John Bonnes

Aaron and John talk about Joe Mauer joining the Twins' crowded disabled list, Jake Cave's call-up, Jason Castro's season-ending surgery, the clock ticking on Lance Lynn, opening the floodgates on sports gambling with our friends from Bye, Goff & Rohde, Juan Soto making us feel old, and a delayed Black Panther review. 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 Simple Contacts and RXBar. Click here to view the article

Ugh, yes my apologies to heezy. I posted it initially under his name, but sometime when you edit a story (i fixed a mistake I made) it puts it back to my name. I just hate it when I miss that. This is the second story he has done and both have been excellent.

If you had a problem getting a kids ticket before 8:22 AM, that problem has been fixed.

Twins starting catcher Jason Castro went on the DL May 5th with pain in his right knee. Initially, it was reported that Castro underwent a cortisone injection and was hopeful to return to the lineup soon. Unfortunately, after traveling to Vail, CO to see noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert LaPrade, Castro is now scheduled to undergo surgery May 15th to address a meniscus tear. (Update: Now being reported that he underwent more extensive surgery including a meniscus repair and is now out for the season). This will be the third surgery for Castro’s troublesome right knee, according to the Pioneer Press. He sustained an ACL tear along with a meniscus tear in spring training 2011 and underwent surgery, which caused him to miss the entire season. He also underwent arthroscopic surgery on the same knee in September 2013. Let’s discuss some knee anatomy and some meniscus ‘fun facts’ (Note: these facts may only be considered fun to me…)Question 1: What is the meniscus? What is its function? The meniscus is a C-shaped cartilage cushion that is positioned between the bones of the knee (the femur and tibia). It has several functions including acting as a shock absorber, a protector of the surface cartilage and a stabilizer of the knee. There are two menisci in each knee- a medial and lateral meniscus. The medial is positioned at the inside of the knee, the lateral to the outside. Both the medial and lateral meniscus increase the surface area of bone contact within the knee when walking/running, thereby spreading out the contact forces over a larger area. This function protects the surface gliding cartilage (called articular cartilage) from being damaged. Question 2: How is a meniscus torn/damaged? A meniscus can be torn in several ways, but most commonly it is damaged when the knee undergoes an abrupt change of direction and the stress is more than the meniscus can withstand. In the case of Castro, it sounds as though he had some damage to his meniscus in 2011 when he also tore his ACL. A meniscus tear accompanies an ACL tear about 50% of the time. Either the medial or lateral meniscus can be torn, and in some cases both sustain injury. Question 3: How are meniscus tears assessed? Most commonly an MRI is ordered to look at the meniscus more closely. The meniscus can’t be seen on xrays. There is a device that is similar to a large needle that has a camera inside it that can be inserted into the knee during an office visit to view the meniscus directly, but I don’t have much experience with this device. Question 4: What types of tears can occur? There are a number of different types of meniscus tears, and there are many tears which don’t fit neatly into a single category as well. Question 5: What are the treatment options for meniscus tears? There are a number of different options for treatment of meniscus tears. Not every meniscus tear will require surgery- in fact, many people may have a meniscus tear in their knee and not even be aware of it. Anti-inflammatory medication, injections (including cortisone, gel/lubricant, and PRP injections), and physical therapy are among the non-surgical options. When these are not successful (or surgery is deemed necessary early on), knee arthroscopy is performed. During knee arthroscopy, the knee is inflated with fluid and a camera is inserted inside the joint. The structures of the knee can be readily assessed, and tools are used to examine and probe the meniscus, surface cartilage and ligaments. The specifics of the meniscus tear are then evaluated. A decision is then made whether to repair the meniscus or remove the torn portion of meniscus (called a partial meniscectomy). This decision can be complex and is based on a number of factors including the size, location and orientation of the tear, patient-specific factors such as age, weight, health, prior surgery to the knee and others. Ideally, we would repair all meniscus tears, as removing meniscus can lead to the development of arthritis later on. However, some tears are simply unable to be repaired and must be partially removed. Tears closer to the outer edge of the meniscus have better blood supply are more likely to heal, and thus are better suited to repair. Question 6: What is the recovery time? This can vary significantly, but for partial removal, most athletes can return to sports between 6-10 weeks after surgery. For repair, the recovery is longer because of the additional time required for the repaired tissue to heal. Typically, a return to sports for a meniscus repair is around 3-5 months. Question 7: Are there any special circumstances with Castro’s knee? I would say yes. The fact that he has had two prior surgeries on the knee (including an ACL reconstruction) often makes the MRI more challenging to interpret and can complicate decision-making. It is unclear to me if the current meniscus damage is in the same area where he previously had surgery, which can create an already abnormal appearance on MRI. Thus, it is difficult to know whether what appears abnormal on a current MRI is ‘new’ or ‘old’. However, it sounds like he has continued to have intermittent problems over a lengthy amount of time now, and it seems reasonable to go ahead with arthroscopy. One concern is that a tear can enlarge in size over time if left alone (though this is difficult to predict). Dr. LaPrade is a world’s authority on knee problems and I’m sure he will do his best to get Castro back to action quickly and safely. Click here to view the article

