John Bonnes

Aaron and John talk about the impending returns of Byron Buxton and Matt Wallner for a Twins lineup that needs plenty of help, why Carson McCusker didn't get much of a chance to do anything, the MVPs of the first third of the season, and introducing a new furry co-host. 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 Carlos Correa rejoining the Twins' lineup, the possibility of Byron Buxton and Matt Wallner also returning soon, how Kody Clemens has hit his way into a bigger role, and the pitching staff's ability to carry the team no matter what the bats are doing. 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 climbing out of an early hole with a double-digit winning streak for the second straight season, the decision to remove Simeon Woods Richardson from the rotation, the scary Byron Buxton-Carlos Correa collision, and the relievers rounding into form alongside the thriving starters. 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' all-too familiar series in Cleveland, good pitching going to waste because of a weak lineup, Royce Lewis nearing a return, waiting for the real Carlos Correa to show, and what happens at the trade deadline if they keep losing. Plus, a little bonus Wolves talk at the end. 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 Luke Keaschall's great first week with the Twins, the nearing return of Royce Lewis, what's wrong with Carlos Correa's swing, how Willi Castro's injury was handled, and leaning into Ryan Jeffers. 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' mounting injuries, the arrival of top-100 prospect Luke Keaschall, why Carlos Correa's wrist could explain a lot, what to make of Griffin Jax's struggles, and highlighting Harrison Bader's defense. 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

We don’t know the full extent of the injuries that Matt Wallner and Carlos Correa suffered in Tuesday night’s 6-3 victory over the Mets. Image courtesy of © Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images Both are getting an MRI on Wednesday morning. Matt Wallner said after the game that he hasn’t felt anything like this before, so he’s unsure what to make of it. Carlos Correa said he experienced some wrist discomfort this spring that went all the way back to last year, though he sounded hopeful that he could be back soon. Whether this is a 12-hour scare or will seriously impact the team, looking at the options for replacing them reveals some paradoxical truths about the organization’s depth. On the one hand, those options are almost exclusively untested in major league roles. On the other hand, they include some prospects that could change the direction of this team in a hurry. The bad news is that the Twins' next game is Wednesday afternoon, so unless they make some quick decisions, they’ll be playing short-handed, like Tuesday night. The good news is that Thursday is an off-day, so their next game isn’t until Friday night, giving them 72 hours to evaluate things better and determine a course of action. If they determine that both players need to be placed on the 10-day Injured List (IL), things will get interesting in a hurry. This weekend’s decision to swap Jose Miranda for Brooks Lee revealed just how few options the Twins have to bolster their lineup. It turns out they’re even thinner two days later with the news that Jose Miranda was added to the 7-day IL with a hand strain before he played a game in AAA. Correa provides the most difficult dilemma. Lee and Willi Castro are the only players on the Twins’ current roster who can handle third base and shortstop, so they suddenly become fixed in those spots daily. Fortunately, the 24-year-old Lee, while no longer technically a prospect, has looked fantastic in his three games since his return, including a home run in Tuesday night’s game. However, the roster will need a backup for both positions, and there are two obvious candidates: Ryan Fitzgerald is a 30-year-old career minor leaguer who has started at shortstop for all 17 of the Saints games this year. Armando Alvarez is also 30 years old and was in the same boat as Fitzgerald before last year, when he played in 16 games with Oakland, filling in at first base, second base, third base, and left field. This year, he has played third base for the Saints. While he couldn’t back up shortstop, that might not be as important because Castro and Lee can back up each other at shortstop if necessary, and Alvarez could slide to 3B. Neither player is on the 40-man roster, but the Twins have only 39 players on it right now, so that’s easily remedied. Finally, it’s worth mentioning that the Twins haven’t provided a detailed update on Royce Lewis's status beyond that he’s progressing but has not started a rehab assignment yet. If he needs to spend time on the IL, Wallner's everyday replacement is already on the roster: Harrison Bader. DeShawn Keirsey Jr becomes the primary, instead of the secondary, backup outfielder. Twins fans who want to see Austin Martin again will be disappointed to hear that he’s not an option because he’s also injured in AAA. The Twins could promote an outfielder. Unfortunately, top (Twins Daily’s #2) prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez hasn’t exactly been tearing it up in St. Paul (.237/.370/.316). Still, he could be an option as he could get his feet wet against MLB competition and upgrade the outfield defense while Larnach continues to pick up at-bats at DH. Or the Twins could try one of their more AAAA-ish outfielders in a strict backup role, though it’s not clear who would pick up at-bats at designated hitter. However, the designated hitter spot could be a nice fit for Twins Daiy’s #3 prospect, Luke Keaschall. He’s been holding his own during his first two weeks in AAA, especially when it comes to getting on base (.270/.408/.378). He’s limited because he’s coming off Tommy John surgery, but he could be the team’s primary designated hitter while his throwing arm rounds back into form. It was clear this spring that manager Rocco Baldelli liked what he saw from Keaschall, giving him starts at designated hitter when the rest of the lineup was populated with Twins’ everyday players. If Baldelli is looking for offensive upside, Keaschall, while inexperienced, seems like the best available option. By Wednesday morning, both Wallner and Correa could have clean MRIs, and both could feel much better, and this whole conversation could be moot. However, the exercise further drives home a truth that has been an important factor this year: the team is not as deep with veteran MLB-ready talent as it has been in past years. On the other hand, it also reveals they have some young players that could - if they can develop quickly - help the team get back to its winning ways. How would you replace Wallner and Correa? Let us know in the comments below. View full article

