John Bonnes

Aaron and John talk about the Twins adding C.J. Cron as Joe Mauer's replacement, non-tendering Robbie Grossman, where Tyler Austin stands, picking through the best of the non-tenders, why Cron might be closer to Eddie Rosario than to Logan Morrison, mailbag questions from listeners, and why the Bonneses are very much like the Legends. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher, iHeartRadio or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. Sponsored by Pick and Shovel, Harry's Razors and Simple Contacts. Click here to view the article

Today the big news will be a trade between the Mets and Mariners that brings secon baseman Robinson Cano and closer Edwin Diaz to the Mets. While it's fun to speculate, this deal likely could not have involved the Twins. Key to the deal is that Cano has a no-trade clause that he must waive, and doing so probably requires a return to New York City. But last I checked, we're four months from real baseball, so let's speculate anyway....How much fun would it have been to add Cano and Diaz to the Twin roster for next year? Cano gprovides a middle-of-the-order hitter at second base, and still leaves lots of room to add more offense at first base and designated hitter. Diaz is a 24-year-old lights-out closer who is under team control for four more years. Some of the bigger offseason challenges are handled in one early move. Of course, the reason the Mariners made this deal is because Cano will make $24 million for the next six years. He also lost half of last season to a performance-enhancing drugs suspension. Plus, he's 35 years old. The reason he's available, and indeed the reason he almost has to be traded with Diaz, is because his contract is such a liability. We may find out the deal includes some money to help cover those salaries in 2021-2023, but right now we don't have any details. But it's also worth noting that the Mets aren't giving up a tremendous amount here. They're giving up "two top prospects" but the three names prominently mentioned include 19-year-old outifleder Jarred Kelenic (a 6th overall draft pick last year), and pitchers Justin Dunn and/or David Peterson. MLB.com's Pipeline lists Kelenic and Dunn as Top 100 guys, but late-Top 100 guys. By comparion, Twins prospects like Royce Lewis and Alex Kiriloff are top 10. Instead, a comparable package might have been Brusdar Graterol and Trevor Larnach (or any of the Twins #4-#9 prospects). Plus, the Mets are dumping a couple of questionable contracts themselves. Jay Bruce dealt with cascading injuries last year and will cost them $13M over the next two years. Swarzak had shoulder issues, lost his feel for the zone and is due $8M this year. Without including them, the package would've been even less. Of course, Minneapolis is not New York City, so to really make the deal a reality, they would've also needed to find something to entice Cano to waive his no-trade clause. Throwing additional money at a bad contract that is going to run until a guy is 41 doesn't seem wise. It certainly doesn't seem like The Twins Way®. But if the only thing standing between getting the deal done and it not getting done is a little more cash, maybe a $5M bonus next year sweetens the pot? This is the year that they have the money, right? It's a moot point, obviously. Mostly this deal intrigued me because I've been advocating a frugal approach on a middle infielder, but immediately pivoted into full-blow "WANT" mode when I saw the players available. But I'd be interested in what the community thinks. What kind of creative would have made sense for the Twins? Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about the Twins adding Nick Gordon and other prospects to the 40-man roster, not protecting Tyler Jay from the Rule 5 draft, reviewing the best free agent bullpen options, Paul Goldschmidt and Sonny Gray rumors, selling Alan Busenitz to Japan, Bill Evers adding some age to the coaching staff, and what to do when someone brings you 700 percent more food than you ordered. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher, iHeartRadio or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. Sponsored by Pick & Shovel and Lynlake Brewery. Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about pitching coach Wes Johnson and the rest of the Twins' new-look coaching staff, why college is such an untapped resource in baseball, the Twins' search for rotation help via free agency, how much of Zack Greinke's contract is too much, and the latest huge money score for MLB owners. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher, iHeartRadio or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link.http://traffic.libsy...3?dest-id=74590 Sponsored by Headflyer Brewing, Robinhood and Sota Stick. Click here to view the article

