John Bonnes

Sponsored by Ticket King You only have 24 hours to buy Target Field tickets for this classic matchup: the resistible force meets the movable object. You’ll also have an opportunity to see a pair of starting pitching prospects that raced their way through the minors. They’ll just be pitching for the other team. (Zer)Offense The Padres are a noncontender in the National League, despite having the second best team ERA (3.10) in baseball. That isn’t easy, but the Padres have managed with the worst offense in MLB. But sometimes “worst” isn’t descriptive enough. Charlie Beattie’s (@TheUnplayable) writeup in the $1 Twins Official Scorecard for this series included this historical tidbit: There is a difference between being the worst and being the worst by a lot. The Padres are the latter. They’ve scored 52 fewer runs than the 29th ranked team, the Cardinals. How big of a difference is 52 runs? There is also a 52 run difference between the Cardinals and the Baltimore Orioles – who rank 12th in MLB in runs scored. The Padres are as many runs away from the 29th team as the 29th team is from the 12th. Of course, that lineup will be facing the Twins, whose pitching staff ranks 27th in ERA. However, the Twins will have their two veterans, Phil Hughes and Kevin Correia, throwing in this series. When the team starts a series in Oakland on Thursday, the starting pitchers will likely be chosen from a number of hopefuls in Rochester. Could that mean callups – finally - for either Trevor May or Alex Meyer? Time will tell. But In San Diego, Time Has Trouble Getting A Word In Edgewise Twins fans who are frustrated by the wait for May or Meyer may want to avert their gaze from the opposing mound this series. Or, perhaps dream about what might yet be. Because the Twins are going to be facing two guys who were far from the majors just a few months ago. On Wednesday night, they Twins will face right-hander Jesse Hahn, who started the year in AA. In 2013 he gained a little prospect status in High A with the Rays, but not so high that they had any trouble dealing him to the Padres in a seven-player swap this offseason. Before that, Hahn was a sixth round draft pick who had Tommy John surgery soon after being drafted. But the Padres pushed him fast, promoting him straight from AA after a 2-1 start. It’s worked. In nine major league starts he’s had seven quality starts, just as many wins, a 2.01 ERA and 54K in 53.2 IP. Last week manager Bud Black said he planned on giving Hahn between five and ten more starts before he is shut down for the season. That’s a roadrunner-quick ascension. But still not as fast as the guy who the Twins are facing on Wednesday afternoon. On May 1st of this year, Odrisamer Despaigne (pronounced the way it looks) didn’t have a major league contract. He was a 27-year-old defector from Cuba and signed with the Padres the next day for a $1 million signing bonus. He threw two games in AA and was promoted to AAA for five games. He was promoted to the Padres on June 23rd and has already started seven games, earning a 2-3 record, a 2.68 ERA but only 23K (and 17 BB) in 43.2 IP. To be fair, both of these pitchers are older than May or Meyer who are both 24 years old. And one could argue that neither is as important to the future of the Padres as May or Meyer are to the Twins, which might explain whey the Twins are seemingly being much more careful. But the stark difference in philosophy between the organizations is striking. Wow – there are not a ton of tickets available for Tuesday night. Welcome to a summer night in Minnesota. You might want to act fast if you want anything below the third deck. The day game on Wednesday has more options and is supposed to be a flawless day to play hooky. All are an even better deal if you use the promo code DAILYDOUBLE, which will get you 10% off and supports Twins Daily. Whatever your needs, your local ticket supplier, Ticket King, can help. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Professor BAseball 600-321.jpg Aaron and John preview the Minnesota Twins offseason by reviewing possible free agents, talk a little about the TwinsCentric Offseason Handbook, tip their collective cap to Jim Rantz and then give a quick tutorial on how struggling organizations can take advantage of MLB's transaction rules. Here are: the podcaststhe rss feed if you want to subscribe and the podcast on iTunes. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Cricket-Australia_24.jpg John and Aaron are reunited to talk Minnesota Twins. But the podcast starts with the two catching up: John's trip, the death of Aaron's youth, John's Bar Mitzvah adventures, how Aaron picks up waitresses and how cricket teams could use a sabrmetric intervention. Then they move onto the Twins, catching up on the moves John missed, wondering how anyone can justify the Twins payroll and starting rotation, the disappointing Hall of Fame votes and the BBWAA's ongoing (an largely successful) struggle to make itself irrelevant. Here are: the podcaststhe rss feed if you want to subscribe and the podcast on iTunes. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about swapping Sam Fuld for Tommy Milone, extending Kurt Suzuki, calling up Kennys Vargas, being a curmudgeon, looking for Alex Meyer and Trevor May, learning new things that sound dirty, overvaluing prospects, claiming Jordan Schafer off waivers, checking in on Aaron Hicks, Oswaldo Arcia struggling versus lefties, and moving into the penthouse. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click on the "play" button below. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: medium_Philadelphia_Love_002.jpg Aaron and John talk about the Minnesota Twins' lack of trade deadline moves, Aaron's trip to Philadelphia for the SABR convention, Oswaldo Arcia's return and Aaron Hicks' long-delayed demotion, bonding with people over Jim Thome, Drew Butera's departure, standing behind Delmon Young, what goes into the August waiver process, the looming roster logjam, and drinking all of the Jack Daniels. You can listen by clicking below, download us from iTunes or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Delmon-Young.jpg Aaron and John talk about the Twins' terrible starting pitching, Delmon Young not going to Hebrew school, booing Joe Mauer, putting past division titles in proper perspective, Ben Revere's brief return, skipping Francisco Liriano, Ron Gardenhire's odd bullpen usage, and jinxing anything and everything. Here are: the podcaststhe rss feed if you want to subscribe and the podcast on iTunes (where you can listen, rate and subscribe). Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Baker_Scott.JPG The Minnesota Twins might be looking back to the good old days wistfully for a reason other than wanting to relive their decade of glory. For instance, signing free agents used to be a relatively orderly business: Teams that needed a great pitcher would chase the best (or best remaining) pitcher, hoping to get him.One team would get him.Lather. Rinse. Repeat.That’s oversimplifying a little, but in general, free agents would sign from the top down. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]In fact, free agents might wait to sign until the guys above them signed, knowing the remaining teams would probably chase him, driving up his demand. But the market has matured. General managers seem to have a willingness to sign a slightly lower level or pitcher rather than be shut out of a better one. Meanwhile, free agents recognize their value a little better, are willing to take snap up a generous offer early (and probably like the lack of risk that comes with it.) It might also be that teams are recognizing the value that can come in from the second and third tier pitchers exceeds that which can come from the top guys. Whatever the reason, it sure isn’t top down this year. Here is the starting pitching free agent list I used when I started making the list for the TwinsCentric Offseason Handbook. They are roughly sorted in order of desirability. The crossed out names are the guys that have signed with someone. Zack GreinkeAnibal SanchezJake PeavyEdwin JacksonRyan DempsterHiroki KurodaKyle LohseBrandon McCarthy Ervin SantanaDan HarenShaun MarcumJoe BlantonJeremy GuthrieScott BakerColby LewisJoe Saunders Carl PavanoFrancisco LirianoScott FeldmanCarlos VillanuevaChris YoungRoy OswaltKevin MillwoodErik Bedard Bartolo ColonKevin CorreiaDerek LoweJason MarquisDaisuke MatsuzakaCarlos ZambranoFreddy GarciaJeff Francis Roberto HernandezChien-Ming WangAaron CookJamie MoyerJonathan SanchezKip WellsRandy WolfIt isn’t the top tier that has signed – only two of those guys have signed already. It’s the second-tier that has been snapped up so far. Another fell yesterday, when Joe Blanton, clearly a second/third tier guy signed with a team that was linked to a lot of top-tier talent, the Angels. Overall, this feels like bad news for the Twins. The Twins have never chased top-tier talent, as they are (probably justifiably) hesitant to commit to the long-term deals that talent demands. But now the second tier is almost completely spoken for. This leaves third-tier talent, or non-tendered pitchers, all of which are by definition third-tier guys. The hope might be that it goes the other way. Perhaps some of the guys at the top will find their demand slipping away somewhat as top-tier teams gravitate toward the middle of the list. But from the rumor coming out of the winter meetings, it doesn’t sound like any of these guys are lacking for suitors right now. It seems more and more like the Twins choice is to overpay or to settle, and settling now means going to third and fourth tier pitchers. This further raises the question whether the Twins should place much hope in 2013 or look forward to 2014, and what that does to their offseason strategy. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: podcast-nedir-ne-ise-yarar.jpg In this experimental 17-minute podcast, Jeremy, Seth and John talk about Keith Law's Mock Draft which has Jonathan Gray falling to the Twins - and the Twins still selecting Kohl Stewart. They talk about whether the scenario has any merit, what the Twins would do and why the Twins might just pass on one of the "Big Three." You can listen to the experimental podcast here. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] We would really appreciate any feedback you have, both on the topic as well as the production. This is something we're playing with and we're looking to improve it. So please fill up that comment section! How is the sound? Which person sounds the best?How is the music? Did you have any problems with playing it? How was the interaction of the hosts? How would you like to see this used? What kind of podcast would you like to hear? Click here to view the article

Download attachment: HIcks_Aaron_portrait.jpg Aaron and John talk about the Minnesota Twins officially naming Aaron Hicks their starting center fielder, Drew Butera's demotion to Triple-A, the Twins Daily get-together at 612 Brew, the rotation with Scott Diamond on the disabled list, meeting podcast listeners and smart fans, realistic expectations for prospects, trying to get to second base without passing out, Joe Benson's future, remembering their debut episode, feeling old because of Tupac, trying not to hate Duke, and Las Vegas vs. Mystic Lake. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Here are: the podcaststhe rss feed if you want to subscribe and the podcast on iTunes.Or just click below: Click here to view the article

Download attachment: StPeter_Dave.jpg Aaron and I go to TwinsFest where we interview Dave St. Peter about the international signing limits, the challenges the team faces with TV revenue, the drop in payroll and Twitter. The we discuss Brian Dozier and Aaron Hicks roles in 2013 and several other topics. Here are: the podcaststhe rss feed if you want to subscribe and the podcast on iTunes.Or, just click below... [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Click here to view the article

Download attachment: 5-hdr-fall-leaves.jpg Not only is tonight the last Twins game, but it's also supposed to be the last pleasant day before fall hits us in full force, which is depressingly karmic. Let's get through this together. So please join Nick, John, Parker, Aaron Gleeman and Lindsay Guentzel at 6:00 tonight at the Uptown Tavern & Rooftop. See you there! Click here to view the article

Download attachment: scissors.jpg It's the weekend, so start having some fun. Our bloggers are... With horseplay and jumping rope threatening the health of the Minnesota Twins starting rotation, it's no wonder the Twins are firing off memos about the dangers of childhood hazards to their players. Kirsten Brown was fortunate enough to get her hands on one. Random thoughts from Mr. Horrorpants leads to a the question "Where is Parmelee?" [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Not the Twins ballplayer. The country. And who else might be from this distant shore? Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Molitor.jpg Let's see how you schlubs cleanup.... Twins Daily readers have been offered a big discount for an exclusive event. On Wednesday 4/10, Tix for Tots and the Minnesota Twins are having a Season Kickoff Party featuring Paul Molitor in the Metropolitan Club at Target Field. It's baseball. It's a good cause. But most importantly, it's a chance to convince your significant other that spending so much time on TwinsDaily isn't such a bad thing. Here are the details and how to get the discount.... [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] There will be a panel discussion by Hall-of-Famer Paul Molitor, TwinsDaily's John Bonnes, and Twins EVP of Business Development Laura Day that will be facilitated by WCCO's Mark Rosen. It will also include a Q&A session.There will be a rich selection of appetizers and complimentary wine-tasting.There will be a silent auction with lot of memorabilia, a Twins Suite, travel, a chance to be a Batting Practice Buddy at a 2013 game and much more.ALL proceeds benefit Tix For Tots, a non-profit that distributes unused game tickets to underprivileged kids. It has become a model of efficiency for a non-profit, and has distributed hundreds of thousands of tickets.5:30-8:30 PM at the Metropolitan Club at Target Field.Tickets are $50 each, BUT they're giving a special discount to Twins Daily readers. Use the promo code "Twins@612brew" and you'll be able to get the tickets for $25 each, or about as much as you would spend at a good restaurant. I attended last year and I can tell you, it's going to be a lot more memorable than a couple of burgers and beers at Champps. So jump on this while you can, because tickets are limited, and I can't imagine they're going to last at this discount. You can learn more and buy tickets here. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: 612_1376590810.jpg Aaron and John say goodbye to KFAN by broadcasting live from the Minnesota State Fair and topics included the Twins trading Justin Morneau to the Pirates for Alex Presley and (maybe) Duke Welker, not trading Josh Willingham to the Orioles, Josmil Pinto's call-up and future role, the level of optimism surrounding Brian Dozier, rebuilding versus scorching the earth, and how not to freak out over technical difficulties. You can listen by clicking below, download us from iTunes or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Mauer_Joe_orig.jpg Aaron and John talk about Joe Mauer's concussion and potential position switch, September call-up possibilities, dating at the State Fair, where Aaron Hicks begins next season, runners in scoring position problems, staying up all night, the plan for Kyle Gibson, mailbag questions from listeners, not eating Justin Morneau's contract, and trying to stay realistic with Miguel Sano. You can listen by clicking below, download us from iTunes or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Click here to view the article

Download attachment: HIcks_Aaron_Stealing_US_720.jpg The Minnesota Twins won last night, swiping (and sweeping) the season series from the Milwaukee Brewers. The victory raised their record to 23-28 which translates to a 73 win pace over the course of a 162-game season. But I want to talk about a different type of swiping that happened, or more accurately, did not happen. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Aaron Hicks was caught trying to steal second base. What struck me as strange at the time was that there were runners on the corners and one out. It seemed like a stupid decision to attempt that at the time, as it can short-circuit a good scoring opportunity. However, one always looks stupid when one is caught. So I wondered, was it as risky as it seemed? It turns out – I studied this exact situation last year on 5/11, only it was Denard Span that was thrown out. Here’s how that went: Tonight, though, I want to take it a step further. How does it compare to other situations in which one might try to steal a base? There are 12 situations where a runner might try to steal a base without coordination with the other runner. Here they are: Runner on 1st, 0 outs Runner on 1st, one out Runner on 1st, 2 outs Runner on 2nd, 0 outs Runner on 2nd, 1 out Runner on 2nd, 2 outs Runners on corners, 0 out Runners on the corners, 1 out Runners on corners, 2 outs Runners on 1st and 2nd, trying to steal 3rd, 0 outs Runners on 1st and 2nd, trying to steal 3rd, 1 out Runners on 1st and 2nd, trying to steal 3rd, 2 outs And here they are again, ranked by just how risky they are. The percentage indicates how often one needs to succeed for it to be a good decision. 92.51% - Runners on 1st and 2nd, trying to steal 3rd, 2 outs 91.10% - Runner on 2nd, 2 outs 79.67% - Runner on 2nd, 0 outs 77.69% - Runners on 1st and 2nd, trying to steal 3rd, 0 outs 77.25% - Runners on 1st and 2nd, trying to steal 3rd, 1 out 75.31% - Runner on 2nd, 1 out 74.74% - Runners on corners, 2 outs 71.39% - Runners on the corners, 1 out 70.73% - Runners on corners, 0 out 65.20% - Runner on 1st, 0 outs 63.41% - Runner on 1st, one out 60.06% - Runner on 1st, 2 outs So it wasn’t patently stupid, like trying to steal 3rd when you’re already in scoring position. But it was the 2nd riskiest situation in which to try to steal 2nd base. The only thing that would have been worse was if it could have ended the inning. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: danny-valencia1.jpg Tuesday afternoon's game between the Twins and Rays ended with the Twins clutching to a 3-2 lead. Danny Valencia had the decisive hit, a single (with an error) that drove in the second and third run with two outs in the third innings. The Twins loaded the bases for Valencia with a mixture of small ball: a single, a sac bunt, two stolen bases and two walks. On the hill, Scott Baker went two innings, Matt Capps struggled a little but got out of his inning without giving up a run and Glen Perkinds struck out two in his frame. Both Rays runs came in the eighth inning off of reliever Jeff Gray. For more detail, including lots of hitter by hitter description and reaction, check out this afternoon's game thread. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Click here to view the article

