Cody Christie

Another week of baseball's regular season has come and gone. For the Twins there was plenty of news this week. The Marlins turned out to be pesky but they have been surprising more than one team in the National League so far this season. Kyle Gibson will be making his big league debut on Saturday and this is a moment to get a little bit excited about. Twins fans have heard his name for multiple seasons. Ryan Doumit had a cool slide, Byron Buxton is good at baseball, and the trade deadline is approaching. All these things and more in the latest edition of "Links-N-Thinks.” Stuart Turner, a 2013 Twins draft pick, was honored with the Johnny Bench Award. This award is given to the nation's best division one catcher. Here's a look at how Kyle Gibson did in each game this season for AAA-Rochester. Now that Gibson will be part of the rotation, one pitcher is going to have to lose his job. Clete Thomas has changed his swing and this has helped him to be more productive. The traded deadline is a little over a month away and it's tough to know if there is a trade market for Morneau. Logan Darnell is one step away from the big leagues after a very good season thus far. If you want to geek out a little, check out this article that looks at OPS minus batting average. Who should be blamed for the struggles the Twins have incurred against the Yankees? The back story of Max Kepler is one of the best in baseball. Kernels fans can't watch Byron Buxton any more but a German-born player could be the next to take that team by storm. Speaking of Buxton... It can be fun to examine the tools he has as a player. Buxton and Miguel Sano will represent the Twins in MLB's Futures Game. The Twins minor league system might be ahead of the curve in this new type of training. Are the Twins a fascinating team? Maybe when Buxton and Sano get here. Joe Mauer is chasing Mickey Vernon. Scientists may have unlocked the mystery in the evolution of pitchers. Is there a way to improve umpiring in MLB without increasing replay? Michael Cuddyer has been having quite the season for the Rockies. In this clip, Nick Punto has to fight some fans for a foul ball. You could also listen to it just to hear Vin Scully's voice. Matt Garza could be the best pitcher available at this year's trade deadline. I love collecting ticket stubs so this is one of the saddest trends in baseball right now. Cleveland has sure been making some noise in the AL Central. Kerry Wood made a scary discovery while paddling around in a boat. There is more than one reason why Bull Durham is a good movie. I know you want to see Hawk Harrelson in an outfit that is strangely similar to the Hamburglar. My Weekly Rundown Talk to Contact: Episode 42 Monday: 2013 Minnesota Twins Trade Candidates Wednesday: Twins Minor League Report (6/26): Sano's Big Day Thursday: A Checklist for Kyle Gibson Video of the Week: Ryan Doumit had to get a little creative on this play at the plate. He missed the plate on his first pass and he had to sneak back behind the catcher to score a run. I'm sure Oswaldo Arcia was happy since it added to his RBI total but it was still a funny play to watch unfold. Watch it again and enjoy your weekend!

Another week of baseball's regular season has come and gone. For the Twins there was plenty of news this week. The Marlins turned out to be pesky but they have been surprising more than one team in the National League so far this season. Kyle Gibson will be making his big league debut on Saturday and this is a moment to get a little bit excited about. Twins fans have heard his name for multiple seasons. Ryan Doumit had a cool slide, Byron Buxton is good at baseball, and the trade deadline is approaching. All these things and more in the latest edition of "Links-N-Thinks.” Stuart Turner, a 2013 Twins draft pick, was honored with the Johnny Bench Award. This award is given to the nation's best division one catcher. Here's a look at how Kyle Gibson did in each game this season for AAA-Rochester. Now that Gibson will be part of the rotation, one pitcher is going to have to lose his job. Clete Thomas has changed his swing and this has helped him to be more productive. The traded deadline is a little over a month away and it's tough to know if there is a trade market for Morneau. Logan Darnell is one step away from the big leagues after a very good season thus far. If you want to geek out a little, check out this article that looks at OPS minus batting average. Who should be blamed for the struggles the Twins have incurred against the Yankees? The back story of Max Kepler is one of the best in baseball. Kernels fans can't watch Byron Buxton any more but a German-born player could be the next to take that team by storm. Speaking of Buxton... It can be fun to examine the tools he has as a player. Buxton and Miguel Sano will represent the Twins in MLB's Futures Game. The Twins minor league system might be ahead of the curve in this new type of training. Are the Twins a fascinating team? Maybe when Buxton and Sano get here. Joe Mauer is chasing Mickey Vernon. Scientists may have unlocked the mystery in the evolution of pitchers. Is there a way to improve umpiring in MLB without increasing replay? Michael Cuddyer has been having quite the season for the Rockies. In this clip, Nick Punto has to fight some fans for a foul ball. You could also listen to it just to hear Vin Scully's voice. Matt Garza could be the best pitcher available at this year's trade deadline. I love collecting ticket stubs so this is one of the saddest trends in baseball right now. Cleveland has sure been making some noise in the AL Central. Kerry Wood made a scary discovery while paddling around in a boat. There is more than one reason why Bull Durham is a good movie. I know you want to see Hawk Harrelson in an outfit that is strangely similar to the Hamburglar. My Weekly Rundown Talk to Contact: Episode 42 Monday: 2013 Minnesota Twins Trade Candidates Wednesday: Twins Minor League Report (6/26): Sano's Big Day Thursday: A Checklist for Kyle Gibson Video of the Week: Ryan Doumit had to get a little creative on this play at the plate. He missed the plate on his first pass and he had to sneak back behind the catcher to score a run. I'm sure Oswaldo Arcia was happy since it added to his RBI total but it was still a funny play to watch unfold. Watch it again and enjoy your weekend!

The 2009 MLB Draft has to feel like eons ago to Mr. Kyle Gibson. He was supposed to be a high first round pick but some injury concerns caused him to drop to the Twins with the 22nd pick. In 2010, he went on a tear through the Twins farm system as he started in High-A and finished the year at Triple-A. The club named him the minor league pitcher of the year and he looked to be one step away from the big leagues. Tommy John surgery would halt his progress in 2011 and he has been slowly working his way back to get ready for a special moment this weekend. On Saturday afternoon at Target Field, Gibson will get to walk out onto a big league mound for the first time. A life-long dream will be realized and there can be plenty of pressure when a person is making their MLB debut. Here are some important tips for Gibson to keep in mind as he prepares for Saturday. 1. Don't shoot for a perfect game Only 23 pitchers in major league history have accomplished this feat so it might not be the easiest mark to shoot for in your debut outing. There have been even fewer rookies to throw no-hitters (20) so this might also not be a realistic goal. The only pitcher to toss a no-hitter in his first major league start was Bobo Holloman in 1953. He only pitched one season and accumulated a 5.23 ERA. The last American League rookie starter to have a no-hitter was Clay Buchholz in 2007 and he did it in his second major league start. 2. Don't try to strike everyone out There can be some worries surrounding pitchers as they come back from Tommy John surgery. Will they be able to regain their old form? Are they still going to be consistent on the mound? In his first full season back from Tommy John, Gibson has averaged 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings. During April, that number was close to 8.7 but he wasn't able to pitch further into games and his other numbers suffered. In 2010, his last full season before Tommy John surgery, Gibson averaged 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings. He spent the first two months of the season dominating High-A so those numbers can be a little skewed. 3. There are going to be some rookie moments Bert Blyleven gave up a home run to the first batter he faced and he still went on to have a Hall-of-Fame career. At some point, Gibson will give up a long ball and runs are going to get scored against him. For the most part, he had done a good job of keeping the ball in the park this season by limiting opponents to four home runs in 92.2 innings. In his minor league career, he had a 1.22 WHIP and he average 8.5 hits per nine innings. There will be some base runners but it's important how he reacts when those runners are on base. 4. This season is about development While the Twins are still in the vicinity of the .500 mark, this season is all about preparing players for the future. The key for Gibson is to be able to control his fastball. From there, his other pitches can be more effective. One of his biggest weaknesses this spring was some of his off-speed offerings. He's had almost 100 innings this season to get back his comfort level with his breaking pitches. Big league hitters can tee off on badly placed fastballs especially if there isn't a threat of a breaking pitch being anywhere near the plate. He needs to use all of his pitches and find some consistency. 5. Success can come in a variety of forms Some Twins fans might consider this the team motto for the last couple of seasons. Gibson isn't going to be Matt Harvey or Gerrit Cole. Fans might think Gibson is that level of prospect because his name has been around in the Twins organization for a few years. Let's make something clear... he isn't an elite pitching prospect. In this Twins rotation, he could turn into the ace of the staff but that's not saying much. If he reaches his full potential, he should be in the Twins rotation for the better part of the next decade. He can be a solid number two or number three starter if he gets everything right. There will be flashes of brilliance and some rough outings along the way. He's the first of some high level pitching prospects to reach the majors and there will be plenty of pressure on him to succeed.

