John Bonnes

"John, Thanks for the support. I sometimes wonder if I'm hollering weird photoshops and awkward puns into the void. ..." I remember that terrible feeling. Only I really was hollering into the void. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] ~~~ A few days ago, I dropped a note to one of our bloggers on Twins Daily, telling them that I enjoyed their latest entry and planned to promote it. Their response is above, and it reminded me of my first seven months of blogging back in 2002. I'd spend an hour or two writing every night. And every day I'd look and find at most 15-20 people were reading me. I also remember that once Brad Zellar, an oustanding local professional writer found me and dropped me a note telling me how good he thought one of my entries was. It meant a lot to me then, but looking back, I wonder if it didn't mean everything. It might well have been the difference between stopping or writing. ~~~ It was the second time this week I've been reminded of that. The first time was yesterday when I read an outstanding short entry by internet marketing guru Seth Godin: "The cost of setting up a lemonade stand (or whatever metaphorical equivalent you dream up) is almost 100% internal. Until you confront the fear and discomfort of being in the world and saying, "here, I made this," it's impossible to understand anything at all about what it means to be a entrepreneur. Or an artist." Or a blogger. This is why I love bloggers. It's also why I have so little patience any more for media who take shots at bloggers. Yes, they're also putting themselves out into the world. But it's one thing to publish when you know you're being read (and paid). It's another to publish in the face of the monster of the void. I love people who have stared down that demon. Blogging is an act of faith, and there are few things I find more beautiful than an act of faith. (Posting on a message board the first time can be one too.) If you recognize that or feel the same way, I'd encourage you to reward those writers you think deserve that recognition with a comment or message. I also hope you'll think twice before discouraging someone brave enough to confront that fear and discomfort. ~~~ Twins Daily will continue to try and do what it can, too. If you're an independent blogger and want to let the world know you're there, please consider posting a link in our forums of any store of which you are especially proud. Hundreds of people read those links and people will find you. We want people to find you. Just remind us where you are. Or you can blog on our site, too. We set you up one when you registered. Just go to the Blogs page and look for a line in the upper right to "My Blog." If you're willing to try hollering at the void, know that we promote quality entries to the front page, where thousands of people will read it. That also is true for existing bloggers that want to republish a story from their site. We'll only promote full stories, but include as many teasers back to your blog as you like. We want people to find you. This is as much of the mission of Twins Daily as it is to provide independent quality Twins coverage. It is no fun hollering at the void. Blog on, John

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.

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 podcasts the rss feed if you want to subscribe and the podcast on iTunes. Or just click below:

The Minnesota Twins made three roster moves today, the most significant of which was optioning outfielder Joe Benson to AAA-Rochester.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Benson had been nominally competing for the Twins centerfield spot with Aaron Hicks and Darin Mastroianni this spring. In addition, left-handed pitcher Pedro Hernandez was also optioned to Rochester and right-handed reliever Luis Perdomo was reassigned to minor league camp. Benson was always the longest of shots to win the center field job. Last year he struggled in AAA, was demoted to AA and finished the year with microfracture knee surgery. He also started slowly this spring, though he showed his potential later with a home run and some extra-base hits. The 25-year-old will try to regain his prospect status in Rochester this year. The Twins received Pedro Hernandez (along with infielder Eduardo Escobar) last year when they traded away Francisco Liriano at the trade deadline. The 23-year-old posted a 5.19 ERA in his four starts at Rochester last year before ending the season on the DL with a strained rotator cuff. Luis Perdomo threw 17 innings for the Twins last year, posting a 3.18 ERA, but he struggled with his control and was dropped from the 40-man roster this offseason. In addition, the Twins made some minor league cuts as well.

