John Bonnes

On Tuesday the Twins announced that Phil Hughes will undergo surgery to combat thoracic outlet syndrome. “This isn’t career threatening,” Twins general manager Terry Ryan said. “It’s an injury that I think explains maybe a little bit of his issue. If that is the case, that’s a relief.” But an objective view of pitchers who have undergone the surgery provides less optimism.Thoracic outlet syndrome syndrome isn’t an injury to bones or muscles. It’s an injury to nerves, in which they become compressed which can cause pain and a lack of velocity. The treatment is to remove that which is compressing the nerves, which is presumably why Phil Hughes' surgery involves losing a rib. But nerve injuries are tricky to diagnose and tricky to fix. Looking at high profile pitchers that have undergone the surgery shows some successes, but also some failures. The failures could be due to the surgery not fixing the problem, or to the problem being misdiagnosed. For instance: Cardinals ace pitcher Chris Carpenter underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) in 2012 in July, and tried to recover in time to pitch for St. Louis in the postseason. He had a little success, but never pitched again as the symptoms returned the next year. Of course, he would also have been 38 years old in 2013, so was the problem the TOS, or just the game catching up to him? Josh Beckett is a somewhat more optimistic story. He had the surgery in 2013 and bounced back early in 2014 in a big way, posting a 2.88 ERA in 20 starts. But he was then diagnosed with a hip injury and never pitched again. But he was also older – 34 years old – and nearing the end of his career. Similarly pessimistic is Sean Marcum’s story. He had the surgery in July of 2013, but still had shoulder issues after it. He was never an effective pitcher after. More encouraging is current Royals pitcher Chris Young. After years of battling injuries, Young was finally diagnosed with TOS and underwent surgery in 2013. He finally stayed healthy in 2014 and 2015 and posted a 3.40 ERA in those two seasons, albeit with only a 6 K/9 strikeout rate. He’s also hurt this year, but he’s also 37 years old. There are plenty more examples, some good and some bad, but this is by no means a trivial diagnosis. Its built-in nebulous nature, which makes it difficult to diagnose in the first place, also means there is risk in the diagnosis and risk in the cure. Ryan is right – if this explains a little bit of Hughes issue, then this would be a relief. The Twins might still see Hughes return to the form he displayed in 2014 if he regains his velocity, strikeout rate and cuts down on the home runs. But there is no guarantee then can count on him to be his old self next year, or the next three years he is under contract. Click here to view the article

Aaron and John feast at Iron Door Pub's 1st Anniversary Party and talk about Phil Hughes surgery to relieve thoracic outlet syndrome, Dozier's hot streak and late All-Star game bid, the simplicity for Harry's razors, and answer listener's mailbag questions. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click the Play button below. Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about Tyler Duffey's gem vs. the Yankees, Brian Dozier's hot stretch, Oswaldo Arcia finding a new home in Tampa Bay, Terry Ryan's promise to be active at the trade deadline, voting for Jesse Ventura, Miguel Sano's rehab stint, thanking the Minnesota Corn Growers, Glen Perkins' surgery, and House Shopping 101. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click the Play button below. Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about time running out on Oswaldo Arcia, Max Kepler stepping up, Glen Perkins' season-ending shoulder injuries, Byron Buxton's ongoing struggles, trying to find the point of Kevin Jepsen, swapping out Pat Dean for Tommy Milone, Danny Santana's return, the Minnesota Corn Growers, and Miguel Sano's timetable. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click the Play button below. Click here to view the article

I don't get it. Its not that there aren't goo reasons to want to keep Buxton/Kepler up here. And it not like Arcia was getting much time. But losing talent like that organizationally is just wasteful and there wer so many other options. One option not mentioned: send Park to AAA. He's on his way there anyway.

