Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Friday, January 23, 2015

➢ Rand: TwinsFest means is just around the corner. Star Tribune (Rand) p. 1 ➢ You can buy a jar full of pieces of the Metrodome at TwinsFest. Star Tribune (Rand) p. 2 ➢ : Leadership award a highlight for . Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 2 ➢ Twinsights: tells a great story. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 3 ➢ Twinsights: Class A pitcher Hudson Boyd draws 50-game suspension. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 4 ➢ Twinsights: Twins granted fourth option year on Oswaldo Arcia. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 4 ➢ Twinsights: tells Paul Molitor, ‘It’s on your shoulders, buddy’. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 5 ➢ Twinsights: Tommy Milone inherits ’s No. 33 . Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 5 ➢ New fun for fans as set to host TwinsFest. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 6 ➢ Twins wrap up 'awesome' Winter Caravan. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 7 ➢ Twins aid research, honor year's best with Diamond Awards. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 8 ➢ Twins 2015 outlook: Will Kennys Vargas back up his debut?. 1500ESPN.com (Wetmore) p. 9 ➢ Wetmore: Updated Twins 25-man roster projection, a month before spring. 1500ESPN.com (Wetmore) p. 10 ➢ Twins Caravan rolls through Willmar. West Central Tribune (Brewster) p. 13 ➢ The future is bright in Twins Territory. Wahpeton Daily News (Wanek) p. 15 ➢ Minnesota Twins players give advice to young athletes. KIMT.com (Stiepan) p. 15

Rand: TwinsFest means baseball is just around the corner

Michael Rand / Star Tribune | January 23, 2015

Twins closer Glen Perkins participated in his ninth Winter Caravan last week; this weekend, he’ll be part of the three days of TwinsFest at Target Field.

Between those two events, Perkins was at his home Wednesday doing two things he loves: smoking ribs and thinking about the season ahead.

“It’s about getting people excited for the season and introducing fans to new players,” Perkins said of the caravan and TwinsFest. “It’s just fun to see fans’ enthusiasm, especially for me in the winter. Spring and baseball is a fresh start.”

The Diamond Awards, a joint venture between the Twins and the local chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America benefiting University of Minnesota medical research and education, continued the Twins’ of winter events Thursday evening.

The highlights of the night included a silent auction — featuring autographed Twins memorabilia and packages involving several local businesses — as well as the distribution of several awards from the 2014 season. Among the honorees: Pitcher Phil Hughes was honored as the team’s MVP and top pitcher; was the Twins’ top rookie; Eduardo Escobar was named most improved; Brian Dozier won for top defensive player; and Kurt Suzuki took the award for hustle and competitive spirit.

Those players figure to be key pieces on the 2015 Twins, a group that will report to next month with the intent of halting the organization’s run of four consecutive 92-loss seasons and playing what Perkins calls “meaningful games in September.”

The offseason is a time for optimism, but Perkins says he doesn’t consider himself a “pie in the sky” type of person. Last year’s 70-92 team improved in some areas but the final result fell short of expectations.

“I think we should have been a .500 team last year, and I think we improved from where we were last year,” Perkins said. “[Ervin] Santana is going to add depth to the rotation, and Torii [Hunter] is going to be good in a lot of ways. And obviously there’s the new staff. Time runs its course, and we’re excited to see how things are different in spring training and the season as well.”

Because as much as Perkins and fans enjoy the reliability of the Twins’ winter events, the predictable on-field results in recent years are wearing more than a little thin on everyone.

“It hasn’t been fun to watch. I went through the same thing watching the Twins in the 1990s, so I know what that’s like,” Perkins said. “Hopefully fans will stick with us and we’ll give them a reason to watch.”

You can buy a jar full of pieces of the Metrodome at TwinsFest

Michael Rand / Star Tribune | January 23, 2015

There was a market for the Metrodome urinal troughs. So why wouldn’t there be a market for other Dome leftovers?

Nick Vetter and Joel Bradley are counting on it and will be selling their “Domepourri” featuring bits of the now-demolished Dome this weekend at TwinsFest. A 4-ounce jar of scraps is $5, while a nicer 8-ounce jar is $15.

“It’s a nice conversation piece and we think it will bring smiles to a lot of faces,” Vetter told City Pages. “A lot of people have a lot of great memories from the Dome.”

If you can’t make it to TwinsFest at Target Field, you can also make a run at one of the jars via eBay. What’s in Domepourri? A hodge-podge of old bits of the Dome, including pieces of the old roof, old turf, cup holders, seats and even bolts.

(Insert joke about 1998 NFC title game tears here).

Minnesota Twins: Leadership award a highlight for Kurt Suzuki

Mike Berardino / Pioneer Press | January 22, 2015

Claiming the Bob Allison Award for Outstanding Leadership in his first season with the Twins is one of the personal highlights of Kurt Suzuki's career, right up there with his lone all-star selection last summer. Yet Suzuki won't mind one bit if he finds it difficult to repeat that honor in 2015. The reason? Newcomer Torii Hunter, who returned to his original organization as a free agent this offseason. "It's perfect," Suzuki, the Twins catcher, said Thursday before the Diamond Awards at Target Field. "Now I can just follow Torii around, and he can do all the work. He's got to keep doing that, and I can just tag along. Torii can make everybody else look good."

