Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Friday, March 31, 2017

 Twins' 13-man pitching staff means ByungHo Park will start season in minors. Star Tribune (Neal III) p. 1  Souhan: Twins new bosses show their own 'March Madness' by cutting Park. Star Tribune (Souhan) p. 3  Rays' five- rally results in tie for final Twins spring game vs. big-league foe. Star Tribune p. 4  remain class of the AL Central. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 5  A few healthier options added to treat-filled Target Field menu. Star Tribune (Hansen/Walsh) p. 6  Twins finds midseason form. Pioneer Press (Butherus) p. 7  Twins set major league roster for Monday’s opener. Pioneer Press (Butherus) p. 8  Twins reassign Park, name Mejia fifth starter. MLB (Trezza/Butherus) p. 9  Twins homer three times; Santiago effective. MLB (Chastain/Butherus) p. 10  Durable Santana can start Twins' season on high note. MLB (Bollinger) p. 10  With Twins roster likely set, we look back and make fun of our predictions. ESPN 1500 (Wetmore) p. 11  Zulgad: Unpopular decision on Park was likely the first of many for Twins’ new brass. ESPN 1500 (Zulgad) p. 14  Twins send out ByungHo Park and six others, will start the year with 13 . ESPN 1500 (Wetmore) p. 15  Twins send ByungHo Park to minors despite strong spring. FOX Sports (Associated Press) p. 15  MLB Rumor Central: to bat seventh on ? ESPN (Mittler) p. 15  Bullpen Power Rankings: Who can bring it late?. ESPN (ESPN Insiders) p. 16  Byung Ho Park Will Not Make Twins' Opening Day Roster. MLB Trade Rumors (Todd) p. 16  Target Field new foods: A Minnesota Nice review. KMSP (Lambert) p. 16  Target Field Introduces New Foods For 2017 – 2018 Season. CBS Minnesota (Fraser) p. 17  Target Field foods 2017: Rating the new ballpark fare. City Pages (Boller) p. 17

Twins' 13-man pitching staff means ByungHo Park will start season in minors La Velle E. Neal III | Star Tribune | March 31, 2017

FORT MYERS, FLA. – ByungHo Park, the most impressive player in Twins , will start the season in the minor leagues.

In a surprise move, the Twins revealed Thursday they will keep 13 pitchers on the roster and Park will begin his season at Class AAA Rochester.

Park has a .353 average with a team-leading six home runs and 13 RBI in exhibition games.

Twins players were shocked as news of Park’s departure swept the clubhouse Thursday. Park, after initially looking stunned upon leaving Paul Molitor’s office, was confident as he spoke to reporters.

“It’s bitter news, but I’m not disappointed,” Park said through an interpreter. “I know what I do here. My mind-set when I started this spring training camp, I know what I can do. My goal is the same. I know I can do it, wherever I start.”

Molitor walked over to Park’s stall to offer more words of encouragement.

“He encouraged me to keep doing what I have been doing here at spring training camp and he trusts me that I can do it,” Park said. “It was a good pep talk.”

Twins Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey said the team began considering switching to a 13-man staff in recent days as concerns about pitchers were raised. Adalberto Mejia, who won the fifth spot in the rotation, is a rookie. Starter Hector Santiago might not be ready to pitch deep into games since he missed two weeks to participate in the . And Phil Hughes, who is coming off thoracic outlet surgery, might not be ready for long outings, either.

The Twins decided that having an extra arm available would be prudent.

“We felt there could be some benefit to having the additional guy in the bullpen,” Falvey said. “It wasn’t that Park was necessarily beat out at his position, it was that we decided to go with a different roster configuration. Our message to ByungHo was that he continue to progress down the path he’s going down. We’re confident we’re going to need more than 25 during the course of the season.”

Dominoes fall

The Park decision sends a ripple through the 25-man roster:

• Robbie Grossman will likely be in the Opening Day lineup at against Kansas City on Monday with Park demoted and Kennys Vargas battling a foot injury. Grossman is a switch hitter who would bat righthanded against the Royals’ lefthanded Danny Duffy.

• Chris Gimenez, officially named the backup , will play first base when Joe Mauer needs time off. Miguel Sano could be designated hitter in a few games, with Eduardo Escobar playing third base.

• And Tyler Duffey makes the team as a reliever after losing the fifth-starter competition to Mejia.

In addition to covering for the pitching staff, the Twins would have had to make room on the 40-man roster for Park, who was taken off the roster in early February when reliever Matt Belisle signed. Falvey downplayed that factor, saying that 40-man roster considerations are ongoing. The Twins had to make room for Craig Breslow and Gimenez during camp and might not want to add a third player.

Molitor looked disappointed as he talked about having to tell Park he was cut.

“It was really hard,” Molitor said. “There’s no denying he has done what we have asked him to in this camp. He put himself in a good place, how he worked, the condition he came in. He swung the bat, the consistency in his at-bats, the calmness in the box. He’s shown the power that his track record indicates he has.

“You guys can do your due diligence on trying to understand some of the complications surrounding the things that made it more challenging to find a way to get him here.”

Roster set

On Thursday morning, the Twins optioned catcher John Ryan Murphy to Class AAA Rochester and reassigned catcher Eddy Rodriguez, Benji Gonzalez, Matt Hague, Ben Paulsen and Park and J.B. Shuck to minor league camp.

Infielder Ehire Adrianza (right oblique strain) and lefthanded pitcher Ryan O’Rourke (left forearm strain) went on the 10-day disabled list.

Mejia will be joined in the starting rotation by Ervin Santana, Hughes, and Santiago.

Twins Opening Day starters are set with Mauer at first, at second, Jorge Polanco at , Sano at third, Jason Castro catching and an outfield of , and Max Kepler. Gimenez, Escobar and versatile Danny Santana will be the reserves.

Rule 5 pick Justin Haley and Michael Tonkin on Wednesday became the final two relievers to make the team. Also in the bullpen are closer Brandon Kintzler, Duffey, Breslow, Ryan Pressly, Belisle and Taylor Rogers.

Players were told about the moves before the team got on the bus to Port Charlotte to play the Rays, the Twins’ final preseason game against a major league team. The Twins will play their Rochester farm team Friday before heading to the Twin Cities for a Sunday workout.

The Twins called up seven players last April, including five pitchers. Falvey said that major league teams on average used 17 pitchers by May 15 last year — hence the insistence on looking at the big picture over the event that is Opening Day.

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As the games begin and pitchers establish themselves, the Twins could go back to 12 pitchers.

“Short term,” Molitor said. “Short term.”

Souhan: Twins new bosses show their own 'March Madness' by cutting Park Jim Souhan | Star Tribune | March 31, 2017

The NCAA may soon file suit against the for copyright infringement, because the team’s new bosses are perpetrating their own form of March Madness.

Thursday, Derek Falvey and Thad Levine are innovating the Opening Day experience. All you have to do to see the Twins’ best slugger this spring is fly to Syracuse, N.Y., on April 6.

The bosses sent ByungHo Park to the minors, to convene with one of the team’s most promising relievers this spring, . Park will star for the in April while Twins manager Paul Molitor tries not to use the pitcher who replaced Park on the big-league roster.

The Twins’ decision to head north with 13 pitchers and 12 position players leaves them with a weak designated hitter and an incomplete and unimpressive bench.

They kept on their big-league roster a Rule 5 draftee, Justin Haley, who looked awful this spring, and a reliever, Michael Tonkin, who made the cut only because he throws hard and is out of options, not because he inspired confidence this spring or in his recent big-league past.

They decided on 13 pitchers because they have little confidence their rotation, which ranked last in the big leagues in ERA last season and has not made any dramatic upgrades, will provide a reasonable number of innings.