Aaron and John gather at Insight Brewing, debate each others' levels of being antisocial and answer a whole lot of mailbag questions. Sponsored by Harrys.com. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click the Play button below. Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about injuries to Phil Hughes and Trevor May, first-round draft pick Alex Kirilloff, Glen Perkins' setback, J.T. Chargois' short stay, waiver claim Neil Ramirez, Byron Buxton's bad follow-up week, Tommy Milone slicing up Triple-A hitters, clicking around the Minnesota Corn Growers' website, and Justin Morneau sleeping with the enemy. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click the Play button below. Click here to view the article

Jeremy Nygaard joined John Bonnes on KFAN on Friday night to discuss the Twins first 14 selections in the 2016 MLB Draft. Besides diving into the Twins surprising change in strategy, they also interviewed Alex Kirilloff, the Twins 1st round pick. You can listen here.http://kfan.iheart.c.../play/27069123/ Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about Byron Buxton's red hot return to the majors, Max Kepler subbing for an injured Miguel Sano, how long the Twins can stick with Kevin Jepsen at closer, choosing a Twins rep for the All-Star game, going to Wrigley Field during a long weekend in Chicago, why Brian Dozier is treated so carefully, why you should check out MNFarmTeam.com, and what to do with Phil Hughes. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click the Play button below. Click here to view the article

The Minnesota Twins announced that they have recalled Byron Buxton from AAA-Rochester this afternoon to replace centerfielder Danny Santana, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a hamstring injury. Buxton is the reigning International League Player Of The Week and was hitting .333/.402/.60 with six home runs.It will be Buxton's fourth time on the Twins 25-man roster. He was recalled last June straight from AA-Chattanooga after 268 plate appearances but was injured less than two weeks later. He returned in August. Then he was named the starting centerfielder this April after Aaron Hicks was traded in the offseason, but was demoted to AAA before the end of April. So far, in his time in the majors, he has looked lost offensively. He has accumulated 68 strikeouts in his 187 plate appearances while drawing only eight walks. He hit just .156 this year before being sent down for his first extended time at AAA. There, he bounced back after a rough first week and has looked stronger as the season has progressed, thought he still has only 114 AB at that level. He reportedly has added a leg kick to his swing when he bats with less than two strikes, and has had more success hitting the ball to the opposite field, a skill he failed to demonstrate in the majors. Regardless of his offensive contributions, he bring an immediate upgrade defensively to the Twins lineup, as his play and range in center field was solid even during his offensive struggles. But both the team and fans will be watching to see if the (limited) time in AAA has better prepared him for the challenges of major league pitching. Click here to view the article

