John Bonnes

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4661[/ATTACH]sponsored by Ticket King C’mon, you can admit it – it’s fun to hate the Yankees. Let go of your stoic Minnesotan demeanor for one minute and confess: you enjoy watching those pampered Gothamites get their come-upance. If they want to act like a bunch of fantsy-pants in their own stadium, surrounded by stockbrokers and thugs (and stockbroker thugs), that’s their business. But when they come to our quaint little ballpark, some plain talk should inform them that they can leave their overstuffed wallets in the locker room. And you’re probably just the person to do it. Here are the Twins tickets you need to do the job. Section 126 – Down the left field line. I’m not ready to let go of the Phil Cuzzi call yet. I’m not that big. I’ll admit it. If you’re like me and history repeats itself, you’ll be right there to see for yourself that it’s a fair ball. And perhaps point to the big freaking divot in the ground. Section 14 – Third base And since this time the Phil Cuzzi clone will need to be the 3rd base umpire (this isn’t a playoff game, so there won’t be an outfield umpire, as in Cuzzi’s case) you can verbally let him know that your friends in Section 126 saw the whole thing. Section 128, 129, 229, 230 – The left field bleachers Because you never know when the Yankees may bring back Chuck Knoblauch. It makes as much sense as trotting Vernon Wells’ undead corpse out there. (By the way, Wednesdays are $1 hot dog nights.) Section 113-115 – G, H & J – Legends Club behind home plate It’s sad, but many home plate umpires are intimidated by pinstripes. From your perch above home plate, you’re in the perfect position to remind tonight’s ump that he’s man enough to overcome his insecurities. (Or, if he’s not, to suggest the nearest local optometrist.) Section 214 – Upper deck, behind home plate These Minnesota Twins tickets are just below 2 Gingers Pub where Sue Nelson, the Twins organist, plays. She’s a lovely and gifted lady, and super-friendly to boot. But she may be tempted to play one of several New York anthems while the Yankees are in town, like Frank Sinatra, Billy Joel or Frank Sinatra. Gently let her know you don’t approve. Section 233, 234, 235 and 236 – Over the bullpens Please don’t tell Mariano Rivera he sucks, because he really, really doesn’t. In fact, if you really want to help out the Twins, tell him how much you LOVE retirement. Talk up the trips abroad and the time you have to get that “honey-do” list done. Maybe buy him a gold watch. Sections 7, 8, 9 & 10 – The Champions Club behind home plate At several hundred dollars for one of these Target Field tickets, you can bet some of these will be snapped up by big New York money fund managers rooting for their beloved Bombers. If you’re feeling gentle, encourage these fellows to go for fourths at the luxurious buffets that are comped. It shouldn’t take too much coercing to slip them into a fat cat food coma. Feeling more aggressive? Loudly proclaim some totally false insider trading information. Section 11, 12 & 13- Right behind the Yankees dugout Usually this would be a prime location to let Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez or Mark Teixeira know what you think of their play – and maybe their moms. But the Yankees have grown a little old and fragile this year, so those three are being replaced by Jayson Nix, David Adams and Lyle Overbay. It’s enough to almost make you feel sorry for them. (Heh. Not really.)

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4657[/ATTACH]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. But without those expectations, there is still plenty of hope. The Nationals are slightly over .500, 6.5 games back of the division and 4.5 games back of 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 pitches, 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 be provided 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” didn’t ring a bell, the Nationals and Twins have danced at the deadline recently more than once. Besides the Ramos-Matt Capps trade, there were lots of rumors about them nearly trading Denard Span to the Nationals two years ago. 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 inning-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 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 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, but 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 can 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 that 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 populated 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

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4646[/ATTACH]Aaron and John completely forget that it's their 100th episode and talk about Kyle Gibson's debut, what to do with Aaron Hicks when he's healthy, who Mike Pelfrey should bump in the rotation, being sad about Glen Perkins trade rumors, the demise of the Yankees, Polish pride, Josh Willingham and playing through pain, mailbag questions from listeners, Brad Radke's acedom, and sugar mamas. You can listen by clicking below, download us from iTunes or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com.

