k-bro's baseball blog

Injury Report: Mastroianni AND Wait...Who's This? Oswaldo Arcia (belated)

2013-04-17T21:58:00.000-05:00

The Twins have placed Darin Mastroianni on the 15-day disabled list with a stress reaction to his left ankle.

A stress reaction is an injury to the bone, but no fracture is seen on the imaging -- kind of like a "pre- stress fracture," I guess. It's usually happens with runners, often caused by the force of pounding of the feet on the ground and compounded by improper shoes. It can also be caused by bone deficiencies like osteoporosis.

He's been nursing a sprained ankle and bone bruise since the last week of Spring Training. It's not clear if this is related to that, but I am willing to bet it is.

And recovery doesn't sound like it's going to be a walk in the park. He needs a boot. And he needs to be non-ambulatory for a while. In fact, according to the StarTribune's Phil Miller:

Mastroianni's injury worse than Twins thought, he'll be out 3 weeks. Foot in a boot for 10-14 days. Arcia should get a long look up here.
— Phil Miller (@MillerStrib) April 17, 2013

The Twins will recall Oswaldo Arcia to replace Mastro's roster spot.

Sources:
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_23038836/minnesota-twins-drop-aaron-hicks-lineup-scratch-darin
http://www.drpribut.com/sports/stress_fracture.html
http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/cme/conferences/pdfs/RAD-2012-PDFs/02_MON-Greenspan.pdf

~~~

Note: I should have introduced you to Oswaldo Arcia before Monday, because that's when he got to play. I figured I could get to it on Tuesday, but he was sent right back down (he was up because Wilkin Ramirez was on paternity leave). But now that we'll get a good, long look at him, here he is.

Wait Now...Who's This?

Oswaldo Arcia

Outfielder
Bats lefty; throws righty
Almost 22 years old

What he looks like:

Source: Getty Images

Where did he come from:

Signed as a 16-year-old free agent.

A few things to get excited about:

He's a highly-rated prospect
He's young
He has some power and is generally a good all-around hitter

A few things to temper your enthusiasm

His strikeout and walk rates are something one would want for a pitcher, but he's a hitter
He's not really a center fielder (in case you're thinking he could fill in for Aaron Hicks)
He's still young

Injury Report: Cole DeVries and Wait Now...Who's This: Pedro Hernandez

2013-04-07T20:34:00.000-05:00

The Twins have placed Cole DeVries on the 15-day Disabled List, retroactive to March 30, with a strained right forearm.

He noticed tightness during his final appearance in Spring Training. After resting it for a few days, he still felt tightness when throwing his breaking balls.

He and the Twins are taking a cautious approach; they don't want it to get worse. He's scheduled to have an MRI on Monday.

This is of concern to me because Nick Blackburn's woes started with forearm tightness. Here's hoping Cole's isn't as serious.

The Twins have recalled lefty pitcher Pedro Hernandez to replace DeVries on the roster.

In other transaction news: the Twins have activated pitcher Anthony Swarzak off the DL and optioned Tyler Robertson to AAA Rochester.

~~~

Wait Now...Who's This?

Pedro Hernandez

Starting Pitcher
Right-handed
Almost 24 years old

What he looks like:

Source: StarTribune

Where did he come from:

Acquired in the Francisco Liriano trade last season. Made Twins debut on Sunday.

A few things to get excited about:

He had an outstanding spring (not that that matters much)
He's young
He looked pretty sharp on Sunday

A few things to temper your enthusiasm

He's probably going to give up too many hits
He's probably not going to strike out very many batters
He's still young

Wait Now...Who's This? Wilkin Ramirez

2013-04-03T22:34:00.000-05:00

There are a few new faces on the Minnesota Twins roster. The season is starting soon, and I thought I'd introduce them to you. If you haven't had a chance to see any Spring Training games, you probably won't know who you're looking at when you're watching on Opening Day. Back in the day, the Twins had a "Get To Know 'Em" ad campaign, but I'm sure that phrase is all trademarked and stuff, and I'd get in a whole heap of trouble if I used it, and I've been pretty busy lately, and the last thing I need is a whole bunch of "cease and desist" emails and phone calls, even though my tiny little blog isn't likely to dilute their precious trademark or anything, but whatever, so I present to you...

Wait Now...Who's This?

Wilkin Ramirez

Outfielder and Pinch Hitter
Right-handed
27 years old

What he looks like:

Source: Getty Images

Where did he come from:

Signed as a minor league free agent after the 2011 season. Spent the 2012 season in the minors.

A few things to get excited about:

He had an outstanding spring (not that that matters much)
He has some pop in his bat
He dominated AAA
On Tuesday, according to Baseball Reference, he was baseball's 5 millionth player appearance
He drove in a run on Wednesday

A few things to temper your enthusiasm

He's going to strike out way more than he walks
He might strike out more than he gets hits
He probably won't have a great batting average
He's going to be stuck on the bench for most of the season

Wait Now...Who's This? Tim Wood (with a Paper Doll)

2013-03-29T21:19:00.000-05:00

Wait Now...Who's This?

Tim Wood

Relief Pitcher
Right-handed

What he looks like:

Source: StarTribune

Where did he come from:

Signed as a minor league free agent. Spent last season in Pirates AAA.

A few things to get excited about:

He's not expensive
He's on Twitter, and he doesn't seem arrogant or otherwise unpleasant
He has experience closing, so he's used to high-leverage situations

A few things to temper your enthusiasm:

He's 30, and he doesn't have very much major league experience
His ERA is likely to be pretty beefy, especially for a reliever
He kind of struggled controlling baserunners during Spring Training
And then there's this:

The Twins have placed RHP Tim Wood on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 24, with a strain to his right rotator cuff.

He complained of soreness on Sunday after he pitched well on Saturday.

He did not have an MRI.

He's due to return mid-April. However, he may not be guaranteed a spot on the roster. But, he is out of options, so if the Twins want to send him down to AAA when he's healthy, they'll have to pass him through waivers first.

Wait Now...Who's This? Mike Pelfrey

2013-03-28T22:13:00.000-05:00

Wait Now...Who's This?

Mike Pelfrey

Starting Pitcher
Right-handed

What he looks like:

Source: Getty Images

Or Even:

Source: StarTribune

Where did he come from:

Signed as a free agent. Been with the Mets since 2006.

A few things to get excited about:

He's 6'7"
He's not likely to give up a ton of home runs
He'll probably get more ground ball outs than fly ball outs
He's just like the rest of us and likes fried food

A few things to temper your enthusiasm

He's recovering from Tommy John surgery last season
He had the surgery May 1st, and it usually takes more than a year to fully recover (of course, everyone heals differently, so he could be ok, but ...)
He probably won't strike out a ton of batters
Broken record alert: He's only ever been a National League pitcher

Wait Now...Who's This? Kevin Correia

2013-03-27T22:07:00.000-05:00

Wait Now...Who's This?

Kevin Correia

Starting Pitcher
Right-handed

What he looks like:

Source: ESPN

Where did he come from:

Signed as a free agent. Pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates two last seasons.

A few things to get excited about:

He doesn't have a history of injuries
Terry Ryan says he is a "good makeup guy" (no word on whether he refers to personality or Avon)
He has potential to eat a lot of innings
He's a family man; his wife just had their third son this spring

A few things to temper your enthusiasm

Not one optimistic word has been written about him by either local or national press
There's no evidence that he has a personality or sense of humor
He'll probably have a beefy ERA
He wasn't an awesome pitcher in the National League, so he may struggle with American League batters

Wait Now...Who's This? Vance Worley

2013-03-26T21:53:00.000-05:00

Wait Now...Who's This?

Vance Worley

Likely Opening Day Starting Pitcher
Right-handed

What he looks like:

Credit: Getty Images

Where did he come from:

Philadelphia Phillies. He and Trevor May were traded for Ben Revere.

A few things to get excited about:

He'll get more ground ball outs than fly ball outs
He's not likely to give up a ton of walks
He was a fan favorite in Philly, so he might actually have a personality
His nickname is "Vanimal"
He might fill the necessary "adorable dimples quotient" the team has been lacking since Michael Cuddyer's departure
He wears sweet glasses

A few things to temper your enthusiasm

He's coming off elbow surgery (bone chips) late last season
He hasn't really had a great spring (not that that matters much)
He doesn't have a great history of pitching deep into games (5-6 inning average)
He probably won't get a ton of strike outs
He's a former National League pitcher (the hitters in the American League tend to be better)

So Begin the Paper Dolls: Swarzak and Diamond

2013-03-24T22:21:00.000-05:00

As expected, on March 22, the Twins placed Anthony Swarzak and Scott Diamond on the 15-day Disabled List.

Anthony Swarzak was placed on the DL with cracked ribs suffered at the end of January while he was in Minnesota for TwinsFest. Apparently he and some teammates were goofing around, officially stated as "horseplay" but I'm guessing wrestling, and ouch.

The Twins are bringing him along slowly, making sure he heals. It probably hurts with the twisting motion of pitching. He's been pitching some live batting practices.

