
     
    Ricky Nolasco: When the Twins signed Nolasco this off-season to the biggest free agent deal in franchise history, there was a smattering of the fan base that said, "Who?" He had been a workhorse pitcher in the National League for multiple seasons but the transition to the American League has been anything but easy. There can be a variety of excuses thrown out in relation to his play this season. He could have been pitching through some injuries and he might have had a tough time adjusting to the new league. He'll be in the rotation next year and one has to hope that his performance will improve.
     
    Joe Mauer: He's not playing catcher any more so there is supposed to be less wear and tear on his body. Even with the switch to a new position, it has been one of the worst offensive seasons on record for Mr. Mauer. His second half performance has been better than his first half performance (.695 OPS improving to .812 OPS), but it has come in half as many games. Fans will always focus on Mauer's performance because of his large contract and that's something he'll live with for the rest of his career. For 2015, the focus should be on getting back to the Mauer of old.
     
    Aaron Hicks: There's a chance Hicks could end up winning the starting center field job for the third straight season coming out of spring training next year. The Twins would obviously need to see something from him in the coming weeks. Since becoming a September call-up, he hasn't exactly blown the cover off the ball. There haven't been a ton of signs pointing towards a rebound for Hicks but there have been flashes of good things in the minors and his first round pedigree always helps. Next year could be his last chance to make a mark with the Twins.
     
    Trevor May: May's only seven starts into his MLB career so it's not too much of a stretch of the imagination to think he can improve. His outings in September have been better and that might be enough of a confidence boost to put him on a improve path moving forward. Kyle Gibson struggled last year in his first taste of the big leagues and he's turned into a much more serviceable pitcher this year. May's mission should be to follow in Gibson's footsteps for 2015. If he can fit into the middle of the rotation for the next handful of years, Twins fans would have to be happy with the result.
     
    Brian Dozier: For fans that haven't been paying attention in recent weeks, Dozier's name might be a surprise on this list. After a tremendous first half of the season where there was a chance he would make the AL All-Star squad, Dozier has fizzled in the second half. His slugging percentage has dropped almost 100 points and this can be attributed to his lack of second half home runs. He hit 18 long balls in the first half and he's only hit one since July 23rd. There are younger players coming through the Twins system in the coming years that will want a middle infield job so Dozier needs to get back to the player he was in the first half.
  14. Cody Christie
    Bud Selig is set to retire this off-season after 22 years at the helm of Major League Baseball. Rob Manfred has already been voted in as his successor, a position he has been groomed for over since starting to work for MLB in 1998. The 55-year old Manfred will have a variety of issues on his plate as he takes over from the 80-year old Selig.
     
    During Selig's tenure as commissioner, baseball has been marked by a variety of ups and downs. A large growth in attendance has increased revenue across the game. This has resulted in some slough of large contracts for baseball's more established players. Besides the positives, there was also a World Series that was cancelled because of a strike and the performance enhancing drug scandal impacted many parts of the baseball world.
     
    For the Minnesota Twins, there have been some positive things that have happened under the Selig regime even if they can't all be credited to him. The Twins were able to finance a new stadium and Target Field has turned out to be a gem. Increases in revenue allowed the Twins to pay Joe Mauer one of the largest contracts in baseball. The organization also got to host the last All-Star Game with Selig as commissioner.
     
    However, the biggest story surrounding the Twins and Selig will always be the threat of contraction made following the 2001 season. Minnesota and Montreal were left on the MLB's chopping block after Selig revealed owners had voted 28-2 to eliminate two teams.
     
    Twins owner Carl Pohlad was frustrated with Minnesota's state government for not being able to come up with a deal to replace the outdated Metrodome. Pohlad would be paid $250 million to close out the franchise he purchased in 1984. There were a lot of things going wrong in the baseball world in the aftermath of September 11th.
     
    In an interview with the Pioneer Press this summer, Selig said, "Contraction had nothing to do with Minnesota. Baseball was really struggling at the time, losing a fortune as a sport. There were owners who believed that contraction might help."
     
    Luckily for Twins fan, contraction never happened. A Hennepin County judge ruled that the Twins had to honor their Metrodome lease for the 2002 season. The Twins took full advantage of their new life as they qualified for the playoffs for the first time since their 1991 World Series Championship. The team won the AL Central Division three straight seasons and six of the next nine years.
     
    Minnesota found itself back on the baseball map but not after dealing with a situation that left more than one scar on the franchise. Selig did some good things for the Twins but his lasting memory will be the fact that he almost stole baseball away from a generation of fans in the Upper Midwest.
  15. Cody Christie
    This is the first in a series of posts looking at different parts of the Twins roster as the season starts to wind down. There have been some rough moments at the end of the last few seasons. The moto of the last few seasons might have been "Wake Me Up When September Ends" but this season might be a little different as there seems to be a little hope on the horizon. That hope might mean you won't want to sleep through this September.
     
    August is slowly winding down and this points towards another Twins season coming to an end. Many fans can tune out at this time of year. The NFL football season is ramping up, students are heading back to school, and there's just less time to fit baseball into people's crazy schedules.
     
    There hasn't been much of a reason to watch the Twins during the last couple of Septembers. The team was trotting out a starting rotation composed of a combination of non-prospects and aging veterans, which can be a lethal combination. Things might be shaping up to be a little better this September but the jury is still out on how this year's crop of starters will fare.
     