The Twins are scheduled to have two days off in the first eight days of the season. They have a long reliever in the bullpen in Tyler Duffey. The 13th pitcher is highly unlikely to help them win a game. The 13th pitcher may barely be of use. Park may have, either with his bat or by freeing up Robbie Grossman to be a pinch hitter and substitute.

Park is not a complete or proven hitter, but he showed improvement this spring and he came to symbolize what this team hopes it will be about: promise deferred but finally fulfilled.

If Park had made the cut and produced, the lineup could have taken on a more intimidating look.

Instead, Grossman, a fourth outfielder on a bad team and probably a Class AAA player on a good team, will start the season as the everyday DH.

The most emblematic of the decisions was the one to keep Haley on the roster. In a way, Haley cost Park his job. If the Twins had decided to keep 12 pitchers, they could have kept Park as their DH and kept Grossman as an extra outfielder.

All picks are long shots. The Twins struck gold with Johan Santana (actually the product of a Rule 5 trade) and were bad enough when they acquired him to spend a roster spot on him while he learned to pitch. Haley shouldn’t be compared to a mature Santana, but the decision to keep him was rooted in the same logic: If you’re years away from winning, using a roster spot on a promising pitcher makes sense.

What that decision costs the Twins is an Opening Day lineup laced with intrigue.

If there is anything to be learned from these decisions, it is that the oldest lesson regarding spring training should be tattooed in reverse on the forehead of every baseball fan, so we can read it easily every March morning:

Spring training doesn’t matter. At all.

It’s not a dramatic competition for big-league jobs. The decisions on big-league jobs are determined by past performances and roster designations.

It’s not a referendum on the quality of the team. The Twins looked exceptional in the spring of 2016, then produced the worst season in franchise history.

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Results don’t matter in March. Park revamped his swing, led the team in home runs and looked comfortable even against quality opponents. And he got replaced by Grossman.

Casual Minnesota fans often ask the Twins to merely occupy them until Vikings camp opens. After seeing the Twins’ Opening Day roster, fans might ask the Vikings to start training camp in May.

Rays' five-run rally results in tie for final Twins spring game vs. big-league foe Staff | Star Tribune | March 31, 2017

PORT CHARLOTTE, FLA. – The Rays scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth to erase a five-run deficit and tie the Twins 6-6 on Thursday.

No extra innings were played in the Twins’ final exhibition game against a major league team. The Twins finished Grapefruit League play 16-13- 3.

Twins reliever Ryan Pressly gave up four of the runs and got no outs in the inning in his final tuneup for the regular season. Joe McCarthy and Angel Moreno had two-run doubles for the Rays.

Joe Mauer, Miguel Sano and Jason Castro homered as the Twins took a 6-1 lead.

Mauer gave the Twins a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth with his first homer of the spring, an opposite-field, two-run shot that followed Byron Buxton’s double.

Sano and Castro back-to-back homers in the sixth inning, and the Twins tacked on two more in the eighth when Trey Vavra had an RBI and scored on Chris Gimenez’s sacrifice fly.

Twins starter Hector Santiago gave up six hits and struck out three in 5⅓ innings.

Vargas question

Kennys Vargas stagnated on the Puerto Rican bench during the World Baseball Classic, then was hobbled when he fouled a pitch off his left foot upon returning.

The designated hitter/ had a CT scan and a magnetic resonance imaging exam Thursday on his foot. The Twins reported there was no structural damage and said he would play in a minor league game on Friday.

With the 25-man roster set, Vargas is likely to start the season on the disabled list.

Home sweet home

The Twins have sold out their home opener Monday at 3:10 p.m. against Kansas City.

The weather forecast is decent — partly sunny with a high temperature near 60.

On deck

The Twins play their Rochester farm team at noon at Hammond Stadium before heading north.

Jose Berrios is in line to pitch for the Red Wings, as that would set him up to pitch Rochester’s season opener Thursday. The Red Wings might be using some players who were recently demoted by the Twins.

Thad Levine, the Twins general manager, said: “We discussed that, actually — the possibility there are Rochester players who might be upset, perhaps justifiably, about not being on the big league team. Could something happen?’’

The last time the Twins played the Red Wings in a spring-closing exhibition — on April 2, 2006 — Rochester won 15-3.

Cleveland Indians remain class of the AL Central 4

Phil Miller | Star Tribune | March 31, 2017

Derek Falvey walked into the Twins’ dining room in Fort Myers, Fla., last week, and noticed something foreign, yet eerily familiar on the television: a Cleveland Indians game.

“I found myself watching and thinking how strange it was — wow, I haven’t watched pitch all spring,” said the Twins’ new chief baseball officer, who spent most of the past decade in Cleveland’s front office. “I’ve done it so many times before, so many years. I hadn’t given [the Indians] much thought. And there he was, same as ever.”

The vignette, even two time zones away in Arizona, sort of sums up the Indians’ prospects for 2017: Kluber is still pitching, so Cleveland figures to be the same as ever. They’re runaway favorites to repeat as AL Central champions, in other words.

“When you play Game 7 of the , retain most of your team and add an impact righthanded bat, it’s probably fair to say they have a good chance to win again,” Falvey said somewhat grudgingly. “They have assembled a really nice roster.”

That impact bat he mentioned is Edwin Encarnacion, a mid-lineup slugger who produced 42 homers and 127 RBI last year in Toronto — numbers that no Indians hitter since in 1999 has equaled. But the free-agent first baseman isn’t the only addition that the defending AL champions have made. Boone Logan adds lefthanded depth to a bullpen that was second-best in the AL last season. Andrew Miller, a trade- deadline acquisition, will be around to snuff rallies for a full season. Austin Jackson should replace much of the outfield defense and some of the stolen bases lost when Rajai Davis left.

And Michael Brantley, the Indians’ best hitter until a shoulder injury late in 2015 kept him sidelined for all but 11 games in 2016, could be back to further energize the Indians’ most potent offense in a decade.

“The addition of Encarnacion is great, but losing Mike Napoli is a bit of a hit for them, in terms of what he meant to the team in the clubhouse as well as on the field,” Falvey said of the cleanup hitter, who signed with Texas. “But they added a lot of additional value coming back in Encarnacion and Brantley coming back offensively, so I’m sure they feel they can absorb that loss. And then their pitching continues to be basically intact, and even augmented. So they’re going to be really good.”

Oh yeah, that pitching — Falvey’s specialty as the Indians’ assistant general manager. It starts with Kluber, who owns a Award and finished third in the voting last year. Miller has proved to be the most versatile reliever in the game today, with a late-breaking slider that can render him unhittable. The staff also includes Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar, young righthanders who give the Indians the best starting rotation in the division.

And Falvey names another factor, often underrated, for Cleveland’s ascension: the defense.

“In 2015, we began to make defense more of a focus, because we saw that as a meaningful opportunity to enhance the team, and it really played out that way,” Falvey said. “ matriculated into the big leagues, which solidified the shortstop position. Jose Ramirez got to move to a better position for him defensively [at third base]. Lonnie Chisenhall went to right field, which was a better fit for him than third base. And with the pitching staff as the core, that defense really helped all the pieces fall into place.”

Speaking of falling, that’s what the rest of the AL Central seems to be doing, a factor that could simplify Cleveland’s climb. The Indians won the division by eight games in 2016, then watched their rivals act as if rosters were frozen in place. The Tigers didn’t follow through on the rumored teardown, but that means they will rely on the oldest core of key players in the majors: Miguel Cabrera, who turns 34 in April, plus (34), Victor Martinez (38), Francisco Rodriguez (35) and Ian Kinsler (35 in June). And with the death of Tigers owner Mike Ilitch in February, it’s unclear whether Detroit will spend to supplement the roster.