1st of a series Buyers or Sellers They sure aren’t selling. The Braves only real competition in the NL East is the Washington Nationals, over whom they hold a 6.5 game lead. But they’re unlikely to take that lead for granted. Last year they won 94 games – and got knocked out in the one-game Wild Card playoff. The year before they collapsed down the stretch, losing eight of their last ten games (including their last five), finishing one game out of the playoffs. This is not a franchise (or fan base) that is going to feel like they’re all set. What They Need Which is a little weird, because they’re just about all set, as the Twins learned when they were swept by them earlier this year. The Braves starting pitching ranks 2nd in the NL in ERA. Their offense ranks 4th in runs, but they’re that “low” because their big free agent acquisition, BJ Upton, has just a 594 OPS. That isn’t going to last. However, there have been multiple reports of the Braves evaluating others teams' relievers. That’s a little odd, because Craig Kimbrel has been fantastic as their closer. However, they lost two left-handed setup men Eric O’Flaherty and Tommy Venters to Tommy John surgery in the same week in May. That’s left Luis Avilan, whose numbers look good, but 18K in 33 IP don’t inspire confidence. Neither do the 13 walks that go with them. What Might Work Last year at the deadline, and indeed in the offseason, there were lots of rumors about the Braves and Twins talking about a deal. That was because the Braves needed a center fielder (which they filled by signing BJ Upton) and some right-handed power (which they fixed by trading for his brother Justin). However, the Twins have three effective left-handers in their bullpen right now. Caleb Thielbar is unproven, but has been deadly against lefties. Brian Duensing represent a more senior option that would still not require a king’s ransom. And Glen Perkins would give the Braves the best lefty-righty combo to lose games in Major League Baseball. As the Braves evaluate relievers, they’ll certainly approach the Twins. Sleeper Targets Here are some names from down the prospect list which could conceivably interest the Twins in any non-Perkins deal: Jose Peraza – SS – Low A – 19 years old He’s skilled enough defensively to, project staying at shortstop, but he also showed some pop last year in Rookie League. This year, he’s only at .256/.317/.339, but he also just turned 19. He’s a guy the scouts often like: toolsy and projectable. Luis Merejo – LHP – Rookie League – 18 years old He dominated in the Gulf Coast Rookie League last year, striking out 53 in 41 innings. He’s back there this year, but he could make his way up to A ball and there is some thought he could move fast. Cody Martin – RHP – AAA – 23 years old Martin wasn’t on any Top 10 Braves list because he’s a command-control pitcher. But this year he’s posting a 2.45 ERA between AA & AAA and has 95 K in 88 IP (and just 74 hits). And those rates are not out of line with his numbers every other year. Don’t forget – Atlanta is the organization from which the Twins plucked Scott Diamond. Dream Target Mauricio Cabrera – RHP – Low A – 19 years old The Braves top two remaining pitching prospects, JD Graham and Sean Gilmartin, are both on the shelf right now with injuries. So let’s look for a bigger arm a little further down the ladder. Baseball Prospectus described Cabrera’s arm as “ridiculous” with a fastball that can work in the mid to high 90s. He needs to develop secondary pitches and command, though he has the makings of a slider right now that could be very good. If he progresses, he could be a top of the rotation arm. If not, he could still be a dominant reliever. If he were to be part of a package, there could be lot of excitement about the future of the Twins rotation with him joining Kohl Stewart and JO Berrios in the lower minor leagues. 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 Washington Nationals

