Kirsten Brown

The Twins hosted another Fan Forum phone call on Tuesday night, this time featuring closer Glen Perkins and catcher Kurt Suzuki. I took some notes, and I thought I'd kind-of, sort-of transcribe them. My usual caveat: keep in mind, I'm a horrible transcriptionist, my notes are hard to read, my hand cramped up halfway through, and my dog needed to be let out in the middle of it. All the questions and answers written here are rough estimations of what was really said, and most likely somewhat abbreviated. In other words, I apologize in advance for any mistakes in this. General impressions: Both Glen and Kurt sound like great guys who I would love to go have beers with. Of course, they answered every question as positively as they could, but they genuinely sounded like they were happy to be talking with fans. And I noticed that Glen said something about fishing in just about every answer he gave; it's hard to tell if he fishes too much, or not enough. I'm going to say that he'll say "not enough." Question for Glen: You stay in Minnesota all year-round, how was your winter? Glen's Answer: Cold! Coldest in memory, but it's a no-brainer to stay in Minnesota. Q for Kurt: You're from Hawaii and California. What's it like in Hawaii in the winter? Kurt's A: It's always the same: about 80-85, humid, sunshine. When it rains, it rains for 10 minutes. Paradise. Q for K: You're on a new team and taking over for Joe Mauer. Is he helping you prepare to work with a new pitching staff. K's A: Joe and I are locker mates. We have conversations daily about pitchers. Joe's a leader. It's never easy to replace someone. I have so much respect for his accomplishments. I'm glad I get to pick his brain and get to know the pitching staff. Q for G: How much will you miss having Joe as your catcher? G's A: Joe was great, but so far I'm very impressed with Kurt's pitch framing. I like throwing to him. He'll handle the staff well. It'll also be great to get Joe's bat in the lineup more often. Q for K: Does the fact that you faced Twins pitchers when you were with the A's help you know them now? K's A: Facing them helps a little, and you always have scouting reports. But it's important to get to know their personalities, who wants to be pumped up, who needs to be calmed down. Q for G: You're a veteran on the team. How does that affect your responsibility to help the younger guys? G's A: I'm glad to show the young guys and new guys that the Twins do things the right way, the Twins way. Doing this is on my shoulders. Q for K: How many offers did you get this off-season, and what was it about the Twins that made you want to sign here? K's A: There were some offers. I've always liked and respected the Twins organization. They do things the right way. It's a great team, great city, great fans. Q for G: You've made the transition from a starter to a closer. Is there a difference if your off-season preparation, both mentally and physically? G's A: Not much mentally -- I wasn't a very good starter, so I probably didn't have a starter mentality. But physically, I focus on being able to get ready faster. I don't have to worry about having the arm strength to throw 100 pitches, so I can work on being ready faster. Q for K: Last year the Twins hitters had a lot of strike outs. What are the coaches doing in Spring Training to reduce the number of strike outs this season? K's A: Not sure. The coaches do a great job of getting the guys ready. Strike outs happen. You try to reduce them, and there's a lot of talent in the room. Guys just have to stay within themselves, and good things will happen. Q for G: What does it feel like on Opening Day? G's A: Cold! Nah, it's awesome. It should be a national holiday. Even though it may be chilly, the grass is so green. The stands are full, and it's a fun, festive atmosphere. Q for K: How do you work out in the off-season? K's A: I play with my daughter -- lift her over my head and stuff. Just kidding. I do strength and conditioning programs. I condition like I'm preparing to play 162 games. As a catcher, I don't really expect to play 162 games, but you never know. Conditioning is a year-round process. Q for G: You got to experience the All Star Game last year. What was it like? And what do you think about it coming to Target Field this year? G's A: It was the experience of a lifetime. As a kid, you dream about standing next to the best players in the game. I hope I can do what it takes to make it back there this year with Target Field hosting it. Can't describe how cool it would be to play it at home. It was a great honor last year; being able to go when it's at Target Field would be infinitely better. Q for K: How are you dealing with the transition to a new team? K's A: There are challenges with leaving. I some experience with that when I went to Washington. Facing other teams helped me get to know hitters around the league. Q for G: There are two outs in the ninth inning. Who do you most fear facing? G's A: The hitter that makes me most uncomfortable is Miguel Cabrera. You never know what he's looking for and he's so strong he can hit just about anything. It's hard to know what to throw him. The hitter who hits me most is Carlos Santana from the Indians. I always seem to face him, and he seems to always get a hit off me. Q for K: How do you prepare for wear and tear on catchers, like we saw in Joe? K's A: It's tough, but you can't really tell with Joe's Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers. But you get foul balls off the mask, your knees wear out. It's tougher than it looks. Your legs go slowly grinding away. But it drives you to remain fresh. Q for G: How's the knee after your surgery this off-season? G's A: 100% It's great. A week after the surgery, I was out in a fishing boat, standing and balancing. I worked on the strength, and now it's an afterthought. It couldn't have gone any better. I injured it in July, but played through it. Q for K: What are your strengths and weaknesses? K's A: Defense first. I take pride in my defense. Last couple years have been a little tough offensively. I take pride in taking starters 7, 8 innings with no runs, and get to Perk with a lead. As a hitter, I like to put the bat on the ball, I won't strike out too much. I do love to hit. Q for G: What's it like to put on a Twins jersey every day? G's A: Awesome. It's an honor to put on the same uniform as the players I watched as a kid at the Metrodome -- Kirby, Hrbek, Jack Morris. I had a book as a kid about the Twins. Q for K: Who was your least favorite pitcher to catch? K's A: Henry Rodriguez. He threw 100 miles an hour straight into the ground. I would've hated to stand in the box against him, and he sure was hard to catch. Q for G: How did going to Stillwater High School help you become a Twin? G's A: That was a long time ago. The coaches there did a great job, but going to the University of Minnesota really helped me learn what it takes for a professional lifestyle. Q for K: What do you think about the new play at the plate rules? K's A: We'll have to see how it plays out so we can get more clarity on it. It won't really affect my game because I'm not the type of guy who blocked the plate. I'm not the biggest guy, so I always give a lane to the plate and try to make tag plays. Q for G: How do you feel about the guys who were gone and are now back? G's A: It's fun to have Bartlett and Kubel back. But I have a special friendship with Guerrier. It's exciting to have these guys back. Q for K: Do you talk with managers about motivating pitchers? K's A: I really prefer to talk player to player, getting to know the pitchers on a personal level. I like talking, hanging out, developing a bond, and also going out in game situations. Q for G: You played in the Metrodome as a Gopher and as a Twin. How do you feel about it being torn down? G's A: Sad. As a kid, I watched a lot of games there, and there was the spirit of all those great former players in the clubhouse. But Target Field is awesome, and playing baseball outside is awesome. It was time for it to go, but it's still sad. Q for K: Have you had a chance to catch any of the young Twins pitching prospects? How are they? K's A: Only Kyle Gibson so far. He's pretty good. Heavy sinker, nice slider. Could be devastating for hitters. I'm impressed. He'll be in a good battle for that 5th spot. Q for G: Do you have to adjust your mindset if you're asked to get 4 or 5 outs rather than 3? Also, is it different if you're facing the heart of the order rather than the bottom? G's A: You do have to adjust your mindset. [He made some fishing reference that I