Twins Chatter: Target Field Edition

Where to go before/after Twins games?

2010-04-12T00:41:00.002-05:00

For my entire life, my favorite team, the Minnesota Twins have played their home games indoors (the Metrodome opened for baseball 2 1/2 years before my birth) which means, despite witnessing hundreds of Twins games over the past 18 years or so, I have never seen the sun illuminate the Twins' home whites during a game that mattered. (I say this to exclude spring training/exhibition games.)

That will all change tomorrow, April 12, when the Twins officially christen Target Field as the new home of Twins Territory. It promises to be an historic day, and one that I feel extremely fortunate to witness in person.

Opening a new ballpark, Twins fans are learning, while a blast and probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience, is also a lot of work! You have to find a new "secret" spot to park (or find a new bus/train route), figure out which seats you like the most, which concession stands have the best food and even what innings to head for the restroom. But Target Field's prime location near Minneapolis' Warehouse District brings to light another, heretofore unknown dilemma for Twins fans -- where should I go for a drink/bite before and after the game?

As a 20-something die hard fan, this is question I've been pondering for a surprisingly long time, but I think I might just have my answer: Rock Bottom Brewery in downtown Minneapolis.

Saturday, Becca from Lola Red Public Relations invited myself and some other Twins bloggers out to witness a fun event they had staged at Rock Bottom -- a "Biggest Twins Fan" contest, in which an online poll selected four Twins fans to compete for a pretty-darn-spectacular grand prize -- a trip to 2011 Twins spring training in Fort Myers, valued at $1,500! With TwinsMVB.com blogger John Meyer one of the contestant and Rock Bottom only a couple miles from my house, it was a no-brainer -- a couple friends and I decided to check out the event (promises of 2-4-1 beers did not hurt, obviously...).

I'll post a couple of videos that I shot on my Flip cam below, but needless to say, it was a pretty fun event. The four contestants (a woman named Michelle, John, eventual winner Ross and tattoo-guy Joel) competed in a series of contests ranging from spin-the-bat (see a video of John below) to math problems to giving their best angry Ron Gardenhire impressions (hilarious video below). Contestant Ross ended up the much-deserved victor and took home the trip, but there was an excellent crowd on hand and people were fired up for Twins season!

It's interesting to see the various bars and restaurants position themselves to capture a portion of the inevitable Twins traffic - at least 3 million people will be making their way down to Target Field sometime over the next six months, which means a lot of potentially hungry/thirsty customers!

I've always liked Rock Bottom and their custom-brewed beer (the Northstar being my person fav), and they gave away special T-shirts to those in attendance Saturday that entitle them to 2-4-1 beers on the day of any Twins home game throughout the season -- that certainly made my pre-/post-game outing decision a lot easier, since Rock Bottom is just a stone's throw away from the field and a quality establishment to boot.

It remains to be seen if other places around the park begin holding similar promotions to woo Twins fans -- I think they're going to find that the competition for those dollars will be fierce, and differentiating yourself from the throng (like Rock Bottom appears to be doing) could really pay off in the end.

Again, a heartfelt thanks to Becca for the invite -- I know that TwinsGeek (John Bonnes) and Kristen Brown (@kbrobaseball) also made appearances. I'll definitely be stopping by Rock Bottom with some friends on several occasions this season!

The videos I referenced above are embedded below -- the actual contest itself was a hoot, as you can see!

**ADDENDUM: Sarah from Oh It's THOSE Girls baseball blog has a far better recap of Saturday's event, complete with pictures (w/out all the pontificating that I am prone to) - check it out!

Twins v. Cardinals - first Major League Baseball games at Target Field

2010-04-11T22:29:00.001-05:00

Okay, so I'm about a week late with this post (although bear with me, I'm going to put a couple things on here tonight), but I was in attendance at both of the Twins exhibition games against the Cardinals at Target Field April 2 and 3.

Friday night (the first-ever Major League Baseball game at Target Field!) I had excellent seats right on top of the visitors dugout (a place I hope to sit once or twice more this season, if I'm lucky). The experience was awesome -- gorgeous night, everyone just in awe of the stadium and having a great time.

For your enjoyment, I'm posting a couple of videos that I shot with my Flip came -- including the first-ever hit by a Twin at Target Field (a lead-off triple from Denard Span), a panorama of the entire stadium just before the first pitch by Carl Pavano and a pitch-by-pitch view of Joe Mauer's first-ever at-bat at "The House that Was Built For Joe."

I'm sure almost all of you will get to Target Field at some point this season, and these videos will cease to be novel. But for now, I think they're pretty cool, since no more than 80,000 people have witnessed a Twins game at the new stadium.

Let me know what you think!

Live from Fort Myers: Day 1

2010-03-11T22:21:00.001-06:00

As I mentioned, I'm going to be only sporadically posting on Twins Chatter this season (which is fine, we don't get many hits these days anyway). I'm still working on updating that logo (I promise to have it done before Target Field opens though).

Anyway, I took a somewhat impromptu trip down to Fort Myers this week to catch a couple of Twins spring training games, and caught most of Thursday's 8-3 win over the Orioles before the downpour set in. A beautiful night before the rain, and a good game to watch -- the projected Opening Day starting lineup took the field (Span, Hudson, Mauer, Morneau, Cuddyer, Kubel, Young, Hardy, Punto, with Baker on the hill) and the Twins scored a bunch early before the starters came out.

But the most impressive part of the game had to be the outing of Francisco Liriano. Not only did he toss two scoreless frames, but he genuinely looked like the F-Bomb of old, at least to my somewhat-trained eye. Spotting the fastball (generally-speaking) at 92-94 mph, with a filthy slider that was coming in over the plate at 84-85 mph -- guy looked dirty. The less-than-stellar Orioles lineup was almost helpless up there.

I filmed a little video w/my Flip cam below for you to see for yourself -- look for another report tomorrow!

The O-Dog's potential defensive turnaround

2010-02-07T23:30:00.002-06:00

I probably won't be commenting on current Twins news/speculation here as much as I used to back in the day (that niche is plenty filled in the Twins blogosphere), but the most recent move I couldn't let slip by. The Twins signing Orlando Hudson to a one-year, $5 million contract to play second base is a fantastic move by the team and signals a big step forward for the franchise -- actually going out and procuring a veteran player at a position of need. And the best available player no less!

While many Twins blogs have done an excellent job breaking down the move (I happen to like Nick's analysis myself) I thought I'd share with you a little tidbit from Keith Law at ESPN.com. The article is behind the Insider paywall, but here's the paragraph I found the most interesting:

Hudson had an unusually strong year hitting from the left side, but even if he reverts to his previous form at the plate will give the Twins more baserunners and more thump from a position where they were getting marginally more offense than they'd have received from sending a good-hitting pitcher to the plate. Hudson was a premium defensive player while he was with Toronto, but spent the last four years with teams that emphasized defense less than the Jays did, and his defense suffered, with traditional evaluations and defensive metrics agreeing that he was average or even a tick below. It's possible that was just a function of age, but it's also possible that Hudson needs to be with a coach (or staff) who works with him constantly on his glovework for him to be effective on defense; it's one area of the game where coaching can make a huge difference, including areas like positioning. The Twins have generally run good defensive clubs out there the last few years, and they've been willing to sacrifice some offense for better defense -- it's mostly speculation on my part, but I think there's a good chance that Hudson rediscovers some of his lost defensive value in Minnesota.

If there was any criticism of the Hudson signing, it's that, despite having an excellent offensive first half in '09 (he actually hit third for the Dodgers after Manny's suspension) and winning his fourth Gold Glove, he might be on the decline and in danger of falling off substantially. Law brings up an excellent point here -- even though the Twins defensive reputation as a "small ball" team that "does the little things right" has been undeserved for the past two years, it's hard to deny that Jerry White and the Twins' coaching staff makes a point to coach infielders; Corey Koskie, Jason Bartlett, Justin Morneau and others have made great strides defensively during the Gardenhire regime.

Perhaps a chance of scenery will in fact help the O-Dog rediscover his lost defensive prowess -- something to watch for as the 2010 season gets closer.

Joe Mauer: ESPN Homecoming with Rick Reilly

2010-01-29T00:19:00.005-06:00

It's going to take me a while to get back into the swing of things with this blogging business, so please bear with me if these start off rather disjointed and difficult to read.

It's only January, but with the Vikings out of the playoffs, Gopher basketball and hockey middling along and the Timberwolves... well, I won't even go there, Twins fever is slowly starting to catch hold. Wednesday night, I went with a few friends to watch the taping of ESPN's "Homecoming" with Rick Reilly, featuring the Hometown Hero himself, Joe Mauer.

ESPN crammed almost 4,000 people into Cretin-Derham Hall's new gym (which is pretty nice, by the way) and the event was definitely a worthwhile one. Some of the recognizable faces in the crowd included Twins' GM Bill Smith, former GM Terry Ryan, longtime Mauer teammate (and on-field mentor) Mike Redmond, agent Ron Shapiro and nearly the entire Mauer family.

Despite the length (over 3 hours in bleacher seating you couldn't leave) the event was an enjoyable one. Here are a few memorable moments:

- While most of Mauer's family was pretty "aww shucks" during their interviews (not unexpected) Grandpa Jake can, as advertised, can spin a "colorful" tale... He had a couple of gems that aren't likely to make it onto ESPN, I think.

- I've always thought Rick Reilly was terrible on TV (in fact, I've always believed he was terrible at everything other than writing for the back page of Sports Illustrated), and these notions were confirmed Thursday. He's like a cross between Jim Souhan and Jimmy Fallon -- he never stops laughing at his own un-funny sports cliches/jokes.

- Ron Shapiro is a decent guy as far as sports agents are concerned, but he's still a showman -- he did his best to play up the Mauer Legend, even on the eve of a (probably) $160-$200 million payday for his client.

- The rousing boos that ensued when Reilly suggested Joe would be happy to catch Mariano Rivera on a regular basis were entertaining.

- Reilly would NOT stop trying to get Joe to do something outlandish -- whether it be dance the moonwalk (something his friends said he was good at) or break out his rap lyrics. Joe wasn't about to break character in front of 4,000 people and a national audience, and I give him a lot of credit for that!

- When asked if he'd rather play for a winner or play at home, Joe's response of "Why not both?" drew the biggest cheers of the night. Good answer... Several eyewitnesses say that Smith and Shapiro shared a little fist bump after the comment... Take away from that what you will.

- My favorite line of the night though? Reilly asks "Is there anything you're not good at?" The question elicits shrugs from the Mauer family, and Joe (truthfully) answers "I don't know... Probably this interview?" I thought that was highly appropriate!

Overall, even though Joe won't be winning any personality batting titles anytime soon and Reilly is about as smug and annoying as can be, it was a cool behind-the-scenes event. And in the end, Joe's personality (or lack thereof) is one of the things that makes us like him -- he truly is One of Us.

Coming Soon: An all-new era of Twins Chatter

2010-01-27T15:06:00.000-06:00

Hello super faithful readers! I know it has been a long, long time since Twins Chatter existed in any real form (pretty much since 2004-05), but I never really gave up the idea that I would start it back up.

Well, after four years of inactivity, that time has finally come, and the impetious is the opening of Target Field. As a season ticket holder (part of a group), I'm planning to be at the new heart of Twins Territory quite a bit this year, and I'll populate this newly-redesigned (read: simpler) blog with my thoughts about the venue, with a few rants about the team thrown in as well.

I'm planning for there to be less writing and more multimedia (videos, audio, pictures); the old Twins Chatter format (a daily column analyzing the team and its performance) has fallen out of favor since the early days of blogging.

Who knows what will happen, but it should be fun! Stay tuned!

-Ryan

Touring Target Field

2009-05-27T10:16:00.003-05:00

Even though there hasn't been a real update on Twins Chatter for quite some time (I did, after all, retire from blogging in 2006), there has been a recent uptick in the traffic to this site due to a couple of links floating out there.

Last Wednesday, I was lucky enough to be invited by Shane Nackeru (he of Greet Machine fame and a fellow employee here at the U of M) on a behind-the-scenes tour of Twins' new ballpark, Target Field. Talk about a great opportunity! Naturally, I was thrilled to go along.

The park was spectacular (and it helped inform my season ticket seat selection choice -- look for me in seat 1 of row 8 in section 124 next spring!), but I'm going to let others tell you about it far better than I could. Here are some links of descriptions (which, sadly, was without photographs) for your enjoyment:

Greet Machine (Shane)

Freealonzo

Twins Ballpark 2010 (Rick)

What Jeff Thinks (Jeff Thompson)

Guest Post: Devil Rays By Any Other Name

2008-04-16T23:33:00.006-05:00

Sadly, this website, which was once the apple of my eye and one of the first Twins blogs out there, has fallen into disrepair - Lew Ford is now in Japan and I haven't posted regularly since the 2005 season.

But tonight, that's about to change - for the 10 of you who still click on this URL (whether or not you are real people... I have a sneaking suspicion you are all simply spam bots) are in for a rare treat. My friend Doug Vose, University of Minnesota athletic communications extraordinaire and aspiring would-be blogger, was in attendance at Wednesday night's big 6-5 Twins win. Check out Doug's thoughts below in "Devil Rays By Any Other Name."

The Twins returned to the Metrodome on Wednesday night to take on the Tampa Devil Rays after finishing off a seven-game, AL Central-flavored road trip that ended with the Twins’ bullpen squandering a pair of winnable games in Detroit. Buoyed by a three-hit performance by Joe Mauer and three shutout innings from their beleaguered ‘pen, the Twins pulled off a 6-5 win on Dollar-a-Dog night.

The Twins were in need of a few breaks to wriggle out of their recent rough patch, and the Rays were apparently feeling generous.

With the game knotted at five in the bottom of the eighth, the Twins began a threat when a bloop single by Brenden Harris moved fellow Rays refugee Delmon Young to third base with one out. Twins third-sacker Mike Lamb came to the plate and sent a soft fly into foul territory near the Twins’ bullpen, to which Rays’ perennial token All-Star Carl Crawford gave chase.

With Crawford’s only option of snagging the Lamb flare coming in the form of a sprawling lunge, everyone in the building was expecting the veteran outfielder to let the ball drop with Young poised to tag and score from third base.

However, Crawford demonstrated why the Rays are indeed the Rays - whether or not their new uniforms and new name say so. Crawford executed what would have normally been a Web Gem-caliber sliding catch. With no chance for Crawford to throw home lying on the carpet, Young trotted home to score the go-ahead tally.

In the span of four seconds, Rays skipper Joe Maddon aged a decade.

Closer Joe Nathan finished off the Rays in the top of the ninth inning, getting Crawford for the final out on a called third strike to secure the 6-5 win and to end the Twins’ brief three-game skid.

In another close game between the two squads last season, Crawford was the culprit on another crippling late-inning baserunning gaffe that cost the Rays a win at the Dome. FSN promptly ran tape of the play during their post-game coverage that featured Crawford turning a sure double into an inning-ending, 9-4-2-6 double play last season.

A player like Crawford illustrates the difference between a valuable fantasy performer and what makes a ‘winning’ ballplayer: Crawford has hit over .300 for each of the past three seasons and has stolen at least 46 games in each of his first five full seasons in the league in spite of the Rays’ perennial place in the sub-basement of the AL East. It is interesting how some fans often scoff at the notion of a ‘winning’ player when broadcasters make mention of the value of players like Kevin Youkilis and Chone Figgins, but games like tonight show why talent does not always translate into wins.

* * *

Wednesday also marked the much-anticipated (not really) return of Jason Bartlett to the Metrodome after the shortstop was shipped to Tampa along with formerly prized pitching prospect Matt Garza and farmhand Eduardo Morlan in November for the heralded Delmon Young, Brendan Harris and outfield prospect Jason Pridie.

Bartlett has been handed the starting shortstop job with the Rays, and will look to add some pop at the plate and to shed a reputation as an inconsistent glove man. If Wednesday’s performance was any indication, this quest will be an uphill battle the 28-year-old.

With Twins’ newfound ace Livan Hernandez clearly not in command of his already limited repertoire in the top half of the fourth inning, the Rays followed a one-out solo homer by Eric Hinske with a pair of sharp singles by Jonny Gomes and Shawn Riggans. Bartlett strode to the dish with a chance to chase the Twins’ aging veteran and get into the Twins’ seemingly vulnerable bullpen before the game was half over. On a 2-0 pitch, Bartlett waved at a slow Hernandez curve that looked as if it had as healthy of a chance to reach the plate as it did to end up in the first base dugout. On the next pitch, Bartlett bounced into an inning-ending 6-6-3 double play.

The game was tied with runners on second and third and two outs in the bottom half of the fifth inning when Bartlett showed Twins fans why they ought to entrust new general manager Bill Smith the same amount of trust they did with Terry Ryan. Delmon Young sent a routine hopper to short that Bartlett scooped up and promptly skipped past first baseman Carlos Pena to give the Twins a 5-3 lead.

Although one would think that a seasoned front office executive might be beyond such petty delights, Wednesday’s victory had to feel good for Bill Smith.

A New Era

2008-03-31T12:05:00.002-05:00

Just like my last post (put up approximately six months ago) waxed poetically about the end of the Lew Ford Era of Twins baseball, today marks the start of a new one - the Livan Hernandez era! The early over-under on Livan's season ERA is 5.00... Any takers?

Yet despite the cynicism, I will still be among the 46,000 strong at Metrodome tonight. What can I say? I simply can't stay away. This is Twins Territory, after all.

End of an Era

2007-10-08T15:24:00.000-05:00

I realize I never post on Twins Chatter anymore, but last week such a monumental event occurred that it could not go un-commented upon. Lew Ford, the Official Player of Twins Chatter since early 2004, finally saw his roller coast career as a Minnesota Twin come to an unceremonious end on Thursday when he was dropped from the team's 40-man roster. As it turned out, 2004 was the high point of his career - in addition to the AMAZING .419/.471/.710 he hit during April (including 17 RBIs) he hit a solid .299 with 15 homers and 72 RBIs for the season. It truly was a dream season for Lew, the Twins (until that whole losing-to-the-Yankees-in-the-playoffs ending) and Twins Chatter.

But now that legacy, just like the legacy of TC, has come to an end. Let's all pause for a moment to remember all the good times that we had.

Lew Ford: Official Player of Twins Chatter, April 2004-October 2007

Slow Starts, or Something More?

2007-04-26T00:27:00.001-05:00

The 2007 baseball season is only about 20 games old, but those handful of contests (approximately 12 percent of the entire season) have taught us a lot. We know that Barry Bonds will likely break Hank Aaron's career home run record sooner rather than later (he has six homers already this season), Alex Rodriguez has more talent in his little pinky than you do in your entire body (14 home runs already this year!) and Daisuke Matsuzaka may have been a smidge overhyped (but will still be solid).

But what about when it comes to the hometown Metropolitans, the defending division champions? Through Wednesday, the Twins sported a decent 11-10 record, good enough for fourth place in the American League Central. Although it is too early to make any definitive statements (remember Henry “Hammerin' Hank” Blanco's red-hot start in 2004?), 21 games can serve to confirm or debunk some preseason expectations.

Below are my thoughts on some key Twins performers so far in 2007:

Ramon Ortiz: No one expected much out of this journeyman righthander, me least of all. Ortiz has been a revelation so far in April, turning in four outstanding performances and collecting three wins. He has been doing exactly what made him successful in Anaheim from 2001 through 2003: Keeping the ball down (i.e. in the ballpark) and letting his defense work behind him. Twins fans need to know that Ortiz isn't going to retain his current 2.45 ERA all season long – he will struggle at times, and you will wonder “How did that guy hit the ball that far?” when Ramon serves up another hanging slider in June.

But it looks like playing for an improved team will help Oritz resurrect his previously-floundering career.

Fearless Forecast: 13 wins, an ERA around 4.25 and $3.1 million well spent. Nice work, Terry Ryan.

Nick Punto: I realize Punto has missed time with injuries, but his .186 batting average and .262 on-base percentage to start the year should send up red flags all over the place. An outstanding defensive player, Punto needs to make consistent contact in order to have success at the plate.

When he was hitting well last year (May through August), Punto drew a walk nearly as often as he struck out (41 walks versus 46 strikeouts). His September slump last year (Punto batted just .252) saw him strike out 18 times while walking just three times. This year? Ten strikeouts in 64 plate appearances and only six walks. Punto needs to step up at the plate or last year's “Tiny Superhero” may find himself on the bench.

Fearless Forecast: Punto doesn't regress completely, but can't replicate last year's numbers. Gardenhire stubbornly keeps him at third the entire year.

Carlos Silva: Is “The Jackal” back? A 2.74 ERA through four starts might have you thinking Silva has regained his 2005 form, but that hasn't exactly been the case. The 2005 version of Silva walked just nine batters in 188 1/3 innings that year and threw complete games of 74 and 85 pitches.

This year, Silva has already walked six in 23 innings and needed more than 100 pitches to get through five innings in two starts. For comparison, he only threw 100-plus pitches twice in 32 starts back in 2005. It's heartening to see that Silva hasn't been the worst starting pitcher in the American League this year (as he was in 2006), but I'm not ready to proclaim his comeback a success just yet.

Fearless Forecast: Silva isn't the train wreck that he was in 2006, but never regains his 2005 form. An ERA around 4.75 is good enough to stay in the Twins' rotation, though.

Sidney Ponson: Who can't say “I told you so” on this one? Last week's shellacking by the punchless Kansas City Royals (and last night’s equally unimpressive display) signaled the beginning of the end for this Aruban knight. Ponson simply doesn't have the stuff to overcome the lack of pitch location he's displayed so far. He'll get about three more starts to prove he's not totally inept, because the Twins have three stellar starting pitching prospects waiting in the wings.

Fearless Forecast: Sir Sidney takes his substantial belly, greasy mullet and $1 million guaranteed salary back to his native Aruba after being released in early May.

Joe Mauer, Michael Cuddyer, Justin Morneau and Torii Hunter: Ah yes, now I remember why I still like the Twins in 2007 – these four middle-of-the-order mashers. The team's number three through six hitters rival every squad in the American League not named the Yankees, and all four have hit well this year. As long as the “Piranhas” don't fade into obscurity, these four players will carry a solid Twins offense all year.

Fearless Forecast: 100-RBI seasons for Morneau, Cuddyer and Hunter, and a .325 batting average for Mauer. What more could you ask for?

Even though the majority of my thoughts here may seem pessimistic, let it be known that I'm still bullish on the 2007 Twins. The American League Central is going to be a dogfight down to the bitter end, but the Twins have the pitching depth and offensive star power to be a contender well into the fall. Whether or not the team earns its fifth playoff berth in six years remains to be seen, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. No matter what happens, it's going to be another exciting summer.

Trends in Sports and the Media

2007-04-19T23:58:00.000-05:00

If you're interested in blogging and the decline of the newspaper industry, I recently wrote an article for my school newspaper. I've got sources within the Star Tribune and elsewhere, and I think it's an enjoyable read if you have the time.

Click here to read "New Ways to See the Game."

One Day Only Sale!

2006-12-15T17:21:00.000-06:00

Fear not, faithful readers (all 10 of you)! Twins Chatter is back, albeit for a limited time only. In fact, that time is limited to... Exactly one day! Before I get started on the post, I just want to go over why I am writing today, of all days. Here's the story: For the Journalistic Writing class I am taking, we recently held a class period on blogs. Naturally, being a *former* blogger myself, I professed to know a little bit about the subject. Our assignment for this week was to start a blog and write a short entry. I already have the blog started (and over 200 archived posts!), so I thought that I would simply add to that number and bring you a little bit of off-season chatter.

I realize that it has been a few months since I posted anything new on Twins Chatter, but rest assured, I've been just as obsessively keeping up with all the latest Major League Baseball news. The playoff sweep, the Tigers roll, the Tigers roll over, Big Mac not in the Hall, price inflation, D-Mat signs.... You all know the storylines by now. It hasn't been a particularly eventful Hot Stove League thus far, but things have been happening pretty consistently, with much more to come no doubt.

On the Twins' side of things, nothing too earth-shattering has happened (hey, imagine that!). Francisco is out for 2007, which we all kind of assumed back in September, and Morneau won the MVP award, which only the most die-hard fans saw coming (I know that I sure didn't). However, the signing of Jeff Cirillo the other day has made me stop and think about what the Twins' 2007 roster might look like. While no one expected Terry Ryan to make any major moves, I think that some fans half expected the team to have acquired a legitimate starting pitcher by now. Those same fans obviously did not anticipate the ridiculously high prices for mediocre starting pitchers this winter.

My opinion? I honestly don't think that the Twins will sign viable starting pitcher to compete with the young kids in the rotation right now. And I don't necessarily think that is a bad thing. Yes, the rotation looks thin after Johan, but is it worse to take some chances with (very talented) kids or overpay for a veteran that will limit you financially when it comes to other priorities? Personally, I'll take my chances, and I think Trader Terry is likely to do the same. Here's the rotation that I see the Twins debuting in April:

1. Johan Santana - No worries here... Cy Young frontrunner again in '07
2. Boof Bonser - How is it that a previously-unheralded guy like Boof is now "untouchable"? Such is the market these days.
3. Carlos Silva - Yuck... But he almost looks like a bargin now.
4. Matt Garza - This guy has all the talent in the world, and I have a feeling that he's going to put together a solid 2007 campaign. Not that he won't struggle at times, but the "Garz-dog" has the stuff to survive and thrive.
5. Glen Perkins - Left-handed and throws 92-94 mph? What more could you ask for!? Okay, a little experience might help, but this guy knows how to pitch.

Alright, I admit it would look a lot better if a name like "Jason Jennings" was penciled in there at number two or three, but the Twins' rotation still compares favorably with the rest of the American League. Ryan might be able to swing a deal for another starter (Joel Pineiro?) but I'm not holding my breath. We'll just have to wait and see what the rest of the winter holds.

And that's it for today's chatter! There is a potential development that may allow and/or encourage me to actually start this blog back up in the coming months, but if that happens I will alert the proper channels. Thanks for stopping by Twins Chatter today!

That Magical Season

2006-09-27T08:40:00.000-05:00

Hi there folks, I realize it has been many, many months since I put something up on Twins Chatter. However, the fact that I have a new column available and the recent link from Will Young inspired me to put up a new post. Enjoy "That Magical Season."

Make no mistake: Roller coasters aren’t for everyone. People with heart problems, weak stomachs and young children probably should avoid the unnecessary risk of these up-and-down thrill rides.

But for the rest of us? Call me crazy, but I think today’s gravity-defying, nausea-inducing coaster rides are just about the most fun a human being can have on this earth.

The 2006 Minnesota Twins season has been reminiscent of a crazy roller coaster ride in many ways. Things looked bright enough before the season began – the team returned every key player from a year ago and added a couple of veterans to plug various holes. But by May, instead of battling with the surging Detroit Tigers and World Champion Chicago White Sox for the AL Central crown, the Twins found themselves languishing near the Kansas City Royals with the other dregs of the American League.

Yet as everyone in Twins Territory should know by now, the story since that time has been an absolutely incredible one. Lead by a pack of “Piranhas,” a hometown hero, a burly Canadian and two magical left arms, Minnesota has been nearly 40 games over .500 since June 8, shaving 12 games off the Tigers’ lead in the division and cruising to their fourth playoff berth in five years.

I won’t go into the typical media-covered storylines in this space. By now, hopefully you know that Joe Mauer is a great hitter (and the dream husband of thousands of young Minnesota women), Justin Morneau should win the MVP award, Johan Santana is a lock for the AL’s Cy Young, and Mike Redmond has the olfactory fortitude to somehow “smell” RBIs (yeah… I don’t quite get that one either). If you’ve been paying any attention whatsoever, you’ve heard a dozen times how pesky Ozzie Guillen finds the Castillo-Punto-Tyner-Bartlett combination and that the Twins’ bullpen is the real secret behind their success.

Instead, I’m going to point out something that these 2006 Twins have given us that isn’t necessarily obvious at first glance: The gift of relevance. Seems like an odd thing to say, doesn’t it? Let me break it down for you: Twins pre-June 8 = Not fun to watch at all. Twins post-June 8 = Story of the year/Most fun you’ll have all day.

After reaching the playoffs three consecutive years (2002-04), for one 14-month stretch (April 2005-June 2006) it seemed like the Twins would challenge the Timberwolves for the title of “Most Irrelevant Sports Franchise in Minnesota.” World Series talk in ’05 translated into a mediocre (83-79) season, and after a 25-33 start to 2006, Vikings training camp was quickly becoming the most popular topic on local sports radio. My worst nightmares appeared to be coming true, as the performance of the local nine brought back memories I had repressed since those forgettable days when Scott Stahoviak roamed the artificial plains of HHH Metrodome.

This gift, more than anything else, is what I will take away from the 2006 season. The Twins may go on to win the World Series, or they might get swept by the Yankees in the first round of the playoffs. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter – the buzz of baseball is back and it’s here to stay. Even if the Twins can’t win it all this year, with young players like Mauer, Morneau, Santana, Liriano, Nathan, Cuddyer and Bartlett, they’ll undoubtedly field some excellent lineups for years to come. By the time the team’s new stadium opens in 2010, the Twins could very easily have three more playoff appearances under their belts.

Baseball is in the hearts and minds of millions of fans around the Upper Midwest, and all is once again right with the world. The reason we follow sports teams in the first place is because they provide a release from the tedium of everyday life. Sports are exciting; work/school/life usually isn’t. And when a team proves itself actually worthy of that devotion (unlike a certain scandal-ridden gridiron gang I’ve heard is quite popular this time of year), it makes the end result all the more satisfying. Johan and company gave us a genuine reason to care about baseball this summer, and no matter what happens in October, it sure was one helluva ride.

Weak stomach or not, this is one roller coaster I’m glad I stayed on.

So Close, Yet So Far

2006-05-03T01:08:00.000-05:00

Wow, a column that is actually up-to-date! I just wrote this the other day, and it contains information that is actually current through today. If you're looking for more commentary on the stadium issue, Twins Chatter is your new source! Look for a response from my partner in the coming days.

With the Minnesota Twins playing some of their worst baseball since the “Dark Years” of 1993-2000 (perhaps there are a few of you out there that still remember those infamous days of Scott Stahoviak, Rich Robertson and Butch Huskey), for much of the past month, baseball fans were able to console themselves with the fact that the Twins’ stadium deal seemed to be making real progress in the state legislature.

Unfortunately, like the outcome of a typical Rondell White at-bat (the Twins’ designated “hitter” that has six RBI in 95 plate appearances), even that tiny bit of positivity seems to have been left stranded on base.

Baseball supporters in the Northland have been fighting for a new outdoor venue for the Twins since 1997. Before the Minnesota Senate essentially killed the most promising stadium plan (to date) on Monday, it looked like 2006 might finally be the year our government actually got something done, for a change.

Before this week’s events, there existed a palpable feeling of optimism amongst baseball purists (including myself) that openly despise the musty confines in which the Twins currently reside, a.k.a. the Metrodome.
We should have known better.

Despite the passing of a workable bill through the House last week, the Senate, in the true spirit of Minnesota political indecisiveness, has halted the plan’s momentum by bogging it down with numerous add-ons, all but nixing our already faint hopes for a solution.

Nearly everyone who has ever taken in a baseball game at the Dome can agree on one thing: The facility is most assuredly not a suitable home for our national pastime. Baseball is meant to be played on green grass and under the sun, not on synthetic fibers with a dirty white roof obstructing the sky. The need for a new park is absolutely undeniable, but as is the case with every political issue, the real question is this: Who’s going to pay for the thing?

The plan that was so rudely interrupted by the Senate calls for a .15 percent sales tax to be enacted in Hennepin County to pay for approximately two-thirds of the $522 million structure. What is controversial about the plan is that Hennepin’s citizens have no say as to whether or not they will be taxed – the original bill did not require a referendum. As un-democratic as that sounds, realists (i.e. those whose heads do not reside within a certain bodily crevice) know that a referendum would essentially kill the plan – it is nearly unthinkable that people will voluntarily raise their taxes for anything (including education), let alone for something as nonessential as a baseball stadium.

Critics of the plan argue that billionaire owner Carl Pohlad should build his own stadium, and that this money would be better spent on more important things like education or healthcare.

Do you know what I say to those people? You are absolutely, 100 percent correct.
Pohlad is Minnesota’s second-wealthiest citizen, and with the sale of another bank or two, could undoubtedly afford to plunk down the half-billion dollars necessary for a new field. And the state of Minnesota could always use more money for education and healthcare, two areas that are woefully under-funded not only here but throughout the entire United States.

However, the reality of the situation is that neither one of those things are ever going to happen. Pohlad, a notoriously stingy man, has absolutely no incentive to pay for a new stadium himself when his fellow billionaire owners around the country ALL received public funds to aid in the construction of their new parks (some sixteen in all). What reason is there for a penny-pincher like Pohlad to pay up when no one else has?

And here’s an interesting bit of trivia for all you naysayers out there: Guess how much extra money has been spent on things like education or healthcare since the stadium debate began in 1997, or how many extra tax dollars will be allocated for such things this year in lieu of a stadium bill?

If you answered “zero,” “zilch,” “nada” or “nothing” you would be absolutely correct. Such issues will never go away, and if we’re waiting on their resolution before we move forward with any other public projects, then we might as well just shut down the whole government right now. Simply put, the whole “put-that-money-towards-education-instead” argument is quite possibly the most naïve thing I have ever heard. If we were going to put more money towards such things, we would have done it already – the citizens of Hennepin County will just as surely reject a .15 percent “general education” sales tax in a referendum, and the politicians all know it.

