tarheeltwinsfan

2 Class A catchers has good offensive nights. Yea!

I would like to know if the Twins use any psychological evaluations in selecting free agents to sign. I may be wrong, but it appeared to me that the Twins signed 5 major FA's last year and on paper, they looked good...but something was missing with 3 or 4 of them. Whether it was physical injuries, or they were "head cases", or the Twins players did not incorporate them into the team...I don't know. Yet on paper it looked like a great year for the Twins in terms of FA signings...but in reality, based on 2018 performances, I would have to say that Reed, Morrison, Lynn, Rodney, and Odorizi, turned out to be a weak group of free agents that were paid a lot of money..We have written and read a lot at TD about "veteran leadership" What do you think about FAs who are "leaders" solely due to the fact of being "veterans", but maybe their leadership is not conducive to team building or winning? Or maybe they are "loners" by nature. One can be an encouraging (rah, rah) leader, but not have selected a good path. Maybe I'm way off base here, since I did not travel with the team and am not a sports psychologist. I'm just saying I want some "team first" players rather than "me first" players. There is no "I" in "TEAM". That is especially true of FA's because FA's do not have the minor league relationships with other Twins players , coaches and managers...which helps build a positive, team first, win at any cost, attitude., During the last day or two I have been reminded about "goals larger than oneself", when reading some quotes by and about John McCain. I may be wrong, but I think that was missing on the Twins' team in 2018. But also missing was our #1 starting pitcher, #1 starting catcher, #1 starting shortstop for half the season, #1 platinum glove wining center fielder, the #1 home run leader third baseman, #1 starting second baseman for 1/4 the season and our " team leader 2B, SS, 3B all around great guy" for 1/4th the season. 2018 was a tough year for the Twins and consequently for most of us Twins' fans.. Contrary to what Tom Hanks said in the movie "A League of Their Own", there is crying in baseball.

Awesome reminder. Thanks. Sincerely, Sgt Benbow, Co C, 3/23rd Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division, Korean DMZ, 1968 & 1969.

With September almost here and the Twins not doing so well, I really have looked forward to these daily minor league reports. To all the reporters, I say thank you for writing theses reports. When the minor league season is over in a few days, I plan to wear black and go into mourning for a while.

We've been here before. Life is still good.

Bullpen was awful tonight. Please bring up Reed, Curtiss and Anderson. Can you select 3 BP guys to be sent down and/or released? I can.

Nick G. is having a rough time getting hits. ? Who will play 2B next year for the Twinkies?

Great article Ted. Thanks. And thanks to Joe Mauer. It has been a pleasure being a huge fan of Joe Mauer.

Why don't we just put Rosario at 2B, since no one in this article, nor in this thread, has mentioned fielding. Not one word about fielding. Therefore I can only conclude fielding must not be important at 2B...so just slide Rosie to 2B, where he has some experience (not that it matters apparently) and bring up Kirilloff to play LF.

Brian, I was able to go into the E-Town clubhouse several weeks ago before a game. I was impressed with the nutrition and strength program and especially the pre-game meal of skinless chicken breasts, sweet potatoes and melons.. Please tell the other readers about these programs at E-Town. Thank you. Good luck in your future career.

OK I watched it again and the pitcher was where he was supposed to be. Garver goofed up.

Did the pitcher cover home plate on the muffed rundown? If not, Garver did the correct thing by holding the baseball at 3rd base.

Why don't we also piggy back position players, like Gordon/Forsythe and Rooker/Austin at DH?

Good article Brandon. Thanks. Ohmmmm!

Goooooooooooooooooo Gonzoooooooooooooooo!

Severino hit a baseball over the light tower in Johnson City several weeks ago.

"The Twins lost their "beloved closer""? Beloved by whom? Not by me and I may qualify as the longest tenured Twins' fan who posts on TD. I have pulled for this franchise continuously since 1954. Fernamdo Rodney was one of my least favorite Senators/Twins due to his showboat arrow shooting.