He's due back possibly mid-April.

~~~

Scott Diamond was placed on the DL because he's still recovering from bone chip removal surgery in December.

He heard a crack in his elbow while jumping rope for cardio exercise. The bone chips have probably been there awhile -- he suffered discomfort in 2007 -- and they shifted. He opted to have them removed now because the doctor informed him that they were close enough to his tendon that they might damage it, which might require Tommy John surgery in a couple of years.

Even though it was arthroscopic surgery, and the Twins initially believed he'd be fine by Opening Day, he's had some setbacks and he needs more time. He's been pitching live batting practices and minor league games.

He's due back possibly April 12.

~~~

Sources:
Minnesota Twins: Anthony Swarzak blows up bats, moves closer to return

Scott Diamond will begin the season the disabled list

Twins' Scott Diamond enjoying brighter spring

Injury Report

Fan Forum Conference Call: Brunansky and Steinbach

2013-03-19T23:03:00.000-05:00

The Twins conducted another Fan Form conference call for season-ticket holders, this time featuring new hitting coach Tom Brunansky and new bench and catchers' coach Terry Steinbach. I furiously scribbled notes as fast as a could so I can recap the call for you. As always, I'm pretty crappy at taking dictation, so please don't consider any of this true quotes, but rather regard it as paraphrases and general ideas. I apologize in advance if I get any of this wrong. Also, my phone rang a few moments after the call started, so I think I missed the first question.

Does Joe Mauer have the capability to hit for more power?

Response from Tom Brunansky: The Twins think he will. When you have a leg injury, you have doubt on the strength of the back leg. Now that his legs are healthy, he can generate more power. He's excited to start hitting because he feels good.

What are the primary responsibilities of a bench coach (other than hoping Gardy doesn't get ejected)?

Response from Terry Steinbach: Be Gardy's right hand man. Worry about matchups between your bench guys and the opponents bullpen. Worry about your bullpen and make sure the BP coach knows who should be warming up. Double check everything. Communicate. Be like a secondary manager (emphasis on secondary).

Fans were sad when Bruno was traded. What brought him back to Minnesota? What's the draw?

Bruno: I was sad too. The draw is that the Twins are a family. When I decided to come back to baseball, I only called Jim Rantz. When an opportunity opened up in the minors, I took it. I didn't know if I could handle it, but I worked everything out. Now I'm hoping to catch some of that same chemistry in the big leagues.

Who has pleasantly surprised you the most?

Steiny: The guys competing for outfield spots, Mastrioanni, Hicks, and Benson, have been really fun to watch. Hicks has opened a lot of eyes, not only with his hitting, but also with the way he patrols center field. He makes great jumps and covers a lot of ground.

Bruno: Terry took my answer. Hicks is going about this opportunity in a great way. He carries himself well. Also, Pedro Florimon has been fun to watch play shortstop. He's been working on his offense. Dozier is also fun to watch. It's too bad we've missed watching some of the guys due to the WBC.

How much input do you have on deciding which guys make the roster?

Bruno: I'm a newbie, but Gardy asks my opinion and we discuss.

Steiny: Gardy wants our opinion and wants to know what we think. We can give him input on both sides of a player: from the cages and from the practice fields.

What's your perspective on how the starting rotation will fill out?

Steiny: It's a work-in-progress. We've got Pelfrey, Worley, and Correia ready. There's a lot of healthy competition of the rest of the spots. There are 12 games left to figure that out.

Bruno: I specialize in the hitting side, but I can see how opposing hitters approach our pitchers. A lot of guys are throwing well, they have to go grab it.

What's the biggest change in the game since your playing days?

Steiny: The social media. Everyone in the clubhouse is looking at their devices with their Tweeter [sic] accounts and stuff. But once they leave that on the sidelines, the game is still the same. Fundamentals are still important.

Bruno: The game itself is the same, with an emphasis on fundamentals. But I think the biggest change is the training staff, and conditioning. There's more emphasis on nutrition and diet. When I played, I always grabbed a cup of coffee and a donut. Now there's even sports psychologists.

If the weather doesn't warm up soon, how will the cold affect the game on Opening Day?

Bruno: No matter the weather, I'm nice and warm next to the heater in the dugout. I feel bad for Vav [Joe Vavra, third-base coach] and Scotty [Ullger, first-base coach] out there. The players bundle up to stay warm, but it's harder to move around or swing the bat. The ball doesn't carry as well. And, as a hitter, if a pitcher gets in on the hands, it hurts.

Steiny: A lot of it is mental; if you believe you're cold and miserable, then you'll be cold and miserable. But, if you go out there with a winning attitude, you're more apt to play well. Being a catcher has it's drawbacks, but it's great being a catcher on cold days with all the gear and working to keep you warm.

Do you think Trevor Plouffe is able to become a consistent power hitter?

Bruno: Absolutely! A good power hitter puts back spin on the ball. Trevor became a little pull-conscious and didn't adjust. He's been working on it all off-season. His plate coverage is better. And he's beginning to believe it.

As much as fans appreciate manufacturing runs, is this going to be a more power-hitting club?

Bruno: Hitting homers at the Dome was fun and it happened often. Target Field isn't as conducive for hitting homers. We're trying to encourage creating damage. Creating damage happens many ways: hitting to the gap, get extra-base hits. They still like reaching the seats, but it's about creating damage.

Will the club carry three catchers again? If not, who can do it in an emergency?

Steiny: We have had discussions about this, it's ultimately up to Gardy. With three, if one's starting at catcher and the other is at DH, there's another one available if one gets hurt. With two, if one's starting and the other's at DH, an one gets hurt, either you lose your DH and the pitchers have to hit, or someone comes in as an emergency catcher. Jeff Clement was drafted as a catcher, so he could do it. Escobar can do it do. Having these guys available keeps the options open.

How's Brain Dozier coming along?

Bruno: When he was sent down to Rochester last season, he was a lost ballplayer. The game had become too quick for him. I told him "just remember who you are." During the off-season, he went back to the basics. He was on his back leg too much. I want him to be an aggressive hitter, to drive the ball and hit the gaps. I don't want him to swing meekly; he should let loose.

Caller saw Bruno with Morneau hitting off a tee. What were they working on?

Bruno: Tee work is good for youngsters, but it's also very good for veterans. They were working on getting the feel of working on the back side and flattening the back swing until he gets a consistent feel. Then we'll move the tee out a little to get used to the feel of pulling the ball. They use all kinds of tee drills, depending on the players. With Joe Mauer, we work on the feel of his legs. With Brain Dozier, its the feel of his follow through.

How confident are you with the infield defense?

Steiny: A key aspect of Twins baseball has let them down the last few years. Florimon has improved at short. And Dozier moving to second has made a very healthy competition with Carroll. Every morning, they go to Tom Kelly field and work on fielding drills. They also make the pitchers watch so they can learn how the defense behind them will work.

What's Joe Mauer's value at calling games and handling the pitching staff?

Steiny: Joe absolutely has an impact on the pitchers and the outcome of the game. He has tremendous experience, and he's very good back there. We want him back there as much as he can be, but to keep him healthy, he can't be back there every day -- no catcher can. You just can't catch 162 games. So we'll try to make matchups accordingly and put Doumit in there when it works out. But Joe's fantastic.

Bruno: I think the two toughest positions are bench hitter and designated hitter. Most hitters do better when they can play out in the field. So we want Joe out in the field as much as possible.

Do you worry about the results of Spring Training games?

Bruno: I don't pay attention to win/loss records in Spring Training. I want the players to develop every day. Sometime a pitcher might be working on stuff, so we don't regard wins and losses. We still play to win so we feel like we're a winning team.

Steiny: We want to find out what the veterans need: some like to ramp up towards Opening Day, some guys like to dial it back towards the end of Spring Training. Plus with so many guys in camp, there are a lot of guys to evaluate, and they have to play. We want a winning attitude and the guys want to win.

Joe Mauer is a special hitter. What separates special hitters from good hitters?

Bruno: The best hitters, like Joe, make hitting look so easy. And that's saying something. First, they have a gift, but they also keep it simple. They have simple mechanics. There isn't a lot of stress. They also trust their ability. Confidence is key.

Steiny: They have to have the ability. They find a way to get it done. They can do so much with the bat. Great hitters don't get nervous regardless of the count. They trust themselves.

What kind of power potential do you see in Hicks and Parmelee?

Bruno: Hicks is a switch hitter. He has a good, strong core. Good base. I see 10-20 homers until he learns his true potential. Parmelee is a little more advanced, 15-25 homer potential. [He said a whole bunch more good stuff about both players, but he was talking so fast, I couldn't keep up.]

What are the differences in the mental approach for someone like Willingham and someone like Florimon?

Bruno: It's a different approach with each. For expample, if there's a runner at second, we're not going to ask Hammer to ground out on the right side to move the runner over. His approach is always going to be the same -- drive the ball. With Florimon, he may have to shorten his swing and avoid high pitches in order to get the grounder to move runners over. He's getting better with his command of the strike zone.

Asked again: what does the bench coach do?

Steiny: [Pretty much the same answer as before.] Also, keep track of the opponent's running game. Decide when to call a pitch out or a throw over to first.

You both took over for guys who are still with the team. How's that going?

Steiny: I'm the new kid on the block, so I'm doing everything I can to tap into these guys and use them as a resource. We're good friends. I'm always asking for advice. The key is we all check our egos at the door. We always learn. Everyone wants to win.

