Cody Christie

It is hard to believe that it has been fifteen years since the most tragic day in American history. The events of that day and the recovery following it have been well documented over the last decade and a half. The anniversary will always be a time of remembrance but it will also be a time to reflect on how far America has come since the events of September 11th. It seemed that all of America came to a standstill as the events unfolded in New York, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania. The professional sports world took a time-out as people realized that there were more important things in life than the sports that can consume people's lives. MLB stopped all of their games for over a week in the middle of the pennant races. At the time, it was the right thing to do as the nation tried to piece itself back together. The Twins were in Detroit on September 10th and they found themselves in second place and only six games out of first place. It would be the last year Tom Kelly would manage the team. It was also the first year the team would finish higher than fourth in the division since 1992. For eight days, the Twins waited to get on the field again and all of America waited for relief that might not appear. "The only two things that got my mind off of [9/11] were baseball and my son's football games"- New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani The nation needed to get back to some semblance of a normal life and for many that meant the return of America's Pastime. The Twins took the field on September 18th for the first time since the tragic events of September 11th. There was a pre-game ceremony in the Metrodome where two hot air balloons were inflated. One bore the image of the American Flag and the other was black and white to honor prisoners of war and others still missing in action. Donnele Burlingame, the cousin of the pilot of the hijacked plane that crashed into the Pentagon, held an eagle at home plate during the pre-game ceremony. Brad Radke was masterful for the Twins after the long layoff. In front of a small crowd of 10,878 fans, Radke took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and he had a perfect game through six innings. At the end of the night, he would finish with a 7.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER. The Twins offense pounded out 18 hits including three hits from Corey Koskie and Luis Rivas. The team also got home runs from Koskie and Christian Guzman and three RBI from Torii Hunter. The final score was 8-3 and many of the players expressed their emotions after returning to the field: "I don't know how I did it. I don't think anybody's mind was on baseball."- Brad Radke "I was hoping he'd get [the no hitter]. It would've meant a lot with all that's been going on."- A.J. Pierzynski Radke was not perfect during this game but in a way that was a fitting tribute to the heroes of September 11th. There was much that still needed to be accomplished at Ground Zero and a perfect game from Radke might have taken some of the light off of the things that were left to accomplish. The focus of the nation was on recovery from the events of that day and rebuilding the crumbling parts of our lives. Baseball offered fans a glimmer of hope at the end of a dark tunnel. After being the team to watch in the first half of the season, the Twins struggled through some rough patches in the second half to finish in second place in the AL Central. On this night, it was not about playoff races, multi-million dollar contracts, or winning and losing. Baseball's return brought hope back to nation struggling to find it's identity. It brought groups of people together to celebrate something that is truly American and it allowed players and fans to pay homage to those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. View full article

At the beginning of the season, I devoted an entire week to predictions about the upcoming MLB season. These predictions can be fun, especially with the surprises that surround the game of baseball. I had the Toronto Blue Jays winning the AL East... oops. There are going to be a few swings and misses. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] With the All-Star Game over and done with, let's take a look back at the first half of the season and see who's in line for each of NoDak Twins Fan's end-of-season awards. There are some easy choices and some tough choices at this point. Luckily, there is the entire second half for the best players to separate themselves. Each of the awards below has been named after someone who symbolizes that award for the Twins organization. There are some legends and one current MLB player; all have had a significant place in Twins lore. Originally posted at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com Harmon Killebrew MVP Award: Joe Mauer, C Preseason Pick: Joe Mauer, C Previous Winners: Josh Willingham (2012), Michael Cuddyer (2011), Joe Mauer (2010) Josh Willingham has been banged up. Justin Morneau hasn't been hitting for much power. This leaves one clear option for the first half MVP. Joe Mauer was selected as the starting catcher for the American League All-Stars and he is one of the best hitters in baseball. His 4.0 WAR ranks him 9th among position players and he is the highest catcher on the list. On the Twins, the next closest WAR marks are Pedro Florimon (2.0 WAR) and Brian Dozier (1.7 WAR). Barring injury to the "face of the franchise", Mauer will walk away with the team's MVP award. Johan Santana Pitcher of the Year Award: Glen Perkins, LHP Preseason Pick: Vance Worley, RHP Previous Winners: Scott Diamond (2012), Carl Pavano (2011), Carl Pavano (2010) Download attachment: perkinsfistpump.jpg The starters for the Twins have been tough to watch, making it hard to consider one of them as the top pitcher. There is a lot of baseball left in the season so someone like Sam Deduno or Kyle Gibson could continue to pitch well and take over this award. For now, the first half honor goes to Glen Perkins. He got elected to his first All-Star Game and he has the highest WAR among the pitchers. His 21 saves are the 9th most in baseball and he has posted a very good 0.808 WHIP. If the Twins find the right deal Perkins their best trade chip, could end up on another team before the deadline. Rick Aguilera Relief Pitcher of the Year Award: Glen Perkins, LHP Preseason Pick: Brian Duensing, LHP Previous Winners: Jared Burton (2012), Glen Perkins (2011), Jesse Crain (2010) One of the biggest positives this year has been the bullpen. There have been surprise performances from players like Casey Fien and Caleb Thielbar. After a breakout season in 2012, Jared Burton has run into some tough times this year. It shouldn't be any surprise then that Perkins isbeing named the winner for the first half. He has been consistent at the back end of the bullpen and fans have grown accustomed to "Perk" being the shutdown closer. The lone player with a chance to catch Perkins might be Thielbar, with the way he has thrown the ball in the last month. For now, Perkins gets the nod as the best bullpen arm for the Twins. Rod Carew Rookie of the Year Award: Oswaldo Arcia, OF Preseason Pick: Aaron Hicks, OF Previous Winners: Scott Diamond (2012), Ben Revere (2011), Danny Valencia (2010) This could turn out to be a pretty good two-man battle but the first half award has to go to Arcia. Hicks was the logical choice at the beginning of the year since he had earned the starting job in center field. A horrific start to the season left some wondering if Hicks would be sent to Rochester. He suffered an injury that cost him a couple weeks but he has steadily improved his offensive performance and he has been on fire of late. He has a chance to catch Arcia by the end of the year. A couple weeks ago, it looked like Arcia might be the AL Rookie of the Year. Things turned south quickly and he now finds himself at Triple-A. He is still near the top of the leader board in a variety of categories for rookies so he gets my vote. Now it's your turn. What would your ballot look like for the top awards in the Twins organization for 2013? Leave a COMMENT and start the debate. Click here to view the article

At the conclusion of every season, the members of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance (BBA) are asked to submit their ballots for the top awards across baseball. Each of these awards is named in honor of a player that epitomized the role in Major League Baseball. Over the course of the week, I will release my ballots for each award and I will post the official announcements from the BBA with the combined votes of all member blogs. Below is the list of awards that have been announced and the others that will be announced in the coming days. The links lead to my choices for each. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Connie Mack Award (Top Manager) released Monday, October 8Willie Mays Award (Top Rookie) released Tuesday, October 9 Goose Gossage Award (Top Reliever) released Wednesday, October 10 Walter Johnson Award (Top Pitcher) released today Stan Musial Award (Top Player) Walter Johnson Award for Top Pitcher American League Download attachment: Justin+Verlander+Tigers.jpg 1. Justin Verlander- RHP - Detroit TigersW-L (17-8), 2.64 ERA, 1.057 WHIP, 239 SO, 60 BB, 238.1 IP, 6 CG It would have been tough for Verlander to match his MVP season from 2011 but he still showed the American League why he was the best pitcher on the planet. He was tops in the American League in complete games, strikeouts, and ERA+. His win total was a little less than in 2011 but sometimes a pitcher can't control the final outcome of the game. It could be the second straight Cy Young for the right-handed hurler and it most likely won't be his last. 2. David Price- LHP - Tampa Bay Rays W-L (20-5), 2.56 ERA, 1.100 WHIP, 205 SO, 59 BB, 211.0 IP, 2 CG Price sits at the top of the American League in wins and ERA so there is a chance the writers will name him the Cy Young winner. The Rays were suppose to have a strong pitching staff and Price lead the way in a disappointing year for Tampa Bay. He finished second in the Cy Young award two seasons ago and it might be his turn to end up on top in 2012. 3. Jered Weaver- RHP - Los Angeles Angels W-L (20-5), 2.81 ERA, 1.018 WHIP, 142 SO, 45 BB, 188.2 IP, 3 CG Weaver finished tied with Price for most wins in the American League even though he missed some time with an injury. His other numbers are a little lower since he missed time so there isn't much of a shot for him to finish at the top of the awards voting. It would have been interesting to see how good of a year he could of had if the injury bug didn't bite him. Weaver finished second to Verlander in 2011 and he will be behind the ace from Detroit in 2012. 4. Fernando Rodney- RHP - Tampa Bay Rays W-L (2-2), 0.60 ERA, 0.777 WHIP, 76 SO, 15 BB, 74.2 IP, 48 S The year Rodney put together was one of the best in the history of the game for a relief pitcher. It was especially amazing since he is 35 years old and his career ERA was 4.29 before this season. If there were no other dominant pitchers in the American League, this could be Rodney's award to win. The three men ahead of him on this list had more of an impact for their teams so his season for the ages won't be honored with the top-pitching award. 5. Chris Sale- LHP - Chicago White Sox W-L (17-8), 3.05 ERA, 1.135 ERA, 192 SO, 51 BB, 192.0 IP, 1 CG In previous seasons, Sale had been used primarily as a relief pitcher but it looks like the White Sox made the correct decision to move him to the starting rotation. In his first full year as a starter, there were some rough moments as the innings started to add up near the end of the year. He still was a strong starting presence on a team that was fighting for a playoff spot through September. ~~~ National League Download attachment: R+Dickey+New+York+Mets.jpg 1. R.A. Dickey- RHP - New York MetsW-L (20-6), 2.73 ERA, 1.053 WHIP, 230 SO, 54 BB, 233.2 IP, 5 CG It was a fantastic year for the 37-year old pitcher as he made his first All-Star appearance and he seemed to have a rebirth with the Mets. He finished the year with the most strikeouts in the league and he was the leader in innings pitched for the NL. There was a chance for him to finish near the top in most of the statistical categories in the league but he barely finished behind Clayton Kershaw for the ERA crown and he was third in WHIP. His five complete games were tops in the NL and he also had the most shutouts so Robert Allen deserves the award. 2. Johnny Cueto- RHP - Cincinnati Reds W-L (19-9), 2.78 ERA, 1.171 WHIP, 170 SO, 49 BB, 217.0 IP, 2 CG His season was great for one of the best team's in the National League and it might go slightly unnoticed because of the market he plays in during the year. Out of the top three men on my ballot, he was the only player to help his team reach postseason play. He is also forced to play half of his games in a very hitter friendly ballpark, which makes his season all the more impressive. It will be a close vote and he could finish in the top spot if the voters appreciate his contribution to a first place club. 3. Clayton Kershaw- LHP -Los Angeles Dodgers W-L (14-9), 2.53 ERA, 1.023 WHIP, 229 SO, 63 BB, 227.2 IP, 2 CG A year after winning the first Cy Young of his young career, Kershaw did his best to try and take home the honor again in 2012. He finished one strikeout behind Dickey for the league lead and he had six fewer innings to add to his total. His ERA and WHIP were tops in the National League for the second consecutive year. In what is shaping up to be a three-man race, Kershaw could slip in and steal the top spot from Dickey and Cueto. 4. Gio Gonzalez- LHP - Washington Nationals W-L (21-8), 2.89 ERA, 1.129 WHIP, 207 SO, 76 BB, 199.1 IP, 2 CG On a team where Stephen Strasburg was the most talked about pitcher, Gonzalez quietly went about his work and pitched his way to a league high 21 wins in 2012. He barely missed the 200 IP mark but he still managed to strikeout over 200 batters in his time on the mound, which translated to the highest strikeouts per nine in the NL. One of the biggest improvements with his switch to the NL was his ability to reduce his amount of walks. The 2012 season marked the first time in the last three years he had fewer than 90 free passes. 5. Kris Medlen- RHP - Atlanta Braves W-L (10-1), 1.57 ERA, 0.913 WHIP, 120 SO, 23 BB, 138.0 IP, 2 CG When Atlanta inserted Medlen into the starting rotation on July 31st, it was almost like they had traded for one of the best pitchers in baseball but he had been part of their team for the entire year. Medlen looked like an ace over the course of the last two months of the year and the Braves seemed to gain confidence with him on the mound. He rattled off six consecutive victories in August and September and Atlanta didn't lose a single game he started from the end of July to the last day of the regular season. Click here to view the article

