Ted Schwerzler

This comment...after that entire thought process...yikes. I feel for you sir

Just under a month ago, I told you that Brian Dozier is entering elite territory amongst Major League Baseball. Since that time, Dozier has done nothing but squash my silly notion. Instead of entering elite territory, he instead has defined what elite is amongst Major League Baseball. At this point, you're probably wrong about the Twins second basemen, and so is the league itself. We are less than a week away from the midsummer classic. Major League Baseball has unfortunately pinned World Series implications on the exhibition, and while many players still overlook that sentiment, the fact is that this does count. Expecting fans voting solely for the biggest names or their favorite jerseys isn't going to draw rave results, but it's probably time Major League Baseball is held accountable. As the fan voting took place for the All Star Game in Cincinnati this year, we watched as the Royals fans came out of the woodwork and make a mockery of the system. Even the Kauffman faithful had to find humor in the fact that their .231/.240/.307 slashing second basemen was pacing a portion of the voting. While it isn't unexpected to have snubs on the starting level, it's pretty ugly that manager Ned Yost failed to get it right as well. Last season, the Minnesota Twins watched Brian Dozier blossom before their eyes. Going from a relative unknown, to one of the most surprising power hitters in the game, Dozier was given some national relevance in the Home Run Derby. While it was the consolation prize for an All Star appearance he was more than qualified for, it was a stepping stone. After being amongst the best in the big leagues in runs scored, and securing a shiny new 4-year, $20 million contract, how would Dozier respond? The answer is by continuing to be the best second basemen in baseball and it's not particularly close. Dozier's 7.6 WAR since the beginning of 2014 ranks above all other qualifiers, and Houston's Jose Altuve is next closest with a 6.7 mark. On the season, Dozier leads the big leagues in runs scored (63) and is on pace for career highs in doubles, triples, hits, home runs, runs batted in, batting average and OPS. In fact, it's actually that last number that might be most impressive when looking at the Twins second basemen. Often times, detractors will point to Dozier's average as a reason why he shouldn't be regarded amongst the games best. Despite his .245 career mark (.260 in 2015), Brian Dozier's value at the plate goes far beyond the realm of simply second basemen. With an .849 OPS, the Twins second basemen lays claim to the 15th best mark in all of baseball. Of those 14 players ahead of him, the only not to be named All-Stars; Alex Rodriguez (.902) and Brett Gardner (.854, also in the final vote). When adjusting for ballparks with OPS+, Dozier falls just one spot to 16th. Should you choose to disregard numerical focuses, players behind Dozier in OPS include Jose Abreu, Dustin Pedroia, and Adam Jones. Bringing it back full circle to the context of the All Star Game, Dozier looks poised to be snubbed yet again in the Final Vote. Once again placing the duty on the fans, Dozier goes up against Xander Bogaerts, Yoenis Cespedes, Brett Gardener, and Mike Moustakas. If the initial vote was any indication as to how this Final Vote may go, the Royals Moustakas appears to have the edge. Looking at Moustakas, the biggest Dozier detractors are forced to come full circle. After scuffling through the first four seasons of his career, Moustakas has put it together for Kansas City. He's got seven home runs, 31 RBI, and is slashing .301/.357/.436. That last bit of information is the most important however. Despite hitting .41 points higher than Dozier, Moustakas owns an OPS (.793) a stout .56 points lower. It probably can't be made any clearer, Brian Dozier hitting for average absolutely, positively, does not matter. As long as he is getting on base, and generating extra base hits, the Twins second basemen will remain the best in baseball. At the end of the day, or maybe better said, the first half of the Major League Baseball season, Brian Dozier was failed. He may not care on the surface whether or not he was included in a meaningless* exhibition, but the fans failing to acknowledge him failed, Ned Yost failed, and Major League Baseball failed. All Star Game aside, Brian Dozier continues to come to work, and get the job done. It's probably in all of our best interests to take notice sooner rather than later. Until then, he'll keep hitting walkoff shots and flipping his doubters the...bat. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Over the weekend, Ervin Santana returned to the Twins starting rotation. After serving an 80 game PED-related suspension, the free agent acquisition came out of the gates strong. Twirling eight strong innings, Santana sat back and watched it all implode. Paul Molitor went to the bullpen, and his relievers let him down yet again. Most recently, the suspects were Blaine Boyer and Aaron Thompson. In a tie game over the weekend, Molitor elected to give the ball to arms not named Glen Perkins. Of the two, Thompson has been especially bad this season. After starting relatively strong, he's come back to earth and now owns a 5.01 ERA. Thompson is one of six Twins relievers this season to post an ERA north of 5.00. Alex Meyer's 16.88 ERA is easily dismissed with him only contributing 2.2 IP on the season. Caleb Thielbar also is in the group despite just throwing 5.0 innings for the big club. His 5.40 ERA looks worse however, considering he has struggled for much of the year at Triple-A. Tim Stauffer and Michael Tonkin have also failed at the big league level this season. Minnesota offered Stauffer 15.0 innings of work, and multiple months of action before moving on from the free agent signee who posted a 6.60 mark in 13 games. Tonkin has spent more of the season moving back and forth between Triple-A and the big leagues, but owns a 5.73 mark with the Twins. Rounding out the ugliness is Brian Duensing. Duensing continues to get a pass, much like Stauffer before him. Minnesota took the lefty to arbitration this offseason and handed him a one-year $2.7 million deal. His 6.52 ERA is the worst on the current 25 man roster, and his 4.58 FIP (fielding independent pitching) suggests it won't get much better any time soon. For a guy owning 4.02 FIP and 6.0 K/9 marks, the Twins have given way too many chances. Looking at who are the culprits behind the problems though, we have just identified the bigger problem. Excluding those already named, Molitor has just Glen Perkins, J.R. Graham, Casey Fien, Ryan Pressly (now injured), and Blaine Boyer at his disposal. Perkins is now doubt in the midst of the best season of his career. His 1.31 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and major league leading 27 saves have contributed to a 1.0 fWAR thus far. Unfortunately, Molitor can't only rely on Perkins out of the pen (even if he should have in Santana's first start). Fien is a setup man, saved for the 8th inning. Even despite that, his 3.86 ERA and ugly 4.9 K/9 mark has led to some ugly blowups for the Twins this year. Graham has performed well, but is still getting just his first action above Double-A, and remains susceptible to vulnerability the more he is used. Boyer has no doubt worked out better than his ex-Padres teammate Stauffer, but Molitor has had to rely on him far too often. A 4.09 FIP suggests that the 2.63 ERA has plenty of room to rise. With a bullpen full of uncertainty, and a closer that can only do so much, Molitor has had to get creative. Looking around the organization though, the pool is running empty. Tonkin and Thielbar have been afforded opportunities (albeit in short bursts). Triple-A Rochester offers little else unless tweener types like Logan Darnell (2.40 ERA AAA/7.13 ERA MLB career), Lester Oliveros (3.79 AAA/7.11 ERA MLB career), or A.J. Achter (2.15 AAA/3.27 MLB career) do anything for you. The hope was that some of the Double-A bullpen would make its way to the big leagues in 2015. Since, Nick Burdi has been demoted to Fort Myers, Jake Reed has struggled mightily, Zack Jones has fallen off, and only recently promoted J.T. Chargois has excelled. It all adds up to the Twins being in a relatively difficult place. While there may be potential answers in the future (with the hope that Tyler Jay would add to that equation), there doesn't appear to be any on the near horizon. The Twins have played above water most of the 2015 season, and while sustaining the roll would be nice, doing so without a competent bullpen is going to be quite the task. In order to acquire a reliever capable of being more than a band-aid, teams will be asking for some of the Twins minor league depth. Knowing that bullpen options are few and far between, Minnesota may be best positioned to oblige and fix what appears to be a glaring problem. Right now, getting to the 9th inning with a lead provides all but a lock scenario. However, having only done that 27 times over the course of 82 games, Minnesota has left way too much on the table. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

