Cody Christie

For the most part last year, Revere knew he was going to be in the line-up for most contests. I hope he adjusts well to not playing everyday and he can continue to produce on the field. The Twins offense could use him on-base more. We will see what happens in the coming days. Plus he has a great smile/attitude but I don't know how far that is going to get him on the field

Well it is good that he showed that he can get something other than a home run. Hopefully there will be some doubles in the mix as well

Long lines are going to continue to be a theme unless they make some changes at some point this year.

One interesting thing I noticed about the start of the new Twins season was the new light pole banners that are featured in the downtown area around Target Field. In the past, these banners have shown many of the current members of the team in action shots from games. This year's edition of the light pole banners only have Twins logos on them. With all of the new faces on the Twins for the 2012 season, it might have been appropriate to have players from the current roster on the banners. What do you think? Were the Twins right to leave players off of the banners or was it time for something new?

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?417-Dozier-s-hot-start-is-hard-to-ignore

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c_K-DX5eBVo/T4QgMZD4xAI/AAAAAAAABLI/FUQ7vY1Wz6Q/s1600/BrianDozier.jpg At the end of spring training when Brian Doizer was sent down to the minor leagues, he seemed to leave the Twins facility with a chip on his shoulder. His time in the big league camp had been sufficient with him hitting .277/.333/.511 with three home runs and nine RBI in 47 at-bats. With him only having spent part of a season at the Double-A level, it seemed like a very long shot for him to make the club out of spring training. Dozier felt like he had played well enough to be on the team and now he has been determined to show the Twins they won't be able to hold him down for too long. The 24-year old middle infielder for the Red Wings has gotten off to a hot start in the first five games of the season in Rochester. He has been a spark plug for the offense by batting .474/.545/.789 with three doubles, a home run, and three runs scored in five games. In all but one of those games, he has multiple hits with his best game coming yesterday when he was 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, and three RBI. He is hitting like a man on a mission and he mission is clearly to get to the big leagues as soon as possible. Last year was a breakout season for Mr. Dozier in the minor leagues as he won the Twins Minor League Player of the Year. Since he left the rookie leagues, Dozier had tried to find his swing at the Low-A and High-A level but he never hit over .278 and his power numbers weren't outstanding. Something clicked for Dozier last year when he started the year back in the Florida State League. With the Miracle at the start of last season, he hit .322/.423/.472 and he had 18 extra-base hits. The Twins promoted him to New Britain and his hot hitting continued to the tune of .318/.384/.502 with seven home runs, seven triples, and 22 doubles. The Twins didn't have many positives in 2011 but the season of Dozier might have been near the top of their list. During this past offseason, the Twins sent Dozier to the Arizona Fall League to better prepare him for the 2012 season. His time in this highly touted prospect league seems to have eased his transition to the Triple-A level after playing only 78 games for New Britain last year. The Twins organization has struggled in recent years to produce much in the middle infield so Dozier could be a beacon of hope for the future of the franchise. If he can lock down one of the middle infield positions for the foreseeable future, he can bridge the gap to some of the other talent in the lower levels of the minor leagues. While Dozier has been hitting the cover off of the ball in Rochester, the offense of the Twins has struggled to do anything in their first four games of the year. The players who have started in the middle infield for the Twins are a combined 1-for-24 with three strikeouts at the plate. There are plenty of other question marks with the Twins offense at this early point in the year. But if Dozier continues his hot start and the middle infield continues to struggle, it will be hard for the team to hold him in the minor leagues. It is good to see Dozier finding success at the Triple-A level during this very early junction in the season. The short amount of time he spent at the Double-A level could have meant he would go through some problems with the transition to Rochester. This has not been the case so far this year and that is a great sign for one of the top prospects in the Twins organization. If he continues to hit well and the Twins offense remains stagnant, it will only be a matter of time before Dozier is making his debut with the Twins.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c_K-DX5eBVo/T4QgMZD4xAI/AAAAAAAABLI/FUQ7vY1Wz6Q/s1600/BrianDozier.jpg At the end of spring training when Brian Doizer was sent down to the minor leagues, he seemed to leave the Twins facility with a chip on his shoulder. His time in the big league camp had been sufficient with him hitting .277/.333/.511 with three home runs and nine RBI in 47 at-bats. With him only having spent part of a season at the Double-A level, it seemed like a very long shot for him to make the club out of spring training. Dozier felt like he had played well enough to be on the team and now he has been determined to show the Twins they won't be able to hold him down for too long. The 24-year old middle infielder for the Red Wings has gotten off to a hot start in the first five games of the season in Rochester. He has been a spark plug for the offense by batting .474/.545/.789 with three doubles, a home run, and three runs scored in five games. In all but one of those games, he has multiple hits with his best game coming yesterday when he was 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, and three RBI. He is hitting like a man on a mission and he mission is clearly to get to the big leagues as soon as possible. Last year was a breakout season for Mr. Dozier in the minor leagues as he won the Twins Minor League Player of the Year. Since he left the rookie leagues, Dozier had tried to find his swing at the Low-A and High-A level but he never hit over .278 and his power numbers weren't outstanding. Something clicked for Dozier last year when he started the year back in the Florida State League. With the Miracle at the start of last season, he hit .322/.423/.472 and he had 18 extra-base hits. The Twins promoted him to New Britain and his hot hitting continued to the tune of .318/.384/.502 with seven home runs, seven triples, and 22 doubles. The Twins didn't have many positives in 2011 but the season of Dozier might have been near the top of their list. During this past offseason, the Twins sent Dozier to the Arizona Fall League to better prepare him for the 2012 season. His time in this highly touted prospect league seems to have eased his transition to the Triple-A level after playing only 78 games for New Britain last year. The Twins organization has struggled in recent years to produce much in the middle infield so Dozier could be a beacon of hope for the future of the franchise. If he can lock down one of the middle infield positions for the foreseeable future, he can bridge the gap to some of the other talent in the lower levels of the minor leagues. While Dozier has been hitting the cover off of the ball in Rochester, the offense of the Twins has struggled to do anything in their first four games of the year. The players who have started in the middle infield for the Twins are a combined 1-for-24 with three strikeouts at the plate. There are plenty of other question marks with the Twins offense at this early point in the year. But if Dozier continues his hot start and the middle infield continues to struggle, it will be hard for the team to hold him in the minor leagues. It is good to see Dozier finding success at the Triple-A level during this very early junction in the season. The short amount of time he spent at the Double-A level could have meant he would go through some problems with the transition to Rochester. This has not been the case so far this year and that is a great sign for one of the top prospects in the Twins organization. If he continues to hit well and the Twins offense remains stagnant, it will only be a matter of time before Dozier is making his debut with the Twins.