Original post from North Dakota Twins Fan http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fRC9OEVVlKQ/T9ngZMJOLII/AAAAAAAACHI/G78d2ms7sR0/s320/Torrens,+Luis.jpg With the Twins playing better baseball over the last couple of weeks, there has been plenty of talk about whether the Twins will be buyers or sellers when it comes to the trade deadline. While that date at the end of July will be very important for the Twins, there is another important deadline coming at the beginning of next month. Teams like the Twins will turn their attention July 2, when international players that have turned 16-years old can be signed.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The biggest international signing in Twins history was Miguel Sano, who has turned into the best prospect in the entire organization. His $3.15 million signing bonus was the second largest in Twins history at the time but now ranks third behind Joe Mauer and this year's first round pick Byron Buxton. The rules for signing international players have changed with the new CBA and team's are not allowed to spend over $2.9 million on foreign talent. This means there can't be a deal worth as much as what Sano signed from a few seasons ago. According to the Star Tribune, there are a couple of players on the radar for the Twins as the signing deadline approaches. To get one of these top international players, the Twins would need to spend most of their allotted signing funds and there will be plenty of other teams interested in the services of the players listed below. Amaurys Minier, SS/2B Dominican Republic Height/Weight: 6'2"/200 Bats/Throws: S/R The switching hitting middle infielder might need to switch to corner outfield or third base when he starts his professional career but his sweet swing projects to be a big bat. He has the power to drive the ball to all fields from both sides of the plate, a rare thing to find in a switch hitting 16-year old. When he starts to fill out, his smooth swing will develop even more power. Even though he is currently playing positions he won't play at the next level, there are plenty of defensive skills for him to showcase. He has go movement from side-to-side to go along with soft hands and a very powerful arm. These are skills that will help him when he moves to a different position in the future. The biggest problem for Minier right now is his ability to recognize pitches and make adjustments to offspeed offerings. He can look a little lost when a pitcher throws a good offspeed pitch at him when he's in the box. This is one skill that should develop over time and he still has one of the highest ceilings of any player on the international market. Luis Torrens, C Venezuela Height/Weight: 6'0"/170 Bats/Throws: R/R Torrens has spent time at shortstop and third base but he looks to have found his home behind the plate. There are still plenty of things to work on with his defense since he has only recently started to adjust to being a catcher. His natural athletic ability and other tools should make his it easier for his transition to catcher. The Twins could use a high profile catcher in their system to be ready to take the place of Mr. Mauer in the coming years. His right-handed bat is what makes him standout versus some of his peers in the international market. Reports have him hitting doubles to all fields at this point but his frame offers room to add more muscle as he matures. This should allow some of those doubles to turn into home runs while he moves through a club's minor league system. He is one of the top players available from Venezuela this year and he has topped some lists at different points this season. There is plenty of offensive potential and his ability to stick at catcher should help his value on the market. He has shown the ability to play third base in the past so a team could convert him back into a corner infielder if catching doesn't work out. TORRENS SCOUTING VIDEO (CLICK HERE) Click here to view the article

Download attachment: swarzak_anthony_landscape.jpg When word came out following TwinsFest about the injury Anthony Swarzak suffered, it had to be embarrassing. Swarzak suffered a fractured rib after wrestling with some teammates during the Minnesota Twins annual fan festival. He opened the season on the DL and watched the Twins fight the Tigers and the Orioles before he could get on the field. Swarzak returned to the mound on Sunday [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] and got four big outs for the Twins on their way to a second series win in a row to start the year. He entered in the sixth inning and allowed two hits and a walk along with one strikeout. He was forced to toss a lot of sliders because he didn't have a great feel for his fastball. It was his first victory of the year and he made the appearance without making any rehab starts in the minor leagues. Swarzak is back and he has a little something to prove. One of the biggest surprises for the Twins in the first week of the season has been the performance of the pitching staff. There have been positive signs from almost every starting pitcher but only Kevin Correia has pitched seven innings. This leaves the bullpen in charge of getting a lot of outs. The Twins could be relying heavily on Swarzak during the coming season. The long relief pitcher could be called on for some big outs when the starting staff doesn't make it into the late innings. In recent years, he has even been called on to make a start or two. Players like Jared Burton, Glen Perkins, and Brian Duensing are going to have important late-inning roles out of the bullpen. It might take a bridge to get from the starting pitcher to those back of the bullpen arms. That is where Swarzak can make his mark. As one would expect, his numbers are much better as a relief pitcher versus his time as a starter. For his career, his ERA is 1.19 points lower out of the bullpen. His WHIP is .153 points lower and he has a higher strikeout per nine. Opponent’s batting average against him is 60 points lower when he is used in relief. Ron Gardenhire and Rick Anderson know the bullpen is one of the team's strengths in 2013. This could mean a lot of use out of some its more consistent arms. The team has relied on the bullpen to keep their games close so far and that trend will likely continue in the coming weeks. Swarzak wants the ball as much as possible. "As long as they want me to pitch, I'll pitch," he says."That's always been my attitude here, and that will always be my attitude anywhere. I'm a pitcher before anything else. As long as they want me to have the ball, I'll take the ball." The Twins might need Swarzak to take the ball a lot this season. It looks like the bullpen is going to be one of the most important parts of the roster and Swarzak could be a key figure for the success of the 2013 Minnesota Twins. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: tonkin.jpg The Twins announced on Tuesday that Michael Tonkin would be called up to make his MLB debut. The 23-year old right-handed relief pitcher has been in the Twins organization since 2008. He was drafted in the 30th round that year out of high school and he has spent the last six seasons working his way through the minor leagues. Tonkin was used as a starter in the lower level of the minors and he got mixed results.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] In 2009, he started nine games for the GCL Twins and posted a 3.62 ERA with 60 strikeouts over 54.2 innings. The next year he was asked to start 12 games for Beloit in High-A and his ERA continued to rise; he threw 65 innings and finished with an ERA of 4.29. The front office decided to go in a different direction with Tonkin entering the 2011 season. He was moved to the bullpen to take advantage of his ability to miss bats. It was a tough transition as he threw 76.2 innings, again for Beloit, and had a 3.87 ERA. His WHIP was an ugly 1.383 but he did strike out 69 batters. It had to be a tough offseason for Tonkin, having taken some bruises in his first two trips through the Midwest League. When Minnesota sent him back to Beloit for the start of 2012 something finally clicked. He pitched 39 innings for the Snappers, compiling a 1.38 ERA with an eye-popping 53 strikeouts. He moved to Fort Myers and continued to post solid numbers. The Twins decided to send Tonkin to the Arizona Fall League during this past offseason. In what is considered a tough pitching environment, Tonkin held his own. Over 14.2 innings, he had a 2.45 ERA with seven strikeouts and three walks. His 0.75 WHIP was the second best mark on his AFL club. This performance stood out and the Twins were ready to put Tonkin on the fast track. Tonkin started 2013 by tossing 24.1 innings for New Britain. In 22 relief appearances, he had a 2.22 ERA with 30 strikeouts and eight walks. This was enough to earn him a promotion to Triple-A. After arriving in Rochester, Tonkin was very good. He threw 14.2 innings and limited opponents to two earned runs. He posted a 0.955 WHIP with 16 strikeouts and three walks. His 6-foot-7 frame carrying 220 pounds allows him to be quite the presence on the mound. It also helps that he can scare opponents with an upper-90s fastball that has some movement. His slider is also a very good pitch. It sits in the mid to upper 80s and can be thrown regularly for strikes. There have been some issues in the past with his mechanics but he seems to have gotten those under control. Tonkin was added to the 40-man roster this past off-season. The club probably didn't plan for him to make it this far in 2013; it will be an unexpected and good experience for him to get a taste of the big leagues. It sounds like the club might keep him around if he is able to perform well. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Joe+Mauer+Minnesota+Twins.jpg One of the biggest topics of conversation at TwinsFest this weekend surrounded Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer and how much he should be catching in the coming season. Mauer came out in multiple interviews and said that he wants to catch more next year. There are always positives and negatives to getting his 6-foot-5 frame crouched down behind the plate and it is up to the Twins to find the balanced formula for their All-Star player. One year ago, there were plenty of questions surrounding Mauer's health. The 2011 season was a nightmare for the catcher and the team was looking for ways to keep him productive and on the field. With all of the guaranteed money the club had invested in Mauer, the team went back to the drawing board. It worked. Mauer finished back near the top of the AL in batting average (4th) and on-base percentage (1st). It took some creativity to get him to those numbers. He played in 147 contests, the most games of his career, but he caught less than 100 games for only the second time. He played 74 games at catcher, 42 as designated hitter, and 30 at first base. This formula seemed to keep Mauer on the field. Last year in the American League, the leader board for games played at catcher looked like this: Defensive Games as C (AL) 1. Wieters (BAL): 134 2. Martin (NYY): 128 3. Pierzynski (CHW): 126 4. Avila (DET): 113 5. Saltalamacchia (BOS): 104 Mauer's game totals at catcher from 2005-2010 would have put him on this list. In fact, he finished second in the AL in games played in 2008 and he finished fifth back in 2010. Only 12 active players have caught more games than Mauer. Of those 12 other players, Brian McCann and Russell Martin are the only players with less years of experience and more time at catcher. The earliest Mauer can reach free agency is 2019 so he will most likely be in a Twins uniform for most of (if not all of) his career. It will certainly be important to get the most value out of him over those next six seasons. During that time, the debate will continue to rage over how much to use the hometown hero behind the plate. For the Twins to get the most value out of Mauer, he needs to play catcher as much as possible. His top four seasons for WAR have all been when he has been behind the plate for over 105 games. Terry Ryan said he would like to get Mauer back where he is close to the top of the leader board listed above and that will mean seeing Mauer behind the plate for close to 120 games. One idea brought up over the weekend was the thought of having Mauer catch as much as possible over the beginning portion of his current contract. His ticket to the Hall of Fame centers on his ability to continue to perform at a high level while still playing catcher. The problem with this method could be his knees holding up for the long haul. Twins fans will remember that Tony Oliva looked like he was bound for Cooperstown before injuries slowed down his career. The real value for Mauer comes from his ability to stay behind the plate especially with the type of player he has become. There were always hopes of Mauer developing more power as he was starting his professional career but that's not the Mauer fans are accustomed to seeing. He is going to hit for a high average and get on base with a sprinkle of power mixed in. At his other major positions (first base and DH), those skills are fine, but power is a prerequisite. He is also such a good athlete that it seems his skills get wasted when he is forced to DH for a game. He started more games at DH last season than in any other year. Look for that number to come down a little in 2013 and for his catching totals to increase. Finding the perfect formula for Mauer isn't any easy task but the Twins need to find some way to balance his health with getting him behind the plate for more games. To put it simply, Minnesota is a better team when Mauer is the catcher. His value is highest when he can control the pitching staff and put up consistent numbers at the plate. No matter what the Twins do to get to that point..... That is the solution to the Mauer Formula. Click here to view the article

