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Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Sunday, January 29, 2017

 Twins, both hope his relief days behind him. (Miller) p. 1  Sunday Q&A: Twins chief . Star Tribune. p. 2  New Twins hitting is inclusive in his approach. Star Tribune (Neal) p. 3  Twins: Dominican traffic deaths register with Miguel Sano. Pioneer Press (Bernadino) p. 4  Brian Murphy: Will make a move? We’ll have to wait and see. Pioneer Press (Murphy) p. 5  Minnesota Twins still counting on at . Pioneer Press (Bernadino) p. 6  Gordon among Twins prospects in Top 100. MLB (Bollinger) p. 8  Buxton feeding off big September, fans. MLB (Bollinger) p. 8  Perkins close to throwing off mound. MLB (Bollinger) p. 9  Ballpark tours offer experiences of a lifetime. MLB (Newman) p. 10  Twins to honor former with statue. ESPN (AP) p. 11  Twins Notes: Falvey, Dozier, Napoli. MLB Trade Rumors (Polishuk) p. 11  Latest On ’s Market. MLB Trade Rumors (Polishuk) p. 11  Minnesota’s Baseball Analytics Professionals Gather To Talk Numbers. WCCO (Max) p. 12  A Q&A with new Minnesota Twins . The Gazette (Johnson) p. 13

Twins, Trevor May both hope his relief days behind him Phil Miller | Star Tribune | January 29, 2017

In retrospect, Trevor May made a critical mistake a couple of years ago, one his career hasn’t recovered from yet:

He pitched too well.

“We were in a pennant race, and I was excited to do whatever we needed to try to win it,” May said of his midseason switch to the Twins bullpen in 2015. “I still feel that way. But it might not have been the best thing for me in the big picture.”

That’s because, as brilliant as the righthander pitched in relief that year — a 3.15 ERA in 34 mostly high-pressure , plus 39 and only eight walks — May now suspects that changing roles might have been detrimental to his health. Not to mention his career.

May approaches , his fifth big-league camp, with roughly the same uncertainty as a year ago. Healthy again after an injury-filled 2016, the 27-year-old has been promised a shot at a starting role, just as he was last year. This time, though, he believes the opportunity is legitimate.

“Last year, the [pitching] schedule was set early in the spring, and there were four guys who were [scheduled] all through the spring, and then guys like me who were more start-to-start. So it was pretty clear,” May said, that manager and General Manager preferred to keep him in a setup role. “I’m not stupid. I knew there were eight starters [in competition for five jobs] and I had bullpen experience. I knew that the easiest decision would be to put me in the bullpen.”

May pitched three times in Fort Myers, including one start, before being informed with three weeks left in camp that he would indeed remain a relief . “Tempting — that’s the word,” pitching coach Neil Allen said. “He pitched so well in a setup role, it was tempting to just keep him out there and see what he could make of it.”

May accepted the news and was determined to repeat his success, he said. But his body wouldn’t cooperate.

A month into the 2016 season, May’s lower back began to ache. He went on the disabled list because of a back strain, returned briefly, then suffered back spasms that kept him out for much of May. By August, the pain was worse; May pitched only once after Aug. 6, and was eventually diagnosed with a fractured vertebrae, ending his season with a 5.27 ERA over 42⅔ innings.

Four months of rehabilitation have paid off, however, and May says he is pain-free and throwing almost daily. “I feel normal again, to where I can stand up straight, where I don’t cock my back to one side when I sit in a chair, those kind of weird things I didn’t even realize I was doing,” May said. “It’s exciting to not feel stiff and sore all the time.”

May is excited about trying to use his four- repertoire, including a mid-90s fastball, as a starter again, too. “Pitching with a set routine, with four days off between starts, that’s going to make it easier to stay healthy,” he said. “When you don’t know when you’ll pitch, it’s a lot harder to get into a routine that will protect your back.”

He is running regularly and throwing longer bullpens, mostly because of a conversation he had with new Twins Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey, who assured May the team pictures him as an every-fifth-day pitcher.

“[Falvey] seems really sincere about it. He said they want to get the best out of players, and I believe I can help us immensely by throwing 200 innings,” May said. “I’m not saying I have to have an amazing spring, by any means, but I have to show I’m ready to go. I have a starter’s mind- set that I can throw all my pitches right away. … If the health is there, I feel like I can slide in there.”

Actually, May might never have slid out of there, except for circumstances out of his control. May was enjoying a promising second season in 2015, and delivered a stretch of five quality starts in a seven-start stretch from mid-May to late June, striking out 41 hitters with only seven walks. He seemed to be establishing himself as a fixture in the rotation.

“People forget, the only reason he got bumped out of the rotation two years ago was that Ervin [Santana] came back from [an 80-game steroids] suspension,” assistant GM Rob Antony said. “We looked at it and said, ‘Which guy is best able to adjust to the bullpen?’ And it worked out exactly like we hoped — he thrived in that role, and we were in the race.

“If not for that, he probably finishes the season in the rotation, stays in it last year, and we never have this decision.”

Sunday Q&A: Twins baseball chief Derek Falvey | Star Tribune | January 28, 2017

Derek Falvey was hired as the Twins’ chief baseball officer four months ago, and the ensuing time has been a whirlwind of getting up to speed and implementing new plans. He chatted Friday with the Star Tribune’s Michael Rand.

Q In your interactions with fans recently on the Twins Caravan, did you sense they were antsy wanting more free-agency moves?