In just a few more days, the Minnesota Twins will be afforded the opportunity to see their $55 million free agent acquisition in action. After serving his performance-enhancing drug related suspension, Ervin Santana will rejoin the 25-man roster and the starting rotation for the Twins.With the Twins pitching staff being where it is in 2015, what the Twins should expect from Santana remains somewhat of a mystery. After four years of futility from their starters, the Twins have seemingly turned a corner in 2015. No longer ranking at the bottom of the big leagues, Minnesota has finally opened a door that has afforded both more quality, and a higher quantity of starting pitchers. 16th in the majors when it comes to team ERA (3.87), and eighth in the American League, the Twins are in a much better place. Still dead last in the big leagues in strikeouts (439) and 27th in batting average against (.271), the Twins have plenty of reasons to work towards continued improvement. It's fair to question how Santana plays into that equation, however. As things stand currently, the Twins have some difficult decisions to make regarding the rotation. Phil Hughes is the staff ace, despite owning a 4.20 ERA. Hurt by the long ball in 2015, Hughes has taken steps back, but is still a lock amongst the group for years to come. Kyle Gibson and Trevor May highlight the young core of the rotation. Both top draft picks, Gibson has been one of the club's best pitchers, and May has operated as the ace for the majority of the season. That leaves Mike Pelfrey and Tommy Milone. Pelfrey continues to defy odds and owns a club best 3.06 ERA. Despite striking out next to no one, Pelfrey has gotten the job done after being sent to the bullpen out of spring training. Milone was jettisoned to Triple-A Rochester earlier this season, and after tearing up the farm, he's been on fire since his return. In five games since his return Milone has thrown to the tune of a 2.03 ERA and .246/.288/.364 slash line against. So how does Santana fit? Most seem to be operating under the impression that it's Milone who could be sent packing. With team control, and the ability to send him back to Triple-A, the former Athletics pitcher possesses the most flexibility. Ideally, a trade of Pelfrey would happen, but there's no doubt his value is not high around the league. No matter who is moved out of the starting five however, the addition of Santana may not be what it seems. Last season, Santana pitched in the National League for the first time in his career. His 3.95 ERA was backed by a 3.39 FIP (fielding independent pitching) mark. Despite being better than his final ERA suggested, Santana is far from a lights out pitcher. Owning a career 4.26 FIP in front of better fielding teams, there could be some cause for concern. Hovering around the high 3.00 ERA mark for the majority of his career, Santana's biggest asset to the Twins may be in his 7.2 career K/9, easily ranking among the best on the Twins staff. There's little doubt that Santana would fall in the category of a quality arm added into the rotation. In recent seasons, the Twins have needed to push more quantity to the mound than anything else. However, expecting Santana to come in and light the world on fire seems farfetched as well. Considering the staff has been pitching well of late, the shuffling of that chemistry and those arms could come at a cost for Minnesota. The Twins have a good problem in that they have more quality arms than they know what to do with. Right now though, Santana remains a wild card, and until Minnesota finds out exactly what he is going to bring, the hurt or gain from moving around Milone or another starter won't be felt. Despite being a long-term concern, it's also fair to suggest this problem may again rear its head in September. Due to his suspension. Santana is not eligible to pitch in the postseason. Should the Twins remain in the hunt, another rotation shuffle would need to take place before playoff baseball kicks off. Inserting Milone or someone else back in to Santana's spot after a demotion, and knowing production is immediately necessary, could also be a tough task. Of course the Twins did the right thing this offseason in bringing in a proven veteran to bolster the staff. Santana sitting out, and now needing to be brought in, brings a lot of questions as a midseason addition. The Twins are being forced to make a change that could bring a result they weren't initially planning on. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz Click here to view the article

