Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Ehire Adrianza looking for elusive job security with Twins. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 1  Reusse: Twins shouldn't disregard Danny Santana at shortstop. Star Tribune (Reusse) p. 2  Hartman: MVPs Peterson, Mauer have gone from cornerstones to question marks. Star Tribune (Hartman) p. 4  Twins day at camp: Protection screen not always needed during practice. Star Tribune (Neal lll) p. 5  Twins’ Miguel Sano working to put down roots at third base. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 6  Family of late sportscaster Rod Simons coping with his death. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 7  Twins set spring rotation, Ervin Santana on track to start opener. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 8  Polanco's could be key for Twins. MLB (Bollinger) p. 9  Chargois changes grip on his slider. MLB (Bollinger) p. 10  Perkins tosses 3rd 'pen session without issue. MLB (Bollinger) p. 11  Breaking down the Twins' Top 30 Prospects. MLB (Mayo) p. 12  Chemistry Matters, and the Twins Seem on Board. ESPN 1500 (Depue) p. 13  Zulgad: Paul Molitor remains Twins’ , but future is far from certain. ESPN 1500 (Zulgad) p. 14  Wetmore’s Emailbag: Is Paul Molitor here to stay? ESN 1500 (Wetmore) p. 15  Picking each MLB team's No. 1 prospect for 2017. (Jaffe) p. 16  Twins reliever's pre-appearance ritual will make you queasy. Yahoo! Sports (Cwik) p. 17  Twins reliever Ryan O’Rourke gets sick before almost every appearance. Sporting News (Weinstein) p. 18  Twins Ryan O’Rourke has thrown up before almost all of his MLB appearances. New York Daily News (Parco) p. 18  Twins reliever Ryan O'Rourke pukes before almost every appearance. Sports Illustrated (Rapaport) p. 19

Infielder Ehire Adrianza looking for elusive job security with Twins Phil Miller | Star Tribune | February 23, 2017

FORT MYERS, Fla. – People are constantly butchering his name, Ehire Adrianza says. It’s pronounced AY-ray, but more than one non-Spanish speaker has addressed him as EE-hire, like the job-recruiting website.

Then again, maybe that version was appropriate. Because over the course of two uneasy weeks, the Venezuelan shortstop lost his job, found another, then lost it, too. Suddenly, he worried that the 27-year-old Ehire was going to need ehire.

“It was getting so close to spring training, all the teams pretty much had wrapped up their camp rosters. I wouldn’t say it was scary, but I guess I was pretty anxious. That close to spring training, I want to know where I’ll be,” Adrianza said of being waived twice and claimed twice as January turned to February. “It was upsetting. It’s the first time it’s happened to me. But it worked out pretty well.”

Adrianza had been in the Giants system for 12 seasons, since signing as a 16-year-old, and a big leaguer for parts of the past four. He helped the Giants get to the , and watched from the dugout (because of a hamstring injury) as they won a championship. But last month, the Giants, having signed Jimmy Rollins for a utility role, took him off their roster. The Brewers claimed him on Jan. 31 — then waived him again two days later.

“It was kind of weird. I talked to their general manager [David Stearns], and he told me, ‘Hey man, welcome to the team, glad to have you,’ all that kind of stuff,” Adrianza said. “Then two days later he called back and said, ‘We needed a first baseman [they claimed Jesus Aguilar from the Indians], so we took you off the roster. We’d love for you to stay, but it’s a business.’ ”

He was nervous for a weekend, but then got some good news: The Twins, a little nervous themselves about their infield defense, had claimed him. Considering his offseason home is in Miami, a two-hour drive from Fort Myers, Adrianza was thrilled.

Paul Molitor might be, too. The Twins manager has been blunt this winter about his desire to shore up Minnesota’s defense. Advanced statistics say Adrianza is not only the sharpest infield glove on the roster — albeit a bright orange-and-black one at the moment, his Giants-colors glove — but that it’s not even close.

Ultimate Zone Rating, projected over 150 games, pegs Adrianza at the level of , Andrelton Simmons and Brandon Crawford — recognized as the slickest fielding shortstops in the game. His career average UZR/150 of 19.8 would make him the best infield glove man the Twins have had in more than a decade, if he played more games.

And just three days into training camp, his coaches have already noticed.

“He just shows you all the feel and balance and rhythm that you look for in a good shortstop. The way he moves is fluid and smooth. He’s one of those guys who always seems to get a good hop,” said Gene Glynn, who coaches the Twins . “He’s got terrific range, and after the catch, he has a really good feel for momentum and changing direction to get the throw-out.”

Added Molitor: “We’re only eight days in, but you nAotice him. One of the things I read when we got him [was that] he’s going to be the best defensive shortstop on the field when he’s out there. We’ll see about that, but it shows what people think of him.”

Of course, there’s a reason such a strong defender is waived twice in a week. Adrianza isn’t nearly as adept with a bat in his hand, with a career .220 average and .292 on-base percentage in 331 career plate appearances. But the batted .254 last season and .353 against lefthanded pitching, despite missing nearly four months with a broken foot — when he returned to health, former Twin Eduardo Nunez had claimed his job — and Molitor has seen signs that he’s improving as he ages.

“I kind of like what I’ve seen [in] his approach and what he thinks about” at the plate, Molitor said. “A lot of polish there for a young man.”

Adrianza has played all four infield positions for the Giants, so he will compete with Eduardo Escobar and perhaps Danny Santana for a utility role behind starting infielders Brian Dozier, Jorge Polanco and Miguel Sano. He focused on third base during winter ball a year ago, so he’s comfortable making long throws.

He’s not so comfortable speculating about a role with the Twins, though.

“I haven’t talked with the manager about my role. I just want to make the team first,” Adrianza said. “Nothing is guaranteed here, just because they picked me up. I learned that already this month.”

Reusse: Twins shouldn't disregard Danny Santana at shortstop Patrick Reusse | Star Tribune | February 23, 2017

FORT MYERS, FLA. – The Twins have not had a shortstop with solid credentials to be a regular since J.J. Hardy was brought in for the 2010 season in a trade for Carlos Gomez. They also had a reliable utility infielder in Nick Punto for that season.

That was needed, since Hardy was often injured and started 95 games in what was a division-winning, 94-victory debut season in Target Field.

Bad things followed.

Hardy went to Baltimore in a horrible trade, Punto left as a free agent, Tsuyoshi Nishioka arrived without major league skills, the victory total plummeted to 63 in 2011 and Bill Smith was fired as general manager.

Six years later, there is a new baseball boss in Derek Falvey, Paul Molitor is entering his third season as manager and a revised Twins standard for on-field futility (59-103 in 2016) has been established.

What hasn’t changed is that Hardy still is the shortstop in Baltimore, and the Twins still are looking for one with solid credentials.

There was much hope early in this decade that they had an everyday shortstop on the way in Danny Santana. He was a 20-year-old switch hitter at Class A Beloit in 2011, and he had seven home runs, 41 RBI and 24 stolen bases. 2

Molitor was a roving instructor in the minor leagues at the time. Asked about the young Santana, the manager said:

“I thought he had a really good chance to be a major league shortstop. You never assume that’s going to happen, but being around as much as I was … I thought eventually we were going to get a little more polish.

“His body was so alive it almost worked against him — to smooth it out was challenging.”

Santana’s status as a prospect increased in 2012 at Class A Fort Myers and 2013 at Class AA New Britain. Considering Pedro Florimon’s weak bat and Eduardo Escobar’s marginal fielding, Santana was probably the best all-around shortstop in spring training of 2014.

