John Bonnes

Friday is one of the biggest baseball days of the year, so let’s celebrate with Gray Duck Vodka, Tom’s Watch Party, & the Twins Daily Social Club Minneapolis is a football town, but that doesn’t mean football gets all 365 days of the year. Every year there are a handful of baseball days – Opening Day, the home opener, the postseason – which unequivocally belong to baseball, and one of those is this Friday. After fruitlessly chasing the first-place Guardians for four months, the Twins get four games this weekend at home versus Cleveland. This whole weekend belongs to baseball fans, but especially this Friday, when the series starts with a split doubleheader. So let’s celebrate OUR day with a party in between the doubleheader games! The party starts at 4 PM at Tom’s Watch Bar, the new downtown sports bar with TVs everywhere that is just three blocks from Target Field! You’ll want to get there early if you want a seat. Twins Daily Social Club’s Home Opener Party at Tom’s last year drew over 300(!) Twins fans. While they all had a great time, some of them probably would have liked to rest their feet. For now, just put it on your calendar. Make a plan! Stick around after the first game, or get downtown early for the second game. We’ll see you there, AND we’ll see you back here tomorrow as we detail what Twins Daily, Gray Duck and Tom’s has in store for everyone. Twins Daily Social Club Home Opener Pregame Where: Tom’s Watch Bar, 609 Hennepin Ave, Mpls, MN 55403 When: Friday, 8/9/24, 4 PM – 6:30 PM Cost: Free View full article

“Life's like a movie, write your own ending." -The Magic Store from The Muppet Movie Image courtesy of © Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports It started with a decision in the spring of 1990. He asked her if their first date should be an afternoon at the Chicago Art Institute or a doubleheader at Wrigley Field. "How is that even a call?" she replied. The sun gleamed, the grass glowed underneath the ballplayers, and the magical afternoon was made more so because he thought it was probably their last date as well; neither was from Chicago. He was wrong. Both traveled enough to occasionally gain discounted tickets, and the 1,000 miles between Minneapolis and Philadelphia weren't as isolating as they both thought they would be. Or, at least not initially. Two years later, it was. So, with $1,000 shoved into his pocket and all his worldly possessions crammed in an '84 Honda Prelude, he moved to Philadelphia to court her. The courtship was fun, but not especially easy. First, he had to find work during a recession. Then, she was assigned to a project out of town. And when the business world stopped conspiring to keep them apart, the tougher questions began. "Will he ever marry me? What's he waiting for?" and "Is she really the one? How do I know?" The questions were more destructive than geographic distance ever had a chance to be. On a summer trip out west, his questions were answered in the Black Hills. And on August 13th, when they were supposed to go to a Phillies game, he showed up with flowers, acted all goofy and suggested they go for a walk. And she knew her questions were about to be answered, too. Unaccustomed to being nervous, his proposal was awkward but genuine, and the response was delayed but jubilant. Standing together in the park, their future felt too large. Neither knew what to do, where to go, who to see. "So, do you still want to go to the Phillies game?" he asked. "How is that even a call?" It wasn't a call, because the one place in Philadelphia where they both knew there was some magic that year was at The Vet. The '93 Phils, led by blue-collar rejects like John Kruk, "Dutch" Daulton, "Nails" Dykstra, and closer Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams, had not just finagled 1st place in the NL East, but seized it with force and fury. They'd won games at Veterans Stadium in every conceivable manner, including one in which Williams got the winning hit in the bottom of the 10th - at 4:30 AM. Tonight, they were playing the hated Mets, and it seemed like as good a place as any to look for magic. The electricity they felt made the game a secondary concern. She'll readily admit that she spent most of the game looking at the back of her hand. But the game slowly became the focal point, when the Phillies lost their early lead in the top of the eighth. They scratched in a run in the bottom half, but were still down 5-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth. But there was a reason this hard-nosed city loved this team. They used a crucial error by the Mets to score one run, and loaded the bases with two outs. Kim Batiste, a light-hitting 25-year-old utility infielder who seemed to have a special gift for striking out, came to the plate, and....... Grand Slam. Pandemonium. Magic. Earlier this year, they won baseball tickets that are a baseball fan’s dream. They just had to pick a date. "How is that even a call?" So last night, those same stupid kids went to a baseball game, looking for magic, just like they have every August 13th for 32 years. It wasn’t hard to find. (Somehow, it still never is.) Yes, they had the magical seats. They also watched a major-league debut by a youngster who is experiencing his own magical year. They held hands. But this time, they went with their daughter and her fiancé, who are planning their own union, their own journey. A father and mother always hope for a better life for their children, so of course we do, too. But honestly, I think we’ll be happy if they have a life even half as happy, so long as they still find… Magic. View full article