didn't understand -- something about going out to catch one kind of fish and actually catching another kind.] There's nothing like going out there with the game on the line, and you have to try to get yourself pumped up that much when you go in for longer. Q for both: What are meals like on game days? G's A: I'd prefer more fish [as in fish he caught]. I like chicken breast. And Chipotle. K's A: I like to mix it up. Sandwiches and stuff. I don't like to eat a lot on game days -- that makes me sleepy. I don't want to get too full. Q for both: Has Kurt razzed Glen yet about the homer he off you in college? G's A: I'll never forget that. That was huge it went into a pond outside the field or something like that. K's A: I hit that with my eyes closed. Just kidding. Glen mixes up his pitches really well, so you have to really focus to get a hit off him. I just focused on one. Q for G: Do you use sabermetrics and PitchFx to figure out how to pitch to hitters? G's A: I'd like to use that stuff for more fishing. Actually those things are more for players as a whole rather than for situational stuff. Scouting reports are better for pitch selection and situations. I love sabermetrics, but they're for bigger sample sizes. Q for both: What were your impressions on the expanded replay used the other day? K's A: Took too long. G's A: I was already off fishing by the time it happened. K's A continued: As a concept, I can see how you want to get the calls right, but it takes away the human element. Sometimes you need that so you can catch some breaks that will help you win games and get you to the playoffs. But you do want to get the calls right. We'll see how it plays out. However, in Target Field in April on a cold day if takes 2 1/2 minutes to make the call, players won't like that. G's A continued: I've always been pro-getting the call right. But Kurt makes a good point. I never thought about a cold day. My arm would get cold in a hurry if I have to stand there for 2 1/2 minutes. They got to do what they can to keep the game moving along. Q for K: With all the talk of concussions, what's been your experience? And what's your view on equipment and neck-strengthening exercises? K's A: I've never had major issues. I've had my bell rung a couple times. I don't know if there's anything to be done. You get 90mph pitches fouled off your facemask. It's part of the game. I guess that's why they call them tools of ignorance. Q for both: What's it like to work with great former players like Paul Molitor and Rod Carew as coaches? G's A: They have this calming influence. Honored to have great players parlay their experience into coaching. K's A: I'm in awe to talk to them on a daily basis. They've been there before, they've been through the ups and downs. They can talk about their successes. I'm blown away to have them around, they make you a better player. Q for K: What do you do when a young pitcher shakes you off? K's A: I'm not a fan of being adamant about my pitch selections, so I'll go talk to him to find out why he wants to throw what he wants to throw. There's no sense in making him throw something he doesn't want to. If he can't throw a pitch with conviction, it's no good to anybody. It makes all the difference in the world if his heart is in the pitch.

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog As expected, on March 22, the Twins placed Anthony Swarzak and Scott Diamond on the 15-day Disabled List. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KFwBaUCUB7E/UU5dEyvCL_I/AAAAAAAACH8/inQ2Qgz2NYA/s640/swarzakribs.png Anthony Swarzak was placed on the DL with cracked ribs suffered at the end of January while he was in Minnesota for TwinsFest. Apparently he and some teammates were goofing around, officially stated as "horseplay" but I'm guessing wrestling, and ouch. The Twins are bringing him along slowly, making sure he heals. It probably hurts with the twisting motion of pitching. He's been pitching some live batting practices. He's due back possibly mid-April. ~~~ http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLonsqEiqF4/UU5dHfgbRFI/AAAAAAAACIE/nizR8gQfXKA/s640/diamondelbow.png Scott Diamond was placed on the DL because he's still recovering from bone chip removal surgery in December. He heard a crack in his elbow while jumping rope for cardio exercise. The bone chips have probably been there awhile -- he suffered discomfort in 2007 -- and they shifted. He opted to have them removed now because the doctor informed him that they were close enough to his tendon that they might damage it, which might require Tommy John surgery in a couple of years. Even though it was arthroscopic surgery, and the Twins initially believed he'd be fine by Opening Day, he's had some setbacks and he needs more time. He's been pitching live batting practices and minor league games. He's due back possibly April 12. ~~~ Sources: Minnesota Twins: Anthony Swarzak blows up bats, moves closer to return Scott Diamond will begin the season the disabled list Twins' Scott Diamond enjoying brighter spring Injury Report

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog As expected, on March 22, the Twins placed Anthony Swarzak and Scott Diamond on the 15-day Disabled List. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KFwBaUCUB7E/UU5dEyvCL_I/AAAAAAAACH8/inQ2Qgz2NYA/s640/swarzakribs.png Anthony Swarzak was placed on the DL with cracked ribs suffered at the end of January while he was in Minnesota for TwinsFest. Apparently he and some teammates were goofing around, officially stated as "horseplay" but I'm guessing wrestling, and ouch. The Twins are bringing him along slowly, making sure he heals. It probably hurts with the twisting motion of pitching. He's been pitching some live batting practices. He's due back possibly mid-April. ~~~ http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLonsqEiqF4/UU5dHfgbRFI/AAAAAAAACIE/nizR8gQfXKA/s640/diamondelbow.png Scott Diamond was placed on the DL because he's still recovering from bone chip removal surgery in December. He heard a crack in his elbow while jumping rope for cardio exercise. The bone chips have probably been there awhile -- he suffered discomfort in 2007 -- and they shifted. He opted to have them removed now because the doctor informed him that they were close enough to his tendon that they might damage it, which might require Tommy John surgery in a couple of years. Even though it was arthroscopic surgery, and the Twins initially believed he'd be fine by Opening Day, he's had some setbacks and he needs more time. He's been pitching live batting practices and minor league games. He's due back possibly April 12. ~~~ Sources: Minnesota Twins: Anthony Swarzak blows up bats, moves closer to return Scott Diamond will begin the season the disabled list Twins' Scott Diamond enjoying brighter spring Injury Report

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog. The Twins conducted another Fan Form conference call for season-ticket holders, this time featuring new hitting coach Tom Brunansky and new bench and catchers' coach Terry Steinbach. I furiously scribbled notes as fast as a could so I can recap the call for you. As always, I'm pretty crappy at taking dictation, so please don't consider any of this true quotes, but rather regard it as paraphrases and general ideas. I apologize in advance if I get any of this wrong. Also, my phone rang a few moments after the call started, so I think I missed the first question. Does Joe Mauer have the capability to hit for more power? Response from Tom Brunansky: The Twins think he will. When you have a leg injury, you have doubt on the strength of the back leg. Now that his legs are healthy, he can generate more power. He's excited to start hitting because he feels good. What are the primary responsibilities of a bench coach (other than hoping Gardy doesn't get ejected)? Response from Terry Steinbach: Be Gardy's right hand man. Worry about matchups between your bench guys and the opponents bullpen. Worry about your bullpen and make sure the BP coach knows who should be warming up. Double check everything. Communicate. Be like a secondary manager (emphasis on secondary). Fans were sad when Bruno was traded. What brought him back to Minnesota? What's the draw? Bruno: I was sad too. The draw is that the Twins are a family. When I decided to come back to baseball, I only called Jim Rantz. When an opportunity opened up in the minors, I took it. I didn't know if I could handle it, but I worked everything out. Now I'm hoping to catch some of that same chemistry in the big leagues. Who has pleasantly surprised you the most? Steiny: The guys competing for outfield spots, Mastrioanni, Hicks, and Benson, have been really fun to watch. Hicks has opened a lot of eyes, not only with his hitting, but also with the way he patrols center field. He makes great jumps and covers a lot of ground. Bruno: Terry took my answer. Hicks is going about this opportunity in a great way. He carries himself well. Also, Pedro Florimon has been fun to watch play shortstop. He's been working on his offense. Dozier is also fun to watch. It's too bad we've missed watching some of the guys due to the WBC. How much input do you have on deciding which guys make the roster? Bruno: I'm a newbie, but Gardy asks my opinion and we discuss. Steiny: Gardy wants our opinion and wants to know what we think. We can give him input on both sides of a player: from the cages and from the practice fields. What's your perspective on how the starting rotation will fill out? Steiny: It's a work-in-progress. We've got Pelfrey, Worley, and Correia ready. There's a lot of healthy competition of the rest of the spots. There are 12 games left to figure that out. Bruno: I specialize in the hitting side, but I can see how opposing hitters approach our pitchers. A lot of guys are throwing well, they have to go grab it. What's the biggest change in the game since your playing days? Steiny: The social media. Everyone in the clubhouse is looking at their devices with their Tweeter [sic] accounts and stuff. But once they leave that on the sidelines, the game is still the same. Fundamentals are still important. Bruno: The game itself is the same, with an emphasis on fundamentals. But I think the biggest change is the training staff, and conditioning. There's more emphasis on nutrition and diet. When I played, I always grabbed a cup of coffee and a donut. Now there's even sports psychologists. If the weather doesn't warm up soon, how will the cold affect the game on Opening Day? Bruno: No matter the weather, I'm nice and warm next to the heater in the dugout. I feel bad for Vav [Joe Vavra, third-base coach] and Scotty [ullger, first-base coach] out there. The players bundle up to stay warm, but it's harder to move around or swing the bat. The ball doesn't carry as well. And, as a hitter, if a pitcher gets in on the hands, it hurts. Steiny: A lot of it is mental; if you believe you're cold and miserable, then you'll be cold and miserable. But, if you go out there with a winning attitude, you're more apt to play well. Being a catcher has it's drawbacks, but it's great being a catcher on cold days with all the gear and working to keep you warm. Do you think Trevor Plouffe is able to become a consistent power hitter? Bruno: Absolutely! A good power hitter puts back spin on the ball. Trevor became a little pull-conscious and didn't adjust. He's been working on it all off-season. His plate coverage is better. And he's beginning to believe it. As much as fans appreciate manufacturing runs, is this going to be a more power-hitting club? Bruno: Hitting homers at the Dome was fun and it happened often. Target Field isn't as conducive for hitting homers. We're trying to encourage creating damage. Creating damage happens many ways: hitting to the gap, get extra-base hits. They still like reaching the seats, but it's about creating damage. Will the club carry three catchers again? If not, who can do it in an emergency? Steiny: We have had discussions about this, it's ultimately up to Gardy. With three, if one's starting at catcher and the other is at DH, there's another one available if one gets hurt. With two, if one's starting and the other's at DH, an one gets hurt, either you lose your DH and the pitchers have to hit, or someone comes in as an emergency catcher. Jeff Clement was drafted as a catcher, so he could do it. Escobar can do it do. Having these guys available keeps the options open. How's Brain Dozier coming along? Bruno: When he was sent down to Rochester last season, he was a lost ballplayer. The game had become too quick for him. I told him "just remember who you are." During the off-season, he went back to the basics. He was on his back leg too much. I want him to be an aggressive hitter, to drive the ball and hit the gaps. I don't want him to swing meekly; he should let loose. Caller saw Bruno with Morneau hitting off a tee. What were they working on? Bruno: Tee work is good for youngsters, but it's also very good for veterans. They were working on getting the feel of working on the back side and flattening the back swing until he gets a consistent feel. Then we'll move the tee out a little to get used to the feel of pulling the ball. They use all kinds of tee drills, depending on the players. With Joe Mauer, we work on the feel of his legs. With Brain Dozier, its the feel of his follow through. How confident are you with the infield defense? Steiny: A key aspect of Twins baseball has let them down the last few years. Florimon has improved at short. And Dozier moving to second has made a very healthy competition with Carroll. Every morning, they go to Tom Kelly field and work on fielding drills. They also make the pitchers watch so they can learn how the defense behind them will work. What's Joe Mauer's value at calling games and handling the pitching staff? Steiny: Joe absolutely has an impact on the pitchers and the outcome of the game. He has tremendous experience, and he's very good back there. We want him back there as much as he can be, but to keep him healthy, he can't be back there every day -- no catcher can. You just can't catch 162 games. So we'll try to make matchups accordingly and put Doumit in there when it works out. But Joe's fantastic. Bruno: I think the two toughest positions are bench hitter and designated hitter. Most hitters do better when they can play out in the field. So we want Joe out in the field as much as possible. Do you worry about the results of Spring Training games? Bruno: I don't pay attention to win/loss records in Spring Training. I want the players to develop every day. Sometime a pitcher might be working on stuff, so we don't regard wins and losses. We still play to win so we feel like we're a winning team. Steiny: We want to find out what the veterans need: some like to ramp up towards Opening Day, some guys like to dial it back towards the end of Spring Training. Plus with so many guys in camp, there are a lot of guys to evaluate, and they have to play. We want a winning attitude and the guys want to win. Joe Mauer is a special hitter. What separates special hitters from good hitters? Bruno: The best hitters, like Joe, make hitting look so easy. And that's saying something. First, they have a gift, but they also keep it simple. They have simple mechanics. There isn't a lot of stress. They also trust their ability. Confidence is key. Steiny: They have to have the ability. They find a way to get it done. They can do so much with the bat. Great hitters don't get nervous regardless of the count. They trust themselves. What kind of power potential do you see in Hicks and Parmelee? Bruno: Hicks is a switch hitter. He has a good, strong core. Good base. I see 10-20 homers until he learns his true potential. Parmelee is a little more advanced, 15-25 homer potential. [He said a whole bunch more good stuff about both players, but he was talking so fast, I couldn't keep up.] What are the differences in the mental approach for someone like Willingham and someone like Florimon? Bruno: It's a different approach with each. For expample, if there's a runner at second, we're not going to ask Hammer to ground out on the right side to move the runner over. His approach is always going to be the same -- drive the ball. With Florimon, he may have to shorten his swing and avoid high pitches in order to get the grounder to move runners over. He's getting better with his command of the strike zone. Asked again: what does the bench coach do? Steiny: [Pretty much the same answer as before.] Also, keep track of the opponent's running game. Decide when to call a pitch out or a throw over to first. You both took over for guys who are still with the team. How's that going? Steiny: I'm the new kid on the block, so I'm doing everything I can to tap into these guys and use them as a resource. We're good friends. I'm always asking for advice. The key is we all check our egos at the door. We always learn. Everyone wants to win. Bruno: Yes, we check our egos at the door. We work as a staff. We use them as resources. They're different eyes, different points of view. They will be watching from the bases. We're all watching batting practice and communicating. We're pretty well bonded.