Bruno: Yes, we check our egos at the door. We work as a staff. We use them as resources. They're different eyes, different points of view. They will be watching from the bases. We're all watching batting practice and communicating. We're pretty well bonded.

Childhood Hazards

2013-02-21T21:34:00.002-06:00

We all had a good chuckle (and by "chuckle," I mean "eye-roll") when we heard that Anthony Swarzak cracked a couple ribs when he and a teammate engaged in what the team officially calls "horseplay." Now, we're hearing that Scott Diamond's bone chips -- you know, the ones that required surgery in December -- occurred because he was jumping rope.

It makes one wonder whether players participating in common children's activities is perhaps unlucky.

Fortunately, I am not the only one who is concerned by this. We here at k-bro's baseball blog have been granted exclusive access to the following directive.*

To: All Minnesota Twins Players and Prospects
From: The Minnesota Twins Training and Medical Staff
Re: Off-field Hazards

It has come to our attention that some players are engaging in risky behavior which has potential to result in injury. In order to mitigate this risk, we have deemed it necessary to mandate that the following activities and items are forbidden unless properly supervised by a member of the coaching or training staff.

Wrestling, tickling, tag, ghost in the graveyard, and other horseplay. It's all fun and games until someone cracks his ribs.
Jump rope, double-dutch, hopscotch, dodge ball, may poles, and other playground equipment. Again, it's all fun and games until someone needs bone chips removed.
LEGO® bricks, Hot Wheels® cars, Barbie® doll shoes, jacks, and other tiny items. You don't know true debilitating pain until have stepped on one of these items. Also, imagine the beat-down you'd get if Gardy stepped on one of these and found out you left it on the floor.
Nerf guns, darts, Red Ryder BB guns, tracer guns, bows and arrows, and other means to launch projectiles. It's a sure thing that if you play with these, you'll shoot your eye out.
Water balloons, squirt guns, water pistols, bubbles, super soakers, and other means to make the floors slippery (celebratory champagne exempted). Wet floors can cause slips and falls which endanger tailbones.
Video games, hand-held game devices, and other practically useless devices. Nothing irritates tendons and ligaments like repetitive stress disorders.
Paper airplanes, coloring books, paper dolls, and other things with sharp edges. These things can cause paper cuts that can get seriously infected. Besides, if you play with a paper doll of yourself, that means you're already injured.

We here on the training staff are certain that these preventative measures will help ensure an injury-free season.

So there you have it.

*Special thanks to Betsy and Babs for their help in obtaining this information. :)

Who Are These Guys, Anyway? Quick and Dirty 2013 Spring Training Guide

2013-02-05T22:01:00.000-06:00

In less than a week, the Twins will officially open Spring Training camp. As of now, 66 players are expected to be there: 34 pitchers, 9 catchers (a lot of catchers needed for a lot of pitchers), 13 infielders, and 10 outfielders. There are a lot of bodies (I imagine the locker room might be a tad crowded), but there are also a lot of holes from 2012 to be filled. By the end of it, there will be 25 men ready to head north and face the Tigers on April 1.

Now, if you're as tired as I am of this miserable winter, you're really looking forward to listening to the Spring Training games once they start on February 23 (you may be especially excited if you're in the Twin Cities area because now that the radio broadcasts will be on FM you can finally get radio reception at work). So I've wrote up this handy-dandy list of all the names you'll hear.

40-Man Roster:

These are the guys most likely to land on the big league club. And those who don't will likely be next in line in case of injury or ineffectiveness. A few guys are on the 40-man simply because the front office wants to protect their future with the team -- removing them from the 40-man roster would expose them to waivers.

Guys We Know and Love (Maybe)

Alex Burnett. RHP. Age 25. 2012: 67 games for the Twins.
Jared Burton. RHP. Age 31. 2012: 64 games for the Twins.
Drew Butera. C. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings and 42 games for the Twins.
Jamey Carroll. IF. Age 38. 2012: 138 games for the Twins.
Scott Diamond. LHP. Age 26. 2012: Red Wings and 27 starts for the Twins.
Ryan Doumit. C/DH. Age 31. 2012: 134 games for the Twins.
Brian Dozier. IF. Age 25. 2012: Red Wings and 84 games for the Twins.
Brian Duensing. LHP. Age 25. 2012: 55 games (11 starts) for the Twins.
Joe Mauer. C. Age 29. 2012: 147 games for the Twins.
Justin Morneau. 1B. Age 31. 2012: 134 games for the Twins.
Glen Perkins. LHP. Age 29. 2012: 70 games for the Twins.
Trevor Plouffe. 3B. Age 26. 2012: Red Wings and 119 games for the Twins.
Anthony Swarzak. RHP. Age 27. 2012: 44 games (5 starts) for the Twins. Will miss time due to cracked ribs.
Josh Willingham. LF. Age 33. 2012: 145 games for the Twins.

Guys We Kind of Know As Long As We Didn't Stop Paying Attention Last Season

Cole DeVries. RHP. Age 27. 2012: Red Wings and 17 games (16 starts) for the Twins.
Eduardo Escobar. SS. Age 24. 2012: Red Wings, 36 games for the White Sox, and 14 games for the Twins. Acquired in the Liriano trade.
Casey Fien. RHP. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings and 35 games for the Twins.
Pedro Florimon. SS. Age 26. 2012: Rock Cats, Red Wings, and 43 games for the Twins.
Liam Hendriks. RHP. Age 23. 2012: Red Wings and 16 starts for the Twins.
Chris Herrmann. C. Age 25. 2012: Rock Cats and 7 games for the Twins.
Darin Mastroianni. OF. Age 27. 2012: Rock Cats, Red Wings, and 77 games for the Twins.
Chris Parmelee. 1B/RF. Age 24. 2012: Red Wings and 64 games for the Twins.
Tyler Robertson. LHP. Age 25. 2012: Red Wings and 40 games for the Twins.

Guys From The Twins Minors

Oswaldo Arcia. OF. Age 21. 2012: Miracle and Rock Cats. #93 of MLB's top 100 prospects.
Joe Benson. OF. Age 24. 2012: GCL Twins, Miracle, Rock Cats, Red Wings (rehabbing injuries much of the season).
Kyle Gibson. RHP. Age 25. 2012: rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. #49 in MLB's top 100 prospects.
B.J Hermsen. RHP. Age 23. 2012: Miracle and Rock Cats.
Pedro Hernandez. LHP. Age 23. 2012: AA and AAA of the White Sox organization, Red Wings. Acquired in the Liriano trade.
Aaron Hicks. OF. Age 23. 2012: Rock Cats. #98 in MLB's top 100 prospects.
Josmil Pinto. C. Age 23. 2012: Miracle and Rock Cats.
Daniel Santana. IF. Age 22. 2012: Miracle.
Caleb Thielbar. LHP. Age 26. 2012: Miracle, Rock Cats, and Red Wings.
Michael Tonkin. LHP. Age 23. 2012: Snappers and Miracle.

Guys We Know If We Paid Attention to Other Teams

Kevin Correia. RHP. Age 32. 2012: 32 games (28 starts) for the Pirates. Signed as a free agent.
Mike Pelfrey. RHP. Age 29. 2012: rehabbing from Tommy John surgery (with the Mets). Signed as a free agent.
Vance Worley. RHP. Age 25. 2012: 23 games for the Phillies. Acquired in the Revere trade from the Phillies.

Guys We Probably Don't Know But We Want to Welcome to the Twins Organization

Trevor May. RHP. Age 23. 2012: AA in Phillies system. Acquired in Revere trade from the Phillies.
Ryan Pressly. RHP. Age 24. 2012: A+ and AA in Red Sox system. Rule 5 draft from the Red Sox.
Josh Roenicke. RHP. Age 30. 2012: 63 games for the Rockies. Claimed off waivers from the Rockies.
Tim Wood. RHP. Age 30. 2012: AAA or Pirates system. Signed as a minor-league free agent.

Non-Roster Invitees:

While it's more likely that 40-man guys will break camp with the big-league club, these guys have earned the right to try to impress the decision-makers. A quick paperwork effort would make any of these guys a Twin. I predict one or two of these guys will impress enough to make it -- Jared Burton did it last year.

Guys We Know and Love (Maybe)

Nick Blackburn. RHP. Age 30. 2012: Red Wings and Twins. Will miss time due to wrist surgery.

Guys We Know If We Didn't Stop Paying Attention Last Season

Samuel Deduno. RHP. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings and Twins.
Lester Oliveros. RHP. Age 24. 2012: Rock Cats, Red Wings, and Twins.
Luis Perdomo. RHP. Age 28. 2012: Rock Cats, Red Wings, and Twins.
Clete Thomas. OF. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings and Twins.
Esmerling Vasquez. RHP. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings and Twins.
P.J. Walters. RHP. Age 27. 2012: Red Wings and Twins.

