Cody Christie

It's preview week here at NoDak Twins Fan so everyone should get excited!! This means it is the last full week before the regular season begins. The start of real baseball can't get here soon enough. Throughout the week, I will be making my picks for the National League, the American League, the AL Central, and awards for the Twins. Here is a look at the schedule so make sure to stop in all week to get yourself primed for the season to come. 2013 Preview Week Monday: National League Preview Tuesday: American League Preview Wednesday: American League Central Preview Thursday: Minnesota Twins Awards Preview Friday: Friday Links-N-Thinks NL East: Washington Nationals With a young core of players and a strong pitching staff, the Nationals look to be the crème of the crop in the National League. Bryce Harper will get a full season to show his potential. There also won't be an innings limit on Stephen Strasburg. Both of these players are driven to show they can be the best in the game. Washington will get plenty of push from the Atlanta Braves but the Nats should have enough talent to walk away with their second consecutive NL East crown. NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis has won two of the last six World Series championships and they still made it to the NLCS last year even after losing Albert Pujols. They have arguably the best minor league system in the game and some of those young players will be ready to make an impact in 2013. Shelby Miller and Oscar Taveras will be knocking on the door to the big leagues. The Cards also have solid arsenal of talent at the major league level that will look to win the division for the first time since 2009. NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers The Dodgers ownership group has stepped up to the plate and made sure they have a contender on the field. Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke might be one of the best top of the rotation duos in all of baseball. Matt Kemp needs to put his injury-plagued year behind him and show that he is an MVP candidate again. Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford will look to add some pop to the line-up as the team looks to make the playoffs for the first time in four years. Wild Cards: Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants The Braves have a chance to battle the Nationals for the top spot in the NL East. The pitching depth of the Nationals will separate the two clubs so Atlanta will have to settle for a Wild Card spot for the second year in a row. Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, and BJ Upton might form the best outfield in the game. Craig Kimbrel is a force at the back end of the bullpen and Heyward will put himself in the MVP discussion. The Giants have won two of the last three World Series and they will be looking to go back-to-back in 2013. It is going to be a struggle for them to even reach the playoffs and they will fight with the Reds through the last week of the season. Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner are two of the best hurlers in the game. Buster Posey will look to earn his second straight MVP but Tim Lincecum continues to be a giant question mark. Wild Card Game: Braves over Giants NLDS: Nationals over Braves, Cardinals over Dodgers NLCS: Nationals over Cardinals NL MVP: Jason Heyward, Braves Heyward is only 23-years old and he is all around game makes him one of baseball’s most exciting players. He won a Gold Glove last year so his defense might not be the thing holding him back from taking home the hardware. His batting average was only .269 so he would definitely need a spike in this department. If he gets close to a 30-30 season and sees an improvement in average, the award will be his. NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers Over the last two seasons, Kershaw has lead the NL in ERA, WHIP, and Hits/9. He won the Cy Young in 2011 and he finished second last year to RA Dickey. His win total was a little low last year and the improvement in the Dodgers offense should lead to more run support in 2013. He will only be 25-years old this season and he has been a workhorse over the last few seasons. The Dodgers are looking to make a statement in the NL and Kershaw is their ace. NL Rookie of the Year: Oscar Taveras, Cardinals Bryce Harper is a tough act to follow but Oscar Taveras might have just the perfect situation to find success. He is considered one of the best prospects in the game and the Cardinals will look to be a solid team in the National League. Taveras won't start the year in the big leagues but he will make enough of an impact in the stretch run to separate himself from some of the rookie pitchers like Zach Wheeler and Tyler Skaggs. NL Manager of the Year: Mike Matheny, Cardinals There are plenty of coaches that will be vying to take home this award but the Cardinals haven't won their division multiple seasons. Matheny did a good job guiding the club to a Wild Card birth in his first year at the helm. It is tough to step into the spot of a future Hall-of-Fame manager but Matheny has a solid organization around him. This will help him to standout above the crowd.

It's preview week here at NoDak Twins Fan so everyone should get excited!! This means it is the last full week before the regular season begins. The start of real baseball can't get here soon enough. Throughout the week, I will be making my picks for the National League, the American League, the AL Central, and awards for the Twins. Here is a look at the schedule so make sure to stop in all week to get yourself primed for the season to come. 2013 Preview Week Monday: National League Preview Tuesday: American League Preview Wednesday: American League Central Preview Thursday: Minnesota Twins Awards Preview Friday: Friday Links-N-Thinks NL East: Washington Nationals With a young core of players and a strong pitching staff, the Nationals look to be the crème of the crop in the National League. Bryce Harper will get a full season to show his potential. There also won't be an innings limit on Stephen Strasburg. Both of these players are driven to show they can be the best in the game. Washington will get plenty of push from the Atlanta Braves but the Nats should have enough talent to walk away with their second consecutive NL East crown. NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis has won two of the last six World Series championships and they still made it to the NLCS last year even after losing Albert Pujols. They have arguably the best minor league system in the game and some of those young players will be ready to make an impact in 2013. Shelby Miller and Oscar Taveras will be knocking on the door to the big leagues. The Cards also have solid arsenal of talent at the major league level that will look to win the division for the first time since 2009. NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers The Dodgers ownership group has stepped up to the plate and made sure they have a contender on the field. Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke might be one of the best top of the rotation duos in all of baseball. Matt Kemp needs to put his injury-plagued year behind him and show that he is an MVP candidate again. Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford will look to add some pop to the line-up as the team looks to make the playoffs for the first time in four years. Wild Cards: Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants The Braves have a chance to battle the Nationals for the top spot in the NL East. The pitching depth of the Nationals will separate the two clubs so Atlanta will have to settle for a Wild Card spot for the second year in a row. Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, and BJ Upton might form the best outfield in the game. Craig Kimbrel is a force at the back end of the bullpen and Heyward will put himself in the MVP discussion. The Giants have won two of the last three World Series and they will be looking to go back-to-back in 2013. It is going to be a struggle for them to even reach the playoffs and they will fight with the Reds through the last week of the season. Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner are two of the best hurlers in the game. Buster Posey will look to earn his second straight MVP but Tim Lincecum continues to be a giant question mark. Wild Card Game: Braves over Giants NLDS: Nationals over Braves, Cardinals over Dodgers NLCS: Nationals over Cardinals NL MVP: Jason Heyward, Braves Heyward is only 23-years old and he is all around game makes him one of baseball’s most exciting players. He won a Gold Glove last year so his defense might not be the thing holding him back from taking home the hardware. His batting average was only .269 so he would definitely need a spike in this department. If he gets close to a 30-30 season and sees an improvement in average, the award will be his. NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers Over the last two seasons, Kershaw has lead the NL in ERA, WHIP, and Hits/9. He won the Cy Young in 2011 and he finished second last year to RA Dickey. His win total was a little low last year and the improvement in the Dodgers offense should lead to more run support in 2013. He will only be 25-years old this season and he has been a workhorse over the last few seasons. The Dodgers are looking to make a statement in the NL and Kershaw is their ace. NL Rookie of the Year: Oscar Taveras, Cardinals Bryce Harper is a tough act to follow but Oscar Taveras might have just the perfect situation to find success. He is considered one of the best prospects in the game and the Cardinals will look to be a solid team in the National League. Taveras won't start the year in the big leagues but he will make enough of an impact in the stretch run to separate himself from some of the rookie pitchers like Zach Wheeler and Tyler Skaggs. NL Manager of the Year: Mike Matheny, Cardinals There are plenty of coaches that will be vying to take home this award but the Cardinals haven't won their division multiple seasons. Matheny did a good job guiding the club to a Wild Card birth in his first year at the helm. It is tough to step into the spot of a future Hall-of-Fame manager but Matheny has a solid organization around him. This will help him to standout above the crowd.