General Manager Terry Ryan optioned Santana to the minors in mid-March, before he could get any serious lobbying on Santana’s behalf from manager .

Center fielder Aaron Hicks was injured and Santana was recalled on May 3. On May 25, Gardenhire started him for the second time in center field, and he basically stayed there. He was named the Twins Rookie of the Year and finished seventh for the award.

That started what remains a question with Danny Santana, now 26 and coming off a terrible, injury-plagued season: Is he an outfielder or a shortstop?

“The team thinks I am most valuable by playing a few positions,” Santana said this week. “I agree with that. I love playing shortstop. It’s where I grew up playing. But if I can play six positions …”

Santana shrugged slightly, a shrug that could be interpreted thusly:

In an era of frequent three-player benches in the American League, a player who can , switch and perform adequately at second, shortstop, third and all around the outfield would be a tough roster cut for a team to make.

The Twins have Santana listed as an outfielder. Center field will belong to Byron Buxton in 2017, with Eddie Rosario in left and in right. Toss in Santana as your supersub in the outfield and that’s it, right?

Apparently not. Robbie Grossman is back as a veteran outfielder, and two others, Drew Stubbs and J.B. Shuck, were brought to camp.

The theory here is the Twins might be better off throwing Santana into the shortstop competition — with Jorge Polanco, Escobar and Ehire Adrianza — rather than have him chasing fly balls this spring.

Polanco is the projected starter, but in the middle of last season, he was playing second base in Rochester and was projected as a non-shortstop for the big leagues. Escobar had a poor season in 2016, and Adrianza’s history suggests he is Florimon II.

The gifts that once foresaw Santana as an everyday shortstop are still there. Did his nervous, failed attempt to seize the position at the start of 2015 end any thought of that?

“I’m prioritizing outfield for him a bit now, but we also want him to get out early in the morning and do some extra infield work,” Molitor said.

Santana played a month of winter ball in the Dominican this offseason. Shortstop? Danny shook his head and said: “Second and center field.”

He was asked if being a utility player in the big leagues rather than developing into an everyday shortstop comes as a surprise?

“The biggest thing is the minors and majors; it’s a whole different thing playing shortstop in the majors,” he said.

Santana had a shoulder injury from a collision with Grossman and two hamstring pulls that removed him from the lineup last season.

Much worse, he had a heavy heart. His mother, Susana Guzman, was thought to be in remission from cancer, and then it reoccurred last summer. She died at Thanksgiving.

“It is life,” Santana said. “She is gone from me now, but I will always think about her.”

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Hartman: MVPs Peterson, Mauer have gone from cornerstones to question marks Sid Hartman | Star Tribune | February 23, 2017

The Twins and Vikings have taken their identities from two superstars over the past decade in MVPs Joe Mauer and Adrian Peterson. But both franchises are reaching similar points with their former cornerstone players, facing questions about their value to the teams and the cost of their contracts.

For the Vikings, Peterson's return to the team is up in the air despite the fact that everyone from team management to head Mike Zimmer to returning players have said that Peterson still has value to this football team.

Peterson is due $18 million for the 2017 season, and there's simply no way the Vikings can afford to pay that to a running back who has averaged 544 yards and 6.7 games played over the past three seasons. Of course, one of those seasons was Peterson's return to form when he led the NFL with 1,485 yards and played 16 games in 2015. That's the issue the Vikings have, because if any running back could return to that form at 32 years old, Peterson is the one.

Odds and finances

But the odds are not in his favor. Only six running backs have rushed for 1,000-plus yards as a 32-year-old — Walter Payton (1,333 in 1986), Ricky Williams (1,121 in 2009), Ottis Anderson (1,023 in 1989), Emmitt Smith (1,021 in 2001), Mike Anderson (1,014 in 2005) and James Brooks (1,004 in 1990).

The other big issue is that, besides Peterson, no running back is scheduled to make more than $8.9 million next season.

This is why the Vikings and Peterson are negotiating, and why every team in the NFL has been rumored to want Peterson, for the right price, if he becomes a free agent. If Peterson is healthy there's a decent chance he's one of the best running backs in the NFL, no matter how poorly he performed in 2016.

But if Peterson performs to his previous three-year averages, 544 yards and around six or seven games, that's worth next to nothing for most franchises.

For the Vikings, though, it may be about more than historical averages and Peterson's contract. There has to be an incentive to both parties to want him to finish his career with the Vikings.

He is fewer than 2,000 yards from becoming the No. 5 rusher in NFL history. He's 13 rushing touchdowns away from equaling Payton for fourth all-time in that category. And with the team's current defensive standouts and the need for a more balanced offense, there's no question that Peterson could improve this team, and potentially help it win a Super Bowl.

How much that is worth to the Vikings and how little Peterson is willing to play for will be the big questions.

Twins and Mauer

The big difference between Peterson's gigantic contract of $18 million for next season and Mauer's gigantic contract of $23 million for each of the 2017 and 2018 seasons is that Mauer's contract is guaranteed and there's no question that he'll be with the Twins.

When Mauer signed his eight-year, $184 million deal at age 27 in 2011, he was one year away from free agency. There was no question that Mauer, who was coming off three straight All-Star appearances, three straight Gold Gloves and three straight Silver Slugger awards, not to mention an MVP in 2009, would have gotten even higher offers if he had hit the free-agent market.

But six years later things look different.

For the first three years of his deal, Mauer held up his end of the bargain, hitting .313 with a .399 on-base percentage, reaching two All-Star Games and winning another Silver Slugger award. But after Mauer's concussion in late 2013 and several injury-plagued seasons since then, his production is no longer remotely in line with his contract.

His move from catcher to first base because of those concussion issues only made his production less valuable. While Mauer remains one of the Twins' best at getting on base and is an excellent fielder, his batting average has dropped and his power has sagged.

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From 2014 through 2016 he's hit .267 with a .353 on-base percentage while averaging eight home runs and 57 RBI per season.

With the Twins having a bunch of young prospects making the leap to the major league club, it will remain interesting to see if Mauer can start to produce again and remain healthy, and if he can't, how the team handles the final two years of his deal.

Mauer, who will be 34 this season, says he wants to continue playing for some time, and there's no reason to think he couldn't potentially go to another club on a much smaller deal once his contract is up with the Twins. But his home is Minnesota, and he has twin girls who started school here recently.

There's also a chance the club and manager Paul Molitor will continue to find a way to use his veteran experience and approach at the plate to help this young team.

Either way, one thing seems to be certain: The Twins and the Vikings are reaching crossroads with two of the greatest players in their long histories.

Twins day at camp: Protection screen not always needed during batting practice La Velle E. Neal lll | Star Tribune | February 22, 2017

FORT MYERS, FLA. – Righthander Tyler Duffey prefers to not use a protective screen — called an L-screen — when he throws live batting practice.

The Twins leave it up to the pitcher to decide, and a majority of in camp have elected to not behind one. That increases the risk of being hit with a batted ball, but it’s worth the risk to them.

“I prefer to see their actual swings,” Duffey said. “One of the rules is that, if you use the screen you have to tell them what’s coming. Naturally, you’re going to get hit harder in BP. I think it is a false sense of security, too. I end up cutting [my delivery] off because I don’t want to hit the screen.”

Only Michael Tonkin and Kyle Gibson have been seen using screens during their sessions this week.

