Twins 2021

So they gave up 14 in 3 innings?

Dutchboy wrote:

So they gave up 14 in 3 innings?

Yep…..

Thats hard to do even in a ST game, unless Boston left their starters in all game.

Thanks for posting that Athletic article Dutch.

Dutchboy wrote:

Last time I posted a link people wanted a cut & paste.

Thanks bud
I think I will read it at work tomorrow tho…..pretty deep.

Their defense even with Sano & Garver in the line-up every day should be their strength if Buxton & Donaldson stay on the field.

The depth should be very good. They have a couple of guys who could be starters for lesser teams.

Pitching, both starting & relievers will be middle of the pack. They don’t have that one horse ( Santana, Morris, Viola) that you can trot out there.

Hitting, if Cruz gets old & Buxton & Donaldson are hurt they are in trouble.

They will battle the Sux to the end. The question is does management go get the big gun for help down the stretch? Me don’t think so.

It will be a fun year.

I actually agree with everything you said Tbro. I think we really agree on this team as a whole. Just certain parts of it differ in our opinions. And I actually think the bullpen on paper, is better this season.

I think getting runners on base to drive in will be the biggest issue for this club. Unless Polanco returns to hitting 300 and Buxton steps up in his OBP this team will have another year of hitting a ton of solo HRs and scoring in only one or two innings a game.

Defense I think will be strong except when Arraez has to play at 3rd and Buxton inevitably get’s injured. I’m not so sure Polanco is that much of an upgrade at 2b than Arraez. He has more range but not that much.

Just saw Taylor Rogers gave up 3 runs on 4 hits today. I know it’s early but man, they need him to turn it around this year. His location has been off for a year now. Hopefully he figures it out.

Another story in the Athletic by Gleeman.

By Aaron Gleeman 39m ago
Justin Morneau didn’t know what to expect.

He’d just been drafted by the Twins in the summer of 1999, and the 18-year-old kid from New Westminster, British Columbia, was in Minneapolis to sign his first professional contact and take some batting practice at the Metrodome.

Corey Koskie, in the middle of a breakout season for the Twins at age 26, went out of his way to welcome Morneau to the organization and to make his fellow Canadian feel comfortable, giving the wide-eyed prospect some batting gloves and bats, along with the promise to keep in touch. Years later, when Morneau was in big-league camp for the first time, Koskie was there to mentor him.

“I made plenty of mistakes,” Morneau told me last week, recalling his first big-league camp. “(Koskie) was there just saying, ‘Hey, you can’t do this or you can’t do that.’ And that’s kind of the way the game works. Everyone who’s been there understands. They remember what it was like to be a rookie. So you try to help guys along the way you were helped.”

Two decades later, Morneau is quick to credit Koskie for the impact he had on his career, on and off the field. And now the former MVP is paying it forward by taking Twins prospect and 2018 first-round pick Trevor Larnach under his wing. It began last spring, when Morneau was a special instructor in camp and sensed Larnach was a kindred spirit in terms of thinking and talking hitting.

“He reminded me a lot of myself as a young player,” Morneau said of the left-handed hitting Larnach. “Just full of questions. He’s one of those guys that just seems like a baseball rat in the most complimentary way.”

“It was so cool,” Larnach said of his first connection with Morneau last spring. “Because a guy like that, he’s willing to help guys and continuously talk hitting. It was super awesome and I can’t thank him enough for that. He’s always been super cool. I sent him a text, and he texted me back here and there. It was a really cool moment for myself and I’m pretty appreciative of the relationship.”

Like most teams, the Twins invite a revolving group of beloved former players to camp each spring. It’s not uncommon to see Tony Oliva signing autographs and holding court around the batting cage, or Johan Santana and Bert Blyleven watching over bullpen sessions. Morneau was one of those special instructors, and bonded with Larnach, a slugging corner outfielder and occasional first baseman.

“Drills, approach, scouting reports, everything that you could possibly think of, he helped me out with,” Larnach said.

“I talk to quite a few guys when I’m down there,” Morneau said of the special instructor role. “But the amount of questions (Larnach) asked, and his interest level and his desire to learn, it’s fun to be around young guys like that who are not afraid to ask questions. And who are not afraid to admit if they don’t know something or something you’re telling them doesn’t make sense.”

Last spring, early in camp, a group of the Twins’ top hitting prospects sat on the floor of the batting cage gathered around new arrival Josh Donaldson and special instructor Torii Hunter. Donaldson would take a few swings and then pause, explaining to his young audience the data being recorded and how they could use it to their advantage. They hung on the former MVP’s every word.