It is hard to imagine that this time last year there were temperatures in the 70s or higher for parts of Twins Territory. There are only a handful of days left until Opening Day and there seems be plenty of snow left on the ground. Fans in North Dakota and northern Minnesota are still digging out of the most recent blizzard and it's hard to believe baseball is only a few days away. The World Baseball Classic wrapped up in the middle of the week so most players are back in camp for their respective clubs. Sam Deduno helped the Dominican Republic take home the title by pitching five scoreless innings in the championship game. There are still enough questions about him that the Twins might not even start the year with him in the rotation. For now, it is almost the weekend and there were plenty of great stories from throughout the week. Below you will find a handful of the best stories from around the web with a few bonuses thrown in to spice things up. Enjoy this week's edition of "Friday Links-N-Thinks." Who should have the title of Mr. Twin? Aaron Hicks looks to be the next in a long line of Twins center fielders. The shortstop and third base situation will be interesting to watch this year. Technology is amazing especially when it helps the Twins. It's past the two week warning so what does that mean for the club? The 2008 Draft is intriguing to look back on... There have been plenty of forgettable Twins in the history of the team. Tom Brunansky and Terry Steinbach had a conference call with season ticket holders. From a PR perspective, does Aaron Hicks need to win the center field job? Vance Worley struggles with his weight just like the rest of us. Sam Deduno might be the most interesting man in the world. Defrosting a field is something that wasn't a problem at the Metrodome. Miguel Sano got two hits in his first action with the big league club. If the Twins were a dictatorship, this is what their propaganda poster might look like... Pat Neshek is still trying to recover from the death of his son. This is a great shot of Harmon Killebrew from his days with the Senators. What is the probability of a batter getting a hit in any given plate appearance? Scott Baker has already been shut down so maybe it was good that the Twins didn't sign him. Topps Baseball Cards locked up the MLB-exclusive license through 2020. Minor League ballparks can play a role in making a prospect look good or bad. What if umpires still called balls and strikes from behind the mound? I find it slightly amusing that Kyle Lohse doesn't have a job. My Weekly Rundown: Sunday: Twins minor leaguers sing Journey Monday: Have the Twins been lucky in the Gardenhire Era? Tuesday: Drew Butera and the cost of a third catcher Wednesday: Early 2013 MLB Draft Preview Thursday: Sam Deduno: New and Improved? Video of the Week: I could have easily gone with the minor league players singing Journey. But since I already put that video up on Sunday, I went with something else. . That was one of the best things to do as a kid. The smell of a new glove and working with the leather to get it to just the right spot.

It is hard to imagine that this time last year there were temperatures in the 70s or higher for parts of Twins Territory. There are only a handful of days left until Opening Day and there seems be plenty of snow left on the ground. Fans in North Dakota and northern Minnesota are still digging out of the most recent blizzard and it's hard to believe baseball is only a few days away. The World Baseball Classic wrapped up in the middle of the week so most players are back in camp for their respective clubs. Sam Deduno helped the Dominican Republic take home the title by pitching five scoreless innings in the championship game. There are still enough questions about him that the Twins might not even start the year with him in the rotation. For now, it is almost the weekend and there were plenty of great stories from throughout the week. Below you will find a handful of the best stories from around the web with a few bonuses thrown in to spice things up. Enjoy this week's edition of "Friday Links-N-Thinks." Who should have the title of Mr. Twin? Aaron Hicks looks to be the next in a long line of Twins center fielders. The shortstop and third base situation will be interesting to watch this year. Technology is amazing especially when it helps the Twins. It's past the two week warning so what does that mean for the club? The 2008 Draft is intriguing to look back on... There have been plenty of forgettable Twins in the history of the team. Tom Brunansky and Terry Steinbach had a conference call with season ticket holders. From a PR perspective, does Aaron Hicks need to win the center field job? Vance Worley struggles with his weight just like the rest of us. Sam Deduno might be the most interesting man in the world. Defrosting a field is something that wasn't a problem at the Metrodome. Miguel Sano got two hits in his first action with the big league club. If the Twins were a dictatorship, this is what their propaganda poster might look like... Pat Neshek is still trying to recover from the death of his son. This is a great shot of Harmon Killebrew from his days with the Senators. What is the probability of a batter getting a hit in any given plate appearance? Scott Baker has already been shut down so maybe it was good that the Twins didn't sign him. Topps Baseball Cards locked up the MLB-exclusive license through 2020. Minor League ballparks can play a role in making a prospect look good or bad. What if umpires still called balls and strikes from behind the mound? I find it slightly amusing that Kyle Lohse doesn't have a job. My Weekly Rundown: Sunday: Twins minor leaguers sing Journey Monday: Have the Twins been lucky in the Gardenhire Era? Tuesday: Drew Butera and the cost of a third catcher Wednesday: Early 2013 MLB Draft Preview Thursday: Sam Deduno: New and Improved? Video of the Week: I could have easily gone with the minor league players singing Journey. But since I already put that video up on Sunday, I went with something else. . That was one of the best things to do as a kid. The smell of a new glove and working with the leather to get it to just the right spot.

Earlier this week, the Dominican Republic took home their first championship in the World Baseball Classic. Japan won the title in the first two years of the tournament but this year it was all about the Dominicans. They went undefeated through all of the rounds and ended up celebrating on the field in San Francisco. One of the breakout stars for the Dominican was a current member of the Twins organization. Sam Deduno made three starts for his country and his numbers look great. He had a 2-0 record with a 0.69 ERA and 17 strikeouts over 13 innings. He pitched five shutout innings in the championship game to help lead his team to the top. Deduno started 15 games for the Twins at the end of last year and there were some ups and downs along the way. Does his breakout performance in the WBC give him a better chance to make the team's starting rotation? Is this a new and improved Deduno? His overall numbers from the WBC look great on paper but there were plenty of rough points for the Dominican right-hander. He had five walks in the tournament and a 1.23 WHIP. There were plenty of times where he would fall behind batters 3-0 before finding some way to wriggle out of the jam. The first inning of his match-up with the United States was a perfect example. With one out in the inning, Brandon Phillips would single to start the action. Ryan Braun would strikeout to be the second out of the frame. Joe Mauer singled to add to the threat. Now there were runners at first and second with two outs. After Deduno fell behind 2-0, Giancarlo Stanton would single to load the bases. Five pitches later, Eric Hosmer had drawn a walk and the first run of the game was scored by the US. The bases were still loaded. The next batter was Adam Jones and he quickly found himself ahead in the count 3-0. Deduno found a way out of the sticky situation as he struck out Jones on the next three pitches. This is the Deduno that Twins fans saw a lot of in 2012. There were flashes of brilliance but there were also plenty of head shaking. Deduno pitched six innings or more in half of his starts. His ERA got as low as 2.48 and it stayed under 4.00 until his last two starts. When he kept the ball in the park, he had found success even while averaging over 3.5 walks per outing. Unfortunately, there were multiple bad performances mixed in with the good. In nine of his 15 starts, he gave up a home run. He also had two multi-home run games and two games where he gave up seven earned runs. With how many hits and walks he gave up, it didn't make sense for him to find as much success as he did in his early appearances. Minnesota is going to have a couple of spots at the back end of their rotation to start the season. Scott Diamond will begin the year on the disabled list and that frees up a spot for someone like Deduno. One of the biggest obstacles for him might be the fact that he isn't on the team's 40-man roster. Pitchers like Liam Hendriks and Cole DeVries might have the upper hand to win a rotation spot. There are plenty of injury concerns with the core of pitchers the Twins have compiled for the coming year. This means that Deduno will most likely get another shot at the big leagues with the Twins. This could be a good thing or a bad thing so only time will tell if he can build off of his WBC performance. The Deduno that showed up in the WBC might have seemed like he was new and improved but it was more of the same player if a person looks beyond the numbers. In small doses, he can look dominant. There is also the Deduno that gets into trouble with walks and shaky control. The Twins would love a new and improved Deduno but don't count on him being the savior of the starting rotation. No matter what he looked like in the World Baseball Classic...