The Royals will spend the summer hearing about the impending free agency of Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain, but the trade of closer and the end of Kansas City’s shutdown bullpen may hurt worse. The Twins hope their young roster makes big strides, but as a 59-win season showed, there’s a long climb ahead. And the White Sox are more interested in stripping their team of traceable assets, having dealt ace lefthander and offensive igniter Adam Eaton, in hopes of contending in two or three years.

In other words, don’t expect much of a pennant race.

Injuries could derail the Indians, of course; Carrasco and Salazar both got hurt late last year and missed the postseason run. Already this year, Chisenhall and Jason Kipnis have been temporarily shelved by shoulder injuries. But Falvey is interested in seeing how they respond to a more personal injury, one that he feels, too: heartbreak. They reached the 10th inning of the seventh game of the World Series, 5 about as agonizing a failure as a team could experience.

“I’ve talked to Tito [Indians manager ] about this a bit. You really have two choices: You can keep thinking and talking about last year, or you can use it as motivation and especially a point of confidence for that team,” Falvey said. “They realize, they were there. They belonged in Game 7 of the World Series, they were that good a team. And that confidence is invaluable. They don’t hope they can get there, they know they can.”

A few healthier options added to treat-filled Target Field menu Haley Hansen and Paul Walsh | Star Tribune | March 30, 2017

Fried cheese curds and seasoned sausage drizzled with gravy and Korean-style barbecue with kimchi are just a sampling of the foods Twins fans can nosh on this season.

Whether you’re in the mood for Indian food, hot sandwiches or something green and leafy, Target Field aims to satisfy with a spate of new food options introduced to media and season-ticket holders Thursday.

In an effort to touch all the bases, the stadium has added several healthier options to its lineup. But no need to fear, the old staples of light beer and hot dogs aren’t going anywhere.

Some season-ticket holders were decked out in their wildest Twins gear as they taste-tested the stadium’s newest offerings. With only a few days until Opening Day, the chance to sample the savory dishes and sweet treats and talk baseball at Target Field was like the night before Christmas.

From northeast Minneapolis comes the Herbivorous Butcher’s popular vegan specialties, a meat-free Sriracha brat and vegan Italian sausage (both $12.50). They can be found alongside the MSP kosher hot dog cart at section 129.

Minnesota’s own global gastronomic giant Andrew Zimmern is growing his Canteen-Skewers venue and introducing a new Mediterranean-style skewer flatbread sandwiches at section 114. Patrons can choose their favorite meat, and each sandwich is served with roasted eggplant spread, herbed yogurt sauce, tomato and cucumber.

Zimmern’s eatery at Target Field also features a Sloppy Ko ($14.50), a Korean-style barbecue beef with kimchi and a boiled egg served on flatbread that went quickly during Thursday’s preview.

If you’re looking to cut calories, Hot Indian Foods in section 120 will now let customers swap a rice base for a seasoned kale salad with some of its vegan and chicken dishes. The stand’s Chicken Tikka Salad with kale ($12.50) was so flavorful that the rice base wasn’t at all missed.

Now, for some guilty indulgences.

From nearby Loring Park, the popular 4 Bells restaurant will bring to the stadium its signature shrimp boil featuring shrimp, corn, potatoes and sausage ($14.50). And longtime downtown Minneapolis institution, Murray’s, is expanding its Target Field presence with a new cart in section 116 that serves fresh-shaved smoked beef sandwiches on a roll toasted with its famous garlic butter and a side of house-cut seasoned chips ($14.50).

Kramarczuk’s will serve up cheese curds and Polish sausage topped with brown gravy ($9.50) in a section 100 cart. The hot and salty combination is sure to hit the spot on a cool spring or fall day.

The Cookie Cart, an urban nonprofit bakery run by teens, debuts at section 101 during Saturday and Sunday games all season long. A six-pack of the fresh-baked cookies is $8 and a single cookie is $3.

And Twins fans can once again satisfy their sweet tooth with Izzy’s Ice Cream, which will make its graham cracker flavor available for more of the season. It’s easy to see why it’s a fan favorite. The flavor is buttery with just the right touch of cinnamon.

As far as liquid refreshments, Twins fans will be paying heftier prices for beer, although some of that can be attributed to bumping up some of the offerings from 12 to 16 ounces.

Domestic draft beers are heading north by 50 cents and now range from $8 to $10.50. Examples of others growing in price but also size: 16- ounce Schell’s, Summit and Bauhaus rising $2 to $9.50. 6

Back again this year are Hrbek’s full-meal bloody marys. Judging by how quickly they went, the hyper-garnished drinks were a hit among season- ticket holders. This year’s most gluttonous option features a slider burger, three pieces of sausage, cheese and the usual celery and olives. Served with a Bud Light, the drink costs $23.

To save folks the trouble of trekking along the concourse in search of a favorite from last season, these dishes have been given the heave-ho: Rib Tips from Butcher and the Boar, Murray’s steak and Philly sandwich, pork chop on a stick and fried pickles.

Twins President Dave St. Peter said the team’s relationship with local and regional brands has allowed the stadium’s food scene to thrive. l

“We built Target Field to differentiate ourselves from the local facilities in town and other teams by bringing food and beverages … to a whole new level,” he said.

For a full rundown of concessions — and their prices — go to atmlb.com/1sr33ni.

Twins pitcher Hector Santiago finds midseason form Scott Butherus | Pioneer Press | March 30, 2017

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Twins left-hander Hector Santiago was sharp in his final tune-up of the spring.

The Twins’ No. 2 starter scattered six hits in 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball in a 6-6 tie with the Tampa Bay Rays in their Grapefruit League finale on Thursday. He struck out three, walked one and was able to get out of several jams while putting the final touches on the slider that he plans to make a bigger part of his repertoire this season.

“I think that was the most breaking balls I’ve thrown in my career,” Santiago said.

The game plan worked as he was able to put up quick zeros through his first four innings.

“Our goal was to get up to 90 pitches, but I was just too efficient,” Santiago said after needing just 60 pitches before running into some trouble in the sixth. “I had to go out to the ‘pen to finish up. I can’t be more happy with my stuff today.” Santiago, who will pitch the second game of the regular season, is ready to take on greater responsibility in his first full year with the team.

“Every year I’ve had to battle to try and earn a spot, and every year I move up just a little,” he said. “I remember fighting for any spot I could get, then fighting for a fifth spot, then the four, the three and now being a No. 2 guy is nice after being one of those guys that got skipped the first time through the rotation in years past.”

GOOD NEWS FOR BRESLOW

Twins reliever Craig Breslow was the first player to arrive to the Charlotte Sports Complex on Thursday.

The 36-year-old lefty didn’t ride on the team bus, so he wasn’t even sure if he had survived the cuts made earlier that morning.

“I’ve got no news and generally no news is good news in this business,” he said.

It ended up being all good news.

The veteran reliever was signed as a minor league free agent with an invitation to spring training after the Twins were intrigued by his lowered arm slot he had worked on during the offseason. He pitched well enough to become the second lefty, along with Taylor Rogers, in the Twins’ bullpen after posting a 1.00 ERA in nine innings, including a perfect inning in Thursday’s finale.

“I don’t think anybody knew what was going to happen after he changed his delivery, but we’ve felt it has been able to play all spring, and he has built his confidence in how he was able to pitch out of that different arm slot,” manager Paul Molitor said. “It turned out to be effective against lefties and righties, and obviously there is an experience factor there too.”

UP NEXT

Although Thursday marked the end of the Twins’ Grapefruit League schedule, the team will have one last exhibition before breaking camp, 7 playing its Triple-A affiliate, Rochester, at noon Friday at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers. Kyle Gibson (1-1, 1.59 ERA) will get the start for Minnesota. The Twins are expected to start their Opening Day lineup in the field.