Larnach, sitting near the back, literally raised his hand to ask questions, like he was in a college class.

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER GROUP OF PROSPECTS GATHERED AROUND JOSH DONALDSON IN THE BATTING CAGE.

THIS TIME, DONALDSON HAS A CO-INSTRUCTOR: TORII HUNTER.

IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, YOU CAN SEE TOP-100 PROSPECT TREVOR LARNACH RAISING HIS HAND TO ASK A QUESTION, LIKE IT’S AN ACTUAL CLASS. PIC.TWITTER.COM/XNAKU8DVOT

— AARON GLEEMAN (@AARONGLEEMAN) FEBRUARY 19, 2020

That’s the baseball rat Morneau connected to right away.

“He enjoys the minutiae and repetition side of swing work more than anyone I’ve ever coached,” Twins minor-league hitting coordinator Donegal Fergus told me last week. “I tease him about being a psychopath in terms of his pursuit of perfection. He’s completely unafraid of challenge and craves work. You can’t bullshit him. He wants good conversation, and honest feedback and ideas.”

Larnach’s high school team won the California state title his senior year. Picked by the San Diego Padres in the 40th round, he instead opted to go to college at Oregon State and starred on a powerhouse team — including future No. 1 pick Adley Rutschman and No. 4 pick Nick Madrigal — that defeated Arkansas to win the College World Series his junior year.

Larnach led that stacked team in homers (19), slugging percentage (.652) and RBIs (77), and he delivered one of the biggest hits in school history in Game 2 of the best-of-three College World Series.

2-0 … LARNACH PULLS IT. LINE DRIVE AND IT’S OVER THE RIGHT FIELD FENCE. JUST LIKE THAT WE HAVE THE 5-3 LEAD!#GOBEAVS PIC.TWITTER.COM/PXVYBBUDOL

— OREGON STATE BASEBALL (@BEAVERBASEBALL) APRIL 8, 2020

Larnach was drafted 20th overall by the Twins that summer and made his pro debut a month later. He was promoted aggressively and hit well at every level, reaching Double A in the second half of 2019, alongside Alex Kirilloff for the first time, just 13 months after being drafted. Larnach, batting .295/.384/.455 in 43 games, out-hit Kirilloff during their six weeks in the same lineup.

Larnach likely would have started 2020 at Double A or perhaps even Triple A, a consensus top-100 prospect on the verge of the big leagues in his second full season. Instead, like every other prospect, Larnach spent the season developing as much as possible behind the scenes as the pandemic wiped away the minor-league schedule.

There were no official stats from the Twins’ alternate site in St. Paul, although they did keep loose tabs on what was happening in intrasquad games where top hitting prospects like Kirilloff and Larnach repeatedly faced top pitching prospects like Jhoan Duran and Edwar Colina. And they did so with Twins coaches sometimes having to fill out the short-handed rosters.

“It tests your mindset,” Larnach said of the alternate site experience. “You only had a limited number of pitches, a limited number of at-bats each week. But at the same time, you’re competing and still trying to develop. It was the best the staff and everyone could do in the circumstances. You just roll with it. You get thrown a curveball on something like that and you have to adjust.”

While far from ideal for the development of a fast-rising 23-year-old, Larnach was determined to thrive in that environment. Twins coaches often singled out Larnach and Kirilloff as making the most of the summer in St. Paul. Kirilloff got to the majors first, debuting in the playoffs vs. Houston, and is getting the hype this spring as a possible Opening Day starter. Larnach isn’t far behind.

“He’s very close to being ready for the big leagues,” Fergus said after working closely with Larnach in St. Paul last year and in Fort Myers this spring. “He just needs at-bats and he knows that. He’ll be a longtime big leaguer.”

Larnach is generally considered a less naturally gifted hitter than Kirilloff, but at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds Larnach is also bigger and stronger, with more raw power potential. It hasn’t fully arrived yet, though. He homered 19 times in 68 games as a college junior, but Larnach — despite very good overall production at each level — has totaled just 18 homers in 169 games as a minor leaguer.

Trevor Larnach
169
.307
.385
.468
18
43
His ability to drive the ball to all fields is an uncommon strength for a young hitter, much like it was for Morneau, but in order for Larnach to become a 30-homer slugger he’ll need to more consistently elevate and pull inside pitches to right field. It’s something he worked on behind the scenes in St. Paul last year and it continues to be a focus this spring.