    2014: Phil Hughes, Kyle Gibson, Tommy Milone, Ricky Nolasco, Trevor May
    This could very well be the same five men who start will compose the 2015 Opening Day rotation. Hughes and Gibson have had some up and down moments in the second half but they have been the most consistent starters this season. Milone had the worst start of his career during this weekend's typhoon at Target Field. The Twins are still going to want to see more of him in the last month since he just joined the organization. Nolasco is coming off a month on the DL and he's got a lot to prove to the Twins fan base. May has been a little wild so far but the Twins need him to show that he can pitch at the big league level.
     
    2013: Scott Diamond, Kevin Correia, Andrew Albers, Cole De Vries, Mike Pelfrey
    8-20 team record in September
    The Twins failed to reach double digits in wins during two months last season and one of those months happened to be September. The team's leaders in wins for the month were Anthony Swarzak and Casey Fien. None of the starters had more than one win. Pelfrey is the only member of the list to still be with the Twins and he has been injured for most of this season. Diamond is now part of the Reds organization but his ERA is north of 5.00 since joining their Triple-A squad. Correia was leading the AL in losses before the Twins dealt him to the Dodgers. De Vries has since retired and started flipping houses (sound like something the Hulk would do). Albers has played this season over in Korea and it's been a rough year to say the least.
     
    2012: Scott Diamond, Sam Deduno, Liam Hendriks, PJ Walters, Esmerling Vasquez
    13-18 team record in Sept/Oct
    Five games under .500 is not such a bad record when considering the fearsome five-some the Twins showcased a couple years ago. Diamond was in the middle of a breakout season but he posted a 2-3 record with a 4.79 ERA in six starts over the last month. Deduno was getting his first longer look with the Twins and he got roughed up losing three of his last five starts. He didn't make it past the fourth inning in his final three outings. Hendriks finally earned his first big league win and he's only won two other big league games since that first victory. Walters and Vasquez didn't earn a win in the month and both had ERA's of over 5.50.
     
    The Twins might not be on their way to a 20-win month to close out the year but the rotation looks improved over the past couple of years. If May can iron out some of his kinks and Nolasco can look like the pitcher he was before coming to Minnesota, there could be some good things happening in September.
     
    Make sure to stay awake for it.
     
    For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and toread his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com
  16. Cody Christie
    On August 12, 1994 baseball went away.
     
    This week marked the 20th anniversary of the end of that season, a season that could have included many historical events. ESPN wrote earlier this week about Tony Gwynn's chase for .400, Matt Williams hunting down Roger Maris' home run record, and the Montreal Expos possible trip to the World Series. All of these events didn't take place because of the 1994 strike.
     
    The 1994 Twins also missed out on what could have been some important moments. Minnesota wasn't on their way to a World Series because the team was 14 games out of first place and seven games under .500 when play was halted. There were still other memorable moments taken away.
     
    Kent Hrbek's Farewell Season
    The Twins last game before the strike was on August 10th and this turned out to be the final game in Kent Hrbek's career. The slugging first baseman surprised a lot of fans by retiring as a 34-year old but he had accomplished all that he wanted to in the game. He had two World Series rings and he got to play his entire career in his home state. There had been some injuries over his last couple of seasons and he was ready to spend more time with his family. The strike took away the opportunity for fans to acknowledge all he had done in a Twins uniform. The Metrodome faithful would get this opportunity in 1995 when his number was retired but it would have been nice to salute him while he was still wearing a Twins uniform.
     
    Kirby Puckett's Shortened Career
    Puckett would play his last game in 1995 and he was in the midst of a very good offensive season just one year earlier. His 112 RBI were tops in the American League and only four behind Jeff Bagwell for the highest total in baseball. He was also near the top of the league in a variety of other offensive categories. He was in the top 10 in extra base hits (5th), doubles (5th), total bases (6th), and hits (7th). His defensive game wasn't too bad either as he led the leagues in assists as an outfielder. He would finish seventh in the MVP voting and won his sixth and final Silver Slugger award. No one could foresee the end of his career being a little over a year away and it would have been nice to have Puck on the field for a few more games.
     
    Shane Mack's Leaderboard Numbers
    Following the 1994 season, Shane Mack wouldn't put on a big league uniform until the 1997 season as he would be playing professionally in Japan. This takes nothing away from the kind of numbers he was producing for the Twins in 1994. The slugging outfielder was in his last year in Minnesota and he sat in the American League's top 10 in a variety of categories when the strike hit. He ranked seventh in batting average (.333), seventh in slugging percentage (.564), and eighth in OPS (.966). He did all of this while being limited to 81 games There was plenty of season left to play after August and it would have been interesting to see where Mack would have finished by the year's end.
     
    What else would you have liked to see from the 1994 Twins? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.
     
    For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and toread his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com
  17. Cody Christie
    The biggest Twins story of the weekend was the call-up and debut on right-handed pitching prospect Trevor May. Fans have been clamoring for months to see May or his Rochester counterpart Alex Meyer. This new version of the M&M boys is supposed to provide some stability to a lack-lust Twins rotation but only time will tell.
     
    One of the stories lost in the hype of May's debut was the demotion of Chris Colabello. The 30-year old former independent league standout is heading back to Triple-A for the second time this season. In 114 games over the last two seasons, he's hit .214/.284/.364 with 13 home runs and 16 doubles. These aren't exactly the power numbers a team likes to see from a first baseman that will turn 31 before the start of next year.
     
    It took quite the fairy tale to imagine how Colabello made it to the big leagues. He went undrafted out of college and spent six seasons toiling in the Canadian-American Association as he waited for his chance. The Twins finally gave him an opportunity after Baseball America named him the Independent Leagues Player of the Year. Colabello certainly made the most of his opportunity over the next couple of seasons.
     