Guys From The Twins Minors

James Beresford. IF. Age 24. 2012: Rock Cats.
Chris Colabello. 1B. Age 29. 2012: Rock Cats.
Brian Dinkelman. OF. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings.
Deolis Guerra. RHP. Age 23. 2012: Rock Cats and Red Wings.
Kyle Knudson. C. Age 25. 2012: Snappers and Miracle.
Danny Lehmann. C. Age 27. 2012: Rock Cats and Red Wings.
Shairon Martis. RHP. Age 25. 2012: AA and AAA between Pirates and Twins systems.
Wilkin Ramirez. OF. Age 27. 2012: Miracle, Rock Cats, and Red Wings.
Dan Rohlfing. C. Age 23. 2012: Miracle and Rock Cats.
Deibinson Romero. 3B. Age 26. 2012: Rock Cats.
Anthony Slama. RHP. Age 29. 2012: Red Wings.

Guys We Know If We Pay Attention to Other Teams

Rich Harden. RHP. Age 31. 2012: Injured (A's). Signed as a minor-league free agent.

Guys We Probably Don't Know But We Want to Welcome to the Twins Organization

Bryan Augenstein. RHP. Age 26. 2012: AAA of Rays system. Signed as a minor-league free agent.
Brandon Boggs. LF. Age 30. 2012: AAA of Pirates system. Signed as a minor-league free agent.
Jeff Clement. 1B. Age 29. 2012: AAA and Pirates. Signed as a minor-league free agent.
Eric Fryer. C. Age 27. 2012: AAA and Pirates. Signed as a minor-league free agent.
Alex Meyer. RHP. Age 23. 2012: A and A+ of Nationals system. Acquired in the Span trade from the Nationals. #40 in MLB's top 100 prospects.
Ray Olmedo. 3B. Age 31. 2012: AAA of White Sox system. Signed as minor-league free agent.
Mark Sobolewski. 3B. Age 26. 2012: AA and AAA in Blue Jays system. Rule 5 draft from Blue Jays.

Goners:

Don't be looking for these guys. They're not going to be there.

Scott Baker. RHP. Signed with the Cubs.
Matt Capps. RHP. Signed a minor-league deal with the Indians.
Matt Carson. OF. Signed with the Indians.
Alexi Casilla. IF. Claimed off waivers by Orioles.
Carlos Gutierrez. RHP. Claimed off waivers by Cubs.
Jeff Manship. RHP. Signed with the Rockies.
Tsuyoshi Nishioka. IF. Granted unconditional release and signed with a team in Japan.
Carl Pavano. RHP. Unsigned free agent. Recovering from a splenectomy.
Ben Revere. OF. Traded to Phillies.
Denard Span. OF. Traded to Nationals.
Kyle Waldrop. RHP. Signed with the Phillies.

10 Things to Do and See at TwinsFest

2013-01-20T17:18:00.001-06:00

The days are beginning to get noticeably longer. Football teams are being eliminated from the playoffs one-by-one. The Twins Caravan is in full swing. So it must be almost time for TwinsFest.

I know many fans enjoy going to TwinsFest yearly. Those folks already already know what they want to do. But, if you haven't been in a while, allow me to point out some of my TwinsFest traditions.

Make a plan: Be sure to visit the TwinsFest website to view the autograph and photo schedules. If you're in to these things, you'll want to plan your arrival at the optimum time to visit with your favorite players. Now is the time to gather or purchase the items (photos, baseballs, jerseys, etc.) that you want signed. Allow plenty of standing-in-line time.
Grab Seth's book: You've already ordered Seth Stohs' Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook 2013, right? It's a must-have for all the cool Twins fans. A fun thing to do is have the prospects sign their entries in the Handbook. If you haven't ordered it, you should get on it (however, you might not get it in time if you opt for standard shipping; there are expedited shipping options). There is also an e-version available for a reduced price. Be warned that I don't recommend you have prospects sign their entries on the e-version of the book. It might ruin your device.
Decide whether you'll carry your coat, stash it, or do without: If history is any predictor, it's likely to be the coldest weather in a generation during TwinsFest. This makes it worth taking pause when you're deciding whether your awesome Twins sweatshirt will be warm enough to make the dash to the Dome from your parking spot. If you do wear your coat, try to score a plastic bag when you walk in (they give bags filled with coupons, ads, and other stuff at the doors). If you trust the masses to not steal it and want to stash it among the blue seats, please be considerate to the said masses and stick it somewhere where it isn't likely that some masses will want to place their asses (i.e.: away from the ESPN1500 radio area).
Score a grab bag: I love stadium giveaways. Who doesn't? And being the neat freaks that they are, the Twins clean out their closets of all the old giveaways and other treasures, bag them up, and sell them -- a couple years ago, they went for $15 for a large grocery bag. And sometimes, they'll throw in an autographed item. Be sure to get there early, though. They sell out quickly.
Get your (or your kids') pic taken with the best mascot in the bigs: There is no doubt that our friend TC Bear is a great mascot. He usually hangs out in the kids' area. And if you're the one getting your picture with him, don't be afraid to butt in line in front of all those kids waiting their turn. (Joking.)
Revisit the past: Make sure you take a stroll through the National Baseball Hall of Fame exhibit. They always put on an fascinating display of Twins and baseball heroes from past generations. Plus, you can say howdy to the two Twins World Series trophies.
Shop 'til you drop: TwinsFest features the area's largest gathering baseball card and memorabilia vendors. So if you're looking for that elusive 1972 Charlie Manuel card or that Twins-themed Hamm's beer can, you can look for it here. The Twins Pro-shops will also be there, so you can get yourself a sweet new shirsey.
Sing your heart out: They'll be holding auditions for singing the National Anthem and God Bless America for the season. So, you're at all musically inclined, you may as well give it a go. What do you have to lose? The worse they can do is point and laugh.
Take a load off: It's probably been a while since you've had some horrible stadium food, so grab yourself a Dome Dog and a pop, and take a seat in front of the ESPN1500 radio booth area and listen to what some players, coaches, and other Twins folks have to say. They'll be conducting interviews throughout the event, and it's kind of fun to sit there, rest up, and listen.
Get excited for BASEBALL!

See you Friday, January 25th through Sunday, January 27

Book Review: Out of My League

2013-01-01T19:54:00.000-06:00

Dirk Hayhurst. Out of My League: A Rookie's Survival in the Bigs. New York, NY: Kensington Publishing Corp., 2012. ISBN 978-0-8065-3553-1

I loved The Bullpen Gospels, Dirk Hayhurst's first book, so much that I went out of my way to recommend it to anyone who would listen. Unfortunately, I can't muster that much enthusiasm for his follow-up book Out of My League. In fact, I hesitate to recommend it at all.

While Gospels is primarily a humor book, League is not. I wouldn't expect him to be able to carry the accounts of minor-league baseball hijinks through a second book -- after all, locker room humor is just locker room humor no matter how many times one writes about it. However, I liked Hayhurst and his storytelling so much, I had high hopes for this story.

In Gospels, I really appreciated how he opened himself up and shared his self doubts and family struggles, and League focuses on that aspect of his life. Unfortunately however, this time he comes across as whiny and weak. As far as I can recall, the timeline of the two books is about the same. I understand that minor-league life is very difficult, especially for fringe-y talent players, but I found myself just wanting to scold him to buck up and do better. He didn't become sympathetic to me until the last few chapters.

This book lacked balance. He spent so much energy concentrating on his demons and fears, that his joys and successes seemed out of place and unappreciated. He does share his relationship with his girlfriend/fiancee, but he makes himself seem like such a jerk, I had a hard time believing they're really a happy couple.

I found this book very difficult to get through. My grade: C-.

Quick Notes - Dec. 17 and the WABAC Machine

2012-12-17T21:36:00.001-06:00

It's been a while since I've updated, and addition to the Span and Revere trades that I did write about, there's been some activity I need to mention.

When I last did an update, it was right before the contract-tender deadline and the Winter Meetings. Let's go back in time three weeks to catch up.

Sherman, set the WABAC machine ...

bo beep boop bo beep

November 30, 2012
Contract-tender Day. This was the date when teams had to decide whether to tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players, ensuring that the players stay with the team and likely get a pay raise.

The Twins tendered contracts to Brain Duensing, Jared Burton, and, to my surprise, Drew Butera. However, they declined to offer a contract to Lester Oliveros, who then became a free agent. But then he turned around and re-signed a minor-league contract with the Twins, so it's all good.

And, yes, I didn't even know Lester Oliveros was arbitration-eligible. I had done a fair amount of research, but apparently not enough.

bo beep boop bo beep

December 3, 2012

Fifth anniversary of this very blog.

I remember one of the first posts was something about stressing over Bill Smith's first Winter Meetings where I expected Johan Santana was going to be traded.

I also remember a few days later the Tigers acquiring Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis.

These things I remember. Where my cheater glasses are...not so much.

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December 6, 2012
Rule 5 Draft Day. The Twins select RHP Ryan Pressly from the Boston Red Sox.

He's 23 and most likely going to be in the bullpen. It's hard to get excited about Rule 5 draftees; there's a reason they weren't placed on their original team's 40-man roster. But he's young and seems kind of promising.

At any rate, he'll have to be on the Twins' active roster for the entire 2013 season. If the Twins want to take him off the active roster, they'll have to offer him back to the Red Sox or work out a trade.