1st of a series Buyers or Sellers They sure aren’t selling. The Braves only real competition in the NL East is the Washington Nationals, over whom they hold a 6.5 game lead. But they’re unlikely to take that lead for granted. Last year they won 94 games – and got knocked out in the one-game Wild Card playoff. The year before they collapsed down the stretch, losing eight of their last ten games (including their last five), finishing one game out of the playoffs. This is not a franchise (or fan base) that is going to feel like they’re all set. What They Need Which is a little weird, because they’re just about all set, as the Twins learned when they were swept by them earlier this year. The Braves starting pitching ranks 2nd in the NL in ERA. Their offense ranks 4th in runs, but they’re that “low” because their big free agent acquisition, BJ Upton, has just a 594 OPS. That isn’t going to last. However, there have been multiple reports of the Braves evaluating others teams' relievers. That’s a little odd, because Craig Kimbrel has been fantastic as their closer. However, they lost two left-handed setup men Eric O’Flaherty and Tommy Venters to Tommy John surgery in the same week in May. That’s left Luis Avilan, whose numbers look good, but 18K in 33 IP don’t inspire confidence. Neither do the 13 walks that go with them. What Might Work Last year at the deadline, and indeed in the offseason, there were lots of rumors about the Braves and Twins talking about a deal. That was because the Braves needed a center fielder (which they filled by signing BJ Upton) and some right-handed power (which they fixed by trading for his brother Justin). However, the Twins have three effective left-handers in their bullpen right now. Caleb Thielbar is unproven, but has been deadly against lefties. Brian Duensing represent a more senior option that would still not require a king’s ransom. And Glen Perkins would give the Braves the best lefty-righty combo to lose games in Major League Baseball. As the Braves evaluate relievers, they’ll certainly approach the Twins. Sleeper Targets Here are some names from down the prospect list which could conceivably interest the Twins in any non-Perkins deal: Jose Peraza – SS – Low A – 19 years old He’s skilled enough defensively to, project staying at shortstop, but he also showed some pop last year in Rookie League. This year, he’s only at .256/.317/.339, but he also just turned 19. He’s a guy the scouts often like: toolsy and projectable. Luis Merejo – LHP – Rookie League – 18 years old He dominated in the Gulf Coast Rookie League last year, striking out 53 in 41 innings. He’s back there this year, but he could make his way up to A ball and there is some thought he could move fast. Cody Martin – RHP – AAA – 23 years old Martin wasn’t on any Top 10 Braves list because he’s a command-control pitcher. But this year he’s posting a 2.45 ERA between AA & AAA and has 95 K in 88 IP (and just 74 hits). And those rates are not out of line with his numbers every other year. Don’t forget – Atlanta is the organization from which the Twins plucked Scott Diamond. Dream Target Mauricio Cabrera – RHP – Low A – 19 years old The Braves top two remaining pitching prospects, JD Graham and Sean Gilmartin, are both on the shelf right now with injuries. So let’s look for a bigger arm a little further down the ladder. Baseball Prospectus described Cabrera’s arm as “ridiculous” with a fastball that can work in the mid to high 90s. He needs to develop secondary pitches and command, though he has the makings of a slider right now that could be very good. If he progresses, he could be a top of the rotation arm. If not, he could still be a dominant reliever. If he were to be part of a package, there could be lot of excitement about the future of the Twins rotation with him joining Kohl Stewart and JO Berrios in the lower minor leagues. 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 Washington Nationals

The Twins have not, as a team, run the bases well with any sort of consistency regardless of whether they were good that year or not. I'm puzzled by this conclusion. Is "0" average? Ar the Twins not above average in eight of the 12 years? Or am I reading the data wrong?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4526[/ATTACH]In this week's Minnesota Twins podcast, Aaron and John talk about expectations for Kyle Gibson's promotion, where Aaron Hicks rehab stint will take him, Wilkin Ramirez' setback from a concussion, Trevor Plouffe's trade value, Antoan Richardson's eye-popping OBP, Oswald Arcia's quiet success, trade speculation, the upcoming zombie apocalypse and answer mailbag questions. You can listen by clicking below, download us from iTunes or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com.

Aaron and John talk about their night in a Target Field suite, praying for Samuel Deduno, Oswaldo Arcia showing he belongs again, Clete Thomas subbing for Aaron Hicks, the Byron Buxton experience, Trevor Plouffe coming off the disabled list hot, grumpy Bonnes and sunny Gleeman, starting a team from scratch, releasing Anthony Slama, mailbag questions from listeners, and being chased by the cops. Here are: the podcasts the rss feed if you want to subscribe and the podcast on iTunes. Or click below if you want to listen right now....

Aaron and John talk about their night in a Target Field suite, praying for Samuel Deduno, Oswaldo Arcia showing he belongs again, Clete Thomas subbing for Aaron Hicks, the Byron Buxton experience, Trevor Plouffe coming off the disabled list hot, grumpy Bonnes and sunny Gleeman, starting a team from scratch, releasing Anthony Slama, mailbag questions from listeners, and being chased by the cops. Here are: the podcasts the rss feed if you want to subscribe and the podcast on iTunes. Or click below if you want to listen right now....