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Suzuki also pointed to newly signed right-hander Ervin Santana as another 30-something veteran with the ability to change the tenor of the Twins' clubhouse. In search of "veteran presence" this offseason, Twins general manager Terry Ryan also signed former reliever Tim Stauffer, a big-leaguer since 2005. "It's great," Suzuki said. "You can never have enough (leadership), especially guys that have won before like Torii and Ervin, guys that have been to the playoffs a lot. They know the feeling. I think that will always help any team." Suzuki, honored twice with the Heart and Hustle Award during his time with the Oakland A's, joined seven other active Twins players honored at the 10th annual Diamond Awards, which kicked off a weekend of TwinsFest activities. Also honored were Phil Hughes (most valuable Twin, pitcher of the year), Brian Dozier (defense), Eduardo Escobar (most improved), Danny Santana (rookie of the year), Brian Duensing (community service), Kennys Vargas (minor league player of the year) and Jose Berrios (minor league pitcher of the year). Signed on a one-year deal as a free agent 13 months ago, Suzuki didn't take long to immerse himself in a Twins culture desperately trying to end a run of three straight seasons of 92-plus losses. At the July 31 trade deadline, Suzuki agreed to a two-year contract extension with a third-year vesting option that could keep him in a Twins uniform through 2017. Now 31, Suzuki hopes to continue improving in the clubhouse as well as on the field, where he enjoyed a renaissance at the plate last season. "For me, that's something I take pride in is being a good teammate and showing leadership," he said. "I'm not a real vocal guy, but I just try to lead by example. I think anytime anybody gets this award, it's definitely an honor." Does leadership come naturally to the man dubbed Kurt Klutch for his College -winning heroics at Cal State Fullerton? "The funny thing is I guess you could say it's natural, but it's not something I go out and try to be," he said. "I just try to go play the game, have fun and if guys look at you as a leader, it's very flattering and humbling." Making 115 starts and playing through pain last season took care of the "by example" portion of Suzuki's leadership portfolio. His position also helps. "Everybody thinks, 'Oh, he's a leader because he sees everything,' " Suzuki said as 2014 drew to a close. "You're involved with the defense, you're involved with the pitchers, you're involved with the offense. You're involved with pretty much every aspect of the game. I think that's one of the reasons why catchers (become) managers. You kind of understand." Suzuki has no plans to manage after he's done playing. For now, he's having too much playing the game. He expects 2015 to be a more enjoyable experience all the way around. "You come to a new team, you try to fit in, you want to be quiet and kind of know your place," he said. "That's how I've always been. You get a little more comfortable, you talk a little bit more and these guys respect you more. You show them that you care and how much you care, and they will understand that."

Twinsights: Torii Hunter tells a great Paul Molitor story

Mike Berardino / Pioneer Press | January 22, 2015

Torii Hunter wasn’t eligible to win any Diamond Awards this year from the Twin Cities chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, but the sage still managed to steal the show on Thursday night. Called onstage at Target Field along with Ervin Santana for a discussion late in the program, Hunter was asked by Twins TV play-by-play man (and program emcee) Dick Bremer if he was still a fan of Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor. “It depends,” Hunter said with a wry grin. “Mollie and I, we’ve stayed in contact the last seven years that I went on my journey to find myself and come back. Mollie has been a big part of my career, man. Every time I talk to kids, I always talk about Paul Molitor. Some of them didn’t know who he was. They had to go Google him.” Zing. “I remember in 2000, I’m sitting in Cleveland,” Hunter continued. “I was sitting on the bench, and Paul Molitor came to me and said, ‘Hey, turn your helmet around and look through this little hole.’ You know the hole in the back of a helmet? ‘Look through the hole and watch Dave Burba.’

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“I’m there for like three innings, and I’m like, ‘What’s he want me to look for?’ He said, ‘Keep looking, there’s something he’s doing.’ I’m like, ‘This dude is crazy.’ I finally saw something. I’m like, ‘Mollie, I see something! He’s throwing the slider.’ I was calling all the pitches. Mollie’s one of the guys that taught me that.” “Tells,” they call them, and few in the modern game can pick them out as quickly and as expertly as the Twins’ new manager. “Baseball is 75 percent mental,” Hunter said. “This guy has taught me a lot as far as the mental part of this game.” Hunter then turned to address a table near the stage, one that included such young Twins players as Oswaldo Arcia, Danny Santana and Kennys Vargas. “All the young guys at this table, all these guys have a chance to learn from Mollie, who’s taught me, and I’ve picked up some things along the way,” Hunter said. “This is how you get to where you need to be. We don’t stay around this long just using our athletic ability. We have to use our minds. Once we do that, I promise you this game is going to come easy to you. “You have the athletic ability already, but once we get this right” — tapping his temple — “and I teach you some things that (Molitor has) taught me and I’ve learned along the way, I promise you you’re going to enjoy this game — and we’re going to win.”

Twinsights: Class A pitcher Hudson Boyd draws 50-game suspension

Mike Berardino / Pioneer Press | January 22, 2015

Twins minor-league right-hander Hudson Boyd, a former supplemental first-round pick in 2011, has been suspended for the first 50 games of 2015 after a second positive test for a drug of abuse.

