Minnesota Twins Farm System; Its Greatest Asset

Who will be the Next Joe Mauer or Justin Morneau?

Now available just before Christmas at LuLu.com is the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook – 2009. This 81 page book profiles over 175 players in the Twins minor league system. It contains a Foreword by Twins reliever Pat Neshek and several Twins prospect rankings. It is a great gift for fans of the Minnesota Twins and their minor league affiliates.

In 2008, the Twins received significant contributions from several players who have been promoted to the team within the last two years including Denard Span, Kevin Slowey,Alexi Casilla, Nick Blackburn, Glen Perkins and even September call-up Jose Mijares. The staples in the middle of the Twins lineup, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Jason Kubel, and Michael Cuddyer were all drafted and developed in the Twins system.

Following players as they come up through the ranks makes the average fan feel better because losing Torii Hunter and Johan Santana can make anybody depressed. Seth is more of an optimist and adds, “Over the past several seasons, the Twins have called up a lot of players from the minor leagues. Each year there are new players. It is fun to know about those guys before they get to the big leagues. It is really just an extension of being a Twins fan.”

When asked, how much fun is it to see a player start with the Twins Gulf Coast League (GCL) team and a few years later have a locker with his name on it in the Metrodome, Seth responds, “I’m sure it’s not as much fun as a writer as it is for the player himself. But we all have had that dream, and getting to follow a player from when he is drafted and signed, through the promotions, the struggles, the successes, for them to reach that ultimate dream is a joy.”

One of the positive aspects to find and follow the next Twins All-Star is getting to interview these new players.  It is difficult to obtain a good read on players from just a box score.  Seth looks back on some of his past interviews on his www.SethSpeaks.net blog, and remembers Mike Radcliff has had a couple of really good ones. Matt Garza did one in early 2006 while he was still with the Ft. Myers Miracle. David Winfree has had a couple of very good interviews. Seth has kept in contact with players like Pat Neshek, Kevin Slowey, Jeff Manship, and others.

Seth has been writing about the Minnesota Twins and their minor league system on a daily basis since June of 2003 and now he is passing all his experience to you. Pat Nesheksays of the book, “The culmination of all his (Seth’s) hard work is this book that is deeper than anything ever published on the Minnesota Twins Minor League system.”

If you would like more information about this topic or to schedule an interview with Seth Stohs, please email Seth at SethSpeaksNet@hotmail.com.  

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Once again, the great Dan Wade from Bleacher Report is filling in for me. I apoligize for the lack of content from me, but that is also probably a blessing iin disguise for you.

As much I think Joe Mauer deserved the MVP award this year, I can’t complain too much about Dustin Pedroia winning it. He reminds me of Nick Punto, but with real skill, so the appeal is clearer.

What I can complain about is Justin Morneau finishing second and Mauer getting just two first place votes and winding up in fifth place. Don’t get me wrong, Morneau had a great season, and had he not gone into his late season swoon he probably would have won it.

Then again, had Carlos Quentin remembered that the bat is supposed to hit the ball, not your own wrist, the award was probably his to lose.

Mauer’s contribution to the Twins this year went far beyond the offensive stats that make the Baseball writers swoon. He finally won the Gold Glove he has deserved for the past few seasons, won the AL Batting title again, had an OBP over .400, and, most importantly, he held together baseball’s youngest pitching staff in the heat of a pennant chase.

Joe Mauer was, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the Twins’ most valuable player, but could his loss be the Twins’ gain?

Mauer’s current contract runs out after the 2010 season, the season the Twins will move into Target Field. Common sense says the increase in payroll will be a perfect time to resign Mauer to a long-term deal. 

I say, strike while the iron is hot and lock him up now.

Mauer is the best catcher in the AL and likely the best in baseball. Brian McCann is probably Mauer’s closest competition, and has better power numbers, but I’ll trade 50 points of OPS for Gold Glove caliber defense any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Mauer isn’t showing signs of a decrease in skill. He’ll likely compete for the batting title and gold glove again next year. If his power numbers improve just a bit, he’ll probably be amongst the early favorites for MVP. He’ll have had a full year with this pitching staff, and will be able to call games that much better.

All this to say: Mauer isn’t going to get cheaper. His first two contracts were signed near market-value, which goes up exponentially rather than linearly. An MVP year in 2010 could push Mauer out of the Twins’ normal price range, which would be a P.R. disaster.

