John Bonnes

Following their 1970 Division Championship, the Twins would remain marginally competitive over the next decade or so, but injuries and age would chip away enough to lower them from elite to mediocre. Killebrew turned 35 in 1971 and would never again hit even 30 home runs in a season. Oliva hurt his knee on a shoestring catch in June 1971 and would never again garner MVP votes, which he had done for eight straight years. Killebrew departed the Twins after the 1974 season and retired a year later. A year after that, Oliva played his last major league game. Rod Carew, however, bounced back from his 1970 injury and resumed his Hall of Fame career. He won batting titles every season from 1972 through 1978, except for 1976, when he missed out by two hits. Read that last sentence again. He was also an All-Star every year from his rookie year in 1967 through 1984. Following their 1970 Division Championship, the Twins would remain marginally competitive over the next decade or so, but injuries and age would chip away enough to lower them from elite to mediocre. Killebrew turned 35 in 1971 and would never again hit even 30 home runs in a season. Oliva hurt his knee on a shoestring catch in June 1971 and would never again garner MVP votes, which he had done for eight straight years. Killebrew departed the Twins after the 1974 season and retired a year later. A year after that, Oliva played his last major league game. Rod Carew, however, bounced back from his 1970 injury and resumed his Hall of Fame career. He won batting titles every season from 1972 through 1978, except for 1976, when he missed out by two hits. Read that last sentence again. He was also an All-Star every year from his rookie year in 1967 through 1984. Part 5 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 The clubhouse was handed to manager Frank Quilici who guided the team to nearly a .500 record from 1972 through 1975, but they never finished higher than third in the division, and never fewer than eight games back. The results took their toll on attendance. The Twins did not break the 1,000,000 attendance mark for the first time in 1971, but it wouldn’t be the last. The Twins wouldn’t reach that mark again until 1977, thanks to Carew’s stellar season, a new manager, and a “Lumber Company.” The manager was Gene Mauch, a veteran manager from the National League who also happened to be a former member of the St. Paul Saints and Minneapolis Millers. He took over the Twins in 1976, and, despite the midseason trade of Bert Blyleven, the Twins posted a winning record for the first time since 1970. The next year was even more exciting, and over 1,100,000 Twins fans watched it live. The Twins offense, known as the “Lumber Company,” scored 867 runs and featured career years from Larry Hisle (119 RBI) and Lyman Bostock (.336 batting average). That level of run support helped make a 20-game winner out of Dave Goltz, who posted a 3.36 ERA. On August 23, the Twins were 18 games above .500 and a game back of the Royals. A late season fade to fourth place and 84 wins didn’t tarnish the return of interest to the franchise. That interest was further fueled by Carew’s remarkable 1977 season. He entered June hitting .365 but proceeded to gather hits in every June game save one on the 18th. On July 1st he was hitting .411 and would keep his average above that level through July 10th. His story broke through sports and into mainstream news, even being featured on the cover of Time magazine (shown above). He would not reach .400 again, but finished the year with a .388 average, eight hits shy of the magical mark. It would be the zenith of Carew’s career with the Twins. But things turned sharply downhill that offseason. Next up: Bottoming Out View full article

Just to be clear, Revere is a candidate to be non-tendered, right? It isn't that he was non-tendered already. Or did I miss that? He would be due about $7M, I would think. I wouldn't blame them for going a different way. I also wouldn't blame them for paying it for a one-year deal.

I'd like to echo Nick's well-written story. Thank you everyone who contributes their passion to this site.

Aaron and John eat Mac n Cheese from Mason's Barre and talk about adding Adam Brett Walker and other prospects to the 40-man roster, losing Josmil Pinto and A.J. Achter on waivers, Aaron's peanut butter preference, Paul Molitor getting Manager of the Year votes, Jacque Jones' new coaching gig, Ron Gardenhire possibly joining a front office, and the dangers of podcasting next to multiple Packers fans. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click the Play button below. http://traffic.libsyn.com/gleemangeek/Ep_224_40_Man_Roster_Moves.mp3 View full article

I think it's a valid point that the AAA team could be LOADED this year. But the more likely scenario is that the major league club, by July at least, is loaded with a ton of young talent.