Boyd, 22, also missed time last season at Class A Cedar Rapids for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

Drafted 55th overall out of Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers, Fla., Boyd received a $1 million signing bonus that was nearly $350,000 above the recommended slot figure ($653,400).

Boyd has a career mark of 10-14 with a 4.27 earned run average in 86 games (29 starts). Moved full-time to the Kernels’ bullpen last season, Boyd went 4-4 with a 4.34 ERA and seven saves in 44 games.

At 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, he has battled weight issues at times and has yet to crack the Twins’ top-30 prospects as compiled by Baseball America.

Twinsights: Twins granted fourth option year on Oswaldo Arcia

Mike Berardino / Pioneer Press | January 22, 2015

Late last March the Twins ran into some issues when they tried to outright a trio of players that were out of options.

Alex Presley was claimed off waivers by the , but and remained in the organization . This year there should be no such difficulties as virtually every borderline player in terms of making the 25-man roster has at least one minor- league option remaining.

Outfielder Jordan Schafer and utility man Eduardo Nunez are out of options, meaning they can’t be sent back to the minors without first clearing waivers. Both were eligible for salary arbitration this winter, with Nunez recently signing for $1.025 million in 2015 and Schafer requesting $1.7 million in a scheduled arbitration hearing.

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The Twins have countered at $1.4 million. Hearings start Feb. 2 and run through Feb. 20.

Starting left fielder Oswaldo Arcia has been optioned out the past three seasons since being added to the 40-man roster after 2011, but the Twins were granted a fourth option year on him after he spent fewer than 10 days in the minors in 2014.

Among those with one option year remaining: outfielder Aaron Hicks; catchers Josmil Pinto and Chris Herrmann; and relievers Stephen Pryor, Lester Oliveros and Aaron Thompson. Among those with two options remaining: veteran starter Mike Pelfrey and relievers Ryan Pressly and Caleb Thielbar.

Arcia, coming off an injury-marred campaign (back, hand) in the Venezuelan Winter League, flew into the Twin Cities on Wednesday ahead of his first-ever TwinsFest appearance. The 23-year-old slugger is healthy (for now) and said to be in great spirits as he prepares for his third season in the majors.

Twinsights: Ron Gardenhire tells Paul Molitor, ‘It’s on your shoulders, buddy’

Mike Berardino / Pioneer Press | January 22, 2015

Former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was vacationing in Jamaica on Thursday, so he could not accept his Mike Augustin Media Good Guy Award in person at the 10th annual Diamond Awards.

However, Gardenhire, dismissed last September after 13 seasons at the helm, sent along a video acceptance speech in which he thanked Twins fans and wished “nothing but the best” for the franchise and managerial successor Paul Molitor.

Here’s an excerpt of Gardenhire’s video message to be shown later this evening at Target Field: “Just want to say thank you to the local writers for this award, Good Guy award — That’s a first,” Gardenhire said. “But I certainly appreciate it and I want to thank all the fans for continuing to support the Twins organization and to the Twins for the opportunity that I’ve had here in Minnesota. A wonderful opportunity and a wonderful time.

“Met a lot of nice people, a lot of really good friends. Last but not least, I want everybody to have a great night tonight. I hope you raise a ton of money and wish you nothing but the best. Good luck to the ball club this next year. I’ll be watching and rooting. Go get ‘em, Mollie. It’s on your shoulders, buddy. Have a good night.”

Gardenhire appeared to be standing on a beach as he spoke, sunglasses perched atop a ball cap. He seemed not to have a care in the world.

Under contract through 2015 at an estimated $2 million per year, Gardenhire has an open invitation from general manager Terry Ryan to attend spring training and help the organization in any manner he chooses. To this point, the 57-year-old Gardenhire has given indications he would prefer to travel and enjoy his family during a rare year off from the baseball grind.

He became a grandfather for the first time in early November.

Twinsights: Tommy Milone inherits Justin Morneau’s No. 33

Mike Berardino / Pioneer Press | January 22, 2015

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For the first time in a decade, someone besides Justin Morneau will wear No. 33 for the Twins this season.

According to the team’s web site, left-hander Tommy Milone recently switched to No. 33 after wearing No. 49 for the Twins in 2014. Milone was acquired on July 31 from Oakland, where he had worn No. 57.

When he broke in with the , Milone wore No. 46, so this marks the first time he has worn that number in the majors. Milone wore No. 33 while pitching at the University of Southern California, where he went 16-17 with a 4.78 earned run average in 45 career starts. Milone, considered the frontrunner for the final spot in the Twins rotation, recently agreed to a $2.775 million contract for 2015. Slowed by a neck issue, he struggled to a 7.06 ERA in six outings with the Twins last season.

Morneau wore No. 27 his first three seasons with the Twins before switching to No. 33 for 2006. He went on to win the Most Valuable Player award that season and stuck with No. 33 until he was traded to Pittsburgh in August 2013 as a pending free agent.

Morneau’s .485 career with the Twins trails only in franchise history. A four-time all-star, Morneau ranks third in homers (221) on the Twins’ all-time list and fifth in runs batted in (860).