Losing Johan Santana was one thing, losing Mauer, the “local boy made good”, would be devastating.

Resigning Mauer isn’t a risk free proposition. His 146 games this year was a career high, and his knees won’t last forever. He’ll either start missing more games or he’ll need to move out from behind the plate, likely to third base.

Part of Mauer’s value is that he produces from a traditionally dead position; getting such production from a catcher is part of the reason the Twins can afford to have Nick Punto at third. If he has to move to a more traditional power position, he will lose some of his uniqueness and therefore, some of his value.

The question for the Twins is whether or not Mauer is worth the gamble; will he continue to produce at a high level after 2010 or will his injury history be the story of his career?

The answer appears to be yes. Mauer’s skills aren’t the kind that decay quickly. His eye at the plate is stellar, he works pitchers well, and he’s smart. Those traits will survive a position change, and will continue to serve Mauer well long after his knees give out. He can catch for a few more seasons and then move if need be, but he will continue to be an asset.

The Twins need to lock Mauer up before the rest of the league has a chance to get their bids in on him. Its only a matter of time before he claims more hardware and his value erupts, so now, while he’s still getting snubbed, the Twins need to strike.

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Casey Blake’s long and winding road through baseball might be coming full circle.

According to a number of sources, the Twins are preparing an offer to Blake that would bring the veteran third baseman back the Metrodome, where he spent 29 games over the course of three seasons.

Blake is reportedly looking for a three year offer and will likely get a raise from the 6.1 million dollars he earned last year. Neither the length of the contract, nor the amount Blake will receive should raise eyebrows; the deal itself is fairly unremarkable, but it raises some interesting questions.

Bob Warja asked me a few months ago what signing Adrian Beltre would accomplish, since he would be a one year player and then would bolt during free agency. If this team is looking long-term, why are they trying a short-term solution?

While Blake would be locked in for longer than Beltre, he is far from a long-term solution. So, the question is: Are the Twins reloading for the future or trying to win for now?

After mulling the question over every way it can be mulled, its time for an answer: I don’t know, and sadly, neither do the Twins.

Casey Blake is a perfect fit for the Twins’ ‘are-we-in-or-are-we-rebuilding’ mentality. He’ll be cheap enough to be benched if Luke Hughes or Danny Valencia suddenly start raking and yet will never be the piece that kills a good team. He’s decidedly decent, both offensively and defensively, which is an upgrade from the platoon the Twins trotted out last year.

Blake isn’t the piece the Twins have been missing: a .270 hitter with 20-HR power is rarely the difference between making the playoffs and just missing them. He is, however, good enough to be the third baseman on a playoff team that has its act together otherwise. The Twins have most of their positions locked up.

While he isn’t nearly as sexy a player as Adrian Beltre is, Casey Blake makes good sense for the Twins. Signing Blake gives the Twins a few years to pick their spot; signing Beltre locks them into next year, which injuries can easily derail.

Danny Valencia has laid an egg in the Arizona Fall League, hitting a paltry .225 with almost no power, and Luke Hughes looks little better in Venezuela, so the future may not be as close as the Twins thought it was heading into the fall seasons, which makes Blake an even better solution.

The AL Central is very much up for grabs this year, and if the Twins can make a few savvy moves this offseason, they may well emerge as the favorite to start the season. Casey Blake won’t wow anyone, but if he can provide the consistently solid play that has become his hallmark, he may help the Twins bridge the gap between winning now and preparing for an even better future in Target Field.

-Dan Wade, Bleacher Report

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Be sure to get your preorder in for Seth’s new book, Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook 2009.

Also, be sure to come back soon for a new statistical piece I am researching. I think you’ll enjoy it…once I finally get it done.

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According to the LEN III, the Twins may offer Casey Blake a contract as soon as next week, while others say that a “framework” has already been offered.

I have mixed feelings about this development. The first thing that comes to mind is disgust; I would rather do three things than be forced to sign an old, frail third baseman with some pop and horrible defense. Here are the three things that I would rather do than sign Blake…

Trade for Adrian Beltre

I’m convinced the Twins have enough to get a deal done. Beltre has one of the best gloves in the game and carries a very solid bat at the plate. He would be a huge asset to an already powerful Twins middle-of-the-order.