Aaron and John talk about the Twins trading Aaron Hicks to the Yankees for John Ryan Murphy, whether Hicks will be another Carlos Gomez, the new odds of trading Trevor Plouffe or playing Miguel Sano in the outfield, Harry's coming in handy for Movember, other catcher options the Twins bypassed for Murphy, getting something for Chris Herrmann, and drinking beer at the new Able Brewery and Seedhouse in Northeast. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click the Play button below. http://traffic.libsyn.com/gleemangeek/Ep_224_Trading_Aaron_Hicks_for_John_Ryan_Murphy.mp3 View full article

FWIW, he was a good guy when I talked to him. Loved to break down pitch selection and such. And he was very candid about his offensive struggles.

That age caveat is a big one but I like bringing some additional catching prospect options into the fold. I wonder two things : 1) Does this suggest Twins are close to signing a catcher? 2) Hiw does Palka compare to the other catchers in the organization? Like Turner?

Aaron and John talk anything and everything Byung-ho Park and the Twins' winning $12.85 million bid for the Korean slugger over beers at New Bohemia. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click the Play button below. http://traffic.libsyn.com/gleemangeek/Ep_223_Byung-ho_Park.mp3 View full article

Aaron and John talk about Torii Hunter's retirement and place in Twins history, Ron Gardenhire finishing runner-up for a job and being a Halloween costume, Justin Morneau on the open market, Aaron's annual shave with Harry's Razors, why "general manager" has a new meaning, why Rick Anderson has been AWOL, shaving heads at Mason's Barre, and answering mailbag questions from listeners. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click the Play button below. http://traffic.libsyn.com/gleemangeek/Ep_222_Torii_and_Gardy.mp3 View full article

I love a good return story as much as the next guy. Plus, that goofy Canadian is better than you think. But the Twins need to steer clear of Justin Morneau. Yesterday the Colorado Rockies confirmed that they would not be picking up the $9M mutual option they had on Morneau, making him a free agent. The news has an even-steven feel for Twins fans; in the same week in which returning veteran team leader Torii Hunter retires, another beloved veteran team leader is suddenly available. If you believe in karma – and after this week, Minnesota sports fans are definitely due some - I won’t blame you for waxing nostalgic a bit. But maybe you don’t believe in karma. Maybe you don’t believe in any knowledge other than scientifically proven knowledge. The bad news is that makes it hard to meet girls. The good news is that there is still some evidence that Morneau wouldn’t be a terrible fit for the Twins. Morneau has been better than you remember. Over the last two years, he’s posted a .850 OPS. Yes, that’s with Coors field being his home ballpark, but his OPS+ (which adjusts for ballpark) was 120. The only Twins batter who exceeded that last year was Miguel Sano. And his health? Well, he missed a good chunk of last year with a combination concussion and cervical neck strain caused when he dove for a ground ball. He was on the shelf for three months, returning at the beginning of September. However, he seemed to have fully recovered, hitting .338/.423/.474 for that last month. So he’s a good fit spiritually. Maybe even theoretically. And he definitely is prosaically. It’s logistically that things get messy. First, signing him requires trading Trevor Plouffe. That might happen regardless of Morneau. First, the Twins have suggested they want Sano to begin his MLB career at third base. Second, with the paucity of free agent third baseman available, the market for Plouffe might never be higher. But there is no reason to force a Plouffe trade. If the offer comes, great. Second, even if Plouffe is traed, whatever flexibility that provides is immediately sacrificed. The Twins have plenty of question marks in both their outfield and at designated hitter, but they also have lots of possible answers. Bringing in a veteran team leader who expects to play full time – and can realistically play only at designated hitter and maybe first base - has the potential to block any prospects who break through next year. If a veteran must be brought in, he needs more positional flexibility than that. Specifically, he probably needs to be able to play in the outfield. If not, he becomes a roadblock to Kenny Vargas or Oswaldo Arcia. Both were a mess last year, but Vargas is just 25 years old and posted a .772 OPS in his first 234 plate appearances in the majors. Let’s not forget that at this time last year, the words “David” and “Ortiz” were those most commonly associated with Vargas. Arcia, despite a dismal year, is even younger. Also, despite numerous struggles, he still has a career OPS of .741 and a home run about every 22 at-bats. Versus right-handers, he’s been even better, with an .807 OPS in over 500 plate appearances. Finally, Morneau’s durability needs to be considered. When a 34-year-old gets a concussion diving in the infield… let’s just say there were some people this June wondering if he might need to be saved from himself. If you’re still hoping for Morneau’s return, that last point, oddly enough, could provide it. It is not inconceivable that Morneau, due to the health concerns, has trouble getting a full-time job with any MLB team because they just can’t trust him to stay healthy. As the offseason ends, maybe he’s willing to take a part-time role and part-time salary. Maybe the Twins have traded Plouffe. Maybe they’re worried about their depth a bit, and don’t want to ask too much from Arcia or Vargas too soon. (Or maybe they just didn’t find an outfielder they really liked on the free agent market.) So don’t give up hope in what has been a tough week. There might be a path toward a reunion. The path could be winding, and maybe not particularly wise, but Morneau has shown he’s still got some gas in the tank. Maybe enough to get him home. View full article