Lefty reliever J.C. Romero wore No. 33 with the Twins from 1999-2005 before it passed to Morneau.

Reliever Lester Oliveros, who wore No. 48 last season, will assume Milone’s former No. 49.

Torii Hunter, who has worn No. 48 throughout his career, is expected to reclaim his old jersey number. Fellow free agent Ervin Santana is expected to wear No. 54.

New fun for fans as Target Field set to host TwinsFest

Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com | January 19, 2015

MINNEAPOLIS -- TwinsFest is right around the corner, as the annual event will be held at Target Field for the second straight year from Friday to Sunday.

The Twins have been hosting TwinsFest since 1989, but the event moved to Target Field last year after the Metrodome was demolished. The Twins liked the intimate feel that Target Field provided last year and decided to bring it back to their home ballpark again in '15.

"We're excited to again host TwinsFest at Target Field, the capitol of Twins Territory," said Twins president Dave St. Peter. "As always, TwinsFest will serve as the unofficial start to a new baseball season while also helping raise significant proceeds for the Twins Community Fund and its many worthwhile programs across Twins Territory."

TwinsFest remains one of the largest team-run fan festivals in professional sports, as more than 60 current, former and future Twins players are expected to appear throughout the course of the weekend.

As always, nearly every player on the club's 40-man roster will appear, as well as new manager Paul Molitor and his coaching staff. Former Twins greats such as , , Tony Oliva, , Corey Koskie, Roy Smalley are also scheduled to be at TwinsFest.

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New additions Torii Hunter, Ervin Santana and Tim Stauffer are also slated to appear, as well as Twins regulars such as , Brian Dozier, Phil Hughes, Brian Duensing, Casey Fien, Kurt Suzuki, Ricky Nolasco, Kyle Gibson, Oswaldo Arcia, Danny Santana, Eduardo Escobar, Kennys Vargas and Trevor Plouffe. Top prospects , Miguel Sano, Alex Meyer, Jorge Polanco and Jose Berrios will also be in attendance.

The three-day event will feature player autographs, photo sessions, sports memorabilia and a collector's show like in the past, but with a few tweaks and new additions at Target Field. There will be increased player involvement, boardwalk-style amusements, special panel discussions, self-guided clubhouse tours and a walking tour of the ballpark.

Other experiences include interacting with players at the Twins Amusements area, hitting in the batting cages, reading with Twins mascot T.C. Bear and Fan Feud. One new addition is fans' ability to compete against their favorite Twins baserunners and try to steal second with a sliding mat at the base. And another new addition is a speed-pitch cage where fans can test their throwing velocity.

Other activities that were new last year and are set to return include the "White Glove" tour of the Twins archive room, and the Twins' Yard Sale. The tour allows fans to learn the club's process for archiving and restoring items, with a chance to see rare items such as 's 1991 American League . The yard sale gives fans the opportunity to purchase team-issued gear, autographed memorabilia, Twins branded artwork and promotional items from the organization's first 54 years in Minnesota.

Tickets cost $20 for adults and $10 for kids 14 and younger, with the proceeds going to the Twins Community Fund, which was created in 1991. Over the last 25 years, TwinsFest has raised more than $4.2 million for programs and organizations supported by the Twins Community Fund.

Twins wrap up 'awesome' Winter Caravan

Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com | January 22, 2015

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The 55th annual Twins Winter Caravan came to a close on Thursday after four different routes made stops in more than 40 communities in four states over the last two weeks.

The 2015 Winter Caravan, presented by AmericInn Hotels and Suites, was hailed as another success for the Twins and featured visits to schools, hospitals, local businesses and more, while also featuring a nightly Hot Stove program where fans interacted and asked questions.

"Caravan was awesome as usual," said Twins Brian Dozier. "Just like every year. It's always great to see the fans who live outside of the Twin Cities. The support we get is amazing. All the school stops were awesome. They brought a lot of energy."

The Caravan began last week, with the first leg including new manager Paul Molitor, closer Glen Perkins, third-base Gene Glynn and broadcaster Kris Atteberry. That leg went south from the Twin Cities and had stops in cities such as Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Mason City, Iowa, and Red Wing, Minn. Twins general manager Terry Ryan and club president Dave St. Peter also joined them for a Hot Stove program in Oakdale, Minn., on Jan. 12, while assistant general manager Rob Antony joined them on Jan. 13.

A second route included right-hander Kyle Gibson, reliever Caleb Thielbar and broadcaster . That route went north with stops in cities like Grand Rapids, Minn., Fargo, N.D., Grand Forks, N.D., Bemidji, Minn., and Duluth, Minn.

It led up to the second week of the Caravan that started Monday, with two more routes heading in different directions.

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The first leg, which included left-hander Brian Duensing, Dozier and broadcasters and Dick Bremer, traveled south. Their first night was in Sioux Falls, S.D., with more than 700 fans in attendance at the Elmen Center at Augustana College.

Ryan also joined them for their night program at the Kato Ballroom in Mankato, Minn., on Tuesday, and he expressed his gratitude for the Twins fans who have stuck with the club despite its struggles over the last four years.

"Even in our darkest years, Caravan has always been beneficial to us, especially in the smaller towns because we like to reach out," Ryan said. "So it's just one of those things where I think a lot of teams have copied what we've done with Caravan. It's always one of the more enjoyable things we do in the winter."

