Ted Schwerzler

There's definitely value in this plan as well.

You're looking at "base" versions that are unsigned. Also, but using "first" or "1st" instead of just 2017 (which is the same card) you limit listings.

The Minnesota Twins have allowed Kohl Stewart to make his major league debut, and Stephen Gonsalves will now join that company. Fernando Romero got that treatment earlier this season, and it sounds like Paul Molitor isn't suggesting a slow down any time soon. With the Twins out of it in the big leagues, and Rochester all but eliminated at Triple-A, opportunities lie ahead. Joel Sinner and the Rochester Red Wings play their last game on September 3. From that point forward, Minnesota has ample roster spots and 25 games before the end of their 2018 season. Making use of those games in a way that helps to bring a semblance of clarity prior to 2019 spring training seems of the utmost importance. Although the Red Wings have struggled as a club this season, there's plenty of talent deserving of a big league look. Here are some names to ponder: Nick Gordon- 2B/SS At points during 2018, it seemed Gordon would open the 2019 season as Minnesota's starting second basemen. He posted a .906 OPS at Double-A and was promoted to Triple-A. Since reaching Rochester though, Gordon has struggled mightily. He owns just a .208/.249/.284 slash line and has not seen any consistent success. Even though it may be good for his long term development to get him a major league perspective, it's hard to see Minnesota ignoring that he's been so poor offensively at the highest level of the farm. Gordon is not on the 40 man roster and would need to be accommodated that way as well. LaMonte Wade- OF Similar to Gordon, Wade posted strong numbers at Double-A (.837) only to slide at Triple-A (.712 OPS). Wade did miss time this season due to injury, but he's back healthy and playing right now. What Wade does have going for him is that he's an on-base machine. His .357 OBP bolsters his Rochester line, and although there's not a ton of power there, he can be a gap hitter at the next level. Wade swings it from the left side of the plate, and looks the part of a fourth outfielder. He'll likely be in competition with Jake Cave next spring, and both should make Robbie Grossman plenty expendable. LaMonte is not on the 40 man roster either, but adding him wouldn't be a stretch. Jake Reed- RP After looking like he was on the cusp of making it to The Show last season, a spring training injury derailed his 2017. Now healthy and effective in 2018, it's time the former Oregon Duck gets his shot. Across 40.1 IP for Rochester this season, Reed owns a 2.23 ERA and an 8.7 K/9. He throws hard and should have the ability to miss big league bats. Walks have become more of an issue over the past two seasons, but this could be a late bloomer that settles into the pen nicely. Jake is not currently on the Twins 40 man roster. Luke Bard- RP Minnesota initially lost Bard in the Rule 5 draft when the Los Angeles Angels selected him. He got just 11.2 IP for the Angels and turned in a 5.40 ERA. The 10.0 K/9 was good, but he was bit by a 3.9 BB/9. In 40.1 IP for Rochester, Bard owns a 5.13 ERA. Again the combination of walks (3.6 BB/9) and hits (9.8 H/9) have negated a nice 9.6 K/9. The spin rate on his pitches is plenty intriguing, and the stuff has always appeared to be there. At 27 though, this could be a sink or swim moment for his chance with the Twins. Nick Anderson- RP At 28 years old, the Minnesota native and former 32nd round pick could see all of the hard work finally come together. Anderson reached Triple-A this season, and has a 3.61 ERA across 52.1 IP. The 13.1 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 numbers jump off the page, although his 1.4 HR/9 could hurt him at the next level. Anderson isn't likely to be a high leverage guy, but he could find himself turning some heads if the minor league numbers continue to play. Michael Pineda- SP Signed on a shrewd two-year deal by Minnesota, Pineda is being paid just $2MM this season to rehab from Tommy John surgery. He's already made two turns at High-A Fort Myers, and should get starts a couple of rungs up before August comes to a close. The outings have been sharp, and the velocity reports have been promising. He'd need to be reinstated from the 60-day DL, but his 40 man roster spot isn't an issue given he'll be on the Twins active roster in 2019 on an $8MM deal. Lewis Thorpe- SP The next in line when it comes to bigger name pitching prospects that the Twins have developed is none other than Lewis Thorpe. The Aussie missed two seasons due to Tommy John surgery and then illness, but has gotten back and rounded into form nicely. He made 22* (one with an opener) starts at Double-A this season and posted a 3.58 ERA. His 10.9 K/9 was plenty impressive, and he handed out walks at just a 2.5 K/9 rate. Thus far, Thorpe has made one start at Triple-A, and he turned in a quality outing. Lewis is coming up on a 40 IP increase from 2017 and could be shut down soon, but if Minnesota wants to get him a turn in the majors, he is already on the 40 man. Chase De Jong- SP Acquired from the Mariners this season, De Jong did pitch 28.1 innings for Seattle early in the year. Since joining the Twins organization, he's made four appearances (two starts) totaling 22.0 IP for Rochester. The 3.68 ERA is respectable and he's posted a pedestrian 7.4 K/9. I'm not sure there's much in the form of strikeout stuff here, but De Jong should be plenty capable at the back end of a rotation. He's already on the 40 man and it seems he's ready to get a few big league turns. Obviously the Twins liked him enough to target him as a trade piece, and there should be opportunity for him to get a look in September. For most of the guys mentioned, Derek Falvey and Thad Levine would need to facilitate 40 man roster moves. Luckily the Twins have plenty of options in that regard. Ervin Santana and Matt Belisle can both be placed on the 60-day DL. Logan Morrison could easily join that dup, and depending on how he's progression, Aaron Slegers could find himself there as well. It's too late in the year for a DFA of Robbie Grossman to make sense, but Johnny Field could soon see that fate if a spot is needed. While the club plays out the rest of the string, there should be plenty of new and fresh faces seen on the diamond for Minnesota. Getting some early answers for the year ahead would be a very worthwhile undertaking. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

I can't say for 100% certainty as I have no way to fact check it, but I'd bet a big sum that wasn't what was at play. Sano has always had the talent, and his issue has always been the drive to unlock it. Fort Myers is the MiLB hub, and signified an opportunity to be monitored and pushed to commit. He's done that in the short term, and it will now be worthwhile to monitor if it continues.

The 5 figure prices on Lewis' cards are for limited parallels. The lower prices are for base chrome cards. All of the prices quoted were "sold" prices and not just asking numbers.