A I think the reality is that every free-agency period has ebbs and flows to it. Early on, we identified a position we felt was very important to — the catching position. So getting was meaningful. … Our next step was to see how things shook out going into January. That was part of our plan. I think you’re seeing there are a number of free agents still available that I think can impact us this year and beyond, so we’re staying in touch with those guys right up until we get to spring training and maybe beyond to figure out ways we can add a number of those guys potentially as we go forward.

Q Is that a way to get a better value instead of diving in right away?

A There’s a supply-and-demand component to any offseason. I think we’re seeing right now there might be opportunities in the pitching market to have conversations. We have had a lot of those conversations over the last month or so, and I would expect those to start coming to a head really in the next week to 10 days. 2

Q How has it been knowing you are the person people will inevitably blame if moves don’t work out?

A It comes with the job, and I’ve been fortunate to have guys like Mark Shapiro, Chris Antonetti and , who have had their fair share of criticism and fair share of praise, to teach me how to deal with that. You need to stick to your vision and your plan. But you need to be thoughtful when you adjust and not be too rigid.

Q You and General Manager Thad Levine arrived as a package deal of sorts. Do you think Thadrek Falvine is the appropriate combined name for the two of you?

A [laughs] I’m really not good at nicknames, so ask [Levine]. He’s the funny guy out of the two of us.

Q No kidding. It’s like he’s auditioning for open mic night every time he talks.

A He’s great at it. He brings a lot of levity to each day in the office. … We complement each other in so many ways. I can’t be happier with the choice and opportunity to work with him.

Q Spring training is only a few weeks away. As you keep evaluating this organization and roster, what do you want to see?

A I want to see things that are admittedly a little behind-the-scenes. There are cultural elements to a successful team that I’ve been able to observe: a team pulling together, a team operating in a way in which guys play for each other and not themselves. ... I’ve certainly been trained in the metrics and analytics. I played a considerable role in Cleveland developing our systems. However, because of the opportunity I had working with the major league staff and working so closely with Terry Francona, I had the opportunity to find out what drives the culture of winning. When you can blend the art and science of baseball, you have the opportunity to do something special.

New Twins hitting coach James Rowson is inclusive in his approach La Velle E. Neal III | Star Tribune | January 28, 2017

New Twins hitting coach James Rowson wanted to get to know all the hitting coaches in the minor league system. So he sat back and listened.

The Twins recently held a “scouts summit” in Fort Myers, Fla., for all their talent evaluators. At the same time, they also held a “hitting summit,” where Rowson was able to meet with his staff. That included , recently hired as Twins minor league hitting coordinator.

“We laid out the terms: ‘I want to hear your ideas. I want to hear what you think,’ ” Rowson said. “The hitting coaches got the chance to speak and say what they think we can do better what they think we do well. I loved it.”

The goal was not to establish a new hitting philosophy but to make sure there’s a clear vision on how to let hitters develop.

“We talked about being very careful to let these guys continue to be athletes,” he said. “Let them play the way they play and learn, rather than immediately try to stick them into a specific role or slot. I think the freer they are early in their careers, that athleticism tends to continue to work itself up the chain.”

At the end, the hitting coaches then met with the scouts. Rowson wants scouts to feel comfortable with reaching out to him about finding the right players to develop. One goal of the new Twins administration is to strengthen the bond between scouting and development, and the meetings in Florida were an example of that.

“I’m not a big fan of one voice. I’m a big fan of one message,” Rowson said. “So I think that many voices can deliver a message and everyone has to feel included in the process. I encourage our scouts to call me. Without scouts, we don’t have players.”

3

Season tickets drop

In 2016, the Twins sold about 13,800 season tickets, and the 103-loss season had some officials worried that number would drop by 3,000 to 5,000.

But Twins President Dave St. Peter said Friday that the club expects to sell around 12,000 this year. The hit is not as big as some expected, but it still is a hit.

“In my mind, the fans deserve great credit for being patient,” St. Peter said. “We don’t take any loss of season tickets lightly. Could it have been worse? Maybe. I know this. We need to take a step forward and show our season ticket base that we are the right track.”

Blyleven to coach

Hall of Famer will come down from the broadcast booth to be a special instructor during spring training.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Blyleven said Saturday.

The plan is for Blyleven to work with the team late in spring training for a week, but the length of his duty could be affected by the . As he has in the past, Blyleven is serving as the pitching coach for the Netherlands.

“As we reworked Bert’s agreement, and he went down to [broadcasting] 80 games on the TV side, one of the things he had an interest in was having an opportunity to be a guest instructor,” St. Peter said.

Blyleven, late last season, sat in on a couple of bullpen sessions by righthander Jose Berrios. St. Peter said that did not factor into the decision to let him help out this year.

Etc.

Infielder initially had planned to play for Venezuela during the WBC but has changed his mind. WBC rosters have to be finalized by Feb. 6.

Minnesota Twins: Dominican traffic deaths register with Miguel Sano Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | January 28, 2017

Twins Miguel Sano remains contemplative in the wake of the auto accidents that claimed the lives of countrymen Yordano Ventura and Andy Marte on the same day Jan. 22 in the Dominican Republic.

“The people in the Dominican, they have a different life from here in the United States,” Sano said Saturday at TwinsFest during a radio appearance on 1500 ESPN. “If you drink you can drive, all that stuff. It’s tough now for their families and for the big leagues.”

Sano, who says he gave up alcohol this offseason en route to shedding 15 pounds, spoke with Ventura, the fiery pitcher from the , shortly before his death. Sano traveled home from his offseason workout base in New York City recently to help the Twins open their new shared baseball academy in Boca Chica.