Original post from North Dakota Twins Fan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Download attachment: Duensing.jpg For the second season in a row, the Twins have taken a player who had previously served as a starter and given him a prominent role in the bullpen. Last year the Twins were very pleased with the performance of Glen Perkins as he developed into their most reliable arm in the bullpen. In a lot of tough situations, Ron Gardenhire turned to Perkins to get the team out of a jam. But in the middle of a miserable season, it was hard to see the true value of those performances. Flash forward to 2012 and the Twins have shifted Brian Duensing into a role as one of their most important relief arms out of the bullpen. Through the first 18 games of the season for the Twins, Duensing has appeared in half of them. There has only been one game in which he gave up any earned runs and he has been primarily used in the eighth inning. Out of the team's five wins, Duensing has appeared in four of those games so the team is using him when they need him the most. Last season, Twins fans were astonished with the ability of Perkins to ramp up his velocity with his new spot in the bullpen. During the 2008 and 2009 seasons, Perkins was primarily used as a starter for the Twins. His fastball velocity sat around 90.5 mph in 2008 and in the next year it dropped to 89.7 mph. These are not numbers that jump off of the page at you. But if a pitcher is able to control this pitch and have some movement on it, he can still be successful. Take a look at the change in his velocity as he started to find his spot in the bullpen. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4HdrY_DceMw/T5fhFLXY-UI/AAAAAAAABNI/eb4LO_KGNdQ/s320/PerkinsVelocity.jpg Much like Perkins before him, Duensing has spent a little bit of time as an arm out of the bullpen before. This means he has experience with the current role he is filling. But in many of the previous seasons when Duensing has started the year in the bullpen, he has found his way into the starting rotation by the end of the year. The least amount of games that Duensing has started in a year was nine games in 2009. He hasn't stayed in the bullpen for an entire year to show what he can do as a full-time relief option. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xp__Tla5jDk/T5fldf7UAII/AAAAAAAABNY/y6UoOjvRNNw/s320/DuensingVelocity.jpg Duensing hopes to find himself in the same territory as Perkins by the end of the year. The Twins were so impressed with the way Perkins looked in the bullpen that the club signed him to a contract extension during spring training. He will now be with the team through the end of the 2015 season and the organization has a option for the 2016 year. If Duensing is able to find similar success to Perkins in 2012, the team might consider giving Duensing a long-term deal. He will be arbitration eligible for the first time in 2013 so there is still time for the Twins to figure out what they have in Duensing. In an ideal world the Twins might have wanted Duensing to spend the entire year in the bullpen so he could be more accustom to this job. With all of the issues so far in the starting rotation, it makes it hard to imagine a situation where the Twins wouldn't have to turn to Duensing as a starter at some point in 2012. Scott Baker is out for the year, Francisco Liriano has been a disaster, and Nick Blackburn has been trying to come back from an injury. The Twins have already put Liam Hendriks into the rotation and Anthony Swarzak continues to be an option for making spot starts. In the minor leagues, Scott Diamond is off to a tremendous start but it is hard to imagine him being a long-term solution. It is nice to see Duensing showing the ability to transition back to the bullpen after spending most of last year in the starting rotation. There might be a chance that he moves back to the starting rotation at some point in 2012. But at this point, it looks like the team will give Duensing every opportunity to be a dominant relief option. If Perkins is in line to be the closer in the near future for the Twins, Duensing could be a dominant set-up man leading to the ninth inning. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Ryan_Terry_Landscape.jpg Three years ago, the Minnesota Twins were in an ideal position. The organization was proud to be opening Target Field on a beautiful day in downtown Minneapolis. Minnesota would be on their way to 94 wins, the most for the franchise since the 2006 season. It would be a memorable season for Twins Territory but there were some problems starting to bubble under the surface.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The dreaded Yankees were again waiting for the Twins in the first round. It was another quick exit from the postseason but things seemed to look fine to the blind eye. Those views of the team would quickly fall apart with injuries, poor play, and bad decisions. Minnesota has fallen far since that day in the Bronx. Teams that suffer this kind of defeat can find it hard to get back on their feet. Minnesota won six division titles from 2002-2010 but only one of those playoff trips resulted in a trip to the ALCS. The price of losing can start to add up and for some teams, that price can result in a decade long struggle to get back to the top. One of the toughest things to do when a team wins or when a team loses is to divide the credit or the blame. There are going to be plenty of people who want to take credit when things are going well for a franchise. If things are going the opposite way, there will be plenty of finger pointing. The bitterness in defeat can be a lot harder for a franchise to overcome. After the team's tough 2011 season, two of the most vocal members of the clubhouse left the franchise through free agency. Michael Cuddyer had been the longest tenured Twins player and he offered a veteran presence. Joe Nathan set the franchise record for saves but he saw a better opportunity to win in Texas. Now there are other veteran players on the club but most of their personalities are calm and reserved. There have been other casualties as the storm has continued to build. Bill Smith was given a lot of responsibility when the club handed him the reigns in September 2007. He would be the man in charge of trading away Johan Santana, signing franchise player Joe Mauer, and preparing the team to enter Target Field. These were challenging items and the team went in a different direction in 2011. Minnesota went back to Terry Ryan. There have been some tough decisions with him back in the saddle. Denard Span and Ben Revere were traded this offseason to try and build up some organizational pitching depth. Some other tough decisions could be on the horizon. Justin Morneau has been an important part of the franchise over the last decade. He won an MVP and was selected to four consecutive All-Star Games. Concussion issues and other injures have limited his playing time. The Twins made sure to sign him to a deal that would keep him in a TC uniform until the new stadium opened. That deal expires at the end of the year and he could be dealt before July's deadline. The coaching staff saw it's biggest shake-up since Tom Kelly resigned after the 2001 season. Ron Gardenhire is in the last year of his contract. There are fresh faces on his staff but it's hard to have hope that the club will get off to a good start. This could mean the end of Gardy's tenure as Twins manager and maybe that's the best path for the franchise. It seems the Twins are entering a new phase. There will be plenty of new faces on the roster for Opening Day. The minor league system is stocked and some of the best young hitters in the game could be getting closer to Target Field this season. One of the hardest things to do in sports is to reinvent an organization. Terry Ryan knows this. His job is to calm the gathering storm. There will be other changes but fans can have hope that the clouds will part and the sun will shine through on a bright future in Minnesota. Click here to view the article

The Minnesota Twins struck out 1430 time last season, the third most strikeouts in the history of the game. On the offensive side of the ball, the team scored the third fewest runs in the American League while the pitching staff allowed the second most runs to be scored. The club also left the third most runners on base of any team in the AL. Download attachment: Kubel_Jason_Thinking_US_720.jpg There needs to be some changes to the roster and the pitching staff is the biggest priority. Numbers like the ones discussed above make it clear the offense is in need of a boost. The outfield has some open starting spots for 2014 and reuniting with a former player could solve some problems. Jason Kubel has become a free agent after the Cleveland Indians bought out the remaining part of his contract for $1 million. The former 12th round pick by the Twins became a mainstay in the club's outfield from 2007-2011. As a free agent, he headed to Arizona in 2012 and socked 30 home runs with a 120 OPS+. The 2013 season saw him suffer a quadriceps injury and flounder to his worst professional season. Before his injury-filled 2013, Kubel had been a consistent offensive player. From 2007-2012, his OPS+ ranged from 105-137 and he averaged 21 home runs a season. Those kinds of numbers would have ranked him near the top of the Twins team in 2013. Even though there were some concerns from hitters in the first two years of Target Field, Kubel didn't seem to mind hitting in the Twins home ballpark. In 2010, the inaugural season for Target Field, Kubel posted similar .746 and .753 OPS marks at home and on the road. Kubel slugged .377 at home and .476 on the road in 2011 but he had 63 more at-bats on the road. While Oswaldo Arcia and Josh Willingham should be penciled in as starters, there are some decisions to make in the outfield. Willingham was hurt for most of last season and he could probably use some more time at designated hitter. Chris Parmelee didn't impress last year and he might need to play more at first base. This leaves an opportunity for the club to add a veteran bat at a corner outfield spot. The confetti has hardly settled from the Red Sox championship parade so the free agent hot stove has just begun to get warm. Other teams might be interested in Kubel and there could be better offers on the table than anything the Twins are willing to shell out. For now, it is interesting to think about what he could offer to the club on a short-term deal. If Kubel's injuries are behind him, he could be poised for a bounce-back season at a discounted price. Minnesota could be just the team to offer him this possibility because of his history with the club. An incentive laden deal could help their former player regain some value and he could help Minnesota with some of their offensive woes. It also helps to know that he isn't opposed to a reunion tour with his original organization. Would signing Kubel to a free agent deal make sense for the Twins? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: 7484376.jpeg Who IS This Guy? Braden Shipley is a former shortstop that only moved to the mound full-time last year. He is still among the top 10 talents in the draft because of his low-effort delivery and the effectiveness of some of his pitches. His recent performances for Nevada have him moving quickly up the draft boards. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] In the past, he has hit 99 mph with his fastball but he is more consistently in the 92-95 mph range. His best pitch is his changeup, which counters his fastball nicely. His change sits at 83-86 mph and he uses great arm speed to deceive the batter. He does have a curveball but he doesn't have a feel for this pitch yet, probably because of his inexperience. Overall, he can throw strikes and this is a trait the Twins have coveted in the past. One NL scout recently said, "When he is firing on all cylinders, he's as good as any pitcher not named Appel in this class." That's high praise and it could be tough for teams to pass him by. Who Could He Be? His arm strength and athleticism make him an intriguing pitching option especially since he is so new to the position. He had a great start to the spring season and some hiccups in the middle. More recent starts have been better and this could help his draft stock. Shipley will need to work on his curveball if he is going to develop into a top of the rotation pitcher. He doesn't have much feel for this pitch and this is evident in the type of break he gets while throwing it. With more repetition, this pitch could move from the below average range and help to make him more effective. He might not be in the elite class of college arms in this draft but he isn't far behind. The ceiling for him might be a number two pitcher on most teams. With the Twins, he could end up being a front of the rotation hurler for multiple seasons. How Soon Could He Be Playing In Target Field? Out of all of the college pitchers taken early in the draft, Shipley might need the most development time in the minors. His fastball and change-up are great but he is going to need time to work on his curveball. This will only come with repetition in the minors. If he signed right away, the Twins would likely send him to the rookie leagues for the end of the 2013 season to pitch out of the bullpen. Next season, he would get the chance to be a starter for Cedar Rapids. After spending the entire season with the Kernels, he could move to Fort Myers for 2015. In 2016, he would make his way to New Britain with a shot at going to Rochester. Because of his inexperience, it would seem that 2017 would be the earliest he could make an appearance with the Twins. If the Twins Draft This Guy, They Messed Up Because... There are more experienced college pitchers in this draft. Shipley could be a wild card especially if his secondary pitches aren't honed in the minors. His fastball and change-up combination could make him a deadly bullpen weapon. With the fourth pick in the draft, but a team doesn't necessarily want a good relief pitcher. The front office and the fans want a front of the line starter and Shipley might not have all of the tools to reach this lofty goal. It would also take some time for him to develop in the minor leagues and the Twins might be back in contention before he is ready to take over a rotation spot. If the Twins Draft This Guy, They Nailed It Because... The Twins need pitchers with upside. With Mark Appel and Jonathan Gray likely off the board, Shipley is the next best collegiate option. Other prep arms like Kohl Stewart could take even more time to develop in the minor leagues. Some members of this organization might lose their jobs before a younger arm makes it to the big leagues. Shipley's upper 90s velocity makes him a power arm this organization has been lacking. In recent weeks, he has shown more control over his curveball and this could make him a devastating pitcher. At the beginning of the spring season, there were other collegiate pitchers in front of him. But by draft day, he could be the third college arm off of the board. Twins Daily MLB Draft Player Profiles: Monday, May 20-- Sean Manaea, SPTuesday, May 21-- Austin Meadows, OF Wednesday, May 22-- Trey Ball, OF Thursday, May 23-- Ryan Stanek, RHP Friday, May 24-- Clint Frazier, OF Tuesday, May 28-- Reese McGuire, C For MLB Draft Day Coverage, make sure you follow @TwinsDaily on Twitter! Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Willingham_Josh_Hi5_US_720.jpg It is a little over a month away from the July 31st trade deadline. The season has started to look a little better for the Twins but the club is still in the bottom half of the AL Central. This should mean the club will be sellers at this year's trade deadline. As stated previously, the Twins focus should be contending again by 2015. Joe Mauer will be the veteran bat in the middle of the line-up, surrounded by young players like Oswaldo Arcia, Miguel Sano, and Eddie Rosario. Even last year's number one draft pick Byron Buxton could be ready for the big leagues in 2015.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Minnesota has one of the best minor league systems in baseball and the organization has the opportunity to improve its depth by trading away some veteran pieces before August. Productive power hitters and useful members of a pitching staff can be valuable commodities this time of year. We'll look at a few of the names that could be floating around as baseball's summer- time hot stove league begins heating up. Position Players Justin Morneau, 1B The former MVP is in the final year of his contract and it doesn't seem likely he will be part of the next winning Twins' team. His ability to play first base and history of hitting for power might be intriguing to more than one contending team. Morneau might be most desirable for a team that has suffered an injury to its first baseman. That said, there are recent injury issues for Morneau and his power has been almost nonexistent in 2013. A team trading for him wouldn't be making a long-term commitment; this could help to strengthen his market. Josh Willingham, LF/DH There were a few trade rumors swirling around last season when Willingham was in the midst the best season of his career. Things haven't gone as smoothly in 2013 but that doesn't mean other teams won't be interested in adding him for the stretch run. Willingham is under contract through 2014 at a reasonable salary and this could add to his trade value. He will turn 35-years old before next season and some teams might be scared away by his aging body, especially in the mostly DH-less National League. Dark Horse: Trevor Plouffe, 3B Minnesota has seen some flashes of good signs from Plouffe and these might lead some clubs to have interest in him. The former first round pick didn't work out as a middle infielder but he continues to improve at the plate and on the defensive side of the ball. Miguel Sano is working his way through the Twins system and he looks to be the Twins third baseman of the future. Deibinson Romero has also compiled some solid numbers in the minor leagues and might be able to fill-in for a little while. These make Plouffe expendable if the Twins want to move him. Pitchers Kevin Correia, RHP There is not going to be a ton of starting pitchers available and this could be a positive for the Twins. Correia has put together the numbers the front office thought he would produce when they signed him to a free agent contract. The Twins gave Correia a two-year deal so he is still under contract for 2014 at a salary of $5 million. It'd be nice to dump that salary on a team looking to add a back of the rotation starter for its playoff push. He might not net a big haul but he could be worth a mid-range prospect or two if the market continues to be weak for starting pitching. Jared Burton, RHP Things have been a little rough on the mound in the last couple weeks for Mr. Burton. After last season's outstanding job as the team's set-up man, the Twins gave him an extension. Something isn't quite right with him and this might be reason enough for the organization to ship him out of town. Contending teams can often use another reliever, especially a veteran arm like Burton. He even had the opportunity to close a few games and some teams value this "skill." In July, he will need to show some flashes of the pitcher he was last season or other teams will not consider him an option. Dark Horse: Glen Perkins, LHP Reports were out last week that Twins general manager Terry Ryan is going to want a haul in return for Perkins. The team's closer is under contract through 2015 with a team option for 2016. It's a very team-friendly deal and that's a good thing for the Twins and their fans. If Perkins stays with the Twins, he likely be the closer on Minnesota's next winning team. Ryan might get an offer that is too good to pass up, putting Perkins in another uniform by the end of July. It seems like a long shot at this point but anything can happen around the deadline. Click here to view the article