Download attachment: Hammond_Stadium.jpg This shortest of phrases makes our hearts soar Pitchers and catchers report We limped through last year but come back for more Pitchers and catchers report 99 losses taught the boys things We yearn for the clean slate a new season brings Like Hornsby we stared out the window for spring Pitchers and catchers report [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Four tiny words and hope’s candle’s lit Pitchers and catchers report Gardy will make sure they get after it Pitchers and catchers report Smith was relieved and Ryan’s the man He let Cuddy go but got Josh Willingham We’ll hope that Capps moon shots don’t ruin his plan Pitchers and catchers report We love when they hustle and slide in the dirt Pitchers and catchers report But please Lord don’t let the boys end up hurt Pitcher and catchers report We’ll watch through our fingers when Frankie throws Obsess on the nogginof Justin Morneau And the Bilat’ral legs of our catcher Joe Pitchers and catchers report Finally you take your turn as poet Pitchers and catchers report Channel your winter frustration and show it Pitchers and catchers report The comments below are a great place to bleat Two tens and three ‘levens provide you the beat (But add words wherever, if like me you cheat) Pitchers and catchers report With apologies to Franklin Pierce Adams Click here to view the article

Terry Ryan has promised a quick decision on Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, and presumably the rest of the coaching staff, very soon after the season ended. Update, 11:02 AM: This morning, Ken Rosenthal tweeted that the Twins will retain Gardenhire and it is believed to be a 2-year deal. Update 11:36: Mike Berardino tweets that the entire coaching staff will be retained so Rick Anderson will be back too. The Twins have also scheduled a 2:30PM press conference. Download attachment: Gardenhire_Anderson_ArmsFolded_US_720.jpg Gardenhire’s Major League playing career was entirely as a New York Met. He played shorstop there for five seasons, finishing with 710 AB and a .232 batting average. In 1986 he was traded to the Twins where he played one year in AAA before joining the Twins as a manager of their class A team in 1988. He managed two additional years in the minors before joining the Twins as a third base coach in 1991. He took over as Twins manager in 2002, following the retirement of Tom Kelly. Gardenhire led the Twins to their first playoff appearance since 1991 and a trip to the American League Championship Series. He was recognized for his work with a 3rd place finish for the American League Manger of the Year award. The rest of the decade held more of the same. Gardenhire’s teams made the playoffs five more times between 2003 and 2010 and missed one other in 2008 because of a "Game 163" loss. During that stretch, Gardenhire was recognized six times with Manager Of The Year votes, finishing second five times and winning the award in 2010. But he never led the team to another playoff series victory, compiling a 2-15 record in those five other appearances. And after a decade of success, the Twins have floundered since 2011; they lost 90+ games for their 3rd consecutive year in 2013. Last offseason, Gardenhire was not offered a contract extension through the 2014 season, so the Twins had no financial commitment beyond Sunday’s final regular season game. Rick Anderson broke into the majors with the Mets in 1986, serving both as a starter and a reliever, posting a 2.72 ERA over 15 games, but recoding just 3.8 K/9 IP. He was traded to the Royals as part of a package for David Cone prior to the 1987 season and pitched parts of two years with Kansas City. By 1989, he had joined Gardenhire in the Twins organization, serving as a pitching coach at the rookie league level. He gradually moved his way up through the Twins minor league system, including seven years in the Twins AAA affiliate. His success stories in the minors include teaching Brad Radke a different changeup grip that helped lead to his success. When Ron Gardenhire was named Twins manager, Anderson was named the pitching coach. But the relationship between Gardenhire and Anderson went back much further than 2002. They were roommates in the Mets minor leagues. In fact, Gardenhire claims he has an article from 1984 where Gardenhire said “Someday I’m going to be managing in the major leagues and Rick Anderson is going to be my pitching coach.” The Twins pitching staff experienced a great deal of success in the first few years under Anderson. In 2001, the Twins had a 4.51 ERA, 7th in the AL. It shrunk to 4.12, good for 6th in the AL in his first year. And in 2004 it was down to 4.03, lowest in the American League. That success continued through 2007. Anderson’s pitching staffs were characterized by their control. The Twins had the lowest walk total in the American League each year from 2004 through 2010, with the exception of 2007 – when they were second. It wasn’t until 2011, when the team lost 99 games, that they dropped out of the top three in that category under Anderson. But the Twins pitching has floundered in recent years, finishing 29th, 28th and 29th in ERA over the last three years. And while the staff has remained above average in limiting walks, they also been near the bottom of the league in strikeouts, including being the only MLB team with less than 1000 strikeouts this year. If the Gardenhire-Anderson era had ended this week, it will still be one of the most successful eras of the organization. Over 12 years, they collected 998 regular season wins and a .513 winning percentage. They also celebrated winning a division crown six times, a tally that no other Twins team of any era can match. Click here to view the article