Earlier this week, the Dominican Republic took home their first championship in the World Baseball Classic. Japan won the title in the first two years of the tournament but this year it was all about the Dominicans. They went undefeated through all of the rounds and ended up celebrating on the field in San Francisco. One of the breakout stars for the Dominican was a current member of the Twins organization. Sam Deduno made three starts for his country and his numbers look great. He had a 2-0 record with a 0.69 ERA and 17 strikeouts over 13 innings. He pitched five shutout innings in the championship game to help lead his team to the top. Deduno started 15 games for the Twins at the end of last year and there were some ups and downs along the way. Does his breakout performance in the WBC give him a better chance to make the team's starting rotation? Is this a new and improved Deduno? His overall numbers from the WBC look great on paper but there were plenty of rough points for the Dominican right-hander. He had five walks in the tournament and a 1.23 WHIP. There were plenty of times where he would fall behind batters 3-0 before finding some way to wriggle out of the jam. The first inning of his match-up with the United States was a perfect example. With one out in the inning, Brandon Phillips would single to start the action. Ryan Braun would strikeout to be the second out of the frame. Joe Mauer singled to add to the threat. Now there were runners at first and second with two outs. After Deduno fell behind 2-0, Giancarlo Stanton would single to load the bases. Five pitches later, Eric Hosmer had drawn a walk and the first run of the game was scored by the US. The bases were still loaded. The next batter was Adam Jones and he quickly found himself ahead in the count 3-0. Deduno found a way out of the sticky situation as he struck out Jones on the next three pitches. This is the Deduno that Twins fans saw a lot of in 2012. There were flashes of brilliance but there were also plenty of head shaking. Deduno pitched six innings or more in half of his starts. His ERA got as low as 2.48 and it stayed under 4.00 until his last two starts. When he kept the ball in the park, he had found success even while averaging over 3.5 walks per outing. Unfortunately, there were multiple bad performances mixed in with the good. In nine of his 15 starts, he gave up a home run. He also had two multi-home run games and two games where he gave up seven earned runs. With how many hits and walks he gave up, it didn't make sense for him to find as much success as he did in his early appearances. Minnesota is going to have a couple of spots at the back end of their rotation to start the season. Scott Diamond will begin the year on the disabled list and that frees up a spot for someone like Deduno. One of the biggest obstacles for him might be the fact that he isn't on the team's 40-man roster. Pitchers like Liam Hendriks and Cole DeVries might have the upper hand to win a rotation spot. There are plenty of injury concerns with the core of pitchers the Twins have compiled for the coming year. This means that Deduno will most likely get another shot at the big leagues with the Twins. This could be a good thing or a bad thing so only time will tell if he can build off of his WBC performance. The Deduno that showed up in the WBC might have seemed like he was new and improved but it was more of the same player if a person looks beyond the numbers. In small doses, he can look dominant. There is also the Deduno that gets into trouble with walks and shaky control. The Twins would love a new and improved Deduno but don't count on him being the savior of the starting rotation. No matter what he looked like in the World Baseball Classic...

One of the biggest bonuses of having back-to-back horrible seasons is the fact the Twins will get some high draft picks to restock their farm system. With the second pick in last year's draft, the organization selected Byron Buxton, a toolsy high school outfielder from Georgia. He was widely considered the best player available and the Twins were happy to get him. It is less than three months away from the 2013 MLB Draft and there are plenty of players for the Twins to discuss. The team has the fourth pick in the first round and there could be a variety of players to choose from at that point. It is considered a weak draft so the Twins will have to be careful with their picks. Here is a look at some of the top names that could be available when the Twins are on the clock with the fourth pick. The Early Draft Board Leader: Mark Appel, Stanford Pos: RHP, HT: 6-5, WT: 215 For the second year in a row, Appel will be talked about as the top available player in the draft. The Pirates selected him with the eighth pick in 2012 but he didn't sign. He is back at Stanford for his senior year and he has done nothing to decrease his draft stock. His slider has improved and he should be one of the first few names called on draft day. His agent is Scott Boras and that could scare away teams for the second year in a row. The College Lefty: Sean Manaea, Indiana State Pos: LHP, HT: 6-5, WT: 235 His time in the Cape Cod League last summer helped his draft stock. He can showcase a nasty slider and his speed can reach into the upper 90s. He tossed a jewel of a game on Friday night at the Metrodome against the Gophers. Over nine innings, he allowed one unearned run on six hits and nine strikeouts. The College Righty: Ryne Stanek, Arkansas Pos: RHP, HT: 6-4, WT: 190 His fastball sits in the high 90's and this helps him to rack up some strikeout numbers. He uses his slider a lot and that could be a concern for teams looking to draft him. His 6-foot-4 frame could still add some weight and that might make him more intriguing. If his change up improves, he could become more dominant. The High School Outfielder: Austin Meadows, High School Pos: OF, B/T: L/L, HT: 6-3, WT: 200 The Twins love toolsy high school outfielders. Last year they took, Buxton from Georgia and the team might look to Georgia again. Meadows could be the best available high school player and he has the potential to be a five-tool player. There are questions about his ability to hit on a consistent basis but that is the case with younger players that have multiple tools. The College Position Player: Kris Bryant, San Diego Pos: 3B/OF, B/T: R/R, HT: 6-5, WT: 215 His powerful swing has drawn some attention so far this spring. He has 12 home runs in his team's first 20 games and he has another six doubles. His slugging percentage of .986 is off the charts and he will need to continue to hit for the Twins to take him fourth. There are questions about his defense at third and that could make teams shy away from him. High School Local Connection: Ryan Boldt, Red Wing (Minn.) HS Pos: OF, B/T: L/R, HT: 6-1, WT: 190 The frigid Minnesota winter means that his spring season won't start until the beginning of next month. His tools are very solid but he doesn't have anything that would make the Twins reach for him at this point. He will likely be taken in the first round but a lot will depend on how he looks in his senior year. College Local Connection: Tom Windle, Minnesota Pos: LHP, HT: 6-4, WT: 215 The star pitcher for the Gophers already has a no-hitter under his belt this spring. He went pitch for pitch with Manaea on Friday at the Metrodome but he came out on the losing end. His stuff is mostly average but he knows how to be effective on the mound. He would need to fall to the Twins second round pick for the club to have a chance to snag him.

