John Bonnes

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' latest depressing series vs. the Yankees, how much the return of Byron Buxton could help a sloppy defense, why the same lineup can be so good and so bad, what to make of Alex Kirilloff's extended struggles, and lessons to be learned from the Timberwolves. 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

This story is a beaut!

One fact Kris Atteberry pointed out in the ninth before Kepler's single is that after the fourth inning, the Twins had only seen 42 pitches between their 14 straight retired batters. And Toronto's bullpen has not been very good (though some of the guys the Twins saw have been better). The bullpen will be blamed, but this was a team loss. The lineup absolutely flailed about after the 4th.

FWIW, Jamie Cameron has a story on Matthews that is running early tomorrow, so stay tuned. 🙂

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' lineup and rotation stepping up to keep rolling against better competition, Ryan Jeffers and Max Kepler crushing everything, the latest on injuries to Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis, Brock Stewart, and Justin Topa, and why some bullpen blowups are inevitably in a stretch like this. 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 the Twins' winning streak turning their season around, Carlos Correa and Jhoan Duran returning as Byron Buxton and Brock Stewart go on the injured list, windows opening for Jose Miranda and Austin Martin, and the latest on TV drama that always seems to hurt Twins fans. 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

If you’re a Twins fan who can’t watch your favorite team on cable in the Twin Cities starting today, you probably have some questions. Here’s our best shot at the answers. Image courtesy of © Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports Q: Why the hell can’t I watch the Twins on cable, suddenly? A: Bally Sports, the network that owns the Twins’ 2024 TV rights, no longer has a contract with Comcast, the cable provider for most of the Twin Cities. They haven’t been able to agree on a new one for all of Bally Sports’ 15 regional networks, including locally-based Bally Sports North, so now they’re pointing fingers at each other. Q: So, how the hell do I watch the Twins on TV? A: Switch to a cable provider or satellite network provider that Bally Sports North is still on. These include Direct TV or Fubo. Q: I thought all this garbage was solved in the offseason? A: There was a different dispute in the offseason. In the offseason, the Twins didn’t have a deal with anyone for their TV rights. They came to an agreement with Diamond Sports Group, who owns the Bally channels. This is different. Now Diamond Sports (Bally) can’t come to an agreement with Comcast to have their television channel on Comcast’s cable package. Q: Can’t the Twins do anything about this? A: They have been quick to point out that they can’t, but that conveniently ignores that they voluntarily slapped some big golden handcuffs on themselves. They were in a position to influence this just a couple of months ago, but instead, they took a big wad of money from Bally for their TV rights, giving up control of how it would be brought to consumers. (Then, by the way, they pocketed that money and still decreased the team’s payroll by $30+ million, anyway.) Q: That’s it! I’m cutting the cord! How can I stream the games? A: You can’t, or at least not if you’re in the Twins’ market. Part of the Twins’ current TV rights deal with Bally includes a provision such that they can’t give streaming rights to be sold in-market. In fact, that provision is one of the reasons they were able to get the deal done with Bally. If you’re not in the Twins’ market or can trick MLB into thinking you’re not with a VPN (virtual private network) or similar tech wizardry, you can subscribe to MLB TV to watch all the games. Q: So, I’m just screwed? A: Either you switch providers, or you hope that two large companies resolve this pretty massive face-off. For what it’s worth, both companies should be feeling a fair amount of pain, too. It sounds like Bally was getting paid $8-10 per month per subscriber previously from Comcast, so they’re likely losing millions per month in revenue just from the Twin Cities market, and they’re still on the hook for paying the Twins for the TV rights. Meanwhile, Comcast, amidst a challenging environment where more and more people are cutting the cord, just dropped the one reason a big chunk of their market still has cable. Those are subscribers who may never come back. You can also multiply the pain in those companies by roughly 15. This dispute affects all of Bally’s Sports’ 15 regional sports networks, not just Bally Sports North. Q: Any other ideas? A: No, but maybe someone will offer up good ones in the comments. We’re navigating this, just like you. View full article

Aaron and John talk about the Twins digging a deeper and deeper hole, Matt Wallner's demotion and Trevor Larnach's latest chance, what to make of Louie Varland and Chris Paddack struggling in the back of the rotation, and the pros and cons of fighting ham. 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

