Twins Youth Movement Continues At Catcher

From 2005-2013 the Minnesota Twins had the best catcher in the American League, arguably in the Major Leagues. That argument would be going against a 6x All-Star, 3x Gold Glove winner, 5x Silver Slugger, and an MVP winner Joe Mauer. Then Mauer moved to first base for health reasons, in steps Kurt Suzuki. Suzuki managed to fill the void by being voted to the All-Star game with his finest season as a major leaguer. The Twins have had more success out of the catcher position in the last decade than most teams dream of...yet the spot remains a question mark heading into spring training.

As we head into 2015, Kurt Suzuki seems to be the front runner for the opening day lineup, but he’s not the guy the Twins would like to see finish the season as the starter. That belongs to Josmil Pinto, a 25-year-old who impressed out of the gate. In March/April Pinto hit only .242, but is more revered for his power, where he hit 5 home runs, and had a .866 OPS. More importantly he wasn’t going to get cheated by watching strikes, of his 17 strikeouts, 11 of them he went down swinging. More contact is always nice, but beggars can’t be choosers.

From that point on his slugging, on-base, and average all began to drop off dramatically as did his playing time. The biggest concern though wasn’t his offensive drop off as much as the fact that he let entirely too many passed balls, and was a brutal 0-20 on throwing out base stealers.

Suzuki stepped in to solidify the position defensively and exceeded expectations at the plate. Suzuki hit .288 while throwing out 25% of base runners to bring stability behind the plate and to a struggling pitching staff. Add the fact that the Twins signed Kendrys Morales to provide some pop, the Twins opted to send Pinto to Triple-A Rochester to get at-bats and work on his defense.

In 2015 though, the Twins and new Manager in Paul Molitor, and are looking to put this long talked about youth movement into effect. It won’t happen overnight but after four 92-plus loss seasons it’s time to let the kids sink or swim.

Everywhere you look the Twins have a young green player either expected to start or at least contend for the spot. Brian Dozier at second and Oswaldo Arcia in left have their spots secured. Danny Santana is expected to take over at short, Aaron Hicks is still a work in progress but the hope is he’ll be in center, and the powerful Kennys Vargas will back-up Mauer at first when he’s not the DH. The pride of the farm system Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano are the future in center (moving Hicks to right) and third.

Pinto’s situation is probably most similar to Hicks, who has unquestioned potential, they just need to fix a few holes, but for completely different reasons. Hick’s defense is sound, his hitting is a mess, Pinto is the complete opposite, mind you Pinto has had much less opportunity at the big league level.

The Twins will continue to work with Pinto, his short compact swing and raw power are exciting for the fans and coaching staff, but his weaknesses are glaring, as said last season by Glen Perkins,

"He can hit, but that's not what it's all about. You've got to be able to do other things, especially a young guy like that. You can't be a 25-year-old DH. He's got to learn how to catch, got to learn how to frame, got to learn how to call the game. He's going to be a major league player. Hopefully he'll be able to do it as a catcher."

Heading into 2015 Kurt Suzuki is our rock behind the plate, but for the Twins to move on from being perennial cellar dwellars they need to complete the youth movement at all positions. Historically players who start their career as a catcher develop offensively a bit later than most, Pinto is ahead of the curve which is very exciting. His defense needs work, but remember, we do have a former 3x Gold Glove winner at the catcher spot standing 90 feet away at first.

Tutelage from Mauer and another year under his belt won’t upgrade his defense overnight, but it’s a move in the right direction, just as it’d be a move in the right direction for the organization to give him that opportunity.

Receiving Core A Big Question Mark For Vikings This Offseason

Remember 1998 Vikings? No not the ’99 NFC Championship, that’s still too painful to even waste one more sentence on, but the ’98 REGULAR season when the Vikings offense exploded for a league record 558 points. The Vikings had about as balanced of an offense as you could find with a dominant offensive line that had three pro bowlers (Jeff Christy, Randall McDaniel, Todd Steussie) protecting a pro bowl quarterback (Randall Cunningham) and making holes for a pro bowl running back (Robert Smith).

What was most memorable though was the aerial assault they put on the NFL. The Vikings had a rookie in Randy Moss who wanted to ‘tear up the league’ and did just that. A hall of famer in Cris Carter, and Jake Reed who could’ve been the top target on many other teams playing third fiddle. It was an embarrassment of riches and extremely fun and exciting to watch. Like watching a long bomb pass to Moss, those days are long gone.

Since Moss’ departure from his first stint in Minnesota, finding a go to target has been tough to come by for the Vikings franchise. Since the 2004 season the Vikings have once had a receiver top the 1,000 yard mark, and that was due to Brett Favre making a star out of Sydney Rice in 2009. 