My immediate reaction is the title of that great Etta James' song, "At Last"'

I really do not think of TD contributors as "average fans". It is my not so humble opinion that TD contributors are extremely knowledgeable fans, who are guided by thoughtful editors and moderators who know more about the Twins than most fans and sports writers I really would not be surprised to discover that the FO monitors TD contributions...especially well thought-out comments by tarheeltwinsfan.

Thanks Nick. A wonderful article which helps me say goodbye to 3 "old friends". Thanks also to Brian, Eduardo, and Ryan for the many wonderful memories and best wishes to all 3.

I left the word "defensively" out of my post. My bad. How do they compare defensively? Arm strength? Accuracy in throwing? Agility? Speed? Turning the double play? Probability of remaining at SS for 10 years? SS, like CF, is such a key to a team's defense, which makes bad pitching better and good pitching great.

Great offensive comparisons, Seth. How do the three young shortstops compare at arguably the most important defensive position on the field?

Good grief. I am behind the times. I am sorry I missed it when it was first published on TD. My bad. Thanks Ben.

Very hope-filled report.

Notes from Elizabethton I spent an afternoon and evening there yesterday, The GM, Mike Mains, could not have been nicer. He gave me free access and took me around the field and clubhouse. Here are some random observations.1) One member of the organization (not Mike Mains) told me that this was the best group of players, both in skills and in character, in 16 years. 2) There were 8 to 10 scouts there (and based on what I saw, they were not there to see the Bristol Pirates players. The night before in Johnson City, there were 3 to 4 scouts to see the Cardinals and the Braves. Not sure what, if anything that says, but I found it interesting. I talked to a Brewers scout and without looking at any of his notes, he readily gave me the numbers for Trevor Larnach, Yunior Severino, Chris Williams and Ricky De La Torre. 3) A Twins coach said that Severino hit a ball over the light poles at Johnson City that week. 4) In batting practice balls hit by Williams andLarnach just sounded crisper than when others hit the ball. 5) Josh Windsor had a no hitter through 4 with only 1 BB, He allowed 1 hit in the 5th and was removed after 5. It was a planned move, because I talked to Moises Gomez, who told me before the game that he was scheduled "to pitch tonight". 6) I was in the dressing room while the players had a pregame meal about 4 pm for a 6 pm game. The menu was outstanding...skinless chicken breasts, diced roasted sweet potatoes, and cut up fresh cantaloupe and water melon..The strength and conditioning coach, Chuck Bradway,(he has a masters degree in Exercise and Nutrition Science from the University of Tampa and extensive experience in this area of conditioning, and who looked to be in top shape himself) was in charge of the meals. After the game, a post game meal was served, consisting of Lasagna and I'm not aware of the other dishes, if any. I was told that the nutritional clubhouse meals had been started several years earlier. 7)The old Washington Senators star, Jim Lemon, had coached there and was revered by long time manager Ray Smith, and long tome hitting coach, Jeff Reed. The4 coaches" lockers were labeled in large letters the following: COBB, RUTH, LEMON, and GEHRIG. 8).I met a new technical analyst, who was working on his computer. Reed told me his help was invaluable. 9) Cupping therapy was being used on several players' shoulders.Cupping increases blood flow to muscle strains and speeds healing by bringing more blood to the cupped areas. It leaves a 2 inch in diameter red circle where each cup hadbeen removed. About 4 cups were used at a time. 10) The first base coach is named Takashi Mioshi. Prior to his arrival from Japan this year, (his first year) he requested information about the history of Elisabethton and the surrounding area from the GM, so he could fit in better. 11) The Watauga River is a shallow river which flows by the Twins' stadium less that 200 yards away. Sometimes after a practice on a hot day, the players will go lie down in the shallow river to cool off and just relax. The players I met and talked with were all polite and friendly...maybe they were just a laid back bunch from the cupping and from lying in the river.