The 2009 MLB Draft has to feel like eons ago to Mr. Kyle Gibson. He was supposed to be a high first round pick but some injury concerns caused him to drop to the Twins with the 22nd pick. In 2010, he went on a tear through the Twins farm system as he started in High-A and finished the year at Triple-A. The club named him the minor league pitcher of the year and he looked to be one step away from the big leagues. Tommy John surgery would halt his progress in 2011 and he has been slowly working his way back to get ready for a special moment this weekend. On Saturday afternoon at Target Field, Gibson will get to walk out onto a big league mound for the first time. A life-long dream will be realized and there can be plenty of pressure when a person is making their MLB debut. Here are some important tips for Gibson to keep in mind as he prepares for Saturday. 1. Don't shoot for a perfect game Only 23 pitchers in major league history have accomplished this feat so it might not be the easiest mark to shoot for in your debut outing. There have been even fewer rookies to throw no-hitters (20) so this might also not be a realistic goal. The only pitcher to toss a no-hitter in his first major league start was Bobo Holloman in 1953. He only pitched one season and accumulated a 5.23 ERA. The last American League rookie starter to have a no-hitter was Clay Buchholz in 2007 and he did it in his second major league start. 2. Don't try to strike everyone out There can be some worries surrounding pitchers as they come back from Tommy John surgery. Will they be able to regain their old form? Are they still going to be consistent on the mound? In his first full season back from Tommy John, Gibson has averaged 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings. During April, that number was close to 8.7 but he wasn't able to pitch further into games and his other numbers suffered. In 2010, his last full season before Tommy John surgery, Gibson averaged 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings. He spent the first two months of the season dominating High-A so those numbers can be a little skewed. 3. There are going to be some rookie moments Bert Blyleven gave up a home run to the first batter he faced and he still went on to have a Hall-of-Fame career. At some point, Gibson will give up a long ball and runs are going to get scored against him. For the most part, he had done a good job of keeping the ball in the park this season by limiting opponents to four home runs in 92.2 innings. In his minor league career, he had a 1.22 WHIP and he average 8.5 hits per nine innings. There will be some base runners but it's important how he reacts when those runners are on base. 4. This season is about development While the Twins are still in the vicinity of the .500 mark, this season is all about preparing players for the future. The key for Gibson is to be able to control his fastball. From there, his other pitches can be more effective. One of his biggest weaknesses this spring was some of his off-speed offerings. He's had almost 100 innings this season to get back his comfort level with his breaking pitches. Big league hitters can tee off on badly placed fastballs especially if there isn't a threat of a breaking pitch being anywhere near the plate. He needs to use all of his pitches and find some consistency. 5. Success can come in a variety of forms Some Twins fans might consider this the team motto for the last couple of seasons. Gibson isn't going to be Matt Harvey or Gerrit Cole. Fans might think Gibson is that level of prospect because his name has been around in the Twins organization for a few years. Let's make something clear... he isn't an elite pitching prospect. In this Twins rotation, he could turn into the ace of the staff but that's not saying much. If he reaches his full potential, he should be in the Twins rotation for the better part of the next decade. He can be a solid number two or number three starter if he gets everything right. There will be flashes of brilliance and some rough outings along the way. He's the first of some high level pitching prospects to reach the majors and there will be plenty of pressure on him to succeed.

It's his first couple games at a new level. There can be an adjustment period.