The Twins finished the spring with a 16-13-1 record.

Twins set major league roster for Monday’s opener Scott Butherus | Pioneer Press | March 30, 2017

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — The Twins will break camp with 13 pitchers and without ByungHo Park.

Minnesota essentially set its 25-man roster on Thursday by cutting seven players, including Park and catcher John Ryan Murphy, acquired in the trade that sent to the , who was optioned to Triple-A Rochester.

Park, signed as a free agent from the Korea Baseball Organization in 2016, was among six re-assigned to minor-league camp. The others were catcher Eddy Rodriguez, infielders Bengie Gonzalez, Matt Hague and Ben Paulsen, and outfielder J.B. Shuck.

The Twins begin the regular season Monday against the Kansas City Royals at Target Field. They have 27 players on the roster, but closer (shoulder) is set to go on the 60-day disabled list before the opener, and Kennys Vargas (ankle) is likely to be placed on the DL or, if healthy, optioned to Rochester.

That would make outfielder Robbie Grossman the designated hitter. Chris Gimenez will back up catcher Jason Castro, and Jorge Polanco will be the starting shortstop, backed up by Danny Santana and Eduardo Escobar.

The team also announced that Adalberto Mejia will start the season as the No. 5 starter.

The 23-year-old Mejia beat out a crowded field of contenders that included veterans Ryan Vogelsong and Nick Tepesch, Trevor May and Tyler Duffey after posting a 1.88 earned-run average and 14 in 14 1/3 innings this spring.

Duffey (2-0, 3.86 ERA in five appearances) will start the season in the bullpen, where manager Paul Molitor sees his repertoire being more effective in short stints. Molitor liked the potential he saw in the left-handed Mejia, who held batters to .222 average this spring, as the deciding factor.

“We only got a glimpse of him last year in a spot start before he had reached his innings limit,” Molitor said. “I had heard that he was a different pitcher when he was stronger and fresher, which he proved this year. He’s got an understanding of how to pitch despite being a relatively young man.”

Gimenez, 34, batted .257 with six RBIs in 16 games this spring, but it was his ability to connect with the pitching staff that set him apart from Murphy, who batted .185 with a and five RBIs in 15 games.

“Murphy is going to get a chance to play a little more down there and build on what he was able to do as opposed to not playing all the time up here, so there are some positives in there,” Molitor said.

Gimenez was excited to be able to continue to work with the Twins’ young pitchers at the big-league level, something he will do regularly as the backup to Jason Castro.

“With a young group I like to see when they are successful because success breeds more success, and I think last year we had some guys that struggled a little bit for whatever reason,” Gimenez said. “It’s my goal this year to not allow it to get to that point. Even if it’s in the bullpen, I’m going to identify whatever I can to help these guys along and become successful.”

The decision to designate Park was based more on the team’s desire to have more flexibility with the bullpen than his production at the plate.

Park, in the second year of a four-year, $12 million deal he signed as an international free agent last offseason, finished the spring with a .353 average and team highs in home runs (6) and RBIs (13). His primary competition this spring was Vargas, who missed much of camp to participate with Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic and was limited by a right foot injury once he returned. Vargas batted just 0.67 (1-for-15) this spring with the big-league team.

With Vargas’ health to start the season in question, Robbie Grossman would be in line to get the start at DH on Opening Day. By not designating 8 a fulltime DH, the Twins will be able to carry 13 pitchers on the roster to start the season.

“I’m excited for the season to start,” Grossman said. “I don’t think this spring really affected what they thought about me. I think my performance last year is what they really went off of, and I’m excited that they are giving me a chance to prove that I’m a good player.”

TWINS’ 25-MAN ROSTER

Pitchers: Matt Belisle, Craig Breslow, Tyler Duffey, Kyle Gibson, Justin Haley, Phil Hughes, Brandon Kintzler, Adalberto Mejia, Ryan Pressly, Taylor Rogers, Ervin Santana, Hector Santiago, Michael Tonkin

Infielders: Brian Dozier, Eduardo Escobar, Joe Mauer, Jorge Polanco, Migue Sanó

Outfielders: Byron Buxton, Robbie Grossman, Max Kepler, Eddie Rosario, Danny Santana

Catchers: Jason Castro, Chris Gimenez

Twins reassign Park, name Mejia fifth starter Joe Trezza & J. Scott Butherus | MLB | March 30, 2017

The Twins took another step toward rounding out their roster with a series of moves Thursday that included reassigning ByungHo Park to Minor League camp.

The club also named Adalberto Mejia its fifth starter.

In addition to these moves, the Twins optioned catcher John Ryan Murphy to Triple-A Rochester and reassigned J.B. Shuck, Eddy Rodriguez, Benji Gonzalez, Matt Hague and Ben Paulsen to Minor League camp.

Despite a disappointing first year in Minnesota that saw him hit .191 and get designated for assignment in February, Park appeared poised to win the Twins' DH job after a sensational spring where he was one of the best hitters in baseball. Park slashed .353/.414/.745 with six home runs and 13 RBIs in 19 games this spring. He hit .191/.275/.409 with 12 home runs and 24 RBIs in 62 games as a rookie in 2016 after signing a four-year, $12 million deal.

"We asked Park at the beginning of the spring to compete and show us that his second time was going to be bettered. It was by leaps and bounds," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "We've talked a lot about his consistency and calmness in the box, and he showed us all of that."

The decision was driven more by the desire to have an extra arm in the bullpen to start the season than it was about naming a winner in the competition between Park and Kennys Vargas.

"It wasn't so much about Kennys," Molitor said. "He was gone for a while for the [World Baseball Classic] and then the foot injury so he hasn't played much. We decided that carrying eight [relief] pitchers would help the maneuverability on the roster when it comes to maybe adding guys that aren't on the 40-man roster.

Without Park, most of Minnesota's DH at-bats will likely go to Robbie Grossman to start the season.

"Being a DH is something I've never really done before so it'll be interesting. I'm excited to do whatever I need to for the team," Grossman said. "I've just got to be myself. I know what kind of player I am, and as long as I keep doing me and keep going with what I'm doing."

Mejia beat out Tyler Duffey for the Twins' fifth starter spot by pitching to a 1.88 ERA in six appearances (one start) this spring. Duffey, who followed a promising rookie campaign with struggles in 2016, will begin the season as part of Minnesota's eight-man bullpen. The team is expected to carry 13 pitchers.

"Duffey has had stints where his two pitches played, and he was able to get outs by reshaping that breaking ball a couple different ways to make him more than a two-pitch pitcher," Molitor said. "He is still trying to incorporate that changeup. I've also seen him in short stints where he can reach back and have a little more on the fastball. This is just how we are going to kick it off, and I'd be surprised if you didn't see Duffey start a game for us at some point."

Additionally, the Twins placed Ehire Adrianza and left-handed pitcher Ryan O'Rourke on the 10-day disabled list. Minnesota now has 27 9 players in camp.

Twins homer three times; Santiago effective Bill Chastain & J. Scott Butherus | MLB | March 30, 2017

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Rays Minor Leaguers helped key a five-run eighth-inning rally against the Twins' bullpen as the game ended in a 6-6 tie Thursday at Charlotte Sports Park.

The Rays loaded the bases off Ryan Pressly, who walked Mallex Smith, cutting the deficit to four. came on in relief and gave up two- run doubles to first baseman Joe McCarthy and left fielder Angel Moreno.

Byron Buxton doubled to lead off the fourth, giving the Twins their first hit against Rays starter . Joe Mauer followed with an opposite-field home run to put the Twins up, 2-0.