Following the conclusion of the 2014 Major League Baseball season, longtime Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was shown the door. Although the four seasons of losing weren't all his fault, he did little to help the matter either. In his place, Paul Molitor took over. So far in 2015, results as a whole have been promising, but one area continues to be baffling. Why can't Molitor and the Twins just be happy playing their position? The main culprit, the outfield. Heading into the season, the Twins decided (as most major league teams do) to roll with a four man outfield. Jordan Schafer would start in center, flanked by Oswaldo Arcia in left and Torii Hunter in right. Shane Robinson would operate as the club's fourth outfielder. As a whole, that might have been one of the worst constructed outfields in recent memory, but that remains a different discussion. Molitor then decided to leave Aaron Hicks down in Rochester to start the season, and that turned out to be as much of an erroneous decision as should have been expected. As far as emergency or utility type player, the Twins brought Danny Santana, Eduardo Escobar, and Eduardo Nunez all north. Here is where the problem begins. Escobar has played 31 games in the outfield for the Twins, while Nunez and Santana have both played two a piece. In those games, the defense has been every bit as bad as you'd expect a player out of position to provide. Escobar has a -1 DRS (defensive runs saved) rating, as well as a -3.0 YZR (ultimate zone rating). Santana and Nunez haven't spent enough innings to factor in yet in 2015, but Santana was far from adequate a year ago. In 534 innings in centerfield during the 2014 season, Santana compiled an ugly -5.4 UZR. Of the group, only Nunez doesn't post negative numbers. Now forcing a player to be out of position on defense would almost exclusively have to suggest the offensive production is there. For the Twins though, that doesn't seem to be the case either. The most often played Escobar owns a poor .247/.281/.389 line, with Santana's .209/.233/.276 looking even uglier. In fact, only Nunez has shown a glimpse of offensive production with a .303/.346/.505 line. There's no doubt that everything can't fall on Molitor and odd decision making though. After all, Jordan Schafer redefined terrible, and Robinson is no doubt limited. Byron Buxton was called up and made it through just 11 games before being shelved for a month, and Aaron Hicks was also shelved for a brief period of time. At this point though, the complacency to make a move hurts the Twins. Already having suffered through poor outfield defense for much of the year, the Twins have shown little urgency to rectify the problem when the opportunity presents itself. The latest example revolves around Santana and Hicks. Now having played a handful of rehab games for Rochester, the Twins should have had Hicks on a plane back to join the big club at the first opportunity. With Santana overmatched at the plate, and a struggling outfielder, Hicks should be claiming his role. On top of that, Molitor had to lift Robinson after getting hit by a pitch, calling into question what his availability looks like. It's really rather unfair to point to the problem as a whole through the eyes of one or two examples. However, the fact that Eduardo Escobar has played 31 games in the outfield this year is a big enough issue. Showing an affinity to giving innings in the grass to players like Nunez and Santana on top of it only complicates things. Save Nunez for playing shortstop and giving guys around the infield a day off, and use your position players where they fit. When someone is hitting .319 with a .405 BABIP (batting average on balls in play), it makes sense to push a square peg into a round hole. When a guy has a paltry OPS and is doing nothing for you offensively, stop trying to over think it. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Yeah, I'm not sure moving guys up and down is the problem, but more so poor timing of doing so. The Twins don't have a quality SS on the MLB roster (Escobar is not good and last year's avg was a mirage), Polanco getting his feet wet makes a lot of sense. There's plenty of defensive questions there, but they need to start being answered.

The calendar has turned to July and the Minnesota Twins find themselves barreling towards a very interesting crossroads. On one hand, they have exceeded all expectations. At 41-37, they are 4.5 games out of the AL Central lead, and holding down the second Wild Card spot. On the other hand, Minnesota fumbled through June to the tune of an 11-16 record. With divisional foes looming, the Twins are set to sink or swim. Ahead for the Twins is an immediate opportunity to position themselves. Over the course of the next week or so, Minnesota has four games against the first place Kansas City Royals, and four games against the third place Detroit Tigers. 4.5 back of the Royals, and 1.5 games ahead of the Tigers, those eight games should provide some significant clarity. Following the series with the Tigers, Minnesota will head into the All Star Break. It's quite conceivable that they could both be leading the division, or staring at an eight game deficit at that point. Thus far on the year, Minnesota has fared better against the Royals (3-6) than the Tigers (2-7), but that's obviously splitting hairs. Despite racing out to not only an AL Central best record, but also American League mark in late May, the Twins have struggled with teams over .500 on the season. Both the Royals and Tigers falling into that category, Minnesota will have their hands full over the course of the next ten days. As things stand currently, it's probably fair to suggest that the Twins are treading water. Playing roughly .500 ball (4-6) over the course of their last ten games, Minnesota hasn't made up or lost much ground. On top of that, the big league club has called up top prospects such as Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, Alex Meyer, and now Miguel Sano. In an effort to sustain the early season success, and push forward, the club has looked within. Judging the process, Minnesota has handled things the correct way so far. Knowing they have access to a rich farm system, a surplus of pitching, and some intriguing hitting talents, developing from within remains key. As the summer wears on, regardless of what the record looks like, that strategy would seem to be the best avenue to continue on. Being that this current Twins team is in a treading water state, with more crossroads than obvious destinations likely to appear, it would be shortsighted to suggest them being buyers at the trade deadline. Trading a marginal amount of wins in an uncertain season for what could be hampered results in the future doesn't seem like a good practice. No matter how fun the month of May was for the Twins, it's now over 30 days in the past, and this club is at a point where it must swim forward, or fear sinking to the bottom. Another opportunity to prove their ability against some of the American League's best, Minnesota will have answers sooner rather than later. Regardless of what has happened in recent seasons, this Twins team should not be waiting for the bottom to fall out. This roster has much more talent than any in recent memory, and there is help throughout the farm. Whether or not meaningful baseball is played in August could be determined prior to the All-Star break however. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

He was demoted to Double-A Chattanooga, not Triple-A Rochester. Santana belongs in Rochester, immediately swapped for Hicks. The Twins need another outfielder.

Here's the deal, and probably a further explanation as it seems there is some gray area. It's not yet that the suggestion is Vargas is a lost cause, he's 24. The problem is that the Twins derailed him when he was producing at his ceiling for them. Vargas batting for average probably should and will never happen. It was though, and the power was starting to show, than the initial demotion happened. From there, he's been recalled, benched, and demoted. At 24, and trying to gain footing in the big leagues, the Twins have done Vargas' mental makeup no favors, and have failed to allow him to settle into a role he looked to be taking to prior to his first demotion. Should things never end up working out, we can look back to that moment as a derailment of what could have been. Dbminn, as far as Arcia, that's a different situation entirely. While still just 24, he's out of options after this season (I believe). The Twins can afford to be patient there, but only to a certain extent.