    His career in affiliated baseball would start in Double-A where he was over 3.5 years older than the average age of the other hitters in the league. Even with the age difference, he would go on to have a monster year for New Britain in 2012 by leading the Eastern League in doubles and ranking second in RBI. Colabello seemed better than advertised and it was hard not to wonder what he could do as he moved up the ladder.
     
    The 2013 season turned out to be even better as he jumped to Rochester in the International League. He led the league and the minors in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS. He would be handed plenty of accolades at the end of the season as he was named the MVP and the Rookie of the Year in the International League.
     
    Even the start of the 2014 season looked like Colabello had turned over a new leaf. During the first week of year, he hit .391 (9-for-23) with four doubles, one home run, 11 RBI and four runs scored. He lead all AL players in RBI and he ranked second in doubles. He would be named co-recipient of the American League's Player of the Week Award.
     
    Things would slowly unravel for Colabello as the league made adjustments to him. After his hot start, he would hit .264/.321/.417 for the rest of the month of April. Out of his 19 hits, seven of them were for extra-bases and his strikeout to walk rate was 20 to six. He was leading the team in RBI but by the end of May he would be back in the minors.
     
    Colabello was recalled by the Twins near the start of July but his latest audition didn't go much better. In 19 games he hit .222/.288/.389 with five extra-base hits and 16 strikeouts. This could leave Colabello's roster spot in jeopardy. Kennys Vargas has shown some good signs in his first handful of games and Joe Mauer is scheduled to return from injury. The Twins might also need Colabello's 40-man roster spot for a player like Alex Meyer.
     
    If this is the end of Colabello's time with the Twins, his story will always be one to remember. From independent baseball to minor league All-Star, he had to fight to live out his dream of becoming a big league player. The Twins gave him the opportunity to live his dream and I for one am glad they did...
     
    For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com
  18. Cody Christie
    Besides swapping Sam Fuld for Tommy Milone, the Twins didn't make a major trade at the non-waiver trade deadline. There were rumors about Kurt Suzuki or Josh Willingham ending up in a new uniform but those rumors never came to fruition. Even though the team has been in the midst of a rough three year stretch, the club hasn't been very active around July 31st trade deadline.
     
    One clear move made by the front office signals a lot for the future make-up of the franchise. Kurt Suzuki signed a two-year, $12 million contract extension. The Twins pitching staff and coaches have lauded over Suzuki for his leadership and professional approach to the game. There had been plenty of voices that made it clear that they wanted Suzuki to remain in a Twins uniform.
     
    After Joe Mauer’s move to first base this past off-season, the Twins didn't have a clear plan at catcher. There were rumors that the club tried to sign some of the bigger free agent names but ended up settling for Suzuki. He’s now in the midst of his best professional season and he will be the Twins catcher for multiple years.
     
    Josmil Pinto is one person whose future might be most impacted by the Suzuki signing. He made the Twins roster to start the season but saw limited playing time. The Twins send him to Rochester to get some more catching experience and Glen Perkins called him out for not being the best person to throw to behind the plate. Perkins is one of the clubhouse leaders and I doubt he would call out a younger player unless it was necessary.
     
    Pinto might not see a lot of time at catcher moving forward. There are other catchers in the system that should be ready by the time Suzuki’s contract expires. Here are some names to watch over the next two years.
     
    Stuart Turner, Fort Myers Miracle
    Turner was the Twins third round pick in 2013. The college experienced catcher was expected to move through the system quickly and he is already at High-A. His offensive numbers are adequate but he has been know more for his defensive skills. If he continues to move at his current pace, he'll me making his debut near the end of Suzuki's current deal.
     
    Mitch Garver, Cedar Rapids Kernels
    Garver has combined for over 35 extra base hits in his first full professional season. These totals put him near the top of the Midwest League in home runs, doubles, and slugging percentage. He was a ninth round pick in 2013 so he has turned into a nice surprise. If Turner fails to make it all the way to big leagues, Garver is shaping up as a viable offensive threat.
     
    Alex Swim, Cedar Rapids Kernels
    Swim has spent most of this season in Cedar Rapids and his average would rank second in the league if he had enough at-bats to qualify. While his average has been great, he hits for very little power. In over 135 plate appearances, he has yet to hit double digits in extra base hits. Pitchers are going to be able to attack him as he moves up the ladder especially if he doesn't hit for more power.
     
    For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com
  19. Cody Christie
    For fans of the Twins minor league system, there were three of the organizations best pitching prospects all on the mound in one night. This is about as exciting as it gets, folks.
     
    Rochester starter Alex Meyer had pitched five straight starts of six innings by allowing two earned runs or less. New Britain starter Jose Berrios was making his fourth start at Double-A and he combined to pitch 13 innings of two-run ball in his last two starts. Lewis Thorpe has been showing signs of improvement even though his season numbers might not show it.
     
    One of these pitchers would have one of his best starts of the year. At the same time another pitcher would unfortunately be pulled early with an apparent injury.
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 6, Lehigh Valley 1
    Box Score
    For the first time in five starts, Meyer didn't make a quality start but it was still enough to earn his sixth victory of the season. Over five innings, he allowed one run on two hits but he walked a career high five batters. It was his 13th start of allowing one or fewer earned runs this season. Lester Oliveros and Stephen Pryor each pitched two shutout frames to end the game and keep the Red Wings on top.
     
    Reynaldo Rodriguez hit his first Triple-A home run, a three-run shot, in the fifth inning. It was part of a five run fifth inning when the Red Wings sent 10 men to the plate. Doug Bernier extended his hit streak to nine games with a single in the fifth inning.
     
    With the win, the Wings take a 0.5 game lead in the Wild Card over idle Pawtucket. They also guarantee themselves a 4th straight winning month for the first time since 2006. Before the game, LHP Jason Wheeler was transferred to New Britain.
     