“It kind of has jumped out at me,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “It used to be the guy that didn’t use it was the exception. I haven’t seen anyone use it. I don’t know why it has transitioned. Comfortability for these guys? But it doesn’t really bother me too much. Does it increase risk? Probably to some degree. If that’s the way they feel they will get the most out of their work, I’m OK with that.”

Rain alters workout

Steady rain Wednesday morning forced the Twins to call an audible in regard to their workout schedule.

Pitchers are able to throw in the batting cages and the covered part of the . Position players stayed off the fields and worked indoors. Torii Hunter and Michael Cuddyer held meetings about baserunning in the batting cage area.

Perkins report

Lefthander Glen Perkins threw 15 pitches Wednesday, his third time doing so since he delayed throwing off the mound earlier this month when he didn’t feel his arm was ready for it.

Perkins said he has increased the intensity of his sessions each time he’s been out and is satisfied with where he’s at during his stage of his recovery from surgery on a torn labrum last year. While he has thrown sliders when he’s on flat ground, Perkins has thrown nothing but fastballs from a mound.

”I’m happy with how I feel,” he said.

Perkins, meanwhile, has been helping reliever J.T. Chargois with his slider.

“I’m just trying to help him along,” said Perkins, whose slider is one of the better ones in the game when he’s on. “ He’s got a really good arm.”

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LET’S MEET

Fernando Romero, RHP

Age: 22

2016 stats: Was 9-3 with a 1.89 ERA in 16 starts between Class A Cedar Rapids and Class A Fort Myers.

Acquired: Signed by the Twins as an undrafted free agent in 2011 for $260,000.

Role: Will likely start season at Fort Myers but should end up at Class AA Chattanooga.

Did you know: Needed Tommy John surgery in 2014, forcing him to miss most of the season. A knee injury suffered during his rehab cost him all of 2015. Last year, he returned and established himself as one of the Twins’ best starting pitching prospects. He pitches at 95-97 miles per hour and has touched 99 mph on the gun.

Twins’ Miguel Sano working to put down roots at third base Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press| February 22, 2017

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Early most mornings, Miguel Sano can be found on the half-field named in Tom Kelly’s honor, taking groundball after groundball off the tireless fungo bat of Twins infield instructor Gene Glynn.

Back in his element at third base, Sano seems to enjoy the work.

“I don’t know how many they hit,” the 23-year-old slugger said. “Every day it’s something different.”

A year ago at this time, there was no “Good Morning America” for Sano, only frantic preparation as the Twins tried to convert the linebacker- sized athlete into a right fielder. Two months into a disappointing regular season, Sano landed on the disabled list with a strained hamstring, missing all of June.

That ended the outfield experiment, but the rust was still obvious once he returned to the hot corner for the second half of the season. Between a flare-up in his surgically repaired throwing elbow and a staggering 15 errors in his 42 games at third, Sano finished the year with more questions than answers about his defensive future.

Cutting loose reliable veteran in November, the Twins opened up a spot on the field for Sano. Now it’s up to him to put down roots and show he can at least be average (or better) at his natural position.

“Hey, there was nothing really wrong last year,” Glynn said. “He worked hard in the outfield, and we needed his bat. A lot of credit goes to him. He was willing to move out there and do it. It was about his career. So all the decisions that were made, I think, were good.”

That’s a tough sell, based on Byung Ho Park’s struggles and a 103-loss season that cost general manager Terry Ryan his job by mid-July. All that matters now, however, is finding ways to bring out the best in Sano, who along with Byron Buxton remains one of Twins’ most talented (and important) young players.

“It’s going to be a big help (for Sano) having spring training” at third base, Glynn said. “The atmosphere here is work-oriented. It’s getting your time spent at your position. Now, from day one, he knows he’s back in the infield. I think he’s always liked the infield.”

That much has seemed clear, even during a standout second half as a rookie in 2015, when Sano spent all but nine of his starts at designated hitter. He worked in the Dominican Republic this winter with former big-league Fernando Tatis, who helped him sharpen his approach on both sides of the ball.

“I feel good,” Sano said. “In the DR I took a lot of groundballs with Tatis.”

Reporting to camp at 271 pounds after giving up alcohol and shedding 15 pounds, by his count, Sano would like to head north as light at 265. His days in the 240s are likely behind him for good, as one look at his tree-trunk legs and massive torso suggest.

Reminded he was listed at 240 pounds in the minors, Sano smiled. 6

“That,” he said, “was a long time ago.”

The big arm remains, however, just as strong, maybe even stronger, than it was before he lost the entire 2014 season to Tommy John surgery. Countryman Adrian Beltre aside, few players at his position can unload throws with a louder hiss and more evident fury than Sano.

As much as he enjoys ranging behind the bag and throwing out runners from across the diamond, it’s the slow roller that Sano calls his favorite play to make.

“He’s one of the best I’ve seen at coming in on a ball,” Glynn said. “He’s not afraid to barehand it. He’s good out of the glove, too. I think that’s a play any third baseman reacts to. We’re trying to cover as much ground as we can, depending upon the depth we’re at.”

Modern infields being what they are, Sano also has taken surprisingly well to moving over to the right side of the second base bag when the Twins shift, which is often. Signed at 16 as a rangy shortstop, Sano prides himself on his mobility, which still belies his stature.

“What impresses me about him is he can make that (charging) play, but this big guy, he’ll leave his feet,” Glynn said. “He’ll dive both left and right and he can get up and he does have a cannon for an arm.”

After making 36 starts at DH a year ago, tying Park for the team lead, Sano figures to see roughly that many games there again in 2017. It’s what he does when he takes that glove out to the field that could determine how his third big-league season is perceived.

“I just really feel the fresh start — right away, day one — he’s excited about it,” Glynn said. “I think he knows it’s his position to keep if he gets his work in. I think he’s really motivated to show everybody that’s going to be his position for a long time.”

Family of late sportscaster Rod Simons coping with his death Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | February 22, 2017

FORT MYERS, Fla. — During their 20 years together, Pam and Rod Simons often marveled that no matter where they traveled, they always seemed to encounter fans of the popular sportscaster’s work.

“On the airplanes traveling overseas, in Australia, anywhere that we’ve been, we’ve run into someone that Rod has known or touched or helped,” Pam Simons said Wednesday, two days after her husband was found dead while in town covering the Twins’ spring training.

His death at age 56 and the subsequent outpouring of support from viewers and listeners in the Twin Cities and beyond has only served as a reminder of his long, successful career.

“It’s been overwhelming,” Simons said. “We knew we shared Rod with the world, but we had no idea how many people he touched and impacted in a very intimate way.”

For Pam Simons, his wife of 18 years, and their 11-year-old daughter Annie, “it has been very healing to read all the kind words,” she said.

KIRO-TV in Seattle reported that friends of the Simons family said the cause of death was an apparent heart attack.

“There’s been a lot of speculation about what this was,” Pam Simons said. “It was completely unexpected. He has not been in ill health at all. It was just one of those unfortunate events.”

Making sense of such an unexpected tragedy has been difficult.

“She’s doing as well as you could expect with all of that,” Simons said of her daughter. “She was the apple of her dad’s eye, let’s be honest. And he will be missed terribly. I think all of the stories, all of the people that he touched and her knowing that, we’ll have those.

“This is where social media actually is going to be helpful for us because we’ll have those documented — those stories, those people — for the rest of her life. She will always know what a special man he was.”

Annie’s adoption a decade ago sent the Simons family on a new journey as they started Golf for the Gift, a charity event which raised money to help families with adoption grants. The 10th annual golf fundraiser will go on as planned June 22 at Troy Burne Golf Club in Hudson, Wis.