Major-league managers have few direct levers with which to impact their team’s performance, but one at their disposal is at-bats. After reflecting on some of the performances that led to last year’s dismal finish, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli entered the season planning to use that lever—but it's been missing. Image courtesy of © William Purnell-Imagn Images “Jose is going to be in a position where he’s going to go out there, earn his at-bats, earn his opportunities like many other guys on our roster,” Rocco Baldelli said, when asked about Jose Miranda’s role early in spring training. Then, he extended that answer to others on the team. “You could probably turn to two or three or four other players who have done some good things at the major-league level and ask a similar question, and it would make sense. “I keep saying this but it’s a healthy thing for an organization to have motivated guys that are going out there and want to earn their spot and their opportunities and their at-bats,” Baldelli continued. “The hungrier players are, a lot of times, the better version of them you get.” But Baldelli hasn’t really had that lever during the Twins' cold start this spring. Looking at the bottom of the roster or in St. Paul, one has trouble finding anyone who can pressure or replace those regulars in the lineup who were not producing. As you review the 13 position players on the roster and their status, his options look pretty bleak. You can break them down into four essential groups. Six players started the season with enough currency that they have started almost every day: Carlos Correa started at shortstop for the first 15 games and finally got a game off on Sunday. Byron Buxton has started in center field for all of the Twins' games, except for the two for which he had to leave the team due to a death in his family. Matt Wallner has started all 15 of the games in which the Twins have faced a right-handed starting pitcher, 14 of them in right field. He sat versus two left-handed starting pitchers. Ty France has started 16 of 17 games, playing first base for all of them. Willi Castro has started at second base, third base, left field, and shortstop, but one way or the other, he’s been in the lineup for 16 of the 17 games. Trevor Larnach has split his 16 starts evenly between left field and designated hitter. The second group is the Twins' catchers, with a 50/50 timeshare split. If either Ryan Jeffers or Christian Vazquez start to hit, it’s possible Baldelli could reward one or the other with additional starts, though the Twins have been consistent with starting each one every other game for almost two years. On the other hand, desperate times… The third group is two players who are mostly just role players right now. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (only one start this year) is primarily a pinch-runner and defensive replacement. Mickey Gasper (only five starts this year) has only two hits in his 21 plate appearances, so he’s worked himself out of any regular starts. Finally, we have the group where at-bats are earned on a day-to-day basis. This is the group that Miranda was in, and it’s why it should not have been a surprise to see him sent down over the weekend. Sure, the baserunning gaffe on Saturday was inexcusable, and a demotion would be justified just for that. But tracking his at-bats, it was clear he had been trending into dangerous territory. After starting the first five games of the year, he started in only four of the next 10. He quickly slipped from an everyday player to someone who needed to earn at-bats. With Miranda now in St. Paul, there are three players in this group and two spots left in the lineup every day: Edouard Julien might not even belong in this group anymore; he might belong in the everyday group. He’s started in 12 of the last 13 games, has a 1.000+ OPS over the last week, and has been leading off for the last two games. “He has a good skillset for that because he can get on base,” Baldelli said before Monday’s game. “He can lock in on a certain part of the plate and eliminate other parts of the plate. And so when you have a guy with good on-base skills who can also do some damage for you, and he looks like he’s in a good place, you want to get him up in a good spot in the lineup.” The Twins may intend Brooks Lee to be an everyday guy, at least initially. Since his recall from Triple A, he’s started both games at third base. The Twins have confidence in him being able to handle that position defensively, and they don’t have a ton of other options. With Royce Lewis hurt and Miranda in St. Paul, Castro is the only other third baseman on the roster, so Lee will get plenty of opportunities to earn more at-bats. His performance at the plate will determine if he continues to get them. Finally, Harrison Bader has started 12 of 17 games. It’s somewhat surprising that he’s started in 10 of the Twins' 15 games versus right-handed pitchers, as the right-handed hitting Bader has a career OPS of just .673 against them. Some of those starts can be attributed to the occasional day off for Larnach, Wallner, and Buxton. But mostly, it’s because an open designated hitter spot allows Baldelli to upgrade his defense with Bader in left field (where he has eight starts) and still keep Larnach in the lineup at DH. If Lee shows he can hit at this level, the Twins would essentially have nine hitters for eight non-catcher spots. The open spot at DH and the presence of play-everywhere Castro give Baldelli flexibility to give anyone a day off for rest, a reset, or a reward. It also is the exact minimum a lineup needs if the manager plans to try to encourage players to earn at-bats. Any less, and there is no roster crunch, and there is no pressure. With Miranda struggling, that was basically the case just three days ago. If any of the Twins players take a step backward or get hurt, that will be the case again. One solution would be to have another player or two who could also apply some pressure to a lineup that entered yesterday’s game hitting just .208. That those players don’t exist in the organization is an indictment on the entire organization, whether it be ownership, drafting, scouting, development, or coaching. But Baldelli will take most of the heat for it, even though the lever upon which he was relying has been missing. What levers should Rocco Baldelli be using? Let us know in the comments below. View full article