    ROCK CATS REVIEW
    New Britain 1, Trenton 4
    Box Score
    Jose Berrios didn't make it far into this game and unfortunately it was due to an injury. The training staff and coaches came out to the mound to look at him and he was pulled after just 1.2 innings. His velocity dropped on his fastball leading up to him being pulled. Sources have said that shoulder tightness is the initial diagnosis.
     
    New Britain's pitching staff had to patch together the rest of the game. Jim Fuller and Matthew Summers pitched 4.1 scoreless frames. They combined to strike out seven. Only one Rock Cat player was able to get a hit. Aaron Hicks went 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored. It was his first triple since being demoted to New Britain.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Fort Myers 3, Clearwater 5
    Box Score
    The Miracle were left without any extra-base hits and the team was a woeful 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Byron Buxton went 0-for-5 and struck out three times. Max Kepler reached base three times and Levi Michael went 2-for-4. Stuart Turner knocked in a couple of runs. The Miracle loaded the bases in the ninth inning but they couldn't plate a run.
     
    Steven Gruver was forced to make a spot start for the Miracle. He lasted three innings and was charged for two earned runs. After pitching two scoreless innings, Alex Muren allowed a couple of runs to score in the sixth as Clearwater took the lead for good. It was the fourth loss in the last six games for the Miracle.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Cedar Rapids 6, Burlington 2
    Box Score
    Lewis Thorpe had his strikeout mojo working for the Kernels. He struck out a season-high 10 batters over 5.2 frames for his second victory. He surrendered two runs on four hits while walking one batter. The bullpen had to do some work after Thorpe left with runners on the corners. Chris Mazza got out of the jam and limited the Bees to one hit. Jake Reed was perfect over the last two innings for his first save.
     
    Michael Quesada notched a couple of RBI in the fourth while Bryan Haar and Alex Swim each scored two runs in the game. Haar collected his 18th double of the season and Swim added his sixth two-bagger. Mitch Garver went 2-for-4 and stole his sixth base of the year.
     
    E-TWINS E-NOTES
    Elizabethton 2, Greeneville 4
    Box Score
    The E-Twins struggled to find their offensive stroke in this one. The team combined to go 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and the team left five on base. Dutch Deol had the only extra-base hit of the game a double that plated two runs. It was his third double of the year. Nick Gordon picked up a single to stretch his hitting streak to three games.
     
    Felix Jorge continued his stretch of strong starts since being send from Cedar Rapids to Elizabethton. In this contest, he went six innings and scattered four hits. He struck out four, walked one, and saw his ERA drop to 1.93 over seven starts in the Appalachian League. Keaton Steele was charged with the loss after he gave up two runs, one earned, in the ninth inning
     
    GCL TWINS TAKES
    GCL Twins 6, GCL Rays 7 (7 Innings)
    Box Score
     
    The GCL Twins got within one run in two different innings in the first game of the double header but they weren't able to overcome the five run second inning by the Rays. Josh Burris took the loss after allowing four earned runs in a third of an inning. After the first three pitchers lasted less than an inning, Josh Guyer threw the last 4.1 innings by allowing two runs on three hits.
     
    It would turn out to be quite the day for Amaurys Minier. In this game, he slugged a grand slam with two outs in the third to bring the Twins within a run. It was the only extra-base hit for the team. Rainis Silva and Joel Polanco each added two hits and Silva had an RBI.
     
    GCL Twins 4, GCL Rays 2 (7 Innings)
    Box Score
    Two runs in each of the first two innings were enough to put the GCL Twins on top in this one. Amaurys Minier knocked a two-run bomb to get the scoring started in the first inning. It was his fourth home run this season and his second of the day. In the second inning after some wild pitching by the Rays, Ruar Verkerk collected two RBI on a single passed the first baseman.
     
    Alex Tapia continued his winning ways tossing six innings and limiting the Rays to two runs on three hits. It was his fourth consecutive victory to start the season and it was his first time pitching at least six frames. Trevor Hildenberger allowed two base runners in the ninth but neither would score and he earned his fifth save.
     
    TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
    Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Lewis Thorpe, Cedar Rapids Kernels
    Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Amaurys Minier, GCL Twins
     
    WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
    Lehigh Valley @ Rochester (10:05am CST) – Trevor May (Listen)
    New Britain @ Trenton (11:05am CST) – TBD (Listen)
    Clearwater @ Ft. Myers (6:05am CST) – Tim Shibuya (Listen)
    Burlington @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST) - Ryan Eades (Listen)
    Greeneville @ Elizabethton (6:00 CST) - Derrick Penilla
    GCL Rays @ GCL Twins (11:00am CST) – TBD
  20. Cody Christie
    Welcome to the unofficial midpoint of the 2014 Twins season. After teasing fans for different portions of the first half, the Twins find themselves in a familiar position at the break, last place in the AL Central. The Twins enter the break six games under .500 and 10.5 games behind the Detroit Tigers for the top spot in the division.
    Even though the team's record might not show it, there have been some positive things happening for the Twins this year. Kurt Suzuki and Phil Hughes are looking like fantastic free agent signings. Brian Dozier is in the midst of a breakout season at the plate. Even Kyle Gibson has started to look like he will be a long-term option as a starting pitcher.
     
    At the beginning of the season I made a preseason pick about who will be the best players on the Twins in four different award categories (MVP, Best Starter, Best Reliever, Best Rookie). Each of the awards below has been named after someone that optimizes that award for the Twins organization. There are some legends from the past and even one current MLB player but all have had a significant place in Twins lore.
     