Miguel Sano connected off Rays reliever Tommy Hunter to dead center field in the sixth for his fourth home run of the spring. The next batter, Jason Castro, followed with one of his own.

"It was an 0-2 fastball that got in on me," Sano said. "I was just trying to make good contact and the ball flied out."

In his final start before the regular season, Odorizzi allowed two runs on three hits in 3 1/3 innings. The right-hander will make his first regular- season start on Tuesday against the Yankees at Tropicana Field.

"Today's the best my arm has felt, most lively it's felt all spring," Odorizzi said. "So that's a good thing going into the season. I thought my fastball command was the best that it's been. So it's kind of a good cap to Spring Training."

Twins left fielder Eddie Rosario made the defensive play of the game in the fourth when Logan Morrison tried to score from second on Steven Souza Jr.'s single to left. Rosario fielded the ball cleanly and threw a strike to catcher Castro for the third out of the inning.

Hector Santiago, the Twins' No. 2 pitcher, scattered six hits against the Rays. He struck out three and walked one in 5 1/3 innings.

"You give up a leadoff walk and a triple; you just try to minimize the damage," Santiago said. "I thought I did a really good job of getting out of some stuff and Rosario made a nice throw to get a guy out at the plate but it was nice to get some work out of the stretch because I know during the year it's not always going to be 1-2-3."

Twins Up Next: The Twins will have one final tune-up before the regular season when they play their Triple-A affiliate, Rochester, at Hammond Stadium at 11:05 a.m. CT Friday. Kyle Gibson (1-1, 1.59 ERA) will get the start against the Red Wings. The Twins are expected start their entire Opening Day lineup in the field to start the game.

Rays Up Next: The Rays close out their 2017 Grapefruit League season Friday against the Phillies in a 1:05 p.m. ET contest in Clearwater. will start. Blake Snell is also scheduled to pitch. The game can be seen free on MLB.TV.

Durable Santana can start Twins' season on high note Rhett Bollinger | MLB | March 30, 2017

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- After 11 seasons in the Majors, including an All-Star appearance and work in eight postseason games, Ervin Santana was finally rewarded with his first career Opening Day start last year.

But his outing against Baltimore at Oriole Park at Camden Yards was cut short due to circumstances out of his control, as a rain delay caused Santana to be removed after two scoreless innings. The Twins ended up dropping a close game, 3-2, falling on Opening Day for an eighth straight year en route to an 0-9 start that set the tone for a tough season.

So this year, Santana is looking for a more memorable outing in the regular-season opener, when the Twins host one of his former teams, the Royals, at Target Field on Monday at 3:10 p.m. CT.

"It's an honor to me for the organization to give me the opportunity to pitch on Opening Day," Santana said. "I'm just trying to make a difference and help us win the first game."

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Santana was easily Minnesota's best starter last season, when he posted a 3.38 ERA with 149 strikeouts and 53 walks in 181 1/3 innings. It marked the ninth season that the extremely durable Santana had made at least 30 starts, and Twins manager Paul Molitor said it was an easy decision to have the 34-year-old right-hander pitch the opener.

"He's what you look for," Molitor said. "He never gets rattled. He's done it for a long time. He's got a nice steadiness about him that bodes well for him with the way he pitches."

But it took a strong finish for Santana to put up the second-lowest ERA of his career. After his 12th start on June 14, Santana had a 5.10 ERA, but he went on an impressive run the rest of the way, posting a 2.41 ERA over his final 18 outings.

Santana simply got hitters to chase more, as they swung at 61.3 percent of his pitches out of the zone in those first 12 starts, but 66.4 percent in his last 18, per Statcast™. Hitters also batted .250 on pitches out of the zone in his first 12 starts but only .135 on those pitches the rest of the way.

It led to weaker contact, as opposing batters had an exit velocity of 89.5 mph in Santana's first 12 starts, compared to 88.6 mph after June 14. He also improved his rate, walk rate and home run rate during that stretch.

The batting average on balls on play posted by opposing hitters also fell significantly, while Santana's rate of stranding runners improved. Santana believes his early bad luck simply evened out.

"I really didn't try to change anything," Santana said.

Santana's out pitch remains his slider, which generated 203 swings and misses last year and limited opposing batters to a .209 average and .324 slugging percentage. Only , Chris Archer and Max Scherzer generated more whiffs on sliders last year.

Santana also succeeds by mostly keeping the ball down, especially to his glove side, busting lefties inside to great success while using his changeup instead of his slider against lefties. He gets hurt when he leaves the ball above the middle of the zone, allowing a .419 slugging percentage in such cases. He allows a .336 slugging on pitches below the zone, per Statcast™.

"His ability to execute all of his pitches is what makes him effective," catcher Jason Castro said. "He has an ability to throw anything at any time. It makes him really tough. He doesn't necessarily fall into patterns, so you can't sit any one pitch. He never gives in."

With Twins roster likely set, we look back and make fun of our predictions Derek Wetmore | ESPN 1500 | March 30, 2017

The Twins on Thursday picked their fifth starter and made the rest of their roster decisions apparent, with just a few days to go before opening day.

Technically, they still have 27 players in Major League camp, but Glen Perkins will begin the year on the disabled list and reportedly Kennys Vargas could join him there. If Vargas is healthy, it’s still possible that he’ll be optioned to the minors, according to reports. (Also of note: Adalberto Mejia will be the fifth starter and Tyler Duffey will pitch out of the 8-man bullpen, for now.)

So Thursday’s slew of roster moves pretty much settles the opening day roster. Probably the most visible move was reassigning ByungHo Park to the minor leagues, after a great spring at the plate for the DH hopeful. The Twins took him off the roster before spring training and sent him through waivers, meaning that every team had a chance to claim and take on his salary, and they all passed.

Still, a strong spring training likely boosted his standing with the organization. But apparently roster decisions are not all made on the small- sample-size collection of stats posted during the spring in Florida.

In mid-February I updated my first guess at the Twins’ opening day roster. For the sake of accountability, let’s have a look at how that went.

Actual starting rotation:

Ervin Santana Hector Santiago Kyle Gibson Phil Hughes 11

Adalberto Mejia

How it compares:

I actually got pretty close, but then again, that’s not that impressive. I had four of the five correct, and the one that I missed was Trevor May, who saw his season end before it began when he tore a ligament in his elbow and had surgery.

So my pick for the rotation missed Mejia and incorrectly included May. Here’s the scouting report I posted on Mejia earlier this spring:

Meet one of the most interesting unknown arms in Twins spring training. Mejia is the big lefty with a young C.C Sabathia-like frame who became a Twins prospect when Minnesota sent Eduardo Nunez to the Giants days before the non-waiver trade deadline.

Mejia says he has a healthy mix: fastball, slider, curve ball, and two different sinkers that he can use against lefties or righties. He said he’s gunning to be a starter, but he sounded well aware of the fact that there likely are some veteran pitchers in front of him in line for a job. He’s hanging around Ervin Santana in the early days of spring training.

The 23-year-old Dominican found his way onto Baseball America’s top-100 prospects list last year, although his one start with the Twins last season only last 2 1/3 innings and he gave up 5 hits and 2 earned runs. Across three minor league teams last season, Mejia posted a 3.00 ERA in 132 innings. He struck out 126 minor leaguers and walked 30 in that time.

Some teammates are calling him El Gato Grande, which is Spanish for the big cat. Some teammates, I’m told, have shortened that even further and simply are calling him “Garfield.”