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“It will definitely, or he will haunt me for the rest of my life,” Simons said. “It’s moving forward. We started with just the two of us doing this, and now it’s run by just this wonderful machine of volunteers and it has become one of the most popular springtime charity golf events. It’s got its own momentum, and it’s going to go on.”

The family hopes this year’s event will be “bigger and better than ever,” Simons said, “due to this unfortunate event, but mostly due to the respect that everybody had for Rod.”

A nine-time sports Emmy Award winner who most recently served as host of a Sunday morning Twins-themed radio program on Go 96.3 FM, Rod Simons spent Sunday at Twins spring camp conducting interviews with the likes of Twins manager Paul Molitor and chief baseball officer Derek Falvey.

“This was one of the highlights of his year, every year,” Simons said. “His last official post on social media … was that it just doesn’t get any better than this. He loved it. He loved being here. He loved the Twins organization. He loved the access that he had here.”

Twins Brian Dozier was among players to express their shock and sadness at Simons’ passing.

“The Twins organization felt like family to him,” Pam Simons said. “He didn’t see this as a job. This was his love, and it just made him so happy to be here.”

Services were still being finalized for Simons, who arrived in the Twin Cities in 2003 as lead sports anchor at KSTP-Channel 5 after prior broadcasting stints in Seattle, Portland, Detroit and Boise, Idaho. Since leaving the station in 2008, he had operated his own media company, producing shows such as Game On!

Simons was scheduled to fly home to Plymouth on Monday evening to help Annie prepare for Saturday’s League of Champions dance competition at Bloomington Kennedy High School.

“It was a short trip this time because his Annie had a dance competition,” Simons said. “Rod danced in the father-daughter dance with Annie, and they had dress rehearsal this week. He was coming home so he could fulfill his dance-dad duties.”

A member of Dancin on Broadway in Maple Grove, Annie still plans to compete this weekend.

“She is dancing,” her mother said, “for her daddy on Saturday.”

Twins set spring rotation, Ervin Santana on track to start opener Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | February 22, 2017

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Likely Opening Day starter Ervin Santana will make his spring debut at home on Feb. 27 against the Miami Marlins, putting him on schedule to start every fifth day leading up to the April 3 regular-season opener against the .

Better still, Santana won’t have to leave Fort Myers if he stays on that plan. Remaining starts would come at home against the , Colombia’s entry and the .

His only road appearances would be across Interstate 75 against the (March 19 and March 29). There also would be a camp game on March 14, when Santana figures to face minor leaguers while the Twins have an off day.

Right-hander is scheduled to start Sunday at home against the Washington Nationals. May and Jose Berrios, who will follow him to the mound, both will have two and 30 pitches with which to work.

The same arrangement will be in place on March 3 before Berrios leaves March 6 for the WBC, where his role “is still undecided,” Twins pitching coach Neil Allen said.

Left-hander Hector Santiago, slated to start and work two or three innings for Puerto Rico on March 11 against Team Italy, will make his first two starts of the spring on the road: Feb. 28 at Tampa Bay (Port Charlotte) and March 5 at the Washington Nationals (West Palm Beach).

The plan is for Santiago to work up to 45 pitches and then push his side session back to March 8 so he’ll be ready to make his WBC debut on an extra day of rest.

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“I’m going to try to make it work,” Allen said, “but I can’t control what they’re going to do with him over there.”

Kyle Gibson and Phil Hughes will make the first two starts of the spring for the Twins on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

NEW WALK RULE

Santiago has only issued a dozen intentional walks in his six big-league seasons, but the Twins left-hander sounded a little nostalgic upon hearing the process would become a thing of the past.

“It’s baseball,” he said Wednesday. “I guess it does take away something.”

According to ESPN, the players’ union has agreed to Commissioner Rob Manfred’s request that intentional walks will become automatic this season. Rather than have their pitchers lob four balls to a standing catcher, managers will now simply signal the plate to put the batter on first base.

“I was OK with them knocking off three (balls) and just throwing the last one,” Santiago said. “At least that still gives you that edge, especially if there’s a guy on third. You never know. I’ve seen guys throw them away plenty of times. I’ve seen a couple of walk-off wins on wild pitches.”

Despite allowing the second-most runs in the majors last season, Twins pitchers issued just 26 intentional walks, which ranked 20th. A total of 932 intentional walks were granted in 2016, with the Miami Marlins leading the way at 62 and the Kansas City Royals stingiest with eight.

“It’s not often that it happens, but when it does there’s always like a little thing in the back of your mind keeping you on your toes,” Twins catcher Jason Castro said. “I have been pretty lucky to have guys that have been able to do it pretty well, so it’s been a non-issue.”

Castro, who has been intentionally walked nine times in the majors, said he has never swung at a pitch meant to miss by that much.

“I think the instances in which it actually makes an impact are so slim and few and far between that I don’t think it’s really going to have an impact,” he said. “We’d see it occasionally, but I don’t know in the grand scheme how much time it’s going to take out. A little here, a little there, I guess it will add up in the long run.”

Twins first baseman Joe Mauer ranks sixth among active players with 137 intentional walks.

Santiago, who joked that he already “walks enough people” using conventional methods, is pleased with one part of the change.

“Now they won’t count those four pitches for the pitcher,” he said. “I remember a couple times I’d be like, ‘Hey, I had two intentional walks and they counted eight pitches right there.’ That could be an extra you get to stay in the game.”

PERKINS THROWS

Despite a morning rain that altered workout plans, Twins Glen Perkins was able to throw his third 15-pitch bullpen session of the spring without issue.

Ramping up his intensity a little bit more, Perkins again threw all fastballs as he works back from June 23 shoulder surgery.

“I’m happy with how I feel,” he said.

Polanco's defense could be key for Twins Rhett Bollinger | MLB | February 22, 2017

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Barring anything unexpected, Jorge Polanco is expected to be Minnesota's starting shortstop on Opening Day, but manager Paul Molitor admitted that the organization didn't handle Polanco correctly in 2016.

Polanco played 75 games at -A Rochester last season, but none of those came at shortstop, as he instead was the club's primary second baseman, and made two starts at third. Polanco became the Twins' everyday shortstop down the stretch, playing 47 games at the position, but showed some rust, having not played the position since the prior season.

"I wish I had a better explanation for you," Molitor said. "But I think myself, a lot of other people, realized we didn't handle it the right way." 9

Polanco's defense at short is a question mark for the Twins this season, but based on his track record, the 23-year-old switch-hitter should provide offense. He hit .282/.332/.424 as a rookie last year, which is right in line with his career Minor League slash line of .286/.346/.411.

His defense at short was another story, as he ranked as the fifth-worst shortstop by Ultimate Zone Rating and the sixth-worst shortstop by Defensive Runs Saved, according to FanGraphs.com.

Some of that was due to inexperience and his lack of playing the position in the Minors during the season prior to his callup, but it also indicates his range could be better suited for second. Polanco played almost exclusively at second at Triple-A, but it didn't make much sense with Brian Dozier having already established himself at that position in the Majors.

"It's not the first time that we've had situations where guys have come up here and end up playing where we haven't exposed them enough to," Molitor said. "Sometimes you are going to miss them. That one probably seemed a little more obvious that we should have had covered. Unless Dozier got traded."

Dozier, though, didn't get traded this offseason and now the Twins will turn to Polanco and third baseman Miguel Sano to provide the defense on the left side of the infield. How they develop and fare defensively will have a major impact on the pitching staff this season, and it's why the Twins have a few insurance options on the roster.