If you’re heading to Target Field this Saturday and you want to enjoy this early spring a little longer, stick around, and you’ll get a bonus game for your trouble. Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Soon after the Twins wrap up their game against the Tigers, the field will be turned over to a pair of southeast Minnesota high school teams: Byron and Stewartville. It’s the first of six high school games that the Twins will host this season at Target Field, matching the ballpark’s record for most prep games in a single year. You don’t need to register, you don’t need an extra ticket, and you won’t get shuffled out after the big-league game wraps up. If you have a ticket to the Twins game, you’re in for the high school game, too. Just hang tight after the final out, and they’ll get things going. Or, if you don't have a ticket to the Twins game, Gate 29 and Gate 6 will stay open through the end of the high school game. Seating is open in the lower level, anywhere in foul territory. And while the full concession lineup won’t be running, the stand at Section 109 will stay open — though don’t plan on grabbing a cold one; it’s strictly soda and snacks during the high school action. The atmosphere should be great. The Twins will be running the full Target Field experience for these kids — full PA, video boards, LED screens, the whole deal. For a lot of these players, this will be the biggest stage they’ve played on, and I expect you’ll see it in the energy on the field. If you can’t make it, Saturday’s not the only day for this promotion. Next Wednesday afternoon, Target Field will host a triple-header. After the Twins face the Mets, Lakeville North will take on Lakeville South, followed by Highland Park vs. St. Paul Academy/Summit School. So, if you’ve got the time and the ticket, stick around. You’ll get a little extra baseball, a little extra community, and a reminder of how fun this game can be at any level. 2025 Minnesota Twins High School Series Saturday, April 12: Byron vs Stewartville Wednesday April 16: Lakeville North vs Lakeville South & Highland Park vs St. Paul Academy/Summit School Saturday, April 26: Edina vs Minnetonka Wednesday, May 21: White Bear Lake vs Mounds View Thursday, June 12: Bishop Garrigan (Algona, IA) vs Clarion-Goldfield-Dows (Clarion, IA) View full article