I am not anti-democratic, nor am I “against the children” because I’m pro-stadium, but I am a realist. I realize that if we want to keep professional sports (a commodity that a great many people value highly) in Minnesota, we’re going to have to pony up the dough sometime, somehow. The plan that the Senate is doing its best to kill right now makes sense economically and should be workable politically.

Unfortunately, if things continue down their current course, it appears as though the citizens of Minnesota will be left standing at the plate after yet another called third strike, just like Rondell White.

"(Very) Cautiously Optimistic"

2006-04-24T21:00:00.000-05:00

I realize that this column, which was published last Thursday, is now a bit outdated, but I thought I'd put it up here anyway for your reading enjoyment. I don't write a ton of Twins-related stuff anymore (mostly St. Olaf-related stuff) but on occasion I do.

And after that weekend sweep, I (unfortunately) look prophetic.

Cautiously Optimistic

I’ve learned my lesson.

It seems as though every time I use this column to sing the praises of my favorite sports franchise, the Minnesota Twins, something inevitably blows up in my face.

In early 2004, still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in my tenure as the Messenger’s sports editor, I proclaimed from my would-be pulpit that the Twins were a “force to be reckoned with” in the powerful American League, even dubbing them the “team to beat” in the 2004 playoffs.

The Twins were then promptly toppled by the New York Yankees in four games during the postseason’s first round.

Last year, still retaining the rosy glow of a cock-eyed optimist, I fell in line with the so-called national “experts” and tagged my Twins for their fourth-consecutive American League Central Division title.

Unfortunately, I made the mistake of ignoring emerging powers like the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox, both of whom had left the punchless Twins in their wake by mid-season.

But 2006 is a new year, one in which I am determined not to repeat my past transgressions. After all, those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it, right?

So even though the Twins made a number of positive off-season acquisitions this past winter, I am most assuredly not going to pick them to overtake the World Champion White Sox and 93-win Indians in the highly-competitive American League Central.

Even though three-time All-Star Luis Castillo (acquired for next-to-nothing during the Florida Marlins’ fire sale this winter) is a vast upgrade from the pitiful group the Twins trotted out at second base in 2005, I’m not going to say that his addition will drastically improve what was the league’s worst offense a year ago.

Although new DH Rondell White (owner of a career .289 batting average despite his miserable start this season) should provide some much-needed protection for young hitters like Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau in the Twins’ lineup, I’m not going to say that I foresee breakout seasons for these two rising stars.

And even though the Twins have overcome a dismal 1-5 start by winning five of their last seven games, with the previously-questionable infield duo of Juan Castro and Tony Batista leading the way (a combined .319 batting average and nine RBI through 13 games) against contenders like the Athletics, Yankees and Angels, I am most assuredly not going to bestow the title of genius upon Twins’ general manager Terry Ryan for allowing these scrap-heap veterans to channel their inner (All-Star) selves.

No, instead I’m going to use this space to repeat what you have heard from all the professional prognosticators this spring: These new-look Twins, despite some intriguing additions and one of the league’s top pitching staffs, don’t have what it takes to contend with the mighty White Sox and über-talented Indians in baseball’s toughest division.

Even though the Twins have looked so impressive during the past week and a half, displaying surprising power and clutch hitting to go along with their trademark pitching-and-defense approach, I’m not going to get all excited and say that 2006 is the year the Twins will finally put it all together.

Instead, I’m going to show a little bit of self-restraint this year, and I invite you to do the same. This isn’t to say you should stop “root, root, rooting” for the home team. On the contrary, these guys need all the support they can get as they do battle with the American League’s best.

But please repeat after me as I say, once and for all, that the 2006 Twins will not take baseball by surprise this season – they will not win their division, cruise through the playoffs or win their first World Series in 15 years.

Who knows? Blind optimism obviously hasn’t been working of late, so perhaps this new approach will work wonders for the hometown nine.

This is one year where I defintely won’t be disappointed if my prediction proves false.

How Lucky We Were

2006-03-14T02:13:00.000-06:00

I know I don't usually post here anymore, and I don't expect anyone to ever read this, but I wrote the piece below for my newspaper about Kirby. I thought it might be appropriate to put here as well. Thank you.

To an outsider, one of the most peculiar aspects of our culture must be the way that we treat people after death. No matter what events had transpired during a person’s life, we are determined to focus on the positives after their passing, sometimes to a fault.

With Kirby Puckett, however, this has not been difficult.

Ever since the greatest Twin of all-time passed away last week at age 46, it seems as though almost every resident of Minnesota has been transported back to October of 1991 at some point or another. That fateful Game 6 when the Legend of Kirby Puckett was solidified forever. As artificially constructed as some of our modern day “heroes” appear to be, Kirby’s World Series performance was truly the stuff of legends.

I hope that you have taken the time to read some of the pieces published in both the local and national media in the days following Puckett’s untimely passing. Both the quantity and quality of the Puckett tributes that have surfaced in the past week and a half has been nothing short of astounding. Almost everything that I have read (and I have read a lot) has been both tasteful and heartfelt, a difficult line to straddle when dealing with a public figure who was both as beloved and maligned as Kirby was.

As merely a would-be sports columnist in a tiny student newspaper, I feel there is little I can add to the many fitting tributes that have been heaped upon our fallen star already. I can’t claim to have really met Kirby personally (outside a couple autograph requests, which he naturally fulfilled) and I am too young to remember his outstanding play during the prime of his career.

As a diehard Twins fan and lifelong Minnesotan, however, I feel there is at least one area in which I am qualified to add to the conversation: Just how much the attitudes and practices of this one man meant to our entire state.

In short, Kirby Puckett, more than any other player in the franchise’s 45-year history, exemplified the “Twins Way” of playing the game. Kirby played baseball the way it was meant to be played – one hundred percent full-tilt, one hundred percent of the time. A product of the Chicago projects, he never took a single day in the major leagues for granted, even when he was earning millions of dollars each season. In a time when so many ethical questions cloud our beloved national pastime, Kirby Puckett will forever stand as a lasting reminder of all that is great about sports – not the money, fame or accolades, but rather the unbridled passion, joy and genuine love for the game.

Minnesota so loved Kirby Puckett not just because he was best player on the state’s only two championship teams. We didn’t love him only because he took Charlie Leibrant deep in Game 6, had a cannon for a throwing arm or smacked a franchise-record 2,304 hits in 12 big league seasons.

We loved him most because he did it all with that magical smile on his face and twinkle in his eye.

"No one loved being a baseball player more than Kirby,” said Orioles Hall-of-Famer Cal Ripken about his longtime opponent, and you didn’t have to know Puckett personally to know he was telling the truth.

On the baseball diamond, Kirby seemed invincible. He possessed the perfect combination of talent, work ethic and zeal for the game. Last week, we found out once and for all that, despite our fervent hopes to the contrary, this Minnesota legend was still just a man. And although the man might be gone forever, every Twins fan, young and old, can forever carry with them that swing, that hustle, that passion and that joy. Kirby Puckett was a one-in-million ballplayer, and our fair state was lucky enough to house his brilliance for many, many years.

Only now do we realize how much that really meant.

Minnesota Misery

2005-10-06T20:38:00.000-05:00

I know I said 'I quit' a few months ago, and I haven't really rescinded that comment just yet, but since the site is still up and all (and won't be going anywhere for a while... I paid for the domain name, after all) I thought I'd periodically post some new content that I write for other things (most notably the newspaper that I work for). I'm thinking about doing a weekly post this winter also, but I'll let everyone know if I do that.

But for now, here's "Minnesota Misery".

What a difference a year makes.

One year ago this month, the Minnesota sports scene was flush with optimism. The Twins had just captured their third consecutive American League Central Division crown (in convincing fashion) and were favored by many experts to topple the mighty Yankees in the playoffs and advance to the World Series for the first time in 13 years.

The Vikings had started their 2004 season with a 5-1 record and seemed like a lock to gain one of the top seeds in the NFL playoffs.

The Minnesota Timberwolves were coming off the best season in franchise history, falling just one game short of the NBA Finals in 2003-2004 – they looked poised to capture the first NBA title in the team’s 15-year existence.

Even the oft-maligned University of Minnesota football team (whose record was 5-0 last Oct. 2) had garnered some in-state whisperings as a potential Rose Bowl participant.

Was it possible? Could every major sports team in town enjoy prosperity at the same time? It seemed that 2004 might finally be the year Minnesota lived up to its name as the "Star of the North."

What a difference a year makes.

Now fast forward approximately 365 days. What was once a proud and thriving sports landscape now consists of little more than battered dreams and drastically lowered expectations.

The Twins, who just finished their season last week, have to be considered one of the biggest disappointments in baseball. The chic preseason pick to win it all, the team endured a fall from grace that made Gerald Ford look like Fred Astaire. Despite being blessed with arguably the league’s best pitching staff, the Twins’ offense was, well, offensive for much of the season. The punchless Twins plummeted into third place in the division and missed the postseason for the first time since 2001.

What a difference a year makes.

While the Twins managed to at least maintain a winning record lsat season, the Vikings haven’t even entertained such illusions of mediocrity. Since that 5-1 start a year ago, Mike Tice and Commpany proceeded to go 5-11 in their next 16 games, including three embarrassing losses already this fall (in which the Vikings have been outscored 91-31). The team’s summertime Super Bowl aspirations didn’t even make it to the first frost of winter.

Lucikly, the Timberwolves won’t even get a chance to underachieve this year – they made sure of that last season. No team in the NBA did so little with so much in 2004-2005, as the Wolves went from potential title contenders to rebuilding mode in a span of less than six months. A 44-38 record kept them out of the playoffs for the first time in nine years and much expectations for the upcoming season. The Wolves start team practices this week with a new coach, a trimmed-down roster and with much hope for an influential title run.

What a difference a year makes.

Little was expected of the Golden Gopher football team this fall, but that all changed with a 41-35 double-overtime victory over nationally-ranked Purdue two weeks ago. Alas, the Gophers simply could not rebound from such a stirring victory and were promptly put back in their place last weekend in Happy Valley, handing Penn State an easy 44-14 victory.

"The Vikings had a valid excuse: They stink," wrote Minneapolis Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse about the two teams’ most recent blowout losses. "The Gophers didn't try, and that's worse."

It seems that such is the case with our local sports teams these days. When expectations are high, they routinely underperform, sometimes to a stunning degree. When optimism so much as peeks its little head above the ground, it is often bashed down quicker than the faux rodents in a Whack-A-Mole game.

Judging from the situation that existed just one year ago, no one could have predicted that Minnesota sports fans would find themselves in such an ugly predicament today. Their state is unlikely to produce one legitimate winner this season, a far cry from the rosy outlook that existed last fall. In the face of this rather depressing reality, all that can be done is to reiterate the oft-repeated (yet oddly appropriate) lamentation:

What a difference a year makes.

-Ryan Maus

It Was a Nice Run...

2005-06-14T23:27:00.000-05:00

In case you hadn't noticed by my utter lack of new posts recently, blogging has pretty much fallen by the wayside for me recently. There are simply too many things going on in the "real" world right now for me to dedicate the proper amount of time necessary to Twins Chatter, in order to give you the thought-provoking analysis you deserve. So as of right now, I will be on indefinite leave from Twins Chatter. Rest assured, I am not abandoning my favorite team - far from it. I'm still watching/attending every game that I can and reading up on the Hometown Nine when I get the chance. However, I've realized that I'm simply not cut out to be a blogger, especially after John quit and I attempted to go solo. I knew my days were numbered then... I just didn't realize how numbered.

However, I encourage you to keep perusing the blogs linked on the left side of this page. SBG's site has really taken off this year, and Gleeman continues his run of dominance (mark my words: you'll be reading him in some national publications before he's done). As always, Seth and the Geek continue to fight the good fight.

It was a nice run, one that lasted little over a year here at Twins Chatter. I don't know it I shall be back later this summer or this off-season; we shall see. Until then, I'm Ryan Maus saying so long, everybody.

-Ryan M.

The Non-View From the Cheap Seats

2005-06-03T01:45:00.000-05:00

Now that Twins Chatter has been restored, I had planned on winding the week down with a few pictures from my trip to the East Coast. It wasn't a baseball-centric trip (as most of my other ones are) but I did get to a couple games, as I said yesterday. Just so you know, I have been doing my best to keep up with the Twins (I listened to some of today's non-televised game on the radio) and I'll be rip-roaring ready to go next week with some Twins analysis, including my second-annual draft preview post (on the heels of last year's critically acclaimed version).

Unfortunately for me (and indirectly, you as well) my computer here at home isn't working very well right now and I've been unable to upload any pictures; this time I actually took a pretty good ones too. If I can, I'll upload them some time this weekend.

I will also be in attendence at tonight's Yanks-Twins tilt. Let's just hope A-Rod and his band of not-so-merry millionaires aren't out for blood following their embarassing sweep by the Royals this week...

Until then, have a good weekend everyone.

-Ryan M.
twinsfan21@msn.com

An Unceremonious End...

2005-05-31T23:09:00.000-05:00

As you have probably figured out by now, the whole misguided "Red Sox Chatter" hoax was just that: a hoax. As I hinted a few weeks ago, I had planned a trip up to Boston and New York for late May (right after school got out) to attend a few ballgames and such. My roomie and I thought it would be sorta funny to play a little trick on the readers, so we concocted the new logo and alternate persona. You may not have thought it was super funny (and I didn't do my part by only posting twice as my alter ego, "Hacker T. Daniels") but we still got a few chuckles out of it :). Plus, the new logo did look pretty sweet.

So I was in attendance at Saturday's 17-1 romp of the BoSox over the hated Yanks, which many of you probably saw on national TV. It was a fun game to be at for sure, as all the Yankee fans got disgusted and left by the sixth inning. It allowed us to move down for some great seats!

Also, tonight we went to the Red Sox-Orioles game, which the Sox won 5-1. I've posted a couple pictures from that game below for your viewing pleasure. One of them happens to be of a dastardly handsome fellow (i.e. me), albeit one who is in dire need of a haircut...

Anyway, today marks the end of "Red Sox Chatter". Twins Chatter returns in all its Lew Ford-inspired glory tomorrow, and since school is now out, I'll have plenty of time to provide some much-needed commentary on the Hometown Nine.

Until then, I have just one piece of advice for you: enjoy the season!

-Ryan M.
twinsfan21@msn.com

And just who is this fellow with the historic (and beautiful) ballpark in the background?

The view from our seats at Fenway (they put ANY Dome seat to shame).

The First Day of the Rest of Your Life...

2005-05-26T22:14:00.000-05:00

Well, it seems that my masterful hacking job has not gone completely unnoticed in the Twins online community (some misguided fool, this so-called "Stick and Ball Guy" has discovered my handiwork... although we all know who the real "stick and ball guy" is, don't we?*) but the best is yet to come. My goal is to convert all of you heathen Twins fans to the one true way: the way of the bloody sock. Last year's victory has inspired me to spread my gospel to all 30 major league teams, and this blog is merely my first stop en route to world (i.e. American League) domination.

As last night's contests prove, the Sox are indeed vastly superior to your puny Twins. Sure, Wade Miller and the Sox may have gotten crushed 8-1 by the Jays, and sure, the Twins may have defeated the Indians 5-4 in 11 innings on a clutch two-out, game-winning homerun, but what does that really prove? The Indians are a mediorcre club that has vastly underachieved this season, while the hard-charging Jays are a force to be reckoned with in the East. That is until the Sox crush them in the 16 meetings they have left this season, as well as every subsequent time the two teams will ever meet. Yeah, I'm confident.

Sure, last night's loss may have dropped the Sox two places in the standings (from second to fourth) and they now sit behind those MFYankees and the inevitably-doomed Blue Jays, and sure, the Twins may be alone in second place (by a large margin) and 5.5 games behind the ChiSox in the Central, but the Sox are just five games out of first! Take that, Twins fans! I am not at all bitter that my defending world champions are underachieving so far this year, despite the fact that they spent millions in free agency on such names as the .246-hitting Edgar Renteria while your Twins are hanging in there despite a flukishly hot start by the White Sox! No, that is indeed not the case!

Again, bloggers, Twins fans, and everyone else: lend me your ears! I am Hacker T. Daniels, and I proclaim that from this day forward, no Twins blog is safe from my wrath! Where will I strike next? Probably nowhere, but you never know, do you? That's what I thought! You'd better run! Ha!

-Hacker T. Daniels
Rouge hacker/Red Sox fanatic

p.s. How is the weather back in Minnesota? I have been having a glorious time here, in Boston, in the cold and rain, while you all smugly sit on your porches listening to Gordon and Gladden. You will get your comeuppance... I guarentee it!

*= Actually, for all I know, SBG really is the real Stick and Ball Guy. I don't really know why I said that last part... I'm just talking out of my ass here people (as you can probably already tell). Anywho, have a nice day.

p.p.s. I know you're all mesmerized by the SWEET hacking job I did on the Twins Chatter logo... Doesn't it look great? Doesn't it? Anyone? Bueller?

HACKED!!

2005-05-25T20:04:00.000-05:00

For those of you precious few that still check this long-forgotten blog, you are in for a big surprise: it has been HACKED!! You heard me correctly - the ill-fated and completely inadequate blog formerly known as "Twins Chatter" has been replaced by my newer, better and totally spectacular weblog, which will heretofore be known as "Red Sox Chatter". The BoSox are, after all, baseball's defending world champions, which automatically makes them the best team in the world.

So don't mourn the loss of Twins Chatter; instead, rejoice! Sox Chatter will be a much more interesting source for information and opinions about your soon-to-be favorite major league franchise.

Plus, that stupid Ryan guy hadn't updated this site in like two weeks, so its not like you're missing anything. Check back tomorrow for my first Red Sox-oriented post and get ready to bleed some red!*

-Hacker T. Daniels
Red Sox fanatic

*= In hindsight, I realize this analogy was poorly thought-out, because, as everyone knows, people actually do "bleed red". I was going for this Tommy LaSorda-esque "bleed Dodger blue" sorta thing, but it didn't come out how I expected. Please accept my heartfelt apologies if I offended/freaked you out in any way.

Go Sox!

Looking Forward, Not Back

2005-05-06T01:44:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy week here at St. Olaf, as you may have surmised from the lack of posts here at Twins Chatter. Just to let you all know, it will probably remain that way until finals are over in a couple of weeks. I'll still post stuff when I have time (like I did on Wednesday with the stadium article) but it probably won't be more than about 2 or possibly 3 times a week. Once John gets done with school he may contribute a little more, but obviously no promises can be made.

So for now, just bask in the glory of Bradke's improbable (and timely) three-hitter yesterday, and have yourselves a good weekend.

-Ryan M.
twinsfan21@msn.com

2005: A Stadium Odyessy

2005-05-04T00:06:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a dark one in Twins Territory, and as some of you may have noticed, Twins Chatter was eerily silent. That trend will continue today, but not because I don't have something to say about Rincon's suspension. If you're looking for a well-written article addressing the issue, I highly recommend this one by Jim Souhan in the Strib. In the meantime, I encourage you to peruse my mass audience-oriented stadium post below. It's a pretty good summation of the present situation, and if you know anyone who's looking to become educated on this issue in a short period of time, I think you could do worse than have them read what I've written below.

Postscript: I'd also like to direct your attention to this article, which Shane over at Greet Machine brought to my attention. It is an excellent primer for those of you looking for easy-to-follow stadium information.

Ninety-nine percent of the time, I’m proud to be a Minnesotan. Our state boasts a wealth of natural beauty, an excellent education system, a relatively low crime rate and robust social welfare programs. Plus, as most of your out-of-state friends have probably learned by now, the people here are just so darn nice it’ll make your face hurt.

Yet there is at least one area where I am utterly ashamed of my fellow Gopher State residents: Our backwards views when it comes to building stadiums for professional sports teams. This state has a long and forgettable history when it comes to stadium policy, and recent events have led me to believe we've learned painfully little from our previous mistakes.

Last week, it was announced that Hennepin County and the Minnesota Twins had come to an agreement on a brand new, 42,000-seat open air ballpark for the team, to be built in downtown Minneapolis' Warehouse District near the Target Center. Funding for the $478 million project would come from a couple of different sources, none of them directly involving state government. Twins owner Carl Pohlad would chip in $125 million and Hennepin County would enact a 0.15% sales tax (which would be in place for 25-30 years) to raise the additional funds. For those of you scoring at home, a 0.15% sales tax increase amounts to three cents on every $20, or less than a penny on your morning latte and $30 on a new car.

“Great!” those of you unfamiliar with stadium politics in the Northland may be saying about now. “The agreement is beneficial for both sides, the logistics are all worked out, and the funding plan sounds relatively painless. What seems to be problem?”

In short, just about everything.

When it comes to stadium policy in Minnesota, there is only universal truth – the Twins cannot survive in the Metrodome in the long run. That 24 year-old concrete bowl in downtown Minneapolis is currently the worst overall stadium in major league baseball, and it’s not even close. The poor atmosphere, the ill-positioned baseball seats, the artificial playing surface, and the aesthetics are just depressing. Yet the Dome's most damning characteristic stems from its very outdatedness. Simply put, the Twins can not remain a financially viable major league franchise in their current stadium. The reasons are myriad, but the truth is undeniable.

The stadium saga began nine long years ago, when, taking their cue from other teams in the league, the Twins went to the Minnesota state legislature and made their plea for a new home. The team was shot down that year…and the next, and the next, and every single year since then. We've seen referendums defeated, legislative bills killed in committee, bills trounced in both the House and Senate, an ill-advised relocation threat by the team, the contraction scare of 2002, and numerous plans never make it out of the newspapers. In that time, the state's budget has gone from deficit to surplus and back to deficit, but this singular issue has always loomed overhead, like a rain delay that just won't go away.

Since this debate began back in 1996, almost half of the league's 30 teams have opened or procured new venues. In addition, the new venues have occurred in such unlikely places as Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Detroit. But in a state that consistently ranks among America's most sports-centric, we have been unable, despite nearly a decade of trying, to decide on a workable plan that will allow the state's most successful sports franchise to depart the football stadium in which they currently reside.

“Tired” is the word that best describes the stadium movement in Minnesota today. Twins officials are tired of courting public approval on such an unpopular issue. Twins fans are tired of hearing both sides reiterate the same old arguments. Public officials are tired of encountering the same roadblocks that have stalled this issue for much of the past decade. Everyone involved would like to see this issue resolved, one way or another. The choice is clear – either approve the new stadium or the state loses baseball. Rarely do such complicated issues boil down so simply, but that is indeed the case in this instance.

When last week's plan was first announced, the prevailing mood was one of cautious optimism. It seemed almost too good to be true: no state money involved, (a key sticking point in previous negotiations) a specific site with infrastructure and easy public access already in place, an infinitesimal tax hit spread out over many years, and a generous up-front contribution from the team.

Yet in the true spirit of Minnesotan political indecisiveness, even this seemingly win-win situation has little chance of actually becoming a reality. Although the Hennepin County Board approved the ballpark plan yesterday, the issue must still be voted on in the Minnesota State legislature, arguably the most maddeningly egalitarian political body in the country. In the off chance that this issue even comes to a vote before the session ends in a few weeks, (naturally, the legislature still has many other key bills to pass this year) it is unlikely that the a majority of the state's top politicians will suddenly come to a consensus on an issue they have successful skirted for years.

However, what many lawmakers probably do not realize is that this may very well be the last gasp of the stadium movement. Both Pohlad and Twins president Jerry Bell have been unusually reserved when talking about the latest plan, an indication that they may be on the verge of giving up if it doesn’t go through. Contraction, thwarted in 2002, may once again rear its ugly head in 2007 and the Twins are once again prime candidates for the chopping block. If no new stadium deal can be reached sooner rather than later, the Minnesota Twins could very well cease to exist.

When that day comes, we’ll all be ashamed to call ourselves Minnesotans.

Talk of the Town

2005-04-29T00:23:00.000-05:00

Once again, I'm sorry for the relative lack of posts the past couple of weeks. I got the season started on the right foot, but events have picked up a bit lately around here and time has been a little short. No matter... I'm here today, and that's all that matters.

First of all, a quick rant about yesterday's 6-5 win over the Royals: What in the heck was Luis Rivas thinking!?! By now I'm sure most of you know the play about which I currently rant: Rivas (pinch-running for Morneau) is at second and Hunter is on first with no one out in the 10th. Jacque Jones misses on his bunt attempt (which was bad, I'll admit) but then the worst happens - Rivas strays too far off second base and is picked off by the catcher!!

This was a baseball gaffe that rivals Pat Borders' inexplicable non-block in game four of last year's ALDS (with the go-ahead run on third), far eclipsing it in terms of utter stupidity. Luis Rivas is in the game for one reason: he is fast and (supposedly) a good baserunner. Instead, he almost singlehanded crushes a potential game-winning rally simply because he lost focus. If any of the high school kids my dad or I coach ever committed such a boneheaded mistake, they would get an earful in the dugout and deservedly so! But here Rivas is, making $1.2 million, and he does something that even 12 and 13-year olds know not to do - never go too far off the base until you see the bunt hit the ground! It's just common sense Luis - stop thinking about the clubhouse card game and get your a** in gear.

Okay, I just had to get that rant off my chest. On to the real topic of today: the stadium.

Now I know many of you out there aren't particularly fond of this issue. A good portion of you don't live near the Twin Cities metro area and thus can rarely attend Twins games at the Metrodome. Most of you (including myself) do not live in/frequent Hennepin County often and thus would be unaffected by the sales tax increase.

I also suspect that a large percentage of you have become so disenfranchised by the stadium movement's complete lack of success over the past nine years that you have officially given up. I'm here to tell you this: Don't.

I've been searching for a way to vocalize my thoughts on this subject for a few days, but Jimmy Souhan over at the Strib actually beat me to the punch on Tuesday with this article. Here are a couple of my favorite lines:

-In response to those who say we should instead use this money to fund other things:
"Most taxes provide temporary or incremental relief to complex and persistent problems. If you told me raising $1 billion would end homelessness or eradicate traffic jams, I'd happily donate more than my share. In real life, most societal ills seem as impervious to cash as the common cold is to medication."

-For those who think the deal benefits Pohlad too much (from Souhan):
"Yes, this is a great deal for Pohlad, but that's the way the world works -- rich people make good deals for themselves, whether they own sports teams or computer companies.

The rich will always get richer, with or without our help. Think of the Twins as our team, and Pohlad as a caretaker. We're the ones who will watch the sunset from the bleacher seats, while our kids wear those timeless TC caps."

-And another equally well-stated point from Shane over at Greet Machine the other day:
"[I]n the nine years this debate has been raging how much extra money has any of these issues [education, healthcare, etc.] received as a result of our not building a new Twins stadium? That's right. Nothing. Nada. Zip. In other words, for nine years our illustrious state legislators have used this argument against building a new Twins stadium. At the same time they have never actually said, "Well, now that we aren't building a stadium let's use that money for education!" Bzzzz! This has never happened! To put it another way, our legislators talk and talk, and argue and argue, but they never actually do anything to fix either problem! So, time's up! Get off the swing set, it is our turn to take it for a ride."

Shane has been doing some excellent work about the most recent stadium proposal, and I thoroughly enjoy reading what he has to say every day. This issue hasn't gotten a lot of mention in the Twins blogs for a variety of reasons (and I can't say that I blame them... it's much easier to write about baseball than politics) but I vow to stay informed and keep you up-to-date on what I think. I'm glad the Strib has ran a few articles about this issue over the past week, because a number of them (including Souhan's and this one by Doug Grow) have been excellent. I encourage you to follow this ever-developing story, because like it or not, it trumps the on-the-field action right now in terms of overall importance.

Lastly, I'm a bit curious: Do you, the readers of this (and the other) Twins blogs care about this issue? Wouldn't you like to see a stadium built? Would you agree to pay the miniscule sales tax if you bought a lot of things in Hennepin County? Are you just so frustrated with the whole situation that you don't care? If you'd like to share your opinion on this issue over the course of the weekend, please do so in the comments section. A couple people did the other day, and I appreciate that. What about the rest of you?

-Ryan M.
twinsfan21@msn.com

Snow Day

2005-04-25T00:53:00.000-05:00

I said I'd be back with a weekend recap today, but since the Twins essentially got the weekend off (not playing either Saturday or Sunday) I've decided to take the day off as well. Plus, I'm kinda lazy like that :).

One interesting tidbit of news did emerge over the weekend, however: the Twins and Hennepin County came to an agreement on a stadium deal, which will be officially announced this afternoon. Now before you get too excited, just remember that we've gotten to this step like a half dozen times before, and funny, we're still playing in the big concrete bowl downtown.

With that being said, I'm actually fairly optimistic about this latest plan. The sales tax is miniscule (you'd be hard-pressed to complain about $.03 on every $20, or about $30 extra on a brand-new car), Smilin' Carl has decided to pony up his dough with no strings attached, the site is absolutely perfect (especially from a logistics point of view), and there is absolutely NO state money required for anything. I would hope that the state would consider the $100 million investment in the roof a worthwhile thing, but if they don't, that's their perogative.

All in all, it just seems too damn good to be true, so there is naturally no way it will actually be approved by the Legislature before they run out of time this session. Our state legistlature takes for frickin' EVER to do ANYTHING (even by legislative standards) and they've got about eight gazillion things to get done in the next month. I desperately hope they do get it done (I'm someone who went in on season tickets 8 years ago in hopes of getting priority at the new digs) but I can't be anything more than cautiously optimistic at this point.

Shane from Greet Machine, our resident stadium expert among Twins bloggers, actually expresses many of these same sentiments in his entry for today, which I encourage you all to read for more in-depth analysis.

The Twins Chatter early betting line on this stadium plan actually going through? 4-1 (against). Any takers?

A Plethora of Multitudes

2005-04-22T02:06:00.000-05:00

Yesterday's extra-inning 10-9 win over the Royals was filled with so many notable occurances that I felt could not go un-commented upon here at TC, so I'm going to break my week-long string of (relative) silence and put up an original post today - bullet point style.

The bubble finally burst for Dave Gassner, as he was absolutely pounded by the previously-punchless Royals yesterday afternoon, allowing five runs (four earned) in just an inning and two-thirds. I had very much hoped it was the real Gassner that shut down the Indians last Saturday, but I fear the one who showed up today is closer to reality. When you don't have much velocity as a pitcher, you're margin for error is just that much smaller. Gassner throws everything but gas, and it hurt him Thursday when his control wasn't impeccible.

Lew Ford seems to be back on track after an auspicious start to the season. He went 4-6 yesterday (and is now 7 for his last 12) and drove in the game-winnnig run with a bases-loaded (imagine that) RBI single in the 10th. Jim Souhan wrote a nice little piece about TC's official player today, as it appears he may have made the necessary adjustments after suffering through a slow spring and first three weeks.

Was anyone else out there a bit surprised at how Gardenhire managed his catching situation at the end of the game yesterday? Mike Redmond, playing for the first time in week after Mauer had caught three straight games, had to leave the game in the eigth after a collision. Corky "Corky" Miller (sorry, couldn't resist that one) replaced him defensively, but interestingly enough, Gardy pinch-hit Mauer for Miller in the 9th inning with the winning run on third. Now I completely agree with Gardy's decision to use Mauer in that situation (even though he was intentionally walked), but I just find it a bit interesting that he would do it in an extra-inning affair. The game could have easily gone on a quite a bit longer, with Joe catching an extended amount for an unprecedented (this season at least) fourth consecutive day. Any thoughts?

Tonight's game against the Tigers marks the return of one Carlos "The Jackal" Silva, who is back after a bizarre (and as it turns out, unnecessary) trip to the disabled list. The improbable return of Silva and the reemergence of Joe Mays really brings home exactly why the Twins remain the team to beat in the Central this season: they have pitching, and lots of it.

Justin Morneau also returns to the lineup tonight, and he will hopefully provide some needed production in what has been a very inconsistent offensive unit thus far. It also means the defensive circus that is Matthew LeCroy gets to ride the pine for a while, which is never a bad thing.

There ya have it folks - plenty of storylines to follow this weekend. It should be an entertaining series to watch, as the Tigers get another chance to prove that they are legitimate contenders this season. Tune back in on Monday as I'll be back with a weekend recap of the series. Until then, have a great weekend everybody.

-Ryan M.

Mike Redmond and Mike Sweeney collide at home plate during the 9th inning of yesterday's game. Sweeney was safe on the play and Redmond was forced to leave the game.

Bonus Material: Predictions

2005-04-19T23:57:00.000-05:00

The Twins suffered yet another disappointing loss at the hands of those accursed ChiSox today (I don't know about you, but they are REALLY starting to get on my nerves about right now). Unfortunately, I wasn't able to catch any of the game and therefore don't really feel qualified to write anything intelligent about it. Plus, I'm incredibly sleep-deprived... lots going on here at St. Olaf!

In lieu of a new post today, I'm going to reprint (for your reading pleasure) a season predictions article I wrote for our school newspaper last week. It's not the most in-depth piece every, but if you just so happened to be curious about who I'm picking for the playoffs this year, well, here you go! If you're interested in who some other Twins bloggers are picking, click here.

Consider yourselves forewarned: even though I didn't pick the Twins to win it all, I still fervently hope that they do! :)

"Predicting October... In April"
By Ryan Maus

One of the most enjoyable things about the game of baseball is that it lends itself to prognostication extremely well. Each new season brings with it a flurry of predictions found in every sports page, magazine, radio show and weblog around the country. As a self-professed baseball junkie, I am always asked, “Who’s your pick for the World Series this year?” I usually put off answering such questions, knowing that any predictions I give will almost assuredly look like pure folly six months from when they’re made.