Eduardo Escobar remains the favorite to be the backup at short and third, but Minnesota also made an intriguing waiver-wire pickup in former Giants shortstop Ehire Adrianza, who ranked as one of the better defensive shortstops in baseball over the last few years. Adrianza and Escobar are both out of options, which could make the battle for Polanco's backup interesting, although both could be kept if the Twins go with four outfielders instead of five.

That depth also could come in handy in case the Twins trade Dozier this season or in the offseason. In that scenario, Polanco would likely move back to second, opening shortstop for a player such as Adrianza, Escobar or prospect Engelb Vielma. While top prospect Nick Gordon is considered the shortstop of the future, he is likely a year or two away.

For now, the Twins are willing to give Polanco a chance to stick at short, but have other options just in case.

"I think you can tell by the people we've added, Adrianza, we're looking to do that," Molitor said of adding infielders who can play defense. "If you have to look into our system, you've got a guy like Engelb Vielma, we know Gordon's away, but he's getting exposure. So we're trying to increase our depth there. We've added fairly high-end fielding people for depth."

Chargois changes grip on his slider Rhett Bollinger | MLB | February 22, 2017

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Most fans don't realize that there's any difference, but ask any player and they'll tell you the used in the Major Leagues are slightly different than the ones used in the Minors.

The seams are tighter and smaller on a Major League ball, which is made in Costa Rica, while Minor League balls are a bit easier to grip and made in China. Hard-throwing Twins reliever J.T. Chargois found out the difference when called up for the first time last year, as the way he gripped his slider wasn't conducive to the big league ball.

So Chargois worked to change his slider grip this offseason, and is hoping it helps him avoid the fingernail issues he endured as a rookie last year. He's enlisted the help of closer Glen Perkins and pitching coach Neil Allen to alter his grip.

"Last year, I was running into some issues with my nail, so I'm trying to come up with a more traditional grip than something that's going to snap my fingernail off," said Chargois, the Twins' No. 11 prospect. "That's coming along. The seams on that big league ball are just harder, so it was too much when I spiked it because it was cracking my nail."

Perkins is Chargois' throwing partner during Spring Training and has offered his advice on how to throw the slider, as it developed into a great pitch for Perkins, who was a three-time All-Star until undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

"I've been helping with his grip and release point," Perkins said. "Just getting the shape of the pitch right so you can see it. Trying to help him along because he's got good stuff. I think a breaking ball would put him over the top with the velocity and movement he has."

Chargois, 26, is competing for a spot in the bullpen and is arguably the Twins' hardest-thrower in camp, as his fastball averaged 96.2 mph last 10 year. But he's also working to harness it, as fastball command remains an issue. Chargois gave up five runs and two walks while recording two outs in his Major League debut on June 11, but after a two-month stint in the Minors, he fared better down the stretch with a 2.82 ERA over his final 24 outings to finish the year with a 4.70 ERA and 17 in 23 innings.

"Success wherever you are always helps and allows you to see that you can do it," Chargois said. "The main thing I'm working on is the same thing as last year, and that's command of the fastball. That allows everything else to play."

Perkins tosses 3rd 'pen session without issue Rhett Bollinger | MLB | February 22, 2017

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Twins manager Paul Molitor said in November that he believes he “overplayed” Joe Mauer in the first half in 2016, which may have led to the quad injury that hampered the first baseman at the end of the season.

Add to that the fact that Mauer’s numbers against left-handed pitching were down last season, and some observers have begun to speculate that the Twins would be best served to make their highest-paid athlete into a part-time player.

Asked about it Tuesday after the team’s workout, Mauer sounded surprised by the suggestion. He said his goal is to win games, and added that “when I’m on the field, we have a better chance of doing that. If they feel that’s not the case, that’s baseball. But I think I do and I think a lot of people around here think that we probably have a better chance of winning if I’m on the field.”

Mauer, who turns 34 years old in April, played in 134 games last year and was slowed late in the season by a strained quad. He batted .261/.363/.389, which is slightly above average compared with all MLB hitters but ranked 18th among qualified first basemen last year as measured by the stat Weighted On-Base Average.

Molitor said in an interview with 1500 ESPN radio in November that playing Mauer every day may have led to the injury “as well as maybe the downslide of performance near the end of the season. So I don’t think he’s a guy that you’re going to look to play 150-plus games [this year].”

“It’s going to smarter,” Molitor continued, “it’s going to be better matchups, it’s going to be rest along the way, and where he ends up in total games, I think it’s going to be less than what we’ve seen the last couple years to try to get the most out of Joe.”

Mauer played in 134 games last year, but was on pace to start 148 games at the mathematical halfway point of the Twins’ season. He played in 158 games the year before that, 120 games in 2014, and he played 113 games in 2013 before an August concussion ended his season and forced a position change from catcher to first base.

Mauer said he’d be open to resting to preserve his body for later in the season, but made it clear he still views himself as worthy of being in the lineup on regular basis.

“I think there’s certain times of year it makes sense,” Mauer said of sporadic rest. “You guys know me, you ask me I want to be in there every night. There’ll be times when it makes sense [to sit] but I don’t think that’s a part-time deal.

“You’re not going to play 162 [games] but my conversations with Mollie, it’s been upwards of that number. Not anything less. Like I said, I think our best chance is when I’m on the field and I’m trying to stay on the field.”

Molitor, Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey and new GM Thad Levine decided to meet with every player in the manager’s office during the early part of spring training. Those are roughly 5-minute sessions and they’re designed to make sure everyone is on the same page about a certain player’s current role or trajectory, and as a way for the player to communicate to his bosses where he sees himself within the organization. Mauer, a veteran of 13 MLB seasons, said his meeting was productive.

“Everything was good. I think that was kind of the talk: how can we get the most out of me? I think that’s being on the field more times than not,” he said.

As for the down year against lefties, Mauer said that he wouldn’t look too much into it. He said that it’s partly due to the fact that the Twins regularly faced some great lefty starters like and Jose Quintana, but the rise in lefty specialist relievers also may have contributed to the step back, he said. He batted .224/.291/.319 against lefties last season, compared with .272/.383/.410 versus righties.

Mauer said he’s open to serving as the DH on days he doesn’t play first base, and said that’s a bit of a break physically. “I don’t think anyone has a magic number of how many [games to] DH, how many at first, how many days do you take a breather. It’s just we’re going to try to be smart 11 about it and, like I said, be out there as much as I can and be able to be at my best, too.”

Breaking down the Twins' Top 30 Prospects Jonathan Mayo | MLB | February 22, 2017

A year ago at this time, the Twins had the fifth-best system in baseball according to MLBPipeline.com. This year, they didn't place in the top 10. So what happened?

For the most part, it was a strong graduation rate. Byron Buxton, the system's No. 1 prospect for what seemed like an eternity, finally came off the list in early April. No. 2 prospect Jose Berrios and No. 3 Max Kepler followed him during the year. All three were on the overall Top 100 list.

When a system loses three players of that caliber to the big leagues, it stands to reason the overall rating of the organization will take a hit.

That doesn't mean Minnesota's farm system is bereft of talent, though it's not as elite-level heavy as it was a year ago. Much of it has come from the Draft -- 18 of the Top 30, to be exact. Four of the top 10 are first-round picks from the past four years, starting with No. 1 prospect Nick Gordon, whom the Twins took No. 5 overall in the 2014 Draft.

There could be more graduations to come, with 10 of the Top 30 listed as having ETAs for this year. Only two from the Top 10 -- 2013 first- rounder Kohl Stewart and Adalberto Mejia, one of only two prospects acquired via trade -- look like they will reach Minnesota this year and potentially graduate off the list.