As of 8 AM on Thursday, yesterday's story about bargain bin free agent hitters had eight comments, and none of them were "the Twins/Pohlads are so cheap" and I want to congratulate Twins Territory on that giant leap forward. It's not often that happens in a story about fiscally responsible spending. We'll try for two in a row today, as we continue by finding bargain bin pitching... You can create your own blueprint using Twins Daily's Offseason Handbook, which you can download immediately and name your own price. Starting Pitching Philosophy - This is the hardest area to predict for the Twins. On the one hand, it makes sense to not commit too many years or too much money, because they have (in theory) only one available spot in the rotation and several young candidates as backup options. On the other hand, at this point next year they could have three more openings as Kyle Gibson, Jake Odorizzi and Michael Pineda are all scheduled to be free agents. Finding a top-flight starter that can be the core of the 2020 team with Jose Berrios (and perhaps Fernando Romero and Brusdar Graterol) could be valuable this year and necessary next year. Targets - The free agent market is also interesting. There is no longer the anticipated star power at the top, but this is a deep class in the middle, with a number of intriguing comeback candidates and veterans. My favorite candidates are: Yusei Kikuchi - A 27-year-old left-hander coming over from Japan, he’s the one name that satisfies both concerns: he’ll likely sign a multi-year deal, but his price could be reasonable due to some injury concerns.Charlie Morton (35yo), Gio Gonzalez (32yo), Anibal Sanchez (35yo) - The free agent market is replete with mid or late 30-year-old pitchers who have had success recently. If you have a favorite, offer them a second year and they’re likely yours at a reasonable price.Derek Holland (32yo) - Riskier is someone like Holland, who has had a roller coaster career and bounced back last year in spacious Pac Bell field. He’s still young, appears healthy again, Target Field limits long balls, and Holland could fall into a bullpen role if the rotation doesn’t work out.Relief PitchingPhilosophy - The Twins failures last year are mostly blamed on the Addison Reed deal, which was a disappointment. But that stumble was exacerbated by the real problem: the Twins haven’t developed reliable bullpen difference-makers internally. When veterans are hurt or overused, there has been no reliable backup plan. Free agency can't fix that, just paper it over a bit. The big change this year will be the changes to the coaching staff and player development. In the meantime, the approach in free agency will likely look similar to last year, making some of the cheaper options real possibilities. Targets - Last year’s market was deep, but the market for relievers didn’t have the bargains that were available for other positions. Expect the same this year. Here are few options that might be overlooked. Kelvin Herrera - He’s an elite (and young, 29yo) bullpen arm that struggled after a midseason trade, and then went down with a ligament injury in his left foot. There’s a lot of inherent risk there, but if he’s expected to be out a significant time, a Michael Pineda-type deal might make sense. And if he isn’t, he could provide good value as he rebuilds his market on a one-year deal.Greg Holland - A reliever who dominated in Kansas City with Herrera, he had a terrible beginning of the year in St. Louis, even getting released. But then he bounced back strong with the Nationals so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.Joe Kelly - Historically he has matched the template that failed the Twins old regime - high velocity that somehow doesn’t translate into strikeouts. Last year, the strikeouts went way up, but didn’t translate into a low ERA. The 31-year-old might well be a half step from becoming something special, if the Twins think they can get him over the finish line. (But a lot of teams have thought that.)This thought exercise might be especially valuable in today’s major league game. The free agent market plunged last year in part because top teams were conscious of the salary cap while bottom teams were dumping productive high-salary players. The Twins payroll flexibility allowed them to wait for the market to come to them, acquiring some bargains in spring training. Several of those moves didn’t work, obviously, but that doesn’t mean a team shouldn’t try to game the market for some solid acquisitions this year. Click here to view the article

I haven't heard any news on Sakamoto in a long time.Got any links to news?