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4415[/ATTACH]You would think that when Twins Daily hits a milestone like one million views over a month, like we did yesterday, it would cause a lot of elation. And usually, you would be right. But this time, it was a little overwhelming. Because while I forget details about the beginnings of blogging I still remember certain feelings vividly. I remember the emptiness of hollering into the void. I remember the elation of finding an audience. I remember the backlash, the anger at cowardly throwaway attacks. The disbelief at shameful obstacles. The frustration. The hopelessness. The resignation. For the better part of a decade, the naysayers had the louder voice. They used it to tell you that nobody will listen. That your passion is of no interest. That your voice belongs in your mothers basement. To them I'll reply: 1,000,000. One million times per month people want to read your thoughts. One million times per month, people want to read your research. One million times per month, people want to share your passion. To me, that is a dream come true. To the naysayers, it is a fad or a lark or degredation. They are making the same mistake they made ten years ago: they underestimated you. They didn't think you were passionate enough to find us, kind enough to share, civil enough to discuss, or talented enough to write. And you are all of those and there are millions of you and now we know this, can show this. Which is a very long way of saying two words: Thank You. I don't pretend to know everyone's motivations for visiting Twins Daily, but whatever the reason, it feels like a miracle. Elation isn't enough.

I think I was at at party. The guy who was knocked out was also a Packers fan who had been talking s-word about Greg Jennings. That might have been part of what got Klaus so worked up. Plus, his wife left him recently. All she left of hers was that damn umbrella.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4322[/ATTACH]Here it is: everything you need to look like you’ve been eating and breathing MLB Draft coverage for the last month, all in one quick story. The Bad News The Twins are drafting fourth in what is widely considered to be a draft with three great players. If those three go to the first three teams, the Twins will likely go one of two ways: Option 1 (seems most likely) They’ll draft a Texas high school pitcher with big upside named Kohl Stewart. He could be the best pitcher in the draft, but high school pitching can be risky and take several years to make it to the majors. OR…. Option 2 They’ll take a high school catcher named Reese McGuire who is ready defensively but will require time in the minors to become a major league hitter. If the Twins did this, it would be so they could save some money on the pick and use that money to “overdraft” later picks. That’s sort of the MLB equivalent of trading down in the draft. The Good News There are a lot of rumors flying around that one of the three teams above the Twins will NOT take one of the three best players. They would do so for the same reason that the Twins would do Option 2 – to save money for “overdrafting.” So, let’s explain that. Overdrafting There are three things you need to know about the MLB draft: 1) A lot of players who are eligible, but who don't get the bonus they think they should get, won't sign with a team, choosing to re-enter the draft in subsequent years. 2) Therefore, teams often don’t pick a lot of really good players if they don’t think they can sign them. 3) Teams can’t sign them because teams have a set amount they can pay players based on where they pick them. But that limit isn’t per player – it’s for their whole pool of players. This means that if the Twins saved money with their first pick, they can use their second pick on a player who was talented enough to go in the first round, but didn’t for whatever reason. Then they can offer him first-round money because they can offer the second-round money plus the money they saved. The Big Three The good news about overdrafting is that the explanation of it is now over. The really good news is that it means there is a decent chance that one of these three players could fall to the Twins. All project as difference-makers. Ace #1 - Mark Appel A college right-handed pitcher who has been on the radar for years – mostly because he was one of those guys last year who didn’t sign. He’s considered ace material and could be in the majors this year, though the Twins might want to be cautious about that given all the innings he racked up for Stanford. The biggest question about him is whether he might want more money than the #4 overall team can offer. (His agent is Scott Boras.) Ace #2 - Jonathan Gray A college right-handed pitcher who exploded on the scene this year with triple digit heat and a vicious slider. He’s also considered ace material though riskier than Appel because he has less of a track record. Also, it was revealed this week that he tested positive for Adderall, a stimulant. If things go well, he could be fronting a rotation by the end of next year. Slugger #1 – Kris Bryant A slugger who at one point this year had hit more home runs than 90% of Division 1 teams. Read that last word again. Bryant also didn’t have much of a track record this year and scouts aren’t sure if his defense will be good enough to stay at 3rd base. But with that kind of power, who cares where he plays? He also could reach the majors soon, maybe arriving about the same time next year as Twins uber-prospect Miguel Sano, a slugger who might struggle to stay at 3rd base. It’s HERE! One way or the other, you’re going to have a reason to be excited Friday morning. Either the Twins are adding high-end pitching they desperately need, yet one more eye-popping bat - or a catcher plus more talent in later rounds. (OK, maybe you won't be excited no matter what they do.) But it should bbe an exciting day, so if you want to live and die with each pick, I’d recommend participating in the Official Day 1 Draft Thread. Enjoy.