Despite this, baseball season just wouldn’t be complete without the requisite attempt at prognostication. Without further ado, I present my playoff picks for the 2005 major league baseball season:

American League East: Before the Toronto Blue Jays’ surprising crash to last place in 2004, the order of finish in this division had remained unchanged for six consecutive seasons: New York, Boston, Toronto, Baltimore and Tampa Bay. Unless you are the Yankees or the Red Sox, the most you can hope for in the East is a third-place finish, and I that pattern will hold true once again this year. The Sox may have vanquished the Curse last fall, but the Randy Johnson-led Yankees have been constructed to win over the long haul.

My pick: Yankees (Red Sox as wild card)

American League Central: The Central has traditionally been one of the weakest divisions in baseball from top to bottom, as over half its teams routinely finish with losing records. That should change this season, as Chicago, Cleveland and Detroit all believe they can challenge the three-time division champion Minnesota Twins. The White Sox, Indians and Tigers all boast impressive lineups, but the Twins’ pitching staff (led by AL Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana) is simply too good and too deep to be overcome.

My pick: Twins

American League West: All four teams in this division could conceivably finish with winning records, given the dramatic off-season improvements made by last year’s cellar dwellers, the Seattle Mariners. The Texas Rangers, a surprise contender a year ago, will be doomed by their lack of pitching once again this season. If anyone is poised for a significant drop-off, it’s the Oakland Athletics, who will feature a starting rotation with three players under the age of 25. In the end, the well-balanced and newly re-christened Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (the name change being a thinly-veiled attempt to increase revenues) will most likely make the playoffs.

My pick: Angels

National League East: The East should be one of the most competitive divisions in 2005, as three teams (Atlanta, Florida and the New York Mets) all appear to have a legitimate chance to win. However, as their early 1-6 start indicates, I believe the perennially-underachieving Mets will do so once again this season, despite the offseason additions of Carlos Beltran and Pedro Martinez. This division will be a dogfight between the Braves and Marlins, with the loser most likely ending up as the NL Wild Card.

My pick: Marlins (Braves as wild card)

National League Central: The mantra in this division has always been “If the Cubs are healthy, they could …” Well, the Cubs (mostly notably starting pitchers Mark Prior and Kerry Wood) were not healthy in 2004, and the preliminary outlook for 2005 isn’t too rosy either. The St. Louis Cardinals, NL Champions a year ago, are back and ready to make up for their four-game collapse in last year’s World Series. The Houston Astros received a nice boost with the return of seven-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens but will miss the departed Beltran. It’s in the cards for the Cards again this season, as they will win over 100 games and take the division crown.

My pick: Cardinals

National League West: While there appear to be clear-cut favorites in just about every division in baseball this season, the NL West is definitely the exception to that rule. With artificially-enhanced über-player Barry Bonds on the shelf for an indefinite amount of time, the San Francisco Giants could fall in the standings. The Dodgers made a number of interesting (some would say foolhardy) personnel decisions this past winter, and I would be surprised if they repeated as division champs in 2005. Instead, it will be the underdog San Diego Padres that make the playoffs for the first time since 1998, beating out an improved Arizona Diamondbacks team.

My pick: Padres

Even in this era of beefed-up sluggers and inflated offensive numbers, the key to success in the big leagues still comes back to one thing: pitching. It is for this reason I think the Twins will shock New Yorkers when they top the Yankees in the AL Division Series in October. I also believe the Red Sox will see their luck run out as they are beaten in the ALDS by the Angels. In the National League, the Marlins and their outstanding staff will move past the Padres in round one while the Cardinals will defeat the Braves in the other series.

In the American League Championship Series, the Angels will emerge victorious from their 2002 ALCS rematch with the Twins, while the Marlins will surprise and win the National League Pennant over the Cardinals. Your 2005 World Series Champion? For the second time in three years (remember 2003’s improbable upset of the Yankees?), it will be none other than the Fightin’ Fish themselves, the Florida Marlins.

How's that for prognostication?

Not Up To It

2005-04-18T01:12:00.000-05:00

I'm extremely sorry to disappoint all of you today, but sometimes life gets in the way of blogging. Today (unfortuately) was just one of those days, so I won't be able to post anything new. I'm usually pretty good about updating on Mondays (it's one of our bigger days) but I just don't have it in me today. For some excellent Twins analysis, I suggest you check out the links on the left side of this page.

On a positive note (for me, anyway) I recently found out about a couple of baseball trips that I'll be going on in the next month and a half or so! I'm going to Boston and New York at the end of May to catch a Red Sox-Atlanta game AND (amazingly enough) a Red Sox-Yankees game at Yankee Stadium. Plus, I'll be making the drive down to Omaha for the 2005 College World Series, which is one of my favorite baseball events. So even though TC might not have anything new today, rest assured, I am not sitting on my laurels!

Have a great Monday everyone and we'll see you here tomorrow.

-Ryan M.

One Year Later

2005-04-15T02:24:00.000-05:00

In all the hullabaloo over yesterday's impressive 10-4 win over the Tigers, many of you (and by "many" I mean "everyone except me") may have forgotten that today, April 15 2005, actually marks the one-year anniversary of Twins Chatter! That's right: one year ago "Your source for insightful, thoughtful, and somewhat opinionated Minnesota Twins coverage" officially went public (although a little premature linking from Seth put a little scare into me!).

Now one year may not seem like much to any of you, but in the blogging world it actually a notable accomplishment. Blogs are not enterprises that typically inspire longevity; they are "easy come, easy go" endeavors, usually sputtering out within the first few months of existence. While it would be a lie to say that we haven't endured our fair share of bumps in the road, Twins Chatter is still here (and you're still reading this!) so we must be doing at least something right!

A few notable accomplishments from year one:

We've had over 26,600 people visit in the past year (for a modest average of 73/day). We've also had almost 31,000 "hits" or page views (for a more respectable average of 85/day).

We've posted on 214 separate occasions.

Twins Chatter was highlighted in the extensive Star Tribune piece (sorry, the links are all expired now) about Twins blogs that ran back in early October. This photo (I'm the one on the far left) was actually on the front page of the Strib's Variety section on October 5.

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that we've been doing some decent writing over the past 12 months. Posts about Blanco's HOF career, Victory Sports, the 2004 draft, Dougie's departure, the ALDS loss, The Battle for the Ring, reelections, spring training, and this interview were some of my favorite posts, and I'm sure John will point out some of his favorites sometime soon as well.

It's been a year of ups and downs for Twins Chatter. We never quite made it into the mainstream Twins-blogging scene (i.e. Twins Geek, AG, and Batgirl status) but I have pretty much accepted that fact and am content with the little corner of cyberspace that we've carved out over the past year. I never quite got around to designing a fresh new look for the site, although we do have our very own logo now (which I am very pleased with). And we've struggled with bouts of inconsistency at times, such as taking almost the entire month of January off as well as two weeks in March.

However, I believe that the writing you'll find at this site today is much-improved over what was here 12 months ago, and in the end, that's all that really matters. Twins Chatter was here before the more recent influx of Twins blogs (many of which were started last fall or this spring) came into being, and I think we'll still be here when they are gone. I'm going to keep plugging away, and John will continue to support me as best he can.

In closing, I just want to thank you all for your continued patronage and I hope you feel it's worth the time you spend at this site every day. As always, feel free to post any comments you may have below and I'll do my best to respond to them.

-Ryan Maus
twinsfan21@msn.com

Terry Tiffee: 2005's Lew Ford?

2005-04-14T00:48:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately for most of us in (as well as outside) Twins Territory, Wednesday's Twins vs. Tigers game was not broadcast on television - for some reason the waning moments of an extremely overrated team's now-hopeless "playoff push" took preference last night (postscript: I'm told those reasons were contractual... too bad for FSN). That was unfortunate, because yesterday's game sounds like it was an extremely entertaining one.

Anyway, that brings me to the title of today's post: Terry Tiffee. As you probably well know by now (I'm not naive enough to think that TC is the first stop on everyone's web browsing schedule) Tiffee was the star of last night's game, going 2-4 with a double, homer, and 3 RBIs in his first game up from AAA. He even hit in the cleanup spot! Even before that surprising performance, it seemed like every semi-knowledgable worth his/her weight in off-color Teflon Twins fan has an opinion one way or another about this 25 year-old corner infielder.

Since I would lump myself in with that group of people (perhaps even near the head of the class) and I am paid so very un-well to share my opinions with all of you, I'll briefly summarize my opinion of the Tiffmeister (as he shall from now on be called). First of all, all of you are exactly right: Tiffee definitely deserved to make the team out of spring training. He didn't impress me that much the time I watched him down in Florida (and I heard conflicting reports about him from people "in the know", if you will) but his numbers were very good overall. Instead, concerns (arguably overly-cautious concerns) about The Knee led to the retention of Corky "Corky" Miller, who appears to be nothing more than your standard AAA catcher but with a funky first name.

Despite the fact that he has never been considered a top-tier prospect, Tiffee has done nothing but hit in his time in the big leagues. He was outstanding as a replacement for Koskie last September before he went down with a season-ending injury partway through the month, and appears to have picked up right where he left off.

My rhetorical questions for you are as follows: Is there a chance that Tiffee could become 2005's version of Lew Ford for this team, the unsung seasoned minor leaguer who steps in and exeeds expectations? Or is he simply a mid-level prospect who has been lucky enough to play his best baseball in the majors? Conventional wisdom says that he doesn't have the skills (bat speed, hands, etc.) to cut it as an everyday player, but then again, conventional wisdom has been known to fail on occasion (see Eckstein, David).

Say (theorectically speaking, of course) that Tiffee continues to hit at a torrid pace. Who would he replace in the lineup once Morneau returns? Cuddyer? Ford? Rivas, perhaps? I must admit that despite my initial skepticism (I've never considered Tiffee to be a potential starter in the majors) the possibilities are intriguing, and I'm all for anything that improves this team. Anyone else have any thoughts on the issue? I realize this discussion is extremely premature, but I just thought I'd get a jump on what may become a hot issue over the next couple of weeks.

Either way, it's getting late and I'd best be going to sleep. Tomorrow's game will be on TV (thankfully!) so I'm sure we'll have something more substantial for you then. Take care, everyone.

Two different photos of Tiffee's fourth inning home run.
-RM

Proving a Point

2005-04-12T23:14:00.000-05:00

The Twins are the three-time American League Central Championships for a reason and they continued to prove it last night. While the rest of the division continues to catch up in terms of talent the Twin’s organization continues to be one step ahead. What makes the Twins special is that they love being the underdog so much that they seem to swoon every summer just to give teams false hope and then pull away in the closing months. Comments made earlier in the week by a certain Tiger outfielder only served to fuel the fire of a team that has learned how to win. Last night the Twins beat the Tigers with a walk dramatic walk-off double by Shannon Stewart.

The Tigers are a much improved team thanks in large part to their willingness to overpay for just about every big free agent player (some of them actually even sign with the team!). In the next couple of seasons their payroll is expected to exceed $100 million, almost doubling that of the Twins. They also have a good manager in Alan Trammell. Both their lineup and bullpen have potential. Their ace, Jeremy Bonderman, is developing into an impressive pitcher and Mike Maroth has come a long way from his 20-loss season.

Despite all of this the Tigers are still a team that falls a couple of pieces short. Their veterans are old and injury-prone and their pitching is yet unproven. What this all means is that the Twins will no longer be able to beat up on them like they have in past seasons but they also wont have to worry about looking up in the standings to see orange come September. So while Dmitri Young has had a good start to his season, his grasp of reality remains a little off.

There were plenty of highlights for the Twins besides the way the game ended. Joe Mays finally started a game, and while he wasn’t great, it was a step in the right direction. Many people disagree with me but Joe Mays is a big key to this season, whether Carlos Silva is able to come back quickly or not. I continue to look for Mays to have a good year and prove his critics wrong.

Both Twins homeruns last night were impressive. Bartlett and Cuddyer showed how strong they are. Bartlett’s homer looked like he had got a little under it and yet he was still able to muscle it over the fence. Cuddyer just spanked the ball. It is easy to imagine Cuddyer someday bringing it all together to at least hit 30. With Morneau out of the lineup it’s important for others to pick up the slack.

Both Juan Rincon and JC Romero were electric last night. It’s scary to think how good this bullpen can set up. The team was even able to score a run off of Troy Percival for the first time ever.

If the team can figure out a way to get Craig Monroe out they will be well on their way to exercising all of their demons on the Tigers.

Linkin' It Up

2005-04-12T00:05:00.000-05:00

I don't have the time or inclination to post any original thoughts on the Twins tonight (there was no game today, so I'm using that as an excuse). However, I would like to direct your attention to a few links/tidbits for your reading pleasure this Tuesday.

Maybe it's not all bad
There are actual some positive news coming out of the Metrodome today! Carlos Silva may (possibly) not need surgery after all, which would be by far the best news I have heard in a long time. Also, Justin Morneau may not have to go on the disabled list, as an MRI and CT scan showed there was nothing seriously wrong with him. Click here for the Strib article.

A tough start? What gave it away?
New York sportswriter and frequent ESPN.com contributor Buster Onley, a favorite of Aaron Gleeman, posted the following on his blog (available to ESPN Insider subscribers only) the other day:

Tough Start for Twins
The Minnesota Twins got through the first week with three wins in six games, right in the middle of the AL Central's five-team scrum. But they had the worst week of any team in baseball, unquestionably, losing pitcher Carlos Silva for at least a few months with a serious knee problem. And there are worries about first baseman Justin Morneau, still dizzy after getting beaned last week. The short of it is that Morneau has had four other concussions in the past, and feels foggy and light-headed. For the Twins, it is the equivalent of the Yankees losing Hideki Matsui and Carl Pavano, or the Red Sox losing David Ortiz and Matt Clement.

And at least one observer is predicting they won't be part of the AL Central race. No less an authority than Dmitri Young says the Tigers and Indians are the best teams in the division. This from MLB.com's Mark Sheldon:

Detroit Tigers first baseman Dmitri Young won't see the Twins until Tuesday's series opener at the Metrodome. But after Detroit finished its series with the Indians on Sunday, Young has apparently seen enough to make some predictions about the outcome of AL Central. "This is our rival right here," Young said of Cleveland. "Forget the other teams. I think it's going to come down to us and them. Just look at the different positions, look at the matchups. The matchups are pretty similar." The Twins have won the last three division titles and are many experts' pick to take a fourth-straight championship. When a reporter asked him about Minnesota, Young shrugged. "Us and Cleveland," he said.

Interesting quote from Young, I thought. Is this unjustified arrogance or simply confidence?

Well, I was planning on having a few more links, but I just couldn't find the right ones. If you're still hungry for reading, check out the other Twins blogs, linked for your convienience on the left side of this page. Tomorrow John will be back with some more Twins-related thoughts.

-Ryan M.

Chattin' It Up

2005-04-10T22:50:00.000-05:00

This was an eventful weekend in Twins Territory (I don't know about you, but I like that phrase much better than my previously-coined Twinsland), probably the most eventful weekend of the year thus far. And nothing shall go un-commented upon here at TC.

Although the Twins lost 2 of 3 to their arch-rivals from the South Side, Carlos Silva's potentially season-ending injury was the story of the weekend. It sorta blindsided everyone, including those people in the organization, especially given how well he pitched last Wednesday. I will go on the record with this right now: I do not think that Joe Mays will be an adequate replacement for The Jackal. I may have been able to live with either Kyle Lohse or Joe Mays stinking it up every five days, but both? I'm not so sure about that. I almost guarentee that Mays will struggle initially (which is at least somewhat understandable, given the fact that he hasn't started a game since Aug. 29, 2003) but I will still be surprised if he regains his long-lost effectiveness this year at all. Mays was hit pretty hard towards the end of spring training and in his only appearance of the season on Friday.

And as Aaron Gleeman states today, Dave Gassner isn't the answer to our problems either. He's a soft throwing lefty who might fool some bad teams (hopefully) but probably isn't going to be mowing down quality major leaguers anytime soon.

Justin Morneau's extended absence also has me worried about the state of the Twins. Originally it was thought that he would be out only a day or two, but now the timetable is very uncertain. He'll see a specialist today, and it is sounding more and more like there might be something pretty serious wrong.

The new-look Go-Go Sox impressed me this weekend in taking two of three. The Twins did not play particularly well either Friday or Saturday, but the ChiSox deserve a lot of credit for putting both of those games away with some timely hits and timely thrown double play balls. The Sox were dismissed by much of the media this past winter, predicted to finish as low as fourth in many preseason predictions, but I wouldn't be surprised if they stick around for quite a while this year after seeing them play firsthand.

The Twins defense has been a little disappointing through six games. We all knew it probably would suffer with the departures of Dougie, Koskie, and Guzman, and that indeed seems to be the case. Cuddyer can be absolutely infuriating at third sometimes, making a spectacular play in the hole but then botching a routine grounder or throw. And LeCroy makes Morneau look like Dougie Baseball himself over at first - that's how bad he looks. He misplayed a couple of balls early in the game Sunday that could have made things dicey for Johan. I seriously can't wait until we get him off the field and into the dugout where he belongs.

Rivas also had a mental gaffe last night, failing to cover second in time on a steal attempt. I believe Corky Miller would have had his first highlight as a Twin if Louie had not been so slow (the runner probably would have been out).

"Sweet" Lew, the Official Player of this Blog, has had a rough start to the season. He's got just four singles so far this season (at least two of them infield singles) and I have yet to see him hit the ball with authority. Has the bubble burst for everyone's favorite computer geek? I sure hope not, but Lew's going to have to make some adjustments relatively soon if he hopes to stay in the lineup on an everyday basis.

That's all I've got for you today. If you disagree/agree/don't care about what I said today, feel free to express that inner voice in the comments section below. I (or possibly even John!) will be back with more Twins Chatter tomorrow.

-Ryan Maus
twinsfan21@msn.com

Interview with Mike Herman: Minnesota Twins Media and Player Relations Manager

2005-04-07T00:24:00.000-05:00

Greetings, loyal readers. Yesterday, as most of you all know, the Twins were able to pull out a season-opening series win against the Mariners, as Carlos "The Jackal" did exactly what he is paid to do. I wasn't able to catch the game because of some other duties of mine, but fortuntately I will be able to get some Twins Chatter milage out of what I did in lieu of the game.

While in Florida a week and a half ago, I conducted an interview with St. Olaf alumni Mike Herman, who also happens to work for the Twins in their media and player relations department. Since this is a field that I may someday enter myself, I thought Mike would make an excellent subject for an interview. Below, I will post for your enjoyment the Twins-related questions that I posed to him. It's a very fascinating interview, and it provides some unique insight into the Twins' front office.

I probably won't have anything new up for tomorrow, as I'm falling behind on my homework. However, I'll be at Friday night's game (along with many of you, I hope) so be sure to cheer on our hometown nine as loudly as possible.

Note: If you would like to read the entire interview (St. Olaf-related questions and all) just click here.

Ole finds home with Twins

By the time most people enter the hallowed halls of higher education, they have long since dismissed any dreams of playing professional sports. But have you ever entertained the possibility making a career with a professional sports team? Mike Herman, former St. Olaf baseball player, is living out such a dream. He is currently holds the position of manager of media and player relations for the three-time American League Central Division Champion Minnesota Twins, dealing with players like Johan Santana, Torii Hunter, and Joe Mauer on an everyday basis. Mike recently took some time out from his busy schedule to chat with the me from the Twins’ spring training home in Fort Myers, Fla.

Coming into college, what were some of your career aspirations?

I wanted to go into sports broadcasting. I had done internships with TV stations and also in media relations departments of sports teams. But originally, I wanted to be on TV, but that quickly faded when I realized what my financial situation would be after college. I wanted to make money right away; I didn’t want to work for nothing for some small town station. I wanted a job related to sports and somehow related to the media.

You went through a number of different career changes before you ended up here with the Twins. Can you take us through that path?

As a sophomore, I interned for KARE 11 during the summer. My freshmen and sophomore years I also worked for the sports information department, writing articles, interviewing coaches, calling the Star Tribune to give them scores, stuff like that. I was also the sports editor for the Messenger as a junior, and I also wrote some stories after that. I interned with the Phoenix Coyotes for two j-terms. After I graduated, I also interned for a TV station in South Dakota, and that’s when I started realizing that I needed to get away from the TV industry and into the public/media relations area.

Mike with Hammond Stadium as a backdrop.

Then I started as an intern with the Twins in the winter of 1999. A friend of mine worked for Midwest Sports Channel (MSC), and she was always on the lookout for me for jobs. One day she called me and told me the Twins were looking for someone in media relations, although it was only an internship. I said “I don’t care” and called the guy up anyways. Even though they already had their candidates, the guy agreed to take a look at my resume. I called him an hour later and he agreed to interview me. One day I got a call (actually the day before my birthday) offering me the internship, and I’ve been there ever since. I got the full-time job just before the 2000 season.

As the media and player relations manager, what exactly does your job entail?

I set up interviews, and generally take care of any media requests that come in—commercials, public service announcements, and player appearances (like an autograph signing)—I set all that stuff up. A lot of it is media services; whatever the media wants. My job is to make our club as accessible as any other club in major league baseball. This means that we need to do a lot more than the Yankees in terms of media services, because everyone wants to cover the Yankees.

Another aspect of my job is taking care of the baseball information, like stats, game notes, and baseball-related press releases. Basically, we disseminate information. Our job is to get as much information out there as possible promoting the Twins. There are some cases where we have to deliver negative information, but we try to put a positive spin on it if at all possible.

How does your job differ here at spring training?

It’s pretty much the same thing. We have a lot more interview requests during spring training, just because there are so many more players. For example, because Justin Morneau is from Canada, we get every radio station in Canada wanting to kick off baseball season by interviewing Justin. But because there are so many of them, we have to be careful about how we handle it. Everyone thinks that when you come to Florida for four weeks it’s a vacation, but it’s actually a lot of work down here. I’m not complaining, but we put in long days under the hot sun and humidity. But it’s still a good time.

Mike giving a tour of the facilities to some St. Olaf baseball players.

What would you say are some of your favorite parts of your job?

Number one, I get to watch baseball for a living. Growing up, playing the game, I just love the game of baseball. I get to be around a great organization, one of the best organizations in the league to work for. PR people from different teams come into our office when their team is in town and comment on how there’s a different feel when you walk around the Twins offices. Everyone’s happy, everyone’s upbeat. Part of that is because the upper management treats everyone so well. In our organization, most people still come from within. You start here, you keep moving up, and finally, you get to the top.

One of my other favorite things is that I get to travel a lot. I get to go on a lot of road trips, see a lot of different cities and ballparks, and meet a bunch of different people.

What are some of the disadvantages?

I do have to put in a lot of hours, which is hard sometimes. Also, sometimes you do have to deal with the egos [of the players]. We’ve been pretty lucky on the Twins—we don’t have many guys that are that egotistical. A lot of the times you just have to be careful what you ask of these guys. They’re financially secure; they don’t need $100 here, $100 there. You have to pick and choose when you go to them for a favor.

What is so unique about the Twins organization that allows them to win all these awards like Baseball America’s “Organization of the Year”?

On the field, I think a lot of it comes from scouting and development. Our minor league system has always been known as one of the stronger systems in the game, so the credit there has to go to our minor league coaches, scouts, our general manager, assistant general manager—people like that. Another thing, which I mentioned earlier, is that everybody (even upper management) respects everyone else, regardless of where you are on the totem pole.

That also applies to the baseball side of things. We have so many homegrown players, especially compared to teams like the Yankees that barely even have a farm system [due to trades], and we always know there’s someone in the minor leagues that can come up and help us. There’s a “Twins way” of playing, and it’s taught in the minor league system. If we call a guy up, he knows what’s expected from him in order to get to the major leagues, because that’s all they’ve been pounding in his head for the last six years. That’s a big reason why this organization has been so successful.

As a Twins fan, I’m curious: How do you think the 2005 Twins will fare?
I don’t see why we can’t repeat as Central Division champions. Our pitching staff is still one of the best in the major leagues. In spring training we lead the American League in earned run average. There’s still the matter of getting production out of the shortstop position but other than that, we should be just fine.

A Solid Second Showing

2005-04-06T00:43:00.000-05:00

For the first 4 innings of last night’s game it appeared the Twins were in for a tough year. Forget all the big predictions going into this season, in the first game and half of the year the team had shown that it couldn’t hit or pitch up to expectations. When Johan Santana gives up 4 runs to start a game something appears to have gone horribly wrong. All it took was ½ of an inning for everything to be as it should be. Suddenly the team was making plays in the field, their CY Young was back to his old self, everyone in the lineup had a hit and all that was left was for a bullpen full of power arms to finish it off.

Anytime Johan Santana starts he is story of the game. He didn’t have his best stuff last night and had to rely on his changeup even more than usual. The best pitchers in the game are able to overcome bad innings and Santana was marvelous. He didn’t allow a run in his last 4 innings while finishing with 6 K’s and the win. He kept his team in the game so they had a chance to come back.

The lineup finally showed what it was capable of. This lineup should be better then last year with no easy out 1-8 in the order. Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Torii Hunter have a chance to be an especially potent combo. We haven’t seen the power potential yet but this team is going to need to generate a lot of runs anyway.

To many, Jacque Jones is an enigma and last night he did a little to prove that both true and false. He showed what frustrates people when he swung at the first pitch and hit into a double play early in the game. His homerun to end the 5th inning scoring was really a thing of beauty and gives hope of the kind of season he is capable of.

The Twins look like they are going to be just fine with a rookie at short. It is hard to remember his brief stint with the team last year because he did nothing special. Now he looks like a hitter at the plate and showed he is able to come up big when needed. He isn’t going to be Cristian Guzman right away but he is showing the Twins weren’t crazy to let Guzman go this winter. Speaking of infielders, even Luis Rivas didn’t look too bad at the plate last night, hear is hoping he proves Gardenhire and me right.

The Twins were able to showcase much of their bullpen with Santana’s early high pitch count. For the most part they looked pretty good. There was a scary moment when Jesse Crain hit Brett Boone but JC Romero was able to come in and pitch effectively, always a good sign with him. Juan Rincon showed no ill effects carried over from game four of the ALDS and threw some pretty nasty stuff. Joe Nathan ended the game like he is supposed to.

With the excitement of the early season it is easy to lose sight of the old cliché that it is a marathon, not a sprint. Games are played for 9 innings and often times the difference between an out and a rally is less than an inch. The Twins are a team built for success. Brad Radke and Santana can have bad outings and Joe Mauer can strike out 3 times and the beauty of the sport is they all can bounce back the next time out. This is the first of many wins in what promises to be an exciting year of baseball.

John (Yes, I know it has been a while)
john.betzler@mnsu.edu

Brief Opening Day Thoughts

2005-04-05T01:55:00.000-05:00

I don't have a lot of time to write tonight (damn you, 8 a.m. classes!) but I thought that I would briefly share a few thoughts with all of you about yesterday's game, the first of 162 here in 2005. I was able to take time out of my busy schedule and caught every single pitch on TV (I wouldn't miss it for anything), so I'm coming from a position of familiarity here.

Here goes:

Brad Radke wasn't perfect by any means, but he did put together a pretty solid outing overall. The two mistakes that hurt him the most (the two home runs) came on fastballs that he simply left up in the zone. I had a sinking feeling that Brad might be somewhat flustered after his mental gaffe in the first, and sure enough, he grooved the very next pitch to Sexson. Sexson's third-inning homerun came on a pitch that only he could hit out: just a little bit above the knees and out over the outside corner. Not a terrible pitch, but that's the reason the M's gave this guy $50 million this winter.

The M and M boys didn't look stellar at the plate against the crafty lefty Moyer, as I thought might happen. Joe didn't hit the ball that well all day, and Morneau looked pukey in just about every at-bat (save his lineout to right late in the game). That's the risk you run with two young left-handed hitters batting back-to-back: the occasional off-day. I think both these guys will fare much better tomorrow against Gil Meche.

How about that throw by Mauer to nail Ichiro stealing? Even though Ichiro was probably safe, it was still a helluva play by Joe. There aren't very many other catchers out there that can scoop a tough pitch out of the dirt and still throw out one of the fastest runners in the game. Now I remember why we like this guy as a catcher so much :).

Jacque Jones and Luis Rivas, two much-maligned Twins this offseason, turned in a number of excellent defensive plays yesterday afternooon. Hopefully we'll see that excellence transter to the plate in the near future (although Rivas did have a single in yesterday's game).

Jason Bartlett looked very comfortable at the plate, a 100% improvement from his brief stint last summer. If he can cut it defensively (he wasn't tested at all Monday) this kid might just make it.

Despite suffering their first Opening Day loss since 2000, Monday's 5-1 loss wasn't a wasted effort by any means. Bradke pitched decently and the defense looked solid, and the Twins hit the ball hard a few times (with little to show for it). Johan K. Santana is in a good position to enact a little revenge tonight, and I think he is chomping at the bit to do so. Be sure and tune in to FSN at 9:00 p.m. CT tonight.

Tomorrow, Twins Chatter readers, should see the triumphant return of my long-absent partner John. Be ready to welcome him with open arms, as his presesce has been missed in the ever-expanding Twins blogosphere. Also, I have a nice little feature interview planned for later this week, so keep your eyes peeled for that as well.

Until next time,

Ryan Maus
twinsfan21@msn.com

We Come To It At Last

2005-04-04T00:43:00.000-05:00

All I can say is this: It's about time.

We have been waiting for this day for almost six months. We've been waiting since Ron Gardenhire made that infamous non-move back in Game Two. Ever since Ruben Sierra launched that three-run homer off Juan Rincon in the eighth inning on October 9. Ever since Pat Borders so ignominiously ended his 16-year career with that most inexecusable of all baseball blunders: the passed ball.

We have been waiting for this day for 177 long, dark, and cold days. We've seen dead weight shed (Guzman). We've seen dead weight retained (Rivas). We bemoaned the exodus of a true Canadian folk hero (Koskie). Yet at the same time, we cheered as two key pieces stayed home, preserving hope for the future (Radke and Santana).

For 4,248 hours we have been awaiting the official return of our hometown nine. The foul stench of scandal emerged, doing all it could to dampen our excitement. We saw the return of the free-spending days of yesteryear, yet we sat patiently on the sidelines, confident in our battle-tested approach. Divisional opponents made bold moves in an effort to unseat us, one even trying to beat us at our own game.

For 254,880 minutes we have anxiously looked to this day. We have nibbled on the juicy nuggets of springtime the past two months. How would The Knee recover from a setback? Could illness truly fell a once-burly slugger? Would mediocrity (the utilitymen) or potential (Bartlett) emerge from the Scrum at Short? Could the Thunder from Down Under (Balfour) keep his head on straight and arm healthy?

For one entire off-season we waited patiently. A legend, one who was with us from the very beginning, saw his journey come to an end. A great many changes occured this past winter, profoundly shaping the game we all know and love. Yet in the end, none of it truly matters. In the end, only one thing really counts: the game.

Today, the cycle begins anew. Mistakes are forgotten. Optimism flows like wine at a springtime wedding. Wintery aches melt away like the snow on a balmy April afternoon. Baseball is back, and I can only say one thing: It's about time.

Let's play ball.

A Day at Spring Training In Pictures

2005-04-01T01:45:00.000-06:00

Sorry about the lack of a new post yesterday folks. Things sort of piled up on me while I was away, and it's taken a couple of days to get them all sorted out. Today, I'm going to share with you a few of the pictures I took while at last Thursday's Twins vs. Pirates matchup at Hammond Stadium (a 5-4 Twins victory). It was (unfortunately) the only day of the trip we had to spend in Fort Myers, but it was still a great experience. Mike Herman, former St. Olaf baseball player and current Twins media/player relations manager, gave us an inside tour of the facilities before the game started and allowed us to watch most of the action from the press box (which was pretty cool). I'm no Art (who I saw with his camera by the dugout), but I think there are some pretty decent shots here.

Have a great weekend!

Joe Nathan walks by some starstruck St. Olaf baseball players before last Thursday's game.

Wayne Hattaway does some work in the Twins clubhouse. Pretty nice, huh?

Matty LeCroy takes some last-minute swings in the under-stadium batting cage.

Juan Rincon does some weightlifting in the training room.

The official lineup card (posted in the clubhouse) from Thursday's game.

Tony Oliva, never one to shy away from a conversation, gives an Ole player some advice.

Starting pitcher Joe Mays warms up in the bullpen.

The rest of the available pitchers for the game sit in the bullpen.

Shannon Stewart makes his way onto the field right before gametime.

A wide view of Hammond Stadium.

The view of the action from the press box.

Dan Gladden and Herb Carneal as they broadcast the game on WCCO.

Juan Castro makes contact during the later innings.

Terry Tiffee actually scored on Castro's hit.

Jesse Crain, one of my favorite Twins, gets warm in the bullpen.

Wouldn't this sign look great in my dorm room?

-RM

One Final Word: In case you hadn't heard, Micheal Restovich was claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays yesterday. It's been a long six years for Resto in the Twins organization, and although I'm sad to see him go, I'm glad he'll finally get the chance to show what he can do in the bigs. I actually saw the Rochester native play back in high school back in 1998, and the 425 foot foul ball he hit at our local high school field in Northfield is actually the stuff of legend around here. Good luck, Resto. I wish you nothing but the best.

Guess who's back!

2005-03-30T01:58:00.000-06:00

Hey! I know it has been an extremely long time since I wrote anything on Twins Chatter, but I just thought I would let y'all know that I'm still alive and kicking. After a bit of trouble at the airport (let's just say that I spent a night in Atlanta and yada yada yada, I was really tired the next day) I returned from Florida yesterday (Monday) morning. The trip was a great experience and I got to take in an absolute ton of baseball overall. However, most of it was St. Olaf baseball and not Minnesota Twins baseball, so I don't have loads and loads of content to share with you at this time. That being said, I was able to attend last Thursday's spring training game against the Pirates at Hammond Stadium, and I'll have a few things to share with you from that day later this week.