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog. The Twins conducted another Fan Form conference call for season-ticket holders, this time featuring new hitting coach Tom Brunansky and new bench and catchers' coach Terry Steinbach. I furiously scribbled notes as fast as a could so I can recap the call for you. As always, I'm pretty crappy at taking dictation, so please don't consider any of this true quotes, but rather regard it as paraphrases and general ideas. I apologize in advance if I get any of this wrong. Also, my phone rang a few moments after the call started, so I think I missed the first question. Does Joe Mauer have the capability to hit for more power? Response from Tom Brunansky: The Twins think he will. When you have a leg injury, you have doubt on the strength of the back leg. Now that his legs are healthy, he can generate more power. He's excited to start hitting because he feels good. What are the primary responsibilities of a bench coach (other than hoping Gardy doesn't get ejected)? Response from Terry Steinbach: Be Gardy's right hand man. Worry about matchups between your bench guys and the opponents bullpen. Worry about your bullpen and make sure the BP coach knows who should be warming up. Double check everything. Communicate. Be like a secondary manager (emphasis on secondary). Fans were sad when Bruno was traded. What brought him back to Minnesota? What's the draw? Bruno: I was sad too. The draw is that the Twins are a family. When I decided to come back to baseball, I only called Jim Rantz. When an opportunity opened up in the minors, I took it. I didn't know if I could handle it, but I worked everything out. Now I'm hoping to catch some of that same chemistry in the big leagues. Who has pleasantly surprised you the most? Steiny: The guys competing for outfield spots, Mastrioanni, Hicks, and Benson, have been really fun to watch. Hicks has opened a lot of eyes, not only with his hitting, but also with the way he patrols center field. He makes great jumps and covers a lot of ground. Bruno: Terry took my answer. Hicks is going about this opportunity in a great way. He carries himself well. Also, Pedro Florimon has been fun to watch play shortstop. He's been working on his offense. Dozier is also fun to watch. It's too bad we've missed watching some of the guys due to the WBC. How much input do you have on deciding which guys make the roster? Bruno: I'm a newbie, but Gardy asks my opinion and we discuss. Steiny: Gardy wants our opinion and wants to know what we think. We can give him input on both sides of a player: from the cages and from the practice fields. What's your perspective on how the starting rotation will fill out? Steiny: It's a work-in-progress. We've got Pelfrey, Worley, and Correia ready. There's a lot of healthy competition of the rest of the spots. There are 12 games left to figure that out. Bruno: I specialize in the hitting side, but I can see how opposing hitters approach our pitchers. A lot of guys are throwing well, they have to go grab it. What's the biggest change in the game since your playing days? Steiny: The social media. Everyone in the clubhouse is looking at their devices with their Tweeter [sic] accounts and stuff. But once they leave that on the sidelines, the game is still the same. Fundamentals are still important. Bruno: The game itself is the same, with an emphasis on fundamentals. But I think the biggest change is the training staff, and conditioning. There's more emphasis on nutrition and diet. When I played, I always grabbed a cup of coffee and a donut. Now there's even sports psychologists. If the weather doesn't warm up soon, how will the cold affect the game on Opening Day? Bruno: No matter the weather, I'm nice and warm next to the heater in the dugout. I feel bad for Vav [Joe Vavra, third-base coach] and Scotty [ullger, first-base coach] out there. The players bundle up to stay warm, but it's harder to move around or swing the bat. The ball doesn't carry as well. And, as a hitter, if a pitcher gets in on the hands, it hurts. Steiny: A lot of it is mental; if you believe you're cold and miserable, then you'll be cold and miserable. But, if you go out there with a winning attitude, you're more apt to play well. Being a catcher has it's drawbacks, but it's great being a catcher on cold days with all the gear and working to keep you warm. Do you think Trevor Plouffe is able to become a consistent power hitter? Bruno: Absolutely! A good power hitter puts back spin on the ball. Trevor became a little pull-conscious and didn't adjust. He's been working on it all off-season. His plate coverage is better. And he's beginning to believe it. As much as fans appreciate manufacturing runs, is this going to be a more power-hitting club? Bruno: Hitting homers at the Dome was fun and it happened often. Target Field isn't as conducive for hitting homers. We're trying to encourage creating damage. Creating damage happens many ways: hitting to the gap, get extra-base hits. They still like reaching the seats, but it's about creating damage. Will the club carry three catchers again? If not, who can do it in an emergency? Steiny: We have had discussions about this, it's ultimately up to Gardy. With three, if one's starting at catcher and the other is at DH, there's another one available if one gets hurt. With two, if one's starting and the other's at DH, an one gets hurt, either you lose your DH and the pitchers have to hit, or someone comes in as an emergency catcher. Jeff Clement was drafted as a catcher, so he could do it. Escobar can do it do. Having these guys available keeps the options open. How's Brain Dozier coming along? Bruno: When he was sent down to Rochester last season, he was a lost ballplayer. The game had become too quick for him. I told him "just remember who you are." During the off-season, he went back to the basics. He was on his back leg too much. I want him to be an aggressive hitter, to drive the ball and hit the gaps. I don't want him to swing meekly; he should let loose. Caller saw Bruno with Morneau hitting off a tee. What were they working on? Bruno: Tee work is good for youngsters, but it's also very good for veterans. They were working on getting the feel of working on the back side and flattening the back swing until he gets a consistent feel. Then we'll move the tee out a little to get used to the feel of pulling the ball. They use all kinds of tee drills, depending on the players. With Joe Mauer, we work on the feel of his legs. With Brain Dozier, its the feel of his follow through. How confident are you with the infield defense? Steiny: A key aspect of Twins baseball has let them down the last few years. Florimon has improved at short. And Dozier moving to second has made a very healthy competition with Carroll. Every morning, they go to Tom Kelly field and work on fielding drills. They also make the pitchers watch so they can learn how the defense behind them will work. What's Joe Mauer's value at calling games and handling the pitching staff? Steiny: Joe absolutely has an impact on the pitchers and the outcome of the game. He has tremendous experience, and he's very good back there. We want him back there as much as he can be, but to keep him healthy, he can't be back there every day -- no catcher can. You just can't catch 162 games. So we'll try to make matchups accordingly and put Doumit in there when it works out. But Joe's fantastic. Bruno: I think the two toughest positions are bench hitter and designated hitter. Most hitters do better when they can play out in the field. So we want Joe out in the field as much as possible. Do you worry about the results of Spring Training games? Bruno: I don't pay attention to win/loss records in Spring Training. I want the players to develop every day. Sometime a pitcher might be working on stuff, so we don't regard wins and losses. We still play to win so we feel like we're a winning team. Steiny: We want to find out what the veterans need: some like to ramp up towards Opening Day, some guys like to dial it back towards the end of Spring Training. Plus with so many guys in camp, there are a lot of guys to evaluate, and they have to play. We want a winning attitude and the guys want to win. Joe Mauer is a special hitter. What separates special hitters from good hitters? Bruno: The best hitters, like Joe, make hitting look so easy. And that's saying something. First, they have a gift, but they also keep it simple. They have simple mechanics. There isn't a lot of stress. They also trust their ability. Confidence is key. Steiny: They have to have the ability. They find a way to get it done. They can do so much with the bat. Great hitters don't get nervous regardless of the count. They trust themselves. What kind of power potential do you see in Hicks and Parmelee? Bruno: Hicks is a switch hitter. He has a good, strong core. Good base. I see 10-20 homers until he learns his true potential. Parmelee is a little more advanced, 15-25 homer potential. [He said a whole bunch more good stuff about both players, but he was talking so fast, I couldn't keep up.] What are the differences in the mental approach for someone like Willingham and someone like Florimon? Bruno: It's a different approach with each. For expample, if there's a runner at second, we're not going to ask Hammer to ground out on the right side to move the runner over. His approach is always going to be the same -- drive the ball. With Florimon, he may have to shorten his swing and avoid high pitches in order to get the grounder to move runners over. He's getting better with his command of the strike zone. Asked again: what does the bench coach do? Steiny: [Pretty much the same answer as before.] Also, keep track of the opponent's running game. Decide when to call a pitch out or a throw over to first. You both took over for guys who are still with the team. How's that going? Steiny: I'm the new kid on the block, so I'm doing everything I can to tap into these guys and use them as a resource. We're good friends. I'm always asking for advice. The key is we all check our egos at the door. We always learn. Everyone wants to win. Bruno: Yes, we check our egos at the door. We work as a staff. We use them as resources. They're different eyes, different points of view. They will be watching from the bases. We're all watching batting practice and communicating. We're pretty well bonded.