It wouldn’t take tons to get Beltre; but probably more than usual. The Mariners are stuck in the middle of a rebuilding mode and want to get as much fresh talent as possible. However, in the same light they might also want to get rid of Beltre and his hefty contract at all costs. Whatever the case, the Twins could probably make a deal with Seattle involving Michael Cuddyer, Glen Perkins, and a lesser prospect.

The Twins could most likely land Beltre, but the question then raised is, “do they want to?”

Trade for Garrett Atkins

This deal could also be made. The Rockies just traded for closer Huston Street, and there has been much talk about possibly turning him around and trading him again to fill other holes. The Twins have been mentioned among those who might be interested in Street, with the recent news that Neshek will miss 2009.

Joe C. disagrees. Huston Street was paid closer money, and the Twins have an elite closer in Joe Nathan already. I agree with Joe — although it would be nice to have a player of Street’s caliber in the Twins bullpen. If his ego would allow him to slide into the set-up role the 2009 Twins bullpen would be among the top in the league.

Back to Atkins, though. He would provide a great bat in the middle of the lineup. Or would he? The biggest question raised about him is his awful home/road splits. He is hitting .342/.380/.523 with a .904 OPS in Colorado, but a dismal .233/.278/.383 with an OPS of .661on the road. Some may dispute whether or not the hitter-friendly Coors Field is the only reason Atkins is even worthy of a starting spot on a major league team.

It is risky to trade for Atkins, but it could reap huge dividends. If a change of scenery is all this soon-to-be 29-year old needs, than the Twins should jump at any chance of trading Michael Cuddyer and/or Glen Perkins for him. Of course, there is no way to know whether or not he would be a trade bust.

Will strikeouts hamper Kouzmanoff's tradability?

Trade for Kevin Kouzmanoff

Kouzmanoff is my third most-wanted commodity. He has a lot of power potential, but strikes out a lot. Being 27 years old he still has some years left in the tank, and he has a very reasonable price tag — $410,000 last year. His defense isn’t the best and would be about the same as Buscher’s.

The thing the Twins most need is a power-hitting, right-handed third baseman. Kouzmanoff fills that void perfectly, but comes bundled with excessive strikeouts. 

Those are the three things that I would do before I ever offered Blake a contract. On the other hand, after thinking about this latest development for a while, I have realized that I am simply glad GM Bill Smith has done something.

He has been sitting on his hands for too long. He was pushed around when dealing with Santana and settled for less than what the best pitcher in the league was worth. If he can make at least a couple of major acquisitions this off-season, he will start asserting himself as a force to be reckoned with in baseball.

Blake is a perfect example of a Minnesota Twin. Bill Smith may be attempting to make his team better through a free agent signing — which is what is expected of him. He is too new to break the mold of what the Twins believe in, however, so he may not yet feel comfortable going against countless years of small-ball.

Casey Blake may seem like a minor pick-up, but it could be a modest start to the Bill Smith era.

Posted in Uncategorized 6 Comments Tags: Bill Smith, Casey Blake, Garrett Atkins, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Michael Cuddyer

Sorry for the lack of updates around here recently. I have been working hard in school and for the newspaper, but I will have something up before too long.

First, though, I have a question. The three Q&A’s I have done have been three of the most popular posts here on TwinsFix. Would you be interested in reading about Tyler Ladendorf if I got a hold of him? I would also like to open up the site again for questions for Tyler. If you have anything you want to know about Tyler Ladendorf, please either leave it here as a comment, or email it to (akneeland@bleacherreport.com).

I’ll have more regular updates soon, and please send in your questions! Thanks!

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I was set on going to college out of high school instead of signing a professional contract.  Getting drafted by the Diamondbacks was more of a courtesy pick than anything.  They were well aware that there was no chance that I would sign.  I felt that going to college before signing a pro contract was in my best interest.  It allowed me to mature both physically and mentally and better prepare myself for the grind of pro ball.  Its also nice to have a college degree in case something happens where my career with baseball comes to an end.
 

When I was drafted by the Twins in the 14th round I was ready to sign.  The Twins were aware of what I wanted and were willing to negotiate with me.
 

Notre Dame actually came into the picture late.  I didn’t know too much about the program, but after I went on my official visit it was clear to my parents and I that Notre Dame was the right fit for me.  Since graduating, I am so happy that I chose Notre Dame.  It was one of the best experiences of my life.  I really don’t think I had an ideal situation in mind.  I was mainly looking for a school with great academics and a solid baseball program.
 