The Twins held their Download attachment: Scott+Baker+Minnesota+Twins.jpg organizational meetings last week and there are plenty of decisions for the club to make about the pending offseason. Some of those decisions might have already been revealed as the club announced the new members of their coaching staff and the readjustment of the men that were left after the firing frenzy. Phil Mackey from 1500 ESPN has the complete rundown of some of the items discussed by the organization but one of the most interesting items might be the fact the team is looking to add three starting pitchers in the coming months. These pitchers could join the Twins in a couple of different ways including trades and free agency but the team knows this is a weak point for the club. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] One intriguing option for the Twins is a man that could already be under contract for 2013. Scott Baker injured his elbow during last year's spring training and he was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery. The Twins hold a $9 million option on Baker but there doesn't seem to be much of a chance of the club exercising that option. This would leave Baker as a free agent when he is still recovering from the surgery he had seven months ago. There could be other team's interested in Baker but the 31-year old right-hander has only known the Twins organization and this could play to his favor. At the end of the season, Terry Ryan and Ron Gardenhire spoke to season ticket holders in a conference call to answer a bunch of different questions about the organization. The topic of Baker came up in one of the questions and Ryan had very positive things to say about the pitcher. His rehab was progressing well at the time and he called him "one of the good guys" for the organization. This could be a good sign of things to come with Baker and it seem like a strong relationship exists between the pitcher and the general manager. This isn't the only sign from the front office about the pending return of Baker to the Twins for 2013. Reports out yesterday have Ryan saying the Twins would like to keep Baker around for next season. With the very good chance of the Twins turning down Baker's option year, this would mean the team would be free to work out an incentive-laden contract for the future. It would also be nice if the team could include a reasonable option for 2014 for the chance Baker performs better than expectations on his way back from elbow surgery. The most recent medical reports have Baker on track to be ready to pitch in game action by the time the Twins are in spring training. This is great news for Baker but one would have to wonder if he will be on some kind of innings limit for next year. He has only reached the 200 innings mark in one previous season so some of the innings limit might take care of itself with time spent on the disabled list. When pitchers are in their first season back from a major surgery, there can be a few bumps along the way. For example, Joe Nathan spent a little bit of time on the DL in his first year back with the Twins. From the Twins point of view, they already have Kyle Gibson working his way back from Tommy John surgery so it might not be ideal to have two recovering pitchers on track to be part of next year's rotation. In the last season Baker spent on the mound for Minnesota, he got off to the best start of his career. He went 7-5 in the first half of 2011 with a 3.01 ERA and he was on pace to throw over 200 innings. Injuries forced him to the sidelines for much of the second half of the season and he would only make four more starts during that time. Even with his limited action down the stretch, he would still lead the pitching staff in WAR for the entire season. In his last three full seasons with the Twins, he has averaged 13 wins a year with 181 innings pitched and a 4.11 ERA. If Baker was able to reproduce these results in 2013, he would be a very welcomed member of the Twins starting rotation. There are plenty of decisions for the Twins to make in the coming months and Baker will only be a small part of a much larger plan. It's nice to think the Twins would be loyal to a player the organization drafted and developed to see if he can come back strong from a tough injury. Baseball is a business though and the Twins have been at the wrong end of the American League for two consecutive seasons. Loyalty to players might have to be thrown out the window if the Twins want to get back to the top. The comeback story of Baker would be great to follow in 2012 but only if the team can work out an appropriate contract for the team and the player. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: JustinMorneau.jpg The buzz around the baseball world this weekend surrounded the blockbuster trade between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox. In the deal, the Dodgers got Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, and Nick Punto. Besides dumping a ton of salary, the Red Sox got James Loney, Rubby De La Rosa, Allen Webster, Jerry Sands, and Ivan De Jesus. It is pretty amazing to see a deal like this getting done since players need to pass through waivers before being traded at this point in the season. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]One interesting note for Twins fans that came out after this big deal went down was that the Dodgers turned to Adrian Gonzalez after failing to get Justin Morneau. It was the second time this season that the Dodgers had contacted the Twins about a deal for Morneau The first time was around the trade deadline but the Twins passed at that time and it seems that the team passed on a deal for him once again last week. Morneau struggled on the field at the beginning of 2012 as he adjusted back to being a full time player for the first time in two years. There were plenty of question marks surrounding his health in spring training but he has put many of these issues to rest. After appearing in a combined 150 games in the last two seasons, Morneau has played in 103 contests and he is showing no signs of slowing down. He has hit .322/.368/.517 with 6 home runs and 11 doubles in the second half of the season which is much closer to the old MVP version of the slugging first baseman. There is one season remaining on the big contract that Morneau signed with the Twins back in 2008. The 31-year old outfielder is due $14 million for next season and that is a lot of money for a team that doesn't know if they will be in contention. With his big contract and looming free agency, there will continue to be rumors about the future of Morneau with the Twins. So the question remains, what will the Twins do with Justin Morneau? Since the trade deadline has come and gone, the only way Morneau could be dealt at this point in the season is by being placed on waivers. From the sound of the reports out of Los Angeles, Morneau has already been placed on waivers. If he was claimed by the Dodgers, that means that all of the teams in the American League passed on Morneau and most of the National League followed the same path. With all of that being said, a waiver deal seems unlikely at this point in the season When the offseason rolls around, the Twins could play off of Morneau's positive second half and try to work a trade to another club. Terry Ryan is back in the saddle for a full offseason and a Morneau deal could bring some prized possessions back to the minor leagues of the organization. Allowing teams to see that Morneau is fully healthy for all of 2012 could also go a long way to increasing his value in the trade market. There will be plenty of rumors surrounding Morneau this offseason and the winter meetings will be full of discussion on the slugger. If the front office feels that there aren't any adequate deals for Morneau in the offseason, they could hold on to the first baseman for the beginning of next year. His strong bat fits well into the middle of a line-up and the team might want to get some more value out of their former MVP. He could be a very useful piece if the team finds themselves in contention next year in the AL Central. Chances are that the Twins won't be in contention next season and a trade deadline deal might have to be struck for the star. Fans were unhappy with this year's deadline deal for Francisco Liriano so it might not be in the team's best interest to wait until next July for a trade to get done. There is always the chance that the Twins will hang on to Morneau through all of next season before he becomes a free agent. This would allow the team to consider a contract extension for the player who has only known the Twins organization. He will be 32-years old during the 2013 season and he might want a change of scenery as he starts getting closer to the end of his career. The lure of going to a club with more recent playoff success could be too much to turn down. Money will no doubtably play some kind of role in his choice but the Twins saw Michael Cuddyer and Joe Nathan leave for greener pastures this past offseason. While the Twins will have to make a decision about Morneau in the coming year, the elephant in the room is Chris Parmelee and his hot swinging bat in the minor leagues. Parmelee has been with the Twins on a few different occasions this season and it has been tough for him to find at-bats with the club at the big league level. If Morneau is still on the roster during next season, it could still be hard for the Twins to find at-bats for Parmelee. For the Twins, Parmelee would be a much cheaper option at first base since he would be making the minimum salary. He will also be 25-years old for the entirety of next season so the Twins need to see if he can handle playing at the big league level. The Twins will have plenty of choice to make in the coming months with a variety of players on the roster but the future of Morneau will be watched closely by all of Twins Territory. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: doumit.jpg Jayson Stark of ESPN likes to try and find some strange but true things that happened in the baseball season. He picks out his strange but true player of the year, game of the year, injury of the year, etc. There are some entertaining items included in his list and I encourage you to check out his entire post over at the four-letter network's site. One of his strange but true tidbits from this season revolves around Ryan Doumit and a strange feat he was able to accomplish in 2012. At the beginning of September, the Twins were playing at US Cellular Field against the Chicago White Sox. Minnesota would easily handle Chicago in the game by a final score of 18-9 and the lopsided win helped Doumit to reach his accomplishment.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The Twins found themselves trailing the rival White Sox by a score of 3-0 in the top of the second inning. Minnesota wouldn't be behind for long as they jumped all over starter Jose Quintana. The strange item for Doumit in the inning was the fact that he accounted for the first and the third outs. This wouldn't normally be a strange feat but what happened later in the game would add to this strange but true tale. Minnesota would put together another huge inning later in the game. This time Doumit would be part of the rally instead of the rally killer. As the second batter of the fifth inning, he smacked a single to right field. He would eventually come around to score the second run of the inning on a Trevor Plouffe triple but he wasn't done. Doumit would come up to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded. A short line drive to left field would be enough knock in Joe Mauer and Josh Willingham. Chris Parmelee was the next batter and he would continue the scoring spree by knocking a home run that scored Doumit and Justin Morneau. The Twins would end the frame up 17-4 and Doumit had accomplished something strange but true. By recording two outs in one inning and then getting two hits in one inning, Doumit became the first man in the expansion era to accomplish this feat. He added a solo home run later in the game to top off the scoring for the Twins. Doumit ended the game going 3-for-6 with a home run, three runs scored, and three RBI. He was the only member of the Twins to rack up three hits in their blowout win and he accomplished quite the strange but true feat. What are some of your favorite strange but true stories from America's favorite pastime? Leave a COMMENT and start the conversation. Click here to view the article