No one takes any players away from the Twins.

bo beep boop bo beep

December 7-11, 2012
Twins sign a whole bunch of players I've never heard of, and Clete Thomas, to minor-league contracts.

bo beep boop bo beep

December 13, 2012
Twins sign free agent RHP Kevin Correia.

When I first saw this news, I thought, well, this probably isn't another another Jason Marquis situation. Then I did some research...strictly National League pitcher, in his 30s, beefy ERA, doesn't strike anyone out.

Yeah, it's another Jason Marquis situation.

Crossing fingers that it'll all turn out ok.

bo beep boop bo beep

Today
The Twins reportedly are in agreement to sign free agent RHP Mike Pelfrey, pending a physical.

Ok, the Twins may fool me once with signing Jason Marquis redux, but they're not going to fool me twice. This time, research before opinion.

Hmm...strictly National League pitcher, 28, beefy ERA, doesn't strike anyone out. Oh, and he's coming off Tommy John surgery.

Sigh.

Crossing toes now too.

Bye, Benny

2012-12-06T22:13:00.000-06:00

In the span of one week, the Twins have traded two speedy centerfielders. And both times, I've had mixed feelings about the deals.

Just when Twins fans handed over the responsibilities of centerfielder, lead off hitter, and 'big brother' to the up-and-coming outfielders to Ben Revere, he was traded to the Phillies for two right-handed pitchers. And just when fans were getting past losing Denard Span, another fun-to-watch, popular player was torn away from us.

Once again, many fans are upset. But for the front office to take this shambles of a ball club somewhere close (or closer, at least) to contention is going to be risky, and messy, ... and painful. And necessary.

Sure, having popular players around puts a few butts in the seats. However, winning baseball games puts a lot more butts in the seats. And for the current state of the Twins, talented starting pitching is more useful to the organization than popularity.

I like the Revere trade more than the Span trade, merely because the Twins received more in return. The Twins received starting pitcher Vance Worley and pitching prospect Trevor May.

Worley will be in the starting rotation right away. He recently had minor elbow clean-up surgery, but he claims he's already fully healed. He didn't have the greatest season in 2012, but he was actually outstanding in 2011. And his nickname is "Vanimal."

May is a highly-regarded prospect, although probably not quite as high as Alex Meyer, whom they got for Denard Span. He didn't have the best numbers in AA last season, so I can't really tell if he'll start 2013 in AAA or repeat AA for a bit.

It's still unclear who will be the centerfielder for the Twins now. The official corporate line is that Darin Mastroianni, Joe Benson, and Aaron Hicks will have opportunities to earn the spot in Spring Training.

I wish Ben all the best in Philly. And, of course, I hope his new fans take good care of him.

I guess I'm not as worried as I was about Ben's ability to get on base.

Adieu Denard

2012-11-29T22:24:00.000-06:00

You've most likely heard by now that the Twins have traded center-fielder Denard Span to the Washington Nationals for RHP prospect Alex Meyer today.

Being a fan of a sports team has its downfalls. I wouldn't have much fun being a fan if I didn't get a little emotionally attached to some of the guys. The risk of that, of course, is that it's a bummer when they go away. I will certainly miss Denard.

All the things I've seen on Twitter and websites today about Alex Meyer has been positive. He's a top prospect with the potential to be a front-of-the-rotation guy. That's great for the Twins of 2015. He'll likely start 2013 in AA, and it should be fun to follow his progress. Terry Ryan stated that he still hasn't decided if he'll give Meyer an invitation to Spring Training.

Unfortunately, for casual fans who don't really follow the minor-leaguers, and maybe some hard-core fans who do, this move is less than satisfying. A popular and classy player is gone, and, so far, there hasn't been any desperately-needed improvement to the team for next season. This move kind of hurts for the time being.

Nationals fans should be pretty excited about acquiring Denard. All the national reporters are saying that he is a perfect fit into their lineup. They needed a good lead-off hitter and centerfielder (Bryce Harper will be moving to LF).

Denard should be pretty excited, too. He's now on a team that is a legitimate contender. They're a likable team that should be a factor in the playoffs for a while. I wish him all the best. Nationals fans had better take good care of him.

This apparently means the centerfield and lead-off reins are handed to Ben Revere. That's fine, I can live with that. In fact, I think he's more suited for center than left or right. But I do have an off-season assignment for him: get better at getting on base.

Quick Notes - Nov. 27

2012-11-27T22:05:00.001-06:00

The Admitting of Errors and Omissions:
The Twins haven't really erred or omitted -- as far as I can tell -- but I have. Specifically, I've omitted (although there's a better than even chance that I've erred as well, but I'm not aware of what it is yet).

Last time, I totally forgot to mention that Alexi Casilla was claimed off waivers by the Orioles. I not only forgot this event happened, but I also forgot Alexi Casilla existed. Not to be mean or anything, but I've always had a hard time remembering that he's on the team. It's not that I don't recognize him when I see him, or know the name when I hear it. I do. But when I was challenged to name the roster, I was pretty likely to leave him off the list. And this is a guy who was with the team for six years.

This is sort of fitting, I suppose. He always would come oh-so-close to being a respectable big leaguer, but he never amounted to anything to get excited about. Sure, he'd show flashes of awesome defense, and the few hits he did get seemed to come at highly clutch times, but he didn't really impress me much.

Best of luck to him.

The Tendering of Contracts:
Teams have until 11 pm Central Time November 30 to decide if they'll offer their arbitration-eligible players contracts. The Twins players are:

Drew Butera
Brian Duensing
Jared Burton

I really can't envision keeping Drew Butera around with all the other catchers currently on the 40-man roster. But it would be just like the Twins to keep him. I fully expect Burton and Duensing to be offered contracts.

Anyone not tendered a contract will become a free agent.

The Meeting of General Managers in the Winter:

MLB's Winter Meetings will take place December 3-6 in Nashville. All the General Managers get together to talk shop, eat and drink, and maybe discuss trading players. And the media folk hang out in lobbies, hallways, elevators, and public restrooms to see if they can get a nugget of a hint of an inkling of a rumor.

In addition to the other shenanigans, the Rule 5 draft will take place on December 6. Any player who is not currently on a team's 40-man roster and who has been with his team for four or five years (depending on how old he was when he was drafted) is eligible to be drafted by other teams under Rule 5. And if a player is drafted under Rule 5, he must be on the new team's 25-man roster for the entire next season or be offered back to his original team -- or a trade could be worked out (that's what happened with Scott Diamond).

To prepare for the Rule 5 draft, the Twins added a bucket-load of players to the 40-man roster to protect them from being drafted:

RHP Kyle Gibson
RHP BJ Hermsen
OF Aaron Hicks
C Josmil Pinto
IF Daniel Santana
LHP Caleb Thielbar
LHP Michael Tonkin
RHP Tim Wood

That fills up the 40-man roster, so there's no room to add anyone should the Twins want to draft someone, unless, of course, one or more of the arbitration-eligible players above are non-tendered.

That's it for now. I think. Hmm...pretty sure I didn't forget anything. We'll see.

Quick Notes - Nov. 14

2012-11-14T22:50:00.000-06:00

I've been out of blogging commission for a while; I've been laptopless (not to be confused with topless -- or lapless for that matter). That's been resolved, so here I am again. Not that there's much shocking news to write about, but here it is anyway.

New Guys
The Twins have added a few new players, but no one to get really excited about.

Infielder Tommy Field (yes, a fielder named Field) and right-handed pitcher Josh Roenicke were claimed off waivers. Relief pitcher Tim Wood and catcher Eric Fryer signed minor-league deals with invitations to Spring Training.

Field and Roenicke are currently on the 40-man roster, but they may be designated for assignment prior to the Rule 5 draft in December (they would have to go through waivers again in order to be assigned to AAA).

Current Guy
Samuel Deduno was outrighted to AAA. He was briefly a minor-league free agent, but he quickly re-signed a minor-league deal with an invitation to Spring Training.

Old Guys
Free agent pitcher Scott Baker signed a 1-year deal with the Cubs for $5.5 million with another $1.5 million in incentives. Baker and the Twins had been interested in a contract reunion, but they weren't close enough to get it done. Joe Christensen of the StarTribune reported that the Twins wanted an option for 2014, but Baker wanted to be a free agent again next off season. It's not often when you see the team wants more years than the player. I also think the Cubs paid more than what the Twins should have paid. Anyway, best of luck to Scott.

Former Twin and Angel Torii Hunter is back in the AL Central. He signed a nice, fat contract with the Detroit Tigers for 2 years, $26 million. Wow. I know he's a good player and all, but he's not a youngster any more. I'd wish him the best of luck, but I don't want a division rival to have any luck.

Former Twin and new Marlins manager Mike Redmond will have an interesting first season with the team. The Marlins sent away a number of their star players to the Blue Jays for cheaper players. It was a 11-player affair. I have to believe that a deal this complicated takes a long time, and it was in the works when he interviewed for the job. At least, for his sake, I hope so. Best of luck to him.

Hearty congratulations to former Twin and current Met RA Dickey for winning the NL Cy Young award. Now before Twins fans get all in a snit about how we no longer have a guy who's good enough to win the Cy Young, remember that his knuckleball was still very much a works-in-progress back in those days. In fact, when he signed with the Mets, it was a minor-league deal. At any rate, he had a great season; best of luck for next season.