Aaron and John talk about the Twins desperately needing to stop digging a deeper hole, Pablo López's injury throwing the rotation into flux, why the lineup's biggest names are dragging it down the most, and Rocco Baldelli's job status being in question. 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

It was supposed to be different. Image courtesy of © Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Spring training was all about how it would be different. Different than the 12-27 finish that ended the Twins' season and plunged them to fourth place in the AL Central. Less individual work. More team drills and meetings. Less swinging for the fences. More putting the ball in play. Less rest. More spring training games, even including veterans going on road trips. It was all different – except how the season started. This year’s 2-5 start is reminiscent of last year’s 3-6 start. Last year, by April 21st, the Twins were 7-13 and were already eight games back in the division. Even a remarkable, sausage-themed 12-game winning streak that month wasn’t enough to close that early gap, and they never regained first place in the AL Central. Sure, there are 155 more games to play. But under Rocco Baldelli, slow starts have often led to disappointing finishes. In 2022, the team started 4-8 and collapsed down the stretch, going 11-22 in September. The 2021 season followed a similar pattern, with the Twins starting 7-15, falling seven games back early, and ultimately finishing last in the division, 20 games behind first place. Alternately, hot starts in 2019 (13-7), 2020 (10-2), and 2023 (10-4) have led to AL Central crowns. The pattern has been consistent: good starts have been paired with strong finishes. Bad starts preceded breakdowns as if the team ran out of gas from chasing the division leader for most of the season. The changes this spring were an attempt to fix that. “Everything you're doing here is for that push at the end," Baldelli said early in spring training. "Many of these things also extend out into the long baseball season and how it's going to help us long-term. If we can do all this the way we want to do it, I think you will see the effects of this in August and September and beyond." Maybe it will have an impact in August and September, but it sure hasn’t in March & April. Everything looks broken right now. Starting pitchers have been shelled. The bullpen has also shown some leaks. But the biggest concern is the lineup, which is averaging just a shade over three runs per game and has the lowest OPS in the American League. There was a change in batting coaches after last year's collapse. The team wanted to refine its approach at the plate, simplifying its offensive philosophy to maximize consistency. "Yeah, some of it’s kind of bringing it back to the way we have probably thought about hitting for a long time," Baldelli explained this spring. "It really comes down to swinging at the right pitches consistently and hitting line drives. I think we’ve probably, at times, made it a more complicated task than it is." Turns out it's still complicated. The team as a whole is hitting .180 through its first seven games. They’re dead last in MLB in on-base percentage. Maybe most concerning is that the experience is eerily similar to that of watching the team last August and September. Last year, injuries to veterans Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa hampered the team’s ability to stop their freefall. This year, another key contributor, Royce Lewis, has yet to play a game, and his replacement, Jose Miranda, has had a miserable start. Last year, multiple younger players looked like they just ran out of gas at the end of a long season. With struggles continuing into this year for Miranda and Edouard Julien, and Brooks Lee out due to another back injury, it’s fair to ask if they ran out of gas or if they just weren’t ready. And if they still aren’t ready, and even whether they’ll ever be ready to fulfill the promise the team projected upon them. That’s the question the team and its fans are wrestling with: were we wrong about this team? Will this 2025 team be more like the 2024 team that was 17 games above .500 in mid-August or the team that was 15 games under .500 the last month and a half? It’s obviously too early to tell, but the early signs have been foreboding, especially because things don't look different. What would you do different? Tell us in the comments below. View full article

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' ugly start to the season, why the narratives can't help but tie back to last year's collapse, Byron Buxton's health providing one of the rare reasons for optimism, and why the starting rotation is an unexpected question mark. 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 discuss Royce Lewis' latest injury and run through their over-under picks for the American League, including their final Minnesota Twins predictions. 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