Jim Crikket

Good stuff, Parker. Here's what immediately came to my mind as I read this: Were the Twins (and in particular, their catchers and whoever else flashes signals in to those catchers concerning pitch selection) paying attention? If Deduno's most effective, and perhaps most controllable, pitch with a 3-2 count is his curveball, will the Twins consistently be as willing to call for the curve in those high-leverage counts as Deduno's Dominican battery mates were? If not... if they stick to convention and call for the fastball, which in his case tends to move unpredictably... I don't think we should be surprised if we see less favorable results.

You may not have realized it by looking out your window at the new snow Monday morning, but the Twins’ Opening Day is just two weeks from yesterday. That means it’s probably time to start taking a more serious look at how the team is rounding in to shape in Fort Myers. This article was originally posted at Knuckleballsblog.com. Although Spring Training has officially been in gear for about a month, it’s usually pretty pointless to pay a lot of attention to individual performances during the first couple of weeks of Grapefruit League games. Veteran hitters are just shaking the rust off and working on specific things, such as hitting to this or that specific field or hitting particular pitches. Established pitchers use each early outing as an opportunity to refine deliveries or work on specific pitches. Results are of secondary concern. But as the team gets down to it’s final dozen games or so, the hitters start wanting more plate appearances in the games and the pitchers start using all their pitches as they focus more on getting outs. We should also see with some level of certainty how the starting pitching spots are firming up as the Twins adjust their rotation so that they have pitchers lined up they way they want to open the season. Their final 10 Spring Training games will start this Thursday against the Yankees. It’s a good thing, too, that we can conveniently discount performances up to this point, because a lot of those performances have been less than awe-inspring thus far. If you were inclined to predict the season’s outcome based on the first few weeks of Spring Training results, it would be pretty difficult to find cause to believe the 2013 Twins will be much better than last season’s version. While it’s encouraging to see Justin Morneau looking like his former MVP-level self and Aaron Hicks looking like a legitimate Major League centerfielder in the making, every fan has known all along that it’s the pitching rotation that had to improve significantly if the Twins are to have a chance to show significantly improved results this summer and there hasn’t been too much to get excited about in that area yet. With Scott Diamond certain to start the season on the Disabled List, there are two rotation spots up for grabs among several of the Twins’ young arms. Kyle Gibson was expected to contend for a spot, but he’s already been sent across the parking lot to minor league camp, so he’ll be starting his season in Rochester. Liam Hendriks is another contender, but he’s struggled in most of his appearances. Hitters have averaged .295 against him and have hit him up four home runs in his 15 innings of work. His WHIP is a lackluster 1.40. But here’s the kicker… Hendriks arguably has had a better spring, statistically speaking, than any of the three “locks” for Twins rotation spots, Vance Worley, Kevin Correia and Mike Pelfrey. Those three haven’t been as prone to giving up gopher balls as Hendriks, but through the past weekend, hitters are batting better than .300 against each of them and Worley’s 1.83 WHIP is the best of the trio. On the other hand, if you want to look for encouraging signs for the Twins among their starting pitching corps, you can take a look in the direction of Cole DeVries. DeVries has only thrown 10 innings in his three starts, but he’s not giving up many hits (.121 batting average against), has not given up any home runs, has a tidy little 0.70 WHIP and, if you’re in to small sample size ERAs, he’s sporting a 0.90 in that category, too. Of course, “small sample size” caveats apply to all stat lines at this point. Another rotation candidate that’s been at least moderately impressive is a guy who has only thrown one inning for the Twins this spring, Samuel Deduno. While he hasn’t been in camp for the past couple of weeks, Deduno has been getting work in the rotation for the Dominican Republic’s entry in the World Baseball Classic, where he’s had some success. In fact, he was the starting (and winning) pitcher for the Dominicans in their victory over Team USA last week. Because Deduno is not on the Twins’ 40-man roster at this point, the team would have to make a roster move to keep him when they move north to start the season. Since they hope to have Diamond available by mid-April, it’s quite possible they’ll only need their initial fifth starter for one game before Diamond is activated. That being the case, Hendriks should still be considered the leading candidate for that spot. So here’s what the rotation seems to be setting up to look like, to my eyes: Opening Day starter: Vance Worley (started Sunday, will likely start again Friday and have his last Spring Training Start Wednesday, March 27… five days before Opening Day) #2 starter: Kevin Correia (starting today, leaving remaining starts March 23 and 28) #3 starter: Mike Pelfrey #4 starter Cole DeVries #5 starter: Liam Hendriks (may only be needed for one start, March 7, before Diamond is activated in mid-April) That’s all pure speculation on my part, of course. The point is merely that, with two weeks remaining before the scheduled Opening Day, now is when these pitchers need to start showing me something more than they have already… something to make me believe they’ll make up a better rotation than the disaster we saw on the mound last season. - JC