MLB made it official on Wednesday afternoon. Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton are the "future" and they will both be participants in this year's MLB Futures Game. This game features some of the best talent in the minor leagues from each organization. The teams are broken up into a World Team and a US Team so Sano and Buxton will be on opposite squads. Because of some rainouts on Tuesday, there were a ton of games in the Twins system on Wednesday. Let's see who else is part of the Twins future. Rochester Red Wings 9, Indianapolis Indians 7 Box Score It took a whole lot of offense and some nail biting in the late innings but the Red Wings were still able to pick up their 40th win of the season. The win also assured the team of their first winning month of the year and their first winning month since last July. Chris Colabello continues to destroy the International League. He went 2-for-4 with his team leading 18th home run. So far this season, he is hitting .369/.437/.663 with Rochester. Jeff Clement added two hits and his seventh double. Doug Bernier and James Beresford had two hits apiece. Colabello, Clement, and Beresford each had two RBI. After going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI in his first Triple-A game, Aaron Hicks wasn't as lucky in game two. He played in center field for the first time on his rehab assignment. He went 0-for-2 with an RBI and a walk. He was pulled early from the game. Rochester's starter Cole De Vries pitched through five innings and kept the team in the game. He allowed four runs on eight hits including a home run. Cody Eppley ran into some trouble in the late innings as he gave up three earned runs in a little over an inning of work. Shairon Martis had to pitch the last 1.2 innings for his fourth save. New Britain Rock Cats 9, Altoona Curve 2 (Completion of 6/25) Box Score The transition to Double-A hasn't been the easiest for Miguel Sano and the hits have been few and far between. After going 1-for-3 with a home run, maybe it was a sign of some good things to come. He has been hitting the ball hard but pitchers have been careful with him. Curt Smith had a fantastic day at the plate by going 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. Nate Hanson only had one hit but he made it count with a triple and two RBI. Josmil Pinto punched his 17th double and he came around to score. Matthew Summers had been the starter on Tuesday before the rains came. Bobby Lanigan picked up the game on Wednesday and he would earn his third win. He threw three innings and gave up three hits. Dakota Watts and Matt Hauser didn't allow an earned run in the last four innings. New Britain Rock Cats 6, Altoona Curve 3 (7 innings) Box Score With his home run earlier in the day, something must have clicked for Sano. He went 2-for-4 in the second game of the day with a double and a triple. Out of his nine hits at Double-A, six of them have been for extra bases. Between the two games, he went 3-for-7 with three extra-base hits. Tom Stuifbergen earned his second win with the Rock Cats. Over five innings, he spread out eight hits and limited Altoona to three earned runs. He struck out two batters and walked one. Edgar Ibarra finished off the last two innings while allowing one hit and securing his second save. Daniel Ortiz went 2-for-4 with his third triple. Jordan Parraz hit a two-run home run to cap off a six-run first inning for New Britain. This huge first inning would be all the runs the Rock Cats would need. The club went 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position and the win brought the team back to within two games of the .500 mark. Fort Myers Miracle 3, Jupiter Hammerheads 5 Box Score The Byron Buxton era in Fort Myers isn't off to the best start. The club hasn't won in his first two games since his promotion. He got his first RBI at the High-A level in this contest. Buxton went 1-for-4 and he's had at least one hit in each game. Tyler Duffy was making his fourth start since being called up from Cedar Rapids. He made it through six innings but he got knocked around for 12 hits and five earned runs. He struck out two batters and he didn't issue any walks. It was his third loss and he given up five runs in his last two starts. Corey Williams threw two innings in relief and he struck out four. Candido Pimentel was the lone Fort Myers hitter with more than one hit. He went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Mike Kvasnicka hit his fourth home run and it was only his 14th game. The Miracle will finish up their road trip with a three-game series against Jupiter. Cedar Rapids Kernels 5, Burlington Bees 2 Box Score In the month of May, Jose Berrios had yet to earn a victory but that streak came to an end on Wednesday. Last year's supplemental first round pick tossed seven outstanding innings. He struck out nine batters and didn't allow a walk. The Bees scored two runs off of him on five hits. In his last ten starts, it was the first time Berrios made it through seven innings of work. Max Kepler continues to do his best to replace the offense lost with Buxton's promotion. Kepler hit his second home run in as many nights. Dalton Hicks went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Niko Goodrum and Jorge Polanco each added a double to their impressive numbers this season. The Kernels improved to 46-28 with the win. Since the All-Star Break at the beginning of last week, the club is a perfect 6-0. They will look to continue that streak in the second game of the series against Burlington. Elizabethton Twins 5, Princeton Rays 4 Box Score The E-Twins pounded out 15 hits and the club needed everyone of them to improve their record to 6-1. Bryan Haar went 1-for-4 with his first home run of the season. With three hits in the game, Bryan Santy had his first multi-hit game. Dereck Rodriguez, Javier Pimentel, and Ryan Walker all had two hits. Felix Jorge pitched 5.2 strong innings by allowing one hit. He struck out six, walked three, and earned his first win. Austin Malinowski had a tough time finding the plate with three walks and his three runs allowed helped to keep the Rays in the game. Dallas Gallant and Brandon Peterson finished off the last 2.1 innings. They limited the Rays to three hits and no runs. Each of these players struck out a batter and they have yet to allow a run this season. GCL Twins 5, GCL Orioles 4 Box Score Scoring two runs in each of the first two innings put the GCL Twins ahead but the GCL Orioles would claw their way back into the game with a three-run eighth inning. The Twins turned out to have just enough offense to win their third game of the year and the club is now one game over .500. Mexican pitcher Leonel Zazueta made his second appearance of the year and his first start. He threw four shutout innings by scattering three hits and striking out two. He didn't walk a batter but he wouldn't figure into the decision. Bruce Pugh got hit around a little in his inning of work. He was charged with all three runs but he did strike out three batters. German born pitcher Markus Solbach earned his first professional victory with two scoreless innings of relief. Zach Larson hit a two-run home run to help the Twins to their early lead. Adonis Pacheco went 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored. Alex Swim added two hits of his own. Overall, the team left six runners on base and they went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

MLB made it official on Wednesday afternoon. Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton are the "future" and they will both be participants in this year's MLB Futures Game. This game features some of the best talent in the minor leagues from each organization. The teams are broken up into a World Team and a US Team so Sano and Buxton will be on opposite squads. Because of some rainouts on Tuesday, there were a ton of games in the Twins system on Wednesday. Let's see who else is part of the Twins future. Rochester Red Wings 9, Indianapolis Indians 7 Box Score It took a whole lot of offense and some nail biting in the late innings but the Red Wings were still able to pick up their 40th win of the season. The win also assured the team of their first winning month of the year and their first winning month since last July. Chris Colabello continues to destroy the International League. He went 2-for-4 with his team leading 18th home run. So far this season, he is hitting .369/.437/.663 with Rochester. Jeff Clement added two hits and his seventh double. Doug Bernier and James Beresford had two hits apiece. Colabello, Clement, and Beresford each had two RBI. After going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI in his first Triple-A game, Aaron Hicks wasn't as lucky in game two. He played in center field for the first time on his rehab assignment. He went 0-for-2 with an RBI and a walk. He was pulled early from the game. Rochester's starter Cole De Vries pitched through five innings and kept the team in the game. He allowed four runs on eight hits including a home run. Cody Eppley ran into some trouble in the late innings as he gave up three earned runs in a little over an inning of work. Shairon Martis had to pitch the last 1.2 innings for his fourth save. New Britain Rock Cats 9, Altoona Curve 2 (Completion of 6/25) Box Score The transition to Double-A hasn't been the easiest for Miguel Sano and the hits have been few and far between. After going 1-for-3 with a home run, maybe it was a sign of some good things to come. He has been hitting the ball hard but pitchers have been careful with him. Curt Smith had a fantastic day at the plate by going 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. Nate Hanson only had one hit but he made it count with a triple and two RBI. Josmil Pinto punched his 17th double and he came around to score. Matthew Summers had been the starter on Tuesday before the rains came. Bobby Lanigan picked up the game on Wednesday and he would earn his third win. He threw three innings and gave up three hits. Dakota Watts and Matt Hauser didn't allow an earned run in the last four innings. New Britain Rock Cats 6, Altoona Curve 3 (7 innings) Box Score With his home run earlier in the day, something must have clicked for Sano. He went 2-for-4 in the second game of the day with a double and a triple. Out of his nine hits at Double-A, six of them have been for extra bases. Between the two games, he went 3-for-7 with three extra-base hits. Tom Stuifbergen earned his second win with the Rock Cats. Over five innings, he spread out eight hits and limited Altoona to three earned runs. He struck out two batters and walked one. Edgar Ibarra finished off the last two innings while allowing one hit and securing his second save. Daniel Ortiz went 2-for-4 with his third triple. Jordan Parraz hit a two-run home run to cap off a six-run first inning for New Britain. This huge first inning would be all the runs the Rock Cats would need. The club went 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position and the win brought the team back to within two games of the .500 mark. Fort Myers Miracle 3, Jupiter Hammerheads 5 Box Score The Byron Buxton era in Fort Myers isn't off to the best start. The club hasn't won in his first two games since his promotion. He got his first RBI at the High-A level in this contest. Buxton went 1-for-4 and he's had at least one hit in each game. Tyler Duffy was making his fourth start since being called up from Cedar Rapids. He made it through six innings but he got knocked around for 12 hits and five earned runs. He struck out two batters and he didn't issue any walks. It was his third loss and he given up five runs in his last two starts. Corey Williams threw two innings in relief and he struck out four. Candido Pimentel was the lone Fort Myers hitter with more than one hit. He went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Mike Kvasnicka hit his fourth home run and it was only his 14th game. The Miracle will finish up their road trip with a three-game series against Jupiter. Cedar Rapids Kernels 5, Burlington Bees 2 Box Score In the month of May, Jose Berrios had yet to earn a victory but that streak came to an end on Wednesday. Last year's supplemental first round pick tossed seven outstanding innings. He struck out nine batters and didn't allow a walk. The Bees scored two runs off of him on five hits. In his last ten starts, it was the first time Berrios made it through seven innings of work. Max Kepler continues to do his best to replace the offense lost with Buxton's promotion. Kepler hit his second home run in as many nights. Dalton Hicks went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Niko Goodrum and Jorge Polanco each added a double to their impressive numbers this season. The Kernels improved to 46-28 with the win. Since the All-Star Break at the beginning of last week, the club is a perfect 6-0. They will look to continue that streak in the second game of the series against Burlington. Elizabethton Twins 5, Princeton Rays 4 Box Score The E-Twins pounded out 15 hits and the club needed everyone of them to improve their record to 6-1. Bryan Haar went 1-for-4 with his first home run of the season. With three hits in the game, Bryan Santy had his first multi-hit game. Dereck Rodriguez, Javier Pimentel, and Ryan Walker all had two hits. Felix Jorge pitched 5.2 strong innings by allowing one hit. He struck out six, walked three, and earned his first win. Austin Malinowski had a tough time finding the plate with three walks and his three runs allowed helped to keep the Rays in the game. Dallas Gallant and Brandon Peterson finished off the last 2.1 innings. They limited the Rays to three hits and no runs. Each of these players struck out a batter and they have yet to allow a run this season. GCL Twins 5, GCL Orioles 4 Box Score Scoring two runs in each of the first two innings put the GCL Twins ahead but the GCL Orioles would claw their way back into the game with a three-run eighth inning. The Twins turned out to have just enough offense to win their third game of the year and the club is now one game over .500. Mexican pitcher Leonel Zazueta made his second appearance of the year and his first start. He threw four shutout innings by scattering three hits and striking out two. He didn't walk a batter but he wouldn't figure into the decision. Bruce Pugh got hit around a little in his inning of work. He was charged with all three runs but he did strike out three batters. German born pitcher Markus Solbach earned his first professional victory with two scoreless innings of relief. Zach Larson hit a two-run home run to help the Twins to their early lead. Adonis Pacheco went 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored. Alex Swim added two hits of his own. Overall, the team left six runners on base and they went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