Right-hander Phil Hughes also made his Caravan debut on Wednesday, making three stops, including the Hot Stove session at Canadian Honker Events Apache in Rochester, Minn. That route ended earlier on Thursday to get Dozier, Duensing and Bremer back in time for the annual Diamond Awards at Target Field.

The other leg trekked north and included third baseman Trevor Plouffe, outfielder Jordan Schafer, broadcaster Cory Provus and Twins legends Bert Blyleven and Tony Oliva. Their route made stops in cities such as Alexandria, Minn., St. Cloud, Minn., Wahpeton, N.D., Fergus Falls, Minn., and Willmar, Minn.

It all leads up to TwinsFest, which is set to feature more than 60 current, former and future Twins players and coaches at Target Field from Friday to Sunday.

Twins aid research, honor year's best with Diamond Awards

Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com | January 22, 2015

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins' annual Diamond Awards celebrated their 10th anniversary on Thursday night with the awards banquet at Target Field continuing to benefit research and patient care focused on neurological disorders.

The awards themselves are based on voting conducted by the Twin Cities chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, but the impact goes much deeper to help fund the University of Minnesota's research and patient care focused on ALS ('s Disease), ataxia, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease.

Twins president Dave St. Peter said he was proud that the annual banquet has been going on for 10 years and sees it continuing to be a major part of the organization's mission of giving back to the local community for many more years.

"This is a special event every year for the Twins," St. Peter said. "It raises a lot of money for some really important causes at the University of Minnesota. It's a nice night to recognize 10 years of doing it, but I don't see why it can't continue for the next 30, 40 or 50 years."

One touching moment was an inspirational speech given by Mark Buermann, who was diagnosed with ALS and had his family in attendance. He's one of several special guests with neurological diseases who have had their story told at the Diamond Awards over the last 10 years.

"You hear different stories and you see that baseball is just a game and that these diseases impact our fans in a very real way," St. Peter said. "So you can't help but be touched."

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But the night also featured plenty of lighter moments, such as Torii Hunter and Ervin Santana getting introduced to the crowd and playing off each other with funny quips. Hunter lit up the room with laughs, but also said he believes the Twins can win in 2015.

Former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was also honored with the Media Good Guy Award, but he wasn't able to make it to the ceremony. He taped an acceptance speech and said he's rooting for new manager Paul Molitor.

Right-hander Phil Hughes was the big winner, as he was named both the Twins' Most Valuable Player and the Twins' Pitcher of the Year.

Other winners included Danny Santana as the club's Most Outstanding Rookie, Eduardo Escobar as the Most Improved Player and Brian Dozier as Defensive Player of the Year. Brian Duensing was honored for his charity work off the field with the Carl R. Pohlad Community Service Award, and Kurt Suzuki was awarded the Bob Allison Award given to the Twins player who exemplifies determination, hustle, tenacity, competitive spirit and leadership both on and off the field.

The Diamond Awards also honored Kennys Vargas as Minor League Player of the Year, Jose Berrios as Minor League Pitcher of the Year and former Twins great with the Kirby Puckett Alumni Community Service Award. Former Twins reliever Pat Neshek, a Minnesota native, was also named the Upper Midwest Player of the Year.

Twins 2015 outlook: Will Kennys Vargas back up his debut?

Derek Wetmore / 1500ESPN.com | January 22, 2015

Kennys Vargas burst on the Major League scene for the Twins in 2014. He was something of a surprise call-up when the Twins promoted the big slugger from -A to the Majors in August, a full month before rosters expanded and prospects are typically given their first taste of the big leagues.

All he did was mash.

Vargas played some first base but was mostly a DH for the Twins -- probably his best defensive position -- and was a big reason the Twins scored the third-most runs in baseball after the All-Star break. He first played on his 24th birthday, so it's not like he was a young prospect, but he didn't get nearly the same buzz in prospect circles that some of the Twins' other top prospects have garnered.

He's a big guy who played first base for the World Team in the All-Star Futures game, and was named Twins minor league Player of the Year. (Pitcher of the Year went to his fellow countryman, J.O. Berrios.)

2014

The switch hitter .274/.316/.456 in 234 plate appearances in the first crack at the Majors. He added nine home runs (fifth on the Twins) and 38 RBIs. Vargas' Isolated Power (slugging percentage minus batting average, designed to measure extra-base power) was in the neighborhood of , .181, and better than Trevor Plouffe, Brian Dozier and Josmil Pinto. That ISO puts him in the range of players like the 2014 versions of Mark Teixeira, Mark Trumbo and Justin Morneau.

Despite all the good things to be said about Vargas, they must be tempered with bad things. His batting average probably was artificially high based on the fact that he hit .340 when he put the ball in play this past season. First baseman as a whole hit just .295 on balls in play, and the league average (which is believed to neutralize luck) was just .299. If fewer balls in play drop in for Vargas in 2015, his batting average figures to drop. That's problematic because the big switch hitter struck out more than five times as often as he drew a walk.

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Vargas struck out in 26.9 percent of his plate appearance and drew a walk just 5.1 percent of the time. Finding a comparable accomplished slugger is not easy, although Evan Gattis of the Astros (formerly of the Braves) has a similar profile as a power guy with limited on-base skills because of his wide disparity between walking and striking out.