This series called "Waiting With the Wings" will profile AAA Red Wings players who are on the brink of a callup and the journey each of them has taken. The first profile in the "Waitin' With the Wings" series was left-handed pitcher Andrew Albers and he had a terrific MLB debut this week. Now it's time to look at a position player and a bat that could be asked to make an impact. Download attachment: PInto_Josmil_Stretching_US_600.jpg Name: Josmil Pinto Born: 3/31/1989 (24 years old) Acquired: Signed as a non-drafted free agent (2006) HT: 5'11"---WT: 210 2013 Stat Line: .311/.410/.480, 14 HR, 25 2B, 70 RBI, 61 R Pinto had been considered a solid prospect before this season but his run through the Eastern League and the International League has him moving up the Twins top prospect rankings. The 24-year-old catcher has been with the organization since he was 17 and he has worked all the way from the Venezuelan Summer League to the Triple-A level. One thing has been clear through all of the levels: he can hit. Out of all of the levels from which Pinto has been promoted, the Dominican and Venezuelan Summer Leagues provided the most challenge. In over 220 plate appearances during his time in the VESL, he had to work to hit .251/.336/.344 with 11 extra-base hits. These struggles would continue in the DOSL as his batting line dipped to .193/.327/.269 over 171 at-bats. The Twins were looking for more out of Pinto and they hoped he would be able to find his swing when he started playing in the States. The next two seasons were fantastic for Pinto in the rookie leagues. He hit for average (.329 BA) and power (.541 SLG and 13 extra-base hits) with the GCL Twins, but this was only the beginning of what was to come. In 2009, he moved up to Elizabethton and really found his power stroke. He knocked 13 home runs and 14 doubles in a little over 200 plate appearances. By the end of the season, Pinto was hitting .332/.387/.610. Things were moving in the right direction and now it was time to tackle a full season schedule. Pinto spent parts of the next two seasons in the Midwest League with the Beloit Snappers. There can be some adjustment to a full slate of games on the schedule and it took some time for Pinto to feel comfortable. He batted .227/.293/.383 with 11 home runs and 24 doubles over 109 games. The Florida State League was next and this can be a tough league for hitters to find success. Pinto continued to make adjustments and he hit .282/.340/.440 with 53 extra-base hits in 570 plate appearances at High-A. The time was right to move to the upper levels of the Twins farm system. At the end of the 2012 season, Pinto got a brief taste of life at the Double-A level. He found success almost immediately and this could have helped his breakout year in 2013. New Britain was very good for Pinto as he had a batting average over .300 for the first time since rookie ball. Even with the higher batting average, he was still able to hit for consistent power. His .896 OPS was the highest for him at any full season league and he hit 16 home runs and 27 doubles in 505 at-bats. It was a great run through the Eastern League and so he was promoted to Rochester. So far, Pinto has been limited in his time at AAA. He has played in six games since being promoted and he has 23 plate appearances. It is a very small sample size but Pinto is hitting .364/.391/.455 with two doubles. He has yet to hit a home run with Rochester but it seems safe to say that won't last too long. Minnesota has used a lot of the players on the 40-man roster at some point this season and Pinto is now only a phone call away. Defense continues to be a work in progress for Pinto. During his time in the minor leagues, he has thrown out potential base stealers 33% of the time. To put that number into perspective, Joe Mauer has a career 33% caught stealing percentage and he has multiple Gold Gloves in his trophy case at home. Since leaving Beloit in 2011, Pinto has allowed 13 passed balls in 165 games behind the plate. He needs to continue to work on his game-calling skills but his offensive threat might be too much to ignore. It helps that Pinto is already on the 40-man roster and Ron Gardenhire loves to have extra catchers on his bench. This could mean a September call-up for the young catcher. Pinto had the option of becoming a minor league free agent at the end of last season but he decided to stay with the Twins organization. For both parties involved, this move seems to be paying off and he could make his big league debut in the coming weeks. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: byron-buxton-twins.jpg At the end of last week, the Twins added some strong talent to their organization through the MLB Draft. Minnesota's farm system was already considered one of the best in baseball and having another top 5 pick should only improve their high-level talent. My last prospect ranking came back when I was helping put together the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. There have been a few changes to the list [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]as players begin to move closer to the big leagues. Aaron Hicks has graduated off this list (he had been ranked 4th) and Joe Benson is now with another organization after he had been ranked in the top 20. There was a bit of shifting at the top with new numbers one and two, and new players in the top five. It's an exciting time for the Twins' minor league teams and it starts with the players at the top of this list. 1. Byron Buxton (Previous Rank: 2)- OF - Cedar Rapids Kernels Buxton has been better than the Twins could have ever thought. He has been tearing up the Midwest League to the tune of batting .350/.444/.578 with seven home runs, eight triples, and 14 doubles. Buxton has also been terrific in the field as many fans saw on FSN earlier this week. There is a chance for him to be the number one prospect in all baseball by the end of the year. Buxton Fever is hitting Twins Territory and he is still multiple levels away from making his big league debut. 2. Miguel Sano (1) - 3B- New Britain Rock Cats Since I started writing this blog back in 2010, Sano has been a name that I have routinely penciled in at the top of this list. He might be the best pure power hitter in the minor leagues. He had destroyed the usually pitcher-friendly Florida State League. Over 56 games, he hit .330/424/.655 with 16 home runs and 15 doubles. In the past his defense at third base has been questioned but he continues to improve, with 11 errors so far this year. It's not like Sano is doing anything wrong to have been moved out of the number one spot; Buxton has just been that good. 3. Oswaldo Arcia (5) - OF- Rochester Red Wings Fans have gotten a little taste of Arcia at the beginning of this year. He has been back and forth between Rochester and the MLB club. This year he is hitting .255/.318/.449 with four home runs and five doubles in 30 big league games. The power is definitely there and he will continue working to raise some of his other numbers. He's played more games at the MLB level than at Triple-A so there is a rookie learning curve affecting his numbers. 4. Eddie Rosario (7) - 2B - New Britain Rock Cats Rosario continues to be one of the better hitting prospects in the organization. His recent promotion to the Rock Cats will test some of his skills but he has a very advanced swing for his age. With quick wrists he is able to send the ball to all fields and could continue to move quickly through the organization. In 52 games for Fort Myers this year he batted .329/.377/.527 with six home runs, five triples and 13 doubles. This is only the sophomore year playing second base for the former outfielder and there will continue to be bumps along the way; this year he has only four errors in 275 chances at his new position. 5. Kohl Stewart (NR) - RHP This year's fourth overall pick has yet to sign but he should quickly become the team’s best pitching prospect. It will take him some time to develop in the minor leagues but he could be the ace this team has been searching for since Johan Santana left. Stewart's name will likely be near the top of this list for multiple seasons as he works his way up from the lower levels of the minors. He has a killer fastball, a dominant slider, and fans will have to hope he can develop the rest of his arsenal along the way. For the first time he won't be worrying about the up-coming football season and that could bode ill for opposing batters. 6. Alex Meyer (3) - RHP - New Britain Rock Cats In his first year in the Twins organization, Meyer has been putting up decent numbers at the Double-A level. The 23-year old righty has posted a 3.69 ERA with 73 strikeouts and 27 walks in 61 innings. His 1.311 WHIP is the highest of his young professional career. He hasn't pitched since June 1st after he felt some discomfort in his throwing shoulder. We hope it is nothing seriously wrong and he just needs to miss a few starts to rest his arm. 7. Jose Berrios (9) - RHP - Cedar Rapids Kernels A supplemental first round pick in last year's draft, Berrios has settled nicely into the rotation for the Kernels. Over 42.1 innings, he has a 3.61 ERA and 50 strikeouts with 12 walks. He is giving up more than a hit an inning but he has the ability to strike batters out, a skill that has been lacking in the Twins system. If Berrios and Stewart can both make it as starters, they could provide a powerful front end of the rotation. 8. Kyle Gibson (8) - RHP - Rochester Red Wings It shouldn't be long before Gibson joins the rotation of the Minnesota Twins. The club is looking for more consistency out of him on his way back from Tommy John surgery. In his last ten starts, he has an ERA under 3.00 with a 6-3 record. He has pitched close to 80 innings this season with 69 strikeouts and 26 walks. His walk rate is higher than most would like but this still shouldn't stop him from becoming part of the Twins' rotation for the better part of the next decade. 9. Travis Harrison (11) - 3B - Cedar Rapids Kernels I have been high on Harrison since the Twins drafted him in the supplemental round of the 2011 Draft. He is beginning to realize some of his power potential this season in Cedar Rapids. He has nine home runs and 17 doubles in 61 games. His defense at third base hasn’t been the greatest with 12 errors in 57 games. He might have to move from the hot corner but his power is legit. 10. Jorge Polanco (14) - 2B - Cedar Rapids Kernels There are plenty of prospects up and down the roster for the Kernels. Polanco might get lost in the shuffle but this takes nothing away from his results. So far this year, the switch-hitting infielder is hitting .291/.342/.447 with 26 extra-base hits. It has been tough for the Twins to develop middle infielders but Polanco is among a promising crop at multiple levels in the system. Just Missed: Max Kepler, Kennys Vargas, Trevor May, Adam Walker, Josmil Pinto Click here to view the article