The end of June is quickly approaching and this means it is a little over a month away from the July 31st trade deadline. Things have 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 I have stated previously, the Twins focus should be on contending again by 2015. Joe Mauer will be the veteran bat in the middle of the line-up surrounded by other young players like Oswaldo Arcia, Miguel Sano, and Eddie Rosario. Even last year's number one pick Byron Buxton could be ready for the big leagues at some point in 2015. Minnesota has one of the best minor league systems in baseball and the organization has the opportunity to improve their depth by trading away some pieces this July. Power hitters and members of the pitching staff can be valuable commodities at this time of year. Let's look at a few of the names that could be floating around as baseball's hot stove starts to heat up. Position Players Justin Morneau, 1B The former MVP is in the final year of his contract and it doesn't seem likely for him to be part of the next winnings baseball team in Minnesota. His ability to play first base and hit for power might be intriguing to more than one contending team. Morneau might be even more desirable for a team that has suffered an injury to their first baseman. That being said, there are some recent injury concerns for Morneau and his power has been almost nonexistent in 2013. A team trading for him wouldn't be making a long-term commitment so 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 still doesn't mean other teams won't be interested in adding him for the stretch run. Willingham is under contract for all of 2014 at a reasonable amount and this could also help to 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 teams in the National League where there isn’t a DH. Dark Horse: Trevor Plouffe, 3B Minnesota has seen some flashes of good signs from Plouffe and this could make some other clubs interested 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 it might be worth giving him a look at third base. This makes Plouffe expendable if the Twins want to move him. Pitchers Kevin Correia, RHP There isn't going to be a ton of starting pitchers available at the deadline and this could be a positive for the Twins. So far this year, Correia has put together the numbers that the front office thought he would produce when they signed him to an offseason free agent deal. The Twins gave Correia a two-year deal so he is still under contract for 2014 at a rate of $5 million. It would be nice to dump that salary on a team looking to add a back of the rotation starter for their 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 Burton an extension. Something isn't quite right with Burton and this might be a reason for the organization to ship him out of town. Contending teams can usually use another relief arm especially a veteran arm like Burton. He even got the opportunity to close a few games and some teams value this "skill." In the month of July, he will need to show some flashes of the pitcher he was last season or other teams aren't even going to 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 could be the closer on Minnesota's next winning team. Ryan could also get an offer that is too good to pass up and this could mean Perkins is in another uniform by the end of July. It seems like a long shot at this point but anything can happen around the deadline.

The end of June is quickly approaching and this means it is a little over a month away from the July 31st trade deadline. Things have 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 I have stated previously, the Twins focus should be on contending again by 2015. Joe Mauer will be the veteran bat in the middle of the line-up surrounded by other young players like Oswaldo Arcia, Miguel Sano, and Eddie Rosario. Even last year's number one pick Byron Buxton could be ready for the big leagues at some point in 2015. Minnesota has one of the best minor league systems in baseball and the organization has the opportunity to improve their depth by trading away some pieces this July. Power hitters and members of the pitching staff can be valuable commodities at this time of year. Let's look at a few of the names that could be floating around as baseball's hot stove starts to heat up. Position Players Justin Morneau, 1B The former MVP is in the final year of his contract and it doesn't seem likely for him to be part of the next winnings baseball team in Minnesota. His ability to play first base and hit for power might be intriguing to more than one contending team. Morneau might be even more desirable for a team that has suffered an injury to their first baseman. That being said, there are some recent injury concerns for Morneau and his power has been almost nonexistent in 2013. A team trading for him wouldn't be making a long-term commitment so 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 still doesn't mean other teams won't be interested in adding him for the stretch run. Willingham is under contract for all of 2014 at a reasonable amount and this could also help to 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 teams in the National League where there isn’t a DH. Dark Horse: Trevor Plouffe, 3B Minnesota has seen some flashes of good signs from Plouffe and this could make some other clubs interested 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 it might be worth giving him a look at third base. This makes Plouffe expendable if the Twins want to move him. Pitchers Kevin Correia, RHP There isn't going to be a ton of starting pitchers available at the deadline and this could be a positive for the Twins. So far this year, Correia has put together the numbers that the front office thought he would produce when they signed him to an offseason free agent deal. The Twins gave Correia a two-year deal so he is still under contract for 2014 at a rate of $5 million. It would be nice to dump that salary on a team looking to add a back of the rotation starter for their 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 Burton an extension. Something isn't quite right with Burton and this might be a reason for the organization to ship him out of town. Contending teams can usually use another relief arm especially a veteran arm like Burton. He even got the opportunity to close a few games and some teams value this "skill." In the month of July, he will need to show some flashes of the pitcher he was last season or other teams aren't even going to 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 could be the closer on Minnesota's next winning team. Ryan could also get an offer that is too good to pass up and this could mean Perkins is in another uniform by the end of July. It seems like a long shot at this point but anything can happen around the deadline.