Twins actual bullpen:

RHP:

Brandon Kintzler Ryan Pressly Matt Belisle Michael Tonkin Justin Haley Tyler Duffey

LHP:

Taylor Rogers Craig Breslow

How it compares:

I whiffed on Duffey, Breslow and Haley, as well as the fact that the Twins would open the year with 13 pitchers on their staff (8 relievers). I’m a bit surprised by that, but I guess having Kennys Vargas and Ehire Adrianza open the year on the disabled list could have had an impact on Minnesota’s thinking. So, too, could the fact that Hughes and Santiago have had somewhat non-traditional springs. Santiago pitched for Puerto Rico in the WBC, while Hughes got rocked in his last outing, limiting the number of pitches he got to throw against big-league competition.

In my defense, one reliever that I had pegged to make the team – Ryan O’Rourke – wound up on the disabled list, and I still wonder how things would have shaken out had he been healthy. Glen Perkins will start the year on the disabled list, which I had penciled in. The other reliever that I was apparently too high on was J.T. Chargois, who still shows a lot of promise but had a tough go in spring training and was sent to the minors.

Twins actual infield:

C Jason Castro 1B Joe Mauer 2B Brian Dozier 3B Miguel Sano SS Jorge Polanco 12

DH Robbie Grossman

How it compares:

Not too many surprises here. The biggest one, you’d have to say, is Grossman DH’ing instead of ByungHo Park or Kennys Vargas. I had picked Vargas, and so here again is an example of making a bad prediction based on an injury that I didn’t expect.

I did write in the first week of March that Grossman could be a DH candidate against left-handed pitching, but I wasn’t so bold as to call for him to win a share of the job. Where I erred was writing in Grossman’s name as the left fielder, and it appears that job was won from afar by Eddie Rosario—he was probably the favorite all along.

Twins actual outfield:

LF Eddie Rosario CF Byron Buxton RF Max Kepler

How it compares:

Yeah, I probably should have had this one, but I went the bolder route and picked Grossman to start. I wrote Rosario’s name as the fourth outfielder, in large part because of his concerning lack of plate discipline. He did post good numbers for Team Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic, so it’s totally possible I’m wrong about him as an offensive player. Manager Paul Molitor said this spring that Grossman is going to need to work on his defense as an outfielder, and I’d certainly agree with that. If you can trust a guy with the glove, it’s hard to run him out for 600 plate appearances in any spot other than DH.

“I think he recognizes that he lost confidence on the defensive side last year,” Molitor said of Grossman. “He started battling the mental as much as the physical, defensively. We’re just trying to get him — with the things we can, in terms of positioning, in terms of working on first- step drills, try to recognize going to his back hand—it was a little more problematic than going to his glove side and those type of things.

“I think that [coach Jeff Pickler] is happy that there’s progress, I think, [with] Robbie’s work that he’s put in. It’s tough if you’re not comfortable putting a guy out there. We’re going to try to have a better defense all-around, but when he gets a chance to play — we know his bat played, especially right side — try to get better,” Molitor said.

Twins actual bench:

C Chris Gimenez IF Eduardo Escobar UTIL Danny Santana

How it compares:

As mentioned above, I got the Rosario pick wrong so I’ll count it against my selections here, too. I did have Gimenez to top John Ryan Murphy for the backup catching job, even though Gimenez came to camp on a non-roster invitation. Actually, I wrote about Gimenez having a chance to nab that job back when he signed with the Twins, which was in the second week of January.

I’m curious to see what happens to Adrianza and Escobar and Santana when Adrianza is healthy. Will the Twins drop one pitcher and go to a four-man bench? Would somebody’s job be in jeopardy? Has Adrianza earned his way onto the team? We’ll see. But I guess the point is that I wasn’t perfect on the bench – and I certainly didn’t expect it to only have three members to start the year.

So this isn’t meant to be overly self-deprecating; this isn’t to gloat about being close – there’s really no such thing in this exercise. It’s just in the name of accountability. I don’t think it’s productive to make prognostications and then walk away from them if they’re wrong.

Zulgad: Unpopular decision on Park was likely the first of many for Twins’ new brass Judd Zulgad | ESPN 1500 | March 30, 2017

Twins pitchers and reported to spring training in Fort Myers on Feb. 15. The rest of the roster followed on Feb. 18 and the first full- squad workout took place the next day. The Twins opened their Grapefruit League schedule on Feb. 24. 13

The biggest story line from this time, at least for those of us here in the Twin Cities, has been the lack of interest in anything to do with the team. This has been apathy at the highest level.

That’s what happens when you lose 103 games and your biggest offseason move is to sign a catcher, Jason Castro, who is known for his ability to fool umpires into thinking a pitch is a strike.

On Wednesday night, it was a fair question to ask this: With Opening Day arriving on Monday, what, if anything, could cause Minnesota sports fan to notice the Twins still exist?

The answer came Thursday morning. That is when the Twins announced a series of roster moves that included the decision to send ByungHo Park to Triple-A Rochester to start the season.

Park, who was taken off the Twins’ 40-man roster in early February and passed through waivers, hit .353 this spring with a team-leading six home runs and 13 runs batted in. This led to an assumption that the Twins’ new management team of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine would put Park back on the 40-man roster and that he would be at Target Field for Monday’s opener against Kansas City.

The fact that did not happen, and that Falvey and Levine decided their team should head north with a 13-man pitching staff and Robbie Grossman as the designated hitter, caused plenty of fans to express their angst on social media.

Privately, the Twins had to be thrilled to find out that they still have a place, even a small one, on the Minnesota sports map. Even if the reaction was negative, the fact there was any reaction at all shows there remains a pulse when it comes to the Twins’ presence.

As for the decision on Park, it’s fine to be upset about it but you shouldn’t be shocked.

First, if he gets off to a good start in Rochester there is nothing that will stop the Twins from recalling him and putting him back on the 40-man roster. There also is a chance Park took advantage of spring training pitching and that, like so many before him, he will begin to cool off.

Second, the decision to remove him from the 40-man spoke volumes about how little Falvey and Levine thought of Park and serve as an indication that if he does get off to a good start he will be shopped.

The good thing about the decision is that it proves Falvey and Levine have no interest in keeping people happy. It’s difficult to believe that manager Paul Molitor was eager to demote Park. Molitor most likely assumes that if he’s going to survive this season his team will need to show substantial progress when it comes to winning games.

But Falvey, the Twins’ chief baseball officer, and Levine, the general manager, did not take this job with the intention of turning around things in one season. That’s not the baseball blueprint for taking over a bottom feeder in 2017. That blueprint now is to accept short-term failure but have a long-term plan.

This might not be what fans want to hear, but it is how things work. The Cubs are the prime example. This isn’t to say the Twins are going to achieve that type of success, but Theo Epstein “guided” the Cubs to a 101-loss season in his first year (2012) in Chicago and didn’t lose any sleeping in doing so.

As I wrote shortly after Falvey and Levine were hired, Twins fans should prepare for things to remain bad for the time being. This Twins roster isn’t going to excite anyone, but it also wouldn’t have if Park had been on it.

I’ve got news for you, too. If you didn’t like the Park move, you probably aren’t going to like it when the Twins likely look to trade their best starting pitcher, Ervin Santana, or continue to shop second baseman Brian Dozier, hoping to add pieces for the future.

The good news is that by not worrying about how Park would accept this decision, it also means they aren’t going to worry about making tough decisions on Joe Mauer’s playing time or his spot in the .

Falvey and Levine were hired to make tough decisions that aren’t necessarily going to be popular because the previous baseball operations staff did worry about how players felt or if they were rewarded properly.

That mentality led to five horrible seasons in the past six years. How much fun was that? So if Falvey and Levine elect to ruffle feathers, both inside and outside the clubhouse, because they are going to do things their way I have only one thing to say: Good for them. 14

Twins send out ByungHo Park and six others, will start the year with 13 pitchers Derek Wetmore | ESPN 1500 | March 30, 2017

The Twins on Thursday finally revealed their roster decisions. They were met with some confusion.