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C8edZPZZAcQ/T4LW3dM5TsI/AAAAAAAABLA/lC14MMH8deA/s320/JameyCarrollDefense.jpg Original post from North Dakota Twins Fan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Twins struggled mightily in their first series of the year against a team that is not projected to do very well this season, the Baltimore Orioles. The three starting pitchers for the Orioles looked like Cy Young winners even though each of them came into the contest with ERAs of well over 4.00 for last season. The offense struggled to push runs across the plate in all three contests and the pitching for the Twins looked very similar to last year with starters not lasting very long and relief pitchers coming in to allow more runs to score. This sounds like a miserable first three games of the season for any team but for the Twins and their fans it was tough to watch their team flounder in Baltimore with the organization coming off of one of the worst year's in franchise history. Now the team hits a devastating part of their schedule that includes some of the best team's in the American League. The projected pitchers for the Angels and Rangers during the next couple of series will look even more daunting than the crew sent out by the Orioles. Overall, this doesn't seem like a good start but there has to be a silver lining from all of this mess. 1. Baseball's long regular season: One of the best things about the baseball season is the length of the schedule. Even though the Twins lost their first three games, there are still 159 more contests for the team to prove they are worth a darn in 2012. It's way too early to panic for many of the clubs in baseball. Projected playoff teams like the Yankees and the Red Sox are off to slow starts themselves and their expectations of making a long October run have not changed in the past couple of days. There isn't anything that says the Twins can't turn it around in the middle of this slow start and make something out of this year. 2. JJ Hardy curse: This might not be a real thing but the Orioles have owned the Twins during this year and last year. Since JJ Hardy was traded away, the Twins are now a combined 2-9 versus Baltimore. In those contests the Twins have been outscored 59 to 21 so most of the games have not been very close. This might not seem like a very positive thing but it is good to remember that the Twins have struggled with team's from the AL East in previous years. Fans of the Twins expected them to do well on Opening Weekend but maybe those expectations should have been tempered a little bit. 3. Morneau's swing looked good: There weren't many positives from the offensive side of the ball but in the middle of this mess there was one bright spot. Justin Morneau is off to a hot start with four hits in his first ten at-bats of the year. Half of his hits have been doubles and Josh Willingham is the only other player who has managed an extra base hit so far in 2012. Mornea's good start is wonderful news for a player who is coming off of missing huge chunks of the last two years. He is also adjusting to being a full-time designated hitter and there can be some struggles with this switch. With much of the season still to come, the Twins will have to continue to watch Morneau's health and hope that his offensive output stays at a high level. 4. Carroll's upgraded defense: The Twins had a few goals during the offseason after Terry Ryan took back the role of general manager of the club. One of the biggest goals was to solidify the defense up the middle for a team that has a lot of pitch to contact starters in their rotation. Even with Carroll's struggles at the plate, there have been plenty of defensive gems for him at this early point in the year. After each of the plays made by Carroll, there were many comments flying around on Twitter about that play being something that Tsuyoshi Nishioka would never have been able to do. In all seriousness, it was just nice to see someone make the plays he needed to make at the shortstop position. 5. Duensing and Perkins have strong appearances: One of the biggest bright spots for the Twins last year was Glen Perkins but the 2011 season was really his breakout year. The Twins were hoping he would be just as strong in 2012 and his first appearance of the year did little to disappoint. He face four batters, struck out two of them, and allowed one hit in an innings worth of work. The other arm to watch out of the bullpen for the Twins was Brian Deunsing and his transition back to the bullpen. After the Twins saw Duensing struggle as a starter for most of last year, his move back to the bullpen was expected for 2012. His first appearance out of the bullpen was very good as he faced three batters and struck out two of them. The Twins will be happy to get back to Minnesota and play in front of their fans at Target Field. There are plenty of games left in the year for the Twins to show what they are made of in 2012. They haven't pressed the panic button yet and neither should you.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C8edZPZZAcQ/T4LW3dM5TsI/AAAAAAAABLA/lC14MMH8deA/s320/JameyCarrollDefense.jpg Original post from North Dakota Twins Fan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Twins struggled mightily in their first series of the year against a team that is not projected to do very well this season, the Baltimore Orioles. The three starting pitchers for the Orioles looked like Cy Young winners even though each of them came into the contest with ERAs of well over 4.00 for last season. The offense struggled to push runs across the plate in all three contests and the pitching for the Twins looked very similar to last year with starters not lasting very long and relief pitchers coming in to allow more runs to score. This sounds like a miserable first three games of the season for any team but for the Twins and their fans it was tough to watch their team flounder in Baltimore with the organization coming off of one of the worst year's in franchise history. Now the team hits a devastating part of their schedule that includes some of the best team's in the American League. The projected pitchers for the Angels and Rangers during the next couple of series will look even more daunting than the crew sent out by the Orioles. Overall, this doesn't seem like a good start but there has to be a silver lining from all of this mess. 1. Baseball's long regular season: One of the best things about the baseball season is the length of the schedule. Even though the Twins lost their first three games, there are still 159 more contests for the team to prove they are worth a darn in 2012. It's way too early to panic for many of the clubs in baseball. Projected playoff teams like the Yankees and the Red Sox are off to slow starts themselves and their expectations of making a long October run have not changed in the past couple of days. There isn't anything that says the Twins can't turn it around in the middle of this slow start and make something out of this year. 2. JJ Hardy curse: This might not be a real thing but the Orioles have owned the Twins during this year and last year. Since JJ Hardy was traded away, the Twins are now a combined 2-9 versus Baltimore. In those contests the Twins have been outscored 59 to 21 so most of the games have not been very close. This might not seem like a very positive thing but it is good to remember that the Twins have struggled with team's from the AL East in previous years. Fans of the Twins expected them to do well on Opening Weekend but maybe those expectations should have been tempered a little bit. 3. Morneau's swing looked good: There weren't many positives from the offensive side of the ball but in the middle of this mess there was one bright spot. Justin Morneau is off to a hot start with four hits in his first ten at-bats of the year. Half of his hits have been doubles and Josh Willingham is the only other player who has managed an extra base hit so far in 2012. Mornea's good start is wonderful news for a player who is coming off of missing huge chunks of the last two years. He is also adjusting to being a full-time designated hitter and there can be some struggles with this switch. With much of the season still to come, the Twins will have to continue to watch Morneau's health and hope that his offensive output stays at a high level. 4. Carroll's upgraded defense: The Twins had a few goals during the offseason after Terry Ryan took back the role of general manager of the club. One of the biggest goals was to solidify the defense up the middle for a team that has a lot of pitch to contact starters in their rotation. Even with Carroll's struggles at the plate, there have been plenty of defensive gems for him at this early point in the year. After each of the plays made by Carroll, there were many comments flying around on Twitter about that play being something that Tsuyoshi Nishioka would never have been able to do. In all seriousness, it was just nice to see someone make the plays he needed to make at the shortstop position. 5. Duensing and Perkins have strong appearances: One of the biggest bright spots for the Twins last year was Glen Perkins but the 2011 season was really his breakout year. The Twins were hoping he would be just as strong in 2012 and his first appearance of the year did little to disappoint. He face four batters, struck out two of them, and allowed one hit in an innings worth of work. The other arm to watch out of the bullpen for the Twins was Brian Deunsing and his transition back to the bullpen. After the Twins saw Duensing struggle as a starter for most of last year, his move back to the bullpen was expected for 2012. His first appearance out of the bullpen was very good as he faced three batters and struck out two of them. The Twins will be happy to get back to Minnesota and play in front of their fans at Target Field. There are plenty of games left in the year for the Twins to show what they are made of in 2012. They haven't pressed the panic button yet and neither should you.