One of the biggest bonuses of having back-to-back horrible seasons is the fact the Twins will get some high draft picks to restock their farm system. With the second pick in last year's draft, the organization selected Byron Buxton, a toolsy high school outfielder from Georgia. He was widely considered the best player available and the Twins were happy to get him. It is less than three months away from the 2013 MLB Draft and there are plenty of players for the Twins to discuss. The team has the fourth pick in the first round and there could be a variety of players to choose from at that point. It is considered a weak draft so the Twins will have to be careful with their picks. Here is a look at some of the top names that could be available when the Twins are on the clock with the fourth pick. The Early Draft Board Leader: Mark Appel, Stanford Pos: RHP, HT: 6-5, WT: 215 For the second year in a row, Appel will be talked about as the top available player in the draft. The Pirates selected him with the eighth pick in 2012 but he didn't sign. He is back at Stanford for his senior year and he has done nothing to decrease his draft stock. His slider has improved and he should be one of the first few names called on draft day. His agent is Scott Boras and that could scare away teams for the second year in a row. The College Lefty: Sean Manaea, Indiana State Pos: LHP, HT: 6-5, WT: 235 His time in the Cape Cod League last summer helped his draft stock. He can showcase a nasty slider and his speed can reach into the upper 90s. He tossed a jewel of a game on Friday night at the Metrodome against the Gophers. Over nine innings, he allowed one unearned run on six hits and nine strikeouts. The College Righty: Ryne Stanek, Arkansas Pos: RHP, HT: 6-4, WT: 190 His fastball sits in the high 90's and this helps him to rack up some strikeout numbers. He uses his slider a lot and that could be a concern for teams looking to draft him. His 6-foot-4 frame could still add some weight and that might make him more intriguing. If his change up improves, he could become more dominant. The High School Outfielder: Austin Meadows, High School Pos: OF, B/T: L/L, HT: 6-3, WT: 200 The Twins love toolsy high school outfielders. Last year they took, Buxton from Georgia and the team might look to Georgia again. Meadows could be the best available high school player and he has the potential to be a five-tool player. There are questions about his ability to hit on a consistent basis but that is the case with younger players that have multiple tools. The College Position Player: Kris Bryant, San Diego Pos: 3B/OF, B/T: R/R, HT: 6-5, WT: 215 His powerful swing has drawn some attention so far this spring. He has 12 home runs in his team's first 20 games and he has another six doubles. His slugging percentage of .986 is off the charts and he will need to continue to hit for the Twins to take him fourth. There are questions about his defense at third and that could make teams shy away from him. High School Local Connection: Ryan Boldt, Red Wing (Minn.) HS Pos: OF, B/T: L/R, HT: 6-1, WT: 190 The frigid Minnesota winter means that his spring season won't start until the beginning of next month. His tools are very solid but he doesn't have anything that would make the Twins reach for him at this point. He will likely be taken in the first round but a lot will depend on how he looks in his senior year. College Local Connection: Tom Windle, Minnesota Pos: LHP, HT: 6-4, WT: 215 The star pitcher for the Gophers already has a no-hitter under his belt this spring. He went pitch for pitch with Manaea on Friday at the Metrodome but he came out on the losing end. His stuff is mostly average but he knows how to be effective on the mound. He would need to fall to the Twins second round pick for the club to have a chance to snag him.

The addition of free agent Ryan Doumit during last offseason raised an interesting question for the Twins. Should the club carry a third catcher? Joe Mauer was coming off an injury-plagued year and it seemed like the club might need a little insurance with the big league squad. If Mauer and Doumit were in the line-up on the same day, the team could run into some problems without an extra catcher. There is a chance the team could lose the designated hitter spot or the club could be in a bind with an inexperienced player behind the dish. This brings the story back to Drew Butera. In the last three seasons, Twins fans have watched Butera put together one of the worst statistical lines for any player getting regular playing time at the big league level. He has hit .183/.232/.265 over 487 at-bats and 184 games. Last year, the Twins tried to start the year without a third catcher on the bench. Sean Burroughs impressed the front office during spring training and he earned a roster spot for the beginning of the year. Joe Mauer took a foul ball of his knee three weeks into the season and that meant the return of Butera and the end of Burroughs. Butera was arbitration eligible for the first time this year and the Twins had to fork over a new deal worth $700,000. There was a chance for him to be non-tendered but the club is in love with his defense. This means that he will be making more money this year than last year's runner-up for the MVP Mike Trout. Mauer has made it clear that he wants to spend more time behind the plate in 2013. The Twins will also use Doumit behind the plate even if his ability to frame pitches isn't the greatest. That leaves Butera to absorb any other playing time that is left over. There is always a chance that Butera won't make the roster for the start of the year. The club did this last year before they got a scare from Mauer getting banged up. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has said that he wants more pop on his bench and Butera certainly doesn't fit this offensive mold. Eduardo Escobar has said that he would serve as the emergency catcher for the club. The White Sox trusted him with this role in 2012 even though he never made it into a game behind the plate. He doesn't add a whole lot of offensive value but his ability to play multiple infield positions could help. Even Jeff Clement has offered to catch if the Twins find themselves in a pinch. During the coming year, Butera will turn 30-years old so it's not like he is a prospect in waiting. He might be forced to spend at least part of the season at the Triple-A level. That can't be too exciting for a player with over 500 plate appearances at the big league level. When it comes to the future, it's hard to know what it will hold for Butera. He will be arbitration eligible again at the end of this season but he might be getting to the point where he will be getting paid more than he is actually worth. Some might argue that he has already past that point but he will get one more run through the Twins system. Chris Herrmann will start the year in Rochester and there is a good chance he will play a more important role on next year's club. The 25-year old catcher/outfielder has slowly worked his way through the system since being drafted in 2009. His emergence could mean the end of Butera with the Twins. The Twins aren't yet sure if they will carry a third catcher for 2013 so it's hard to know what Butera's place will be with the club. Gardenhire and the front office used a roster spot on a third catcher for most of last year but it might be time for a change. The cost of carrying a third catcher might be too much...

The addition of free agent Ryan Doumit during last offseason raised an interesting question for the Twins. Should the club carry a third catcher? Joe Mauer was coming off an injury-plagued year and it seemed like the club might need a little insurance with the big league squad. If Mauer and Doumit were in the line-up on the same day, the team could run into some problems without an extra catcher. There is a chance the team could lose the designated hitter spot or the club could be in a bind with an inexperienced player behind the dish. This brings the story back to Drew Butera. In the last three seasons, Twins fans have watched Butera put together one of the worst statistical lines for any player getting regular playing time at the big league level. He has hit .183/.232/.265 over 487 at-bats and 184 games. Last year, the Twins tried to start the year without a third catcher on the bench. Sean Burroughs impressed the front office during spring training and he earned a roster spot for the beginning of the year. Joe Mauer took a foul ball of his knee three weeks into the season and that meant the return of Butera and the end of Burroughs. Butera was arbitration eligible for the first time this year and the Twins had to fork over a new deal worth $700,000. There was a chance for him to be non-tendered but the club is in love with his defense. This means that he will be making more money this year than last year's runner-up for the MVP Mike Trout. Mauer has made it clear that he wants to spend more time behind the plate in 2013. The Twins will also use Doumit behind the plate even if his ability to frame pitches isn't the greatest. That leaves Butera to absorb any other playing time that is left over. There is always a chance that Butera won't make the roster for the start of the year. The club did this last year before they got a scare from Mauer getting banged up. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has said that he wants more pop on his bench and Butera certainly doesn't fit this offensive mold. Eduardo Escobar has said that he would serve as the emergency catcher for the club. The White Sox trusted him with this role in 2012 even though he never made it into a game behind the plate. He doesn't add a whole lot of offensive value but his ability to play multiple infield positions could help. Even Jeff Clement has offered to catch if the Twins find themselves in a pinch. During the coming year, Butera will turn 30-years old so it's not like he is a prospect in waiting. He might be forced to spend at least part of the season at the Triple-A level. That can't be too exciting for a player with over 500 plate appearances at the big league level. When it comes to the future, it's hard to know what it will hold for Butera. He will be arbitration eligible again at the end of this season but he might be getting to the point where he will be getting paid more than he is actually worth. Some might argue that he has already past that point but he will get one more run through the Twins system. Chris Herrmann will start the year in Rochester and there is a good chance he will play a more important role on next year's club. The 25-year old catcher/outfielder has slowly worked his way through the system since being drafted in 2009. His emergence could mean the end of Butera with the Twins. The Twins aren't yet sure if they will carry a third catcher for 2013 so it's hard to know what Butera's place will be with the club. Gardenhire and the front office used a roster spot on a third catcher for most of last year but it might be time for a change. The cost of carrying a third catcher might be too much...