Join the whole Twins Daily gang at the Picnic With The Saints event on Friday June 8th. Grab your tickets and kick off the summer with a fantastic family event at a family-friendly price. Here are the details:The festivities start at 5:30 in the outfield picnic area at CHS field. There you’ll have a pregame buffet-style picnic with adult and kid-friendly fare like hot dogs, hamburgers and pop. I guarantee nobody will come away hungry (and it’ll tamper down on your kids’ demand for concessions). Then there is a Saints game in gorgeous CHS Field. The Saints are famous for the fun they provide and that night is ... STAR WARS NIGHT. (That “pop” you heard was your kid self-combusting.) And for adults, the Craft Beer Corner is coincidentally near our seats. (Ron Howard voice: “It was no coincidence.”) After the game … it’s fireworks night! And because it is Star Wars Night, they’ll be set to the music of composer John Williams. But it still doesn’t end there. You might want to see if grandma or grandpa or a baby sitter wants to come along so they can take the kids home and you can go to the Twins Daily After Party at Tin Whiskers. Just a couple of blocks from the CHS Field, Tin Whiskers will have special happy hour pricing only for Twins Daily guests and will be staying open an extra hour to accommodate us. Last year many felt it was the most memorable part of the night. (While others can’t remember much of it. Huh.) But there’s more family friendly fun, too, exclusive to Twins Daily. At the pregame picnic, we’ll have a special guest to meet-and-greet – it might the Saints mascot or it might be Saints players – you’ll just have to wait and see. There will also be a drawing at the picnic to participate in a between innings promotion during the game! And only Twins Daily event participants qualify! Finally, we’re also working on a special on-field photo opportunity after the game. Tickets are on sale now RIGHT HERE, and can be purchased for $20 adults and $10 for kids. At that price, we are limited in how many tickets we can get, so we only have 150 tickets to sell. Last year, we had over 220 people show up, so PLEASE get a hold of your tribe and grab your tickets now. The minor leagues are about affordable entertainment. The Saints are all about fun. Twins Daily is all about coming together around baseball. And Minnesota is all about being outdoors. So please get this on your calendar and get your tickets. We can’t wait to meet you. Download attachment: buy now button.png When: Friday June 8th Where: CHS Field Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about Kyle Gibson's latest breakthrough, return timetables for Trevor May and Ervin Santana, Lance Lynn refusing to throw strikes, Eddie Rosario's continued mashing, Fernando Romero vs. Shohei Ohtani, the Twins' bullpen showing signs of competence, and Mitch Garver coming through in the clutch.http://traffic.libsy...3?dest-id=74590 Sponsored by Seatgeek and Away Travel. Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' horrible stretch of losses to the Rays, Yankees, and Reds, plus Byron Buxton's health status, the best start of Kyle Gibson's career, Luke Bard and Tyler Kinley losing the Rule 5 gambit, bullpen musical chairs, Mitch Garver vs. Jason Castro, and the ghost of Ron Davis. 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 Bye, Goff & Rohde, RxBar, Rover and Pick & Shovel. Click here to view the article

Aaron and guest co-host Parker Hageman talk about the Twins' ugly series against the Rays, Jose Berrios' dominance, Phil Hughes' debut, Byron Buxton's migraines, bullpen issues, Logan Morrison and Robbie Grossman struggling, silly unwritten rules, and amateur baseball in the upper Midwest. Sponsored by Mack Weldon, Seatgeek, and Bye, Goff, and Rohde. Listen HERE. http://gleemangeek.l...ed-in-tampa-bay Click here to view the article