I've been wrestling with the homophobia thing and the attention paid to it. My 96-year-old grandma is a racist, or at least has said racist things to me. I don't plan to bring that up in her eulogy. And I still think she's a great person. I think you can find the homophobic sentiment terrible (and I do), without wholly condemning the person who made the comments. That comes from personal experience. Almost anyone who is my age (48) was probably homophobic. I know I was in 1985, when I was 18. I know my parents went through something similar. Thirty years ago, homophobia was the default stance taken by society. I imagine that if you were raised in Arkansas, as an African-American man, and immersed in a locker room culture for the last 25 years, that default stance is still pretty ingrained. If I was to condemn everyone my age who ever expressed a homophobic attitude, I would condemn myself, most of my peers, my role models, my brother, my parents, etc. And I can tell you that most of the ones I remember have changed their tune upon further reflection. If I would have let those attitudes define them, I would've missed out on some great people and would not have experienced the happiness that they felt from letting go of a position that was based in fear and ignorance and difference. I think this is hard - maybe impossible - for anyone under the age of 35 to understand. For them, the default stance is exactly the opposite. I don't think we've seen an issue like that for a while. A few years ago, talking to a grassroots organizer, he explained the reason that anti gay marriage amendments were being created. It was because something like 80% of those 50 and older were anti gay marriage and 80% of those 40 and under were pro. We went through a seismic shift in attitude over a 10 year period from one generation to the other. I cut everyone towards the higher end of that shift a lot of slack on the subject. It may just be a journey that they haven't taken yet. And I try to cut some slack to the younger folks who can't understand what kind of monsters could have such terrible views. They might find themselves needing to face a similar journey on a different topic that might make them more understanding. So, no, I don't think Hunter's views on homosexuality should define him. I think it's fine to note them, audibly reject them and then move on to the other 99.8% of the person. And it's OK to still admire that person for that other 99.8%.

Aaron and John discuss the possible return of A.J. Pierzynski, Ron Gardenhire’s rejection letters, hot dogs, beer, and Japanese food at Kyatchi, 40-man roster moves, how to pronounce cauliflower, the odds of various starters making the rotation, Aaron's infatuation on Tom Selleck, the depth of turnover in the bullpen, and lessons from the postseason. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click "Play" below. Play! Image courtesy of Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports View full article

Aaron and John preview the offseason by discussing the Twins future budget, Kurt Suzuki’s future platoon partner, Trevor Plouffe’s future employer, Eduardo Escobar’s future role, Torii Hunter’s future salary, and Byron Buxton’s future location - all while stuffing their maws with Iron Door Pub’s food, berating you for not saving money at Harry’s Razors and finally answering Twitter questions. Where else are you going to get nearly two hours or Twins talk today? Just download us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. (Or just click the Play button below.) http://traffic.libsyn.com/gleemangeek/Ep_220___Aaron_The_Bookie_-_The_Hitters.mp3 View full article

Aaron and John talk about watching the playoffs and trying to imagine the Twins making a deep run, reviewing the good and (mostly) bad preseason Vegas over/under picks, buying a mattress from Casper, Ron Gardenhire's ongoing job search, eating Jackalope and drinking beer at New Bohemia, how to become the subject of a gossip column, and living your life around a living room mattress. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click the Play button below. http://traffic.libsyn.com/gleemangeek/Ep_219_Over-Under_Review.mp3 View full article

Aaron and John say goodbye to another Twins season and talk about falling just short of the Wild Card spot, half-full vs. half-empty, how to assess Torii Hunter, what to expect from the offseason, Paul Molitor's first year on the job, getting razor's from Harrys.com, Brian Dozier's strikeout record, Miguel Sano's full counts, KFAN's ratings dominance, and bat-flipping for fun and profit. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click the Play button below. http://traffic.libsyn.com/gleemangeek/Ep_218_The_Weekend_That_Wasnt.mp3 View full article