“He was always oppo-gap focused going back to college and wanted to add the ability to drive the inside pitch out of the park,” Fergus said. “That’s really the next big step for him. To be a guy at the big-league level who can handle that pitch location for damage. It wasn’t so much about the power aspect as it was cleaning up mechanics to create room to attack that specific location band.”

“When I was at St. Paul, the majority of my homers were pull-side,” Larnach said. “I was able to get that pitch out more consistently with the right spin. So it helped out a lot. To have little at-bats and see that kind of development over at the alternate site was pretty exciting for me.”

Larnach will likely start this season back in St. Paul, but this time it’ll be as a Triple-A player hungry for the game action and at-bats he missed out on last year. Kirilloff will get first crack at a spot in the Twins’ outfield, but if Fergus, Morneau and many others in the organization are right about Larnach’s major-league readiness, the 24-year-old could be knocking on the door soon too.

“You’re talking about two of the more exciting, young corner outfielders in baseball,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “These guys can simply just hit and they’re strong. They drive the ball. They’re also good competitors and good teammates, guys I think will fit in well with what we do as a team. Both of these guys are going to be huge factors for us going forward.”

Larnach’s first taste of Triple A will be delayed, again, as the start of the Saints’ season was pushed back to May 4. It’s another test of Larnach’s mindset, as he waits for a chance to conquer the minors’ highest level. Triple A is filled with more polished, strike-throwing veteran pitchers with major-league experience, as opposed to younger, more prospect-filled A-ball and Double-A staffs.

“When you get to Triple A, it’s a lot closer to the big leagues as far as scouting reports and the pitchers being able to execute those scouting reports,” Morneau said. “I learned a lot facing those 26-, 27-year-old Triple-A guys with maybe a year or two in the big leagues. They can get you out.”

That’ll be a big challenge, but it won’t be bigger than what Fergus describes as the cerebral Larnach’s lifelong focus: “His quest to understand his own swing.”

Nice article!

Donaldson goes yard today dead center. Nice to see. Hopefully he’s still doing that in August.

Very scary team if everybody were to stay on the field and hit all year. Unfortunately history dictates that won’t happen.

I’m still trying to ask in-laws, parents, grandparents, etc. if they know of a way to use their accounts to log in online. Been far too long without the Twins or Wild and something’s gotta give.

61orbt wrote:

It’s 2021. Shouldn’t be this difficult to watch the teams that all play within 10 miles of my front doorstep.

That’s why it’s this difficult. Only thing that matters to anyone anymore is $$$.

Berrios hasn’t given up a run yet this Spring. 3 IP today, 1 hit, 4 K’s. Would be nice to see him get to another level and stay consistent.

He is at his level, #2 or #3 starter.

Dutchboy wrote:

He is at his level, #2 or #3 starter.

Ha ok Dutch. I think he still has the skills to improve. He’s just coming into his prime, it’s still possible.

Also, I have read from a few writers now, that the Twins will be allowed 10,000 fans on opening day and for the rest of the season unless they start to allow even more. They are basically just waiting on Walz to announce it. Good news.

mahtofire14 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
He is at his level, #2 or #3 starter.

Ha ok Dutch. I think he still has the skills to improve. He’s just coming into his prime, it’s still possible.

Also, I have read from a few writers now, that the Twins will be allowed 10,000 fans on opening day and for the rest of the season unless they start to allow even more. They are basically just waiting on Walz to announce it. Good news.

Don’t forget Radtke was #1 on this team for several years.

Dutchboy wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mahtofire14 wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
He is at his level, #2 or #3 starter.

Ha ok Dutch. I think he still has the skills to improve. He’s just coming into his prime, it’s still possible.

Also, I have read from a few writers now, that the Twins will be allowed 10,000 fans on opening day and for the rest of the season unless they start to allow even more. They are basically just waiting on Walz to announce it. Good news.

Don’t forget Radtke was #1 on this team for several years.

Sorry Dutch but Berrios has 100% MUCH better stuff than Radke EVER had. The only thing that proves is how bad those pitching staffs were back then.

When and if he learns how to pitch maybe he becomes something. Right now he is middle of the rotation on a good team, top of the rotation on a average to bad team.

Dutchboy wrote:

When and if he learns how to pitch maybe he becomes something. Right now he is middle of the rotation on a good team, top of the rotation on a average to bad team.

He knows how to pitch. Just needs to execute throughout an entire season.

I’ll bet ya a pizza he doesn’t win 15 during the regular season.