In the majors on Sunday the Twins were completing a three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners behind the bats of Joe Mauer and Miguel Sano, who combined for six home runs in the series. In the minors, there was another powerful swing of the bat that contributed to a huge come-from-behind victory. All four affiliates were in action, and to find out how all of them fared on Sunday, keep reading!RED WINGS REPORT Charlotte 3, Rochester 5 Box Score Rochester got on the board for an early lead in the bottom of the first inning, as Byron Buxton led off the game with a walk, James Beresford followed with a single that moved him to third, and he scored the first run of the game on a Jorge Polanco sacrifice fly. With two outs and Beresford on second base, Eddie Rosario delivered a single to center to make it 2-0 in favor of the home team. The score remained that way until the top of the fourth, as Red Wings starter Andrew Albers was able to scatter four hits and two walks for the first three innings and was assisted by a bases-loaded double play to end the second. Three consecutive hits started the fourth to make the score 2-1, but could have been worse if Albers hadn’t picked off the first of those hitters at first base. It was a double followed by a single that then scored the run, but Albers escaped by striking out the next two. Charlotte tied the game at two in the fifth on a solo home run, but Albers finished the inning and his day with just the two runs allowed on eight hits and two walks. He struck out five. While Albers may have been able to go one more inning, there was no need to risk it as the Red Wings lineup took back the lead in the bottom of the inning with a two-out rally. John Ryan Murphy and Buxton were retired quickly, but Beresford, Polanco, and Vargas all singled to follow, with a wild pitch and Polanco’s first stolen base mixed in to make the score 4-2. Rochester extended their lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth when Tommy Field led off with a double, was moved to third on a Wilfredo Tovar fly ball, and scored on a Buxton ground out. Charlotte cut the lead to 5-3 in the seventh, but got no closer. Marcus Walden was the first reliever up and finished two innings, allowing one run on three hits and a walk. J.T. Chargois pitched a scoreless eighth, walking one and striking out one. Alex Wimmers picked up his second save with the Red Wings with a scoreless ninth, giving up a leadoff single but never letting a runner advance further. He also punctuated Rochester’s twenty-eighth win of the season with a strikeout. The middle of the Red Wings lineup was stellar on this day, as Beresford (3-4, 2 R’s), Polanco (2-3, R, RBI), Vargas (2-4, RBI), and Rosario (3-4, RBI) all collected multiple hits. Field also picked up two hits, including a double. Rosario is now on a five-game hitting streak, and in that time has gone 12-21 with four doubles and five RBI, raising his average from .095 to .333. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Tennessee 5, Chattanooga 1 Box Score Chattanooga’s offense was unable to get anything going for most of the night, as they managed just four hits on the game. They did also drew six walks, but left ten men on base while going just 1-5 with runners in scoring position in the process. Zach Granite drew three walks out of the leadoff spot. Ryan Walker collected the only RBI with a single in the bottom of the fifth. Joe Maloney scored the run after a single of his own. Omar Bencomo made the start for the Lookouts and delivered a quality start. He allowed single runs in the first, fifth, and sixth innings while scattering eight hits and a walk before his day was done. Mike Strong pitched the eighth inning and walked one in a scoreless frame. Luke Bard came on for the eighth and allowed two singles, but a double-play ball in between got him out unscathed. He wasn’t as lucky in the ninth. After a walk to load the bases with two outs, Bard gave up another single to drive in two insurance runs for the Smokies. Bard finished the frame but allowed two runs on five hits and a walk while striking out none, and marks his third straight appearance with 2.0 IP and 2 earned runs allowed. Chattanooga put two runners on base in each of the eighth and ninth innings, but were unable to capitalize and fall to 22-28 on the season. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 1, Charlotte 5 Box Score Although they collected just as many hits as their (Port) Charlotte opponent on the day, Fort Myers was unable to get much going against Stone Crabs starter Yonny Chirinos for the first seven innings. His only run allowed came in his final inning that Charlotte conceded on a ground ball with a 5-0 lead. Through the first six innings, Fort Myers had managed just two hits, both doubles in each of the first two innings, but went down fifteen hitters in a row after that. Kohl Stewart made the start for the Miracle, and made it through six innings that could have been better if not for his defense. He allowed five runs (three earned) on eight hits while striking out three. Two of the Miracle’s three errors on the day led to the two unearned runs in his line, but the other error also contributed to another run on the scoreboard. A solo home run in the sixth made it 5-0 but Stewart completed the inning. Brandon Peterson and Raul Fernandez both pitched a perfect inning in relief, each collecting a strikeout along the way. The offense was led by Tanner Witt who was 2-4 with a double, Logan Wade picked up the RBI and had a double, and Alex Real scored the only run. The Miracle went just 1-8 with runners in scoring position (the hit did not score a run) and left eight men on base. The Miracle were swept in the three game series and fall