Players like Tyler Jay, who was on the Top 100 a year ago, Fernando Romero and Travis Blankenhorn could easily play their way onto the overall list, helping to raise the Twins' organizational ranking again. And while finishing with the worst record in baseball last year can't be perceived as a good thing, the small silver lining is that a really talented player will be added to this list when Minnesota picks No. 1 overall in the 2017 Draft.

Biggest jump/fall

Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the 2016 preseason list to the 2017 preseason list.

Jump: Felix Jorge, RHP (2016: 26 | 2017: 9)

Fall: Engelb Vielma, SS (2016: 17 | 2017: 29)

Best tools

Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average.

Hit: Nick Gordon (55)

Power: Lewin Diaz (60)

Run: Zack Grainte (65)

Arm: Engelb Vielma (60)

Defense: Engelb Vielma (65)

Fastball: J.T. Chargois (80)

Curveball: Mason Melotakis (55)

Slider: Nick Burdi (65)

Changeup: Stephen Gonsalves (60)

Control: Trevor Hildenberger (60) 12

How they were built

Draft: 18 International: 10 Trade: 2

Breakdown by ETA

2017: 10 2018: 8 2019: 5 2020: 6 2021: 1

Breakdown by position

C: 2 1B: 1 2B: 1 3B: 2 SS: 3 OF: 5 RHP: 9 LHP: 7

Chemistry Matters, and the Twins Seem on Board Jake Depue | ESPN 1500 | February 23, 2017

Perhaps because of the difficulty defining the term, “clubhouse chemistry” is a much-maligned, oft-debated topic in the baseball community.

Despite most of us having been in a work setting or on a sports team whose environment was toxic enough to impact our individual performance, I think a lot of times we discount the idea that this could happen in professional sports. When we only tune in for the 3 hours that the game is played, and the players seem almost robotic, it’s easy to discount the impact outside influences or a dysfunctional clubhouse could have on their performance. For many of us, it’s tempting to simply want to put together a roster of 25 analytics-approved bodies and assume the off-the-field stuff will work itself out on its own. Who cares if it’s ’25 players, 25 cabs,’ right?

As the statistical revolution in baseball took hold, doing just that seemed to be the trend, at least in some organizations. Recently, though, even the most analytically-inclined organizations are returning to the idea that chemistry matters too, and the Twins appear to be one of them. According to these organizations, mastering the intangible is a prerequisite to seeing optimal tangible output.

Although on-field chemistry is critical to success in sports like basketball and hockey, off the field chemistry is perhaps most important in , where players spend an inordinate amount of time together during the season. During a homestand, players typically put in 50- to 60-hour weeks, with even more time spent together when on the road. A day game followed by a flight to the east or west coast, for example, often means a 14-hour day. Much of this time, of course, isn’t spent playing the actual game, but in clubhouses, planes, and hotels.

Given the vast amount of time players spend together, then, it would seem to be a critical goal of any organization to make sure they actually, you know, get along. In both his words and moves, Twins CBO Derek Falvey has exhibited an appreciation for the importance of fostering a positive clubhouse culture.

“We factor it all in. Every aspect. We’re not making decisions in a vacuum,” Falvey said at the Winter Meetings. “We talk about some of the metrics we know and what a player’s value is. We can quantify some of that, but we can’t quantify all of it. It’s our job to be thoughtful about that — the long-term culture that we’re looking to build and how it impacts our team. There is a unique mesh in that 25-man team, and the coaching staff, that creates impact in creative ways.”

Falvey and the Twins have made several moves throughout the offseason that exemplify the focus on building a strong clubhouse. One is the addition of journeyman reliever Craig Breslow, a Yale graduate with a mind for analytics and a vision for baseball that seems to parallel Falvey’s. In adding Breslow, the Twins’ brass is likely looking to him as both a mentor for young pitchers and a credible voice to communicate complex 13 analytical concepts to players in a digestible way. The Twins also made a strong push for veteran 1B/DH Mike Napoli, despite his on-field redundancy with Joe Mauer, Kennys Vargas and others, in part because of his presumed impact in the locker room.

“Talent is an aspect of any decision we make,” Falvey told Fox’s Ken Rosenthal. “But there is an element of clubhouse chemistry that also plays a role in organization-building. We’re going to talk about leadership, makeup and how guys fit in our clubhouse along with how we feel they will perform.”

In hiring Torii Hunter, Michael Cuddyer and LaTroy Hawkins—all respected, recently retired players who were seen as clubhouse leaders during their playing days— as special advisors, the Twins are looking to organizational icons to further strengthen their culture and chemistry. Hunter’s presence in the clubhouse in 2015, when the Twins unexpectedly competed for a wild card spot, is perhaps the best recent example of a player having an unquantifiable, but important, impact on a team’s performance.

I’ll admit to being initially skeptical when the Twins signed Hunter, both because of past comments he’s made on social issues with which I’ve disagreed, and his declining on-field performance. But throughout 2015 it became abundantly clear that he was able to bring the Twins’ clubhouse together in a unique way, and comments about the impact of his leadership from Paul Molitor and a number of Twins players—both rookies and veterans; domestic and international– support that idea. It’s impossible to know how many games the 2015 Twins would have won with a right fielder who put up similar numbers to Hunter’s but lacked his leadership, but I’m fairly certain the number would be less than 83.

There’s a balancing act here, of course. Putting 12 Craig Breslows on the pitching staff might make for some fascinating clubhouse conversation, but it wouldn’t translate into many wins on the field. The foundation for any successful club still must be rooted in talent. But the trend in baseball, even among the most analytically-inclined organizations, to seek out players who can make a meaningful contribution off the field is, in my view, a smart approach.

If a player like Breslow can help a pitcher understand how to utilize data to better attack hitters, or someone like Hunter can help Eddie Rosario understand the strike zone, those are contributions that could make meaningful differences in the development of those players. Filling a couple of roster spots with these kinds of influencers seems like a worthwhile goal, even if the analytics suggest their on-field contributions may be minimal. This is particularly true if the player tasked with this responsibility is clear on his role within the organization.

For Breslow, that appears to be the case. “Derek (Falvey) is a really engaging and bright guy with a great vision for the organization,” Breslow told Rosenthal. “The thing that resonated the most with me was the idea that I could impact the culture and impact the direction of the organization for longer than potentially my stay there might be.”

As the Twins embark on an organization-wide shift in culture, their focus on both the quantifiable and unquantifiable should serve as an asset to their growth. The importance given to making additions like Breslow will likely change based on the youth of the club and how likely they are to contend. Either way, a focus on complementing top-end talent with fringe players and advisors who can help cultivate an environment that’s optimal for them to succeed is a smart approach to building a long-term contender.

Zulgad: Paul Molitor remains Twins’ manager, but future is far from certain Judd Zulgad | ESPN 1500 | February 22, 2017

FORT MYERS, FLA. – In the aftermath of firing general manager Terry Ryan last July, Twins owner Jim Pohlad surprised many by saying Paul Molitor’s job as manager was safe for 2017.

This seemed like a misguided decision given the Twins were en route to losing a team-record 103 games, and Pohlad appeared to be limiting his potential hiring pool by mandating that his new baseball boss stick with Molitor.

But that was before the Twins named Derek Falvey as their chief baseball officer and Thad Levine as their general manager. What has become clear in the months since the pair was hired is that they appear to be in no hurry to make changes.