    Harmon Killebrew First-Half MVP: Brian Dozier, 2B


    Preseason Pick: Joe Mauer, 1B


    Joe Mauer is always the safe pick at the beginning of the season and it seems that he has continued to disappoint in recent years. This makes it easy to look at the team and give the first half MVP to Brian Dozier. He has 10 more home runs than any other player on the roster. His 69 runs scored are the most in the American League. He also leads the team in RBI and stolen bases. All of these offensive numbers are great but he also makes some tremendous plays on the defensive side of the ball. His batting average is always going to be low but he seems to have all of the other tools to be part of the Twins long-term rebuilding process.
    Johan Santana Pitcher of the First Half: Phil Hughes, RHP


    Preseason Pick: Ricky Nolasco, RHP


    In the preseason I had the right idea to pick one of the free agent starters the Twins had signed. However I elected to go with the wrong man. Rick Nolasco has struggled during his first 18 starts with the Twins while Phil Hughes has looked like a brand new pitcher. Hughes leads the Twins in wins, innings pitched, and WAR. He's also only walked 11 batters the entire season for a eye popping 0.81 BB/9 rate. To put that in perspective, no other Twins starter has allowed fewer than 2 BB/9. There have been some rough starts for Hughes leading into the break so it will be interesting to see what kind of pitcher he looks like at the start of the second half.
     
    Rick Aguilera Relief Pitcher of the First Half: Casey Fien, RHP


    Preseason Pick: Glen Perkins, LHP


    This was one of the toughest picks to make but looking deeper at the numbers it made my decision a little easier. Casey Fien and Glen Perkins could both be considered for this award but I give the slight edge to Fien. Perkins will always strikeout more batters than Fien but Fien has been asked to fill a very important late inning role. He does a great job of limiting damage when he comes into games because almost 83% of the time he is able to leave runners on base. Perkins left on base percentage is under 65%. Fien's ERA and WHIP are both lower than Perkins and Fien has pitched the second most innings out of the bullpen behind long-man Anthony Swarzak. This will be a race to watch in the second half as both players are having good seasons up to this point.
    Rod Carew Rookie of the First Half: Danny Santana, SS/OF


    Preseason Pick: Josmil Pinto, C


    Both Josmil Pinto and Danny Santana did some good things in the first half but my vote goes to Santana. He has seemed to be a spark plug for the line-up when he is in the game. While his natural position is in the infield, the team has been forced to move him to the outfield because of injury issues. He was able to continue to produce in the outfield as well. In 37 games, he has been a threat on the bases with six steals to his name. He also has accumulated the same amount of runs scored and RBI as Pinto in fewer plate appearances. Pinto provides the power but Santana's overall game has been a big asset to the Twins in the first half.
     
    Now it's your turn. Who would you pick for each of the above awards? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.
  21. Cody Christie
    Minnesota will host the All-Star Game in a little more than a couple weeks and this is the time of year where pundits start debating who should and who shouldn't be on the All-Star Game roster.
     
    One of the most exciting events in almost 30 years since Minnesota last hosted the game is the Home Run Derby. In 1985,the last year the Twins were the host, the first HR Derby was held and this event has exploded to a full-day prime-time event.
     
    It's always nice for the home team to have a participant in the derby but the Twins won't likely have a candidate when the final derby teams are announce. If I was in the shoes of Troy Tulowitzki and Jose Bautista, this is how I would construct the rosters.
     
    The Captains: Troy Tulowitzki, Jose Bautista
    Major League Baseball already announced both of these players as captains and they were both leading fan voting for theAll-Star Game. Bautista will lead the AL squad that has won the last four contests. The Toronto slugger will return to the event for the third time. Tulowitzki will be participating in his first home run derby but he is in the middle of a monster season for Colorado. There have only been a handful of shortstops to participate in this event so it will be interesting to see how Tulo can do.
     
    Former Twins: Justin Morneau, Carlos Gomez
    Since the Twins aren't likely going to have a representative in this event, the closest thing to a Twin would be Justin Morneau. He spent the first 11 years of his career here and he would get one heck of an ovation from the Target Field fans. Tulowitzki has already said that he won't ask Morneau to participate in the event until rosters are announced for the All-Star Game. Another former Twin that could be asked to participate is Carlos Gomez. Besides his connection to playing here, he's also from Minnesota's border state so the Brew Crew can be happy too. There's no doubt he would bring a certain flare to the event.
     
    The Rest of the NL: Giancarlo Stanton,Yasiel Puig
    While Tulowitzki is waiting to announce some members of the squad, he has already come out and said thatGiancarlo Stanton will be participating. Stanton is known for his shows in batting practice so it makes sense for him to participate in this event. He has never been a contestant and he will quickly become one of the favorites this year. Yasiel Puig is a sensational player and he can do some amazing things on the field. This event seems tailor made to his personality. The only question that remains is... Would he do a bat flip after every home run?
     
    The Former Champion: Yoenis Cespedes
    Last season Yoenis Cespedes beat out Bryce Harper to take home the HR Derby crown. If he wants to defend his title, he is going to have to do it in Minnesota. He's already told reporters in the Bay Area that he plans to defend his title. This could also set-up an interesting Cuban match-up if both Cespedes and Puig are participants. No player has repeated as champion since Ken Griffey Jr back in 1998 and 1999.That's a long streak to break and Cespedes will have plenty of competition standing in his way.
     
