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The last time the Twins were in Fort Myers, Fla., the world turned upside down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but a loaded Minnesota roster still emerged from a year of tumult and uncertainty with a second straight division title.
With a three-peat in their sights, a reinforced Twins team will once again take to camp with the hope that these additions will finally be the group that pushes them over the top or, at the very least, earns them a playoff victory for the first time since 2004.
Those new faces include Andrelton Simmons, who should provide the club s best shortstop defense in quite some time, along with pitching additions J.A. Happ, Matt Shoemaker, Hansel Robles and Alex Colomé. They ll fortify a group that includes several exciting prospects ready to impact the Majors and the return of veteran designated hitter Nelson Cruz, who was thrilled to make it back to the Twins after a protracted wait during the offseason.
Souhan; Wild Look Sluggish [PODCAST]
The Minnesota Wild returned to games for the first time in 2 weeks after postponing 6 games due to Covid-19 protocols. The Wild lost 4-0 at Los Angeles against the Kings Tuesday night. Star Tribune Sports Columnist Jim Souhan joined me on WJON today. He says the Wild looked a bit rusty and are still playing short handed with 5 regulars not in the lineup due to Covid-19. Jim suggests that 2 to 3 of those players could be available to play Thursday night s game at Anaheim. Hear that game on AM 1390-Granite City Sports.
The Timberwolves lost 112-104 at Target Center Tuesday night. Jim says the bad news is that D Angelo Russell will have arthroscopic surgery on his knee that will sideline him for 4-6 weeks. The good news is that rookie first overall pick Anthony Edwards is starting to look like a star. Jim says his shot selection isn t always great but he s finding ways to get to the basketball and making shots over players like
Scott Baker, Jake Odorizzi, and how pitch-to-contact might have ruined a decent pitcher.
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Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images
Remember Scott Baker? He was probably the best homegrown pitcher of the pitch-to-contact Twins in the late ‘00s and early ‘10s. Are we abbreviating decades this century like that now, because it feels weird to type. Anyway, Baker looked good for a few years before flaming out amid injury, but at his peak, today’s Twins could have made him great.
Baker’s pitch mix was pretty standard for the era, roughly 60-65% fastballs in the low 90s, 12-20% low-80s slider, 10-15% curveball, and 5-8% change. At the tail end of his career, he dropped the curve entirely and doubled his slider usage. By then, it was probably too late, and his last appearance in the majors was his age-33 season in 2015. He left the Twins after 2012, and bounced around to the Cubs, Rangers, and finally Dodgers.
Yankees prospect Luis Gil has the makings of a stud closer, scout says
Updated Feb 12, 2021;
Posted Feb 12, 2021
Right-hander Luis Gil, a 22-year-old Dominican, is ranked by Baseball America as the Yankees fourth-best prospect.Michael Wiser | Charleston RiverDogs
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A Major League scout who sees a lot of the Yankees’ farm teams distinctly remembers his trip to South Carolina in 2019. He was there for a few days to check in on the Charleston RiverDogs, then the Yanks’ low-A South Atlantic League affiliate.
One of the scout’s biggest takeaways from that road trip was when touted Yankees pitching prospect Luis Gil started a game.