The Minnesota Twins currently have two of the hottest hitting players in all of minor league baseball within their system. First round picks in the previous two MLB Drafts, Alex Kirilloff and Royce Lewis have taken the Florida State League by storm. Their torrid performances have bolstered an already impressive prospect stock, but it’s their card stock that has also seen a significant rise.Baseball cards have long been synonymous with the sport itself. To this day, the Honus Wagner 1909 T206 remains among the most coveted cards in collecting. The time-honored tradition has seen ebbs and flows, and in 2018 we may be seeing the hobby reach new heights. After coming through the junk wax era of the 80’s and 90’s, players like Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, and Ronald Acuna have revitalized an industry literally built on cardboard. Despite Sports Illustrated deeming Hunter Greene the next big thing, Minnesota zeroed in on Lewis and made him the first overall pick of the 2017 draft. He’s rewarded that belief by owning a career .304/.379/.465 slash line through his first 159 professional games. 2016 first-round pick Alex Kirilloff returned to the diamond after missing a full season due to Tommy John surgery, and he currently owns a .378/.397/.566 line in just under 50 games at High-A Fort Myers. The duo is blazing a path on the field, and that’s translated to their memorabilia. Without a doubt, Topps Bowman product line is the gold standard when it comes to collecting prospects. Topps, which owns an exclusive license with MLB, puts out a few Bowman products throughout the year in order to capture both high performers as well as recent draftees. The card to have of a new prospect is always designated with the “1st Bowman” notation in the corner of the image. A first round pick on the field doesn’t always meet expectations, and much like the stock market, their cardboard reacts to those realities. For Lewis and Kirilloff however, they’re blazing a new trail both across baseball and relative to what Twins prospects before them have seen. Download attachment: Royce.png Recent auction sales have Lewis’ 1st Bowman card, in an ungraded state, fetching a comfortable $135+. When looking at some of his lowest numbered and most elusive cards, resellers are cashing in for well into five-figure sums. Like his teammate, Kirilloff’s card stock is performing wonderfully as well. Recent graded sales of Kirilloff’s 1st Bowman are trending just under $200 with the elusive parallels commanding significantly more. Looking back over the course of previous drafts, this is somewhat of an outlier. The Phillies selected Mickey Moniak with the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Right now, you can grab versions of his 1st Bowman cards for as little as $28. Dansby Swanson, the 2015 1st round pick can be had for $60, and the first pick to sign (Brady Aiken turned down the Astros in 2014) during the 2014 draft, Tyler Kolek, costs a measly $5. Mark Appel is no longer in baseball, but his 2013 1st Bowman card nets just $3 in auction today. In fact, you have to go back to 2012 to find something even close to this current hype: Carlos Correa, Astros shortstop and the first overall selection, pushes a market touting roughly $300 for his 1st Bowman cards. Download attachment: Royce2.png It’s certainly fair to question how players like Moniak, Kolek, and Appel can even be considered in the same breath as the Twins young stars. While neither of Minnesota’s prospects have graduated or knocked at the big league door, they’ve performed to significantly higher standards than their counterparts in this category. Joe Mauer, Miguel Sano, and Byron Buxton on the other hand, are all worthy adversaries when it comes to a cardboard comparison. Buxton was once baseball’s top prospect, and found himself selected just one pick after Houston’s Correa. Despite stumbles thus far in the big leagues, he’s still plenty young and has flashed arguably the best glove in the game. His 1st Bowman reaches around $80 currently. Sano, who was an international signee, has seen a market dip due to performance in the 2018 season. An affordable $45 ask is all that his coveted cardboard will cost you. No doubt a Twins Hall of Famer, and likely to be enshrined in Cooperstown as well, Mauer’s 2002 Bowman entry will set you back $46. When it comes to collecting baseball cards, the market behind it, and the hobby surrounding it, there’s a significant number of factors at play. Recency bias is obviously a huge factor, while market stability and the overall state of the hobby itself lends a huge hand. Back in Mauer’s day, innovation wasn’t at the forefront of cards and the market was still relatively flooded. Both Buxton and Sano battle recency bias as well as performance stumbles of their own merits. To suggest a perfect storm surrounding both Lewis and Kirilloff would be summarizing it in the only way possible. Being a buyer or not doesn’t make participation any less fun. Seeing the ebbs and flowsin a tangible way to connect with players and a sport through the eyes of a separate market is at the very least, interesting. Right now, we don’t know what lies ahead for either of the Twins top two offensive prospects, but those that hold their cards will be sure to tell you that the path to Cooperstown is paved with gold. Click here to view the article

On the day that Lewis Thorpe was promoted to Triple-A, both he and Brusdar Graterol turned in outstanding efforts. From the batter’s box, Alex Kirilloff and his 4-4 day stole the show. Read about the rest of the happenings from the farm today.Transactions: Rochester Red Wings Add LHP Lewis Thorpe promoted from Chattanooga DEL OF Edgar Corcino placed on DL with right hand fracture RED WINGS REPORT Columbus 3, Rochester 2 Box Score Lewis Thorpe was promoted from Double A Chattanooga to make his Triple A debut in this matinee. He lasted into the seventh inning, and earned himself a quality start. Allowing just three runs on seven hits, the Aussie punched out nine and didn’t allow a free pass. Offense was hard to come by on the afternoon, as the Red Wings were able to muster a grand total of three hits. The Clippers scored three runs on their nine hits to grab the slight advantage. Byron Buxton sat out of this one, as Minnesota has decided they won’t yet play him on back to back days. Rochester travels to Toledo for another road series beginning tomorrow night. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Mississippi 3, Chattanooga 2 (10 innings) Box Score Getting the nod in this one for the Lookouts was Omar Bencomo. He twirled six frames of two-run baseball while striking out six and not walking anyone. Matching Mississippi evenly with eight hits, Chattanooga couldn't do more damage in the runs category and the found themselves walked off in the 10th. The Lookouts got on the board first thanks to a Jordan Gore triple. His third three bagger at Double-A plated both Chris Paul and Brian Navarreto. That lead wouldn't last though, as Mississippi answered with two of their own in the top half of the third inning. Neither team was able to generate opportunities the rest of the way, and a bases-loaded walk from Tyler Jay allowed the winning run to score in the 10th. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 3, Charlotte 2 Box Score Brusdar Graterol was on the bump to begin this one, and he was nothing short of dominant. Charlotte batters tallied only three hits off of him, and while they did score a run, he punched six tickets and issued only three free passes. Another strong outing for the Minnesota prospect will do little to slow his buzz. The Miracle got out in front early in this one. Ben Rortvedt drove in Alex Kirilloff with an RBI single in the second, and a Caleb Hamilton sac fly allowed Ryan Costello to cross the plate. Up 2-0 in the sixth, Jose Miranda added some insurance with an RBI single to score Mark Contreras. Despite the Stone Crabs drawing within one, the 3-1 lead held up for the home team. KERNELS NUGGETS Game suspended due to rain E-TWINS E-TALK Scheduled Off Day GCL TWINS TALK GCL Twins 3, GCL Orioles 1 Box Score Playing a doubleheader today, the GCL Twins got things started out on the right foot. Tyler Benninghoff worked five scoreless innings, while allowing just two hits, striking out four, and giving up two free passes. His efforts allowed him to pick up his second win of the season. Runs were scored in the bottom halves of the third and fourth innings. Samuel Vasquez tallied an RBI single in the third, and then he and Gabe Snyder helped to push across another pair in the next half inning. The three runs wound up being enough to secure the game one victory. GCL Twins 3, GCL Orioles 2 (10 innings) Box Score In the second game of the day Dylan Stowell was on the bump. He turned in three hitless innings and fanned a trio of Orioles hitters. Erik Cha grabbed the victory in this one as he worked the final three innings of a walk-off, extra-inning, contest. Scheduled to be another seven inning contest, this one didn’t see runs on the board until the eighth inning. The GCL Twins allowed a pair of unearned runs to cross in both the eighth and ninth innings that forced necessary rallies. Tyler Webb scored on a wild pitch in the eighth, and Agustin Marte came home on a sac fly in the ninth. To walk things off in the 10th, Gabe Snyder drove in Charles Mack on a sac fly. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Alex Kirilloff (FM): 4-4, R, 2 2B Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Lewis Thorpe (ROC): 6.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 9 K TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed. 1. Royce Lewis (FM): 0-4 2. Alex Kirilloff (FM): 4-4, R, 2 2B 3. Brusdar Graterol (FM): 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K 4. Nick Gordon (ROC): 0-3, BB 7. Brent Rooker (CHAT): 0-5, 2 K 8. Akil Baddoo (CR): 1-1 12. LaMonte Wade (ROC): 1-3, R, BB 14. Lewis Thorpe (ROC): 6.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 9 K 15. Ben Rortvedt (FM): 1-4, RBI 18. Ryan Jeffers (CR): 1-1 20. Luis Arraez (CHAT): 0-3, BB THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Toledo (6:05 PM CST) – RHP Fernando Romero (4-4, 3.30 ERA) Chattanooga @ Mississippi (7:00 CST) – LHP Dietrich Enns (1-5, 5.27 ERA) Fort Myers vs. Charlotte (6:00 CST) – RHP Michael Pineda Cedar Rapids vs. Peoria (6:35 CST) – RHP Blayne Enlow (2-5, 3.53 ERA) Elizabethton @ Bluefield (6:05 PM CST) – RHP Tyler Palm (2-1, 4.63 ERA) GCL Twins @ GCL Orioles (11:00AM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask any questions about Wednesday’s games. Click here to view the article