The last thing Twins fans want to hear is the benefit of moving forward with a frugal payroll. However, creating an offseason plan around a shoestring budget is at least valuable as a thought exercise. It’s foolish to do all these moves, but identifying a couple could free up money for a more expensive addition. So let’s identify a few bargains to fill some of the holes in the Twins 25-man roster… You can create your own blueprint using Twins Daily's Offseason Handbook, which you can download immediately and name your own price. Middle Infield Philosophy - This is the easiest position to fill. The Twins have a desperate need, but also have several middle infield prospects approaching the majors. The free agent market is deep, especially with second basemen. It makes sense to sign someone to a short contract, filling the need for the present and giving the future the time it needs to develop. Targets - I’d look to the more competitive shortstop market initially, moving Jorge Polanco to second base. Put shortstop Freddy Galvis at the top of the list, who is 29 years old, cost $15M over two years (per the Twins Daily Offseason Handbook) and brings a solid glove to help out the left side of the infield along with a little (13 HR in 2018) pop. I’d also stay involved in the bidding for shortstops Jose Iglesias and Jordy Mercer. If that doesn’t work, there are a ton of second basemen to consider even if the team is determined not to guarantee more than two years at a cost of $7M or so per year. Candidates include Ascrubal Cabrera, Ian Kinsler and even old friend Brian Dozier. (Hey, he and that left field porch were a good match.) This is the one area it’s almost impossible to screw up. The market will come to the Twins. Corner Infield Philosophy - In an ideal world, this is the area that the Twins will spend a lot of money. They need a middle-of-the-order hitter, and with spots open at first base and designated hitter, they should be thinking bat first and figure out where to play them later. Plus, this free agency has some bats, even beyond Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, that fit that bill. (Nelson Cruz seems like an ideal fit.) But this is supposed to be a frugal list, so I’m going to focus on strategy that leads to a couple of budget options. And those options start in-house, because after a few big names, this free agency class falls off a cliff. Targets - I expect the Twins will keep Tyler Austin in their plans for next year. Acquired from the Yankees, he is 27 years old and has posted a 937 OPS against southpaws over his career. Adding a left-handed bat to pair with him makes sense, even if it costs a bench spot. At the top of my wish list is 30-year-old Matt Adams, who slugged 21 home runs in only 306 AB - and twenty of those came against right-handed pitching. ‘Nuff said. He costs about $8M. A backup plan is Lucas Duda (~$4M), who is 32 years old and posted a 813 OPS against right-handers last year. I’ll tell you who I would’ve liked the second name to be: Joe Mauer. I wish him the best in his next career, but it’s a bummer that he is moving on when he was such a good fit for the Twins. He is cheap ($7M), gets on-base, good defensively, a veteran role model and hungry for the postseason. He would've been a nice fit. Instead, I suspect the Twins could just hang onto Robbie Grossman who can be sort of a Joe Mauer Lite: he gets on base (.355 OBP over his career, .367 last year), is just 29 years old, can play outfield in a pinch, and most importantly for this list, is still relatively cheap (~$4M). Those names likely will not generate any High Fives at your favorite watering hole, but such is the life of the bargain shopper. Tomorrow we'll look at two other markets that look promising as well: starting pitcher and relievers. Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about Joe Mauer making his retirement official, what his Hall of Fame case will look like in five years, the Twins' free agent options at first base and third base, Kennys Vargas going to Japan, reported interest in J.A. Happ, speculation about interest in Carlos Santana, and taking in the views at the new Bonnes Sky Cabin. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher, iHeartRadio or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. Sponsored by Hopsy, Away Travel and Casper Mattresses. Click here to view the article

John and Aaron talk about big changes to the Twins' coaching staff, Bert Blyleven's reduced role with FSN, and the Twins' options for free agent help at second base and shortstop. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher, iHeartRadio or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. Sponsored by 612 Brew, Harry's Razors and Simple Contacts. Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about new Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, how he differs from Paul Molitor, his unique baseball path, the difficulty in evaluating any manager, and what the Twins' coaching staff may look like under him. Plus, buying a condo, a longtime scout sues the Twins, Eduardo Escobar stays in Arizona and the identity of The Big Kielbasa. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher, iHeartRadio or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link.http://traffic.libsy...3?dest-id=74590 Sponsored by Utepils Brewing, SeatGeek and Robinhood. Click here to view the article

