All Things 2020 Minnesota Twins In-Season Thread

[GophersInIowa]

so, based on what I've seen, it looks like the Twins will play 10 games against each of the other teams in their division (Cleveland, White Sox, KC and Detroit.) Then, they will play 4 games against each team from the NL Central division (Pirates, Reds, Cubs, Cardinals, Brewers).

as of today, I have not seen any schedule released, so I don't know if they would play home-and-home series against the NL teams or just play one 4-game series either home or away.

It's a moot point with no fans, but I would love to see a Twins game at Wrigley. Haven't been to a game there in over 20 years.

I'm guessing they will try to limit traveling as much as possible so my guess is it'll be 4 game series except for one 2 home, 2 away against Milwaukee to even out the home and road games.

I wouldn't be surprised if the divisional games are just two 5-game series against each team.

 

[Ope3]

Thought this was interesting, 2 coaches are being sidelined due to Covid concerns.

Also Dazzle and Provus will not be travelling on the road. They will call games from a monitor. I am sure this will detract from the production, but I will get over it (assuming they even start).

Twins coaches Bob McClure, 68, and Bill Evers, 66, sidelined for season

The team is taking precautions with its two oldest coaches because of the COVID-19 epidemic.

www.startribune.com

 

[howeda7]

Thought this was interesting, 2 coaches are being sidelined due to Covid concerns.

Also Dazzle and Provus will not be travelling on the road. They will call games from a monitor. I am sure this will detract from the production, but I will get over it (assuming they even start).

Twins coaches Bob McClure, 68, and Bill Evers, 66, sidelined for season

The team is taking precautions with its two oldest coaches because of the COVID-19 epidemic.

www.startribune.com

I get why they're doing it but the radio part is weird. Is it just going to be dead silent in the background or will they put in fake stadium noise? I guess it will be for home games anyway with no fans.

 

[BleedGopher]

per Shama:

With the Minnesota Twins training this week for their 60-game schedule that begins in late July, it would be surprising if the front office isn’t thinking about trading left fielder Eddie Rosario for pitching help. “The wheels” are likely turning, a veteran baseball observer told Sports Headliners.

He said Rosario’s age, productive past and minimal contract, combined with high potential replacement candidates from Minnesota’s farm system, point toward the five-year veteran clearly being the most likely Twin who could be traded this summer. Rosario, who turns 29 in September, had a career season in 2019 in home runs (32) and RBI (109, sixth best in the American League).

While Rosario is in his peak years and has impressive traditional stats like a .279 lifetime batting average in the majors, other metrics are less desirable such as chasing pitches outside of the strike zone. At times observers have also questioned his hustle and fielding.

Rosario is in the final season of his contract and in 2020 is paid $7,750,000 per Spotrac.com. That’s not a lot by MLB standards for a hitter of his quality. A new deal might pay him a not so costly $13 million in 2021. That’s attractive to teams who could be looking for one more solid bat in the race for the 2020 playoffs and success in the postseason.

Minnesota’s minor league system has two hyped left field candidates to replace Rosario, if not this season, then perhaps next. Alex Kirilloff, a former first round draft choice in 2016, was ranked the 32nd best prospect in baseball by MLB.com earlier this year. Trevor Larnach, a first round selection in 2018, is also one of the most valued prospects in the Twins’ system. Both are left-handed hitters like Rosario.

In the short term, the Twins have other options in replacing Rosario. In parts of two seasons Jake Cave has impressed in the outfield and been okay with his hitting. Multi-positional veteran Marwin Gonzalez, who in 425 bats last year for the Twins drove in 55 runs, plays in the infield and outfield.

Minnesota’s 40-man roster announced earlier this week has just four left-handed pitchers. Devin Smeltzer and Rich Hill have MLB resumes both starting and relieving, while Taylor Rogers and Lewis Thorpe are bullpen specialists. The imbalance between left-handed and right-handed pitchers (four versus 18) could certainly figure into analysis for a Rosario trade.

David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Go Gophers!!

 

[short ornery norwegian]

According to the Twins Radio Network, they expect the game schedule and broadcast schedule to be announced "early next week." Could be they're waiting til after the holiday weekend.

On the road radio games, Reusse was talking to Gladden about that. Gladden did not sound happy. He was wondering what type of camera angles they would have to call the game from.

personally, I hope they do not pipe in phony crowd noise. I would rather be able to hear the players, coaches and umpires. Although it's possible a few words might sneak in that the networks and MLB would prefer we don't hear.