"Luck is the great stabilizer in baseball"--- Tris Speaker, Hall of Fame Centerfielder Baseball is a game of numbers. The statistical side of the game continues to grow as the Sabermetric world adds new information. There are stats for what seems like everything that a person can think of in relation to baseball. One area of baseball is hard to quantify and it can be the area that makes the game so exciting to follow. There is an element of luck involved and it can be the stabilizing effect on the game. Luck can be involved in everything from the location of a pitch, the way a ball squeaks through the infield, or even how a team aligns their defense. All of these small elements of luck can add up to wins and losses at the end of the year. Every run scored and every run allowed has an impact on the outcome of games. The luck factor adds something to baseball that allows fans for every team to have something to cheer about. In the book Baseball Between the Numbers, the Baseball Prospectus Team has an entire chapter devoted to managers and the moves they make during the course of a game and a season. Luck can play a factor in some of those moves. The manager has some control over the outcome of the game but how much luck is involved? One of the ways to look at how lucky a team was during a season is to compare their actual record to their Pythagorean record. For those not familiar with Pythagorean winning percentage, here is the definition from Baseball Reference. "Pythagorean winning percentage is an estimate of a team's winning percentage given their runs scored and runs allowed. Developed by Bill James, it can tell you when teams were a bit lucky or unlucky. It is calculated by: (Runs Scored)^1.83 --------------------------------------------------------- (Runs Scored)^1.83 + (Runs Allowed)^1.83 The traditional formula uses an exponent of two, but this has proven to be a little more accurate." To give an extreme example, look at last year's Baltimore Orioles. They used an excellent bullpen and a little luck in one run games to win 93 games and take home a wild card spot. Since the team only scored seven more runs than it allowed, their Pythagorean winning percentage had them winning 82 games. Ron Gardenhire has been at the helm for the Twins since the 2002 season. There have been some high and low points during his 11 years as manager. But the questions remains, how lucky have the Twins been during his tenure? Click here to see a comparison between the Twins actual win-loss record and their estimated Pythagorean win-loss record since Gardenhire took over as manager. As you can see in recent years, the Twins haven't strayed very far from their expected total. During the last eight seasons, the team has been within a couple games of their estimated mark. This shows that the formula is usually close to predicting the actual record of a club. The most recent outlier came in 2006. In that season, the Twins had to hunt down the Tigers in the last weekend of the season to win the Central. Minnesota needed those extra three wins or the team would have finished out of the playoffs. It would seem that luck favored the Twins in 2006. In the early years of Gardenhire's managerial career, there seemed to be even more luck on the side of his teams. The 2004 squad won 92 games and finished five games higher than their expected mark. Minnesota won the division by nine games so those five extra wins made little difference in their title. The 2003 squad has a little bit different story on their side. Much like the 2004 team, they finished five games higher than their Pythagorean W-L mark. The AL Central was much closer and the Twins only won the division by four contests. Chicago finished second and they were two wins under their estimated mark. A couple of bounces the other way and the White Sox might have been in the playoffs. Gardenhire's first year as manager saw the team exceed it's Pythagorean winning percentage mark by the most amount of games. Those eight extra wins were great and it helped the team to 94 wins, the most the team had won since the 1991 season. The team won the division by 13.5 games so all of those extra wins might not have been the difference in the race. It would seem that luck has been on the side of the Twins in more than one season of the course of the last decade. The 2003, 2006, and 2009 teams all needed their extra wins to raise another division championship banner. Take those titles away and Gardenhire's resume doesn't look nearly as good. Luck has been on the side of the Twins in more than one season and fans can only hope that the team's luck will return in the coming years.

"Luck is the great stabilizer in baseball"--- Tris Speaker, Hall of Fame Centerfielder Baseball is a game of numbers. The statistical side of the game continues to grow as the Sabermetric world adds new information. There are stats for what seems like everything that a person can think of in relation to baseball. One area of baseball is hard to quantify and it can be the area that makes the game so exciting to follow. There is an element of luck involved and it can be the stabilizing effect on the game. Luck can be involved in everything from the location of a pitch, the way a ball squeaks through the infield, or even how a team aligns their defense. All of these small elements of luck can add up to wins and losses at the end of the year. Every run scored and every run allowed has an impact on the outcome of games. The luck factor adds something to baseball that allows fans for every team to have something to cheer about. In the book Baseball Between the Numbers, the Baseball Prospectus Team has an entire chapter devoted to managers and the moves they make during the course of a game and a season. Luck can play a factor in some of those moves. The manager has some control over the outcome of the game but how much luck is involved? One of the ways to look at how lucky a team was during a season is to compare their actual record to their Pythagorean record. For those not familiar with Pythagorean winning percentage, here is the definition from Baseball Reference. "Pythagorean winning percentage is an estimate of a team's winning percentage given their runs scored and runs allowed. Developed by Bill James, it can tell you when teams were a bit lucky or unlucky. It is calculated by: (Runs Scored)^1.83 --------------------------------------------------------- (Runs Scored)^1.83 + (Runs Allowed)^1.83 The traditional formula uses an exponent of two, but this has proven to be a little more accurate." To give an extreme example, look at last year's Baltimore Orioles. They used an excellent bullpen and a little luck in one run games to win 93 games and take home a wild card spot. Since the team only scored seven more runs than it allowed, their Pythagorean winning percentage had them winning 82 games. Ron Gardenhire has been at the helm for the Twins since the 2002 season. There have been some high and low points during his 11 years as manager. But the questions remains, how lucky have the Twins been during his tenure? Click here to see a comparison between the Twins actual win-loss record and their estimated Pythagorean win-loss record since Gardenhire took over as manager. As you can see in recent years, the Twins haven't strayed very far from their expected total. During the last eight seasons, the team has been within a couple games of their estimated mark. This shows that the formula is usually close to predicting the actual record of a club. The most recent outlier came in 2006. In that season, the Twins had to hunt down the Tigers in the last weekend of the season to win the Central. Minnesota needed those extra three wins or the team would have finished out of the playoffs. It would seem that luck favored the Twins in 2006. In the early years of Gardenhire's managerial career, there seemed to be even more luck on the side of his teams. The 2004 squad won 92 games and finished five games higher than their expected mark. Minnesota won the division by nine games so those five extra wins made little difference in their title. The 2003 squad has a little bit different story on their side. Much like the 2004 team, they finished five games higher than their Pythagorean W-L mark. The AL Central was much closer and the Twins only won the division by four contests. Chicago finished second and they were two wins under their estimated mark. A couple of bounces the other way and the White Sox might have been in the playoffs. Gardenhire's first year as manager saw the team exceed it's Pythagorean winning percentage mark by the most amount of games. Those eight extra wins were great and it helped the team to 94 wins, the most the team had won since the 1991 season. The team won the division by 13.5 games so all of those extra wins might not have been the difference in the race. It would seem that luck has been on the side of the Twins in more than one season of the course of the last decade. The 2003, 2006, and 2009 teams all needed their extra wins to raise another division championship banner. Take those titles away and Gardenhire's resume doesn't look nearly as good. Luck has been on the side of the Twins in more than one season and fans can only hope that the team's luck will return in the coming years.