The quarterback spot is a big reason for this, but we’re here to talk about the wide receivers…or lack thereof.

During the past decade, outside of Rice in ’09, the Vikings have never had a receiver crack the top 20 in receiving yards, five times failing to have one crack the top 50.

The position is one we’ll be targeting in the upcoming draft. Todd McShay’s latest mock draft has the Vikings selecting Louisville WR Devante Parker, who has a track record with Teddy Bridgewater and a good one at that. Other names mentioned have been Alabama’s Amari Cooper and West Virginia’s Kevin White. But the Vikings have other needs as well, should they go a different route, what do we have right now? Let’s take a look.

We’ll start with Cordarrelle Patterson, a raw but talented guy who could be used in multiple formations for short, medium, or long pass plays. In year two though, the Patterson only went short, medium, and a long way backwards. Instead of being a swiss army knife with multiple tools, the Patterson became contained if the route was anything but a simple fly, slant, or quick screen.

As disappointing as it was to watch, remember why Patterson fell to the Vikings in the 2013 draft in the first place. He was looked at has a ‘project.’ He’s proven that to be true, but he is a project with undeniable upside and a guy who has proven to have the talent to bust a game wide open. He posted a stat line of 33 catches for 384 yards and 1 receiving touchdown in 2014, but let’s be honest, once he lost his starting spot, he was a broken man and it was all over for him. He’ll take this offseason to improve under the tutelage of Norv Turner and comeback stronger in 2015. His future as not just a Viking but a pro depends on it.

On to the veteran Greg Jennings. Jennings, although the 2013 receiving leader, has been largely unimpressive during his tenure with the Vikings. Age is a large part of it, but once Teddy Bridgewater started to emerge, so did Jennings who became his favorite end zone target. In his first seven games with Teddy at the helm, Jennings caught 1 touchdown pass, he had four in the final six games.

Jennings is not the game breaker, but the rock when it comes to the Vikings receiving core and serves as an on-field coach for the younger guys. There have been rumors that Vikings could let Jennings go, I think that’d be a mistake. They need a savvy vet to help the growth of Patterson, Charles Johnson, and a possible rookie receiver.

For all of Patterson’s shortcomings thus far, Charles Johnson has exceeded any he had and then some. For a sixth round draft choice coming off the practice squad, what he did was amazing. But why is he considered so great while Patterson is being tagged with the ‘bust’ tag by so many. Johnson caught 31 passes for 475 yards and 2 touchdowns, very similar to Patterson’s numbers. The difference is we expected big things from Cordarrelle, we expected nothing of the sort from Johnson. Johnson though has shown more ability in creating separation and better route running.

The position of wide receiver has been a sore spot for the Vikings since Randy Moss’ departure in 2005. But they have hope and plenty of potential. Jennings is the rock, and if Johnson can continue his fast growth while Patterson rebounds from a forgetful 2014, throw in Jarius Wright who disappears at times, but has the ability to find holes in the defense with his speed and quickness, the Vikings may just find themselves with one of the deepest receiving corps in the league. If that’s the case, and the Vikings do select a wide receiver at number eleven, he might just find himself holding a clipboard for much of his rookie season.

AFC Conference Championship Preview

Colts vs. Patriots


The Colts enter this game after winning a rather underwhelming game, becoming the latest team to upset Peyton Manning in the postseason...it's a long list. The Patriots enter winning an absolute thriller over they're top postseason foe in Baltimore. Andrew Luck got his signature playoff victory and Tom Brady came back from TWO 14-point deficits to get here. End result is both teams are here.


The Colts enter with the NFL's top passing attack, and a versatile yet fumble prone run game headed by Daniel 'Boom' Herron. The Patriots bring the ninth ranked run defense, so if Herron is to be a factor, I'd look for  him to do so in the short passing game.


It's anyone's guess who'll get the bulk of the carries for the Pats on Sunday. Should it be Jonas Gray, Shane Vereen, LeGarrette Blount, or that guy you talked to at the bar last night, the fact is the Patriots run game has been almost non-existent since punishing the Colts for 246 yards in week 11. That week the Colts brought the pressure, blitzing Brady 16 times. He responded by throwing two touchdowns and was never sacked.


If the Colts decide to do the same on Sunday, they'll play right into Bill Belichick's hand. As proven last weekend against the Ravens, the Patriots thrive with a no-huddle pass heavy attack. I don't see the Colts 11th ranked defense slowing the Pats too much. Should they shore up that run defense, they still have no answer for Rob Gronkowski who caught four passes for 71 yards and a touchdown against them in week 11, he was targeted 13 times against the Ravens last week. Nobody stops Gronk.