The Twins got their left-handed reliever. Only he's not left-handed. Image courtesy of © Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports The Minnesota Twins have completed a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays for reliever/opener Trevor Richards , per Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Richards is a seven-year veteran who is a classic “swing guy”; he started as starter, has moved to the bullpen, and has bounced through four teams as a classic eat-innings reliever, including working as a “opener” this season with the Blue Jays. His career ERA of 4.51 doesn’t inspire, nor does his 4.64 ERA this year. But he’s appealing because the right-hander has “reverse splits,” and has for his entire career. He'll be a free agent at the end of the season. The Twins bullpen this year has been generally effective, relying on high-leverage arms like Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, and (recently) Jorge Alcalá or (previously) Brock Stewart to secure close games. But all of those pitchers are right-handed, and the three left-handed relievers in the Twins bullpen have been unreliable in close games. Richards is not left-handed, but his combination of pitches plays well versus left-handed hitters, which is who left-handed pitchers would usually face. Trevor Richards Changeup.mp4 Richards is a pure two-pitch pitcher: high-rise fastball, and scroogie-style, fadeaway changeup. The vertical break difference between the two is almost two full feet. It’s akin to Jake Odorizzi, if Odo didn’t have a curveball or that cutter he learned in Minnesota. Richards is vulnerable in various ways, but the change has a whole bunch of spin on it, heavily pronated out of his hand, and it just disappears down and away from a lefty. It can miss bats against righties, too, but when he misses with it, it gets hit hard. Lefties are .156/.256/.250 against him this year, but righties are .200/.294/.391, and almost 5% of plate appearances by a righty against him end in a homer. Jay Harry was a sixth-round draft pick of the Twins in the 2023 draft. The 22-year-old infielder played this year in High-A Cedar Rapids and has posted a .655 OPS in 340 plate appearances. He is not one of Twins Daily's Top 20 Twins Prospects. To make room for Richards, Josh Staumont was designated for assignment, putting an end to one bargain-basement reliever experiment so as to begin another. Injuries and control issues marred Staumont's brief stay in Twins Territory. Richards is only a small upgrade over him, but with the team's lefty relievers scuffling so badly, the matchup value proved to be the tiebreaker. View full article

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' trade deadline options, including three potential areas to address, plus Royce Lewis, Jose Miranda, and Brock Stewart getting healthy, a winning series vs. the best team in baseball, and why payroll is, unfortunately, playing a big part in the front office's decision making. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. View full article