The grounds crew is getting the snow off of Target Field and the beginning of the regular season continues to inch closer. Twins players continue to represent the organization in the World Baseball Classic while others are training in Florida for the start of the year. It seems like Opening Day can't get here soon enough and it helps that Team USA keeps winning in the World Baseball Classic. Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau could help the Stars and Stripes upend the two-time defending champion Team Japan. There are other games before that but it would still be a cool story. For now, here are some of the best baseball stories from the last week. Enjoy the latest edition of "Friday Links-N-Thinks" and have a great weekend! A shot story featuring the Twins own Trevor Plouffe has been released by Tommy Smith. If you want to win a sweet Diamond Centric shirt, make sure to enter the 2013 Twins Lineup Challenge. Is it time to lose patience with Joe Benson and his mullet? Here's a look at the Twins organizational depth at relief pitcher and a look at starting pitcher depth. John Sickles released his top 150 prospects and the Twins have plenty on the list. FanGraphs also released their top 100 prospects and there are two Twins in the top 20. Minnesota has the fourth pick in the draft and there are some intriguing names to pick from. Anthony Slama seemed like he deserved a shot at the end of last year but now his future might not be so bright... Alex Meyer sure left the Twins wanting more. In the World Baseball Classic, Sam Deduno showed some progress. Is Ron Gardenhire's message getting through to the team? Byron Buxton is in his first spring training and his strong work ethic is showing. The Pirates mascots were making fun of the Twins and their training staff. Former Twins pitcher Jim Kaat wants to throw sabermetrics "in the trash can." MLB Prediction Machine gives the Twins a 0% chance of winning the AL. Here is a PitchF/X look at Vance Worley. These pictures of Joe Mauer and Glen Perkins are great. Delmon Young needs to keep his weight down to earn some incentive and he is doing his best to meet those goals. Carlos Gomez is turning a hot hitting streak last year into a big money contract extension. If you want to play baseball like it's 1886, there's a league for you in San Francisco. The Astrodome continues to rot. Giancarlo Stanton has all kinds of power and he destroyed a windshield last weekend. My Weekly Rundown: Monday: Morneau, Plouffe set to surprise Tuesday: The Evolution of Aaron Hicks Wednesday: What's the Alex Meyer timeline? Training Days: Episode 3 Thursday: Chris Colabello continues his fairy tale Video of the Week: Team Italy made a surprise run to the second round of the WBC. Twins players Drew Butera and Chris Colabello were on the roster and played a part in the team's success. Here is Colabello with one of his two home runs in the classic

The grounds crew is getting the snow off of Target Field and the beginning of the regular season continues to inch closer. Twins players continue to represent the organization in the World Baseball Classic while others are training in Florida for the start of the year. It seems like Opening Day can't get here soon enough and it helps that Team USA keeps winning in the World Baseball Classic. Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau could help the Stars and Stripes upend the two-time defending champion Team Japan. There are other games before that but it would still be a cool story. For now, here are some of the best baseball stories from the last week. Enjoy the latest edition of "Friday Links-N-Thinks" and have a great weekend! A shot story featuring the Twins own Trevor Plouffe has been released by Tommy Smith. If you want to win a sweet Diamond Centric shirt, make sure to enter the 2013 Twins Lineup Challenge. Is it time to lose patience with Joe Benson and his mullet? Here's a look at the Twins organizational depth at relief pitcher and a look at starting pitcher depth. John Sickles released his top 150 prospects and the Twins have plenty on the list. FanGraphs also released their top 100 prospects and there are two Twins in the top 20. Minnesota has the fourth pick in the draft and there are some intriguing names to pick from. Anthony Slama seemed like he deserved a shot at the end of last year but now his future might not be so bright... Alex Meyer sure left the Twins wanting more. In the World Baseball Classic, Sam Deduno showed some progress. Is Ron Gardenhire's message getting through to the team? Byron Buxton is in his first spring training and his strong work ethic is showing. The Pirates mascots were making fun of the Twins and their training staff. Former Twins pitcher Jim Kaat wants to throw sabermetrics "in the trash can." MLB Prediction Machine gives the Twins a 0% chance of winning the AL. Here is a PitchF/X look at Vance Worley. These pictures of Joe Mauer and Glen Perkins are great. Delmon Young needs to keep his weight down to earn some incentive and he is doing his best to meet those goals. Carlos Gomez is turning a hot hitting streak last year into a big money contract extension. If you want to play baseball like it's 1886, there's a league for you in San Francisco. The Astrodome continues to rot. Giancarlo Stanton has all kinds of power and he destroyed a windshield last weekend. My Weekly Rundown: Monday: Morneau, Plouffe set to surprise Tuesday: The Evolution of Aaron Hicks Wednesday: What's the Alex Meyer timeline? Training Days: Episode 3 Thursday: Chris Colabello continues his fairy tale Video of the Week: Team Italy made a surprise run to the second round of the WBC. Twins players Drew Butera and Chris Colabello were on the roster and played a part in the team's success. Here is Colabello with one of his two home runs in the classic

One of the best stories in the Twins organization in 2013 was the tale of a 28-year old man that got his first taste of baseball with an affiliated club. Chris Colabello had molded himself into one of the best hitters in the Canadian-American Association before the Twins signed him to deal. He spent all of last season being the elder statesman of the Eastern League while showing off his skills at the plate. The story of Colabello could get even better this year if he was able to make his MLB debut. He would be a 29-year old rookie and the thought of him being in the Twins line-up isn't too hard to imagine. Let's look back at what got him to this point and look ahead to what could bring him to the Twin Cities. After growing up and attending college in Massachusetts, Colabello wanted to continue his professional baseball career. No major league organization drafted him out of college so he found a team in the independent leagues. For six seasons, he played in the Canadian-American Association and he developed himself into one of the best hitters in this league. From 2005-2011, Colabello hit over .300 in every season. Those seven seasons saw him hit .317/.390/.514 with an average of 14 home runs a year. He showed the ability to play both corner infield positions and even a little outfield. The skills were there but no MLB teams came calling. Before the 2006 season, Colabello got to try out for the Italian World Baseball Classic team. He didn't make the squad but the Tigers took notice and invited him to spring training. His spring was good but he didn't make the club and he went back to the CAA. His persistence would finally pay off but not for another half of a decade. The 2011 season would be an eye-opening year for Colabello because he would put together the best season of his career. He hit .348/.410/.600 with 20 home runs and 32 doubles. He finished second in the league in home runs, batting average, RBI, and hits. He led the league in doubles and slugging percentage. At the end of the season, he would be named the Independent Leagues Player of the Year by Baseball America. Minnesota would offer him a chance for the start of the 2012 season. There weren't any promises made by the Twins and he didn't get a signing bonus but he was getting an opportunity. If he made a minor league team, he would be making less money then he had in the CAA but sometimes it's not about the money. Colabello would be sent to New Britain for the entirety of the 2012 season. He would hit .284/.358/.478 over 134 games. His numbers would be good enough to lead the Eastern League in doubles and he finished second in RBI, fourth in runs, and fourth in home runs. Darin Ruf would walk-away with the Eastern League MVP but Colabello would have strong runner up finish. He was finally living his dream and that dream has only gotten better so far this spring. The Twins wanted Colabello back in the organization and his performance last year was good enough for Team Italy to add him to their roster for the 2013 WBC. Italy would make a surprise trip to the second round of the WBC and Colabello was a key figure for their team. He hit .333/.368/.667 and he lead the team in home runs (2) and RBI (7). His strong showing this spring combined with his performance in the WBC could leave him knocking on the door to the big leagues. Ron Gardenhire has said he wants more pop on his bench this season. Colabello could have an opportunity to provide that pop while he lives out his dream of being a MLB player. The fairy tale ending for Colabello will be when he steps onto the field for his first big league game. It has been quite the journey but he has earned this opportunity. He might not be a prospect to build around but his story is one of the best. Spring training is full of hope and Colabello embodies the true definition of hope.