    The Rest of the American League: Mike Trout, Edwin Encarnacion, Chris Davis
    Mike Trout is the best player in the world and it could be exciting to see what he can do when he's swinging for the fences with every pitch. Bryce Harper got to participate in last year's event so maybe it's Trout's turn. If Bautista is going to bring a teammate, it could be Edwin Encarnacion, who is near the top of the AL leader board in home runs. Jose Abreu said he didn't want to participate and Nelson Cruz had his steroid issue last year so Encarnacion could be a solid choice. A year ago, Chris Davis put on a solid showing in this event finishing in fourth place so he might want another shot at the title. He also has the most home runs in the AL since the start of 2013 so sign him up.
     
    My AL Team:
    1. Jose Bautista- Toronto
    2. Yoenis Cespedes- Oakland
    3. Mike Trout- Los Angeles
    4. Edwin Encarnacion- Toronto
    5. Chris Davis- Baltimore
     
    My NL Team:
    1. Troy Tulowitzki- Colorado
    2. Giancarlo Stanton- Miami
    3. Justin Morneau- Colorado
    4. Carlos Gomez- Milwaukee
    5. Yasiel Puig- Los Angeles
  22. Cody Christie
    If not for injuries to top prospects Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton, it's likely that both players would be heading to their second straight Futures Game. With both players on the shelf, the Twins will have the opportunity to showcase some of their other top talent on Sunday of All-Star week.
     
    The rosters were announced for the MLB Future's Game on Tuesday and the Twins will be represented by first baseman Kennys Vargas and right-handed pitcher Jose Berrios. Vargas is near the top of the Twins minor league leader board in almost every major offensive category. Berrios is in the midst of a breakout season in the Florida State League and he could be considered a top 50 prospect in all of baseball.
     
    Berrios pitched on Monday night so he wouldn't be part of Tuesday's action. Vargas has played at New Britain all season and Berrios could be well on his way to joining him with the Rock Cats. Let's see how New Britain did along with a jammed packed day in the minors.
     
    RED WINGS REPORT
    Rochester 7, Scranton/WB 5
    Box Score
    The Red Wings didn't make it easy on this night as they found themselves in a back and forth contest with the RailRiders. Out of Rochester's ten hits, six of them were for extra-bases. The team was also able to overcome leaving 10 men on base and only notching two hits with runners in scoring position. The win snapped a three-game losing skid.
     
    Chris Colabello lead the way offensively going 2-for-5 with a home run, double and two RBI. It was his first home runs since June 20th and only his second home run in 29 Triple-A games this year. Eric Farris was back in the leadoff spot and he collected three hits and two RBI.
     
    Logan Darnell earned the victory but he wasn't exactly sharp. He tied a career-high with five walks and it was the second time in three starts that he had allowed that many free passes. He allowed three runs over five frames. Michael Tonkin earned his fifth save with a perfect ninth inning.
     
    ROCK CATS REVIEW
    New Britain 5, Altoona 2
    Box Score
    The Rock Cats ended their 12-game winning streak on Monday so it was time to start a new winnings streak on Tuesday. Pat Dean tossed 6.2 frames while allowing one earned run on seven hits for his sixth win of the season. Cole Johnson and Lester Oliveros took care of the rest of the game as Altoona only had one base runner over the last 2.1 innings.
     
    New Britain's offense showed some strength with a trio of home runs. Mike Kvasnicka hit a two-run bomb in the second inning to start the scoring for the Rock Cats. Reynaldo Rodriguez and Brandon Waring added solo shots later in the game. Aaron Hicks continued his rehab assignment and went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts. Kennys Vargas got big news earlier in the day but he failed to pick up a hit in four trips to the plate.
     
    The Rock Cats are 13 games over .500 and the club has won 15 of their last 17 contests.
     
    MIRACLE MATTERS
    Fort Myers 7, Charlotte 6 (10th inning)
    Box Score
    It took two late inning lead changes and a clutch RBI triple from Stuart Turner in the 10th for the Miracle to sweep the Stone Crabs. It was the first extra-innings win for Fort Myers in 2014. Travis Harrison started the top of the tenth with his team-leading 20th double, a pinch hit, and Turner followed with the game-winning hit.
     
    The Miracle pounded out 15 hits including three hit efforts from Tuner, Lance Ray, and Aderlin Mejia. Ray collected two doubles and he scored a run while Mejia had two RBI. The team went 6-for-14 with runners in scoring position to help the cause.
     
    Fort Myers had to rely a lot on their bullpen in this game. DJ Baxendale lasted 4.2 innings while surrendering five runs on eight hits. Steven Gruver finished the fifth and pitched the next two frames without allowing a run. Tyler Jones was asked to get a two-inning save but he blew the lead in the bottom of the ninth. With the comeback, Jones earned his first victory of the season and Mason Melotakis struck out the side in the 10th for his first save.
     
    KERNELS NUGGETS
    Cedar Rapids 1, Peoria 3
    Box Score
    Cedar Rapids scored the first run of this game but they would come up empty the rest of the way. The Kernels struggled to a total of five hits and one extra-base hit. Zack Granite led off the game with a double and he was knocked in a couple batters later by Chad Christensen. The four through eight hitters in the order didn't collect a hit and combined for eight strikeouts.
     
    Ethan Mildren pitched five innings and allowed three runs but he didn't get much offensive support. It was the second straight loss for Mildren after winning two straight starts. He's pitched at least five innings in nine of his last ten starts. Brandon Bixler was solid in relief as he allowed two hits and struck out two over two shutout innings.
     
    The loss dropped Cedar Rapids 11 games under the .500 mark.
     
    E-TWINS E-NOTES
    Elizabethton 6, Pulaski 9 (10 Innings)
    Box Score
    The E-Twins jumped out to any early 6-0 lead after only two innings but the bullpen faltered down the stretch allowing the Mariners to get back into the game. It was the second consecutive loss for Elizabethton after winning three of the team's first four games. On this night a wild pitch and a fielding error with two outs would cost the team the game.
     
