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Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

 Will it be Alex Wimmers? Twins relief hopeful tries to grab open bullpen spot. (Neal lll) p. 1  Twins' day at camp: Hughes starts ugly, but ends up acceptable. Star Tribune (Neal lll) p. 2  Edina mansion that belonged to has been sold. Star Tribune (Buchta) p. 3  Dessa will sing national anthem at Twins opener. Star Tribune (Staff) p. 4  Front office still mulling cuts as the Twins play the Pirates in Bradenton. Star Tribune (Neal lll) p. 4  Twins James Rowson tries to help Miguel Sano take the next step. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 5  Twins’ Robbie Grossman vows to be ready by . Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 6  Sano homers; Hughes goes 6 vs. Pirates. MLB (Berry) p. 7  Grossman nears return to spring action. MLB (Bollinger) p. 8  Twins aim for fast start to 2017 . MLB (Bollinger) p. 8  Wetmore’s 5 thoughts: A few points in defense of Miguel Sano’s defense. ESPN 1500 (Wetmore) p. 9  Twins’ Gibson turning heads at . FOX Sports (Dierberger) p. 11  2017 Power Rankings: Best and worst case for every team. ESPN (Staff) p. 12  Which spring performances should you buy into? ESPN (Bowden) p. 13  Twins season preview: Little change on field. Channel 3000 Madison (Staff) p. 13  LILA Welcomes Twins ‘Reading Is Powerful’ program. Forest Lake Times (DeMoe) p. 14  Twins Opening Day: Everything you need to know. FOX 9 (Staff) p. 14  Announce Opener Plans. CBS Minnesota (Staff) p. 15  A friend to Twins fans in need: DL native has volunteered with the MN Twins’ first aid team for 30 years. Detroit Lakes (Gerdes) p. 15

Will it be Alex Wimmers? Twins relief hopeful tries to grab open bullpen spot La Velle E. Neal III | Star Tribune | March 28, 2017

BRADENTON, FLA. – Alex Wimmers has been known for his trusty changeup ever since the Twins selected the righthander in the first round in the 2010 draft out of Ohio State.

“I throw it at the beginning of counts, the middle of counts, the end of counts,” Wimmers said. “I’m going to throw it.”

He is trying to see if he can throw it in a major league stadium as soon as next week. Wimmers, who got a taste of the majors last season, finds himself still in big-league camp as the Twins finalize their 25-man roster to start the 2017 season.

The 28-year-old Wimmers has given up only two earned runs in nine innings of work this spring on eight hits and four walks while holding opponents to a .229 batting average.

Twins , who would like to finalize his roster over the next couple of days, pointed at Wimmers’ time as a starter in the minor leagues and described him as someone who could pitch long relief if needed. While Wimmers’ changeup has been above average going back to his college days, he also has a slider and curveball to complement his low-90s fastball.

On Sunday, Wimmers touched 94 miles per hour with his fastball — it’s usually 90-93 mph — and flashed a changeup in the mid-to-upper 80s. He also mixed in a curveball that came in a 77 mph.

“He’s a had a really good camp,” Molitor said. “He throws all four pitches out of the bullpen, which makes him unique.”

That could make him a good fit. The Twins appear to have five of seven spots in the bullpen secure: Righthanders Brandon Kintzler, and Matt Belisle, and lefthanders and .

Rogers has left little doubt that he belongs in the bullpen. He pitched a scoreless eighth inning Monday during the Twins’ 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh and has a 1.64 ERA this spring.

“I have a lot of confidence in him,” Molitor said of Rogers, who made 57 relief appearances with the Twins as a rookie last season.

The release last week of veteran Ryan Vogelsong opened up a second opening in the bullpen.

Righthander Michael Tonkin has a 4.38 ERA this spring after pitching a scoreless seventh inning Monday — but Molitor pointed out his two-out walk. Tonkin is out of minor league options, and being out of options can me a tiebreaker sometimes. Rule 5 pick , also a righthander, has a 6.08 ERA this spring, making it hard for the Twins to keep him around. Haley would have to be offered back to the Red Sox if the Twins don’t put him on the 25-man roster.

Righthander Nick Tepesch will start Tuesday against Tampa Bay, but he also could be an option out of the bullpen.

And the Twins appear to prefer using righthander as a starter only. Molitor, before Monday’s game, pointed out that teams often end up calling up two to three more starters during the first month of the season. Last April, the Twins summoned five from Class AAA Rochester during the first month of the season, including starters Duffey, Alex Meyer and Jose Berrios.

So having depth is important. If Duffey doesn’t make the rotation — he is battling Adalberto Mejia for that role — he is likely headed to Class AAA Rochester to pitch out of the Red Wings rotation.

“That’s something you have to be aware of,” Molitor said. “You want multiple options if you need to go down there.”

And that could lead to the door cracking open for Wimmers, who has fought the good fight since battling severe control problems early in his professional career, then having elbow ligament replacement surgery in April 2012. One hurdle could be that he’s not on the 40- man roster, having been removed in November.

Still, Wimmers has made it to this point. There are plenty of pitchers now at the minor league camp who can’t boast that.

“I just focus on what I can control,” Wimmers said. “I’m just kind of go and compete when I can and see what happens. I’m just going to continue to be confident in my pitches and attack hitters like I always have.”

Twins' day at camp: Hughes starts ugly, but ends up acceptable La Velle E. Neal lll | Star Tribune | March 28, 2017

BRADENTON, FLA. – Home . batter. .

“It wasn’t the start anyone wanted to see,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said.

But Phil Hughes adjusted, got his pitches down and got on a roll.

The Twins lost 4-1 to Pittsburgh on Monday, but Hughes came away feeling better about himself after a rocky first inning. He gave up another run in the second inning, but he faced the minimum 12 batters over the final four innings of his outing.

Hughes gave up a leadoff home run to Pittsburgh’s Adam Frazier on a cut fastball that was up in the strike zone, hit Josh Harrison with a pitch and then didn’t get a changeup in enough on Andrew McCutcheon.

After that early 3-0 deficit, though, Hughes stopped leaving pitches up. He used his changeup and curveball effectively as he threw his arsenal of pitches on both sides of the plate.