 

[tikited]

If they are in/near first place, I don't see them dumping a key guy like Rosario during the season. There would be a lot of upset guys in the clubhouse. Besides the odds of everyone staying healthy and productive among Buxton/Sano/Donaldson/Rosario/Gonzalez/Kepler isn't that high, IMO.

I get why they would trade him and would be cool with it for the most part. I just like Eddie and fear it would be another Rick Reed like trade (for those who remember him).

 

[GophersInIowa]

Thought this was interesting, 2 coaches are being sidelined due to Covid concerns.

Also Dazzle and Provus will not be travelling on the road. They will call games from a monitor. I am sure this will detract from the production, but I will get over it (assuming they even start).

Twins coaches Bob McClure, 68, and Bill Evers, 66, sidelined for season

The team is taking precautions with its two oldest coaches because of the COVID-19 epidemic.

www.startribune.com

Several players around the league are opting not to play this year as well.

 

[howeda7]

Several players around the league are opting not to play this year as well.

I've seen Ryan Zimmerman. Any other notable players?

 

[GophersInIowa]

I've seen Ryan Zimmerman. Any other notable players?

Ian Desmond, a few others

 

[howeda7]

Reusse speculates that Gardy (over 60 with previous health issues) will not manage the Tigers this year. I wonder if the NFL will try and sideline coaches over 60. I don't see Bellichick or Zimmer taking that without a fight.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Reusse speculates that Gardy (over 60 with previous health issues) will not manage the Tigers this year. I wonder if the NFL will try and sideline coaches over 60. I don't see Bellichick or Zimmer taking that without a fight.

Just put them in these bad boys

 

[Moonlight]

Gladden is already pretty challenged in calling a game - seems hard for him to remember we cant see what is happening and probably dont have graphics. He's not really wired for this kind of new wrinkle.

So question: I busted my cable down to basic when sports went away, and I'm feeling good about that. Suggestions for how to catch what baseball will be happening this summer?

 

[TruthSeeker]

If they are in/near first place, I don't see them dumping a key guy like Rosario during the season. There would be a lot of upset guys in the clubhouse. Besides the odds of everyone staying healthy and productive among Buxton/Sano/Donaldson/Rosario/Gonzalez/Kepler isn't that high, IMO.

He'd be great trade bait to help bolster the starting staff.

 

[gophersfan]

 

[Plausible Deniability]

Wouldn't it really be better if he just passed it on to the rest of the team and got it over with?

There are rumors, pretty much unsubstantiated, that there are SEC football teams that will actually move forward like this in the coming weeks to get herd immunity on the team and get past it, get moving with their season.

 

[Nax5]

So wait, they are shortening the baseball season to 60 games?

Honestly, that may be the best thing to happen to baseball. I've always felt like there were way too many games. Never felt compelled to watch any individual game, as they didn't feel that important.

 

[GopherVotary]

I've seen Ryan Zimmerman. Any other notable players?

David Price.

 

[BleedGopher]

per Sid:

Jottings

• Twins President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey said training camp at Target Field could have a lot of intrasquad games. “Pitchers are sometimes throwing four, five innings at a time against your own hitters. I would expect that to be the predominant way we will keep those pitchers active and ready.”

• Twins pitching prospect Jhoan Duran made the 59-man roster and could be a big surprise. General Manager Thad Levine said about Duran at spring training: “He was one of the pieces that we acquired when we traded Eduardo Escobar to the Arizona Diamondbacks. That was a tough trade for us due to the popularity of Escobar. Duran was really the centerpiece of that deal. A righthanded starter, 6-5, 240 pounds, throws 94-98 with a four-pitch mix.”

Vikings need to develop depth behind their stars

The backups on the roster are lacking experience.

www.startribune.com

Win Twins!!

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Not quite Twins related - but the Washington Nationals are making a stink over covid testing. All of the players got tested, but they haven't received the results so they called off workouts.

apparently all the MLB teams are running their tests through the same place, and there are already concerns being expressed about the place being able to handle the load and get results out in a timely fashion.

 

[BleedGopher]

Win Twins!!

 

[golf]

All I want to know is how many games is Blyleven doing? I watch the game without sound when he is on board. Morneau, Smalley, Hunter, Kelly are all great. Hawkins so-so. They give interesting analysis and inside info, which is much better than Bert reading from the press guide.

 

[tikited]

All I want to know is how many games is Blyleven doing? I watch the game without sound when he is on board. Morneau, Smalley, Hunter, Kelly are all great. Hawkins so-so. They give interesting analysis and inside info, which is much better than Bert reading from the press guide.