Quick Notes -- Nov. 1

2012-11-01T20:38:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to the San Francisco Giants for winning the World Series. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was surprised that the Tigers weren't able to make a better series out it, especially after they mopped up the Yankees so handily. But it's just as well; the weather wouldn't have cooperated in Detroit for a game 5. Silly old Sandy.

~~~

Now that the World Series is over, players who qualify have become free agents. Friday at 11 pm Central time is the deadline for the former teams to have exclusive negotiating rights with free agents. After that time, the players may discuss contracts with any team.

Teams won't get an additional draft pick if their former players sign with other teams unless they offer a qualifying one-year deal first. The dollar amount for the qualifying deal is the average of the top 125 salaries in MLB. That wound up being higher than expected -- originally it was believed to be about $12.5 million; turns out it's something like $13 million. This qualifying offer thing doesn't affect the Twins at all.

The Twins free agents are Carl Pavano, Matt Capps, and Scott Baker.

Carl Pavano pitched in only 11 games in 2012 due to a bum shoulder. Too bad, too. Just when everyone started believing he could be durable (after two-plus solid years for the Twins), he's not any more. I haven't heard any indications that the Twins are interested in re-signing him. I did, however, see on some lame rumor site that "sports talkers in the Twin Cities have been speculating that Pavano is planning to hang up his glove this winter...." Ok, I had not heard that at all; I guess I don't listen to the right "sports talkers." While I wouldn't be terribly surprised if Pavano does retire, I'm not going to rely on some South Florida gossip monger to give me reliable baseball news. Here's the link to the site: http://gossipextra.com/2012/10/25/carl-pavano-florida-house-1952/

Matt Capps had a $6 million team option, but the Twins declined it and paid him a $250,000 buyout. Capps' 2 1/2 years in Minnesota didn't go as well as everyone had hoped due to injury and ineffectiveness. He's not a horrible pitcher, but he just isn't a good closer. He seemed like a really nice guy; I hope he hooks on with another team.

Scott Baker had a $9.25 million team option, but the Twins declined it. There was no buyout. However, the scuttlebutt around town is that both Baker and the Twins are interested in hashing out a deal that would be less money but a lot of incentives. Baker missed all of 2012 due to surprise Tommy John surgery (the surgery wasn't the surprise, the fact that it had to be ligament replacement was). I'd be cool with him coming back.

~~~

The Twins are preparing their 40-man roster for the off-season; a bunch of guys got outrighted right off of it. Matt Carson, Carlos Gutierrez, Jeff Manship, Luis Perdomo, Esmerling Vasquez, Kyle Waldrop, and PJ Walters were designated for assignment to the minor leagues.

The players have to pass through waivers, and Gutierrez didn't clear; the Chicago Cubs claimed him. So he's gone.

Players with a certain amount of service time may decline the assignment, thereby becoming minor-league free agents. Walters did just that, but then he turned right around and re-signed a minor-league deal with an invitation to Spring Training. I don't really get why he declined a minor-league assignment just to re-sign a minor-league contract, but I guess the new deal is better somehow.

~~~

The Twins announced their 2012 Diamond Awards. Josh Willingham was named Twins MVP, Scott Diamond was named Pitcher of the Year and Outstanding Rookie, and Ben Revere was named Best Defensive Player and Most Improved. I figured that Joe Mauer was the more valuable player, but I don't have a problem with Willinghammer winning it. He had pretty good numbers, and I really like him. So, good for these guys for being the few bright spots in a dim season.

~~~

Hearty congratulations to our old friend Mike Redmond. He's just been hired as the manager of the Miami Marlins, replacing Ozzie Guillen. I'm so happy for Red-dog. I really miss his personality around the Twins team. I'm glad he can take his legendary "naked walkabout" to bigger and better clubhouses.

Way to go, Mike. Smell 'em.

Chicks Dig The Infield Fly Rule -- Somtimes

2012-10-06T11:45:00.000-05:00

An INFIELD FLY is a fair fly ball (not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, or first, second and third bases are occupied, before two are out. The pitcher, catcher and any outfielder who stations himself in the infield on the play shall be considered infielders for the purpose of this rule.
When it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an Infield Fly, the umpire shall immediately declare Infield Fly for the benefit of the runners. If the ball is near the baselines, the umpire shall declare Infield Fly, if Fair.
The ball is alive and runners may advance at the risk of the ball being caught, or retouch and advance after the ball is touched, the same as on any fly ball. If the hit becomes a foul ball, it is treated the same as any foul.
If a declared Infield Fly is allowed to fall untouched to the ground, and bounces foul before passing first or third base, it is a foul ball. If a declared Infield Fly falls untouched to the ground outside the baseline, and bounces fair before passing first or third base, it is an Infield Fly.
Rule 2.00 (Infield Fly) Comment: On the infield fly rule the umpire is to rule whether the ball could ordinarily have been handled by an infielder, not by some arbitrary limitation such as the grass, or the base lines. The umpire must rule also that a ball is an infield fly, even if handled by an outfielder, if, in the umpires judgment, the ball could have been as easily handled by an infielder. The infield fly is in no sense to be considered an appeal play. The umpires judgment must govern, and the decision should be made immediately.
When an infield fly rule is called, runners may advance at their own risk. If on an infield fly rule, the infielder intentionally drops a fair ball, the ball remains in play despite the provisions of Rule 6.05 (L). The infield fly rule takes precedence.

----------------
I love the Infield Fly Rule. I love it because everyone knows about it, but no one really understands it. It's my go-to for smacking down knowledge on doofuses who don't believe that a chick can really understand baseball.

Whether you're a die-hard or casual fan, after Friday's Braves-Cardinals game, you've thought and heard more about the Infield Fly Rule than you ever expected. Probably more than you wanted.

Let's recap what happened: Braves had two runners on base with one out. The batter, Andrelton Simmons, lifted a pop up to short left field. Neither the Cardinals shortstop Pete Kozma nor left fielder Matt Holliday caught the ball. Bases loaded with one out, right? Wrong! The Infield Fly Rule was called; batter's out and the runners go back to their original bases. Also, a fan riot ensues.

Infield Fly Rule?! In the outfield?! Really?!

Was it the right call? According to the rule, a ball "which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort" is called an Infield Fly. It specifically doesn't state where the ball should be caught, only that an infielder, or other player positioned in the infield, should be catching it -- as long as it's in fair territory. So, under the letter of the rule, it's not an incorrect call.

Did this call make a difference in the game? After I saw some replays, it looks to me like Kozma was camped under the ball, and when the umpire called the Infield Fly, Kozma believed Holliday was calling him off and he ducked away. If the umpire, Sam Holbrook, would have zipped his mouth, Kozma would have remained under the ball, and made the catch. Batter's out and the runners go back to their original bases. Just the same thing, without all the chaos afterward.

But (and it's a big but), with all that being said, I believe it was a bad ball. It wasn't necessary wrong, but it was poorly applied.

The spirit of the rule is to protect the base runners from the infielder intentionally dropping the ball and initiating a double play. That wasn't at all at risk of happening in Atlanta.

Also, what does "ordinary effort" really mean? Ordinary for whom? Even though the Kozma appeared to be camped under the ball at one point, I believe that it still took more than ordinary effort for him to get there. I'm not familiar with how he plays, but he seemed pretty speedy on that play.

Because this is an "umpire's discretion" call, no amount of appealing, or replaying, or robo-umpiring will change it. And it shouldn't. But the umpires need to make more sound decisions.

Boom Goes the Coaching Staff

2012-10-05T22:31:00.000-05:00

The Twins front office and ownership really hate losing. And who doesn't. So they wasted no time setting into motion a bad day for a bunch of members of the Twins coaching staff (it couldn't have been a ton of fun for the Terry Ryan, Dave St. Peter, and Jim Pohlad either). No one technically got fired; their contracts were not renewed.

Bullpen coach Rick Stelmazsek, third-base coach Steve Liddle, first base coach Jerry White, and head athletic trainer Rick McWane are newly unemployed. Hitting coach Joe Vavra has been re-assigned as an infield instructor, and bench coach Scott Ullger has been re-assigned as an outfield and baserunner instructor.

Pitching coach Rick Anderson's job is still safe -- for now. Either they understood that he didn't have great pitchers to work with the last two seasons, or Gardy told Ryan "if he goes, I go."

Ron Gardenhire still has one more year on his contract, but he will not get an extension yet. He'll have a lot to prove in 2013, and he knows it.

All this may have implications for the AAA team as well. Rochester manager Gene Glynn, pitching coach Bobby Cuellar, and hitting coach Tom Brunanski are rumored to be in the running for the open positions.

So as brutal as all this was -- only one field coach, Al Newman, had previously been fired during Gardy's tenure -- I'm not convinced it'll help much. I understand that the coaches are responsible for much more than what fans see on the field. And we can all agree that many of the players weren't properly prepared for game days. But these guys were there for the good times, too. They didn't suddenly forget how to do their jobs.

The problem was talent, or lack-thereof, not coaching. None of this will mean anything, or matter much, if that fact isn't addressed this off-season.