Today, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays completed the deal that sent Chris Archer to the Buccos. With a PTBNL up in the air, Shanez Baz ended up being the final piece to the blockbuster. This whole situation remains relevant in the context of the Minnesota Twins due to conversations surrounding the Rays former ace and Minnesota slugger Miguel Sano. Over the summer there were multiple headlines that linked the two organizations with regards to trade talks. Twins fans were down on Sano coming off injury and poor decisions this offseason. Even with those developments however there seemed to be plenty of voices that hoped Sano could be the centerpiece of a swap. 1500 ESPN's Darren Wolfson quickly shot that down suggesting Tampa had "no interest," and there should've never been a belief to the contrary. Fast forward to where we are today, and we've now seen it took a trip to Single-A Fort Myers for Miguel to once again look motivated in the big leagues. Weight issues aside, his buy in and commitment towards being as great as he can be has long been the crux of his issues. Making the large leap, based on a very small sample size, that he's on the right track now, plenty still remains up in the air for Sano. Regardless of what Sano rounds into though, and even considering that being an All Star level slugger, Tampa was going to command a haul. Tyler Glasnow, Austin Meadows, and Shane Baz have all appeared on national top prospect lists. Giving that trio some Minnesota context, the Rays would've been targeting something along the lines of Fernando Romero, Alex Kirilloff, and Stephen Gonsalves. Even if you don't know prospects, that's a group of names that likely ring a bell for most casual Minnesota followers. The reality of the situation is that while Archer hasn't yet reached the pinnacle of what you'd hope he can be, there's a strong possibility that an ace level talent lies within. At 29 years old, he is under contract through 2019 and the combined $20MM in team options through 2021 are more the team friendly. Simply put, there isn't a pitcher on the open market that will equal Archer's level of enticement for the next couple of seasons. This is really a situation where hindsight isn't necessary. Miguel Sano was never going to be enough to land Archer, but it was silly at the time and is now as well. Had the Twins shifted to include the prospect package above, things would be quite dire given the performance throughout 2018. Although this same squad should have a very real opportunity to compete in 2019, it's players like those mentioned in that prospect package that should begin to establish themselves as regular big leaguers in 2020. Having Archer while depleting the system and not seeing the fruits of those labors would be a tough pill to swallow. It'll be interesting to see how this all works out for the Pirates. Pittsburgh still has some nice pieces on the farm, and they've graduated some solid players, but they're in a middle ground that I'm not sure Archer solves. Tampa is chasing the top of a very good division and adding that much talent is going to make the road much easier for them in the future. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