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php?407-Friday-Links-N-Thinks

Call Butera up he is on fire!!! Just kidding, but good to see Rochester off to a good start.

I love the picture at the end to see how big Miguel Sano is compared to other players

The Twins advertising department continues to be one of the best in all of baseball.

So let's keep our fingers crossed that all of the balls off of Pavano are hit on the ground. Then the outfield won't have to do anything.

I hope they can come out of this difficult stretch with a record around .500 because they should be able to pick up more wins when division play starts.

Sweet. Thanks for letting us know. I will check it out.

I'm okay with seeing a little bit more of what Hendriks can do at the big league level.

Original post from North Dakota Twins Fan Baseball is back!!! It was great to get home from work early on Thursday to a ton of action already underway across the baseball universe. I flipped through multiple games because my cable company was nice enough to give me a free preview of MLB Extra Innings. It is very tempting to want to purchase the package for the entire year but I might have to settle for the free pass for the first few days of the season. I checked in on the Nationals with Stephen Strasburg on the mound and Wilson Ramos behind the plate. Jose Valverde was a perfect 49 out of 49 in save opportunites last season but his first chance this year was unsuccessful. The Marlins had a short turn around after they opened their new stadium on Wednesday night in Miami and they had to be in Cincinnati for an afternoon game the next day. I ended the night by listening to the best announcer in the game, Vin Scully. Opening Day is the greatest time of the year. The Twins start their 2012 campaign in Baltimore tonight and they have their home opener on Monday afternoon. It's just a wonderful time to be a baseball fan. Here are some of the top stories I enjoyed from the past week. Have a great weekend with baseball back in our lives. Ron Gardenhire announced the Opening Day lineup for the Twins and the outfield defense could be scary. The Twins didn't have a game on Thursday but Scott Baker pitched for the Miracle and the news was not good. MLB released their annual list of the top 20 jerseys sold and there is one member of the Twins who made the list. Seth Stohs asked for a few writers (including myself) to project the top hitters and the top pitchers for the start of the Twins minor league season. Torii Hunter went from sitting on his couch one evening to having the police draw their guns on him. Have you ever wondered where walkup music came from? Andrew at Twins Fan From Afar got to spend an evening with Twins pitching prospect Alex Wimmers. Target Field unveiled their new food selections for the year and John Bonnes got to test out some of the new items. There are many reasons to be excited for the start of the new year but here are 100 different reasons to start your own list. There are a lot of tough jobs in the sports world but catching might be at the top of the list. This photo was floating around different websites on Thursday and I found it amusing. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RgaE0VuxzEY/T35dveupRoI/AAAAAAAABK4/reNfCOnJ9SQ/s320/opening-day-friends.jpg After one of the worst seasons in baseball history, Adam Dunn will start the year as the number three hitter in the White Sox lineup. Jim Crikkett from Knuckelballs blog got his call up to the big leagues by getting to write a post on the Star Tribune website about his time in Florida. What do you get when you mix Bert Blyleven and singing animal puppets? It's a little scary... Rod Carew makes this list of top 10 baseball legends and humanitarians. Former Twins ace Johan Santana returned to the mound for the Mets. If his results continue to look good, could the Mets try to trade him to a contender? Justin Verlander eats a lot of Taco Bell before each of his starts. Ramon Ortiz pitched 28 ineffective games for the Twins in 2007 and the Yankees just signed him this week. My Weekly Rundown (Predictions Week): Sunday: A season of what could be Monday: 2012 American League Predictions Tuesday: 2012 National League Predictions Wednesday: 2012 Twins Award Predictions Thursday: 2012 Twins Minor League Projections Video of the Week: The Twins have released some very clever commercials over the years and this newest one fits into that mold. In this Big Lebowski-themed spot, Kent Hrbek is asked to take on the title role of the "Big Hrbowski." Span leaves the team in a tough spot with the 7/10 split but Hrbek is called on to make the impossible shot.