Also, another reason Twins Chatter went un-updated last week was the fact that my $2,000 laptop computer suffered a major mishap during our first day in Florida. As some of you might know, one of the reasons I went along with the team was to webcast a number of their games via our website for the good folks back home. I brought my computer along with me to the field last Monday (to do statistics and play music) and in what was quite possibly the most freakishly amazing event in the history of the world, my computer screen was nailed ON THE FLY by a foul ball from a neighboring field, rendering it completely unusable.

Before you dismiss my previous claim (the one about the freakishness and the history of the world, etc.), take these facts into account:

-I was sitting over a 100 feet away from home plate on the adjacent field (where the rouge foul ball originated from)
-My laptop's screen is a mere 15" wide
-The impact occured during the second batter of our first game, and not a single foul ball landed any where near me for the next 10 games (a span of about 75 innings)
-The ball hit smack dab in the middle of the screen, leaving a large crater in its wake, but then just bounced harmlessly away, leaving the actual inner workings of my computer completely unharmed.

So now I am left with the world's most expensive non-portable laptop computer, as I am relegated to my desk (where I have rigged up an old monitor to use as a working display). My laptop screen actually looks pretty cool, what with the impact crater and the jagged cracks in the LCD display. If you look closely enough, you can even see where the seams of the baseball hit! Perhaps tomorrow I'll put up a picture so you can all see what I'm talking about.

Anyway, the entire point of my rambling disertation was to tell those of you loyal readers (the ones who haven't completely given up on me yet) that I'm still alive and kicking and that Twins Chatter is far from dead: I'm back from my trip and rip-roaring ready to go. Spring is a very busy time for me, so I can't make any promises as to how often I'll be able to write, but rest assured I will squeeze in some time before school ends to share my Twins-related thoughts with those of you who care to read them. Thanks for noting my absence in the comments section below; it's good to know that people were still hoping I'd write something!

Until next time,

Ryan Maus
twinsfan21@msn.com

A Tumultuous Week Behind... And Ahead

2005-03-18T01:12:00.000-06:00

First off, I want to apologize for taking this week off. I know I was riding high after churning out four pretty decent posts last week, but part of the reason I did that was because I knew this past week would be hectic. It was mid-term time up here at St. Olaf, and I was plenty hard myself. Writing for this site was a luxury that I simply did not have time to do, unfortunately.

However, next week is my spring break and I have a special announcement to make: I'm going to Florida! I'll actually be in the Fort Myers area (in the neighborhood of Port Charlotte) with the St. Olaf baseball team on their spring trip. I'm sure it will be a blast to be down in the warm weather watching baseball every day under beautiful sunny skies.

Even though this will not be a Twins-centric trip (someday perhaps, but not this year) I'm still planning on spending a couple days at Hammond Stadium late next week. To be certain, Twins Chatter readers will benefit greatly from this visit. I've got something lined up with a member of the team's front office and I'm bringing our athletics deparment's very nice camera with to (hopefully) snag some excellent photos. More information will be forthcoming, but obviously I'm very excited about the trip!

Have a good weekend everyone.

-R. Maus

The Light's On But Nobody's Home

2005-03-15T00:48:00.000-06:00

Sorry again about the lack of a new post today. Mid-terms are coming up this week and things have been getting extremely hectic around campus... plus, I need my sleep! If it's Twins talk you're looking for, look no further than Stick and Ball Guy, one of the most up-and-coming blogs on the Twins scene. Tuesday is Twins Day, and SBG is ranting about someone near and dear to the collective heart of Twins Chatter: the Official Player of this Blog, "Sweet" Lew Ford. Check it out today!

Also, I'd like to call your attention to this little gem on the newly-formed Twins Territory site. The article, written by someone named dukemag1, is rather interesting and details the "Trade that Keeps on Giving", i.e. the Knoblauch trade. I highly recommend that you check the article out as well some of the other good stuff at Twins Territory.

That's all from me today. Hopefully I'll be back tomorrow, but as has been the case since I began flying solo (temporarily, hopefully) a couple months ago, I can't promise anything. Until then, have a great Tuesday!

-RM

2004 Draft Follow-Up: Part Two

2005-03-11T02:33:00.000-06:00

Hello! Thanks for stopping by Twins Chatter today. I especially want to welcome all of you who made the trip today because you just had to read more from the genius who so dominated Stick and Ball Guy’s weekly game of Pepper! today. Well, here I am!

Seriously, SBG has a great thing going with his Friday feature, as well as his many other features throughout the week. It seems like nearly every Twins blog has been at the top of its game the past few weeks, and I’d like to think that Twins Chatter is holding its own as well.

Today, as promised, I’m going to finish reviewing the Twins’ fourth, fifth, and sixth overall draft choices from last year’s June draft: Matt Fox, Jay Rainville, and Anthony Swarzak. This will wrap up prospect week, but in case you missed it, here’s all that went on:
Twins Chatter’s Top 10 Prospects #6-10
Twins Chatter’s Top 10 Prospects #1-5
2004 Draft Follow-Up: Part One

Matt Fox (1st rd supplemental– 35th overall, RHP, U. of Central Florida)
In the buildup to the draft, I saw Fox’s name listed at around #65 in terms of the draft’s best players, so I was somewhat surprised when the Twins took him with the 35th overall pick. However, it was good to see the Twins draft a more polished collegian to help balance out all the high school pitchers they ended up drafting.

After having a spectacular senior spring season at Central Florida (14-2, 1.85 ERA, 10.07 K/9) Fox also experienced success last summer down in Elizabethton. His 5.40 ERA is a little misleading, as he averaged almost 11 strikeouts per nine innings and allowed just eight walks in 26.2 innings. Just like Waldrop, Fox has shown excellent command thus far, a great sign for a rookie pitcher.

Fox is a big guy (6’3”, 190 lbs.) and as you can also see, a strikeout pitcher. I’m looking forward to following Fox’s progress this season, as it will be interesting to see if he’s able to achieve a rapid rise to the big leagues like some of the team’s other polished college pitchers. ETA: late 2007-2008

Jay Rainville (1st rd. supplemental – 39th overall, RHP Bishop Hendricken HS, Pawtucket, R.I.)
Rainville, who has drawn comparisons to a young Roger Clemens, was considered one of the top high school pitchers entering the draft but saw his stock fall slightly in the days immediately preceding draft day. Fortunately for us, Rainville’s (slight) loss was our immense gain!

He is a big (6’3”, 220 lbs.) hard-throwing righthanded strikeout pitcher, the kind that scouts dream about. Last summer, Rainville pitched well with the GCL Twins (low-rookie ball), allowing 19 runs in 34 innings while walking just three (!) and striking out 38. Keep in mind this was at the lowest level of the minor leagues, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens with Jay this season at Elizabethton. ETA: 2009

Anthony Swarzak (2nd rd. – 61st overall, RHP Nova HS, Ft. Lauderdale FL)
Of all the prospects on this list, I regrettably admit that Swarzak is the one I know the least about (I do have his rookie card at my house, but I’m still at my dorm right now). But I do know that Swarzak had a very good first professional season with the GCL Twins (click on his name to see the stats) which vaulted him up near the top of many Twins’ prospect lists. Other than that, there isn’t much I can tell you. ETA: 2009

Overall, it appears that the 2004 draft was an immense success for the Twins. The team was able to squeeze several very good players out of what was perceived as a relatively mediocre draft pool. It also served as a way to replenish a minor league system that had graduated many top prospects (Mauer, Morneau, Crain) into the major leagues. With a solid foundation in place at the lower levels, there is no reason the Twins can’t continue to win using their current approach: scout well, draft well, and develop your own talent.

Personally I had became a bit worried last June after reading quotes like “this isn’t a good year to have a lot of picks” or “2004 features one of the weakest drafts in years”. But the Twins made the right choice in focusing on high school pitchers, which are much more high risk/high reward-type players than their college counterparts. If even a couple of these players live up to their potential, the 2004 draft may go down as one of the best in team history.

That’s quite enough for one night. Again, if you haven’t done so already read my Pepper! answers over at SBG. After writing four elaborate posts in a row, I may be taking next Monday off, so don’t be too disappointed if there’s nothing new to start next week. However, John (remember him?) may possibly make his triumphant return to the Twins blogging scene sometime in the next few days, so keep your eyes open for that.

-Ryan Maus
twinsfan21@msn.com

2004 Draft Follow-Up: Part One

2005-03-10T03:30:00.000-06:00

Wow! I was pleasantly surprised at the number of people who have come to Twins Chatter for prospect week thus far, especially yesterday to see Twins Chatter’s top 5 prospects. It’s good to know that everyone enjoyed what I had to say. Prospect week continues today with my exclusive follow-up analysis of the 2004 amateur draft.

As you may remember, the excitement surrounding last June’s amateur draft was considerably higher than usual. Because of the free agent defections by LaTroy Hawkins and Eddie Guardado, the Twins received several early compensation picks, giving them a total of six picks in the first two rounds (including the supplemental first round). Last June I spent an entire day crafting an in-depth Draft Preview, which was well received by many readers. I encourage you to go back and read some of the things that I said, as it’s interesting to see where I was both right and wrong! The next day I also wrote a short draft recap, which you can read here (it's the second post on the page).

Below I’ll write a little about the top three of those first six picks, including what was said about them when they were drafted last year, their performance in 2004, and their prospects for the future. The other three will be discussed tomorrow.

Trevor Plouffe (1st round, 20th overall, SS, Crespi HS, Northridge, Calif.)
Plouffe was the team’s first pick in the draft last June, which came as somewhat of a surprise to me. I was under the impression that he was going to be available for the team in the supplemental round, allowing them to draft Missouri prep infielder Blake DeWitt (who went 28th overall to the Dodgers). However, the Twins decided to fill an organizational weakness by taking a guy they know can play shortstop (DeWitt played SS in high school but projected as a 2B/3B in the pros).

Plouffe, who I named the team’s 10th best prospect the other day, started his professional down in Elizabethton last summer. He hit .283/.380/.340 in 237 at-bats, which falls under the category of good-but-not-great. Unfortunately he did commit 16 errors at short, which obviously isn’t the most impressive stat in the world.

“Why on earth,” you’re probably asking me by now, “did you name this guy on your top prospects list if he had such a mediocre first season?” For me, the key word here is “projectable”. Plouffe is still a young kid, but he’s got a tall, athletic frame, good hands, and an excellent arm (he threw over 90 mph as a pitcher in HS). Once the 18 year-old fills out a little (he’s listed at just 175 lbs.) and gains some experience as a hitter, I could see him patrolling the infield of the not-yet-constructed Pohlad Park for a long time.

Glen Perkins (1st round-22nd overall, LHP, U. of Minnesota)
Perkins also made it on to my top-10 list the other day (he was number 7) has established himself as one of the up-and-comers in the organization. Last June there was little doubt that the Twins would be the ones to sign the ‘U’ product and Stillwater native; it was just a matter of when. Well the team played it safe and took the lefty with their second overall pick.

Perkins, who was one of the best pitchers in Gopher history, pitched extremely well during his first season at low-A Quad Cities (although the Twins eased him into pro ball by throwing him a few innings in E-Town before that). In 9 starts, Perkins posted a 1.30 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, and struck out 9.12 batters per nine innings. I assume he’ll start 2005 with the Fort Myers Miracle (keep an eye out Dianna!) and don’t be surprised if he earns himself a mid-season promotion up to AA as well. This kid is definitely on the fast track.

As we discussed the other day, the only knock against Perkins is his size. He’s 5’11”, 190 lbs., which isn’t small by any means but also isn’t big. The thing is, if Perkins was 6’1” or 6’2”, the Twins would never have had a chance to draft him in the first place! There are countless examples of pitchers making it without possessing great height (our very own Johan K. Santana, for instance) so I’m not too worried about Perkins. I see no reasons why this guy shouldn’t be able to fill a spot in the Twins rotation beginning in 2007.

Kyle Waldrop (1st round-25th overall, RHP, Farragut HS, Knoxville TN)
It is players like Waldrop that separate award-winning organizations like the Twins from the average major league program. Waldrop was a dark horse in the 2004 draft. Draft previews said that he would most likely go in the 10th round or higher, despite possessing first-round skills, simply because of signability issues. This is sometimes the case with top high school players—Dexter Fowler (14th rd, Colorado) and Mark Trumbo (18th rd, Anahiem) are two prime examples of outstanding talents who dropped to the later rounds because of such concerns.

However, the scouting director Mike Radcliffe and the rest of the team’s front office sought out Waldrop before the draft and worked out a deal with him, allowing the team to take the prep righty with the 25th overall pick and quickly sign him for a $1 million bonus. He quickly proved his mettle down in the Gulf Coast League and in Elizabethton, going 5-2 overall with a 2.14 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP, including just seven walks (an outstanding number for such a young player). Looking back, Waldrop appears to be the steal of the first round.

Because he’s so young, we must temper our excitement at least slightly when it comes to this kid. Dominating the Appalachian League (rookie ball) is one thing—doing well in A or AA is quite another. Even with that being said, I think Waldrop has a good chance of succeeding and making it to the big leagues someday.

I don’t want to drag on too much for one day, so that’s all I’m going to print for today. Be sure and check back tomorrow (Friday) as I round out prospect week by profiling picks #4-6 from last year. I'll also finish off the two-part post with a brief preview of the June 2005 draft. Thanks for stopping by Twins Chatter!

-Ryan Maus
twinsfan21@msn.com

p.s. If you're still looking for more coverage of last summer's draft, be sure and read this piece from Baseball America, published last November.

Twins Chatter’s Top 10 Prospects: Part Two

2005-03-09T01:44:00.000-06:00

Yesterday marked the beginning of prospect week, which I kicked off by naming prospects 6-10 on the Twins Chatter Top 10 prospects list. Today we’ll complete the list, and the choices become a little more controversial (although just a little).

5. Kyle Waldrop - When the Twins drafted Waldrop with the 25th overall pick in last year’s draft, most people (including myself) were very surprised. Because of perceived signability issues, Waldrop was not projected as a very high pick. But Terry Ryan and the Twins’ scouting department did their homework and convinced Waldrop to sign for a fair price (appx. $1 million).

The 19 year-old most definitely did not disappoint in his first pro season. Waldrop displayed amazing poise and control for such a young pitcher at both levels of rookie ball. He posted a 2.14 ERA and walked just seven batters in 63 innings. It looks like the Twins have found another gem where others couldn’t! ETA: 2008

4. Francisco Liriano - When the A.J. Pierzynski trade was announced, Liriano was most definitely the most unknown piece. As it turns out, he may yet prove to be the most valuable. Liriano may not have the raw stats of a Baker or Waldrop, but he has the word “projectable” written all over him. Just 20 years old and in already entering his fifth season of pro ball, Liriano finally dispelled the injury concerns that haunted him in the Giants organization the past few years. He’s a flame-throwing lefty who has actually drawn comparisons to Johan Santana. Sounds like one heck of a pitcher; can’t wait to see him in the Show! ETA: 2007

3. Jason Kubel - Ah, yes. We come to it at last: Jason Kubel, the great unknown. Had I published this list any time between last summer and October 21, Kubel would be a no-brainer at number one. The guy had arguably one of the best minor league seasons in team history, posting a 1.120 OPS at AA and slugging 16 homers with 71 RBIs in just 90 games at AAA. 2004 was the epitome of the “breakout season” for Jason Kubel.

Then came that fateful day in the Arizona Fall League, when Kubel collided with an infielder while trying to make a catch and suffered “a torn anterior cruciate ligament, torn posterior cruciate ligament and torn lateral collateral ligament”—whatever all that means (edit: actually, I do know what an ACL is). In any case, it was some bad [stuff]. Kubel had to have major surgery this winter and will most certainly miss the entire 2005 season. Will he ever be the same player again? Many think that he will make a full recovery, especially given the fact that speed was never a big part of his game. However, you don’t just take a year off and not suffer any consequences. I’m still optimistic that Kubel will turn into the player we all hoped he’d become early last fall, but I’m not entirely sure of myself. ETA: 2006

2. J.D. Durbin - Yes, I know Durbin is having yet another horrible spring, but the fact remains that this guy is very highly regarded prospect. We’ve all heard gobs about his tough demeanor and “makeup” (which coincidentally doesn’t seem to be serving him all that well at the moment) but Durbin’s also got great stuff and throws hard. Plus, he’s proven that he can succeed at every level of the minor leagues. Let’s hope this recent funk is nothing more than a speed bump on the road to greatness. ETA: late 2005

1. Jesse Crain - The Twins are in somewhat of a unique position with their two top “prospects”, Joe Mauer and Jesse Crain. Both played a pretty decent amount in the majors last season, and both experienced considerable success. However, I have chosen to omit Mauer from this list and deny him his “prospect” status (as I’m sure he values my opinion on the subject very much). But Crain is in a little different boat from Mauer. Despite the fact that he was with the team from the trading deadline on, he threw only 27 innings and was used surprisingly little by Gardenhire, which in my mind still makes him somewhat of an unknown.

However that all should change this season. Jesse Crain is now an integral part of what is sure to be on the American League’s best bullpens. He throws absolute gas (95+ mph) and has, as Gardenhire said last spring, a “curveball from hell”. I actually think his best pitch is his slider, but we’re not here to nitpick. Crain is still the best relief prospect in the bigs and is the closest thing to a “sure bet” that exists in the Twins organization today. ETA: 2005

Well, there you have it folks. To recap, here’s the complete list:
10. Trevor Plouffe
9. Adam Harben
8. Jason Bartlett
7. Glen Perkins
6. Scott Baker
5. Kyle Waldrop
4. Francisco Liriano
3. Jason Kubel
2. J.D. Durbin
1. Jesse Crain

As you can see, that list contains an inordinate amount of pitchers (7 in all) and most of them relatively young. That is indeed where the organization’s current strength lies: young pitching. Just you know, that is a very good thing! There are tons of organizations that would love to have the Twins’ surplus of young stud arms, and if Smilin’ Carl decides to open up the checkbook at the trading deadline this year (an annual vain hope in Twins Territory) then we definitely have the chips to bargain with.

Prospect week continues tomorrow with an analysis of the monumental 2004 amateur draft. Until then, take care!

-Ryan M.
twinsfan21@msn.com

Twins Chatter’s Top 10 Prospects List: Part One

2005-03-08T02:50:00.000-06:00

First off, thanks for coming by the site today. I know I have been extremely unreliable of late, but school and some other things have been just kicking my butt recently (I’m speaking in the figurative sense of course, although it wouldn’t surprise me if those words proved prophetic, the way things are going right now). Anyway, last week I promised that prospect week was on its way, and I intend to deliver on that promise.

I’ve been contemplating when to do my top 10 Twins prospects lists for quite some time (the post practically writes itself!) but I just haven’t found the most opportune time yet. But I figured with spring training starting and all (minor leaguers will be reporting next week I think) I thought it was high time I gave it the ol’ college try.

The top five will be released today, while I’ll post the next five tomorrow. More analysis and discussion will also be forthcoming over the next few days, but feel free to post your own thoughts and comments as well below.

Twins’ Top 10 Prospects

10. Trevor Plouffe (SS, drafted 1st round 2004) – The Twins have so many solid prospects that this spot could have gone to any number of players, but I particularly like Plouffe. He’s a bit on the spindly side right now (6’1”, 170 lbs) but has an athletic body that projects well. He experienced moderate success at Elizabethton last year, and it will be interesting to see how he fares during his first full pro season in 2005. ETA: 2008

9. Adam Harben (RHP, 12th rd. 2002) – Harben is a guy that neither I nor most other Twins fans know much about right now, as he’s kind of flown under the radar. But people like John Sickels and Baseball America regard him highly (especially as a sleeper) and his stats are very impressive from Quad Cities—3.09 ERA and 10.8 K/9 IP a year ago. Not too shabby at all. ETA: late 2007/2008

8. Jason Bartlett (SS, acq. in Brian Buchanan trade 2001) – Obviously this is a “prospect” list for a reason, as the major league-ready Bartlett is pretty advanced compared to some of the other guys on this list. I like Bartlett’s chances to be a very solid (if unspectacular) shortstop in the major leagues for quite some time. He should hit well enough to keep a job in the long run (this season notwithstanding) and if his defensive issues can be worked out (and I believe the Twins coaching staff was right to be critical of him last year) he could have a good career ahead of him. ETA: 2005

7. Glen Perkins (LHP, 1st rd. 2004) – For whatever reason, Perkins just hasn’t gotten as much recognition as I would have anticipated coming off a strong first pro season. First of all no major baseball card manufacturers produce a rookie card of the ‘U’ product (which might not strike you as particularly noteworthy, but from someone who knows, believe me—it is odd) and then BA leaves him completely off their top-10 prospects list. Who knows why this is the case, but we do know that Perkins is a very advanced and polished pitcher who probably won’t ever been a #1 starter, but should end up as a very solid lefty for the Twins within the next couple of years. Keep an eye out for a Scott Baker-like rise from Perkins in 2005. ETA:2007

6. Scott Baker (RHP, drafted 2nd rd. 2003) – Baker’s rapid ascension in 2004 was pretty unexpected, but exciting. The 23 year-old pitched at three different levels last season (A, AA, and AAA) and dominated the first two during this rather brief stints. However, he did hit up against reality at Rochester, where his ERA jumped up to almost 5.00 and his strikeout rate dipped significantly. I firmly believe Baker will be ready for the Show after a full season at AAA and could possibly help the team later in 2005 if injuries and/or ineffectiveness become a problem. I get the impression that Baker doesn’t quite have the stuff to dominate the majors like he did the minors last year (which is why he’s sixth on this list instead of like two or three), but there’s still no reason that he shouldn’t be a solid #2-4 starter in the very near future. ETA: mid-to-late 2005

TOMORROW:Prospects #1-5

Cosmetic Upgrades

2005-03-03T01:20:00.000-06:00

In lieu of a new post today, I decided instead to spend my time on a few much-needed cosmetic upgrades for Twins Chatter. Simply put, the site was getting extremely stale. It was a very plain site to begin with, but after 10 months I was getting sick of seeing the same drab lettering over and over.

Overall, I've tried to simplify things a bit. Gone are all the funky, multi-colored lines, and gone is the super long marquee "Twins Chatter: A Better Way for Twins Fans". I assume those of you with older Macs or low-resolution monitors couldn't even fit those words on one line of your screen, let alone the equally tedious blog description below it ("Your source for insightful, thoughtful, and somewhat opinionated Minnesota Twins coverage..."). So they are gone. I know it seems like there is a lot of empty space up there, but that will change within the next few days. I'm in the process of creating a banner that will incorporate our official logo (what you see above) with some photos of Twins players. I'm still a Photoshop novice, but hopefully it will turn out well in the end.

Anyway, the otherwise hardly-noticable changes are the result of a couple hours' work tinkering with my Blogger template. I flirted with the idea of starting from scratch and creating a whole new site using Macromedia Dreamweaver but the complexity of the software and the cost of server space pretty much squashed that idea. It is possible to have a pretty decent looking site using Blogger, so I've decided instead to work with what I have.

I know you all didn't come here today to read my ramblings about the appearance of the site, so I'll provide a little teaser for tomorrow. I've decided that my next string of posts will deal with the Twins minor league system/prospects, which is a topic near and dear to my heart. Baseball America recently finished naming their 100 Top Prospects, and to mark the spirit of the occasion I've decided to follow suit in the coming days. Keep checking back over the course of the next week or so as the series gets started.

-Ryan M.
twinsfan21@msn.com

Nothing Doing

2005-03-02T00:31:00.000-06:00

I absolutely hate to once again disappoint all of you that made the trek to Twins Chatter today, but I simply don't have it in me tonight to write a quality post. My numerous non-blogging activities (newspaper, baseball team, school) have been taking up an insane amount of my time the past two days, and I am completely exhausted.

I was actually at the Metrodome for most of today, where I witnessed the St. Olaf Oles lose their first two games of the season to Wartburg College. They were disappointing losses, to be certain, but my little brother Josh (an infielder on the team) played well in his collegiate debut, which was good to see.

Anyway, I have a few juicy topics cooking on the back burner right now and promise write about one of them for tomorrow. Right now, however, it is time for sleep.

-Ryan M.
twinsfan21@msn.com

Justified Optimism?

2005-02-28T01:09:00.000-06:00

"Hope springs eternal" is how the saying goes, and that certainly seems to be the case this spring, especially when it comes to the Minnesota Twins. There is a sense of optimism sorrounding every team every year during spring training (hey, even the Royals are tied for first right now!) but the Fort Myers seems to be execuding even more positive vibes than normal this time of year.

I bring this topic up today primarily because of this article Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan wrote over the weekend. Souhan's start as a columnist has seen its ups and downs thus far, but he has been at his best when writing about the Twins - with whom he is obviously extremely familiar.

Saturday's column was well written, but my question for you is this: Is Souhan's confidence in this team truly justified? Is this really the "the best Twins team to kill grass at Hammond Stadium since Gene Larkin hit that fateful fly ball in October of '91"? I'd like to think so, but quite honestly, I don't share Souhan's unbridled optimism.

Don't get me wrong: I am a huge fan and supporter of the home team (I have, after all, been writing on this site for the past 10 months). That being said, I simply don't think we should be falling all over ourselves praising this team as one of the best in Twins' history! Will the Twins be good? Yes. Will they make the playoffs again? Yes, I believe so. But is this outcome all but guarenteed? Far from it.

Yes, the Twins led the A.L. with a 4.03 team ERA last year, but isn't very possible that that number could come down to earth in 2005? For every Kyle Lohse and J.C. Romero that underachieved in '04, isn't is also possible that Juan Rincon and Carlos Silva overachieved? I know it isn't Souhan's place to openly question things such as this, but this is a scenario that every Twins fan needs to consider.

Also, who out there can safely assume (which many people are doing) that the Twins offense (ranked 10th in the A.L.) will improve considerably in '05? The Twins have scored 780, 801, and 768 runs the past three seasons respectively, which is a relatively consistent number (a spread of just .2 runs per game). It is widely assumed that no matter who (if anyone) emerges at shortstop will be at least a slight downgrade offensively from Guzman, and it is seems a safe bet to assume that Cuddyer will do no more than match Koskie's production at 3B, if even that. Is it realistic to assume that full seasons of two very young players (Mauer and Morneau) will not only make up that slack, but provide significantly increased production in an otherwise average lineup? Quite frankly, I'm not willing to blindly believe that this will necessarily be the case (although obviously I hope it happens).

I just thought I would throw these thoughts out there on this Monday morning. I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade or anything, but I think it's time we took a step back before we all become drunk with giddiness. The American League Central is going to be a very competitive division this season (perhaps more competitive than it has ever been before), and I think it's important too remember that before everyone starts getting ahead of themselves. As always, if you have any thoughts on the subject feel free to leave a comment below and I'll be sure to respond.

-Ryan Maus
twinsfan21@msn.com

Before you go, I'd like to highlight a couple of excellent links for you today. Longtime Twins Chatter supporter Seth Stohs is featuring an excellent interview with Twins' farmhand (and MN native) Pat Neshek today. Turns out that Neshek runs his own often updated webstite and is an avid autograph collector. I too have a pretty respectable collection of baseball autographs, and some pretty neat stories to go along with many of them! Perhaps sometime I'll share them in this space on a slow news day.

Meanwhile, fellow blogger Stick and Ball Guy is featuring an exclusive report from Fort Myers on his site, which Fort Myers Miracle Gal was kind enough to supply. FMMG also runs a couple of Twins minor league blogs, one about the Miracle and one about the New Britain Rock Cats! I didn't even know these sites existed before today, so you can believe that I will be checking them out often as the beginning of the season approaches.

Bonus Material

2005-02-25T00:55:00.000-06:00

TGIF loyal Twins Chatter readers! I don't have time for a new Twins-related post today, but never fear. As longtime visitors to this site may remember, one activity that demands a fair amount of my time is our humble St. Olaf school newspaper, for which I am a sports editor and writer. Rather than send you back to your home page empty handed, I've decided to reprint my column from this week's issue, entitled "February: the Cruelest Month". It's nothing too special, but if you have the time and/or inclination to read another sports column this Friday, I encourage you to continue on down this page.

Have a great weekend and check back on Monday!

-Ryan M.
twinfan21@msn.com

February: the cruelest month
By Ryan Maus

Of all the months on the calendar, February always seems to get the short end of the stick. It has the fewest number of days, its main holidays are predominantly arbitrary and overly commercialized and it falls during the time of year when winter seems like it may never end.

Even sports wise, February has traditionally been something of a letdown. The Super Bowl, the most over-hyped annual event in the history of the world, is now over. The already-too-long NBA season is dragging along at a snail’s pace, its playoff chase still months away. The Madness that is college basketball’s conference and national tournaments doesn’t commence until March (which, I’ll admit, isn’t necessarily a bad thing – “February Fanaticism” just doesn’t have the same ring to it).

Even the National Hockey League, previously a popular winter diversion for dozens of fans south of the Mason-Dixon Line, gave into greed and officially canceled its season last week. A large percentage of the league’s nine southernmost teams will probably cease to exist by the time its labor problems are solved, which may not happen before the year 2007.

In other news, Canadian pharmacies prepared for a run on the popular antidepressant Prozac, as millions of distraught Canucks mourned the imminent demise of their favorite national pastime.

While February may be a dark and dreary month in more ways than one, hope still exists for the near future. College basketball’s postseason is shaping up to be a classic. Will the still-undefeated Illinois men glide all the way to the Final Four? Can the top-ranked LSU women put an end to UConn’s streak of three straight national championships? Will a recent slide keep the upstart Gopher men out of the NCAA tournament for the sixth consecutive year? All of these questions and more will be answered soon enough – just not during February.

Last week also saw the passing of another annual February landmark: the beginning of Major League Baseball’s spring training. This past offseason was one of the most eventful in baseball history, although not always for the right reasons. Just days the Red Sox put the kabash on their infamous Curse, it was leaked that several current major league baseball players (including superstars Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi) admitted in front of a grand jury to have used illegal steroids. Over the past few months, steroid speculation has been a constant topic in baseball circles, almost overshadowing the numerous high-profile player transactions that have taken place.
The offseason of 2004-05 won’t be remembered as the winter the Yankees traded for Randy Johnson and the Orioles for Sammy Sosa, or even the year that the Mets signed both Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran to extravagant contracts. Instead, it will be remembered as the offseason when the truth about baseball’s dirty little secret was finally revealed.

Fortunately, it seems as though fans are willing to forgive baseball for its previous (and some would argue, current) transgressions. Spring training and regular season ticket sales are up all over the country, as the 2005 season promises to be yet another great one.

So even though the sports landscape currently looks pretty bleak, don’t despair. Pretty soon you’ll be cursing an anonymous shooting guard from some school with three hyphens in its name for ruining your entire bracket, and shortly thereafter the boys of summer will head north and start playing games that actually count.

Instead of being bored to tears this February because there’s absolutely nothing happening, try to think of this month as a speed bump on the road to bigger and better things. In that regard, one of February’s many shortcomings may actually be a positive thing: With just 28 days, the month will be over that much more quickly.

No One Said it Would Be Easy: Part Four

2005-02-24T02:06:00.000-06:00

Today is the day that I will finally finish up my four-part miniseries previewing the Twins’ competition in the American League Central for 2005 (I’ve done the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, and Chicago White Sox already). Today’s will also be the shortest of the series, because, quite frankly, today’s team can hardly be considered a threat to the Twins in their quest for a four-peat.

Today’s Topic:The Kansas City Royals

Key Acquisitions:
Jose Lima (SP, F.A. from LA)
Chris Truby (3B, acq. as F.A)
Terrance Long (OF, acq. via trade with S.D.)
Eli Marrero (OF, acq. from Atl.)

Key Losses:
Darrel May (SP, traded to S.D.)
Joe Randa (3B, signed with Cin.)
Benito Santiago (C, traded to Pitt.)

2004 Season: 58-104, 34 GB Twins

Pre-Spring Training Outlook:
The 2004 season, which began as a hopeful one for the Royals, ended exactly the way many believed it would before the team’s surprising 2003 showing: with Kansas City in last place. The Royals made a valiant effort to improve their team last offseason, but it appears now that 2003 might have been one of the flukiest seasons in recent baseball memory (in case you forgot, the Royals won 83 games that year and led the division until late summer).

This past winter, Royals’ GM Alard Baird harbored no such delusions of grandeur. The Royals are in full-blown rebuilding mode, just as they should be. This is apparent just by glancing at their “Key Acquisitions” from this winter—Jose Lima might only be an upgrade in the rotation for a team that doesn’t expect to win many ballgames. 21-year old wunderkind Zack Greinke is about the only thing this team has going for it right now. Simply put, this guy is amazing. He has outstanding control and can change speeds like a 20-year veteran, and I think the Greg Maddux comparisons are very appropriate in his case. The rest of the Royals’ rotation is decidedly mediocre on a good day, so if you’re going to see Kansas City play the Twins this year, pick a day that Greinke is pitching. You won’t be disappointed.

Kansas City’s offense is also well below average. Mike Sweeney is a force to be reckoned with when healthy, but that has not been the case for quite some time. Matt Stairs had a productive 2004 season but is still no more than a Ron Coomer-type player (circa 1997). Centerfielder David DeJesus has potential, but still needs to show that he can produce offensively over an entire season.

The Royals’ bullpen will also undoubtedly be the worst in the division this year. I like the arm of Jeremy Affeldt, who will enter the season as the de facto closer, but other than him, not one of KC’s projected bullpen arms would even make the roster of the Twins or Indians.