The Minnesota Twins shipped their closer Fernando Rodney to the Oakland Athletics recently. Prior to his departure, he was the only pitcher on the roster to record a save. Over the weekend Trevor Hildenberger joined his graces picking up his first on the year, and second of his career. With no real closer in tow, it’s time for Paul Molitor to open the floodgates and utilize this opportunity. Going into 2019 the expectation should be that the Twins can once again be competitive. The same core that was expected to be relied upon this season remains intact. If the offense rebounds to sufficient levels, while being supplemented with some outside talent, this collection is going to make waves in the AL Central. What does absolutely need to be addressed however is the relief core and status of the bullpen. Coming into 2018, Derek Falvey and Thad Levine helped Minnesota’s skipper by supplementing the pen. Addison Reed, Zach Duke, and Rodney were all brought in to help turn around a collection that had underperformed the year prior. By acquiring two thirds of that group on one-year deals, the Twins were able to benefit from them either as pieces part of a playoff run, or assets to acquire more talent. This winter the front office will find themselves in a similar situation, again looking to stockpile that type of talent. Who they’ll be paired with remains up in the air, and that’s where the current opportunity presents itself. It doesn’t much matter who racks up saves for Minnesota the rest of the way, but it’s integral for a host of arms to be showcased in high leverage situations. Trevor May has looked great since his promotion from Triple-A Rochester following his Tommy John rehab. Tyler Duffey has always seemed like a decent option at the back of a pen, and Taylor Rogers has been arguably the Twins best reliever this season. Trevor Hildenberger has slipped of late but is incredible when on, and Matt Magill has come out of nowhere this season to command much more work than he’s gotten. Stopping with the names currently on the 25-man roster does little for me however. At 53-64 Rochester isn’t going to make the Triple-A postseason. Alan Busenitz, John Curtiss, Jake Reed, and Nick Anderson are all options worth exploring. Busenitz hasn’t ever gotten a chance to acclimate at the big-league level this season, while Curtiss has only experienced the majors in a very muted sense. Reed dealt with injuries that have delayed his debut, but his numbers have begged for an opportunity long enough. Anderson remains a flier that is worth experimenting with during this time of little consequence as well. There’s no reason to suggest that Molitor be tasked with managing a bullpen full of fresh faces and demanded each of them record time in the 9th inning. Having this collection up on the big-league roster and called upon in late game situations does make a lot of sense however. Prioritizing the current big-league roster, and guys that will assuredly be relied upon next year is a must, but the more opportunities for new arms to be tested the better. Minnesota found something solid in guys like Hildenberger and Rogers because they were given a chance to prove themselves. Rather than waiting to see if those opportunities present themselves in a fresh slate next season, now looks like as beneficial of a time as ever. There’s plenty of poor competition on the Twins schedule the rest of the way, and at this point the results don’t much matter. Seeing relief arms filter into the Target Field clubhouse at a very high rate the rest of the way would be something Minnesota fans should absolutely be on board with. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Max Kepler has endured a 2018 season that has seen significant highs, as well as some very real lows. Over the course of the year though, it might be easiest to describe some of the tribulations as simple bad luck. While the Minnesota Twins (as well as Max himself) would like to see better production as a whole, the numbers underneath the hood tell us that a new reality probably isn’t that far off.On the season Kepler’s .234/.326/.420 slash line doesn’t do much to excite baseball fans. His .746 OPS is a career high, and that number alone helps to further downplay the importance of a career worst .234 batting average. Looking back at his exploits for Minnesota this season, we can see that the total production is bolstered by a strong start and the current run, while being significantly dragged down by an abysmal month of June. The German-born lefty is mashing left-handed pitching this year, despite having taken a step back against righties. For a guy who was often benched down the stretch a season ago, it’s good to see those days are behind him. Download attachment: Capture.PNG Now, when trying to quantify the potential impact of his bat, it’s easiest to look at what else is going on here. Kepler is setting career highs in some very significant categories this season. He’s walking more, striking out less, showing better plate discipline, making strong contact, and getting lift under the baseball. As you can see in the image, there’re some real avenues for growth on the surface thanks to the process currently being employed. Recently Tom Froemming pointed out how tough the game of baseball can be. Despite very similar inputs, Max Kepler’s results couldn’t be further off from Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi. Just missing out on his first All-Star Game, Benintendi owns a .305/.388/.512 slash line on the season. Max is making better contact more often than Andrew but seeing significantly lesser results. To this point, it’s worth noting baseball is not a game with a one size fits all approach. There’s no denying the launch angle revolution has merit at this point. Simply put, the vast majority of players will have a greater success rate by lifting the baseball in the air. We know that “hard hit” contact is defined by balls put in play with at least a 90mph exit velocity. When it comes to launch angles, line drives are generated from trajectories of 10-25 degrees, while fly balls are produced by trajectories from 25-50 degrees. Marrying a strong exit velocity with an optimal launch somewhere between 25-30 degrees is going to create homers at a rapid pace. Dipping that launch down to something like 18-23 degrees should produce solid line drive rates. Looking at the hard-hit rate leader boards Kepler finds himself sitting 55th among qualified hitters. Three spots up from him at 52nd is the Astros Alex Bregman. In 2018 Bregman owns a .900 OPS thanks to a .277/.381/.519 slash line. His 22 home runs are a career high, and he was named an All-Star for the first time this summer. Bregman owns a virtually identical GB/FB rate as Kepler (0.81 to 0.84), and their batted ball profiles are eerily similar. What helps to distance the Houston infielder is the added lift he gets on the baseball. With an average launch angle of 16.3 degrees (and 28.8 degrees on home runs) Alex is getting enough of a process boost to significantly impact his results. Download attachment: Comp.png When taking everything into consideration, it’s fair to believe there’s more to squeeze out of Kepler. The .251 BABIP is unsustainably low given the quality of inputs. Thankfully the normalization that takes place over the course of a full season should help to correct that average. It’s also relatively easy to see the surface numbers Kepler has provided us and compare them with more analytical factors to decipher a potential for growth. As Max continues to deviate from the ground ball plan of attack he has previously sided with there should only be added levels of success to follow. It’s entirely possible that we don’t see the full transformation of statistical output from Kepler in 2018. Given his current process there’s little reason to believe that an .800+ OPS isn’t more reflective of the true production level. The .860 OPS posted since the end of July (.264/.369/.491) seems much more indicative of what is truly taking place this season. I’m not necessarily convinced that Kepler is capable of a 3-4-5 line but reaching an upper .800’s OPS or touching .900 is hardly out of the question. He’s still just 25 years old and clearly making tweaks to both his swing and approach at the dish. Knowing what we do right now about Kepler, it’s hard to believe there won’t be a season in the not-so-distant future that seems to come out of nowhere. If he were to post an .850 OPS over the entirety of 2019 it would be a 100-point jump on this season, and even more so on his career average. That would be a massive improvement but seeing it as out of nowhere would only suggest that the process hadn’t really been researched. In a game that’s decided by so many little factors, Kepler is dealing with a decent bit of bad luck as he continues to make small tweaks that set himself up for future success. When those roads all intersect at the optimum level Minnesota would be welcoming another star into their stable of outfielders. Click here to view the article

Timely comment here. I'm actually researching more on Kepler right now for an article that will be out tonight.