Calling all baseball enthusiasts and history buffs! The Halsey Hall Chapter of SABR is hosting a program to celebrate and educate Twins fans about the 100th anniversary of a legendary milestone: the first World Series championship of the Washington-cum-Minnesota franchise. The event will take place at the Ramsey County Library in Roseville (northeast corner of Hamline Avenue and County Road B) on Wed., Apr. 17, from 6:30 to 7:45 PM, and admission is absolutely free. You'll get to learn all about the World Series championship that the Twins franchise won before they were the Twins. Here's what's in store: Exclusive Presentations by Stew Thornley and Dave Lande Walter Johnson & Clark Griffith: Dive deep into the lives and legacies of two baseball titans who shaped the sport's history. 1924 World Series: Relive the glory of the Washington Senators’ championship with historic video clips straight from the heart of the action. Special Guest Appearance Matt Hodson of the Minnesota Twins: Hear firsthand about the team's plans to commemorate the 1924 champions on Aug. 11, in conjunction with the SABR Annual Conference here in the Twin Cities. Get insights into the special day ahead and immerse yourself in the excitement of honoring baseball's heroes. Door Prizes Be sure to stick around for a chance to win fantastic door prizes! It's just one more reason to join us. Again, admission is absolutely FREE and open to the public. Seize this unique opportunity to celebrate a century of baseball glory with fellow fans and aficionados. Event Details Date: Wednesday, April 17th Time: 6:30 – 7:45 p.m. Location: Roseville Library, Main Floor Meeting Room, 2180 Hamline Ave. N, Roseville, MN 55113 Presented By: The Halsey Hall Chapter, Society of American Baseball Research View full article

It was alternately warm and sunny or shady and cold at Target Field on Saturday afternoon. The Twins mirrored the weather, getting good pitching and plenty of baserunners, but also swinging ice-cold bats. The result was another frustrating loss to a division rival. Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Joe Ryan - 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 6 K (90 pitches, 67 strikes (74%)) HR: none Bottom 3 WPA: Carlos Santana (-.124), Ryan Jeffers (-.118), Byron Buxton & Willi Castro (-.109) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) One Big Mistake The Guardians scored three runs against the Twins on Thursday by stringing together a bunch of opposite-field bloopers. They were more efficient on Saturday when David Fry drove one bad pitch from Joe Ryan over the left field wall for a three-run bomb. It was pretty clearly a mistake pitch. Ryan pitched a strong six innings in a tidy 90 pitches, giving up five hits, walking none, and striking out seven. He can be prone to giving up home runs because he works his fastball high in the zone. That can gather strikeouts but can also result in fly balls that carry over the fence. But this was not a fastball. It was a sweeper to a right-handed batter that is supposed to end up outside the strike zone. It did not: "I think Joe was phenomenal," manager Rocco Baldelli said after the game. He made a pitch to Fry that was not a pitch he wants to make for numerous reasons. He made it and we paid for it. He knows it. But honestly, what a good outing for him." A Big Zone Leads to Daytime Fireworks The Twins only managed two hits in the game, but had 10 other baserunners due to walks and being hit by pitches. So one might think the strike zone favored them. It did not. In fact, Twins hitting coach David Popovich was thrown out of the ballgame following the fourth inning for arguing balls and strikes. The Twins battled an expanded strike zone all game from home plate umpire Brennan Miller, but his generosity reached its peak in the bottom of the fourth inning with Matt Wallner at the plate. Pitcher Nick Sandlin started Wallner with some sliders down and in, which were called balls. After a 2-0 pitch that ended in the dirt, Wallner had a 3-0 count and dutifully took a fastball down the middle for the first strike. Nick Sandlin followed that with two more sliders low and inside, and Wallner took both, but this time for strikes. Wallner was furious and it was a little bit surprising he walked away without getting tossed. Popovich continued Wallner’s lobbying from the dugout and was tossed, and Baldelli continued the discussion, but returned to the dugout after making his point. Both the Twins' aggressiveness and their patience worked against them in several big at-bats. Their last big chance to score was the bottom of the sixth, when they had the bases loaded with one out. But Jeffers fell into an 0-1 hole swinging away and struck out on four pitches. Then Willi Castro fell into an 0-1 hole - on a questionable called strike, no less - and also struck out on four pitches, trying to recover from that early hole. It's not clear and of the pitches Castro saw were strikes. The Edouard Julien Experience The Edouard Julien Experience (EJX) may not be as much fun as we hoped. It feels odd to say that, given that he hit a home run as recently as Thursday, but Julien struck out two more times today, for a total of five times in the last two games, and all of them have been looking. On the other hand, he also drew two walks today, drove a ball to deep left field in the ninth, and, of course, hit that home run Thursday. So that’s a .300 on-base percentage over those two games and a .500 slugging, good for an 800 OPS. But it has not been very fun to watch. Kirilloff Kruising The Twins' best news so far this season has been Alex Kirilloff's bat. Entering the game with an 1122 OPS on 25 plate appearances, Kirilloff went 1-4 with a walk and hit his third triple in three games. On the other hand, he has yet to score as a result of any of those triples. Wednesday and Thursday, he was stranded there despite reaching third with one out. In today’s game, Buxton made contact on a similar play, but it was directly at the shortstop and Kirilloff was thrown out at home plate. Twenty-five plate appearances do not a career make, and Twins fans have seen similar stretches from Kirilloff in the past. Just last year, he had a stretch in late June and early July where he exceeded a 1000 OPS for nearly a month. A week later, he went on the injured list, That is also a trend with which Twins fans are familiar. After being considered a top prospect who could be a middle-of-the-order presence for years to come, he’s been plagued by injuries. Primarily, it was a wrist injury that lasted two years and finally resulted in surgery that shaved bone. Then, last year, he suffered a shoulder injury. Rather than undergo midseason surgery, he tried to rehab it and play through it, and had a reasonable year, all things considered. He did undergo the surgery in the offseason, and fortunately, no labrum tear was discovered. So is he all set to become the player we thought he was back in 2020, when the 22-year-old made his MLB debut in a postseason game versus the Astros? Choose your narrative. You can choose to believe that he’s a player who finally overcame one chronic injury and, after being delayed by another small injury, is exactly who we expected three years ago. Or you can believe he’s a mediocre hitter who runs hot just often enough to tease. Or that he’s an exceptional hitter who just can’t stay healthy, so it’s just a matter of time. I don't know the answer. Kirilloff might not yet, either. That’s the beauty of baseball - it’s always a story that is in the process of being written. What’s Next? The Twins will try to salvage the last game of the series Sunday afternoon. Bailey Ober (54.00 ERA) will try to bounce back from the worst start of his career against the Guardians’ Tristan McKenzie (10.80 ERA), who also had a shaky first start. But hold those tickets. There is a forecast for rain all day, and Cleveland is scheduled to return for a weekend series August 9-11. Plus, both teams have no games on August 8th. Also, Monday is the Guardians' home opener, and there are also travel concerns given the eclipse Monday afternoon. So the threshold for “banging” that game might be pretty low. Stay tuned. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet WED THUR FRI SAT SUN TOT Funderburk 0 39 0 0 0 39 Duarte 25 0 0 0 0 25 Sands 0 22 0 0 0 22 Alcala 0 0 0 25 0 25 Jackson 0 0 0 20 0 20 Okert 20 0 0 0 0 20 Jax 18 0 0 0 0 18 Stewart 17 0 0 0 0 17 If the game is played tomorrow the Twins should still have most of their arms available, though they may need to get through some high-leverage middle innings without Jorge Alcala, who has been pushed into that role a few times. View full article