“I saw Ventura a couple days before he died,” Sano said. “I remember (pitcher Johnny) Cueto, he said, ‘Ventura, when you drink, don’t drive.’ So it’s always in my mind, what Cueto said. When I drink, I never drive. But I don’t drink anymore.”

The Royals are awaiting a toxicology report on Ventura’s death before announcing whether they will pay out the $19.25 million that remains on the pitcher’s guaranteed contract. According to Fox Sports, there is a provision in Ventura’s deal that would void payment for “failure to perform due to injury or death resulting from driving a motorized vehicle while intoxicated.”

Marte, a former big-league third baseman, was playing winter ball.

Twins minor league pitcher Yorman Landa died Dec. 10 in Venezuela as a passenger in the car his father was driving on a rainy night. Alcohol 4 was not a factor in that crash, but the roads in the Dominican Republic are notoriously dangerous, in part because of lax DUI and speeding laws as well as a cavalier attitude toward seat belts.

According to a 2015 study by the World Health Organization, the Dominican Republic ranks first among the most dangerous places to drive in the Western Hemisphere.

Sano, 23, welcomed a new son this offseason and sounds determined to learn from a disappointing 2016 season, on and off the field.

“Nothing is difficult in life,” he said. “If you pay attention and you listen to what other people say, you can learn a lot. I try to learn from certain people every day.”

PERKINS ENCOURAGED

Twins closer , now more than seven months removed from surgery on his throwing shoulder, remains upbeat about his rehabilitation.

“I mean, so far, so good,” Perkins said. “Who knows what the future holds. I’ve been able to check every box. Every day, whatever was scheduled that day, I’ve been able to do.”

He will head to Fort Myers on Jan. 31 and is slated to throw off a mound four times before spring training starts on Valentine’s Day. To this point, Perkins has been long-tossing out to 120 feet with no issues and no setbacks.

“Intensity-wise it’s not going to be anything close (to normal),” Perkins said of those upcoming bullpens. “It’s going to be down to the finish line at the end of spring training whether I’m ready or not.”

If not, he’ll open the year on the disabled list in order to finish off his rehab in the minors.

Set to turn 34 on March 2, Perkins expects to be limited to spring exhibition appearances on back fields “at least for awhile.” Having landed on the DL a week into last season, the three-time all-star understands the importance of maintaining a conservative return schedule.

“You’ve got to ease into it,” he said. “There’s no reason to (rush).”

Perkins hasn’t been back since mid-July to see Dr. Neal El Attrache, who performed the surgery at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles on June 23.

“There hasn’t been a need,” Perkins said. “My recovery has gone well, and I’ve been in contact with him.”

Perkins is scheduled to throw his first tentative sliders off flat ground next week, but his signature pitch won’t be tested off a mound until mid- March or so.

BRIEFLY

All but three members of the Twins’ 40-man roster are at TwinsFest this weekend: Byung Ho Park, and . In Gibson’s case, he and wife Elizabeth recently welcomed their second child. …

Special assistant said the Twins approached him about doing some limited TV analyst work, as fellow special assistants and LaTroy Hawkins will this season. Cuddyer, however, declined because he didn’t think he’d be able to commit the time it would take to stay fully abreast of the latest trends and developments around the game.

Brian Murphy: Will Minnesota Twins make a move? We’ll have to wait and see Brian Murphy | Pioneer Press | January 28, 2017

Still waiting for the Twins’ new regime to peel back the curtain, declassify their master plan and back slap a bona fide big leaguer who could leverage wins and gravitas from a banal clubhouse beaten down by 103 losses?

Paul Molitor is just like the rest of us — watching, wondering and weighing how chief baseball officer Derek Falvey and general manager Thad 5

Levine will supplement a static roster tainted by last year’s bottoming out. Brian Murphy sig

The lame-duck boss is under scrutiny as his superiors audit the club’s baseball apparatus throughout 2017 to determine whether tweaking or a tear down is in order.

Of course Molitor was privy to the protracted -Jose De Leon trade talks Minnesota had with the Dodgers before Los Angeles partnered with Tampa Bay to nab . That leaves free-agent Jason Castro’s signing in late November as the lonely offseason headline, less than three weeks until and report to spring training.

“Mike Napoli, white courtesy phone.”

Caravanning this month around the Upper Midwest peddling a familiar cast of underperforming players must have felt to Molitor like he was hustling a desert nomad to buy a barrel of sand.

“To be candid, it’s made it a harder sell out and about,” Molitor said. “Even if you believe that Castro’s going to make a difference, that doesn’t play particularly well as a game changer. Yes, (fans) like our younger players but those are reasonable concerns.”

Molitor noted Falvey and Levine have been transparent about their long-term strategy for rebooting the Twins, which has involved far more deliberation than action since they assumed control Nov. 7.

“It’s been calculated,” the manager said. “They haven’t gotten sucked into the trap of trying to do the splash thing.”

Castro’s early acquisition satisfied Minnesota’s primary position need. Then the free-agent market stagnated, mainly because there was no marquee pitcher or suitors to clear the glut of available arms and establish values for the leftovers, including veteran position players.

As TwinsFest opened Friday, Falvey and Levine said talks are heating up and the domino effect should accelerate in February.

“We’re going to stay opportunistic in that market,” Falvey said.

Well, Napoli is waiting by the phone. The Twins should be stalking the / to fill their omnipresent power and leadership void.

Napoli is a proven winner and gamer who would endear himself to jaded fans starved for a refreshing character. He has the credibility to browbeat in the clubhouse and the rings to flash Minnesota’s developing players who need to learn how to win lest they congeal into country club losers.