You may not have realized it by looking out your window at the new snow Monday morning, but the Twins’ Opening Day is just two weeks from yesterday. That means it’s probably time to start taking a more serious look at how the team is rounding in to shape in Fort Myers. This article was originally posted at Knuckleballsblog.com. Although Spring Training has officially been in gear for about a month, it’s usually pretty pointless to pay a lot of attention to individual performances during the first couple of weeks of Grapefruit League games. Veteran hitters are just shaking the rust off and working on specific things, such as hitting to this or that specific field or hitting particular pitches. Established pitchers use each early outing as an opportunity to refine deliveries or work on specific pitches. Results are of secondary concern. But as the team gets down to it’s final dozen games or so, the hitters start wanting more plate appearances in the games and the pitchers start using all their pitches as they focus more on getting outs. We should also see with some level of certainty how the starting pitching spots are firming up as the Twins adjust their rotation so that they have pitchers lined up they way they want to open the season. Their final 10 Spring Training games will start this Thursday against the Yankees. It’s a good thing, too, that we can conveniently discount performances up to this point, because a lot of those performances have been less than awe-inspring thus far. If you were inclined to predict the season’s outcome based on the first few weeks of Spring Training results, it would be pretty difficult to find cause to believe the 2013 Twins will be much better than last season’s version. While it’s encouraging to see Justin Morneau looking like his former MVP-level self and Aaron Hicks looking like a legitimate Major League centerfielder in the making, every fan has known all along that it’s the pitching rotation that had to improve significantly if the Twins are to have a chance to show significantly improved results this summer and there hasn’t been too much to get excited about in that area yet. With Scott Diamond certain to start the season on the Disabled List, there are two rotation spots up for grabs among several of the Twins’ young arms. Kyle Gibson was expected to contend for a spot, but he’s already been sent across the parking lot to minor league camp, so he’ll be starting his season in Rochester. Liam Hendriks is another contender, but he’s struggled in most of his appearances. Hitters have averaged .295 against him and have hit him up four home runs in his 15 innings of work. His WHIP is a lackluster 1.40. But here’s the kicker… Hendriks arguably has had a better spring, statistically speaking, than any of the three “locks” for Twins rotation spots, Vance Worley, Kevin Correia and Mike Pelfrey. Those three haven’t been as prone to giving up gopher balls as Hendriks, but through the past weekend, hitters are batting better than .300 against each of them and Worley’s 1.83 WHIP is the best of the trio. On the other hand, if you want to look for encouraging signs for the Twins among their starting pitching corps, you can take a look in the direction of Cole DeVries. DeVries has only thrown 10 innings in his three starts, but he’s not giving up many hits (.121 batting average against), has not given up any home runs, has a tidy little 0.70 WHIP and, if you’re in to small sample size ERAs, he’s sporting a 0.90 in that category, too. Of course, “small sample size” caveats apply to all stat lines at this point. Another rotation candidate that’s been at least moderately impressive is a guy who has only thrown one inning for the Twins this spring, Samuel Deduno. While he hasn’t been in camp for the past couple of weeks, Deduno has been getting work in the rotation for the Dominican Republic’s entry in the World Baseball Classic, where he’s had some success. In fact, he was the starting (and winning) pitcher for the Dominicans in their victory over Team USA last week. Because Deduno is not on the Twins’ 40-man roster at this point, the team would have to make a roster move to keep him when they move north to start the season. Since they hope to have Diamond available by mid-April, it’s quite possible they’ll only need their initial fifth starter for one game before Diamond is activated. That being the case, Hendriks should still be considered the leading candidate for that spot. So here’s what the rotation seems to be setting up to look like, to my eyes: Opening Day starter: Vance Worley (started Sunday, will likely start again Friday and have his last Spring Training Start Wednesday, March 27… five days before Opening Day) #2 starter: Kevin Correia (starting today, leaving remaining starts March 23 and 28) #3 starter: Mike Pelfrey #4 starter Cole DeVries #5 starter: Liam Hendriks (may only be needed for one start, March 7, before Diamond is activated in mid-April) That’s all pure speculation on my part, of course. The point is merely that, with two weeks remaining before the scheduled Opening Day, now is when these pitchers need to start showing me something more than they have already… something to make me believe they’ll make up a better rotation than the disaster we saw on the mound last season. - JC