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' opening week of the season, the familiar offensive struggles of April baseball, trying to replace Royce Lewis, trying to draw conclusions from a handful of games, and positive signs from several key hitters looking healthy again. 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

Bombo Rivera's legend far exceeded his actual impact on the Twins. He played for just three years, only 257 games, and hit a total of 8 home runs with 64 RBI and a 699 OPS. So how did he become the toast of the Twin Cities in the late 70s? One word: Bombo. The Met's fans chanted it from the bleachers. U of M students wrote in votes for that name. Garrison Keillor wrote a song for that name, complete with a rhyme. Even the holiest of baseball literature, Shoeless Joe Jackson by Ray Kinsella which was turned into the move "Field of Dreams," reveres its reverie. “We drive on to Minneapolis. We are all relaxed at the game, cheering the Twins to an easy win, chanting ‘Bombo! Bombo! Bombo!’ each time the Twins’ right fielder Bombo Rivera is announced. He is a good young player, but not great. It is his name that intoxicates the crowd.” It probably helped that the Twins were excessively mediocre at that juncture. Tight-fisted Calvin Griffith had traded away Rod Carew and historically had made it clear he would do so with any player good enough to earn free agency. In that way, Rivera's good-not-great performance was ideal for Twins fans that wanted to love baseball but had grown bored or frustrated with the team. He was fun to watch, but not so good that he would need to leave soon. He did, however, leave. After breaking a kneecap in 1980, he was released by the Twins just prior to the 1981 season. He signed as a free agent with the Royals, playing in AAA in 1981 and most of 1982 except for a five game callup back to the majors to finish out the season. Of course, that drew more pop culture references, as Ken LaZebnik wrote an ode called "Fare Thee Well, Bombo Rivera" in his own maagazine called Minneapolis Review of Baseball and later Elysian Fields Quarterly. But that was not the end of his playing career, and the Twins were not the beginning. The youg man from Puerto Rico, who was born Jesus Manuel River Torres, had a pro career spanned 21 years, playing in Mexico, Japan, and 18 seasons in the Puerto Rican Winter League. His professional career started with the Expos, who signed him in 1970. He debuted with them, too, in 1975 as a 22-year-old. The Twins purchased him following the 1977 season. In 1978 he started 57 games in right field, splitting time with Hoskin Powell. The Twins had lost their "Lumber company" corner outfielders Larry Hisle and Lyman Bostok the previous offseason, and would lose "Disco" Danny Ford after 1978, so manager Gene Mauch cobbled together an outfield out of replacement parts to try and keep the team's head above water. It sort of worked; the Twins finished fourth in the seven-team AL West, but they were 19 GB of the division-winning Royals. His next two seasons, the Twins finished aroudn the same place, and just below .500 ball. Attendance for those seasons averaged less than 5500 fans per game. But they were all chanting in unison when Bombo Rivera came up to bat. *Mambo. It rhymed with mambo. Here is a link to an MPR report that includes an interview with Rivera as well as the Ballad of Bombo Rivera by the Powdermilk Biscuit Band. It starts at 3:48. View full player