Pro baseball is unlike any other baseball that I have played.  The season is much longer and much more demanding of your body and mind.  I didn’t play for too long after signing because I went back to school so I didn’t receive the full experience of pro ball until the next season.  I was very happy that I did get a small introduction because I felt it better prepared me for my first full season.  It was great getting to meet numerous players within the organization along with members of the Twins’ front office.  Going into spring training the next year was much easier since I wasn’t considered the new guy anymore.
 

The difference between Beloit and Ft. Myers was not as noticeable as the difference between Ft. Myers and New Britain.  In A ball there are a couple really good hitters in each line-up, and you can afford to make more mistakes.  In AA, mistakes get hit often and get hit hard.  You have to have confidence in throwing any pitch in any count, otherwise the hitters will just sit on fastballs.
 

I began pitching when I was 10 because our little league all-star team needed a pitcher.  I had been a middle infielder up until then, but once I got a taste of pitching I knew that was what I wanted to do.  I still split time between pitching and playing infield up until college, but never really enjoyed myself in the infield.  I never felt completely comfortable like I did on the mound.  I’ve pitched in both relief and starting roles, but would much rather be a starting pitcher.  I like being on my own timetable to get ready before games and knowing which day I will throw during the week.
 

I would much rather have started in New Britain, but I completely understood why I was back in Ft. Myers.  The Twins feel that each pitcher should get a solid number of innings in at each level and experience success.  It allowed me to build up my confidence going into AA and improve my change-up, which was very necessary for the transition.  It was also nice starting the season in a warm environment versus the cold of New Britain.

I feel that I have a solid ability to throw all of my pitches for strikes.  My curveball has always been my best pitch, but I feel that my change-up and slider have greatly improved.  In addition, I feel that I have a good mound presence and keep my cool even when things are going bad.  My dad has had the greatest impact on me.  He was the person who taught me to pitch and there is no doubt in my mind he is the reason I’m where I’m at today.
 

I play a lot of video games and enjoy hunting and fishing. 
 

After the Arizona Fall League is done, I plan on returning to Texas to begin my off season workouts. 
 

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I will have something longer up later today, but for now I want to attract your attention to an excellent Question and Answer piece Cmathewsom did over at Twinkie Town. He was able to contact Basball America’s John Manuel, an editor and analyst of the Minnesota Twins minor league system.

Here is the link. You want to read the whole thing – trust me. If you are into the minor leagues at all, this will probably be the most informative thing you read all day.

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The following was written by Seth Stohs, of SethSpeaks.net. I would encourage anyone and everyone to pick up a copy or four.

Are you looking for a Christmas gift for a big Minnesota Twins fan? 

Do you know a fan of the Rochester Red Wings? The New Britain Rockcats? The Ft. Myers Miracle? The Beloit Snappers? The Elizabethton Twins? How about the GCL Twins? Want to impress your friends with your knowledge of the Minnesota Twins farm system? Then we have just what you are looking for!

Seth Stohs of the Minnesota Twins blog atwww.SethSpeaks.net is now taking pre-orders for Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook – 2009.

Over the past few years, the Twins have recalled several players from their minor league system. In 2008, the Twins received significant contributions from several players who have been promoted to the team within the last two years includingDenard Span, Kevin Slowey, Alexi Casilla, Nick Blackburn, Glen Perkins and even September call-up Jose Mijares. The staples in the middle of the Twins lineup, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Jason Kubel, and Michael Cuddyer were all drafted and developed in the Twins system.

The Twins have an organizational philosophy to build from within. The next time the Twins call up some hot shot minor leaguer, be able to impress your friends with how much you know about him! 

What’s Inside? 
Well, there is a lot, of course! This 77 page book begins with a Foreword by Twins Relief Pitcher Pat Neshek, a friend of SethSpeaks.net for several years.

Neshek says of the book, “The culmination of all his (Seth’s) hard work is this book that is deeper than anything ever published on the Minnesota Twins Minor League system.”

After an Introduction, you will find over 175 profiles of Twins minor league prospects. Read about players who are likely to be ready to make a contribution in 2009, who might be able to plug the gaps in case of injuries, and which players have the best chances to become household names after the Twins have moved into the new Target Field in 2010. Finally, there are several prospect rankings lists including Seth’s personal Top 40 Twins Prospects as well as the lists of several other Twins bloggers. 
 