I understand there being a generational divide on this question, but for me it is Killebrew and not even close to a contest. Without Killebrew and Oliva, the Twins may have been calling another city home by the time Puckett arrived. Killebrew was the Minnesota Twins. He made the franchise relevant. He also had few peers when it came to epitomizing class and character on and off the field, while continuing to step up and give back to the Twins and baseball fans almost literally up until the day he passed.

hardly a new thing. Problem is, even I don't listen to me.

make that 15% above last year's season ticket sales. Click the link for a story from MetroSportsReport.com in which the GM talks about expectations for attendance. Kernels see 15% increase in ticket sales

As unpatriotic as it might sound, I'm rooting a little bit for Deduno to do just that, tonight.

I realize the lists don't take in to account pitchers who may end up released before ST wraps up and perhaps a few more that could start the season on the DL, but that's still a lot of relief arms at each level. Especially considering that many of the pitchers identified as starters will actually work out of the bullpen for chunks of the season to keep their innings down. I had projected some of the pitchers you've got earmarked for the Miracle to begin the season in Cedar Rapids simply because I had trouble figuring out how the Twins would find room for all of the guys above them without forcing them down a level to start with. I guess that's a good problem to have... too many legitimately talented arms... but I do wonder if it means some pretty good arms will be let go before the Twins can really find out if they can pitch.

I'm as anxious as anyone to see what Buxton can do in Cedar Rapids, but I am concerned that expectations may be getting a little out of control. If he doesn't come out of the chute hitting .400/.450/.600 right away, we're going to see nothing but "what's wrong with Buxton?" stuff. A lot of players struggle in their first taste of full-season Class A ball, especially players who haven't spent much time trying to play baseball in Iowa and Wisconsin in April.

According to this from MiLB.com, the Cedar Rapids ballpark has been the second most hitter friendly ballpark in the MWL since 2010. Then again, the pitching talent that the Angels have been sending to CR the past three years has not been terribly good, so that may be as much of a factor as the ballpark itself. Jeff Jones hit 42 home runs for the Cedar Rapids Reds in 1982. Without looking it up, I couldn't say if that's the club record, but it's the most I can recall by a long shot. Jones was crazy that summer. (A cautionary tale, perhaps... he was the Reds' big league 1B on opening day 1983, struggled, got sent down and was pretty much never heard from again.) It might be tough to break all attendance records. I'm pretty sure those were set the first season the new ballpark opened 10-11 years ago. Attendance at Class A games is usually more of a factor of good weather during homestands and good promotions by the club. The GM and staff in CR are excellent, though, so with a very talented farm club of a MLB team with a local fan base, they could take a run at the record. I spoke with the GM on Friday and was told they had already sold 10% more season tickets than they sold in 2012. And I have no doubt that they'll sell a lot more once it stops friggin snowing around here! (I haven't bought mine yet, for example, and I know I'm not the only person planning on doing so that hasn't yet.) Single game tickets go on sale March 18 (unless you show up for "Spring Fling" at the ballpark this Saturday, where you can buy individual tickets before they go on sale to the public the 18th).

No way I'd touch this bet. I can pretty easily see KC being anywhere from 10 games over that line to 10 games under it, without surprising me in either instance.