FWIW, I remember a story either during the 87 World Series or immediately thereafter stating exactly this. I also think I remember something about this in a Twis history book - maybe Doug Grow's "We're Gonna Win Twins?" It's a fair point. But it's also worth noting that MacPhail's wheeling-and-dealing to add critical pieces was something that Griffith (or Fox) never would have done as GM, and that was in fact one of the narratives at the time when he sold the team. It may have needed both halves of the coin - Griffith's eye for young talent AND MacPhail's willingness to go beyond that core. (And maybe add to it Pohlad's willingness to spend some money, which seems quaint now, but was still several levels higher than Griffith's.)

The 1982 season ushered in a new era of Twins baseball, both with a new stadium and a new generation of Twins players. But there were new questions. It was becoming clear that the 1.4 million attendance threshold included in the Metrodome lease was not going to be met, giving Calvin Griffith the option of breaking the lease and perhaps moving to another market. Part 7 of a 12-part series that breaks Twins history into fun-sized chunks.You can find more here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 Local business leaders responded by mounting a ticket-buying campaign of the cheapest unused tickets available to artificially inflate the attendance. For instance, on May16, 1984, the paid attendance was 51,683, but the number of fans present was closer to 8,700. Flirtations with other markets, particularly Tampa Bay, were made, but instead local banker and business executive Carl Pohlad purchased the team in the summer of 1984. On the field, the team was growing – and experiencing growing pains. The promise of brighter days was apparent in 1984 when the Twins suddenly competed for the division, even though they had finished just 70-92 the year before. They led the AL West for all of August and found themselves tied for first place as late as September 23. But six straight losses, including blowing a 10-run lead against Cleveland in the last series of the year, left them in second place. Those brighter days were also personified by a rookie call-up. Center fielder Kirby Puckett made his debut just 21 games into the season, hit .296 and finished third in the Rookie of the Year balloting. The next year he would collect his first MVP vote. These were previews. The feature presentation started in 1986 when Puckett hit .328 and added power to his resume, slugging 31 home runs. Over the next 10 years, he would finish in the top 10 of American League MVP voting seven times, make 10 straight All-Star teams, and win six Gold Gloves. His success endeared him to the fans, but not as much as his zeal for the game. The Twins would retire his number in 1997 and he was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001, his first year of eligibility. While Puckett signified an apparently brighter future, the Twins struggled in 1985 and 1986, in part due to an explosive bullpen. Closer Ron Davis became the symbol for the team’s failings, both supported and reviled by Twins fans. In 1985, after several blown games, a sympathetic newspaper story led to “I believe in R.D.” t-shirts becoming fashionable in the Metrodome. But equally popular was the trade that sent him and his 9.08 ERA to the Cubs in August of 1986. There were big changes in Twins offices, too. Part 7 of a 12-part series that breaks Twins history into fun-sized chunks.You can find more here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 Click here to view the article

Aaron and John pour their own beers at First Draft Taproom & Kitchen and talk about the Twins' narrowing their list of manager candidates, Derek Shelton's background and chances as an in-house option, Ryan Pressly's post-trade comments about working with the Astros vs. the Twins, laying out the 2019 payroll, upcoming arbitration decisions, and which areas the Twins definitely need to address this offseason. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher, iHeartRadio or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. Sponsored by Sota Stick and Away Travel. Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' managerial search including Rocco Baldelli and Hensley Meulens, Miguel Sano making headlines for the wrong reasons again, the ever-changing use of relievers in the playoffs, and reviewing preseason over/under picks for each AL team. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher, iHeartRadio or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link.http://traffic.libsy...3?dest-id=74590 Sponsored by Casper Mattresses and RxBar. Click here to view the article