I sincerely hope that these guys find new gigs or enjoy satisfying retirements, whichever they prefer.

I also sincerely hope that whoever is brought in is wildly successful.

The k-bro Twins Post-season Awards

2012-10-03T22:53:00.000-05:00

As the Twins wrap up another disappointing season, it would be easy to just throw up my hands in a snit and curse them all. But Twins baseball is still better than no baseball. For all the complaining I've done about pitching and leaving men on base, I want to spend a blog post focusing on the good things these players did this season. So, for what it's worth, I'll present the k-bro baseball blog 2012 Twins Awards. Put on your fancy-dancy duds and let's have an awards show.

Twins Pitcher of the Year Award (if the League award is the "Cy Young Award", what is the Twins' version? The "Bert Blyleven Award"? The "Jim Kaat Award"? I vote for the "Brad Radke Award", but then, I would...)

This one should be pretty easy. It's pretty telling that every member of presumed starting rotation when Spring Training started -- Scott Baker, Carl Pavano, Nick Blackburn, Jason Marquis, and Francisco Liriano -- failed make it to September as a member of the Twins 40-man roster. So the Twins were forced to cobble together a rotation of not-ready-for-primetime players. Only one man showed anything resembling consistency and demonstrated that he can stay healthy. Congratulations to Scott Diamond.

Twins Rookie of the Year Award
Normally, I'm not a fan of giving one guy more than one award. I like to spread the love. Unless, of course, that one guy is really special. Not only did Scott Diamond provide stability in a sea of inexperienced pitching, he also gave fans some hope for the future. He didn't fade toward the end of the season which indicates to me that he'll only get better.

Twins Most Impressive Newbie
In his first off-season back in the GM chair, Terry Ryan made a number of impressive free-agent signings (well, except for that whole Jason Marquis thing). Jared Burton, Jamey Carroll, Ryan Doumit, and Josh Willingham have all exceeded my expectations for them when they signed. As upset as I was that the Twins did not re-sign Joe Nathan and Michael Cuddyer, this group helped me move on. But I'm especially having fun with having a legitimate right-handed home run threat. Congratulations to Josh Willingham...and his boom stick.

Twins Most Valuable Player
The definition of the term "valuable" has been hotly contested all over the papers, airwaves, and internet this season. Some regard hitting a lot of home runs and driving in a lot of runs as valuable. I tend to look at a player's all-around game. I believe defense and getting on base provide just as much value as the other things. Therefore, Joe Mauer is my enthusiastic choice. Denard Span did have a better WAR (wins above replacement) stat, but that's because he provided a lot of defensive value at center field with good, but not great, offensive value. However, I think Mauer's overall value was much better, and his offensive numbers were fantastic. Plus, he had to handle a struggling pitching staff. I never really understood the fans who booed him this season; what more do these people want?

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Make Up Paper Doll
I have been remiss. The Twins made a DL move, and I didn't even notice. In my defense, I don't understand why they bothered to use the DL because they didn't call anyone up to fill the roster spot. But anyway...

On September 14, the Twins placed pitcher Cole De Vries on the disabled list, retroactive to September 9, with a cracked rib. A line drive off the bat of Cleveland Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera got De Vries right in the gut. He stayed in the game, and pitched well, but admitted he was pretty sore. Initial x-rays were negative, but a subsequent MRI revealed the crack.

Season Ticket Holder Conference Call

2012-09-27T23:26:00.000-05:00

On Thursday evening, Ron Gardenhire and Terry Ryan participated in a Fan Forum Conference Call with Season Ticket Holders. This is a nice little perk that allows fans to get a glimpse of the inside workings of the team. Nothing earth-shattering ever gets said, but it's always interesting. I hastily tried to take some notes as the call went along; here are my impressions. (Keep in mind that I'm not a good transcriber, so none of these are direct quotes.)

Much of the focus was placed on what needs to be done to start winning again. The first questioner didn't miss a beat -- he wanted to know about the starting pitching. Ryan agreed that starting pitching is a problem, but they will try whatever they can to improve. It won't be easy -- 28 or 29 other teams also need pitching -- but it is necessary.

Other than pitching, another big frustration is the failure to execute fundamentally-sound baseball -- bunting, hitting the cut-off man, relays, baserunning, etc. Also frustrating was the failure to put up crooked numbers when men are on base.

A caller asked Ryan what's different the second time being the GM and about the higher payroll with the new stadium. Ryan replied that while the new stadium helps entice folks to come out, and some things are going in the right direction, there is still work to do.

Someone asked if the Twins are willing to give up Willingham, maybe for starting pitching. Ryan said that there aren't too many untouchables on the team, but he really likes the numbers Willingham puts up from the right side of the plate.

What are the future plans for Ben Revere? He's an exciting and fun player, so they will do whatever they can to get him at-bats. He can fill any hole in the outfield, and everyone likes his smile. He's a very versatile player.

Why should crabby season ticket holders spend the money to renew and is the team going to spend more money? Spending money isn't the issue; the team spent a lot of money in 2011. They have to spend it smarter and get away from injuries. But there are great players to come out and see: Mauer, Morneau, Willingham, Perkins, Burton, etc. The team has work to do to get this straight, but if you love baseball, you should come out. Nothing is more frustrating for Ryan than watching fans leave after the 5th or 6th inning because they didn't get their money's worth.

A little 5 year-old boy wants to know what he can do to be a good baseball player when he gets bigger. Gardy told him that he should have fun and listen to his coaches. He needs to practice, practice, practice, and soon he'll start getting better. Go to school, listen to parents, and eat good food, too.

Other than starting pitching, what other pieces to the Twins need to fill to be competitive? Defense, especially in the infield. Jamey Carroll is a nice constant, but the rest is undetermined. The outfield is decent.

Someone wanted to know why the Twins decided to move their High-A team from Beloit to Cedar Rapids. The Twins really like the people and town of Beloit, however the difference between the facilities is night-and-day. Cedar Rapids features a nice clubhouse, a weightroom, and other important things.

What's the future for Chris Parmelee? He's got a good bat and he's developing well. His mindset is getting better. He fits at 1st, right field, and has played some at left field and DH. If he continues to hit well, they will figure out at-bats for him.

Has any more thought been given to moving Joe Mauer to 3rd base or having him hit 2nd in the lineup? Joe would be a perfect 2-hole hitter on a team that has more hitting depth, but on the Twins, he's perfect in the 3-hole because he's the best hitter -- a kind of old-school thought. As far as moving him to third base, they would need to talk it over a lot with Joe. He could do it because he's Joe Mauer, but it would take a lot of work because of the longer arm action. Joe loves catching, so it would take a lot of discussion.

Is Florimon the shortstop of the future? Who will play 2nd base? Florimon is great -- he moves nice, has great hands, strong arm action. He needs to work on not being so hard on himself and to finish his plays. They also need to work on the language barrier. As a batter, he's stronger as a righty than lefty and needs to work on getting into the strike zone. They'll give him every opportunity in Spring Training. Carroll, Dozier, and even Casilla will be given a chance in Spring Training to earn a spot at 2nd.

A caller wanted to know if the Twins are considering extending Justin Morneau, or will he be traded. He's coming off a tough year, but Ryan is very happy with the number of at-bats he's had this season. He's formidable in the middle of the lineup, and they'll address his contract as they go.

So let's talk about Terry Ryan himself...will he remove the "interim" tag from his General Manager title? Those decisions will come after the season is over and it will take care of itself. There are considerations for life and stuff, but he's been happy with the progress even though there's more to do. It'll work itself out.

How is Sam Deduno's eye? And what's his potential for the future? There is some inflammation in his eye and it doesn't seem to be serious. They'll know more in a day or two. If he keeps working on his mechanics and release point, he has great potential

Are you bummed that RA Dickey is no longer with the Twins? Everyone makes mistakes.

Is Jerry White's job safe? Gardy wishes we can see how hard all the coaches work to prepare the team. He wishes they all could stay together forever.

Are there any pitching prospects in the minors who can help soon? Yes, there are a number of prospects, but most are too low to help soon. B.J. Hermsen was just named the minor-league pitcher of the year. And they just drafted J.O. Barrios. They develop starting pitchers; they don't really develop relievers, because they're usually converted starters.

What's your favorite fun moment from this season? Ryan: trying to get a hold of Chris Herrmann at about 20 to 1 o'clock in the morning to tell him that he's getting called up to the majors. It took him a few times to answer the call. Gardy: His nickname for Jamey Carroll is "Rudy" because he's a big fan of Rudy Rudiger, the subject of the movie Rudy. When Mr. Rudiger was scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch in Cleveland, Carroll sprinted out there to get a picture with him.

A caller wanted to know whether the Twins get inspiration from other organizations, such as the A's or Rays, because they have such good young starting pitching. Both these organizations are enjoying the benefits of good scouting, training, and a little luck. The Rays did have a number of seasons where they were able to draft high, and they drafted pitching. The A's always had good pitching. It all comes down to good scouting, drafting, developing. The Twins will continue to draft pitching.

How's Scott Baker doing? He's on track to be ready in Spring Training. He has a team option, and if they don't pick it up, he'll be a free agent.