If balls quit falling for hits at such a good rate and Vargas can't draw many walks, his on-base percentage would suffer, which would hurt his overall value.

It's fair to expect many more than walks for a power hitter, but such a big disparity may be cause for concern. His minor league strikeouts-to-walks splits were not quite that severe, so perhaps Vargas can improve in his plate discipline in 2015.

Offseason

This winter, he's played for the Mayaguez Indios, with Twins prospect J.O. Berrios and other Twins minor leaguers Dereck Rodriguez and Daniel Ortiz. The Carribean Series is in Puerto Rico this year, and is held in early February.

Twins general manager Terry Ryan had said during the 2014 season that he didn't want Vargas to go full-out in winter ball, because he hasn't had much of a resting period in recent years. I talked to Vargas about that at the time and he said his body is used to playing baseball every day, and he didn't seem concerned about any possible wear and tear with the grinding schedule.

In 37 games for the Indios, Vargas has hit .263/.430/.482 with six home runs and 22 RBIs across 147 plate appearances. What's perhaps most encouraging for the Twins is the fact that Vargas has actually walked more (33 times) than he's struck out (30).

2015 outlook

I currently have Vargas projected as the team's DH on , although I wouldn't be terribly surprised to see someone like Miguel Sano making a push for that spot.

Vargas may not have been as heralded as a prospect because he was usually a little older than the average age of his teammates in the minor leagues. His raw power was on display during batting practice at Target Field over the final two months of 2014.

If Vargas can hold a roster spot for the season and improve his plate discipline, it's not a stretch to believe he could hit 20 home runs in the big leagues. In 639 plate appearances between Double-A and the Majors in 2014, he hit 26 long balls.

I remain skeptical of some areas of his game, but Vargas made an impressive debut, has put together a strong winter league campaign, and should show up to Fort Myers in February competing for an everyday job.

Wetmore: Updated Twins 25-man roster projection, a month before spring

Derek Wetmore / 1500ESPN.com | January 22, 2015

It's exciting these days when the sun pokes its head out between the clouds, however briefly interrupting the dreariness of January in Minnesota. It will be more exciting when green grass starts to peak through the snow, because then we know spring is right around the corner and winter is relenting its grip. That green grass isn't quite here yet, but it might be closer than we may think.

Exactly one month from today, Twins pitchers and catchers will report to Fort Myers for spring training. The day after that, they'll work out and play catch on the green Florida grass.

With that report date quickly approaching, this post is an update to my projected 25-man roster. I ventured a guess in December, and not much has changed from then, save for a few bullpen acquisitions. This is only a guess, and I readily acknowledge the opening day roster could look different, because there are a number of variables we just won't know until March.

James Shields, for example, remains unsigned at the time of this writing. If the Twins were to sign him, I have to imagine he'd make the opening day roster, despite not appearing on this projection. So for this forecast I've stuck to the players currently in the Twins system. Safer that way. 10

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Starting rotation (5)

Phil Hughes

Ervin Santana

Kyle Gibson

Ricky Nolasco

Tommy Milone

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The recent ZiPS projections posted on Fangraphs peg Hughes as the Twins' best pitcher and forecast Gibson as next best. That might be more of a commentary on the rest of the staff than of Gibson himself, but I'm curious to see if the former top prospect, now 27, takes a step forward this season.

One thing to note is that general manager Terry Ryan tried to make very clear is that having a big contract does not buy a rotation spot. Still, it would be a real stunner if the Twins left Nolasco or Santana out of their rotation based off poor spring performances. By the same token, Milone, who qualified for Super 2 arbitration eligibility will make $2.775 million in 2015. That would be an expensive bullpen lefty or starter, but it's not unfathomable he could wind up in one of those roles. I've been told Milone was hurt in his time with the Twins last year and his career numbers suggest he's better than what he displayed after joining the Twins in the Sam Fuld trade.

As always, starting pitching guesses come with the huge caveat that injuries are forever lurking.

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Bullpen (7)

Glen Perkins

Casey Fien

Alex Meyer

Brian Duensing

Tim Stauffer

Caleb Thielbar

J.R. Graham

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This gives the Twins three lefties in the bullpen, allows them to bring Meyer north even if he doesn't make the rotation, and allows them to stash Graham as the seventh man. I've added Stauffer from my last projection (which was before he signed), although I've excluded another recent signee, Blaine Boyer.

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I've included Graham because the Twins claimed him fifth overall in the , and he would need to be on the Major League roster all season or be offered back to the . The Twins kept Pressly on the Major League roster in 2013 after taking him in the Rule 5 draft, so there's precedent that they'd consider doing that.

Like others, I'm curious if stashing Mike Pelfrey as the long man in the bullpen could work, but I've left him off this projection. I'm also curious about arms like Boyer, Michael Tonkin, Stephen Pryor, Lester Oliveros, Mark Hamburger and Adrian Salcedo.