After today's Twins Daily Social Club's Opening Day Watch Party, join us all year long as we watch the Twins at three fantastic local spots! Come join us as we watch the Twins win at fantastic bars and taprooms! Dan Kelly's, Gluek's, and a new Downtown Mystery Bar will be hosting us for a night of baseball, good company, and delicious food. Whether you're a die-hard Twins fan or just looking for a fun night out, this event is perfect for you. Last year our Watch Party at Forgotten Star had over 300 guests. Our home opener party at Tom's Watch Bar had almost 400. Our Winter Meltdown at the Pourhouse had 300. But these smaller in-season venues are more intimate, so we have to limit the tickets, so grab yours early! It won't cost you much. Tickets for each are just $5 but will be going fast because they include: a free beer a free BOGO beer coupon on a future visit prizes and gift cards at the first pitch, last out, and throughout the game our Six of a Kind baseball card game and our Last Fan Standing game for all attendees lots of Twins talk and camaraderie with the Twins Daily community a Twins win!** Grab a seat, get your free beer, win prizes, and cheer on the Twins with fellow fans. With delicious food, great atmosphere, and plenty of Twins spirit, you won't want to miss out! This is especially true because we're doing all this at some great places. Gluek's is the most historic bar in Minneapolis. Dan Kelly's is the birthplace of Twins Daily! And wait until you see which Mystery Downtown Spot kicks the whole thing off! Tues, 5/21, 5:45 vs WAS – Mystery Downtown Venue (Get tickets here!) Tues, 7/30, 6:10 vs NYM – Dan Kelly’s (Get tickets here!) Tues, 9/17, 5:40 vs CLE – Gluek’s (Get tickets here!) So get your tickets, mark your calendar, and invite your friends - this is a night you won't want to miss! If you want a taste of it, join us for today's epic Opening Day celebration! The Twins Daily Social Club is geared up for an unforgettable event this afternoon at Forgotten Star, with camaraderie, craft beer, games, activities, prizes, and (hopefully) a Twins win! Over 300 guests joined us last year! Forgotten Star's Beer and Gift Cards Join us for $2 off beers and a chance to win $50 gift cards courtesy of Forgotten Star, starting at first pitch and ending at the last out. Plus, more gift cards will be available throughout the game—it's a true celebration of baseball and community. Meat Raffle by Grote Beef Enjoy succulent steaks up for grabs throughout the game—it's a carnivore's dream come true. Sotastick Joins the Party Catch the Twins game live and snag exclusive Sotastick merchandise. Throughout the watch party, plenty of prizes will be raffled off—it's a win-win for all Twins fans! Details: Today, March 28th, 2024 Game: 3:10 PM Event: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM Location: Forgotten Star, 38 Northern Stacks Drive, Fridley, MN 55421 Admission is FREE! No need to preregister—simply show up and immerse yourself in the excitement. Just remember, the game kicks off early at 3:00 PM, so don't be late! Whether you're a die-hard Twins fan, a meat enthusiast, or simply looking for a good time, this event promises to be a home run. See you there! **not guaranteed 😉 View full article

Aaron and John preview the 2024 Minnesota Twins season. 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