Win an unforgettable experience at Target Field and O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co, absolutely free. Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Whether you're a Twins fan or a whiskey enthusiast, Keeper's Heart Whiskey, the Official Whiskey of the Minnesota Twins, is offering a special sweepstakes. We are thrilled to share this exciting opportunity with Twins Daily’s community because we believe one of our own deserves to win this amazing prize. Sweepstakes Details The grand prize winner will have the unique opportunity to throw the first pitch at the Minnesota Twins vs. St. Louis Cardinals game at Target Field on Friday, August 23rd. Grand Prize Includes: First Pitch: Throw the first pitch at the Twins vs. Cardinals game. Suite Tickets: Four luxury suite tickets to enjoy the game. Merchandise: A Keeper’s Heart swag bag. Distillery Tour & Tasting: A tour and tasting for four at O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co., including dinner and drinks. How to Enter: To enter, visit any participating locations in the Twin Cities before July 31st. Look for the Keeper's Heart sweepstakes signage and scan the QR code to enter. New locations are being added, so check the Keeper's Heart website for updates. Participating Locations: Cash Wise Liquor: Brainerd, Duluth, St. Michael, Willmar South Lyndale Liquors: Minneapolis Surdyk’s Liquor: Minneapolis Iron Ranger: St. Paul Admiral D’s Waterfront Tavern: White Bear Lake Wrestaurant at the Palace: St. Paul Tom Reid's Hockey City Pub: St. Paul AND MORE - Check out the full list We’re rooting for a member of Twins Daily’s community to enjoy this amazing experience. Visit a participating location and enter the sweepstakes. You might be the lucky fan to take the mound at Target Field. Good luck! View full article

Giles, this was so good. Thank you.

Aaron and John talk about Carlos Correa and the many other key Twins players dealing with injuries as the second half begins, how the team could and should approach the trade deadline, why they went heavy on college hitters in the MLB draft, and what it will take to catch Cleveland in the AL Central. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. View full article

Aaron and John talk about Willi Castro joining Carlos Correa as Twins in the All-Star game, Jose Miranda's historic hitting streak, Brooks Lee making a huge impact right away, Byron Buxton looking like his old self, and why the trade deadline could be hard to predict. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. View full article

Aaron and John talk about Royce Lewis' latest injury, the Twins turning to Brooks Lee as his replacement, David Festa's short stint in the rotation, Chris Paddack's impending return, and the rise of Jose Miranda. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. View full article

Aaron and John talk about David Festa joining the Twins' rotation in place of Chris Paddack, Byron Buxton reminding everyone how good he can still be, Carlos Correa's scary-looking hit-by-pitch, and how Brooks Lee could work his way into the second-half lineup. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or click this link. View full article

I just came here to say the same thing as Hrbeks Divot: I loved this story.