This isn’t because they are afraid to shake things up, but rather because both seem to realize the key to turning around this franchise will be to spend time observing what works and, more importantly, what doesn’t. The question isn’t if the Twins will make moves but when and the guess here is that significant ones won’t be made until next offseason.

This, of course, puts Molitor in an odd and mostly uncomfortable situation. The 60-year-old Molitor is entering the third and final season of his contract and it’s highly unlikely an extension will be offered anytime soon, if at all.

Molitor’s first season as a big-league manager proved to be a success as the Twins surprised nearly everyone by going 83-79 in 2015 and 14 remaining in contention for a wild card spot into the final weekend of the season. This came after a four-year run of bad baseball led to the dismissal of longtime manager Ron Gardenhire.

But last season’s flop – or “Total System Failure” as Pohlad dubbed it – changed everything. This wasn’t bad baseball but rather complete ineptitude. The assumption now will be that if the Twins get off to another rough start that Molitor will be in immediate trouble.

But even that isn’t a given.

Falvey, who will turn 34 on March 19, and Levine, who is 45, are going to work at their own speed. Falvey came to the Twins from the , while Levine was with . Both undoubtedly have their own ideas about what they want in a manager, not to mention a coaching staff, and probably have some potential candidates already in mind.

“Whatever happens, I’m going to try to stay in the present with the roster I have,” Molitor told the Star Tribune. “If [the front office] gets put in a spot where they have to look ahead, [for instance] if things go bad early, that’s just the reality. But I suspect our purposes will be pretty well aligned, for the most part.”

What’s interesting is that Falvey and Levine’s patience likely will make life tougher for Molitor and actually put his job in jeopardy. Many players from last season are back and no real significant moves were made other than the addition of free agent catcher Jason Castro.

The hope will be that center fielder Byron Buxton will finally figure it out at the plate, and Miguel Sano will thrive after being allowed to start the season at third base instead of in right field as he was a year ago. But the pitching staff still has plenty of question marks after a horrible 2016, and a good start for second baseman Brian Dozier or pitcher Ervin Santana could cause them to be dealt before summer hits.

Asked about the lack of moves so far, Falvey talked about his philosophy.

“I think if you look at the history of teams that have taken steps forward toward what we ultimately want, which is a championship caliber team, and organization, there’s no quick fixes for that,” he said. “I think if you look back over the last decade or so the biggest winter meetings winners, or biggest offseason free-agent spenders, it doesn’t always work out the way we’d like.

“In theory it may sound great, but I think ultimately our commitment, my commitment and Thad’s commitment, is building toward the long- term vision of a substantial winner in Minnesota.”

Is Molitor included as part of that vision? Right now, that’s far from clear.

Wetmore’s Emailbag: Is Paul Molitor here to stay? Derek Wetmore | ESPN 1500 | February 22, 2017

FORT MYERS, Fla. – I run a Baseball Insider’s email newsletter where I send out Twins analysis that you’ll also find published here at 1500ESPN.com. A few days ago I sent out a call for some questions to do my first Emailbag. I rounded up the most common questions and answered them here.

1. Lots of people had a question about Paul Molitor as manager of the Twins (Doug F., Brett K., Tom H., and Denny, to name a few). Basically, do I think he’s in trouble?

I’ll preface this portion by saying that I don’t have a concrete answer to that question. But here are my thoughts on the matter.

Most people in baseball are a bad season away from being out of a job or in trouble. From that perspective, it’s hard to imagine that Molitor is not “in trouble.” The circumstances surrounding his employment are awkward, to put it mildly, but I don’t think there’s a daily friction like you might be imagining. Since I got to Fort Myers, Molitor is having daily meetings with either Derek Falvey or Thad Levine, and often both, about their shared interest in making the Twins a better team this year.

Molitor has one year left on his contract and was given the full support of owner Jim Pohlad last summer when Terry Ryan was fired. The front office duo took over in November and had a busy housekeeping offseason, even if they didn’t sign a lot of players. Hiring a manager would have added another complex task to the to-do list, so I don’t know if they were eager to do that. With that being said, I’d be surprised if either/both Falvey and Levine didn’t have a list in mind of guys they could see managing someday.

So Molitor’s long-term job security is not very clear right now. If the Twins win this year, that would have to improve his odds of sticking around, 15 right? But if they stumble out of the gate 0-9 again, I think it sends the wrong message to ax the manager during the season. I would keep Molitor around, but that’s just my opinion.

Phil Miller of the Star Tribune handled this topic well in an article previewing spring training.

2. Eric N. and Jeff S. want to know about the DH role and Kennys Vargas. (Yes, I think Vargas will win that job.)

I asked Molitor yesterday about whether he wants to have a full-time DH or if he wants to rotate the role between several players (like Joe Mauer, Miguel Sano, etc.). He said in no uncertain terms that he prefers to have one guy take the majority of plate appearances, and hinted that it should work this season because that’s exactly how the roster is shaped now.

I’m of the understanding that whoever that full-time DH is, he’ll play some first base on days when Joe Mauer sits. That’s why I think Vargas makes the most sense.

For one thing, he’s on the 40-man roster and Byung Ho Park is not. For another, Park’s numbers against lefties were strong last year, while Mauer’s were not. Vargas still has a chance to be an impact offensive player in the big leagues, but in my opinion, that chance is less than 50 percent. He had a nice run last year and he’ll definitely smack some home runs – his batting-practice power is impressive – but he needs to shore up some holes in his game for me to want to buy more Kennys Vargas stock.

(Incredibly nice guy with the media, by the way.)

3. Basically everybody wants to know about Joe Mauer. When I was reading emails to unearth questions, I counted at least four distinct Mauer questions, and there were repeats along the way too.

This is a pretty controversial topic, and as with most things that become emotionally charged, that level of investment is causing a lot of people to make irrational evaluations. I’ve read commenters on my Twins Facebook page that want him cut. Eat the money. Free up the roster spot.

You’re not seeing this clearly.

Mauer is clearly not what he once was. And he clearly is not worth $23 million per year. But he’s not the Twins’ worst player—not by a lot—and he’s not useless. He’s just overpaid. He’s not the best offensive first baseman in the league, but he still has value. Mauer was second on the Twins last year with a .363 on-base percentage. I think you can make the case that he should still hit first or second in the Twins’ lineup.

Now, with all this said, I’d rest him much more often against lefties. His numbers against lefties took a big dip last year after a career spent mostly hitting them very well. The added rest could in theory help him hold up over the season. I took this idea to Mauer yesterday, and let’s just say he wasn’t thrilled with the suggestion.

4. Zach M. wants to know: “Is Danny Santana competing for a backup infield spot, or competing as an outfielder?”

It’s a good question and one that I’ve wondered about this spring. During infield-outfield drills this week, Santana was the backup centerfielder to Byron Buxton.

Molitor confirmed as much yesterday, when he said that “I’m probably weighting a little bit more in the outfield in terms or playing time but he’ll get a chance to do some other things.”

Another scribe and I had wondered if the Twins might want to get one last look at him as a shortstop given that they seem to think Jorge Polanco’s glove is a question mark. As it is, I think Danny Santana is competing to the 25th guy on the roster, and I’m not sure that it makes sense to hang onto him if everyone one is healthy at the end of spring. Right now I see Santana as a guy that boasts tools more than production.