Prediction:
I’ve drawn a little bit of heat for my predictions thus far in the preview series, but of today’s I am fairly confident: the Royals will once again lose 100 games and finish in last place in the Central. Their offense is shoddy, their rotation thin, and bullpen weak. Doesn’t get much worse than that, does it? This team has enough young players where they could potentially get better in the not-so-distant future, but I think there is almost no chance of that happening this year.

No One Said it Would Be Easy: Part Three

2005-02-20T22:57:00.000-06:00

This week I’m going to conclude the series I began a little over a week ago in which we’ll take a quick pre-Spring Training look at the Twins’ competition in the AL Central. Two Fridays ago it was the Detroit Tigers, and last Monday I broke down the Cleveland Indians. Today it’s the team that everybody loves to hate, the Chicago White Sox.

Today’s Topic:The Chicago White Sox

Key Acquisitions:
A.J. Pierzynski (C, F.A. from S.F.)
Luis Vizcaino (RP, acq. via trade w/Mil.)
Jermaine Dye (OF, F.A. from Oak.)
Scott Podsednik (OF, acq. via trade w/Mil.)
Tadahito Iguchi (2B, F.A. from Japan)
Orlando Hernandez (SP, F.A. from NYY)
Dustin Hermanson (RP, F.A. from S.F.)

Key Losses:
Carlos Lee (OF, traded to Mil.)
Magglio Ordonez (OF, signed w/Det.)
Jose Valentin (IF, signed w/L.A.)

2004 Season: 83-79 9 GB Twins

Pre-Spring Training Outlook:
The Pale Hosers from the South Side have been one of the biggest conundrums in baseball the past few years. On paper they’ve always been impressive with plenty of power hitters, an impressive starting rotation, and what should be a solid bullpen. However, each year they find a new way to lose to the Twins.

In 2005 the shoe is on the other foot. The Sox finally realized the sit-back and wait-for-the-three-run-homer approach wasn’t working. So oft-maligned G.M. Kenny Williams used this past off-season to revamp his roster to better reflect the managerial style of Ozzie Guillen. Gone are big boppers Lee, Mags, and Valentin; taking their place are speed-and-contact hitters like Pierzyski, Podsednik, and Iguchi. Dye, with 23 homers in 2004, is arguably the team’s greatest power threat behind Paul Konerko.

Williams also sought to emulate the Twins’ success by building a deep starting rotation. In addition to returnees Mark Buehrle (16-10, 3.89 ERA in 245.1 IP), Freddy Garcia (3.81 ERA), Jon Garland (12-11, 4.89 ERA), and Jose Contreras, the Sox signed Orlando “El Douque” Hernandez to a two-year, $8 million contract. Personally, I think it is foolhardy to give a pitcher pushing 40 (he’s technically listed at 35 years old, although few actually believe that number) 8 million dollars for 15 starts with moderate success. Yet, that is exactly what the ChiSox did. If healthy, El Douque could conceivably stretch his 2004 numbers (3.30 ERA, 8.9K/9IP) but that is a tremendously HUGE “if”. His signing was a big risk for Williams, one that could prove invaluable or could just be a big waste of money.

Despite the latter situation being more likely in the case of Hernandez, this rotation is still pretty decent. Buehrle and Garcia form a very solid 1-2 punch, and Garland could emerge as a respectable number three guy. I’m not very high on Contreras despite his terrific stuff. He has to prove that he can succeed consistently at this level before I give him any credit.

The White Sox bullpen falls under the classic category of “good-but-not-great”. Shingo Takatsu (19 for 20 in save opportunities last year) is the rare closer who gets the job done without an overwhelming fastball. Williams was smart to get Vizcaino in the Carlos Lee trade, as the Dominican flamethrower has an excellent arsenal of pitches. Damaso Marte is also one of the premier bullpen lefties in the league and always pitches well against the Twins. Hermanson had a good year in San Francisco last year, even serving as their closer for a spell, although his upside is limited.

Prediction:

While you have to admire the Sox for realizing their flaws and moving on, this team doesn’t have the players to finish ahead of both the Twins and Indians in the division. While the Twins have been perfecting their “good pitching and small ball” approach for the past four years, the White Sox seem to believe they can simply bring in a motely collection of assorted ballplayers, throw them on the field together, and win. It doesn’t work like that. The White Sox don’t stand out in one particular area, and have neither the offense nor starting pitching to win the Central in ’05. I’m predicting a .500 record and third or fourth place finish in the division.

Next up: the Kansas City Royals

-Ryan Maus
twinsfan21@msn.com

Let the Games Begin!

2005-02-18T00:03:00.000-06:00

Right on cue: just as those misguided millionaires (and billionaires) of the NHL cancel their season, a new dawn begins - the start of the 2005 Major League Baseball season! Okay, so the season hasn't technically "started" yet, but for all intents and purposes, it really has. The first teams reported to spring training ealier this week, and Twins' pitchers and catchers are set to report this upcoming Sunday and Monday. Even though the temperatures are hovering the single digits up here in MN (brrrrr) I can't help but have a little extra spring in my step, just knowing that they're playing baseball outside down in Florida and Arizona. If you're having a crappy day yourself, just think of baseball in the warm weather and I guarentee you'll feel a whole ton better.

Even though the madatory reporting date isn't for a couple of days, it seems many Twins players are already down in camp working out. The Star Tribune jumped the gun in a similar fashion today, as they're featuring a number of different Twins Spring Training preview articles. One discusses Joe Mays heavily, another is a Q and A with Ron Gardenhire, and yet another is a pretty well-written position-by-position preview from LaVelle E. Neal, who I think does an excellent job as a Twins beat writer. He brings up some very interesting material, which will no doubt serve as fodder for some analysis next week here at Twins Chatter.

I'd also like to direct you to this article (by ESPN's Jayson Stark) which brings up some very valid points about the Yankees' new ace, Randy Johnson. I'm a little skeptical that the Big Unit will mesh with the Big Apple, to be quite honest with you. We'll have to see what transpires over the next eight months.

Also, friend of Twins Chatter Stick and Ball Guy continues his very poplular Pepper! feature today. Stadium guru Shane from Greet Machine is featured, and the two have some insightful things to say (despite the word limit!).

That's about all I have time for today at Twins Chatter. I know I've been saying this for a few days now, but I promise to finish up my AL Central Spring Training previews next week. I kinda got sidetracked during the latter part of this past week with homework and the Johan signing, but we'll get back on schedule very soon. Thanks for stopping by the site today and have a great weekend!

-Ryan Maus
twinsfan21@msn.com

No Batta

2005-02-16T00:35:00.000-06:00

Since John and I have written three original posts already this week, we're taking today (Wednesday) off. However, we've got an interesting little discussion going in the comments section of yesterday's post "Four More Years!" if you would like to contribute some thoughts of your own. If anything interesting comes up I will be sure to chime in myself sometime during the day. Be sure and stop by tomorrow as I'll continue my previews of the American League Central Division. Next up: the Chicago White Sox.

-Ryan M.
twinsfan21@msn.com

Four More Years! Four More Years!

2005-02-15T01:25:00.000-06:00

Note: In the spirit of classic Twins Chatter dualism, both John and I have posted our thoughts about yesterday's big signing. Make sure you read John's post as well, located direcly below this one (or click here).

No matter what your political affiliation, this is one return that you have to support.

Yesterday morning, it was announced that the Twins had indeed come to terms with 2004 AL Cy Young award winner Johan Santana on a 4-year, approximately $40 million contract. Johan will receive around $5 million this season, $9 million in 2006, $12 million in 2007 and then $13.25 million in 2008 (according to the Star Tribune).

My initial reaction (which was probably shared by nearly every Twins fan, save one) was that of extreme jubilation. It truly made my day!

This signing was a huge day in Twins history. Some people were criticized the Twins’ front office because they failed to sign Corey Koskie (I don’t consider Guzman much of a loss anymore), but locking Santana up long-term more than makes up for that. This was perhaps the team’s only chance to retain Johan past 2006, because if he has another Cy Young-type season his price may very well skyrocket out of the Twins’ range.

It also signifies an important commitment on the part of Carl Pohlad. I have to admit that I have been pleasantly surprised recently by the amount of money our notoriously stingy owner has allowed Terry Ryan to spend this winter in multi-year contracts. Some decisions have been questionable (i.e. $4 million for the duo of Juan Castro and Mike Redmond through 2006) but $58 million for six seasons of Santana and Brad Radke is most definitely a good deal in today’s market.

Still, 40 million dollars is an awful lot of money. There is no doubt that the Red Sox or Yankees would have happily doled out $15+ million a season for the game’s best starting pitcher in 2007, but for a small market team like the Twins this is the penultimate financial commitment. If Johan performs at the level that we’ve seen the past two seasons (and there is no reason to believe he won’t) then he is worth the money, but there is still a degree of risk involved. The injury bug can strike and strike hard at any time, and such large contracts can severely handicap small market teams (see Mays, Joe).

Despite the risks involved, I still firmly believe this was the right decision on the Twins’ part. I believe there was little chance the team could have retained Santana past 2006 had a deal not been done this winter. The Yankees may actually need an ace by then (as opposed to simply acquiring one for the heck of it), and a $100 million dollar contract may not have been out of the question for a rare talent like Johan. Who knows? Maybe by 2009 circumstances will have changed enough (*cough* new stadium *cough*) and the Twins will be able to keep Santana well into his prime.

In my mind, here is what Monday’s resigning has a few key implications.

1.) The Twins were able to reward their best player with a fair market value contract that will allow them to keep him two years longer than they otherwise would have.

2.) Santana is finally being paid what he is worth ($1.6 million, Johan’s 2004 salary, is verifiable high robbery for a Cy Young award winner this day and age) and gets the added security and stability of a long term deal.

3.) Twins ownership shows that they are willing to spend money liberally on an irreplaceable commodity that is absolutely essential to the franchise’s continued success.

4.) Have I mentioned this one enough yet? Baseball’s best pitcher will take the mound for the Twins every five days until the end of the Bush administration!

Unlike many politicians, I have no doubt this is one candidate who will actually live up to all his promises.

-Ryan Maus
twinsfan21@msn.com

No matter what your opinion of the guy on the right, the reelection of this leftie was a major coup for fans in Twins Territory.

A Winning Message

2005-02-14T22:21:00.000-06:00

I have never been big on Valentines Day. It always seems like my relationships come and go around it leaving me without any obligations. I’m not much of a romantic and I wouldn’t know the difference between an expensive wine and the $2 berry stuff. This year the holiday has taken on a different meaning. A day the Twins lock up Johan Santana for 4 years is better than any box of chocolates, pretty flowers or even a hot date.

It is not about the money or even the great pitcher in the American League last season. This deal is about the Twins showing a commitment to winning in the years to come. Many people point to Brad Radke’s deal as the turning point turning this team from a perennial loser into 3-time division champs. This deal is what is going to take this team from playoff pretender to contender.

Not signing Santana would have meant any bump in the road could have been the end. The distraction of contract negotiations would have carried into this season and the next, leaving the team one long losing streak away from rampant trade speculation and thoughts of rebuilding. Starting this summer teams would be calling everyday, at first just to gauge Santana’s availability. Next winter he would have been a hotter commodity than both Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder this past off-season.

The Twins did take a risk in signing Santana to a multi-year deal. Everyone remembers what happened with Joe Mays. Santana is a special talent who has never had a serious injury. His career numbers have improved every year and he is entering the prime of his career. In two years Santana could have easily become the highest paid pitcher in history. If Pedro Martinez, past his prime, is worth $13 million and Kevin Brown is making 17, some team would certainly be willing to break the bank for Cytana.

The way Santana pitched last year it is unimaginable that he would grow comfortable now that he is locked up. He is a fierce competitor that will continue to toy with hitters while giving the Twins a great chance to win every 5th day. There are only a handful of pitchers of his caliber in baseball and for the Twins to have one goes a long way towards fulfilling their championship aspirations.

Valentines has always been a prelude to spring training. Its ties to baseball appear to be hard to see but this year “Be Mine” had a special meaning.

Twins Sign Santana Long-Term!!

2005-02-14T12:14:00.000-06:00

This just in: the Twins and Johan Santana have reportedly agreed to a 4-year deal worth approximately $40 million! This means that Santana is signed through his arbitration years ('05 and '06) as well as his first two seasons of potential free agency. This contract commemorates what is a monumental day in Twins history, and one that I will discuss in length tomorrow (the Central previews will be pushed back a day or so; you can find the Cleveland Indians' preview directly below this post).

Remember, you heard the news first at Twins Chatter! :)

-Ryan M.
twinsfan21@msn.com

Special thanks to Seth for the heads up!

No One Said It Would Be Easy: Part Two

2005-02-14T11:37:00.000-06:00

Over the next few days I’m going to continue the series I began last week in which we’ll take a quick pre-Spring Training look at the Twins’ competition in the AL Central. Last Friday it was the Detroit Tigers, and today it will be none other than this year's chic pick in the division, the Cleveland Indians.

Today’s Topic:The Cleveland Indians

Key Acquisitions:
Kevin Millwood (SP, FA from Philadelphia)
Arthur Rhodes (RP, acq. via trade)
Juan Gonzalez (OF, FA from KC)
Aaron Boone (3B, signed last year from NYY)
Alex Cora (IF, FA from LA)
Jose Hernandez (IF, FA from LA)

Key Losses:
Omar Vizquel (SS, went to SF as FA)

2004 Season: 80-82, 12 GB Twins

Pre-Spring Training Outlook:
Most people believe that the up-and-coming Indians will be the biggest obstacle for the Twins in their quest for a fourth straight division title, and after looking at this team on paper (while keeping in mind the scare they gave us back in August) I have to agree with those people. This is a very formidable team in nearly every aspect of the game. The Twins have never looked all that impressive on paper (Terry Ryan usually admits this, even without prompting) but the Indians seem to have all the pieces in place: a great offense, a deep bullpen, a solid bench, and a potentially good rotation. However, division championships are won on the field, not on paper. I know that’s a rather hackneyed expression (you’re probably groaning about now), but it still rings true.

This Indians offense has the potential to challenge New York for the best in the American League. Victor Martinez had a breakout season at catcher last year and should repeat that production again in 2005. North Dakota native Travis Hafner is one of the best young hitters in the majors and could emerge as a superstar. The lineup contains several other solid producers, most of who’s names happen to start with the letter “B” (Broussard, Belliard, Boone, and Blake). Even if all these players don’t fulfill expectations, the Indians will still score a lot of runs (quite a few more than the Twins, to be certain).

But as the Indians of the mid-to-late ‘90s proved by not winning a WS title, good pitching will almost always beat good hitting when it really counts. The Tribe’s bullpen is relatively unspectacular (no mind-bogglingly amazing Joe Nathan-like numbers here) but very deep. Rhodes is a nice addition from the left side, and should rebound from a sub-par 2004 campaign by going back to his old role. Righties Shuey, Raphael Bentacourt, Bobby Howry, David Riske, and Bob Wickman also compare favorably with the Twins’ own quartet of Nathan, Rincon, Balfour, and Crain.

However, starting pitching might be the area that separates these two Central contenders. C.C. Sabathia is quite possibly one of the most physically gifted pitchers in the game, but he regressed a bit last year with a low strikeout rate and a 4.12 ERA. I imagine he will rebound at least somewhat, but he’s definitely no Johan Santana. The Tribe also signed Millwood to help out the front of their rotation. Experts always seem to expect big things from Millwood, but you have to realize that there’s a reason he had to sign with the Indians for one year and “only” $3.5 million. Millwood’s injury and performance woes over the past couple of seasons make him anything but a sure thing. Third starter Jake Westbrook had one of the most improbable seasons in the majors last year (215 innings with just a 3.38 ERA) and was truly 2004’s Estaban Loaiza. Can he do it again or will we see a Loaiza-like crash down to earth in 2005? I’d lean more towards the latter, but realistically we’ll probably see something between the two. The Indians’ potential fourth and fifth starters (Cliff Lee and Scott Elarton) are nothing to write home about, although don’t be surprised if Lee has a breakout season.

Prediction:
Like the Tigers, starting pitching is the greatest weakness of this Indians team. But unlike the Tigers, the Indians experienced a taste of actual success last season and proved that they don’t merely look good on paper. I admit that I am not exactly a non-partisan observer (this site is, after all, called Twins Chatter for a reason) but I’m not quite ready to anoint the Indians as the successors to the AL Central crown. They will take another step this season, but their rotation and inexperience will enable the Twins to take the division once more. I’m predicting 85-88 wins and a second place finish for the Tribe in ’05.

Tomorrow/Wendesday’s topic: the Chicago White Sox

-Ryan M.
twinsfan21@msn.com

No One Said It Would Be Easy: Part One

2005-02-11T01:39:00.000-06:00

Here at Twins Chatter we usually focus our efforts primarily on everyone’s favorite hometown nine, the Minnesota Twins. However, the Twins obviously wouldn’t be the three-time reigning Central Division Champions if there weren’t four other teams to beat up on! The rest of the division has been pretty active overall this off-season, with three teams (Cleveland, Chicago, and Detroit) positioning themselves to challenge for the 2005 crown. Today I’ll be starting a four-part series in which we’ll take a brief look at the competition in the AL Central before the beginning of spring training.

Today’s Topic:The Detroit Tigers

Key Acquisitions:
Troy Percival (CL, free agent)
Magglio Ordonez (OF, free agent)
Kyle Farnsworth (RP, trade w/Cubs)

Key Losses:
None

Pre-Spring Training Outlook:
In my mind, I compare the Tigers to one of those pick-up basketball players who talks big, but really doesn’t have the game to back it up. Detroit has made waves the past two off-seasons by doling out exorbitant multi-year contracts to high-profile/high-risk free agents. They did it last winter with Ivan Rodriguez and did it this year by committing $91 million to injury-prone former superstars Troy Percival and Magglio Ordonez.

However, even though I may not agree with their costly methods, I have to admit that Detroit will debut a pretty formidable lineup in 2005. Speedster Alex Sanchez will be followed by All-Stars Carlos Guillen (who had a tremendous 2004 season), Rodriguez, and Ordonez. Back that up with the likes of Dmitri Young (16 HRs, 60 RBIs in 104 games last season), a revitalized Rondell White, and young slugger Carlos Pena (27 HRs in ’04), and you are looking at a lineup that should average well over 5 runs a game.

Unfortunately, five runs a game won’t do you too much good if your pitching staff gives up six. For all the money they’ve spent the past two years, the Tigers still haven’t addressed one of their most pressing needs from a year ago: starting pitching. While Jeremy Bonderman (4.89 ERA, 168 Ks in 184 IP) certainly has the stuff to be a number one starter, the rest of this staff is thoroughly mediocre. Lefties Mike Maroth and Nate Robertson are serviceable pitchers but would each be #4 or #5 guys on a true contender. The signing of Jason Johnson last winter was (predictably enough) a less-than-brilliant move by GM Dave Dombrowski, as I will be surprised if he posts an ERA under 5.00 this season. 6-4 lefthander and former Rule-5 pick Will Ledezma is an intriguing possibility (much like the Royals’ Jeremy Affeldt) but I’m not sure how much of an impact he’ll have this season.

The Tigers’ bullpen, another sore spot for the Tigers a year ago, should be improved with the additions of Percival and Farnsworth. However, neither one of those guys is a “sure thing.” Percival is clearly on the downside of his career and could break down at any time, although he still dominates the Twins. No one can deny that Farnsworth is immensely talented, but even a change of scenery may not be enough to eliminate his sometimes maddening inconsistency. Returnees Estaban Yan, Ugie Urbina, and Jamie Walker help fill out a bullpen that, barring numerous disappointments, should actually be one of the better units in the division.

Prediction:
The Tigers took out the checkbook last winter and were rewarded with a 29-game improvement from their dreadful 2003 campaign. Yet, the fact remains that the team still lost 90 games and was never a true threat to win the division. If everything goes right (Percival stays healthy, Mags reverts to his pre-injury self, two or more starters emerge) the Tigers could battle for a playoff spot until late in the season. However, seldom (if ever) does everything go according to plan in baseball. I predict that the Tigers’ starting pitching still holds them back despite a potent offense, good enough for a .500 record and third place in the Central.

Next week we’ll review the other three teams in the division, starting with the Cleveland Indians on Monday. Be sure and stop by Twins Chatter then also. In the meantime, have a great weekend everyone!

-Ryan M.
twinsfan21@msn.com

Down for the Count

2005-02-10T01:06:00.000-06:00

The new semester recently started for me here at school, and it's going to take me a little while to find a routine in which I can craft some new Twins-related entries. That means I'm going have to phone it in today (unfortunately). I'm reprinting a post I put up just after last season ended in which I took a brief look back at 2004 month-by-month. Not my greatest work, but it's still a good read. Hopefully tomorrow I'll find some time to get up something new.

-RM

"Waxing Poetically"(October 13, 2004)

Well, it’s now official. I have moved on from last week’s disappointment(s) and have accepted the fact that the long, dark, cold Minnesota winter is well on its way. However, let us not so easily forget those joyous times of spring and summer, when we basked in the light of our favorite hometown nine. Let us push aside thoughts of impending doom and instead relive the glorious moments of our (relative) youth. Let us look back at the highlights from the 2004 Minnesota Twins.

April
Ah, April. What a month that was. No one knew how the new-look Twins would respond to the rigors of major league competition. Would the bullpen fall apart? Would the rotation crumble? Shannon Stewart made us forget all those questions with one swing of the bat on Opening Day. His three-run homer in the 11th inning led the Twins to a 7-4 victory that night. Man, what a game! You simply had to be there in person.

The Twins jumped out to a 15-7 record in April, which was due in large part to the efforts of two men: “Sweet” Lew Ford and Carlos Silva. Ford (who, in case you didn’t know, was named Official Player of Twins Chatter on April 23) was simply amazing: despite starting the year at AAA he hit .419 with 17 RBIs and a 1.181 OPS in April. Silva was almost as good, going 4-0 with a 4.02 ERA in the month. Even Henry “Babe” Blanco and Jose Offerman got into the act! April truly was an improbable month, as the Twins finished at the top of the league in hitting yet almost dead last in pitching. Looking back, it seems like a lifetime ago!

May
May was a month of ups and downs. The Twins would temporarily relinquish their division lead to the White Sox, although it would never get too far out of reach. Since we are indeed “waxing poetically”, I’ll focus more on the positive moments for now. Who could forget Matty LeCroy’s amazing ninth inning, two-out, pinch-hit, game-winning grand slam in Toronto on May 19? I doubt many of you saw the play live since it happened at about two in the afternoon, but it was a moment I will never forget. That at-bat simply could not have been scripted any better. May might have been a rather forgettable month for the Twins in general (Johan pitching like crap, numerous losing streaks) there is always a light to be found even in the darkest of places.

June
June may not have been the best of months for the team (the Twins posted a 16-14 record) but it was one of many memorable moments. Remember the day Jose “Awfulman” became, well, just regular Jose “Offermann”? It was June 10. It seemed the Twins were on the verge of wasting yet another strong pitching performance, this one by Kyle Lohse, when Offerman pinch-hit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. LeCroy, of all people, was the runner on first. I remember watching almost in a state of shock when Offerman somehow redirected a 97-mph fastball from Mets closer Braden Looper to the leftcenter gap. Amazingly, LeCroy somehow made it all the way around the bases on that double, and with a little help from CF Mike Cameron, the Twins were able to tie the game. In the 15th inning of that same game, Mike Ryan’s strange infield single would send the Twins faithful home happy. What a game!

June could also be known as the “Month of Joe”, as it was the only full month Twins fans got to see their favorite hometown prodigy, Joe Mauer. One thing was for certain: Joe did not disappoint. He hit his first major league homer on June 6, a mammoth three-run go-ahead shot in the 8th inning, was almost cause for celebration in the Twin Cities. Joe hit four more homers that month and had 11 RBIs, definitely establishing himself as one of the team’s best all-around players. We may have only had a month and a half of Mauer (he didn’t play after July 15) but it gave us a sneak peak at what’s in store for 2005.

Towards the end of June, we also saw a rediscovery of sorts from a guy named Johan Santana. Little did we know what lay in store over the coming months…

July
If June was the “Month of Joe”, then July 2004 must heretofore be known as the “Month of Johan”. Simply put, Santana was utterly brilliant. The Twins’ offense was still in the throes of the “sucking time” (according to Batgirl) but Johan did everything but suck. He allowed only 14(!) hits and 6(!) earned runs in 46 innings that month, which is nothing short of Orel Hershiser mind-boggling. He won only three of six starts, but posted a 1.17. We all remember that the Yankees got nine hits off Johan the other day, but back in July, teams simply did not get hits off Santana! Teams considered themselves lucky if they scraped together three hits and a run during a Santana start! August and September were also great months for the soon-to-be Cy Young (he won the AL Pitcher of the Month award all three times) but July was when the best was at his best.

July was a time of brilliance on field for the Twins (the team won 10 of 12 to close out the month) but it was a time of controversy off the field. Doug Mientkiewicz had struggled with injuries somewhat in the first half, and when he came off the D.L. in mid-July, the Twins had a decision to make. Doug most assuredly did not play well in the first half, hitting .238 with only 5 homers and 23 RBIs in 281 at-bats. His replacement, Justin Morneau, had become the Twins’ most legitimate power threat and had to play every day. The news of Dougie Baseball’s “impending” trade broke a week early (I waxed poetically then also), and eventually, he was shipped to Boston. In his last weeks as a Twin, Mientkiewicz had become a loudmouth in the media and a distraction in the clubhouse. It was time to move on, even though it didn’t happen on the best of terms.

August
August 2004 will forever remembered for that one shining moment: Corey Koskie watching his 10th inning 2-run homer sail over the rightfield fence on August 15. Looking back, it truly was the swing that saved a season (the infamous broken chair deserves a little credit too). But just how did the Twins end up in such a situation? After tearing through the league with a red-hot 13 of 15 stretch in late July and early August, the Twins promptly went into one of their patented funks. During this time, the Indians happened to be playing their best baseball of the season. The Twins rolled into Cleveland for a key three-game series and were pounded into the ground twice. Koskie’s homer allowed the Twins to leave Cleveland with their dignity and first-place intact, and they would never look back. A Metrodome sweep of the Tribe the very next weekend essentially eliminated them from contention, and it was only a matter of time before the West (err, I mean Central) would be won.

Quick side note: I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the extremely entertaining series the Twins played with the Yankees in mid-July, taking two of three in convincing fashion. That success may not have translated into October, but it did make clear the fact that this Minnesota Twins team was for real.

September
Compared to the rest of the year, September was a rather uneventful month for our Twins. The collective August collapses of Cleveland and Chicago made a third straight division crown all but a certainty, but the Twins continued to pour it on (and I’m not talking about that giant milk bottle in right field). The Twins won 13 of their first 15 games in September, including nine in a row at one point. They would finally clinch (in Chicago, no less) on September 20. We also got to see plenty of up-and-coming Twins last month, the most notable being Terry Tiffee and Jason Kubel. Terry Ryan’s magic touch seems to know no bounds, as both players were impressive in their debuts and should contribute in 2005 as well.

Well, there you have it: your 2004 Minnesota Twins month by month. Today’s entry deviated slightly from my usual, but as always, it was fun to write. Because of the way the season ended, it’s easy to forget all the good times we experienced over the previous six months. It was one helluva ride. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to do it all over again next year.

-Ryan Maus
twinsfan21@msn.com

Two Juicy Nuggets

2005-02-07T23:28:00.000-06:00

I don't have quite enough to craft an original post today, but we do have a little treat for you on this Tuesday morning. I perusing the internet this afternoon, in search of interesting new baseball material (never a sure thing, considering it is the seventh of February). Lo and behold, when I made it to ESPN.com, who did I immediately see but a picture of our very own Torii Hunter, crashing into the wall! Turns out the national media put out two (2) brand-new articles about the Minnesota Twins today, which is probably two more than have been written in the past two months combined.

The first article, which a part of the ESPN baseball page's "Hot Stove Heater" series, highlights Hunter as the best in the league at making the over-the-wall catch. It is written by Sean McAdam and I highly recommend it.

The other article available exclusively to ESPN Insider suscribers, but in yet another Twins Chatter exclusive, I have decided to save you all the $5 monthly subscription and post the part of the article that pertains to the Twins below. I think Jerry Cransick is an excellent writer and I thoroughly enjoy reading him at ESPN and in Baseball America. Enjoy today's little tidbit, and check back tomorrow when we'll have something new and original up.

Twins don't need big bucks to win
By Jerry Crasnick
ESPN Insider

Twins general manager Terry Ryan was on his way to a winter caravan stop in Rochester, Minnesota, on Thursday, and the sun was shining and the temperature was approaching 38 degrees. Or as they refer to it in the Gopher State, "swimsuit weather.''

"I wouldn't be surprised if I see people out golfing today," Ryan said from his mobile phone.

With two weeks left until pitchers and catchers report, the forecast for Ryan's team is partly cloudy with a chance of finishing first. After the Twins' third straight 90-win season and American League Central title, Ryan embarked on the standard offseason task of stretching his small-market dollars. The Twins signed Brad Radke to a two-year, $18 million deal – a contract generally regarded as a good investment given the inflated market for starters – and brought back outfielder Jacque Jones for one year and $5 million.

But the offseason also produced some new causes for concern in Minnesota. Elite outfield prospect Jason Kubel blew out his knee while playing in the Arizona Fall League and probably will miss the entire 2005 season. Ryan also had to revamp the left side of his infield when Corey Koskie left for Toronto and Cristian Guzman signed a four-year deal with Washington.

As Ryan prepares to stow the parka and haul his short-sleeve shirts out of his closet, here are four items he'll be monitoring closely in Fort Myers:

The new left side. Michael Cuddyer moves from second to third base to replace Koskie, and manager Ron Gardenhire will give Juan Castro, Nick Punto, Augie Ojeda and rookie Jason Bartlett a chance to compete for the starting shortstop job. "It's wide open,'' Ryan said. "We're going to let the best man emerge out of that group and see who takes the job.''

In reality, the Twins want Bartlett to assert himself and win the job outright. They like Punto as a utility guy, and a Castro-Luis Rivas double-play combination would be an offensive black hole. Bartlett, acquired from San Diego for Brian Buchanan in a steal of a trade three years ago, is capable defensively and had a .415 on-base percentage with Triple-A Rochester last season. The Twins think he can handle the position. They just don't want to put extra pressure on him by anointing him the starter in early February.

Who is healing well? Catcher Joe Mauer is ready to go after missing all but 35 games with a knee injury last season, and Joe Mays will compete for the No. 5 starting job now that he's 17 months removed from Tommy John surgery. Although Shannon Stewart is supposedly healthy, the Twins will be watching to make sure he's recovered from the plantar fasciitis in his right heel that hobbled him for much of last season.

Comebacks. The Twins are counting on better performances from two players who didn't contribute much in 2004. Rivas, a bad on-base guy even at his best, hit a new low last year with a .283 OBP. And Kyle Lohse had a season to forget. His strikeouts dropped, his walks increased, and the league batted .305 against him. Of the 86 starters who qualified in ESPN rankings, only four – Sidney Ponson, Darrell May, the Twins' Carlos Silva and Brian Anderson – got whacked around for a higher batting average.

Contract talks. The Twins are discussing a long-term deal with Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana, who is eligible for free agency after the 2006 season. Although Ryan would prefer that talks don't drag into April and beyond, he's keeping an open mind. The Twins signed Radke to a four-year, $36 million extension in July 2000.

"I'm not thrilled with doing it that way, just like everybody else isn't thrilled with it,'' Ryan said. "It can become a distraction. But I'm always flexible. If it makes sense for all parties, I'll give it consideration. If it doesn't, we'll shut it down.''

Can the Twins' pitchers match their performance of 2004, when they led the league with a 4.03 ERA? That'll be difficult. But the bullpen is good, they always catch the ball, and they might improve on their status as the 10th best scoring team in the league if Mauer and Justin Morneau have breakout years. The Twins are even taking a change-of-scenery flyer on former first-round draft pick Eric Munson, who washed out in Detroit.

"We've got work to do, but I think we're going to be OK,'' Ryan said.

They usually are.

Into the Swing of Things: Part Two

2005-02-04T01:22:00.000-06:00

I’m glad so many people were able to read Part One of this post earlier this week, as it seems like it was well received. I’ve always found that both athletes and management are much more open at events when they know there won’t be any media members present. Next year I’ll be sure to take even better notes.

Like I said the other day, I rounded out my Twins-tastic Saturday with a trip up to Twins Fest in the afternoon. It wasn’t nearly as eventful as the morning’s informative Q and A session, but it was still worthwhile.

Saturday afternoon: 2 p.m.

I always feel a little strange when I say “back in the day” or some other phrase with equally “reminiscent” connotations (especially given the fact that I’m not old myself), but when I speak about the history of Twins Fest I am probably justified in using such words. Twins Fest has always been one of my favorite events of the year. I have attended nearly year since 1996 or 1997, which is a long time ago for me.

Believe me, I am absolutely giddy that we have a championship-caliber ballclub here in Minnesota again. Twins baseball during the Dark Years was pretty painful to watch, and it is difficult to complain about three (soon to be four) consecutive division championships. Yet, winning does have its downsides, and one of those downsides happens to be Twins Fest.

You didn’t always have to struggle through the crowds in order to accomplish anything at the winter’s premier baseball event. I fondly remember the days when John and I could simply walk up to Twins “stars” like Joe Mays, Ron Coomer, and even Jacque Jones and engage them in conversation or ask for an autograph. One year, John and I were simply standing and watching a Q and A session at the Channel 9 booth when we noticed that everyone on stage was looking straight at us. I turned my head and Coomer had snuck up behind us and was raising his hand, “itching” to ask the player on stage a question.