Original post from North Dakota Twins Fan Baseball is back!!! It was great to get home from work early on Thursday to a ton of action already underway across the baseball universe. I flipped through multiple games because my cable company was nice enough to give me a free preview of MLB Extra Innings. It is very tempting to want to purchase the package for the entire year but I might have to settle for the free pass for the first few days of the season. I checked in on the Nationals with Stephen Strasburg on the mound and Wilson Ramos behind the plate. Jose Valverde was a perfect 49 out of 49 in save opportunites last season but his first chance this year was unsuccessful. The Marlins had a short turn around after they opened their new stadium on Wednesday night in Miami and they had to be in Cincinnati for an afternoon game the next day. I ended the night by listening to the best announcer in the game, Vin Scully. Opening Day is the greatest time of the year. The Twins start their 2012 campaign in Baltimore tonight and they have their home opener on Monday afternoon. It's just a wonderful time to be a baseball fan. Here are some of the top stories I enjoyed from the past week. Have a great weekend with baseball back in our lives. Ron Gardenhire announced the Opening Day lineup for the Twins and the outfield defense could be scary. The Twins didn't have a game on Thursday but Scott Baker pitched for the Miracle and the news was not good. MLB released their annual list of the top 20 jerseys sold and there is one member of the Twins who made the list. Seth Stohs asked for a few writers (including myself) to project the top hitters and the top pitchers for the start of the Twins minor league season. Torii Hunter went from sitting on his couch one evening to having the police draw their guns on him. Have you ever wondered where walkup music came from? Andrew at Twins Fan From Afar got to spend an evening with Twins pitching prospect Alex Wimmers. Target Field unveiled their new food selections for the year and John Bonnes got to test out some of the new items. There are many reasons to be excited for the start of the new year but here are 100 different reasons to start your own list. There are a lot of tough jobs in the sports world but catching might be at the top of the list. This photo was floating around different websites on Thursday and I found it amusing. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RgaE0VuxzEY/T35dveupRoI/AAAAAAAABK4/reNfCOnJ9SQ/s320/opening-day-friends.jpg After one of the worst seasons in baseball history, Adam Dunn will start the year as the number three hitter in the White Sox lineup. Jim Crikkett from Knuckelballs blog got his call up to the big leagues by getting to write a post on the Star Tribune website about his time in Florida. What do you get when you mix Bert Blyleven and singing animal puppets? It's a little scary... Rod Carew makes this list of top 10 baseball legends and humanitarians. Former Twins ace Johan Santana returned to the mound for the Mets. If his results continue to look good, could the Mets try to trade him to a contender? Justin Verlander eats a lot of Taco Bell before each of his starts. Ramon Ortiz pitched 28 ineffective games for the Twins in 2007 and the Yankees just signed him this week. My Weekly Rundown (Predictions Week): Sunday: A season of what could be Monday: 2012 American League Predictions Tuesday: 2012 National League Predictions Wednesday: 2012 Twins Award Predictions Thursday: 2012 Twins Minor League Projections Video of the Week: The Twins have released some very clever commercials over the years and this newest one fits into that mold. In this Big Lebowski-themed spot, Kent Hrbek is asked to take on the title role of the "Big Hrbowski." Span leaves the team in a tough spot with the 7/10 split but Hrbek is called on to make the impossible shot.