61orbt wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mahtofire14 wrote:</div>
Berrios hasn’t given up a run yet this Spring. 3 IP today, 1 hit, 4 K’s. Would be nice to see him get to another level and stay consistent.

Great to see. He’s hit 97 mph in both spring starts this year. Hes hit 97 just twice in his career (both last year). I still dont think we’ve seen the best Berrios yet. His offspeed stuff is all absolutely brilliant. Mixes all four of his pitches so well. He’s a #2 or #3 now but has all the makings of a true #1 imo.

I’m holding out hope for improvement too. The guy has some of the nastiest stuff in the game. I honestly don’t know how he gets hit around time to time. I think it has to be mechanics? It’s always been that his velocity falls off as the season progresses. It’s just little tweaks and he can be a true ace.

Dutchboy wrote:

I’ll bet ya a pizza he doesn’t win 15 during the regular season.

Wins are the most worthless stats in pitching. We talking totinos?

eyeguy507 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>61orbt wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mahtofire14 wrote:</div>
Berrios hasn’t given up a run yet this Spring. 3 IP today, 1 hit, 4 K’s. Would be nice to see him get to another level and stay consistent.

Great to see. He’s hit 97 mph in both spring starts this year. Hes hit 97 just twice in his career (both last year). I still dont think we’ve seen the best Berrios yet. His offspeed stuff is all absolutely brilliant. Mixes all four of his pitches so well. He’s a #2 or #3 now but has all the makings of a true #1 imo.

I’m holding out hope for improvement too. The guy has some of the nastiest stuff in the game. I honestly don’t know how he gets hit around time to time. I think it has to be mechanics? It’s always been that his velocity falls off as the season progresses. It’s just little tweaks and he can be a true ace.

He get’s into ruts when he gets tired and his slider angle gets flat. Also his location gets suspect later in the season also.

61orbt wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>eyeguy507 wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
I’ll bet ya a pizza he doesn’t win 15 during the regular season.

Wins are the most worthless stats in pitching. We talking totinos?

“tbro and his damn math equations that dont factor wins in. What do you mean pitchers wins dont matter? Winning is the only thing that matters!”

No, no, no. The record books are littered with teams who won 10 games and went on to win the World Series.

He has been here a few years now, whats everybody’s opinion on Cory Provus as the play by play guy. When he got here I thought he sounded to much like Bob Uecker (nothing wrong with that) and Pat Hughes from the Cubs. I’m getting use to him now. Anybody not like him?

Kiriloff hit his first HR today.

Dutchboy wrote:

He has been here a few years now, whats everybody’s opinion on Cory Provus as the play by play guy. When he got here I thought he sounded to much like Bob Uecker (nothing wrong with that) and Pat Hughes from the Cubs. I’m getting use to him now. Anybody not like him?

Kiriloff hit his first HR today.

I think he calls a solid game. Sometimes I think he “over describes” things but some people like that on the radio. I don’t mind him at all. And because it’ll trigger tbro, I really enjoy Gladden on the radio…..

Shoemaker with a solid 4 innings of work today too.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31046691/major-league-baseball-deploy-several-experimental-rules-minor-leagues-season

Baseball is experimenting with several changes in the minor leagues this season. They’re going with a 15-second pitch clock (which I like) and somehow limiting pickoff moves (which I initially didn’t like but maybe if it can speed up the game it’ll grow on me).

The biggest one I noticed was a double-A rule stating that four infielders must have both feet on the infield dirt. This is being done to get away from extreme shifts where, for example, the second baseman is playing shallow right field. I’m willing to be pretty progressive in speeding the game but I don’t know if I like this one about the shift. It’s decent strategy in my opinion and it shouldn’t cost the game any time.

Dan wrote:

The biggest one I noticed was a double-A rule stating that four infielders must have both feet on the infield dirt. This is being done to get away from extreme shifts where, for example, the second baseman is playing shallow right field. I’m willing to be pretty progressive in speeding the game but I don’t know if I like this one about the shift. It’s decent strategy in my opinion and it shouldn’t cost the game any time.

ACCEPTED! I can’t stand all the shifting and I would LOVE this rule. However if guys would just hit the ball the other way or bunt against the shift you wouldn’t have to put this rule into play.

I guess I just chalk it up to strategy. In football if you double-team a WR you’re opening up a different one to single coverage. If you stuff the box to stop the run you don’t have as much coverage over the top. In baseball, if you shift in a major way, you sometimes open, and I mean OPEN UP 50% of the field. It’s not too exciting at all but I guess I’m ok with it.