Another time, I saw Brad Radke simply standing in the middle of the field, talking to someone. Here was the team’s best player, who had won 20 games just a year earlier, standing among his team’s most diehard fans, and no one recognized him! Obviously I did, and quickly procured an autograph for my collection, but still, it just goes to show you how far the Twins’ fan base has come in just a few short years. Nowadays, each player is shuffled by a cadre of security personnel from appearance to appearance. Free autographs from marquee players are difficult to come by, and I don’t even try anymore.

But enough about the old days. Even though I wasn’t able to expand upon my impressive collection of Twins signatures this year, I enjoyed my time at Twins Fest this weekend. It’s tough to actually get close to the players anymore, but it’s still neat to see them up close. I listened to Johan talk on the radio about an assortment of topics, including his newfound celebrity in Venezuela. As you saw in the pictures I posted up the other day, I also visited some of the various attractions on display, such as Paul Molitor’s Hall of Fame plaque and the stadium model.

As the event has grown in prestige, one thing that has most definitely improved by leaps and bounds is the baseball card and memorabilia show. I am no longer a hardcore collector (as I was when I was younger) but I pay a little attention to the hobby, mainly focusing my energies (and limited expendable income) on acquiring Twins prospect rookie cards and autographs. This year I decided to focus on the 2004 draft: prospects Trevor Plouffe, Kyle Waldrop, Jay Rainville, and Anthony Swarzak (Glen Perkins doesn’t have any cards out yet for some odd reason). I was able to find autographed rookie cards of Plouffe, Waldrop, and Swarzak at reasonable prices, and also picked up one of 2003 draftee Matt Moses. Minnesota doesn’t host too many sports cards shows every year, let alone one that focuses on Twins baseball. Even eBay can’t compete with the selection that was available on the Metrodome floor last weekend.

Well, I stretched it out over a week, but I’ve finally wrapped up my description of my season-opening experiences last Saturday. Hopefully I haven’t bored you too much! Have a good weekend and I’ll be back early next week sometime.

-Ryan M.
twinsfan21@msn.com

Back into the Swing of Things: Part One

2005-02-01T01:51:00.000-06:00

For many Twins fans, winter is simply a reality. Here in the Upper Midwest, many of us not particularly enjoy winter, but we accept it and get through the cold weather and snow just fine (even when it does overstay its welcome). For me, one of the worst aspects of the longest of our two seasons (the other one being, obviously, roadh construction) is the lack of baseball.

Sure, things aren’t so bad in November and December, what with the Hot Stove League and all, but by the time January rolls around, I start to go a little stir crazy. That is why this past weekend could not have come soon enough. I dedicated my entire Saturday to my favorite pastime, and since I have this forum available to me, I thought I’d share with you a few of the more interesting points from my day. I don’t think I’ll get through it all tonight, so this might be a two-part post. However, the best stuff definitely came Saturday morning.

Saturday Morning: 11 a.m.

Every year before the start of the new season, St. Olaf College (my school) hosts a baseball coaches clinic. Every year, the biggest speaker is none other than Twins general manager Terry Ryan. Longtime St. Olaf baseball coach Jim Dimick (any of you are familiar with MIAC baseball may know who I’m talking about) has been friends with Terry since his scouting days, and ever since he became G.M. Terry has been kind enough to make the short trip south to speak at our clinic. He brings a current player with him most of the time and speaks for about 30-45 minutes about baseball, the state of the game, and of course, the Twins. We’ve had just about every notable Twin come at one point or another: Torii, Koskie, Dougie, LeCroy, Pierzynski, and a few more I can’t remember. Last year he brought local boy Michael Restovich, and in a pleasant surprise, this year’s guest was Jacque Jones.

What makes this appearance so great every year is T.R.’s frankness. We all know that he is much more open about things with the public than most other baseball officials already, but in front of that relatively small audience of baseball coaches, I’ve found that Ryan always seems to “tell it like it is”. This isn’t an audience of clueless (albeit well-meaning) fans who think if you “hit and run” it constitutes a federal crime; these are mostly high school and college baseball coaches who have been around the game extensively for years and years. Stupid questions are not asked, and it’s pretty much guaranteed that even if the discussion becomes relatively complex, people are going to understand what is going on.

Terry started this year by going over a few things from JJ’s bio: some of his notable stats, his path to the big leagues (including the 1996 Olympics), and his performance the last couple of years. As he usually says when asked about Jacque’s contract situation, Terry said that he wasn’t the one starting the rumor of Jacque’s imminent departure. “Jacque, how come every time I pick up the paper Charley Walters has got you traded?” he asked (rhetorically, obviously), which garnered a few chuckles from the audience. “As long as you want me back I’ll be back,” said a smiling Jones in reply, which also drew some laughs.

Jacque also talked about losing his dad during last year’s playoffs. Jacque talked about how he had told his grandmother that he would call her the morning that she passed away (a few years ago) and was disappointed that he wasn’t able to talk to her one last time. He said he almost made the same mistake with his father the day before he passed, but instead turned around and picked up the phone before the team’s last game of the regular season and was able to speak with his dad one last time. He also said how much he appreciated the support of his teammates during that difficult time.

Terry made a point of talking about the unique bond the Twins continue to share, despite the fact that they have lost so many players over the past few years. “It’s odd that this club can stay together and continue to win,” he said. “Some of the reasons are that we have the types of guys like Jacque and Torii—guys with such great character. We certainly have the right manager and the right type of makeup, because on paper we aren’t the greatest team.”

Interestingly, the next topic was none other than steroids and the recently passed crackdown plan. “I was talking to Matt Lawton about this a couple weeks ago,” Jacque said. “We went over how guys kinda frowned on our numbers back when I used to hit 21 homers, he would hit 23, Corey would hit 24, but right now, we both feel pretty good about those numbers,” which coming out of the 5-10 Jones’ mouth was pretty funny I have to admit. “I think we’ll start to see things even just a hair” said Ryan.

A previous presenter had used a video of Randy Johnson to demonstrate something, and when Terry asked Jacque what he thought of the Yankees’ newest acquisition, Jacque responded “I think I might have to use a couple more sick days this year,” which was pretty dang funny too.

After briefly going over the AL Central and some of the other AL competition for the upcoming year, Terry brought up the fact that Jacque’s favorite park is actually pitcher-friendly Saefco Field in Seattle while he has hit just .209 in Camden Yards, a hitter’s haven. Jacque also made a couple nice points about how Tony Gywnn has helped him as a hitter by helping him simplify things. I can’t emphasize this enough for all you baseball coaches out there: keep things simple, even if you’re coaching at a higher level. No athlete performs at his/her best when they have too many things to think about.

Many Twins fans (including myself at times) are sometimes critical of Jones because of the fact that he is such a free-swinger. When asked why that was, Jones responded “It’s what got me here. I’ve always been that way and it’s who I am as a hitter.”

Jacque talked about how he was a mere 145 lbs. in 10th grade, which is a far cry from many of the behemoths we see in the league today. “I’m always amazed at how far you can hit a ball the opposite way,” said Terry. “So am I,” JJ replied, to the delight of the crowd.

“You’re going to be one of the few major leaguers that plays long enough to see free agency,” said Ryan to Jacque, “and you’re going to get there after this year. You’ll have all the freedom you could desire, which isn’t good for me.” That quote really brought home how highly Terry and the Twins’ front office thinks of Jacque. He has his weaknesses, but when you can keep a productive player (and great guy) like him around at a realistic price, it’s not difficult to see why the Twins re-signed him.

Speaking about his 2005 team, T.R. said “We’re in good shape and we have a lot of confidence in this club, even with the loss of Koskie and Guzman. With Morneau, a healthy Mauer, Stewart, and guys like Lew and Jacque and Torii we should have a pretty balanced offense. We brought back the entire pitching staff, and for the first time most people are looking at us as the favorites in the division.”

Then Terry opened up the floor for questions from the audience. A great number of topics were discussed, including Mauer’s health (obviously), Joe Mays, the incredible power of Justin Morneau, Jacque’s contract situation (and the role that agents play in the entire contractual process), among a great many other things. My digital voice recorder ran out of space about that time (curse it’s difficult-to-understand controls!) so I can’t exactly recount all that was said in this space.

However, I made it my prerogative to get my hard-hitting question in (as I do most years) and asked Terry about his confidence in the left side of the team’s infield, most notably Cuddyer’s defense at third and the shortstop race. Ryan was very upbeat about Cuddyer, praising his “coachability” (a quality that the audience obviously held in high regard), work ethic, and strong throwing arm. In the end, though, it all comes down to the fact that the team needs to get Cuddy’s bat into the lineup on an everyday basis, which is something we’ve all known for a while.

As for the shortstop sweepstakes, Ryan didn’t say anything too earth-shattering, probably because he doesn’t know that much more than we do right now. This was before the whole Punto-madness began, and T.R. said that it is pretty much a three horse race between Bartlett, Castro, and Punto. I get the feeling that the winner may actually be decided in spring training, which is something that hasn’t happened on this team for quite a while now (in terms of a position spot being won during the spring) perhaps dating back to the Mohr-Cuddyer-Kielty days.

Whew! I have typed quite enough for one day, and I congratulate you for reading this far down the page! It must have taken you quite a while, so now feel free to go about the rest of your day. I’ll probably leave this post up tomorrow before writing Part Two on Wednesday or Thursday. It will contain a few more thoughts/reactions from Twins Fest ’05. If you have any reactions of your own from the event, feel free to e-mail them to me and I will post them along with my own when I write that entry. Until then, so long!

-Ryan M.
twinsfan21@msn.com

The Sights of Twins Fest 2005

2005-01-31T01:14:00.000-06:00

As I stated last week, I attended Twins Fest for probably the eighth or ninth consecutive year this weekend, and as always, it was a blast! I used to go for the autographs and unmatched access to the players, but ever since the team became competitive a few years ago, that has pretty much been impossible. Now I just go to for the baseball card show (which is still outstanding) and just to take in the sights and sounds. And yes, I do like getting all that free stuff. :)

Anyway, I snapped a few pictures this year for those of you who couldn't make it this year. Batgirl posted a few snapshots of her own, so hopefully between the two of us you'll see enough to help get you in a baseball frame of mind, even though it's just January. Tomorrow I'll be back with some thoughts and reactions from my Twins-centric weekend. In the meantime, enjoy the show!

-RM
(p.s. Sorry about the white space... I don't know what's causing it)


The crowds were huge this year, especially on Saturday when over 12,000 people were in attendance.

Johan Santana was truly the star of the show this year. Here you see him signing some 'graphs and talking on WCCO radio with Rita Maloney and John Gordon (right).

It was great to see this get-well card for Bob Casey. I don't know if Twins baseball would ever be the same without him.

I definitely got a thrill out of seeing Paul Molitor's HOF plaque.

What are the odds we ever see this model (which has been around for a long time) ever come to fruition?

Twins beat writer LaVelle E. Neal III interviews Twins president Dave St. Peter about this story for the Star Tribune, while right, Lew Ford signs some autographs.

A young fan takes his hacks and an up close view of the now not-so-new FieldTurf (right).

A Recent Influx

2005-01-27T01:04:00.000-06:00

Unfortunately I don't have enough time to compile a full post tonight (I thought I had a good idea, but it sort of fizzled out on me) although I still do have something that I wish to call to your attention.

Because my family shares a couple of season tickets with a few other people, we recieve four complimentary Twins Fest tickets every year. Since I am by far the biggest Twins fan of the group (in fact, notoriously so) everyone always gives the tickets to me. John or another friend of mine usually comes with me, and I just sell the other two tickets at the gate. This year, not only do I have my two extra tickets but another acquaintance (and fellow season ticket holder) has given me four more tickets because he's not going. Rather than just make a few extra bucks at the gate, I decided I would offer them to our Twins Chatter readers first.

So, if you are planning on going to Twins Fest at the Metrodome this Saturday or Sunday and you don't yet have tickets, drop me an e-mail at twinsfan21@msn.com and perhaps we can work out some sort of pick-up situation. I'm willing to give them out for free (they'll cost you $10 each at the gate) to Twins Chatter readers only! Otherwise I'll probably just sell them for half price at the Dome on Saturday.

Also, be sure and check back in at Twins Chatter Monday morning as I'll have pictures and perhaps a reaction or two from my annual trek to Twins Fest, as well as some other material from another Twins-related event this weekend. Until then, take care!

-Ryan M.

The Twins Caravan Comes to Northfield

2005-01-24T23:36:00.000-06:00

As I hinted at the other day, Joe Mauer, Carlos Silva, and Tony Oliva came to my hometown of Northfield this afternoon as one of their stops along the Southern Leg of their Winter Carvan. I took my little brother and his friend down to the local high school auditorium to see what was going on. Also, since there was no school it was a good way to kill some time. :)

Since I forgot to bring my digital camera my rush, I'll just post a couple of random thoughts to fill a little bit of space on this Tuesday...

-I always think it's great that the Twins do this Caravan every year. Sure, some of the stops are a bigger hit than others (our mid-sized auditorium was only about half-full this afternoon) but how many other teams care enough about non-Metropolitan areas as much as the Twins? Are there any? Like many other people, I really like this year's "Twins Territory" slogan. It fits perfectly.

-Tony Oliva is a funny guy! Even though he is notoriously difficult to understand sometimes (anyone who's ever met him knows exactly what I'm talking about) he's still a great guy and I always get a kick out of it when I see him at events such as this.

-Joe Mauer is a very low key and down to earth person. I sort of knew this before, but I'd never really had the opportunity to meet Joe before yesterday. He was nice enough to sign a couple of things for my brother (and me too, I'll admit it). I'm not even a year younger than Joe and he seems like a pretty neat guy, someone who would be a lot of fun to hang out with. Seems strange to think of one of the Twins' stars in theat way, but it's the truth.

Well, that's about all I have time for tonight. If you haven't read John's more extensive post from yesterday, be sure and do so sometime. Also, if you care to read my somewhat rambling manifesto from the other you can find it right here. Until next time, take care everyone.

-Ryan M.

The Board is Set and the Pieces are Moving: Part Two

2005-01-23T22:17:00.000-06:00

Hello again. Today we've finally delivered on that long-awaited Part Two of the post Ryan began two weeks ago. Also, if you care to read it, Ryan posted a little manifesto of sorts yesterday. Changes will be coming to Twins Chatter over the next few weeks, so be prepared.

A couple of weeks ago we took a look at the Twins position players for next year. The Twins have their entire pitching staff coming back for another run at the AL Central title. With the addition of some major league ready prospects like JD Durbin and Jesse Crain for a full season, the Twins can expect to have a strong staff. We said it repeatedly last year that anytime a team boasts a frontline starter like Johan Santana, a horse like Brad Radke and someone to shut the door ala' Joe Nathan, they have a pretty good chance to win playoff games. That formula came just short against the Yankees. This year could see the emergence of an even better staff creating possibilities come October.

Today we will take a brief look at what we believe will be the team's opening day pitching staff including some possible dark horses going to spring training.

Number 1 Starter -

It all starts with Johan Santana. The Twins need him to continue to be the most dominant pitcher in baseball. The last three years Santana has improved while throwing more innings in each. It would have been nice for him to have received a long-term deal this winter and there is still time for it to happen. Santana lost his arbitration case last year and is in danger of going back again. Based on some quiet comments he has made, there could be some bad blood between him and the organization and something like arbitration, where a player hears what his weaknesses are, doesn't help. There is also the concern of his workload eventually catching up with him. He has been a relatively healthy pitcher but he threw more innings last year then ever before and that can often be a concern. Anytime a team can throw someone like Johan Santana every 5th day it takes a lot of pressure off the other 4 guys in the rotation.

Number 2 Starter-

Brad Radke signed for a discounted rate this past winter. He has been the stalwart of the rotation for the last decade. He remains the perfect compliment to Santana. He is calm, effective and throws a lot of innings giving the team a chance to win every time he starts.

Number 3 Starter -

Carlos Silva emerged last year after coming over from Philadelphia. His production exceeded almost everyone's expectations. It remains a question of whether he can do it again. He struggled during the middle of last season and had some problems giving up too many hits. He was then ineffective during his start in the playoffs. More then any other pitcher on the staff he may suffer the most from the drop-off in fielding behind him. He is probably better suited as a 4th or 5th starter.

Number 4 Starter -

Kyle Lohse had a rough season last year to say the least. He has struggled to be consistent and at times appeared to be pitching without a plan. The direction he takes this year will be a big factor in how well the Twins do. He is capable of being a good major league pitcher but if he continues to struggle it may be time for the Twins to look elsewhere.

Number 5 Starter -

Last season, Terry Mulholland fell into this spot. He did remarkably well considering he is very old and it had been several years since he had started regularly let alone pitched well. Mulholland will have a chance to make this team again but ideally it would be as a rubber armed long man out of the bullpen. That leaves this spot for JD Durbin or Joe Mays to win. Durbin had the year of seasoning he needed in the minors and should be ready to make the adjustment this year. He looked overly excited in his brief appearances last season but has had an entire winter to get the butterflies out of his system. Mays remains the forgotten man. He did not pitch last year while costing the Twins millions of dollars in what is the worst Twin's contract in recent memory. Before he began experiencing arm troubles Mays had a pretty good year in 2001 and if he can come close to approaching those numbers it would go a long way towards solidifying the rotation. After all the Twins are paying him the big bucks they might as well get some production out of him.

Closer -

Joe Nathan is the Twins All-Star closer and with his nasty slider and 95 mph plus fastball he will continue to dominant this season.

Right-handed Setup -

Juan Rincon had a great year last year as part of the Twins 1-2 bullpen punch. The hope here is that there are no lingering ill effects from how he ended the year against the Yankees. The best bet is Rincon will put it behind him and be as strong as ever.

Right-handed Setup -

It is time for Jesse Crain to emerge into this role. He pitched very effectively after his call-up last year but remained in the bullpen as the Twins lost the second game to the Yankees in extra innings. This year, it should be expected that Crain can handle those pressure situations and take some of the workload away from Nathan and Rincon. It is a great luxury to have 3 great relievers and especially important for a team that lacks a reliable lefthander.

Left-handed Setup -

It remains to be seen just how much the Twins will trust JC Romero in the late innings. He had yet another inconsistent year. He remains an enigma that the Twins have now invested another 2 years in. In the meantime we are all left wondering what it would be like if he was ever able to put it all together.

Reliever -

The key for Grant Balfour is staying healthy. It took half the season for Balfour to show what he can do. He was still too inconsistent but his arm is lightning in a bottle as he demonstrated in game four of the ALDS. There is a slim chance he could start but because of his history of arm troubles the Twins seem more likely to keep him in the bullpen.

Long-reliever -

See Durbin, Mays or Mulholland. The other possible candidates include Boof Bonser, Matt Guerrier, Rule 5 pick Ryan Rowland-Smith and Pat Strange.

As you can see the Twins have the makings of a very strong power bullpen and
rotation. Barring injuries, there is really only 1 spot at the end of the
bullpen up for grabs in spring training. The difference between the Twins this
off-season and last year is the amount of depth they now have. There are fewer
question marks but there will be plenty of competition and players available to
slide into spots should a pitcher get hurt. Hopefully, we will be able to take
a closer look at some of the fringe pitchers hoping to make the team later this
week. Only 26 days left until pitchers and catchers report...

-John

John.Betzler@mnsu.edu

Gone, But Not Forgotten

2005-01-22T19:51:00.000-06:00

Okay. I'm not going to lie to you all. First off, John and I are flattered that people have been still check the site occasionally to see if anything new has been written in the past two weeks, despite the fact that you have been disappointed each and every day. I know I said I was "back" that fateful day, but truth be told, I wasn't ready yet.

Writing, just like anything else, takes time. When John and I first started Twins Chatter early last year, we had lofty ambitions. We thought that we could create something that would bring us notoriety within the online Twins community and, potentially, even beyond that. We thought that we could bring all the best aspects of Aaron Gleeman, Twins Geek, Seth Speaks, and all the other Twins blogs together to create something special.

Well, we were successful in some ways and unsuccessful in other ways.

We did succeed in getting the name "Twins Chatter" out into the online Twins community. We averaged a fair number of visitors per day during the season, and we were often linked by other blogs and websites (which was nice).

The peak obviously came when John and I were pictured on the front cover of the Star Tribune's Variety section on October 5. It was incredible to pick up a copy of the most widely-read newspaper in the Upper Midwest and to see my smiling mug featured in all its colorful glory. Friends, relatives, even acquaintances all walked up to me and congratulated me for months afterwards, saying they had seen the picture (even if they had not read the actual article). I thought, "Man, it can only get better from here!"

I was wrong.

Even though our readership tripled during the playoffs, the motivation just wasn't there. John and I both struggled for topics as the off-season wore on, despite our promise to continue writing throughout the winter. Other things began to take priority over sitting down for two hours and typing something for "that silly website", as my parents once referred to it as. This January, it began to dawn on me: What if they're right?

What is a blog, exactly? Many articles have been written in the mainstream media lately examining this rather recent phenomenon. Why to people continue to participate in this activity? What do they hope to achieve? Most importantly, why do so many Internet users continue to visit them?

Over the past two weeks, I've done a lot of thinking on this subject. I came to this realization: I am not a true blogger, and neither is John. We're not like Aaron Gleeman, who somehow manages to write long, detailed, and (usually) interesting entries every day without fail, while still managing to write for a completely different baseball website at the same time.

We're not like Seth Stohs, who manages to touch upon nearly every relevant topic in the sports world (and beyond) each and every day, spending hours of his free time in this pursuit because he finds it rewarding and enjoys the feedback from his readers.

We're not like John Bonnes, who can take any little Twins tidbit (no matter how insignificant) and turn it into an insightful and interesting article that thousands of Twins fans will read every day.

John and I simply do not fall into any of those categories. We're simply college students who enjoy the Twins and the game of baseball and thought it might be fun to start a website. We hoped it would catch on (perhaps more than it has), but we never realized the amount of work it would take to maintain in the long run. School isn't easy: there are classes, gobs of homework, side jobs, and social pursuits. After all that is done, it can be difficult to make time for something that, while occasionally rewarding, will never actually produce any tangible benefits. We very much appreciate the fact that you all enjoy reading what we write about the Twins; it's very flattering to know that we were actually missed during this hiatus. But the fact remains that I have never seen any of you and probably never will. You're not going to help me pay for our tuitions and you're not going to help us get a job after college.

This brings me, finally, to the point of this entire rambling dissertation.

After weeks of no communication, John and I had a little chat the other day. We had both been scared to check the site, for fear that it would have been left utterly deserted and confirming our worst fears that no one actually read it in the first place. But such was not the case, as you can see from the nine comments below. We decided, after all that had happened, that Twins Chatter was worth saving.

We decided it would be saved, mind you, but not in its current format. I recently was able to procure copies of some very expensive software at a low, low price (i.e. free) with the intention of designing a new look for the site. I've put if off for a while, but I've decided once again to go forward with my original plan. A couple months back I bought the domain name "www.twinschatter.com" and I've decided to use it that name to its fullest potential. You may remember seeing a preview of our new logo a few months back, and that logo will be featured prominently within our new look. Expect the new site to debut sometime in early February.

Also, with the new look we will be changing a few other things. No longer will Twins Chatter be merely a daily blog. I hope to transform it into a Twins-centric website instead. That means we probably won't be posting new material every day: we might have something new up twice a week, three times a week, or six times a week--it all depends on what's happening. It also means that we won't exclusively be writing Twins Geek-style reflective posts all the time. Some days there might just be a couple of thoughts about the previous day's game, sometimes there might be some links to other web material, sometimes there might be a post about not even related to the Twins (although it will probably almost always pertain to baseball in some shape or form). We've decided to branch out a bit more instead of limiting ourselves to the constraining mold of "Twins blog", which can be stifling at times (or so I've found).

Whew! I think I've said quite enough for one day. I don't know how much we'll be updating this site while the new one is under construction, but I can give you specific timeframes for a few upcoming Twins events. Monday afternoon Joe Mauer and the Twins Caravan are coming to Northfield High School and I plan to go with my dad and brothers to meet Joe and perhaps get an autograph or two (my roommate, who's currently overseas, is a big Joe Mauer fan). Then on Saturday, Terry Ryan and an unannounced Twins player (who's identity I am privileged enough to know but unable to reveal) will be coming here to St. Olaf to speak at our baseball clinic. Coincidently, next weekend also happens to be Twins Fest, to which I get free tickets every year and always enjoy attending. So I will undoubtedly have updates from those events and probably snap a few pictures as well. If you're curious, feel free to stop check out the site next week.

In the meantime, if you have any thoughts about my little (err, perhaps not-so-little) manifesto above, please leave us some feedback. If you don't have any opinions, then obviously you don't have to leave any feedback. If you have any suggestions (or perhaps have experience in web design) feel free to e-mail me at twinsfan21@msn.com.

The hiatus is over, but the changes have only just begun.

-Ryan Maus

Uncut Interview with Mike Herman

2005-01-18T01:24:00.000-06:00

From The Hill to the Big Leagues

Interview with Mike Herman ’98: Minnesota Twins Manager of Media and Player Relations

By the time most people enter the hallowed halls of higher education, they have long since dismissed any dreams of playing professional sports. But have you ever entertained the possibility making a career with a professional sports team? Mike Herman ’98, former Ole baseball player and Messenger sports editor, is living out such a dream. He is currently holds the position of manager of media and player relations for the three-time American League Central Division Champion Minnesota Twins, dealing with players like Johan Santana, Torii Hunter, and Joe Mauer on an everyday basis. Mike recently took some time out from his busy schedule to chat with the Mess from the Twins’ spring training home in Fort Myers, Fla.

What were some of the reasons you chose St. Olaf in the first place?
Well I actually started college at Iowa State for a semester, but then I realized I still wanted to play baseball in college. A good friend of mine told me to swing by St. Olaf on my way home from Iowa State, which I did. I talked to [head baseball coach] Matt McDonald, and we decided it would be a good fit for me to transfer.

Coming into college, what were some of your career aspirations?
I wanted to go into sports broadcasting. I had done internships with TV stations and also in media relations departments of sports teams. But originally, I wanted to be on TV, but that quickly faded when I realized what my financial situation would be after college. I wanted to make money right away; I didn’t want to work for nothing for some small town station. I wanted a job related to sports and somehow related to the media.

How did your St. Olaf education prepare you for your current career? What would you say are some of the advantages or disadvantages to attending a small, liberal arts college (at least in your line of work)?
I think the biggest advantages of going to a school like St. Olaf is that communication in general is so important. Because it’s such a small school, you always have to work with different groups of people—whether it’s talking to all the coaches as the sports editor or being in class with people from all different walks of life. I had to understand and relate to everyone I came into contact with, and I think that helped me a lot in my current field.

For instance, it’s easy for me to sit and talk with a Japanese reporter, and, despite the language barrier, I’m able to communicate with him and help him get whatever he needs. St. Olaf is a place that really promotes diversity, and I was able to meet a lot of people from a lot of different places while I was there.

I would say a disadvantage is the fact that there was no specific major for what I wanted to do. That’s a problem for a lot of people when they want to get into this line of work. People ask us what sorts of things they need to do school-wise in order to get into this field, and our response is always it doesn’t matter where you go to school or what your major is, as long as you have the background through internships or independent studies—that’s the way to get a job. If I looked at every resume that came across my desk, they would all have the same types of school training. They would all be advertising, public relations, journalism, or communications majors. The classes themselves prepare you in some ways, but they don’t get you the job. The job comes from the work you do outside the classroom.

How would you say your experience in collegiate athletics impacted your life?
It was definitely a great opportunity for me to play [baseball] at St. Olaf. At a smaller school like St. Olaf, it’s kind of similar to high school in some ways. You have a group of friends that you hang out with most of the time, and when I got to St. Olaf I instantly had 35 guys that I knew, and they all had friends that I was now connected to. As a transfer student, this helped me become more comfortable in that new setting. That first semester [as a first-year] is when you make many of your friends, and sometimes there’s a sort of wall around that group that’s tough to break through. But I was lucky enough not to have to deal with that, because I had my friends on the team.

Being on the team also allowed me to maintain that competitive drive I had in high school as an athlete. [Being competitive] has helped me here with the Twins because you can’t break into and succeed in this business if you are passive. Through my athletic involvement, I was able to learn that if I want something, I have to go after it. It’s also about proving to my employer that once I get in, I can still be successful at what I do. Just like Coach McDonald had enough confidence to send me out to the mound and hold a close lead, my bosses have to know that I’m going to go into that clubhouse and get all the interviews done that I need to get done, not just blow them off.

You went through a number of different career changes before you ended up here with the Twins. Can you take us through that path?
As a sophomore, I interned for KARE 11 during the summer. My freshmen and sophomore years I also worked for the sports information department, writing articles, interviewing coaches, calling the Star Tribune to give them scores, stuff like that. I was also the sports editor for the Messenger as a junior, and I also wrote some stories after that. I interned with the Phoenix Coyotes for two j-terms. After I graduated, I also interned for a TV station in South Dakota, and that’s when I started realizing that I needed to get away from the TV industry and into the public/media relations area.

Then I started as an intern with the Twins in the winter of 1999. A friend of mine worked for Midwest Sports Channel (MSC), and she was always on the lookout for me for jobs. One day she called me and told me the Twins were looking for someone in media relations, although it was only an internship. I said “I don’t care” and called the guy up anyways. Even though they already had their candidates, the guy agreed to take a look at my resume. I called him an hour later and he agreed to interview me. One day I got a call (actually the day before my birthday) offering me the internship, and I’ve been there ever since. I got the full-time job just before the 2000 season.

As the media and player relations manager, what exactly does your job entail?
I set up interviews, and generally take care of any media requests that come in—commercials, public service announcements, and player appearances (like an autograph signing)—I set all that stuff up. A lot of it is media services; whatever the media wants. My job is to make our club as accessible as any other club in major league baseball. This means that we need to do a lot more than the Yankees in terms of media services, because everyone wants to cover the Yankees.

Another aspect of my job is taking care of the baseball information, like stats, game notes, and baseball-related press releases. Basically, we disseminate information. Our job is to get as much information out there as possible promoting the Twins. There are some cases where we have to deliver negative information, but we try to put a positive spin on it if at all possible.

How does your job differ during Spring Training?
It’s pretty much the same thing. We have a lot more interview requests during spring training, just because there are so many more players. For example, because Justin Morneau is from Canada, we get every radio station in Canada wanting to kick off baseball season by interviewing Justin. But because there are so many of them, we have to be careful about how we handle it. Everyone thinks that when you come to Florida for four weeks it’s a vacation, but it’s actually a lot of work down here. I’m not complaining, but we put in long days under the hot sun and humidity. But it’s still a good time.

What would you say are some of your favorite parts of your job?
Number one, I get to watch baseball for a living. Growing up, playing the game, I just love the game of baseball. I get to be around a great organization, one of the best organizations in the league to work for. PR people from different teams come into our office when their team is in town and comment on how there’s a different feel when you walk around the Twins offices. Everyone’s happy, everyone’s upbeat. Part of that is because the upper management treats everyone so well. In our organization, most people still come from within. You start here, you keep moving up, and finally, you get to the top.

One of my other favorite things is that I get to travel a lot. I get to go on a lot of road trips, see a lot of different cities and ballparks, and meet a bunch of different people.

What are some of the disadvantages?
I do have to put in a lot of hours, which is hard sometimes. Also, sometimes you do have to deal with the egos [of the players]. We’ve been pretty lucky on the Twins—we don’t have many guys that are that egotistical. A lot of the times you just have to be careful what you ask of these guys. They’re financially secure; they don’t need $100 here, $100 there. You have to pick and choose when you go to them for a favor.

What is so unique about the Twins organization that allows them to win all these awards like Baseball America’s “Organization of the Year”?
On the field, I think a lot of it comes from scouting and development. Our minor league system has always been known as one of the stronger systems in the game, so the credit there has to go to our minor league coaches, scouts, our general manager, assistant general manager—people like that. Another thing, which I mentioned earlier, is that everybody (even upper management) respects everyone else, regardless of where you are on the totem pole.

That also applies to the baseball side of things. We have so many homegrown players, especially compared to teams like the Yankees that barely even have a farm system [due to trades], and we always know there’s someone in the minor leagues that can come up and help us. There’s a “Twins way” of playing, and it’s taught in the minor league system. If we call a guy up, he knows what’s expected from him in order to get to the major leagues, because that’s all they’ve been pounding in his head for the last six years. That’s why this organization.

As a Twins fan, I’m curious: How do you think the 2005 Twins will fare?
I don’t see why we can’t repeat as Central Division champions. Our pitching staff is still one of the best in the major leagues. In spring training we lead the American League in earned run average. There’s still the matter of getting production out of the shortstop position but other than that, we should be just fine.

The Board is Set and the Pieces are Moving: Part One

2005-01-05T01:52:00.000-06:00

Well it’s great to finally be back and talking about everybody’s favorite hometown nine, the Minnesota Twins. Since we last had a substantial post (which was right after the arbitration deadline), almost nothing has happened in the Twins world (okay, perhaps next to nothing). No more free agent signings, no more contract talk, no more trade rumors. For better or for worse, that’s the way it’s gonna be until spring training. The players currently on the Twins’ roster are the same players that will be taking the field on April 4 in Seattle.

But just who are these guys? Are they similar to the team that should have beaten the Yankees last October? Do they resemble the group that took the league by storm in 2002? Are they the same ones that lead the Twins out of obscurity in 2001?