Here is a guy with a tattoo on his left hand of fingers crawling out of an eyeball, whose “Party At Napoli’s” became the summer rallying cry in Cleveland during the Cavaliers’ NBA championship and Indians’ march to the .

Napoli, 35, slugged a career-high 34 home runs and 102 RBIs last year for the Indians to reach his third World Series with an team. He won the 2013 championship with the , three division titles with the Angels and made the postseason with the in 2011 and ’12.

Falvey and Levine should know everything about Napoli, respectively having worked in the Cleveland and Texas front offices before migrating to Minnesota.

There are ample at-bats for Napoli to spell a fading at first base or hack against left-handers as a DH. Byung-Ho Park can redeem himself on his own time after his not-ready-for-primetime debut.

It is one thing to turn loose franchise icons Michael Cuddyer, Torii Hunter and LaTroy Hawkins as roving instructors to dispense wisdom from 55 collective major-league seasons. But even the recently retired can come off as preachy next to the man still in the arena getting dirt and blood on his uniform.

“Our criteria for additions at this stage of the offseason will be whether or not they have the ability, commitment and desire to help our young players accelerate their development,” said Levine.

Let’s get this party started already. 6

Minnesota Twins still counting on Jorge Polanco at shortstop Mike Bernardino | Pioneer Press| January 28, 2017

As much as the Twins would have liked Jorge Polanco to get a chance to play some shortstop in the Dominican Winter League, they were again powerless over the situation.

In 43 games for Escogido, the young switch-hitter was used exclusively at second base and designated hitter. Shortstop duties went to prospect Erik Gonzalez and 32-year-old journeyman Pedro Lopez, who spent last season in the Mexican Pacific League.

“I think you try as best you can to plan aforehand and collaborate with the people who are running those franchises,” Twins general manager Thad Levine said. “In practice, once they get into the competitive realm, and especially in a (World Baseball Classic) year, I think the competition is significant and it’s real and I think they felt he could help them more at second base.”

That’s how Polanco remembers the conversation going with Escogido manager .

“I said that I want to play shortstop, but he told me I was only going to play second,” Polanco said. “We talked. He made his decision, and I respect his decision. That’s just how it is.”

With Brian Dozier still in the fold after a long winter of trade rumors, Polanco appears set to battle Eduardo Escobar for the job at shortstop. Out of minor-league options, Polanco would be retained in a utility role at worst.

“I think we still view him as a guy who has every ability to play shortstop or second base at the major league level, and he’ll be given that opportunity,” Levine said.

The problem with that is Polanco’s defensive metrics were extremely poor in his 45-game shortstop audition last season after first-time all-star Eduardo Nunez was dealt to the . For a full season, Polanco was on pace for minus-24 defensive runs saved.

Having a chance to refine his footwork and throwing mechanics back home this winter would have been highly useful, but that wasn’t in the cards. Polanco did take extra grounders at shortstop whenever possible, but those didn’t come under game conditions.

“I think it certainly would have been our preference,” Levine said. “Any more game repetitions is helpful. You can go through as many drills as you possibly want to, but the real game speed and those sorts of things are things you want to expose the players to as much as possible. But we have time ahead of us and he’ll get opportunities in spring training where he’ll get primary (work) and the lion’s share of his reps will be at shortstop.”

The good news is Polanco, 23, rallied after a slow start to hit .254 with a .330 on-base percentage in 157 at-bats for Escogido, where former big- league Moises Alou is the GM. Polanco slugged just .318 with six extra-base hits, but the additional at-bats were valuable nonetheless.

“Oh, absolutely,” Levine said. “You want to get him at-bats and you want to get him in that highly competitive environment. I think one thing people miss on winter ball is these are extremely competitive games. There’s a lot at stake, and these countries have a ton of pride when they’re playing against each other. I think getting him into the highest level of competition is great for his maturation.”

Twins manager Paul Molitor noted earlier this winter that it was “kind of a strange thing” that Polanco would be limited to second base when his clearest path to playing time in the majors remained at shortstop. While not ready to guarantee anything just yet, the Twins are eager to see what Polanco can do once he gets to Fort Myers, Fla.

“I’d like to have a lot of open competition in a lot of spots,” Molitor said. “I don’t want to assume too much for too many people. Polanco, I thought, handled himself fairly well. We all know some of the consistency at shortstop needs to be addressed, and you can try to debate or argue if that’s ever going to get significantly better or if it’s something you just have to accept or how it goes.”

Still viewed as a natural second baseman by most evaluators, Polanco has given the Twins plenty to discuss when it comes to his defensive value. Is it possible the metrics are unfairly punitive when compared to the eye test?

“We’ve had those discussions,” Molitor said. “You try to measure what you get back by letting a guy like that play every day. Is what you get 7 back going to maybe outweigh what you sacrifice?”

How good could Polanco become if he had to stay at shortstop, say, for the two additional seasons that remain on Dozier’s contract?

“I think there are some limitations on his ceiling there,” Molitor said. “Whether you want to talk about how he uses his feet or his arm or all those type of things, but I don’t think we’ve seen his best. For one he hadn’t played there for awhile. He had a couple cups of coffee but never had an extended run.”

Another complicating factor is the installation of Miguel Sano, Polanco’s boyhood friend from San Pedro de Macoris, as the full-time third baseman in the wake of ’s departure. Will Sano be able to cover enough ground to his left to take some of the pressure off Polanco’s middling arm?