    Three doubles in the first inning and two doubles in the second inning helped the E-Twins offense but the club wouldn't record another extra-base hit the rest of the way. Trey Vavra went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Max Murphy knocked his second double of the year as part of a two hit night. Every starter for the Twins had at least one hit.
     
    Michael Cederoth started and pitched 2.2 shutout innings. Dereck Rodriguez earned his first hold of the year by throwing two innings and only allowing one unearned run. CK Irby had his first blown save of the year and Josue Montanez took the loss. Montanez didn't allow an earned run as a wild pitch and a fielding error proved costly.
     
    GCL TWINS TAKES
    GCL Twins 9, GCL Orioles 1
    Box Score
    The GCL Twins had struggled out of the gate losing their first three contests of the year and things didn't start out too great in this one as the team found themselves in any early 1-0 hole. Luckily for the Twins, the Orioles didn't do much else after that and the Twins offense found some life.
     
    Roberto Gonzalez was hitless so far this season but that didn't stop him from collecting two doubles as part of a three hit effort. All three of Gonzalez's RBI came with two outs in the inning. Dubal Baez did a good job setting the table out of the lead-off spot. He went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI.
     
    Michael Theofanopoulos earned his first victory of the season by throwing two shut-out innings with four strikeouts. Wilfredy Liranzo started the game and allowed one run on two hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Eduardo Del Rosario and Miles Nordgren locked down two innings apiece to notch the team's first victory.
     
    TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
    Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Pat Dean, New Britain Rock Cats
    Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Stuart Turner, Fort Myers Miracle
     
    WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
    Rochester @ Scranton/WB (6:05 CST) – Kris Johnson (Listen)
    Altoona @ New Britain (11:05 CST) – Taylor Rogers (Listen)
    St. Lucie @ Ft. Myers (6:05 CST) – B.J. Hermsen (Listen)
    Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (7:00 CST) - Kohl Stewart (Listen)
    Pulaski @ Elizabethton (6:00 CST) – TBD (Listen)
    GCL Orioles @ GCL Twins (11:00am CST) – TBD
  23. Cody Christie
    Hardball history on the Minnesota prairie started long before the Twins moved to the Upper Midwest. Baseball legends like Ted Williams and Willie Mays called Minnesota home before making their big league debuts. There was a lot that went into the Twins becoming the franchise they are today and the club's entire history is summarized in the new book Minnesota Twins Baseball: Hardball History on the Prairie.
     
    There are plenty of people who know a lot about Twins baseball but author Stew Thornley is a little closer to the action than most. He is the official scorer for Twins home games and he has written more than 40 books including Onto Nicollet: The Glory and Fame of the Minneapolis Millers. He's been around baseball, and more specifically the Twins, for decades and his historical knowledge is evident to the reader.
     
    Minnesota's rich history of supporting teams like the Saints and the Millers gave way to talk of a major league team moving to Minnesota. The Giants and the Dodgers were some of the team's discussing a move but Minneapolis wasn't attractive enough for their organizations. Both team's moved west and thankfully the Senators were also looking for a new home and their rich crop of young players helped to make the team successful early in the club's history.
     
    Throughout the pages of this 126-page book, Thorney does a good job of retelling the major events in Twins history one decade at a time. There have been good and bad times over the last five decades and the author employs his collection of knowledge to convey that to the most passionate of Twins fans. He tells stories that might not be familiar and even provides insights into his own private collection of baseball artifacts.
     
    Some of the best parts of this book are the stories before Minnesota had the Twins. One of the most interesting stories was that the New York Giants organization took out a full page ad in the Minneapolis Tribune to apologize for calling up Willie Mays after only 35-games with the Millers. As the Giants President Horace C. Stoneham said, "We honestly admit too, that this player’s exceptional talents are the exact answer to the Giants' most critical need." He was certainly right about Mays.
     
    The fight to avoid contraction and to build a new stadium has been central to the Twins organization in recent decades. The Minnesota Twins could have become the North Carolina Twins at one point but that story line never played itself out. The club started to play better, a new stadium was built, and it is truly hard to imagine a summer in the Upper Midwest without the Twins being part of this generation or the next.
     
    Even though this book is a quick read,there is great information packed onto every page. The inset stories and pictures provide a look at how baseball has changed on the prairie since the 1880s. For even the most dedicated Twins fan there will be stories in this book that one has forgotten or stories that one would love to relive again. This book can be read over a long weekend at the lake but the memories will stick with you forever.
     
    When Calvin Griffith decided to name his team the Minnesota Twins, he said, "We want our new baseball enterprise to be for everyone in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest." Twins Territory has expanded beyond the boundaries of Minnesota and the history of baseball in the region is something every fan can cherish.
  24. Cody Christie
    Next month's All-Star Game is fast approaching and Target Field will serve as the center of the baseball universe.The starting rosters for the National League and the American League will be announced during the weekend of July 5th-6th and it doesn't seem likely for the Twins to have a starter elected by the fans.
     
    This leaves some question as to who should represent the hometown team in Minnesota's first Mid-Summer Classic since 1985.Joe Mauer has been named MLB's All-Star Ambassador but that might not guarantee him a spot in the game. He's been a regular at the game when he was a catcher but the switch to first base has seen a decline in his numbers.
     
    There are other worthy candidates on the Twins this season and the team might be able to sneak a couple players onto the roster since manager Ron Gardenhire is on the coaching staff. Here's a look at the top All-Star Game options for the Twins through the middle of June.
     