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The rest of my projections looks the same as it did a month ago. Here's what I had at the time:

Infield (5)

Joe Mauer

Brian Dozier

Trevor Plouffe

Danny Santana

Kurt Suzuki

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Mauer says he's having the 'most productive offseason' he's had 'in a long time.' I wrote about the Wednesday, but I'd tried to go a little deeper than the run-of-the-mill 'He's in great shape this winter' post, because that's an oft-repeated narrative.

In that piece I basically went out on the thick tree branch of a limb to say that a healthy Mauer would be a boon to an offense that was pretty good in 2014 and possibly underrated. But Mauer will have to return to form to prove that accurate. Did you know, for example, that before Mauer's 2014 season, the previous first baseman to get at least 500 plate appearances and fail to hit 5 home runs was Hal Morris in 1998?

So Mauer's a question in his own right, but he's the undisputed starter at first for the foreseeable future, and probably rightfully so.

The only question in my mind is whether Santana is the starting center fielder or starting , and for this post, I'm going to guess he's the shortstop. I don't think Miguel Sano will leave spring training as the team's starting third baseman.

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Outfield (3)

Torii Hunter

Aaron Hicks

Oswaldo Arcia

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The corners appear set, but the middle remains a mystery to me. I don't know if could play center field, but I doubt it, so I've left him off the 25-man roster. If Hicks isn't the centerfielder, it's possible we could see someone like Jordan Schafer or Shane Robinson man the position until Byron Buxton is ready to take over.

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DH (1)

Kennys Vargas

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I could see Miguel Sano in this spot.

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Bench (4)

Infielder: Eduardo Escobar

Catcher: Josmil Pinto

Outfielder: Jordan Schafer

Utility: Eduardo Nunez

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Chris Herrmann would add more flexibility in the final bench spot (catcher, corner outfield, first base), but this guess is based on the Twins paying Nunez more than $1 million in arbitration, he'll be on the Major League roster as a backup infielder/outfielder.

Twins Caravan rolls through Willmar

Ben Brewster / West Central Tribune| January 22, 2015

WILLMAR — The Minnesota Twins, trying to break a spell of four straight 90-loss seasons, made some early splashes in the free agent market, signing outfielder Torii Hunter and starting pitcher Ervin Santana.

But the biggest difference could turn out to be the change in leadership, with incoming manager Paul Molitor taking over for Ron Gardenhire.

At the Twins Caravan stop in Willmar on Thursday night, third baseman Trevor Plouffe said he was excited to see what Molitor will do at the helm.

“I think he’s really just a student of the game,” Plouffe said before the event started. “He used to come around our minor league affiliates and I’d just watch him study the game. He picks up things other people don’t pick up. Like from a pitcher for Jordan (Schafer) trying to steal bases and seeing what part of the pitcher’s body moves first, he’s really good with that.”

Plouffe also said that the Twins’ recent struggles weren’t Gardenhire’s fault.

“Gardy was a great manager,” Plouffe said. “Any real fan or anybody’s that’s watched the game can see Gardy had no control over it, we just didn’t have the horses.”

Outfielder Schafer, who joined Plouffe, Bert Blyleven and Tony Oliva at the Kandi Entertainment Center, said Molitor reached out to him his first day with the Twins after being acquired from the Atlanta Braves in August.

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“We sat down and watched video of me stealing when I was with Atlanta and he gave me little tidbits of how I can get better,” Schafer told the crowd during the Q&A session. “Before the game every day we’d go over that pitcher and the guys in the bullpen. He’s so knowledgeable about the game, he was a Hall of Fame player and just to have him around and pick his brain is going to be awesome.”

In the Twins’ video presentation for the crowd, the team emphasized the addition of Hunter and Santana to help pull them out of the cellar.

Santana went 14-10 for the Atlanta Braves last season with a 3.95 ERA and 179 strikeouts. He signed with the Twins in December on a four-year, $55 million contract.

“Santana is going to step up and be right at the top of our rotation, probably right behind (Phil) Hughes,” Plouffe said. “He can eat up innings, get us deep into the ballgame and give us a good chance to win.”

During the Q&A session, Schafer mentioned playing with Santana in Atlanta last season.

“He’s a frontline starter,” Schafer said.” He has really good stuff, he has a slider that gets ahead of you more times than not.”

Plouffe knew Hunter from being teammates in spring training during Plouffe’s minor league days, and facing Hunter with the Los Angeles Angels and in recent years.

“He’s a legitimate right-handed hitter,” Plouffe said. “Not only that, he has an attitude that’s contagious and he wants to win. It’s going to be a lot more lively in the clubhouse.”

Blyleven, the Twins TV color commentator and baseball Hall of Famer, entertained the crowd with stories of growing up in southern California and idolizing the , coaching Holland’s team in the in 2009 and as a player setting a pile of on fire during batting practice because his hitters were complaining they were too soft.

Blyleven also mentioned his first major league game as a 19-year-old for the Twins in 1970, against the Washington Senators, and giving up a to the first batter he faced, , before finishing seven strong innings in the Twins’ 2-1 win. May’s homer was the only run he allowed.

Plouffe told the crowd the team is working on being more consistent in grinding out a long season, as well as improving on the hitting side.

“The offense did a good job last year, but we need to get on base more, need to work counts better. Torii will be in the middle of it and he’ll bring a lot to the team.”