The answers to those questions? Kinda, No, and Not Even Close. We’ve got a bunch of new names to learn this spring, and even more if you weren’t paying close attention late last year. Today I’ll take a quick look at the Twins’ potential position players and highlight the ones I think will most likely make the Opening Day 25-man roster. Tomorrow (or possibly Friday) it will be the pitchers’ turn, so be sure and stop by then. In the meantime feel free to agree/disagree with my thoughts in the comments section below.

Catchers:
1. Joe Mauer- This pick is obviously a no-brainer. Hopefully Joe will be at least moderately healthy this year, and if so, he will probably be one of the better all-around catchers in the league. An All-Star appearance is definitely not out of the question.
2. Mike Redmond- Many Twins fans questioned Terry Ryan’s judgment when he gave almost $2 million to a backup catcher for two years, but money aside for a moment, Redmond will be an excellent backup and an adequate fill-in should (knock on wood) Joe be injured.

First Basemen:
3. Justin Morneau- I’m extremely excited to see what Morneau can do in a full season at the major league level. He’s going to have his ups and downs (although he’s starting to recognize and correct his weaknesses) but 2005 could be the start of a very special career for this young man.

Second Basemen:
4. Luis Rivas- It’s just eating me up inside that Luis Rivas will be starting at second base AGAIN this year. He’ll soon break the team record for most undeserved second chances given (a record currently held by LaTroy Hawkins). Rivas is terrible, and hopefully it won’t take Gardy and the Twins 500 at-bats to realize it this year.
5. Nick Punto- Barring some unforeseen injury/collapse, Little Nicky Punto will probably make the team again this year as a utility infielder (I’ve put him at second base because that’s where he’ll probably see the most action early on). Not a bad guy to have around, especially since he’s cheap and plays hard (sometimes even too hard).

Shortstop:
6. Juan Castro- Entering Spring Training, Castro is the odds-on favorite to win the starting shortstop job. Not because he’s a superior player, not because he’s a veteran, and not because he’s making too much money (which he is), but simply because he’s the quintessential “Twins player”. Castro is a whiz with the leather and usually put the ball in play, which makes him a much safer pick than the next guy on this list. Even though the Twins don’t always follow the “safety first” rule, I believe they probably will in this instance.
7. Jason Bartlett- Yep, you heard it right here at Twins Chatter: Jason Bartlett will make the Opening Day roster, but not as the starting shortstop. I know I’m going out on a limb here, as this isn’t usually the path the Twins take with their prospects, but hear me out. My prediction is that Bartlett has a decent spring (especially with the bat) but not a good enough one for Gardy to give him a full vote of confidence. He’ll open the season as Castro’s platoon partner/pseudo backup, and if he plays well early on, he’ll be given the job while Castro moves into a utility role (spelling Rivas and Cuddyer).

Third Base:
8. Michael Cuddyer- I’ve often expressed doubt that Cuddyer can play third base defensively at the major league level, but it appears the Twins have enough faith in his abilities to pretty much hand him the job. Make no mistake: Cuddyer will hit if he’s given an everyday job. He might strike out 120 times in 500+ at-bats, but he’ll also hit 20-25 homers and drive in his fair share. But on defense? I’ll believe it when I see it.

Outfield:
9. Torii Hunter- Now we’re finally coming to the easy ones. Torii, whether he likes it or not, is stuck here for a few more years. In the meantime, how about developing a smidge better plate discipline? Just a thought.
10. Jacque Jones- The second half of the Twins’ dynamic duo will be sticking around for another year it seems (a trade is not going to happen). JJ will put up solid numbers and will man the baggie once again in ’05.
11. Shannon Stewart- A healthy Stewart in 2005 could go a long ways towards correcting the ills that face the Twins’ offense. This guy hasn’t stopped hitting ever since we stole him from the Jays that fateful day a year and a half ago.
12. Lew Ford- I keep hoping that Gardy will come to his senses and put Sweet Lew in left and just leave him there, but I’m afraid Lew and his superior defensive abilities will only see limited action in the field again this year. At least his bat will show up in the lineup every day.
13. Micheal Restovich- With Ford DHing most days, the Twins will need to carry at least 5 outfielders to deal with emergencies (especially considering that Cuddyer will be in the infield somewhere). Resto is out of options and unless he has an absolutely terrible spring, is likely to make the team.

Designated Hitter
14. Matt LeCroy- Here we are at last: the man without a position. LeCroy won’t see much action in the DH spot this year (most of that will go to Ford or Stewart) but he’s still going to make the team as a right-handed bat off the bench. He’ll also be Morneau’s backup at first base, which is startlingly un-reassuring. But even though he’s no longer seen as an everyday player, the big man can still swing the stick pretty well, which is good enough for me.

Well there you have it. My preliminary predictions for the position players of the 2005 Twins. Most of these picks are pretty well locked-in, with the exception of that 25th spot (which I gave to Bartlett in this case). Tomorrow or Friday (whenever I have time) I’ll be back with a brief analysis of the team’s pitching rotation. In the meantime, just keep repeating this phrase over and over: only 45 more days until pitchers and catchers report, only 45 more days until pitchers and catchers report, only 45 more days.....

Down, But Not Out

2005-01-03T01:28:00.000-06:00

Hello! Anyone still out there? Well, you obviously are if you're reading this, so I'll continue. As you probably noticed, we were a tad lazy here at Twins Chatter with our blogging duties during the holiday season. Other Twins blogs have been going strong, but John and I simply haven't been able to find the time or motivation to write anything worthwhile in a couple of weeks, hence the lack of new material on the site.

Trust me, that will change very soon.

I'm back from vacation and ready to jump back into the fray. Contrary to popular belief, Twins Chatter will not go down without a fight. I'm sure we lost a ton of readers during our extended absence, but no matter. We'll continue to fight the good fight for as long as we can.

While I don't have time to write anything new about the Twins right now, before I do I would like to direct you to Seth Speaks, where yesterday I won the 2004 NFL Expert Picks Challenge, beating out 11 others for the semi-prestigious honor. Needless to say, I am quite proud of myself. This is true despite the fact that I won by exactly 1 (one) game, which is truly amazing considering that we picked the winners of 256 different NFL contests over the past 17 weeks. I don't even follow the NFL that closely, as I've only watched about 10 NFL games all year (most of them being Vikings games). Still, I'm one of those people that never wins ANYTHING (John can attest to that) so it's nice to finally be recognized.

Be sure and stop by tomorrow and/or Wednesday when we get the Twins juices flowing once more. In the meantime, feel free to bask in the glow of my NFL Pick 'Em victory. I don't mind :).

-Ryan Maus
twinsfan21@msn.com

Others Who Weren't So Lucky

2004-12-21T16:10:00.000-06:00

Monday night, news broke that the Twins had retained all of their arbitration eligible players, including both Luis Rivas and Jacque Jones. These two moves will be questioned up until spring training and even into next season. Jones is an outfielder coming off an off-year and is now eating up 5 million of the Twins payroll. Rivas has actually regressed the past couple of seasons and is only marginally better then his competition in the infield (despite a much earning a much higher salary than every one of them). Add those two to the payroll and it now appears the Twins are, at best, several million over budget for next year with no room left to sign any other free agents. With the Twins off-season moves all but done they will now turn their attention to signing franchise player Johan Santana. Not only were things happening at 34 Kirby Puckett Place, but there were also several other intriguing players non-tendered Monday. A quick walk through those transactions:

The White Sox allow Scott Shoeneweis to become a free agent.

As of yesterday it appeared the Sox had also cut bait on Ben Davis, who was a part of last summer's Freddy Garcia trade. However even though the team did non-tender Davis on Monday, they re-signed him as a free agent today. Shoeneweis is coming off a year in which he had a 5.59 ERA in 20 games, 19 started. It was not a very good year for him but previously he had been a valuable pitcher. Shoeneweis pitched much better in 2003 as a reliever with both the Angels and White Sox. He wants to start but if used in the bullpen he will be a great pick up for another team. Leave it to the White Sox to not have utilized him properly.

The Angels sign Orlando Cabrera and non-tender David Eckstein.

Eckstein was the catalyst when the Angels won the World Series in 2002 and Cabrera was a major part of the Red Sox championship in 2004. Cabrera is hands down the better player but it’s worth noting what Eckstein has done. He is the antithesis of the usual professional athlete. With limited athletic ability was actually a major part of the Angels' success. He will add chemistry to any team he is on and might have been a good option for the Twins. He is probably better suited to play 2nd with his arm but people have been doubting him for years and he has continued to prove them wrong.

Houston non-tenders Wade Miller.

Miller is now one of the most attractive pitchers on the free agent market. He is a top of the rotation guy and a former All-Star. It is a bit surprising that Houston did not decide to hold on to him. He was injured for parts of last year but when healthy, he pitched pretty well behind the other big three (Oswalt, Clemens, and Pettitte) in Houston’s rotation. This is probably a sign that they are saving their resources to bring back Carlos Beltran.

Former Twins Kevin Frederick and Dustan Mohr both were non-tendered Monday.

What is your favorite Kevin Frederick memory? I must admit I barely have any Kevin Frederick memories, let alone a favorite one. With an ERA over 6 this past season he probably deserved to be released. Dustan Mohr on the other hand had a decent season for the Giants batting .274 with a .394 OBP. He is a great 4th outfielder but may be able to find a starting spot somewhere. If he leaves the Giants, they will have will have nothing to show for Joe Nathan, Boof Bonser, and Franscico Loriano, whom they traded to the Twins last winter (A.J. was cut loose last week).

It is important to remember that by being non-tendered, a player becomes a free agent and is no longer eligible for arbitration. They are still able to re-sign with their old team but they must now compete with everyone else. Jacque Jones would have been one of the biggest names in this group had he not been offered a contract. Usually the Twins are not forced to make such controversial decisions in this process but it is a reality all teams across baseball must face.

Note - Joe Randa signed with Cincinnati yesterday, officially ending any speculation that he would play third base for the Twins next year; when the Twins chose to bring back Jones and Rivas Monday they pretty much shut the door on this possibility. This is rather disappointing because Randa would have been the solid veteran Ron Gardenhire likes and he would have allowed the team to move Michael Cuddyer to second. That infield would have been much stronger both defensively and offensively but Terry Ryan chose to play it safe with his outfield and maintain the status quo. In the past he has made such questionable decisions and they have worked out so we will all have to sit back and see how it goes.

-John Betzler
john.betzler@mnsu.edu

Subtraction by Retention?

2004-12-21T03:55:00.000-06:00

First off, I want to apologize profusely for our extended absence here at Twins Chatter. I was absolutely crushed by finals here; I have written three(!) 10-page papers in the past week and am currently running on nothing but Mountain Dew (yeah, it’s not pretty). But despite our week in exile, we decided that yesterday’s monumental events could not go uncommented-upon here at TC.

As you’ve probably read in about a million places by now, Terry Ryan and the Twins did the unexpected yesterday by retaining all seven of the team’s arbitration eligible players: Jacque Jones, Luis Rivas, Matthew LeCroy, Johan Santana, Carlos Silva, Kyle Lohse, and J.C. Romero. Jones, Rivas, and LeCroy were all signed to one-year contracts while arbitration was tendered to the rest.

However, the biggest surprise of them all was the fact that Jacque Jones will remain a Twin for at least one more year. Contrary to sources such as ESPN’s Peter Gammons, who speculated that Jones would definitely be gone before last night’s deadline, TR gave Jones $5 million for one year (about $1 million less than he would have received in arbitration). No doubt this move will be the source of much debate among the Twins community for the rest of the winter, probably even more so because we won’t have any other moves to discuss: this is it. The Twins will not make another free agent signing this winter, and what you see right now (the 25-man roster) is probably the same one that will attempt to defend the AL Central crown in April.

But was this the right move? Should TR have kept Jones or instead pursued a minor free agent or two (such as Joe Randa)? I’m not condemning this signing (as some others undoubtedly will) but I’m still a little lukewarm. Jones is what he is, and he’s not going to get much better. He’ll hit .260-.280 on average, hit about 20 homers, and drive in 70-85 runs every year. He’ll strike out a ton but also play solid defense in the outfield. Is that kind of production worth $5 million? In today’s inflated dollars, probably yes. Someone would have given Jones $4-$6 million a year for two years had the Twins non-tendered him. But is he worth almost 1/10th of the Twins’ payroll, especially when they have three solid outfielders (Hunter, Stewart, Ford) already? Probably not.

I definitely don’t mind having Jacque Jones around. He’s a solid player who has a knack for coming through in the clutch. But in retaining Jones, the Twins have pretty much consigned themselves to an infield of Michael Cuddyer, Juan Castro/Jason Bartlett, Luis Rivas, and Justin Morneau in ’05. That’s a far cry (both offensively and defensively) from both the “League of Nations” infield or even last year’s Koskie/Guzy/Cuddyer/Morneau infield. Terry Ryan had to make a decision: either take a chance with a free agent to improve the overall play of the infield, or go with the sure (albeit limited) thing and maintain the status quo. Ryan chose the safe route, which consigns Lew Ford to the DH role once again. I don’t think that TR could have wooed a free agent with Jones’ offensive numbers, but I’m a risk-taker: I would have rather seen him roll the dice with a new acquisition or two. The status quo has only gotten us two first-round playoff exits the past two years, and no matter what Torii Hunter thinks, I think it’s time to try a new strategy.

But what’s done is done. Jacque is coming back next year at a decent (although not great) price, which will keep Torii happy for another year and will give Twins fans at least some sense of continuity. And who knows? Maybe JJ will reward the team’s fate with that breakout season we’ve been expecting for years.

We usually don't pester you with non-related Twins links, but this one is simply too cool to pass up: for a limited time at www.keyhole.com you can try out their GPS satellite picture map software for free! Zoom in on your house, the Metrodome, the Great Wall of China, Fenway Park--anywhere you want. It is truly one of the most amazing software programs I've ever seen, and if you have some time to waste, I highly encourage you to check it out.

Gone But Not Forgotten

2004-12-13T02:40:00.000-06:00

Well folks, even though we might not want to admit it to ourselves, it’s time to face reality: Corey Koskie will not don a Minnesota Twins uniform next season. It is all but a certainty that he will sign a three-year, $17 million dollar contract with the Toronto Blue Jays today, finally ending his six-year tenure with the Twins after weeks of speculation.

I correctly predicted this outcome last week, but rest assured, I derive no joy whatsoever from that fact. Corey Koskie was the quintessential Minnesota Twin: a hardworking, hard-nosed ballplayer who truly earned every ounce of respect he received. A 26th round draft choice in 1994, Koskie became one of the better third basemen in the league and was a key cog in the Twins’ turnaround in 2001-2002. It would have been great to keep him on board for a few more years (at least) but alas, it was not to be.

Odds are you’re feeling a tad bitter right now, especially given the perception that Terry Ryan and the Twins did not seem to pull out all the stops to retain Koskie. I know we’ve been doing this a lot lately (first with Dougie, and then with Guzy) but I think we should first remember all the great things that Corey Koskie did for this organization before we start in with the negatives (believe me, there will be plenty of time for that). Koskie was one of the team’s lone offensive bright spots in ’99 and ’00, hitting over .300 both years. He had a spectacular ’01 season, hitting 26 homers and driving in 103 runs (even stealing 27 bases!). He played Gold Glove-caliber defense for a number of years; no one could handle the Astroturf’s lightning-fast hops better than Canada’s favorite son. And who could forget that oh-so-memorable season-saving homerun last August in Cleveland. It doesn’t get any more clutch than that.

We’ll have much more to say about Koskie's imminent departure tomorrow (and what the implications might be for the Twins’ post-League of Nations infield), but for now, enjoy a few choice photos of everybody’s favorite Canadian folk hero/lumberjack.

No one ever accuses Corey Koskie of not going all-out.

8/15/04: The swing that saved a season.

One of the most accomplished pranskters in baseball, Koskie's unique
sense of humor will be sorely missed in the Twins' clubhouse next year.

No Trade or No Deal?

2004-12-09T01:08:00.000-06:00

Every Twins fan breathed a tremendous sigh of relief last night at about 11:10 p.m. when it was revealed that Brad Radke had signed a two-year, $18 million contract with the team. John did an excellent job analyzing that deal yesterday, and it has been widely acknowledged both inside and outside the organization that it was a very good (and necessary) move. Terry Ryan and the Twins were subject to the whims of a surging market for player (especially pitcher) salaries, just as they were in 2000 when Radke got his monster four-year, $36 million deal. $9 million isn’t chump change by any stretch of the imagination, but Ryan and the Twins did what had to be done and I commend them for that.

However, the circumstances surrounding the Twins’ other key free agent (Corey Koskie) are markedly different. Unlike Radke, Koskie is not a “must” sign. Yes, he is a very good player, and yes, most people (including Corey himself, I believe) would like to see him continue his tenure with the organization. Koskie is a class act both on and off the field, plus he is also the only Twins player who lives year round in the state (an extreme rarity in this day and age). But when you look at the nitty-gritty, it will be far easier for a small market club such as the Twins to adequately replace Koskie’s .251/25/71 line at third base line than it would have been for them to find another starter even close to Radke’s caliber.

The Twins were unable to come to an agreement with Koskie before last night’s deadline, but instead of parting ways indefinitely, they pulled a fast one and offered him arbitration at the last minute. This was a rather unexpected move, as it seemed unlikely that the Twins would risk paying Koskie $5.5-$6 million in 2005 (his likely arbitration figure) when they were unwilling to offer him more than $8.25 million for two years.

"I don't know what to think right now," Koskie was quoted as saying in today’s Star Tribune. "I was under the assumption that there was not going to be arbitration offered, but it was offered.”

The fallout from last night’s events doesn’t end there. LaVelle E. Neal III is also reporting that Koskie will re-sign with the Twins for two years at $9-10 million, but only if a no-trade clause is included. He reportedly has a three-year $16 million contract offer on the table from Toronto (most likely), far more than the Twins have offered. Koskie says he will only turn it down if he gets that no-trade clause.

My Thoughts:
Things are not looking good for the Twins right now in terms of retaining Koskie; it seems last night’s feelings of optimism were premature. Will the Twins be willing to give Koskie $5 million a year AND a no-trade clause? Quite frankly, no, I don’t think they are.

No-trade clauses are generally a bad idea in baseball. Look at all recent cases of teams being saddled with overpaid/veteran/soon-to-be free agent players because of no-trade clauses: Randy Johnson, Sammy Sosa, Carlos Delgado, Mike Piazza, Steve Finely (although he did waive it this summer for the Dodgers), among many others. The Boston Red Sox as an organization do not even consider giving no-trade clauses, and this conviction may cost them Jason Varitek. Radke’s previous contract was the last time the Twins gave out such a clause, and I believe it is also the only time (Knoblauch, Puckett, and Hunter also didn’t get them).

Even though $5 million a year for Koskie sounds reasonable and would not cripple the team even if he doesn’t fulfill expectations over the next two seasons, I’m still very wary about giving a somewhat marginal (i.e. non-superstar) player so much control over his own fate. A lot can happen in two years. Suppose (heaven forbid) the Twins flop in 2005 or 2006 but Koskie fully realizes his potential and stands poised to receive a big raise in 2007 from the Red Sox, Yankees, or some other large market team. His now-bargain salary makes him an attractive stretch run pickup for a contender, but the Twins are unable to flip him for younger players because of his no-trade clause, perhaps stunting the rebuilding process. This might sound like an unlikely scenario right now, but it is definitely a possibility. If you had told me after the 2000 season that the Twins would be the dominant divisional power in the league a mere four years later, I would have probably scoffed at you; yet here the Twins are, once again poised to capture the AL Central crown in 2005. In life, there are only three certainties: death, taxes, and the Yankees making the playoffs. Change is an inevitability in baseball, and good general managers plan ahead and prepare themselves for every possible situation. Giving out no-trade clauses willy-nilly severely handicaps one’s ability to adapt to prevailing circumstances.

Those are my personal thoughts on the situation, but only one man’s opinion really matters in this situation, and that man is Terry Ryan. As I said above, it just doesn’t seem likely that TR will go that extra distance and give Koskie the extra dough and the no-trade clause. I appreciate Koskie and all he’s done for this team just as much as the next guy, but I don’t think caving in to his demands is the right move for this organization right now. Trader Terry might disagree with me and Koskie could very well prove me wrong in the unlikely event he re-signs, but I don’t think it is meant to be.

Ryan Maus
twinsfan21@msn.com

Late Night Relief

2004-12-08T01:07:00.000-06:00

Baseball is a sport that has several big days throughout the year. The day pitchers and catchers report, Opening Day, the All-Star game, the July 31st trading deadline, and the World Series to name a few. Another big day that sometimes gets lost in the shuffle but it becoming more and more important is the day teams decide whether or not to offer their free agents arbitration. In case you've been living underneath a rock for the past few weeks, you probably already knew that day was yesterday.

Tuesday's events (or non-events) held more implications for Twins fans this year than almost any other in recent memory. With the rise in salaries awarded in arbitration and the increasing value of draft picks received as compensation for lost players, the potential risks and rewards of "arbitration-offering day" continue to rise. For a small market team like the Twins one decision can be the difference between staying competitive for the next 5 years and returning to the Dark Years of the mid-90’s. That is what makes the Twins signing of Brad Radke and their offer of arbitration to Corey Koskie last night so important.

Radke, a cornerstone of the rotation, received a 2-year deal for 18 million dollars. Considering the interest that he was drawing and the quality of other pitchers on the market this has to be considered a very fair deal for both sides. The length of the contract is also perfect; if Radke declines in the next 2 years the Twins will not be on the hook for a large sun of money (ala Joe Mays). If in 2 years Radke continues to be the same pitcher, the Twins will be in no worse place then they are now. By signing Radke to such a deal they avoided the gamble of going to arbitration and crippling next year’s payroll with a salary in excess of 10 million per year. Had Radke not signed last night, the team may have been forced to let him go without arbitration and today we’d be saying our goodbyes to the team’s ace of the last decade.

This signing is more than just economics. It defines the direction of this team. Without Radke, the rotation would have been Johan Santana and four other guys: hardly the staff to strike fear into the hearts of the American League. Both Cleveland and Detroit continue to improve within the division and the loss of Radke would have done a lot to bring the Twins back to the pack.

The first time the Twins signed Radke marked the beginning of the organization’s turnaround. Radke is the steadying force. He is more then just a horse that eats innings; he gives the team an edge. He has been remarkably consistent and more importantly, he has pitched his best in the biggest games. With Radke, the team has an Option B for ace of the staff. Every 2 out of 5 games the team can expect to win. Despite Radke’s win-loss record he was easily one of the top 5-10 pitchers in the game last year. Keeping Radke’s leadership is a major coup for Terry Ryan and the Twins.

The other big news of last night is that Corey Koskie was offered arbitration. This appears to be a no-lose situation for the Twins. First of all, they get more time to decide whether or not to bring him back with a multi-year deal. But if does accept arbitration, anything he is awarded will be manageable (in the area of $5.5 mil.) and if another team signs him, the team will receive that all-important compensation pick. Certainly, it would be nice to have Koskie back in the lineup next year if the price is right. Terry Tiffee performed well in his brief stint with the team but is yet unproven. Koskie produces when healthy and is a leader both on and off the field.

The only question with Corey, as always, is whether or not he will stay healthy. Troy Glaus seems likely to sign with Arizona making Koskie a more attractive free agent on the third base market. As a result it is unlikely the Twins will have to go to arbitration with Koskie and the team will never complain about receiving extra draft picks.

The team also offered arbitration to Henry Blanco last night. Many people may have forgotten about Blanco when the Twins signed Mike Redmond to replace him two weeks ago. It turns out he might be a Type B free agent, meaning that by offering him arbitration the Twins will also receive a draft pick for him. Since Blanco signed with the Cubs yesterday (2 yrs, $2.7 million) the team would be assured of two things: they will receive that pick and Blanco will not be back in a Twins uniform next season. The Twins not only replaced Blanco with a better player, they don’t have to overpay him like the Cubs did and they would receive a high draft pick in the process. Blanco has done so much for this organization this winter and he deserves a Christmas card for all his gifts. Thank you Henry Blanco for turning down that "measly" $900,000 option. It was a gift that keeps on giving.

Make no mistake; yesterday was the biggest day of the winter for the Twins. Finally, many of the questions surrounding the team for the last month have been answered. The rotation has been solidified and while the book is still out on Corey Koskie, the team has given itself the option of bringing him back. The Twins they are going into next season with its nucleus intact, which is all you can hope for as a small market club. They can now focus their attention on going out and signing a lower level free agent or two to solidify the roster. They are also free to begin talking with Cy Santana about a multi-year deal. Christmas has come early and Twins fans are getting everything they wanted.

Side Note: If you want another reason the Twins did a great job in signing Radke for two years at $18 million, Jaret Wright received the same 3-year, 22.5 million deal that Kris Benson received from the Mets from the Yankees yesterday. Wright had a great season last year but before that he was a pitcher with a bad arm who couldn’t get anybody out. Does anybody else remember a pitcher with one good year and a bad arm? His name is Joe Mays. Benson is a pitcher that the Twins wanted at last year’s deadline but were unwilling to pay the high price to get him. Maybe that was because he was also a pitcher with an unproven record and an ERA over 5 at the time. In any case, compared to these two, Radke probably could have received $10, $11 or even $12 million on the market.

John Betzler
john.betzler@mnsu.edu

Steroids: A Debate

2004-12-05T23:54:00.000-06:00

I know many of you have come to rely on Twins Chatter as your (Twins-related) beacon of light amid the darkness of winter. However, absolutely nothing new has been reported since early last week, so I don't exactly have much to go on here. Instead, I've decided to reprint an article that I ran in the St. Olaf newspaper in late October (I'm the sports editor). We touched upon the steroid topic because Ken Caminiti had recently passed away, so it doesn't discuss the recent relevations concerning Giambi and Bonds. Still, I think you'll find that some interesting points were raised.

The first section was written by my co-editor (and fellow student) Matt Stortz, while my contribution is the second section. Had I known about Bonds and Giambi I may have taken a less controversial position, but like I said, I think my ideas have merit.

If any Twins news breaks before tomorrow (the deadline to offer players arbitration is Tuesday), be sure to make Twins Chatter your first stop.

Steriods: Showcase talent, not drugs
By Matt Stortz

The international athletic community was shocked to discover an inordinate number of Olympic athletes taking performance-enhancing drugs. I write shocked because the coaches, athletes and medical staff involved have long known about the doping problem. The amount of athletes doping this year wasnt inordinate; there was merely an inordinate amount of discovery.

There is also speculation that 1996 National League MVP Ken Caminiti's recent death was expedited by steroid use.

In addition to banned substances, a number of currently legal but disputed drugs have made their way to the sports scene. Among them, Ephedrine and Creatin are the best known. Not only do athletes consuming of these drugs violate the fair play expectation inherent in sports, but they put the athletes in grave danger. Among the strongest reasons performance-enhancers should be banned:

1. Athletes who rely on performance enhancing drugs are less impressive than those who depend on their own natural ability and hard work. I would rather watch a gifted drug-free cyclist compete for the Tour de France title than one who has synthetically increased his athletic ability.

2. Even legal supplements can be dangerous. Products containing Ephedrine and similar drugs are often used by athletes to increase their stamina. These supplements increase the athlete's heart rate, moving oxygen-filled blood through the body more quickly. The problem: there is no method, other than exercise, which safely allows athletes to increase their heart rates.

3. Chemically enhancing performance is disrespectful to great players of the past. To use baseball as an example, players who down Creatin in order to crack 70 homeruns a year or smoke a 100 mph fastball have an unfair advantage over Satchel Paige, Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Josh Gibson, Jackie Robinson and Lou Gehrig.

4. If you lose, you lose. I hate losing more than anyone, but no one wins every game. Michael Jordan lost nearly 300 games in his career, and missed 30 game winning shots. The possibility that an athlete's natural talent may not propel them to victory in the upper-echelons of athletic competition shouldnt be feared; that's just how life works.

What supplements are okay for athletes to take? Any supplements that supply benefits available from food should always be available. A football player needs protein after he lifts; to get that protein, he could drink a protein shake, or eat a chicken. We can spare the chicken and the athlete by permitting the healthy, all-natural protein drink.

Sports cannot be fair and athletes will not be safe unless all unnatural performance-enhancing substances are banned, frequent random testing is performed to monitor its consumption as well as drugs that mask illegal chemicals and meaningful sanctions are imposed against players, companies, coaches and doctors who promote their use.

Steroids: Wrong, But Understandable
By Ryan Maus

Matt, I have to agree with many of the points that you bring up. There is absolutely no doubt that unnatural performance enhancing substances are detrimental to the health of those who use them. Caminiti, who admitted to using steroids throughout his career, recently passed away. BALCO (Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative), a San Francisco-based nutritional supplement lab that is under investigation by the federal government, has been linked to Giants superstar Barry Bonds.

Why then, if there is so much evidence outlining the perils of steroid use, are so many professional athletes associated with them? The answer to that question lies within the spirit of American capitalism.

Consider the following hypothetical situation. You are a minor league baseball player who has played three seasons at the triple-A level. While your skills seem to have hit their ceiling, you see dozens of younger players pass you by on their way to fame and (most importantly) fortune in the major leagues. While you are struggling along at $3,000 a month, the minimum major league salary is $50,000 monthly. Playing major league baseball is your lifes dream; it's the reason you didn't go to college, the reason you've spent the last seven years of your life riding busses around the country for little pay.

Then, an opportunity presents itself. This is something that can give you an extra advantage, something that will finally allow you to fulfill your dreams (and make excellent money in the process). You know there are health risks involved, but you decide it is worth the risk. Designer steroids are almost undetectable, they say. You'll never get caught. Would you pass on this one chance to fulfill your dream?

Steroids will not magically transform a marginal athlete into a major leaguer. When combined with intense training, however, they can give an give a highly-skilled athlete the extra strength needed to reach the next level.

Caminiti, who is the only major professional athlete ever to publicly admit to steroid use, is the perfect example. Prior to his 1996 MVP season, Caminiti was a solid-but-unspectacular third baseman, averaging about 20 home runs and 80 RBI a season. In 1996, he suddenly hit 40 home runs, drove in 130 baserunners, and hit .326, which was 50 points above his career average. Steroids cant make the player, but they can take that player to a previously unreachable level of performance.

Please be aware that I am not condoning the use of steroids or any other performance-enhancing drugs. I firmly believe they are wrong and immoral in every possible sense. What I am saying is that I can empathize somewhat with those athletes who do use them. In today's sporting landscape, where competition is incredibly fierce, athletes are looking for every possible advantage they can gain on their opponents. If steroid use was the only way you could make the big leagues, secure that college scholarship, or secure that $20 million contract, could you resist?

Left, Caminiti takes out his 'roid rage on his lumber. Right, you can see the difference in physique between Bonds circa 1989 and Bonds today. Sure he didn't "know" he was taking drugs...

They Can't be Serious... Can They?

2004-12-02T23:18:00.000-06:00

It all started way back when Dustan Mohr was traded.

One by one they have had their chances and each watched it disappear. Michael Cuddyer was supposed to be the savior; now he is slated to start at second. Mike Ryan had one great September, but we now know it was a fluke. Michael Restovich doesn't look like he's good enough to play in the majors and has now endured a setback (falling on some ice a couple of days ago).

Jason Kubel was the best of them all, hailed as the next great outfielder in the game. All it took was one fateful day in the fall league to derail that dream.

The only light in the darkness has been the play of Lew Ford, playing well beyond anybody’s expectations. We here at Twins Chatter hitched a ride on his star back in April and neither one of us has looked back ever since.

Slowly the Twins have watched their organizational outfield depth dwindle to almost nothing over the course of two years. They were supposed to be the next wave of players who finally forced enigmatic Jacque Jones out of town. Now, following numerous promises that 2004 was Jacque’s last in a Twins uniform, his return is becoming more than a mere fantasy.

For some reason the Twins have a fascination with speaking out of both sides of their mouth when it comes to Jones. Since last winter, it has been apparent it would be in the team’s best interests to let him go. His production has diminished and he never became the player many envisioned back when he was jumping over catchers' heads as a rookie. At the same time, the team has refrained from openly admitting just that and the local papers continue to drop different scenarios involving Jones’ return. These scenarios imply the team is willing to work to keep Jones, as though he’s a real asset to the team.

The latest update in the Jones saga, according to La Velle E. Neal: if the Twins are unable to sign Corey Koskie they may then use that money to keep Jones. The Twins have until December 7 negotiate with Koskie, who they have decided not to offer arbitration. Koskie is right behind Troy Glause and Adrian Beltre in the free agent third base market. The team has offered him 2 years at $8 million, which seems awfully low compared to the $2 million they just paid Juan Castro.

Jones is expected to make $6 million in arbitration. He is the younger player but a third baseman of Koskie’s caliber, bad back and all, is more valuable then a light hitting right fielder who does not hit lefties.

There are other free agents out there who might be better options than bringing back Jones, including Joe Randa, Placido Polanco, and Tony Batista at third base. There are also many outfielders on the market that are a better value then Jones. Sometimes it appears the Twins fall in love with their own players and are too concerned about chemistry. This is the same team that was attacked by LaTroy Hawkins for its lack of loyalty after it provided him with multiple opportunities. Jacque Jones will not have the same turnaround as Hawkins and it would be a mistake to bring back Jones at such a price tag.

Everyone is familiar with the fact that Jones struggles against lefties. Last year, however, he actually had a higher on base percentage against lefthanders at .328 compared to .310 against righties. Yet neither number is something to be proud of. Jones also has no power against lefties with 2 homeruns in 155 at-bats last year another 2 in 145 at-bats the year before. Overall Jones’ numbers last year look like this; 555 at-bats, .254 BA, .315 OBP, 24 HR, 80 RBI, and 117 K’s. Those numbers do not warrant 6 million dollars plus; yet for some reason the the rumors persist. Why?