Original post from North Dakota Twins Fan With Opening Day almost here, it is time for my annual predictions for the 2012 baseball season. It is always fun to sort through all of the teams, players, and divisions to find out who will be the best of the best in the coming year. There are always going to be surprises along the way like the Diamondbacks were in 2011. The edition of the new wild card spots in each league will also add some spice to the race for the playoffs in the 2012 season. Over the course of the week, I will release my picks from a variety of areas. For the National League and the American League, I will predict the division winners, the wild card teams, and the major award contenders. Later in the week I will focus on the Twins and decide who is going to stand out in the major and minor leagues. Here is the breakdown of the schedule for the week. Monday: 2012 American League Predictions Tuesday: 2012 National League Predictions Wednesday: 2012 Twins Awards Predictions Thursday: 2012 Twins Minor League Award Projections Friday: Links-N-Thinks ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [TABLE=class: tr-caption-container, align: center] [TD=align: center]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z46F_eU9msI/T3x5R4bYmeI/AAAAAAAABKw/2bxWqmfmTOM/s320/AlexWimmers.jpg[/TD] [TD=class: tr-caption, align: center]Wimmers could be lined up for a big season[/TD] [/TABLE] Every year Seth Stohs of the TwinsCentric crew asks a handful of Twins bloggers to put together their list of the minor league players for the Twins who will stand out in the coming year. There are a wide variety of categories across each level of the minor leagues. The first section looks at the hitters and pitchers that will be having a breakout season in the upper levels of the minor leagues and those that will start the year in the lower level of the minors. The second section of categories looks at some players that have already broke out but that could end up being the top hitter or pitcher in their perspective level. You will also see some players who are currently with the Twins at extended spring training (EST) but some of those players could play a big role in the success of the farm system in 2012. Overall it is a very fun exercise to do after the rosters have been released for each level and it is fun to try and predict where these players will end up by the end of the year. If there are some unfamiliar names on this list, then you might need to order yourself a copy of the 2012 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. Breakout Hitter (Upper Levels) - Aaron Hicks: Please...Pretty please. The Twins are giving him every shot and it's time to take the opportunity and run with it. There were some struggles for him during last season but the Twins saw some good things from him during his time in the Arizona Fall League. There is so much potential in this young athletic man that it seems like it will only be a matter of time before he becomes a monster at the plate. Even with his struggles last year there were glimpses of hope and now the hope is there will be more consistent play from Mr. Hicks. Breakout Hitter (Lower Levels) - Angel Morales: After missing a chunk of last year, it's time to prove he can be one of the team's best prospects. He only appeared in 37 games last season with the Miracle and this came after a year in which he split time between Fort Myers and Beliot. In 2008, he showed a ton of power in rookie ball but in more recent years some of that power has diminished. Since it will be the third season he has spent time at Fort Myers, a strong start could see him moving up to Double-A by the end of the season. Breakout Hitter (in EST) - Max Kepler: In only his second year in the Twins system, Kepler showed glimpses of power last year with the Elizabethton Twins. He will only be 19-years old this season so there is still time for his body to develop more power in the coming years. Kepler showed enough last year to look like he could explode onto the scene during the 2012 campaign. Overall, more consistency at the plate and less strikeouts will be key for him to succeed as he moves through the system. Breakout Pitcher (Upper Levels) - Alex Wimmers: The Twins need more starting pitching in the upper levels and Wimmers has to be that guy in 2012. Kyle Gibson is out for most of this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Wimmers struggles at the beginning of last year were well documented but his placement on the Rock Cats roster must mean that he is throwing well to start the year. At the beginning of last year, the Twins thought Wimmers would be on the fast track to Minnesota. He fell off of that fast track last year but he could be back in line to be a quick mover this year. Breakout Pitcher (Lower Levels) - Madison Boer: The Minnesota native was drafted out of Oregon by the Twins in last year's draft. He got a taste of two levels after he signed quickly with the club and he has already been to Low-A Beliot. His time last year with the team was spent as a relief pitcher but now the club will stretch him out and see what he can do as a starter. His high strikeout rate from last year won't be able to follow him when he is starting. But as a collegiate pitcher, he could move up the ladder quickly if he finds success. Breakout Pitcher (in EST) - Matthew Summers: Much like Boer, Summers joined the Twins out of last year's draft and got a brief taste of the minors with the the E-Twins. The 6-foot-1 right-handed pitcher only allowed two runs over 20.2 innings on the mound with 36 strikeouts. At this point he could be used as a starter or a relief pitcher but it seems like he might be destined for a relief role. He has only been a full-time pitcher since his last year in college so there are plenty of tweaks that he might have to undergo in the coming year to be as successful as he can be. Best Hitter (Upper Levels) - Joe Benson: Benson and Parmelee have followed each other through every level of the minor leagues so seeing Parmelee in the majors should drive him on the field. His time with the Twins last September was not perfect but he showed the speed and defensive ability that he had been touted for during his seasons in the minor leagues. He could get some more playing time with the big league team this year but it might be best for Benson to spend the whole year at Rochester to perfect his game. He could be ready to make a splash by the end of the year and he is an injury or two away from heading back to Minnesota. Best Hitter (Lower Levels) - Miguel Sano: During last season the combination of Sano and Eddie Rosario were a dynamic duo for Elizabethton. By season's end Rosario would receive many of the accolades in '11 and now it will be Sano's turn to show he deserves to be the organization's top prospect. Sano will be playing in his first full season league with the Snappers and there will be many eyes on him from across the baseball world. His raw power is what separates him from the rest of the pack and it could be an exciting season for Sano. Best Hitter (in EST) - Niko Goodrum: At the end of last year, Goodrum was playing well and the team is hopefully of continued success from him. He was a second round pick in 2010 so the team thinks highly of the young middle infielder. He played almost exclusively at shortstop last season and the Twins have struggled in recent years with developing middle infielders. His defense needs to improve for him to stick at shortstop but his big frame could become an asset in the long run. He showed more ability to take a walk last year and now it will be time to cut down on some of the strikeouts. The tools are there and he should be able to put it all together in 2012. Best Pitcher (Upper Levels) - Alex Wimmers: The best hope for the Twins is that his control problems are behind him. As stated previously, the organization needs some of their pitching prospects to be ready to enter the rotation next season. Liam Hendriks seems ready to take on this challenge and Kyle Gibson continues to recover so there is a lot of pressure on Mr. Wimmers. In his last start of the 2011 season, he showed he had the stuff to dominate by throwing a no-hitter. He should be in Rochester by the end of the year with his eyes set on fighting for a roster spot next year. Best Pitcher (Lower Levels) - Adrian Salcedo: He has one of the best arms in the lower levels of the Twins system and he should continue to be a workhorse as he moves through the minor leagues. Last year was his first year in a full season league and he put up very good numbers in Beliot. Now he will start the year in the Florida State League as part of a very strong pitching staff with the Miracle. He has room to add some weight to his frame and this could help him to add some velocity to his pitches. Salcedo pounds the strikezone and refuses to give up many walks so he already seems to fit the mold of the typical Twins pitcher. Best Pitcher (in EST)- Matthew Summers: Extended spring training is full of last year's draft class and Summers is an intriguing option moving forward. His unique delivery could make it hard for batters to adjust to what they are seeing on the mound. His last season in college he was outstanding at UC-Irvine by tossing 116 innings with a 2.02 ERA. His offspeed pitches will need to be honed in the coming year but he should have enought stuff to be successul in the rookie leagues. The Twins will hope that he continues to find sucess on the mound even though he hasn't been a starting pitcher for an extended period of time.