The Twins put together a solid series against the White Sox to earn a three-game sweep. The rival Sox are plummeting in the AL Central but it is still nice to beat a hated foe. Powerful offensive performances and some decent pitching helped to club in the series. Now it will be time to see what the team can do when they head out on the road for a couple of series. Some of the other Twins headlines from this week included: Justin Morneau finally ended the longest home run drought of his career, Kevin Corriea put together a couple of solid starts, and Sam Deduno continues to impress. Everything seems to be going good in Twins Territory but this has been a streaky team this season and it's going to take more than a few wins to impress the fan base. Here are some of the most enjoyable stories from around the web in the last week. Make sure to check them all out before you head out for the weekend. Byron Buxton has mastered the art of being good. Buxton is also putting up better numbers in Cedar Rapids than Mike Trout did when he played for the club. Two roommates on the Cedar Rapids Kernels continue to impress with their performances so far this year. Antoan Richardson has put together a great season in the minors and this interview will help you to learn a little bit more about him. It's interesting to see how pitchers are approaching Miguel Sano since he transitioned to the Eastern League. One of my favorite prospects, Max Kepler, is going to need to try and reestablish himself. Mike Pelfrey has endured a few struggles this season but there are a few keys for him to find success. In the history of the Yankees and Twins, this play has to be one of the most frustrating in recent memory. According to the most recent numbers for Twins on Twitter, my followers have gone up 3.6% in the last six weeks. I think we can improve that number for the next update. This might be the most entertaing article I read this week because it includes two thing I love, trading cards and the Minnesota Twins. Plus there's a Duck Tales reference so that's awesome. Kevin Correia might be one of a few starting pitchers available at the trade deadline. When it comes to fantasy baseball, Brian Dozier shouldn't be on your team. Aaron Hicks and Chris Parmelee are near the top of the list for most Web Gems this season. Pat Neshek's brother works for the Twins and he made a fantastic grab as the ball boy earlier this week. The Fort Myers Miracle are always creative with their promotions and this one for Miami Heat fans that exited Game 6 early is pretty good. What happened to the ball from Kirk Gibson's famous 1988 World Series home run? I've seen the sausage race in person and now it's celebrating 20 years in the big leagues. The story of the Black Sox scandal is one of the best known in baseball and now you can own a unique piece of memorabilia from that famous series. A complete replica of Wrigley Field was built but this one is unique because it is made of almost 58,000 Legos. Torii Hunter hit his 300th home run and it just had to come against the Twins. They have all-time great players but are the Tigers an all-time great team? My Weekly Rundown Sunday: Talk to Contact: Episode 41 Monday: The Future of Trevor Plouffe The Curious Case of Kyle Gibson Wednesday: Those Damn Yankees: Chuck Knoblach Twins Minor League Report (6/19): Sano's 1st AA Blast Video of the Week: After ending the longest home run drought of his career, the Twins had a little fun with their Canadian first baseman. Justin Morneau came into the dugout and he had to give high-fives to his invisible teammates. His real teammates were told by the manager to give Morneau the silent treatment. It was a funny moment especially since it had to be a big weight off of his shoulders to finally hit one out.