The Minnesota Twins dropped yet another series today, this time at the hands of the NL Central Cincinnati Reds. Looking to take the rubber match against staff ace, Johnny Cueto, runs seemed as though they would be few and far between. With a lackluster lineup to start, Minnesota did themselves no favors throughout the contest. At the end of the game it was Kennys Vargas who took the fall with a demotion to Double-A Chattanooga. But really, is Vargas to blame at this point? Following an impressive performance at the Future's Game in 2014, the Twins called up the first of their hyped prospects in Vargas. Despite not having the ceiling of a Miguel Sano or Byron Buxton, he was supposed to give fans something to latch onto. A big bodied, "Baby Ortiz," Vargas profiled as a middle of the order slugger. With 59 minor league home runs under his belt, the jumped from Double-A was made. 2014 was up and down for Vargas with the Twins, but slashing .274/.316/.772 in your first 53 big league games is nothing to scoff at. Throw in nine home runs and 38 RBI and the Twins had to be impressed with their young prospect. Unfortunately, 2015 was a different story for Vargas. Out of the gates, Vargas was forced to compete for the designated hitter role. Not being a good fielding first basemen, Vargas would battle for at bats with players like Torii Hunter and Joe Mauer on their off days. As the main DH, the Twins expected Vargas to provide the pop in the heart of the order. Getting off to an ugly .172/.232/.234 start in the month of April, Minnesota's patience was growing thin. As the calendar turned however, so did Vargas. May rolled around, and Kennys Vargas exploded to a .366/.395/.561 slash line. He contributed two home runs and six RBI through May 17 and he looked to be turning a corner. Then it happened, out of nowhere, the Twins sent Vargas back to Triple-A. Claiming he wasn't providing the power or run support they expected, Terry Ryan and Paul Molitor sent the slugger back for some seasoning. Undoubtedly, Vargas needed to chase pitches less, and he had to get a better handle on offspeed stuff, but the timing seemed odd. At the height of a hot streak, Minnesota felt Vargas was best served with his first trip to Triple-A. Vargas took the demotion in stride, and he hit his way back to the big leagues. Unfortunately, not everything remained the same. Being brought back up to the big leagues on June 8, Vargas had to regain his rhythm that the club snatched away from him. 17 games went by, and Vargas slashed a paltry .235/.235/.373 with 17 strikeouts and no walks. He did homer twice and drive in five runs, but the player that was in May, seemed all but lost. After going 1-3 with a strikeout against the Reds and Cueto, the Twins had seen enough. Now headed back to Double-A Chattanooga, the Twins and Vargas are both left thinking what if? What if they wouldn't have messed with a power hitter in the midst of a hot streak? What if they would have stuck it out a little longer? What if Vargas wasn't promoted, to then be sent down two levels and further damage his confidence? It all remains as a handful of what ifs. For both Vargas and the Twins, salvaging whatever is possible in the shortest timeline has to be the goal. I'm not sure I see Vargas as much more than a bench bat long term anyways, but there's not a worse path that the Twins could have taken to get there. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Before there was Ervin Santana, there was Phil Hughes. Before the 2014 season, the Minnesota Twins double-dipped and signed two starting pitchers. Although it was Ricky Nolasco that received the bigger contract, it was always Hughes that should have been looked like as a better fit. Leaving New York and the Cracker Jack box known as Yankee Stadium, he should have been expected to succeed. 2015 was always going to be a tough act to follow after a strong 2014, and so far that's proven true. In his first season with the Twins, Hughes finished 7th in the American League Cy Young voting. Without a rough stretch in the middle of the summer, it's conceivable he could have been amongst the top three for the award. Setting an all-time Major League Baseball record with an 11.63 K/BB ratio, Hughes was one of the game's most effective pitchers. Now just about half way through the 2015 season, it's worth noting the results haven't been as outstanding. It would be tough to suggest that 2014 was some sort of smoke and mirrors show, but despite still welcomed results this season, there's no doubt the process has changed. Hughes pitched for eight years in New York with the Yankees. Across that timeframe, he gaves up more than 20 home runs three times, and more than 30 once. In the four seasons he gave up less than ten home runs, he never started more than 15 games. In short, the longball beat him badly in New York. One of the most projectable differences between Hughes former home and his new one, was the size of the ballpark. With Target Field being a tougher place to hit home runs, the expectation is that Hughes effectiveness would increase. Despite pitching worse at home in 2014 (4.25 ERA/11 HR as opposed to .278 ERA/5 HR on the road), the former Yankee allowed just 16 home runs in 32 starts. As a whole, Hughes posted a career low 0.7 HR/9 mark (well off of his 1.2 HR/9 career total). Fast forward to 2015, and Hughes has been burnt significantly by the longball. In just 16 starts, Hughes has given up 19 home runs (behind only Kyle Kendrick, 23, for the worst in the big leagues). His current 1.6 HR/9 mark is tied for the worst of his career, and the worst ratio since 2012. Things have actually flip flopped to a certain extent regarding location in 2015 for Hughes however. Despite giving up nine home runs at home as opposed to 10 on the road, he owns a 3.76 ERA at Target Field, and a 4.47 ERA on the road. Oddly enough, Hughes has actually given up more home runs (10) in games he has won, as opposed to those he has lost (7). As of July 1, Phil Hughes owns a 4.10 ERA, which is respectable and below his 4.30 career mark. His FIP of 4.53 however is the worst mark since 2012, and is also the third highest total of his career. What makes things even scarier for Hughes is that he has actually avoided even more danger. Of the 19 home runs surrendered, 13 of them have been of the solo variety. Looking at the situation as a whole, it's hard to imagine Hughes is happy with the current state of his results. Outperforming his expected outcome thus far, things could be much worse for Phil Hughes this season. Considering things have yet to reach that point, Hughes has the opportunity to build towards a successful second half. If his last three starts (1.59 ERA .181/.190/.373 13/1 K/BB) is any indication, things are trending in the right direction. Now if he could eliminate the four home runs over that time span, he'd really be in business. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Going into the 2015 season, few Twins prospects brought more intrigue than Jose Berrios. The 2012 first-round pick (32nd overall), has flown through the minor leagues, and his sights were set even higher. Suggesting he wanted to make a splash in spring training, Berrios is now staring his final hurdle in the face.As I reported late last night, Berrios has received a promotion to Triple-A Rochester. After pitching to the tune of a 3.08 ERA along with a 9.18 K/9 ratio, Minnesota decided a new challenge was needed for their young star. Source: Jose Berrios will be promoted to Triple-A Rochester, official announcement coming soon. #MNTwins — Ted (@tlschwerz) June 30, 2015 Being pushed up to Triple-A Rochester, Berrios will become the youngest player on the roster by nearly three years. At just 21 years old, he is making his Triple-A debut significantly faster and earlier than both Trevor May (24) and Alex Meyer (24) before him. Joining Double-A Opening Day starter Tyler Duffey in Rochester, Berrios will help to create an even more formidable starting rotation. In 2014, the Twins sped Berrios through their entire system. Starting the season at High-A Fort Myers, Berrios went on to pitch 16 games before heading to Double-A New Britain. Eight starts later, Berrios found him ending his season with a start at Triple-A Rochester. Now at the highest rung of the farm system for good, it will be on Berrios to prove he's ready for his next challenge. Found within nearly every top 100 prospect list heading into the 2015 season, Berrios still has his fair share of doubters. Chief amongst those may be ESPN Insider Keith Law. Law ranked Berrios in the 90s when going through his top 100 list, only to move him into the top 25 after re-evaluating part way through 2015. The climb has no doubt been impressive, but it isn't over yet. At just 6' 0", Berrios has often been knocked for his low plane and the lack of life that may cause his pitches. At the Double-A level, Berrios has been able to survive on pure stuff, and over-match many hitters. As he embarks on the next challenge at Triple-A, Berrios will be forced to perfect his pitching as a whole, and show he has what it takes for the big leagues. Right now, the Twins have more starting options than at any time in recent memory. With the scales starting to tip from quantity to quality, it could be Berrios who highlights that transition. Expecting a September call-up may not be out of line, and betting against the young phenom doesn't appear to be in anyone's best interests. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz Click here to view the article