ByungHo Park, who had an excellent spring for the Twins but is not on the 40-man roster, was reassigned to minor league camp.

Adalberto Mejia has been named the fifth starter in the rotation, while Tyler Duffey will pitch out of the bullpen to begin the year, according to multiple reports.

The way the roster is configured is a little unconventional to begin the year. Derek Falvey, the Twins’ new CBO, built a bit of a reputation for eyeing and developing pitching during his days in the Indians front office.

Here are the rest of the announced roster moves: infielder Ehire Adrianza (oblique) and lefty reliever Ryan O’Rourke (left forearm) will begin the year on the disabled list. John Ryan Murphy was optioned to Triple-A Rochester, which leaves Jason Castro and Chris Gimenez as the catchers for opening day. Eddy Rodriguez, Bengie Gonzalez, Matt Hague, Ben Paulsen, and J.B. Shuck all have been reassigned to minor league camp.

Kennys Vargas is currently not 100 percent healthy. Nor is Glen Perkins. If those two players hit the DL, it would trim the Twins’ roster to 25 players ahead of Monday’s opening day. It appears that Robbie Grossman will be in line for DH duties to begin the year.

Twins send ByungHo Park to minors despite strong spring Staff | Associated Press | March 30, 2017

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — The Minnesota Twins have made slugger ByungHo Park one of their final roster cuts despite a strong performance at the plate throughout spring training.

Park was among six players reassigned to minor league camp on Thursday before the Twins traveled to Port Charlotte, Florida, for an exhibition game against Tampa Bay. With Kennys Vargas (left foot) injured, backup outfielder Robbie Grossman is slated for now as the primary designated hitter.

Catcher John Ryan Murphy was also optioned to Triple-A Rochester, and utility infielder Ehire Adrianza (right oblique strain) and left-handed reliever Ryan O’Rourke (left forearm strain) were placed on the 10-day disabled list.

Park hit .353 with a team-high six home runs and 13 RBIs in 19 spring games.

The Twins also chose rookie Adalberto Mejia as the fifth starter.

MLB Rumor Central: Joe Mauer to bat seventh on Opening Day? Doug Mittler | ESPN | March 30, 2017

The Minnesota Twins could have one very expensive No. 7 hitter on Opening Day.

Joe Mauer is struggling against left-handers, and that could prompt manager Paul Molitor to drop the 2009 Most Valuable Player to seventh in the batting order when they face Kansas City southpaw Danny Duffy in Monday’s season opener, reports Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press.

Mauer, who has two years left on his eight-year, $184 million deal, has not batted as low as seventh since 2004, his rookie season in Minnesota.

Berardino reports Molitor has been trying the 33-year-old Mauer as a cleanup hitter this spring, but might drop the six-time All-Star down against lefties. Mauer, who has spent the bulk of his career hitting third, struggled to a .224/.291/.319 slash line in 116 at-bats against lefties last season. That is a notable decline from his career .288/.358/.739 numbers against southpaws.

Berardino also reports the Twins will likely keep Brian Dozier as their . There was speculation Dozier could move to the middle of the order after hitting 42 homers in 2016.

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Bullpen Power Rankings: Who can bring it late? ESPN Insiders | ESPN | March 30, 2017

23. Minnesota Twins

Projected WAR: 2.0 | K rate: 18.9% | BB rate: 7.8%

Projected ERA: 4.25 | FIP: 4.04 | ERA+: 97

There will be an opportunity for the Twins to flip veterans in deals during the season, from Matt Belisle (36 years old) and Craig Breslow (36) to closer Brandon Kintzler (32). If Kintzler is moved and Glen Perkins doesn't make it back from injury to assume his old job, right-hander Ryan Pressly could get a shot to pitch at the end of games after seeing his average fastball velocity jumped to 95 mph last year, but first Minnesota's new regime is hoping for more consistency from him. -- Buster Olney

Byung Ho Park Will Not Make Twins' Opening Day Roster Jeff Todd | MLB Trade Rumors | March 30, 2017

The Twins have decided against adding Byung Ho Park to the Opening Day roster, leaving him destined for Triple-A, as LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune reports on Twitter. Adding Park would have required the clearance of a 40-man spot since he was outrighted last year. Lefty Adalberto Mejia — picked up in last summer’s Eduardo Nunez deal — has earned the club’s fifth starter job, Neal further tweets, seemingly bumping Tyler Duffey back to the pen.

Target Field new foods: A Minnesota Nice review Nick Lambert| KMSP | March 30, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - This coming Monday the Minnesota Twins open their 2017 campaign against the Kansas City Royals, but first, it was time for Target Field to show off the new lineup of 2017 foods.

The new menu items, brought to the Twins-going public by some well-known restaurants and food personalities, are a far cry from the peanuts and Cracker Jacks baseball purists run to at Target Field.

Leading off the new items is Hot Indian's Chicken Tikka Salad ($12.50). The slightly spicy and light salad isn't what one usually thinks of when it comes to ballpark food, but it's a fresh choice that would be very refreshing on a hot summer's day. And, I assume, would go quite nicely with a cold beer.

Minnesota's most famous chef/food personality Andrew Zimmern has a few new offerings this year. The most flavorful and unique being the Sloppy Ko Sandwich ($7.50). A mix of Korean BBQ, kimchi, and a soft boiled egg, the Sloppy Ko is tasty with out being over-bearing.

For those who prefer American-style BBQ, there is Murray's Smoked Beef Sandwich ($14.50). A pile of tender smoked beef atop a simple yet light bun, this sandwich's flavors scream summer. Too often BBQ sandwiches rely on heavy sauces that drown out the flavor of the meat. This one keeps the flavors simple (beef) and delicious (beef), and doesn't try to over think it.

Of course, not everything new at Target Field is meat based. The Cookie Cart will be setting up shop for weekend home games. Baseball and fresh baked cookies ($3-$8), what's not to like? The snickerdoodle (the best cookie in this humble author's opinion) was spot on.

After a few hot dogs and a beer or two, a salad might be in order. It's a good thing Roots 4 The Home Team (also only at weekend games) is there with something green and healthy (!) to eat. Their Ode to Minnesota Root Salad (price N/A) overcomes its rather unappetizing name with a great blend of summer flavors.

There is also a vegan brat, shrimp boil, and some Kramarczuk's cheese curds that were closed by the time I had fought traffic and arrived, so sadly I don't have a hot take on them.

Traditionalists fear not, the ball park is still teeming with light beer and hot dogs (a solid combination), but if the play on the field starts to drag, and you think you might need to find your excitement through food, don't shy away from the new food stuffs.

Target Field Introduces New Foods For 2017 – 2018 Season 16

Katie Fraser | CBS Minnesota | March 30, 2017

The Minnesota Twins’ home opener may not be until Monday, but there are already some home runs happening at Target Field.

On Thursday afternoon, the Twins announced the new foods that will be available at the ballpark for the 2017 – 2018 season.

While several returning venues, such as AZ Canteen and Hot Indian Foods, are expanding their offerings by creating new twists on old favorites, two new faces will appear at the stadium this year: 4 Bells and The Cookie Cart.

4 Bells, a southern, seafood focused restaurant located in Loring Park, will be serving up their Shrimp Boil, comprised of peel-and-eat shrimp, Butcher and the Boar Spice Wurst sausage, red potatoes and corn covered in Creole seasoning.

They can be found right behind home plate in Section 114.

The Cookie Cart, a North Minneapolis nonprofit that helps teenagers by providing jobs and leadership skills, will be in Section 101.

Cookie selection ranges from chocolate chip to M&M to Snickerdoodle. Additionally, the teens who bake the cookies will be selling them at the cart as well.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a new season at Target Field without a new Bloody Mary from Hrbek’s.