For the second year in a row, Twins fans can help to send a local representative to New York City for MLB's Fan Cave. Michael McGivern, a resident of St. Paul, is one of 52 finalist for this year's version of the Fan Cave. He needs help from everyone in Twins Territory by voting for him as much as possible. Fans can vote at MLB.com and you can see his video below. The MLB Fan Cave started in 2011 as two "cave dwellers" were selected to live in NYC for the entire season. As part of their positions in the Cave, they were charged with watching every MLB game live, interviewing players that stopped to visit, and interacting with fans across a wide variety of social media.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Last season, Lindsey Guentzel was one of the nine finalist that was elected to the Fan Cave. It was nice for Minnesota fans to have a local connection in last year's Fan Cave. The hope for McGivern is that he can continue the tradition of the Twins being represented in NYC. I recently had a chance to ask McGivern a few different Twins related questions. After reading through some of his great responses, make sure to vote for him as much is possible. Download attachment: McGivern.jpg NoDak Twins Fan (NDTF): What's your earliest memory of the Twins?McGivern (MM): My earliest memory of the Twins is probably just being in the car with my Dad listening to games. I don't know what was going on, but Herb Carneal had a way to keep you engaged. The first game I could remember going to was the day the Twins retired Kent Hrbek's number and the guy next to us had a sign that read "HRBEK! HOF!" NDTF: If you could go back and be at any Twins game in history, what game would it be? Why? MM: Game 7 of '91. I think game 163 against the Tigers was the most nerve-wracking three-and-a-half hours of my life, but wouldn't the Jack Morris game be 10-fold? NDTF: What are your predictions for the Twins 2013 season? MM: I think they are improved. If Willingham and the pitchers can stay healthy, they'll be closer to .500 than they will 90 losses. I wonder what the lineup will look like on August 1st? NDTF: With some recent moves, the Twins farm system has become ranked as one of the best in baseball. Which prospects are you most excited to see over the next couple of years? MM: Miguel Sano, Aaron Hicks, and Byron Buxton are going to get the most attention, and rightfully so, but I'm interested most in Alex Meyer because he wasn't a homegrown player who I could keep an eye on since he got drafted; we need high-upside arms' and the Twins have bee in a rut particularly because player we have received in big trades over the last several years have fizzled. Is Oswaldo Arcia in that aforementioned lineup Aug. 1? NDTF: Which MLB player would you be most excited to meet if you are elected to the MLB Fan Cave? MM: Other than a Twin I'd go with Mike Trout. Such an electrifying young player who has the potential to be his generation's Griffey or Mantle. There are a myriad of others, but he is at the top of my list. Thanks again to Michael McGivern for the interview and fans across Twins Territory should get out and vote for him to make it to the MLB Fan Cave! Click here to view the article

Original post from North Dakota Twins Fan http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mAFtdGjpK3M/T9602G7XrmI/AAAAAAAACOQ/UfaDWKM00f8/s400/PowerPitchers.jpg Twins fans are well aware of how great pitching has been across baseball this season. So far this year, there have been five no-hitters with two of those being perfect games. Two former Twins pitchers, Johan Santana and Phil Humber, accounted for two of the no-hitters. Unfortunately for the Twins, they were also on the wrong end of a no-hitter against Jered Weaver earlier this season. Combine all of these and it was a rough couple of weeks for Twins fans to watch. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] There seems to be something special in the air across baseball in recent years and pitching is at the center of this change. Following an era of baseball that was full of steroid filled sluggers, pitching seems to have regained the upper hand. Entering play on Sunday, the top 16 pitchers in the National League and the top 7 pitchers in the American League all had sub-3.00 ERAs. In contrast to the 2011 season, there were a combined 16 sub-3.00 ERAs between both leagues. For the Twins in 2012, there is only one starting pitcher that has a sub-3.00 ERA, Scott Diamond. He doesn't have enough innings under his belt to qualify for a position on the AL leaders board and the rest of the starters are in the same position. Most of the other Twins starting pitchers have an ERA that is well over 5.00 and the team's combined ERA of 5.12 is the second worst in all of baseball. But a change in ERA isn't the only sign of a shift in baseball, there seems to be a rise in the amount of hard throwing pitchers. There are plenty examples in both leagues with Justin Verlander winning the AL MVP last year and Aroldis Chapman emerging for the Reds. According to FanGraphs, the hardest thrower in both leagues out of the players that qualify is Stephen Strasburg at 96.1 mph. The top 15 fastballs for starting pitchers are all above 93.0 mph; but if you expand it to include relief pitching, there are 35 pitchers with a fastball that averages over 95.0 mph. Over the recent years of Twins baseball, the team has been known as a "pitch-to-contact" team and organization. This can be seen in the pitchers that make up the current roster for the Twins. Out of the starting pitchers, Francisco Liriano has the hardest fastball at over 93 mph but the rest of the starters sit around 90 mph or lower. The relief pitchers are lead by a former starter, Glen Perkins, and his fastball that averages over 95 mph. While there are plenty of relief pitchers across baseball with big fastballs, the rest of the Twins relief core sits around 93 mph with their heaters. There are teams across baseball that have been able to create outstanding pitching staffs based on their team's drafting and scouting departments. The San Francisco Giants have a rotation composed of three very good pitchers that were brought through the farm system of their organization. There are ups and downs with Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, and Madison Bumgarner but for the most part these three pitchers have been very good on the mound. Another team with outstanding homegrown pitchers is the Tampa Bay Rays. Their combination of James Shields, David Price, Matt Moore, and Jeremy Hellickson completes one of the deepest staffs in the game. Both of these organizations have used the draft to find pitchers from multiple rounds of the draft to build their pitching staff. With the Twins knowing that something had to change for the future, they changed some of their draft philosophy for the 2012 season. Instead of looking for pitch-to-contact players like the team had been doing, the Twins front office made a conscious switch to finding players with more upside. The main qualities the Twins were looking for were "power and raw speed" and the team took four pitchers in the first two rounds. For the entire draft, the organization took 24 pitchers out of the 43 picks the team was given. In the end, not all of these players will sign but it seems like the team is finally moving in the right direction. This change in draft philosophy could be a good start for the Twins but it will be quite some time before the team will know if they selected the right players in the 2012 draft. For now, the future of Twins pitching does not look like it is in the perfect place. There are plenty of question marks surrounding the 2012 Twins and how the rest of the season will go with the starting staff. Carl Pavano, Francisco Liriano, and Scott Baker can all leave via free agency and for most fans that would be a welcome sight. But the Twins would have to replace these pitcher and pitching doesn't come cheap. Scott Diamond, Nick Blackburn, and Liam Hendriks look to be the front runners for the 2013 rotation. But in the era of pitching, these three names leave the Twins and their fans wanting something more... Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Scott_Diamond_600_321.jpg One of the best story lines for the Twins in 2012 has been the emergence of Scott Diamond as a stabilizing force in the starting rotation. In a season where the Twins have used 12 different starting pitchers, Diamond leads the way with 24 starts under his belt. During the first half of the season, it looked like Diamond could make the All-Star team because of his performance after being called up by the Twins. It has been a different story for Diamond in the last couple months as his performance has gradually declined to the point where his rotation spot might need to be called into question. A couple of weeks ago, this idea would be out of the question but recent starts from Diamond have showcased a mediocre pitcher with opposing teams hitting the ball all over the field against him. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] So the question to the front office of the Twins is, should Scott Diamond be shut down? Let's backtrack a few weeks to see how Diamond got to this point in the year. In the second half of August, Diamond put together a start against the Seattle Mariners that Twins fans had become accustom to seeing from him over the course of the year. He tossed 6.2 innings by surrendering two runs on nine hits and he got the no-decision as the Twins went on to lose the game by a run. His ERA dropped to 2.95 and things continued to look good for the left-handed hurler. The next outing for him would come against the Texas Rangers and this is when it seems like the season switched directions for Diamond. After Joe Mauer had been hit with a pitch in a previous inning, Diamond tried to stand-up for the Twins star catcher by throwing at Josh Hamilton of the Rangers. The pitch from Diamond got close to Hamilton but it was near the head of the slugger from Texas. Home plate umpire Wally Bell didn't like the pitch location from Diamond so he tossed him out of the game for throwing near the head of an opposing player. It was the shortest outing of the season for Diamond and it was the first time all year where he failed to pitch more than five innings. The Commissioner's Office would suspend Diamond for six games and things just haven't been the same since this point. He has made four starts since the infamous attempted bean ball near the head of Hamilton and it seems like something is missing from Diamond. In three of the four outings, he has been handed the loss and his performances haven't been up to the level fans were use to seeing from him. He has given up four or more runs in each appearance and he hasn't been able to pitch more than six frames in three of the four outings. The only win for Diamond during this stretch was when the offense exploded for 18 runs against the White Sox on September 4th. His last start on Sunday might have been his worst of the year as he gave up six earned runs on seven hits including two long balls. There just doesn't seem to be something right with Mr. Diamond. At this point in the season, there are plenty of players dealing with the aches and pains that accompany a grueling 162 game schedule. Diamond is in his first full season with the Twins and he is entering uncharted territory for his professional career. He started the year by throwing 34.2 innings with the Rochester Red Wings before poor play and injuries forced the Twins to turn to the minor leagues. If you combine his minor league innings with his MLB total, he has thrown 188.1 innings in 2012. The career high in innings for Diamond before this season was 162, a mark he reached in 2011 as a member of the Twins and Red Wings. By crossing this innings threshold, Diamond might have run into some fatigue issues and other problems with his arm mechanics. The Twins have been eliminated from playoff contention and one could argue that the team was never really in contention this year after their poor start to the season. Diamond's continued presence in the rotation is not entirely necessary over the last couple weeks of the year. He could be quietly shutdown and the team could continue to let other arms get the chance to showcase themselves against some of the tough opponents on the schedule for the rest of the month. It's terrible to think about Diamond suffering an arm injury in a meaningless September game when the club could use him in more meaningful games at the start of next season. Diamond hasn't exactly been helping the club to win in recent weeks and it's tough to know what the team wants to do with him for the rest of the year. It doesn't seem like he will be shutdown before his next start and I am sure the team would like to see how many inning he can pitch by the end of the campaign. The competitor inside of Diamond will want to go out on the mound for every opportunity he is given in the next couple weeks. It's just tough to watch him struggle at the end of what has been a breakout season for the 26-year old left-handed pitcher. The fans that are still watching are going to remember the struggles at the end of the year and not the positive signs from the majority of the season. It will also be tough for Diamond to enter the offseason on a sour note. In the next couple weeks, Diamond will most likely get to play out the rest of his 2012 season. He could rediscover himself from earlier this year or the performances could continue to go in the opposite direction. The innings are piling up and it's tough not to wonder if Diamond should be on the shelf for the remainder of the campaign. Click here to view the article

Episode 37 of the Twins baseball podcast, Talk To Contact (@TalkToContact), is now available for download via iTunesor by clicking here. http://assets.podomatic.net/mymedia/thumb/2324540/285%3E_8237541.jpg On Episode 37, Cody and Eric are joined by Baseball Prospectus‘ Jason Parks to talk about the Twins Minor League system. Jason Parks has plenty to say about Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano, as well as some of the pitching prospects.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Before Jason Parks comes on to the show, Cody and Eric go through the Twins news, including the pitching performances of Kevin Correia, Mike Pelfrey and Scott Diamond; Joe Mauer’s Fenway expertise, and the explosion that is Oswaldo Arcia. To close out the show the guys name a Listener of the Week, go Down on the Pond with Michael Tonkin, and regardless of what they’re drinking (juice?!) they take a quick tour of the biggest news stories around the league. 80 minutes of fun! <iframe src="http://talk2contact.podomatic.com/embed/frame/posting/2013-05-10T20_18_31-07_00?json_url=http%3A%2F%2Ftalk2contact.podomatic.com%2Fentry%2Fembed_params%2F2013-05-10T20_18_31-07_00%3FautoPlay%3Dfalse%26facebook%3Dtrue%26height%3D85%26minicast%3Dfalse%26objembed%3D0%26width%3D440" height="85" width="440" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> You can follow me on Twitter (@NoDakTwinsFan) or read his writing here at NoDakTwinsFan. You can follow Paul on Twitter (@BaseballPirate) or read his writing at Puckett’s Pond. And of course, you can find Eric on Twitter (@ERolfPleiss) and read my writing at Knuckleballs! Click here to view the article