The Twins put together a solid series against the White Sox to earn a three-game sweep. The rival Sox are plummeting in the AL Central but it is still nice to beat a hated foe. Powerful offensive performances and some decent pitching helped to club in the series. Now it will be time to see what the team can do when they head out on the road for a couple of series. Some of the other Twins headlines from this week included: Justin Morneau finally ended the longest home run drought of his career, Kevin Corriea put together a couple of solid starts, and Sam Deduno continues to impress. Everything seems to be going good in Twins Territory but this has been a streaky team this season and it's going to take more than a few wins to impress the fan base. Here are some of the most enjoyable stories from around the web in the last week. Make sure to check them all out before you head out for the weekend. Byron Buxton has mastered the art of being good. Buxton is also putting up better numbers in Cedar Rapids than Mike Trout did when he played for the club. Two roommates on the Cedar Rapids Kernels continue to impress with their performances so far this year. Antoan Richardson has put together a great season in the minors and this interview will help you to learn a little bit more about him. It's interesting to see how pitchers are approaching Miguel Sano since he transitioned to the Eastern League. One of my favorite prospects, Max Kepler, is going to need to try and reestablish himself. Mike Pelfrey has endured a few struggles this season but there are a few keys for him to find success. In the history of the Yankees and Twins, this play has to be one of the most frustrating in recent memory. According to the most recent numbers for Twins on Twitter, my followers have gone up 3.6% in the last six weeks. I think we can improve that number for the next update. This might be the most entertaing article I read this week because it includes two thing I love, trading cards and the Minnesota Twins. Plus there's a Duck Tales reference so that's awesome. Kevin Correia might be one of a few starting pitchers available at the trade deadline. When it comes to fantasy baseball, Brian Dozier shouldn't be on your team. Aaron Hicks and Chris Parmelee are near the top of the list for most Web Gems this season. Pat Neshek's brother works for the Twins and he made a fantastic grab as the ball boy earlier this week. The Fort Myers Miracle are always creative with their promotions and this one for Miami Heat fans that exited Game 6 early is pretty good. What happened to the ball from Kirk Gibson's famous 1988 World Series home run? I've seen the sausage race in person and now it's celebrating 20 years in the big leagues. The story of the Black Sox scandal is one of the best known in baseball and now you can own a unique piece of memorabilia from that famous series. A complete replica of Wrigley Field was built but this one is unique because it is made of almost 58,000 Legos. Torii Hunter hit his 300th home run and it just had to come against the Twins. They have all-time great players but are the Tigers an all-time great team? My Weekly Rundown Sunday: Talk to Contact: Episode 41 Monday: The Future of Trevor Plouffe The Curious Case of Kyle Gibson Wednesday: Those Damn Yankees: Chuck Knoblach Twins Minor League Report (6/19): Sano's 1st AA Blast Video of the Week: After ending the longest home run drought of his career, the Twins had a little fun with their Canadian first baseman. Justin Morneau came into the dugout and he had to give high-fives to his invisible teammates. His real teammates were told by the manager to give Morneau the silent treatment. It was a funny moment especially since it had to be a big weight off of his shoulders to finally hit one out.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels are in the midst of their All-Star break so they were out of action on Wednesday night. This didn't stop the Twins from announcing that one of their top prospects, Max Kepler, would be joining that club. He had been at extended spring training as he worked to recover from an elbow injury. The power hitting outfielder will take over a corner outfield spot since Byron Buxton is manning center field in Cedar Rapids. Liam Hendriks was also reinstated from the disabled list and this meant another move had to be made. Right-handed pitcher Virgil Vasquez was sent from Rochester to New Britain as the corresponding move. It has been a rough season so far for Hendriks and it would be nice to see him put together some strong starts in the second half of the year. Here's a look at Wednesday night's action in the Twins farm system. Rochester Red Wings 7, Scranton/WB RailRiders 10 Box Score Liam Hendriks returned to the mound on Wednesday night after missing over a month with right elbow inflammation. It was his first start since May 9th and there was certainly a little rust to work through. Over four innings, he surrendered seven runs on nine hits including two home runs. Out of his 77 pitches, 47 were for strikes but he limited his walks to two. The bottom four hitters in the Red Wings line-up all had an RBI. Doug Bernier went 3-for-5 with four RBI and a triple. Dan Rohlfing, James Beresford, and Drew Butera all knocked in a run. Jeff Clement and Chris Herrmann each added a double. The Red Wings had plenty of opportunities with runners in scoring position. Over the course of the night, Rochester went 5-for-15 with men in scoring position. The club also left 11 runners on base. Antoan Richardson stole his 14th base since joining Rochester and he now has 27 steals on the year between Double-A and Triple-A. Rochester started the year 2-11, hot play in recent weeks has gotten the Red Wings closer to the .500 mark. The team has still won six of their last eight games and they are within striking distance of a wild card spot. A win tomorrow would split the two-game set with Scranton/WB. New Britain Rock Cats 1, Erie SeaWolves 2 Box Score After starting his Double-A career 1-for-17 with a single, Miguel Sano finally notched his first home runs since being called up to New Britain. His long ball broke a scoreless tie to put the Rock Cats ahead in the top of the seventh inning. Sano's home run wouldn't be enough as the SeaWolves scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning. It was another tough luck loss for Pat Dean as he suffered his third consecutive defeat. In two of the three outings, he surrendered two runs or less and pitched into the seventh inning. The Rock Cats offense hasn't been able to support him when he is on the mound. Matt Hauser did a fantastic job in relief of Dean. He recorded the last four outs of the game on four strikeouts. His ERA lowered to 1.23 and he has only allowed one run since being promoted to New Britain at the end of May. Following last night's four hit game, Danny Santana had a couple of hits and his fifth double of the year. Eddie Rosario went 1-for-3 and he has hit safely in five of his six games since joining New Britain. Daniel Ortiz was the only other player to record a hit. Fort Myers Miracle 5, Palm Beach Cardinals 8 Box Score Jason Wheeler failed to pitch through the fifth inning for the first time since May 21 and the Miracle weren't able to dig themselves out of an early hole. It marked only the second time this season where Wheeler was saddled with the loss. He threw 4.1 innings, gave up eight runs, and got knocked around for seven hits. The Miracle bullpen did a fairly good job in relief. Nelvin Fuentes, Jose Gonzalez, and Corey Williams pitched 4.2 innings and allowed two base runners while striking out seven. Fuentes entered in a tough spot with the bases loaded and he allowed all of the inherited runners to score. From there, he was able to settle down and the zeros started to pile up. Kennys Vargas continued his power hitting ways with a double and two RBI. He finished the night 2-for-4 and he has had multiple hit in his last two games. Candido Pimentel and Mike Kvasnicka added a hit apiece. Stephen Wickens went 2-for-3 as he continues to get closer to a .250 batting average.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels are in the midst of their All-Star break so they were out of action on Wednesday night. This didn't stop the Twins from announcing that one of their top prospects, Max Kepler, would be joining that club. He had been at extended spring training as he worked to recover from an elbow injury. The power hitting outfielder will take over a corner outfield spot since Byron Buxton is manning center field in Cedar Rapids. Liam Hendriks was also reinstated from the disabled list and this meant another move had to be made. Right-handed pitcher Virgil Vasquez was sent from Rochester to New Britain as the corresponding move. It has been a rough season so far for Hendriks and it would be nice to see him put together some strong starts in the second half of the year. Here's a look at Wednesday night's action in the Twins farm system. Rochester Red Wings 7, Scranton/WB RailRiders 10 Box Score Liam Hendriks returned to the mound on Wednesday night after missing over a month with right elbow inflammation. It was his first start since May 9th and there was certainly a little rust to work through. Over four innings, he surrendered seven runs on nine hits including two home runs. Out of his 77 pitches, 47 were for strikes but he limited his walks to two. The bottom four hitters in the Red Wings line-up all had an RBI. Doug Bernier went 3-for-5 with four RBI and a triple. Dan Rohlfing, James Beresford, and Drew Butera all knocked in a run. Jeff Clement and Chris Herrmann each added a double. The Red Wings had plenty of opportunities with runners in scoring position. Over the course of the night, Rochester went 5-for-15 with men in scoring position. The club also left 11 runners on base. Antoan Richardson stole his 14th base since joining Rochester and he now has 27 steals on the year between Double-A and Triple-A. Rochester started the year 2-11, hot play in recent weeks has gotten the Red Wings closer to the .500 mark. The team has still won six of their last eight games and they are within striking distance of a wild card spot. A win tomorrow would split the two-game set with Scranton/WB. New Britain Rock Cats 1, Erie SeaWolves 2 Box Score After starting his Double-A career 1-for-17 with a single, Miguel Sano finally notched his first home runs since being called up to New Britain. His long ball broke a scoreless tie to put the Rock Cats ahead in the top of the seventh inning. Sano's home run wouldn't be enough as the SeaWolves scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning. It was another tough luck loss for Pat Dean as he suffered his third consecutive defeat. In two of the three outings, he surrendered two runs or less and pitched into the seventh inning. The Rock Cats offense hasn't been able to support him when he is on the mound. Matt Hauser did a fantastic job in relief of Dean. He recorded the last four outs of the game on four strikeouts. His ERA lowered to 1.23 and he has only allowed one run since being promoted to New Britain at the end of May. Following last night's four hit game, Danny Santana had a couple of hits and his fifth double of the year. Eddie Rosario went 1-for-3 and he has hit safely in five of his six games since joining New Britain. Daniel Ortiz was the only other player to record a hit. Fort Myers Miracle 5, Palm Beach Cardinals 8 Box Score Jason Wheeler failed to pitch through the fifth inning for the first time since May 21 and the Miracle weren't able to dig themselves out of an early hole. It marked only the second time this season where Wheeler was saddled with the loss. He threw 4.1 innings, gave up eight runs, and got knocked around for seven hits. The Miracle bullpen did a fairly good job in relief. Nelvin Fuentes, Jose Gonzalez, and Corey Williams pitched 4.2 innings and allowed two base runners while striking out seven. Fuentes entered in a tough spot with the bases loaded and he allowed all of the inherited runners to score. From there, he was able to settle down and the zeros started to pile up. Kennys Vargas continued his power hitting ways with a double and two RBI. He finished the night 2-for-4 and he has had multiple hit in his last two games. Candido Pimentel and Mike Kvasnicka added a hit apiece. Stephen Wickens went 2-for-3 as he continues to get closer to a .250 batting average.