Despite spending significant time with Twins third base coach on plays to his backhand, that remains “the weaker of his two sides,” Molitor admitted.

“It seemed like when he slows down, he’s OK,” Molitor said. “When he tries to throw it 110 (mph), that’s when he spikes it. There’s a way to show your arm strength and still not look rushed. The guys that can do that, they jump out at you.”

With no help from Escogido once again, it will be up to Polanco and the coaching staff to sharpen his fielding before Opening Day.

“You’re always kind of measuring how guys are going to respond to that when they come back the following spring,” Molitor said. “There’s going to be a lot of work to be done in the spring.”

Gordon among Twins prospects in Top 100 Rhett Bollinger | MLB | January 28, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins have graduated several top prospects to the Majors in recent years such as , Miguel Sano, and Jose Berrios, but the club still has three players ranked among MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects, as announced on MLB Network on Saturday.

Shortstop is the club's No. 2 prospect, ranked No. 50 overall, and left-hander checks in at No. 92, while recently drafted outfielder is 98th. It's a drop from last year's preseason rankings, when the Twins had six players in the Top 100, but Buxton, Berrios, Kepler and Jorge Polanco each exhausted their rookie eligibility in 2016. The lone Twins prospect to drop from the Top 100 is lefty , who was ranked No. 60 before the 2016 season and No. 47 at last year's midseason update.

The annual ranking of MLB's Top 100 prospects is assembled by MLBPipeline.com Draft and prospect experts Jonathan Mayo, Jim Callis and Mike Rosenbaum, who compile input from industry sources, including scouts and scouting directors. It is based on analysis of players' skill sets, upsides, proximity to the Majors and potential immediate impact to their teams. Only players with rookie status entering the 2017 season are eligible for the list. Players who were at least 23 years old when they signed and played in leagues deemed to be professional (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Cuba) are not eligible.

Gordon, 21, actually fell two spots to No. 50, but is coming off a strong year and an even better showing in the . He hit .291/.335/.386 with 19 stolen bases in 116 games at Advanced Fort Myers last year and should open the year at -A Chattanooga. He also hit .346 in 21 games in the Arizona Fall League.

Gonsalves also slipped a few spots from No. 85 to 92. The lefty has emerged as the club's top pitching prospect, although the Twins have several strong candidates right behind him, including Fernando Romero, and Jay. The 22-year-old Gonsalves posted a 2.06 ERA with a combined 155 strikeouts in 140 innings between Class A Advanced Fort Myers and Double-A Chattanooga. He's likely to open the year at Double-A and could make his debut as early as this season.

Kirilloff, selected with the No. 15 pick in last year's Draft, fell from No. 92 to 98. The outfielder had a solid showing at Rookie-level Elizabethton, hitting .306/.341/.454 with seven homers and 33 RBIs in 55 games.

Buxton feeding off big September, fans Rhett Bollinger | MLB| January 29, 2017 8

MINNEAPOLIS -- When Byron Buxton was called up by the Twins on Sept. 1 after finishing his second stint of the 2016 season at Triple-A Rochester, he received a call from his former teammate and mentor Torii Hunter. Hunter, a five-time All-Star, could relate to Buxton's early struggles, as he went through the same thing early in his career before finally establishing himself. He told Buxton the key to his success sounded simple, but it was simply clearing his head and not thinking so much about mechanics or the pressures of being a top prospect.

"That was big, especially after me getting sent down twice and the way the season was going," Buxton said. "Torii called me and talked to me for a while and just told me to stop thinking and enjoy the game and have fun. I took that and I ran with it."

Buxton certainly ran with it, hitting .287/.357/.653 with nine homers, six doubles, 22 RBIs and 24 runs over his final 29 games. Hunter watched from afar in Texas, and he was excited to see Buxton finally break out like he knew he always would.

"I thought he turned the corner," Hunter said. "You could see it. He was more relaxed and more athletic at the plate. He was back to being himself. Sometimes you get caught up in the hype of the Major Leagues, and people are telling him to do this and do that. Before he came up here again, I just told him to relax. I'm sure others told him too, but he's like my son."

Buxton, 23, is ready to build on that impressive September and has been working on improving his hitting even more while training near his home in Baxley, Ga. The outfielder takes batting practice at Appling County High School, where he starred as an amateur, and he has also worked on his reads and first-step quickness to help steal more bases.

Buxton's agent, Al Goetz, is based in Atlanta, and he sometimes helps throw Buxton batting practice, while Twins prospect -- who lives in Georgia, as well -- also trains with him.

"I switched it up a little bit this offseason, focusing more on my hitting," Buxton said. "I'm using my legs and staying down on the ball and finishing my swing. It's just one of those things where I'm taking what I did in September and trying to clean it up in the offseason and get stronger."

Buxton, fresh off Twins Caravan, said that the energy from the fans on the caravan and at TwinsFest is helping fuel him heading into the season. He couldn't help but be amazed at the love former Twins players from the World Series-winning teams from 1987 and 1991 still receive from fans, and he wants to be part of the next core that brings home another title.

"That's what drives me to want to be better," Buxton said. "Like in '87 and '91, they had a great group of guys, but the years before that, they were where we were last year. But they came together over those years, and this team we have now, coming together in September was big, and I can only imagine what it will be like this spring and this year."