On the flip side, the Colts have a passing attack that can strike deep at any given time. They have a chance to pull the upset should that happen....and it will. The Colts won't have their way with the Pats secondary, but they will have their success with the deep ball to keep it close. That being said, I see a few Luck interceptions coming out of that strategy.


Luck and the Colts will prove they belong in this game, they'll give the Patriots all they can handle and more, but it won't be enough to keep Brady from winning his sixth AFC title.


My Pick: Patriots 38-34

NFC Conference Championship Preview

Packers vs. Seahawks


It's said that defense and a running attack win postseason football games. Even in a time when passing stats reign supreme, last season Seattle proved this notion still holds true when they obliterated the highest octane offense the league has ever seen in Denver during the Super Bowl last year. But when Aaron Rodgers is your quarterback, you always have a chance.



The Seahawks enter with the top ranked defense once again, and face the NFL's top scoring offense in the Packers who put up 30.4 ppg. It's a dream matchup for NFL fans. The Packers strength is through the air where they average 266 yards a game. They face a Seahawks secondary giving up a measly 185 a game. Ok, well the Packers bring a nice balance with a ground attack that gains 119 yards a game....the Seahawks only give up 81 per game....hmm.



Offensively the Pack have their work cut out for them. But again, anytime you have Aaron Rodgers, you have a chance. Could it be though that Rodgers absolute dominance at Lambeau Field have skewed his overall production? The guy hasn't thrown a INT at home since 2012, are 9-0 there this year, and score 17.2 more points at home then on the road. Sunday's matchup is not at Lambeau Field. It's in the doghouse of the league's most tenacious defense, and a place where Russell Wilson is 25-2.



Seattle leans heavy on Marshawn Lynch and the run game, ranking tops in the NFL. Going against a Packer rush defense that ranked 23rd and surrendered 123 in the divisional round to Dallas, advantage Seahawks. The one advantage statistically for Green Bay is in their pass defense, which ranked 10th, going against the Seahawks who don't have a true number one wide receiver. That being said, Wilson does not take unnecessary chances when throwing, being more than ok punting and letting that defense go to work.



When it comes to the front lines, Rodgers and Wilson both have scrambling ability, Rodgers takes only 1.9 sacks a game to Wilson's 2.6. Rodgers is still battling a calf injury that clearly hampered him for three quarters last weekend. Wilson is healthy and has rushed for over 100 yards in a game three times this year.



Seattle's defense gelled at the right time and again looks like an absolute force. Add that to the punishing running attack of Lynch and a quarterback who doesn't lose at home and those are just too many factors for even Aaron Rodgers to overcome.



My Pick: Seahawks 30-17

Bringing Back A Familiar Face Could Fill A Void For Twins

Photo Credit - Keith Allison

There are pros and cons to bringing Santana back

82. That’s how many wins Johan Santana accumulated compared to just 35 losses from 2003-2007 for the Minnesota Twins. During that stretch he racked up 1,152 strikeouts while issuing only 245 walks with a 2.93 ERA. He led the league in ERA twice, in 2006 became the first pitching Triple Crown winner since Dwight Gooden in 1985 when he led the league in ERA (2.77), strikeouts (245), and tied Chien-Ming Wang for wins (19).

Santana won two Cy Young awards and never finished lower than seventh in voting during that stretch to go along with two top ten MVP finishes.This is the guy the Twins should bring back to the twin cities and here’s why:

 

 

The Twins are in dire need of a lefty starter.

With Phil Hughes coming off a career year where he finished seventh in Cy Young voting, he'll be the number one starter, behind him offseason signee Ervin Santana. Beyond those two it's a big question mark for a franchise that has been tormented with bad pitching for the last four years. They have a pool of potential but unproven talent with Kyle Gibson, Alex Meyer, and Trevor May. Ricky Nolasco and Mike Pelfrey will be looking to get healthy and bounce back from a forgetful 2014 season. What the aforementioned all have in common is they're right-handed pitchers. Tommy Milone stands as the lone left-hander. Should he struggle as he did last season or get injured the Twins have no where else to go.

The Fans.

The Twins need to bring excitement back to a fan base that has dwindled in attendance each year since opening Target Field in 2010. Fans in Minnesota have been told to have patience for years. With a farm system loaded with young talent it's understandable. But when is the payoff? Four years of 92-plus losses will irritate even the most loyal fan, regardless of the young talent the front office boasts. We already saw the team bring back Twins great and fan favorite Torii Hunter. Bringing back a taste of past glory and dominance within the division could at least bring more fans out to have the chance to see a couple of Twins legends before they call it a career. Everyone loves a farewell tour.