Trevor Larnach made his debut for the Cedar Rapids Kernels tonight, and did so with an impressive game at the dish. Up a level, Lewis Thorpe spun a great game from the mound to position the Lookouts for a victory. In a busy night on the farm, there was plenty to write home about.TRANSACTIONS None to report RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 6, Toledo 4 Box Score Nick Anderson worked as the opener in this one, and surrendered three runs on four hits while generating one out. Chase De Jong then came on as the starter and turned in five and two-thirds innings of solid work. He allowed just one run on three hits while walking three and striking out five. After getting into a 3-0 hole in the first inning, the Red Wings were tasked with battling back. Down 4-0 in the fifth, they did just that. Jeremy Hazelbaker drove in Juan Graterol with a single, and Tyler Austin plated Hazelbaker on a single of his own. A sac fly from Willians Astudillo made it 4-3 when the inning came to a close. Astudillo also successfully pulled off the second Red Wings hidden ball trick of the year. In the seventh, Kennys Vargas clobbered his 14th homer of the year, a two-run shot that also scored Nick Gordon. In the eighth, Gordon drove in Taylor Motter with an RBI single of his own to make it 6-4. Alan Busenitz locked down his sixth save of the season by working a flawless ninth inning. The Red Wings will wrap up the series with Toledo tomorrow night. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 5, Jackson 3 Box Score Lewis Thorpe was on the bump from the get go for this one, and he turned in five solid innings of work. Allowing just one run on three hits, he fanned six and handed out just three free passes en route to his eighth win of the season. Scoring started in the second inning when leadoff batter Zander Wiel singled to center field. The hit scored Luis Arraez and Jaylin Davis to give the away team a 2-0 lead. After Jackson drew closer in the fifth, Brent Rooker pushed the Lookouts back to a two-run lead with his 21st homer of the year, making it 3-1. Jimmy Kerrigan followed up with a two-run blast in the sixth making the score 5-1 Chattanooga. Jackson was able to scratch two runs across in the ninth, but the lead held at 5-3 and the Lookouts remained victorious. Game two of the series will take place tomorrow night. MIRACLE MATTERS Lakeland 5, Fort Myers 1 Box Score Clark Beeker toed the rubber for Fort Myers in this contest, and despite lasting six innings he surrendered five runs (four earned) on ten hits. The offense was able to push just one run across despite tallying nine hits, and the away club fell by a 5-1 tally. In a 3-0 hole after the first inning, Fort Myers found themselves backed up against a wall early. Robby Rinn tried to help claw back into things with a sac fly in the second that scored Alex Kirilloff, but unfortunately that was the lone Miracle run of the evening. Fort Myers took the series by a 2-1 tally, and they outscored Lakeland 18-0 in the first two games. Unfortunately, game three didn’t go their way, and they’ll look to rebound against the Fire Frogs tomorrow night. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 6, Clinton 3 Box Score For the Kernels, Tyler Watson was given the starting nod in this contest. He turned in five innings of solid work, allowing just two runs on two hits. He matched both his strikeout and walk totals with four apiece. Cedar Rapids jumped out to an earlier lead thanks to a leadoff homer from Akil Baddoo (his 10th), and an RBI single from Michael Helman. The Kernels held that 2-0 lead until the Lumber Kings knotted things up in the bottom of the sixth. Jacob Pearson then blasted a grand slam, his fifth homer of the season, in the top of the seventh to put the good guys back in front. Clinton tallied a run in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the four run deficit. In his Kernels debut, Trevor Larnach finished 3-for-4 with a double. With the win, Cedar Rapids owns a one game lead in the series and the two teams will battle again tomorrow night. E-TWINS E-TALK Elizabethton 4, Kingsport 3 Box Score On the mound for the E-Twins in this one was Tyler Palm, and he turned in five solid innings. Scattering eight hits, just three runners crossed the plate and no free passes were given. Kingsport led 3-0 through the first two and a half innings, but the E-Twins came storming back. Lean Marrero picked up his fourth double to score Ricky De La Torre and get the good guys on the board. Jean Carlos Arias then followed with a ground out that plated Yeltsin Encarnacion. Down 3-2 entering the bottom of the 9th inning, De La Torre played hero. A single to left field drove in both Trevor Casanova and Colton Burns allowing the home squad to walk it off for the win. Elizabethton will host Bluefield tomorrow evening. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 5, GCL Rays 3 Box Score Tyler Benninghoff got the nod in this one, and he turned in five innings of solid work. Allowing just one earned run (three total), on three hits, he had his team in position for the win. Agustin Marte hit a solo shot in the first to knot things at one, and the GCL Twins tallied two in the second to get their first lead of the contest. Estamy Urena scored in the sixth, and Marte crossed the plate in the seventh, adding another two runs for the Twins side. Up 5-3, that’s where this one wound up. The Twins side will be the away squad tomorrow as the same two sides do battle. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K Twins Daily Hitter(s) of the Day – Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 3-4, 2 R, RBI TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) – 0-4, BB, K #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Ft. Myers) – 1-4, R #4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 3-4, 2 R, RBI #6 - Trevor Larnach (Cedar Rapids) – 3-4, R, BB, 2B #7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 1-4, R, RBI, BB, HR(21) #8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – 1-5, 2 R, RBI, HR(10) #13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) – 1-4 #14 - Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K #15 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) – 3-4, 3 2B #18 - Ryan Jeffers (Cedar Rapids) – 1-4, 2 R, BB #19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) – 2-5, R, 4 RBI, GS HR(5) #20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) – 2-4, R THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Toledo @ Rochester (6:05PM CST) – LHP Stephen Gonsalves (7-3, 3.06 ERA) Jackson @ Chattanooga (6:15PM CST) – RHP Tyler Wells (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Fort Myers @ Florida (5:30PM CST) – RHP Brusdar Graterol (3-2, 4.22 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Clinton (6:30PM CST) – RHP Randy Dobnak (7-4, 3.54 ERA) Bluefield @ Elizabethton (6:00PM CST) – TBD GCL Twins @ GCL Rays (10:00AM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games! 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I guess maybe you and I have differing definitions. His drug suspension and maturity issues in the minors and young career weren't non-existent.