I still like Bert when he gets cranky about something.

Kelly is painful to listen to imo.

 

[golf]

Kelly doesnt do many games so good for you there. I would probly rank morneau as my favorite, but smalley and hunter are great as well.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

I have no idea how they are adjusting for the short season. Originally, Bert was only going to work 30 games - out of 162. FSN was going to rotate a bunch of color guys with Morneau, Smalley, Torii Hunter, LaTroy Hawkins and TK taking turns.

Not to mention the fact that the announcers will not be travelling to road games. I know Dick Bremer said he will be calling road games from his booth in Target Field, working off a monitor. I can't see Bert coming up from Florida to work games like that. So, the color man will be anyone who's in town and available.

 

[BleedGopher]

STrib: Twins' new/old lefthander Rich Hill doesn't shy away from World Series aspirations


It’s not training camp without big talk, and lefthander Rich Hill provided it Tuesday.

Speaking one day after he faced hitters for the first time since undergoing offseason elbow surgery, Hill took things a step further when he was asked a question about the capability of the starting rotation.

“What we’re capable of as a group is winning the World Series,” he said.

Hill certainly knows how to get to a World Series, as he started games in 2017 and 2018 while with the Dodgers. And he didn’t do too shabby, either, posting a 1.80 ERA in three starts. Unfortunately, the Dodgers feel short in both series.

But the 40-year old Hill knows what a good team looks like. And he picked the Twins believing they are ready to take another step.

While the Twins took some criticism for not adding front line starting pitching during the offseason, Hill feels the unit can be a force.

“You certainly see a lot of talk about the lineup, obviously, and I think when we look at the lineup it’s one of the best lineups in baseball,” he said. “You look at a bullpen that had tremendous success last year, and extremely underrated. And now looking at a rotation that’s been, with [Jose] Berrios and with [Kenta] Maeda jumping in there, getting traded over from L.A. Obviously the pieces of the puzzle are there to make the rotation one of the best in baseball as well. I think when we look at that entire lineup, bullpen, and rotation, we’re in a very good position to do some special things.”

Twins' new/old lefthander Rich Hill doesn't shy away from World Series aspirations

The 40-year-old, a contender for the rotation after offseason elbow surgery, chose to come to the Twins because of their potential.

www.startribune.com

Win Twins!!

 

[Ope3]

Some thoughts from watching Game 1 of the Tigers at Twins 1987 ALCS which FSN replayed earlier this week

> This is my favorite sporting event involving a Minnesota pro/college team that I saw in person. The legend of how crazy loud the HHH Metrodome would be for virtually every pitch was well known by the WS but walking in that night who knew it would be like that? I had just started at the U as a freshman, pretty sure it was the first time had taken the Rt 16 to the Dome. Fortunately a friend and I had the foresight to apply for play-off tix. $15 for Upper Deck LF. I was psyched for my first taste of postseason ball. I wish I had the foresight to also get WS tix, though I was able get tix for Games 2, 6 & 7.

> Gary Gaetti lifted the roof off early with his HR in the bottom of the 2nd and added another later.

> I would have guessed at that time Sparky Anderson was in is late 60s, and not shocked if he was in his 70s. Costas indicated he was only 53.

> I forgot the Tigers actually took the lead in the 8th only for the Twins to rally back. Huge play was Puckett doubling in Gladden from 1st to tie it, great slide by Dazzle. Big pinch hit by Don Baylor.

> That Tigers line-up was stacked, huge win for the Twins. They were barely over .500 vs leftys. Winning that one really set them up well rotation wise.

> Steroids were just around the corner. Both teams look like twigs compared to shortly thereafter up to now.

> Both managers let their starters ride deep into the 8th and it led to both eventually giving up a lead. Today they would have been hooked by the 6th.

> Fun to watch a game without defensive shifts.

 

[howeda7]

Buxton goes down with an apparently serious leg injury. Not shocking but still.

 

[Mulligan]

Buxton goes down with an apparently serious leg injury. Not shocking but still.

I would really consider trading him. Of course then he'd go injury free for about 12 years and end up in the Hall of Fame.

 

[howeda7]

I would really consider trading him. Of course then he'd go injury free for about 12 years and end up in the Hall of Fame.

Too late. He's not tradable now and he's a FA in 2 years.

 

[Mulligan]

Too late. He's not tradable now and he's a FA in 2 years.

Um ... obviously when he heals.