What if Willi Castro is not just an over-achieving utility guy? What if he’s an everyday starter? (Also, he already is.) Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports We know we should be paying more attention to Willi Castro. For the last year and a half, he has consistently been one of the most valuable Twins players, whether you’re measuring by new-school (WAR, WPA) or old-school (at-bats, defensive flexibility) metrics. But the fact that he’s been in a utility role and that this breakthrough performance was (mostly) unexpected means he tends to be overlooked, even when we don’t mean to. That may be ending, at least for 2024. With Edouard Julien in Triple-A and Brooks Lee’s season getting a late start due to a herniated disc, we know where we’ll find Castro for the foreseeable future: playing second base. Maybe more importantly, we’re also now finding him and his .350 OBP in the lineup’s leadoff spot. So, for the next few weeks, the Twins will have a defensively proficient second baseman and leadoff hitter who has posted 113 OPS+ over the last two years. He also leads the Twins in games played over that span. He is also 27 years old. That doesn’t sound like a utility player. It sounds like a regular, and maybe even one a team builds around. If you—and the Twins—are ready to see Castro as an everyday starter, several twists regarding the Twins’ future lineup emerge. Castro Has Leapfrogged Four Prospects If Castro secures the leadoff spot, regardless of the position he plays, he’ll need to stay in the lineup. That means the Twins have four highly-regarded (or formerly highly-regarded) prospects in St. Paul who are all competing for one spot this year. Matt Wallner, Alex Kirilloff, Julien, and Lee are all competing for a semi-open spot in either left field or at second base. Castro can take whichever spot is left over, but he won’t be replaced or lose at-bats when he does so. His switch-hitting bat at the top of the lineup is the priority. Will the Twins Leave Good Enough Alone? Baseball teams and players don’t like to mess with something that is working. So, if Willi Castro continues to thrive while playing a solid second base, especially while hitting leadoff, how tempted will the Twins be to leave him there? That could be especially true if Wallner finds his way back to a corner outfield spot and recreates last year’s success. Or, if Austin Martin shows the capability to hold down a corner outfield spot on a regular basis. Once the left field corner spot is secured, where will the Twins’ leadoff hitter play, if not at second base? Where Does This Leave Julien and Lee? The Twins clearly believe in Edouard Julien and Brooks Lee, and for good reason. But in the near term, do they rank higher than Castro? Does that near-term thinking end after the 2024 season, or does it extend to the 2025 season? Or beyond? While we’re on a roll with question marks, let’s see how many more we can stuff into this section. Given the glut of prospects fighting for a single spot on the roster, at what point do the Twins start to view some of that depth as redundant? Or, if "redundant" is too strong a word, when does it at least allow them to loosen their grip a bit during trade deadline talks? Do the Twins believe enough in Castro to consider trading away some of their top infield prospects? (Do you?) Those questions also become a little more complicated when looking forward to the 2025 season. Additional lineup spots will be open next year, when Max Kepler and Carlos Santana are likely no longer on the team. Plus, there could be another open spot in 2026, because Castro will become a free agent after the 2025 season. Which raises perhaps the biggest question… Does a Contract Extension Make Sense for Either Side? This year, the Twins will have their final chance to offer Castro arbitration, where we can estimate he’ll make roughly $5-7 million. That’s a fair amount of money for a utility infielder, but a bargain for a second baseman hitting atop the batting order. The Twins should be very interested in signing that player to an extension that pays him through the balance of his prime years. Especially because those prime years are right now and in the near future, not in the past. Castro is only 27, which is great news for the Twins but even better news for Castro, as he’ll hit the free market as a 28-year-old, providing a golden opportunity to sign a multi-year deal. It’s hard enough to get a contract extension done with a player a year before free agency. Given his age and breakthrough success, Castro would likely be advised to drive a hard bargain, rather than miss his shot at hitting the open market. On the other hand, he may have the same perception problem with the rest of the league with which we’re wrestling: he’s “only” a utility player. Given his journey so far, four years of guaranteed money might be appealing. Whether or not this is a possibility is a major factor in most of the questions above. If Castro is determined to be a free agent at the end of 2025, his future value is limited, compared to the various prospects in question. In addition, keeping Castro in his utility role and slotting the prospects for a full-time position makes a lot more sense. One key input into the decision to prioritize Castro over some of the above (or not) is the extent to which they view him as keepable beyond 2025, and projectable over the first few years of that span. How Far Should the Twins Go? It’s one thing to say “we all should be paying more attention to Willi Castro.” It’s another to unpack what that means, and to adjust one’s thinking about where he fits into the Twins’ future lineup. Committing to that future with a contract extension or trading away a prized prospect is a big step farther down the path. But Castro has earned that consideration. Perhaps our expectations and the traditional “utility infielder” label are blinding us to his value. The Twins (and Twins fans, and Twins Daily) pride themselves on recognizing market inefficiencies in MLB and taking advantage of them. It's not a coincidence that Castro is about to set a new benchmark for positional flexibility within a season, previously approached only by two other Twins super-utility guys. It looks like the Twins have a doozy of a blind spot within their own organization, and need to explore pivoting accordingly. How far would you go? View full article

Aaron and John talk about the Twins being carried by Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis on absolute heaters, sending down Alex Kirilloff but not calling up Matt Wallner, and the added dimension Austin Martin can bring to a lineup. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. View full article

Aaron and John talk about Royce Lewis' imminent return and the Twins' many different ways to make room for him, Joe Ryan's rising velocity, Jorge Alcala and Diego Castillo giving the bullpen a new look, and Simeon Woods Richardson's future. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. View full article