In their Minnesota Twins podcast, Gleeman and the Geek talk about Kyle Gibson's early assignment to Triple-A, going to Dinkytown on St. Patrick's Day eve to see John Mulaney, Samuel Deduno starring in the World Baseball Classic, if the Twins are becoming more aggressive promoting minor leaguers, the Brass Kings, the differences between baseball and football playoffs, Deolis Guerra's scary injury, the lack of Jim Thome news, and going deeper down the bar-buying path. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Here are: the podcasts the rss feed if you want to subscribe and the podcast on iTunes. Or just click below:

You’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone that doesn’t think the Detroit Tigers are the favorites to with the AL Central, including those who generate MLB futures odds. But Vegas has also tagged them with the highest over-under number in the American League: 93 games. Vegas picked a similar number last year and the Tigers disappointed.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] They won the division, but they only won 88 games, and only their dominance of head-to-head matchups with the White Sox saved them from an ignomnius fate. After adding Cecil Fielder in the offseason, their offense was only slightly above average, though playing in Comerica Park might skew that a little. They bolstered their starting pitching staff by acquiring Anibal Sanchez but their bullpen remained full of question marks. To their credit, they further improved this offseason. They retained Sanchez and replaced Delmon Young with Torii Hunter. But maybe best of all, they’ll add Victor Martinez to their lineup as he is fully recovered from the ACL surgery that cost him all of 2012. So start with 88 wins, add a full year of Martinez, a full year of Sanchez, swapping Hunter for Young….and they pretty clearly approach that number. I’ll add in a more ethereal reason too: sometime it seems like it takes a team of superstars a year or so to remember that games won’t be just handed to them. However, 93 is a huge number, so it’s hard to take the over – but that’s the point. If it was lower, everyone would bet it. Which way would you go?

Aaron and John talk about Aaron Hicks' odds of being the Twins' Opening Day center fielder, the pros and cons of service time shenanigans, dreaming of buying a bar together, betting on the over/under win totals for every American League team, why the AL Central is once again underwhelming, the dangers of parallel parking, Ryan Doumit and evaluating catcher defense, unprofessional bathroom breaks, and the stability of one-run games. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Here are: the podcasts the rss feed if you want to subscribe and the podcast on iTunes. Or, just click below:

There are great rewards and great risks in doing something new. We know a thing or two about that at Twins Daily. We also know a thing or two about passion and experimentation and rejecting the limitations older corporate entities might embrace. (Or try to enforce.) I think these are core values with which our members empathize. If they didn't, I think they'd get their Twins fix someplace else. It has been harder to find local sponsors that embrace that same attitude. But today we welcome our first, and given their history, I wonder what took us so long to find each other. In 1986, Summit tackled a stodgy industry by trusting consumers to get past old habits by brewing new experimental products of exceptional quality. They took great risks and we've all received the great rewards. In the brewer’s interview for their new Unchained series beer, brewer Gabe Smoley talked about the impressive measures he took to make sure that his beer would really be 100% organic: I think that’s the DNA of Twins Daily too, and I think it’s the DNA or our community. So, please raise a glass and welcome Summit to Twins Daily. I'm glad we found each other.

Can any season for the Kansas City Royals, who have only finished above .500 once since strike-shortened 1994, really be considered a disappointment? Maybe not, but last year was close. Last year was supposed to be the year the the Royals perennial rebuilding efforts finally paid off. Vegas gave them an over/under of 80.5, giving them even odds at that elusive .500 year. It wasn't to be. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Their offense was below average (20th in runs scored) and their pitching was worse (23rd in combined ERA). They won only 72 games. Their starting rotation was especially bad, posting an ERA of 5.01. That's the area they attacked this offseason. Last year's Opening Day starter, Bruce Chen, goes into the season and their fifth starter. A trade with the Rays netted them James Shields and Wade Davis. Another trade with the Angles brought them Ervin Santana. And they re-signed Jeremy Guthrie, who was outstanding for them after a midseason trade with the Rockies. Despite all those improvements, Vegas is cautious, giving them an over/under of 78.5, two games worse than they expected last year. It looks like those that bet the over last year may need a little reassuring to make the same bet this year. I don't blame them. The Royals were 11 games under .500 by April 24th last year. Five months is a long time to wonder why the hell you thought this year would be any different for the Royals. For the record, I think this year might just be different. If I had to choose one way or the other, I'd take the over on that 78.5, but .... there is just no way I'm laying money on that number. Let me rephrase that: there is no way I'm laying money on that franchise. I expect the good people of Missouri understand. After all, they are the "Show Me" state. Make sure you're heard, too. We'll review these at the end of the year.