One of the best stories in the Twins organization in 2013 was the tale of a 28-year old man that got his first taste of baseball with an affiliated club. Chris Colabello had molded himself into one of the best hitters in the Canadian-American Association before the Twins signed him to deal. He spent all of last season being the elder statesman of the Eastern League while showing off his skills at the plate. The story of Colabello could get even better this year if he was able to make his MLB debut. He would be a 29-year old rookie and the thought of him being in the Twins line-up isn't too hard to imagine. Let's look back at what got him to this point and look ahead to what could bring him to the Twin Cities. After growing up and attending college in Massachusetts, Colabello wanted to continue his professional baseball career. No major league organization drafted him out of college so he found a team in the independent leagues. For six seasons, he played in the Canadian-American Association and he developed himself into one of the best hitters in this league. From 2005-2011, Colabello hit over .300 in every season. Those seven seasons saw him hit .317/.390/.514 with an average of 14 home runs a year. He showed the ability to play both corner infield positions and even a little outfield. The skills were there but no MLB teams came calling. Before the 2006 season, Colabello got to try out for the Italian World Baseball Classic team. He didn't make the squad but the Tigers took notice and invited him to spring training. His spring was good but he didn't make the club and he went back to the CAA. His persistence would finally pay off but not for another half of a decade. The 2011 season would be an eye-opening year for Colabello because he would put together the best season of his career. He hit .348/.410/.600 with 20 home runs and 32 doubles. He finished second in the league in home runs, batting average, RBI, and hits. He led the league in doubles and slugging percentage. At the end of the season, he would be named the Independent Leagues Player of the Year by Baseball America. Minnesota would offer him a chance for the start of the 2012 season. There weren't any promises made by the Twins and he didn't get a signing bonus but he was getting an opportunity. If he made a minor league team, he would be making less money then he had in the CAA but sometimes it's not about the money. Colabello would be sent to New Britain for the entirety of the 2012 season. He would hit .284/.358/.478 over 134 games. His numbers would be good enough to lead the Eastern League in doubles and he finished second in RBI, fourth in runs, and fourth in home runs. Darin Ruf would walk-away with the Eastern League MVP but Colabello would have strong runner up finish. He was finally living his dream and that dream has only gotten better so far this spring. The Twins wanted Colabello back in the organization and his performance last year was good enough for Team Italy to add him to their roster for the 2013 WBC. Italy would make a surprise trip to the second round of the WBC and Colabello was a key figure for their team. He hit .333/.368/.667 and he lead the team in home runs (2) and RBI (7). His strong showing this spring combined with his performance in the WBC could leave him knocking on the door to the big leagues. Ron Gardenhire has said he wants more pop on his bench this season. Colabello could have an opportunity to provide that pop while he lives out his dream of being a MLB player. The fairy tale ending for Colabello will be when he steps onto the field for his first big league game. It has been quite the journey but he has earned this opportunity. He might not be a prospect to build around but his story is one of the best. Spring training is full of hope and Colabello embodies the true definition of hope.

In his first spring training with the Minnesota Twins, Alex Meyer did his best to impress those that were paying attention. The 23-year old right-hander was brought to the organization through the Denard Span trade with the Washington Nationals. Many consider him the top-pitching prospect in the organization and he did nothing to sway those opinions since joining the club. When the Twins made their first round of cuts on Sunday, he was one of the names heading to minor league camp. This was expected since he hasn't pitched above the Single-A level. He should start the year at the Double-A level with New Britain. Last season, he went 10-6 across both A levels in the Nationals farm system. He had a very good 2.86 ERA across 25 starts. He threw 129 innings with 139 strikeouts and 45 walks. Only 39 of his innings came at the High-A level but his number improved at the higher level. His ERA was 2.31 and his WHIP dropped from 1.13 to 1.02. The well publicized trade to bring him to the organization and his performance so far leaves speculation about when he could be making his Target Field debut. If Meyer looked dominant in the first months of the season, the young pitcher could move quickly through the system. The Double-A level might prove to too easy and he could find himself moving into the Rochester rotation. If his domination continued at Triple-A, the Twins might have no choice but to call him up at mid-season. This would be the earliest that Meyer would make his debut. There is always the chance that the Twins will want to take it easy with Meyer. A couple of bad starts in the early part of the season and the team might want to leave him at Double-A until the middle part of the year. This might mean a trip to Rochester won't come until later in the year. This would mean a September call-up might be the best that Meyer could hope for. Things don't always go as planned in the minor leagues. Twins fans are familiar with this trend when it comes to the top pitching prospects in their farm system. Meyer might have a rough year at Double-A and this could mean that he won't advance beyond that level. There are things that the Twins want him to work on and it might take some time and experience to reach that level. Next spring training, the Twins could be in a similar position with Meyer. He will be in big league camp but there will probably still be questions about where he should start the year. Will the Twins want him in the rotation at the big league level? Should he be sent to Rochester for more experience? There are going to be plenty of eyes on Meyer this season and it will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure. In the Nationals organization, there were other pitchers like Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez at the big league level to take the focus off of him. In the Twins system, he is the top of the list and there will be plenty of hype surrounding his call-up. The fastest that Meyer would make his debut is the middle of 2013. If he doesn't get off to a fast start, he might have to wait for a September call-up. The Twins might bide their time with Meyer. This would mean that he might not make an appearance until the beginning of 2014 when the club has a better shot at getting back to the top. Meyer might be the Twins future ace but fans are going to have to be patient. No matter what his timeline is... When do you think Meyer will make his debut? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

In his first spring training with the Minnesota Twins, Alex Meyer did his best to impress those that were paying attention. The 23-year old right-hander was brought to the organization through the Denard Span trade with the Washington Nationals. Many consider him the top-pitching prospect in the organization and he did nothing to sway those opinions since joining the club. When the Twins made their first round of cuts on Sunday, he was one of the names heading to minor league camp. This was expected since he hasn't pitched above the Single-A level. He should start the year at the Double-A level with New Britain. Last season, he went 10-6 across both A levels in the Nationals farm system. He had a very good 2.86 ERA across 25 starts. He threw 129 innings with 139 strikeouts and 45 walks. Only 39 of his innings came at the High-A level but his number improved at the higher level. His ERA was 2.31 and his WHIP dropped from 1.13 to 1.02. The well publicized trade to bring him to the organization and his performance so far leaves speculation about when he could be making his Target Field debut. If Meyer looked dominant in the first months of the season, the young pitcher could move quickly through the system. The Double-A level might prove to too easy and he could find himself moving into the Rochester rotation. If his domination continued at Triple-A, the Twins might have no choice but to call him up at mid-season. This would be the earliest that Meyer would make his debut. There is always the chance that the Twins will want to take it easy with Meyer. A couple of bad starts in the early part of the season and the team might want to leave him at Double-A until the middle part of the year. This might mean a trip to Rochester won't come until later in the year. This would mean a September call-up might be the best that Meyer could hope for. Things don't always go as planned in the minor leagues. Twins fans are familiar with this trend when it comes to the top pitching prospects in their farm system. Meyer might have a rough year at Double-A and this could mean that he won't advance beyond that level. There are things that the Twins want him to work on and it might take some time and experience to reach that level. Next spring training, the Twins could be in a similar position with Meyer. He will be in big league camp but there will probably still be questions about where he should start the year. Will the Twins want him in the rotation at the big league level? Should he be sent to Rochester for more experience? There are going to be plenty of eyes on Meyer this season and it will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure. In the Nationals organization, there were other pitchers like Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez at the big league level to take the focus off of him. In the Twins system, he is the top of the list and there will be plenty of hype surrounding his call-up. The fastest that Meyer would make his debut is the middle of 2013. If he doesn't get off to a fast start, he might have to wait for a September call-up. The Twins might bide their time with Meyer. This would mean that he might not make an appearance until the beginning of 2014 when the club has a better shot at getting back to the top. Meyer might be the Twins future ace but fans are going to have to be patient. No matter what his timeline is... When do you think Meyer will make his debut? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3466[/ATTACH] With the spring being put together by Aaron Hicks, it is looking more and more like he will be playing a part with the big league version of the 2013 Twins. It has been a long road for Hicks since he was taken in the first round of the 2008 draft. There have been ups and downs but the future continues to look bright for this young man. Hicks put together his best professional season last year at the Double-A level. It took quite the evolution to get him to the brink of making his big league debut. Last week, I wrote that it might be better for Hicks to start the year in Rochester but he is making that a tough decision for the front office. Let's look back at how Hicks got to this point in his career. A Start in the Rookie League: After signing with the club, he was sent to the GCL for his first taste of professional baseball. He hit .318/.409/.491 over 45 games and he showed some pop in his bat. His athleticism and power swing generated four home runs, four triples, and 10 doubles in 173 at-bats. Hicks showed the ability to get on base at a tremendous rate. He showed flashes of speed by stealing 12 bases in 14 attempts. His defense has always been strong and he was given the opportunity to showcase this in center field for the GCL Twins. A Double Dose of Low-A: Hicks never made a stop with the E-Twins but he did spend two consecutive years with the Beloit Snappers. The first trip through the Midwest League wasn't the greatest so a second dose seemed to make sense. In his first year with the Snappers, 19-year old Hicks hit .251/.353/.382 with 22 extra base hits in 297 plate appearances. He continued to show the ability to get on base but his batting average was a little lower than desired. His power numbers were almost identical to the previous year but he had 100 more plate appearances to accumulate those numbers. The Twins sent him back to Beloit in 2010. This was a good decision as his numbers increased across the board. He batted .279/.401/.428 with 41 extra base hits. His 88 walks were tremendous and he had 21 steals in 32 attempts. Things seemed to be going in the right direction. A Funk in Fort Myers: After a good year in Beloit, things were starting to look up for Hicks. He headed into the season at the High-A level with expectations rising higher. Things wouldn't go perfectly for him in the Florida State League. Over 122 games, Hicks hit .242/.354/.368. His batting average was down and his power numbers weren't getting any better. He had 41 extra-base hits and 31 of those were doubles. The switch-hitting center fielder wasn't able to find a consistent swing from both sides of the plate and this hurt him. A Chance to Shine in the Desert: A disappointing year can be tough to recover from but the Twins decided it was best for Hicks to continue his 2011 season in the Arizona Fall League. This is typically a league for some of the best prospects in the game so it had to be an honor to be selected to go. He would hit .294 over 30 games and he got on base 40% of the time. He showcased a variety of his power hitting skills by knocking three home runs, eight doubles, and five triples. Hicks was tied for his team lead in triples and doubles. It was a sign of some big things to come in 2012. A Breakout Year in Double-A: The Twins had been patient with Hicks and all of that patience seemed to pay off in 2012. Hicks would have a breakout season at the Double-A level. He seemed to be able to combine the skill set that Twins fans and the front office had been waiting for since he was drafted. Hicks set the Rock Cats record for triples in a season with 11. He clubbed double digits in home runs for the first time in his professional career. He even stole a career high 32 bases while only getting thrown out on 11 attempts. These numbers along with his stellar defense have left him knocking on the door to the big leagues. On the Brink... With the performance that Hicks is putting up in spring training, it is going to be hard to keep him in the minor leagues for any portion of this season. So far this spring, he leads the team in hits, home runs, RBI, and he is tied for the lead in doubles. It seems like the evolution of Hicks might have him on the brink of the big leagues and that is a good sign for the future of the club.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3454[/ATTACH] The corner infield positions for any club can be an important part of a team's offensive picture. Power hitters usually occupy these two positions and it helps to be competent on the defensive side of the ball. First basemen and third basemen can former the cornerstone of a franchise and they are important positions for the future of the club. Minnesota has basically had one first baseman for the great part of the last decade. On the other hand, third base seems to be a revolving door that the team hopes they have finally stopped. Justin Morneau could be in the last year of his deal with the Twins and Trevor Plouffe is trying to prove that he belongs as a fixture on the club. Each of these men has something to prove in 2013 and both players could be set up to surprise. Over the last few days, fans have gotten an up-close view of just how ready Justin Morneau is for the coming season. In Canada's three games in the World Baseball Classic, Morneau went 7-for-11 with three doubles, four runs scored, and three RBI. It was a great sight for Twins fans to finally see a healthy Morneau producing on the field. While this three game performance was great, it is tough to draw a lot of conclusions from such a small sample size. There are still other things that point to Morneau getting back to his old ways in the coming year. He was able to go through his normal offseason workout routine for the first time in a couple years. This should only help to prepare him for playing a full season. Morneau also knows that he could be reaching free agency for the first time next offseason. He could be playing for his last big contract and that should help to energize him for the coming year. Trevor Plouffe is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Morneau. He has a little over one year of big league experience and he is trying to prove that he belongs with the Twins. There was talk for most of the offseason about bring in competition for Plouffe at third. That competition never showed up and it's up to him to prove the Twins were right to trust him. Last season, Plouffe proved that he could smash the ball over the right field seats on a regular basis. This was great to see but his overall numbers weren't that great. He hit .235/.301/.455 so there is still some room for improvement. The club wants him to show that he can take the ball the other way on occasion. He has been doing that so far this spring and it could be a sign of things to come. While the Twins might not be gearing up for a run to the top of the Central Division, there can still be some positive signs to come out of this year. Morneau wants to prove that he is still one of the best hitters in the game. Plouffe wants to work his name into the long-term plans for the Twins. The corner infielders on Opening Day might be at different points in the careers but they are both set-up to surprise in 2013.

After taking a break for the offseason, "Friday Links-N-Thinks" are back here at NoDak Twins Fan. For those that aren't familiar with this type of post, I will provide a bunch of different links to stories that have interested me from the last week. Some of the stories will be Twins related and others will just be interesting baseball stories. All together, it is a great way to catch-up on the baseball related news from the last week. The Twins are in the midst of spring training and some players have headed out to represent their respective countries in the World Baseball Classic. The start of the baseball season is getting closer so let's dive in to the first edition of "Friday Links-N-Thinks" for the new season. Success hasn't come easy at the big league level for Liam Hendriks. Aaron Hicks is sure making it tough for the Twins to leave him in the minor leagues. Here is what John Sickels had to say about Mr. Hicks. What does the organizations depth chart look like for outfielders? Or infielders? There have been plenty of prospect lists released in the offseason and FanGraphs put their Twins list up this week. With most of the prospect lists out, here is a rundown of all of the players that are featured. The Twins might have the best hitting prospects in the game. Joe Mauer really doesn't like pop-ups. A bench can be tough to build and there has been some debate about the Twins bench. In Team USA's first tune-up game before the World Baseball Classic, Joe Mauer was batting clean-up. Not exactly the prototypical power threat. Numbers are part of baseball and here are some related to the Twins. A chunk of spring training is over and it's tough to know if the Twins have any answers. There are plenty of former Twins players in spring training across baseball. Justin Morneau might owe this man a beverage. [ATTACH=CONFIG]3434[/ATTACH] A soap opera staring Delmon Young could be interesting... The Kansas City Royals are off to a good start this spring. Could this be a sign of things to come in 2013? The Rangers are warming up to AJ Pierzynski. Two years after the death of a Nationals shortstop prospect, this article looks at how MLB tries to pump out players from the Dominican Republic. No one went to the World Baseball Classic game between China and Cuba. Thinking about Big League Chew might bring you back to your younger years. Could a 54-year old be a rookie this year? This college player had to throw his whole glove to first to get an out. My Weekly Rundown: Monday: Making a Thome Plan Tuesday: Gibson, Hicks might be destined for Rochester Wednesday: The Role of Rich Harden Thursday: What made Nick Blackburn successful? Video of the Week: Aaron Hicks had quite the game on Thursday. He would finish the day with three home runs and six RBI. Here is a look at his first home run of the day and it came off of Cliff Lee.