As much of a disaster as 2018 has been for the Minnesota Twins, it's hard to look back and call it anything but expected. The reality is that injuries, suspensions, and ineffectiveness destroyed any possibility of a return trip to the postseason. Going forward however, the future is bright (I wrote about that here). The same foundation that was going to be relied upon this season remains key for the years ahead. That begs the question of who is there, and who are we waiting on? While Paul Molitor and the combination of both Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have earned some blame for their roster decisions this season, none of those three would be positioned to overcome the biggest elephant in the room. Experiencing lost seasons for both Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton was going to be a hill too steep to climb for this squad. It also represents that reality that each of those players remain integral to the future exploits of the organization as well. Although both of the top two names have sputtered, others have produced. Let's take a temperature check on where the core for the Twins youth is in relation to being able to provide a solid foundation for the future. Eddie Rosario: Arrived Somewhat of a knucklehead, maturity was arguably the greatest thing working against the Twins left fielder early on in his career. Posting just a .735 OPS and a 97 OPS+ (100 being average) through his first two MLB seasons, there was plenty of room for growth. Fast forward to today, and Minnesota has a legitimate All Star on their hands, as well as a top 20 player in MLB in terms of fWAR. Since May 2017, Rosario owns a .296/.336/.518 slash line. He's still a free swinger going after pitches out of the zone nearly 40% of the time, but the 12.3% swinging strike rate is significantly lower than the roughly 15% average he was at in his first two years. After posting down numbers defensively in 2017, he's back to being a very good asset out there and the mental lapses appear to be few and far between. Two years ago Rosario looked like a guy Minnesota would be questionable in offering a contract extension. At this point, they should make it a priority. Byron Buxton: Still Waiting There's no way to sugar coat it, 2018 has been an abomination for the Twins centerfielder. After winning a Gold Glove as well as the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2017, Byron has played in just 28 MLB games this season. He garnered MVP votes a year ago, and hasn't looked even close to the player that emerged down the stretch. Among batters with at least 90 plate appearances, Buxton's .383 OPS is second to last. Injuries and ineffectiveness is thew narrative here. The flip side of this coin is that Buxton already has over 300 G at the big league level under his belt, and he;s yet to turn 25 years old. He's the best defender in the game when healthy, and that helps to soften the blow of an offensive impact that's yet to catch up. There's far too much talent here to stay down for long, but consistency and availability is a must. Getting him back at the end of the year, and playing games somewhere this offseason could be huge. Buxton has to be a cornerstone for the Twins going forward, and I'm still fine betting on that being the case. Miguel Sano: Still Waiting When analyzing Miguel Sano's output over the course of his career, there will never be a down time that doesn't coincide with narratives pointing towards weight. As he has ballooned at the waistline, he's been scrutinized for his play. While being out of shape never helps an athlete, I think the bigger narrative is the one Minnesota employed in sending the slugger to Fort Myers. This is a story of accountability, work ethic, and desire. Sano puts on weight when he chooses not to buy into those areas. He has flashed the ability to be Minnesota's best power hitter since Harmon Killebrew. Right now Miguel knows that, but it's up to him whether or not he wants to work hard enough to achieve that. In his time back with the Twins since his hiatus on the farm, signs have been encouraging. Not only did he buy into a conditioning program enough to come back a more trim version of himself, but the plate appearances have been better as well. The hot corner doesn't look like a spot he's incapable of holding down, and the power potential there remains immense. Sano left a .203/.270/.405 line in the middle of June, and has compiled a .250/.368/.344 mark in his return. He was swinging through 16.1% of pitches, and has drastically dropped that amount to 11.4%. We're still experiencing a small sample size here, but the returns remain good. This offseason, Sano is going to need to display continued buy in. This isn't a flash in the pan type of change, and it has the ability to be career altering. If he's able to close the book on who he was, and be this type of an athlete, then the sky remains the limit. Max Kepler: Turning a Corner Looked at as somewhat of a breakout candidate for 2018, this season has been filled with ups and downs for Kepler. He came out of the gates extremely hot in April, and then cooled significantly by June. Since July 1 though, the German native owns an .890 OPS and has launched six longballs amidst his 12 extra-base hits. On the year he's still hitting lefties better than righties, and his launch angle continues to be an area of promise. Despite being outspoken regarding a desire to put the ball on the ground, it seems Kepler has bought into the reality that success is through the air. He very well could reach the 20 homer plateau for the first time in his career, and he's made significant strides in the plate discipline department. A deeper dive into batted ball numbers suggests that Kepler is getting fairly unlucky, and that should only help to fuel a late season burst. Jose Berrios: Arrived, but Not Fully Owning a 3.0 fWAR on the season, Berrios is currently ranked as the 15th best starter in baseball. The 3.51 ERA and 3.58 FIP are in line, and there's not a number he's put up that isn't a career best. What's truly impressive about that however, is we still aren't seeing the best of him. At just 24 years old, Berrios was invited to his first All Star game. His success has include four clunkers with 5 ER or more, and he's got another three starts in which he's allowed 4 ER. Expecting perfection each time out isn't realistic, but 36% of his starts lending themselves to significant improvement is a very fun thing to project forward. Having kept home runs largely in check, Berrios has stifled one of his largest downfalls. Slight in stature, he's been able to get enough movement on his pitches to combat the throwing plane in which the ball travels from his hand. We've seen a lot of good starts from Berrios this season, and we've also been privy to opportunities for growth. Although he'll likely set career bests across the board this year, we're just scratching the surface. He's got the ability to round into a bonafide ace, and it's a development that Minnesota has craved for years. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

There was lots of action on the farm for the Twins system today as all of the teams had games. Yunior Severino highlighted the offense as he paced an Elizabethton scoring outburst, while Brusdar Graterol turned in one of his best starts in a Miracle uniform. A couple of the new Minnesota acquisitions put their stamp on the organization, and plenty of top prospects got into the box scores.TRANSACTIONS Minnesota Twins Claimed RHP Oliver Drake Claimed INF Johnny Field Rochester Red Wings C Juan Graterol reinstated from DL RHP D.J. Baxendale placed on DL RED WINGS REPORT Pawtucket 7, Rochester 4 Box Score Stephen Gonsalves was the starter for this one, but Nick Anderson played the role of opener. Gonsalves was tasked with coming in needing to get the final out of the second inning, and threw five and one-third innings. He allowed two earned runs on five hits while walking three and striking out a like number. Pawtucket got out to a 2-0 lead that was wiped away in the fourth inning. Willians Astudillo crushed his 11th homer of the year, and brought both Taylor Motter and Tyler Austin to the plate with him. Motter then walked with the bases loaded in the seventh inning to push the lead out to 4-2. Pawtucket chipped away, adding runs in both the 7th and 8th innings. Recently signed big league veteran Brandon Phillips took Tyler Duffey deep for a three-run bomb to walk it off. Rochester can exact revenge tomorrow night in game two of the series. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 6, Mississippi 1 Box Score Dietrich Enns got the start in this one for the Lookouts, and thanks to five strong innings of one-run baseball, he picked up his first win of the season for the Lookouts. Recently promoted Tyler Wells piggybacked Enns in this one, and he was able to pick up a save in his Double-A debut. Working four hitless innings Wells recorded seven strikeouts and allowed no hits and just two walks. Chattanooga got on the board first thanks to Tanner English’s 15th double of the season. Plating Jaylin Davis and Jordan Gore, the Lookouts led 2-0 in the second. Newly acquired Luke Raley got Chattanooga going in the third, as he launched his first homer in his new organization. The two-run shot scored Brent Rooker as well. Davis then did some damage of his own, recording his ninth double of the season and pushing Chris Paul across the plate. After three, it was a 5-0 Chattanooga lead. In the seventh Davis recorded another RBI on a single that scored Raley. The 6-1 lead would hold up the rest of the way, and wound up being the final tally as well. Having taken the first two games of the series, Chattanooga will look to keep things rolling tomorrow night in game three of the five game set. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 7, Florida 1 Box Sore Brusdar Graterol took the ball in this one, and he did not give it up for six innings. Allowing just one unearned run on five hits, the Twins stud pitching prospect fanned five and walked none. After heading into their first raps trailing by a run, the Miracle got their own bats going. Royce Lewis led off with a walk, made second on a walk to Ernie De La Trinidad, stole third and then came across to score following a throwing error on the play at third. Alex Kirilloff made sure to get in on the action as well. His double to left field scored De La Trinidad and the Miracle had their first lead of the ballgame. The score sat at 2-1 all the way until the seventh inning. Robbie Rinn drove in both Ryan Costello and Travis Blankenhorn on his single past the shortstop. With a 4-1 lead, Fort Myers wasn’t quite done. In the eighth, De La Trinidad picked up his first double allowing Lewis to tally the fifth run. Ryan Costello then picked up his first Florida State League homer, and did so with Taylor Grzelakowski on base. Up 7-1, that’s where this one ended. These two teams will meet again tomorrow evening for game two of the three game series. KERNELS NUGGETS Peoria 5, Cedar Rapids 1 Box Score Starting for the Kernels tonight was Twins pitching prospect Blayne Enlow. He made it to one out into the sixth inning, and allowed five earned runs on nine hits. Across his 74 pitches, Enlow was able to get three strikeouts while just walking one. Scoring was tough to come by early on in this one as neither team got on the board until the fourth inning. Ryan Jeffers notched his sixth double, driving in Jose Miranda for Cedar Rapids. That sixth inning run was the Kernels' first of the contest, and had them down 2-1. That was all the offense the club could muster however, generating just five hits on the evening. The bats will look to wake up a bit more this weekend as Cedar Rapids returns home to host Beloit. E-TWINS E-NOTES Elizabethton 7, Pulaski 6 Box Score Andrew Cabezas was on the mount for the E-Twins in this one, and both teams did plenty of damage at the plate. Scoring a combined 13 runs on 18 hits, the lineups had their way with opposing pitchers this evening. Right away in the first inning, Yunior Severino got things going with a solo shot, his fourth of the year. In the second, Jared Akins extended the lead with a sac fly to score Gilberto Celestino. Continuing their trend, Elizabethton added two more in the third thanks to an RBI single from Trevor Larnach and an RBI single from Celestino. After giving up a run in the bottom half of the third, Elizabethton got it right back on a Severino RBI single in the fourth. Now leading 5-1, the cushion was starting to grow. Pulaski battled back however, and they tied the game at five in the bottom of the sixth inning. Robert Molina picked up his first home run of 2018; a two-run shot, to give the away team a 7-5 lead in the eighth. Pulaski got one back in the bottom half, but Zach Neff was able to slam the door to pick up his fourth save. Game two of this three game set will take place tomorrow night. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 8, GCL Red Sox 0 Box Score With 10 hits on the day, eight of the nine starters for the Twins recorded a base hit. Christian Cavaness launched his first homer of the season, and Kidany Silva’s fifth double was the only other extra-base hit on the day. The GCL Twins tallied eight runs split between the second and third innings of this one and never looked back. These two teams will switch home fields and do it again tomorrow. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Brusdar Graterol 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Yunior Severino 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR(4) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed 1. Royce Lewis (FM): 1-2, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 SB 2. Alex Kirilloff (FM): 1-5, RBI, 2B 3. Brusdar Graterol (FM): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K 4. Nick Gordon (ROC): 0-4, 2 K 5. Stephen Gonsalves (ROC): 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K 6. Trevor Larnach (ET): 1-5, RBI 7. Brent Rooker (CHAT): 0-2, R, 2 BB 8. Akil Baddoo (CR): 1-4, K 11. Blayne Enlow (CR): 5.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 K 13. Travis Blankenhorn (FM): 1-4, R, BB 16. Yunior Severino (ET): 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR(4) 18. Ryan Jeffers (CR): 2-2, RBI, 2 BB, 2B 19. Jacob Pearson (CR): 0-3, BB SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester at Pawtuckett, 5:15 pm CT: Kohl Stewart (0-3, 3.60 ERA) Chattanooga vs. Mississippi, 6:15 pm CT: Omar Bencomo (6-5, 3.90 ERA) Fort Myers vs. Florida, 5:00 pm CT: Andro Cutura (3-6, 4.89 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs Beloit 6:35 pm CT: Jordan Balazovic (5-2, 3.74 ERA) Elizabethton at Pulaski, 6:00 pm CT: Carlos Suniaga (1-1, 6.30 ERA) GCL Twins at GCL Red Sox, 10:00 am CT: TBD Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the games. Click here to view the article