It is a possibility that the team is merely talking up Jones’ trade value. The team is going to have a hard time trading him either way. Teams know what they are getting by now. If he is traded, the likely outcome is that the team acquiring him will try to negotiate a better deal with him. If they are unable to come to terms, they will non-tender him rather then risk arbitration themselves. This happened last year with the Cubs and Michael Barrett. The reasoning for such a move is obvious: a team that likes Jones would have time to exclusively try to sign him before exposing him to the rest of the league. It is hard to imagine the Twins receiving much of value in any such deal but it is also Terry Ryan’s specialty acquiring low-level prospects that other teams undervalue.

It is a little odd how many chances Jones has been given. Every time the team has a valid replacement lined up, something goes wrong and Jones is given a reprieve. This wasn’t supposed to be an issue a couple of months ago, but then Jason Kubel lost next season to his knee injury. As it stands right now, the Twins have three healthy outfielders in Ford, Shannon Stewart and Hunter, plus last year’s opening day DH, Matty LeCroy. These players are enough to say good-bye to Jacque Jones. It’s time for the Twins to get creative and look elsewhere. Their priorities remain Brad Radke and Corey Koskie. If that means increasing their offers to each, so be it. No amount of outfielders going down is enough stop the team from finally escaping Jacque’s hold. My worst nightmare is waking up one morning to discover the team has decided to keep Jones, signing him to a 3-year, $6 million per year deal.

Good thing Jim Bowden is in Washington. :)

So You Have the Dollars… Now How About Some Sense?

2004-12-01T02:19:00.000-06:00

The calendar rolls over to December today, and as it is every winter, baseball information is at a premium. Fortunately for me, John is an extremely kind and generous person and allows me to use his ESPN Insider subscription (as long as I pay for the occasional month). I’m not super keen on paying for material that used to be free, but what can I do? I love the stuff.

Anyway, this all leads into the topic for today’s post. I read ESPN’s “Rumor Mill” section all the time, not because it’s particularly accurate (there are plenty of wild goose chases in there), but because it let’s me see what’s going on in the trenches of major league baseball. This winter, I must say that I’m rather disappointed with the way the battle is progressing.

The owners-players conflict in baseball is one that has existed for a very long time, and fans are usually pretty split as to where their allegiances lie. Some favor the players, saying that they should “take whatever they can get” from the owners. Some people think players are grossly overpaid and believe we should go back to the days of perpetual serfdom. Then there are those who think the whole system stinks and wash their hands of the whole greed-infested mess.

Personally, I am a cross between all three of those opinions. There is no doubt that baseball owners gypped the players out of their fair share for more than 80 years, but I also believe that the salary figures being handed out circa 2000-2001 (peaking with that insane $250 million Alex Rodriguez) were far too extreme. It was a welcome breath of fresh air when salaries began to spiral downward in 2002; last winter, we truly saw the return of sanity to the marketplace (or perhaps the return of collusion if you’re Scott Boras).

Things definitely have not gotten off on the right foot in 2004. It started innocently enough: the Giants screwed up and gave 37 year-old Omar Vizquel a three-year, $12.25 million deal. Yeah, that’s way too much, and yeah, Vizquel’s not the player he used to be, but he’s still a veteran who’s going to be a leader and play solid defense. But then things got even weirder: the former genius (and now infamous) Jim Bowden goes and gives a .266 career hitter whose weakness include (but are not limited to) breaking pitches and job security, a four-year, 16.8 million (!) dollar contract. For good measure, he decides to give a washed-up Vinny Castilla $6.2 million for two years. Those are two stupid moves, but someone could theoretically see an eensy tinsy-tiny bit of logic there in that Bowden wants to drum up ticket sales for next year. Not sure how many people are going to show up just because an unmotivated Guzy is manning shortstop (although that bionic sound is pretty cool) but that’s just me.

Lately, things have been getting really crazy. A mediocre Kris Benson for three years at $22.5 million? A running-on-fumes Troy Percival for $6 million a year? (Although keep in mind this is the Tigers we’re talking about.) Damian Miller got $8.5 million over three years from the Brewers. Yesterday, Armando Benitez signed a three-year deal for $21 million, and while he is one of the better closers in the game, that is not a bargain by any stretch of the imagination.

The potential deals, those just on the horizon, are even more mind-boggling. We’ve all heard about Carlos Beltran and how Lucifer—err, I mean Boras—wants a 10-year deal for $200 million. Now he’ll never get that contract in a million years (at least the owners have learned something from the A-Rod fiasco) but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Yanks eventually give in and hand Beltran a deal in the $90 to $100 million range for five or six years. Boras initially demanded $55 million contract for a 33-year old catcher (Jason Varitek) and while the sides will probably agree on a $36 million deal in the next few days (Boras is being a complete idiot and demanding a no-trade clause also, which is stalling the negotiations). Carl Pavano will get $9 or $10 million a year after having only one really good season.

Here’s the real kicker: It was released yesterday that the Mets are prepared to give an aging Pedro Martinez $38 million over three years, possibly increasing that to $50 million over four years, which is absolutely asinine.

Remember “trickle-down economics”, that theory that you learned about in Econ 101? It seems to be taking effect right here in Minnesota. First off, Juan Castro gets two years and doesn’t have to take a pay cut from his $1 million salary in ’04 despite hitting .244 last year. Now it appears that Brad Radke won’t be taking much of a pay cut from his $10 million salary ($9 million a year sounds likely for his next contract) and there is no doubt that he could easily get a raise from the Yankees or Red Sox if he really wanted one.

So what’s going on, major league owners? Didn’t you learn ANYTHING during the last labor negotiations? Ever hear of a little thing called “fiscal responsibility”? Heck, I’d even settle for collusion if it will keep prices within reason! Hopefully the signings we’ve seen so far are nothing but an aberration, but that is looking less and less likely every day. Teams were just starting to emerge from the depths of the terrible contracts they doled out during the Boom Years, but now it seems like they’re beginning the deadly cycle anew. The last thing baseball needs is a repeat of the 2002 labor woes.

Owners, listen up! So what if you have the dollars to spend on these guys! Try using some common sense instead!

It's About Respect

2004-11-29T23:31:00.000-06:00

Let me begin by apologizing for the lack of new material lately. The lack of news coming from the Twins has created a breeding ground for writers block. The hot stove can be one of the most exciting times in baseball but is sprinkled with pockets of inactivity. Because of this, it seemed like a perfect time (Thanksgiving also having something to do with it) to take a little time off. We will try to refrain from doing this as much as possible in the future. That might mean branching out and adding more non-Twins baseball content. We hope this is acceptable and we welcome your feedback, as always. Remember, we are first baseball fans. We love the game, we love the Twins and we love writing.

Sports Weekly, formerly know as Baseball Weekly, recently ran an article that featured Johan Santana. The article mostly talked about Santana’s rising star, especially in his home country of Venezuela. It recapped his amazing season and it also speculated about his future. Contained in that speculation was a slightly alarming quote from Santana.

“This isn’t about money," Santana says. "It’s about respect.” He won’t forget the Twins’ decision to keep him in the bullpen most of 2003 after being told he’d be in the rotation. He asked for a trade last year, just as he did in 2002, when he was buried in the bullpen.

I had to re-read this quote several times. I was aware that Santana was upset when the Twins made the decision to sign Kenny Rogers but I thought it had gone away when he entered the rotation and become such a large part of the team’s success. Santana gave very little indication of his frustration throughout is magnificent season. Part of what makes Santana such a great pitcher is his calm mound demeanor.

Behind that calmness though, lurks a fierce competitor with the ability to go after a batter for the kill. If Santana is still upset with the Twins it is not a good sign for resigning him. He is only a year away from free agency and eligible for arbitration this winter. The Twins have talked about trying to sign him to a long-term deal but at the moment that appears to be something the team is saving for later. Santana proved this year that his previous success was no fluke. He is the rare "true number one" starter in baseball. The direction the team takes with Santana is a signal of where the Twins plans to be in the standings during the coming years.

The team beat Santana in arbitration last year and there is a good chance they will go back this year. Arbitration has a way of adding to bad feelings because teams and players must argue about how good the player is and the team must downplay his worth to win. The Twins need to pursue a long-term deal as soon as possible to show Santana what he means for the organization and avoid stirring up more bad blood in arbitration. His stock is only going up and the team must regret not giving him a long-term deal last spring when it had the chance. Santana is not Joe Mays, and it would be a sound investment to lock him up.

The good news is that Santana will be in a Twins uniform no matter what next year. The final quote of the article is a great indication of what that will mean for opposing hitters.

“We want to prove this is something that didn’t just happen, and that we were lucky. Now we have to prove why we won this award (Cy Young).”

John
john.betzler@mnsu.edu

Molding and Shaping

2004-11-24T10:23:00.000-06:00

There were actually a few Twins-related nuggets to grace the pages of our two local papers the past few days. The 2005 Twins are beginning to take shape, and I actually feel pretty good about the direction things seem to be going. It appears Corey Koskie may be as good as gone, but otherwise, things are looking up.

Twins sign Juan Castro to a 2-year, $2.05 million deal

I know that a lot of Twins fans out there don’t like this move particularly much, but as of right now, I don't think it's that terrible (and don’t fall under the impression that I love every move the Twins make, because I obviously don’t). I know very little about Castro other than what I can glean from his statistics (which you can read here), but it sounds like he’ll fit quite nicely into the Twins’ plan for next season. Castro is only a .226 career hitter, but he’s hit about .250 in limited duty the past couple of years (his OBP numbers are horrendous though). He’s a slick fielder and can play three infield positions. Also, Castro is a guy who has been praised at ESPN.com and on Baseball Tonight for his outstanding glovework and overall value to a ballclub (you can also read this article from the Cincinnati Post).

A million dollars was probably too much to spend on a utility infielder, so expect Castro to be given every opportunity to earn the shortstop job this spring. Jason Bartlett is going to have to show some significant improvement to prove to Gardy that he can handle the shortstop job on an everyday basis. We could potentially see a platoon of some sort, but ultimately, I think that Castro is the guy who will be chosen (with Bartlett opening at AAA). Whether this is right or wrong remains to be seen. We do know for sure that he won't be much worse than Guzman.

Twins sign Mike Redmond for two years at just under $2 million

I do not believe this move is official just yet, but it’s almost certain to be announced very soon. This also marks the end of the Henry Blanco-era (oh Babe, we hardly knew ye). While I was lukewarm about the Castro signing, I wholeheartedly endorse this move. $1 million may seem like a lot for a backup catcher (although remember the Twins offered Blanco $1.8 million for two years), but not only is Redmond a backup, he’s an insurance plan. Simply put, we don’t know what to expect from Joe Mauer next year. All indications are that he will be healthy, but his injury is one that could flare up at any time. Even best case scenarios have Mauer catching only about two of every three games, maybe 4-5 per week. It would be incredibly depressing if Joe had to endure another injury-riddled season, so I welcome any move that will help preserve his health. Redmond, a career .284 hitter, is not only an outstanding defensive catcher, but he can hit a bit too and would not be an embarrassment at the plate if forced into extensive duty. Remember Henry Blanco’s 900 infield pop-ups last year? I’m glad we’re not going to toss 300 at-bats into that black hole again.

Redmond was actually poised to be the Marlins’ starting catcher in 2003 before the surprise signing of Pudge Rodriguez, and there were some people who decried that move because of Redmond. He hit .305 with a .372 OBP in 2002, and .312 with an impressive .802 OPS in 2001. I don’t expect Redmond to put up numbers of that caliber, but if he doesn’t embarrass himself for the 200-250 plate appearances I expect him to get, this will have been a smart move by Terry Ryan.

Brad Radke asks for 3-year, $27 million contract

This was an expected development, but it’s nice to have a definite figure to chew on. Freddy Garcia received an identical contract from the White Sox this summer, and many people (including the Twins Geek) expected Radke to sign a similar contract. Radke, while three years older than Garcia, is obviously the superior player. $9 million a year isn’t much of a pay cut for Brad (he made $10 million in 2004) but there are a number of clubs out there who will gladly pay Radke that amount. The Twins will propose a counteroffer next week, but if I was them, I would be tempted to sign the dotted line right now. I only hope TR doesn’t lowball Radke and squash any chance the Twins have of re-signing him. Expect more news to emerge in the coming days.

As you can see, the Twins are finally making some noise in the marketplace, and the 2005 iteration of your favorite ballclub is finally beginning to take shape. Backup plans are now in place for both Bartlett and Mauer, and I firmly believe that TR’s vision (whatever it is) will be fulfilled. If Radke can be signed, all signs point to a four-peat in ’05.

Whole Lotta Nothing

2004-11-23T01:24:00.000-06:00

First off, sorry about the lack of a new post yesterday. We’re usually pretty dependable here at Twins Chatter (especially on Mondays) but with Thanksgiving break coming up, professors are laying the homework on thick and time was short.

Anyway, it’s not like it really matters; almost nothing has happened recently in the world of Twins baseball. The Twins added five guys to their 40-man roster. Ho hum. Brad Radke’s agent decided that he wants a 3-year deal from the Twins. We all knew that one was coming. Why would a player not want more guaranteed money?

Actually, probably the biggest Twins-related news came from the Twins Geek yesterday. He announced that his 8-month contract with startribune.com had expired and that he was moving back to the old site over at www.twinsgeek.com. I really enjoy reading the Geek everyday, and I was ecstatic for him when he received the opportunity this spring to share his views with a wider audience. I’m sure many of you also discovered Twins Chatter through his site, and we’re eternally grateful for the exposure he provided us. I had the opportunity to meet John during our photo shoot for the Strib’s blogging article, and he seems like a genuinely good guy. I have no doubt his material will be just as good back in its old home.

That’s about all I’ve got for you today. Hopefully we’ll have an original post up tomorrow, but I can’t make any promises. We’ll probably be taking a couple of days off for Thanksgiving, but then again, so is the rest of the baseball world. If breaking news breaks however (Radke signing? Koskie leaving?) you can be sure that we’ll be right on top of it. In the meantime, have a great day everyone.

-Ryan M.
twinsfan21@msn.com

Weekend Tidbits

2004-11-19T01:44:00.000-06:00

The weekend is just about here and that is a very good thing for some of us. In the next three days, both Corey Koskie and Brad Radke could decide where to play next year. Before you get too excited, there is also the possibility of those decisions dragging out until long after Christmas. In the meantime, we are all stuck playing the waiting game. Luckily, the past couple days have already seen the departure of Cristian Guzman and a few smaller developments to hold us over.

Detroit signs Troy Percival to a 2 year 12 million dollar deal -
Twins fans remember the game of cat and mouse the team played with the Tigers incumbent closer Ugueth Urbina last off-season. Urbina’s numbers turned out to be a solid 21 saves with a 4.51 ERA but were nowhere near the production of Joe Nathan. The Tigers picked up Urbina’s $4 million option for next season but could not pass up the opportunity to sign an elite closer like Percival. There is no denying that Percival is a step above Urbina and brings the Tigers closer in the division. The Twins will probably fear him the most, as he has been more successful against them then any other team in his career. His only question marks are his age and durability both; both will determine the difference he makes the next two years.

The question now is what to do with Urbina. He was a great set-up man for the Florida Marlins during their championship run 2 years ago before sliding into the closer role in the World Series. He did not seem too excited about the prospect of doing it again when he was on the market last winter. The Tigers could continue to upgrade their roster by trading him for another need. At $4 million he remains reasonably priced and his numbers came after beginning last season in the minors to get ready for the year. If the Tigers decided to keep him, they may have a 1-2 punch to rival the Twin’s combo of Nathan and Juan Rincon. Either way this is another example of the rest of the division catching up to the Twins in the division as the Tigers have come a long way from the team that almost set a record for futility two years ago.

The Twins have announced a new ticket plan
I will be the first to admit that I don’t attend enough games at the Metrodome. It is so dark in there and the air circulation is so bad that it almost puts be to sleep despite the exciting play on the field. I really struggle watching games in that atmosphere and often it is just more comfortable to see the games on TV. I was at the two playoff games and during the short period when the fans were into the game, the dome was rocking. The excitement and noise that building can generate is unmatched.

No matter what the legislature decides this session on a new stadium the Twins will be playing the next several years at the dome. Their marketing department is doing their best to make up for it. This new idea is supposed to be the first of its kind. It allows fans to purchase any 40 games worth of tickets that can either be spread out over the course of a season or used all in one night if you have a bunch of people. This allows fans the flexibility of not having to pick the games they want to attend far in advance. It is a great idea; my only concern is what happens when everyone decides to use them when the Yankees are in town? Outside of politics the Twins have been one of the most fan friendly teams in the league and this is another great idea to make going to the games fun and easy.

One final sendoff to Cristian Guzman
I used to think that Cristian Guzman could be one of the special players in the game. I also once believed that Jim Bowden was one of the smartest general managers in the game when he was constructing winning teams in Cincinnati on a cracker budget. Those days were a long time ago. I hope that both Guzman and Bowden are happy with each other. One thing Bowden is good at is making deals once his hands are tied and that is what he has done by signing Guzman and Castillo to huge deals. Deals he will have to work his way out from under at a later date. Not a good start for the new Washington franchise. There are still better shortstops on the market making it more more prudent to wait. The run on shortstops has not begun and it may never get started. The best-case scenario is that somehow the market dries up for a Nomar Garciaparra and he ends up with the Twins. We can all dream anyway. Guzman’s deal means that players like Renteria and Garciaparra, who are significantly better players, are going to want even more. The Twins did not need the frustration of dealing with Guzman on a day-to-day basis any longer. He is not the player he promised to be and it was time to move on.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. I was going to try and preview the Vikings today but we will have to save that kind of analysis for another week. Look for the team to break out of its funk, even without Randy, this week against the Lions. The Lions are in their own downspin and they are not as talented at the Vikings. The Vikings will play a smarter game and win this one by a large margin. The Vikings make me wish it were baseball season.
John
John.Betzler@mnsu.edu

Guzie, Guzie: We Hardly Knew Ye

2004-11-17T01:25:00.000-06:00

Well, it’s official. I’ve had a sneaking suspicion for some time, but now we know for sure that Christian Guzman is going to be playing elsewhere next season, namely with the soon-to-be Washington Nationals. I’m happy for Guzie; there was no chance that he was going to get anything near the four years $16.8 million Jim Bowden gave him from the Twins. Frankly, I don’t think anyone else out there would have offered our enigmatic shortstop such an outrageous sum of money. Oh well. Guzie’s gone and there ain’t nothing that can bring him back.

There will be plenty of time to talk about the Twins’ future prospects for the shortstop position, so for today, I would like to focus on the Christian Guzman Era in Twins history.

Most of us remember Guzman when he entered the league back in 1999. It was a different age, an age when mere competence was a considered a valuable asset. You can play shortstop and not suck? Hey! You’re playing, kid!

The irony in that scenario is that Guzie was probably one of the worst everyday shortstops his first year in the big leagues. He was hopelessly overmatched at the plate as a rookie (.226/.267/.276? Yowza). His defense was also maddening at times. In many ways, his fielding habits were the opposite of what we’ve come to expect from Guzie: he made some great plays but always struggled with the easy ones.

Yet even during those Dark Times (both for Guzie and the Twins) hope endured. There was something special about this 21-year old Dominican; you knew it was there but you just couldn’t quite put your finger on it. He didn’t really give us anything to get excited about right away, but the potential was there.

In 2001, we finally saw that potential. I distinctly remember asking myself, What kind of player would Christian Guzman be if he fully realized his promise? The answer? A guy who hits .300, steals bases like there’s no tomorrow, and knocks doubles and triples all over the park, wrecking havoc on the basepaths. Guzie played out of his mind the first half of that year, and he was probably the team’s most valuable player for those three and a half months. He was most definitely a deserving All-Star selection.

Then came the 2001 Al-Star game. The beginning of the end for this new-and-improved version of Guzman. Some say he hurt his shoulder a few days earlier, some say he hurt it while showing off during workout day, but whatever happened, the result was that Guzie was never the same player after that fateful break. He went on the D.L. for quite some time, and when he came back, his arm was a shadow of it’s former self. Gone was the player that would fire the ball to first from deep in the hole, just to show that he could. Instead, we had a shortstop with a maddening affinity for casually flipping the ball in the general direction of first base, relying on Dougie Baseball’s superior scooping skills to save him from a surefire error.

The Guzman we’ve seen for the past three years has truly been an enigma. If you can drive the ball to the outfield and hit doubles and triples, why don’t you? If you are one of the fastest human beings in the game, why don’t you steal more bases? Whatever happened to the theory that players develop more plate discipline as they gain experience? Guzie bucked all these trends.

After six seasons, we've finally figured out just what type of player Christian Guzman is. He’s going to hit about .270, play solid-if-unspectacular defense, and steal about 10-15 bases per year. He’s not going to help you much, but then again, he probably won’t hurt you either. Is that type of player worth $16 million? I sure don’t think so, but Jim Bowden obviously feels otherwise.

The one classic Guzman characteristic that I have neglected to discuss thus far is his legendary speed. Guzie is one of those freakishly fast people that really slow people (such as myself) can barely comprehend. You can knock Guzie all you want, but there can be no denying that the man possesses some serious speed. Watching him fly around the basepaths for a triple was simply a thing of beauty.

Hopefully the fans in Washington appreciate that bionic sound as much as we did.

Guzie running out one of his patented swinging bunts

Love him or hate him, you can't deny that Christian Guzman is a man who's come a long way from humble origins

Impassioned Offseason Ramblings from a Concerned Fan

2004-11-15T22:47:00.000-06:00

The baseball off-season is like a heavy train that takes a while to get going and eventually builds momentum as it goes roaring down the track towards its final spring training destination. Mid-November is right at the beginning of that journey; where players have just begun to file for free agency and teams are mostly trying to re-sign their own guys while testing the market to see what the worth of some players will be. No doubt, trades are being discussed, payroll shuffled around and countless backup plans drawn up. For the most part, all that is left for fans is the agony of speculation of what will happen. Most of what is discussed at this time of year will never come to fruition.

Take the idea of using Luis Rivas at shortstop. This is just one of the possible replacements for Cristian Guzman next year. Rivas would fill the gap between Guzman and the time it takes Jason Bartlett to become a major leaguer. He has played the position in the minors and could prove a relatively cheap option depending on the direction the team goes. Ultimately, it would mean re-signing Corey Koskie to play third base with Michael Cuddyer retaining the second base position. If the team failed to resign Koskie, or a veteran replacement, an infield of Terry Tiffee, Rivas and Cuddyer might be too much of a step back for a team trying to make the playoffs a fourth straight year.

In the meantime the Twins should continue to explore the free agent market at shortstop, third base and starting pitching. Last year they had a backup plan when Eddie Guardado and LaTroy Hawkins left. Joe Nathan became an All-Star. To compete again next season the Twins will have to be equally as creative. They got a little lucky when Carlos Silva pitched as well as he did. Next season J.D Durbin and Scott Baker will need to step up if called upon. The key to the off-season is creating depth should things not go well. The Twins had planned on Rick Hulling being their fifth starter last year and when he went down it took them 2 months to find someone to replace him. With the other teams in the division improving each year the margin for error becomes smaller.

The Indians, Tigers and White Sox are all trying to make their respective off-season splashes. The White Sox are trying to acquire Randy Johnson, but it will undoubtedly cost them dearly to do so. They are minor players in the free agent market but have limited money. The Indians and Tigers seem more willing to open their pocketbooks and both teams’ number one priority seems to be Troy Percival. Since the Indians are closer to competing it would be more harmful for the Twins if they were able to sign him. He is a notorious Twins killer. The Tigers cannot be counted out as long as they have Ivan Rodriguez. They made some major strides last year and could be a surprise team this year. They have young good young players and are willing to augment their talent by signing veteran free agents. Ideally, the Cubs would swoop in and wrest Percival away from both teams.

As things begin to fall into place the picture will become clearer. It may take a couple of weeks for the big free agents to start signing. Scott Boras represents many of the better players out there and that will indirectly affect a team like the Twins. His clients will be some of the last to sign, so teams may grow tired of waiting and turn to players such as Radke and Koskie as secondary options.

That is why it is so important to try to sign them early. It is okay to overpay for a player like Radke because he is the closest to a "sure thing" when it comes to pitching? Unfortunately, other teams are aware of that fact as well which drives up his price. If the Twins are going to take the kind of hit that Rivas would be at short they should be willing to make a strong effort to sign Koskie while not being irresponsible. They must remember they have another great group of young players coming up that will allow them to compete for years if they make good decisions now. Loyalty to players that have been with the organization should not prevent them from being creative out on in the market. There is both a pressure to win now and to work successfully work young players onto the roster.

Rivas is likely to get a raise in arbitration. He will not be spectacular in the field and everyone knows what he can do at the plate. That money can go toward increasing offers to Radke and Koskie or trying to bring in a free agent who is going to put up similar numbers to Rivas at a fraction of the cost. Any player can fill a position the Twins may be looking to punt as they wait for Bartlett to develop. A name like Jose Valentin has already been brought up as one possible semi-regular player. The Twins can also look to someone like Barry Larkin who can play multiple positions and be able to step aside when asked. The one thing the Twins have had in the past is patience. They also have the luxury of waiting another month to make the decision on Rivas before they have to offer him arbitration. Most fans would agree that the best thing at this point is to cut the line and go with another option.

The one thing that is hard to have at this time of year is patience as we all wait to see how the dominoes fall into place. If the above scenarios seem a little convoluted that is because they are. There is so much uncertainty and every move can change the makeup market. All the Twins can do is not miss the boat. For now we all wait and hope everything works out for the best.

John
john.betzler@mnsu.edu

What Would it Be Like?

2004-11-15T01:17:00.000-06:00

When this offseason began, Twins fans as a whole were a fairly optimistic bunch. Things didn’t go according to plan in October, but there is no doubt that the Twins could have (or depending on your point of view, should have) beaten the Yankees. The Twins exceeded nearly all pre-season expectations in a year when many felt the AL Central champions would be lucky to scrape by with 85 wins.

Compared to last year, many Twins fans though, this off-season would be a relative breeze. Indications were that Brad Radke would sign early. Corey Koskie, who seems to enjoy living in the area, would also most likely be re-signed. Even Christian Guzman might find his way back into the fold at a reduced price.

Oh, how things change.

Things definitely aren’t looking so peachy these days. “Déjà vu all over again” might turn out to be the mantra of the 2004-05 offseason, and that isn’t a good thing. Just as like Eddie Guardado and LaTroy Hawkins left last year without so much as a goodbye, Radke, Koskie, and Guzy could easily do the same this year. Early reports indicate that there are numerous teams interested in Radke, and all of them could (and will) easily outbid the Twins. The Strib indicates that Koskie has sparked the interest of a few teams, none of them Minnesota. And everything indicates that Guzie is as good as gone (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing…).

We are now faced with the distinct possibility that seven or more Twins could be gone before the 2005 season begins: Radke, Koskie, Guzman, Rivas, Jones, Romero, and Blanco. I wouldn't lose any sleep over the last four, but a 30% roster changeover? From a playoff team? I know Terry Ryan can work miracles, but even he pull only so many rabbits out of that magical hat of his. There aren’t always going to be Joe Nathans out there to snatch up, or Lew Fords waiting in the farm system, ready to instantly become major contributors.

What will life be like if this worst case scenario comes to fruition? First of all, if the Twins can’t sign Radke, I think they’ll probably end up with another veteran innings-eater such as Jon Lieber. If/when Koskie signs elsewhere, I wouldn’t be surprised if TR winds up with a cheap third baseman like Joe Randa. Guzman can conceivably be replaced within the organization, although I actually wouldn’t be adverse to bringing him back at a more reasonable price.

This hypothetical version of the 2005 Twins would be so different they would almost be unrecognizable. The only players left from 2002 would be Hunter, Cuddyer, Santana, Lohse, LeCroy, and Juan Rincon (plus technically Restovich and Mays). I can hardly believe that myself! 2002 seems like only yesterday, yet here we might have a completely new team a scant three years later. Amazing.

That isn’t to say these new-look Twins wouldn’t be a force in the AL Central. Depending on what moves the White Sox make (Randy Johnson?), the Twins would probably still be favored to win the division over the Indians. But it wouldn’t be the slam dunk many of us believed it would be after 2004 ended. And advancing in the playoffs would be even more difficult.

Obviously all of this is merely speculation. It’s still possible that the Twins will sign Radke and Koskie, and maybe even Guzman. But that possibility is becoming more remote with every passing day.

Don’t despair quite yet, Twins fans, but do brace yourself for this possible reality. What would it be like?

Jumping for Joy

2004-11-12T01:15:00.000-06:00

Congratulations Johan Santana
2004 American League Cy Young Award Winner

Twins Chatter Q & A

2004-11-11T01:02:00.000-06:00

Things have been a bit slow (understandably) in the baseball world recently, especially here in Minnesota. For today's post, we have decided to share a few quick thoughts on some of the relevant issues surrounding our Minnesota Twins. Be sure to stop by tomorrow to check out our thoughts on Johan Santana winning his first Cy Young Award. In the meantime, enjoy a little Twins Chatter.

Ron Gardenhire finished second in the American League manager of the year voting. Do you think he deserved to win it?

Ryan: "Actually, I was very surprised to see he only lost by a narrow margin (101-91 points). I knew that Gardy was a contender, but I didn't think he had a real chance to win the award. Showalter took a team that was absolutely horrific last year (18 games under .500) and kept them in the playoff hunt until the last week of the season: an amazing accomplishment. I personally wrote the Rangers off around the All-Star break, but they somehow hung in there. We all give Gardy a hard time because we see him on a day to day basis. Let's face it: he's not the greatest game day manager. His strengths lie in communicating with players and getting guys to play hard and as a team. Using relievers, pinch hitters, making lineups, and such is not his strong point. That being said, I think he was a deserving #2 finisher in the voting."

John: "If Gardenhire didn't deserve to win the award he wouldn't have finished second. It was bad luck that Texas played as well as they did. Showalter's team may not have made the playoffs but they far exceeded expectations. There is no doubt they impacted the playoff picture by staying in the race right up until the last weekend of the season. Every time someone counted them out they somehow were able to make another run at it. They did it with terrible pitching making the job Showalter did all the more impressive. Gardy did a good job of working with a team that had expierenced more turnover then previous years. He was able to overcome some major injuries while fending off the White Sox and the Indians. Some years the award may have belonged to him, this year Showalter deserved it."

As Twins Geek said the other day, it is appearing less and less likely that the Twins will be able to keep both Brad Radke and Corey Koskie. Which do you think the Twins should keep and which do you think they will keep?

Ryan: "For me, this question has but one answer: Brad Radke. Although I am extremely disheartened by the fact that the Twins aren't going to sign him before their exclusive negotiating window closes, I can't help but think they'll find a way to get it done. He's the guy that we really really need to keep, and the one I think we're most likely to keep. Given a choice, I would keep Koskie too (assuming his price stays reasonable) but I think he's more expendable than Radke. Tiffee and Cuddyer would make a decent platoon next year. Their combined defense would be inferior to Koskie's, but offensively I think the two could approach Koskie's expected production (.275/20/85)."

John "Ideally the team would find the money to keep both players. If that is not the case, Radke has got to remain the number one priority. It is near impossible to fill the void he would leave in the rotation. I don't envision the Twins taking even part of that money and going after another reliable pitcher. Radke is the horse of the staff and the team can rely on him. Koskie is a risk that a small market team like the Twins may not be able to take. He brings great chemistry and is a big part of the lineup but it would be easier to replace him then Radke. However, I don't see Cuddyer being the one to fill his shoes. Cuddyer has seemed uncomfortable at the hot corner and seemingly is being groomed to play second base. If he sees time at 3rd it will not be for an extended period of time. The Twins are going to do everything in their power to step up to the plate and sign Radke. He will be a Twins next season, I almost guarentee it. Remember, the first time the team signed him marked the start of their turn around. Without Radke this team will not win the Central next year."

What are your expectations in terms of Joe Mauer's health, not only in 2005 but beyond?

Ryan: "Just like everybody else, I believed the Twins brass when they came out and said that Joe would make a full recovery. The thing is, they've been feeding us the same lines since April without actually providing any hard facts. Well the other day, I stumbled upon a fact of my own. My dad is going to have surgery to remove his meniscus soon (ironically the same surgery Mauer had back in April) and happened to bring up Mauer in the conversation with his orthopedic surgeon. Our doctor knows a thing or two about such injuries (he also personally knows Dr. John Steubs, the guy who performed Joe's surgery) and I was extremely disheartened by what he had to say. One thing is for sure: a meniscus tear is really something from which you can recover in about a month, which was the initial estimate on Mauer's injury. However, the complications in Joe's case stemmed from the torn cartilage that was removed later in the summer. That is a much tougher injury to recover from, especially for someone who plays a position where the knees are so important (like catcher). Anyway, this doctor was under the opinion that Mauer would be lucky to get five more years out of his knees as a catcher. You can take that however you want to, but personally, I believe him. Just when we thought we had an All-Star catcher on our hands, he turned into an All-Star third basemen."

John: "Mauer’s health is going to be a cause for concern until he proves he is fine. Right now, I would compare the strength of his knee next season to walking on thin ice. There is a chance everything will be fine but there is a distinct possibility the ice is going to give and something will fall through. I think we all have to reconcile ourselves to the fact that Mauer is not going to spend his whole career behind the plate. The Twins will be lucky to get the next 5 years out of him. They have to be careful not to overwork him. The good news is he’s still going to be a great player no matter where he is on the field. It’s simply a matter of getting the most out of his career even if it means switching his position."