Love 'em or hate 'em, the Yankees are headed to town in early July. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the first of four Twins postseason defeats at the hands of the Bronx Bombers, so we thought we'd take the opportunity to look back at what has been a lopsided -- but always entertaining and memorable -- rivalry between the two franchises. Over the next couple weeks leading up to the Yankees series at Target Field, various writers here at Twins Daily will look back at some of the Yankee moments that stick in our minds. 
 Chuck Knoblauch The name alone can bring up a wide-range of feelings for Twins fans. From World Series champion to the business end of a sea of flying hot dogs, Knoblauch suffered through some highs and lows in Minnesota. Those opposite ends of the spectrum are what make his story so intriguing. 
 One of the brightest highlights in Knoblauch’s career had to have been the Twins' run to the 1991 World Series. The rookie second baseman put up strong numbers in the Series, hitting .308/.387/.346. In the pivotal seventh game, Knoblauch and shortstop Greg Gange appeared to deceive Lonnie Smith, who was on first base. Terry Pendleton hit a clear double but Knoblach pretended to start a double play and Smith, buying the fake, only made it to third base. This run, or non-run, turned out to be crucial in a tight game. 
 Originally posted at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com During his time with the Twins, Knoblauch compiled some very good numbers. From 1991-1997, he hit .304/.391/.416 with 210 doubles, 51 triples and 43 home runs. His best three-year stretch was from 1994-1996 when he batted .330/.422/.491. Before he was traded, Knoblauch accumulated a career total of 37.8 WAR which puts him in some elite company for the Twins. 
 Knoblauch's Twins' tenure didn't end well as he suffered through some of the toughest years in Twins Territory history. He wanted to go to a winning team; the Twins didn't look to be moving in that direction. The club traded him to the Yankees following the 1997 season for a package of players. Minnesota got his best years and there would be some dark moments ahead for him. 
 Two future All-Stars, Cristian Guzman and Eric Milton were among the players who were part of the Knoblauch deal. In a bit of a strange turn, Knoblauch left town because he wanted to win and the players he was traded for became part of Minnesota’s new winning tradition. Here is how the package of players fared in their Twins careers: Eric Milton 14.7 WAR (6 seasons) Cristian Guzman 7.5 WAR (6 seasons) Brian Buchanan 0.3 WAR (3 seasons) Danny Mota 0.0 WAR (1 season) While the Twins got back a value of 22.5 WAR, Knoblauch produced 7.4 WAR during his time in a Yankees uniform. He helped New York to three consecutive World Series Championships from 1998 to 2000. Knoblauch had important home runs in the 1998 and 1999 series and the Yankees won the American League pennant every year he was with the team. 
 Things weren't all positive during his years in New York, though. In 1999, he began to have a tough time making throws to first base. This condition would worsen enough in 2000 that he began to spend more time at DH. In 2001, he didn't play a game at second as the team moved him to left field and this allowed Alfonso Soriano to slide into the line-up. 
 One of the most memorable moments in Metrodome history took place after Knoblauch moved to the outfield. When the Yankees visited Minnesota at the beginning of May, 2001, things turned ugly in the outfield stands. It was "Dollar Dog Night" so fans had access to plenty of cheap ammo. Minnesota was still trying to get back to respectability in the AL so tickets were cheap. This led to some poor decision-making from the Metrodome faithful. 
 In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Twins took a three run lead on a Matt Lawton single. The fans had had plenty of rounds of beer and hot dogs in them by this time. As excitement ran through the crowd, hot dogs and other objects were thrown on the field. PA Announcer Bob Casey did his best to calm the raucous crowd but it wasn't until manager Tom Kelly walked out and spoke with the fans that things finally got back to order. 
 Overall, Knoblauch put together some solid numbers in his 12-year MLB career. His post-playing career has been filled with more than one black eye and this has tarnished some of his on-the-field legacy. A portion of Twins fans remember the solid second baseman who helped the club win a championship. Others think of flying hot dogs and steroid accusations. Either way, Knoblauch is a very polarizing figure. It also doesn’t help that he was a Damn Yankee.

Love 'em or hate 'em, the Yankees are headed to town in early July. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the first of four Twins postseason defeats at the hands of the Bronx Bombers, so we thought we'd take the opportunity to look back at what has been a lopsided -- but always entertaining and memorable -- rivalry between the two franchises. Over the next couple weeks leading up to the Yankees series at Target Field, various writers here at Twins Daily will look back at some of the Yankee moments that stick in our minds. 
 Chuck Knoblauch The name alone can bring up a wide-range of feelings for Twins fans. From World Series champion to the business end of a sea of flying hot dogs, Knoblauch suffered through some highs and lows in Minnesota. Those opposite ends of the spectrum are what make his story so intriguing. 
 One of the brightest highlights in Knoblauch’s career had to have been the Twins' run to the 1991 World Series. The rookie second baseman put up strong numbers in the Series, hitting .308/.387/.346. In the pivotal seventh game, Knoblauch and shortstop Greg Gange appeared to deceive Lonnie Smith, who was on first base. Terry Pendleton hit a clear double but Knoblach pretended to start a double play and Smith, buying the fake, only made it to third base. This run, or non-run, turned out to be crucial in a tight game. 
 Originally posted at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com During his time with the Twins, Knoblauch compiled some very good numbers. From 1991-1997, he hit .304/.391/.416 with 210 doubles, 51 triples and 43 home runs. His best three-year stretch was from 1994-1996 when he batted .330/.422/.491. Before he was traded, Knoblauch accumulated a career total of 37.8 WAR which puts him in some elite company for the Twins. 
 Knoblauch's Twins' tenure didn't end well as he suffered through some of the toughest years in Twins Territory history. He wanted to go to a winning team; the Twins didn't look to be moving in that direction. The club traded him to the Yankees following the 1997 season for a package of players. Minnesota got his best years and there would be some dark moments ahead for him. 
 Two future All-Stars, Cristian Guzman and Eric Milton were among the players who were part of the Knoblauch deal. In a bit of a strange turn, Knoblauch left town because he wanted to win and the players he was traded for became part of Minnesota’s new winning tradition. Here is how the package of players fared in their Twins careers: Eric Milton 14.7 WAR (6 seasons) Cristian Guzman 7.5 WAR (6 seasons) Brian Buchanan 0.3 WAR (3 seasons) Danny Mota 0.0 WAR (1 season) While the Twins got back a value of 22.5 WAR, Knoblauch produced 7.4 WAR during his time in a Yankees uniform. He helped New York to three consecutive World Series Championships from 1998 to 2000. Knoblauch had important home runs in the 1998 and 1999 series and the Yankees won the American League pennant every year he was with the team. 
 Things weren't all positive during his years in New York, though. In 1999, he began to have a tough time making throws to first base. This condition would worsen enough in 2000 that he began to spend more time at DH. In 2001, he didn't play a game at second as the team moved him to left field and this allowed Alfonso Soriano to slide into the line-up. 
 One of the most memorable moments in Metrodome history took place after Knoblauch moved to the outfield. When the Yankees visited Minnesota at the beginning of May, 2001, things turned ugly in the outfield stands. It was "Dollar Dog Night" so fans had access to plenty of cheap ammo. Minnesota was still trying to get back to respectability in the AL so tickets were cheap. This led to some poor decision-making from the Metrodome faithful. 
 In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Twins took a three run lead on a Matt Lawton single. The fans had had plenty of rounds of beer and hot dogs in them by this time. As excitement ran through the crowd, hot dogs and other objects were thrown on the field. PA Announcer Bob Casey did his best to calm the raucous crowd but it wasn't until manager Tom Kelly walked out and spoke with the fans that things finally got back to order. 
 Overall, Knoblauch put together some solid numbers in his 12-year MLB career. His post-playing career has been filled with more than one black eye and this has tarnished some of his on-the-field legacy. A portion of Twins fans remember the solid second baseman who helped the club win a championship. Others think of flying hot dogs and steroid accusations. Either way, Knoblauch is a very polarizing figure. It also doesn’t help that he was a Damn Yankee.