Download attachment: GardenhireRyan.jpg One of the benefits of being a season ticket holder with the Minnesota Twins is the opportunity to participate in conference calls with current players, coaches, and front office personnel. Earlier this season, Scott Diamond and Trevor Plouffe discussed their breakout seasons with fans. It's fun to hear their answers to unique questions that might not pop up in a regular interview setting with reporters in the Twin Cities. There are also prizes handed out including memorabilia, bobbleheads of different players, and other experiences at Target Field. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]On Thursday night, General Manager Terry Ryan and Manager Ron Gardenhire were fielding questions from season ticket holders. This was intriguing to me because I thought it might turn into a blood-bath with the hard-hitting questions asked by the fans. It certainly didn't start off as all flowers and roses for the leading men for the Twins but there were some easy questions along the way. Below are some of the questions and thoughts from Ryan and Gardenhire. I tried to get as close to direct quotes as possible but some of this is general thoughts from the two men in charge of turning around a franchise in the dumps over the last two years. -What can the Twins do to improve the starting pitching of the club? Terry Ryan (TR): The biggest concern is with the starting rotation. There were some injuries this year to players like Pavano and Baker. It's time to go out and find pitching with trades, free agents, or in the international market. This can be a hard thing to do when the other clubs are searching for the same thing but no one is going to try harder than the Twins. -What has been the most frustrating thing about this season? Ron Gardenhire (RG): Some of the fundamentals haven't been there like getting bunts down and hitting the cutoff man. The Twins take pride in those things and it isn't showing up on the field. Coaches continue to work hard with the players in practice but the results haven't been showing up on the field. TR: One of the most frustrating things has been getting guys on base with no outs in an inning and not seeing more runs cross the plate. This line-up should be scoring more on the offensive side of the ball. There needs to be more innings with crooked numbers. -What are the differences in your second time as GM? TR: We need to get back to the way things were when the team turned around at the end of the 1990's. The organization has things going in the right direction but there are plenty of things to do before the Twins will be playing meaningful games in September. -Are you willing to give up Willingham or others for pitching? TR: We are always willing to deal but it's tough to find the right deal. There aren't many untouchable players on our club. It's about getting value back from the other club so we are willing to deal if the deal is right. -What is the plan for Ben Revere in 2013? RG: One of the most important things is to find him at-bats. He has shown the ability to player anywhere in the outfield but he is very exciting and we love having him out there. He still has shortcomings in his game and the coaches will continue to work with him. It's all about putting together a solid outfield for next year and we feel comfortable with him out there. -Why should we stay season ticket holders? TR: It starts with the front office making better decisions about the way money is spent and trying to stay away from injuries. We understand the frustration of the fans but there is nothing better to do than coming out to watch a baseball game. The team is going to have good years and bad years and our goal is to put a good club on the field. Nothing is more frustrating then seeing fans leaving the game in the 5th inning. -Besides starting pitching, what else needs to change? TR: The team needs to improve on the defensive side of the ball. The outfield did fine this year but there was a lot of other players switching positions. Carroll was a constant for the club but the defense needs to get better. (Author's note: They address this in other questions but this sounds like a good sign for Florimon.) -Why switch from Beloit to Cedar Rapids for the Low-A affiliate? TR: It simply came down to better facilities for the players and better attendance from the local fans. -What lies ahead for Chris Parmelee? RG: We like him an awful lot. He needed to hit better so it was a good move to send him to the minor leagues earlier this year. He seemed to find his swing in the minor leagues and his mind-set changed while he was down there. On the defensive side of the ball, he needs to spend more time in the outfield. The goal is to find him as many at-bats as possible for next year. -Any thoughts of moving Mauer to third base or to the two spot in the batting order? RG: I agree that he is a perfect two-hole hitter but the old-school baseball mentality says to put your best hitter in the number three spot. Our line-up isn't as deep as other clubs like the Yankees and for them it might make sense to bat Mauer second. We want him batting with the chance to drive in runs. There have been talks about moving him to third but all of those decisions haven't been run past Mauer. His arm action would need some work at third but it looks like the perfect move. It's always up to the player for approval before we do anything and he loves to catch. -What are your thoughts on Pedro Florimon and what will second base look like next year? RG: He is great on the defensive side of the ball but there are areas of improvement on the offensive side of the ball. There is still a language barrier as Florimon tries to learn English. He can be really hard on himself when he makes a mistake but at this point he looks like the front-runner for the shortstop position next year. TR: Florimon has surprising power and we are really happy with him. He was a pleasant edition especially as a waiver pick-up. As far as second base goes, it will likely be up to Jamey Carroll, Brian Dozier and Alexi Casilla to earn the spot. -Morneau is entering his final contract year, has there been talk of an extension? TR: When the season started, we were afraid of having him at first base. Justin has put a lot of those fears to rest. He has a lot more ceiling for the future and we think he can continue to get better. I am not going to get into contract discussions in a conference call. -Will there be any coaching changes like getting rid of Jerry White? RG: The coaching staff does great work with the players. Jerry White works hard with the outfielders and he has done that going back to Hunter, Span, and Revere. As a staff, we have put a lot of good years together even if the last couple years have been tough. They are my friends and these guys are out there getting it done. I have a lot of respect for the coaching staff. - I was wondering how Scott Baker is doing? TR: Baker is to the point where he is playing catch and he is on schedule to take part in spring training. The team will need to address the option year on his contract but he is one of the good guys that we've got. -Can you speak about the team leadership in the clubhouse? RG: Cuddyer moved on and now other players like Morneau and Mauer have been the on the field leaders. It has been a fun group of players and this group has really tried hard to win. They hang their heads when they lose but I have to go around and pick them back up again. I am happy with this group of players. -Are the Twins too nice and do they give too much time for a player to perform at the big league level? TR: We show patience with a player because we know their track record in the minor leagues. Sometimes a player like Parmelee or Dozier needs to get sent back down if it doesn't work out. Torii Hunter and Latroy Hawkins were examples of players we had to be patient with. -Are we keeping Willingham for next year? TR: As I said before, no one is untouchable on this roster. It's hard to find a player that can drive in this many runs and hit 40 home runs so we expect to see him in our line-up next year. -What is the status of Kyle Gibson? TR: He threw five innings in the instructional league today, as he gets ready to go to the Arizona Fall League. We are targeting around 80 innings for him to throw. He is throwing well and hard with good location of his pitches. He is getting close to the guy we had before the surgery. -How long before Byron Buxton gets to the big leagues? TR: For most players his age, it will take around four years for him to make it. He has a solid make-up and he is a good teammate. From talking to other coaches and Paul Molitor, he gets it as a player. There are a lot of positives surrounding him. -What has been wrong with Brian Duensing? RG: He has been bouncing around a lot from the bullpen to being a starter. That has been tough on him. His slider and change-up are better when he is coming out of the bullpen. In the rotation, he has trouble the second and third time he has to go through a line-up. We need to make a decision on what to do with him but the needs in the rotation have pushed him out of the bullpen in recent years. -What will the payroll be for next season? TR: There isn't going to be a firm number on the payroll. The Pohlad family gives us plenty of money to spend on this team. I need to make better decision on how to spend the dollars. We can't have a lot of money tied up in players at Triple-A like Nishioka and Blackburn. Better spending will lead to a better product on the field. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: DenardSpanDefense.jpg On Monday, ESPN's Mark Simon wrote an article naming Mike Trout as the "Defensive Player of the Year" for MLB. Throughout the season, he and a team of twelve voters had picked out the best defensive player for every month and their overall choice for the year was Mr. Trout. This got me to thinking about who would come out on top for the Twins if the same award had to be given to a player on the roster for Minnesota. There are some good defensive players on the Twins and it's fun to try and pick out the player with the best year behind a lackluster pitching staff.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The first step should be to name some of the top candidates on the defensive side of the ball for the Twins in 2012. In the outfield, there are a couple options with Denard Span and Ben Revere having very good seasons patrolling the deep outfield at Target Field. Jamey Carroll has done well in his time at multiple infield positions and Alexi Casilla has looked good in his limited action for the club. Since September started, Pedro Florimon has been impressive but he hardly has enough chances to be named as the top defender or did he... By digging into the statistics, it makes it easier to separate the leaders for the Twins. According to the Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) statistic, Ben Revere has the top marks on the team during his time in the outfield. UZR is based on zone rating and it measures a fielder's success at getting to balls determined to be in his "zone" of the playing field. The number attempts to quantify how many runs a player saved through their fielding skills or lack of fielding skills. Revere's UZR sits at 16.3 which is almost five and a half points higher than the next closest member on the team. He also gets some credit for going out of his zone in right field to track down balls. Here is the top five for the Twins: Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) Leaders 1. Ben Revere 16.3 (LF, RF, CF) 2. Jamey Carroll 10.9 (2B, SS, 3B) 3. Darin Mastroianni 10.1 (RF, CF, LF) 4. Denard Span 9.4 (CF) 5. Alexi Casilla 7.8 (2B, 3B) UZR isn't the only statistic of importance when it comes to grading defenders for the Twins. There are other categories to consider when trying to separate the boys from the men. Another metric that is easy for fans to understand is Defensive Runs Save (DRS). DRS captures a player's total defensive value by indicating how many runs a player saved when compared to the average player at his position. Much like UZR, DRS is measured in runs above or below average. Span ranks at the top for the Twins and some of the other members on this list might be a surprise. Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) Leaders 1. Denard Span 20 (CF) 2. Alexi Casilla 15 (2B, 3B) 3. Jamey Carroll 13 (SS, 2B, 3B) 4. Ben Revere 8 (RF, CF, LF) 5. Pedro Florimon 6 (SS) Since there are two different websites visited by fans looking for statistics about baseball players, there can be some differences in the numbers put out by those sites. Baseball Reference and FanGraphs each have their own version of Wins Above Replacement (WAR) so there are some differences in how they look at the defensive side of the ball. FanGraphs uses the UZR numbers from above when calculating their WAR number. Baseball Reference has a specific value for the amount of wins a player was worth as a defender over a replacement level player. Defensive Wins Above Replacement (dWAR) Leaders 1. Denard Span 2.4 2 (tie). Jamey Carroll 1.8 2 (tie). Alexi Casilla 1.8 4. Pedro Florimon 0.9 5. Ben Revere 0.6 One final category to consider in the balloting for top defensive player on the Twins in 2012 is Range Runs (RngR). In this metric, it rates players based on their ability to get to a ball also known as their range. As with most of the statistics looked at here today, it is measured in runs saved compared to the average for other players in the league at the same position. Much like UZR above, Revere gets quite a bump from being a center fielder shagging fly balls in the corner outfield spots for most of the year. Range Runs (RngR) Leaders 1. Ben Revere 12.6 2. Denard Span 9.5 3. Darin Mastroanni 8.9 4. Jamey Carroll 7.0 5. Alexi Casilla 6.6 It's clear that there isn't a perfect way to measure a player's defensive ability but there are plenty of statistics to help clear up some of the foggy mess. With that being said, the Defensive Player of the Year for the Twins is Denard Span. He ranks at the top of two of the above categories and he finished runner-up in another category. After dealing with concussion issues for a chunk of last season, it was good to see Span manning center field for over 120 games this year. A nagging shoulder injury cost him some time late in the season and his numbers might have been even better had he not been on the DL. It was still a terrific defensive season for Mr. Span and he continues the line of great defensive center fielders for the Twins. Click here to view the article