Plouffe will be a key part of the lineup himself, as he enjoyed a breakout 2014 season, hitting .258 with 14 home runs and 80 RBIs.

He’s in his “fifth or sixth” year on the Caravan, and said he jumps at the chance to do it every year.

“Twins territory reaches so far,” he said. “Everyone that comes out to one of these stops and still comes out to our games, they passed the test. There’s no bandwagon there. We appreciate that and we know we haven’t been what we need to be. We’re headed in the right direction and I think it’s going to be a big year.”

Schafer, who hit .285 with 15 steals after coming over from the Braves, will be in the mix for the centerfield or fourth outfielder job.

And his skills reach beyond the : As MC Cory Provus put it, “Jordan has led the Caravan in marriage proposals.”

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The future is bright in Twins Territory

Robert Wanek / Wahpeton Daily News| January 22, 2015

The “Twins Winter Caravan” has been operating since the Minnesota Twins baseball club spent their days at the Old . The team continued that tradition Wednesday at GIANTS Sunflower Seeds in Wahpeton, providing a funfilled, historical event for area students and fans.

“Over the years since 1961, the Minnesota Twins have been in the five-state area,” Bert Blyleven said during his speech. “This is Twins territory, it’s not just Minnesota — It’s North and South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin. We’re here to give back and say thank you. ”

Blyleven, a 2011 Hall of Fame inductee, was part of a humble lineup that consisted of Twins legends and active players, including batting aficionado Tony Oliva. Current Minnesota third baseman Trevor Plouffe and outfielder Alex Schafer also addressed the crowd, while mascot “T.C. Bear” brought the comedy.

After their fourthstraight season with more than 90 losses, the Twins will need to get more production from the pitchers mound if they’d like to compete in a tough Division that saw the reach the World Series last year. Phil Hughes set the all- time record for -to-walk ratio, but success on the hill pretty much ended there for Minnesota.

“It’s gonna be a young, exciting ball club,” Blyleven told the Daily News. “The main thing (general manager) Terry Ryan has tried to improve the last couple years is starting pitching. He went out and got Ervin Santana, a guy who can really eat some innings up, so hopefully he will throw 200-plus innings for us this year.”

This offseason, the Twins signed longtime Metrodome star, 39-year old Torii “Spiderman” Hunter. He left his mark as one of Minnesota’s most beloved players during the Twins’ run of six Central Division titles during a decade with the team. He famously robbed Barry Bonds of a home run during the 2002 All-Star Game in Milwaukee, solidifying his hero status in a tainted steroids era.

“That’s a big plus,” Blyleven said of the Hunter signing. “Guys like Jordan Schafer and other outfielders are going to feed off his experience and enthusiasm for the way he plays the game.”

The addition of a veteran presence like Hunter will provide tutelage for a trio of young Twins who have become every-day players.

“I think the Twins are really looking at what Danny Santana, Kennys Vargas and Brian Dozier did (last year),” Blyleven said. “Santana is scheduled to start at shortstop rather than outfield, so he will be the every day shortstop going into spring training while Jordan Schafer has a real shot at starting in center field.”

Santana batted a sizzling .319 last year as a rookie and Dozier hit a career-high 23 home runs in his third season as a pro.

It wasn’t all about baseball, as Tony Oliva stressed to young fans in the audience the importance of following positive role models in all walks of life.

“Listen to your teachers, listen to your coaches and parents, because they are the one’s who truly want what’s best for you,” Oliva said to a round of applause. “You have to keep practicing. When I came into the major league I would yell, “I got it!,” and the ball would go 20 feet over my head. Three years later, I won a Gold Glove.”

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Blyleven, the voice of the Twins, has become widely known for his entertaining in-game segment called “Circle me Bert,” where fans bring signs of all sorts to Target Field in hopes that he will circle them during the TV broadcast. Jack Johnson, a student at Breckenridge Middle School, had his sign chosen as Bert’s favorite, winning himself a bucket of baseballs and a MAX bat.

“I made it myself, but some of my friends helped me with the coloring,” Johnson said. “... My favorite player is Torii Hunter, he’s one of the best players on the team and he’s played for the Twins for such a long time.”

The Winter Caravan event was a home run and you can rest assured that a group of Twins will brave the weather to visit the Twins Towns again next season. In a place where kindness is king, they did more than reaffirm the saying, “Minnesota Nice.”

Minnesota Twins players give advice to young athletes

DeeDee Stiepan / KIMT.com| January 21, 2015

ROCHESTER, Minn. – The Minnesota Twins are wrapping up their Winter Caravan, but before it ends on Thursday, they’re making a stop in our area to talk to young fans.

Twins relief pitcher Brian Duensing and second baseman Brian Dozier made appearances at Mayo Clinic’s Healthy Living Center.They answered questions and went over what they do to get ready for games.

The focus of the event was making sure kids know the importance and the right way to stretch and warm up for activities, like baseball.

The young fans even got to do some warm ups with the Twins.

“The proper way to work out to stretch and get ready for games or activities things like that. I think if you master that and become knowledgable of that side of the game, then it only helps you throughout your career,” says Dozier.

“I think of warm ups as a part of practicing and I think, like the saying goes practice makes perfect. I was also taught that practicing the right way is the way to go,” adds Duensing.

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