Perkins close to throwing off mound Rhett Bollinger | MLB| January 29, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS -- Twins closer Glen Perkins' rehab from his left shoulder surgery has gone according to schedule and he's expected to throw off a mound as early as next week. Perkins, who underwent surgery to reattach his labrum to the bone in June, spent three weeks rehabbing at the club's Spring Training complex in Fort Myers, Fla., before heading to TwinsFest this weekend. The three-time All-Star will resume his throwing program when he heads back to Florida on Tuesday. He was throwing from about 120 feet at 75 percent intensity last week.

"It's gone well, so far," Perkins said. "I don't have the schedule, but I think I'll be [throwing] off the mound in the next week or so. I'll throw four 'pens before Spring Training. I've been able to check every box as the rehab has gone along. I haven't had to push anything back."

Perkins said he usually throws four bullpens or so before heading to Spring Training. He's behind his normal schedule because he's not throwing at high intensity and hasn't mixed in any two-seamers or breaking pitches. He estimated he's about three weeks behind his normal schedule, and said he's hopeful to pitch in a Spring Training game by mid-March. But he said it's too far out to fully map everything out, because the way things unfold will depend on how he feels.

"I'm not saying I'm right where I would be without surgery," Perkins said. "I'm a little behind that, but right on schedule as far as rehab." 9

Perkins, though, did say the surgery has brought more strength and stability to his shoulder. He said he didn't feel right after the All-Star Game in 2015 -- dealing with back injuries in the second half of that season, before his shoulder woes limited him to two appearances in '16.

"It feels better than it did before surgery," Perkins said. "I know that. It feels strong and more stable. I don't have the sensations I had before the surgery. So far, so good."

If healthy, Perkins is expected to reclaim his role as Minnesota's closer. But he admitted he'll have to be eased into the season, as he's not expected to pitch in back-to-back games early in the season -- and there's still a chance he could open the campaign on the disabled list. Reliever is most likely to be the closer if Perkins isn't ready.

"My goal isn't to make an All-Star team or have a zero ERA, I just want to be healthy," Perkins said. "I want to throw and not have my shoulder hurt or my back hurt. I have [no] goals other than to be healthy."

Perkins, a Stillwater, Minn., native with a career 3.83 ERA in 11 seasons with the Twins, also said he's at peace if he can't ultimately make it back from the surgery. The 33-year-old knows injuries are simply part of the game, especially for hard-throwing pitchers.

"When you throw at 96 or 97 mph for four years, you don't come out of it healthy," Perkins said. "It was meant to be. It's what was supposed to happen. I've done everything I can to rehab this. Hopefully, it means I can have success and be healthy. There [are] no guarantees, but I know I've given it all I have, so far."

Ballpark tours offer experiences of a lifetime Mark Newman | MLB| January 28, 2017

On July 17, 1998, Mark McGwire hit his 41st and 42nd home runs of the historic 1998 season, on the way to breaking ' single-season record of 61 amid a classic chase with Sammy Sosa. Dave Kaval was there on that Friday night at because he was part of a remarkable two-man pursuit of his own. Kaval, now the A's new president, sat alongside fellow Stanford graduate Brad Null as they visited ballpark No. 20 in a stretch of seeing all 30 venues within 38 incomprehensible days. They logged 14,455 miles by car and air to get it done and saw landmarks like the Hall of Fame and Louisville Slugger Museum along the way. Three years later, they chronicled their epic adventure in the book "The Summer That Saved Baseball."

"One of the best parts of visiting multiple ballparks is that you can compare how different cities uniquely celebrate baseball," Kaval said nearly two decades later. "From the 'OK Blue Jays' song in Toronto to the special Fenway Frank's buns in Boston, each ballpark offers its distinctive take on baseball and the community it represents."

Undertakings like theirs are infinitely easier in today's more connected world. You can experience other ballparks and still follow your favorite teams on the road in 2017 by signing up for Spring Training travel packages or Baseball Road Trip tours involving all 30 stadiums throughout the regular season.

"A ballpark trip is the quintessential American experience, combining all the excitement of baseball with the fun and adventure of a road trip," Kaval said. "From the sights and sounds of the ballpark to the fun of exploring a new city, a trip can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share our great pastime with friends and family."

Spring Training is a natural starting point. As an example, let's say you're a Cubs fan who can't wait to see your team's first game since it ended its 108-year World Series-championship drought last fall. The Cubs Spring Training Packages, which start March 2-5, include your choice of accommodations with optional additional nights available, four-door intermediate car with unlimited mileage, exclusive postgame dinner with select Cubs players and team personnel, game tickets, a custom Cubs Spring Training merchandise package and more.

More than 73 million fans attended Major League Baseball games last season, and most of them showed up at their home ballpark with a single- game or season ticket. But there is another way to see your favorite team, and it won't require "begging" family and friends like Kaval had to do back in the day. In fact, the Dave Kaval of today is exactly the kind of person the Dave Kaval of 1998 would try to persuade for help in defraying the cost of a graduation odyssey.

It has all been done for you. Yes, even Kaval himself is now on the extending end of such gratitude, and that original 30-ballpark trip probably helps explain why he holds "office hours" each week with A's fans to hear their thoughts and concerns about his new team. 10

Oakland Coliseum is on the itinerary of four of those 30 tours operated by Big League Tours, starting with the California Gold Tour on May 5-12. That five-ballpark trip begins at in San Diego, then goes to in Anaheim and in Los Angeles, then heads up to the Bay Area to watch and the Angels play a day game at Oakland, capped off the next night with Reds vs. Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Ultimate Baseball Road Trip packages offer at least one tour to each of the 30 MLB ballparks. Tour packages range from two stadiums over three nights up to seven stadiums over eight nights. You'll sit in premium seats, take behind-the-scenes stadium tours and meet with former big leaguers. , Bill "Spaceman" Lee, Dave Parker, Len Barker, Tom Browning and Hall of Famer are among past examples.