Are the Twins going to hire a sports psychologist to get starting pitchers tough-minded enough to start the game and be ready for the first inning. Yes, the starters have given up a number of runs in the early innings. They keep preaching being ready for the first inning, getting the lead-off guy out, getting ahead in the count. It's the coaches' job to teach them that, and they keep talking about it. The pitchers have to execute.

One caller snuck in three questions: 1) Who has taken over the role of team leader? Mauer and Morneau are the leaders out on the field. The whole team is a fun group who really care about the game and each other. There's no bickering or bad feelings. They are really trying hard. 2) Are the Twins too patient with some of the guys waiting for them to perform? They're patient with the guys because they know their make up and potential. They were probably the most patient with Torii Hunter and LaTroy Hawkins. They tried to be patient with Dozier, Parmelee, and Valencia, but they needed more work in the minors. 3) Are the Twins keeping Willingham? Again, they like the right-handed power numbers he puts up. He's ideal for the Twins.

What happened to the home-field advantage, is there a reason the Twins are not winning at home and is there a cure? It comes down to the players.

A caller wanted to know about Kyle Gibson's rehab from Tommy John surgery. He's on schedule, getting ready for the Arizona Fall Leagues. He's throwing hard and locating. He's getting closer to being ready for Spring Training.

Who will be the next surprise like Scott Diamond? Someone will step up and impress everyone like Diamond did.

When will this year's first-round draft pick Byron Buxton be ready for the big leagues? They hope he'll be ready in about 4 years. He came out of high-school, and he's only 19. His skills are a bit crude yet, but his makeup is solid and he "gets it." A lot of positive reports from Paul Molitor.

What happened to Brian Duensing? He was bounced back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen. He's great out of the pen, but he struggles in the rotation. He's getting better, and they're trying to figure it out. He's more comfortable pitching out of the stretch instead of the windup.

With Parmelee and Mauer getting playing time at 1st base, is Morneau the odd man out? He's in the plans. He's one of the best players and he's a leader.

Will the budget be expanded? There's not a firm number, but it's not about the number. Ryan said he has to make better decisions. A lot of money was tied up on the DL and in the minors. Ryan needs to spend more wisely.

And finally, a caller wonder if Gardy's nervousness translated to the other players -- Plouffe made a mistake once, and looked in the dugout at Gardy. Gardy was kind of surprised by this. He doesn't think he's terribly nervous, and the players try to have fun and stay positive. Gardy pats a lot of guys on the back. Usually they forget about bad plays because they're over. Plouffe probably needed to look in the dugout for the signs for the next batter. Gardy hopes Plouffe isn't nervous.

(P.S. Thanks and a shout out to my Twitterfriend @TCAnnelle for live-tweeting the call. I may have peeked at her tweets to fill in a hole or two in my notes.)

Upcoming Important Dates

2012-09-13T23:26:00.002-05:00

There are less than two weeks left in baseball's regular season, and with the Twins slogging through these last few games, there's nothing much for Twins fans to do but find other teams to root for and look forward to the off-season with hope of great improvement for 2013.

September 12, 2012 -- MLB 2013 Schedules Released (ok, this one isn't upcoming, but it's still important)

What it means: Next season, the Astros will be joining the American League, thereby giving each league 15 teams. This means that the inter-league games will be held throughout the season. It's not really a huge deal, but it might mean that a contending AL team may have to play a series without the benefit of a designated hitter in the final games of the season (I believe this will happen to the Tigers as they play the Marlins to finish the season).

Also, for teams that have the regularly-scheduled "rivalry series": Yankee/Mets, Dodgers/Angels, Giants/A's, Twins/Brewers, etc., those will be reduced to two 2-game series instead of two 3-game series.

What it means for the Twins: I haven't looked carefully at the Twins schedule yet, but I've read a few things about it. They'll be hosting the Tigers on MLB Opening Day, April 1. I think it's great to have the real Opening Day at home, but I will likely have to bring my Twins stocking cap. And Twins mittens. And Twins scarf. And probably my Twins blanket. Meanwhile, you probably shouldn't plan on going to Target Field much to occupy your July evenings -- there will be only nine home games. They will, however, be done with inter-league play by the end of June.

I think that MLB blew it by reducing the number of "rivalry series" game, at least for the Twins. I'm not a fan of the idea of these series, but from a business standpoint, they're pretty valuable. Fans from both sides travel to see their teams. And with the possibility of the Twins suffering more attendance woes in 2013, they should take advantage of every opportunity to put butts in the seats. Even drunken 'Sconnie butts.

Start planning your spring and summer here: http://atmlb.com/NZHkOb

October 3, 2012 - End of the Regular Season; October 5, 2012 - Wild Card Playoff Games; October 6-7 - Start of the Division Series; October 13 -14, 2012 - Start of the League Championship Series; October 24, 2010 - Start of the World Series

What it means: This season, MLB added a second Wild Card team. Each division in both leagues will have its leader, then the two next best teams in each league will have to battle each other in a one-game play-in to the Divisional Series. The interesting part would be if any tie-breaker games are required for either a Division Championship or Wild Card berth. With the way some divisions are bunched up in the standings, this is a real possibility. Then, factor in that there may be some cross-country travel required, and this could be very messy. But in a fun way.

What it means for the Twins: Not a thing. After they finish their series in Toronto, they get to go home. Like, home home. On their couch. Like the rest of us.

Immediately after the World Series - Eligible Players Become Free Agents

What this means: Players used to have to file for free agency, but now it's automatically done. Teams have five days to negotiate exclusively with Major and Minor league free agents. Teams may offer a player (Major leaguer, at least) arbitration (basically a one-year contract), but will not receive compensatory draft picks if he signs elsewhere unless the the dollar amount is more than the average of the top 125 players. No one really knows yet what the exact qualifying amount will be, but it sounds like it'll be around $12.5 million. On the sixth day after the World Series is over, players may speak with other teams. Players have until the twelfth day to accept arbitration offers.

What this means for the Twins: Carl Pavano, Scott Baker, and Matt Capps are eligible for free agency. Ain't none of them worth $12.5 million, especially since they lost most or all of 2012 to injury, so there won't be any extra draft picks. Capps has a $6 million team option for 2013 with a $250 thousand buy out. Baker has a $9.25 million team option. It's doubtful that the Twins will pick up either of those. However, there's nothing stopping the Twins from signing any of them as free agents at a lower cost.

If you have big dreams that the Twins will super-duper free agent pitchers, you might want to temper them a bit. I read somewhere that a mediocre pitcher like Jeremy Guthrie might get as much as $10 million. And trading for stud pitching isn't terribly likely either; most teams hang on to good pitching.

Roster Stuff: Injuries and September Call-ups

2012-09-03T21:21:00.001-05:00

On August 30, the Twins placed Denard Span on the 15-day disabled list with a strain of his right sternoclavicular (SC) joint. At first look, that seems like an odd move, given that the Twins would increase their rosters on September 1. However, as ESPN1500's Phil Makey (@PMac21 on Twitter) explained it, they did it so they could call up Matt Carson to take his place. The rules state that when a player is optioned to the minor leagues, he must remain there for at least 10 days (or maybe it's 10 games) before being called up again, unless it's to replace someone going on the DL. Carson had been optioned on August 24th, so this was the only way to get him back right away.

The SC joint is the joint between the sternum (breast bone) and clavicle (collar bone). It supports the shoulder. He injured it a while ago while attempting a diving catch in the outfield. He rested it for seven or eight days and then played a couple of games, after which he either aggravated it or decided he just couldn't tolerate it. His diagnosis was further delayed by his claustrophobia making having MRIs difficult (I don't blame him a bit). It will take four to five weeks of rest to heal it fully, but both he and the Twins say he might get some playing time in late September.

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September Call-ups
RHP Esmerling Vasquez was called up and started Sunday's game against the Royals. He was a bit shaky, but it was his first major league start (he does have several appearances in relief with Arizona). He's 28.

PJ Walters has been activated from the 60-day DL as a September call up. He was recovering from a strained shoulder. He made a few rehab starts in the minors and now will be part of a six-man rotation (Walters, Vasquez, Cole De Vries, Samuel Deduno, Scott Diamond, and Liam Hendriks -- Brian Duensing was sent back to the bullpen) to finish off the season. He's 27.

LHP Luis Perdomo and his beard will be given another look in the bullpen. He's also 28.

IF Eduardo Escobar, who was acquired in the Francisco Liriano trade, will be given a chance to impress his new team. It sounds like he's pretty versatile; he's listed as a 3B, SS, and 2B, and FSNorth mentioned he can also play outfield and back-up catcher. He's 23.

And it sounds like that'll be it for the call-ups, even though there's still plenty of roster room. It's probably hard to get guys enough playing time to really make an assessment.

Notably missing:

RHP Anthony Slama has had a terrific year at Rochester -- 35.2 innings pitched with 13 saves and a 1.26 era. He did miss a big chunk of the season with a broken leg. He's 28.

IF Brian Dozier was sent down in August with the hope that he could regroup and get back to being good at baseball, but he kind of didn't do much in Rochester. He's 25.

It's no surprise that RHP Nick Blackburn wasn't called up; he was recently removed from the 40-man roster and he didn't do much to make a case to change anyone's minds.