Going into the 2015 season, few Twins prospects brought more intrigue than that of Jose Berrios. The 2012 1st round pick (32nd overall), has flown through the minor leagues, and sights were set even higher. Suggesting he wanted to make a splash in spring training, Berrios is now staring his final hurdle in the face. As I reported late last night, Berrios has received the promotion to Triple-A Rochester. After pitching to the tune of a 3.08 ERA along with a 9.18 K/9 ratio, Minnesota decided a new challenge was needed for their young star. Source: Jose Berrios will be promoted to Triple-A Rochester, official announcement coming soon. #MNTwins — Ted (@tlschwerz) June 30, 2015 Being pushed up to Triple-A Rochester, Berrios will become the youngest player on the roster by nearly three years. At just 21 years old, he is making his Triple-A debut significantly faster than both Trevor May (24) and Alex Meyer (24) before him. Joining Double-A Opening Day starter Tyler Duffey in Rochester, Berrios will help to create an even more formidable starting rotation. In 2014, the Twins sped Berrios through their entire system. Starting the season at High-A Fort Myers, Berrios went on to pitch 16 games before heading to Double-A New Britain. Eight starts later, Berrios found him ending his season with a start at Triple-A Rochester. Now at the highest rung of the farm system for good, it will be on Berrios to prove he's ready for his next challenge. Found amongst nearly every top 100 prospect list heading into the 2015 season, Berrios still has his fair share of doubters. Chief amongst those may be ESPN Insider Keith Law. Law ranked Berrios in the 90's when going through his top 100 list, only to move him into the top 25 after re-evaluating part way through 2015. The climb has no doubt been impressive, but it isn't over yet. At just 6'0" tall, Berrios has often been knocked for his low plane and the lack of life that may cause on his pitches. At the Double-A level, Berrios has been able to survive on pure stuff, and overmatch many hitters. As he embarks on the next challenge at Triple-A, Berrios will be forced to perfect his pitching as a whole, and show he has what it takes for the big leagues. Right now, the Twins have more starting options than any time in recent memory. With the scales starting to tip from quantity to quality, it could be Berrios who highlights that transition. Expecting a September call up may not be out of line, and betting against the young phenom doesn't appear to be in anyone's best interests. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

In just a few more days, the Minnesota Twins will be afforded the opportunity to see their $55 million free agent acquisition in action. After serving his performance enhancing drug related suspension, Ervin Santana will rejoin the 25 man roster, and the starting rotation for the Twins. With the Twins pitching staff being where it is in 2015, what the Twins should expect from Santana remains somewhat of a mystery. After four years of futility from their starters, the Twins have seemingly turned a corner in 2015. No longer ranking at the bottom of the big leagues, Minnesota has finally opened a door that has afforded both more quality, and a higher quantity of starting pitchers. 16th in the majors when it comes to team ERA (3.87), and 8th in the American League, the Twins are in a much better place. Still dead last in the big leagues in strikeouts (439) and 27th in batting average against (.271), the Twins have plenty of reason to work towards continued improvement. It's fair to question how Santana plays into that equation however. As things stand currently, the Twins have some difficult decisions to make regarding the rotation. Phil Hughes is the staff ace, despite owning a 4.20 ERA. Hurt by the longball in 2015, Hughes has taken steps back, but is still a lock amongst the group for years to come. Kyle Gibson and Trevor May highlight the young core of the rotation. Both top draft picks, Gibson has been one of the club's best pitchers, and May has operated as the ace for the majority of the season. That leaves Mike Pelfrey and Tommy Milone. Pelfrey continues to defy odds and owns a club best 3.06 ERA. Despite striking next to no one out, Pelfrey continually has gotten the job done after being sent to the bullpen out of spring training. Milone was jettisoned to Triple-A Rochester earlier this season, and after tearing up the farm, he's been on fire since his return. In five games since his return Milone has thrown to the tune of a 2.03 ERA and .246/.288/.364 slash line against. So how does Santana fit? Most seem to be operating under the impression that it's Milone who could be sent packing. With team control, and the ability to send him back to Triple-A, the former Athletics pitcher possesses the most flexibility. Ideally, a trade of Pelfrey would happen, but there's no doubt his value is not high around the league. No matter who is moved out of the starting five however, the addition of Santana may not be what it seems. Last season, Santana pitched in the National League for the first time in his career. His 3.95 ERA was backed by a 3.39 FIP (fielding independent pitching) mark. Despite being better than his final ERA suggested, Santana is far from a lights out pitcher. Owning a career 4.26 FIP in front of better fielding teams, there could be some cause for concern. Hovering around the high 3.00 ERA marks for the majority of his career, Santana's biggest asset to the Twins may be in his 7.2 career K/9, easily ranking amongst the best on the Twins staff. There's little doubt that Santana would fall under the category of being a quality arm added into the rotation. In recent seasons, the Twins have needed to push more quantity to the mound than anything. However, expecting Santana to come in and light the world on fire seems far fetched as well. Considering the staff has been pitching well of late, the shuffling of that chemistry and those arms could come at a cost for Minnesota. The Twins have a good problem in that they have more quality arms than they know what to do with. Right now though, Santana remains a wild card, and until Minnesota finds out exactly what he is going to bring, the hurt or gain from moving around Milone or another starter won't be felt. Despite being a long term concern, it's also fair to suggest this problem may again rear its head in September. Due to his suspension. Santana is not eligible to pitch in the postseason. Should the Twins remain in the hunt, another rotation shuffle would need to take place before playoff baseball kicks off. Inserting Milone or someone else back in Santana's spot after a demotion, and knowing production is immediately necessary, could also be a tough ask. Of course the Twins did the right thing this offseason in bringing in a proven veteran to bolster the staff. Santana sitting out though brings a lot of questions as a midseason addition, and the Twins are being forced to make a change that could definitely bring a result they weren't initially planning on. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Disagree completely. May has been the Twins best pitcher of late, and it's probably Milone that ends up going back. Meyer may not stick, but it won't be at the cost you offered. On top of that, Miguel Sano or another bag should come next week, but it's Aaron Thompson that should be seeing the move.