The 2018 Major League Baseball trade deadline has come and gone, with the Minnesota Twins jettisoning 20% of their active roster. Beloved figureheads Brian Dozier and Eduardo Escobar are both gone, while one-year fill ins Zach Duke and Lance Lynn followed. Of the moves made, only Ryan Pressly’s time with the organization was truly cut short. Having now moved on from the names above, it’s worth exploring why exactly nothing has changed regarding the outlook for the years ahead.There’s been plenty of hand-wringing over the decisions made by the front office over the past week. The reality is that each one of them were both the right and correct move. Flipping veterans set to become free agents for tangible assets usable down the line is a logical concept. Maximizing the peak value of a relief pitcher, one of the most unstable roles on a team, is also a good bet. There’s no denying that the Twins shed a lot of talent at the end of July, but the reality is that in September that same talent would have left and there’d be nothing to show for it. Getting past the heartache of Dozier's and Escobar’s smiles being gone from the clubhouse, we can look toward the future. That’s where things come back into focus, and the reality is that for 2019 and beyond, the blueprint remains unchanged for the organization. Coming into 2018, the Twins were fresh off a postseason berth and had added plenty of talent through free agency. Supplementing a developed core of players, the front office positioned the active roster for a season of competitiveness within a weak AL Central division. Looking ahead to 2019, that same formula remains. The core for Minnesota will continue to revolve around players like Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton. The breakout of Eddie Rosario has been much welcomed, and the emergence of Jose Berrios continues. Getting more from Max Kepler is a must and picking up steam from a couple of additional guys like Jorge Polanco or Mitch Garver would be a nice boost. This collection of talent that has largely risen through the system together, will continue to be the backbone of any progress going forward. You can’t recap the 2018 season without noting the frustrations circling around that established core however. Both Buxton and Sano experiencing lost seasons is a significant setback. Kepler failing to really break out is unfortunate, and Polanco missing half of the season due to poor choice is suboptimal. For all their faults and failures however, it’s because of those guys that supplementing and signing free agents even made sense in the first place. Going into 2019, the same opportunity will be afforded Minnesota’s front office once again. There’s less than $70 million of committed money in the upcoming year, and the organization should be expected to nearly double that amount when the payroll hits it's ceiling. Whether going all in on a premiere name, or spreading the wealth around a bit, reinforcements should help to bolster what will once again be a talented group on paper. Outside of the organization, the same positive factors will also be in favor of the Twins. While the Indians window of competitiveness should remain open, the rest of the AL Central will continue to be bottom feeders in the foreseeable future. Although the White Sox system is loaded, the talent is not yet ready to emerge. The Tigers remain in the middle of a rebuild, and the Royals have yet to start a very necessary overhaul. For a Twins team that should be well positioned to feast on poor competition, they’ll have plenty of opportunities presented to them over the course of their schedule. At the end of the day, it all comes down to the talent Minnesota has been banking on for years. Sano and Buxton are two of the highest rates prospects to ever come through the system and doing so at the same time should make them cornerstone pieces on a team that provides years of relevance. It’s probably beginning to get late a little early, but they are also just 25 and 24 years-old respectively. We aren’t at all past the point of no return, but there’s no denying that it will be a direct result of their efforts if this team takes the next step forward. As Minnesota’s core has arrived together at the big-league level, it’s become time that spending finally makes sense. The front office, and ownership showed a commitment to that belief this offseason. They’ll get an opportunity to hit the reset button prior to 2019, and the trajectory of this team doesn’t need to change at all. From a year in which things fell flat, there’s a very real opportunity to make noise in the immediate future. Click here to view the article