I disagree on starting Gibson in Rochester, unless Diamond is ready to answer the bell right away or, as could be the case in 3 weeks, Gibson just isn't showing he's ready for the Big Leagues. But if he's clearly one of the best 5 starting pitchers, I would not waste any of his limited innings this season in Rochester. Make him your 5th starter who's rotation spot gets skipped when things fall that way, but don't waste him in Rochester. Let's be honest, it's highly unlikely he's going to be so good that he lasts 6-7 innings every game anyway. He's going to get knocked around once in a while like every rookie (at least those not named Strasburg) is. He'll have his share of 4 inning starts without artificially limiting his innings in Rochester.

It's possibly a benefit of the new CBA's accelerated signing date. Maybe Buxton's one of those guys who would have signed quickly anyway and gotten a short-season in after signing, but you never know. It's just as possible that he would have gotten half the PAs in (or less) than he did and we'd be looking at extended spring training almost for sure.

I probably would stay away, but I checked the "over" box. That's more a reflection of how poor I think the AL Central will be than any real confidence in the Sox being good. Given how many games they'll have against Minn, KC and Cleveland (not to mention that the entire league now gets to play a few games against Houston), it's hard for me to imagine Chicago not reaching .500.

An interesting look at minor league ballpark factors. I took particular note of Cedar Rapids' ballpark. It's apparently been among the more hitter friendly parks in the MWL lately. However, I'm not really sure whether that's as much a factor of the ballpark itself or of the simple fact that the Angels stocked the Kernels with a lot of really bad pitchers the past couple of seasons.

I keep telling folks down here in CR that they have never seen an OF at this level like they're likely to see on the Kernels this year. I get a lot of chuckles and eyerolls, but I'm obviously anxious to see how it plays out. I'll be interested to read Seth's take on the CR pitching staff, too, because I think it could be almost as good as that OF.

Seth, I'm curious why you think Murphy and Pineda will skip Elizabethton and go to Cedar Rapids. Is it simply their ages (both 22)? They certainly didn't light up the GCL last year (tho at least Pineda did well before his trade). With them, it means 6 OFs starting the year in CR and that seems excessive, especially given that the organization is going to want the other 4 to get as many PAs as possible.

So the "Colabello for Gold Glove" campaign should hold off a bit, huh?

Yeah... actually I'm looking forward to seeing the play (again... went last night, too). There's really nothing as hilarious as seeing your daughter as a gangster.

Going to have to fire up two devices in a few minutes... Twins on mlb.com and Hawkeyes/Huskers hoops are only on BTN2Go. On the other hand, it probably doesn't matter much cuz I'm going to be headed out to visit my daughter who's playing a Gangster in "Kiss Me Kate" at her college tonight. Ah... the sacrifices we make as parents!

Disappointing, but the Twins said all along that they just didn't feel he was interested in pitching for them. Maybe climate or chance to contend. Maybe wanted to pitch for a team that trains near his home in AZ. Who knows? All of that could certainly be overcome with an offer that blows all others away and the Twins obviously have the money to do that, but while I like Saunders more than most people around here, even I can't really argue convincingly that he's worth going overboard with an offer to get. Would have been nice to have another lefty in the rotation, though.

Seth, I'll agree that you don't want to block your "top prospects," but I can't go along with the concept that guys who have merely "somewhat graduated" from minor league ball (whether that means they'll soon be at risk to being lost to other teams or that they've simply not demonstrably failed at the higher minor league levels) really "deserve" regular playing time at the MLB level. The argument that you don't block a young player should only apply when that player has shown a high likelihood of above average success in the Big Leagues. Someone who merely is graduating from the minors shouldn't feel entitled to a spot. If the Twins FO can find affordable veteran players that, in their judgement, are better ballplayers at a given position of need, those players should be acquired. In the Twins' past, those graduating minor leaguers with mediocre talent would inherit jobs because they were inexpensive and that factor alone kept the under-funded organization from being able to acquire better talent. But that should no longer be the sole determining factor. If a AA or AAA player wants a regular job on the Big League club, he should go out and prove he's a good bet to be better than anyone the team might be able to acquire via trade or free agency. If he can't do that, he shouldn't feel he "deserves" to have a path cleared for him on the Twins.

I thought you guys did well with the St Peter interview. Typical media interviews of a guy in his position are almost always very high level.He's done enough interviews that he's never going to let anyone take him a direction he doesn't want to go, but I thought you got him to go in to a bit more depth on some issues.

Not sure if it's just me, John, but this cut out about 9 minutes in to the podcast.