Originally posted at kbro's baseball blog We all had a good chuckle (and by "chuckle," I mean "eye-roll") when we heard that Anthony Swarzak cracked a couple ribs when he and a teammate engaged in what the team officially calls "horseplay." Now, we're hearing that Scott Diamond's bone chips -- you know, the ones that required surgery in December -- occurred because he was jumping rope. It makes one wonder whether players participating in common children's activities is perhaps unlucky. Fortunately, I am not the only one who is concerned by this. We here at k-bro's baseball blog have been granted exclusive access to the following directive.* To: All Minnesota Twins Players and Prospects From: The Minnesota Twins Training and Medical Staff Re: Off-field Hazards It has come to our attention that some players are engaging in risky behavior which has potential to result in injury. In order to mitigate this risk, we have deemed it necessary to mandate that the following activities and items are forbidden unless properly supervised by a member of the coaching or training staff. Wrestling, tickling, tag, ghost in the graveyard, and other horseplay. It's all fun and games until someone cracks his ribs. Jump rope, double-dutch, hopscotch, dodge ball, may poles, and other playground equipment. Again, it's all fun and games until someone needs bone chips removed. LEGO® bricks, Hot Wheels® cars, Barbie® doll shoes, jacks, and other tiny items. You don't know true debilitating pain until have stepped on one of these items. Also, imagine the beat-down you'd get if Gardy stepped on one of these and found out you left it on the floor. Nerf guns, darts, Red Ryder BB guns, tracer guns, bows and arrows, and other means to launch projectiles. It's a sure thing that if you play with these, you'll shoot your eye out. Water balloons, squirt guns, water pistols, bubbles, super soakers, and other means to make the floors slippery (celebratory champagne exempted). Wet floors can cause slips and falls which endanger tailbones. Video games, hand-held game devices, and other practically useless devices. Nothing irritates tendons and ligaments like repetitive stress disorders. Paper airplanes, coloring books, paper dolls, and other things with sharp edges. These things can cause paper cuts that can get seriously infected. Besides, if you play with a paper doll of yourself, that means you're already injured. We here on the training staff are certain that these preventative measures will help ensure an injury-free season. So there you have it. *Special thanks to Betsy and Babs for their help in obtaining this information.

Originally posted at kbro's baseball blog We all had a good chuckle (and by "chuckle," I mean "eye-roll") when we heard that Anthony Swarzak cracked a couple ribs when he and a teammate engaged in what the team officially calls "horseplay." Now, we're hearing that Scott Diamond's bone chips -- you know, the ones that required surgery in December -- occurred because he was jumping rope. It makes one wonder whether players participating in common children's activities is perhaps unlucky. Fortunately, I am not the only one who is concerned by this. We here at k-bro's baseball blog have been granted exclusive access to the following directive.* To: All Minnesota Twins Players and Prospects From: The Minnesota Twins Training and Medical Staff Re: Off-field Hazards It has come to our attention that some players are engaging in risky behavior which has potential to result in injury. In order to mitigate this risk, we have deemed it necessary to mandate that the following activities and items are forbidden unless properly supervised by a member of the coaching or training staff. Wrestling, tickling, tag, ghost in the graveyard, and other horseplay. It's all fun and games until someone cracks his ribs. Jump rope, double-dutch, hopscotch, dodge ball, may poles, and other playground equipment. Again, it's all fun and games until someone needs bone chips removed. LEGO® bricks, Hot Wheels® cars, Barbie® doll shoes, jacks, and other tiny items. You don't know true debilitating pain until have stepped on one of these items. Also, imagine the beat-down you'd get if Gardy stepped on one of these and found out you left it on the floor. Nerf guns, darts, Red Ryder BB guns, tracer guns, bows and arrows, and other means to launch projectiles. It's a sure thing that if you play with these, you'll shoot your eye out. Water balloons, squirt guns, water pistols, bubbles, super soakers, and other means to make the floors slippery (celebratory champagne exempted). Wet floors can cause slips and falls which endanger tailbones. Video games, hand-held game devices, and other practically useless devices. Nothing irritates tendons and ligaments like repetitive stress disorders. Paper airplanes, coloring books, paper dolls, and other things with sharp edges. These things can cause paper cuts that can get seriously infected. Besides, if you play with a paper doll of yourself, that means you're already injured. We here on the training staff are certain that these preventative measures will help ensure an injury-free season. So there you have it. *Special thanks to Betsy and Babs for their help in obtaining this information.

Yes. You are right. I mistakenly looked at the ticket sales page instead of the schedule page. Their first home game is the 24th. I'll fix the post. Thanks for catching that.