He also got ahead early in the count and found a good rhythm. The game was played in 2 hours, 10 minutes, largely because Hughes dictated the pace. 2

Hughes threw 79 pitches over six innings, then tossed another 11 in the bullpen afterward.

“If you would have told me after the first inning that I would have had to throw more pitches in the bullpen I wouldn’t have believed you,” Hughes said.

The Twins’ lone run came on Miguel Sano’s homer in the second inning. Sano entered the game batting .195 this spring.

Injury updates

First baseman Kennys Vargas (sore right foot) was able to take batting practice Monday, but there’s no timetable on his return.

Outfielder Robbie Grossman (sore groin muscle) participated in a full workout and will play two innings Tuesday in a minor league game.

Infielder Ehire Adrianza (right oblique) has not begun baseball activities yet.

Lefthander Ryan O’Rourke (flexor mass) is feeling better but hasn’t started a throwing program yet.

The arm

Catcher Jason Castro threw out Josh Harrison trying to steal second base in the third inning, on a throw that put the ball right on the first-base side of the bag, and knee-high — a perfect throw that led to an easy tag.

Molitor said the throw was timed at just above 1.9 seconds. “Which is really good,” he said. “On not the best pitch to throw, it was down a little bit. [But] on the money.”

Etc.

• Twins relievers this week will be used in back-to-back games as they fine-tune for the regular season.

• Former Twins player and coach was in attendance at Monday’s game.

• The Twins expect to announce this week that their home opener on Monday against Kansas City has been sold out.

On deck

Nick Tepesch will start on Tuesday as the Twins play host to Tampa Bay. The 28-year-old former Texas remains an option to be a long reliever.

Edina mansion that belonged to Kirby Puckett has been sold Jim Buchta | Star Tribune | March 27, 2017

After four months and a modest discount, Kirby Puckett's former house in Edina has a new owner.

The sale of the 7,978-square-foot house closed on Friday for $1.57 million. Details about its buyer were unavailable Monday.

The custom-built house went on the market in late January for $1.7 million.

It is located on a bit more than one acre on a cul-de-sac in the Indian Hills neighborhood in Edina. The one-owner house, according to the property listing, has five bedrooms, seven bathrooms and a five-car garage. As one would expect, the house has a full array of sports-related amenities, including a sports court, billiard room and swimming pool.

"Home is classic and elegant with high-end finishes and much attention to detail," according to the property listing, which makes no mention of its former owner. "Entry is breathtaking; living and dining room are beautifully designed. Family rooms on main floor and lower level are really fun with theater room, large curved wet bar and billiard room."

Hennepin County property records said the house was owned by the baseball star's former wife, Tonya Puckett. It had a 2016 tax value of $1.5 3 million with a $23,417 tax bill.

Paula Gulliford and Brian Parker of Edina Realty had the listing. Gulliford said the house had been on the market for 131 days "and has [had] lots of interest as you can imagine."

A celebrity owner or a famous architect doesn't always guarantee the quick sale of a property.

Prince had a hefty portfolio of real estate investments in the Twin Cities and when several recently hit the market, most attracted considerable attention and quick sales.

But an extremely rare one-owner house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built on a large, leafy lot in St. Louis Park has languished on the market for several months and a $100,000 markdown.

The elegant, recently restored Victorian-era house that served as the television home of Mary Tyler Moore has been without a buyer for several years. After hitting the market in June 2012 for $2.9 million, the house has been marked down to $1.7 million. Its listing on Zillow.com said the property has been viewed by more than 106,000 visitors, making it a Zillow superstar. The property last sold in 2007 for $2.8 million.

Dessa will sing national anthem at Twins opener Staff | Star Tribune | March 27, 2017

Minneapolis singer/rapper/author Dessa will sing the national anthem at the Twins opener next Monday at .

The Twins revealed plans for Opening Day, and said the Doomtree singer would be accompanied by a brass quintet from the Minnesota Orchestra.

Rick Stelmaszek, a former Twins coach who is battling pancreatic cancer, will throw out the first pitch. Stelmaszek spent 32 seasons on the Twins staff, a team record.

The Twins will play the at 3:10 p.m., and there will be a pregame tribute to Twins minor leaguer Yorman Landa and 2015 Royals hero ; both pitchers died in auto accidents during the offseason. This season, the Twins will wear a patch honoring Landa, who died on Dec. 10 when a car driven by his father struck a tree during a rainstorm.

The first 30,000 fans at the game, which will have a pregame flyover of four F-16s, will receive long sleeve hooded T-shirts.

Also, the team will serve breakfast on the plaza from 6 to 9 a.m.

Front office still mulling cuts as the Twins play the Pirates in Bradenton La Velle E. Neal lll | Star Tribune | March 27, 2017

Both and were in the clubhouse this afternoon, raising suspicions that cuts were coming.

But the Twins decided, once again, to delay the transactions. Not sure if its because of raging debates over certain players, or the Twins are eyeing someone on the waiver wire or something else.

Was told this morning that several players would be sent out, which didn't happen. Now I'm being told that tomorrow will be a busy transaction day. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, the Twins announced their plans for Opening Day - which includes a couple of events worth watching..

One, they will honor the late Yorman Landa by wearing a special Opening Day patch. Landa, whose first pitch hit 97 mph last year in spring training, died in a car accident in his native . Since the Twins are playing host to the Royals, they also will honor Yordano Ventura, who also died in a car accident. The Royals are wearing a patch remembering Ventura all season long.

Also, former Twins coach Rick Stelmaszek will throw out the first pitch. Stelly was longtime coach under multiple administrations, and his stories continue to be re-told in the clubhouse today. Stelly also is fighting pancreatic cancer, which he announced the same day former Twins manager announced he had prostate cancer. 4

The Twins have not sold out the home opener yet, but expect to do so in the coming days. Monday's forecast calls for temperatures near 60, so there's a good chance they'll get some people off the fence and into the ballpark.

Twins coach James Rowson tries to help Miguel Sano take the next step Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | March 27, 2017

BRADENTON, Fla. — Three pitches into Miguel Sano’s first at-bat Monday night, Ivan Nova hung a two-strike curveball that the young Twins slugger deposited onto the boardwalk beyond the left-field scoreboard.