Original post from North Dakota Twins Fan With Opening Day almost here, it is time for my annual predictions for the 2012 baseball season. It is always fun to sort through all of the teams, players, and divisions to find out who will be the best of the best in the coming year. There are always going to be surprises along the way like the Diamondbacks were in 2011. The edition of the new wild card spots in each league will also add some spice to the race for the playoffs in the 2012 season. Over the course of the week, I will release my picks from a variety of areas. For the National League and the American League, I will predict the division winners, the wild card teams, and the major award contenders. Later in the week I will focus on the Twins and decide who is going to stand out in the major and minor leagues. Here is the breakdown of the schedule for the week. Monday: 2012 American League Predictions Tuesday: 2012 National League Predictions Wednesday: 2012 Twins Awards Predictions Thursday: 2012 Twins Minor League Award Projections Friday: Links-N-Thinks ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [TABLE=class: tr-caption-container, align: center] [TD=align: center]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z46F_eU9msI/T3x5R4bYmeI/AAAAAAAABKw/2bxWqmfmTOM/s320/AlexWimmers.jpg[/TD] [TD=class: tr-caption, align: center]Wimmers could be lined up for a big season[/TD] [/TABLE] Every year Seth Stohs of the TwinsCentric crew asks a handful of Twins bloggers to put together their list of the minor league players for the Twins who will stand out in the coming year. There are a wide variety of categories across each level of the minor leagues. The first section looks at the hitters and pitchers that will be having a breakout season in the upper levels of the minor leagues and those that will start the year in the lower level of the minors. The second section of categories looks at some players that have already broke out but that could end up being the top hitter or pitcher in their perspective level. You will also see some players who are currently with the Twins at extended spring training (EST) but some of those players could play a big role in the success of the farm system in 2012. Overall it is a very fun exercise to do after the rosters have been released for each level and it is fun to try and predict where these players will end up by the end of the year. If there are some unfamiliar names on this list, then you might need to order yourself a copy of the 2012 Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook. Breakout Hitter (Upper Levels) - Aaron Hicks: Please...Pretty please. The Twins are giving him every shot and it's time to take the opportunity and run with it. There were some struggles for him during last season but the Twins saw some good things from him during his time in the Arizona Fall League. There is so much potential in this young athletic man that it seems like it will only be a matter of time before he becomes a monster at the plate. Even with his struggles last year there were glimpses of hope and now the hope is there will be more consistent play from Mr. Hicks. Breakout Hitter (Lower Levels) - Angel Morales: After missing a chunk of last year, it's time to prove he can be one of the team's best prospects. He only appeared in 37 games last season with the Miracle and this came after a year in which he split time between Fort Myers and Beliot. In 2008, he showed a ton of power in rookie ball but in more recent years some of that power has diminished. Since it will be the third season he has spent time at Fort Myers, a strong start could see him moving up to Double-A by the end of the season. Breakout Hitter (in EST) - Max Kepler: In only his second year in the Twins system, Kepler showed glimpses of power last year with the Elizabethton Twins. He will only be 19-years old this season so there is still time for his body to develop more power in the coming years. Kepler showed enough last year to look like he could explode onto the scene during the 2012 campaign. Overall, more consistency at the plate and less strikeouts will be key for him to succeed as he moves through the system. Breakout Pitcher (Upper Levels) - Alex Wimmers: The Twins need more starting pitching in the upper levels and Wimmers has to be that guy in 2012. Kyle Gibson is out for most of this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Wimmers struggles at the beginning of last year were well documented but his placement on the Rock Cats roster must mean that he is throwing well to start the year. At the beginning of last year, the Twins thought Wimmers would be on the fast track to Minnesota. He fell off of that fast track last year but he could be back in line to be a quick mover this year. Breakout Pitcher (Lower Levels) - Madison Boer: The Minnesota native was drafted out of Oregon by the Twins in last year's draft. He got a taste of two levels after he signed quickly with the club and he has already been to Low-A Beliot. His time last year with the team was spent as a relief pitcher but now the club will stretch him out and see what he can do as a starter. His high strikeout rate from last year won't be able to follow him when he is starting. But as a collegiate pitcher, he could move up the ladder quickly if he finds success. Breakout Pitcher (in EST) - Matthew Summers: Much like Boer, Summers joined the Twins out of last year's draft and got a brief taste of the minors with the the E-Twins. The 6-foot-1 right-handed pitcher only allowed two runs over 20.2 innings on the mound with 36 strikeouts. At this point he could be used as a starter or a relief pitcher but it seems like he might be destined for a relief role. He has only been a full-time pitcher since his last year in college so there are plenty of tweaks that he might have to undergo in the coming year to be as successful as he can be. Best Hitter (Upper Levels) - Joe Benson: Benson and Parmelee have followed each other through every level of the minor leagues so seeing Parmelee in the majors should drive him on the field. His time with the Twins last September was not perfect but he showed the speed and defensive ability that he had been touted for during his seasons in the minor leagues. He could get some more playing time with the big league team this year but it might be best for Benson to spend the whole year at Rochester to perfect his game. He could be ready to make a splash by the end of the year and he is an injury or two away from heading back to Minnesota. Best Hitter (Lower Levels) - Miguel Sano: During last season the combination of Sano and Eddie Rosario were a dynamic duo for Elizabethton. By season's end Rosario would receive many of the accolades in '11 and now it will be Sano's turn to show he deserves to be the organization's top prospect. Sano will be playing in his first full season league with the Snappers and there will be many eyes on him from across the baseball world. His raw power is what separates him from the rest of the pack and it could be an exciting season for Sano. Best Hitter (in EST) - Niko Goodrum: At the end of last year, Goodrum was playing well and the team is hopefully of continued success from him. He was a second round pick in 2010 so the team thinks highly of the young middle infielder. He played almost exclusively at shortstop last season and the Twins have struggled in recent years with developing middle infielders. His defense needs to improve for him to stick at shortstop but his big frame could become an asset in the long run. He showed more ability to take a walk last year and now it will be time to cut down on some of the strikeouts. The tools are there and he should be able to put it all together in 2012. Best Pitcher (Upper Levels) - Alex Wimmers: The best hope for the Twins is that his control problems are behind him. As stated previously, the organization needs some of their pitching prospects to be ready to enter the rotation next season. Liam Hendriks seems ready to take on this challenge and Kyle Gibson continues to recover so there is a lot of pressure on Mr. Wimmers. In his last start of the 2011 season, he showed he had the stuff to dominate by throwing a no-hitter. He should be in Rochester by the end of the year with his eyes set on fighting for a roster spot next year. Best Pitcher (Lower Levels) - Adrian Salcedo: He has one of the best arms in the lower levels of the Twins system and he should continue to be a workhorse as he moves through the minor leagues. Last year was his first year in a full season league and he put up very good numbers in Beliot. Now he will start the year in the Florida State League as part of a very strong pitching staff with the Miracle. He has room to add some weight to his frame and this could help him to add some velocity to his pitches. Salcedo pounds the strikezone and refuses to give up many walks so he already seems to fit the mold of the typical Twins pitcher. Best Pitcher (in EST)- Matthew Summers: Extended spring training is full of last year's draft class and Summers is an intriguing option moving forward. His unique delivery could make it hard for batters to adjust to what they are seeing on the mound. His last season in college he was outstanding at UC-Irvine by tossing 116 innings with a 2.02 ERA. His offspeed pitches will need to be honed in the coming year but he should have enought stuff to be successul in the rookie leagues. The Twins will hope that he continues to find sucess on the mound even though he hasn't been a starting pitcher for an extended period of time.