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog In less than a week, the Twins will officially open Spring Training camp. As of now, 66 players are expected to be there: 34 pitchers, 9 catchers (a lot of catchers needed for a lot of pitchers), 13 infielders, and 10 outfielders. There are a lot of bodies (I imagine the locker room might be a tad crowded), but there are also a lot of holes from 2012 to be filled. By the end of it, there will be 25 men ready to head north and face the Tigers on April 1. Now, if you're as tired as I am of this miserable winter, you're really looking forward to listening to the Spring Training games once they start on February 23 (you may be especially excited if you're in the Twin Cities area because now that the radio broadcasts will be on FM you can finally get radio reception at work). So I've wrote up this handy-dandy list of all the names you'll hear. 40-Man Roster: These are the guys most likely to land on the big league club. And those who don't will likely be next in line in case of injury or ineffectiveness. A few guys are on the 40-man simply because the front office wants to protect their future with the team -- removing them from the 40-man roster would expose them to waivers. Guys We Know and Love (Maybe) Alex Burnett. RHP. Age 25. 2012: 67 games for the Twins. Jared Burton. RHP. Age 31. 2012: 64 games for the Twins. Drew Butera. C. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings and 42 games for the Twins. Jamey Carroll. IF. Age 38. 2012: 138 games for the Twins. Scott Diamond. LHP. Age 26. 2012: Red Wings and 27 starts for the Twins. Ryan Doumit. C/DH. Age 31. 2012: 134 games for the Twins. Brian Dozier. IF. Age 25. 2012: Red Wings and 84 games for the Twins. Brian Duensing. LHP. Age 25. 2012: 55 games (11 starts) for the Twins. Joe Mauer. C. Age 29. 2012: 147 games for the Twins. Justin Morneau. 1B. Age 31. 2012: 134 games for the Twins. Glen Perkins. LHP. Age 29. 2012: 70 games for the Twins. Trevor Plouffe. 3B. Age 26. 2012: Red Wings and 119 games for the Twins. Anthony Swarzak. RHP. Age 27. 2012: 44 games (5 starts) for the Twins. Will miss time due to cracked ribs. Josh Willingham. LF. Age 33. 2012: 145 games for the Twins. Guys We Kind of Know As Long As We Didn't Stop Paying Attention Last Season Cole DeVries. RHP. Age 27. 2012: Red Wings and 17 games (16 starts) for the Twins. Eduardo Escobar. SS. Age 24. 2012: Red Wings, 36 games for the White Sox, and 14 games for the Twins. Acquired in the Liriano trade. Casey Fien. RHP. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings and 35 games for the Twins. Pedro Florimon. SS. Age 26. 2012: Rock Cats, Red Wings, and 43 games for the Twins. Liam Hendriks. RHP. Age 23. 2012: Red Wings and 16 starts for the Twins. Chris Herrmann. C. Age 25. 2012: Rock Cats and 7 games for the Twins. Darin Mastroianni. OF. Age 27. 2012: Rock Cats, Red Wings, and 77 games for the Twins. Chris Parmelee. 1B/RF. Age 24. 2012: Red Wings and 64 games for the Twins. Tyler Robertson. LHP. Age 25. 2012: Red Wings and 40 games for the Twins. Guys From The Twins Minors Oswaldo Arcia. OF. Age 21. 2012: Miracle and Rock Cats. #93 of MLB's top 100 prospects. Joe Benson. OF. Age 24. 2012: GCL Twins, Miracle, Rock Cats, Red Wings (rehabbing injuries much of the season). Kyle Gibson. RHP. Age 25. 2012: rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. #49 in MLB's top 100 prospects. B.J Hermsen. RHP. Age 23. 2012: Miracle and Rock Cats. Pedro Hernandez. LHP. Age 23. 2012: AA and AAA of the White Sox organization, Red Wings. Acquired in the Liriano trade. Aaron Hicks. OF. Age 23. 2012: Rock Cats. #98 in MLB's top 100 prospects. Josmil Pinto. C. Age 23. 2012: Miracle and Rock Cats. Daniel Santana. IF. Age 22. 2012: Miracle. Caleb Thielbar. LHP. Age 26. 2012: Miracle, Rock Cats, and Red Wings. Michael Tonkin. LHP. Age 23. 2012: Snappers and Miracle. Guys We Know If We Paid Attention to Other Teams Kevin Correia. RHP. Age 32. 2012: 32 games (28 starts) for the Pirates. Signed as a free agent. Mike Pelfrey. RHP. Age 29. 2012: rehabbing from Tommy John surgery (with the Mets). Signed as a free agent. Vance Worley. RHP. Age 25. 2012: 23 games for the Phillies. Acquired in the Revere trade from the Phillies. Guys We Probably Don't Know But We Want to Welcome to the Twins Organization Trevor May. RHP. Age 23. 2012: AA in Phillies system. Acquired in Revere trade from the Phillies. Ryan Pressly. RHP. Age 24. 2012: A+ and AA in Red Sox system. Rule 5 draft from the Red Sox. Josh Roenicke. RHP. Age 30. 2012: 63 games for the Rockies. Claimed off waivers from the Rockies. Tim Wood. RHP. Age 30. 2012: AAA or Pirates system. Signed as a minor-league free agent. Non-Roster Invitees: While it's more likely that 40-man guys will break camp with the big-league club, these guys have earned the right to try to impress the decision-makers. A quick paperwork effort would make any of these guys a Twin. I predict one or two of these guys will impress enough to make it -- Jared Burton did it last year. Guys We Know and Love (Maybe) Nick Blackburn. RHP. Age 30. 2012: Red Wings and Twins. Will miss time due to wrist surgery. Guys We Know If We Didn't Stop Paying Attention Last Season Samuel Deduno. RHP. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings and Twins. Lester Oliveros. RHP. Age 24. 2012: Rock Cats, Red Wings, and Twins. Luis Perdomo. RHP. Age 28. 2012: Rock Cats, Red Wings, and Twins. Clete Thomas. OF. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings and Twins. Esmerling Vasquez. RHP. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings and Twins. P.J. Walters. RHP. Age 27. 2012: Red Wings and Twins. Guys From The Twins Minors James Beresford. IF. Age 24. 2012: Rock Cats. Chris Colabello. 1B. Age 29. 2012: Rock Cats. Brian Dinkelman. OF. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings. Deolis Guerra. RHP. Age 23. 2012: Rock Cats and Red Wings. Kyle Knudson. C. Age 25. 2012: Snappers and Miracle. Danny Lehmann. C. Age 27. 2012: Rock Cats and Red Wings. Shairon Martis. RHP. Age 25. 2012: AA and AAA between Pirates and Twins systems. Wilkin Ramirez. OF. Age 27. 2012: Miracle, Rock Cats, and Red Wings. Dan Rohlfing. C. Age 23. 2012: Miracle and Rock Cats. Deibinson Romero. 3B. Age 26. 2012: Rock Cats. Anthony Slama. RHP. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings. Guys We Know If We Pay Attention to Other Teams Rich Harden. RHP. Age 31. 2012: Injured (A's). Signed as a minor-league free agent. Guys We Probably Don't Know But We Want to Welcome to the Twins Organization Bryan Augenstein. RHP. Age 26. 2012: AAA of Rays system. Signed as a minor-league free agent. Brandon Boggs. LF. Age 30. 2012: AAA of Pirates system. Signed as a minor-league free agent. Jeff Clement. 1B. Age 29. 2012: AAA and Pirates. Signed as a minor-league free agent. Eric Fryer. C. Age 27. 2012: AAA and Pirates. Signed as a minor-league free agent. Alex Meyer. RHP. Age 23. 2012: A and A+ of Nationals system. Acquired in the Span trade from the Nationals. #40 in MLB's top 100 prospects. Ray Olmedo. 3B. Age 31. 2012: AAA of White Sox system. Signed as minor-league free agent. Mark Sobolewski. 3B. Age 26. 2012: AA and AAA in Blue Jays system. Rule 5 draft from Blue Jays. Goners: Don't be looking for these guys. They're not going to be there. Scott Baker. RHP. Signed with the Cubs. Matt Capps. RHP. Signed a minor-league deal with the Indians. Matt Carson. OF. Signed with the Indians. Alexi Casilla. IF. Claimed off waivers by Orioles. Carlos Gutierrez. RHP. Claimed off waivers by Cubs. Jeff Manship. RHP. Signed with the Rockies. Tsuyoshi Nishioka. IF. Granted unconditional release and signed with a team in Japan. Carl Pavano. RHP. Unsigned free agent. Recovering from a splenectomy. Ben Revere. OF. Traded to Phillies. Denard Span. OF. Traded to Nationals. Kyle Waldrop. RHP. Signed with the Phillies.