The time is now for the Minnesota Twins and Alex Meyer. On the heels of his recent promotion to the big leagues, Minnesota will now get to experience their return for Denard Span. With Meyer set to make his major league debut, there's no doubt that he wants to stick after his long awaited promotion. The good news, he should be expected to do just that. Heading into the season, Baseball Prospectus ranked Alex Meyer as their 14th best prospect. At that time, he was still a starting pitcher, and that no doubt contributed to the high ceiling. Although he will debut with the Twins out of the pen, it's probably best to assume the door to the rotation isn't yet closed. After struggling to the tune of a 7.09 ERA and 41/24 K/BB ratio as a starter this season for Triple-A Rochester, it became apparent that the Twins would need to get creative. At 25 years old, there's no doubt that Meyer's "prospect" status was waning thin, and getting him to a competitive level in the big leagues was a must. If the rotation wasn't going to be the stepping stone to do so, the bullpen then made a lot of sense. With plenty of scouts and front office personnel believing that Meyer was always destined for the pen, the decision was pretty easy. Having an electric fastball, and the ability to ambush hitters late in games, the Twins could cash in on Meyer in another way. Since the transition down in Rochester, Meyer has proved that to be the case. On May 25, Meyer made his first relief appearance for the Red Wins. Throwing a perfect inning with two strikeouts, Meyer flashed a sign of things to come. Fast forward 16 innings and Meyer has compiled quite the impressive stat line. In 17.0 IP, Meyer has allowed just a .188/.268/.219 slash line while owning a 0.53 ERA striking out 20 and walking just six. His 10.6 K/9 would be easily the best mark in the bullpen (Glen Perkins would be closest owning an 8.31 K/9), and his decreased walk rate is great to see. For a team lacking the ability to strike batters out, Meyer becomes more than just another bullpen arm. Owning a career 10.3 K/9 across 394.0 minor league innings, his strikeout ability is more than substantiated. While command has always been his knock, Meyer has curbed some of those struggles in relief. Giving manager Paul Molitor a true asset in the bullpen, Meyer should be expected to be someone the Twins can lean on. Despite getting solid starting performances throughout the season, the Twins currently have pitchers with 8.22 (Brian Duensing) and 5.40 (Aaron Thompson) in their bullpen. Taking relief appearances away from pitchers clearly not capable of them, Meyer should be able to provide the Twins another added boost. Challenging for the top of the AL Central due to a hot start, a Twins team adding players like Byron Buxton, now Alex Meyer, and eventually Miguel Sano along the way, should contribute to an exciting summer. Although Meyer's promotion may not have come through the rotation as originally expected, he appears poised to contribute, and should be absolutely counted on to stick. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

In just a few more days, the Minnesota Twins will have a pitching issue on their hands. This time, it isn't about whether or not Minnesota will have options, but in fact, that they will simply have too many. Although he isn't yet going to come into play, Jose Berrios has made himself the gold standard among minor league options for the Twins, and their pitching depth is all the better for it. After blitzing the Twins system last season, starting at High-A Fort Myers and ending with a start for Triple-A Rochester, Berrios has started strong at Double-A Chattanooga. With 14 starts under his belt, he owns a 3.23 ERA and an impressive 9.3 K/9. Having walked just 2.5 batters per nine innings this season, his stuff has continued to handle the competition. Going into the season, evaluators seemed to be all over the board with the young Puerto Rican. Short in stature, Keith Law nearly had him on the outside looking in when it came to his top 100 prospects. Not knowing whether or not the throwing plane would translate against more advanced hitters, evaluators seemed nervous about projecting Berrios going forward. Now with more than half of the season under his belt, Berrios has continued to squash those concerns. Law has since moved Berrios into the top 25 of his top prospects list, and the hurler has only made the nation take a heightened level of notice. After pitching, and getting the win, in the Southern League All Star Game a few days ago, Berrios added another honor. I was able to report on June 23 that Berrios would in fact be headed back to the Future's Game, this time in Cincinnati. After starting for the World Team at Target Field last year, he will again showcase his ability on a national stage. For a player that has such high goals, wanting to crack the Twins Opening Day roster in 2015, the Future's Game has to be a nice consolation prize. Knowing Jose's determination and focus, the game should simply serve as another milestone on his journey to the big leagues. Despite Minnesota having options, there's plenty of reason to believe that could come in September. Berrios is an incredibly grounded individual, relying on faith and family to propel him to new heights. With wife and daughter alongside him, and someone even bigger watching over him, the transformation and growth has been fun to watch unfold. A humble pitcher, Berrios has continued to let his game speak for itself. It was after 16 games and a 1.97 ERA at Fort Myers that pushed Berrios to the next level. He's started 14 games for the Lookouts, and Triple-A Rochester may be opening a spot soon. No matter when it happens, expect Berrios to hit the ground running, backed by all the right things, and with the determination to succeed at the same speed as his fastball. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

1988 1st round pick. But baseball reference has him taken at 20th overall, not first.