The middle of June has come and gone and there is no sign of Kyle Gibson in the Twin Cities. Teams like the Rays and the Mets are calling up top prospects like Wil Myers and Zack Wheeler because the deadline has passed for players to qualify for Super Two status. This means the Rays and Mets can control these high level players for a big chunk of the next decade. Gibson has a different story than some other players. The former first round pick entered the Twins system with three years of college experience. This allowed him to move through the organization at a fast pace in 2010. Tommy John surgery was the only thing that could slow him down on his way to the major leagues. Originally posted at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com Now Gibson has worked his way back to the form he showed before his injury. Over his last 10 games, he has a 6-2 record with a 2.89 ERA. In 65.1 innings pitched, he has 54 strikeouts and 20 walks. He also has two complete game shutouts during that stretch and that's more than he's had in any professional season. It sure seems like Gibson is ready so what's the hold-up? At the beginning of June, the reasoning used by Twins general manager Terry Ryan was the team was looking for more "consistency." In his three starts since that interview, Gibson has pitched at least six innings and he has given up three earned runs or less while striking out a total of 14 batters. By looking back even further, Gibson hasn't been pulled from a game before the sixth inning since the middle of May. The consistency is there but Gibson isn't getting the call. One of the problems for Gibson is the improved performance of the Twins starting rotation. In the month of May, the Twins staff had the third worst ERA (5.06) in all of baseball. They ranked last in strikeouts and opponents had a higher batting average against the Twins than any other team. This lead to some changes like Deduno’s call up and Vance Worley's demotion. Since the calendar switched to June, the Twins pitching numbers have been greatly improved. Minnesota ranks seventh in all of baseball for team ERA this month. The club's WHIP and hits allowed are right in the middle of the pack. During the team's last 18 games, the team has gone 11-7 and the starters have helped to keep the team in games. So far in the month of June, here is what the starting rotation has done: 1. Sam Deduno (3 Starts): 2.00 ERA, 18 IP, 1.28 WHIP 2. Kevin Correia (3 Starts): 4.00 ERA, 18 IP, 1.50 WHIP 3. Scott Diamond (3 Starts): 5.51 ERA, 16.1 IP, 1.47 WHIP 4. PJ Walters (3 Starts): 2.41 ERA, 18.2 IP, 1.55 WHIP 5. Mike Pelfrey (2 Starts): 4.05 ERA, 13.1 IP, 1.05 WHIP The Twins have said that Gibson will be on an innings limit and it is expected to be in the range of 130-140 innings. He currently sits at 85.2 innings and that means his next start will likely push him over the 90 innings mark. This would leave him with less than 50 available innings at the big league level this season. All of the Twins moves this season should be focused on the future. It might have been good for Gibson to get some more experience at the Triple-A level and his performance this spring proved that he needed to work on some things this season. It is just tough to know how much longer the Twins can wait to call him up. As the starters continue to pitch well, Gibson gets one step closer to reaching his innings limit with each start in Rochester. If the Twins don't call him up before his limit, the club will be missing out on a opportunity for him to gain some big league experience. Rookies can have some ups and downs and it would be nice to get some of those out of the way in 2013. Gibson is part of the plan for the future but it's hard to see what the club's plan is for the present. The 25-year old has been through a lot in his professional career and it’s time to take the training wheels off and see if he can make it ride at the big league level.

The middle of June has come and gone and there is no sign of Kyle Gibson in the Twin Cities. Teams like the Rays and the Mets are calling up top prospects like Wil Myers and Zack Wheeler because the deadline has passed for players to qualify for Super Two status. This means the Rays and Mets can control these high level players for a big chunk of the next decade. Gibson has a different story than some other players. The former first round pick entered the Twins system with three years of college experience. This allowed him to move through the organization at a fast pace in 2010. Tommy John surgery was the only thing that could slow him down on his way to the major leagues. Originally posted at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com Now Gibson has worked his way back to the form he showed before his injury. Over his last 10 games, he has a 6-2 record with a 2.89 ERA. In 65.1 innings pitched, he has 54 strikeouts and 20 walks. He also has two complete game shutouts during that stretch and that's more than he's had in any professional season. It sure seems like Gibson is ready so what's the hold-up? At the beginning of June, the reasoning used by Twins general manager Terry Ryan was the team was looking for more "consistency." In his three starts since that interview, Gibson has pitched at least six innings and he has given up three earned runs or less while striking out a total of 14 batters. By looking back even further, Gibson hasn't been pulled from a game before the sixth inning since the middle of May. The consistency is there but Gibson isn't getting the call. One of the problems for Gibson is the improved performance of the Twins starting rotation. In the month of May, the Twins staff had the third worst ERA (5.06) in all of baseball. They ranked last in strikeouts and opponents had a higher batting average against the Twins than any other team. This lead to some changes like Deduno’s call up and Vance Worley's demotion. Since the calendar switched to June, the Twins pitching numbers have been greatly improved. Minnesota ranks seventh in all of baseball for team ERA this month. The club's WHIP and hits allowed are right in the middle of the pack. During the team's last 18 games, the team has gone 11-7 and the starters have helped to keep the team in games. So far in the month of June, here is what the starting rotation has done: 1. Sam Deduno (3 Starts): 2.00 ERA, 18 IP, 1.28 WHIP 2. Kevin Correia (3 Starts): 4.00 ERA, 18 IP, 1.50 WHIP 3. Scott Diamond (3 Starts): 5.51 ERA, 16.1 IP, 1.47 WHIP 4. PJ Walters (3 Starts): 2.41 ERA, 18.2 IP, 1.55 WHIP 5. Mike Pelfrey (2 Starts): 4.05 ERA, 13.1 IP, 1.05 WHIP The Twins have said that Gibson will be on an innings limit and it is expected to be in the range of 130-140 innings. He currently sits at 85.2 innings and that means his next start will likely push him over the 90 innings mark. This would leave him with less than 50 available innings at the big league level this season. All of the Twins moves this season should be focused on the future. It might have been good for Gibson to get some more experience at the Triple-A level and his performance this spring proved that he needed to work on some things this season. It is just tough to know how much longer the Twins can wait to call him up. As the starters continue to pitch well, Gibson gets one step closer to reaching his innings limit with each start in Rochester. If the Twins don't call him up before his limit, the club will be missing out on a opportunity for him to gain some big league experience. Rookies can have some ups and downs and it would be nice to get some of those out of the way in 2013. Gibson is part of the plan for the future but it's hard to see what the club's plan is for the present. The 25-year old has been through a lot in his professional career and it’s time to take the training wheels off and see if he can make it ride at the big league level.