The experience carries over into the cities, too. Tour packages include first-class accommodations in the heart of these great baseball towns.

"We know that fans have their own bucket lists, some that include , , the Hall of Fame, or visiting all 30 Major League ballparks," said Glenn Dunlap, president and founder of Big League Tours. "We offer the Ultimate Baseball Road Trip that enables fans to make their dreams come true."

Dunlap knows from experience, because in 2014 he and his son completed their own quest of seeing all 30 ballparks in use at that time. The trips are designed for fans of all ages.

"After looking for companies that offered baseball tours the way that I wanted them, I started to realize that they didn't exist," Dunlap said. "I kept thinking if you only visit each stadium once, you'd better do it right. Doing it right means sitting in great seats, taking behind-the-scenes stadium tours, meeting baseball insiders and staying right in the heart of MLB cities. Since nobody else was doing it that way, I began wondering if there were other people who wanted those same experiences."

He and his son did it over nine years. Kaval & Co. did it over 38 days, before half of those ballparks were replaced. This season, another new ballpark arrives with Atlanta's SunTrust Park, and that's included along with and Marlins Park for those who order a spot on the Southeast Tour, from May 5-11.

"A sublime trip" is what Kaval and Null called their journey in their book. "Although there was one constant of baseball throughout, it was a rich and varied canvas of experiences." A similar road awaits at Spring Training and in the regular season, only much easier now..

Twins to honor former manager Tom Kelly with Target Field statue AP | ESPN| January 28, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins plan to honor former manager Tom Kelly with a bronze statue outside Target Field.

The team made the announcement at TwinsFest on Friday night. The statue will be unveiled this season, although a date is not yet set.

Kelly led the Twins to World Series titles in 1987 and 1991. His record of 1,140-1,244 places him first on the Twins' managerial list in wins and games. Kelly retired after the 2001 season. His No. 10 was retired in 2012, the first Twins manager to be so honored.

At Target Field, Kelly's statue will join the likenesses of , , , , Carl and Eloise Pohlad, and .

Twins Notes: Falvey, Dozier, Napoli Mark Polishuk | MLB Trade Rumors| January 28, 2017

•The Brian Dozier trade speculation may not be finished yet, as Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey told reporters (including Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press) that “You can’t rule out anything. We constantly need to stay open-minded to potential opportunities to add value.” That being said, Falvey also added that “as it stands, Brian is here today and we’re excited to have him as part of the Twins family.” Minnesota reportedly asked teams to make their final offers for Dozier at the start of January and a heavily-rumored trade with the Dodgers failed to materialize and L.A. instead acquired Logan Forsythe to play second base. Since Dozier is under contract for two more seasons at (given his production) a bargain price, the Twins aren’t under much pressure to trade him immediately.

•Mike Napoli could be a good fit for a Twins team looking for both veteran leadership and another bat, FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman opines. Napoli could split time with Joe Mauer at first base and DH, and Heyman notes that Napoli has past ties to both GM Thad Levine and chief 11 baseball officer Derek Falvey. This is just my speculation, but I’m not sure if Napoli would be interested in joining a team that isn’t close to contention, though obviously Napoli’s priorities might change the longer he remains unsigned.

Latest On Craig Breslow’s Market Mark Polishuk | MLB Trade Rumors| January 28, 2017

The Twins, Blue Jays and Indians are all “strong” in their pursuit of left-handed reliever Craig Breslow, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link). The Dodgers and Mets are also interested in the veteran southpaw.

Breslow is likely to pick his new team once Jerry Blevins and Boone Logan (the top two left-handed relievers available) have signed. The Blue Jays and Mets have been connected to both relievers and the Dodgers have also been linked to Blevins, so it’s quite possible that Breslow could lose a suitor or two once the market thins out.

Breslow has struggled for much of the last three seasons, though an overhaul of his mechanics and a new arm slot has led to renewed intrigue in his services, as almost half the teams in baseball had scouts at Breslow’s recent showcase. With this much apparent interest, Breslow can perhaps afford to be a bit patient in finding an offer, as he could still land a decent contract if as many as three teams will still be looking for lefty relief help.

With Logan and Blevins carrying reported price tags of at least two years and $12MM, Breslow is certainly a less-costly alternative, which has particular appeal to several of his suitors. Cleveland has already gone well above its usual spending limits to sign Edwin Encarnacion, the Mets’ payroll may also be somewhat maxed-out with Jay Bruce’s salary still on the books and the Jays may also be at or near their payroll parameters after re-signing Jose Bautista. The Twins are known to be attempting to wait out the market to score a bargain or two, as the rebuilding club obviously doesn’t intend to overpay for a bullpen signing.

From 2005-13, Breslow posted a 2.82 ERA, 2.1 K/BB rate and 7.4 K/9 over 402 relief innings with six teams (including the Twins and Indians). The 36-year-old has been effective against both left-handed hitters (holding them to a .693 OPS over his career) and right-handed hitters (.705 OPS).

Minnesota’s Baseball Analytics Professionals Gather To Talk Numbers Mike Max | WCCO| January 28, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — They gather in an auditorium – accountants, lawyers, computer programmers. They are here to talk baseball. That’s right, it’s a gathering for the new term in the sport — analytics.

“Now we have Statcast information, which is a tracking system of all the players on the field at every moment in time,” Derek Falvey said. “We’re learning a lot about what players do on the field that we see with our eyes but now we can quantify and objectively measure.”