Download attachment: washington-nationals.jpg Buyers or Sellers Last year, the Nationals won 98 games, the most of any team in baseball. And though they didn’t make it past the first round of the playoffs, it was supposed to mark the beginning of an era, fronted by top shelf, super young and (maybe most importantly) affordable talent like 24-year-old Stephen Strasburg and 20-year-old Bryce Harper. Viewed through that lens, 2013 has been a disaster.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] But without those expectations, there is still plenty of hope. The Nationals are slightly over .500, 6.5 games back of the division leader and 4.5 games back in the race for the wild card. Strasburg and Harper are back after some injury scares. And it’s not like the Braves, who Washington is chasing in the NL East, have a recent history of rising to the occasion. What They Need If you listen to their GM, Mike Rizzo, they don’t need anything. “We’d like to get a big, left-handed bat. His name is Harper,” says Rizzo. “He’s on the horizon. We’d like to get a right-handed hitting catcher named [Wilson] Ramos. He’s on the horizon.” But that isn’t entirely genuine. Nationals scouts have been tied to starting pitchers, such as the Cubs’ Matt Garza. The team sports three of the top starting pitchers in the National League – Strasburg, Jordan Zimmerman and Gio Gonzalez – but the last two spots, particularly the one filled by Dan Haren, have struggled. The Nationals have also lacked consistent right-handed power. Rizzo hopes that Ramos might be able to provide some of that when he returns from an injured hamstring later this week. Ideally, that power could also come from the well-compensated Jayson Werth, but he only has 201 plate appearances due to various injuries. What Might Work In case the name “Ramos” doesn't ring a bell, the Nationals and Twins have danced at the deadline recently more than once: besides the Ramos-Matt Capps trade, two years ago there were rumors about the Twins trading Denard Span to the Nationals. The Twins would probably love to pluck some talent from the Nationals well-regarded farm system, but its not clear they have the pieces the Nationals need. If Washington is looking for an innings-eater to plug the hole at the back of their rotation, someone like Kevin Correia might be of interest, but they’re not going to pay much for him. And while the Nationals’ interest in a right-handed masher might have sounded promising last year, unless Josh Willingham can get healthy in a hurry, he’s no better (and in fact is quite a bit worse), than Werth. There is one area the Twins might be able to fill, though the Nationals haven’t been rumored to be pursuing it. Despite having a strong bullpen highlighted by Rafael Soriano, Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen, they really don’t have any reliable left-handed relievers. Sleeper Targets There are some guys in the Nationals farm system who aren’t flashy prospects, but are decent fits for the Twins. When neither side is looking for too much, some middle ground can often be found. Here are some names from down the prospect list which could conceivably interest the Twins: Chris Marrero – 1B – AAA – 24 years old Marrero was a decent prospect for the Nationals who never showed the power for which they hoped and he was passed in the organizational depth chart last year when he had a hamstring injury. But he’s fairly young, hit .300 this year in AAA with an .842 OPS and his right-handed bat might play well with Parmelee’s left-handed bat at first base. Zach Walters –SS – AAA – 23 years old Walters finds himself with a “utility” label, but he has a unique skill set. He’s decent defensively, relying on a very strong arm to increase his range; Adam Everett made a career out of that. This year he’s hitting just .245 in AAA with 72 K and just 9 walks – but he’s slugging over .500 with 18 home runs. I don’t know if that makes him an everyday guy, but at the least he could fill two roles on the bench. Matt Purke – LHP – High A – 22 years old He’s coming back from injury, but he’s a southpaw who can throw 90+ mph and just struck out 41 while walking 7 in Low A. That seems like a decent flyer to take. Dream Target Nate Karns – RHP – AA – 25 years old The Nationals were desperate enough for pitching to call up Karns straight from AA for a few starts this year. He predictably struggled and was sent back, but after missing 2010 and 2011 with shoulder surgery, it’s got to be gratifying for him to even be given that shot. He earned the shortcut. This year in AA he has struck out 67 in 56 innings with 22 walks, featuring a fastball that can reach 95. He’s also got the offspeed stuff to remain a starter, though his mechanics and injury history could eventually ticket him for the bullpen. Either way, he’ll be higher on the Nationals prospect lists than the five-ish range he was in at the beginning of the season. ~~~ Each day in July, we’ll be publishing a profile of a MLB and whether there is any possible fit for a trade with the Twins. Tomorrow: The Philadelphia Phillies. For more, check out our previous trade talks: The Atlanta Braves by John Bonnes Click here to view the article