This year’s spicy cocktail comes in two varieties: Tripe Sausage or Hamburger. The Triple Sausage Sampler includes three Kramarczuk’s cuts – bratwurst, andouille and polish. The Hamburger features a mini-burger. Traditional Bloody Mary fixings are also included on both.

For traditional baseball fare, the Metropolitan Club is serving up a warm pretzel topped with herb salt and Summit Beer Cheese. Or, head to Murray’s for a smoked beef sandwich and dill potato chips.

Healthier options can be found at Hot Indian Foods or Roots for the Home Team.

New this year are Hot Indian’s Tikka Salad, which is comprised of baby kale, turmeric vinaigrette, shredded paneer and crispy chickpeas, and Roots for the Home Team’s All Nations Salad, featuring a collection of vegetables grown by Urban Ventures.

The Twins are also making sure that vegan and kosher diners have options too!

The Herbivorous Butcher and Herbrew National Kosher Hot Dogs teamed up to provide Italian and Sriracha hot dogs!

They will be located at Section 129.

A selection of sandwiches will be available from Andrew Zimmern’s AZ Canteen, including the new Sloopy Ko, and Barrio has returned with new tacos and burritos. Kurd-Marczuk is also serving up a twist on poutine: cheese curds topped with Kramarczuk’s bratwurst, gravy and mozzarella.

And, of course, if cookies aren’t your dessert of choice, head to Izzy’s for some St. Paul ice-cream.

Get a taste of these new treats as the Twins kick off the regular season with their home opener against the Kansas City Royals on Monday, April 3.

Target Field foods 2017: Rating the new ballpark fare Jay Boller | City Pages | March 30, 2017

Since christening Target Field in 2010, your Minnesota Twins have enjoyed just two winning seasons. The team bottomed out last year at 59-103 -- the franchise's worst record since 1949 -- and attendance followed suit.

Baseball competency is an increasingly tough sell, which is why Target Field marketers have wisely shifted focus to the ballpark experience. Namely, stuffing one's face, State Fair-style, with alluring new concession delicacies. On Thursday, the Twins trotted out a preview of 2017's roster of new food prospects. Some items packed Miguel Sano-ish oomph, while others suffered Aaron Hicks-ian fates.

Ahead of Monday's Opening Day contest against the Kansas City Royals, your hometown alt-weekly scarfed 'em all. Because baseball, we rated 17 the edible newbies with our patented Strikeout!, Walk!, Home Run! system.

Home Run!

Kramarczuk's Kurd-Marczuk

Arteries, don't fail me now! What red-blooded American could possibly refuse a hedonistic swirl of fried cheese curds, Kramarczuk's polish sausage, and gravy? Lovingly crafted by the meat wizards from Northeast, the smoky sausage pops as your teeth sink into God's favorite cheese. The synergistic experiment in fatty indulgence, of course, is bound together by humble-yet-satisfying brown gravy. Those seeking subtle, intricate flavors, look elsewhere: This baby's all about satisfying your junkiest urges, and it delivers. $9.50/$20, Portable 101

4 Bells' Shrimp Boil

4 Bells, the newish Loring Park restaurant specializing in Southern fare, is a Target Field rookie. Its debut offering arrived with an obvious litmus test: the corn. Far from in-season, the crisp, on-the-cob side dish passed with flying colors. A spicy glaze saturated the rest of the Shrimp Boil, which also boasts fresh-tasting, hearty shrimp, potatoes, and Butcher & the Boar's celebrated sausage. Possible issue: Balancing all these movable parts with a plastic fork and flimsy dish in the stands might be a messy nightmare. $14.50, Portable 114

Andrew Zimmern's Canteen's Skewers

Another winner from our state's leading foodie celeb. The skewers served up by his Canteen enterprise come in three varieties -- Braised Boneless Beef Short Rib, Mediterranean Chicken, and Braised Pork Shoulder. The beefy offering evokes a burritoized high-end gyro, and that's a very good thing. Encased in a flatbread exterior that feels more like a flaky tortilla, the fillings provide a complimentary blend of expertly spiced meat, creamy eggplant spread, spiced yogurt, and diced tomatoes/cucumbers. $14.50, Stand 120

Hot Indian Foods' Chicken Tikka Salad

Just the thought of eating Indian food while baking under the ballpark sun ticks your body temp up a notch. Thankfully, food truck fave Hot Indian Foods arrived at a refreshing salad spin on chicken tikka. Tender chunks of chicken rest atop a bed of leafy greens, with spice-loaded sauce and deep-fried garbanzo beans dancing between both. $12.50, Portable 120

Hrbek's Triple Sausage Sampler Bloody Mary

The risk here is clear: Garnish gimmickry paving the way for a watery, lifeless bloody. Not the case! Your skewer of Kramarczuk-sourced sausages (brat, Polish, andouille) is a meal unto itself, especially paired with a backup skewer of ol' standbys (cheeses, pickle, olive). A rich, flavorful mix accented by sneaky vodka is your reward once you start drinking. throws in a Bud Light beer-back, for good measure. Also available: the pictured mini-burger configuration. Price unavailable, but probably close to the $19 for Kent's pizza bloody, Hrbek's Pub

The Cookie Cart

Nonprofit north Minneapolis bakery Cookie Cart teaches teenagers cooking and entrepreneurial skills. And it doesn't just peddle good vibes, as the namesake cookies are legit tasty. $3-$8, Portable 101 Walk!

Barrio's Tacos

Barrio's racket is selling serviceable, overpriced Mexican to moneyed crowds in downtown Minneapolis and Edina. Its street-style chicken and barbacoa tacos won't offend anyone, but the price tag for a trio of them might. Any number of food trucks provide better eats for less coin. Also available: A burrito. $12, Stands 105 & 305

The Herbivorous Butcher's Vegan Italian and Sriracha Sausages

Sure, fine, yeah, whatever. Located in Northeast, the Herbivorous Butcher is doing cool things as the first vegan "butcher shop" in the U.S. Its sausages, on the other hand, taste just as good as any meatless option you'll find in the co-op aisles (Field Roast FTW). The Italian and Sriracha varieties should be agreeable to even the most meat-crazed among us ... when slathered in mustard, tucked in a bakery-fresh bun, and topped with sauteed onions. $12.50, Portable 129

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Andrew Zimmern's Canteen's Sloppy Ko

Love Korean BBQ? You'll love what's inside this new sandwich, including marinated beef, a boiled egg, and bright, vibrant kimchi. The eggy soft bun makes for a strange fusion, though. With French bread, this could be a winner. $14.50, Stand 120

Andrew Zimmern's Canteen's Frozen White Chocolate Mousse

Lordy, the spherical chocolate orb-sprinkles pop with alarming abandon! Beneath those scary suckers you'll find a vanilla mousse and cakey bottom crust. Refreshing, unique, well-prepared -- but is it really better than a scoop of Izzy's over at Section 114? Or, for that matter, the enduring pre-packaged majesty of the Kemps Malt Cup? $7.50, Stand 120

Strikeout!

Summit beer cheese pretzel

A bougie'ed-up gas station pretzel by any other name. "Herbs" don't save this over-salted, basic-ass bread, neither does the goop-y cheese cup that was supposedly graced by Summit beer. Price unavailable, Metropolitan Club

Murray's Smoked Beef Sandwich

Murray's tricked fans for years into thinking its chewtastic steak sandwich was anything more than cafeteria-grade. Replacing it this year is the downtown steakhouse's smoked beef variation. If there's any discernible flavor -- and that's a mighty "if" -- it's vague sourness permeating these supremely bland folds of beef atop a forgettable bun. Ending on a positive note, the house-made dill pickle chips were a treat! $14.50, Portable 116

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