June 14, 2015 a day that will forever go down as one of the most highly anticipated days in all of Minnesota Twins history. Byron Buxton, the Twins second overall pick, joined the big leagues to an exorbitant amount of fanfare. With only three Twins picks ever drafted higher (Tim Belcher, Johnny Ard, and Joe Mauer went first overall), Buxton was seen as the superhero the Twins needed. But what exactly are his superpowers? Now having spent just over a week in the big leagues, there has been mixed results. As with most prospects, expecting otherwordly production out of the gate is silly. After all, a young player is joining a league full of the best players in the world, and they have not yet seen that kind of competition. Expecting immediate success isn't a fair judgement, and suggesting a trip back down to the farm (stop being silly people) would also be counter productive. The fact of the matter is that for the first time since Joe Mauer, the Twins do have their superhero, but he needs to harness his powers. From the get go, some of them are going to play immediately. Against the Chicago White Sox on Monday night, Buxton flashed his two most impressive assets. On a dying liner to center, White Sox left fielder Melky Cabrera decided to try and score from second base. Buxton likely smirked and chuckled, and then he unleashed. The throw strayed no further than eight feet from the ground and was an absolute missile to the plate. Cabrera was dead in his tracks, and Buxton put the big leagues on notice. His right appendage is nothing short of a cannon. Earlier in the same game, Buxton led off. It was the first time in his career that Byron would be given the opportunity, and manager Paul Molitor wanted him to ambush opposing pitcher John Danks. Buxton obliged at the plate and did just that. On a 2-0 fastball, Buxton went to right field with a looper than landed a few feet to the right of Avisail Garcia. Having already rounded first base by the time the ball hit the ground, Buxton galloped into second for a stand up double. A ball that was cut off before the gap, and had no business warranting extra bases, Buxton utilized unfairly. From somewhere in another galaxy, The Flash blushed at his competition. Major League Baseball scouts attempt to quantify super powers into five distinct categories. Buxton has shown that he is the prototype when it comes to speed, fielding, and arm strength. It's in hitting, and power that Buxton may find his kryptonite. A career .296/.380/.486 hitter through 263 minor league games, there's little doubt Buxton's bat will play at the highest level. However, it shouldn't be expected to do so right away. Over the course of his first 32 plate appearances, Buxton has worked a 3-1 count just twice, and a 2-1 count only five times. He's been ahead in the count just 38% of the time, and he's faced two-strike counts 53% of the time. For a guy working on brandishing an elevated hitting ability, he's fighting an uphill battle. Sometime in the not so distant future, he will hit but right now, that shouldn't be expected to be his game. In the power department, Buxton is adept if nothing else. While not Thor like, the Twins phenom put up 27 home runs in those 263 minor league games. At a 16 HR/162 game pace, Buxton can eventually be counted upon to contribute in the slugging department as well. Just 21, the frame can still add muscle. While he'll never be the Hulk, Buxton no doubt should have the ability to banish a few baseballs in his time. As a whole, the excitement and anticipation for the superhero known as Byron Buxton is absolutely warranted. It's time to stop talking about a possible trip back to the farm, and it would be best not to over manage the budding star. Know that a complete arsenal of weapons will come, but that currently only half of them should be expected to play. Allow Buxton to be what he is on the field and basepaths, and grow through the coming months. Minnesota no doubt has a star on its hands, and while he may have the simplicity of The Flash now, showing a patiently observing approach could soon produce Captain America in the most desirable Twins form. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

At the halfway point of the 2015 major league baseball season, it's clear that things have been notably different with Paul Molitor at the helm. Ron Gardenhire was given a tough deck of cards to play with the past few years, but Molitor has innovated early, and it's been a welcome addition to the organization. After being named the next Twins skipper, many suggested that Minnesota was once again going with the easy, internal option. Sticking to the "Twins Way," choosing Molitor would allow Ryan to continue many of the same practices he had always had. While some candidates were considered from outside of the organization, it was always believed to be Paul's spot to lose. So far, it has been absolutely the right choice.Early in spring training, and even through a tough couple of weeks to begin the season, Molitor began to put his stamp on this team. Shuffling the lineup to put it in a position to best succeed, handling pitchers in a different manner, and squeezing what he could out of a team that was no doubt over-performing, the Twins were better with their new manager. While as a whole things have been different under Molitor, there have been a few very welcome moments that have especially stuck out in the early going. Often in years past, Glen Perkins was not used in key situations . As the best reliever on the team, Molitor has put Perkins on the mound in non-save situations as well as four-out work. To this point, it's led to a major league-leading 23 straight saves, 100% conversion, and a 1.48 ERA. Outside of the bullpen, Molitor also flashed some new age thinking while the Twins traveled to St. Louis for an interleague series this season. Batting the pitcher in the eighth spot, something only Joe Maddon had recently done, Molitor created a run in game one against the Cardinals. Although it doesn't always work out the way you draw it up, it was Molitor's innovation that led to the Twins being in a position to benefit. The club has shifted often this season, being right around the middle of the major league pack in doing so. Aggressiveness on the basepaths has seemed heightened as well, with more runners being sent home in an effort to squeeze out extra runs. Although there has been a significant amount of good, Molitor has also been less open to change in some respects, and that should be noted as well. With lineup innovation being one of the most notable changes early on in his tenure, Molitor has also showed a hesitancy when it comes to moving around his big names. Joe Mauer continues to bat third most nights for the Twins, despite struggling to offer production in the role. Hitting .413/.524/.540 with runners in scoring position, Mauer is a black hole in every other situation (.184/.221/.279), profiling more like a six or seven hitter. Molitor, to the detriment of his offense, has yet to make that switch. When it comes to the lineup and defensive construction, Molitor has also made some curious decisions. As recently as the series with the Chicago Cubs, the Twins skipper forced Eduardo Escobar's bat (slashing .242/.267/.368) into the lineup by playing him in left field. Making routine catches circus-like, the infielder is generally out of position and takes poor routes to the ball. With Shane Robinson as the fourth outfielder, Molitor would be best served to leave either Eduardo Nunez or Escobar on the bench when he is not playing shortstop. However, as a whole, there has been far more positive than negative, and you'd be hard pressed to make the argument that much of the surprise this season isn't due to Molitor's style. The Twins manager has squeezed wins and production from places otherwise not tapped into, and Minnesota has been an early season surprise because of it. As this team grows and continues to improve going forward, Molitor being at the helm should be a big boost. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz Click here to view the article