Original post from North Dakota Twins Fan With Opening Day later in the week, it is time for my annual predictions for the 2012 baseball season. It is always fun to sort through all of the teams, players, and divisions to find out who will be the best of the best in the coming year. There are always going to be surprises along the way like the Diamondbacks were in 2011. The edition of the new wild card spots in each league will also add some spice to the race for the playoffs in the 2012 season. Over the course of the week, I will release my picks from a variety of areas. For the National League and the American League, I will predict the division winners, the wild card teams, and the major award contenders. Later in the week I will focus on the Twins and decide who is going to stand out in the major and minor leagues. Here is the breakdown of the schedule for the week. Monday: 2012 American League Predictions Tuesday: 2012 National League Predictions Wednesday: 2012 Twins Awards Predictions Thursday: 2012 Twins Minor League Award Predictions Friday: Links-N-Thinks ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Each of the awards predicted below has been named after someone that optimizes that award for the Twins organization. There are some stars from the past and even one current MLB player, but all have had a significant place in Twins lore. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qwVK-jXvLZs/T3vHh3JVgpI/AAAAAAAABKo/-aIo95kI7HE/s320/MauerSpringTraining.jpg Harmon Killebrew MVP: Joe Mauer, C-1B-DH Runner-Up: Josh Willingham, LF Wild Card: Justin Morneau, DH 2011 Killebrew MVP: Michael Cuddyer, RF-1B-2B-P After a dreadful 2011 season, there is a chip on the shoulder of Mauer as he prepares for the 2012 campaign. He wants to prove to all of his doubters that last season was just an a blip on the radar of the outstanding career he is trying to put together. There is a good chance the Twins will try to get Mauer into the line-up as much as possible this year and that will mean more time at positions other than catcher. He brings the most value to the team when he is behind the plate but he is no use to the club when he is devastated by injuries from being a catcher. The Twins are going to win more contests when the manager can put a healthy Mauer into the middle of the line-up. He should return to being a top ten hitter in the American League and he could challenge for an unprecedented fourth batting title for a catcher. The Twins will also need players like Josh Willingham and Justing Morneau to be strong hitters in the middle of the order but the expectations are much higher for Mr. Mauer. He is being paid like one of the top players in the game and the former MVP should be able to strive for that level again in this year. For the Twins to rebound in 2012, they will need Mauer to be in top form and for him to be the leader of the club. Johan Santana Pitcher of the Year: Francisco Liriano, LHP Runner-Up: Scott Baker, RHP Wild Card: Liam Hendriks, RHP 2011 Santana Pitcher of the Year: Carl Pavano, RHP Last year was a rough year for many of the pitchers in the starting staff so it was hard to pick the best player out of all of the sub-par play. Many of the starting pitchers on the Twins are entering a contract year and the team is hoping this will bring out the best in the arms of their rotation. Liriano is one of the players that is pitching for his next contract and the Twins are still waiting on him to be the player they think he can be. At this point in his career, the dominant ace pitcher the Twins wanted from Liriano could be a figment of their imagination. But if there were any time to shine, it would be the year before he can test free agency for the first time in his life. In the offseason, Liriano pitched in the Dominican Winter League and the last time he was able to this he had a very successful season. The front office brass of the Twins is hoping to see more of the 2010 version of Liriano on the mound and he should glimpses of this in the spring. With injury concerns and age surrounding the other pitchers in the rotation, the Twins could be leaning hard on Liriano. This is a very scary proposition to many fans because of the inconsistencies he has shown in the past. If the team is successful in 2012, Liriano might have to become the ace of the staff. But if the Twins falter in the first half, Liriano could be a trade chip in July. Rick Aguilera Relief Pitcher of the Year: Brian Duensing, LHP Runner-Up: Glen Perkins, LHP Wild Card: Anthony Swarzak, RHP 2011 Aguilera Relief Pitcher of the Year: Glen Perkins, LHP The Twins tried to give Duensing a shot at being a starting pitcher for all of last year and that experiment didn't work out for the player or the team. He struggled to get right handed batters out and as a starter this is a critical task to accomplish on the mound. The Twins saw Glen Perkins, another lefty, burst onto the scene as the most consistent bullpen option for the team last year. Now the organization hopes to find similar success with Duensing shifting back into the role he had success with in the past. Perkins saw an increase in some of his velocity when he was shifted from starter to relief pitcher and the Twins can hope to see some improvements out of Duensing. The late innings seem to be set for the Twins with Matt Capps in line to get the closing opportunities and Perkins pitching as the set-up man. This could leave a handful of other players fighting for the 7th inning role. Duensing could fit into the middle to late innings very nicely and he could also be called upon to make a spot start at different points in the year. His versatility and comfort level as a bullpen arm should allow him to return to his former glory and reemerge one of the best options out of the bullpen. The team will need multiple arms to step-up this year for the team to be successful and Duensing is just one of the piece that could make this happen. Rod Carew Rookie of the Year: Chris Parmelee, 1B-RF-DH Runner-Up: Liam Hendriks, RHP Wild Card: Kyle Waldrop, RHP 2011 Carew Rookie of the Year: Ben Revere, CF-LF A couple of weeks ago, I was leaning toward some other options for my preseason pick as the Carew Rookie of the Year. Times have changed in Twins Territory and it looks like Parmelee could be here to stay with the 2012 Twins. A tremendous spring from Parmelee combined with Justin Morneau's move to DH has allowed the young man to start the season on the Twins 25-man roster. There is a good chance Parmelee will see a lot of time at first base but he has also shown some versatility with his ability to play right field. If Parmelee is going to be with the big league team, they are going to want him in the line-up for most games so his ability to play multiple position will help the manager put together the line-up. When the Twins called up Parmelee to make his debut last September, many fans had stopped paying attention to the Twins as they approached the 100-loss mark. Even though the fans might have given up on the year, Parmelee put up some numbers that caught the attention of those who were watching. He was able to hit for power with four home runs and six doubles in 76 at-bats but he also showed some patience by coaxing 12 walks. Parmelee has never played at the Triple-A level so it will be interesting to see how he handles his first full season with the team. His six years in the minor leagues were not nearly as good as the numbers he showed in September so the team needs more of the new and improved Parmelee to be a consistent hitter in the line-up.