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog In less than a week, the Twins will officially open Spring Training camp. As of now, 66 players are expected to be there: 34 pitchers, 9 catchers (a lot of catchers needed for a lot of pitchers), 13 infielders, and 10 outfielders. There are a lot of bodies (I imagine the locker room might be a tad crowded), but there are also a lot of holes from 2012 to be filled. By the end of it, there will be 25 men ready to head north and face the Tigers on April 1. Now, if you're as tired as I am of this miserable winter, you're really looking forward to listening to the Spring Training games once they start on February 23 (you may be especially excited if you're in the Twin Cities area because now that the radio broadcasts will be on FM you can finally get radio reception at work). So I've wrote up this handy-dandy list of all the names you'll hear. 40-Man Roster: These are the guys most likely to land on the big league club. And those who don't will likely be next in line in case of injury or ineffectiveness. A few guys are on the 40-man simply because the front office wants to protect their future with the team -- removing them from the 40-man roster would expose them to waivers. Guys We Know and Love (Maybe) Alex Burnett. RHP. Age 25. 2012: 67 games for the Twins. Jared Burton. RHP. Age 31. 2012: 64 games for the Twins. Drew Butera. C. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings and 42 games for the Twins. Jamey Carroll. IF. Age 38. 2012: 138 games for the Twins. Scott Diamond. LHP. Age 26. 2012: Red Wings and 27 starts for the Twins. Ryan Doumit. C/DH. Age 31. 2012: 134 games for the Twins. Brian Dozier. IF. Age 25. 2012: Red Wings and 84 games for the Twins. Brian Duensing. LHP. Age 25. 2012: 55 games (11 starts) for the Twins. Joe Mauer. C. Age 29. 2012: 147 games for the Twins. Justin Morneau. 1B. Age 31. 2012: 134 games for the Twins. Glen Perkins. LHP. Age 29. 2012: 70 games for the Twins. Trevor Plouffe. 3B. Age 26. 2012: Red Wings and 119 games for the Twins. Anthony Swarzak. RHP. Age 27. 2012: 44 games (5 starts) for the Twins. Will miss time due to cracked ribs. Josh Willingham. LF. Age 33. 2012: 145 games for the Twins. Guys We Kind of Know As Long As We Didn't Stop Paying Attention Last Season Cole DeVries. RHP. Age 27. 2012: Red Wings and 17 games (16 starts) for the Twins. Eduardo Escobar. SS. Age 24. 2012: Red Wings, 36 games for the White Sox, and 14 games for the Twins. Acquired in the Liriano trade. Casey Fien. RHP. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings and 35 games for the Twins. Pedro Florimon. SS. Age 26. 2012: Rock Cats, Red Wings, and 43 games for the Twins. Liam Hendriks. RHP. Age 23. 2012: Red Wings and 16 starts for the Twins. Chris Herrmann. C. Age 25. 2012: Rock Cats and 7 games for the Twins. Darin Mastroianni. OF. Age 27. 2012: Rock Cats, Red Wings, and 77 games for the Twins. Chris Parmelee. 1B/RF. Age 24. 2012: Red Wings and 64 games for the Twins. Tyler Robertson. LHP. Age 25. 2012: Red Wings and 40 games for the Twins. Guys From The Twins Minors Oswaldo Arcia. OF. Age 21. 2012: Miracle and Rock Cats. #93 of MLB's top 100 prospects. Joe Benson. OF. Age 24. 2012: GCL Twins, Miracle, Rock Cats, Red Wings (rehabbing injuries much of the season). Kyle Gibson. RHP. Age 25. 2012: rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. #49 in MLB's top 100 prospects. B.J Hermsen. RHP. Age 23. 2012: Miracle and Rock Cats. Pedro Hernandez. LHP. Age 23. 2012: AA and AAA of the White Sox organization, Red Wings. Acquired in the Liriano trade. Aaron Hicks. OF. Age 23. 2012: Rock Cats. #98 in MLB's top 100 prospects. Josmil Pinto. C. Age 23. 2012: Miracle and Rock Cats. Daniel Santana. IF. Age 22. 2012: Miracle. Caleb Thielbar. LHP. Age 26. 2012: Miracle, Rock Cats, and Red Wings. Michael Tonkin. LHP. Age 23. 2012: Snappers and Miracle. Guys We Know If We Paid Attention to Other Teams Kevin Correia. RHP. Age 32. 2012: 32 games (28 starts) for the Pirates. Signed as a free agent. Mike Pelfrey. RHP. Age 29. 2012: rehabbing from Tommy John surgery (with the Mets). Signed as a free agent. Vance Worley. RHP. Age 25. 2012: 23 games for the Phillies. Acquired in the Revere trade from the Phillies. Guys We Probably Don't Know But We Want to Welcome to the Twins Organization Trevor May. RHP. Age 23. 2012: AA in Phillies system. Acquired in Revere trade from the Phillies. Ryan Pressly. RHP. Age 24. 2012: A+ and AA in Red Sox system. Rule 5 draft from the Red Sox. Josh Roenicke. RHP. Age 30. 2012: 63 games for the Rockies. Claimed off waivers from the Rockies. Tim Wood. RHP. Age 30. 2012: AAA or Pirates system. Signed as a minor-league free agent. Non-Roster Invitees: While it's more likely that 40-man guys will break camp with the big-league club, these guys have earned the right to try to impress the decision-makers. A quick paperwork effort would make any of these guys a Twin. I predict one or two of these guys will impress enough to make it -- Jared Burton did it last year. Guys We Know and Love (Maybe) Nick Blackburn. RHP. Age 30. 2012: Red Wings and Twins. Will miss time due to wrist surgery. Guys We Know If We Didn't Stop Paying Attention Last Season Samuel Deduno. RHP. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings and Twins. Lester Oliveros. RHP. Age 24. 2012: Rock Cats, Red Wings, and Twins. Luis Perdomo. RHP. Age 28. 2012: Rock Cats, Red Wings, and Twins. Clete Thomas. OF. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings and Twins. Esmerling Vasquez. RHP. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings and Twins. P.J. Walters. RHP. Age 27. 2012: Red Wings and Twins. Guys From The Twins Minors James Beresford. IF. Age 24. 2012: Rock Cats. Chris Colabello. 1B. Age 29. 2012: Rock Cats. Brian Dinkelman. OF. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings. Deolis Guerra. RHP. Age 23. 2012: Rock Cats and Red Wings. Kyle Knudson. C. Age 25. 2012: Snappers and Miracle. Danny Lehmann. C. Age 27. 2012: Rock Cats and Red Wings. Shairon Martis. RHP. Age 25. 2012: AA and AAA between Pirates and Twins systems. Wilkin Ramirez. OF. Age 27. 2012: Miracle, Rock Cats, and Red Wings. Dan Rohlfing. C. Age 23. 2012: Miracle and Rock Cats. Deibinson Romero. 3B. Age 26. 2012: Rock Cats. Anthony Slama. RHP. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings. Guys We Know If We Pay Attention to Other Teams Rich Harden. RHP. Age 31. 2012: Injured (A's). Signed as a minor-league free agent. Guys We Probably Don't Know But We Want to Welcome to the Twins Organization Bryan Augenstein. RHP. Age 26. 2012: AAA of Rays system. Signed as a minor-league free agent. Brandon Boggs. LF. Age 30. 2012: AAA of Pirates system. Signed as a minor-league free agent. Jeff Clement. 1B. Age 29. 2012: AAA and Pirates. Signed as a minor-league free agent. Eric Fryer. C. Age 27. 2012: AAA and Pirates. Signed as a minor-league free agent. Alex Meyer. RHP. Age 23. 2012: A and A+ of Nationals system. Acquired in the Span trade from the Nationals. #40 in MLB's top 100 prospects. Ray Olmedo. 3B. Age 31. 2012: AAA of White Sox system. Signed as minor-league free agent. Mark Sobolewski. 3B. Age 26. 2012: AA and AAA in Blue Jays system. Rule 5 draft from Blue Jays. Goners: Don't be looking for these guys. They're not going to be there. Scott Baker. RHP. Signed with the Cubs. Matt Capps. RHP. Signed a minor-league deal with the Indians. Matt Carson. OF. Signed with the Indians. Alexi Casilla. IF. Claimed off waivers by Orioles. Carlos Gutierrez. RHP. Claimed off waivers by Cubs. Jeff Manship. RHP. Signed with the Rockies. Tsuyoshi Nishioka. IF. Granted unconditional release and signed with a team in Japan. Carl Pavano. RHP. Unsigned free agent. Recovering from a splenectomy. Ben Revere. OF. Traded to Phillies. Denard Span. OF. Traded to Nationals. Kyle Waldrop. RHP. Signed with the Phillies.