We are now coming up quickly on the halfway point of the 2015 Major League Baseball season, and for the Twins this year, things have been notably different with Paul Molitor at the helm. Ron Gardenhire was given a tough deck of cards to play with the past few years, but Molitor has innovated early, and it's been a welcomed addition to the organization. After being named the next Twins skipper, many suggested that Minnesota was once again going with the easy internal option. Stick to the "Twins Way," choosing Molitor would allow Ryan to continue many of the same practices he always had. While there were those outside of the organization considered, it was always believed to be Paul's spot to lose. So far, that has been absolutely the right choice. Early in spring training, and even through a tough couple of weeks to begin the season, Molitor began to put his stamp on this team. Shuffling the lineup to put it in a position to best succeed, handling pitchers in a different manner, and squeezing what he could out of a team that was no doubt over performing, the Twins were better for their new manager. While as a whole things have been different under Molitor, there have been a few very welcomed moments that have stuck out in the early going. Often, Glen Perkins was not used in key situations during years past. As the best reliever on the team, Molitor has put Perkins on the mound for non-save situations as well as four-out work. To this point, it's lead to a major league leading 23 straight saves, 100% conversion, and a 1.48 ERA. Outside of the bullpen, Molitor also flashed some new age thinking while the Twins traveled to St. Louis for an interleague series this season. Batting the pitcher in the 8th spot, something only Joe Maddon has done previously, Molitor created a run in game one against the Cardinals. Although it doesn't always work out the way you draw it up, it was Molitor's innovation that led to the Twins being in a position to benefit. The club has shifted often this season, being right around the middle of the major leagues in doing so. Aggressiveness on the basepaths has seemed heightened as well, with more runners being sent home in an effort to squeeze out extra runs. Although there has been a significant amount of good, Molitor has also been bullish in some respects, and that should be noted as well. With lineup innovation being one of the most notable changes early on in his tenure, Molitor has also showed a hesitancy when it comes to moving around his big names. Joe Mauer continues to bat third most nights for the Twins, despite struggling to offer production in the role. Hitting .413/.524/.540 with runners in scoring position, Mauer is a black hole in every other situation (.184/.221/.279). Profiling more like a six or seven hitter, Molitor to the detriment of his offense, has yet to make that switch. When it comes to the lineup and defensive construction, Molitor has also made some curious decisions. As recently as the series with the Chicago Cubs, the Twins skipper forced Eduardo Escobar's bat (slashing .242/.267/.368) into the lineup by playing him in left field. Making routine catches circus-like, the infielder is generally out of position, and takes poor routes to the ball. With Shane Robinson as the fourth outfielder, Molitor would be best served to leave either Eduardo Nunez or Escobar on the bench when they are not playing shortstop. As a whole, there has been far more positive than negative, and you'd be hard pressed to make the argument that much of the surprise this season isn't due to Molitor's style. The Twins manager has squeezed wins and production from places otherwise not tapped into, and Minnesota has been an early season surprise because of it. As this team grows and continues to improve going forward, Molitor being at the helm should be a big boost. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

The calendar has already passed halfway through June and the 2015 major league baseball season is starting to take shape. Nearing the halfway point of the season, teams are starting to categorize themselves as contenders or pretenders.Right now, the Twins land somewhere in the middle, and while they are not necessarily buyers at the trade deadline, they can improve from within the organization. The biggest question though, is what they do with their $55 million man. A season ago, the Twins 4.57 team ERA ranked 29th, or second to last, in all of major league baseball. Generally out of games before they started, Minnesota knew that their pitching needed to start giving their offense a chance. They made a splash, signing free agent Ervin Santana to the largest free agent contract in franchise history. After spending a season with the Atlanta Braves in the National League, Santana was ready to return home to the American League. Having pitched in 2003 in the AL Central, the Twins were a relative comfort zone for the free agent. His career 4.48 ERA is indicative of a pitcher who can be a difference maker, but someone who still has some questions to answer. For the Twins though, he's a legitimate number two who should provide plenty of value. Now coming to the end of a 50-game suspension due to performance-enhancing drug use, Santana is nearing the day that he can rejoin the fold. After the Twins jettisoned Jordan Schafer, the club has an open 40-man roster spot for their high dollar pitcher. However, how does the ninth best pitching team in the American League (3.84 team ERA) accommodate him? It's probably safe to consider both Phil Hughes and Kyle Gibson locks to stay in the rotation. Despite Hughes' struggles in 2015, he's still seen as the staff ace. Hughes' (4.79) ERA is inflated by his inability to control the long ball this season. After giving up just 16 home runs all of last season, he's allowed 15 through June 19. Gibson has been one of the early season bright spots. Despite a tough outing his last time out, the Twins former first-rounder owns a 3.33 ERA and has been one of the American League's best pitchers in the early going. His strikeout and walk numbers virtually match his career lines, and despite his 4.41 FIP (fielding independent pitching), he should be counted on to keep his roll going. Owning the middle ground is rookie Trevor May. A 4.26 ERA probably doesn't do justice to just how good May has looked at times. Despite a few tougher starts, he's looked every bit a top of the rotation type. His 7.7 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 are both great, and his 3.16 FIP suggests he should only continue to improve. The Twins should see him as a lock. Arguably the toughest to dissect of the group is Mike Pelfrey. Going from a rotation snub, to the bullpen, and back into the rotation, Pelfrey has been the club's best pitcher this season. It's hard to include him as a lock because he seems to make us continually hold our breath; yet suggesting he's middle of the road with his current numbers is also not doing him justice. A 2.97 ERA is going to be tough to sustain while striking out right around four batters a game, but the Twins absolutely have to ride the wave until it crashes. That leaves recently reinstated starter Tommy Milone. Of the group, Milone is probably the least likely to have success in the bullpen. A soft-tossing lefty, Milone absolutely dominated Triple-A after being sent down earlier this year. In his three starts since rejoining the big league club, Milone owns a 2.37 ERA and has allowed opposing hitters just a .236 batting average against him. In short, the question becomes, where does Ervin Santana fit? There's absolutely no doubt that the Twins need to find a place for him in their rotation. It's also a great to need to ask this question, rather than be able to point to three different pitchers that don't belong. Santana is making the first of what will be three starts for Triple-A Rochester on Saturday. Over the course of the next week and a half, Minnesota will be evaluating their staff as a whole, and trying to answer the big question. While I don't envy the decision-makers in this situation, the reality is that as a whole, the Twins staff still is a bit more quantity than quality. Santana should boost the quality aspect, and the Twins will know they have depth when they need it. I'd look at inserting Santana in the place of Milone, knowing that if and when Pelfrey blows up, you have an option you can immediately turn to. Regardless of what happens, this is a position the Twins have not found themselves in for at least the past four seasons. Quality pitching had become a thing of the past, but this club, under Paul Molitor and Neil Allen, it turning over a welcomed new leaf. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz Click here to view the article