Falvey is the Twins’ new general manager, brought in in part for just that — to break down numbers.

And man do they have some breaking down to do. That’s why the science is taken into account.

“That’s what we try to find is things that our hunches are wrong on or things that coaches’ hunches are wrong on because those are the things that you need to know because your hunches aren’t telling you what the data really tells you,” Randy Istre of Inside Edge Baseball said. “The data’s typically right if there’s a high enough sample size.”

This organization lends a willing ear.

“So it’s a little bit of everybody because not a lot of people are employed in the sports analytics. Maybe 7 percent of this group is,” Dan Atkins with Minneanalytics said. “But it’s people doing analytics at United Health Group, Target, Best Buy, all the majors. I mean there’s 10,477 analytics professionals that belong to our organization.”

While the big leagues are extensive in their computer work, it’s trickled down to college. The key — know how to use the numbers.

“We like to give guys real, tangible data that helps guide their training, that helps guide their in-game development and helps guide the way that they adjust from game to game,” Gophers pitching coach Ty McDevitt said. “Without overloading them, and that’s the caveat to the whole deal.” 12

So you have this new cross breed, athletics and computer types, coming together with — to an extent — the same goal: learn how to use data to get better.

“In my day job I do medication adherence, which is really boring but I talk in sports metaphors, so it’s like, ‘Hey, they’re on three drugs, this is a power hitter, right?'” Atkins said.

A Q&A with new Minnesota Twins General Manager Thad Levine Jeff Johnson | The Gazette| January 28, 2017

CEDAR RAPIDS — Thad Levine is the new General Manager of the Minnesota Twins.

The 45-year-old was hired by new Twins Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey to oversee the organization, as it seeks to improve upon a Major League Baseball worst 59-103 record last season.

Levine spent the previous 11 years as assistant general manager for the Texas Rangers. He also has been with the and .

Levine was in Cedar Rapids this past Wednesday night for the Minnesota Twins Winter Caravan/ Hot Stove Banquet. He answered some questions about his new job, the organization, its farm system and other things.

In other Kernels-related news, the parent Twins announced that hitting coach and pitching coach J.P. Martinez will return to their posts for the 2017 season. is the new Kernels manager.

Q: Have you been able to catch your breath, yet? I know you got hired late (early November). It must feel like it has just been go, go, go, right?

A: It’s been exciting. It has really been challenging, daunting at times, but I think energizing. That’s why Derek and I really took these opportunities. We realized the opportunity that this challenge presented. We are both more energized by that than intimidated. Ownership is the key. has been very clear that there is no artificial sense of urgency. I think had there been that, we probably wouldn’t have embraced the opportunity. But he is prepared for us to take the time necessary to make the right decisions against a backdrop that’s really devoid of any artificial sense of urgency. That is going to allow us to make more right decisions than wrong ones.

Q: What are the expectations for this Twins club going into spring training?

A: It feels like playing against them last year that it was the worst outcome you could have expected, considering the talent on the field. So I do think there is going to be a sense of expected improvement by letting these guys play together for one more season. Try and avoid whatever bad ju-ju they had last year. But, secondarily, I think we’re at a (point) in the development of the franchise where we want to play better baseball on a night-in, night-out basis. My understanding from those who lived the 162 (games) last year is that we were deficient across the board. Defense, offense, execution. That’s what we’re challenging our guys to do from the minute we arrive at spring training. Let’s play better fundamental baseball. That’s the Minnesota Twins way. That’s what it’s been for 20 years, when they were highly successful. Let’s get back to that right now.

Q: What do you think is the state of your farm system right now?

A: I think it is a very strong farm system. The scouts and player development have done an excellent job, as they have done for the last 30 years. They are one of the pre-eminent scouting and player development entities in the game. I do feel like there have been a number of younger players, Byron (Buxton), as you mentioned earlier, that have matriculated to the big leagues. So every time you eliminate players of that caliber from your farm system, it takes you back in the rankings. But I think if you married up our farm system with guys who are in the major leagues with less than a year, year and a half of service, you will find a wealth of young talent that we are very excited about that we think will be around for years to come.

Q: Is pitching the biggest thing that this organization needs? And how will you go about procuring that pitching?

A: Yes, it is. We feel very good about the young position player core. I think it’s imperative that we surround them with some smart, veteran acquisitions. Because in this day and age, there is only so much the front office and even the coaching staff can do to help hold players accountable. I think teammates are the best resource for that. On the pitching side, we’re going to get Phil Hughes back. He’s going to be 13 healthy. We’re going to get a whole year of . Jose Berrios is now one year older and wiser. Trevor May is going to have a chance to fight for a spot in our rotation, as will and a handful of other guys, too. I think we have a wealth of options. If any of those guys step up, it can transform our pitching staff, and it will be incumbent upon Derek and myself then to supplement that group with timely acquisitions.

Q: As far as the Kernels, or your farm system, in general, will we see any changes in the way things are done, as far as trying to develop guys?

A: I don’t think there’s any significant separation in the way the Minnesota Twins have developed players and what Derek and I believe in. We might have slightly different focuses, but, by and large, it’s very similar. The biggest change here, in particular, is the manager. had a tremendous run here and got a chance to get promoted. Tommy Watkins, we are really excited to give him a chance to manage. I think the perception throughout our organization has been that he had the chance to be a good hitting coach and a great manager. So I think we feel this is an opportunity to put him in the right position to where he really has the most upside and potential in his career. We’re excited for the next step in his career.

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