a half game behind the Stone Crabs in the Florida State League South division standings by a half game as a result. They also drop below .500 on the season at 25-26, but are still just one game out of second place and one game away from last in the competitive division thus far. KERNELS NUGGETS Wisconsin 8, Cedar Rapids 9 Box Score Twins Daily’s Seth Stohs was again in attendance in Cedar Rapids and got to see quite a comeback at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Right-hander Cody Stashak took the mound for the Kernels and was solid through the first four innings, allowing just one run on three hits and two walks, but ran into trouble in the fifth. The first two hitters of the inning singled, and then executed a double steal to put both of them in scoring position. It ended up being unnecessary, as a three-run home run from David Denson put the Timber Rattlers up 4-0. Stashak got a strikeout to end the inning, but his day was done. In his five innings, he allowed the four runs on six hits and two walks, while picking up six strikeouts. Anthony McIver came on for the sixth inning, and allowed two runs (none earned) on three hits. Throwing errors from Jermaine Palacios and catcher Kevin Garcia led to both runs. Now down 6-0, Cedar Rapids finally broke through against Wisconsin starter Drake Owenby in the bottom of the inning. They sent ten hitters to the plate and cut the lead to 6-4 behind singles from LaMonte Wade, Daniel Kihle, Brad Hartong, and Garcia, walks from J.J. Fernandez and Palacios, and a fielding error off the bat of Luis Arreaz. Wade had led off the inning, but also grounded out with the bases loaded to end it. They added another run in the seventh inning after a double from Fernandez, a single from Kihle that moved him to third, and a sacrifice fly from Hartong. Koa Hua Lo came in to pitch after McIver, and pitched a one-two-three seventh inning. In the eighth, he hit two batters around a walk to load the bases for Wisconsin, but escaped a big inning with a run-scoring double play ball and a strikeout to keep the Kernels within two. The Kernels lineup responded by taking their first lead of the game in the bottom of the eighth behind the powerful bat of Zander Wiel. Sean Miller and Arreaz led off the frame with singles, and moved to second and third on a sacrifice bunt from Palacios. With two outs, Wiel stepped to the plate and delivered a three-run blast with some impressive Statcast data, to put them up 8-7. It was his first hit of the day after missing the last two and starting this one 0-4, but also extended his hitting streak in the Midwest League to fifteen games. Over that streak, Wiel has gone 23-65 (.353) with three doubles, a triple, three home runs and seventeen RBI. The lead was short-lived however, as the Timber Rattlers tied it at eight the next inning with Michael Theofanopoulos on the mound. He came in after Lo got the first out of the frame, but a walk followed by a double knotted the score. In the ninth, it was the bottom half of the lineup due up for the Kernels, and their rally got started by a one-out single from Hartong. Nelson Molina was brought in to pinch hit for Garcia, and two wild-pitches later the winning run was on third and Molina had drawn a walk to bring up Sean Miller. He sent a ground ball toward short that may have been destined for a double play, but was booted for Wisconsin’s third error of the day and allowed Hartong to scamper home with the winning run, completing a crazy comeback for the home team. The offense got multiple hits from Arreaz (3-4, R, 2B, BB), Kihle (2-5, R), Hartong (2-4, 2 R’s, 2 RBI), and Garcia (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI). Wiel added the big go-ahead-three-run home run, and Fernandez reached base three times with a double and two walks, and two runs scored. Wade’s single to lead off the sixth inning also extended his on-base streak to twenty-nine games with the Kernels. On the year, he’s drawn thirty-three walks compared to just twenty-one strikeouts in forty-two games, and his .909 OPS ranks second in the Midwest League. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Andrew Albers, Rochester Red Wings (W, 5.0 IP, 8 H’s, 2 ER’s, 2 BB, 5 K’s) Hitter of the Day – Zander Wiel, Cedar Rapids Kernels (1-5, R, Go-ahead-3-run-HR, 3-RBI) MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Indianapolis (5:05 CST) – TBD Chattanooga – Scheduled day off. Fort Myers –scheduled day off. Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (2:05PM CST) – RHP Randy LeBlanc (6-2, 0.85 ERA) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Sunday’s games. Click here to view the article

Aaron leaves the state and the Twins go on a winning streak. John breaks it down with special guests Parker Hageman and Jeremy Nygaard as they discuss Joe Mauer's and Miguel's Sano hot bats, wonder what is going on with Phil Hughes, summarize how the Twins are getting squeezed by money in the MLB draft, note Pat Dean's surprising strikeouts, review options for replacing Kurt Suzuki, and discuss the Twins future starting rotation and Brian Dozier's obliques. Thank you to MNCorngrowers at MNFarmTeam.com for their support of this show.You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click the Play button below. Click here to view the article

Aaron and John podcast midweek from Lynlake Brewery’s rooftop and discuss Neil Allen’s DWI and the non-ending battle with addiction, when we can expect Rochester’s youth to rejoin the Twins, an easy Father’s Day idea from Harrys.com, the Twins 2016 All-Star representative, and how Dick Bremer’s announcing is like Aaron’s favorite Chinese food.You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click the Play button below. Click here to view the article