Leadership.

Joe Mauer is undoubtedly the star of the team, his clubhouse leadership though has raised doubts. During his tenure with the Twins, Torii Hunter was a star and team leader. Hunter like Santana is well past his prime, and though Hunter's contributions on the field might not be what they once were, the knowledge and leadership he can provide to young hitters is endless. Santana could be that guy for the pitching staff.

Financial Situation.

The Twins are historically on the lower end of the payroll (24th in 2014). Ervin Santana was the big offseason signing. Twins General Manager Terry Ryan makes a couple low risk, high reward signings every year, already making one with Hunter this offseason. Some have paid off....others not so much. Pelfrey has been nothing short of a bust since donning a Twins uniform, and Nolasco never got on track last season while battling an elbow strain, but the verdict is still out on him.

What did pay off were the additions of Carl Pavano who became the ace for a short time, and most recently with Hughes. Santana won't put up Phil Hughes numbers, but the Twins wouldn't have to pay him Phil Hughes money either, as he'll likely be offered nothing more than a minor league deal.

The Verdict.

Santana's availability is due to his struggles with injuries. With the Mets Santana had surgery twice on his shoulder, then tore his achilles with Baltimore last spring. His body is breaking down and he’ll be 36 years-old come opening day.

Of course the Twins aren't the only team who might be interested in Santana's services. Gerry Farley of the Dallas Morning News noted the Rangers, Brewers, Mariners, Blue Jays, and Yankees are all keeping an eye on his progress. The progress began on Tuesday when he pitched two scoreless innings in the Venezuelan League.

For what it's worth, look at what Santana did when healthy post-Twins era. Third in Cy Young voting in 2008, an all-star in 2009, and posted a 2.98 ERA in 2010 before missing all of 2011. Then he threw the first ever no-hitter in Mets history before injuries took away the rest of 2012, 2013, and 2014.

Injuries and father time are working against Johan Santana, but it might be time for the Twins to bring back a familiar face so both can restore their past glory.

Twins Take Similar Route In Hiring New Manager

The Minnesota Twins don't like change. Since the hiring of Tom Kelly in 1986, they've only had only three managers, with all three having noticeable similarities. Kelly, Ron Gardenhire, and Paul Molitor each landed their first managerial job with the Twins, replacing the man that they worked under while polishing their craft. All three have major league playing experience, albeit Molitor’s career certainly dwarfs the other two. Finally, Molitor like his predecessors, will be taking over a club banking on its young talent.

Offensively in the American League the Twins ranked 7th in team BA and TB, 5th in OPS, and drew the 2nd most walks. Many of the guys credit their offensive development to the tutelage of Molitor. Their struggles offensively came in timely hitting where they were 2nd in runners left on base and finished under the league average in sac flies and bunts. Under Molitor I fully expect the offense to continue to improve those numbers.

Molitor's biggest challenge comes in the pitching department. From 2011-2013 the team ERA was second to last in the AL until last season when they finally broke through and finished dead last. In all four of those seasons they ranked last in strikeouts, though the fact that they also were near the top in fewest walks issued tells me that the problem wasn't with guys not throwing strikes as much just not having guys who were capable of getting strikeouts.

Molitor has already done away with pitching coach Rick Anderson, who held that position since 2002. From '02-2010 Anderson's pitching staff had the third lowest ERA in the league and issued the fewest walks. But, in recent years the wheels had fallen off. Replacing him will be Neil Allen who was the Triple-A pitching coach for the Rays from 2007-2014, during which time Tampa Bay’s young pitching and overall player development keyed a long string of success despite low payrolls.

Perhaps the biggest question surrounding Molitor will be how he handles player injuries. During the Gardenhire run, in Minnesota you often heard the argument that he 'coddled' his players too much, namely star Joe Mauer. The fact is you could make a strong argument that the Twins weren't coddling their players, but didn't allow them to fully heal or do enough to treat their injuries.

How else do you explain why players who are seemingly past their prime, see a resurgence when they go elsewhere? The short list for those guys include the likes of J.J. Hardy, Francisco Liriano, and Justin Morneau.

Molitor's playing career early on was often marred by injuries, once he was allowed enough time to fully heal up (aided by his subsequent move to DH), he had some of the most productive seasons of his career. He knows how important health is to a player in a grueling 162 game season.

What I would like to see in the Molitor era, is a more consistent everyday lineup. Do away with the constant day or two rest periods that so many players received under Gardy, and give them extended time off to fully heal, and come back ready to make an impact.