Chopin’s is better known as the “Wrong Note” Etude. Not because it encourages the pianist to play the wrong notes, but rather because the opening segment is riddled with minor chords and notes that are a half step apart. Friday night’s loss to the Rays also featured a lot of wrong notes, one of which was seemingly a half step off. But it was no work of art.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs)Download attachment: Snapshot 2018-04-20.JPG The opening segment of this game wasn't particularly harmonic either. Lance Lynn's control was crummy, and has been all year: he's now had 15 walks in his 15 innings as a Twin, which is horrendous. He did, however, mostly hold things together and his game score is, if one wants to be kind, a little unfair. He entered the seventh inning trailing 3-2 and with a game score of 52, which would have been at least average. But Twins manager Paul Molitor kept him out there a few pitches too long, allowing two baserunners without getting an out. They both scored as part of a couple of discordant outings by Taylor Rogers and Ryan Pressly. The Twins trailed 6-2 before the inning was over. Download attachment: WPA 2018-04-20.JPG However, then Rays manager Kevin Cash matched Molitor's minor keys with his own, committing the same sin: leaving a pitcher in a bit too long. In this case, he tried to get through the 8th inning with right-hander Sergio Romo, despite facing left-handed hitting Eddie Rosario with the bases loaded. To make matters worse, he had southpaw Ryan Yarbrough (who literally had not given up a hit versus a left-handed hitter yet this year) warmed up. That went about as bad as it could go. And the whole movement ends with a critical bad half step. Zach Duke seemingly induced a ground out to end a scoring chance in the tenth inning, but his foot can't find the first base bag after a toss by Joe Mauer, and the Twins lose. There is no shame to losing to Rays ace Chris Archer. The Twins entered Friday night’s game 8-5, while the Rays entered it 5-13, and yet the Rays were slight favorites in Vegas yesterday. But the starting pitchers were not the difference in this game, and it's not clear that the relative quality of each team was either. Friday night's game came down to two bullpens and a lot of wrong notes. Next Three Games Sat at TB 5:10 pm CT Sun at TB 12:10 pm CT Tues at NYY 6:05 pm CT Last Three Games MIN 2, CLE 1: Berrios Stars, LaMarre Plays Hero as Twins Survive 16-Inning Duel CLE 6, MIN 1: Kluber, Lindor Outshine Twins in Puerto Rico MIN 4, CHW 0: Mauer Reaches 2,000 Hits, Leads Twins to Victory More From Twins Daily Max Kepler Improving His Approach in 2018 Click here to view the article

Yep. It says sponsored content both on the front page and at the top. We agreed to it because we thought it might be of interest to a fair number of member in our community.

Aaron and John talk about snow wiping away three games at Target Field, Joe Mauer's 2,000th career hit and Hall of Fame chances, Jose Berrios' dominant outings, Byron Buxton's stolen base excellence, Paul Molitor's usage of Zach Duke, Ryan LaMarre making way for Alan Busenitz, Ervin Santana, Trevor May, and Michael Pineda on the comeback trail, and betting on whether Bonnes or Gleeman lives longer. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. Sponsored by Sota Stick, Away Travel, and Bye, Goff & Rhode. Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about the Twins playing home games in between snowouts, the Fernando Rodney Experience, the John Bonnes College Experience, changing plans for Phil Hughes, reports that Byron Buxton, Jose Berrios, and Max Kepler turned down contract extensions, bullpen leverage, agreeing to do one book signing, and drinking beer at Chapel Brewing. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link.http://traffic.libsy...3?dest-id=74590 Sponsored by Delaware North, Casper Mattresses, Seatgeek, and Draft. Click here to view the article

Happy Opening Day! We might be jumping the gun a bit, but we want to kick off a VERY special giveaway in honor of the Home Opener for Twins fans. You can win two passes to mingle with Logan Morrison at Utepils Brewing, courtesy of Twins Daily and Fan HQ. The event is this Sunday (April 8th) from 6:00-7:00 PM. Only 99 tickets are available for this intimate gathering in which Morrison will be your host, mingling, signing autographs, posing for photos and partying with YOU and other Twins fans. For a chance to win a pair of event admissions, sign up here. The drawing happens at noon on Friday, and you can greatly increase your chances of winning by sharing the giveaway with friends, as you’ll see below.Morrison joined the Twins this year in a surprise move to be the team’s primary designated hitter. The 30-year-old had a breakthrough year in 2017 with the Tampa Rays, slugging 38 home runs. But since you’ll be hanging out with him, what you really care about is this: immediately following his introductory press conference a group of Tampa beat writers approached the Twins press corps saingy “You’re really going to love covering this guy. He’s a lot of fun.” Your tickets to the event will include one autograph on any item and a picture with “LoMo.” If you miss out, you can also buy tickets here. But before you do that, you can greatly increase your chances of winning by encouraging friends to share the event. Here’s how. 1. When you enter, you'll get a custom URL to the contest that you can send to friends to enter. 2. If they enter using that link, you'll get FIVE additional entries. Plus, they'll also get an entry, and a URL that they can share too. So spread the word! The more you let your friends know, the better your chances of winning. Plus, maybe they'll win and invite you. Twins Daily is all about growing the community, and this is a great way to share your Twins fandom with friends and family. Happy Home Opener everyone! Enter now and best of luck! Click here to view the article

The Minnesota Twins, Delaware North and Target Field unveiled new spaces, new designs, new food and new beer. Given the last, we sent our resident drunk local beer expert, John Bonnes, to sample the fare. Here are his reports: These rank among some of the biggest improvement we've seen in Target Field. I'm looking forward to hearing people's impressions as they attend this first homestand. Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about the Minnesota Twins' opening weekend series against the Orioles, Paul Molitor's in-game decision-making, scoreless starts from Jake Odorizzi, Kyle Gibson, and Jose Berrios, the Kennys Vargas waiver wire saga, Ryan LaMarre's surprising path to a roster spot, and getting the red-ass about bunting. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link.http://traffic.libsy...3?dest-id=74590 Sponsored by Delaware North, Simple Contacts, Harry's Razors & Pick and Shovel. Click here to view the article