There were a few minor league moves to take place on Thursday. Outfielder Darin Mastroianni was due to come off the disabled list but he was in the middle of a hitting slump so he was optioned to Rochester. There might be a chance that he gets back to the big leagues this year but he had options left and it would be better for him to get his legs under him. (Looking for something to listen to to make your Friday move quicker. Seth Stohs joined Travis on last night's Twins Minor League Weekly podcast. He was asked questions on a bunch of Twins prospects, so check it out here.) [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Outfielder Aaron Hicks has been dealing with a nagging injury. Rochester put him on the 7-day disabled list with a right heel bruise. Since he hadn't appeared in a game for a couple days, the move is retroactive to August 13th. In his six games after being demoted, Hicks was hitting .227/.320/.227 with no extra base hits. Here's a look at what happened throughout the day on Thursday in the Twins minor league system. Rochester Red Wings 4, Buffalo Bisons 2 Box Score PJ Walters was coming off of his poorest outing of the season (2 IP, 7 R, 9 H) so it was important for him to get back on track. He tossed seven innings to pick up the win and this happened even after he had a shaky start at the beginning of the game. He scattered six hits and allowed two earned runs with three walks while striking out four. It was his fourth start of the season where he pitched at least seven innings. Darin Mastroianni was optioned to Rochester on Thursday and he used the opportunity to break out of an 0-for-15 slump. He had a two-single in the top of the third. The Red Wings used some clutch hitting and a Bisons error to score three runs in the fifth inning. Eric Fryer scored two runs in the game and hit his third home runs of 2013. Eduardo Escobar went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Edgar Ibarra and Michael Tonkin were great in relief of Walters. Ibarra pitched a perfect eighth inning and struck out two of the hitters that he faced. Michael Tonkin earned his 10th save by allowing one hit and striking out one in the ninth. Rochester relievers have picked up saves in 26 of their last 27 opportunities since the beginning of June. New Britain Rock Cats 3, New Hampshire Fisher Cats 9 Box Score The Rock Cats pitching staff couldn't buy a break in this game as the Fisher Cats pounced on them. New Hampshire scored nine runs on 16 hits. It took New Britian until the eighth inning to get on the board. This was too little, too late for the Rock Cats. Trevor May started for New Britain and the results were so-so. He failed to get out of the sixth inning and he was charged with four earned runs on 10 hits. He was able to strike out 10 batters and he was still hitting in the low 90s with his fastball even after throwing over 100 pitches. His last three starts have been less than six innings, which isn't exactly where he needs to be. Danny Santana had multiple hits for the third time in his last four games. He went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Daniel Ortiz added two hits and an RBI. Dan Rohlfing was the only other hitter with an extra-base hit, his 13th double of the year. Fort Myers Miracle 5, St. Lucie Mets 3 Box Score Fort Myers ended their three game skid with a victory over the Mets. It looked a little scary in the early going as the club fell behind 3-0 after a couple innings. A big four run fifth inning helped to separate the Miracle and the bullpen pitched in with six shutout frames. Byron Buxton was held to one hit but he was still able to score two runs and steal his 15th base of the season. His single stretched his hitting streak to nine games. Jhon Goncalves and Dalton Hicks both got two hits including a double for each of them. Hicks had an impressive night at the plate with two walks and two RBI. Levi Michael knocked his fourth triple. Stephen Wickens was also able to extend his hit streak to 10 games. Matt Tomshaw got hit around and he was pulled out of the game after three innings. Luckily the bullpen was ready to perform. Tyler Duffy earned the victory after throwing three shutout frames with two strikeouts. Adrian Salcedo pitched two innings and only gave up one hit. Zach Jones struck out the side in the ninth but he did get into a little trouble with two walks. Cedar Rapids Kernels 6, Beloit Snappers 5 Box Score Adam Walker sent the fans home happy in Cedar Rapids with a walk-off double. Jonathan Murphy had started the inning with a single and Niko Goodrum followed this with a hit by pitch. Jorge Polanco tried to bunt to advance the runners but the Snappers got the lead runner at third. Walker stepped up to the plate and cracked his 28th double of the year. The bullpen for the Kernels was outstanding. Tim Shibuya, Brandon Bixler, and Brian Gilbert combined for five shutout innings. There were no hits in the last five frames and only one batter reached base. Miguel Sulbaran made his first start since being acquired from the Dodgers for Drew Butera. He lasted four innings by giving up seven hits and four earned runs. Elizabethton Twins 4, Johnson City Cardinals 0 Box Score Three different E-Twins pitchers combined for a two hit shutout of the Cardinals. Kuo Hua Lo pitched the first five innings and gave up both of the hits. He struck out five and walked two and the victory was his first of the year. Luke Bard got into a little trouble with a couple of walks in his inning of work but he didn't give up a hit. Austin Malinowski was terrific in three strong innings by striking out six and never having a base runner reach against him. A two-run first inning helped to put the E-Twins on top for good in this one. Rory Rhodes went 2-for-3 and he helped to keep a couple of innings alive. Stuart Turner knocked in a couple of runs with his single. There were no extra base hits for the E-Twins but it didn't matter with the way the pitching staff was throwing. 
 GCL Twins 4, GCL Rays 6 Box Score Kohl Stewart set careers highs in strikeouts (5 Ks) and innings pitched (4 IP) but it wasn't enough for the GCL Twins to get back to their winning ways. In their last eight games, the club has lost seven. The defense behind Stewart was full of some holes as there were three errors. Three runs would be scored with Stewart on the mound but he was only charged with one earned run on five hits. Download attachment: Kohl Stewart.jpg Ivory Thomas knocked in two runs as part of a 2-for-5 day. He added his second double of the year. Jason Kanzler notched his fourth triple of the season and he finished the day 2-for-4. Chad Christensen, Adonis Pacheco, and Ryan Tufts all had two hits and Nelson Molina scored two runs as the number nine hitter. Click here to view the article

The Twins had a back and forth game on a beautiful afternoon at Target Field. Unfortunately, the club came out on the losing side of their match-up with the Royals. There were home runs from Justin Morneau, Trevor Plouffe, and Clete Thomas but it still wasn't enough. The bullpen gave up four runs in the last four frames for a tough loss. In minor league news, RHP AJ Achter was transferred to Rochester from New Britain. It will be his first trip to Triple-A. Achter had appeared in 24 games as a relief pitcher. He has a 2.27 ERA with 35 strikeouts and 19 walks in 35.2 innings. In a corresponding move, C/OF Dan Rohlfing was sent to New Britain from Rochester. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] There were some close games and some hard fought victories in the Twins system today. Check out all of the action from down on the pond. Rochester Red Wings 0, Syracuse Chiefs 2 Box Score Liam Hendriks pitched a complete game but the offense didn't give him any support. He struck out four and walked one while limiting the Chiefs to two runs. The loss dropped his record to 1-6 and he hasn't won a game since the beginning of May. The Red Wings had a tough time getting the offense going. Drew Butera was the lone Rochester hitter to collect more than one hit. Jeff Clement knocked his 10th double but he was the only person in the top five of the batting order to collect a hit. The bottom four batters in the order all had at least one hit. Today's loss marked the first three game losing streak for the Red Wings since May 13-15. Rochester still ended the month of June with a 17-13 record. This was the second game of a 24 game stretch against opponents in the International League North Division. New Britain Rock Cats 2, Reading Phillies 8 Box Score The Rock Cats wouldn't score a run until the late innings and the Phillies were well in control by that point in the game. Two New Britain errors from Miguel Sano and Eddie Rosario resulted in some extra work for the pitching staff and the Rock Cats lost their series to Reading. It was their third loss in four games to end the month of June. Matthew Summers was making his second start since being called up from Fort Myers. He pitched four innings and gave up five runs on seven hits. His control was a little all over the place as he walked four and struck out three. Out of his 87 pitches, 55 of them were for strikes. Dakota Watts and Edgar Ibarra did a good job to keep the game close in the middle innings. They combined to pitch four innings and they limited Reading to two base runners. Matt Hauser pitched the ninth and he gave up three earned runs in the final frame. Josmil Pinto didn't start at catcher but he still went 2-for-3 with a run scored from the DH slot. Daniel Ortiz went 2-or-4 with his 21st double of the season. Rosario tried to make up for his error with a double and a run scored but it still wasn't enough for New Britain. Fort Myers Miracle 4, St. Lucie Mets 1 (Rain Shortened- 6 Innings) Box Score Fort Myers scored runs in four of the six innings to come out victorious in this rain shortened game. Bryon Buxton seems to be finding his swing at High-A. He went 3-for-3 in this game with his first double and first stolen base at this level. Every time he was on base, he scored a run and his average is up to .333 since being promoted. Kennys Vargas went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI to get his RBI total up to 61 for the year. With Buxton at the top of the order, Vargas could continue to add to this total in the coming weeks. Jhon Goncalves and Mike Kvasnicka each had a hit. Jason Wheeler pitched 5.1 innings for his seventh win of the season. He scattered four hits and allowed one earned run. Ryan O'Rourke earned his third save by recording the last couple of outs before the rains came tumbling down. He struck out both of the batters he faced. After losing four straight games at the beginning of the week, the Miracle have won two straight games. The team will close out the series with St. Lucie on Monday evening. Cedar Rapids Kernels 6, Peoria Chiefs 5 Box Score The Kernels had won nine straight games coming into Sunday's contest with the Chiefs and it looked like their winning streak was going to come to an end. It took a little bit of magic from the Kernels in the bottom of the ninth to pull out their 10th straight wins. Max Kepler's RBI single was the only hit of the inning and it made the team walk-off winners. Download attachment: Max Kepler.jpg Tim Atherton made his first start for the Kernels after appearing in 20 games as a relief pitcher. He pitched into the fourth inning and allowed three runs even though one of them was earned. He walked three batters and struck out two. Alex Muren and Tyler Jones pitched the last three innings and one unearned run was scored against them. Jones picked up his fourth win of the season. The offense was lead by Jorge Polanco with two hits and two runs scored. Travis Harrison hit his 24th double and knocked in a couple of runs. In the game, Harrison did have his 17 error of the season at third base. Niko Goodrum got a start at first base and he added his 17th double while scoring a run. Mike Pelfrey will make a rehab start for the Kernels on Monday night. It will be the final game of the series against the Chiefs and the club will be going for win number 11 in a row. Elizabethton Twins 5, Kingsport Mets 1 Box Score The E-Twins kept up their winning ways in the early portion of their season. Randy Rosario won his second decision after he threw five innings by striking out seven and allowing one earned run. The Mets only managed three hits against him and he didn't walk a batter. Austin Malinowski and Brandon Peterson each pitched two frames and combined to give up two hits. Peterson struck out four batters and he has yet to let a run cross the plate. Malinowski had a good bounce back performance after allowing three runs in his last appearance. Dereck Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored. He also stole third base for his fourth steal of 2013. Bryan Haar hit his third home run of the season. Mitch Garver and Romy Jimenez also hit long balls and for each of them it was their first home run. Click here to view the article