Download attachment: p.jpg Aaron and John talk about the latest roster shakeup, including Danny Valencia's demotion to Triple-A and Francisco Liriano's move to the bullpen, get a call from Aaron's mom for Mother's Day, marvel at Scott Diamond's unexpected gems, make their PickPointz picks and name last week's winners, and wonder what the future holds for Trevor Plouffe and Joe Benson. Here are: the podcaststhe rss feed if you want to subscribe and the podcast on iTunes[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Click here to view the article

1 Download attachment: target6.jpg Free agent starting pitchers from the TwinsCentric 2013 Offseason Handbook that have signed with a new team. It’s just Scott Baker so far. That’s it. I count five others that are already off the market, but all of them re-signed with their old team (or had their option picked up and were traded): Jake Peavy, Hideki Kuroda, Hisahi Iwakuma, Ervin Santana and Jeremy Guthrie. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] The bad news here is that a lot of those guys are the middle market - a level just below the big names where bargains might have been found. But that might be why they were already targeted and re-signed. 24 Free agent starting pitchers from the TwinsCentric Offseason Handbook that are still available. That doesn’t mean there are 25 of them that are desirable, just available. But that doesn’t include those that we thought would retire or get minor league deals, and it doesn’t include guys who are available via trade, like several of the Rays or Braves arms. I can’t emphasize this enough – the free agent market hasn’t really started yet. It likely won’t for a few more weeks. According to ESPN’s free agent tracker, a total of 12 guys have signed major league deals so far. Last year 106 did. Cool it. 483 Twins minor league signing stories broken by MLB.com’s Twins beat reporter Rhett Bollinger in the past month. (Roughly) Is it possible that the greatest culprit for the Twins slow offseason is Bollinger? By continually reporting minor league signings – which were often overlooked in previous years – we are reminded that none of the big moves have been made yet. 29 The age of Jeff Clement, who the Twins signed to minor league deal yesterday. If that name sounds familiar, it is because he was a “B” catching prospect who ranked #33/#62/#42 on Baseball America’s top 100 list from 2006 through 2008. He had 20 home run power, hit left-handed and was “good enough” defensively. Turns out, he wasn’t, or if he was, recurring elbow and knee injuries drove him away from that spot. He’s now a first baseman and designated hitter and hasn’t upped the power (and oddly has struggled against right-handers). That makes a guy a 29-year-old minor leaguer instead of a possible All-Star. There is good news and bad news in this signing for Twins fans, and neither has anything to do with all the studly free agent starting pitchers they didn’t sign: Good news: the Twins are signing recognizable names with a little upside as minor league free agents. They should. A 60+ win team should mean lots of opportunities for minor league veterans to gain some service time and be in The Show. It should be a team that agents target. But it’s good that the Twins are taking advantage of that status. The Twins picked up a couple of useful players that way last year and will likely need to so again this year. Bad news: Clement’s status emphasizes, once again, just how big the difference in value is for a guy who can play catcher and a guy who can’t. Think about that the next time someone tries to convince you that the Twins would be better if Joe Mauer would get out from behind the plate. Click here to view the article

I like this game. I'd be interested in others' takes. I'd also go B+ and maybe A-: The Milone-Fuld deal might have been the best trade of the day for a dumping team. I like that extension for Suzuki very much. If it was on the table, I would've signed it two weeks ago. It feels like Suzuki's side backed down on this one. I would've liked to have seen a deal for Willingham. I think we will, by the way, even if it's just having someone claim him on waivers. The Twins still having that salary on the books on August 1st really surprises me.