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog The days are beginning to get noticeably longer. Football teams are being eliminated from the playoffs one-by-one. The Twins Caravan is in full swing. So it must be almost time for TwinsFest. I know many fans enjoy going to TwinsFest yearly. Those folks already already know what they want to do. But, if you haven't been in a while, allow me to point out some of my TwinsFest traditions. Make a plan: Be sure to visit the TwinsFest website to view the autograph and photo schedules. If you're in to these things, you'll want to plan your arrival at the optimum time to visit with your favorite players. Now is the time to gather or purchase the items (photos, baseballs, jerseys, etc.) that you want signed. Allow plenty of standing-in-line time. Grab Seth's book: You've already ordered Seth Stohs' Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook 2013, right? It's a must-have for all the cool Twins fans. A fun thing to do is have the prospects sign their entries in the Handbook. If you haven't ordered it, you should get on it (however, you might not get it in time if you opt for standard shipping; there are expedited shipping options). There is also an e-version available for a reduced price. Be warned that I don't recommend you have prospects sign their entries on the e-version of the book. It might ruin your device. Decide whether you'll carry your coat, stash it, or do without: If history is any predictor, it's likely to be the coldest weather in a generation during TwinsFest. This makes it worth taking pause when you're deciding whether your awesome Twins sweatshirt will be warm enough to make the dash to the Dome from your parking spot. If you do wear your coat, try to score a plastic bag when you walk in (they give bags filled with coupons, ads, and other stuff at the doors). If you trust the masses to not steal it and want to stash it among the blue seats, please be considerate to the said masses and stick it somewhere where it isn't likely that some masses will want to place their asses (i.e.: away from the ESPN1500 radio area). Score a grab bag: I love stadium giveaways. Who doesn't? And being the neat freaks that they are, the Twins clean out their closets of all the old giveaways and other treasures, bag them up, and sell them -- a couple years ago, they went for $15 for a large grocery bag. And sometimes, they'll throw in an autographed item. Be sure to get there early, though. They sell out quickly. Get your (or your kids') pic taken with the best mascot in the bigs: There is no doubt that our friend TC Bear is a great mascot. He usually hangs out in the kids' area. And if you're the one getting your picture with him, don't be afraid to butt in line in front of all those kids waiting their turn. (Joking.) Revisit the past: Make sure you take a stroll through the National Baseball Hall of Fame exhibit. They always put on an fascinating display of Twins and baseball heroes from past generations. Plus, you can say howdy to the two Twins World Series trophies. Shop 'til you drop: TwinsFest features the area's largest gathering baseball card and memorabilia vendors. So if you're looking for that elusive 1972 Charlie Manuel card or that Twins-themed Hamm's beer can, you can look for it here. The Twins Pro-shops will also be there, so you can get yourself a sweet new shirsey. Sing your heart out: They'll be holding auditions for singing the National Anthem and God Bless America for the season. So, you're at all musically inclined, you may as well give it a go. What do you have to lose? The worse they can do is point and laugh. Take a load off: It's probably been a while since you've had some horrible stadium food, so grab yourself a Dome Dog and a pop, and take a seat in front of the ESPN1500 radio booth area and listen to what some players, coaches, and other Twins folks have to say. They'll be conducting interviews throughout the event, and it's kind of fun to sit there, rest up, and listen. Get excited for BASEBALL! ​ See you Friday, January 25th through Sunday, January 27

Originally posted at k-bro's baseball blog The days are beginning to get noticeably longer. Football teams are being eliminated from the playoffs one-by-one. The Twins Caravan is in full swing. So it must be almost time for TwinsFest. I know many fans enjoy going to TwinsFest yearly. Those folks already already know what they want to do. But, if you haven't been in a while, allow me to point out some of my TwinsFest traditions. Make a plan: Be sure to visit the TwinsFest website to view the autograph and photo schedules. If you're in to these things, you'll want to plan your arrival at the optimum time to visit with your favorite players. Now is the time to gather or purchase the items (photos, baseballs, jerseys, etc.) that you want signed. Allow plenty of standing-in-line time. Grab Seth's book: You've already ordered Seth Stohs' Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook 2013, right? It's a must-have for all the cool Twins fans. A fun thing to do is have the prospects sign their entries in the Handbook. If you haven't ordered it, you should get on it (however, you might not get it in time if you opt for standard shipping; there are expedited shipping options). There is also an e-version available for a reduced price. Be warned that I don't recommend you have prospects sign their entries on the e-version of the book. It might ruin your device. Decide whether you'll carry your coat, stash it, or do without: If history is any predictor, it's likely to be the coldest weather in a generation during TwinsFest. This makes it worth taking pause when you're deciding whether your awesome Twins sweatshirt will be warm enough to make the dash to the Dome from your parking spot. If you do wear your coat, try to score a plastic bag when you walk in (they give bags filled with coupons, ads, and other stuff at the doors). If you trust the masses to not steal it and want to stash it among the blue seats, please be considerate to the said masses and stick it somewhere where it isn't likely that some masses will want to place their asses (i.e.: away from the ESPN1500 radio area). Score a grab bag: I love stadium giveaways. Who doesn't? And being the neat freaks that they are, the Twins clean out their closets of all the old giveaways and other treasures, bag them up, and sell them -- a couple years ago, they went for $15 for a large grocery bag. And sometimes, they'll throw in an autographed item. Be sure to get there early, though. They sell out quickly. Get your (or your kids') pic taken with the best mascot in the bigs: There is no doubt that our friend TC Bear is a great mascot. He usually hangs out in the kids' area. And if you're the one getting your picture with him, don't be afraid to butt in line in front of all those kids waiting their turn. (Joking.) Revisit the past: Make sure you take a stroll through the National Baseball Hall of Fame exhibit. They always put on an fascinating display of Twins and baseball heroes from past generations. Plus, you can say howdy to the two Twins World Series trophies. Shop 'til you drop: TwinsFest features the area's largest gathering baseball card and memorabilia vendors. So if you're looking for that elusive 1972 Charlie Manuel card or that Twins-themed Hamm's beer can, you can look for it here. The Twins Pro-shops will also be there, so you can get yourself a sweet new shirsey. Sing your heart out: They'll be holding auditions for singing the National Anthem and God Bless America for the season. So, you're at all musically inclined, you may as well give it a go. What do you have to lose? The worse they can do is point and laugh. Take a load off: It's probably been a while since you've had some horrible stadium food, so grab yourself a Dome Dog and a pop, and take a seat in front of the ESPN1500 radio booth area and listen to what some players, coaches, and other Twins folks have to say. They'll be conducting interviews throughout the event, and it's kind of fun to sit there, rest up, and listen. Get excited for BASEBALL! ​ See you Friday, January 25th through Sunday, January 27