After circling the bases with his third homer this spring, Sano returned to the visiting and lightly bumped fists with new Twins hitting coach James Rowson, who added a clap on Sano’s broad shoulders for good measure.

That was hardly their first contact of the day.

Five hours earlier, Sano stood in the steamy, otherwise empty indoor cages beneath , taking swing after swing off a batting tee. As assistant hitting coach Rudy Hernandez kept replacing the ball, adding observations and translation where needed, Sano continued to strengthen his working relationship with Rowson.

“Don’t worry about where the ball goes,” Rowson said calmly. “Keep your head down.”

Sano nodded and took another swing.

“Stay loose, see the ball and hit it,” Rowson said. “Just stay athletic. You’re a good athlete.”

More swings. More loud noises.

“Now I want you to hit the inside of the ball,” Rowson said. “Make sense? Trust it.”

On it went like that for nearly an hour. Soon, Sano’s T-shirt was soaked, sweat flying off his massive forearms as he tried to unleash a new torrent of production and correct a rate that had reached 45 percent in the comically limited sample size of the Grapefruit League.

“Spring training is for work,” Sano said earlier. “It doesn’t matter if I don’t hit much in spring training. Everything is different in the season. The pitchers pitch different, the umpires are better. Right now I’m just trying to do everything I can do to be good.”

Still just 23 with barely 800 plate appearances in the majors. Sano is able to fully concentrate on hitting again now that he’s back at his natural position (third base) after an ill-fated experiment in right field.

The bar has already been set high for Sano. The Twins want him to keep it there.

“That’s the goal,” said Rowson, a former big-league instructor with the who spent the bulk of the past decade as minor-league hitting coordinator with the . “You look at him and you realize he doesn’t need anyone’s help to be good. He’s a good player right now.”

There is more in the tank. No one recognizes that more than Sano himself.

“This guy’s got great drive,” Rowson said. “When I talk to him, I see the look in his eyes. His mindset is to be the best in the game. I want to help him do that. I want to challenge him on an everyday basis to be that guy because that’s what he wants to be.”

So they keep working and keep sweating and keep talking.

One minute Rowson is genuflecting behind a screen, lobbing pitches at Sano from 15 feet away and calling out the count as he lets them go.

Next Rowson is in a catcher’s crouch behind the tee, focusing intently on each ball as Sano’s barrel smashes into it. He rises after each set of 10 and seeks Sano’s input.

5

“How many swings were perfect?” Rowson said.

“Seven?” Sano replied

“You hit eight balls hard; you hit six perfect,” Rowson said. “I want you focused on perfect. In the cage, in (batting practice), I want you to concentrate. Try to go 10 for 10.”

Sano nodded and hit another ball.

“His gift is he’s got such power,” Rowson said. “He can mis-hit balls and hit them out of the ballpark. He can mis-hit balls and hit them off the wall. I just want to make sure he focuses on getting a good pitch, seeing the ball clearly and then from there, just put a good swing on it.”

Sano’s work ethic was questioned at times last year, his second in the majors, but to this point Rowson has found him to be a model pupil.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Rowson said. “He’s really hungry. I can see that from just the look in his eye and the way he works. I’m really excited about the way he does things right now.”

Back on one knee, Rowson lobbed more pitches at Sano from behind the screen. A rare overswing produced a weak dribbler on the last in a set of five tosses.

Sano shook his head, muttered something in Spanish and lifted his bat once more.

“Five more,” he said with an all-business tone.

Rowson caught Hernandez’s eye and nodded. Both men smiled.

Twins fans should too.

Twins’ Robbie Grossman vows to be ready by Opening Day Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | March 27, 2017

BRADENTON, Fla. — Twins outfielder Robbie Grossman was cleared for full baseball activities on Monday, eight days after suffering a strained groin while attempting a diving catch.

“I’ll be ready by Opening Day,” Grossman said recently. “I’ve never been on the (disabled list) in my career, and I don’t plan on it.”

Grossman will head to the minor-league complex on Tuesday and is slated for five or six plate appearances along with a couple of innings in the field.

A valuable addition last season after being signed as a minor-league free agent in mid-May, Grossman is hitting .243 this spring in 37 at-bats. He has four doubles and five walks against nine .

“I just try to go up there and have good at-bats and have a plan,” Grossman said. “I’ve been working on some things this spring too. It’s been encouraging. Just seeing my limits and what I can and can’t do with some pitches.”

Grossman is coming off a season in which he led the Twins in on-base percentage (.386) and walk rate (14.1 percent), ranked second in weighted on-base average and weighted runs created plus, and was third in slugging (.443).

He’s also been a willing pupil of new outfield instructor Jeff Pickler as he seeks to rebuild his reputation as at least a serviceable defender in the corner outfield. Among 206 outfielders with at least 100 innings last season, Grossman outranked just two — Andrew McCutchen and J.D. Martinez — in terms of defensive runs saved (minus-21).

“I lost a lot of confidence last year playing defense,” Grossman said. “I’ve never been that bad defensively my whole career. Just building that confidence back up is the main thing for me. I know I’m a good outfielder.”

Somewhere between the first six weeks at Triple-A in the system and his final 4 1/2 months with the Twins, Grossman developed some bad habits that led to some embarrassing moments in the field. 6

“I was just doing some things I shouldn’t be doing,” he said. “I was doing some weird things toward the end of the year last year that I’ve never done before. I’m just getting back to where I was before, especially in terms of my first stop. I think that’s huge for me.”

OPENING DAY PLANS

Former Twins bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek, who served on the big-league staff from 1982-2012, will throw out the on Opening Day at Target Field. Stelmaszek, 68, is fighting pancreatic cancer.

Just two coaches in big-league history had a longer tenure with the same team.

Also on April 3, the Twins will honor late pitchers Yorman Landa and Yordano Ventura, both of whom were killed in offseason auto accidents. The Twins will wear a special uniform patch honoring Landa, who died in Venezuela at age 22 in December. The Royals will wear a patch honoring Ventura, who died at 25 in January in the Dominican Republic.

Dessa, a rapper and singer who is a Minnesota native, will sing the national anthem, accompanied by a brass quintet from the Minnesota orchestra.

ROTATION FALLOUT

The Twins still aren’t ready to announce their fifth starter, but manager Paul Molitor said the team has a “pretty good idea” how things will turn out between finalists Adalberto Mejia and Tyler Duffey.

If he doesn’t win the slot, Duffey could land in the Twins’ bullpen, which might require a deal with the to retain the rights to Rule 5 right-hander Justin Haley in order to stash him at Triple-A Rochester instead of carrying him in the majors all year.

BRIEFLY

— Kennys Vargas (bruised left foot) took batting practice and fielded grounders Monday as he continues his last-ditch bid to make the Opening Day roster. Byung Ho Park remains the favorite to serve as Opening Day for the second straight year.

—Phil Hughes gave up homers to two of his first three batters but recovered to close with four shutout innings and 13 straight first-pitch strikes in a six-inning start against the . It was his first chance to work with catcher Jason Castro under game conditions.

— Ehire Adrianza continues to rehab his strained right oblique and has yet to resume baseball activities.

— Lefty Ryan O’Rourke has seen the area of discomfort in his forearm shrink but has yet to resume his throwing program.

Sano homers; Hughes goes 6 vs. Pirates Adam Berry | MLB | March 27, 2017

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Adam Frazier and Andrew McCutchen homered, Ivan Nova tossed four efficient innings and the Pirates beat the Twins, 4-1, on Monday night at LECOM Park.

Frazier, batting leadoff for the Pirates as he has all spring, went deep to right field against Twins starter Phil Hughes to give the Pirates an early lead in the first inning. Hughes hit the next batter, Josh Harrison, then served up an opposite-field, two-run blast to McCutchen. It was the first home run of the spring for McCutchen, who spent most of March playing for Team USA in the .

Cutting back on his workload as he nears his first scheduled start of the regular season, Nova breezed through four innings on 48 pitches. He struck out six, didn't walk anyone and held the Twins to three hits. One of those was a solo blast off the bat of Miguel Sano, who crushed an 0-2 pitch over the left-field wall in the second inning.

"I just want to be aggressive in the strike zone," Nova said. "Today I left a curveball right over the plate, and Sano put a good swing on it." Hughes recovered and pitched well the rest of the way, leaving after six innings. The veteran right-hander allowed four runs on six hits, including the two homers, and a walk while only striking out one batter.

"Early in the game, I was feeling pretty good, but the first batter of the game got his hands inside a cutter and a changeup I left up to McCutchen," Hughes said. "It wasn't the way I wanted to start off, but I was able to settle in and get my changeup down and mix in my curveball 7 in. Just kind of using all four pitches and moving them around."

Minnesota's bats were silenced, however, by Pittsburgh setup man Felipe Rivero and pick Tyler Webb, who tossed three scoreless innings in one of his final auditions to make the Opening Day roster.

Twins Up Next: Right-hander Nick Tepesch makes his final start of the spring on Tuesday, when the Twins host the Rays at Hammond Stadium at 12:05 p.m. CT on MLB.TV. Tepesch isn't expected to make the Twins' Opening Day roster and will provide rotation depth at Triple-A Rochester.

Pirates Up Next: Right-hander Drew Hutchison will make his final bid for the last spot in the Pirates' rotation, as the Bucs host the Red Sox at 6:05 p.m. ET on Tuesday at LECOM Park on MLB.TV. Hutchison, coming off a rough outing, is competing against Tyler Glasnow, Steven Brault and Trevor Williams for a job on the Opening Day staff. Three key relievers -- closer Tony Watson, setup man Daniel Hudson and lefty Antonio Bastardo -- are also scheduled to pitch.

Grossman nears return to spring action Rhett Bollinger | MLB | March 27, 2017

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Twins outfielder Robbie Grossman, out since March 19 with a right groin strain, participated in a full workout on Monday and will play in a Minor League game on Tuesday before returning to Grapefruit League play on Wednesday.

Grossman is expected to be the club's fourth outfielder this season, and the Twins expect him to be ready for Opening Day on April 3. Grossman figures to see most of his time against left-handed pitching this season, playing in left field and occasionally serving as the designated hitter.

The 27-year-old has never been on the disabled list in his four-year Major League career, and barring a setback, he will continue that streak. Twins manager Paul Molitor is encouraged by Grossman's progress.

"He had a really good day with full activity," Molitor said. "He'll probably get a couple innings on defense, and probably get five or six at-bats. And then we'll reinsert him if everything goes well on Wednesday."

Designated hitter Kennys Vargas, who fouled a ball off his left foot on Friday, took batting practice and ground balls at first base on Monday. But he's still not close to ready for game action, which all but confirms that ByungHo Park will be the club's Opening Day DH.

"Vargas hit a little bit today and took some grounders, but they were right at him," Molitor said. "It doesn't seem like he's close to being ready for a game. He's a lot better, but we'll see the next step."

Worth noting

• Infielder Ehire Adrianza remains sidelined with a strained right oblique and isn't ready to start baseball activities. He remains a candidate to open the regular season on the DL.

• Left-hander Ryan O'Rourke is making progress with his strained flexor mass muscle, but he has yet to start his throwing program. He's expected to start the season on the DL.

• Former Twins bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek, who spent 32 years on the coaching staff, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day. The Twins also plan to honor Minor League pitcher Yorman Landa, who died in a car accident in Venezuela in the offseason. The Twins will wear a special patch honoring Landa on Opening Day.

Twins aim for fast start to 2017 season Rhett Bollinger | MLB | March 27, 2017

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- After an 0-9 start that essentially derailed their chances of competing in 2016, the Twins were sellers at the Trade Deadline last year after being buyers in the previous year, acquiring players who could help them this season, such as left-handers Hector Santiago and Adalberto Mejia.

The Twins, though, are hoping for a better start and to avoid being sellers yet again this year, especially when it comes to . Dozier, coming off a 42-homer season, was subject to trade rumors throughout the offseason. Dozier, who has two years and $15 million left on his contract, could be a trade candidate at the Deadline this year if the Twins get off to another slow start, but he's hopeful that won't be the case. 8

"I've got two years left, I don't want it to always be like a ping-pong ball or something any time an opening comes up and all that," Dozier said. "I don't really know how to put it, but I don't want to be that, up until the Trade Deadline and next offseason and stuff. I'm here and I'm trying to help this team win games, and that's what I'm here for."

Dozier said the Twins' key will be avoiding another poor start, as they also started slowly in 2015 before finishing with an 83-win season.

"Last year it was pretty evident that we were hoping for a good start, but we ended up with the worst start," Dozier said. "I don't want to put too much pressure, like we can't lose on Opening Day, but the fact of the matter is that we can't put ourselves in ruts we're incapable of getting ourselves out of. And we did that last year, and you saw how that ended up. We have to get off, I'm not going to say to a great start, but we have to find things that are going to make us successful."

But if the Twins are sellers again this season, they'll be on the lookout for pitching, as they finally have some young arms close to being ready to contribute such as Jose Berrios, Stephen Gonsalves, Fernando Romero and Mejia, but could always use more pitching help after finishing with the second-worst ERA (5.08) in the Majors last year, behind Arizona's 5.09.

Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey has been careful to say what he expects from this team this year, but he believes they're much better than their showing last season, when they finished with the worst record in the Majors.

"I don't think our group as a whole was reflective of 103 losses last year," he said. "No one is running from that. There is talent on the field that we believe will take a meaningful step forward this year. I think our club will be better and a lot of guys in that clubhouse feel that way, too. We'll take that next step toward the team we're trying to build long term."

Wetmore’s 5 thoughts: A few points in defense of Miguel Sano’s defense Derek Wetmore | ESPN 1500 | March 27, 2017

My recollection of the Twins’ experimenting with Miguel Sano as a right fielder goes something like this: It was a highly questionable decision from the beginning, both the Twins and Sano deserve some shared blame for its failing, and while Sano still had a cannon arm and a little agility for his hulking size, it’s hard to remember many positive developments.

Sano strained a leg muscle and was moved to the infield and the DH role for the rest of the season. Weighing more than 265 pounds, his best bet to be a value-adding fielder is as a , in my opinion. If that doesn’t work over the next couple of years, maybe he’s relegated to being a first baseman and/or a DH. The Twins have miles to go before they settle that with any sort of finality.

With that as a backdrop, here are 5 thoughts – amid mounting skepticism– on how Sano could succeed at third base. I’ve made the case in the past about the fair and somewhat obvious questions about his ability there. So this column will focus more on the glass-half-full end of the spectrum.

1. Sano has fans on the Twins coaching staff.

I talked with third base coach Gene Glynn, who works with , about Sano’s development at the position. If Sano’s going to put in extra work at the position, it will be with Glynn—the same guy who worked with to help him improve over time in the field.

“He’s got a big arm,” Glynn said of Sano. “I think he’s got soft hands. And he’s very athletic for his size. He really can make some really good plays. Now, I think it’s just getting back to that comfort zone—that that’s who he is and where he’s going to be. I don’t worry about him catching it or throwing it. I just think that all the tools are there and he has the drive to get better. So, we’re really looking for a guy that’s going to be really good there, not just be OK.”

“Oh, I think he has a chance to be a really good third baseman, with his quickness, for his size,” Glynn continued. “Hopefully it comes sooner than later.”

That tracks with my own observations about Sano as a fielder (although admittedly I’d be more critical of his gaffes than his coach might be). Yes, he’s got a strong arm, he’s agile for a giant person, but there still are some unanswered questions about Sano’s future at his position.

Here’s Glynn with two more attributes that ought to work in his favor.

“He’s fearless on the field. He’ll stand in front of the ball. And he thinks he can make every play, which is great,” Glynn said. “So I see him 9 someday – and I know I’m going out on a limb – I see him being an all-star third baseman someday.”

2. Sano has athleticism that might surprise some people.

I was very surprised recently when I saw a post on FanGraphs titled “Miguel Sano, Defensive Superstar.” I was doubly surprised when I found out it was referencing the slugger’s tour of duty in the outfield! But then surprise gave way to curiosity when I read Dave Cameron’s first sentence that said: “I’m going to be up front with you: that headline is seriously misleading. Based on what we can tell, Miguel Sano is probably not a good defensive player.”

It’s an interesting post and if you’re excited about where defensive metrics are headed now that we can start to incorporate player tracking data, you should give it a read. The upshot of the post is that what Sano lacked in terms of consistency as a right fielder, he at least salvaged some interest by making two incredibly difficult catches. Using an emerging stat called Catch Probability as a reference, Cameron pointed out that you’d expect a bad outfielder to be very bad at making the most difficult catches. But Sano – a bad outfielder – was given three opportunities to make what’s known as a 5-star catch. That is, a catch in which the running distance required to catch it before it hits the ground makes it exceptionally difficult. On average last year, MLB outfielders made those catches just 8% of the time. caught 6 of his 24 opportunities for 5-star catches; caught 6 of 32.

Sano caught two of his three.

And so obviously that’s not to say he’d be a future Gold Glover if given enough time and training in the outfield. As Cameron notes, though, maybe it’s a signal that we’d underrated his raw ability as a fielder.

I don’t foresee the Twins trotting him out the outfield again anytime soon. Locally, some people were celebrating the fact that he’d lost weight this winter—and he told the Star Tribune he weighs 268 pounds. That’s awfully big for an outfielder.

His ability to make those catches, though, hints at the surprising athleticism – wheels and a quick start that would surprise you if you just walked by a guy who looks more like an NFL defensive lineman than an MLB infielder.

Here are the two 5-star catches that Cameron highlighted in his piece.

[Videos]

But, you might say, then there was his improbable aversion to catching pop flies in the infield, which started on a triple-A rehab stint and continued during his audition at third base in the Majors.

[Video]

And fair enough.

What I do know is that the Twins have challenged Sano to be more of an impact player in the field, and they believe in his athleticism.

3. Does he have the necessary buy-in?

Sano, as far as I can tell, seems like he’s on board with the Twins challenging him to be better.

Like all players in Twins camp this year, he had a sit-down with top-level Twins decision makers, including manager Paul Molitor. Based on conversations with those parties this spring, it sounds like Sano at the very least heard the message they conveyed.

“I want to play my whole season at third base because I’m too young to DH,” Sano said. “I try to get better every day. … I work a lot on defense, so nothing’s hard right now. I try to make every play [that] I can make, try to do my job.”

He worked out for about six weeks in New York, he said, where his new agency – Jay Z’s Roc Nation – is located. The rest of the winter he worked out in the Dominican Republic, he said, with Fernando Tatis and others.

What did he want to show the Twins this spring?

“I want to show that I worked in the offseason. I worked on my body, my defense,” he said. 10

And what about the early critics – the ones who say he’s too big or too mistake-prone to succeed at the hot corner?

“I’m working hard for that. I want to be an everyday [third baseman] — I don’t want to play DH. I prepare myself for 162 games in the big leagues,” he said. “And then, there’s nothing [that] I can say. I need [to] only show everybody I’m ready to have the moment, the opportunity to play my game.”

When he talks about defense, he talks about guys like Adrian Beltre and . That speaks to his inner confidence. (For reference, though, when he talks about his hitting he talks about , so it’s fair to say that Sano’s a confident guy.)

4. He’s got the arm to succeed at any position.

Sano had Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm in the spring of 2014, wiping out a season of development. Last year, the Twins probably would have given him more of a look at third base but for a sore arm that developed around the beginning of August.

When he’s healthy, his arm strength might be the best among infielders currently in the Twins system.

By now, you’ve heard about his arm and you’ve probably seen it first-hand. If not, here’s one example that had former Twins pitcher Tommy Milone saying “thank you” and former A’s outfielder Coco Crisp saying, “Are you serious?”

[Video]

Sano looks unfazed. He expects himself to make that play. And speaking of which…

5. He’ll make the do-or-die play.

The other component you’ll hear Twins coaches praise him for is the short game. When Sano has to charge in on a ball – a bunt or a tapper hit in the infielder, for example – you wouldn’t necessarily expect this huge guy to convert that play into an out. Sano can do that.

[Videos]

In my opinion, he should be able to curb the popup-dropping problem that gave him fits last year. And if he can use that surprising agility and rocket arm to become a better third baseman, the Twins will be in a better position with him than if he’s a future first baseman or DH.

Twins’ Gibson turning heads at spring training Tom Dierberger | FOX Sports | March 27, 2017

Kyle Gibson has been turning heads during spring training.

He’s been throwing so well that fellow pitcher Trevor May — fresh off Tommy John surgery on March 22 — took the time to tweet with his one healthy arm about his teammate.

@trevmay65 Man, Gibby is ready to go. Can't wait to see this guy come into his own this year.

May’s tweet came after another solid pitching performance for Gibson on Sunday. The former first-round pick out of Missouri threw six shutout innings, whiffed four batters and allowed a mere four hits to a Boston Red Sox team that had scored at least seven runs in five of its last seven games.

The six-inning effort was Gibson’s longest appearance this spring, but he has pitched at least five innings in his last four starts.

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Here’s a breakdown of Gibby’s spring training:

DATE OPP IP H ER BB SO ERA Feb. 24 Tampa Bay 1 2/3 2 0 0 2 0.00 March 1 Pittsburgh 1 2/3 6 2 1 0 5.40 March 6 St. Louis 4 2 1 1 2 3.68 March 11 Boston 5 4 0 1 4 2.19 March 16 St. Louis 5 1 1 1 5 2.08 March 21 Philadelphia 5 5 1 1 2 2.01 March 26 Boston 6 4 0 0 4 1.59 TOTAL 28 1/3 24 5 5 19 1.59

Gibson leads his team’s staff in innings pitched (28 1/3), strikeouts (19), ERA (1.59) and WHIP (1.02) for Twins pitchers who have thrown at least 10 spring-training innings.

He will look to carry his success into the regular season after a disappointing year in 2016.

The 29-year-old missed the whole month of May on the disabled list with shoulder and back injuries. Gibson struggled to find his groove again after the injuries, posting a 6-11 record with a 5.07 ERA in 147 1/3 innings pitched — all career lows since his debut season in 2013.

But the right-handed pitcher showed promise towards the end of the year with a few outstanding starts. He recorded a complete game in August and shined in an eight-inning effort during a 8-1 win over the in September.

His strikeout-to-walk ratio in spring training (3.80) is drastically improved from last season (1.89), when he recorded 55 walks to only 104 strikeouts.

Although Ervin Santana will likely be the Twins’ opening day starter, manager Paul Molitor will look to Gibson to be a reliable pitcher towards the front of the rotation.

2017 Power Rankings: Best and worst case for every team Staff | ESPN | March 27, 2017

The following is an excerpt from the full article:

28. Minnesota Twins

2017 projected record: 78-84 (third in AL Central) World Series odds: 100-1

1. Best case: With opponents averaging a .482 winning percentage in August, the Twins have their best opportunity to sneak some wins on their quest for .500. If the Twins are going to contend, a few things need to go right on the field, starting with finding his stroke and adding some balance to a lineup short on contact ability. If you add in an overachieving starting rotation, the Twins might have the pieces in place to make an outsider's run at a wild-card spot.

2. Worst case: Even with an overall optimistic projection, the Twins are underdogs for 20 straight games starting in late June. The pitching staff remains a big question mark, and the powerful young offensive core strikes out a lot and can be prone to slumps. The Twins could be better in 2017, but they could also lose 100 games and challenge for the top overall pick.

3. Swing factors: Minnesota is likely to be below .500 at this point, but with an easy schedule in August, winning against the Tigers and Indians (Aug. 11-17) could keep the team relevant into September. One player who could go a long way to making that happen is Miguel Sano. The Twins need Sano to turn into a star, but after a failed move to right field and 178 strikeouts in 116 games in 2016, his future is less certain after his promising rookie season in 2015.

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Which spring performances should you buy into? Jim Bowden | ESPN | March 27, 2017

The following is an excerpt from the full article:

Spring stats are meaningless. Year after year, it is proven that there is very little correlation between spring success or failure and regular-season success or failure. This is not exactly news.

However, there are times when you can learn something from spring play. If a pitcher is not improving a pitch as expected or his mechanics and command are off, it can be an omen that his performance is headed for a downward spiral. If a hitter is working on staying back and showing patience and seems to be doing better, it can be a good sign. It's a matter of knowing what to look for and when to look.

We've seen a lot of fine performances and just as many poor ones this spring. Through Friday's games, here's my take on whose performances are relevant and whether you can believe in them.

Spring performances to be wary of

The Minnesota Twins’ spring training record: The Twins have had a solid spring as a team, as shown by their 14-10 start, but unfortunately, their fans need to be prepared for another 90- or 100-loss season as their new baseball administration staff continues to build for the future. The Twins just don’t have the pitching to contend, and the most important thing for them this year will be the continued development of young players such as Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano as they wait for to develop in the minor leagues. The Twins’ farm system is not stocked with a lot of position players after Gordon, and the pipeline lacks any top starting pitching prospects. The Twins have a long way to go. Don’t believe in their spring training performance.

Twins season preview: Little change on field Staff | Channel 3000 Madison | March 28, 2017

A new, and younger, front office leads a Minnesota Twins franchise that was long known for its organizational stability.

On the field, though, in Year One of the new regime, the Twins will look very similar.

The top of the power structure changed with the hiring Derek Falvey as the chief baseball officer and the subsequent addition of Thad Levine as after the club parted ways with longtime GM last July.

The shakeup was inevitable after Minnesota slipped precipitously in 2016 following a surprisingly 2015 that saw the Twins challenge for a playoff spot until the last few weeks.

Falvey comes to Minnesota after nine seasons with the division rival Cleveland Indians in which he was most recently the assistant general manager. Levine spent 11 years as the ' assistant general manager.

Little occurred over the winter in terms of player movement. Third baseman Trevor Plouffe was released, and Kurt Suzuki signed with the as a free agent.

The one addition made to the major league roster was Jason Castro. The catcher hit just .210 with 11 home runs and 32 RBI for the Astros last year, but the Twins rave about his ability behind the plate, particularly in regard to pitch-framing.

"Catching was a focus of ours, and Jason was a target early on, and not just from a player's standpoint," Falvey told MLB.com after the signing. "A lot has been made about his defense, but we really look into the background of these guys. It's important for the culture of our team. He checked every box and then some."

The biggest priority for Falvey -- who helped identify many of the Indians' young starters -- and Levine is finding pitching for a team that allowed the second-most runs in the majors last season and had the highest ERA from starting pitchers.

The Twins will have Ervin Santana, Phil Hughes, and Hector Santiago back in the rotation to start the season, but they were still undecided on the fifth spot as spring training headed into its final week. Improvement across the board is the hope. The same goes for a bullpen that will be largely unchanged aside from left-handed newcomer Craig Breslow, who made the team as a non-roster invitee.

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A model organization in the early 2000s, Minnesota lost more than 90 games in five of the past six seasons and hit rock-bottom with 103 losses last year. The surprise of 2015 -- when the Twins went 83-79 in manager Paul Molitor's first season -- appears an aberration. In a division loaded with the defending champion Indians, the champion Kansas City Royals and the perennially tough Detroit Tigers, contending in 2017 would be unlikely, although Molitor's crew wasn't expected to compete heading into 2015, either.

Minnesota should score runs. The Twins were 16th in the majors in runs last season with Brian Dozier's surprise 42 homers leading the way. However, until Falvey and Levine can solve the pitching issues, the Twins won't be a consistent contender.

LILA Welcomes Minnesota Twins ‘Reading Is Powerful’ program Jason DeMoe | Forest Lake Times | March 27, 2017

Lakes International Language Academy recently welcomed representatives from the Minnesota Twins front office as part of the team’s “Reading Is Powerful” program for fourth- and fifth-grade students at the Spanish and Chinese immersion school on Feb. 16, which was World Read Aloud Day. The Twins program focused on the legacy of , the first African American player to break the color barrier and a champion of civil rights, and the story of Roberto Clemente, the first Latino MLB player inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame and a generous humanitarian.

The Twins’ Miguel Ramos, Diversity Department Director, shared how he and his daughter spoke very little English when they first came to Minnesota from , but they overcame bullies and language barriers with determination and commitment. Mary Giesler, General Counsel for the Twins, also spoke about how she knew few female attorneys in her early legal career, and even fewer involved with major- league sports. For fifth-grade students, Ms. Giesler read “Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates” by Jonah Winter. For fourth-grade students, Tracy Nelson Maurer, a local children’s author and LILA’s liaison to the Twins, read “Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson” by Jackie’s daughter, Sharon Robinson. Each guest reader also introduced a special video created by the MLB.

LILA students won prizes from the Minnesota Twins for answering trivia questions and everyone who attended received a Minnesota Twins bookmark and four tickets to a Minnesota Twins game.

Twins Opening Day: Everything you need to know Staff | FOX 9 | March 27, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - The Minnesota Twins have announced plans and festivities for Opening Day at Target Field, scheduled for 3:10 p.m. on Monday, April 3 against the Kansas City Royals.

FIRST PITCH: The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by former Twins coach Rick Stelmaszek. “Stelly” spent 32 consecutive seasons (1982- 2012) on the Twins coaching staff, making him the longest-tenured coach in club history. Stelmaszek’s first pitch will be caught by former Twins closer Eddie Guardado.

NATIONAL ANTHEM: Dessa, a nationally-recognized rapper, singer and Minnesota native, will sing the national anthem alongside a Minnesota Orchestra brass quintet from the Grammy Award-winning Minnesota Orchestra.

TRIBUTES TO PLAYERS LOST IN CRASH: The annual Opening Day Memoriam will include special tributes to Minnesota Twins pitcher Yorman Landa and Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura. Landa and Ventura were killed in off-season car accidents. The Twins will wear special Opening Day uniform patches honoring Landa while the Royals will be wearing a season-long patch in honor of Ventura.

HOODIE GIVEAWAY: The first 30,000 fans at Target Field will receive a blue Twins long sleeve hooded t-shirt.

BREAKFAST ON THE PLAZA: Free ballpark breakfast giveaway from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. on the 7th Street side of Target Field.

GATES OPEN: The Target Field gates will open at 1 p.m. Twins legends and select alumni from the champion team will assist in officially opening the gates.

F-16 FLYOVER: Opening Day will get a goosebump-inducing flyover from four F-16s from the Duluth-based 148th Fighter Wing of the Minnesota Air National Guard.

EAGLES: Pi and Max, a pair of eagles from the Raptor Center, will be at home plate.

RAISING THE FLAGS: WWII Veteran Henry “” Langevin, 94, will raise the American flag. Hank was born in St. Paul in 1922 and enlisted in the 14

Army in 1941. He trained for two years to be a paratrooper and later trained as a glider. He fought in the Battle of Sicily and the Battle of the Bulge. He was later sent to Germany and freed Jewish prisoners from concentration camps. The late Twins Hall of Famer Tom Mee’s son, John Mee, will raise the Twins Territory flag.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME: The late Twins Hall of Famer Tom Mee’s four sons, John, Joe, Tim and Tom Jr., will be singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch.

#CAPSON: The Twins are encouraging fans at the ballpark and those stuck at work or watching from home to put their #CapsOn for Opening Day and post to social media to show their support of the Minnesota Twins.

Minnesota Twins Announce Home Opener Plans Staff | CBS Minnesota | March 27, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Opening Day for Major League baseball is just one week away, and the Minnesota Twins have announced their plans to get the 2017 season started.

The Twins will host the Kansas City Royals at 3:10 p.m. on Monday, April 3. Gates will open for fans at 1 p.m. The Twins are looking to bounce back from a franchise-worst 103-loss season in 2016.

Former Twins bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek will throw the ceremonial first pitch. Stelmaszek spent 32 seasons with the Twins, making him the longest-tenured coach in club history. The pitch will be caught by current bullpen coach Eddie Guardado.

Nationally-recognized performer and Minnesota native Dessa will perform the National Anthem along with a brass quintet from the Minnesota Orchestra. There will also be pregame tributes for Twins pitcher Yorman Landa and Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura. Both were killed in car accidents in the offseason.

The first 30,000 Twins fans in attendance will receive a blue Twins long sleeve hooded T-shirt.

A friend to Twins fans in need: DL native has volunteered with the MN Twins’ first aid team for 30 years Vicki Gerdes | Detroit Lakes Online | March 27, 2017

From the days when they were housed in , to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, and now Target Field, the Minnesota Twins have had loyal fans in Detroit Lakes' Berg family.

But since 1987, Barb Berg — who now makes her home in Maple Grove, Minn., though her father Don still lives in Detroit Lakes — has taken her fandom into the realm of volunteerism, as a loyal member of the Minnesota Twins First Aid Team.

"Back in 1987 I saw an ad for (joining) the volunteer first aid team at the Metrodome," says Berg. "I sent an application in, and was contacted by them to do an interview. I was then accepted as a member of the team."

A registered nurse at an Allina urgent care clinic near her home, Berg has continued to serve on the Twins' First Aid Team for the past 30 years, even volunteering at other events held at the Metrodome and Target Field over the years.

"We volunteered for both Twins and Vikings games, high school football, soccer, and other events — boat shows, sports shows, Twins Fest," she said. "When the was being built we even did a few Timberwolves basketball games and some Final Four basketball tournaments."

Rather than tending to players' medical needs, however — the sports teams always had their own trainers and medical personnel on standby — Berg's job has always been to serve the fans when they need medical assistance.

"At Target Field we have two first aid rooms, and there are usually about 20 volunteers at each event," she said. "We have teams positioned in the stands at strategic points throughout the stadium, to get to different locations quickly."

Berg said there are three teams stationed in the upper levels of the stadium, and 5-6 teams on the main level, so they can ensure that the whole stadium is covered.

"We see a lot of heat-related incidents in the summer, people hit by foul balls, heart attacks," she said. "We try to give them the best experience we can, so that they can get back out and enjoy the rest of the game — unless they have to go to the hospital, of course." 15

Berg says she also enjoys the opportunity to talk with fans in the stands during the games.

"I started this because I liked baseball," she said. "My son tells people he gets his love of baseball from his mother, but I got it from my dad and grandpa.

"It's fun being in that environment with a bunch of other baseball fanatics."

Berg said she has thought about quitting a few times, but in the early years, her son and daughter — who also love the game — would always talk her out of it.

"They begged me not to quit," she said. "They would spend a lot of time with me at the Metrodome."

Of course, her dad would also come down from Detroit Lakes and enjoy a few games with her when he got the chance.

"Barb and I were able to see games in both the 1987 and ," says Don Berg, noting that they probably would never have had a shot at tickets if she hadn't been a volunteer with the team.

"My dad was a big Twins fan too," he added. Berg also recalls one time when he was delivering mail uptown in Detroit Lakes and ran into a couple of Twins players, and Danny Thompson, who were in town for an event at the VFW that night.

"I said to Bert, 'My teenage daughter would like to meet you,'" he recalled (Barb was 13 at the time). When he brought Barb up to the VFW that night to meet him, the organizers didn't want to let them in — so both Blyleven and Thompson came out to sign autographs and have their picture taken with her.

Obviously, that experience made a big impression — and Barb recalls both men quite fondly.

"I've met quite a few of the players," she says, adding that some, like Blyleven, even remember her by name. "I've met , , , , , , Paul Molitor."

Back when her kids were attending games with her, Barb would even help them collect the commemorative bobbleheads of the different players that were given out at games and other team events.

"I have way too many (bobbleheads)," she laughed. "My kids and I would go sit and wait in line for some of the more popular ones. We started when my son was 3 or 4."

For the first three years at the Twins' new home at Target Field, Berg says she had season tickets, but now that her kids are grown and on their own, she just attends the games where she volunteers. "With the kids out of the house, I don't really need them anymore," she said.

This past fall, Berg was recognized for 30 years with the organization during the team's annual banquet.

"I think I'm one of those with the longest term of service," she says.

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