Original post from North Dakota Twins Fan With Opening Day later in the week, it is time for my annual predictions for the 2012 baseball season. It is always fun to sort through all of the teams, players, and divisions to find out who will be the best of the best in the coming year. There are always going to be surprises along the way like the Diamondbacks were in 2011. The edition of the new wild card spots in each league will also add some spice to the race for the playoffs in the 2012 season. Over the course of the week, I will release my picks from a variety of areas. For the National League and the American League, I will predict the division winners, the wild card teams, and the major award contenders. Later in the week I will focus on the Twins and decide who is going to stand out in the major and minor leagues. Here is the breakdown of the schedule for the week. Monday: 2012 American League Predictions Tuesday: 2012 National League Predictions Wednesday: 2012 Twins Awards Predictions Thursday: 2012 Twins Minor League Award Predictions Friday: Links-N-Thinks ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Each of the awards predicted below has been named after someone that optimizes that award for the Twins organization. There are some stars from the past and even one current MLB player, but all have had a significant place in Twins lore. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qwVK-jXvLZs/T3vHh3JVgpI/AAAAAAAABKo/-aIo95kI7HE/s320/MauerSpringTraining.jpg Harmon Killebrew MVP: Joe Mauer, C-1B-DH Runner-Up: Josh Willingham, LF Wild Card: Justin Morneau, DH 2011 Killebrew MVP: Michael Cuddyer, RF-1B-2B-P After a dreadful 2011 season, there is a chip on the shoulder of Mauer as he prepares for the 2012 campaign. He wants to prove to all of his doubters that last season was just an a blip on the radar of the outstanding career he is trying to put together. There is a good chance the Twins will try to get Mauer into the line-up as much as possible this year and that will mean more time at positions other than catcher. He brings the most value to the team when he is behind the plate but he is no use to the club when he is devastated by injuries from being a catcher. The Twins are going to win more contests when the manager can put a healthy Mauer into the middle of the line-up. He should return to being a top ten hitter in the American League and he could challenge for an unprecedented fourth batting title for a catcher. The Twins will also need players like Josh Willingham and Justing Morneau to be strong hitters in the middle of the order but the expectations are much higher for Mr. Mauer. He is being paid like one of the top players in the game and the former MVP should be able to strive for that level again in this year. For the Twins to rebound in 2012, they will need Mauer to be in top form and for him to be the leader of the club. Johan Santana Pitcher of the Year: Francisco Liriano, LHP Runner-Up: Scott Baker, RHP Wild Card: Liam Hendriks, RHP 2011 Santana Pitcher of the Year: Carl Pavano, RHP Last year was a rough year for many of the pitchers in the starting staff so it was hard to pick the best player out of all of the sub-par play. Many of the starting pitchers on the Twins are entering a contract year and the team is hoping this will bring out the best in the arms of their rotation. Liriano is one of the players that is pitching for his next contract and the Twins are still waiting on him to be the player they think he can be. At this point in his career, the dominant ace pitcher the Twins wanted from Liriano could be a figment of their imagination. But if there were any time to shine, it would be the year before he can test free agency for the first time in his life. In the offseason, Liriano pitched in the Dominican Winter League and the last time he was able to this he had a very successful season. The front office brass of the Twins is hoping to see more of the 2010 version of Liriano on the mound and he should glimpses of this in the spring. With injury concerns and age surrounding the other pitchers in the rotation, the Twins could be leaning hard on Liriano. This is a very scary proposition to many fans because of the inconsistencies he has shown in the past. If the team is successful in 2012, Liriano might have to become the ace of the staff. But if the Twins falter in the first half, Liriano could be a trade chip in July. Rick Aguilera Relief Pitcher of the Year: Brian Duensing, LHP Runner-Up: Glen Perkins, LHP Wild Card: Anthony Swarzak, RHP 2011 Aguilera Relief Pitcher of the Year: Glen Perkins, LHP The Twins tried to give Duensing a shot at being a starting pitcher for all of last year and that experiment didn't work out for the player or the team. He struggled to get right handed batters out and as a starter this is a critical task to accomplish on the mound. The Twins saw Glen Perkins, another lefty, burst onto the scene as the most consistent bullpen option for the team last year. Now the organization hopes to find similar success with Duensing shifting back into the role he had success with in the past. Perkins saw an increase in some of his velocity when he was shifted from starter to relief pitcher and the Twins can hope to see some improvements out of Duensing. The late innings seem to be set for the Twins with Matt Capps in line to get the closing opportunities and Perkins pitching as the set-up man. This could leave a handful of other players fighting for the 7th inning role. Duensing could fit into the middle to late innings very nicely and he could also be called upon to make a spot start at different points in the year. His versatility and comfort level as a bullpen arm should allow him to return to his former glory and reemerge one of the best options out of the bullpen. The team will need multiple arms to step-up this year for the team to be successful and Duensing is just one of the piece that could make this happen. Rod Carew Rookie of the Year: Chris Parmelee, 1B-RF-DH Runner-Up: Liam Hendriks, RHP Wild Card: Kyle Waldrop, RHP 2011 Carew Rookie of the Year: Ben Revere, CF-LF A couple of weeks ago, I was leaning toward some other options for my preseason pick as the Carew Rookie of the Year. Times have changed in Twins Territory and it looks like Parmelee could be here to stay with the 2012 Twins. A tremendous spring from Parmelee combined with Justin Morneau's move to DH has allowed the young man to start the season on the Twins 25-man roster. There is a good chance Parmelee will see a lot of time at first base but he has also shown some versatility with his ability to play right field. If Parmelee is going to be with the big league team, they are going to want him in the line-up for most games so his ability to play multiple position will help the manager put together the line-up. When the Twins called up Parmelee to make his debut last September, many fans had stopped paying attention to the Twins as they approached the 100-loss mark. Even though the fans might have given up on the year, Parmelee put up some numbers that caught the attention of those who were watching. He was able to hit for power with four home runs and six doubles in 76 at-bats but he also showed some patience by coaxing 12 walks. Parmelee has never played at the Triple-A level so it will be interesting to see how he handles his first full season with the team. His six years in the minor leagues were not nearly as good as the numbers he showed in September so the team needs more of the new and improved Parmelee to be a consistent hitter in the line-up.