Kelly and Gardy both experienced success early on. Kelly was hired in September of 1986, 14 months later he was a world champion. In his first six full seasons on the job, the Twins finished first or second in the division four times, winning two World Series titles. We saw a similar trend during the Gardy era, winning six division crowns and finishing first or second in seven of his first nine seasons.

The fallout for both men was similar too. In eight of Kelly's final nine seasons, the team finished no higher than fourth in the division. Gardy finished no better than fourth in his last four seasons at the helm, losing 92-plus games in all four. While both men experienced plenty of success, be it Kelly's postseason magic or Gardy's divisional dominance, by the end it was obvious that a change had to be made.

No the Minnesota Twins don't like change, but a change is exactly what they need.

 

NFC Playoffs: Divisional Round

By Brett Miller


Panthers vs. Seahawks

 The Seahawks begin their quest to become the first repeat Super Bowl champ since the ‘05 Patriots by facing a team that failed to win half of their games this year. That being said, has there ever been a more daunting sub .500 team then the Carolina Panthers? They possess a defense that ranked 10^th in the league. They have a quarterback in Cam Newton that struggles at times, yet makes plays at crucial moments with both his legs the cannon he call an arm. This is not your typical 12-4 team vs. a subpar 7-8-1 squad.

 The Seahawks rank 3^rd against the rush giving up 81 yards a game while the Panthers average 127 yards on the ground, good for 7^th offensively. This is the Panthers hope. The dual threat of a revitalized James Stewart paired with the scrambling of Cam Newton could cause some problems for Seattle. Seattle’s strong run defense is certainly set up by their lock down secondary which ranks tops in the league. Newton has the physical tools to offset that, but his mechanics and decision making come into question often. If Carolina can get into third and short situations, they have the weapons to extend drives, and wear down that vaunted Seattle defense come the fourth quarter. Through the air, I don’t see Newton having much success, which makes it that much more important the run game finds a way to move the ball.

It's up to Kuechly to stop Wilson from taking over

 Offensively the Seahawks want to feed the beast that is Marshawn Lynch. He has the toughness to battle the Panthers defense for four quarters. If the Panthers are on their game, they can slow Lynch, but not completely stop him. The Panthers defense will be looking for mistakes in the turnover game. Russell Wilson won’t have the stats that turn heads, but he makes the crucial pass or scramble when you can least afford it as a defense. Sure the Panthers are coming off a game where they gave up an NFL record 78 total yards of offense, but that was against a team with third stringers at the two most vital positions.

 Seattle will be their own worst enemy in this match up. If they avoid turnovers, and don’t enter the game with the mindset that they’re far and away the better club, they should win handily. If it goes the other way, the Panthers have a fighting chance.

 My Pick: Seahawks 27-10

 

Cowboys vs. Packers

 This game will have some fireworks. Two offenses that can hurt you ground or air. The Packers have arguably the game’s best quarterback with a solid running attack. The Cowboys bring arguably the game’s best running back (in a season where Adrian Peterson wasn‘t a factor) and a solid passing attack.

Murray is the Cowboys key to success Sunday

 Tony Romo no longer has the pressure of Texas bearing upon him. The arrival of DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant has Cowboys fans remembering the 3-star offensive days of Aikman-Smith-Irvin. The Cowboys as a team benefit if Murray runs wild, if they lean to heavy on the passing game it’s a coin flip. The Packers ranked 23^rd against the run compared to the ‘Boys 2^nd ranked rushing attack. Through the air it’s a toss-up, (15^th ranked Pass defense for GB, 16^th ranked Pass offense for Dal). If it comes down to crunch time and that’s the difference, I’ll take the Packers against the unpredictable Tony Romo.

 For the Pack, the team’s success rides on Aaron Rodgers. A 100% healthy Rodgers wins this game….he is not 100%. The offsetting factor to that is the Cowboys 26^th ranked pass defense. That being said, they slowed the pass happy Lions last week. We all agree Matthew Stafford is no Aaron Rodgers, but Jordy Nelson is no Calvin Johnson either. Eddie Lacy is “fresh” according to Coach Mike McCarthy, going up against a Cowboys defense that ranked 8^th against the run. As much as the Cowboys are relying on Murray, the Packers are relying on Rodgers.

 While the Packers have been consistently solid throughout the year, the Cowboys have been a roller coaster of extreme highs and lows. Their come from behind win last week against Detroit has them riding a high. In a game that is so tightly contested, they’ll ride that high to another victory.

My Pick: Cowboys 27-24