    1. Glen Perkins, LHP
    Perkins was picked as a replacement player for last year's All-Star Game after Jesse Crain went down with an injury.Unfortunately for Perkins, he never made it into the game and I think this is something Gardenhire will want to accomplish this year. Only Greg Holland and Fernando Rodney have more saves than Perkins in the American League. It would be cool to hear Perkins come into a close game in front of his hometown crowd especially after the leadership role he has taken with this organization over the last handful of years.
     
    2. Phil Hughes, RHP
    It has been quite the stretch of baseball for Hughes since he signed with the Twins. Hughes is keeping the ball in the park and he has the lowest walk rate of his career. His seven wins have him three behind the leaders in the American League and he has as many wins as Yu Darvish and Jered Weaver. He's been the most valuable pitcher on the Twins staff and he should be recognized for his achievements. His exit from New York was rough which makes his success in Minnesota all the sweeter.
     
    3. Brian Dozier, 2B
    Dozier might be the team's MVP up to this point but there are slough of bigger named second baseman in the American League. Ian Kinsler, Robinson Cano, and Dustin Pedroia all have the big names that would draw in viewers for the All-Star Game. According to FanGraphs version of WAR,Dozier has been more valuable than all of them but that still might not help his cause. His 15 home runs are more than Kinsler, Cano, and Pedroia combined. He's have a great first half but it might not be enough.
    4. Kurt Suzuki, C
    Since Mauer isn't in the catching picture any more, there will be a new starter behind the dish. Salvador Perez and Yan Gomes sit ahead of Suzuki in fWAR but most of that comes from their power numbers and defense. Suzuki leads AL catchers in batting average and on-base percentage.Someone like Perez might deserve the start but Suzuki would be a viable back-up option for the late innings. He's an eight year veteran in the middle of one of his best seasons so it might be nice for him to get an All-Star nod to add to his resume.
     
    5. Joe Mauer, 1B
    There are a lot of Mauer haters out there especially with his rough first half of the season. He's been striking out more, not hitting for power, and his average has suffered as more teams shift against him. He's still the biggest name on the Twins roster and he's MLB's appointed ambassador. Mauer is only the 10th best first baseman according to fWAR so there would be quite the list of players ahead of him. If you factor in last season's numbers as well, Mauer's fWAR would be the fourth highest among AL first baseman.
  25. Cody Christie
    On May 24th the Twins were in San Francisco for the second game of a three game series. Aaron Hicks was the starting center fielder that day and this day would mark a turning point in his career. Whether it was a turning point for the better or for the worse, remains to be seen.
     
    Ryan Vogelsong, a right-handed pitcher, was the Giants starter that day. This meant the switch-hitting Hicks was batting left-handed. Hicks would struggle on this day going 0-for-3 with a strikeout. He would be removed in the late-innings of a close game for a pinch hitter.
     
    This was the end of Hicks being a switch hitter. A couple of days later he would enter Ron Gardenhire's office and tell him he was done from the left side of the plate. Hicks had been a switch hitter since little league but he lost confidence at the plate and it was time for a change.
     
    Hicks is only 24-years old and the former first round pick was supposed to be the team's center fielder of the future. What does the future hold for Mr. Hicks?
     
    Bait and Switch
    Hicks is not that far removed from seemingly putting it all together at Double-A. During the 2012 season, he was a .286/.384/.460 hitter with 13 home runs, 21 doubles, and 11 triples. Even from the left-hand side of the plate he had an .828 OPS with 29 extra-base hits. His triple total was a New Britain team record and this gave the Twins plenty of confidence in him moving forward.
     
    In the Eastern League that season, Hicks was almost 2.5 years younger than the other hitters. This made his performance all the more impressive. He made one of the hardest jumps in the minor leagues and compiled the best numbers of his professional career. It was hard to imagine that he would be giving up switch-hitting in a little over a year and a half.
     
    Playing Rushin' Roulette
    Twins fans know the tale of Terry Ryan trading away Denard Span and Ben Revere during the same off-season. This meant Hicks was rushed to the big leagues after never seeing a pitch at the Triple-A level. There were plenty of struggles during his rookie season and the Twins sent him down to Rochester to finish out 2013.
     
    He has a grand total of 22 games played in Rochester. The Twins talked about sending him down after he switched away from switch-hitting. At the time, the team didn't really have any other options for center field so he stayed with the big league club. There have been some positive signs since Hicks gave up switch-hitting. In a very small sample size of 24 plate appearances, he's hit .263/.391/.316 with a double and four walks.
     
    Rising Stars
    Hicks was put on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to last Tuesday with a right shoulder strain. With Sam Fuld recovered from his concussion, it would seem likely for the Twins to send Hicks to Rochester after he's healthy. Minnesota has other options in center field and Hicks needs to spend more time seeing right-handed pitching from the right side of the plate.
     
    Danny Santana has burst onto the scene as a viable fill-in option in center. He's been a lifetime infielder during his time in the Twins organization but his bat has been so hot there is no reason to keep him out of the line-up. Byron Buxton has taken over the title of the center fielder of the future but he's been hurt for most of the year. This could leave a surprise candidate like Eddie Rosario as the center fielder to bridge the gap to Buxton.
     
    Time Will Tell
    The career of Hicks is far from over. Players like Brian Dozier and Trevor Plouffe both struggled in their first tastes of the big leagues. It took them time to develop and now they are both important parts of the current Twins line-up.
     
    Hicks is young and the Twins are going to give him every opportunity to succeed. If he can rekindle some of his Double-A magic in Rochester, the Twins will make sure he is back in Minnesota. Only time will tell when Hicks will make his way back into the Twins starting line-up.
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