Picking each MLB team's No. 1 prospect for 2017 Jay Jaffe | Sports Illustrated | February 22, 2017

The following is an excerpt from the full article:

One of the pleasures of welcoming baseball back every year is sifting through the major prospect lists. Admittedly, they’re imperfect predictors of who will pan out and who will bust—prospect evaluation is an inexact science, and it’s not hard to find disagreements between evaluators— but the lists are fun to read. At this time of year they also offer cues about whom to keep an eye on early in spring training. 16

After scouring the lists of , Baseball Prospectus, ESPN and MLB Pipeline (MLB.com), what follows here is a look at each team’s top prospect—not necessarily someone who will help the big club in 2017, but someone whose name should become familiar. A few already are, thanks to major league bloodlines or inclusion in past blockbusters. Sometimes, there’s a strong consensus about who that player is, but sometimes it’s a split decision, because the hard-working folks behind these lists all vary in their philosophies and their views of each player’s tools.

For each player listed, I’ve identified the publication that ranked him the highest. The player ages are as of June 30, and the ETAs are, of course, estimates.

Minnesota Twins: Nick Gordon, SS

2017 Age: 21 Highest Prospect Ranking: 48 (BP) MLB ETA: 2018/19

The son of former All-Star reliever Tom Gordon and half-brother of the Marlins' Dee Gordon, Nick was the fifth pick of the 2014 draft. He spent 2016 in high A ball, where he hit .291/.335/.386 with three homers and 19 steals. The lefty swinger has a plus hit tool with a whole field approach but has struggled against lefties thus far and has little power (30 grade, ouch) and just average speed, which can seem like a disappointment when the family tree has a two-time champ. Most impressive about Gordon is his plus arm, which combined with his average range, good hands and great instincts suggests an above-average defender at shortstop. He'll start at A in 2017.

Twins reliever's pre-appearance ritual will make you queasy Chris Cwik | Yahoo! Sports | February 22, 2017

Performing any task in front of a large audience can be nerve-wracking. Even the most mundane tasks can become daunting. Failure could lead to massive embarrassment.

In baseball, that’s supposed to come with the job. By the time most players reach the majors, they should be used to performing in front of thousands of people. That’s why you rarely see players react strongly to every single play. They learn how to keep their nerves under control.

Well, most of them do. For Minnesota Twins reliever Ryan O’Rourke, pitching in front of a huge crowd can be unsettling. In order to make sure he is able to keep his composure on the mound, O’Rourke participates in a pretty gross pre-appearance ritual. Before nearly every one of his 54 appearances in the majors, O’Rourke … um … expels the contents of his stomach, according to the Pioneer Press.

“I don’t do it in the public’s eye,” O’Rourke said Tuesday. “I go in the bathroom, or sometimes it’s just on the back of the mound. But, yeah, it happens.” The routine started when O’Rourke was in college. Despite its embarrassing nature, O’Rourke isn’t ashamed of the act. In fact, he feels as though it puts him in good company. Boston Celtics great Bill Russell also vomited before big games, and O’Rourke is happy to “follow in his footsteps.”

“I’ve got a question for you: How many times did Bill Russell win a championship in his career?” O’Rourke said of the 11-time NBA champion. “He’s the greatest winning human being to walk this Earth. Good for Bill Russell. If I can follow in his footsteps … “

Given the nature of O’Rourke’s act, you have to feel for the people who are left cleaning up after him. In the minors, members of the grounds crew would stand next to the nearest garbage can with a new bag prior to each of his appearances, according to O’Rourke. They are the real heroes here.

In the end, we can’t be critical. Whatever works, right? But we do feel for those around O’Rourke just before he enters a game. We’re guessing they wished he had a more normal pre-appearance routine, like tapping a sign or putting on wacky socks. Or, you know, anything that doesn’t involve bodily fluids being left in the bullpen.

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Twins reliever Ryan O’Rourke gets sick before almost every appearance Arthur Weinstein | Sporting News | February 22, 2017

Ryan O’Rourke has made 54 appearances out of the Twins' bullpen the past two seasons, and almost all had a common denominator — he got sick before each appearance.

The 28-year-old left-hander told TwinCities.com he always finds a private spot to do his business.

“I don’t do it in the public’s eye,” O’Rourke said. “I go in the bathroom, or sometimes it’s just on the back of the mound. But, yeah, it happens.”

O'Rourke says he's been like this since his college days. While in the minors, he says the grounds crew would even wait with a new bag by the bullpen trash can before his appearances.

“It just happens,” O’Rourke said. “I’m pretty pumped up out there. I think everything is culminating as I’m getting ready for my big moment, whether it’s energy or what. I like the competitive aspect. I think this is just a way for me to release a little bit of my nerves.”

In his second big-league season last year, O'Rourke gave many opposing batters the jitters, averaging 8.6 Ks per 9 innings, with a 3.96 ERA and 1.12 WHIP.

Twins pitcher Ryan O’Rourke has thrown up before almost all of his MLB appearances Nicholas Parco | New York Daily News | February 23, 2017

He empties the tank — and his stomach — for his team.

Minnesota Twins Ryan O’Rourke might have the weirdest, and most uncontrollable, superstition in baseball: he vomits before taking the mound.

O’Rourke mustered up the guts to tell TwinCities.com Tuesday “I go in the bathroom, or sometimes it’s just on the back of the mound. But, yeah, it happens.”

Out of his first 54 big-league outings over the past two seasons, O’Rourke guessed that he’s thrown up “close to every time.”

The unfortunate tradition goes back to his days in the minor leagues, when, as a starter, O’Rourke said the grounds crew would jokingly wait near the garbage in the bullpen with a brand new trash bag before his appearances.

“It just happens,” O’Rourke said. “I’m pretty pumped up out there. I think everything is culminating as I’m getting ready for my big moment, whether it’s energy or what. I like the competitive aspect. I think this is just a way for me to release a little bit of my nerves.”

After O’Rourke spoke to TwinCities.com, former Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes had some fun at his teammate’s expense.

“Please don’t throw up on me,’ he tweeted along with a photo of O’Rourke, who responded, “I will make sure to miss you.”

The way O’Rourke sees it, he’s in pretty good company when it comes to letting nerves get the best of him.

“I’ve got a question for you: How many times did Bill Russell win a championship in his career?” he said of the 11-time NBA champion who was known to throw up before big games. “He’s the greatest winning human being to walk this Earth. Good for Bill Russell. If I can follow in his footsteps …”

The way the Twins play, puking will probably be as close O’Rourke gets to walking in Russell’s footsteps.

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Twins reliever Ryan O'Rourke pukes before almost every appearance Daniel Rapaport | Sports Illustrated | February 22, 2017

Professional athletes get nervous before games. This is a well-known fact.

Each player has a different way of dealing with nerves. Some guys diffuse tension with complex pregame rituals. Others let the nerves marinate and feed off the adrenaline rush they bring.

Minnesota Twins reliever Ryan O'Rourke goes about things a bit differently: He pukes. O'Rourke told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that the habit of flushing bodily fluids dates back to his days at Merrimack College.

“I don’t do it in the public’s eye,” he said. “I go in the bathroom, or sometimes it’s just on the back of the mound. But, yeah, it happens.”

O'Rourke, 28, has appeared in 54 major league games. That's a ton of puke. But hey, the guy's not hurting anyone and he seems to be pretty conscientious about where he pulls the trigger.

Bill Russell, who had a pretty solid NBA career, famously barfed before most big games he played in.

"I’ve got a question for you: How many times did Bill Russell win a championship in his career?” O’Rourke said. “He’s the greatest winning human being to walk this Earth. Good for Bill Russell. If I can follow in his footsteps …"

I'm sensing an upcoming endorsement deal with Pepto Bismol.

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