Price
In late November, the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook – 2009, will be made available online atwww.lulu.com. More details will be made available at that time. The soft cover book will be available for $12.95 (plus shipping and handling). It will also be made available as an e-book. Again, please check outwww.SethSpeaks.net later in the month for more details.

Pre-Order Pricing – BEFORE NOVEMBER 20^th ONLY!
If you pre-order by November 20^th, 2008, you will be able to eliminate shipping and handling charges and get some special pricing on multiple book orders. See the pricing schedule below. If you are a retailer, please e-mail me (SethSpeaksNet@hotmail.com) for other pricing.

*If you would like to order more than ten books, please e-mail me for pricing.

How to Pre-Order:
 If you are interested in ordering,

a.) please e-mail me at SethSpeaksNet@hotmail.com with the number of books you would like to order.
b.) I will respond with the official amount owed (which will be the same as listed above).
c.) Immediate payment would be appreciated. You can pay via PayPal** or with a check or money order.
d.) I will keep you updated on the status of the book, its review process, and when I place the order. I will then also let you know when it becomes available online. 
e.) Please let me know if you would like the book signed by the author. 

Again, I want to thank everyone for your support in this and in the SethSpeaks.net website. If you have any questions or comments or suggestions, please let me know!
 
**Order by credit card through PayPal is very easy. Just go to PayPal.com, select “Send Money” option, and type in SethSpeaksNet@hotmail.com where it asks for the e-mail account (and again, be sure to identify exactly what quantity you would like to order, so I know what to ship.

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Joe C. has recently thrown some names around that the Twins may or may not be interested in. To be honest, the only two I see as real possibilities are Casey Blake and Yunel Escobar. I have already talked about bringing in a veteran like Blake, so let’s talk about Escobar.

Escobar, currently under contract with the Braves, is a short-stop with an incredible arm and a great bat. He is still only 25-years old and has the potential to be an everyday infielder hitting .300/.375/.425 with around 25 HR. If the Twins could land Escobar while giving up nothing more than an outfielder and a pitching prospect they would be in a very good situation.

You see, the Braves are about as perfect of trade partners as there can be. The Twins, as you know, have a surplus of outfielders and many great young pitchers. The Braves have a need for pitching, but have quite a few infield bargaining chips.

The most discussed deal is a straight-up Delmon Young for Yunel Escobar swap. That would obviously work out well for the Twins, but what about for the Braves? A comment I read on MLBtraderumors.com sumed it up perfectly:

Just because the Twins traded entirely too much to get [Y]oung it doesn’t mean any other team will. — tsweet9000

I won’t launch into a prolonged debate on the value of Delmon Young right now, but I will in the future. All I will say is that he has more in him than he displayed in 2008. Escobar will also get better in years to come, so the unanswerable question is, “Who will be best in the end?”

For the sake of argument, let’s assume that Escobar will have a better career than Young, but the Braves remain willing to deal, but they now want more in return. 

If you haven’t heard it already, the Braves are active in the Jake Peavy sweepstakes. They would love to package Escobar with others to aquire that ace. The Braves would much rather get Peavy in return for Escobar than anything the Twins could offer, so this potential trade would only work if Peavy goes somewhere else.

Should the Peavy bomb go off somewhere else, though, it would take at least one of our current starting pitchers to make the deal anything near a possibility. Of those five, I would be most willing to give up Perkins or Blackburn.

With that in mind, here is my proposed trade:

Minnesota Gives:

Delmon Young, LF
Nick Blackburn, SP

Atlanta Gives:

Yunel Escobar, SS
Brett DeVall, LHP

DeVall is a high-reward type player. He is only 18-years old and is sitting in the Gulf Coast League, but has a very high ceiling. Jon Sickels had this to say about DeVall when he ranked him as the Braves’ 12th best prospect:

12) Brett DeVall, LHP, Grade B-: A long way away, but a high ceiling. 

The Twins get their power-hitting infielder who happens to fill a hole at shortstop, while only giving away an extra outfielder and pitcher. Young can be replaced by Cuddyer, and Blackburn by a plethora of able starters in the organization.

The main drawback to this deal, of course, is that we could be missing something big with Young.

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