The Minnesota Twins have seen some significant turnover in the past few years. From a new front office, to a handful of new faces in the dugout and on the field, the organization has assumed a significantly different shape. Over the course of all the changes, there's been lots of good momentum with regards to the direction of the franchise. In fact, it could be suggested that the front office has been near flawless in their personnel decisions. Near flawless comes with a caveat however, and that's the final phase. Heading into the offseason prior to the 2018 Major League Baseball season, Minnesota had plenty of opportunity. Coming off of a postseason berth, the arrow for the ballclub appeared to be pointing straight up. Given how much young talent filled the 25 man roster, spending to supplement that group finally made sense for the front office. With the opportunity in front of them, Derek Falvey and thad Levine performed admirably. Although Minnesota didn't and Yu Darvish, they were heavily involved on arguably the premiere player available. Pivoting to other assets, Falvey and Levine bolstered the bullpen and rotation, while also tacking on some help for an already imposing lineup. When the dust settle on the open market, there was no other conclusion to draw aside from the reality that the Twins hit a home run. In the offseason, Minnesota dominated. Fast forward to where we are today, and the Twins can look back on a season that lay in ruins. From top contributors falling flat, injuries coming at inopportune times, and key free agents giving the club little, the front office was pushed into sell mode. Making five separate deals, Falvey and Levine flipped four players who are set to be free agents at season's end. Two of those players were signed on one-year deals, making them either assets to a competitive team here, or beneficial trade chips to an organization in position to go for it. Knowing full well that those five players would head out of town leaving Minnesota nothing to show for them, the front office generated 12 new assets in exchange. Much like the offseason, the trade deadline was another effort that highlighted the ability of Minnesota's front office. This duo maximized opportunity, and continued to be a forward thinking collective that best positions the on-field product for future success. That leaves just one key area to examine, and it's part of where it all went wrong. What took place during the season itself? From an outsider's perspective it's hard to fully attribute what level of control each party has in roster decisions. While Derek Falvey and Thad Levine likely have ultimate rule, they've coined collaboration as their calling card since joining the club. With Paul Molitor in tow, there's little argument to be made that his voice doesn't carry some weight as well. It's in the way moves have been handled as a whole that leaves me scratching my head. It's hard to quantify what impact each decision has had on a wins and losses level, but there's no doubt in my mind that the bottom line has been impacted. Ryan LaMarre was given significantly more run than he should have been, Alan Busenitz hasn't been handled properly, Mitch Garver has experienced terrible playing time issues, and Matt Belisle remains among the worst signings across all of baseball this season. Although the more egregious examples, there's been plenty of other questionable hiccups along the way. You'd be hard pressed to argue that Paul Molitor's job wasn't entirely spared by winning Manager of the Year a season ago. He was never the choice of this front office, and has often looked inept when it comes to in game strategy. There's no evidence to suggest front office decisions have been made forcing Molitor to play with half of a deck, but the skipper seems insistent upon doing that to himself at times. As a collective, the front office and manager have done less with more on the field during 2018 and that's an issue needing to be addressed. Going into the offseason, it's a possibility that Molitor could find himself relieved of his duties. Whether or not that takes place, and it probably doesn't need to, the focus for 2019 needs to be upon executing the final phase of comeptition. While stacking the roster in your favor through free agency and development is ideal, promotion, selection, and delegation of playing time dictates how effective those efforts are. Getting the most out of the assets available to you is an area Minnesota must take a step forward in for the year ahead. There's plenty of blame to go around for the final phase, but it's also one that collaboration has a very real ability to address. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Actually...I believe the stat is no team has made up 6+ G after July 31. The Twins also are chasing a better team, that has the worst schedule in baseball ahead of them. Denying the inevitable leads you in the middle ground.

The year was 2012, and a 25 year old Brian Dozier had finally burst onto the scene. No, this wasn't the big leagues, but it was close enough. Spring Training had commenced down in Fort Myers, and the scrappy Southern Mississippi kid had taken the narratives by storm. He was getting hits on a daily basis, and fans were looking for a long term answer at short. The 8th round senior sign from 2009 had put his name in the hat and wasn't going away quietly. Although he didn't go north with the club that year, it didn't take long for them to come calling either. On May 7, 2012 Brian Dozier would make his Major League debut. He tallied his first hit in that game, and his first home run came five games later. Largely however, 2012 was a season to forget. It became quickly apparent that Dozier wasn't suited to play shortstop at the big league level and the reset button was pushed. Fast forward to 2013 and a positional move to second base. Marking his first full season with the Twins, Dozier would play in 147 games. It has since become customary over the course of his seven year career, but Minnesotans were put on notice that season; this man would simply not be held out of the game. In 2014 Brian began to establish himself as a power threat. His 23 longballs followed up a solid 18 in the year prior. While not being the hulking corner infield type, this man helped to wear out the left field bleachers at Target Field. Despite being a snub for the game itself, Brian was able to participate in the hometown 2014 Home Run Derby. Although his efforts fell short, it was a great moment for the entirety of Twins Territory. Not to be denied in 2015, Brian captured his first All Star game nod. A season that saw him come up just shy of 30 homers (28 in total), he received MVP votes for the first time in his career. By this point, it was apparent that the Minnesota Twins had one of the best second basemen in all of baseball. Then, 2016 happened... Harmon Killebrew is still, and will forever be, revered as the best Twins home run hitter of all time. In 2016, Dozier put himself among that rare company. With 42 homers to his credit, he again received MVP votes and further cementer his ability in comparison with the Jose Altuve's and Robinson Cano's of his position. At just 5'11" this was a relatively short man that had an ability at the plate to wear out Minnie and Paulie's hands. Having now become known as a player that gets hot down the stretch, Dozier simply followed status quo in 2017. Although he didn't repeat and eclipse the 40 mark, his 34 homers were the second highest total of his career. Thanks to his offensive accolades, he vaulted himself into Gold Glove consideration and ended up taking home the award. At this point, the self-made slugger had turned a late blooming career into one for the storybooks. Although Brian would've liked it to go differently this season, Minnesota simply couldn't keep up with all of the roadblocks in their way. Another trip to the postseason wasn't going to happen in Twins Territory, but that doesn't mean it won't for Brian. Now on his way to Los Angeles to join the Dodgers, a team he had been tied to in the past, Dozier gets to join a front-runner. He'll make a great up the middle partner for Manny Machado, and many Twins fans will only have to change their shade of blue come October. As the sun sets on this chapter, Dozier leaves the Twins with 167 home runs, 202 doubles, and 491 RBI to his credit. He's a testament to the player that never stops working, and more importantly, the man that always wants more. Both he and his wife Renee have made an impact far greater than what's seen on the diamond, and they'll be sorely missed around Target Field. It's the nature of the business that players come and go, but this is one that left his mark here forever. Thank you Brian, and go Dodgers. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz