Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Friday, April 7, 2017

 Hartman: Molitor has 'high expectations'; thrilled with sweep. Star Tribune (Hartman) p. 1  Kyle Gibson shows some good things in first start of season for Twins. Star Tribune (Neal III) p. 3  Twins open season with sweep of Royals. Star Tribune (Neal III) p. 4  Twins-White Sox series preview. Star Tribune (Neal III) p. 5  Twins postgame: Thoughts on Polanco, Buxton and the Royals. Star Tribune (Neal III) p. 5  Gibson makes his season debut as Twins go for sweep of Royals. Star Tribune (Neal III) p. 6  John Shipley: What you need to know about Byron Buxton is the Twins are 3-0. Pioneer Press (Shipley) p.7  Twins complete Royals sweep to open season 3-0. Pioneer Press (Graff) p. 8  Twins’ Santiago, Detroit’s Cabrera like to play tiger-and-mouse. Pioneer Press (Shipley) p. 9  Are batters guessing more? Twins’ Paul Molitor says yes. Pioneer Press (Shipley) p. 10  Twins get key hits, outs to sweep Royals. MLB (Bollinger) p. 11  Castro states case with decisive knock. MLB (Bollinger) p. 12  Hughes ready to face Holland, White Sox. MLB (Bollinger) p. 13  Haley arrives on scene with dad still en route. MLB (Bollinger) p. 13  New Twins catcher Jason Castro makes his presence known in season-opening sweep. ESPN 1500 (Wetmore) p. 14  Wetmore’s 5 thoughts: Twins sweep, Sano at 3rd, a tricky decision, Castro’s early impact. ESPN 1500 (Wetmore) p. 15  Zulgad: It might be a small sample size but after last season Twins aren’t about to downplay victories. ESPN 1500 (Zulgad) p. 17  Bullpen helps Twins sweep Royals, start season 3-0. FOX Sports p. 18  Top 10 regular seasons in Minnesota pro sports history. FOX Sports (Dierberger) p. 19  The Cautionary Tale - A Minnesota Twins preview. SB Nation (Noles) p. 20 Hartman: Molitor has 'high expectations'; thrilled with sweep Sid Hartman | Star Tribune | April 7, 2017

The Twins started last season being swept in three games by the Baltimore Orioles. Manager Paul Molitor said he knows he has a long season ahead of him, but he was pleased to see the Twins come out of the gate so well in 2017 with Thursday’s 5-3 victory at Target Field to complete a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals.

This was the Twins’ first opening series sweep in 10 years, and only the 11th time in franchise history the team has started 3-0.

“You always imagine that you can find a way to win your share of games, if not more than what people expect,” Molitor said. “But like I’ve said, it’s three games and it’s always magnified at the start of the year, what you can do. We have high expectations. I don’t think we put limitations on what we can do. But I know with six months of baseball ahead, I’m not going to get too giddy. But I’m sure pleased that we were able to come out and play well the opening series at home.”

The Twins outscored Kansas City 21-5 over three games, showing impressive plate discipline by drawing 23 walks.

While many people were surprised the Twins didn’t make more offseason moves to bolster their roster, the biggest addition was catcher Jason Castro. He’s shown so far that he can be more than just a great defensive catcher.

Castro finished the series 3-for-6 with three RBI and four runs scored while drawing six walks.

“We saw a lot of good signs in camp about the way he was approaching his at-bats,” Molitor said. “He has had years where he has been a good offensive player, in addition to being one of the better defensive catchers in the game. It’s just one of those things where I think he feels really good about his offense right now and it’s showing up both in terms of the balls he’s hitting and the pitches that he’s taking.”

Bullpen dominant

Another underrated part of Castro is his handling of the bullpen, which might have been the brightest development of the series.

It was bullpen by committee against the Royals as Craig Breslow, Ryan Pressly, Taylor Rogers, Matt Belisle, Justin Haley, Brandon Kintzler and Tyler Duffey combined to pitch 10 scoreless innings on three walks and five hits while striking out 11.

“I think over the course of the season, he’s going to prove to be a huge asset and a complement to our pitching staff,” Molitor said. “There’s no question that our guys trust him. You don’t see a lot of guys shaking pitches off, and they established such a good game plan before each game and each series that I think our guys are going to have a lot of confidence throwing to him.”

Molitor talked about what he expects from the bullpen going forward, as the Twins travel to Chicago for a three-game series against the White Sox, and again cautioned against drawing too many early conclusions.

“It’s one of those things where, like your whole team, it takes a while to kind of get a feel,” he said. “I think these guys have a pretty good idea of how they’re going to be used, but you can get in a situation rather quickly.

“[Friday] there’s going to be some guys that will probably be out after back-to-back days and guys might have to step up in different roles. It’s one of those things that kind of unfolds over the course of the early stages of the year.”

Molitor also said that confidence means a lot in baseball, and the difference between last season’s 0-9 start and being 3-0 this season is a big deal.

“I think a season does kind of bring times of momentum that conversely can go both directions,” he said. “We talk a lot about young players and confidence and going out there and feeling like you have an entire locker room behind you, whether you have a good day or a bad day.

“I don’t want to make too much out of it. It beats the alternative, as we know all too well from a year ago. But to get a couple wins under our belt here early, it has to make those players feel awfully good about what they’re doing and we’ll try to carry it over onto the road trip.”

Buxton, Kepler starts

Not everything went perfectly for the Twins in their opening series. Center fielder Byron Buxton once again got off to a slow start at the plate.

Buxton finished the series 1-for-14 with seven strikeouts, but he said he isn’t worried.

“It is what it is. I have to keep going out there every day and battling and competing,” Buxton said. “I just have to swing at better pitches, see more pitches up in the zone and not miss my chance.”

Does he think he can snap out of it in a hurry?

“Oh yeah,” he said. “I mean, I have confidence and am comfortable and just have to go out there and do what I do and that’s be myself and have fun.”

While he did have a lot of strikeouts, Buxton said he knows pitchers are trying to go after him a certain way.

“They’re throwing me backwards a little bit to start off the count,” he said. “But that’s baseball. You have to attack the ball and just go out there and try to do what you can.”

Meanwhile, right fielder Max Kepler had a hot start to the season. He finished the series 4-for-12 with two runs scored and one RBI.

One thing about Kepler is that he is full of confidence. He expects to continue what he did in this series throughout the season.

Jottings 2

• Former Vikings center John Sullivan has signed with the Los Angeles Rams. He will replace Tim Barnes, the Rams’ starter for the past two seasons who was released last month. Sullivan, 31, spent last season as a backup in Washington.

• The Wall Street Journal ran hypothetical valuations for the top 50 college basketball programs in the country and concluded the Gophers have the 27th highest value at $77.9 million. Kentucky ranked first at $342.6 million.

• Three hockey players with Minnesota ties are playing well for the New York Rangers. Hastings native Derek Stepan is third in scoring on the team with 16 goals and 38 assists in 80 games through Wednesday. On defense, St. Paul native and former Cretin-Derham Hall standout Ryan McDonagh leads Rangers defensemen in scoring with five goals and 35 assists in 76 games. Former Gophers defenseman and Lakeville native Brady Skjei is having an outstanding rookie season with five goals and 34 assists in 78 games which is the most points for a Rangers rookie defenseman since Brian Leetch back in the 1988-89 season.

Kyle Gibson shows some good things in first start of season for Twins La Velle E. Neal III | Star Tribune | April 7, 2017

Kyle Gibson received a text message from injured Twins teammate Glen Perkins that helped the righthander prepare for Thursday's start against the Royals.

" 'Pitch like this is a spring training game,' " Gibson said of the message. "It was a good reminder. A little bit of a perspective there. There's still a hitter up there and it's still me trying to execute pitches."

Gibson had some success at that Thursday as he faced 10 batters before giving up his first hit, a single by Mike Moustakas in the third inning.

Twins manager Paul Molitor removed Gibson after he gave up two hits in the sixth inning, including a solo homer by Moustakas. In five-plus innings in the 5-3 victory over Kansas City, Gibson gave up three earned runs on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts.

Gibson has struggled pitching deep into games, which has kept him from becoming one of the better pitchers in the league. He tweaked his mechanics during the offseason and entered the season full of confidence, going 1-1 with a 1.59 ERA in Grapefruit League games.

"There were a lot of good things about how Kyle threw the ball," Molitor said.

Buxton breakdowns

The Twins have scored 21 runs in three games, so some of Molitor's lineup-crafting has paid off, but the strikeouts continue for No. 3 hitter Byron Buxton.

On Thursday, Buxton left the bases loaded in the sixth when he struck out against Peter Moylan on three pitches. He did work a walk in the eighth inning.

Buxton, who has power potential to go with blazing speed, was 1-for-14 in the three games with seven strikeouts.

"We're trying to get him to just settle in," Molitor said. "Similarly to the 3-0 start, it can seem magnified. He's having a little tough time with the bat right now. Let's let it play out. Let him get some more at-bats."

So no chance he's moved down in the order? "I'm not thinking about doing that right now," Molitor said. "We just won three games."

Pressly impresses

Righthander Ryan Pressly, during his last outing of spring training on March 30, was clobbered for four earned runs on two hits and two walks. The coaching staff did not take the performance lightly and has since worked with him on commanding his fastball better.

"We tweaked a little bit of his mechanics to try to get him back on line," Molitor said. "A couple good side sessions — not on the mound, flat ground — where he got a better feel."

Pressly has thrown two scoreless outings so far, including on Thursday when he entered the game with one out in the sixth inning and the bases 3 loaded. He got Paulo Orlando to line out to center, then Alcides Escobar to bounce into a force play.

"To get off the field without them taking the lead was huge," Molitor said.

Injury updates

• Perkins threw in the bullpen Wednesday and took part in long-toss drills Thursday as he continues to work his way back from shoulder surgery last season.

• Lefthander Ryan O'Rourke, on the disabled list because of a strained left forearm, is still working the inflammation out before he begins a throwing program.

• Infielder Ehire Adrianza has not swung a bat yet as he recovers from a right oblique strain.

Twins open season with sweep of Royals La Velle E. Neal III | Star Tribune | April 7, 2017

Kyle Gibson cruised until the middle innings, then gave up two home runs. A run scored when shortstop Jorge Polanco was in the wrong spot for a relay. Lefthanded specialist Craig Breslow walked a lefthanded hitter to load the bases.

These moments were prevalent during a historically bad 2016 season, but not enough to slow the Twins down on Thursday. Instead, the Twins came up with some clutch hits and beat Kansas City 5-3 to complete an opening series sweep before an announced crowd of 16,078 at Target Field.

“It’s just flowing differently,” Twins second baseman Brian Dozier said. “I know it is only three games, but the mentality is different.”

Well, it sure beats losing nine in a row to open the season, which happened last year. Winning breeds confidence. Losing breeds counseling.

The Twins left for Chicago after the game 3-0 for the first time since 2007. The good vibes flowed after a dominant series against the Royals.

Twins starters posted a 1.95 ERA in the three games.

Relievers tossed 10 scoreless innings.

The offense scored 21 runs, fueled by 23 walks — their most in a three-game series since April 2014 against Toronto. Jason Castro walked six times.

The Twins scored 14 runs in the seventh inning or later. Their two runs in the seventh Thursday won the game.

The Nos. 6 through 9 hitters in the lineup had a .500 on-base percentage.

Who are these guys?

“The reason last year happened the way it did is that we never picked each other up,” Dozier said. “We never did the little things early in games that turned out to be the deciding factor later. Stuff like that goes a long way.”

The sixth and seventh innings were pivotal Thursday. In the top of the sixth, Gibson gave up a leadoff homer to Mike Moustakas and an infield hit to Lorenzo Cain before being pulled. Breslow then retired Salvador Perez before walking the lefthanded-hitting Brandon Moss.

Ryan Pressly came in to put out the fire. He got Paulo Orlando to fly out and Alcides Escobar to tap into a force play to end the inning.

“For Pressly to come in and close the door like he did in that inning was huge,” Gibson said. “And for the bullpen to keep it going.”

The Twins left the bases loaded in the sixth, with Byron Buxton striking out to end the inning. But the Twins broke through in the seventh.

Miguel Sano singled to center, then scored when Castro lined a double to right-center field off lefty Mike Minor. Polanco followed with a double that deflected off the tip of Moustakas’ glove at third. Castro scored to give the Twins a 5-3 lead. 4

Matt Belisle gave up two hits in the eighth but stranded the runners. Brandon Kintzler pitched the ninth for his first save.

“It’s a completely different postgame interview if the bullpen doesn’t come in and do what it did,” Gibson said.

The Twins took a 2-0 lead in the second, but Kansas City scored twice in the fifth, one run coming on Escobar’s double as Polanco was caught between setting up for a relay home or for a play to second. Left fielder Danny Santana tried to throw out Escobar at second, enabling Orlando to score from first.

Max Kepler’s RBI double put the Twins ahead 3-2 in the fifth before Moustakas’ homer tied it.

That set the stage for the late innings, where the Twins excelled against the Royals. That, manager Paul Molitor said, should reinforce what they worked on during camp.

“We talk about perspective a lot,” Molitor said, “but obviously you come out and are able to beat a good team three games in a row to start your season. It makes you feel pretty good. A lot of good things again. We played a clean game. A little bit of a hiccup on the relay play. Other than that, we made a lot of good plays.”

Twins-White Sox series preview La Velle E. Neal III | Star Tribune | April 6, 2017

Twins at White Sox series preview

Chicago first stop on road trip

3-GAME SERIES AT GUARANTEED RATE FIELD

Friday, 7:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM: RHP Phil Hughes (0-0, 0.00) vs. LHP Derek Holland (0-0, 0.00)

Saturday, 1:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM: Adalberto Mejia (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Miguel Gonzalez (0-0, 0.00)

Sunday, 1:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM: RHP Ervin Santana (1-0, 1.29) vs. LHP Jose Quintana (0-1, 10.13)

TWINS UPDATE

The Twins were 7-12 against the White Sox last season, including 3-6 in Chicago. … Miguel Sano homered off of Gonzalez last season, the last time they faced each other. Sano and Max Kepler have a hit in four straight games, counting the last game of 2016. … While Jason Castro will likely sit against most lefthanded starters, Holland shouldn’t be one of them. Castro is 4-for-12 against Holland with a home run, and he has reached base in nine of his first 12 plate appearances this season. … Speaking of lefties, Joe Mauer is a career .324 hitter against Quintana with two home runs.

WHITE SOX UPDATE

Chris Sale is in Boston. Adam Eaton is in Washington. While this could be a long season for the South Siders, Chicago has added young talent that’s close to major league ready … The White Sox awoke on Thursday having more rainouts (two) than games played (one). That led to Quintana possibly being pushed back in the rotation until Monday. But he’s going to face the Twins on Sunday. Quintana is 6-6 with a 4.17 ERA in his career against the Twins. … Tim Anderson is Chicago’s shortstop of the present and future. He broke in last season and hit .407 in 12 games against the Twins. … Former Twin Anthony Swarzak is a White Sox reliever.

Twins postgame: Thoughts on Polanco, Buxton and the Royals La Velle E. Neal III | Star Tribune | April 6, 2017

Here are three thoughts following the Twins third straight win.

INTERESTING RELAY MOMENT: Alcides Escobar doubled to left in the fifth inning, and Paulo Orlando scored the tying run at the time. It looks liked the Twins had botched the plate. Either Danny Santana made an unwise decision to attempt to throw Escobar out at second - Escobar was safe on a close play - or Jorge Polanco was in the wrong position for a relay. Indications after the game were that Polanco needed to decide to 5 prepare for a throw home or set up at second with the option to cut to home and ended up in between. "We worked on that play," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "When you are going to prioritize shutting down the run or maybe having a chance to throw a guy out at second. If he's lining up to second base, he can make that cut and shut that run off. Early in the game, you hate discouraging a guy from throwing a runner out, but you hate to lose a run on the back end." Santana looked up, saw where Polanco was, and threw to second. Once KC third base coach Mike Jirschele saw the throw go to second he waved Orlando home. Good move by the Royals to pounce on what is a tough read for an infielder. Twins second baseman Brian Dozier said if Santana's throw was a tad better, he might have tagged Escobar out. "In my opinion it was a heck of a play by Danny," Dozier said. "Very aggressive, try to keep the double play in order. I like that play all day long." Folks in the clubhouse said that particular play is a tough read for an infielder.

BUXTON AND STRIKEOUTS: One of the surprising elements of Paul Molitor's batting orders has been using Byron Buxton in the No. 3, and his 1- for-14 start with seven strikeouts is not helping the situation. Buxton has chased a lot of bad pitches and seems to be 0-2 or 1-2 in most of his at bats. He did draw a walk in his last at bat on Thursday, so he has something to build off of. But before that, he had a chance for a big hit in the sixth with the bases loaded but struck out on three pitches. Buxton is going to be a power-speed combo guy, I have no doubt of that. But the Twins have to help him settle down, relax and be a little more selective at the plate. "We're trying to get him to just settle in," Molitor said. "Similarly to the 3-0 start, it can seem magnified . He's having a little tough time with the bat right now. Let's let it play out. Let him get some more at-bats." So no chance he's moved down in the order? "I'm not thinking about doing that right now," Molitor said. "We just won three games." And I'll remind myself of this again: Reacting after three games is the smallest of sample sizes.

ABOUT THE ROYALS: This is not the same Royals team that played in two straight World Series. I think their offense is going to be O.K., but I'm not fired up about their pitching staff. After Danny Duffy, they send Ian Kennedy, Jason Hammel, Nathan Karns and Jason Vargas to the mound. Seriously, after Duffy, the Twins rotation looks more attractive than that quartet. And the bullpen likes the bite of past years, when live arm after live arm would lock down leads after six innings. Kansas City is going to have to fight to finish in third place in the AL Central because I don't think they have the arms to be a winning team.

Gibson makes his season debut as Twins go for sweep of Royals La Velle E. Neal III | Star Tribune | April 6, 2017

The last time the Twins started a season 3-0 was 2007 when they swept the Orioles at the Dome.

Ramon Ortiz pitched the third game of the series. Remember Ortiz? He jumped out to a 3-0 start in 2007, making the Twins look like geniuses for signing him. Then he fell apart. Jeff Cirillo, Garrett Jones, Brian Buscher and Jason Tyner all played for the Twins that season. Ah, the memories.

Kyle Gibson is on the mound for the Twins today, eager to show off the mechanical adjustments he's made. This is as confident I've seen Gibson at the beginning of the season. Last year, he was a man on a mission who landed on the DL early in the season and couldn't put it all together once he got healthy. There's a different vibe around him this season, like he knows to he's going to pitch well.

"He's a big part of what we're trying to do around here," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.

Gibson is a sinkerball guy who has improved his other other pitches through the years. He's not a strikeout artist, so the defense behind him must be ready. They have looked sharp in two games. Byron Buxton made two nice catches in the opener. Eduardo Escobar and Brian Dozier made strong plays in the late innings on Wednesday.

Did you notice who the first baseman was late yesterday? Miguel Sano, who took some grounders at first during spring training but never appeared in a game there.

When asked how comfortable he was at first, Sano paused, smiled and said, "That was my first time playing there in the major leagues."

But Sano did make a nice scoop on Escobar's throw from nearly short center to nab Eric Hosmer in the ninth innning. Sano eventually will end up at first base, I think we all know that. So it won't be a surprise to see him shifted over there a couple times - at least before Kennys Vargas or ByungHo Park arrive from Class AAA Rochester.

Speaking of Rochester, today is the season opener. Jose Berrios is on the mound for the Red Wing against Syracuse.

Danny Santana is in the lineup today. Phil Hughes, Adalberto Mejia. Michael Tonkin and Craig Breslow will be the only Twins to have not appeared in a game once the first pitch is throw today. 6

Royals

Alex Gordon, LF Mike Moustakas, 3B Lorenzo Cain, CF Eric Hosmer, 1B Salvador Perez, C Brandon Moss, DH Paulo Orlando, RF Alcides Escobar, SS Raul Mondesi, 2B

Jason Hammel, RHP

Twins

Brian Dozier, 2B Max Kepler, RF Byron Buxton, CF Joe Mauer, 1B Miguel Sano, 3B Jason Castro, C Jorge Polanco, SS Eddie Rosario, DH Danny Santana, LF

Kyle Gibson, RHP

John Shipley: What you need to know about Byron Buxton is the Twins are 3-0 John Shipley | Pioneer Press | April 6, 2017

Here’s the thing about Byron Buxton right now: The Twins are 3-0.

The second overall pick in the 2012 amateur draft is 1 for 14 with seven strikeouts, but he’s helping the Twins win with defense. When you’re unbeaten, that’s all that matters, especially for a team that lost its first nine games, and then 94 more, in 2016.

Is it the end of the conversation? No. But it’s not the conversation, either.

When asked whether Buxton needs to be batting somewhere other than third in the order, as he did while the Twins swept the Kansas City Royals at Target Field, manager Paul Molitor was unusually curt.

“I’m not thinking about that right now,” he said. “We just won three games.”

Molitor is right, but he’s also not so naïve as to not recognize the first managerial challenge of the season. Buxton, 23, is perhaps the cornerstone of the Twins’ future, a five-tool prospect for whom every tool but hitting is already above-replacement. Nurturing his talent is probably more important than wins at this point.

At best, Buxton is another Ricky Henderson, a leadoff hitter with power who gets into a pitcher’s head every time he gets on base and catch everything in center field. At worst, he’s another Aaron Hicks, because that’s the thing about five-tool prospects: If you can’t hit, the other four tools don’t mean much.

As the Twins were mopping up their worst season since coming to Minnesota in 1961 last season, Buxton hit .287 with nine home runs, six doubles and a pair of triples over the last 29 games. His on-base percentage was .357. Yeah, the Twins will take that.

But his slow start this season, sample size notwithstanding, has been disheartening for fans already disappointed by Hicks, the Twins’ previous 7

Center Fielder of the Future, who hit .225 with 20 homers in parts of three seasons before being shipped to the Yankees for a minor league catcher and actually getting worse.

Nearly all of Molitor’s lineup gambits have all paid off so far, from hitting Joe Mauer in the cleanup spot to using designated hitter Robbie Grossman in the No. 2 and No. 9 spots. But while batting Buxton third hasn’t been a liability — the Twins outscored the Royals 21-5 and drew 23 walks — it hasn’t really worked, either.

To wit: In Thursday’s 5-3 victory, No. 2 hitter Max Kepler came to the plate with runners and first and second and two outs in the sixth inning of a 3-3 game. With Kepler hitting the ball on the nose — he was 2 for 3 with a hard lineout to deep center to that point — the Royals were happy to pitch around him to get to Buxton.

He struck out on three pitches.

The good news is that in his next plate appearance, Buxton drew a walk on six pitches without swinging.

“I think I let the game speed up on me a little bit, which causes me to chase more pitches out of the zone. I just told myself to slow down,” he explained.

That can be difficult for a young player accustomed to success. In five years of minor league at-bats, Buxton hit .302 with a .380 on-base percentage, 54 doubles and 40 triples in 350 games; in 141 major league games, he’s hitting .215 with 169 strikeouts and 30 walks.

“It’s tough,” Buxton said. “It’s very tough. That’s why I’ve got these teammates behind my back to pick me up, but it’s definitely tough starting off the way I do, and then you try to battle and figure things out. … I’m just too jumpy, too anxious to want to get a hit. I need to slow the game back down and let it come back to me.”

Molitor, whose 1987 Milwaukee Brewers won their first 13 games, knows momentum is real and swings both ways. Adding to this modest winning streak before taking the inevitable step back will go some way toward setting the tone for what the Twins hope is a competitive season.

Until Buxton finds his swing, batting third isn’t ideal, but it’s a tricky situation. Dropping him in the lineup could bruise his confidence, or could relieve pressure. Or maybe he runs into a triple in his first at-bat Friday in Chicago and all will be well.

Here’s some advice for Buxton: If you find yourself batting seventh, don’t take it personally. The Twins want you to succeed and are only trying to help.

Twins complete Royals sweep to open season 3-0 Chad Graff | Pioneer Press | April 6, 2017

For a third time in three games, the Twins exchanged high-fives at the mound at Target Field, celebrating a 5-3 victory Thursday and a perfect start to the season that few saw coming.

A team that lost 103 games a year ago opened 2017 with a three-game sweep, outscoring the Kansas City Royals 21-5 in the series, their first sweep of their American League Central rival since April 2014.

The Twins managed just two three-game sweeps all of last season.

“I don’t want to make too much out of it, but it beats the alternative as we know all too well from just a year ago,” manager Paul Molitor said. “To get a couple wins under our belt early, it’s got to make those players feel awfully good about what they’re doing.”

These Twins, who are off to the best start of any Twins squad in a decade, are mostly the same ones that opened last season 0-9.

And yet, the early results have been vastly different.

“We set out a mission in spring training to iron a lot of things out,” second baseman Brian Dozier said. “Our talent matches up with anybody. It’s just about doing the little things right. And I think it’s paid off already. We’re moving guys over, being disciplined at the plate, drawing walks to create big innings, and our pitching has been unbelievable. If we can keep all that together, I think we’ll be pretty good.”

The Twins drew seven more walks Thursday after compiling 16 the first two games. 8

But in their latest win, back-to-back-to-back hits from Miguel Sano, Jason Castro and Jorge Polanco broke a 3-3 tie in the seventh inning and drove in the go-ahead runs.

“We hung in there and found a way to withstand a comeback and find a way to score late,” Molitor said.

Thursday afternoon’s win in front of 16,078 wasn’t as crisp as the Twins’ first two victories. But they overcame a misplaced throw by Danny Santana that brought in a run in the fifth, and avoided disaster in the sixth inning when reliever Ryan Pressly got out of a bases-loaded jam.

Pressly was awarded the game ball for his work navigating the Twins out of trouble.

“Whenever you win, you want to play it up as much as you can,” starting pitcher Kyle Gibson said. “That’s what we’re doing here. A couple years ago it was dancing. This year we’re just trying to make sure we don’t take for granted any wins.”

In his first start of the season, Gibson cruised through four innings with four strikeouts, allowing only one hit. But trouble arose in the fifth, and Gibson had little response.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez drove a 90-mph fastball into the upper deck in left field to lead off the fifth, and three batters later Paulo Orlando crossed the plate for Kansas City’s second run.

Gibson lasted only two batters in the sixth inning because the first, Mike Moustakas, deposited a change-up into the barren right-field bleachers, and the second, Lorenzo Cain, smacked a well-hit single.

That put a bitter end to Gibson’s debut, which began so promisingly after he didn’t allow a hit to the first 10 batters he faced. He was pulled after only 81 pitches, but Molitor insisted there was plenty to be pleased by.

“There were a lot of good things about how Kyle threw the ball,” Molitor said.

The Twins opened the scoring in the second behind RBIs from Polanco and Eddie Rosario, who drove in Sano and Castro. In the fifth, a Max Kepler double off the wall scored Dozier.

Brandon Kintzler earned his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning that closed the Twins’ first sweep since May 2016.

“We have high expectations,” Molitor said. “I don’t think we put limitations on what we can do. But I know with six months of baseball ahead, I’m not going to get too giddy. I’m sure pleased that we were able to come out and play well in the opening series.”

Twins’ Santiago, Detroit’s Cabrera like to play tiger-and-mouse John Shipley | Pioneer Press | April 6, 2017

Twins left-hander Hector Santiago is on track to start the series opener at Detroit on April 11; if he does, pay attention when he faces slugger Miguel Cabrera.

If Cabrera, the only player to win a triple crown in the past 50 years, steps out of the batter’s box and brushes a palm down the front of his jersey, he’s relaying a message.

“We have a good friendship, and he’s like, ‘Are you throwing fastballs in?’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, probably,’ ” Santiago said. “So he steps back, joking around, but honestly he’s really in the same spot, because he knows he can get to it. But if I can execute my pitch, and make my pitches, I can go in there.”

Santiago, who has a keen memory for past at-bats, said he enjoys the cat-and-mouse routine.

“I gave up two homers to him, one in each of the past two years, and each times was because I missed out over the plate,” he said. “But when I got him in there, I could stand him up, or he fouls it off. It’s the same with most hitters. Like, Mike Trout can’t get to that ball in there, but if you miss out over the plate, he’s going to hurt you. So, you can get guys guessing.

“Miguel Cabrera is so good, he can tell you, ‘Hey, I’m looking in.’ And it might be him playing a mind game, too, like, ‘I know you’re going to throw it in here,’ but maybe he’s trying to get you to throw the other way. So, I stay with my strengths.” 9

HUGHES’ RETURN

Starting pitcher Phil Hughes is expected to make his first start in 10 months Friday when the Twins begin a three-game series in Chicago against the White Sox.

In the midst of a poor season last year, Hughes suffered a fractured knee cap in June, then underwent season-ending shoulder surgery two weeks later.

Friday, he’ll return to the mound for the first time in a meaningful game.

“It’s going to be interesting to watch him after missing the majority of the year with those injuries that he endured,” manager Paul Molitor said. “We thought his spring was progressively better. … I think some of his best outings were at the end of camp. You hope it carries over. He’s got most of his velocity back, he’s added a changeup as a more consistent weapon. You know he’s going to throw strikes so hopefully we can back him up with some good defense.”

Hughes went 16-10 with a 3.52 earned-run average in 2014, his first season with the Twins, who rewarded Hughes with a contract extension that lasts until 2019.

Since that 2014 season, though, Hughes has struggled.

In 2015, he posted a 4.40 ERA and 11-9 record.

A year ago, he had a 5.95 ERA and 1-7 record when he hit the disabled list in June.

“We’re looking forward to it,” second baseman Brian Dozier said of Hughes’ projected start. “It’s been a long road back for him. He’s healthy and when he’s healthy and filling up the zone, you saw what he can do a couple years ago. He’s a veteran on our staff, a leader on our staff and we’re looking for another year like he had a couple years ago.”

INJURY UPDATES

Reliever Glen Perkins, who is on the 60-day disabled list, threw a bullpen session Wednesday and threw long toss Thursday, general manager Thad Levine said.

“Unfortunately, at this stage, it’s kind of baby steps,” Levine said. “But he’s taking those steps at this juncture.”

Reliever Ryan O’Rourke, who is on the 10-day DL due to elbow pain, has not yet resumed throwing.

“We’re waiting for the last aspects of discomfort in his elbow to dissipate,” Levine said.

BRIEFLY

Molitor said outfielder Eddie Rosario has a sore wrist after landing awkwardly following a throw from left field Wednesday. Rosario was the team’s designated hitter Thursday with Danny Santana making his 2017 debut in left field.

Are batters guessing more? Twins’ Paul Molitor says yes John Shipley | Pioneer Press | April 6, 2017

For those of a certain age, the instructions were simple in Little League. When you get two strikes on you, shorten up and swing for contact.

Is that still the case in the major leagues?

“Eh,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said.

The subject was guessing on the part of big-league hitters. Hall of Fame professional hitter Rod Carew is on record as believing modern players guess way too much, and Molitor, a contemporary and Cooperstown peer, doesn’t disagree.

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“I think that’s probably true. I think it’s related to the acceptance of the strikeouts,” he said. “To guess with two strikes, to me, I don’t know how a guy can do that unless you don’t care about striking out.

“If it’s Miguel Sano with two outs and nobody on, maybe he wants to take a shot at a pitch with two strikes. That’s a little different than a guy on second base with two outs in a tie game in the seventh. But I think there is maybe a little more of that, and you see a little more wild swinging, particularly early in counts, because of it.” Another part, the manager said, could be attributed to advanced analytics, which Molitor said might lead to what he called “high-end guessing.”

“Anticipation, I like to call it,” said Joe Mauer, the three-time American League batting champion who brought a .308 career batting average into this season. “I think as you get older, and with more information available, you might take a chance here or there.

“But with two strikes, I’m a guy that hates to strike out. I feel like that doesn’t really do anything for your team, so I always try to put the ball in play and put pressure on the defense. But, yeah, there’s times when I take a chance.”

Not all hitters have abandoned the old rules, said Twins left-hander Hector Santiago, who won his pitching debut on Wednesday.

Santiago gave up one run on four hits and two walks in a 9-1 victory over Kansas City, and he recalled the run was an RBI single by Paulo Orlando, who worked back from a 0-2 count on a fastball away and a change-up.

“He swung over the top of (the change-up),” Santiago said. “Then it was 2-2 and (I threw) a change-up away, and he got a base hit for an RBI single. He made that little bit of an adjustment, stayed back a little longer. Guys definitely still do that.”

Minnesota drew 16 walks in the first two games of the series, an impressive start for a team asked to give Molitor better at-bats. But the manager wouldn’t take credit.

“It speaks to the developing ability to recognize pitches and trust that you can hit with two strikes and all those things,” he said. “We like aggressiveness, but guys that constantly swing at balls and get behind in the count, or get in a 1-1 count and then chase a pitch and now it’s 1-2 instead of 2-1, those are subtle differences that change what you can do offensively.

“The numbers back it up, which counts are better for production and average. Whether it’s (Max) Kepler, or (Byron) Buxton or Miguel (Sano) or (Eddie) Rosario, these guys are all trying to understand getting good pitches and how you can control that by being more disciplined.”

Twins get key hits, outs to sweep Royals Rhett Bollinger | MLB | April 6, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS -- It wasn't quite the six-run outbursts the Twins had in the seventh inning in their first two games, but a two-run seventh, keyed by a go-ahead RBI double from Jason Castro, was enough to help Minnesota to a 5-3 win over the Royals on Thursday to complete a three-game sweep at Target Field.

With the game locked at 3, Miguel Sano stayed hot with a one-out single off lefty Mike Minor and scored on an RBI double into the right-center- field gap from Castro, who reached safely nine times in 12 plate appearances during the series. Jorge Polanco followed with an RBI double off third baseman Mike Moustakas' glove to give Minnesota an insurance run.

"It's fun," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "We talk about perspective a lot, but to come out and beat a good team three times in a row to start your season makes you feel pretty good. There were a lot of good things again today. Another clean game."

The Royals had rallied to tie the game, scoring twice in the fifth against right-hander Kyle Gibson, with Salvador Perez connecting on a solo homer and Alcides Escobar stroking a two-out RBI double. After the Twins scored in the fifth on an RBI double from Max Kepler off right-hander Jason Hammel, Moustakas tied it up with a solo shot off Gibson in the sixth.

Minnesota took an early 2-0 lead, as Polanco had an RBI single to center before Eddie Rosario brought home a run on an RBI groundout that was a potential inning-ending double play but was mishandled by second baseman Raul Mondesi.

Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision; both surrendered three runs over five-plus innings. Minnesota's bullpen excelled yet again -- it didn't allow a run all series -- while Kansas City's bullpen gave up 14 runs in eight innings. Closer Brandon Kintzler picked up his first save of the year for the Twins, while new addition Matt Belisle threw a scoreless inning in all three games. "I think our bullpen is a little underrated this year," Gibson said. "People might've wanted a couple bigger signings or whatever, but Matty 11

Belisle brings a veteran presence and Kintzler is just Mr. Steady out there."

The Royals' bullpen has been elite in recent years.

"We didn't have this problem in Spring Training," said manager Ned Yost, whose staff walked 23 hitters in 24 innings. "It'll iron itself out."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Pressly to the rescue: The Royals tied the score at 3 in the sixth on Moustakas' second home run of the series. The Royals then had a chance to break the game open as they loaded the bases with one out on singles by Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer and a walk to Brandon Moss. But right- hander Ryan Pressly came on and got Paulo Orlando to line out to center and Escobar to ground out softly to short.

"I wasn't really thinking," Pressly said. "I just wanted to go out there and pitch. In a weird way, it was kind of calming. I can't really explain it. It was just me and Castro and letting the defense work behind you."

Moylan beats Buxton again: For the second straight game, Royals right-hander Peter Moylan was called upon to face Byron Buxton in the late going with runners on. Moylan struck out Buxton in the seventh Wednesday. This time, Buxton came up with the bases loaded in a 3-3 tie in the sixth with two out. Moylan struck him out on three pitches.

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS The last time the Twins opened the year with a three-game sweep was 2007, when they swept the Orioles at the Metrodome. They're aiming to start 4-0 for the first time since 1987, which was the first year they won the World Series.

The Royals were swept in three games to start the season for the first time since 2001, when the Yankees took three.

WHAT'S NEXT Royals: The Royals open a three-game set in Houston on Friday night at 7:10 CT as left-hander Jason Vargas makes his first start of the season. Vargas, who had Tommy John surgery in 2015, threw a team-high 23 1/3 innings in Spring Training, with a 3.84 ERA. Twins: The Twins head to Chicago for a three-game series that begins Friday at 7:10 p.m. CT. Right-hander Phil Hughes, who is coming off surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome, is set to make his first start of the season.

Castro states case with decisive knock Rhett Bollinger | MLB | April 6, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS -- As Twins catcher Jason Castro came back to the dugout after lacing the go-ahead RBI double, then scoring on a double from Jorge Polanco to give the Twins a two-run lead in the seventh, his new teammates couldn't help but joke with him.

Castro had been incredibly patient to that point -- walking in six of his first 11 plate appearances -- but on Thursday at Target Field he capitalized on an 0-1 slider from lefty Mike Minor. The pitch caught too much of the plate, and Castro drove it into the right-center gap to score Miguel Sano from first. It helped the Twins to a 5-3 win and three-game sweep over the Royals, and led to some good-natured ribbing from his teammates.

"The joke in the dugout was we were surprised he didn't walk again," right-hander Kyle Gibson said with a laugh. "But he's a good hitter. He has a good eye at the plate. It's not surprising a catcher knows the strike zone as well as he does at the plate. That was a big double there."

Much was made about Castro's abilities behind the plate when he signed a three-year, $24.5 million deal in the offseason, especially his pitch- framing skills, but it's clear he's trying to prove he has value offensively. Castro, an All-Star with the Astros in 2013, batted a combined .212/.291/.369 over the past three years, but worked hard this offseason to fix his swing and become more patient at the plate.

"I've kinda been around a while, and I tried to take a step back this offseason and try to re-evaluate everything," Castro said. "I felt like that was one thing I could stand to make adjustments on. I worked on it during Spring Training and it's worked out."

Castro is 3-for-6 with three RBIs, four runs and a .750 on-base percentage through the first three games, and all three hits have come against lefties. His ability to take close pitches has impressed manager Paul Molitor, who believes Castro can be a better hitter than what he's shown in recent seasons.

"He's had years where he's been a good offensive player in addition to being one of the better defensive catchers in the game," Molitor said. "He feels really good with his offense and it's showing in the balls he's hitting, but also the ones he's taking." 12

Castro's big hit came in a key spot, as the Twins left the bases loaded in the previous inning. This time, the red-hot Sano singled with one out to set the stage for Castro's perfectly placed double into right-center with Kansas City shading him to left.

Minor's pitch, a slider, hung up in the middle of the zone, and got such little movement it was categorized as a four-seam fastball by Statcast™. "I tried to overcorrect it because I'd kept spiking them," Minor said. "Overcorrected, and it kind of straightened out."

Hughes ready to face Holland, White Sox Rhett Bollinger | MLB | April 6, 2017

Twins right-hander Phil Hughes and White Sox lefty Derek Holland had injury-riddled 2016 seasons, and will look to start the 2017 season on a positive note when they square off in the series opener Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.

Hughes went 1-7 with a 5.95 ERA in 12 appearances before undergoing season-ending surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome. But he's healthy now, and is hoping to replicate a 2014 season that saw him put up a 3.52 ERA in 209 2/3 innings.

Holland, who signed with the White Sox on a one-year deal in the offseason, was limited to 22 appearances in his final year with the Rangers, posting a 4.95 ERA. The 107 1/3 innings were his most since 2013, so health also remains a key concern for Holland, who has dealt with knee and shoulder injuries in the past.

The Twins, coming off a series sweep against the Royals, have a chance to improve to 4-0 on Friday for the first time since 1987, when they won the World Series. Minnesota went 7-12 against the White Sox last year.

Things to know about the game • With Hughes, a right-hander, on the mound, Cody Asche is expected to serve as designated hitter for Chicago. He's alternating duties with the right-handed-hitting Matt Davidson.

• Robbie Grossman, who was held out of the lineup on Thursday, is expected to return as DH in the series opener against the left-handed Holland. The switch-hitter crushed lefties last year, batting .344/.418/.576 in 141 plate appearances.

• Brian Dozier stole three bases in the Twins' first three games while taking secondary leads of 27.3, 24.5 and 23.8 feet -- the first of those is a personal Statcast Era record on successful swipes of second. In 2016, Dozier averaged a secondary lead of 23.2 feet on such plays.

Haley arrives on scene with dad still en route Rhett Bollinger | MLB | April 6, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS -- Before Wednesday's game against the Royals, Twins right-hander Justin Haley received a text from his dad, Rich, who had booked a last-minute flight from Sacramento, Calif., to see his son potentially make his Major League debut.

But the flight wasn't set to land until 4:30 p.m. CT, so Rich Haley wasn't going to be able to make it in time to join Justin Haley's wife, Casey, for the second game of the season, which had a 12:10 p.m. start time.

"He texted me saying, 'I can't wait any more, and I really want to see you guys and hopefully see your debut. You better not throw today,'" Haley said. "As soon as he said that, I knew I was throwing."

Of course, Haley made his debut while his dad was flying across the country, and it was an impressive one: He threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning in Minnesota's 9-1 win. Haley and his wife picked up his dad at the airport after the game, and were at least able to tell him how it went. They also showed him the game ball that Haley gave to his wife, the lone family member there for his debut.

"She was really excited," Haley said. "She was really emotional. More so than even me. She has no control over how it goes and just hopes it goes well. We've gone through this journey together and now it's ended up here in the big leagues."

Haley, a Rule 5 Draft pick, will be eased into low-leverage roles until the Twins get a better sense for how his stuff will play in the Majors. He's not a hard thrower -- his fastball averaged 91.4 mph in his debut -- but has some funk to his delivery, and Twins manager Paul Molitor likes the way he locates his offspeed pitches. "To break him in that way yesterday, I think worked out well for us," Molitor said. "He's an interesting guy. He doesn't have a lot of velocity. But guys take funny swings against him because he has that crossfire and hides his delivery pretty well. You also gotta like how he locates his 13 changeup and curveball for strikes early. But in a Rule 5 situation, you generally want to be careful."

Haley, who had only 12 career relief appearances during his time in the Red Sox organization, said he's still adjusting to the bullpen, but is feeling more and more comfortable with the role.

"I've become pretty good with my routine as a reliever," Haley said. "I'm getting to where I can get ready in 10 or so throws and then the eight on the mound. I'm feeling like I'm heading toward that good point where I can be ready quick."

New Twins catcher Jason Castro makes his presence known in season-opening sweep Derek Wetmore | ESPN 1500 | April 6, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS — In the dead of a Minnesota winter, the Twins got a little bit of heat from the shrinking group of fans over the team’s quiet offseason. Well, the biggest offseason acquisition, Jason Castro, has made his presence felt immediately.

It’s only three games, but let’s give credit where it’s due with the Twins off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2007. Castro’s been an offensive force, he threw out a base stealer to complete a double play, and there’s also that subtle impact that’s hard to quantify: his defense and assistance provided to the pitcher on the mound.

“We’re kind of watching some of our game planning on certain hitters and how he was able to help Ervin [Santana] and then a couple of relievers execute,” manager Paul Molitor said Monday after an Opening Day Twins win. “It worked out well today”

You couldn’t read much about Castro this winter without finding rave reviews for the way he presents strikes to umpires and gets extra calls for his pitchers. But Castro’s added defensive value to the Twins goes beyond pitch framing, at least that’s the hope from the club’s decision makers.

A strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play in the first inning Wednesday helped Hector Santiago erase an early base runner. That skill is as- advertised for Castro, who has thrown out runners at about a league-average rate the past three seasons. Former Twins catcher, Kurt Suzuki, on the other hand, was one of the worst catchers at cutting down base stealers. Castro has thrown out 26.6% percent of attempted base thieves in the past three years, whereas Suzuki threw out just 19.3%. In fact, Suzuki had the lowest rate among the 24 catchers who had 2,000 combined innings behind the plate in the past three years.

And Castro seems to frequently be on the same page with the pitcher on the mound. Santiago was asked if he disagreed with any of Castro’s pitch selection decisions Wednesday. Santiago said he shook his head one time and asked Castro for a different pitch. He threw the one he wanted—and he gave up a base hit. Lesson learned, perhaps.

That’s perhaps the most important thing for the Twins, and the reason they committed three years and more than $24 million to the free-agent catcher. And yet, it’s hard to put a number on it.

The contract he signed seemed to be primarily about his defensive prowess and reputation as a catcher.

The impressive series with the bat, then, must be a bonus.

On Opening Day he delivered a 2-RBI single. On Wednesday he drew 4 walks and scored a pair of runs, including the eventual winning run in the 2nd inning. Thursday he was at it again, with another walk, two runs scored, and perhaps the biggest hit of the day for the Twins, a go-ahead RBI double in the 7th inning that gave the Twins a 4-3 lead.

“I’m trying to be a little bit more patient at the plate and not trying to force things,” Castro said. “I made some adjustments this offseason that I’m kind of tinkering with, trying to get the feel right over spring [training]. Kind of feeling good and the biggest test is that transition into games, that’s when you really see how those adjustments you made translate.”

Molitor was asked about Castro after a big first series at the plate.

“We saw a lot of good signs in camp about the way he was approaching his at-bats,” Molitor said. “He’s had years where he’s been a good offensive player, in addition to being one of the better defensive catchers in the game. I think he feels really good about his offense right now, and it’s showing up both in terms of the balls that he’s hitting and the pitches that he’s taking.”

It’s still too early to say Castro will turn back the clock to 2013, when he hit .276/.350/.485 with 18 home runs for the Astros, but it’s a nice start 14 to the season for the Twins biggest winter investment.

Wetmore’s 5 thoughts: Twins sweep, Sano at 3rd, a tricky decision, Castro’s early impact Derek Wetmore | ESPN 1500| April 6, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS – The Twins are riding high after winning a good ballgame Thursday, 5-3, to complete a sweep of the Royals. It’s a far cry from the start of last season, when the Twins stubbed all 10 toes and fell over forward on the way to an 0-9 start to the season. That club never really recovered, even though they didn’t play terrible baseball in all nine of those losses.

By contrast, the Twins played relatively good baseball in their three wins this week. They got decent if not extended starting pitching, they got solid work out of their bullpen, and the offense won the day by scoring 21 runs in the series.

This column presents 5 thoughts from the twins’ opening series against the Royals:

1. So far, mostly good from Miguel Sano playing third base.

Miguel Sano’s glove is one of the biggest unknowns headed into the season. We obviously won’t have a definitive answer after just three games. The early read, for me, is a little mixed.

On one hand, Sano has made the plays he’s been asked to make and he hasn’t been tagged with an error. On the other hand, Sano did boot one ball and was in the middle of a curious substitution in the 9th inning Wednesday.

The misplay wasn’t technically an error but it’s probably still worth noting. The Twins infield was shifted to the right side for one of Kansas City’s left-handed hitters, so Sano was playing near where you might expect to see a shortstop play. A ground ball was tapped in the infield and Sano came rushing in to try to make a play. He bobbled the ball and the runner was safe on what was scored a base hit. It’s a play Sano probably could have made. http://www.1500espn.com/twins-2/2017/03/miguel-sano-defense/

The curious substitution came in the 9th inning of a blowout Twins win Wednesday. With the game clearly out of hand and the Twins carrying only three total bench players in the first week of the season, manager Paul Molitor sent backup catcher Chris Gimenez to third base and bumped Sano over to first base defensively. Sano made a nice scoop on a bad throw from an infielder and Gimenez cleanly fielded a simple ground ball. The move worked just fine, but I couldn’t help but wonder if it’s an indication of anything.

Bench flexibility is important with only three reserves. If Molitor moved Sano to first base in favor of a slick-fielding defensive replacement, I wouldn’t have batted an eye. But when the backup catcher was used at third base and Sano moves to first (rather than the other way around), it caught my attention. Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe it was Molitor just testing his infield’s flexibility in a game that was already in hand. But I’m curious to see how often Sano plays first base this year – and which infielders the Twins appear to prefer as third basemen.

2. Run scoring in general has been good news for the Twins.

And more specifically – and coincidentally – 7th-inning run scoring against the Royals. I owe a tip of the cap to Twins Radio Network’s Kris Atteberry on this great nugget.

Preamble: It’s fair to note that this isn’t the same Royals bullpen we’ve grown accustomed to in recent years. They’ve still got relief ace Kelvin Herrera, but gone are Wade Davis and Greg Holland.

Still, this stat that was relayed to me was a little surprising: In the first two games of the series against the Royals, the Twins scored 12 runs in the 7th inning; in 7th innings in the 2015 and 2016 seasons (38 combined games against the Royals) the Twins scored 12 runs. I almost didn’t believe it when I heard it, so I looked it up. Sure enough: in the 7th inning, the Twins scored seven runs in 2016 and five runs in 2015 against Kansas City. The Twins were 4-15 against the Royals last year, and their struggles against the Central Division played a big part in the worst season in franchise history.

Now, we’re only talking about 38 totals innings that past two seasons and there’s some arbitrary nature to this stat, because K.C. didn’t always use a relief ace in the 7th in those previous two years. I just thought it was noteworthy because in this series, the Royals didn’t ever use a relief ace in the 7th inning. And the Twins capitalized on their opportunities.

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3. Danny Santana was involved in the kind of play Thursday that launched ‘5 thoughts’ a couple years ago.

Originally, I had intended the column to be observations about some smaller things that the box score might not have captured, and the column has sort of evolved over time. I couldn’t resist writing about this one, even though it won’t tell us much about the Twins going forward.

The Twins led the Royals 2-1 with a runner on first base and one out in the 5th inning. Alcides Escobar lined a ball to left field and speedy Paulo Orlando looked content to stop at third base as Escobar dug for a double. Santana tracked down the ball and threw it to second base to try to get the out – apparently conceding the run – and the Royals third base coach waved Orlando home.

I had wondered if it would have been more useful for Santana to throw to the plate and let the Twins take their chances with runners on second and third base with one out in the inning. Instead, Santana’s throw wasn’t handled cleanly and Escobar was safe at second base and the run scored to tie the game. After talking with several people on the Twins, I don’t exactly think it was a mistake on Santana’s part, it’s just a really tough split-second read – for the left fielder and for cutoff man Jorge Polanco. It looked to me like Polanco was sort of caught in between whether he’d be part of a relay to home or part of a relay to second base, and Santana just threw it in the air to Dozier at second base, unsuccessfully.

The Twins came through with a run in the 5th inning and two more in the 7th to take basically all of the spotlight away from that Santana- Polanco decision. I just figured I’d bring it up in the original spirit of the 5 thoughts column.

4. The way the team is currently built, it appears Molitor will play for matchup advantages.

We saw a different-looking lineup on Opening Day (against lefty Danny Duffy) than we did the next couple days, against right-handed pitchers. I’ll just share the lineups rather than get too deep on the topic after one series. If want to read more, I jotted down some general lineup thoughts during spring training.

LHP (Monday):

2B Brian Dozier DH Robbie Grossman CF Byron Buxton 1B Joe Mauer 3B Miguel Sano C Jason Castro SS Jorge Polanco RF Max Kepler LF Eddie Rosario

RHP (Thursday):

2B Brian Dozier RF Max Kepler CF Byron Buxton 1B Joe Mauer 3B Miguel Sano C Jason Castro SS Jorge Polanco DH Eddie Rosario LF Danny Santana

Molitor also showed a willingness to use everybody in the first series. The only players who haven’t seen action yet are Michael Tonkin and the two starting pitchers scheduled to go next, Phil Hughes and Adalberto Mejia.

In general, I try to think about every hitter as two different hitters—one against righties and one against lefties. Sometimes those two different hitters combine to be a good one overall, like, say, Dozier. Other times, the weaknesses against one type of pitcher makes him far less appealing in those matchups. I’m curious to see how the Twins play that this season with some of the guys expected to be regular contributors.

5. Free agent catcher Jason Castro has made an early impact. 16

The biggest offseason acquisition has made his presence felt immediately.

Castro had a good series offensively, and also was part of a double play Wednesday, nabbing Alex Gordon attempting to steal second base after a strikeout. That skill is as-advertised for Castro, who has thrown out runners at about a league-average rate the past three seasons. Former Twins catcher, Kurt Suzuki, on the other hand, was one of the worst catchers at cutting down base stealers. Castro has thrown out 26.6% percent of attempted base thieves in the past three years, whereas Suzuki threw out just 19.3%. In fact, Suzuki had the lowest rate among the 24 catchers who had 2,000 combined innings behind the plate in the past three years.

Castro also chipped in at the plate, which you might consider gravy if you’re the Twins. On Opening Day he delivered a 2-RBI single. On Wednesday he drew 4 walks and scored a pair of runs, including the eventual winning run in the 2nd inning. Thursday he was at it again, with perhaps the biggest hit of the day for the Twins, a go-ahead RBI double in the 7th inning that gave the Twins a 4-3 lead.

It was a good first series for the Twins biggest winter investment.

—

We’ve hit our maximum for thoughts, so we’ll save other noteworthy things for another day. Like Jorge Polanco’s glove (and arm), Byron Buxton’s bat, the bullpen’s construction and usage, the outfield defense, leveraging matchup advantages and plenty more. If you’re new to these 5 thoughts columns, feel free to hang around this summer. Also, I send out an occasional Twins newsletter, which you can subscribe to below.

Zulgad: It might be a small sample size but after last season Twins aren’t about to downplay victories Judd Zulgad | ESPN 1500 | April 6, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS – How well did things go for the Twins’ in their season-opening series against the Kansas City Royals?

Byron Buxton went 1-for-14 with seven strikeouts in the three games while batting third in each, yet manager Paul Molitor quickly dismissed a question about whether he might drop his over-matched center fielder in the order.

“I’m not thinking about doing that,” Molitor said. “We just won three games.”

Molitor wasn’t even asked about his plans for cleanup hitter Joe Mauer, who went 1-for-11 with three strikeouts.

That’s right, the Twins’ Nos. 3 and 4 hitters went a combined 2-for-25 with 10 strikeouts and, still, a season after starting 0-9 the Twins improved to 3-0 with a 5-3 victory over Kansas City on Thursday at Target Field. That gave the Twins’ 21 runs, while the Royals produced only five, including one apiece in each of the first two games.

This is the Twins’ first 3-0 start since 2007 and the 11th time the franchise has won its first three games since relocating to the Twin Cities in 1961. In losing a franchise-record 103 games last year, the Twins swept only two series. It took the only one series for them to get their first sweep in 2017, and they are three victories from equaling their best start to a season (1968).

“It’s fun,” Molitor said after watching newcomer Jason Castro and Jorge Polanco drive in seventh-inning runs to lift the Twins. “We talk about perspective a lot, but obviously you come out and you’re able to beat a good team three days in a row to start your season. It makes you feel pretty good. (There were) a lot of good things again today.”

Just how good the Royals are going to be this season is up for debate. Kansas City once possessed one of the best bullpens in baseball, but that group imploded in the first three games. Mike Minor gave up two runs on Thursday and in three games the Royals’ relievers surrendered 14 runs, 13 hits and walked 11 in eight innings.

Meanwhile, the Twins bullpen pitched 10 scoreless innings with two walks, five hits and 11 strikeouts in the three games. This included a key appearance by righthander Ryan Pressly on Thursday. Pressly entered for Craig Breslow in the sixth inning with the score tied at 3, the bases loaded and one out. Paulo Orlando then lined out to Buxton and Alcides Escobar grounded into a force out to end the inning.

The bullpen, one of the worst in the big leagues a year ago, wasn’t the only area where the Twins showed improvement. Molitor’s team also showed displayed discipline at the plate, drawing 23 walks in the three games, the most walks in a three-game series by Minnesota since it had 23 in April 2014 against Toronto. 17

Once again, this probably says as much about Kansas City’s pitching as it does the Twins’ patience, but considering how bad things were in 2016, any sign of progress is going to be welcomed at Target Field.

“I wouldn’t say (it’s us) necessarily being patient because we’re an aggressive team,” second baseman Brian Dozier said. “That’s one of the things in spring training, we created more discipline in all aspects of the game, offensively, too.

“Not just going up there swinging trying to hit the long ball every time. Figuring out ways to create runs each and every inning. Whether it be walks, they were giving it to us yesterday, (Ian) Kennedy and a couple other bullpen guys, doing those little things. That’s what wins you games.”

What also wins you games is limiting mistakes in the field and so far the Twins have done that.

One exception came in the fifth inning when Escobar hit a ball over the head of Danny Santana, the Twins’ utilityman who was playing left field. Santana raced to track down the ball and decided to throw to second even though the lead runner, Orlando, was going to hold up at third. Orlando, however, broke for home when the throw went to Dozier. The second baseman hurried a throw to the plate that was off the mark as Escobar scored to tie it at 2-2.

Last season, that play would have been a surprise to no one. In this series, it was a rare miscue.

There are many buzzwords and phrases thrown around by the new-era of seamheads who enjoy their baseball with two scoops of analytics. One of those is “small sample size.” The Twins’ start would certainly qualify.

There are 159 games to go and the Twins are about to embark on their first road trip, which will begin Friday against the White Sox. Just as Molitor refuses to express too much concern about Buxton’s lousy start at the plate, he also knows full well it would be foolish to get overly excited about three wins over Kansas City in April.

Nonetheless, for a manager who lost his first nine games in 2017 and went 1-6 to start his first season in 2015, this is a nice change of pace.

“I think a season does kind of bring times of momentum that can go both directions,” Molitor said. “We talk a lot about young players and confidence and going out there and feeling like you’ve got the entire locker room behind you, whether you have a good day or a bad day.

“I don’t want to make too much out of it. It beats the alternative, as we know all too well from just a year ago. Getting a couple wins under our belt early, it’s got to make those players feel awfully good about what they’re doing and we’ll try to carry it over onto the road trip.”

Bullpen helps Twins sweep Royals, start season 3-0 AP | FOX Sports| April 6, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS — Three consecutive wins has restored some confidence for the Minnesota Twins, an early boost for their final record.

After all, dropping their first nine games last year undeniably paved the way for a major league-leading and club-record 103 losses.

Jason Castro and Jorge Polanco hit consecutive RBI doubles in the seventh inning as the Twins dented Kansas City’s bullpen again and beat the Royals 5-3 Thursday to sweep the season-opening series.

“It beats the alternative, as we know all too well from just a year ago,” manager Paul Molitor said. “But to get a couple wins under our belt here early, it’s got to make those players feel awfully good about what they’re doing.”

The Twins are 3-0 for the first time since 2007. The Royals have their first 0-3 start since 2001. This was Minnesota’s first sweep of Kansas City in 18 series between them since April 2014. The Royals went 53-23 against the Twins over the last four seasons.

“We don’t care who’s standing across from us. We’re going to go out there and take what’s ours,” said Max Kepler, who had an RBI double in the fifth and reached base three times.

Salvador Perez and Mike Moustakas homered off Twins starter Kyle Gibson to take Jason Hammel off the hook in his Royals debut, but new left- hander Mike Minor (0-1) surrendered the two-runs in the seventh inning, when the Royals were outscored 14-0 in the series.

Taylor Rogers (1-0) worked the seventh for the victory, and Brandon Kintzler pitched a perfect ninth for his first save. 18

“Everybody’s not walking on eggshells around here,” said Twins right-hander Ryan Pressly, who escaped a one-out, bases-loaded situation in the sixth. “We’re going to keep this going, and it’s going to be a fun year.”

The Royals walked 23 batters in the series.

“That’s unheard of,” Hammel said. “That’s just absurd. We’ve got to throw strikes.”

Sure enough, a one-out walk by Castro, already his sixth this season, was in the middle of a two-run second inning by the Twins that gave Gibson an early edge. Polanco had an RBI single during the rally.

“I think guys are just trying to get in a groove right now,” Minor said. “Beginning of the year. I don’t really look at it too much.”

The Royals allowed 14 runs in eight relief innings in the series. The Twins got 10 scoreless innings from their bullpen, with five hits, two walks and 11 strikeouts.

“It’ll iron itself out. We didn’t have this issue in spring training, so it’s just a little bump in the road for us,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

WHIFFING BUXTON

Byron Buxton fanned with the bases loaded to finish the sixth and is 1 for 14 with an infield single, a walk and seven strikeouts. Molitor said he’s not going to move the 2012 second overall draft pick out of the third spot in the batting order.

ANOTHER DEBUT

Hammel began his 12th major league season, with his sixth different team. He signed a $16 million, two-year contract in February with the Royals, who needed a replacement in the rotation following the death of Yordano Ventura in a Dominican Republic car crash. Hammel gave up six hits and four walks in five innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Limited to 27 games last season by injuries to his thumb and knee, Moustakas is 4 for 13 with two homers to start 2017.

Twins: Perkins threw a bullpen session Wednesday, but progress in regaining strength in his surgically repaired left shoulder has been limited to “baby steps,” general manager Thad Levine said.

UP NEXT

Royals: Stay on the road with a visit to Houston for a three-game series starting Friday, with LHP Jason Vargas scheduled to start. Vargas returned from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery to make three starts at the end of last season. The Astros will send RHP Mike Fiers to the mound.

Twins: Travel to Chicago for a three-game series beginning Friday, with RHP Phil Hughes making his first start since June 2. A batted ball broke the femur bone in his left leg before Hughes was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome that required removal of a rib. For the White Sox, LHP Derek Holland will take the mound.

Top 10 regular seasons in Minnesota pro sports history Tom Dierberger | FOX Sports | April 6, 2017

1991 MINNESOTA TWINS Record: 95-67

Summary: It didn't start out promising. The Kirby Puckett-led Minnesota Twins slumped to a 2-9 start to the season, but they erased it with a 15- game winning streak in June to move from fifth place in the AL West Division all the way into first. Chuck Knoblauch won the Rookie of the Year award after scoring 78 runs and hitting .281, and Puckett produced a .319 batting average. But the real story was pitching - Jack Morris came to the Twins after spending 14 seasons with the Detroit Tigers and won 18 games while leading the team in strikeouts (163). A 23-year-old Scott Erickson led the league with his 20-8 record and finished second in the Cy Young award voting. 19

How it ended: MLB champions. Beat the Atlanta Braves the World Series, 4-3.

2006 MINNESOTA TWINS Record: 96-66

Summary: The year of the M&M Boys. Catcher Joe Mauer and first baseman Justin Morneau shared a condo off the field and a whole lot of success on it. Mauer, in second full season, won his first AL batting title while hitting .347, unheard of for a catcher. Morneau slugged 34 home runs with 130 RBI and hit .321 to become the first to become the first Twins player to win the MVP since Rod Carew in 1977. But the Twins weren't finished. Pitcher Johan Santana (19-6, 2.77 ERA, 245 K) won the Cy Young award for the second time in his career, and a 30-year-old Torii Hunter won his sixth consecutive Gold Glove while guarding the center field walls of the Metrodome.

How it ended: Swept in the AL Divisional Round by Frank Thomas and the Oakland Athletics.

1965 MINNESOTA TWINS Record: 102-60

Summary: Zoilo Versalles won the 1965 MVP award when he led the league in runs (126), doubles (45) and triples (12). He also stole 27 bases and won a Gold Glove for his play at shortstop. Tony Oliva, coming off a Rookie of the Year award in 1964, finished second in MVP voting (185 hits, .321 BA). Their 102 wins ranks first in franchise history and is the only time Minnesota has recorded a 100-win season.

How it ended: Lost to Sandy Koufax and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, 4-3.

The Cautionary Tale - A Minnesota Twins preview P.Noles | SB Nation | April 7, 2017

If you want to get a sense of how quickly baseball thinking has evolved since the turn of the century, look no further than the Minnesota Twins.

2010 marked the end of a nine-year stretch during which Minnesota won the American League Central six times. The feat was especially impressive given that the Twins didn’t have a large payroll to work with. Indeed, Minnesota was thought of as one of the best-run organizations in baseball.

A mere six years later, with the same leader in Terry Ryan championing the same organizational philosophies, the Twins were considered a franchise hopelessly behind the times. Their ability to develop pitchers had disappeared completely, and a big reason is that they overvalued control and undervalued strikeouts in a time of declining offense and contact rates. In the last six years, a Twins pitcher surpassed 3.5 fWAR just once. It was Phil Hughes who accomplished that feat in 2014, and he did it in the Twinsiest way possible: by walking almost nobody.

Four consecutive seasons of 70 or fewer wins from 2011-2014 should have theoretically given Minnesota a strong enough base of draft picks to look like a competitive team by now. Repeated player development failures have instead put them as far away from that goal as they’ve ever been. The Twins lost 103 games in 2016. The last time they did that, they were called the Washington Senators. Ryan was deservedly fired in mid-July.

Ryan’s replacements are new chief baseball officer Derek Falvey and general manager Thad Levine, two men who have inherited a heck of a mess. The 59-win Twins squad also carries with it a below-average farm system, largely because most of the previous top prospects graduated and “contributed” to that league-worst 2017 campaign. The best Twins prospects that didn’t lose their eligibility last year are all at least a year away from playing a major role, so if the Twins are to escape from the cellar this year, they’ll need the young players who are already on their major league roster to take a significant step forward.

There’s worse things than that to bank on. The Twins’ chances of actually being competitive this year are very minimal, but in all likelihood they’ll take a big step forward in the win column despite mostly retaining the same players. A big reason for that is center fielder Byron Buxton, who had a September to remember last year. After failing in two major league stints, Buxton slugged .653 down the stretch last year and if you pair that kind of power with his elite defense in center, you’ve got a hell of a player. Francisco Lindor is awesome, but there’s a non-trivial (albeit small) chance that we’re calling Buxton the best player in the division a year from now.

Another man with potential to make big strides is lumbering slugger Miguel Sano. We’ve been hearing about the Sano hype train since he was 16 years old, but now that he’s 24 and 800-some plate appearances into his major league career, the excitement has cooled off a little bit. Sano 20 strikes out more than Adam Dunn and hasn’t locked down a defensive position. The Twins will try him full-time at third this year and he could be of great value if he can stop either his glove or contact rate from registering as a significant liability.

German-born 24-year-old Max Kepler doesn’t hit the ball as hard as Sano, but he has plenty of power potential and could be a future star for the Twins in right field. Between these young potential stars, a legitimate All-Star in Brian Dozier at the keystone, and Joe Mauer’s still-useful bat, the Twins should have no problems generating offense. Rather, the issue with any sort of attempt at contention lies with their run prevention efforts. The Twins are a bad defensive team, but the real problem is that they don’t have budding stars like this on their near-term pitching staff.

The closest thing that the Twins have to a potential ace is 23-year-old Jose Berrios, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at his major league numbers from last season. Berrios struggled tremendously with his command through 14 big league starts in 2016 and that hurt his ability to set up his best pitch, the changeup. Still, he terrorized Triple-A hitters when he was down in the minors and his pedigree suggests he’s still a reasonable bet to become an above-average starting pitcher, something the Twins sorely need.

Targeting more high-ceiling pitching prospects like Berrios is something Falvey and Levine need to do in order to turn this organization’s future around. Low-strikeout guys like Kyle Gibson, Nick Blackburn, and Scott Diamond have been the biggest recent success stories of the Twins’ starting pitching development efforts, and I’ll forgive you if you’re now too sad to read any further. The new regime doesn’t exactly have to do much to surpass the old one in this department.

Fortunately, Falvey and Levine are said to have a good understanding of analytics and showed it with their most significant free agency move. Minnesota didn’t do much over the offseason, but they did make one of the best signings of the winter by inking pitch-framing savant Jason Castro for the next few years. The Twins should see some immediate improvement over the worthless Kurt Suzuki, but more importantly, a good framer like Castro is an excellent asset to have around when you’re trying to break in a young pitcher like Berrios. Or Lucas Giolito. Or Reynaldo Lopez. Or Michael Kopech. Or I’m not bitter I’m not bitter I’m not bitter I’m not.....

Despite likely steps forward from their players and likely improvements to their process, the Twins seem to be at least a couple of years away from being serious players in the AL Central. Sadly, this was the same thing that was being said about them in 2013, when the franchise was enduring just its third straight year of “suck”. We’ve seen other teams around the league execute scorched-earth rebuilds and subsequently amass the young talent necessary to sustain a contender, but it’s important to remember that following that path does not actually guarantee that a team will break out of the doldrums. Successful teams demand our attention and we consequently look to how they were built for a strategic model to apply to our team. That’s a fine thing to do, but it’s just as essential to understand how a team with a once-hyped crop of prospects found itself losing 103 games in the sixth year of its recession.

Probable Starting Pitchers

Friday, April 7 - Phil Hughes vs. Derek Holland

Saturday, April 8 - Adalberto Mejia vs. Miguel Gonzalez

Sunday, April 9 - Ervin Santana vs. Jose Quintana

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